Jamie's Career Tip of the Day

Today's Career Tip from Jamie Starner:

 

Be conscious of your presence online and be mindful of your pictures on social media sites at all times. Most employers will search for you online.

What to Wear for an Interview

You’ve prepared for this important interview for months. You’ve polished up your resume, researched the company you would like to work for, and have prepared some thoughtful questions to ask of your potential employer. You’ve made certain you have information on employment dates, important phone numbers, and references.

The big day arrives. What do I wear to the interview?

 Keep it Conservative

A good rule of thumb is to always err on the side of being conservative. According to the experts at Jobsearch.about .com, “The first impression you make on a potential employer is the most important one. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That’s why it’s always important to dress professionally for a job interview even if the work environment is casual.” 

What’s the appropriate dress code for an interview? You’ll want that first impression to be not just a good one, but a great one. The candidate dressed in a dark business suit is going to make much more of an impact than if she showed up wearing khakis and a sweater. Jeans are never acceptable for an interview, even if the corporate culture is extremely casual. Think black, navy, or dark gray. A suit is preferable, but separate pieces such a skirt or slacks with a blazer in the same tone (or say a pin-striped blazer and solid dark slacks) would work well, too. Pair the suit or separates with a white, beige, or light colored (a muted stripe would work as well) dress blouse, ensuring it is neatly pressed. Hosiery or opaque hosiery may be optional when you land the position, but for the interview, it is a must if you choose to wear a skirt or dress (again, the emphasis is on a dark, preferable solid color). Shoes should be polished and free of scuffs. A pump is always a good choice, and there are so many styles to choose from. Stay away from the stiletto-height heels, as not only do they look non-conservative, but they may be difficult to walk in as well. You’re already nervous to begin with; you shouldn’t have to balance yourself as you maneuver through the parking lot, perhaps up stairs, and navigate through the building, only to repeat on your way out.

Another fashion mistake some women make is to wear darker hosiery or dress socks with slacks- with lighter toned shoes. As a rule, the shoes should be darker or the same shade.

As I’ve mentioned in prior blogs, great finds can be found at discount retailers, and also your neighborhood Goodwill and thrift stores (look for those that benefit non-profit organizations, too).

Skip the strong cologne, and leave the bling at home

This is not the day to splash on that little ‘extra’ body spray, or to attempt to impress the interviewer with your 7-carat pink cubic zirconium solitaire. A watch, simple necklace or strand of pearls (faux are easy to find and affordable!), small to medium sized hoop or stud earrings (preferably one pair, total!), and one ring per hand is a good general rule.

You’ll want to be sure to make sure that your nails are clean and if polished, no chips present! Again, you are striving for a neutral look. The latest teal polish is a fun look, but an employer could read that as being non-conformist, and read you as a potential ‘rule-bender’!

Any visible tattoos should be covered, and facial or excessive ear piercings removed, if at all possible, for the interviewing process. Companies have differing policies, and you may not initially be aware of what is acceptable. Again, it’s best to keep it conservative, and abide by what you might assume would be a corporate climate. It may well be acceptable, but unless you’re interviewing for a piercing studio, it’s best to be aware of that.

Your make-up should be kept to a minimum that day as well, and by all means, don’t try out a new hair color or style the day before the interview. If the color doesn’t turn out like you had planned, there are usually no simple solutions. It’s best to make any changes well in advance when possible.

Carry a briefcase or dark colored folder to carry two copies of your resume

Ladies, if your handbag is the size of a small suitcase, consider taking a smaller purse for just your wallet and keys, or skipping a ‘purse’ altogether, and slipping your car key into the folder or briefcase you carry to the interview.

Even if the weather is warm, keep in mind that you should wear a blazer for the actual interview. Slip it on before you get into the building. It presents that professional image that you are trying to convey!

So, polish up your resume, your shoes, and your typing skills—and you’ll be set and ready to go for that phone call you’ve been waiting for! 

Diane McLelland has been called a ‘fashionista’ from a young age, acquiring her love of a fashion after enrolling in Sears Charm School as a young girl. After earning her degree in Fashion Merchandising and Business, she gained experience by appearing in movies, commercials, and magazine layouts in the Phoenix area, and worked as a flight attendant for over 15 years. Diane considers herself to be a personal shopper as she shops for family and friends whenever possible. She has written for a travel publication and numerous newsletters and currently works as a Career Services Advisor, assisting students find viable work in their chosen fields. She has two grown sons, and along with dog Cooper and ‘his’ two cats, resides in the Valley of the Sun - Phoenix AZ.

Relax at Work! You'll Be More Productive

Reposted - By Tony Schwartz for The New York Times

THINK for a moment about your typical workday. Do you wake up tired? Check your e-mail before you get out of bed? Skip breakfast or grab something on the run that’s not particularly nutritious? Rarely get away from your desk for lunch? Run from meeting to meeting with no time in between? Find it nearly impossible to keep up with the volume of e-mail you receive? Leave work later than you’d like, and still feel compelled to check e-mail in the evenings?

More and more of us find ourselves unable to juggle overwhelming demands and maintain a seemingly unsustainable pace. Paradoxically, the best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less. A new and growing body of multidisciplinary research shows that strategic renewal — including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations — boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health.

“More, bigger, faster.” This, the ethos of the market economies since the Industrial Revolution, is grounded in a mythical and misguided assumption — that our resources are infinite. 

Time is the resource on which we’ve relied to get more accomplished. When there’s more to do, we invest more hours. But time is finite, and many of us feel we’re running out, that we’re investing as many hours as we can while trying to retain some semblance of a life outside work. 

Although many of us can’t increase the working hours in the day, we can measurably increase our energy. Science supplies a useful way to understand the forces at play here. Physicists understand energy as the capacity to do work. Like time, energy is finite; but unlike time, it is renewable. Taking more time off is counterintuitive for most of us. The idea is also at odds with the prevailing work ethic in most companies, where downtime is typically viewed as time wasted. More than one-third of employees, for example, eat lunch at their desks on a regular basis. More than 50 percent assume they’ll work during their vacations.

In most workplaces, rewards still accrue to those who push the hardest and most continuously over time. But that doesn’t mean they’re the most productive. 

Spending more hours at work often leads to less time for sleep and insufficient sleep takes a substantial toll on performance. In a study of nearly 400 employees, published last year, researchers found that sleeping too little — defined as less than six hours each night — was one of the best predictors of on-the-job burn-out. A recent Harvard study estimated that sleep deprivation costs American companies $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity. 

The Stanford researcher Cheri D. Mah found that when she got male basketball players to sleep 10 hours a night, their performances in practice dramatically improved: free-throw and three-point shooting each increased by an average of 9 percent. 

Daytime naps have a similar effect on performance. When night shift air traffic controllers were given 40 minutes to nap — and slept an average of 19 minutes — they performed much better on tests that measured vigilance and reaction time. 

Longer naps have an even more profound impact than shorter ones. Sara C. Mednick, a sleep researcher at the University of California, Riverside, found that a 60- to 90-minute nap improved memory test results as fully as did eight hours of sleep. 

MORE vacations are similarly beneficial. In 2006, the accounting firm Ernst & Young did an internal study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation employees took, their year-end performance ratings from supervisors (on a scale of one to five) improved by 8 percent. Frequent vacationers were also significantly less likely to leave the firm. 

As athletes understand especially well, the greater the performance demand, the greater the need for renewal. When we’re under pressure, however, most of us experience the opposite impulse: to push harder rather than rest. This may explain why a recent survey by Harris Interactive found that Americans left an average of 9.2 vacation days unused in 2012 — up from 6.2 days in 2011. 

The importance of restoration is rooted in our physiology. Human beings aren’t designed to expend energy continuously. Rather, we’re meant to pulse between spending and recovering energy. 

In the 1950s, the researchers William Dement and Nathaniel Kleitman discovered that we sleep in cycles of roughly 90 minutes, moving from light to deep sleep and back out again. They named this pattern the Basic-Rest Activity Cycle or BRAC. A decade later, Professor Kleitman discovered that this cycle recapitulates itself during our waking lives. 

The difference is that during the day we move from a state of alertness progressively into physiological fatigue approximately every 90 minutes. Our bodies regularly tell us to take a break, but we often override these signals and instead stoke ourselves up with caffeine, sugar and our own emergency reserves — the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. 

Working in 90-minute intervals turns out to be a prescription for maximizing productivity. Professor K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues at Florida State University have studied elite performers, including musicians, athletes, actors and chess players. In each of these fields, Dr. Ericsson found that the best performers typically practice in uninterrupted sessions that last no more than 90 minutes. They begin in the morning, take a break between sessions, and rarely work for more than four and a half hours in any given day. 

“To maximize gains from long-term practice,” Dr. Ericsson concluded, “individuals must avoid exhaustion and must limit practice to an amount from which they can completely recover on a daily or weekly basis.”

I’ve systematically built these principles into the way I write. For my first three books, I sat at my desk for up 10 hours a day. Each of the books took me at least a year to write. For my two most recent books, I wrote in three uninterrupted 90-minute sessions — beginning first thing in the morning, when my energy was highest — and took a break after each one. 

Along the way, I learned that it’s not how long, but how well, you renew that matters most in terms of performance. Even renewal requires practice. The more rapidly and deeply I learned to quiet my mind and relax my body, the more restored I felt afterward. For one of the breaks, I ran. This generated mental and emotional renewal, but also turned out to be a time in which some of my best ideas came to me, unbidden. Writing just four and half hours a day, I completed both books in less than six months and spent my afternoons on less demanding work. 

The power of renewal was so compelling to me that I’ve created a business around it that helps a range of companies including Google, Coca-Cola, Green Mountain Coffee, the Los Angeles Police Department, Cleveland Clinic and Genentech. 

Our own offices are a laboratory for the principles we teach. Renewal is central to how we work. We dedicated space to a “renewal” room in which employees can nap, meditate or relax. We have a spacious lounge where employees hang out together and snack on healthy foods we provide. We encourage workers to take renewal breaks throughout the day, and to leave the office for lunch, which we often do together. We allow people to work from home several days a week, in part so they can avoid debilitating rush-hour commutes. Our workdays end at 6 p.m. and we don’t expect anyone to answer e-mail in the evenings or on the weekends. Employees receive four weeks of vacation from their first year. 

Our basic idea is that the energy employees bring to their jobs is far more important in terms of the value of their work than is the number of hours they work. By managing energy more skillfully, it’s possible to get more done, in less time, more sustainably. In a decade, no one has ever chosen to leave the company. Our secret is simple — and generally applicable. When we’re renewing, we’re truly renewing, so when we’re working, we can really work. 

Tony Schwartz is the chief executive officer of The Energy Project and the author, most recently, of “Be Excellent at Anything.”

Why I Started A Company

Eva Werk's interview with Pattie Simone of Women Centric

Reposted from Daily Muse website

I first heard of WomenCentric attending an American Express OpenForum Small Business Conference, when the company’s brochure showed up in my swag bag. While I had no interest in the other things I was given, I purposely held onto the brochure, curious to learn more about this women’s professional organization.

And here’s what I discovered: WomenCentric aims to “build a better LinkedIn as a business networking hub, an inspiration, and an education resource for working women around the world,” says founder Pattie Simone. While it initially launched in 2005 as a group of speakers and training professionals who wanted to learn from and support one another, the company has since become so much more, offering a platform where women worldwide can share resources, list their services or products, and connect with other like-minded and ambitious women.

But WomenCentric wasn’t Pattie’s first entrepreneurial venture. After leaving a career in textile production, she dove head first into starting a retail business from scratch with her sister-in-law partner. While she had hoped the home furnishing and gift shop was her ultimate dream job, it turned out it was the beginning of her entrepreneurial adventure. After seven years the store closed because it was not able to provide a real income for the sister-in-laws and their growing families.

Luckily, by this time, Pattie had learned plenty of lessons from her first venture to help her out as she began her second. Read on for what she’s learned along the way.

How did you find the courage to start your own business?

Earlier in my career I had a bunch of different jobs, including working in advertising, customer service, and production. When I was pregnant with my second child, I started dreaming about other possibilities and feeling that there was more to life than what I was doing. My situation at the time was not allowing me to expand my skill sets, and I knew that I was capable of more—even though I wasn’t yet sure what that “more” was.
After my second child was born, I tried going back to work at my production job. And I really gave it a good shot, but I was miserable. Finally, I thought I needed to try something new, to be closer to home and to my children, so I opened up a retail shop with my sister-in-law. Initially, we had no idea what we were doing but—because we didn’t know what we didn’t know—we went for it anyways. I thought, we’re young enough, let’s give it a try. Our families were behind us as well, which was critical.

How do you think you’ve grown as a person since becoming an entrepreneur?

As time goes by, you evolve naturally. I don’t believe I’m “reinventing” myself, it’s more about discovering what’s beneath the layers. We all have layers of our lives, but we get caught up in our daily routines, our own expectations, the expectations of people around us, so a lot of stuff gets buried. I don’t think it’s “reinventing,” I think it’s tapping into talents and interests that are already there. If you take a step out of the hubbub of your life, then you have a better chance of outlining what you’re good at and, more importantly, what you love to do. That was part of my journey.

For example, I realized how important it is for me to be able to quickly make decisions and implement them. When I worked for other companies, there was nothing more frustrating than having to talk about something, table it, revisit it, and get more people’s feedback on it. I say, let’s act! It’s such a thrill to me to make these decisions and be totally responsible for whatever the outcome is.
I’ve taken risks that have allowed me to realize dreams or develop valuable skill sets, but I’ve also made some really big mistakes—and learned from them. To be able to meet challenges you don’t expect and navigate through them is a real “wow” moment. Plus, you learn that failing is part of winning.

What advice would you give to other women who have always wanted to start their own business, but are scared to make the leap?

First, it’s important to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. My sister-and-law and I were jumping without a parachute when we first started out—and while sometimes that can work out okay, I wouldn’t advise it. You ultimately don’t want to put yourself or your family in jeopardy in terms of financial hardship. Take small steps. We can all achieve our huge dreams, but it’s better to think of it as a journey, rather than a leap. Think realistically about what you can accomplish, think about it in a bigger context, and take it one step at a time.

Second, don’t be afraid to ask other people for their opinions, advice, or help. You don’t have to go through it alone. I found my calling by attending networking events, where I met groups of vibrant and intelligent women. I realized we could get further faster by collaborating. If we had a way to band together and share our skill sets we’d all win. And so the idea for WomenCentric was born. There are many organizations—WomenCentric, chambers of commerce, women’s entrepreneurship networks such as Savor the Success—that can help you and give you sensible feedback, tips, and resources. Don’t think it makes you any less strong if you ask for help. It makes you stronger, and it leads to many great relationships that can foster better success for you, your business, your peers, and new strategic partners.

Finally, think of the “no’s” and the failures as fuel to move forward. When you hit a brick wall, know there’s a reason. One week I was CEO of a retail store, but my big dreams of success were dashed when we had to close. The next week I was helping out a friend as a waitress in a pizzeria. That was a big shock, but there was a reason for it happening—it ultimately led to a much more exciting and fulfilling path.

Jamie's Career Tip of the Day

Jamie's Career Tip for this Friday is...

Try to avoid office gossip. It always gets back around and will hurt your credibility no matter what position you are in. If you are having problems with a colleague pull them aside one-on-one and try to have a calm conversation stating facts never attacking them personally. If for some reason this doesn't work then go to management. My biggest tip is give everyone the benefit of the doubt ... you never know whats going on in their lives and 99% of the time their bad attitude has nothing to do with you. "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" is a great book to help you with these instances.

The Next Move For Your Workplace Retirement Plan

These are times that find many people moving on from their jobs, sometimes by their own choice and sometimes not. If you’ve left your job or may be doing so soon, you might be wondering what to do with the retirement savings you’ve accumulated through the plan sponsored by your employer (such as a 401(k) or 403(b) plan).

 

 

 

You have four basic options:

• Take a cash payout
• Leave the money in the former employer’s plan
• Move it to the plan offered by your new employer
• Roll the dollars into an IRA

Cashing in

Some are tempted to take the cash payout.  Though enticing, this option should almost always be avoided.  The distribution will generally be treated as ordinary income and subject to mandatory 20% federal tax withholding, and, if you have not yet reached age 59-1/2, subject to a potential 10% penalty for early withdrawal of qualified retirement plan assets.  Unless you’re desperate for cash and all alternatives have been exhausted, cashing in on your retirement savings plan is costly and unwise.

 

Keeping money in an employer’s plan

If you feel comfortable with the investment choices offered and are familiar with how it works, you might consider leaving your money in your former employer’s plan.  Keep in mind that your money will be subject to the rules of the plan in terms of provisions related to investment options and withdrawal options. In effect, you will probably have less control over your money than if the funds were rolled into your own IRA.

 

Some people like the idea of rolling retirement plan dollars to the plan offered by their new employer. This option offers the convenience of having all of your workplace retirement plan dollars in one plan. However, there still may be limitations with the plan. Be sure you are confident that the new workplace plan gives you enough investment flexibility to make the most of your retirement savings.

 

Rolling it into an IRA

An alternative approach is to roll money from your former employer’s plan into your own IRA account. An IRA typically offers you the ability to put your money to work in a wide variety of investments, including individual stocks. You generally have a fair amount of flexibility to move money from one investment to another.

If you decide to roll your savings from a workplace plan to an IRA, make sure the transaction is a direct rollover from the retirement plan to the IRA custodian. A distribution paid to you raises a number of possible tax implications, such as mandatory 20% withholding on the distribution. Be sure to consider any benefits that may be lost during a rollover, such as the favorable tax treatment for appreciated employer stock held in a qualified plan.  If you are considering a rollover, you might also want consider a Roth IRA. A Roth IRA creates the potential for tax-free withdrawals from your IRA savings in the future, which could greatly enhance your long-term financial security. However, converting to a Roth IRA is generally taxable as ordinary income, so you have to weigh your options carefully to figure out what’s in your best interest. Talk to your financial and tax advisors to determine the best option for you.

 

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Renée A. Hanson, CFP®, CEP®, CDFA™, CFS, is a private wealth advisor with Hanson, Ayala & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Her passion is in helping women achieve their dreams and financial goals, regardless of life’s many obstacles. Renée is licensed/registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the states of AZ, CA, CO, GA, IA, IL, MI, MN, MT, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI. Please visit: www.reneehanson.com to learn more.

 

Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients.

 

© 2010 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

Jamie's Career Tip of the Day

Jamie's Career Tip of the Day:

 

The best tips for having a great resume: ensure no spelling or grammar errors, be careful there is plenty of white space (blank space on the page with no content for quick and easy reading) consider using a summary of qualifications and always modify your resume for every job posting. I also recommend listing your LinkedIn profile link to give employers the opportunity to read your recommendations written by current and previous colleagues.