Providing a Lactation Room for Nursing Moms

Providing a Lactation Room for Nursing MomsProviding a Lactation Room for Nursing MomsA lactation room in its simplest form is a private space where a nursing mother can express breast milk for her baby. In some companies, working moms use their private offices as lactating rooms, and either lock their doors or put up privacy signs so nobody walks into the room while the womans breasts are exposed. In others, the employer creates a separate space where new moms can pump breast milk in private. This may be due to the predominance of cubicle farms among that employers workforce, or simply for the convenience of employees. Under U.S. law, employers must provide a lactation room for a new mother to use for pumping breast milk. A bathroom isnt suitable for this purpose it simply isnt sanitary to express milk alongside toilets and all the germs they contain. Moreover, the lactation station must be private and shielded from view of other employees or the general public. Additionally, employ ers must give breastfeeding mothers appropriate breaks from their work day in order to travel to the lactation room and take the time needed to pump milk. Typically, a new mom returning to work with an infant at home needs to express breast milk two or three times in every eight-hour period of the day. As your baby grows older and begins to eat solid food, you fruchtwein likely will pump less milk and be able to go longer between pumping sessions. In order to further assist nursing mothers, support can be provided through literature in this room or even better, direct access to anInternational Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who is a credentialed health professional specialized in breastfeeding.They could answer any breastfeeding questions the new nursing mom may have or even speak with someone who is pregnant. A lactation room should contain a comfortable chair for the nursing mother to sit in and a flat surface to place a breast pump upon. While not required by law, e mployers might also consider providing an electrical outlet, a breast pump, a sink, a small refrigerator for storing breast milk, and interior decorations that create the relaxed environment that nursing moms need to let down their milk and experience a productive, full pumping session. If there is a large number of nursing mothers, a schedule can be made so that no one tries to access the room while its already in use.A whiteboard could be posted in the room, a private angeschlossen calendar could be created, or an email alias could be used in case someone needs to inform others of their changing pumping needs. If you work for an employer with more than 50 employees, by law you are entitled to access to a lactation room if you are breastfeeding a baby. Perhaps you are the first woman to give birth since the law changed requiring lactation rooms. You can be a necessary agent of change by raising the issue in a positive way and helping your employer set up a lactation room that serve s the needs of the employer, employee, and infants, both yours and those yet to be born.

Employment Verification and Sample Policy

Employment Verification and Sample PolicyEmployment Verification and Sample PolicyAn employment verification is a response to an inquiry by a prospective employer, a government agency, or an outside entity, such as a lending institution, that the current or former employee is or was employed by your organization. In most cases, the requesting organization wants to verify dates of employment,salary information, andwhether the individual is still employed by your organization. In the case of employment verification requests by prospective employers, information about the employees performance and potential rehire are often requested. It is also not unusual for the employment verification to request the employees specific history of job responsibilities, title, and salary history, in plus-rechnen to the current / most recent employment information. It is up to the employer how much information to release, but an employment verification policy, that is consistently enforced, should exist . It is important to practice consistency when dealing with employment verification requests. Your managers and staff members need training in how to respond to an employment verification request as well as how to respond to more lengthy and detailed requests at the point when employers do background checking. Government agencies and other entities such as lending institutions will not seek the detailed reference or background checking information that prospective employers want to obtain. Employment Verification Sample Policy All employment verification inquiries from current or former employees, prospective employers of current or former employees, governmental agencies, or other organizations such as a financial or lending institution, should be directed to Human Resources for an official company response. Under no circumstances is any other employee authorized to provide a written or official employment verification response for the company. Your Human Resources staff are tr ained in responding to employment verification requests. They will also know whether a signed permission to release information, from former employees, is on file. All requests for employment verification must contain the employees or former employees signature authorizing the release of information. In the case of current employees, as a courtesy, the HR office will notify the employee whenemployment verification informationis requested. When the permission signature is present, generally, your company releases this information about current and former employees whether the individual is currently employed at Your Company,the employees current or belastung job title,the dates of employment at Your Company, andthe current or final salary paid to the employee. Depending on the circumstances of the request, and input from the past or current employee, the company might releasesalary history, job title history, and whether the company would rehire the employee. Exceptions to this polic y must be approved by the President of (Your Company).

The best resume template based on my 15 years experience sharing resume advice

The best resume template based on my 15 years experience sharing resume advice The best resume template based on my 15 years experience sharing resume advice Over 1 mm people have used our free, powerful  Resume Reviewer, and 91% say they found it useful. Our reviewer is based on our 15 years experience of reviewing, writing, and perfecting professionals’ resumes, and we’ve collected even more good feedback and insights in the past year.I’ve also recently published “Ladders 2018 Resume Guide”, the #1 selling job-hunting book on Amazon.What makes a good resume? I’ve written this simple 8-minute guide to walk you through the steps. It’ll take you 8 minutes to read, probably an hour or two to do, and provide years of benefit in reducing your resume anxiety.My recommendations below are for a professional with 10 to 25 years experience. For those with fewer than 10 years, you’re likely better off with a 1-page resume, for those with more than 25 years and at very senior levels, three may sometimes be appropriate. (But seriously, if that’s you, you shouldn’t be relying on your own typing skills to market yourself.)As with an y “do-it-yourself” project, the key to success is to not get in over your head. So the instructions below are a simplified version of my best advice, tailored to be achievable by you on your own. If you’ve got the commitment, moxie, and willpower for “do it yourself”, here goes! ….Resume GoalFirst, the goal of your resume is  to get you an interview for the job. You may believe your resume has other purposes: -To showcase your every achievement -To justify why you’re changing jobs -To explain why you’ve left so many, or so few, jobs in your career -To mention when you received promotions, awards, or recognition -To describe the size of organization or team or budget you had responsibility for -To land you a job offer without an interviewTrust me, none of those are the goals of your resume. Actually, don’t trust me.  Read our research on how long recruiters spend on your resume. The answer is 6 seconds for the first pass.The goal of your resume is to get you the int erview.You get the interview by persuading 3 layers of HR people that time spent with you will be worth more than time spent with another candidate. I’ll describe below who these 3 layers are - screeners, recruiters, and hiring managers.You’ll persuade those reviewers by providing  quantifiably proven results  that you can do the job very well.Resume length and structureYour resume will be 2 pages total. (Again, if you have less than 10 years experience: 1 page only.)Your resume will be composed of a professional summary and a chronological detail of your professional success. You should have your contact information at the head of the resume, and your educational background at the bottom of the resume. Professional SummaryYour professional summary is a separated list of two or three lines that summarizes your professional ambitions, background, and talents. You’ll include 12 -15 phrases of two or three words each in this section. On your resume, you should begin this section with the three or four job titles you want most, and then intersperse the skills and successes…Job titles:  list 3 to 5 job titles of jobs you would actually accept as your next job. By clearly identifying the title you want next, recruiters and HR people begin seeing you in that role, and that helps give context to a diverse work history.It does not matter that you have never actually had this job title in the past, but it is important that it is a plausible next step in your professional career. A job search that includes both small and large companies will have a broader range of job titles than one specifically focusing on, say, the Fortune 500.Examples: VP, Marketing Director, Marketing Brand Marketi ng Leader CMOProfessional competencies:  list 4 to 6 core competencies that you possess that are important to your success in the jobs outlined above. They should be skills you currently possess and should be “level appropriate”. I.e., don’t list competencies that are obvious or would be assumed for your level. If you’re applying for C-suite jobs, listing “time management” or “presentation skills” would be far too junior to mention in your summary.Examples: Agile Development Software Architecture Engineer Recruiting Technology InnovationDescriptions of your past success:  list 3 to 6 phrases that describe your demonstrated past success. Any type of achievements or attributes for which you have received recognition are appropriate.Examples: President’s Club Top-producing Saleswoman Exceeds Quota Consultative Selling ExpertChronological detail of your professional successIn this section you will provide a chronological detail of your professional success, star ting with your most recent job first. Notice the word choices here, please. We are  detailing  your  success. We are not listing your past job titles or duties. We are not describing your staff composition or budget size or administrative systems used.Again, your resume is a marketing document and needs to  persuade  your reviewers that time spent with you will be worthwhile, so we are going to  detail  your  success.You’ll have about 30 ~ 40 bullet points across all your current and past positions, and each of these will be a marketing bullet point that will make one persuasive argument on your behalf.After you list company name, employment dates, and your title for each role, the bullet points will be distributed as follows: -Your most recent, most important, job gets 8 bullet points. -Your next job also gets 8 bullet points. -Your next two jobs get 4 bullet points each. -Everything else - all of your past jobs together, even if they were your favorite, most nostalgic, most enj oyable times in your life - get just ten bullet points  total. Nobody is hiring you today for the job you had a decade ago.It’s important to note that this distribution is across each job or title, not company. So if you’ve been at the same shop for 20 years, you should be splitting up your 30 bullet points across the different job levels and titles you’ve had.The basic structure of a marketing bullet point is a  success verb  and a  number.Every bullet point in your success resume must include a  number  expressed in dollars, percentages, or a simple, “plain old”, straight-up number.Importantly, every bullet point in your resume must include a  success verb. These are verbs that show success - something got better. So verbs such as increased, decreased, improved, reduced, etc., are what we are looking for. Explicitly forbidden are static verbs - “managed”, “my responsibilities included”, “I was hired to…”, etc. Verbs that merely describe a fact of the mat ter rather than show you in a heroic light.Rather than leave you wondering what success verbs might be, I’ll give you a precise list of 24 verbs you can use on your resume. The simplest way to do your resume right is to use these,  and only these, verbs.This seems boring, but it really doesn’t matter. Unless you are applying to be a thesaurus writer,  nobody cares how clever your success verbs are. The millions of hours lost each year to professionals like you looking up synonyms for “improved” is a complete waste of time - none of the three layers of reviewers are grading you for verbal facility.List of Success Verbs  Achieved Added Awarded Changed Contributed Decreased Delivered Eliminated Exceeded Expanded Gained Generated Grew Improved Increased Introduced Maximized Minimized Optimized Produced Reduced Saved SoldSo your typical 8-bullet point job achievements on your 8-minute resume will read like this: -Increased x by % -Decreased x by % -Improved x by $ -Reduced x by $ -Introduced new x that led to # more…. -Eliminated old x that led to # less… -Successfully added # new x…. -Achieved the removal of # new x…“x” can be profits, costs, clients, vendors, products, practice areas, strategies, risk, volatility, etc.And, of course, it’s important to have a number, dollar, or percentage increase / decrease mentioned in each bullet point. You’ll be surprised at how many you can write using this template, and how this process jogs your memory for all the great stuff you’ve done… -Increased new customer visits by 17% without increasing ad budget. -Decreased AWS bill by 42% through improved architecture (vs. 19% industry average). -Improved revenue per SaaS client by $4,250 through consultative sales training. -Reduced cost-per-hire by $7,010 through employee referral program -Introduced 2 new products that led to 2,500,000 increase in MAUs. -Eliminated old systems that led to a 75 FTE reduction in offshore headcount. -Successfully added 3 productive warehouses to our nationwide network. -Achieved the removal of 5,000 external firm billable hours per year by reorganizing internal staffing.But, you might say, I brought amazing non-quantified value to the organization! I introduced Agile Development, led a huge bond offering, brought innovative logistics strategies to bear, or reorganized our selling methodology.Yes. I agree those are impressive and important achievements.But they are only impressive and important to the extent they are quantifiable. New methodologies, exhibiting leadership, or bringing innovation to a company are interesting to your bosses’ bosses only to the extent they improve,  quantifiably, the outcome of the company - more users, more revenue, faster turnaround, higher client satisfaction.Ideally, every bullet point has a number. I’d strongly prefer if you had 100% of your bullets “quantified”. During the past year, I’ve seen a lot of Members struggle with this advice, so let’s say this about numbers in bullet points: -100% is  ideal  -66% is pretty good -50% of your bullets quantified is  minimumMost everybody is able to achieve at least half of their bullet points mentioning a number or a percentage or a dollar sign, so I’m pretty confident you can get there.Overall, the above outline is remarkably simple because the job search process, despite all the anxiety and confusion, is remarkably simple. You want to do work similar to the work you’ve done before but at a new place and a new level. To do so, you need to explain to new people what can give them confidence that you will be able to contribute to the new team. The easiest way to do that is to share numerical data that show you have contributed in the past and can, therefore, contribute in the future.Your audienceYour resume is a marketing document that needs to get past three people to get you your interview:A  junior resume  screener who is comparing your resume to a list of skills, titles, or comp anies that he or she is given by the recruiter. Overly clever resumes or cutesy positioning can really kill you with this person, because they don’t understand the nod and the wink that comes with writing “Chief Bottle Washer” when you really mean “Co-Founder”. For these reviewers, the choice of phrases in the professional summary is especially important.A  recruiter, whether internal or external, who, on average, will give your resume 6 seconds first screening. And then, later, another 2â€"3 minutes to make sure you’re worth presenting to the client or hiring manager. By giving them easy-to-digest numbers they can share with the client or hiring manager, you make it much easier to present you, rather than a different candidate, for the interview.The  hiring manager  who will be interested in finding out “what can this person do for me and my team in the next year or two.” This person will review your resume in more detail. She will be looking for indications that yo u have previously solved the types of problems this job will have to deal with.Your goal is to  quantifiably prove  that you can. Numbers are the most persuasive friends you have in this situation. Every bullet point spent on describing historical circumstances, promotions, or scope of responsibilities is wasted and lost on a hiring manager. They already know what the role  does… they need to know if you’ll be any good at it!Eight minutes to a better resumeBy following the above, you’ll be in a much, much better place than with other methods of do-it-yourself resumes. Of course, there’s a lot of nuance that 8 minutes can’t get you, but the above is ? of the way there.If you want the full story, you can buy the “Ladders 2018 Resume Guide” and visit our detailed  Resume Template  page at Ladders.

10 Steps to a Better Career Our Top Articles of 2014

10 Steps to a Better Career Our Top Articles of 2014 10 Steps to a Better Career Our Top Articles of 2014 Jump-start your career in 2015 by checking out our most popular articles of the year.Whether your New Year’s resolution is to improve your career or change jobs altogether, these tips are sure to help.  Below, in no particular order, are our top ten most-read articles of 2014. And they’re chock-full of job-search and career advice. 5 things successful people do each morning According to Inc. Magazine, morning people are more proactive and more productive. But what exactly do they do to set themselves up for success? Adopt these five highly effective habits to start your day on the right note. How to answer, “What’s your greatest weakness?” during a job interview Most job seekers are familiar with the “What’s your biggest weakness?” interview question, but few feel equipped to answer it with confidence. The next time you’re asked this stress-inducing question in an interview, use these tips to provide a powerful response. Quitting time: 5 signs it’s time to leave y our job Quitting is never easy. And while the unemployment rate is improving, the thought of resigning can be frightening with many still facing a tough job market. There will always be high and low points in your job, but how do you know when the bad aspects outweigh the good? Here are some signs that will help you decide when it’s time to look elsewhere for work. 7 mistakes that make your professional resume â€" and you â€" look old Resumes, like many other marketing materials, have an expiration date. As technology changes and the job-search process becomes more mobile, it’s important to reevaluate and edit this important document periodically. Make sure your resume is sending the right message to employers by avoiding these common mistakes. Your profile picture is bringing down your job search In today’s marketplace, it’s essential for every job seeker to develop and actively monitor their online professional brand. While a photo on your resume is still considered taboo, recruiters have come to expect a picture accompanying your online professional profiles. Learn how to avoid nine common profile picture pitfalls to enhance, rather than damage, your professional brand. The most important two minutes of your job interview While an interview will certainly last longer than two minutes, the first few minutes can set the tone for the entire meeting. As Will Rogers once said, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” Learn what you can do to make each moment of your job interview count. 9 signs you didn’t land the job You spent hours crafting your job application. You pass the phone screen with flying colors and are invited to an in-person interview. You practice your elevator pitch, don your best outfit, and head out to the meeting. Then you leave the interview feeling … confused. Did it go well? If you’re unsure where you stand after the interview is over, consider these telltale signs that you won’t be getting a cal l-back. Are you answering these interview questions incorrectly? Interviews can be multi-part affairs and take place in a variety of settings, but the intent is the same: To gauge how you measure up in real time and assess if you can put your mouth where your personal brand is. That means preparation is key. Be prepared to answer these difficult â€" and essential â€" interview questions so you’ll respond with confidence when it matters most. Here’s what a mid-level professional’s resume should look like Great experience doesn’t automatically equate to an impressive resume. As your career evolves, so, too, should the format of your professional resume. If you’re a few years beyond the entry-level position, it’s time to revamp your personal marketing materials to reflect this status.  Learn how to craft a resume that stands out from the crowd. 5 reasons why you didn’t land an interview You find the perfect job online and submit your application, already fantasizing about your new position. Then the waiting game begins. After what feels like forever, you check back on the job posting, only to realize the position’s been filled.   If you’ve found yourself in the job-seeker “black hole,” wondering what went wrong, consider the following reasons why you didn’t hear back.

4 Secrets of Navy SEAL mental toughness and Olympian mental strength

4 Secrets of Navy SEAL mental toughness and Olympian mental strength 4 Secrets of Navy SEAL mental toughness and Olympian mental strength Know what’s really  interesting? Learning  how Navy SEALs build mental toughness  to handle deadly situations.Know what else is really interesting? Learning  how Olympic athletes deal with the pressure of competition when the entire world is watching.Know what’s the most interesting of all? When you find out they do  a lot of the same things.“Mental Links To Excellence” is a research study of what Olympians do to prepare for their big day. And so much of it lines up with  what I learned researching SEAL training and talking to former Navy SEAL Platoon Commander James Waters.The best part is  you and I can use these methods to perform better at work and in our personal lives.Let’s find out how . . .1. Talk positively to yourselfYour brain is always going. It’s estimated you say 300 to 1,000 words to yourself per minute. Olympic athletes and SEALs agree: those words need to be positive.One of the Olympians said:Immediately before the race I was thinking about trying to stay on that edge, just letting myself relax, and doing a lot of positive self-talk about what I was going to do. I just felt like we couldn’t do anything wrong. It was just up to us. I said, “There’s nothing that’s affecting us in a negative way, the only thing now is to do it, and we can do it . . . I just have to do my best.”SEALs use the same method - and they do it in a far more terrifying scenario. How  terrifying?You’re underwater with SCUBA gear. An instructor suddenly swims up behind you. He yanks the regulator out of your mouth. You can’t breathe.  Then he ties your oxygen lines in a knot.Your brain starts screaming, “YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.” But you have to keep cool, stay underwater and follow procedure to get your gear back in working order so you can breathe again.And this happens over  and over  - for 20 minutes. Welcome to the dreaded “pool comp” section of SEAL qualification.You get 4 attempts. Why? Because you need them. Only one in five guys can do it the first time out.The danger here is panic. And SEALs are not allowed to  panic . . . even when they cannot breathe. They must think positive to keep calm and pass “pool comp.”So how can you use this?Got a big presentation at work coming up? Encountering obstacles? You need to remember the 3 P’s:  Permanence, pervasiveness, and whether it’s personal.Pessimists tell themselves that bad events: Will last a long time, or forever. (“I’ll never get this done.”) Are universal. (“You can’t trust any of those people.”) Are their own fault. (“I’m terrible at this.”) Optimists look at setbacks in  the exact opposite way: Bad things are temporary. (“That happens occasionally but it’s no big deal.”) Bad things have a specific cause and aren’t universal. (“When the weather is  better that won’t be a problem.”) It’s not their fault. (“I’m good at this but today wasn’t my lucky day.”) When talking to yourself, be an optimist, not a pessimist.(For more on how to think positively, click here.)Okay, so you’re talking to yourself positively. What else do Olympians and SEALs agree on when you need to be at your best?2. Setting goalsYou hear this a lot. But you probably don’t do it. Specifically, ask yourself what you need to achieve right now.From the Olympian study:The best athletes had clear daily goals. They knew what they wanted to accomplish each day, each workout, each sequence or interval. They were determined to accomplish these goals and focused fully on doing so.SEALs are taught to set goals too. Sometimes really small ones, but it’s enough to keep them going when every muscle in their body is screaming for them to quit.“With goal setting the recruits were taught to set goals in extremely short chunks. For instance, one former Navy Seal discussed how he set goals such as making it to lunch, then dinner.”And what happened when they achieved those goa ls? SEALs set new ones. The focus is on always improving. Here’s former SEAL Platoon Commander, James Waters:Eric, this gets at my point of the SEAL experience, this constant learning, constantly not being satisfied. That’s one of the interesting things about the community: you never feel like you’ve got it all figured out. If you do feel like you figured it out, you probably aren’t doing it right.  If you’re not willing to learn from other people then frankly you’re not doing all you need to do to be the best operator you can possibly be.  It’s a culture of constant self-improvement and constant measurement of how you’re doing. That’s a theme I think that all SEALs would agree is critical.So how can you use this?Ask yourself, “What do I  need to do to make this  presentation better?”Write your goals down  and track your progress. As Dan Pink notes in his bestselling book on motivation, Drive, nothing motivates you better than seeing progress.(For more secrets on how to build  grit - from my interview with Navy SEAL platoon commander James Waters - click here.)You’re thinking positive and setting goals. But how do you get ready for the unexpected problems that always pop up at the last minute?3. Practice visualizationClose your eyes. See the big challenge. Walk through every step of it. Sound silly? Maybe, but the best of the best do this a lot.From the study of Olympians:These athletes had very well developed imagery skills and used them daily. They used imagery to prepare themselves to get what they wanted out of training, to perfect skills within the training sessions, to make technical corrections, to imagine themselves being successful in competition, and to see themselves achieving their ultimate goal.Again, SEALs are taught to do the same thing:With mental rehearsal they were taught to visualize themselves succeeding in their activities and going through the motions.So how can you use this?Visualize that presentation. But don†™t merely fantasize about being perfect and just make yourself feel good. That kills  motivation:Results indicate that one reason positive fantasies predict poor achievement is because they do not generate energy to pursue the desired future.You want to see the problems you might encounter and visualize how you will overcome them.Dan Coyle, the expert on expertise, says it’s an essential part of how U.S. Special Forces prepare  for every dangerous mission:…they spend the entire morning going over every possible mistake or disaster that could happen during the mission. Every possible screwup is mercilessly examined, and linked to an appropriate response:  if the helicopter crash-lands, we’ll do X. If we are dropped off at the wrong spot, we’ll do Y. If we are outnumbered, we’ll do Z.(For more lessons from top athletes on how to be the best, click here.)You’re visualizing the big day and walking through how you’ll deal with adversity. Cool. But how do you take that to th e next level like the pros do?4. Use simulationsVisualization is great because you can do it anywhere as often as you like. But in the end you must make practice as close to the real thing as possible.From the study of Olympians:The best athletes made extensive use of simulation training. They approached training runs, routines, plays, or scrimmages in practice as if they were at the competition, often wearing what they would wear and preparing like they would prepare.And SEALs didn’t just visualize either. Before the raid on Bin Laden’s compound they built full-size replicas of the location so their training would be tailored to what they would face.Via Daniel Coyle’s excellent book The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills:When U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 mounted its May 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, it prepared by constructing full-scale replicas of the compound in North Carolina and Nevada, and rehearsing for three weeks. Dozens of tim es the SEALs simulated the operation. Dozens of times, they created various conditions they might encounter.Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel  Mike Kenny  agreed:In Army parlance they say, “train like you fight.” Don’t screw around and say, “Okay, when it’s for real then we’ll really ramp up.” No, you need to do that now. You need to train as hard and as realistic as possible, because this notion that when it’s for real and the stakes are high, that’s when we’ll really turn it on and rise to the occasion… that’s not what happens. You will not rise to the occasion. You will sink to the lowest level of your training. It’s the truth.So how can you use this?How will you deal with the fear of standing in front of a big crowd when you give that presentation?Susan Cain, author of  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and an introvert herself, is now a professional public speaker.  How did she overcome  public speaking fear?She pract iced in front of small, supportive groups to desensitize herself - she used a simulation.From my interview with Susan:I really had to desensitize myself to my fears of public speaking. I did that by practicing in very small, very supportive and very low-speed environments where it didn’t matter if I screwed up.  And eventually you get used to the strange feeling of being looked at, which used to make me feel horrified. You become accustomed to it over time and your fear dissipates.(To learn how to overcome your problems the way Special Forces operatives do, click here.)So Olympic athletes and Navy SEALs agree on a lot. Let’s round up what we’ve learned and see how it can work for you.Sum upHere’s what Olympic athletes and Navy SEALs both do to be the best and achieve mental toughness: Talk Positively To Yourself: Remember the 3 P’s: tell yourself bad things aren’t permanent, pervasive or personal - but good things are. Setting Goals: Know what you want to achieve. Write it  down. Focus on progress. Practice Visualization: Don’t fantasize about getting what you want but see yourself overcoming specific obstacles. Use Simulations: Always make your practice as close to the real thing as possible. Olympians and Navy SEALs, by definition, are the best at what they do. But the methods  they use to get there are things we can all use.And those techniques aren’t based on muscles or natural talent. They’re all about  good preparation and hard work. Apply those and you can get there too.As  Ralph Waldo Emerson  once said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”Join over 205,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here.Related posts:How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done â€" 5 Expert TipsHow To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree. 4 Secrets of Navy SEAL mental toughness and Olympian mental strength Know what’s really  interesting? Learning  how Navy SEALs build mental toughness  to handle deadly situations.Know what else is really interesting? Learning  how Olympic athletes deal with the pressure of competition when the entire world is watching.Know what’s the most interesting of all? When you find out they do  a lot of the same things.“Mental Links To Excellence” is a research study of what Olympians do to prepare for their big day. And so much of it lines up with  what I learned researching SEAL training and talking to former Navy SEAL Platoon Commander James Waters.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!The best part is  you and I can use these methods to perform better at work and in our personal lives.Let’s find out how . . .1. Talk positively to yourselfYour brain is always going. It’s estimated you say 300 to 1,000 words to yourself per minute. Olympic ath letes and SEALs agree: those words need to be positive.One of the Olympians said:Immediately before the race I was thinking about trying to stay on that edge, just letting myself relax, and doing a lot of positive self-talk about what I was going to do. I just felt like we couldn’t do anything wrong. It was just up to us. I said, “There’s nothing that’s affecting us in a negative way, the only thing now is to do it, and we can do it . . . I just have to do my best.”SEALs use the same method - and they do it in a far more terrifying scenario. How  terrifying?You’re underwater with SCUBA gear. An instructor suddenly swims up behind you. He yanks the regulator out of your mouth. You can’t breathe.  Then he ties your oxygen lines in a knot.Your brain starts screaming, “YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.” But you have to keep cool, stay underwater and follow procedure to get your gear back in working order so you can breathe again.And this happens over  and over  - for 20 minutes. Welcome to the dreaded “pool comp” section of SEAL qualification.You get 4 attempts. Why? Because you need them. Only one in five guys can do it the first time out.The danger here is panic. And SEALs are not allowed to  panic . . . even when they cannot breathe. They must think positive to keep calm and pass “pool comp.”So how can you use this?Got a big presentation at work coming up? Encountering obstacles? You need to remember the 3 P’s:  Permanence, pervasiveness, and whether it’s personal.Pessimists tell themselves that bad events: Will last a long time, or forever. (“I’ll never get this done.”) Are universal. (“You can’t trust any of those people.”) Are their own fault. (“I’m terrible at this.”) Optimists look at setbacks in  the exact opposite way: Bad things are temporary. (“That happens occasionally but it’s no big deal.”) Bad things have a specific cause and aren’t universal. (“When the weather is  better that won’t be a problem.”) It’s not their fault. (“I’m good at this but today wasn’t my lucky day.”) When talking to yourself, be an optimist, not a pessimist.(For more on how to think positively, click here.)Okay, so you’re talking to yourself positively. What else do Olympians and SEALs agree on when you need to be at your best?2. Setting goalsYou hear this a lot. But you probably don’t do it. Specifically, ask yourself what you need to achieve right now.From the Olympian study:The best athletes had clear daily goals. They knew what they wanted to accomplish each day, each workout, each sequence or interval. They were determined to accomplish these goals and focused fully on doing so.SEALs are taught to set goals too. Sometimes really small ones, but it’s enough to keep them going when every muscle in their body is screaming for them to quit.“With goal setting the recruits were taught to set goals in extremely short chunks. For instance, one former Navy Seal discussed how he set goals such as making it to lunch, then dinner.”And what happened when they achieved those goa ls? SEALs set new ones. The focus is on always improving. Here’s former SEAL Platoon Commander, James Waters:Eric, this gets at my point of the SEAL experience, this constant learning, constantly not being satisfied. That’s one of the interesting things about the community: you never feel like you’ve got it all figured out. If you do feel like you figured it out, you probably aren’t doing it right.  If you’re not willing to learn from other people then frankly you’re not doing all you need to do to be the best operator you can possibly be.  It’s a culture of constant self-improvement and constant measurement of how you’re doing. That’s a theme I think that all SEALs would agree is critical.So how can you use this?Ask yourself, “What do I  need to do to make this  presentation better?”Write your goals down  and track your progress. As Dan Pink notes in his bestselling book on motivation, Drive, nothing motivates you better than seeing progress.(For more secrets on how to build  grit - from my interview with Navy SEAL platoon commander James Waters - click here.)You’re thinking positive and setting goals. But how do you get ready for the unexpected problems that always pop up at the last minute?3. Practice visualizationClose your eyes. See the big challenge. Walk through every step of it. Sound silly? Maybe, but the best of the best do this a lot.From the study of Olympians:These athletes had very well developed imagery skills and used them daily. They used imagery to prepare themselves to get what they wanted out of training, to perfect skills within the training sessions, to make technical corrections, to imagine themselves being successful in competition, and to see themselves achieving their ultimate goal.Again, SEALs are taught to do the same thing:With mental rehearsal they were taught to visualize themselves succeeding in their activities and going through the motions.So how can you use this?Visualize that presentation. But don†™t merely fantasize about being perfect and just make yourself feel good. That kills  motivation:Results indicate that one reason positive fantasies predict poor achievement is because they do not generate energy to pursue the desired future.You want to see the problems you might encounter and visualize how you will overcome them.Dan Coyle, the expert on expertise, says it’s an essential part of how U.S. Special Forces prepare  for every dangerous mission:…they spend the entire morning going over every possible mistake or disaster that could happen during the mission. Every possible screwup is mercilessly examined, and linked to an appropriate response:  if the helicopter crash-lands, we’ll do X. If we are dropped off at the wrong spot, we’ll do Y. If we are outnumbered, we’ll do Z.(For more lessons from top athletes on how to be the best, click here.)You’re visualizing the big day and walking through how you’ll deal with adversity. Cool. But how do you take that to th e next level like the pros do?4. Use simulationsVisualization is great because you can do it anywhere as often as you like. But in the end you must make practice as close to the real thing as possible.From the study of Olympians:The best athletes made extensive use of simulation training. They approached training runs, routines, plays, or scrimmages in practice as if they were at the competition, often wearing what they would wear and preparing like they would prepare.And SEALs didn’t just visualize either. Before the raid on Bin Laden’s compound they built full-size replicas of the location so their training would be tailored to what they would face.Via Daniel Coyle’s excellent book The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills:When U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 mounted its May 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, it prepared by constructing full-scale replicas of the compound in North Carolina and Nevada, and rehearsing for three weeks. Dozens of tim es the SEALs simulated the operation. Dozens of times, they created various conditions they might encounter.Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel  Mike Kenny  agreed:In Army parlance they say, “train like you fight.” Don’t screw around and say, “Okay, when it’s for real then we’ll really ramp up.” No, you need to do that now. You need to train as hard and as realistic as possible, because this notion that when it’s for real and the stakes are high, that’s when we’ll really turn it on and rise to the occasion… that’s not what happens. You will not rise to the occasion. You will sink to the lowest level of your training. It’s the truth.So how can you use this?How will you deal with the fear of standing in front of a big crowd when you give that presentation?Susan Cain, author of  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and an introvert herself, is now a professional public speaker.  How did she overcome  public speaking fear?She pract iced in front of small, supportive groups to desensitize herself - she used a simulation.From my interview with Susan:I really had to desensitize myself to my fears of public speaking. I did that by practicing in very small, very supportive and very low-speed environments where it didn’t matter if I screwed up.  And eventually you get used to the strange feeling of being looked at, which used to make me feel horrified. You become accustomed to it over time and your fear dissipates.(To learn how to overcome your problems the way Special Forces operatives do, click here.)So Olympic athletes and Navy SEALs agree on a lot. Let’s round up what we’ve learned and see how it can work for you.Sum upHere’s what Olympic athletes and Navy SEALs both do to be the best and achieve mental toughness: Talk Positively To Yourself: Remember the 3 P’s: tell yourself bad things aren’t permanent, pervasive or personal - but good things are. Setting Goals: Know what you want to achieve. Write it  down. Focus on progress. Practice Visualization: Don’t fantasize about getting what you want but see yourself overcoming specific obstacles. Use Simulations: Always make your practice as close to the real thing as possible. Olympians and Navy SEALs, by definition, are the best at what they do. But the methods  they use to get there are things we can all use.And those techniques aren’t based on muscles or natural talent. They’re all about  good preparation and hard work. Apply those and you can get there too.As  Ralph Waldo Emerson  once said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”Join over 205,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here.This article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

How to Handle an Exit Interview

How to Handle an Exit Interview How to Handle an Exit Interview 3You’ve given your two weeks’ notice at your current job and have worked hard and diligently right up until the end. When you’re called down to Human Resources for your exit interview, you’re…hesitant. Should you say what you really thought of your boss, or should you stay silent instead? Here’s how to handle your exit interview- gracefully, honestly, and above all, professionally. Be prepared. When you sit down with the HR manager, she is going to ask you direct questions about your experiences with the company and your colleagues. If your time spent with the organization was less than stellar, you’ll need to be mentally and emotionally prepared so that she doesn’t catch you off guard. So before the interview, try practicing your answers and have in mind what you’d like to say. Heres a guide to your professional exit strategy. Be honest. An exit interview is your last opportunity to express your feelings about your workplace, your boss- even the company’s policies. It’s in your best interest to be honest, but to a certain extent. Even if you despised your boss, you should never, ever say so. If there were workplace issues (or perhaps a better way of improving workflow), you should definitely bring those issues up. Be professional. Now is not the time to break out into tears or show your anger over being passed up for that promotion you desperately wanted. Keep calm by focusing on the facts- and not your emotions. And as much as you might be tempted to, don’t bad-mouth your boss or any of your nosy colleagues. After all, what you say during your exit interview will be noted by the HR manager. More than likely she will share details from your conversation with your boss and the company, too. Focus on the positive. Most people remember what they hear only at the beginning and end of a conversation. So make your meeting with the HR manager memorable by starting off- and ending- your conversation on a positive note. Let her know that you’ve enjoyed working at the company and highlight some of the key moments during your career there: Perhaps you picked up some new skills or helped the company win an award. You should mention the people who were instrumental to your success as well. Your exit interview is the final chapter in your current job. By being professional, you’ll ensure that your exit interview- just like your initial job interview- is successful and will help you as you begin the next chapter in your career. Readers, how have you handled exit interviews in the past? Did you paint a positive picture regarding your work experience? Let us know your experiences in the comments section below!

10 Old-School Resume Rules That Dont Apply Today

10 Old-School Resume Rules That Don't Apply Today 10 Old School Resume Rules 10 Old-School Resume Rules That Don't Apply Today Last week I wrote a guest blog post talking about how older job seekers might need to think like 13-year-olds to succeed in job interviews today. But over the past couple days, I started thinking about all the ways we should NOT repeat behaviors from times gone by. Specifically, we need to ditch at least 10 of the old-school resume and cover letter rules that were popular back in the '80s, '90s and even early 2000s. Here's a fun little retrospective of 10 outdated resume and/or cover letter guidelines from past decades, and the new rules that have replaced them: 1. Old School:Never abbreviate anything on a resume or cover letter New Rule:Abbreviating is fine, as long as it's understandable This is the age of texting and Twitter, where everything is abbreviated, condensed, and minimized. It's fine to write St. instead of Street. However, acronyms should still be spelled out the first time they're mentioned. Example: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) 2. Old School:Keep your resume and cover letters very formal New Rule:Keep them professional, but not stuffy Everything is more casual these days, from our work clothing to our career documents. Don't cross the line into unprofessional, but keep in mind that readability, clarity, brevity, and authenticity are much more important than outdated propriety and formality. 3. Old School:Create one perfect resume and one cover letter that covers all bases New Rule:Create a master resume and cover letter, but customize them for each job You don't need a major rewrite for every employer; just make sure your keywords match the employer's job description, and maybe adjust the order of your skills listing for emphasis. Make it easy for the reader to see the parallels between your qualifications and their needs. 4. Old School:Start the cover letter with Dear Sir or Madam, Enclosed please find New Rule:Use the hiring manager's name, and skip the blah-blah language If the hiring person's name's not listed in the job description, do some research on the Web. Find the name and use it, if at all possible. Then, give your first sentence some meaning and impact. Also avoid these other cover letter screw-ups. 5. Old School:On the resume, list every single thing you've ever done for work New Rule:Leave out any details that aren't relevant to your desired position Write your resume and cover letter as a marketing pitch to sell the value you'll bring to your next employer. Don't make it a memorial to what you did every day at your old jobs. 6. Old School:List your job responsibilities for each job under a heading such as Duties Included: New Rule:Skip space-eaters like that they're already understood You'll waste a lot of resume real estate if you write Duties Included: on a separate line after every job. Just summarize your main accomplishments and qualifications in bullet points, and start each with an action verb in past tense (e.g., Led, Managed, Streamlined, etc.) 7. Old School:On your resume, indicate your reason for leaving each job New Rule:Prepare an answer in your mind, but don't volunteer it The resume and cover letter are not the place for this, especially if the reason for leaving was involuntary. However, do plan and practice a response for your interviews, and make it a brief, factual statement. (No whining.) 8. Old School:Include your age and your hobbies in your resume or cover letter New Rule:Stay focused on your qualifications for the job Ix-nay on the age, and unless your hobbies are directly related to your desired position, leave them out, too. For example, let's say you play in a co-ed basketball league. It's relevant if you want to be a high school athletic director, but not if you're seeking a violinist position in the symphony. 9. Old School:If you're married, say so on the resume (also, children how many? how old?) New Rule:I repeat stay focused on your qualifications for the job The more irrelevant personal detail you provide, the more the hiring manager's personal biases can come into play. For instance, in their minds, they might think Newly married? = Might need time off for family leave soon; Children?= Probably has daycare concerns. 10. Old School:At the end of the resume, say: References Available Upon Request New Rule:Leave it off, they know you'll provide them if asked This is another archaic waste of space. When you're a job seeker, it literally goes without saying that you'll provide the prospective employer with whatever reasonable materials they request.