How to Have Work-Life Balance Without Looking Lazy -The Muse

How to Have Work-Life Balance Without Looking Lazy -The MuseHow to Have Work-Life Balance Without Looking Lazy In todays always-on workplace, where being busy is a badge of honor and around-the-clock availability has become the norm, employees who seek a healthy work-life balance can get a bad rap. Those who try to find the balance between personal quality of life and career success are sometimes accused of seeming lazy and uncommitted. Theres an assumption that people who want balance are skirting responsibility, while in fruchtwein cases, theyre really just trying to engineer a workday that promotes long-term productivity and keeps their motivation and focus high. Its no wonder, then, that so many of us fail to speak up when were feeling burned out or want more flexibility in our day-to-day we fear being labeled the office slacker.So how can you achieve work-life balance without seeming like youre bailing on your responsibilities? The secret is working more strategically, so you ca n excel at your job and have more time for your life outside of the office. Here are some tips to help you navigate working smarter and more efficiently- rather than harder and longer- to both avoid burnout and deflect any question of your work ethic. 1. Remember Parkinsons LawAccording to Parkinsons Law, work expands to fill the time available for its completion. If you give yourself until the end of the day to write a report, guess what? Itll fruchtwein likely take you until the end of the day. This illustrates the importance of setting boundaries for your projects. To avoid spending more time on tasks than is really necessary, you have to learn to implement more structure, so you can work efficiently- not constantly. Try this Instead of leisurely spending the first 30 minutes of the day checking email, give yourself five minutes to process as many messages as you can. Or, schedule your day creatively by using enjoyable personal or social activities to sandwich your to-do list. Fo r example, make plans to attend an art class or meet a friend after work to put a hard stop on the time you leave the office. Limiting the amount of time you have available to crush your tasks can push your focus through the roof. 2. Eliminate the Urgent, Not the ImportantBefore you start working on a project, make sure you have a clear sense of why youre doing it and the tangible outcome or impact you expect to achieve. Often, urgent tasks, like emails, phone calls, or emergency meetings can keep us on a perpetual hamster wheel, while important tasks that actually contribute to long-term mission and goals get pushed to the wayside. So before you dive in to any task, ask yourself the hard question, Do I actually need to do this? You may find youve been superfluously tracking metrics or busying yourself with projects that could be trashed- which could free up significant time for you to focus on what really matters. 3. Create SystemsIf you complete any activity or task more than once , document your process from start to finish. Not only will this save you time the next time you have to replicate that assignment, but itll also help you get a clearer view of which tasks you can delegate. Routinized, repeatable projects- such as filing reports in a certain way or formatting a presentation to fit your companys template- are perfect targets for delegation since they include clear instructions and are generic enough that you dont have to be the person who completes them.The same goes for your personal life, too. For example, if you host a birthday party every year, make a note of when to send out invitations and to whom, when to decide on a venue, and which friends to call to help with different aspects of the planning and set-up. This will save you time and stress in the long run.4. Know Your Lazy HoursMost of us realize that were more productive at certain times of the day, but the key to benefitting from this information is being able to identify those times and a dapt your schedule around slumps. Over the next few weeks, pay attention to the times when youre at peak productivity and when youre the least motivated. Do you power through the morning, but hit a wall just before lunch? Are you mentally checked out from work tasks around 5 PM in favor of trolling the internet? These are your lazy hours. Once you figure out your peaks and valleys, you can set yourself up for success by structuring your days so that youre tackling the most important, attention-grabbing work before or after your slow blocks. (If youre struggling with this, this quiz can help.)5. Set Expectations Early and OftenStraightforward, candid, and frequent communication with your boss and team is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They should understand exactly what youre working on, what types of tasks you dont work on, and what they can and cant expect from you when youre working from home, during the weekend, or when youre on vacation. For example, rath er than giving the general expectation that youll be traveling for a few days and will have limited access to email, specify your availability and the best way to reach you (an out-of-office message is good for that). Getting more specific by saying, I will be traveling and available via email from 10 AM until 12 PM. After 12 PM, please reach me by phone, helps avoid miscommunications and ensures youll be pinged at times that wont interfere with your other plans.As long as you share your boundaries in the spirit of team collaboration and transparency, your co-workers will appreciate- and respect- your honesty.6. Outsource Your LifeFree time is precious. When you have downtime, you want it to be restorative- but that cant happen if youre running around looking for an open washing machine, waiting in line at the grocery store, and cleaning your apartment. When your downtime becomes just as stressful as your workday, you can create more time for yourself by outsourcing errands to other s. These days, theres an app for everything, and depending on how busy you are, the benefits of hiring someones services can seriously outweigh the costs. Too busy to cook? Look into a meal delivery service. Laundry piling up? Send it out to be cleaned professionally. Apartment cleaning, home improvement, grocery shopping, errand-running- you name it, theres a service for that.Work-life balance is incredibly important for your physical and mental health, and its perfectly reasonable to fight for it. When youre able to spend more time doing the things you love, youre better equipped to confront challenges when they arise. And having time for activities outside of work will help stoke your creativity in the office and propose out of the-box-ideas. And altogether, this will make you a more productive, more valuable, healthier, and happier employee.

How to Answer Sticky Job Interview Questions

How to Answer Sticky Job Interview QuestionsHow to Answer Sticky Job Interview QuestionsTo get a sense of your personal and professional passions,strengths, and weaknesses, interviewers may attempt to determine what type of work activities do not hold your interest. The underlying assumption is that you will put your best work intotasks about which you are passionate. Therefore, the question What wont you miss about your past or current job? helps the interviewer understand whether or not you will be suited for the responsibilities of the job at hand. The key to answering this question is to be honest, but also to remain positive, even while you are focusing on what binnenseems like a negative question. This is not the time to badmouth supervisors or colleagues, complain about the companys facilities, or rant about a project or task you really despised. Compare Your Job to the New Job Along with being honest and positive, your answer should also look ahead to the job for which yo u are applying. Start by making a list of the various parts of your past or current position that held the least interest for you. Try to include at least some duties that you had to carry out only on rare occasions, and were not central to your overall success. Next, examine the job youre interviewing for and make a list of the different areas of responsibility included in the description. If the job advertisement lacks detail, then look at the employment section of the organizations website to see if there is a more elaborate description of the position. You can also scan major job sites by title to see what other employers incorporate into the job. Prioritize the list of work activities involved with your target job. If you are unsure about the relative importance of various components of the job, then ask professionals in the field to help you with your appraisal. Pick 3 Things That Are Not a Priority Finally, pick three aspects of your past or current job that held the leas t interest to you. Compare this list with your prioritized list of work activities for your target job. You want to make sure that any tasks you mention are not likely to be prioritized by your target employer, nor should they be frequently performed or highly important aspects of the position. Keep It Honest But Positive When you are answering the question, avoid any negative wording about whatever duties you share. Try to use a more neutral approach that shows that you were able to get the job done even though you werent very stimulated by the task. You should be honest about the tasks that did not appeal to you, but at the same time, you should take a positive approach in explaining your reasons why. You wouldnt want to say, As a retail sales manager, I hated taking inventory counts. It was one of the fruchtwein boring things Ive ever had to do, and it drove me crazy. Instead, you should frame your answer in a way that suggests you enjoyed more stimulating, challenging projec ts but still learned to cultivate the right degree of discipline for the type of tasks that might be tedious to carry out but are still necessary to complete. For example, you might say, As sales manager for a clothing boutique, I really enjoyed almost all aspects of my work. I suppose the aspect that held the least interest for me was taking inventory of unsold clothing, as I did not find it mentally stimulating. However, I was able to focus on the details of the job and made accurate counts, as I knew my results would be important when it came to projects I did enjoy, like selecting pieces for our new fall line. Sample Answers Take a look at some sample answers to this question, and use them for inspiration while coming up with a response of your own. While I loved my time as an administrative assistant at XYZ Company, I always wanted the chance to demonstrate my fundraising and grant-writing experience, but never had the opportunity to expand my duties. I am excited at the pr ospect of this position, which offers a 60/40 split between administrative duties and grant writing. This kind of position will allow me to demonstrate my skill in multiple fields.As a salesperson for ABC Company, I gained valuable sales skills and had great mentorship from my superiors. While I enjoyed being able to make sales calls on my own, I always wished we also did some team sales, because I feel that I am extremely skilled at making sales in a group environment, and I love the opportunity to work with and learn from my colleagues. I believe I would thrive in a sales position at your company, because of the heavy emphasis you place on teamwork and group sales.

Customize this Outstanding Application Engineer Resume Template

Customize this Outstanding Application Engineer Resume TemplateCustomize this Outstanding Application Engineer Resume TemplateWriting the Application Engineer Resume TemplateCreate Resume Writing a resume can pose a challenge to many applicants. Having a well-structured resume can help a potential employee stand out amongst other applicants, though. The following resume template is an appropriate guide for an Application Engineer applicant. Tommy PickleProfessional SummaryApplication Engineer adept at managing the technology evaluation stage and designing and improving specialty equipment. Proven ability to enhance software programs. Experienced with collaborating with various departments within companies to ensure client specifications are met across all fields.Core Qualifications Computer design and improvement Specialty equipment Application development Technical functionality assistance Industry-specific jargon explanation Software field developmentExperienceApplication Enginee r, April 2013 PresentCunninghams Engineering Services Los Angeles, CA Provide and confirm the specification changes made to products and oversee the orchestration of both simple and complex tasks. Participate in information gathering meetings and provide appropriate feedback on latest suggestions and innovations. Determine client needs, business goals and desired outcomes and then work with heavy machinery and specialized equipment. Plan, design, test and implement improvements to applications to achieve the necessary outcome for the client and other interested parties. Assist clients in better understanding the nature and applications of a specific product after delivery of the product. Stay informed of the latest technologies and innovations in the industry, including latest industry practices and developments.Engineering Technician, August 2012 May 2013California Customer Connections Department Monterey, CA Conducted research pertaining to application development as well as sim ilar products. Assisted Application Engineer with writing computer coding, programming and testing applications to ensure they were bug-free. Corrected errors, bugs and glitches found in applications under the close supervision of the Application Engineer.Education2012 Bachelor of Science, EngineeringUniversity of California Los Angeles, CACustomize Resume

A Social Robot for Every Household

A Social Robot for Every Household A Social Robot for Every Household If Richard Margolin has his way, it wont be long before a social robot will be an essential member of every household in America, maybe even the world.Margolin is co-founder and director of engineering at Dallas-based RoboKind, now preparing for the pilot production run of ZENO R25, described as the first affordable social robot. We want social robots to be available to the masses, he says.Unlike robots designed for manufacturing, medical devices, or research, social robots are imbued with characteristics that encourage social interaction with people. Until now, these robots have been so expensive that such interaction could happen only in research labs and institutions.That may change with the introduction next spring of ZENO R25, a 22-inch high, 10-pound dynamo that can grasp objects, walk, initiate conversations based on what people are doing, tell jokes, play games, detect music and dance to it, listen for a qu estion and search for an answer online, detect faces, motions, and colors, and read QR codes and all at a cost expected to be around $2,700. Optional software, starting with educational and autism therapy modules, will be released over time for an additional fee.Educational PurposeDesigning ZENO R25 took Margolin and his colleagues into uncharted territory. While mucksmuschenleise in college, Margolin began working on large humanoid robots considered to have some of the most human realistic faces. These were custom-produced and used for research, costing between $80,000 and $1.2 million. Margolin wanted to make such robots available to the masses and with broader applications. At those prices, even most universities couldnt afford them, he says.Early concept sketches of ZENO R25. Image RoboKindAbout five years ago, he led the development of ZENO R50, a social robot that cost $16,000. For it, researchers both inside and outside the company (RoboKinds robot software is open source) w ere coming up with educational programs that could appeal to families for subjects ranging from foreign languages, reading comprehension and history, to geography, science, and math - as well as autism therapy modules designed to make an emotional connection to autistic children to help them read human emotion and social cues. But the price tag of ZENO R50 limited its market to larger institutions. $16,000 is leise a lot for the everyday person, Margolin says.Two years ago, the team committed to developing a price-conscious robot for use in public schools, special education centers, autism therapy centers and by individual therapists, hobbyists, and developers. We still wanted it to do everything, and we still wanted it to be amazing, he adds. That meant we had to get into the nitty gritty, and design some of the basics. At $16,000, there are not many restrictions on what you can put into a robot. For the R50, the team purchased high-end, off-the-shelf components, such as the motors and robot server loaders, and then designed all the sensors and motor control around them. For the R25, to cut costs, the team was able to reduce the number of motors below the waist from 12 to three while still allowing the robot to walk and turn. The R50 taught us a lot about how to design for manufacturability and how to get what we wanted out of our design, he said.Socially InteractiveR25s totally redesigned walking mechanism doesnt use as much power as the R50 but allows the robot to stand without power, while the R50 will collapse without power. R25 is a little bit slower than the R50 but its also easier to work with, Margolin says, noting that the team incorporated safety features much like those found in toys since the robot would be used by children. Not that the R50 is unsafe but safety with children versus university researchers is different, he adds.What sets Robokind apart, says Margolin, is its ability to do facial expressions and its excellent socially interactive ar tificial intelligence. The area we focus on is all about social interaction, he says. For us this means good conversational interaction plus the facial expressions and a gesturing body. We believe that having a face on a robot is important because we communicate so much information nonverbally through facial expressions.Margolin says there are still a lot of challenges with the software, and one reason the company has made its source code open for the robot is, We hope to get a lot of hobbyists and developers interested and see what they come up with. Testing of RoboKinds educational software has started in some schools, and a large sample autism study will begin soon now that some small efficacy studies have indicated the company is heading in the right direction.So how long before such a robot becomes as essential as a mobile phone? Realistically I hope in three or four years they will start to be somewhat commonplace, and in another decade it will just be a normal thing, Margolin says.By next spring, an affordable social robot from RoboKind may be finding its way into households across America.Nancy S. Giges is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionWe believe that having a face on a robot is important because we communicate so much information nonverbally through facial expressions.Richard Margolin, co-founder/director of engineering, RoboKind

How to Give Feedback After A Job Interview

How to Give Feedback After A Job InterviewHow to Give Feedback After A Job InterviewAs a hiring manager youve likely asked yourself how you can best serve job candidates who come your way. Your first priority is hiring the best fit for the job you have open, of course, but what kind of feedback should you give to the rest of the candidates after youve made your offer to someone else?According to informal poll results from a mixed audience of job seekers and employers on Twitter, 84 percent of respondents believe that a job bewerberinterviewer should always give feedback after a job interview, whereas 16 percent believe that the hiring manager should not give feedback, perhaps because that is the role of a job coach or a specialized recruiter.After a job interview hiring managers should. Simply Hired (SimplyHired) March 11, 2016These results are greatly at odds with a 2012 study by Gerry Crispin in which he interviewed 100 of the top companies fruchtwein admired for their hiring pract ices. In the study 70 percent of companies reported that they do not give feedback to unselected job candidates after interviews. Many job seekers might not realize that employers often dont provide feedback to avoid the risk of being sued from the appearance of bias or discrimination. However, many hiring managers dont realize that providing feedback is also an opportunity to build relationships with people who could be a good fit for your company later in their careers or to boost your employer brand. When Should Hiring Managers Give Feedback?For many companies, the sheer number of applications and scheduled interviews precludes the ability to follow up with absolutely everyone. Instead, hiring managers often arrange for automatic receipt notifications such as Due to a high volume of applications, we are only following up with candidates who show a strong match for the experience and skills were looking for. Please consider this email your confirmation of application receipt.This explains why, of all the Twitter followers who were surveyed, 73 percent have not received job interview feedback in the past, 14 percent had received feedback and 13 percent only received feedback when they were hired for the job.Have you received job interview feedback in the past? Simply Hired (SimplyHired) March 15, 2016For high level rounds of interviews in which candidates make it in for a more comprehensive interview it becomes more normal to provide feedback, especially for candidates you hire. This can include positive feedback, such as why a persons resume was appealing or what about the interview was especially compelling, or it can include negative feedback such as that the company is seeking a candidate with more experience in a certain area of the work. Methods of Providing FeedbackIf candidates were to receive interview feedback from an employer, 50 percent of them would want it delivered by email, 27 percent by phone, and 18 percent in person. If you received job int erview feedback from an employer, how would you want it delivered? Simply Hired (SimplyHired) March 14, 2016Candidates might prefer email communication so that they can clearly understand the feedback or so that they might avoid the personal confrontation of receiving negative feedback by phone or in person. However, the best practice for hiring managers is to provide feedback by phone or in person so that you have the benefit of personal communication, tone and voice (and you avoid the risk of having your words used against you). Providing Feedback Is Up to YouShould your company provide feedback to interview candidates? Unless required by law, it is completely up to your discretion and your goals for the future. If networking and word-of-mouth is important to your ability to build employer brand and see more prospects applying for your positions, providing feedback might be an effective way to increase goodwill and employer reputation. Do you provide interview feedback to candidat es whether you hire them or not? Why or why not?

Program Manager Resume - the Story

Program Manager Resume - the Story Program Manager Resume for Dummies Program managers routinely offer supervision of a project or several projects to attain a corporate vision. Project Managers should know a selection of topics, including information technology, promotion, and construction, based on the facts of their undertaking. An outstanding Program Manager resume will have a range of impressive skills your employer is searching for in a candidate. A hiring manager searching for a Program Manager is trying to find a strong strategic thinker who thrives with complexity and works nicely with others. Pretty much every good or building requires a Project Manager to oversee its development, so since you can imagine there are lots of job openings in the area. You also might be in dienstgrad of the entire cloud business unit and supervise huge teams. Also, in case you frequently change jobs, you might also think of a functional resume. In addition, you can look for program mana ger jobs on Monster. A technical program manager is somebody who manages the technical facets of a software development undertaking. If youre looking for a position for a program manager, its helpful to have a whole program manager job description to consult. When you have produced a program manager description, look at our program manager interview questions. Even if your resume is more than 1 page, focus just on the relevant information. Inter-staff communication is also an essential duty of a manager. What contains a simple computer literacy. On the contrary, it highlights your abilities and abilities. Its vital to be an outstanding communicator. The end result is that speaking more languages makes it increasingly likely you will get hired. Our resume examples offer inspiration, but more importantly guidance on the best way to structure and compose the elements. You only need to improve the abilities and knowledge you currently have. Look to the work description for cue s about what things to emphasize here. Up in Arms About Program Manager Resume? Indicate your industry-specific wisdom and include any appropriate experience to prove that youre a wonderful possible asset to the business. As the leader, youve got to be sure everybody is doing their job. You also need to take notenzeichen of the abilities and qualities that the provider is searching for. You know your abilities and personal experience, thus you know what type of jobs you might need to apply for. You need to know how to speak to your members or teams. The recruiter would like to know that which you have done in your career. In a big application, you wont ever understand all the detail. Program scheduling varies based on the kind of program being implemented. Tuition reimbursement amounts may change depending upon union agreement. Part-time paid experience could be accumulated and pro-rated to satisfy the overall experience requirements. With regard to CNA classes, online services supply you with all the required knowledge that will help you ace the written portion of the certification exam, and a number of the much better programs out there even offer students chances to obtain practical clinical experience although not from home, naturally. For example, it has at all times been known as a business that demands a lot of hard work so that your work-life balance may suffer. For instance, if you need to both highlight your abilities and include your chronological work history, think about a combination resume. Dont devote all of your time crafting the ideal plan, because variables which you dont control can often throw the plan into disarray in a few minutes, and your success is going to be measured on your capacity to modify the strategy to satisfy the new atmosphere. As an example, in the instance of education, your greatest degree ought to be set first and the rest of the degrees after ought to be added in reverse-chronological order. So in case you have more than ten years below your belt, dont be concerned about length. Masters degree programs in project management can provide extra grasp of the structure of projects to boost the security managers capability to coordinate the many facets of security project completion.

How to Write a Rejection Letter - Spark Hire

How to Write a Rejection Letter - Spark HireFinding a suitable candidate for your open roles also means sending rejection letters to all those who did not make it. Is it really necessary, you ask? While it is not mandatory, it is basic decency on your part.Candidates spend quality time preparing and interviewing with your company and the least you can do is notify them of their status instead of keeping them in the dark.Delivering bad news is tough and uncomfortable but running away from it is not the solution. So go the extra mile and try your best to deliver this disheartening news in a polite and professional manner. It wont bring a smile to the readers face, but it does strengthen your companys reputation and contributes to a positive candidate experience.Here are 5 tips to keep in mind while writing a rejection letterThank the CandidateStart the letter by politely thanking candidates for their time and consideration. Dont send out the generic thank you for applying but because i ts mechanical and means nothing.Instead, take the effort to craft a polite and warm response that reflects your genuine appreciation. In a line or two, express your gratitude towards the fact that they considered your company.Consider having a personalized approach for every candidate by including their name, the date they interviewed and the position they interviewed for.Get to the PointDont make the candidate read lengthy paragraphs of praise before you break the news. After thanking them, get straight to the point and inform them of the rejection.Many companies use this space to offer feedback and explain why the candidate wasnt considered. However, it is advisable to not offer feedback unless asked.You can either tell them that the position is filled or how you wanted to focus on an aspect of the job that they did not have experience in. Steer clear from sharing any specifics that can lead to pushback or give rise to back-and-forth conversations.Acknowledge StrengthsYes, the can didate did not make the cut due to various reasons but that does not stop you from acknowledging a strength of theirs you noticed on their resume or in the course of the interview.Think of some specific strengths such as their leadership experience, communication skills, or a technical skill that stood out and mention that in the letter. Doing this helps to soften the blow and instills hope in the candidates.Even if you have a vorlage for rejection letters, make sure you personalize this section to include their respective strengths and capabilities.Keep it PositiveWould you send a rejection letter that seems robotic or would you rather send one that is positive and encouraging?There is no denying that notifying someone of their rejection is disappointing but how you choose to deliver this news matters a great deal.Ensure your tone of voice and the words used are positive and leave the candidate with hope. If you feel they would be a good fit for your company, you must tell them tha t their resume has been archived for future consideration.Finally, end the letter by wishing them luck in their job search.Dont DelayAs soon as you have made your decision, send out the rejection letter to the other applicants. They are anxious and eager to know the result of their application. The sooner you share the result, the better. It shows proactiveness on your part and lets them move on in their job hunt.So, make writing rejection letters a practice and dont be the company that unceremoniously disappears on candidates who dont qualify. Do your due diligence, send out a genuine and warm rejection letter, and only then should you consider the case closed.About the AuthorAdela Belin is the Head of Digital Marketing at Writers Per Hour. She writes about motivation, mental health, personal development and all things in between. She hopes to make a difference in peoples lives by sharing relevant stories inspired by her personal journey. Feel free to contact Adela on LinkedIn.