5 Cringeworthy Office Moments I Cant Deal With

5 Cringeworthy Office Moments I Cant Deal With Being able to find  the funny side to  uncomfortable  moments is a true gift. When awkwardness starts to infiltrate the air between coworkers, it  is he or she who can make a joke of the situation and move on, who makes it out alive. But sometimes, thats easier said than done. Unfortunately,  offices are breeding grounds for  uncomfortable situations.  We  all make mistakes. We all fall victim to situational nightmares. We all make  thoughtless slips of the tongue. Sometimes  we  are forced to hold both hands above our head and surrender to embarrassment. Theres no other way out; no wise-crack that can alleviate the pressure. Without further ado,  here are  my  top 5 cringeworthy office moments that  I simply cant deal with: 1.  Walking down a long corridor towards someone Youre on your way out of the office, and begin the slow walk down the hallway to the elevator. At the same time,  someone you sort of know walks out of the lift at the other end. You make eye contact once. You both smile, maybe raise an eyebrow or two. A few seconds pass and youre still walking towards each other. You smile again, this time bigger, and maybe even shrug your shoulders. You mouth the word hi, then look away. Then you have to look back at them because youll trip over if you look sideways. Theyre uncomfortable, youre uncomfortable.  After what feels like hours, you finally pass them. You almost stop, lean on your knees and pant, because the marathon is finally over. One more fake smile and you may have had a  panic attack. 2. Standing in slow and silent elevators Youre waiting for the elevator to come. In that time you grow 20% more grey hairs on your head from stressing over how much more forced small talk you can really take. It finally arrives and you shuffle inside with everyone else. Turns out its anything but the saviour you envisaged. You could  hear a pin drop; the silence would make a  library  sound rowdy. The bell rings and you cant get out of there  quickly enough, pushing past the others. You breathe in the fresh air, youre free! Only you arent, because this is level 1 and you need to get to level 3. Back into the  cell  you go, with your tail between your legs. 3.  Spotting food on someones face You settle down for a meeting with David. He plans to tell you some exciting news about a new project youll be working on together. Within the 10 seconds you spot a piece of cake hanging on for dear life just next to his  left dimple. David should know he cant have his cake and eat it too. Now youve spotted it, you cant look away. Then David notices you staring, catches  his own reflection in the window and then leans into see what the brown dot is on his face. He wipes his cheek  and the crumbs fate is sealed. By the time it hits the table, youre both staring at it. The room is suddenly silent  and youre wondering why this somehow feels like your fault. What were you supposed to do, tell him?!? 4. Being accidentally spat on You dont know Mary  very well, but your bladders must know each other because theyre  always in sync  and you always bump  into each other in the bathroom. Anyway, youre midway through a cheap conversation about why the sink area is always wet, when all of a sudden, a piece of saliva flies out of  her mouth and  into your eye. You both know it happened, because her eyes clearly follow its flight path, and you go dangerously cross-eyed from trying to locate its whereabouts upon landing. Mary is mortified, so to  help her save face you act like nothing happened and keep talking. Then youre racking your brain trying to concoct a natural-looking excuse to wipe your eye, because now its starting to water  and you dont know if its your tears or her spit dribbling back out and and  its all just too gross to handle. You dont need this kind of stress in your life. 5. Being hung up on midway through a  call Youre on a phone call in an open plan office; all of your colleagues can hear you, but youre not too phased by it because everyone has to do it; there are no private booths.  Youre in the middle of your sales pitch to a client. Youve been talking non-stop for a few minutes now but its okay because youre really in the zone and making a really compelling case. Finally, you wrap things up and  finish your sentence so, how does that sound,  James? And then theres silence.  Its so loud that it echoes in your mind and fills your entire body with fear. James? you say his name again, but no answer. James, are you still there? Its in that moment that you know hes not there anymore. He hung up. While you failed miserably to maintain James interest, you  have  successfully caught the attention of everyone in your office, within a 5-metre radius from  your desk. You hang up the phone slowly in defeat,  and cant help but notice everyone staring at you. You  do a nervous laugh to disguise the tears youre crying on the inside.  Oh how you wish you were back in that  elevator, or walking down that long corridor, perhaps blinded in the bathroom with Mary or back sitting in that meeting with David. Anywhere but here.

How to Write Out Your Skills on a Resume

How to Write Out Your Skills on a ResumeSo you want to be a better writer, and it seems that everybody can write well. But what does this mean for the resume? Not everyone has the same skills, and not all those skills are going to be used by employers. Here's some advice for writing out your skills on a resume:Your Skills on a Resume are Probably Not Up to Par - If you are good at something, then that is a definite advantage. But if it is not a skill that employers are looking for, then you should probably leave it off. It can be really easy to overlook the many different talents that we have, and that can lead to a low-ranking job for someone who is simply not as talented as somebody else.Your Skills on a Resume are Way Overrated - But a lot of people do not realize that many skills are way overrated and should be ignored. In addition, there are also skills that are undervalued, and they should be highlighted. The skills in and of themselves are not a good indicator of your performa nce.Writing Out Your Skills on a Resume is Good - Well, some skills are really valuable. You could be a gifted writer, or an excellent public speaker, but unless you are bringing these skills to the table, you shouldn't be spending your time trying to put them on your resume. These are all hard things to do, and a lot of people don't realize it, but most people are not writing out their skills on a resume.Skills that You Need - Here is where skills are usually listed first. If you have good customer service skills, it would be helpful to mention that first. On the other hand, if you have excellent people skills, then a strong resume can show that you are able to handle difficult situations.Other skills may be listed above, but they must be listed as skills that you possess, and not skills that you did not do well because of your personality. For example, if you have been a great worker, you can include this as part of your skills.Showing Your Skills - This means showing you have the skills that are listed in your resume. They can either be written or listed. You should try to use skills that are specific, such as outstanding sales skills, before you show you have writing skills.When applying for a job interview, you want to make sure that you do your best. It doesn't hurt to be a little self-conscious when doing this, and you might want to write down your strengths, but it is not something that will kill your chances.

7 Things We Have Learned So Far from Gender Pay Gap Reports

7 Things We Have Learned So Far from Gender Pay Gap Reports As many of you will know, the deadline for this is fast approaching. In an event I attended, I learned that to date only 12% of the c.9,000 employers covered by the regulations have so far published their figures. That means there’s a great many either still working on their numbers or holding off making them public which is understandable. New reporting requirements mean pulling together data for the first time (frequently from different sources). And given for most organizations there will be a gap, perhaps more importantly there’s a decision to be made on how to present the data, and when.  So as this all hots up I thought it might be interesting to share what I’ve noticed so far… 1. There seems to be a lot of confusion about equal pay vs gender pay There has been a lot of focus on equal pay recently. As I heard a speaker say recently “it’s shining a light on it”. Which personally I don’t think is a bad thing per se, except if it confuses people, which it seems to be doing right now. A company reporting a gender pay gap does not tell us they are paying women less for the same role. It tells us there’s an under-representation of women either at certain levels (i.e. senior management) or in certain specialisms (like STEM) which is a really important issue in its own right. 2. There’s concern over when to report the figures As alluded to above there’s definitely a sense of who’s going to jump first within industries and also a bit of a “safety in numbers” approach going on. But this carries a risk of backfiring.  A mass of companies rushing to publish right before the deadline is likely to increase press coverage and with it the risk of being named and shamed without the all-important context (see next point). 3. The importance of the narrative The average gender pay gap is just over 18%, but whether your organization is above or below that, in practice I think the most important thing is not the numbers you can’t change them (well not overnight anyway) but the narrative. Interestingly this is optional, but it gives you the opportunity to explain your numbers along with the nuances of the regulations. For example, if you currently have a larger number of women working part-time who receive bonuses than men, this will skew your bonus gap data as bonuses are not prorated. More than that though it gives you a chance to explain what you’ve done to date and what you plan to do going forward to address the gap. And this is probably the most important thing particularly to some of your key stakeholders; your employees and shareholders. 4. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution   Every organization has unique goals and unique challenges so will need a unique approach to this. Yes, there are themes emerging but there are always going to be unique factors at play. And as with any new business challenge I’m also seeing it drive a lot of innovation too.  And here’s one of the silver linings there’s a real opportunity to stand out as a leader, no matter how “bad” your initial numbers may seem.   5. The value of authenticity   Yes ok, it’s a bit of a buzzword right now but I think it’s totally justified here. A good example is the good press received by Aviva, who may have reported a gender pay gap quite a bit above the 18% average, but they did so along with an outline of a whole raft of initiatives to drive change and have a Leadership Team who are clearly both passionate and committed. 6. It’s easy to focus externally and forget the impact internally Leaders in the field are managing this not just externally but internally as well. Making sure their Line Managers and Senior Leadership Teams are briefed and ready to answer questions, both on this and the wider inclusion strategy of the business. And also making sure they explain it to employees in a way that makes sense to them, using real-life examples (particularly to cover off any confusion with equal pay). 7. The importance of thinking ahead to next year The bigger the business, the more often it changes. Anyone who’s worked in a large corporate will be all too familiar with it. You get used to it. But restructures whilst usually good for business can make tracking data year-on-year challenging.  So, make sure you set up how you track the data and in particular how you explain any impacts these changes have is important. There is also a growing view out there, which I share, that expectations are only likely to grow next year. Which means you can’t tick box this one following through on your plans and delivering change is crucial, which I think is the most exciting thing in all of this. In a year’s time, we could be well on our way to being in a really different place. About the author:  Catherine Oliver  is the founder of Parents@Sky and co-founder of Sky’s Women in Leadership initiative. She has recently founded the Bluebell Partnership, a consultancy to help guide businesses through the challenges of setting up their own working parent and women in leadership programmes.

Can Blogging Help You Get a Job

Can Blogging Help You Get a Job Give a Grad a Go (do check them out, they have good material) have written a very good post, analysing the possibility of  blogging helping you to get a job. Having read the post, I think it is well laid out. Blogging, and anything related to computers and the web, has so far been the playground of IT students and graduates. But blogging is becoming so powerful and fashionable that it can act as a skills leverage tool. Give a Grad a Go says When done in a professional way, writing a blog can lead to many benefits in your post-college job search, including real internship and job opportunities. Here are a few of the benefits of blogging: * Enhancing your online personal brand and Google-ability * Demonstrating skills such as writing, design, photography, and analytical thinking * Showing your ability to take initiative and commit to a project * Connecting you to a whole new network of other bloggers and commenters Read the full report  here. Want to blog ? If you do want to start blogging, or need some more suggestions or help in getting started, drop Career Geek an email at careergeek.blog@gmail.com, or tweet me and we can arrange something for you. You can have your own page on Career Geek Blog. Update 1 28/9 1531 hrs :  Johnny Sollitt-Davis (@johnnysd) from Toronto, working for Deloitte tweeted about how  Ellison B (@EllisonHR)  blogged to raise her profile with  #deloitte  and now shes working there. True story. Ellisons blog is The Human Resource Blog. (Image Credit: Give a Grad a Go) 10

How to Put Minor on Resume

How to Put Minor on ResumeIn this article I will explain how to put minor on resume. All of us are no strangers to the fact that minor has to go with major. It's like saying 'One is not equal to two'.This is the simple rule to follow when writing a resume. Minor details must be said at the right time. But you can't just write about minor details. You have to make it more interesting.But of course it doesn't mean you can also forget to write about major details. Writing about minor details is fine but if your resume is no good then it is useless. Major details must be written in a proper way. If it's easy for the employer to get these details from your resume then the chances of the employer deciding to employ you go down. Make sure your resume looks professional and not as an attempt to hide some minor details.So, how to put minor on resume? The first thing you must do is make a detailed list of all the information you want to include in your resume. Don't forget to mark which sectio n you want to write in the sections. So you can skip those sections. And just put them one by one in a table format.Now, you need to look for a proper job description of the company. Once you have the job description it's a short job description with details about the work you want to do. Take care that you include all the information you want to put. If you don't include the required information then it would be difficult for the employer to decide to employ you.Now start including your contact details and resume details, these details should have every detail of your application form. Get all the data in a separate sheet and show your serious career progression. This will create a convincing impression to the employer. After finishing the resume, you can start writing a cover letter and cover page.Just be sure to highlight the most important part and to emphasize the vital points of your job. In this way you will make it easy for the employer to choose you.Yes, it's true that you can't really create a perfect resume. But you can learn how to put minor on resume and you can always improve your skills later on.

#11 Career Expert Series Danny Rubin - The Importance of Strong Writing Skills CareerMetis.com

#11 â€" Career Expert Series Danny Rubin - The Importance of Strong Writing Skills â€" CareerMetis.com The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSFor This Episode of The Career Expert Series â€" we will be hearing from Danny Rubin.The Topic of today’s discussion is Why Writing Skills is Critical for your Job Search and your Career.Episode Summaryeval1. Why is it important to have strong writing skills?………. The better you get at writing, the farther you will go in your career.2.A simple technique to create compelling and engaging stories about yourself.3.How to effectively connect with other on LinkedIn?4.Should you use Objective Statements in your resume?5.Why experience trumps education â€" when crafting your resume.6.Effective Email Etiquette that will get the attention of your recipient.Links ResourcesTo learn more about Danny Rubin visit his website ; and also Danny’s book on the subject.evalevalIntro Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" Siren KickbackEnding M usic provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" No Need to Rush

Still on holiday - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Still on holiday - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Heres just a short updatefrom me while I enjoy some more vacation. The weather in Denmark sucks right now which is great, because my wonderful girlfriend and I have spent some time upgrading our apartment were talking fresh paint, general fixing and some cool new furniture so the bad weather just means theres less temptation to skip that work and go to the beach instead perfect :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Client Case Study Nicole Nguyen - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Nicole Nguyen - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Nicole Nguyen signed up for 90 Day Business Launch, where career coach Laura Simms and I join forces to get your online business out of your head and onto the web in just you got it 90 days. Nicoles such a rockstar she crushed that timeline and launched Still Event Design in less than half of that. Im so psyched to have her here! Why did you decide to sign up for 90 Day Business Launch? I decided to work with a career coach (actually two!) to help me form a plan to launch my business.  What were you doing work-wise when you started the program? After quitting my job as a web designer developer earlier this year, I found a floral design assistant gig. I thought it would be a great way to bridge the gap between tech and running my own event design business. While I’m glad I got to learn the ropes there, working for such a traditional design studio was exhausting and stifling my creativity. I wanted to find my people and do things differently. What was your biggest takeaway from the 90 Day Business Launch? I had an idea of where I wanted to be, but I didn’t know how to get there. Michelle and Laura did what I thought was impossible getting the jumbled thoughts out of my head and into a ridiculously organized and thoughtful plan. The biggest takeaway from our work together was learning that I am capable and that I CAN do this. It’s been a game-changer and I couldn’t be more thankful.   Was there anything else you tried to do as a business between the time we stopped the program and what you do for work now? No, I had my heart set on starting a business so all my choices helped support that goal.   What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together? Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? You are enough. You are smart enough, know enough, and have enough to make it happen so don’t let your brain play tricks on you. When we think about change, we often can’t help ourselves but to think of the biggest, craziest step like going back to school or just up and quitting that miserable job and become paralyzed by the magnitude of the idea. Ive learned that it’s not all or nothing. It’s not overnight success (darn, right?). It’s tiny steps and missteps that accumulate into something good. Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear about any upcoming offerings or goals. I am booking full service weddings and a la carte weddings now and for 2017! I love working with down-to-earth couples, whether it’s a bouquet and a boutonniere for a chic courthouse wedding or a flowers galore for a fun backyard wedding. In the pipeline: a fall styled photoshoot with some amazing photographers and revamping my little studio space for the next wedding season.   90 Day Business Launch will be back on October 31st. We sold out the initial program in just 36 hours this summer, so make sure you get on the list for first dibs at our 10 spots.