When it Comes to Career Development, Talks Not Cheap

When it Comes to Career Development, Talk’s Not Cheap If you’re like most managers, you care. You’ve become accustomed to taking on more and more, expanding your job description with countless ‘other duties as assigned’ and even some that aren’t. Developing the careers of the people who report to you is on a growing (read: crushing) list of to-do’s. What if you could re-imagine your role around helping others grow? What if you re-framed this task (which, let’s face it, gets put on the back burner most of the time anyway) in such a way that responsibility rests squarely with the employee? What if your role was more about prompting, guiding, reflecting, exploring ideas, activating enthusiasm, and driving action rather than actually doing all the work? Guess what? That’s how it should be. That’s how you help people take responsibility for their careers. That’s also how you can fit career development into your already full day. Somehow the simple human act of helping people grow has gotten very complicated processes on top of checklists with references to resource guides and the to do’s keep growing. Is it any wonder that you want to steer clear? But managers who do this well cut through the clutter and have figured out what employees really need. And, it’s much more basic than you might imagine. “I got tired of orchestrating these development experiences for people who just blew them off like they were nothing. I finally saw that the gift of ‘heavy lifting’ I was giving my people was not appreciated. If I owned their development plans, they didn’t. So I backed way off. Now, I’m totally there for them, will talk it all out, explore possibilities, help them think it through. But, when it comes to making it happen, they’ve got to take the lead. That’s their job”.  Manager, Logistics For years we’ve heard that ‘talk is cheap.’ Not true. When it comes to the manager’s role in development, talk is actually the most precious and results-driving commodity you have to share. Astute managers have gotten comfortable with talking more and doing less. These are no slugs they’re strategists. They appreciate the power of conversations to inspire and generate change in others. Conversation has the power to touch employees’ hearts and minds more deeply than the well-intentioned steps you might take on their behalf. You need nothing more than your own words to inspire reflection and commitment. From that can spring employee-generated actions actions that employees own actions that will help them realize their personal definitions of success. Career development is all about the conversation. “The action is in the interaction.” Douglas Conant, former Campbell Soup CEO and author of Touchpoints Genuine career development is not about forms, choreographing new assignments, or orchestrating promotions. It’s about the quality of the conversations between a manager and his employee, conversations that are designed to: Facilitate insights and awareness; Explore possibilities and opportunities; and Inspire responses that drive employee-owned action. NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS In some organizations, time is set aside each quarter, twice a year, or annually for managers and employees to engage in career dialogue. If you find yourself in that sort of environment, appreciate it. It’s rare. If you’re like the vast majority of managers, you don’t have the luxury of such sacred time. Because you operate at the speed of business, it’s hard to imagine slowing down for a leisurely hour to discuss development. So, here’s the good news. You don’t have to hold lengthy ‘summits’ with employees, solving all of the career problems of the world in one big meeting to help others get results. In fact, in many cases less can be more. “After a few years, I realized what the annual development process reminded me of New Year’s resolutions! It was energizing to set out the plan and we paid attention to it for a while. But pretty soon, it was tucked away until the following year when we’d smile at our folly and rededicate ourselves to a new batch.” Marketing Director When you reframe career development in terms of ongoing conversations rather than procedural checkpoints or scheduled activities suddenly you have more flexibility and the chance to develop careers organically, when and where authentic opportunities arise. LESS IS MORE An interaction doesn’t have a minimum threshold to count as a conversation. You don’t get more points for length. You get more points for stimulating thinking. Would you rather… Sit down with an employee for two hours and map out a career plan for the year? Or… Do the same thing in a dozen 10-minute conversations over the year? Note: Do the math. It’s the same 120 minutes just offered up in smaller, bite-size servings. Increasingly, time-starved managers are opting for B shorter, more frequent conversations that can cover the same ground as their heftier cousins (maybe more) but in an iterative and ongoing fashion. The benefits are compelling: Shorter conversations fit better with the cadence of business today. Frequent, ongoing dialogue communicates a genuine commitment to the employee and development. Iterative conversations allow employees to layer awareness, insights, and action more naturally. The ongoing nature of the conversation keeps development alive in everyone’s mind (vs. tucking it away for a formal meeting.) These frequent exchanges sustain momentum, fuel progress, and act as an ongoing reminder of the organization’s commitment to employee learning, growth, and progress. Some call it ‘embedded’. Others ‘catch as catch can.’ We call it a contemporary solution to a perennial problem. Short, targeted, ongoing career conversations are efficient for you and the employee because they happen within the workflow where genuine opportunities exist. The preceding is adapted from the book, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want.  Beverly Kaye is founder and co-CEO of Career Systems International, specializing in engagement, retention, and development. She is a well-known keynote speaker, writer, and developer of innovative learning tools.  Julie Winkle Giulioni is cofounder and principal of DesignArounds, a bicoastal consulting and instructional design firm. She works with organizations globally to develop and implement learning that works. Image: Shutterstock

How to manage exam stress

How to manage exam stress Exam anxiety can be overwhelming but where it is controlled it can be a positive, helping to focus concentration and sustain motivation. Lisa Faulkner and Ninna Makrinov, from the University of Warwicks Skills team, offer some practical advice on how to reduce exam nerves and revise effectively. Revision what works? We would love to be able to say there is a magic trick for exam revision; and there is one… just maybe not the one you would like to hear about. It all comes down to being organised, planning your time well and setting strategies that will help your memory do its work. For some of us, exams can be perceived as almost a medieval torture practice, and anxiety can hinder what how well we perform on the day. It sometimes helps to understand that is not what they are there for, they are just an efficient way to assess your knowledge and understanding. Thinking and learning As a psychologist, Ninna tends to base her suggestions on the models we have about the way we think (cognition) and learn. I think understanding a little bit of how cognitive psychologists understand memory can help. It is generally agreed that we ‘hold’ memories in different ways. Most of our memories are stored in what we call long term memory (LTM); a depository of ideas, words, images and emotions. When solving a problem, we use our working memory (WM), holding chunks of information ‘on the top of our head’ (imagine a shopping list, or calculating 54 x 7 in your mind). Our WM has a limited capacity (between 4 and 8 chunks of information). Learning occurs when we process information from our WM, so we are able to store it in and retrieve it from the LTM.   Ninna here emphasises the importance of chunks and process,  How do we organise new material so those four chunks have all we have to know for an exam? How do we make bigger chunks (a letter, a word or a subject are all chunks of information)? The answer is processing the information: making sense, relating it to what we already know, using imagery.   Fight or flight. Lisa is a biologist and describes how in stressful situations the body releases cortisol and adrenalin.  This is a fantastic response when we are faced with physical danger and it shows how well adapted humans were to adverse conditions of the past. This response might not be as useful in an exam situation (can you imagine how running away or destroying the exam paper might look?) and it also clouds our thinking.  Lisa highlights advice from the neuroscientist Daniel Levitin “recognise that under stress you’re not gonna be at your best and you should put systems in place”. Put your system in placefive top tips for exam revision: 1. Focus your efforts You don’t need to learn everything: Be realistic. If you have read your course materials, taken effective notes and revised as you go, the time left before exams should be used to refine your understanding and combine your knowledge. If you are reading this now and panicking because you have not done this; think of how you can best use your available time. What should you focus on? 2. Identify the key learning points for your subject Make sure you read the module description and marking criteria. These are provided by your lecturers to guide you. If they are available, look at past papers to get an idea of the questions you might be asked (they might be available on your intranet; follow this link for the University of Warwick Past exam papers ). Other students might also be able to share their insights, in particular those from other years who have already taken the exams you are preparing for. 3. Make effective notes Make sure your notes support your revision. In general this means that they provide a structured, summarised approach to your learning. Some key points to take into account for your notes are that they focus on conclusions (not only content), focus on the relationship between materials and are short enough so you don’t spend too much time reading. You might want to try some specific methods, such as the  Cornell Method or Mind Maps  We will not go into detail here, but if you are at Warwick you might want to attend our Taking Notes Effectively Skills workshop 4. Any mnemonics? Mnemonics allow us to create patterns to help us remember. Probably the most commonly used mnemonics is an acronym (taking the first letter of each element; e.g. SMART objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed). But this is by no means the only way; you can use music, rhymes, visualisation and other methods (this Ted Talk gives a great account of the memory palace Joshua Foer) 5. Teach others Working in a team can help some of us improve our learning. Teaching others is a great way to demonstrate to yourself that you have understood; it also provides a good opportunity to discover areas that you need to look into further in a safe environment. This is also a good time saving technique: divide the contents you need to study between members of your study group and share your learning. Stop writing and put down your pen Watch this clip featuring Warwicks Ellie Crouch to prepare for exams in a purposeful, structured and efficient way and learn strategies to help you perform well.

Got vision Get some. Marla Gottschalk

Got vision Get some. Marla Gottschalk Lets debunk the notion that a vision statement is a bunch of baloney. Like many others â€" I used to feel that these statements were just an exercise in futility. But over the course of time Ive seen that I was sorely mistaken. Vision matters. Considering vision can be a defining moment for an organization, and a vision statement can serve as a powerful guide as it moves forward in the world. If a clear vision doesnt exist, it should be the first order of business. GPS for your business Vision should never be a throw away for a developing business â€" as it can help direct strategy, pricing, advertising and eventually the talent you are able to recruit. Where a mission statement defines what you do as an organization, a vision statement embodies what youd like to be   and where you would like to go, as an organization. It is future-oriented and crafted to motivate. The statement is strengthened by the actions and words of the organization. It also can be the impetus for a value-based message to your customer base, driving business and relationships. As explained by Jenifer Ross, owner of the W@tercooler, a coworking space located in Tarrytown, New York,   Our vision is like a road map that we can refer back to as we grow and develop our coworking community. As such, their vision embodies where they wish to go as an organization. Here it is: Striving to be a catalyst for communication, idea exchange, collaboration and personal/business growth by being a HUB for it’s members, the community it serves and the coworking movement as a whole. W@tercooler will attract, support and cultivate a creative and active community of individuals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses that “work together independently” in the collective and generous spirit of coworking. Lost in the sauce of the everyday Most businesses begin with some sort of vision, but rarely re-visit it. Often it is simply never documented â€" but getting back in touch with vision can be a great exercise. If you havent discussed or even mentioned your organizational vision recently, its time to do so. This process can clarify action and direct behavior. If you find your business without a vision, establish one that helps your business focus and connect with your customers. Keep the strengths of your organization in clear sight, expressing the passion and heart of the business. Try the following exercise:   Think of 3 concepts or words that you would like your customers to use to describe your company. For example: Modern. Cutting-Edge. Service Driven. Reinforce often Helping your vision develop staying power requires reinforcing the concept through words and visual reminders during the course of your day-to-day operations. Be sure to link back to company vision as much as possible with your employees when discussing performance or customer dilemmas. Spot check your companys vision IQ by bringing up vision at your next meeting. Ask employees to describe your organizational vision and what it means to them. If you hear crickets youll know there is some work to do. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist located in East Lansing, Michigan. Connect with her on Twitter and Linkedin.

Student Visa Curbs are Damaging UKs Reputation, Warns Universities UK

Student Visa Curbs are Damaging UKs Reputation, Warns Universities UK Alan Travis, The Guardian Home Affairs Editor (see profile)  reports the news in The Guardian online. About 400 colleges â€" more than 20% of the sector â€" had their sponsorship revoked as they did not apply in time, and 51 had their licences revoked after the UK Border Agency investigated a spike in applications from south Asia just before the tougher English language tests came into force. Also Read: 120 Year University of Wales scrapped amid visa scam investigations The immigration minister,  Damian Green, said: Widespread abuse of the student visa system has gone on for too long and the changes we have made are beginning to bite. Too many students have come to the UK with the aim of getting work and bringing over family members. Nicola Dandridge of Universities UK, said it believed the governments aim of reducing net migration to below 100,000 a year lay behind the curbs. Universities UK believes that the number of international students coming into the country should be accounted for separately and not included in the definition of net migration for the purposes of government policy. International students are not economic migrants. They come to the UK to study and then they leave. Read the full report here in The Guardian online. Source: The Guardian online 1

Deadly Job Search Mistake Boring, Generic, Short LinkedIn About Section - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Deadly Job Search Mistake Boring, Generic, Short About Section

You Are Kind of a Big Deal - CareerAlley

You Are Kind of a Big Deal - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. Wayne Gretzky Author Byline: Jessica has a true passion for the job seeker, evidenced by her desire to share everything she can with everyone she can about resume writing and interviewing. Author Website: http://www.greatresumesfast.com Im kind of a big deal. When Ron Burgundy uttered this famous line in Anchorman, everyone in America laughed and started throwing this phrase around. Of course, the line was funny because it would be ridiculous for anyone to say this about themselves in real life right? One of the greatest challenges people face in writing their resumes is feeling comfortable talking about their accomplishments and achievements. The very idea of bragging about themselves is so uncomfortable for many people that they end up selling themselves short. This is one of the advantages of working with a professionalwe have no reservations about highlighting other peoples talents! For example, I recently wrote a resume for someone in the financial department of a Fortune 50 company. During his tenure, the company had done the largest-ever migration to a popular software system that is considered the gold standard in his industry. Due to his broad understanding of both his field and of technology, he was one of only a dozen people chosen throughout the company to work with the consultants who were designing, testing, and implementing the new system. The kicker was, he never mentioned any of this to me until our very last phone conversation. What a valuable piece of his professional life! Many times, I dont really know much about my friends professional lives unless they happen to get a promotion or change jobs altogether. Because I dont interact with them in a business setting, Im often surprised to learn that my friends are out doing some pretty impressive things in their work lives. For instance, a couple of months ago I learned that a good friend has been maintaining a 4.0 in the masters program shes been in for several yearswhile working full-time. No wonder shes always studying! As you begin a job search, it may take some time to become comfortable talking about your academic and professional accomplishments. Attending networking functions that focus on this type of conversation can help you overcome this roadblock. This is also why its important to have a professional, colleagues, or friends look over your resume before you start sending it off. If your current resume doesnt scream, Im kind of a big deal, you need to rework it until your strengths shine through! Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities. Good luck in your search.

Learn How to Build Resume in a Matter of Minutes

Learn How to Build Resume in a Matter of MinutesThere are many ways to learn how to build resume in a matter of minutes. So, if you are wondering how to build resume for different people, you have to keep in mind that you have to follow certain steps. This will help you avoid any mistake while building your resume.You can do this by trying the effective way by learning some simple and effective tips on how to build resume. These ways are easier than you think and they also help you in producing a good and efficient resume.One of the best ways to learn how to build resume is by visiting your local library or by searching online. There are many books available in the market today which can help you to build resume. These books provide you with step by step instructions on how to build resume. So, these books are really helpful in learning how to build resume.You can also take the help of blogs or websites that provide you with step by step instructions on how to build resume. So, if yo u want to learn how to build resume for one or more fields, then you can make use of these sources.If you want to learn how to build resume for more than one field, then you can make use of your own research. By doing this, you will be able to meet more people and get more jobs. But, it takes time to do this because most people do not have enough time to dedicate to this activity.In order to learn the right method for building resume, you should use the internet. You will be able to find many blogs which provide you with step by step instructions on how to build resume. It will give you a big help in learning how to build resume in a short period of time.You can also do research on websites which provide information on how to build resume. This method will help you learn the entire process of how to build resume in a short period of time. You can also get quick answers to your questions.So, if you want to learn how to build resume in a matter of minutes, then make sure that you are familiar with the above mentioned methods. After all, it will help you to do the task in a better way.