First-Project Jitters Heres How to Deliver

First-Project Jitters Heres How to DeliverFirst-Project Jitters Heres How to DeliverYou got the job, you made it through training and now youve been handed an awesome project. It encompasses all the things you dreamed of doing, and you cant wait to start Theres just one problem. How do you deliver?Getting more responsibility in your workplace is great. It means your capabilities are trusted and you have the chance to outperform expectations and establish yourself as an outstanding employee. However, handling responsibility responsibly is a task unto itself, especially in complex, cross-functional and/or long projects.Here are some tips to help make the task of delivering on a project easier.Develop a Business CaseImproper or inadequate understanding of user needs is a strong reason why projects fail. Before you start, sit down and understand the need for your project. Does this need align with your department and company goals? Identify key stakeholders. Who will want to see this pro ject complete? It may also be beneficial to do a high-level risk analysis for your business case. Assess time/cost/resource utilization against the befhigung benefits of the completed project.Define the ScopeOnce you have honed in on the rationale and key user groups, define the scope of your project. Scope can be broken down into two components time and resources. How many people must be devoted to this project and for how long? Do you need special equipment or supplies? What are the individual roles and responsibilities of the people involved in the project? If you havent done it already, a high-level risk analysis would be helpful in weighing costs versus benefits and more accurately defining scope.Break Down Your Game PlanUpon assessment of scope, you should have a sense of time and personnel requirements. From here, you can break down your project plan. It often helps to break out the project into headers that are the main components of the project. Under each of these headers you can then list individual tasks. Each task should have an owner, someone who is responsible for completing the task, and a date of expected completion. Call out dependencies as well if a task requires deliverables from a predecessor, then that should be clearly labeled. Be sure to consult with stakeholders. It is important that they are on the same page as you with regards to resource consumption and expected completion.Define Your Project GoalsCreating a game plan helps you lay out major phases and constituent tasks, owners and dependencies. Take a minute to define some milestones and goals. What are the markers of completion (either phase completion or full project completion)? What is the best outcome for this project? How can this outcome be quantitatively and qualitatively measured? Its also a good idea to set time goals on these major milestones. This will enable you to plan your process at a more granular level.Document and ReportDocument your project progress against the timeline you created in your game plan/goal definition. A helpful trick here is to use a Planned vs. Actual table. The planned column lists all major milestones and the dates of their planned completion. The actual column lists the same major milestones and the dates of their actual completion. If there are long delays in actual completion, provide an explanation for the delay. This chart will help you relay progress information with stakeholders and other interested parties.ReviewOnce your project is complete, set a review date. This date should be long enough after project completion so that you can properly assess project success against your project goals. Were the project goals met? Be sure to include relevant quantitative and qualitative observations when making these conclusions. Then, fill in all the stakeholders. Explain your process, goals and results. Finally, discuss your conclusions. This conclusion should include recommendations to improve results next time, even if g oals were met.

5 ways to get your office to eat healthier

5 ways to get your schreibstube to eat healthier5 ways to get your office to eat healthierThough eating fresh, light, and green might have been the theme for summer diet habits, once Labor Day has come and passed, your fork (or hand) may reach for slightly heartier and sweeter snacks and meals. Because Fall presents a slew of holiday gatherings centered around the munchies from Halloween candy to Thanksgiving pies you may find yourself battling your jean button on casual Fridays at the office. Its especially tough when you work in an environment that prefers to celebrate all of these calendar dates, often resulting in countless parties, pot lucks and dinners that can take your fruchtweinly-nutritious diet to indulgent, ASAP. And hey, even if you keep to the vegetables at home, snacking on carb and sugar-loaded foods between 9 and 5 can have a major implication on your health.You spend half your waking life at the office, so it can have a huge impact on your health, especially whe n it comes to food. Its so easy to be tempted by junk food and treats when bedrngnis everyone is on the same page with healthy eating, explains registered dietitian Bridget Swinney MS, RD.If you dont want to tip the scales or feel lethargic when you should be productive, its important to encourage your colleagues to eat smarter and not just after January 1 rolls around, by all year. As Swinney says, there are is strength in numbers, so consider some of these challenges, suggestions and ideas from nutrition pros to get your office on the right track toward healthAsk for a bigger fridgeDepending on the size of your company, you may be dismayed to bring your lunch because there simply isnt a place to put it. Though easier to grab-and-go in between meetings, Swinney says youll make better lunch choices when you meal prep for the week ahead. Instead of trying to cram your chicken, quinoa and veggie concoction in a dorm-room-sized freezer locker, Swinney suggests speaking to management a bout a lunch-only refrigerator. As you prep your argument, its essential you have the staffs support, explaining why it would create a better workplace where you can meet deadlines, create stronger strategies and be more efficient. Want to shoot for the stars? Throw in an ask for a toaster and blender too, so avocado toast and smoothies for breakfast are a real possibility.Keep fresh fruits and produces at handEven if you cant convince your boss to have carrot sticks and humus delivered on the reg, Swinney says to talk to your teammates about going in together on a weekly delivery of apples, oranges and other nutrient-rich snacks. She notes that while the saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away may seem elementary, its truth extends far beyond childhood. When you and your co-workers always have something protein or antioxidant -filled at reach for when your hunger pangs strike mid-afternoon, you build your immune system and keep off the extra pounds.You could take turns alternat ing between who-brings-what, or each throw in the same dollar amount each week and have someone make a grocery store run for the goods. Either route, keep your buys near your cubicle or space, that way fridge bandits wont wreak havoc on your well-intended plans.Make it a contestNothing like a healthy dose of competition to uptick your appetite to be choosier with your snack habits. Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Jennifer Bowers, PhD explains collecting a pool of colleagues to work against one another will not only bring you closer, but is a fun way to improve your diets at the same time. From who can make the tastiest dessert that provides vitamins and minerals to who can down the most water in a week or take the most steps, there are plenty of ideas, depending on your collective goals. And hey, even though you might have a prize for the winner each time a cookbook, maybe an extra day of vacation if your boss agrees mostly, youre building camaraderie and a network to lean o n when youre tempted by the fruit of a Twizzler. When coworkers collaborate to promote a healthy attitude toward food, and agreeto support instead of sabotage, everybody wins, Bowers says.Host a build-your-own salad barInstead of the traditional Thanksgiving potluck or chips-and-dip get together for Opening Night of NFL, Swinney says to turn to the garden for your company celebrations. Not only can you make better choices when you pick fresh from the Earth, but since not everyone cooks, it encourages more participation, too. When these big dates come around or on a weekly basis if youre feeling ambitious she suggests hosting a Build-Your-Own Salad Bar. Make a sign-up sheet with suggested items pre-washed greens, whole avocados, rotisserie chicken, canned tuna, a veggie tray, whole grain crackers, light salad dressing, canned corn, cherry tomatoes, walnuts or slivered almonds, dried cranberries, she explains. Even if the whole office is sipping wine or beer while they munch on sala d, you still take a bulk of the un-needed calories away when casseroles, bread puddings and cheesy foods are kept out of working hours.Be upfront about your needs and requestsYou already know you should always negotiate your salary, continuously ask for feedback and ways to improve and be the greatest proponent of your career, but what about asking your employer to stand up to the challenge of creating a healthy attitude toward clean eating? Swinney says making your manager aware of any dietary restrictions or concerns you may have over frequent sweets scattered about the office shows youre thoughtful about your workplace and aim to make it better for not only yourself, but everyone. One example might be asking for non-dairy creamers for those who are lactose-intolerant, or perhaps want to cut out the fatty nature of whole milk. Or, if there is a consistent flow of birthdays at your large corporation, you might consider celebrating once a month instead of each time someone laps arou nd the sun. These seemingly small changes can add up to a big influence on your habits and your co-workers.

How to combine your favorite hobbies with traveling

How to combine your favorite hobbies with travelingHow to combine your favorite hobbies with travelingIn our modern and hectic world, it seems that the days of traveling just for the sake of it are mostly over for many of us. Mindlessly wandering around as a tourist is a bit pass nowadays, it is much better if you can let your favorite pastimes take you to new places, combining both kinds of fun at the same time.Is your business particularly suited for traveling?When you travel anywhere on the premise of something else other than sightseeing taking you there, you enjoy that unique 2-in-1 satisfaction and even if one of the two aspects disappoints, the other is enough for you to say that your time was not wasted. Athletes that compete in tournaments worldwide, academics that scour the globe for conferences exotic locations are more of a determining factor on which ones to choose than they would like to admit and professionals that have their jobs usually in multinational companies regularly take them across borders for business meetings and expos are probably the pioneers of this kind of travelling. But even if you do not fall within these categories, you could still find ways to combine an activity you love with a quick trip.Let the games begin Traveling to your hobbiesNowadays, there are worldwide tournaments not just for sports, but also for many games. The most popular example is probably card games like poker that attract millions of players around the globe. Many of these people play at local clubs or with groups of friends, while a great number alsoplay poker online and on mobile gaming platforms but for those that have a real knack for the game, there is always the option of traveling to compete in tournaments and meet fellow poker enthusiasts. There are literally hundreds of poker tournaments taking place every year, in locations ranging from the USA and Australia, to Malta and the Philippines. The same, to a lesser degree, holds true forother popu lar card games like bridge, as well as insanely popular online video game likeDotaorLeague of Legends.Fund your journeys by helping other travelersA great way to explore a foreign country, while also increasing your savings instead of spending them, is to act as a local tour guide for fellow Anglophones. Your native language skills and a passion for history and culture are all you need for this a perfect way to stay at a place longer than a few days. You could spend a whole summer or even yearsshowing tourists around in New York, Prague, or Tel Aviv.The concept of free walking tours is a bit new but already an instant hit with travellers across Europe and beyond in essence, they come on a guided walking tour for free and at the end they pay their guide (enter you) whatever they think the tour was worth and they are usually quite generous with their tips. Established companies offer training and let you shadow another tour guide before you begin, to get the feel of how exactly it w orks. The best thing about it when you get tired of one place, you can just hop on to the next.So whether for a few days or for a couple of years, there are more ways than you have imagined to combine your enthusiasm for traveling with other passions in your life just choose a place you always wanted to visit, and make it happen.This article was originally posted on YourCoffeeBreak.co.uk.

How New Managers Can Find Balance Management Resources

How New Managers Can Find Balance Management ResourcesHow New Managers Can Find Balance Management ResourcesYouve worked hard to be promoted to a leadership position. You want to get off on the right foot with your staff - and show your boss that she made the right decision in choosing you for the job. But now that you are a bona fide new manager, you are also realizing just how much responsibility youve agreed to take on. You may wonder How am I going to do all of this?First, take comfort in knowing that its natural to feel a little overwhelmed. Its not easy being a new manager and you will need some time to settle in to the role.You alsomust adapt to the varied work styles and needs of your staff members, positiv meet a slew of new performance expectations at the firm.To top it all off, figuring out how to juggle your own projects and make time for your staff members needs - which you absolutely must do - is difficult. In a recent Robert Half Management Resources survey, nearly one-third (32 percent) of chief financial officers said balancing individual job responsibilities with time spent overseeing others is the biggest challenge for new managers.See more survey results in our infographic.View InfographicDespite the daunting to-do list before you, its important to your success as a new manager to avoid rookie mistakes, such as overextending yourself, failing to delegate and micromanaging your team, whichcan undermine your ability to find the balance you seek. Following are some tips to help you steer clear of these missteps and succeed at staff management.Make your calendar work for youNow that youre a new manager, you need to be even more strategic when planningyour workschedule.First, set regular meetings with your team. (And to help ensure you make the best use of that time, see this post on running effective meetings.) Also, if possible, leave room on your calendar for set office hours- perhaps two hours every other Friday morning, for example - wh en your staff members are free to stop by without an appointment to discuss any issues or concerns with you.Then, lager off specific times during the workweek when you will focus solely on your own tasks. Be sure to include some think time on your calendar as well. This is something many entrepreneurs and business leaders do and find that it helps them to be more productive.Empower your employeesManaging does not mean doing everything yourself. New managers often think differently, though. They worry that if they dont try to take on every demand that comes their way, their staff or their boss will somehow think that they arent able to handle the pressures of their new role.However, one of the best things a new manager can do is delegate projects to their team. Not only will assigning responsibilities to others help you stick to the strategic schedule you have outlined (see above), it also demonstrates your confidence in your team.Take care to strike the right balance here, too. Team members should feel that they are being given an opportunity to build their skills while making an important contribution to the firm - and arent being dumped on. If there is any risk that you would be asking too much of your staff to take on more work because they already have full plates, talk to your supervisor about engaging interim support.Resist the temptation to micromanageHovering over your employees shoulders is a surefire way to stifle productivity and innovation in your department and diminish morale. While you are certainly accountable for the success of your team, as a whole, your staff members are responsible for their tasks and meeting the specific expectations outlined for their roles. To do that, they need to be allowed to work autonomously as much as possible, and be free to make their own decisions - and yes, mistakes.Instead of micromanaging, clearly communicate what you expect from your staff members - as well as what they can expect from you as their new ma nager. This will help to foster a positive and collaborative relationship between you and your team. They will know that you trust them to do good work, and that they can look to you for support when needed.Lastly, if you want to succeed as a new manager, be willing to cut yourself some slack. Accept that you will need time to learn the ropes and refine your leadership skills. Also recognize that you are likely to make some mistakes along the way. And when your staff members see that you are putting forth earnest effort, and working with them to improve the organization, theyll be quick to rally around you.Additional resources for new managersReport Creating a Leadership Pipeline Developing the Millennial Generation Into Finance LeadersThe millennial generation - those born roughly between 1980 and 2000 - is now the largest generation in the United States and in the workforce. This report from Robert Half, Financial Executives Research Foundation (FERF), and author Michael S. Seav er, offers tips on fostering a work culture that successfully recruits, engages and retains millennials.Download ReportReport The People Puzzle Building and Retaining a Talented Accounting and Finance TeamFor additional tips on building and retaining a talented accounting and finance team, see this survey report from Robert Half and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). The survey results provide essential insights into what factors make employees want to build a career with a company.Download ReportReport Creating Managing The Dream TeamIn this report, youll find tips on how to build and lead a high-performance, well-balanced team, including identifying the working styles of elite players and managing different personality types with the right approach. Youll also gain insight on how to leverage effective management techniques to be an even stronger leader for your accounting and finance team.Download Report

The Most Disregarded Solution for Resume Format

The Most Disregarded Solution for Resume Format The Secret to Resume Format If dont have any employment experience yet or no achievements whatsoever, you might just include skills that are essential for the job youre applying for. The goal of yur resume is to promote your services to employers. A history of employment indicates to a prospective employer which you are, in reality, employable. Seek for CV writing services based on your interests regarding career. Resume length can fluctuate based on your circumstance. The bottom portion of the resume wont find much attention, if you dont get the interview. A word about the duration of your objective. So before you begin writing, write some notes on your intended companies and what theyre searching for. Also, one ought to be prepared to advocate for the employees and the provider too. As a way to hire you, companies want to know you will help their company by selling more products. Maybe youre targeting companies in a specif ic industry. The most important target of a resume is to show prospective employers how youre different from different applicants and why you ought to be considered a viable candidate. A career objective also needs to be included in addition to any educational qualifications. If you obey our recommendations above, not only are you going to rediscover your past professional experiences and the relevancy they play to the opportunity accessible, youre going to be putting yourself in a really auspicious distribution policy to reach your professional objectives. If you decided your value proposition is the fact youve always increased sales on a little budget, then you have to structure your resume to be sure that point is front and center. Want to Know More About Resume Format? You will soon locate the official data about us. Never direct your technical overview to what you would like to do either. To put it differently, its solely your cooperation that can be chief supply of infor mation to produce relevant resume format for you. So so as to place the appropriate info in an effective way, one needs to adhere to a specific format of a resume. When dont have any idea about both formats, it may result in a dilemma, and you might falter in the exact first step of job application. The use of different presentation methods like table, paragraph and bullet ought to be judiciously employed. For this reason, you have to understand the different sort of resumes and define your aims before drafting this document. There are a lot of different resume formats available that you are going to be baffled in regards to deciding on one specific format. Hiring Managers are extremely interested in what youre doing now. Job seekers often make the error of manipulating the information to fit in a particular format. Despite the fact that, its all up to you to customize resume with the assistance of format of CV, your strategic planning must be rightly executed. There are lots of examples of resumes for accountant jobs which can be found on the internet, also covering almost the full accounting segment. Do not neglect to place your contact information so the hiring manager can reach you. As stated above, most hiring managers are just too preoccupied to read all the CVs that receive. Resume Format - Overview If you think your resume is not doing well, while its supposed to secure you an interview call at least and its not, you must update your resume. Nearly every large company employs an ATS, so common sense has to be on your side. There are many reasons why you ought to prefer our services. One should have the ability to effectively take part in the business planning and strategy. So the very first secret is to have that youre now the item. In order to receive professional resume without waiting much, its important to offer genuine info to resume writers as and when required. The contact details should be included right at the very top or right after the name. Another benefit of our website is the quickness.

The Tried and True Method for Teaching Resume Writing Skills in Step by Step Detail

The Tried and True Method for Teaching Resume Writing Skills in Step by Step Detail Teaching Resume Writing Skills - Dead or Alive? Resume writing has students imagine an extremely specific audience usually a possible employer and reinforces the value of writing for a true audience. Once students receive their resume back, they ought to have enough time to edit their resume based on the ideas of their peers. Its never too early to aid students learn to compose a resume. When many students might just be drafting a resume they dont have any intention of using immediately, its helpful to make them imagine who might be the recipient of their resume. The Appeal of Teaching Resume Writing Skills Teaching jobs usually need specific degrees and certifications, so be certain to highlight your education. Teachers will have a hard time carrying out their responsibilities without the aid of a Teacher Assistant. They are some of the most hardworking, patient and reliable workers out ther e. The Secret to Teaching Resume Writing Skills Also, be sure to curate some skills dependent on the topic youll be teaching. Using teaching keywords isnt limited to resumes. There is certainly a performance element to the majority of teaching. You have to demonstrate that youre passionate about education. You might want to highlight distinctive sides of your experience, based on the particular demands of the position available. When creating an effective resume, you want to understand how to compose a skills section since it is but one of the very first things a prospective employer will search for to find a fundamental comprehension of what you, as a prospective employee, can bring to their company. Make certain that you have a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated every one of the top five skills listed here. If you are conversant with the students group dynamics you may decide to plan ahead of time to improve engagement and interaction. The Battle Over T eaching Resume Writing Skills and How to Win It It is possible to divide your skills into various sections for simple readability for the employer. Learn about the three sorts of skills youll be able to highlight and the way it is possible to incorporate them into your resume. Mainly because soft skills cant be easily taught. In the majority of instances, your soft skills can boost your hard skills. If you believe you dont have the skills to create a keyword rich resume, you can discover expert assistance. For instance, knowledge of foreign languages is a great skill that may be convenient in various professional contexts.

Unemployed isnt unqualified 3 stigmas that scare recruiters (and how to squash the bias)

Unemployed isnt unqualified 3 stigmas that scare recruiters (and how to squash the bias)Unemployed isnt unqualified 3 stigmas that scare recruiters (and how to squash the bias)Starting the job hunt while youre employed full-time can be draining. But doing it while youre unemployed can be downright exhausting.Thats because unemployment tends to carry several stigmas.After speaking with thousands of hiring managers while working toimprove the recruiting process, Ive become intimately aware of the biases that recruiters have toward unemployed candidates. Theyre often seen as lazy, lacking talent, and out of touch.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreRecruiters are told to go out and find the best talent, but they arent given a very good definition to guide them. Instead, they rely on indicators, like how long a candidate was at their last job or the number of months someone has been une mployed.But those facts cant tell the full story. And many qualified applicants never hear back simply because theyve been out of work for too long.Whenskilled candidatescant find jobs,theres clearly an issue. Thats why I want to squash a few of the stigmas unemployed candidates face and offer advice on how both recruiters and candidates can do a better job of overcoming the bias.1 Diversity Of AgePeople who are younger or older than the workforce average often struggle with unemployment because no one wants to take a chance on them.If a candidate is older, recruiters think theyll be set in their ways or wont fit in with a younger culture. If theyre young, recruiters worry they lack experience. Unfortunately, these candidates often stay unemployed because they never get the opportunity to prove they can be a great fit. Recruiters simply move on to someone they consider age-appropriate.To help combat this stigma, both parties need to communicate better and focus on the right indicato rs.CandidatesIf you feel that your age may negatively affect your job search, the most important thing you can do is advocate for yourself. Figure out what the company is looking for, and show them you can do the necessary work.For instance, if youre a younger candidate applying for a marketing role, do a project that shows the recruiter you can handle the email marketing or social media analysis the job requires. For older candidates, advocate for your up-to-date skillset by presenting the company with work that demonstrates your ability to thrive in the role.RecruitersIf youre concerned about whether or not someone will be a fit due to their experience level, have a conversation about their skills and experiences. Ask more behavioral and scenario-based questions. If they showcase the right soft skills and knowledge, then bring them into the bro and see how they mesh with everyone.If you see accurate signs that they wont thrive in the environment, then its fair to pass on them. But its a mistake to forgo the conversation in the first place just because someone is outside of the usual age range.2 Gaps In A Candidates ExperienceRecruiters tend to view any employment gap thats longer than three months as a red flag. This stigma exists for two reasonsSome recruiters think, If this partie is so talented, why are they still on the market?Others believe that a candidates skills have atrophied, so they wont be up-to-date with industry trends.For many candidates, neither of those points ring true. In fact, a lot of candidates spend their unemployment brushing up on industry research and learning skills they didnt have time for while working. A gap in work experience shouldnt always be a red flag, especially if the candidate can clearly articulate the cause.CandidatesIf you have a gap in your work history, do your best to explain how you spent your time off. For instance, I work with a lot of candidates who are taking classes and learning new skills while unemployed. I ve also met plenty of people who have spent time traveling and clearing their head before diving back intothe job hunt. Both of those scenarios are totally acceptable.So when applying and interviewing, you just have to showcase what you did, where you went, and most importantly, what you learned. Its about communicating why you made those choices.Recruiters My advice here is simple- ask about the gap. If a candidate looks promising, but its been a few months since they were last employed, ask what they were doing. They might have been traveling, adding new skills to their repertoire, or even taking care of a family member. Youll never know unless you ask.3 Unwillingness To Settle For A JobMany candidates use their savings to sustain them while they look for something new. Theyve made the decision that their next job needs to be a sustainable, long-term fit, and they arent willing to take the first opportunity that comes their way.Theyre not unemployed because theyre unqualified. The yre unemployed because theyre refusing to settle.CandidatesIf youre being proactive and thoughtful about your job search, explain that. When you message recruiters, tell them how you came across the company, why youre interested, and what youve been doing during your time off.RecruitersUnderstand that times are changing and people are more careful when it comes to choosing a job. An amazing candidate may have given themselves six months to find a new job, and theyre being picky because they know how important this decision is to their career.There are many reasons a candidate might be unemployed that have nothing to do with qualifications. It might be easier to pass over unemployed applicants, but in doing so, recruiters are also passing over some incredibly motivated and qualified candidates.By focusing on the outcome and being more thoughtful in communication, both parties can identify strong role fits in their search.This article first appeared on Minutes.

Will Inbox infinity be the new email trend for this year

Will Inbox infinity be the new email trend for this yearWill Inbox infinity be the new email trend for this yearFor more than a decade, many of us who get overwhelmed by clutter have aimed for that perfect moment wzu siche, by some miracle, our email inboxes have zero unread messages. Spoiler alert For most of us, that moment will never come, and if it does, it wont last long.As were flooded with emails, it feels impossible to glance over all of their subject lines - much less read their text and take the time to reply. In this environment, where people across the world are the recipients and senders of literally hundreds of billions of emails each day, a journalist at The Atlantic has pioneered a new mindset toward the correspondence tool.When technology reporter Taylor Lorenz got back to her office after Christmas, she had 2,700 emails waiting for her. That welches a paltry sum compared to some of the people she recently interviewed, who said their inboxes had accumulated tens or hundreds of thousands of unread messages.A seemingly dedicated adherent to the principle of Inbox Zero, where people aim to clear out their entire inboxes to keep everything clean and organized, Lorenz spent seven hours one day looking through these leftover emails from December. The next morning, she had 400 fresh messages. And it seems that thats what drove her to a crossroads.In 2019, I suggest you let it all go, Lorenz wrote. There is simply no way for anyone with a full-time job and multiple inboxes to keep up with the current email climate. With this wave of clarity, Lorenz created her new outlook Inbox infinity. The movement requires explicit recognition that you, as a busy worker, cannot answer everyones emails all the time.Adopting inbox infinity means accepting the fact that there will be an endless, growing amount of email in your inbox every day, most of which you will never address or even see, Lorenz wrote. Its about letting email messages wash over you, responding to the ones you can, but ignoring most.The new approach to email seems to resound with people. Only a few days after Lorenz published her essay, inbox infinity is being touted by all kinds of news sources as the email hack for 2019.But the method also has clear pitfalls. What about all of those people you email often? Friends and family, or even work colleagues who need to be able to get ahold of you?Lorenz has a solution for that, too.One critical step in the inbox-infinity method is to publicly admit that you have too much email to handle and be up front about not responding, she wrote. You can start by messaging close contacts and family members, providing them with alternative ways to reach you.She continued, A friendly message to relatives might say, Hi, Im overwhelmed with email these days. Id still love to hear from you, but if you want to reach me, Id much prefer a call on the phone. My number is X. In some cases, an out-of-office autoresponder may be the way to go, even if you re at your desk and working. If you tell people youre spending less time on email and focusing on other parts of your work, they can know why you may not respond right away and appreciate it when you do.Could this be the miracle weve all been hoping for? Will the whole world start playing fast and loose with email, unapologetically letting messages slip through the cracks? Probably not - Lorenz even admitted that quitting email led to a missed opportunity for her. Plus, those of us attached to Inbox Zero are pretty used to decluttering, so its unlikely that well be able to let go of the tremendous amount of anxiety 100 unread emails causes us just because it might be the in vogue thing to do.But Lorenzs newly minted philosophy at least acknowledges a huge problem that we have Too much zugreifbar correspondence, and no time to deal with it all. Now that we recognize theres something wrong in our offices, maybe well be able to fix it. Because the truth is, no one likes cleaning out a n inbox for seven hours just to feel on top of things. And at the end of the day, no one should have to if its not the right form of communication for them.

Prepare Properly for Your Performance Review

Prepare Properly for Your Performance ReviewPrepare Properly for Your Performance ReviewPrepare Properly for Your Performance ReviewMost of us are familiar with the performance review, a typically annual process in which you get together with your anfhrer to review your accomplishments and shortcomings from the past year, and set goals for the coming year. In many cases, the review ends at that climactic moment when the anfhrer tells you (cue the trumpets) your raise or lack of one.If the review process is done right, it can provide you with insight into your strengths and weaknesses, other roles you could play, and whether you think you should stay with the employer or launch a job search.Perhaps just as important as the bosss approval and a boost in your paycheck, the performance review can also be an effective career management tool. Thats increasingly critical in todays insecure employment atmosphere, which is forcing many to change jobs more often to achieve their career goals.F or many, that annual sit-down with the boss will come near the end of the year, before companies close the financial books on 2009 and open new ones for 2010. But no matter when your review occurs, here are seven questions you should ask yourself before you meet with your bossHow did I contribute to my employers success this year?Did I help them save money? Make money? Make a process easier?Did I help someone do their job better by sharing my help and expertise?Did I take on new challenges that were critical for the company?Is what Im doing right now making me more valuable to the company?Is this a job I want to keep for a while? Or can I use it to take on something more challenging, either with this company or with another?Do I feel a sense of accomplishment most days?You can take a proactive approach to answering these questions by documenting your accomplishments as they happen in a career journal or brag sheet. This can come in handy if your employers performance-review process requires you to fill out a self-evaluation and submit it to your boss beforehand. Its also a great resource you can refer to when its time to update your resume.Use your bosss version of the review to validate your own assessment of how youre doing, then supplement it with the good things your boss cites that you may have overlooked. For instance, if you mentored a new colleague and didnt know until your review that it saved your boss time that would have been spent helping that person, you have a new entry for your journal or brag sheet.That also comes in handy as an addition to your resume when you feel its time to move on to something else. The bottom line is to treat the performance review as both a report card on the past year and a career management guide for the year ahead and beyond.