New Resume Ideas and Free Resume Help
Your resume is a prospective employer’s first source of information about you and first impressions are usually of most importance. Based on that single page, they decide to give you that first interview—or not. In this economy, having an interesting, clear resume is more important than ever. But getting noticed can be difficult, even overwhelming. Let’s face it: We could probably all use a little free resume help.
Some of us probably still think of resumes as simple lists of past employment and duties performed. This format, however, can be boring, and prevent an employer from really appreciating your skills. Instead of this worn-out chronological format, switch to one that highlights your capabilities, not your history. When writing a resume, accentuate your transferable skills, and use a functional skills resume format. Both will help you make a lasting impression. Let’s look at some free help for resumes.
Make Your Resume Stand Out
You’re not like everyone else, are you? Of course not. Your resume needs to reflect this same individuality. It needs to project an image of who you are, where you’ve been, and what you can offer a company.
On a resume, always focus on your transferable skills. These are skills that, well, transfer from one job (or industry) to another. Above all, you want to tell your future employer that you have developed skills they want and need. Look carefully at the description of the job you’re applying for. Do they want someone who can work well in an office? Someone who is a great communicator? Think about your work experience and see if you can find other situations where you’ve used those same skills, or variations on them.
Always look at your work experience in a “big picture” view. If you worked as a waitress, you weren’t just someone who took orders and brought food. Chances are, you had to work with other servers, and you probably had to talk to some pretty nasty customers, at times. What are the transferable skills from this job? Teamwork and communication are skills that all employers are looking for, and they need to be part of your resume. These transferable skills will set you apart from other applicants.
When it comes time to actually sit down and write that resume, focus on these skills, not your job history for its own sake. Use a functional skills resume format, especially if you are changing career fields. This is a resume format that explains your abilities and competencies in categories, such as Writing, Customer Service, or Management. Under each heading, you can explain your experience and skills, making sure to focus on those that are transferable, not job-specific. Chronology still has a place, though—make sure your resume includes a list of your past positions, or else your future employer may wonder just where you got all those great skills.
Some websites want to charge oodles of money for information about how to perfect your resume so you can score that perfect job. Don’t believe the hype. Free resume help is just as effective, since, no matter what, all you need are a few suggestions and a new way of thinking about your qualifications.
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
What is the best time for you to take career break?
A career break is a period of time when one chooses not to work. Traditionally the term was used for women who left their careers temporarily to raise children. Career breaks, sometimes called sabbaticals, give one time to travel, study abroad, or do volunteer work. However, in today's struggling economy, a career break has become a nice way to say, "laid off."
Reschedule Your Career
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that 9.6% of the labor force is currently unemployed. Last year, 3.8 million Americans lost their jobs. Now there is a large and growing number of people left wondering what can be done to make themselves more employable during a "career break." Involuntary career breaks can be a scary time in the life of someone who is unemployed. Bills go unpaid and your resume begins to look bare during your employment gap. Don't be discouraged. Most people find themselves unemployed at one time or another. During the time off, use the time wisely and take advantage of the many educational and training possibilities that can increase your marketability in your particular field.
While nothing can guarantee a job after lay off, several things can be done to increase your chances. First, stay current and informed about your industry. Read magazines, trade publications and even do research online. Further, it is important to stay in touch with persons in your field while being off. Join a professional organization within your area of expertise. This is a great way to network and possibly find out about job leads and open positions. The professional organization may also offer educational training in your field that will hone your skills. List this training on your resume. This will show potential employers your initiative and determination to stay current while unemployed.
Another option for a career boost is to go back to school and complete a degree or even begin a course of study in a totally different field. Due to the economic downturn, most job hunters know that it is hard to obtain a position without a diploma. Another added benefit to having a college degree is the potential of earning 50% more than those who only have a high school diploma. Does a degree guarantee a job? No, but it will put you at an advantage compared to those who chose not to continue their education after being fired or laid off.
Third, consider offering your skills on a voluntary basis. Just because you are not getting paid doesn't mean your contributions will go unnoticed. Volunteering will also boost your resume.
Finally, consider starting your own business or becoming a consultant in your field. This is a great way to stay in touch with associates and even former co-workers. The greatest advantage to this strategy is that relationships will be formed with different companies and you may be considered for full-time positions as they open up. Keeping yourself visible and available will increase the odds of getting a position in the future.
A lay off can seem like a financial and even an emotional disaster. However, with some drive and determination, a career break can turn into the opportunity to further one's education and work skills.
Reschedule Your Career
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that 9.6% of the labor force is currently unemployed. Last year, 3.8 million Americans lost their jobs. Now there is a large and growing number of people left wondering what can be done to make themselves more employable during a "career break." Involuntary career breaks can be a scary time in the life of someone who is unemployed. Bills go unpaid and your resume begins to look bare during your employment gap. Don't be discouraged. Most people find themselves unemployed at one time or another. During the time off, use the time wisely and take advantage of the many educational and training possibilities that can increase your marketability in your particular field.
While nothing can guarantee a job after lay off, several things can be done to increase your chances. First, stay current and informed about your industry. Read magazines, trade publications and even do research online. Further, it is important to stay in touch with persons in your field while being off. Join a professional organization within your area of expertise. This is a great way to network and possibly find out about job leads and open positions. The professional organization may also offer educational training in your field that will hone your skills. List this training on your resume. This will show potential employers your initiative and determination to stay current while unemployed.
Another option for a career boost is to go back to school and complete a degree or even begin a course of study in a totally different field. Due to the economic downturn, most job hunters know that it is hard to obtain a position without a diploma. Another added benefit to having a college degree is the potential of earning 50% more than those who only have a high school diploma. Does a degree guarantee a job? No, but it will put you at an advantage compared to those who chose not to continue their education after being fired or laid off.
Third, consider offering your skills on a voluntary basis. Just because you are not getting paid doesn't mean your contributions will go unnoticed. Volunteering will also boost your resume.
Finally, consider starting your own business or becoming a consultant in your field. This is a great way to stay in touch with associates and even former co-workers. The greatest advantage to this strategy is that relationships will be formed with different companies and you may be considered for full-time positions as they open up. Keeping yourself visible and available will increase the odds of getting a position in the future.
A lay off can seem like a financial and even an emotional disaster. However, with some drive and determination, a career break can turn into the opportunity to further one's education and work skills.
Home Business Tax Deductions
Owning and operating a home based business can benefit moms who want to stay at home with their children while still contributing income to the household. Others like working from home because of the flexibility it offers. Regardless of the reason, working from your residence can result in home business tax savings that will result in a more favorable outcome at tax time.
How Much Can You Save on Taxes when Working at Home?
Tax time can be one of the most dreaded times of the year. The forms are difficult to understand and fill out, and the amount of taxes owed can be staggering. However, a home-based business can allow deductions that will reduce your tax obligations.
The use of your home as your place of business will more than likely be your primary deduction. A percentage of interest, utilities, insurance and the home's depreciation can be deducted. How much can be deducted depends on the percentage of space being utilized for the business activity. There are two requirements that the IRS requires before the deduction can be claimed. First, you must use the part of your home that is for business regularly and exclusively. Second, the part of the home used for work is the primary location for the business. A word of caution: if your business computer is used for any non-business related activity, the part of your house used for the home office cannot be claimed for any home business tax savings.
Many other home business tax deductions can be claimed. Be sure to save receipts and keep records of all items to be claimed.
Office expenses such as pens, paper, internet service, website subscriptions and even accounting software can be deducted.
Office furniture can be deducted at 100%, or a portion of the cost can be subtracted from income totals over seven years. This is considered depreciation.
Travel expenses are a deduction. Fifty cents per mile can be subtracted from income totals for driving to meet customers, business lunches and to do research. Airplane tickets and lodging expenses such as hotels, meals, and rental cars can be claimed as well.
Business phone lines and related expenses can be claimed as a deduction.
Research materials, trade magazines, and business reference materials are deductions.
Health insurance premiums can be deducted as well. Children and spouse premiums can be claimed if they work for the business.
These items alone can add up to a substantial total of deductions. It is estimated that an average of $2,000 to $10,000 can be saved on taxes each year if these items are claimed and filed.
You may work at home so your quality of family life can be improved, or you may work at home because you like the casual atmosphere and flexibility. These home business tax savings are just another advantage for the home-based worker. Claiming work space, office supplies, furniture, and travel expenses can add up to an impressive amount of deductions that will leave a smile on your face every April 15th.
How Much Can You Save on Taxes when Working at Home?
Tax time can be one of the most dreaded times of the year. The forms are difficult to understand and fill out, and the amount of taxes owed can be staggering. However, a home-based business can allow deductions that will reduce your tax obligations.
The use of your home as your place of business will more than likely be your primary deduction. A percentage of interest, utilities, insurance and the home's depreciation can be deducted. How much can be deducted depends on the percentage of space being utilized for the business activity. There are two requirements that the IRS requires before the deduction can be claimed. First, you must use the part of your home that is for business regularly and exclusively. Second, the part of the home used for work is the primary location for the business. A word of caution: if your business computer is used for any non-business related activity, the part of your house used for the home office cannot be claimed for any home business tax savings.
Many other home business tax deductions can be claimed. Be sure to save receipts and keep records of all items to be claimed.
Office expenses such as pens, paper, internet service, website subscriptions and even accounting software can be deducted.
Office furniture can be deducted at 100%, or a portion of the cost can be subtracted from income totals over seven years. This is considered depreciation.
Travel expenses are a deduction. Fifty cents per mile can be subtracted from income totals for driving to meet customers, business lunches and to do research. Airplane tickets and lodging expenses such as hotels, meals, and rental cars can be claimed as well.
Business phone lines and related expenses can be claimed as a deduction.
Research materials, trade magazines, and business reference materials are deductions.
Health insurance premiums can be deducted as well. Children and spouse premiums can be claimed if they work for the business.
These items alone can add up to a substantial total of deductions. It is estimated that an average of $2,000 to $10,000 can be saved on taxes each year if these items are claimed and filed.
You may work at home so your quality of family life can be improved, or you may work at home because you like the casual atmosphere and flexibility. These home business tax savings are just another advantage for the home-based worker. Claiming work space, office supplies, furniture, and travel expenses can add up to an impressive amount of deductions that will leave a smile on your face every April 15th.
Calculating Tax Deduction on Home Business
Taxes are inevitably one of the things that most people wish didn't exist. Unfortunately they do, and we all have an obligation to pay them at some point. The same is applied if you own your own business. You may want to deduct all your business expenses from your income tax, but knowing how many business tax deductions you can get away with is difficult. Paying taxes for a small business may seem daunting to you, but with the help of tax software, paying taxes can now be done online. This software can help you determine how to calculate your tax deduction for a home business.
Professional Tax Advice Online
Because there are income tax deductions specific for home run businesses, there are certain criteria your business will have to meet before income tax deductions for home businesses will apply. You can only claim the home business tax deduction if your house is your main operating point. This means that everything you do is run from the house. This does not apply if you're running your business from elsewhere or if you only run your business at home part of the time.
Once you fulfill the first requirement, the second thing to do will be to establish a work area dedicated solely to your business. Since you're operating from where you live, your tax deduction would be a percentage of your whole home area. In other words, if you use an office that is 200 square feet and you live in a house that is 2000 square feet, your business takes up 10% of your home. This would be much easier to work out if you are working in one specific room only. All you'de have to do is calculate the entire area of the room and divide it by the total area of the whole house. In order to claim a home business tax credit, you must have an area of the house specifically dedicated to the business and nothing else. A computer desk in the family room doesn't count.
Next, use the percentage of your home used for business to calculate what allowable household expenses are spent maintaining the business. This is done by deducting a part of your house expenses that relate with operating your business directly. This can include heating and cooling, mortgage, electricity, plumbing, etc.
There is online help for business taxes in the form of online tax software. The software comes with the whole package in form of error and deduction texts, online filing, and imports information from popular accounting programs, state forms, and phone contacts with tax preparers and full text IRS publications. This is not all that you can expect from this software. You can also get valuable financial advice such as retirement planning, family tax strategies, and home ownership/rental information and small business advice. This will greatly cut down on the costs of financial consultants when you can purchase such tax software and get that kind of information for free.
One of the things tax software should have is intuitive navigation whereby the user can access the program and move about without getting confused. The program should be as user friendly as possible. Secondly, the software should be easy to install on your business computer. Best of all, the purchase price of tax software for small businesses can also be considered a business expense, and therefore, a tax write off.
Professional Tax Advice Online
Because there are income tax deductions specific for home run businesses, there are certain criteria your business will have to meet before income tax deductions for home businesses will apply. You can only claim the home business tax deduction if your house is your main operating point. This means that everything you do is run from the house. This does not apply if you're running your business from elsewhere or if you only run your business at home part of the time.
Once you fulfill the first requirement, the second thing to do will be to establish a work area dedicated solely to your business. Since you're operating from where you live, your tax deduction would be a percentage of your whole home area. In other words, if you use an office that is 200 square feet and you live in a house that is 2000 square feet, your business takes up 10% of your home. This would be much easier to work out if you are working in one specific room only. All you'de have to do is calculate the entire area of the room and divide it by the total area of the whole house. In order to claim a home business tax credit, you must have an area of the house specifically dedicated to the business and nothing else. A computer desk in the family room doesn't count.
Next, use the percentage of your home used for business to calculate what allowable household expenses are spent maintaining the business. This is done by deducting a part of your house expenses that relate with operating your business directly. This can include heating and cooling, mortgage, electricity, plumbing, etc.
There is online help for business taxes in the form of online tax software. The software comes with the whole package in form of error and deduction texts, online filing, and imports information from popular accounting programs, state forms, and phone contacts with tax preparers and full text IRS publications. This is not all that you can expect from this software. You can also get valuable financial advice such as retirement planning, family tax strategies, and home ownership/rental information and small business advice. This will greatly cut down on the costs of financial consultants when you can purchase such tax software and get that kind of information for free.
One of the things tax software should have is intuitive navigation whereby the user can access the program and move about without getting confused. The program should be as user friendly as possible. Secondly, the software should be easy to install on your business computer. Best of all, the purchase price of tax software for small businesses can also be considered a business expense, and therefore, a tax write off.
How to reduce cost while working at home?
If you are wondering if you should go back to work after your six-week maternity leave ends you are not alone. Many new moms have sad feelings about leaving little ones at home. What should you do? Will you save money if you work from home? What are the cost savings for a work at home mom? A careful review of the situation will probably reveal the right option for you. Before making the decision to go back to work, consider the following.
Stay at Home Working Mothers
In order to figure out how much you can save by working from home, the first thing to do is figure out what it would cost for childcare. The price for good childcare varies from state to state and even within certain areas. There are a few ways you can go here. You can look into professional day cares where you bring your baby to a location every day and drop him or her off. You can also hire a nanny or look for a private babysitter.
There are pros and cons to each option. Daycare is usually the most affordable option. Children are exposed to a variety of peers and caretakers, and this can be beneficial for a child's development if handled correctly. On the other hand, even the cleanest daycare centers are going to expose your child to far more germs than home-based childcare. Poorly run daycare centers might be understaffed and create a stressful environment. Be sure to do your homework and get unbiased references for any daycare center you are considering using.
Using a nanny or baby sitter is a more expensive option, but there are a lot of perks. Your child will get a lot more individual attention, although this isn't always guaranteed to be quality attention. A nanny or babysitter generally exposes your child to fewer germs, but the environment will not be specifically designed to engage a child the way a quality daycare is. However, a nanny can become a wonderful friend to a child and has the option to arrange a schedule that is best for your little one. Nannies can also, with your approval, take your child on excursions to enrich her experiences.
The third option is a hybrid of a babysitter and a daycare where an individual, usually a woman, offers childcare in her home to a small number of children. This option has both the affordability of daycare and the attention of a babysitter. Of course, the quality of this type of care is entirely dependent on the caregiver. Be that any home-based childcare you use is fully licensed and insured according to your state's regulations.
Work From Home Savings
Do You save by working from home? The short answer to that question is, yes--and no. You can save in many ways. Work clothes, gas, and lunches out will all be things of the past. Obviously, the biggest savings will be in childcare. There are also more subtle ways that you will save money by working at home. Being at home will give your more opportunities to cook dinner, clean, and run your own errands. It's possible that health care costs may be lower as well since you'll avoid the office germ pool and (possibly) suffer less stress-induced illness.
Of course, there may be some ways that working from home will cost more. Essentially, the cost comes from reduced efficiency. If you are a very disciplined person with perfect children that will allow you to work undisturbed, then you might be able to accomplish as much working at home as you would in an office. However, for the vast majority of us, the reality is that working from home requires more effort and concentration than working in an office. Kids have a hard time distinguishing between work time and mom time, and there are bound to be interruptions.
Stay at Home Working Mothers
In order to figure out how much you can save by working from home, the first thing to do is figure out what it would cost for childcare. The price for good childcare varies from state to state and even within certain areas. There are a few ways you can go here. You can look into professional day cares where you bring your baby to a location every day and drop him or her off. You can also hire a nanny or look for a private babysitter.
There are pros and cons to each option. Daycare is usually the most affordable option. Children are exposed to a variety of peers and caretakers, and this can be beneficial for a child's development if handled correctly. On the other hand, even the cleanest daycare centers are going to expose your child to far more germs than home-based childcare. Poorly run daycare centers might be understaffed and create a stressful environment. Be sure to do your homework and get unbiased references for any daycare center you are considering using.
Using a nanny or baby sitter is a more expensive option, but there are a lot of perks. Your child will get a lot more individual attention, although this isn't always guaranteed to be quality attention. A nanny or babysitter generally exposes your child to fewer germs, but the environment will not be specifically designed to engage a child the way a quality daycare is. However, a nanny can become a wonderful friend to a child and has the option to arrange a schedule that is best for your little one. Nannies can also, with your approval, take your child on excursions to enrich her experiences.
The third option is a hybrid of a babysitter and a daycare where an individual, usually a woman, offers childcare in her home to a small number of children. This option has both the affordability of daycare and the attention of a babysitter. Of course, the quality of this type of care is entirely dependent on the caregiver. Be that any home-based childcare you use is fully licensed and insured according to your state's regulations.
Work From Home Savings
Do You save by working from home? The short answer to that question is, yes--and no. You can save in many ways. Work clothes, gas, and lunches out will all be things of the past. Obviously, the biggest savings will be in childcare. There are also more subtle ways that you will save money by working at home. Being at home will give your more opportunities to cook dinner, clean, and run your own errands. It's possible that health care costs may be lower as well since you'll avoid the office germ pool and (possibly) suffer less stress-induced illness.
Of course, there may be some ways that working from home will cost more. Essentially, the cost comes from reduced efficiency. If you are a very disciplined person with perfect children that will allow you to work undisturbed, then you might be able to accomplish as much working at home as you would in an office. However, for the vast majority of us, the reality is that working from home requires more effort and concentration than working in an office. Kids have a hard time distinguishing between work time and mom time, and there are bound to be interruptions.
Costs and Concerns about Setting a Home Office
Setting Up A Home Office
Do you know what every home office needs? In today's technological world, more and more people are working at home. Telecommuting and computer technology make off-site workers attractive to employers because the labor is so affordable and productive. Women have left cubicles, long commutes, and rush-hour traffic to run businesses at home, so having an area for work is a necessity. A home office needs physical space, equipment, furniture, and insurance.
Costs and Considerations of Setting Up a Home Office
An organized home office is one that facilitates productivity and efficiency. The first thing to consider is the actual physical space of the home office. An office can be in a bedroom, the corner of a living room, or even in the kitchen. However, for optimum work conditions, a separate room, such as spare bedroom or even the basement is ideal. Being shut off from the rest of the house puts one in more of an office frame of mind. Take into account what type of business are you running. Will clients or customers be coming to your home, or is your business run totally online? These are things to consider when you consider where to put your home office. Further, when deciding where to locate your office in your home, plan ahead for tax time. In order to qualify for a home office deduction, your office must be used exclusively for business. A computer in the kitchen that the children use for homework will not qualify for the deduction.
Insuring you home business may be a consideration as well. If clients are coming into your home, additional liability should be purchased. Equipment, furniture, and inventory may need to be insured as well.
What Does A Home Office Need And How Much Does It Cost?
Necessities for the home office include a computer, hardware, software, Internet access and furniture. An average computer will cost from $300 to $1000. Accounting software and software related to your business can run anywhere from $50 on up. Shop around for the best price on Internet providers. Sales people in this industry will often cut you a deal if you negotiate with them, so do not be afraid to ask for a bargain.
Home office furniture can be very expensive depending on how much you buy and what brand. A basic office will need a desk, desk chair, filing cabinet, shelves and desk lamps. Two or three thousand could easily be spent. However, searching yard sales, thrift stores and asking relatives and friends for hand-me-downs are budget friendly solutions. Also, if you have your office in the living room or the bedroom, consider using an armoire to house the computer. Everything can be neatly stored away behind closed doors when not in use.
Depending on your needs, you may also require a copy and fax machine. Shop for the best deals at local office supply stores and don't be hesitant to purchase refurbished models from online retailers like Overstock or Woot.
Sometimes it is the little things that add up before you know it. Do not overlook the obvious for purchasing home office supplies. Dollar and discount stores are good places to find deals on pens, pencils, note pads, post it notes, paper clips, staplers etc.
When working at home, your occupation is combined with all other aspects of your life. A well-planned, organized office that takes space, equipment, and furniture into account, will provide work at home moms a place to effectively run their businesses. A well-run business will allow moms to spend more time with their families—the main reason they work at home in the first place.
Do you know what every home office needs? In today's technological world, more and more people are working at home. Telecommuting and computer technology make off-site workers attractive to employers because the labor is so affordable and productive. Women have left cubicles, long commutes, and rush-hour traffic to run businesses at home, so having an area for work is a necessity. A home office needs physical space, equipment, furniture, and insurance.
Costs and Considerations of Setting Up a Home Office
An organized home office is one that facilitates productivity and efficiency. The first thing to consider is the actual physical space of the home office. An office can be in a bedroom, the corner of a living room, or even in the kitchen. However, for optimum work conditions, a separate room, such as spare bedroom or even the basement is ideal. Being shut off from the rest of the house puts one in more of an office frame of mind. Take into account what type of business are you running. Will clients or customers be coming to your home, or is your business run totally online? These are things to consider when you consider where to put your home office. Further, when deciding where to locate your office in your home, plan ahead for tax time. In order to qualify for a home office deduction, your office must be used exclusively for business. A computer in the kitchen that the children use for homework will not qualify for the deduction.
Insuring you home business may be a consideration as well. If clients are coming into your home, additional liability should be purchased. Equipment, furniture, and inventory may need to be insured as well.
What Does A Home Office Need And How Much Does It Cost?
Necessities for the home office include a computer, hardware, software, Internet access and furniture. An average computer will cost from $300 to $1000. Accounting software and software related to your business can run anywhere from $50 on up. Shop around for the best price on Internet providers. Sales people in this industry will often cut you a deal if you negotiate with them, so do not be afraid to ask for a bargain.
Home office furniture can be very expensive depending on how much you buy and what brand. A basic office will need a desk, desk chair, filing cabinet, shelves and desk lamps. Two or three thousand could easily be spent. However, searching yard sales, thrift stores and asking relatives and friends for hand-me-downs are budget friendly solutions. Also, if you have your office in the living room or the bedroom, consider using an armoire to house the computer. Everything can be neatly stored away behind closed doors when not in use.
Depending on your needs, you may also require a copy and fax machine. Shop for the best deals at local office supply stores and don't be hesitant to purchase refurbished models from online retailers like Overstock or Woot.
Sometimes it is the little things that add up before you know it. Do not overlook the obvious for purchasing home office supplies. Dollar and discount stores are good places to find deals on pens, pencils, note pads, post it notes, paper clips, staplers etc.
When working at home, your occupation is combined with all other aspects of your life. A well-planned, organized office that takes space, equipment, and furniture into account, will provide work at home moms a place to effectively run their businesses. A well-run business will allow moms to spend more time with their families—the main reason they work at home in the first place.
Top 10 Best Paid Career for Women
Careers that Pay off the Most for Women
Despite all the advancements that have been made for women in the workplace, the typical American woman still only earns about 80% of the salary of a man working in the same job. Making less than male counterparts means that a professional woman has to make every penny count. So what are the best paying careers for women? Some of the answers may surprise you.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Highly Paid Woman?
Forbes magazine publishes a regular report of the highest earning jobs for women. In general, these jobs require secondary education and advanced degrees. That isn't surprising since many of the jobs on Forbes top ten list are traditional high-paying jobs. However, what may come as a surprise is how many of the best paying careers for women are in fields of math, science, and technology, areas that are traditionally dominated by men. The bottom line is that no matter what career a woman chooses, education will be an important part of getting top dollars for her work.
Top 10 Best Paying Careers for Women
10. Occupational Therapists: An occupational therapist helps people improve their ability to perform daily tasks. Often, the patients of an occupational therapist are the victims of an accident, illness, or birth defect. Occupational therapists earn an average of $60,000 a year and need an advanced college degree, generally at the masters level.
9. Computer Scientists and Systems Analysts: This profession moved up one space on Forbes top ten best paying careers for women. Computer scientists design new technology like computer processors and components. They also create and improve information systems that allow computers and other devises to communicate. Computer scientists and analysts make an average of $60,500 a year and usually have a four-year college degree in computer science or a related field.
8. Management Analysts: These women are important communicators that help large businesses and organizations operate more effectively by evaluating systems, personnel, structure, and profits. Management analysts make an average of $61,000 a year and usually require a masters degree in business administration or a related field.
7. Computer Programmers: While computer scientists mainly work with hardware, computer programmers generally work creating software or computer programs that meet their employer’s needs. Computer programmers are needed in almost every field and industry. The average computer programmer makes $61,500 and has a 2 to 4 year degree, though some positions require a masters degree.
6. Physicians and Surgeons: It's no surprise that medical professionals make a lot of money. Women in this field can expect to make around $64,000 a year, though some make much more if they are specialists. However, female doctors and surgeons can expect to make only 64% the salary of their male colleagues. An advanced medical degree is required for this job along with additional training for any specialties.
5. Computer Software Engineers: Like computer programmers, computer software engineers work with software or computer programs. They make an annual average salary of $68,000 and require a bachelors degree.
4. Computer Information Systems Managers: It's clear that women who enjoy working with technology are in a good place when it comes to finding the best paying careers for women. Information Systems Managers generally work with networking and securing computers. They make $73,500 a year and need a minimum of a bachelors degree, though masters degrees are often preferred in this field.
3. Lawyers: Like doctors, lawyers are often thought of as examples of high paying professions. While there aren't a lot of women in law, only 37% of the field is populated by women, this is a high-paying job with an average annual salary of $75,500. A law degree is required in addition to a 4-year college degree.
2. Pharmacists: While still below the national average, pharmacology is kinder to women than other medical work. Women pharmacists make 75% of their male counterparts and can expect to make an average of $76,500 annually. Pharmacology requires a regular medical degree with further years of training.
1. Chief Executives: It's no surprise that CEOs of large companies top the list for the highest paying jobs for both women and men. A CEO is responsible for managing and directing a business and its employees. A typical CEO makes $81,000 and has a minimum of an MBA, though some have no college education at all.
Despite all the advancements that have been made for women in the workplace, the typical American woman still only earns about 80% of the salary of a man working in the same job. Making less than male counterparts means that a professional woman has to make every penny count. So what are the best paying careers for women? Some of the answers may surprise you.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Highly Paid Woman?
Forbes magazine publishes a regular report of the highest earning jobs for women. In general, these jobs require secondary education and advanced degrees. That isn't surprising since many of the jobs on Forbes top ten list are traditional high-paying jobs. However, what may come as a surprise is how many of the best paying careers for women are in fields of math, science, and technology, areas that are traditionally dominated by men. The bottom line is that no matter what career a woman chooses, education will be an important part of getting top dollars for her work.
Top 10 Best Paying Careers for Women
10. Occupational Therapists: An occupational therapist helps people improve their ability to perform daily tasks. Often, the patients of an occupational therapist are the victims of an accident, illness, or birth defect. Occupational therapists earn an average of $60,000 a year and need an advanced college degree, generally at the masters level.
9. Computer Scientists and Systems Analysts: This profession moved up one space on Forbes top ten best paying careers for women. Computer scientists design new technology like computer processors and components. They also create and improve information systems that allow computers and other devises to communicate. Computer scientists and analysts make an average of $60,500 a year and usually have a four-year college degree in computer science or a related field.
8. Management Analysts: These women are important communicators that help large businesses and organizations operate more effectively by evaluating systems, personnel, structure, and profits. Management analysts make an average of $61,000 a year and usually require a masters degree in business administration or a related field.
7. Computer Programmers: While computer scientists mainly work with hardware, computer programmers generally work creating software or computer programs that meet their employer’s needs. Computer programmers are needed in almost every field and industry. The average computer programmer makes $61,500 and has a 2 to 4 year degree, though some positions require a masters degree.
6. Physicians and Surgeons: It's no surprise that medical professionals make a lot of money. Women in this field can expect to make around $64,000 a year, though some make much more if they are specialists. However, female doctors and surgeons can expect to make only 64% the salary of their male colleagues. An advanced medical degree is required for this job along with additional training for any specialties.
5. Computer Software Engineers: Like computer programmers, computer software engineers work with software or computer programs. They make an annual average salary of $68,000 and require a bachelors degree.
4. Computer Information Systems Managers: It's clear that women who enjoy working with technology are in a good place when it comes to finding the best paying careers for women. Information Systems Managers generally work with networking and securing computers. They make $73,500 a year and need a minimum of a bachelors degree, though masters degrees are often preferred in this field.
3. Lawyers: Like doctors, lawyers are often thought of as examples of high paying professions. While there aren't a lot of women in law, only 37% of the field is populated by women, this is a high-paying job with an average annual salary of $75,500. A law degree is required in addition to a 4-year college degree.
2. Pharmacists: While still below the national average, pharmacology is kinder to women than other medical work. Women pharmacists make 75% of their male counterparts and can expect to make an average of $76,500 annually. Pharmacology requires a regular medical degree with further years of training.
1. Chief Executives: It's no surprise that CEOs of large companies top the list for the highest paying jobs for both women and men. A CEO is responsible for managing and directing a business and its employees. A typical CEO makes $81,000 and has a minimum of an MBA, though some have no college education at all.
Working at Home and Financial Concerns
Whether you want to work from home because you just had a child, or you are tired of your commute, or maybe your boss, you need to go over the financial considerations of working at home to see if it is realistic for you. Other than finances, think about how you feel when it comes to giving up the contact that you have with co-workers, or the friendships you have made. Will you get the same satisfaction from working at home as you do from your present job?
If I Work at Home, Can I Make More Money?
If your present company will let you work from home at the same salary, you will actually see more money just from what you will be saving in commuting costs. If not, you will need to calculate the expenses of working outside of your home first. What are your financial considerations of working at home?
Health Care - Do you use a plan through your current job
Life Insurance - Are you covered at work
Disability Insurance - Are you taking advantage of this plan at work
Pension or 401K
Paid sick days
Paid vacation
Any bonuses
Now take into consideration what you will be eliminating by way of expenses if you can find legitimate work from home.
Day care
Transportation expenses - if you drive, consider wear and tear along with gas
Work clothes
Lunch
Taxes
Depending on what type of work from home job you can find, you may not make more money, but when you figure in what you will be saving it may work out to be the same as your current salary, if not more. Before you leave your current job, you need to see what legitimate work from home jobs are out there and for which you qualify.
Doing an online search for legitimate work from home jobs will bring up literally thousands of opportunities. Be careful; you don't want to end up paying to work at home. These jobs are usually scams. If you are a writer, computer programmer, graphic designer, website builder or work along simialr lines, you can find reliable work online.
Then there are jobs that you can do from home that do not require a computer. For example, you could start a daycare in your home. If you are qualified, you could start a tax business. If you are a teacher, you could become a tutor. If you like to sell, you could look into Avon, Tupperware, or another direct sales opportunity. These are only a few ideas for working at home. At first, you may not make more money, which is why you need to take the financial considerations of working at home to heart.
Do not only think of being able to pay all of your bills; think of your lifestyle. What will change if you are making less money? Is there anything that you will have to give up? Most importantly, consider if you will be comfortable with these changes. Although working at home isn't for everyone, it might be the right fit for your current place in life. Whatever you decide, move forward knowing that you have considered all the angles and made the right choice.
If I Work at Home, Can I Make More Money?
If your present company will let you work from home at the same salary, you will actually see more money just from what you will be saving in commuting costs. If not, you will need to calculate the expenses of working outside of your home first. What are your financial considerations of working at home?
Health Care - Do you use a plan through your current job
Life Insurance - Are you covered at work
Disability Insurance - Are you taking advantage of this plan at work
Pension or 401K
Paid sick days
Paid vacation
Any bonuses
Now take into consideration what you will be eliminating by way of expenses if you can find legitimate work from home.
Day care
Transportation expenses - if you drive, consider wear and tear along with gas
Work clothes
Lunch
Taxes
Depending on what type of work from home job you can find, you may not make more money, but when you figure in what you will be saving it may work out to be the same as your current salary, if not more. Before you leave your current job, you need to see what legitimate work from home jobs are out there and for which you qualify.
Doing an online search for legitimate work from home jobs will bring up literally thousands of opportunities. Be careful; you don't want to end up paying to work at home. These jobs are usually scams. If you are a writer, computer programmer, graphic designer, website builder or work along simialr lines, you can find reliable work online.
Then there are jobs that you can do from home that do not require a computer. For example, you could start a daycare in your home. If you are qualified, you could start a tax business. If you are a teacher, you could become a tutor. If you like to sell, you could look into Avon, Tupperware, or another direct sales opportunity. These are only a few ideas for working at home. At first, you may not make more money, which is why you need to take the financial considerations of working at home to heart.
Do not only think of being able to pay all of your bills; think of your lifestyle. What will change if you are making less money? Is there anything that you will have to give up? Most importantly, consider if you will be comfortable with these changes. Although working at home isn't for everyone, it might be the right fit for your current place in life. Whatever you decide, move forward knowing that you have considered all the angles and made the right choice.
Women and Employment Discrimination
In the 21st century, some may still wonder if gender discrimination in the workplace still exists. Over the past 50 years, women have entered the workforce and increasingly participated in higher education (where now 55% of college students are women). We may wonder if women and discrimination in the workplace is still an important issue. As the previously expected roles for men and women continue to blur, do men still earn more than women across occupations and educational status? Is there still a need to fight for pay equity?
Facts About Equal Pay and Equal Opportunity for Advancement
The equal pay for equal work movement culminated in the passage of the Equal Pay Act, signed by President Kennedy in 1963. In 1964, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII prohibited discrimination based on sex in education, government, public employers and private companies with more than 15 employees.
Gender discrimination in the workforce can take on many forms. It may be in the form of fewer benefits, lower pay, or less opportunity for advancement. Historically, in 1963 women earned 59% of what men earned while in 2008, the disparity in pay was still 23%, meaning women earned 77% of what men earned.
Some have argued that discrimination against women in the workplace is overstated because overall statistics do not take into account education, number of hours worked, seniority and choice of occupation. Statistics comparing pay equity based on education have actually shown the largest disparities are between men and women with professional degrees. Women earn 60% of the salary awarded their male colleagues among professional degree holders. The gap between men and women who work between 41 and 44 hours was 15%. At the same time, women working over 60 hours a week earned 78% of what men earned working the same number of hours.
Of over 100 occupations, there are only 4 where women out-earn men. These occupations are teacher assistants, where women make 105% of men, bakers, (104%), dining room/bartender/cafeteria attendants (111%), and other life, physical, and social science technicians (102%).
There is less disparity among workers under 25 years of age. Women make 92% of what men make in this age range. Even though this statistic is encouraging on its face, unless changes in the workplace continue to eliminate sex discrimination, the gap will widen as these younger workers get older. Wages for the under 25 group are relatively low and don’t take into account the gaps that widen as workers get older in an unequal system.
There are also disparities across gender and race. Statistics show that women across all racial groups earn less than men in those same racial groups. In addition, when compared to white men, Asian women made 83%, Black women made 62%, and Hispanic/Latino women made 53% as of 2009.
When trying to address pay equity, employers must raise the pay of those who have been discriminated against rather than lower pay of those who have benefited from the disparity. Individuals who feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of sex (men or women) can file a claim with their employer, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or your state's fair employment agency. It is important to know the deadlines for filing such complaints as they vary from state to state and the federal government.
Facts About Equal Pay and Equal Opportunity for Advancement
The equal pay for equal work movement culminated in the passage of the Equal Pay Act, signed by President Kennedy in 1963. In 1964, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Title VII prohibited discrimination based on sex in education, government, public employers and private companies with more than 15 employees.
Gender discrimination in the workforce can take on many forms. It may be in the form of fewer benefits, lower pay, or less opportunity for advancement. Historically, in 1963 women earned 59% of what men earned while in 2008, the disparity in pay was still 23%, meaning women earned 77% of what men earned.
Some have argued that discrimination against women in the workplace is overstated because overall statistics do not take into account education, number of hours worked, seniority and choice of occupation. Statistics comparing pay equity based on education have actually shown the largest disparities are between men and women with professional degrees. Women earn 60% of the salary awarded their male colleagues among professional degree holders. The gap between men and women who work between 41 and 44 hours was 15%. At the same time, women working over 60 hours a week earned 78% of what men earned working the same number of hours.
Of over 100 occupations, there are only 4 where women out-earn men. These occupations are teacher assistants, where women make 105% of men, bakers, (104%), dining room/bartender/cafeteria attendants (111%), and other life, physical, and social science technicians (102%).
There is less disparity among workers under 25 years of age. Women make 92% of what men make in this age range. Even though this statistic is encouraging on its face, unless changes in the workplace continue to eliminate sex discrimination, the gap will widen as these younger workers get older. Wages for the under 25 group are relatively low and don’t take into account the gaps that widen as workers get older in an unequal system.
There are also disparities across gender and race. Statistics show that women across all racial groups earn less than men in those same racial groups. In addition, when compared to white men, Asian women made 83%, Black women made 62%, and Hispanic/Latino women made 53% as of 2009.
When trying to address pay equity, employers must raise the pay of those who have been discriminated against rather than lower pay of those who have benefited from the disparity. Individuals who feel they have been discriminated against on the basis of sex (men or women) can file a claim with their employer, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or your state's fair employment agency. It is important to know the deadlines for filing such complaints as they vary from state to state and the federal government.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Are you fired what to do?
Most of us have seen The Apprentice and have heard Donald Trump utter those dreaded words, "your fired." Unfortunately, some of us have actually heard these horrible words in real life. Sometimes, it's hard to know what to do when fired. Should you go back to school? Is it time to switch careers? Do you jump back into your old field? Taking some time to really understand what prompted the loss of your job will help you avoid getting fired again in the future.
What to Do When You Get Fired
The first thing you need to do when you get fired is to figure out what went wrong. If it was due to an error on your part, then you need to learn from it and become a better person as well as potential employee in the future. But what if your job loss occurred due to no fault of your own? There are also those times when it's a wrongful termination. In this case, there are legal steps you can take. The best course of action is to contact the Department of Labor. They have information on the laws governing employment and can tell you if you have a valid claim or not. If you do, they will tell you where you can file your claim.
There are also those situations where termination is no fault of yours or the employer. In this economy, many companies are downsizing and will let some employees go. Sometimes, the person with the least seniority will be let go, or the person whose job is being phased out. So what do you do when you get fired because of downsizing? In the case of being laid off, don't take it personally, which can be hard to do. We have a tendency to feel sorry for ourselves and be angry at the whole situation. After all, no one wants to be a fired employee. We can even go into a form of depression over the whole thing if we're not careful.
One way to avoid feeling like a failure after being laid off is to ask your former boss for a letter of recommendation that clearly states that you weren't let go from this job by any fault of your own. This will help take care of the stigma of job loss when looking for other employment. Reading your boss's words of praise can also help you come to terms with your job loss. You'll realize that you really were a valuable employee; the company just couldn't afford to keep you.
As you look for a new job, be honest in interviews with potential employers, but don't be angry about the situation. Put no fault on your previous employer. After all, the person you are talking to could end up being your employer. Complaints or whining about your former job would leave them to wonder what kind of employee you would make. Always try to remain positive when talking to potential employers. If the firing wasn't any of your doing, which is the case with most of us, make sure to put emphasis on this.
As hard as it is to know what to do when fired, the time between jobs can be a period to take stock of who you are. Maybe it's time to think about taking your career in another direction. Some people swear that things happen for a reason. As hard as being fired may be, think of it as being told that it's time to move on to something else--perhaps something better.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Do you know The Ingredient of the MIx
Ingredients of the Mix
At the heart of the marketing mix is advertising. It is defined as any paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by some identified sponsor. The media of advertising include magazine and newspaper space, trade papers, billboards, throwaways, programs and menus, car cards, catalogs, and local and national radio and television.
Advertising is designed to influence people and the de.cisions they make in a world of competition. Because Americans use some 20 tons of aspirins daily, firms pursue this market. There are 1,500 ads per day assaulting the eyes and ears of the American consumer. He shuts out more than 1,400 of these daily pitches, reacting to only 13. The psychologist is interested in which ones and why.
The power of habit dominates all of us, and advertising attempts to control the ways in which we change our behavior through learning.
The American consumer is peeped at, shadowed, grilled, and even analyzed in terms of his personal habits during the hourly and half-hourly station breaks on TV. Researchers use mathematics and high-speed computers to help manufacturers understand why people buy, or do not buy, a particular brand or product. And the housewife is surveyed over and over about her peeves. Sometimes she is more concerned with little frustrations than with big problems. In one survey of 1,100 women, some one-third complained about difficulty in opening packages, another 10 percent found fault with reclosing, and 10 percent complained of deterioration of packages. Less than 1 percent complained about false label information.
In one study, canned soups were arranged in alphabetic order by the type of soup-asparagus, bean, chicken, etc.-with the original amount of display space retained for each brand and type. Previously, canned soups had been grouped together by brand rather than by type. Although several signs were placed at the soup section telling the customers that the cans had been rearranged alphabetically, 60 percent of the customers were foiled by the new arrangement and by their own habits.
The power of habit was noted in another way. Under the original shelf arrangement there was no indication that consumers switched brands when the leading brand of tomato soup went out of stock. When the soup display was rearranged and the leading brand was out of stock, sales indicated that the next leading brand picked up from 50 to 80 percent of the sales which normally went to the leader.
Advertisers not only want to reinforce habits, they at times want to change them. (Note this type of battle among beer brands.) The success of a new product depends on whether customers can be induced to shift away from their former brands ("new low cost" or "new standard of performance"). The continued success of an established leading brand depends on the ability to strengthen existing habits ("the taste to stay with").
Selling involves both sales promotion and personal selling. In most companies, it involves the largest part of the marketing mix. As in advertising, the psychological factors in selling involve the se· quence of perceiving, understanding, and feeling. The sales interview involves interaction between the salesman and the customer. Each provides a continuing stimulus for the other. What the salesman says and does must be perceived by the customer and responded to favorably if a sale is to take place. Thus, the focus of the salesman's attention is the customer. He must catch the small cues in the customer's behavior which indicate what to stress and what to gloss over. And good selling is planned in advance. One experienced Detroit car salesman put it this way: "I have found that most men who bring their car in for service are mad at the car. They are also mad at the manufacturer. This is particularly true if they have broken down on the expressway. They start taking out their anger on the service manager. He calls me in to take the beating. After the potential customer simmers down I let the mechanic tell him the car can be fixed. This turns his thinking from complaints to listening. I give him a cold Coke and take him over to a new car. He starts the new car conversation and then I make my sales pitch."
The thinking processes induced by the salesman must be considered. Concreteness ·of language and aptness of illustration, for example, often spell the difference between success or failure in selling. The mind works somewhat like a motion picture camera. It
doesn't take in abstractions easily. When the stimulus word or phrase is abstract, the individual hearing it translates it according to his own ways of perceiving, feeling, and thinking. For example, if a salesman says of his product that it is of high quality, the associations aroused in any given customer may vary. One may conclude, "It is too expensive for me"; another may think, "It is overengineered for my simple use"; still another may think, "It's trouble free, just what I have been looking for."
The salesman may also base part of his strategy on rationalization. Here the customer is eased into believing what he wants to believe. It is just human nature to justify our behavior in our own eyes. The advertiser or salesman can help this along: "Order some now before the supply is exhausted." "These coats cost twice as much in the regular season." "The amount you save will pay your youngster's tuition for a whole year."
Customer service is a growing part of the marketing mix. "I don't mind buying it if I can just get it fixed" is a common remark. The selling of services irl one form or another has grown until money now paid out for services exceeds that paid out for things. Service activities include maintenance and repair of products, technical and professional assistance in problem. solving, help in training the customer's personnel in operating equipment, and marketing research on the customer's products.
In theory sales and service are supposed to complement each other. In practice the two are often in conflict. "Sales" makes commitments that "service" has difficulty in supplying. The car salesman promises one thing, and the service man says it cannot be done. The warranty on a new car, for example, may be honored without question by one dealer and virtually ignored by another. The sophisticated buyer studies service before determining where to buy.
One homeowner who maintained a contract with an exterminating company expressed the importance of service (feelings for the lack of it) this way: "When I originally signed the $700 contract to rid my house of beetles the company adhered to my every wish. The house was gassed, but to be on the safe side I took out their insurance policy against failure. Two years later bugs reappeared. It took me three visits, two long distance calls, and threat of a law suit to get the company to even come and look at the house."
Another part of the mix includes public relations. All employees informally contribute (for good or bad) to the public relations of a business. The larger organizations employ a specialized staff or outside agency to coordinate this aspect of the marketing mix.
Credit is involved in buying and selling as a part of the mix. It becomes important as the value.of the purchase increases. And for most of us pricing is important in the mix. It has not only an economic base but involves. psychological values as well, when status becomes impox:tant: "It costs a little more when you serve the best." And no small part of the mix involves delivery ("Do I get the product when the salesman says it should arrive?").
Purchase behavior by the consumer is related to psychological and sociological factors as well as.to economic ones. Age of the buyer is important. From the "six-year-old purchasing agent" to "middleage impulse buying," the psychologist is taking a look at the behavior of people of specific ages. This is why cereal commercials appear on children's shows and automobile commercials on late-night variety shows.
Beliefs are important in purchasing. In one study on consumer preferences for beef, two different displays were put on the counter. One was an economical product from cattle fed on grass. The other display was from cattle that had been more expensively grain-fed. The fat from the grass-fed cattle was slightly off-white in colqr, in contrast to the fat on the grain-fed beef. When the more expensive grain-fed beef was identified as such, it outsold the cheaper brand,.but when neither was identified, and both were marked at the same price, each sold equally well.
In a follow-up study, customers said there was no difference in taste in the beef bought from the unidentified racks. But when identified, the customers said there was a difference-favoring grainfed beef. Perhaps it pays to tell people what they like! With this thought let us take an extended look at various aspects of communication.
Psychology in the Marketing Mix
All of us as consumers are influenced directly and indirectly by advertising and selling. We react in varying ways to the radio jingle and the television cartoon. But we also are concerned with problems in buying and customer service, and with those other factors that make up psychology in the marketing mix.
Ingredients of the Mix
At the heart of the marketing mix is advertising. It is defined as any paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by some identified sponsor. The media of advertising include magazine and newspaper space, trade papers, billboards, throwaways, programs and menus, car cards, catalogs, and local and national radio :1nd television.
Advertising is designed to influence people and the de.cisions they make in a world of competition. Because Americans use some 20 tons of aspirins daily, firms pursue this market. There are 1,500 ads per day assaulting the eyes and ears of the American consumer. He shuts out more than 1,400 of these daily pitches, reacting to only 13. The psychologist is interested in which ones and why.
The power of habit dominates all of us, and advertising attempts to control the ways in which we change our behavior through learning.
The American consumer is peeped at, shadowed, grilled, and even analyzed in terms of his personal habits during the hourly and half-hourly station breaks on TV. Researchers use mathematics and high-speed computers to help manufacturers understand why people buy, or do not buy, a particular brand or product. And the housewife is surveyed over and over about her peeves. Sometimes she is more concerned with little frustrations than with big problems. In one survey of 1,100 women, some one-third complained about difficulty in opening packages, another 10 percent found fault with reclosing, and 10 percent complained of deterioration of packages. Less than 1 percent complained about false label information.
In one study, canned soups were arranged in alphabetic order by the type of soup-asparagus, bean, chicken, etc.-with the original amount of display space retained for each brand and type. Previously, canned soups had been grouped together by brand rather than by type. Although several signs were placed at the soup section telling the customers that the cans had been rearranged alphabetically, 60 percent of the customers were foiled by the new arrangement and by their own habits.
The power of habit was noted in another way. Under the original shelf arrangement there was no indication that consumers switched brands when the leading brand of tomato soup went out of stock. When the soup display was rearranged and the leading brand was out of stock, sales indicated that the next leading brand picked up from 50 to 80 percent of the sales which normally went to the leader.
Advertisers not only want to reinforce habits, they at times want to change them. (Note this type of battle among beer brands.) The success of a new product depends on whether customers can be induced to shift away from their former brands ("new low cost" or "new standard of performance"). The continued success of an established leading brand depends on the ability to strengthen existing habits ("the taste to stay with").
Selling involves both sales promotion and personal selling. In most companies, it involves the largest part of the marketing mix. As in advertising, the psychological factors in selling involve the se· quence of perceiving, understanding, and feeling. The sales interview involves interaction between the salesman and the customer. Each provides a continuing stimulus for the other. What the salesman says and does must be perceived by the customer and responded to favorably if a sale is to take place. Thus, the focus of the salesman's attention is the customer. He must catch the small cues in the customer's behavior which indicate what to stress and what to gloss over. And good selling is planned in advance. One experienced Detroit car salesman put it this way: "I have found that most men who bring their car in for service are mad at the car. They are also mad at the manufacturer. This is particularly true if they have broken down on the expressway. They start taking out their anger on the service manager. He calls me in to take the beating. After the potential customer simmers down I let the mechanic tell him the car can be fixed. This turns his thinking from complaints to listening. I give him a cold Coke and take him over to a new car. He starts the new car conversation and then I make my sales pitch."
The thinking processes induced by the salesman must be considered. Concreteness ·of language and aptness of illustration, for example, often spell the difference between success or failure in selling. The mind works somewhat like a motion picture camera. It
doesn't take in abstractions easily. When the stimulus word or phrase is abstract, the individual hearing it translates it according to his own ways of perceiving, feeling, and thinking. For example, if a salesman says of his product that it is of high quality, the associations aroused in any given customer may vary. One may conclude, "It is too expensive for me"; another may think, "It is overengineered for my simple use"; still another may think, "It's trouble free, just what I have been looking for."
The salesman may also base part of his strategy on rationalization. Here the customer is eased into believing what he wants to believe. It is just human nature to justify our behavior in our own eyes. The advertiser or salesman can help this along: "Order some now before the supply is exhausted." "These coats cost twice as much in the regular season." "The amount you save will pay your youngster's tuition for a whole year."
Customer service is a growing part of the marketing mix. "I don't mind buying it if I can just get it fixed" is a common remark. The selling of services irl one form or another has grown until money now paid out for services exceeds that paid out for things. Service activities include maintenance and repair of products, technical and professional assistance in problem. solving, help in training the customer's personnel in operating equipment, and marketing research on the customer's products.
In theory sales and service are supposed to complement each other. In practice the two are often in conflict. "Sales" makes commitments that "service" has difficulty in supplying. The car salesman promises one thing, and the service man says it cannot be done. The warranty on a new car, for example, may be honored without question by one dealer and virtually ignored by another. The sophisticated buyer studies service before determining where to buy.
One homeowner who maintained a contract with an exterminating company expressed the importance of service (feelings for the lack of it) this way: "When I originally signed the $700 contract to rid my house of beetles the company adhered to my every wish. The house was gassed, but to be on the safe side I took out their insurance policy against failure. Two years later bugs reappeared. It took me three visits, two long distance calls, and threat of a law suit to get the company to even come and look at the house."
Another part of the mix includes public relations. All employees informally contribute (for good or bad) to the public relations of a business. The larger organizations employ a specialized staff or outside agency to coordinate this aspect of the marketing mix.
Credit is involved in buying and selling as a part of the mix. It becomes important as the value.of the purchase increases. And for most of us pricing is important in the mix. It has not only an economic base but involves. psychological values as well, when status becomes impox:tant: "It costs a little more when you serve the best." And no small part of the mix involves delivery ("Do I get the product when the salesman says it should arrive?").
Purchase behavior by the consumer is related to psychological and sociological factors as well as.to economic ones. Age of the buyer is important. From the "six-year-old purchasing agent" to "middleage impulse buying," the psychologist is taking a look at the behavior of people of specific ages. This is why cereal commercials appear on children's shows and automobile commercials on late-night variety shows.
Beliefs are important in purchasing. In one study on consumer preferences for beef, two different displays were put on the counter. One was an economical product from cattle fed on grass. The other display was from cattle that had been more expensively grain-fed. The fat from the grass-fed cattle was slightly off-white in colqr, in contrast to the fat on the grain-fed beef. When the more expensive grain-fed beef was identified as such, it outsold the cheaper brand,.but when neither was identified, and both were marked at the same price, each sold equally well.
In a follow-up study, customers said there was no difference in taste in the beef bought from the unidentified racks. But when identified, the customers said there was a difference-favoring grainfed beef. Perhaps it pays to tell people what they like! With this thought let us take an extended look at various aspects of communication.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Musical Ability and Artistic Talent For Job Finders
Musical Ability
"You have it or you don't have it" is a slightly exaggerated statement we can make about our potential in the area of music. In music perhaps more than in any other human activity, the existence of special talent is clearly recognized. Most great musicians have exhibited their ability at a very early age. The measurement of musical ability involves such things as sensitivity to pitch, intensity, time, and appreciation for rhythm, timbre, consonance, and volume. Manipulative skill is obviously essential in both vocal and instrumental music. Of course, one may have little or no performance ability to enjoy music. As a matter of fact, listening to music is our biggest national hobby.
Artistic Talent
Talent for drawing, painting, sculpture, or architectual and other design is also rather specific. Many of us cannot draw a straight line or paint a picture, regardless of our desire to express ourselves artistically. We have graphic arts scales for measuring drawings and measures of art judgment or "appreciation" resting on the ability to make fine discriminations, as well as measures of feeling and insight. But missing are valid measures of the creative aspects of art. Work samples are our best indicators.
Success in most special ability pursuits requires varying degrees of creative, innovative, and problem-solving ability.
Mechanical Abilily Among The Job Finders
Mechanical Abilily
Psychomotor competence, of course, relates closely to mechanical ability, which is actually a combination of skills. In addition to the ability to perceive. mechanical relationships, strength, precision, speed of movement, and the ability to' combine all of them are needed. Complex tests of mechanical aptitude have proved to be more successful than simple ones. Mechanical ability is not really correlated with general intelligence, but this does not mean' that intelligence is unnecessary for mechanical work. It means rather that sheer mechanical ability is distributed among people without much regard to the things that intelligence tests measure. Many intelligent people have great mechanical skill, and some have none. For success in a mechanical field, both special ability and general intelligence are necessary, but these two components must be measured separately. Such talents as music and art fit a similar pattern.
Effect of Athletic Abilities on The Job
Athletic Ability
Many of us associate athletic ability with the word "psychomotor," and with reason. Psychomotor behavior, honed to a fine edge, is exhibited to us year-round when we observe sports. There are exceptions, but in general there is a positive relationship between success at sports at the professional level and intelligence. The learning and proble.n-solving involved in football offers a common example. Studies show that two factors are important in athletic success. The first is general good health, combined with initial psychomotor ability in running, jumping, and throwing. Second, in spite of many instances of all-around athletes, learning in terms of professional proficiency is usually specific. The person capable of a professional career in either baseball or football must choose between them. Both may play goif, but as an amateur on the side.
Psychomotor Abilities and Your Career Desire
Psychomotor Abilities
Let us begin by describing the clumsy person, who technically may be described as having "motor difficulties" or in need of remedial "perceptual motor learning." He can be the child who always gets chosen last in games, who is slow learning to ride a bike, and who cannot seem to catch a ball. He may even be handicapped in writing with a pencil. Whether or not he outgrows his clumsiness (and many do not) he has taken a lot of psychological punishment from his peers and has built up various compensations as he tries to work around his handicaps. But the clumsy person is not alone, at least statistically. It is estimated that some 20 percent of all school-age youngsters have psychomotor handicaps. And it is important to remember that they are. not "just stupid." They vary over the entire IQ range. Although' we do not know why, more boys than girls suffer from psychomotor difficulties. The causes may range from birth injuries to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain during the prenatal state. The perceptual-motor handicapped person often has an excellent hereditary background in terms of his or her gene structure. One authority says: "The prognosis for these kids is pretty good, if we catch them young enough. We give them writing help, have them practice tightrope walking and teach them to turn somersaults on padded mats. We try to add a little to their self-image."
The application of psychomotor skill ranges wicely, from threading a needle to flying an airplane. The ability to use one's sensory-motor equipment efficiently is necessary in many job situations and in many walks of life-for example, it! dentistry, surgery, science, engineering, and in the various skilled trades.
Intelligence tests Ranging for Career Hiring - Tips that really can help you your desired job
Many readers of this text are familiar with intelligence tests, since they may have taken them. possibly even several times. They may be less familiar with special ability tests. We think of the intelligence test as providing comparative data on our ability to acquire new information, to profit from experience, and to adjust to new situations.
Range of Intelligence
Most people are normal or near normal in intelligence and these are the people with whom we usually associate day-by-dav. The two extremes are the mentally retarded at one end and the mentally gifted at the other. Compared to the normal range of l0 to 110 IQ. the lower extreme includes persons with an IQ below 70. In between we have borderline cases.
At the other end of the intelligence range is the gifted person. We speak of the "very superior" in the 130 to 140 IQ range and the "genius" as above 140. It is important, however, to emphasize that IQ is not everything. We all have seen the gifted person, perhaps very verbal bu't lacking totally in artistic, psychomotor, or mechanical ability. He or she may not have the qualities or skills many jobs call for. General intelligence, as measured by conventional intelligence tests, does not always relate to the job to be done. Beyond a certain point other things may count more toward success, particularly in a nonverbal work-oriented climate.
Kinds of Tests
Tests come by the thousands. There are individual and group tests of the paper-and-pencil variety and there are apparatus-work-sample tests. There are performance tests, those involving speed versus power, and subjective-objective tests. There are proficiency and achievement tests. Increasingly important are the "behavtoral objectives" tests that diagnose the things we can do readily and those in which we are deficient. The functions measured by fests include intelligence, aptitude, ability, achievement, interest, personality, and a variety of skills such as musical, mechanical, and artistic. Since so much of the practical world relates to special abilities, let us consider some of them.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Specific jobs require specific skills. Salesmen and teachers, for example, need verbal ability; engineers need mechanical comprehension and dextelity in using their hands. Accounting emphasizes numerical ability, and the scientist needs to understand complex things, be oriented toward theory, and often be able to work with apparatus. The professional football player needs not only psychomotor skills and physical stamina but also split-second cognitive abilities for reading defense shifts. Special abilities relate to coordination, to verbal and quantitative things, to spatial comprehension and other things. Some of these abilities are discussed below.
Psychomotor Abilities
Let us begin by describing the clumsy person, who technically may be described as having "motor difficulties" or in need of remedial "perceptual motor learning." He can be the child who always gets chosen last in games, who is slow learning to ride a bike, and who cannot seem to catch a ball. He may even be handicapped in writing with a pencil. Whether or not he outgrows his clumsiness (and many do not) he has taken a lot of psychological punishment from his peers and has built up various compensations as he tries to work around his handicaps. But the clumsy person is not alone, at least statistically. It is estimated that some 20 percent of all school-age youngsters have psychomotor handicaps. And it is important to remember that they are. not "just stupid." They vary over the entire IQ range. Although' we do not know why, more boys than girls suffer from psychomotor difficulties. The causes may range from birth injuries to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain during the prenatal state. The perceptual-motor handicapped person often has an excellent hereditary background in terms of his or her gene structure. One authority says: "The prognosis for these kids is pretty good, if we catch them young enough. We give them writing help, have them practice tightrope walking and teach them to turn somersaults on padded mats. We try to add a little to their self-image."
The application of psychomotor skill ranges wicely, from threading a needle to flying an airplane. The ability to use one's sensory-motor equipment efficiently is necessary in many job situations and in many walks of life-for example, it! dentistry, surgery, science, engineering, and in the various skilled trades.
Athletic Ability
Many of us associate athletic ability with the word "psychomotor," and with reason. Psychomotor behavior, honed to a fine edge, is exhibited to us year-round when we observe sports. There are exceptions, but in general there is a positive relationship between success at sports at the professional level and intelligence. The learning and proble.n-solving involved in football offers a common example. Studies show that two factors are important in athletic success. The first is general good health, combined with initial psychomotor ability in running, jumping, and throwing. Second, in spite of many instances of all-around athletes, learning in terms of professional proficiency is usually specific. The person capable of a professional career in either baseball or football must choose between them. Both may play goif, but as an amateur on the side.
Mechanical Abilily
Psychomotor competence, of course, relates closely to mechanical ability, which is actually a combination of skills. In addition to the ability to perceive. mechanical relationships, strength, precision, speed of movement, and the ability to' combine all of them are needed. Complex tests of mechanics with general intelligence, but this does not mean' that intelligence is unnecessary for mechanical work. It means rather that sheer mechanical ability is distributed among people without much regard to the things that intelligence tests measure. Many intelligent people have great mechanical skill, and some have none. For success in a mechanical field, both special ability and general intelligence are necessary, but these two components must be measured separately. Such talents as music and art fit a similar pattern.
Musical Ability
"You have it or you don't have it" is a slightly exaggerated statement we can make about our potential in the area of music. In music perhaps more than in any other human activity, the existence of special talent is clearly recognized. Most great musicians have exhibited their ability at a very early age. The measurement of musical ability involves such things as sensitivity to pitch, intensity, time, and appreciation for rhythm, timbre, consonance, and volume. Manipulative skill is obviously essential in both vocal and instrumental music. Of course, one may have little or no performance ability to enjoy music. As a matter of fact, listening to music is our biggest national hobby.
Artistic Talent
Talent for drawing, painting, sculpture, or architectual and other design is also rather specific. Many of us cannot draw a straight line or paint a picture, regardless of our desire to express ourselves artistically. We have graphic arts scales for measuring drawings and measures of art judgment or "appreciation" resting on the ability to make fine discriminations, as well as measures of feeling and insight. But missing are valid measures of the creative aspects of art. Work samples are our best indicators.
Success in most special ability pursuits requires varying degrees of creative, innovative, and problem-solving ability.
Creativity
To be creative in any given area requires more than just some specific talent in art or science. From studies of creative people two generalizations can be made. First, the creativity involved in solving some difficult problem results from a tremendous preoccupation with that probl~m. Second, the creative problem solver must have a great tolerance for ambiguity. And for most people creativity comes at a price. So often the 'innovator is out of step with his times and therefore often rejected.
The creative person is self-motivated. Statistically speaking, he or she is in the minority. Most creative productions are contributed by a small number of people. We know several things about such people. First, creativity is often noticed in childhood. Second, the creative child (or college student) may get "turned off" at school. Third. creative people are less conventional than others, regardless of field. Fourth, they usually show independence. Fifth, they do not always know where the results of their efforts will lead. Sixth, creative people tend to live within them~elves; they are often hard to live with.
Range of Intelligence
Most people are normal or near normal in intelligence and these are the people with whom we usually associate day-by-dav. The two extremes are the mentally retarded at one end and the mentally gifted at the other. Compared to the normal range of l0 to 110 IQ. the lower extreme includes persons with an IQ below 70. In between we have borderline cases.
At the other end of the intelligence range is the gifted person. We speak of the "very superior" in the 130 to 140 IQ range and the "genius" as above 140. It is important, however, to emphasize that IQ is not everything. We all have seen the gifted person, perhaps very verbal bu't lacking totally in artistic, psychomotor, or mechanical ability. He or she may not have the qualities or skills many jobs call for. General intelligence, as measured by conventional intelligence tests, does not always relate to the job to be done. Beyond a certain point other things may count more toward success, particularly in a nonverbal work-oriented climate.
Kinds of Tests
Tests come by the thousands. There are individual and group tests of the paper-and-pencil variety and there are apparatus-work-sample tests. There are performance tests, those involving speed versus power, and subjective-objective tests. There are proficiency and achievement tests. Increasingly important are the "behavtoral objectives" tests that diagnose the things we can do readily and those in which we are deficient. The functions measured by fests include intelligence, aptitude, ability, achievement, interest, personality, and a variety of skills such as musical, mechanical, and artistic. Since so much of the practical world relates to special abilities, let us consider some of them.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Specific jobs require specific skills. Salesmen and teachers, for example, need verbal ability; engineers need mechanical comprehension and dextelity in using their hands. Accounting emphasizes numerical ability, and the scientist needs to understand complex things, be oriented toward theory, and often be able to work with apparatus. The professional football player needs not only psychomotor skills and physical stamina but also split-second cognitive abilities for reading defense shifts. Special abilities relate to coordination, to verbal and quantitative things, to spatial comprehension and other things. Some of these abilities are discussed below.
Psychomotor Abilities
Let us begin by describing the clumsy person, who technically may be described as having "motor difficulties" or in need of remedial "perceptual motor learning." He can be the child who always gets chosen last in games, who is slow learning to ride a bike, and who cannot seem to catch a ball. He may even be handicapped in writing with a pencil. Whether or not he outgrows his clumsiness (and many do not) he has taken a lot of psychological punishment from his peers and has built up various compensations as he tries to work around his handicaps. But the clumsy person is not alone, at least statistically. It is estimated that some 20 percent of all school-age youngsters have psychomotor handicaps. And it is important to remember that they are. not "just stupid." They vary over the entire IQ range. Although' we do not know why, more boys than girls suffer from psychomotor difficulties. The causes may range from birth injuries to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain during the prenatal state. The perceptual-motor handicapped person often has an excellent hereditary background in terms of his or her gene structure. One authority says: "The prognosis for these kids is pretty good, if we catch them young enough. We give them writing help, have them practice tightrope walking and teach them to turn somersaults on padded mats. We try to add a little to their self-image."
The application of psychomotor skill ranges wicely, from threading a needle to flying an airplane. The ability to use one's sensory-motor equipment efficiently is necessary in many job situations and in many walks of life-for example, it! dentistry, surgery, science, engineering, and in the various skilled trades.
Athletic Ability
Many of us associate athletic ability with the word "psychomotor," and with reason. Psychomotor behavior, honed to a fine edge, is exhibited to us year-round when we observe sports. There are exceptions, but in general there is a positive relationship between success at sports at the professional level and intelligence. The learning and proble.n-solving involved in football offers a common example. Studies show that two factors are important in athletic success. The first is general good health, combined with initial psychomotor ability in running, jumping, and throwing. Second, in spite of many instances of all-around athletes, learning in terms of professional proficiency is usually specific. The person capable of a professional career in either baseball or football must choose between them. Both may play goif, but as an amateur on the side.
Mechanical Abilily
Psychomotor competence, of course, relates closely to mechanical ability, which is actually a combination of skills. In addition to the ability to perceive. mechanical relationships, strength, precision, speed of movement, and the ability to' combine all of them are needed. Complex tests of mechanics with general intelligence, but this does not mean' that intelligence is unnecessary for mechanical work. It means rather that sheer mechanical ability is distributed among people without much regard to the things that intelligence tests measure. Many intelligent people have great mechanical skill, and some have none. For success in a mechanical field, both special ability and general intelligence are necessary, but these two components must be measured separately. Such talents as music and art fit a similar pattern.
Musical Ability
"You have it or you don't have it" is a slightly exaggerated statement we can make about our potential in the area of music. In music perhaps more than in any other human activity, the existence of special talent is clearly recognized. Most great musicians have exhibited their ability at a very early age. The measurement of musical ability involves such things as sensitivity to pitch, intensity, time, and appreciation for rhythm, timbre, consonance, and volume. Manipulative skill is obviously essential in both vocal and instrumental music. Of course, one may have little or no performance ability to enjoy music. As a matter of fact, listening to music is our biggest national hobby.
Artistic Talent
Talent for drawing, painting, sculpture, or architectual and other design is also rather specific. Many of us cannot draw a straight line or paint a picture, regardless of our desire to express ourselves artistically. We have graphic arts scales for measuring drawings and measures of art judgment or "appreciation" resting on the ability to make fine discriminations, as well as measures of feeling and insight. But missing are valid measures of the creative aspects of art. Work samples are our best indicators.
Success in most special ability pursuits requires varying degrees of creative, innovative, and problem-solving ability.
Creativity
To be creative in any given area requires more than just some specific talent in art or science. From studies of creative people two generalizations can be made. First, the creativity involved in solving some difficult problem results from a tremendous preoccupation with that probl~m. Second, the creative problem solver must have a great tolerance for ambiguity. And for most people creativity comes at a price. So often the 'innovator is out of step with his times and therefore often rejected.
The creative person is self-motivated. Statistically speaking, he or she is in the minority. Most creative productions are contributed by a small number of people. We know several things about such people. First, creativity is often noticed in childhood. Second, the creative child (or college student) may get "turned off" at school. Third. creative people are less conventional than others, regardless of field. Fourth, they usually show independence. Fifth, they do not always know where the results of their efforts will lead. Sixth, creative people tend to live within them~elves; they are often hard to live with.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Where do Success and Failures Come from?
Success and Failure
Some people enter mic1dle life with a background of success revealed by various types of recognition. Others enter the prime of life with a past history of failure. In either case there is no quarrel with the criteria of evaluation. But what of the man who feels himself a failure while others applaud his successes? What about the man who questions the standards for judging success and failure? What about the 'woman who felt handicapped just because she was female?
For most adults the early forties are a period of evaluation. The man examines his career to see how he rates according to goals established in youth; the woman looks at her career or marriage in terms of earlier alternatives.
In a culture such as ours, which both idealizes and rewards youth, some pressures act to prevent people from admitting to themselves that they are becoming older. Add to this the fact that cur culture encourages youth to set aspirations beyond the bounds of realization. One can see how when evaluation comes, it comes with a jolt.
A person's criteria of success may be greatly different from those of his or her colleague. We cannot establish universal criteria, and the generally accepted definitions of success seldom satisfy anyone person. Sometimes individual criteria. for personal success do not satisfysociet)' in its abstract, mass personality. A man may hold a position of authority, with responsibility and prestige; he may be making a good salary; yet in his own judgment, he is a failure. In constrast, the world at large may think a man a virtual failure, while he himself has reached a peace of mind which can fairly be called success. Through thoughtful career planning in youth, thi:o'middleager attempted to balance the levels of ability, of opportunity, and of aspirations within a critical set of limits to achieve success in work and in personal life. He gradually learned that repeated frustrations lowered his aspirations, and he also learned that repeated successes raised them. But when he sought to keep in balance his levels of ability and levels of aspiration, he found he was walking a tightrope.
Many people who pass the middle-age test find their most psychologically rewarding years are ahead. There are others who age without growing up.
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Ideal Self - An Overview
The Ideal Self
The concept of the ideal self, the kind of person the adolescent hopes to be, involves questions of standards and comparisons. It involves relating levels of aspiration to levels of ability. It also involves opportunities for self-realization.
When the ideal self is set at an unrealistic level, frustration is increased. When it is set below one's level of ability, motivation may become lacking. The adolescent's level of aspiration tends to go up with success and down with failure. This up-down movement is more exaggerated than that usually found in adults. The ideal self of the adult has evolved slowly through experience. Lacking such experience, the adolescent depends a great deal on identification with 'omeone else as the ideal-an older brother or sister, a parent, or a eacher. This ideal person may stimulate either emulation or resentment, sometimes both.
The concept of self is molded by reward and punishment, praise and blame, and by the feelings of accomplishment that come with solving a problem. During preadolescence, parents and peers both fluence the self concept. This situation changes gradually until the ung person's self-evaluation is determined by what age mates ink. Later, peer groups and other organizations provide a climate of
.fiuence. Finally the adolescent discovers that the self must be etermined individually. He or she has to learn the hard way that achieving identity is a long, difficult process. One learns that such entity comes through thinking, feeling, and decision making. It rives on social interaction. And in the end, the question "Who am " still remains.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Ways to be a good leader
As the role of women in the workplace continues to evolve, we have more opportunities than ever to shine. Here are 6 ways to be a leader in your workplace.
A few years ago, when I sat down to begin writing More Than a Minute, all sorts of images came to my mind. One of them was of the first time I read The One Minute Manager (written in 1982 and one of the best selling management books of all time).
It seemed pretty clear the only woman in that story was a secretary and the successor was clearly a man. Well, thank goodness a few things have changed since then.
It is a bit mind boggling when you consider the depth and complexity of transformation to our everyday lives in the past 25 years.
Eventually, as my career began to take shape, I grew to be more comfortable being a woman at work – actually wearing colors and more feminine attire. Now, I even use cooking metaphors sometimes when making a point – in addition to all those sports ones I have managed to compile over the years. A sort of equilibrium between being a woman and being a professional with the ability to assert myself with my male counterparts was eventually achieved.
Through the course of my professional journey, I've learned a few lessons about being a woman at work:
As the world of work continues to change, there will be more and more opportunities for women to shine. Focus your energies on becoming the best leader or manager you can be and you will certainly be able to keep up.
It seemed pretty clear the only woman in that story was a secretary and the successor was clearly a man. Well, thank goodness a few things have changed since then.
It is a bit mind boggling when you consider the depth and complexity of transformation to our everyday lives in the past 25 years.
HOW TO BE A LEADER IN YOUR CAREER
As a female leader in organizations for the past 20 years, I have spent much of my time being the only ‘girl' in the room. I remembered back to the days when I wore man suits. You know, the grey box cut with small silk bow tied around the neck? I carried a man-woman briefcase and hung out with the guys.Eventually, as my career began to take shape, I grew to be more comfortable being a woman at work – actually wearing colors and more feminine attire. Now, I even use cooking metaphors sometimes when making a point – in addition to all those sports ones I have managed to compile over the years. A sort of equilibrium between being a woman and being a professional with the ability to assert myself with my male counterparts was eventually achieved.
Through the course of my professional journey, I've learned a few lessons about being a woman at work:
6 WAYS TO BE A LEADER
Speak up
More importantly, don't be afraid to be heard. Just know that sometimes women have to do it louder and more often to truly make an impact.Be a mentor to other women
Early in life we are taught to constantly compete against other girls but as women we simply need to push past those limiting beliefs and learn to share our knowledge with others. By teaching other women, we grow stronger as a force in the business world.Learn from those who've come before you
Choose a female role model in your field or profession (they are out there) and learn from them. Ask questions, find out about the challenges and successes they've experienced on their own path to success.Participate
Get in the game because you'll never advance by sitting and cheering from the sidelines. And don't worry; you can join in without being "one of the guys."Confidence is key!
Make sure that you take the time to get comfortable with yourself, your role, your expertise and your value. This way, you can identify any weaknesses or areas where you might need to improve.Don't stop
We all face challenges but it's important that you never blame failures or setbacks on being a woman in a man's world. Instead, look for the things you can address and take it from there!As the world of work continues to change, there will be more and more opportunities for women to shine. Focus your energies on becoming the best leader or manager you can be and you will certainly be able to keep up.
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