Lower Your Standards (Or, How Golden Unicorns Are Ruining Your Career Change)

Lower Your Standards (Or, How Golden Unicorns Are Ruining Your Career Change) Expert Advice > How to discover what you want to do next Lower Your Standards (Or, How Golden Unicorns Are Ruining Your Career Change) * Newly Updated Feeling paralysed and trapped? No idea what you want to do next with your career? Natasha doesn't buy it. Here, she explains a key 'ideas' distinction keeping you stuck, and shares a simple way to start making progress, no matter how uncertain you feel. There you are, waiting patiently for a good idea to strike so you can finally take some action. If only you had a good idea, you could start looking for jobs. If only you had a good idea, you could try networking and meeting people in the industry. If only you had a good idea, you could practise and develop your skills, build a portfolio, do some market research… And until you have a good idea, it feels like you have nothing to explore, nothing to research, nothing to work on… But the thing is, you do have ideas. You do have something to work on. It's just that you haven't acknowledged the ideas you have, because you don't think they're any good. 'No ideas' is not the same as 'no good ideas' Trying to come up with possibilities for your future career can feel like a real all-or-nothing situation. Either you've got one, or you don't. But actually, there are many different categories of career idea, each of which has its own shape, qualities, level of clarity… I've listed a few below (do you recognise any of these?): A Golden Unicorn: This is The Idea. You're really excited and inspired by it. It uses your existing skill-set, it pays regularly and well, and you know you'll be stretched and challenged in all the right ways. Plus, it's part of an industry teeming with companies who would be willing to hire you on the spot. A Mountain Top: A possibility you're really excited about, that you have to retrain for, develop yourself, and work towards over time. It's aspirational and powerful, and probably a little heavier in terms of the time and money you'd have to invest, but you're reasonably sure that it'll be worth it in the end. A Mysterious Glow: Something you think you'd probably be excited about, but you don't yet know enough about it to be sure. Mysterious Glows are fairly pretentious beings â€" they're more like an 'atmosphere' or a 'concept' than anything you can actually touch or describe. They float around you wearing an enigmatic smile, and they leave you feeling a bit frustrated and thick. So you ignore them. An Underdog: These poor souls are deeply, horribly misunderstood. They could be the perfect idea for you â€" and you have a sneaking suspicion, deep down, that they might be. But you've heard so many bad rumours about them, and you have so little faith in your ability to make it work, that you won't even hang around long enough to fully hear what they have to say. As soon as you get a whiff of them, you whack them with a hammer and dust them back into the recesses of your brain. A Beeping Egg: A little kernel of an idea that keeps popping back into your head. You can't quite figure out what it is, and you definitely don't have any clarity about where it could take you, but it just… won’t… stop… beeping at you… You might not have the right idea yet. You might not even have a good idea yet. But if you've got anything resembling even one of the types of ideas I've listed above, you've got enough to work with. Lower your standards There’s a 'good idea', and then there's 'good enough'. You can wait for a Golden Unicorn to land on your laptop. Or you can choose an idea that you decide is 'good enough' to warrant further exploration and action. If you'll only take action when you've found a Golden Unicorn, you're setting yourself up for failure. You'll spend an inordinate amount of time searching hopelessly in all the wrong places (because who really knows where Golden Unicorns hang out?), feel terrible when you don't find one, and then spend weeks or even months in a depressive slump. But if you're willing to suspend your judgements and take an Underdog seriously, you immediately have the world at your fingertips. And, actually, most people are surrounded by Beeping Eggs. You've probably got a few in your own back pocket. You've just trained yourself to ignore the noise they make. Stop waiting, start doing Need some ideas on how to take action in exploring your Mysterious Glow, or another idea you've decided is 'good enough'? Check out our guidance on how to take your shift from a theoretical dream to a real-world project: Try out our Lean Career Change technique for testing out your ideas in an easy, low-risk way Start connecting with people who work in a field related to your idea Take small actions to bust out of the crazy-thought-loop and get the ball rolling What kind of idea would be 'good enough' for you to take some action on and explore? Let me know in the comments.

Buy Resume For Writing Guide

Buy Resume For Writing GuideIf you are a new employee and need to write a resume, there is a great buy resume for writing guide to help you write your next professional document. Writing a resume can be a little intimidating. This handy guide will help you get on the right track.When looking at a job listing, be sure to keep in mind that no matter what the position is, a resume should always include a cover letter. The cover letter should indicate the type of hiring agent or company you are submitting your resume to. Some jobs offer job seekers the opportunity to list more than one resume. In this case, it is recommended that you submit a separate resume for each job you apply for.Remember that an interview does not mean that you have already won the job interview. Although it is good to be prepared for your interview, it is also a good idea to feel comfortable with the interviewer before the interview. Being prepared to answer all questions and feeling at ease during an interview wi ll help you feel confident and look like you are ready to take on the job. Taking some time to do some preparation beforehand will ensure that you feel as if you know exactly what to expect at the interview.Be prepared to answer any possible interview questions that may come up. Always be prepared to answer them and try to make sure that any questions are not pointed at you, but rather them being asked of you. Your goal is to prepare for the interview, not to be prepared for the interview.Once you have answered all of the interview questions, you must now go into the interview knowing what you are expected to do. Listing out all of the answers you have given will help you keep track of your answers and will help you begin to organize yourself before the interview begins. A good buy resume for writing guide will include an outline of what you plan to do when you are sitting down with the employer.Make sure that you are also being realistic with yourself about how much of the intervie w you can actually go into. Remember that you are a professional in your field and you do not want to leave any important information out. Keep everything short and concise, and don't forget to ask for clarification and if possible references.When you leave the interview, make sure to take notes. You can make notes as you leave, but also make sure to keep a few minutes for yourself. Take some time to realize that you have just had a very important meeting. You are not going to be able to make this meeting up so you better make the most of it.After you have walked away from the interview, make sure that you have an outline of your sales pitch, your resume, and any other documents that you are going to need to take to the employer. This is a good buy resume for writing guide because it will tell you how much you are going to need and it will give you a place to list your resume for writing. Make sure that you remember to sign everything before you go home so that you can not only turn it in, but also have it in case you need to turn it in after the job has closed. A good buy resume for writing guide will have lists of papers to turn in, a list of paper to be turned in, and lists of paper to be retained.

Four Tips On How To Wind Down After Work

Four Tips On How To Wind Down After Work It’s Wednesday evening and you’ve just gotten home from work. You’ve completed your commute, taken your shoes off and you’ve put your dinner in the oven, now what do you do? Check your emails, stress about tomorrow’s workload? When our work takes up such a big chunk of our day to day lives it can be easy for it to consume every aspect of our week, but downtime is important too. Take a look at our tips on how to wind down after a long day to help you wake up refreshed and ready for anything the next morning. Put your phone down. We don’t mean you’re not allowed to skim through social media or send a few SnapChats, everyone loves a Facebook binge, but if you’re accustomed to checking your email inbox every 30 seconds you’re doing yourself more harm than good. Thinking about it rationally, are you going to have many more emails from your office to your home account after 7 pm? Especially when you left work at 5:30? Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule but, for the most part, constantly having one eye on work is going to prevent you from being able to relax and prepare for the next day. Shut down Google, close your Gmail app and log out of your work account. Emails can wait until tomorrow. Debrief You might not have written a diary since you were in high school, but jotting down your thoughts at the end of the day can be really therapeutic. Whether there’s a note from a meeting you need to remember or you had an argument with Sue from HR, letting your thought’s out is a great way of leaving the day’s events at the door, allowing you to start with a fresh head tomorrow morning. Plan for the next day If your job changes minute by minute, then this can be difficult, but if you tend to have a relatively clear idea of what you need to do for work day to day, planning it out can be really helpful. There’s no need to craft a seventeen-page itinerary complete with an accompanying PowerPoint presentation and handouts, just write down any tasks you know you have to get done, or meetings you know you have scheduled. This way you can relax knowing you’re prepared for the day ahead, without worrying that you’re going to forget any vitally important details. Get ready for the next day When it comes to work, the daily fight between an extra hour in bed and putting down the dry shampoo long enough to wash your hair can be a struggle. And that’s without even considering what you need to wear, what work documents you need to take with you and where on earth you put your keys. Luckily, these are all things that can be prepared for the night before. Wanting to shower each day is understandable but, if you can, squeeze in an extra half an hour the night before to wash your hair to save time the next morning, ditto with planning out your outfit and packing your bag. That way you’ll leave the house feeling your absolute best, whilst also having snuck in an extra half an hour in bed. Work can often take up such a big percentage of our lives that it’s easy to forget how important it is to relax. By simply following these easy steps you can be sure to have a relaxed and, for the most part, work free evening. Leaving you fully prepared to tackle the next day head-on. Jess Howard writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for  internships. To browse our  graduate jobs London listings, visit our website. Check out more ways to relax on nivea.

Recruitment Where Are We Now

Recruitment â€" Where Are We Now This year  has already been dubbed the ‘Year of the Candidate’, as growing economic confidence is shifting the power from the employer to the employee. After years of economic uncertainty which encouraged employees to stay in the same job and prompted employers to be cautious about making investments in new staff, the continued positive news is reinvigorating the employment market. However, the role of a recruiter has changed dramatically over the last decade â€" not least the new timescales enabled by social media and mobile. Add in the new complexities of employers looking to support flexible working and access new added-value skill sets, and the recruitment model looks very different. Economic Confidence: A great deal has changed since the last time the jobs market experienced any kind of frenzied activity. Social media now dominates the way candidates look to engage with new employers; mobile is the standard way of interacting online; and a raft of employment legislation in tandem with cultural shifts has fundamentally changed the way individuals work. From flexible working to zero hour contracts, international placements to demands for employees that offer more than just the standard skill set, this is truly a 21st century employment market. So just how is this new era of recruitment affecting the industry? How are candidates now approaching the job market? What are their expectations of a recruitment consultant? And with good skills thin on the ground in many sectors, just how can agencies be successful and maximise revenue in a highly competitive marketplace? New Recruitment Dynamic: One of the biggest changes affecting recruitment consultants is the new speed of turnaround. According to the latest research, the recruitment process has contracted to just 87 days from start to finish. This is driven in part by organisations making much faster decisions regarding new employees â€" with greater economic confidence comes less prevarication and more demand for rapid expansion of the workforce. But it is also being driven by the changing way organisations and candidates look to interact with the recruitment process. From the use of social media to identify new job opportunities to online registration and application, and video interviews, the traditional delays within the recruitment process are being smoothed out and eradicated. So how can consultants respond to this changing environment? Step one has to be a highly efficient and effective mobile enabled recruitment process. This is not just about using mobile devices to gain 247 access to both candidate and client information â€" that should be a given in 2015. This is about ensuring that the right processes are in place to support the mobile enabled consultant. For example, how easy is it to set up alerts to flag up responses to jobs â€" and enable immediate response?   How quickly is a consultant able to respond to a client’s new demands, then find and locate the right candidates? If consultants cannot do this effectively and efficiently, via mobile, they are likely to miss those new candidates who are registering during evenings and weekends. Consistent Search: Critically, this faster turnaround model demands highly effective search techniques. There is no doubt that companies’ hiring requirements are becoming more complex as they look to fill roles in different ways to support flexible working, the need for interim managers to support a new business initiative, even looking for different skill sets.   Add in the explosion in internal and external data sources and it is now essential to put in place the right combination of approach, technique and supporting technology when it comes to search. The good news is that a number of new search tools have been developed in response to the changing data environment, from indexing to data ontology. However, as most recruitment companies can attest, there is a huge divergence in the quality of search achieved by different consultants due to expertise, confidence and approach.   In an era where rapid turnaround is now critical, consistency of approach and dissemination of search best practice can transform performance. One important area of development is contextual search. Working across both unstructured and structured data, contextual search bases the results on an understanding of what is contained in the text rather than a filename or associated field, making it a far more intelligent form of searching. The benefits include not only faster search but, critically, improved accuracy of match results. By unearthing more links between a candidate and a job specification, consultants have a greater chance of identifying more relevant candidates â€" and delivering those candidates to the client sooner. Critically, in this candidates’ market, great search enables the consultant to identify more opportunities for top candidates â€" reducing the risk of those candidates defecting to the opposition. Stand Out: This latter point is key: as candidates become ever savvier in what is without doubt an employee’s market, both employers and recruitment consultants need to compete for candidates’ attention. There are so many ways that a recruitment company can begin to differentiate itself from the competition â€" such as offering video interviews for those candidates looking for a significant geographic relocation for example, or using psychometric testing to identify the best fit based on personality, logic, and many other traits that employers are increasingly seeking. But all of this activity will be in vain if the fundamental processes have not been enhanced to support the new candidate-centric, 24 hour recruitment model. From effective use of social media to embedded mobile-enabled processes that deliver the speed of response and intuitive search that gets the right candidate in front of the right client as fast as possible, consistent, best practice use of technology is now a fundamental component of the recruitment model. The challenge for recruitment consultants is to ensure that every aspect of the process is equally efficient and responsive. Having successfully adapted to the way candidates behave and created a business model that can deliver that fast candidate turnaround, consultancies can not only keep one step ahead of the competition but increase their candidate appeal and stand out from the crowd.

Books for the Feminist in Your Life

Books for the Feminist in Your Life There’s never a bad time to pick up a good book about fearless women trying to take on the world. If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for your feminist friend this holiday season, pick up one of these books, sure to inspire her to keep reaching for her goals. In the Game  by Peggy Garrity Growing up an Irish Catholic, Peggy Garrity was determined to not live the same life as her mother and join a convent. Escaping a life of strict rules and religious sacrifice to become a high-profile attorney in Los Angeles, Peggy knew she was destined for something greater.  In the Game  is the riveting story of a brave woman, who amidst representing notable clients also raised four children on her own. Difficult Women  by Roxane Gay Roxane Gay skillfully depicts the diverse lives of women in this collection of stories about love, family and adversity. The  New York Times  bestselling author creates characters her readers can identify with, whether rich, poor, married, single or just trying to find their way in the world. Gay’s view of modern America creates a well-rounded story of unique women and their everyday experiences. Ocean’s Fire  by Stacey Tucker Just when Skylar thought her life couldn’t get more confusing, mythical powers she didn’t know she had begin to reveal themselves. Now that an ancient book has found its way out of the shadows, Skylar must prepare herself for the greatest surprise of her life while warding off the threats of a dangerous stranger who could throw her life into even further chaos. The Rules Do Not Apply  by Ariel Levy In the matter of one month, Ariel Levy’s unconventional life completely fell apart. Raised to reject the standards of love, womanhood and success, this memoir takes readers through the poignant adventure of a woman who lives by her own rules. Women Within  by Anne Leigh Parrish Constance, Eunice and Sam never expected to find friendship in the Lindell Retirement Home but fate will bring the three together to create a story unlike any other. The multigenerational story of these three women will remind you of the importance of friendship and the way our lives intersect. Reset  by Ellen Pao Successful and brave Ellen Pao was not going to remain silent when it came to discrimination in the workplace. Being a woman in Silicon Valley proved to have its difficulties when she started at Kleiner Perkins in 2005 but she refused to be the unheard voice in the crowd, taking her fight for equality to the courtroom.   The perfect read for any woman ready to take down the oppressive men in the office. All the Lives I Want  by Alana Massey Alana Massey’s collection of essays looks at the way female icons are interpreted by the world.   How they’re often put into stereotypical categories and the ways in which they influence girls everywhere. From fictional characters to women writers and pop stars,  All the Lives I Want  is an ode to the famous women who help shape the lives of their fans, both young and old. Swearing Off Stars  by Danielle Wong Oxford will not allow their female students to graduate like the men.   Both Lia and Scarlett have a problem with this. As the two come together to fight for the cause but life eventually takes them down different paths and their love dwindles. Years later, only having fond memories of Scarlett, Lia will receive a letter that will change both of their futures forever. All Grown Up   by Jami Attenberg From  New York Times  bestselling author Jami Attenberg comes her newest novel about a woman trying to find the true definition of being an adult. When everyone around her has a different idea of what it is to grow up, Andrea Bern must find a way into womanhood on her own terms as the birth of her niece threatens to rip her family apart.

7 Common Work Culture Mistakes to Avoid CareerMetis.com

7 Common Work Culture Mistakes to Avoid Work culture can make or break employee engagement and satisfaction. Step into their shoes. Would you want to go to work every day if you knew that the office you’re going to was demotivating and boring? Of course, not.In fact, teams that are more engaged and organized can generate up to 21% more profit. This means employees have clear expectations of what work to do, goals, and are supported along the way.evalThat’s also why it’s more important than ever for companies to develop a positive and encouraging office culture. No matter if you’re about to build your first office or already have a location in place, there are some major mistakes to avoid if you want to experience these kinds of numbers.Keep reading if you want to learn the 7 most common work culture mistakes to avoid that will completely transform your business environment.1) Monitoring your employees too closelyYou need to ensure that employees are remaining productive and engaged throughout the day. That makes se nse. However, too many companies breathe down the back of employees, making them uncomfortable. Seeing as 92% of employees believe empathy will greatly improve their retention, this isn’t something to scoff at.Some companies go as far as monitoring employees’ phones outside of work, watching their screens, and other privacy-invading activities.These aren’t necessarily bad to an extent, but when they cross personal boundaries and extend outside of work, you may have a problem.You can avoid this work culture mistake and give employees more privacy by measuring their performancefirst and foremast. If you have rules in place like not being able to browse social media while working or similar, let those set the precedent.Trusting them will create a more relaxed work environment where they will be productive and comfortable. If they are hitting KPIs and completing tasks on time, what’s to worry about?2) Not giving employees a relaxed dress codeevalYou need to dress the part especi ally when working with clients and while networking. Having sweatpants on can make you feel lazy and like you’re about to sleep versus churning out eight hours of work.On the flip side, not everyone enjoys wearing a suit and tie every day. Most people like throwing on a pair of jeans, a shirt, and heading out the door. That’s why more and more companies are offering a relaxed dress code in their offices.Employees have to represent your company well, so it can’t be too relaxed, but giving them freedom helps them retain some power and control over their day. They are able to express themselves better with this approach, too.For example, you could make it mandatory to wear dress shoes while jeans and any casual shirt is fine. Or, you may want to consider still having a traditional dress code but making it relaxed on specific days.3) A stiff and boring office spaceevalDoes your office look like a hospital or dentist’s office? Then it might be time to make a change. If employees are going to spend eight hours or more every day in an office, it should be stimulating and motivating, right?The days of white walls and cubicles are gone. Office spaces are starting to look a lot more like a home or college campuses these days. This offers everyone in a work culture a more positive, fun, and creative environment.Look at Google, for example.Their office features bright colors, open spaces, and no shortage of couches and fun furniture to work from.This makes work feel a lot more entertaining and employees will be excited to come to the office in the morning. Wouldn’t you?You don’t have to go this far, though. Look at Dropbox’s San Francisco office.While it offers an open design that acts as a breath of fresh air, high ceilings for space, and standing desks, it still has an overall modest design. It’s a nice in-between zone.Entrepreneurs can use these companies as inspiration by:Opening up office spaces, so they feel less cramped.Adding more natural elements like plants and green color furniture or paint.Allowing employees to bring in decorations and items to make their space feel like home.Taking advantage of exciting colors like yellow, orange, and red to stimulate team members.Implementing taller windows that bring in natural light and let you see the outside world.4) Not offering amenities and downtimeIt’s been scientifically proven that taking strategic breaks can make you more productive. How does that work? Simply because the human brain isn’t equipped to do things for long periods of time, but rather use bursts of energy to get tasks done quickly.evalThat means if employees don’t get enough downtime and opportunities to recuperate during the workday, their performance will slowly taper off and they’ll be dying to go home.This can be avoided by adding more amenities to your work’s office. Think pool tables, ping pong, a cafe, balconies, and other areas where they can kickback.Heck, there are offices that are integrating gyms and saunas into the workspace! Brainstorm fun and active features your work culture could have that would stand out and give employees a refreshing break.5) Bringing in the wrong peopleThere’s no “I” in the team.Making sure that the people who make up your company get along and keep each other held accountable is massive for success.evalIf employees don’t get along, bicker, and constantly run to HR, they aren’t getting work done. They won’t look forward to coming into the office and they definitely won’t stay in your company as long as you would like.How can a company get around this common work culture mistake? By having a thorough hiring process.This means outlining a very clear persona of who you want working within your business. Credentials and experience aside, who would you want in your work culture personality-wise? Would they be optimistic? Team players? These are some of the greatest things to look for before real-world experience.Someone could be the v ery best at what they do, but if they cause commotions and disturbances in the office, is it worth keeping them? Probably not.6) Not constantly updating work culturePlanning out how to optimize your office culture like with some of the ideas in today’s article is great. Nonetheless, you can’t think work culture is a one-and-done thing. It takes continuous effort to refine and improve over time.Sure, your first shot might get a lot of things right, but employee feedback and new trends might make you think differently later. In fact, 89% of human resource professionals agreethat feedback and check-ins play a large role in organizational success.You need to keep an open mind and be ready to make new changes to your company’s culture on the fly. This also keeps your business continually evolving, never getting boring or predictable for everyone working within it.7) A lack of core values to followIf we asked you to name your company’s main values, would you be able to cite them? Don’t worry if you can’t. It’s more common than you think. There are so many important procedures to do every day while running a company it’s easy to gloss over little details.But the reality is having a few core values your company follows can greatly improve work culture. Some common values are honesty, positivity, communication, commitment, and passion, for example. What would you say are the greatest values that shape your business?Having these publically available for employees to constantly absorb will keep them on their mission every day. Something as simple as writing them on a whiteboard or placed up as wall art is more than enough.Wrapping up work culture mistakesDeveloping a positive and engaging work culture is crucial for the long term success of your business. Many businesses neglect their importance and suffer a high turnover rate with employees as a result. You don’t have to be one of them, though.Consider dialing back how closely you monitor employees. It ’s okay to ensure that they are remaining productive and on-task, but invading their privacy can do more harm than good.Similarly, a good work culture should offer employees freedom in how they dress and express themselves. Make your dress code more casual while remaining professional.The environment in which your employees work is very important, too. Some of the biggest companies in the world resemble a college campusmore than a traditional office these days. That means open spaces, natural elements, fun colors, and plenty of amenities.On that note, having extra things to do around the office like games helps keep employees in good spirits while socializing before getting back to work.That’s another critical component of work culture â€" bringing in the right people. Don’t just hire someone based on their resume, but rather how they would motivate and make others feel.Doing these things and avoiding the common mistakes we outlined today will transform your work culture into one employee can’t wait to be a part of.

Is it OK to text your boss that youre too sick to work

Is it OK to text your boss that youre too sick to work Is it OK to text your boss that youre too sick to work? Would you rather text your boss instead of calling when you’re feeling under the weather? Well, you’re not alone. In his new book Texting in Sick: How Smartphones, Texting, and Social Media Are Changing Our Relationships, cultural analyst Rune Vejby discusses the role that texting has come to play in our interactions with other people. Vejby writes about one study based on data from more than 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 34. The study found that fewer than half call in sick to work. The majority opt for the text-based alternatives of email, texting, and social media. Of the three, texting was the most popular by far. Vejby points out that texting is also used in more complex contexts than calling in sick, such as breaking up relationships and delivering bad news. “Actually, I wasn’t surprised by the results,” he says. “I’m part of the millennial generation myself, and I know how text-dependent we are. According to my surveys and interviews, more than eight out of 10 young people today rely primarily on text-based media such as texting and email when they communicate with others â€" regardless of whether it’s with friends, colleagues, or employers.” According to Vejby, there are three main reasons why texting has become so popular. First, it makes us feel less anxious than having a difficult conversation in person. Texting in sick is a pain-free alternative to picking up the phone and hearing your manager’s distressed voice when she realizes she has to find someone to cover for you. Second, texting gets to the point immediately. There’s no linguistic handshaking and small talk to deal with. As such, texting is the perfect fit for our highly pragmatic culture â€" one in which we value getting things done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Finally, most modern smartphones are not well-suited for making phone calls. With screens often larger than five inches, smartphones have nudged us towards texting simply because its easier than holding a huge mobile device up to our ears. But in the context of work, Vejby warns that texting is rarely ideal for three reasons: 1. It shatters trust Most managers disapprove of employees texting them in contexts that fall outside of casual communication. For example, only a third of the managers Vejby interviewed found it acceptable for staff to report in sick by text. “The vast majority of managers felt disappointed if they received a text instead of a call, especially if they hadn’t talked with the employee in advance about appropriate ways to report in sick,” Vejby notes. The same goes for other types of workplace conversations that involve more than just a simple message or small talk. “Only when the relationship is already very strong can an employee text their boss without compromising trust,” Vejby says. 2. You will regret it afterwards While a text might relieve feelings of anxiety for the sender, it only provides short-term satisfaction. “Most people regret handling complex conversations on text afterwards, Vejby said. This is true in both personal and professional situations, such as breaking up relationships, delivering bad news, and reporting in sick for work. When we choose to text in those circumstances, we’re often left with a feeling that we should have done that differently.” When we manage to successfully handle anxiety-provoking conversations in person or on the phone, we feel that we have really accomplished something. Theres a sense of gratification, of being proud of ourselves. Texting doesnt give us those same positive feelings, because its simply too easy. It takes the risk out of the conversation. When we avoid risk, we dont experience the satisfaction that comes from successfully overcoming a difficult situation. 3. You might lose out on nurturing important communication skills When we communicate in person, we draw on a wide range of social cues, such as tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, and more. Learning how to read other people, show empathy, and avoid ambiguity are important, particularly when we are facing emotionally complex or difficult conversations. Such communication skills are invaluable not only in our careers, but in every interaction we face. Texting doesn’t allow us to put any of those skills to use, at least not in a meaningful way. However, if we take the time to have more of these important conversations by phone, we can learn to master the intricacies of successful communication and ultimately build greater trust and confidence.

Laura Neffs Grown Up Gigs recording is now available! - When I Grow Up

Laura Neffs Grown Up Gigs recording is now available! - When I Grow Up Image by Jennipher at Cherry Runway You know an interview has gone a-ha-inducing when you find yourself making notes while its happening. I didnt want Laura to think me rude, but seriously, how could I not stop what I was doing to jot down the wise truthbombs she was dropping? We got to talk about: how she came to her What the {bleep} am I doing?! moment in her corporate finance job (and what she did to fix it) how she found the Puzzle Pieces that led to 5 (!) different careers (and what she does to keep finding and following! them) how she got up the nerve to leave her prestigious, high-paying job to travel the country in a converted school bus for a year (and what she had to be willing to hear in order to make it happen) how she works as a life leadership coach *and* a partner of Nourish Charlotte, the citys only local, vegan/vegetarian food delivery service (without her head exploding) Theres so much goodness in here that I still have the fire lit under me from hearing Lauras story and getting her Puzzle Pieces. Honestly, if youre a Renaissance Soul and/or you dont buy into the fact that careers only have to be linear, youre gonna wanna watch this. If you cant see the video, click here so ya can!  Prefer an MP3 to listen to instead? You can find one  here. These quotes from the talk are super tweet-worthy: Click to tweet How to find your passionate career? @LifeLdrshpCoach says: Follow the puzzle pieces. http://tinyurl.com/axhzqqa Click to tweet You can do whatever you want all you have to do is just decide to do it. -@LifeLdrshpCoach http://tinyurl.com/axhzqqa Click to tweet There are many different ways to live and be happy -@LifeLdrshpCoach http://tinyurl.com/axhzqqa Next up? Tracy Matthews, a jewelry designer and yoga teacher. Its gonna be the funnest! Click here  to sign up for Grown Up Gigs recordings + future reminders/recordings via email!