5 Ways to Get Your Employees Attention

5 Ways to Get Your Employees Attention Are your employees rolling their eyes every time you demand something from them? Are they sick and tired of  their duties? Do you feel like your company is not productive enough because of your employees? Then maybe  it’s time to shake things up a bit. Have you ever thought of finding a way to engage them? Today’s business  environment can only thrive if people work at their best potential. Unfortunately, very few managers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs pay attention to the needs and wants of their  staff â€" how can you expect results if you’re not committed enough to providing a pleasant work space for your  employees? The secret to a successful enterprise is engagement, and that can only be achieved if you’re ready  to make a change. 1. Be a useful leader: Most business owners don’t like to get involved and they’d rather stick to giving orders. Is that such a good idea? Do you think that just because employees fear you they will give it their best? Think again because in today’s  modern environment, people who are not pleased with their jobs will leave. Successful leaders must be willing to  swallow their pride and work hand in hand with their staff to boost productivity and lead their companies to the top  of the pyramid. One of the best ways of getting your workers’ attention is to become an equal participant. Here’s  what you can do to drive engagement: Organize periodic group meetings. Welcome the ideas of your staff. Encourage them to speak up their mind. Set up weekly brainstorming sessions. Provide constructive criticism. Admit if you’re being wrong (that proves you’re humane just like the rest of them). 2. Add excitement at the workplace: A devoted business owner should always be ready to switch things up every once in a while. Working non-stop  from 9 to 5 and engaging in the same routine every single day will eventually affect the creativity of your people;  and let’s be honest: you need that creativity to make your company famous.  Every devoted boss should add  some excitement at the workplace. Ask your employees to go home in the middle of their schedule, take them  to lunch, or go bowling. Think of a smart idea and you’ll definitely manage to grab attention. You might be the  world’s toughest boss but it’s nice for employees to know that you do have a softer side too. 3. Redecorate the workspace: One of the best ways for a company to grab the attention of their employees is to completely redecorate their  workspaces. New desks, ergonomic chairs, a relaxation room, and maybe a splash of colours will certainly  appeal to the senses of your people. Include a sofa, a lunch corner, provide coffee, and make the office space  more vibrant and welcoming. As human beings, we are greatly influenced by what we see and feel. A dull work  environment can’t motivate, yet a beautiful desk with nice furniture and a pleasant ambiance can really awake our  creative spirit. READ MORE:  How Can Your  Office  Improve Your Employees Productivity? 4. Organize competitions and award the best: Another way of boosting productivity and keeping employees engaged is to organize daily competitions. It’s  amazing how fast can people work when they’re bosses are willing to award their efforts. CEOs should constantly  think of smart ways to make their teams stay united and thus help their companies thrive. Lack of motivation will  never lead to success â€" in every business domain the employees will want to make a name of themselves and  strive to attain greatness. For that to happen, you must foster creativity and support their ideas. 5. Support communication: The key to attaining success depends on communication. Major corporations are no longer creating individual  offices for workers and they’d rather build joint workspaces to foster communication and bear creativity. Studies  have shown that working in groups can be a lot more productive than working alone. Ergo, it’s best to sustain  communication if you want results. Implement the following steps and you’ll reap great benefits: Conflicts must be handled with diplomacy â€" at some point, conflicts will emerge. Try not to start  screaming at your employees and be a diplomat. Point out the mistake and together find a reasonable  solution. Cultural differences must be respected â€" hiring people from all over the world is not uncommon  anymore. Don’t discriminate your employees, and treat everyone equally. Good feedback is always welcomed Trust your employees Getting your employees’ attention is something attainable without using a demanding attitude. As a manager,  CEO, co-founder, or supervisor, it’s your job to make their lives at the workplace fulfilling. Shaking things up,  grabbing their attention, fostering creativity, and giving them a reason to work for your company will keep them  engaged. In the long run, employee engagement will greatly boost productivity. Author: William Taylor regularly contributes articles to  peopleinsight.co.uk  for Employee Engagement and Staff Survey  Experts.

Writing a Resume For Middle School Students

Writing a Resume For Middle School StudentsWriting a resume for middle school students is not easy. The first thing you have to remember is that this is the first time you have been given the opportunity to look for a job, and so you need to be really careful about your resume.Many middle school students simply don't know how to write a resume, or they aren't confident enough to give it their all. That's okay - as long as you know what works and what doesn't work for your situation, then you will be better able to find your niche.I know, some parents may be hoping that their kids get a second chance at life. After all, the economy has been tough, and everyone is looking for kids who are hungry for more education. The only problem is that the government only gives out so many scholarships each year, and even then they don't cover the full cost of school.So when looking for funding for a child's education, parents might feel like their family needs to find some outside help. Unfortunat ely, the only way most people are going to be able to afford a degree is if they can pay for the program themselves. The only other option for them is to try to use a scholarship to help pay for their child's education.Now, this is a good idea if you live in a really impoverished area, but if you are lucky enough to have a family that isn't poor, then you may want to look for your own funding. When you write your own funding request, there are a few things you should keep in mind.Firstly, think about the curriculum of your high school and what classes you were in. If you took a lot of history and math in high school, but have little time in your life for those subjects, you'll want to avoid anything that requires you to take the same classes every year.If you are more interested in a technical field, like computer science, go for that instead. This will make your goal of getting a job at a technical company a bit easier to achieve, and your resume will be able to reflect that.Writin g a resume for middle school students is really not that hard. If you follow a few basic rules, though, then you should be able to write a successful application in no time at all.

How to answer the most common interview questions

How to answer the most common interview questions To be in with the best chance of acing a graduate job interview, preparation is key.   Though you can never predict exactly how an interview will go, there are certain common interview questions that come up time and time again. By preparing and practicing your answers to these questions, you’ll feel more in control and confident throughout your interview.   Jessica Ching, Digital Content and Marketing Executive from the graduate recruitment agency, Give A Grad A Go, shares her perspective on how to effectively answer the most common interview questions used by recruiters. “Tell me about yourself” Though this seems like a very simple question, don’t be deceived â€" in a high-pressure interview situation it can be difficult to find the balance between saying the right things, oversharing, and not sharing enough.  Employers ask this question to get you talking, to get a feel of your personality and people skills, and to use as a spring board for further questions â€" so mention the points you want to discuss (such as your university experience, your involvement in clubs or societies, or your passion for this particular industry). Avoid! Being too personal, being too vague (make yourself a memorable candidate!), or speaking for too long (keep it short, sweet, and to the point). “Why do you want to work for us?” Employers ask this question to find out how much you know about the company, gauge how eager you are to work for them, and to assess whether your goals match their objectives.  It’s the perfect time to highlight the reasons why you’re a great fit for their company, and to show them how much you want to work for them.  Avoid! Giving an uninformed answer which shows you haven’t done your research, giving the impression that you don’t care about getting the job, or focusing on finding ‘any’ graduate job. “Why should we hire you?” This tricky-to-answer question requires you to sell yourself without sounding arrogant. Essentially, it’s your chance to highlight what makes you unique, and show the employer why they should choose you over the next person.  Employers want to see that you are confident in your skills â€" so support all your statements with solid evidence.  Avoid! Being too modest, discussing skills that aren’t relevant to the role, or reeling off a list of skills without backing them up with evidence. “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” Employers ask this question to gauge how self-aware you are. There’s no harm in admitting a weakness, and by showing the employer that you are conscious of it you’re also indicating that you can take steps to turn it into a strength. Likewise, stating a strength implies that you are confident in your abilities and can offer great benefits to their company.  Avoid! Trying to spin a strength as a weakness, claiming that you don’t have any weaknesses at all, or giving irrelevant answers. “What has been your biggest achievement?” This question can be particularly tricky, as it requires you to pick just one achievement that is relevant to this particular employer and their company â€" exactly why it’s so important to prepare your answer beforehand.  The employer wants to know that you are a high achiever â€" so the best approach is to choose an achievement that is recent and unique. You’ll need to discuss how you went about accomplishing it, and the outcome or consequences of the achievement.  Avoid! Choosing your degree as your greatest achievement, lying, or giving an unprofessional example. “What are your hobbies and interests?” This question is a chance for you to show the employer who you are outside of the workplace â€" as well as demonstrate your transferable skills.  The best approach is to discuss genuine hobbies and the skills that they have taught you. For example, if you’ve been heavily involved in sports throughout university, discuss how you’ve worked well as part of a team, been involved in organising events, or have been resilient when things didn’t go your way.  Avoid! Lying, mentioning hobbies or interests that are unprofessional, or being too generic about your interests (remember, a lot of people enjoy watching TV!) “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” With this question, the employer is trying to ascertain whether your goals align with theirs, and ensure that this role fits into your long-term plan.  The best approach is to show that you are ambitious (show how you’ll want to progress within 5 years) but also that you see yourself in this line of work.  Avoid! Being unrealistic, under-selling yourself, or saying that you don’t know. “Do you have any questions for us?” Often asked at the end of a job interview, the questions you choose to ask (which should always be determined before!) the employer will be able to judge whether you’re a good fit for the role, and see if you have researched the company. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to find out key details about the role or the company you are applying to.  Avoid! Not having any questions prepared, asking generic or vague questions, and not listening to their answers!

How to End Awkward Employee Encounters

How to End Awkward Employee Encounters Ever felt like your workplace is full of Toms, Dicks and Harries who  dont know each other  from bars of soap? Is the summer party a disaster waiting to happen? A  company full of mutual strangers can be damaging to its working culture, often inhibiting overall productivity as well as personal  performances.  While you cant force friendships in the office, you  can encourage employees to get to know each other by  creating opportunities to mingle. If your companys culture  needs a makeover, heres where  to begin: Start with the new starters Set good habits  from day dot. When newcomers join the business,  have their manager  walk them around the office and introduce them to everyone in the organisation. If you work in a  massive company with thousands of employees,  draw the line at the rest of the department or the same floor. While the new starter wont remember everyones name, this exercise will turn  a bunch of strangers into a network of familiar faces.  Its also a good heads up on who the newbie is for everyone else. (Yes, they will be wondering). Give the kitchen a makeover If I had a pound  for every hot drink Ive made  at work, Id  probably be  able to afford a personalised coffee van to park by my desk all day long. The office kitchen should be a hub for social interaction a place to prepare breakfast and lunch or brew a tea while having a casual conversation with the people you dont work directly with. Heres some food for thought: why not go one step further and add some chairs and tables, so people can enjoy more than just a brief moment away from their desk in a common area with other colleagues? Adding a TV or scattering some newspapers and magazines on the benches  can also  add  to the relaxed vibe and keep people coming back  to mingle. Sign up to support  a charity Nothing brings people together better than a good, deserving cause. Pick an organisation and encourage employees to help raise money. Holding different fundraising activities that cater to different personalities will help  employees network with colleagues who share  common interests.    Another option is  using  Everydayhero, which  allows individuals get behind a cause that matters to them, and enlist support from peers. Sponsor a company  sports team Think mixed netball, dodgeball, five-a-side football  The key here is to downplay the competitiveness and promote teamwork. The  mutual respect and  sportsmanship this creates among colleagues will no doubt carry across to the office and rub off on other employees.  Find a  corporate sporting league that offers local after-hours games, put together a team and go get em, Tiger! Tip: Perhaps go for a non-contact  sport if youre worried about having an office full of broken arms and legs! Also, remember to change the sport  up each season so as many people can get involved as possible. Schedule  inter-team meetings If only for 15 minutes, facilitate catch up sessions  that include people from different areas of the business. This will encourage collaboration among colleagues outside of their immediate teams, and create a professional forum  for raising issues. Take a holistic approach to supporting a positive corporate culture, by encouraging teams to work cohesively with other teams as well. Here, ignorance is NOT bliss. Understanding what other teams are working on can minimise a blaming culture when things go wrong. Try hot-desking If  the  office layout is as old as the dinosaurs, then the approach to corporate culture is likely dated too. While not everyone will be a fan of moving to a new spot each week,  hot desking  is  a technique that  fosters freshness and encourages employees to get to know other people in the same building.  Its important to shake up the workspace from time to time  try  rearranging tables, chairs and seating arrangements. Publish regular  internal newsletters Send around frequent  communications emails to staff members, showcasing  company  statistics, achievements, employee profiles and other employee-related news. Be sure to include plenty of photos (and name labels!) so workers  can learn  the faces of distant colleagues, without even having to talk to them! A newsletter format can be effective treat it like a weekly or monthly highlight reel that promotes positivity and celebration of success. It can also be a great vehicle for informing employees of upcoming events, major workplace changes and company initiatives. What are your top tips for axing awkwardness in the office? Image: Shutterstock

Top 5 Ways to Write Work Interests in Resume

Top 5 Ways to Write Work Interests in ResumeWriting work interests in resume doesn't mean that the candidate is only interested in sales or working for others. Here are the top 5 ways to write work interests in resume.'s world is full of competition for jobs. An individual is only as good as his/her most recent job. A resume to include all your most recent and outstanding experiences will put you on par with your competition.Your resume should also be able to capture the reader's attention by being concise, providing only the necessary information to inform the reader about a person's name, address, contact number, and the type of position held. If a professional has a resume that includes too much information, then the reader may not even read it.In addition to making sure the resume is only going to focus on the most important information, a professional should take the time to highlight any and all accomplishments, whether they were learned or had value due to monetary value or no t. Most people don't like to see things they did during their employment as they feel that these tasks have been done already. By listing these accomplishments, your resume is going to be read faster by a potential employer.Also, be sure that the topmost information is emphasized in the resume. For example, instead of putting an employee's present title at the very top of the page, make this information on the 'corner' of the page where the reader can easily notice it.If you're trying to list your new job responsibilities or job experience, make sure that the information included is relevant to the position that you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a writer position in advertising, include jobs such as research, copywriting, editing, researching, and other duties that will be required of a writer in the ad agency. It's important to remember that the resume is not the time to get personal. The majority of the people who go through the trouble of creating resumes and cover letters are going to be seeking professional guidance. Therefore, in an effort to create an impressive resume, it's okay to include some personal information, but it should be relevant to the job and be included in the first paragraph of the resume.As you can see, by utilizing the top five ways to write work interests in resume, you will be able to enhance your resume by adding your career-related interests and accomplishments. With the information above, you will be able to successfully sell yourself and make an impression on the employer.

11 mistakes interns make during their first internship - Debut

11 mistakes interns make during their first internship - Debut Shoes on, shirt buttoned, Oyster card at the ready. Todays the first day of your city internship, and you probably feel like youre ready to conquer the world. Next stop, partner! Not so fast, speedy. You have a long way to go before your very own glass door office. Take it from us certified adults whove been there, done that, and thankfully survived the new-joiner-office-hazing. Well tell you the worst mistakes interns make and have you navigating your very first internship without looking like a Mr T-level fool, promise. 1. Dressing completely inappropriately for the office You know whats really surprising? There is definitely such a thing as  too formal.   Always ask about the office dress code before your first day to suss out what you should wear. You only get one chance at making a first impression  after all. 2. Not asking where the important facilities are Needing a wee is totally natural. Awkwardly getting lost in a huge office building looking for the loo however is probably not the best way to impress. Asking for a brief tour of the office and the facilities will save you from this. While youre at it you can totally get someone to teach you how to use the coffee machines those beasts are tricky. 3. Forgetting the name of the teammate youre supposed to be working with for the third time The second most important person you need to impress (the first being your line manager), is your fellow teammate/intern. Showing that you care about your peers and getting to know them better will show that you pay great attention to the rapport you have with your fellow colleagues. When you meet someone for the first time, try using their name in a sentence within the first five minutes. That usually helps to solidify their name in your memory. 4. Looking disrespectful by not offering to get tea/coffee for the team Yo. Even if thats not what your companys culture is like, always ask. Showing courtesy to your team is you figuratively putting the cherry on top of the cake: youll come across as great at your job, and friendly, to boot. You dont even have to ask all the time. If youre making some tea/coffee/other beverage for yourself, just ask your line manager whether he/she/they want one too. It wont hurt, promise. 5. Sitting at the desk twiddling your thumbs when there are no more tasks to do We get it. Sometimes interns just dont get that much to do from their line managers. This can be for various reasons ranging from your line manager being too busy, or perhaps they are inexperienced in managing someone else and doesnt know what exactly they can delegate. 6. Completely misunderstanding hierarchy and boundaries It is not a good idea to add your boss on Facebook at least not straightaway. No matter how chummy you get with your line manager, maintain your those  boundaries until the end of your internship. It is a sign you have professional integrity, which is a very attractive and employable trait. 7. Getting too drunk at the first networking drinks Speaking of getting a little bit too chummy, its probably not a good idea to go H.A.M. at your first ever networking drinks, no matter how much your team mates want you to. Definitely join in the fun, but temper your drinks with pints of water to maintain a good, sober level. You dont want to be the person they talk about after the office Christmas party, after all. 8. Using the wrong spelling of a clients first name in an email The devils in the details. The devil is also your line manager when they realise you may have messed an important email up. Business emails are make or break for your company, and sometimes, small mistakes can have big consequences. Always proof-read your emails before you send them, and if youre ever unsure, ask your line manager before you click the send button. 9. Sitting there quietly panicking because you dont know how to  use a program Its OK not to know how to do a pivot table on Microsoft Excel if you havent been taught. If your line manager is too busy to teach you, look around to see if theres anyone else who can. Make sure you give them time to finish up on whatever theyre doing and emphasise youre not rushing them. The best part about asking for help is that you end up learning something new! 10. Not asking for feedback after the internship is over So youve smashed your internship and youre on your last day, celebrating a successful few weeks at a great company. The work doesnt stop there though. Make sure you grab a couple of email addresses from the people you worked with the most, and follow-up with them asking for a bit of feedback a few weeks later. They will be able to give you honest, objective observations about the way you work, and you can take that constructive criticism away with you to your next opportunity. P.S. Plying ex teammates with a coffee definitely wont hurt. 11. Agreeing to work as an unpaid intern Trust us on this one. No matter how good an opportunity looks, no matter how big the company is, your work is worth something. A company isnt worth working for if they treat the newest members of their team like they are disposable, so go for companies that do pay, and pay a living wage. Feature image   ©  The Devil Wears Prada Follow Brenda on Twitter @brendaisarebel Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Volunteer Work on Resume Helps

Volunteer Work on Resume Helps Benefits of Academic Clubs I have a guest blog to share a fun story about the benefits of volunteering. Enjoy! Coach Wolfgang In graduate school, I was in the “high tech” club. I joined because my friends did and I thought it would look good on my resume â€" I even became an officer. The truth is that being an officer in a club doesn’t add much to a resume but actively running an organization does! Here’s the story. Benefits of Academic Clubs One of the benefits of the High Tech club is we send a zip file with all club member resumes to high-tech companies. I volunteered to help with recruiting high-tech companies to receive our resumes. To do this I researched many of the companies that sent representatives to our school. I would contact them and try to meet them when they visited. One was a start-up presenting at the engineering school so I caught the presentation and spoke with the speaker afterwards. He gave me his business card and I sent a thank you email and, soon after, the zip file with our resumes. Follow Your Interests A day later, I sent him an email with just my resume and a brief paragraph describing my interest. I didn’t mean to exploit my position so I only did it with this one company. Their presentation and the research I did really caught my interest. Plus, I was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and really wanted to get out and experience Silicon Valley. Helping Others Can Open Doors My contact happened to be a co-founder at the company and handed my resume to the Chief Marketing Officer. I got a call, had an interview and was offered the internship! It was an interesting internship and taught me so many things about the economy, software and start-ups. The credit goes to being genuinely interested in volunteering. Not every volunteering experience results in such a big opportunity but that shouldn’t stop you from being generous and offering your time to help. When you do, you will be surprised at how helping others helps you just as much.

Food for Thought Make peace with the past - Hallie Crawford

Food for Thought Make peace with the past Happy Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend. My hubby and I went to NYC for a belated anniversary trip and just escaped the rain. It started to rain on Sunday, just when it was time for us to leave Perfect timing. Btw, if yourre going to the NY anytime soon, check out this yummy restaurant: DB Bistro Moderne. A friend told us about it and I highly recommend it. Heres your thought for Monday: Make peace with your past so it wont screw up the present. When I got back this morning I was relaxed and not worried about rushing into work. Why? Because in these past few weeks Ive found some new people to add to my business support team. I encoutered some bumps in the road with people Id worked with previously, due in part to errors I made. As I was looking for new people I realized I was now carrying around some old baggage from my past experience. Things like this: I was assuming I couldnt find people who were as picky as I am about my website or worrying that someone I hired wouldnt follow through. Hello, can you say living in the past? My present and future experience was being tainted by my past experience. I realized that I needed a fresh slate because making negative assumptions isnt fair to me, or to the new people I hire. So I spent some time writing about what I wanted in a support person for each area and voila! I have found 2 new great people with similar working styles to mine. (Thanks Tishia!) You can do this with your career transition also by the way. Notice what assumptions you have about changing jobs and challenge yourself to create new ones that will help you move forward rather than hold you back. So this week, think about this: Where are you living in the past? Or holding on to old assumptions about how things will be? Its time to let go anc come clean with your past so it doesnt screw up the present. Good luck,Hallie,Young Adult Coach Related Posts:Changing Your Perspective Whats Your Motto?