Adjusting your Birthday Reminders

Adjusting your Birthday Reminders I saw a suggestion in my e-mail early this morning and thought I should make it a blog post, since it directly affects you: Have JibberJobber send its current get ready to tell someone Happy Birthday message, and then have it send another email on the day of each persons birthday. Actually, we are allowing you to set this up already, if you want to get an e-mail on the day of the birthday. Heres how it works: Put a contact in and make sure you put the month and day of their birthday (year is optional, allowing you to say something like happy 39th!) Go to My Account, Preferences and find the option that looks like this: Change the number 2 to 0, which means that youll get the e-mail reminder the day of. If you want time to send someone a card, perhaps set it to 5 or 7 so that you can buy a card and drop it in the mail. Note that there is an additional option to get birthday reminders, which looks like this: Having this option set will send you an e-mail at the end of each month with a list of birthdays coming up for that month and the first week of the next month, so that you can make preparations for someone that needs something more than just an e-mail saying happy birthday! This is all in the free version of JibberJobber, which means that anyone would get use out of JibberJobber, whether they are job seekers, career managers, never-eating-alone-networkers, or someone whos not into any of that but has family members with birthdays ?? Adjusting your Birthday Reminders I saw a suggestion in my e-mail early this morning and thought I should make it a blog post, since it directly affects you: Have JibberJobber send its current get ready to tell someone Happy Birthday message, and then have it send another email on the day of each persons birthday. Actually, we are allowing you to set this up already, if you want to get an e-mail on the day of the birthday. Heres how it works: Put a contact in and make sure you put the month and day of their birthday (year is optional, allowing you to say something like happy 39th!) Go to My Account, Preferences and find the option that looks like this: Change the number 2 to 0, which means that youll get the e-mail reminder the day of. If you want time to send someone a card, perhaps set it to 5 or 7 so that you can buy a card and drop it in the mail. Note that there is an additional option to get birthday reminders, which looks like this: Having this option set will send you an e-mail at the end of each month with a list of birthdays coming up for that month and the first week of the next month, so that you can make preparations for someone that needs something more than just an e-mail saying happy birthday! This is all in the free version of JibberJobber, which means that anyone would get use out of JibberJobber, whether they are job seekers, career managers, never-eating-alone-networkers, or someone whos not into any of that but has family members with birthdays ?? Adjusting your Birthday Reminders I saw a suggestion in my e-mail early this morning and thought I should make it a blog post, since it directly affects you: Have JibberJobber send its current get ready to tell someone Happy Birthday message, and then have it send another email on the day of each persons birthday. Actually, we are allowing you to set this up already, if you want to get an e-mail on the day of the birthday. Heres how it works: Put a contact in and make sure you put the month and day of their birthday (year is optional, allowing you to say something like happy 39th!) Go to My Account, Preferences and find the option that looks like this: Change the number 2 to 0, which means that youll get the e-mail reminder the day of. If you want time to send someone a card, perhaps set it to 5 or 7 so that you can buy a card and drop it in the mail. Note that there is an additional option to get birthday reminders, which looks like this: Having this option set will send you an e-mail at the end of each month with a list of birthdays coming up for that month and the first week of the next month, so that you can make preparations for someone that needs something more than just an e-mail saying happy birthday! This is all in the free version of JibberJobber, which means that anyone would get use out of JibberJobber, whether they are job seekers, career managers, never-eating-alone-networkers, or someone whos not into any of that but has family members with birthdays ??

5 Steps to Recording a Video Interview

5 Steps to Recording a Video Interview Unless you are a massive extrovert and love being the centre of attention most people don’t particularly likes being filmed. The thought of having every word that comes out of your mouth and every grimace being caught on camera so that it can be watch over and over again, can make even the most confident of communicators come out in a cold sweat. But due to the increasing ability of people to film themselves, the reduction in costs of video platform software and cloud storage, and the time savings and flexibility it provides recruiters, the video interview is unlikely to go away anytime soon. In our day-to-day lives we are interacting with cameras and video more and more. People regularly use smartphones to film content to post online and we increasingly use tools such as Skype and Facetime to speak to friends family and conduct meetings. But until being filmed becomes second nature, how do you ensure that your video interviews are as polishing as possible? Here are 5 tips on how to record a successful video interview even though you may not feel entirely comfortable with the process. 1) Check the tech It doesn’t exactly fill a recruiter with confidence regarding the competence of a candidate if they play a video recording, only to see the interviewee looking under their laptop, tapping on the microphone or scrambling around under the desk. Therefore, before you open up the video interview make sure everything is plugged in and all of the tech works. Information will usually be provided by the recruiter or the software provider regarding the requirements in terms of browsers, broadband speed and how to manage your privacy settings to ensure both your webcam and microphone are active. Read the information carefully and make sure your technology is sufficient before starting the interview.  If something goes wrong beyond your control technical support should be available from the recruiter or the software provider. 2) Dress to impress A video interview allows the interviewee to conduct the process in their own time and where ever they feel comfortable. You may choose to engage with the process in your own living room, but just because this is your domain and you usually lounge around the house in a t-shirt and track suit bottoms doesn’t mean you should. It is still an interview, so all the rules regarding how to dress for an interview still apply…at least from the waist up! 3) The perfect surroundings When preparing your surrounds for a video interview you should adopt the same approach as if you were trying to sell your house. To maximise your chances of success it is much better to keep it simple and neutral. Having no mess or clutter on view shouldn’t need to be stated, but also avoid weird paintings, bright wall paper and anything else that might distract the viewer.  You may think having your ‘Salesperson on the Year’ certificate hanging in the background may enhance your chances but its authenticity can’t be verified and it may actually distract the recruiter’s attention away from the answers you’re providing. Also, as well as visual distractions, audio ones should be kept to a minimum.  Make sure all TVs and radios are off, the kids and pets are locked away in a different room and conduct the interview away from any noisy appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. 4) Smile, you’re on camera It is strange how some peoples’ behaviour changes when a camera is pointed at them. Some peoples’ initial reaction is to immediately run out of shot altogether. Unfortunately this isn’t an option during a video interview. However for those who do engage the following behaviours should also be avoided. Don’t look around the camera lenses, look directly at it. Don’t watch the image of yourself, look at the camera. Don’t stare incessantly. Break your gaze on occasion. Smile, but don’t over so it. To avoid all of these scenarios the best practise is to imagine the camera is a person and behave exactly as you should in a face-to-face interview. Other circumstances that should be avoided are inadequate lighting so that you look like a silhouetted Bond villain, and having the camera too low giving the recruiter a view staring directly up into your nostrils. 5) Great Expectations It will be up to the recruiter whether they allow you to retake the questions or not, but usually they will want it to be spontaneous so they get a good feel for your personality, experience and expertise just like in a real interview scenario. If this is the case they won’t be expecting a completely polished performance. So, don’t let the nerves get the better of you and try not to get increasingly stressed because the interview is being recorded. The recruiter will expect the odd pause, stumble and fidget just like in a face-to-face interview. Don’t be too self-conscious, but just as if it was a face-to-to face meeting try and keep them to a minimum. If you do make a mistake, don’t let it throw you. Just apologise, compose yourself and correct yourself just like you would in a real life scenario. You would think most of the above would be common sense, but it is amazing how many people have made the above errors in the short term that we have introduced video interviewing as part of our service. By taking a little time to prepare before recording a video interview you will greatly increase your chances of landing the job which will take you to the next level in your career.

Narcissism The New Normal - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Narcissism The New Normal - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career ToneCheck.com provides an email plug-in that flags sentences with words or phrases that may convey unintended emotion or tone, then helps you re-write them. I was kidding about that when weeks ago I introduced you to SocialMediaSobrietyTest.com. It’s an opt-in service that requires users of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube or Tumblr, to go through a series of online co-ordination tests before allowing access those services. True email screening Well, now email screening of your screaming is no joke. ToneCheck is here and employers are happy to see it. Not only does it stop hate, anger, sarcasm, rudeness and other negative comments from making their way from your screen onto servers elsewhere â€" it also embargoes the overly happy, ebullient messages you might send. After all, who wants you to document your appreciation for a vendor that pulled out the stops and produced a miracle for your company, if 90 days later you’re trying to find a way not to pay the bill? Of course, the world won’t be completely whitewashed. For now you can still get a giggle when you pull up TextsFromLastNight.com, which allows you to read or report some of the dumb smart phone SMS messages you or someone else has thumbed. Watch your mouth Funny as these digital bloopers are to read, what you are saying and sending is no joke. Twice this week, I had to send messages to people I work with, telling them to delete among other things: the f-word and a comment that was meant to express disappointment about the Dream Act, with the unfortunate choice of words: “bomb them.” As we know from the Tribune Company’s innovation officer â€" who sent around pornography as part of a “frat house” mentality, poor judgment is an equal opportunity parasite on the careers of us all. That’s also something I called to your attention a few weeks back. It may explain why the Tribune is in bankruptcy, too much free time for the top executives. If I’m calling these folks out on it, you can only imagine how many people are quietly disgusted with the ugly verbiage and the people throwing it around. But, it’s going to get worse. We’ve entered the new normal of narcissism, where the world and media is all about you and largely from you. After all, you tag yourself on your pictures, you make comments on them, and you go up on Facebook largely to see what’s been said about you or to you. Enough about me what do you think about me? Narcissism has just been removed from the official list of personality disorders that therapists can treat (and insurers reimburse). Apparently, we’ve outgrown our concern about narcissism, which is on the spectrum to sociopathy. It’s no longer an aberration, because so many of us have it as a “quality.” This now pervasive quality previously was a serious psychiatric condition that we know is destructive to relationships with family, work, community, and society. Now, it’s okay! Who needs empathy anyway? It just gets in the way of increasing the value of shares. We are in for a firehose of hedonism that inevitably will destroy what could have been called polite society. But, as long as we are hanging on to that fallacy, we can stick ToneCheck on your email, to give you a second chance to rephrase that angry missive â€" or overly affectionate one â€" that you are creating on company time. Casual dress, professional behavior I blame the demise of civilization not on the Internet, but on casual Fridays. A zillion years ago, I remember arriving at the office of my attorney on the first casual Friday I encountered. There was a sign on the reception desk: “Our dress is casual but our behavior is professional.” I silently added: “And, your fees are astronomical.” Then my attorney appeared with his middle-aged gut, wearing a polo shirt and jeans. He still charged me $550 an hour, with no discount for not showing up in a pressed dress shirt, silk tie, tailored pants and suit jacket. It was a long case and I suspect he saved enough on clothes and dry cleaning to retire early. Personal brands: do you really want to be doing what seemingly everyone else is doing? Do you want to be identified with swear words, casually throw around hate language, tell us how “sick” your new bike is, and where you went with your “ho?” Do you want your so-called friends to be posting trash on your threads so your employer, prospective employer or client can see it? And, no your privacy settings don’t protect you. Consider where you can or can’t go with the language you speak. And, I don’t mean it’s time to learn something new like Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, or French. Let your first language be your best language. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen Of course, the world won’t be completely whitewashed. For now you can still get a giggle when you pull up TextsFromLastNight.com, which allows you to read or report some of the dumb smart phone SMS you or someone else has thumbed. Funny as these digital bloopers are to read, what you are saying and sending is no joke. Twice this week, I had to send messages to people I work with, telling them to delete among other things: the f-word and a comment that was meant to express disappointment about the Dream Act, with the unfortunate choice of words: “bomb them.” As we know from the Tribune Company’s innovation officer â€" who sent around pornography as part of a “frat house” mentality, poor judgment is an equal opportunity parasite on the careers of us all.   That’s also something I called to your attention a few weeks back. It may explain why the Tribune is in bankruptcy, too much free time for the top executives. If I’m calling these folks out on it, you can only imagine how many people are quietly disgusted with the ugly verbiage and the people throwing it around. But, it’s going to get worse. We’ve entered the new normal of narcissism, where the world and media is all about you and largely from you. After all, you tag yourself on your pictures, you make comments on them, and you go up on Facebook largely to see what’s been said about you or to you. Narcissism has just been removed from the official list of personality disorders that therapists can treat (and insurers reimburse). Apparently, we’ve outgrown our concern about narcissism, which is on the spectrum to sociopathy. It’s no longer an aberration, because so many of us have it as a “quality.” This now pervasive quality previously was a serious psychiatric condition that we know is destructive to relationships with family, work, community, and society. Now, it’s okay! Who needs empathy anyway? It just gets in the way of increasing the value of shares. We are in for a firehose of hedonism that inevitably will destroy what could have been called polite society. But, as long as we are hanging on to that fallacy, we can stick ToneCheck on your email, to give you a second chance to rephrase that angry missive â€" or overly affectionate one â€" that you are creating on company time. I blame the demise of civilization not on the Internet, but on casual Fridays. A zillion years ago, I remember arriving at the office of my attorney on the first casual Friday I encountered. There was a sign on the reception desk: “Our dress is casual but our behavior is professional.” I silently added: “And, your fees are astronomical.” Then my attorney appeared with his middle-aged gut, wearing a polo shirt and jeans. He still charged me $550 an hour, with no discount for not showing up in a pressed dress shirt, silk tie, tailored pants and suit jacket. It was a long case and I suspect he saved enough on clothes and dry cleaning to retire early. Personal brands: do you really want to be doing what seemingly everyone else is doing? Do you want to be identified with swear words, casually throw around hate language, tell us how “sick” your new bike is, and where you went with your “ho?” Do you want your so-called friends to be posting trash on your threads so your employer, prospective employer or client can see it? And, no your privacy settings don’t protect you. Consider where you can or can’t go with the language you speak. And, I don’t mean it’s time to learn something new like Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, or French. Let your first language be your best language.

Best Answers for Why Did You Leave Your Last Job - 20 Good Reasons for Leaving - Career Sidekick

Best Answers for Why Did You Leave Your Last Job - 20 Good Reasons for Leaving - Career Sidekick Best Answers for Why Did You Leave Your Last Job 20 Good Reasons for Leaving Interview Questions and Answers / https://www.edenscott.com/blog One of the most common interview questions youll face: Why did you leave your last job?Maybe you left under odd circumstancesand dont want to share the whole truth. But youre not sure what to say instead.Or maybe you think youve got a pretty solid reason for why you left your last job, but you want to make sure. Either way, this list has you covered.Im going to share 20 safe, proven answers you can give when the interviewer askswhy did you leave your last job?20 Best Answers For Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?Here are 20 safe, acceptable answers for why you left a past job. If you give one of these reasons, the interviewer is likely to be satisfied and quickly move on to the next question.After the list, make sure you keep reading because there are 5 big mistakes to avoid when answering this question.1. I had been with the organization for a number of years and wanted to experience a new environment to continue growing.Most people who advance far in t heir careershave worked in a variety of companies. Large, small, public, private, etc.No hiring manager will fault you for wanting to have well-rounded experience and gain a new perspective in your career.2. I was offered a promotion at another company.Your past employers cant always offer the ideal next step for your career when youre ready. Leaving to advance your career is a common reason and this wont be the first time the interviewer has heard it. So if another company offered a promotion, just say so.3. I left for an opportunity to advance my career.Maybe you didnt receive apromotion in terms of job title, but you saw a better path forward at another company. Or you joined a new company for an opportunity to build a new skill that was important to you.Its fine to change jobs if you feel it will help you advance in the future even if its not an immediate promotion. So you should be fine using this as your answer.4. I was offered a significant pay increase.We all go to work for money. Companies get it. Id try to combine this with another reason though, so that you dont sound too focused on money.So you could say something like this: I was offered a significant pay increase, and was also excited about a couple of product launches that this new company was working on, so it seemed like a great opportunity to take.5. I left to work on a productI was very passionate about.Sometimes an amazing opportunity comes up that matches perfectly with your interests. Nobody will blame you for leaving to pursue something like this. Its a perfectly good reason for why you left your last job.In fact, its a good reason even if you job hopped and left very soon after being hired. While job hopping never looks great, this is one of the reasons that an interviewer will understand.6. A former boss or colleague recruited me to join their company.Maybe you had a great boss who left to start a company. She called you a year later and said they could really use a great salespersonli ke you to round out the team, so you went over and joined her. Thats a great reason for why you left your job.Its pretty common in some industries, and it shows that your former boss thought very highly of you.7. My department brought in a new manager and I felt it was the right time to leave.Things change. A job you used to love could turn not-so-good, and one of the most common reasons is a new director or manageris brought in to replace your old boss.Sometimes its just not the right fit, so you decided to leave.If you use this answer, dont badmouth the new management, just say that things changed and you didnt feel as excited about the job under new management, so you decided to look elsewhere for the next step in your career.8. I was hired for a certain role, but over time that changed and I was no longer being given the opportunity to do the work I was interested in.Jobs change. Or sometimes youre hired for a job and what they ask you to do ends up being nothing like the job de scription (unfortunately this happen a lot). This is a fine reason for why you left your last job.This is a very convincing and acceptable answer, even if you left the position very soon after being hired. It make sense right? Youd leave pretty quickly if the job ended up being completely different than what the company had promised.9. I was no longer finding the work fulfilling or enjoying my work as much.If you stayed a few years but left because you didnt find the work meaningful or enjoyable, thats fine. Just make sure to show this new company that theyre different, or that they offer something you do enjoy. If they think youll find their work boring too, theyre not going to hire you.10. I had been with this companyfor a number of years and learned a lot, but felt ready for a change.If you had been at your last job for a few years or more, theres nothing wrong with just saying you felt ready to move on.Maybe you learned almost everything you could there, or just wanted to try so mething new. Those are good reason for leaving if you spent a long time within one company.11. I reevaluated my career goals and decided a change was needed.Goals and objectives change. And if your company doesnt offer something that fits with your new goals, its fine to leave. Theres nothing wrong with this answer for why you left your last job.Just make sure to show the interviewerthat you know what youwant in your career now. And show them how their job fits into your goals. If not, theyll be worried that you might change your mind after they hire you.12. I went back to school to pursue a Masters Degree (or PhD, etc.)This happens all the time. Its very common and you shouldnt feel any anxiety about giving an answer like this for why you left your last job.13. I didnt feel there was an opportunity to grow or advance further in that role so I decided a change would best for my career.If your company was holding you back, or if you were stuck under a glass ceiling, this is a nice wa y to say it in the interview without sounding too negative.14. I wanted to take on newresponsibilities that this role and company couldnt offer.You mastered the basics of the job and wanted to lead people, projects, etc. And the company couldnt offer it, so you had to make a change. Totally fine. The interviewer will understand. And youll sound ambitious and motivated which is great.15. I didnt feel the job was using my abilities to the fullest or challenging me enough.If youre bored or not being challenged, its hard to stay motivated and focused on your career and your work. So theres no problem with giving this as your reason for leaving your last job.Just make sure you dont sound spoiled or negative or ungrateful when you say this. Dont make it sound like the job wasnt worthy of you, or anything like that. Just explain that you felt you were capable of more and wanted a greater challenge.Or mention a specific skill of yours that wasnt being utilized. Maybe youre a great salespers on but they had you doing customer service. Youd sound great mentioning this if you wereinterviewing for a sales job, because it shows you really want to do sales.16. I resigned from my last job to take care of a family issue. The issue is resolved so I am able to work full time again without any issue.You dont haveto go into a ton of detail. Just keep it simple. Make sure you tell them that the issue is resolved though, so they dont worry whether youll have to resign again.If you do want to share a bit more information, thats fine. As a recruiter Ive talked to a few job seekers who had to take time off to care for an elderly parent or relative. So thats one common story I hear, and its completely normal.17. I took a position with a company that was closer to my home.Just like salary (mentioned earlier), Id recommend you combine this with another reason. Heres an example: I took a position with a company that was closer to my home that also offered an opportunity to lead a couple of big projects right away.18. I left my last job to take time to start a family.You can share as much or as little detail as youd like with this answer. Id keep it simple though.19. My position was eliminatedand I was laid off. Layoffs happen. This is one area you want to be specific in your answer though and share details. Were you laid offdue to financial struggles? Did your job get outsourced overseas? Did the entire department shut down? Did the company go out of business? etc.20. I was fired.If you were fired, I recommend you tell the truth and come clean. Its not worth lying and getting caught later when they check references. Evenif you get hired, if they ever find out you lied, itsgrounds for termination.Make sure you NEVER badmouth your former employer though, and try to take responsibility for what happened. Show the interviewer what you learned and what steps youve taken to ensure this never happens again.Tips and Mistakes to Avoid When Answering Why You Left a Job:Now you know20 good answers for you can give any time the interviewer asks, why did you leave your last job?However, there are a couple of more tips you should know, and mistakes to avoid when answering.So here are my top tips and mistakes when you explain your reasons for leaving a job in the past.If you follow these rules, youll avoid most of the things interviewers hate to hear in response to this type of question.1. Never badmouth, especially if you were fired.I mentioned this above but its worth saying again. Take responsibility, and dont sound bitter or angry about the past.As soon as you badmouth, the interviewer will start to wonder what your employer would say. Theyll want the other side of the story. If you take responsibilityand sound like you accept what happened, youll avoid all that.2. Dont say you had a fight with a coworker, and definitely dont try to then blame them for it.Its okay if you were fired or had a professional disagreement. But if you say you couldnt get along w ith somebody on a personal level all the hiring manager will be thinking is, how do I know this isnt just going to happen again if I hire youfor my team?3. Dont make it sound like money is the only thing you care about.If you skipped it, you can scroll up and check out the section about what to say if you left your last job for higher salary. Its one of the 20 reasons above but you need to do it the right way.4. Dont sound impulsive or scattered in terms of what you want in your career.Youneed to show the interviewer that youre focused and ready to come in and help them if they hire you! Regardless of what happened in the past. You cant seem unsure of what you want, or undecided even if you pivoted your career recently.5. Dont be vague.Especially if you were fired or laid off, try to be as clear and direct in your answer as possible. Dont use vague words like I was let go. This will makethe interviewer suspicious and open up a ton of possible follow up questions.Say the words you me an (I was fired). Youll get through it much faster while building trust instead of suspicion.6. Always be upfront and take responsibility.Answering why did you leave your last job? when you were fired or had trouble getting along with your boss can be tough. And you dont need to say, everything was my fault, but the interviewer also doesnt want to hear, nothing was my fault.Its about finding a balance and showing youre responsible for your actions and you try to learn from experiences like this. If you seem stubborn or unwilling to learn from the past, youll struggle to get a job.7. Dont rush to bring it up if they dont ask.Dont feel pressure to explain why you left previous jobs unless youre asked.If it fits naturally into the conversation, thats fine. But dont walk into the interview and feel like you need to explain everything immediately. If they care, theyll ask.One way youcan naturally work this into the conversation is by explaining the key career moves youve made when answer ing tell me about yourself.Since this is one of the first interview questions employers typically ask, its an opportunity to not only walk them through some accomplishments and professional achievements, but also the big career moves youve made and the reasons for those moves.But if you arent comfortable doing that, or the employer doesnt ask you that question, its best to just wait for them to ask why you left your last job.8. Practice your answer so you do not hesitate. Delivery is key!After you have a reason for why you left your last job that youre comfortable sharing in an interview, make sure to practice a few times.Id recommend recording yourself talking on your smartphone voice recorder app (every modern phone has one).You dont have to memorize your interview answer word-for-word. Just make sure you sound confident and relaxed and are hitting the key points that you want to mention as you explain why you left your previous job.Those are the dos and donts of answering why did you leave your last job? in any interview.Pick one of the acceptable answers above for why you left your last job, avoid the mistakes we just covered, and youre going to impress the interviewer and quickly and easily move on to the next question in your interview.UPDATE:Ifyou have interviews coming up and don’t want to leave anything to chance, I’ve created anew guide where you can copymy exactstep-by-step method for getting job offers. You canget more details here.

How to tackle and prepare for numerical reasoning tests

How to tackle and prepare for numerical reasoning tests Based on students’ fear of them, youd think numerical reasoning tests were the devil himself. But I promise you, they aren’t so scary and you’ll be better prepared than you think. The reason they’re feared so much is because (unless your degree directly involves maths) you likely won’t have done any maths calculations for years. Percentages, what are those again? The important thing to remember is that, even if your maths is a little rusty, you’ll pick it up again quickly. Plus, this is maths in context. Not random equations and square roots, but analysing graphs and data as you would in the workplace. And theres no better time to brush up on your number skills than for the launch of Debuts very own in-app Numerical Reasoning assessment. Just head on over to the Abilities tab to take the test and start getting Talent Spotted for more than your degree. Before you begin, take a look at some of our top tips to help you get the best score possible. Read the question I know I know, I sound like your year 8 maths teacher. But honestly, as soon as you’re faced with graphs and tables and data, it’s really difficult to resist the urge to immediately start plugging numbers into your calculator before you even know what you’re supposed to be doing. Just remember to take a deep breath, read the question slowly, and be absolutely sure of exactly what it is you’re trying to work out. And the answers If it’s a multiple choice question, read the potential answers first. This will help guide you when you’re working out the actual answer. You won’t just be taking a stab in the dark, you know it’s one of 3 or 4 options, so allow these to direct you towards the right one. Top Tip: Always be careful when it comes to units. You might be presented with two similar options, say, 473 and 473,000, which might catch you out if you don’t know the units of data in a table or graph. Look out for the small print which says that the data is actually ‘in hundreds of thousands’. Don’t forget your calculator â€" and your notepad Most numerical reasoning tests will encourage you to use a calculator and notepad, so don’t forget to make use of them. It can seem silly, but try and use your calculator as much as possible, even for the little sums. Human error can happen, and you don’t want to lose points on silly mistakes. Top tip: Also, make sure you’re using a calculator you’re familiar with. The last thing you want is to press the wrong button on that scientific calculator you borrowed and not have a clue what you’ve done. Make sure you’re using something you’ve used plenty of times before. Learn the jargon Numerical reasoning tests place numbers in business contexts and often use language that you might not have come across before, if you’re not studying a business related subject at uni. You’ll likely see things like ‘Market Share’, ‘Market Growth’ ‘Capital Reserves’ ‘Revenue Reserves’ etc. and although it might be possible to complete the question without knowing exactly what these all mean, it’ll help if you at least have a bit of understanding. Do some practice tests online, and read some business publications like the Financial Times or The Economist to get yourself comfortable with the language. Refresh yourself on percentages If there’s one thing that I can *almost* guarantee you’re going to come across, it’s percentage increase and decrease. And unless your degree asks you to, it’s unlikely you’ve done a lot of this recently. So find some practice questions online and set some time aside to complete them. Once you’ve got the process down, and you can calculate a percentage increase in double quick time, you’re ready to go. Get comfortable with graphs and tables Along with the jargon, if you haven’t set your peepers on a graph since year 9 SATS, you might want to refresh your memory of X and Y axis. Get used to reading data from tables and graphs, and you’re a lot less likely to freak out when you see them in a numerical reasoning test. Remember, a large part of your overall result will be determined by how quick you are. You can drastically increase your speed simply by being accustomed to reading and understanding data in this way. Get your timings right As I mentioned, Numerical Reasoning test results are most often divided between speed and accuracy (As is the test on Debut). This means you need to be quick â€" but there’s no point in being quick if you’re going to get all the questions wrong. You want to aim to spend around one minute on each question. This can be roughly broken down into: 10 seconds reading and understanding the question 15 seconds reading and analysing the data presented 30 seconds answering the question 10 seconds to check your answer Don’t worry if you can’t keep track of your timings during the test (you should be focusing on the question anyway). As long as you know you’re able to hit these speed roughly, you should be fine. And there you have it! Doesn’t seem so scary now right? As long as you’re prepared and know what to expect, you’ll absolutely smash it and make yourself super employable in the process. And if you haven’t already, head on over to the Debut app to complete our numerical reasoning test â€" and get more Talent Spots! Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

5 surprising ways to fuel employee motivation

5 surprising ways to fuel employee motivation Major workforce trends, including technology innovations, four generations working side-by-side, and the gig economy are rapidly changing what fuels employee job satisfaction. A new research report from Adobe titled “ Work in Progress” highlights views from more than 2,000 office workers in the United States, United Kingdom and India and reveals surprising insights into what keeps employees engaged and productive. According to Jeff Vijungco, Adobe’s vice president of global talent, employee attitudes are changing quickly â€" and dramatically. He shared five workplace trends that will influence how leading firms are motivating their teams. 1. Technology is the top new perk â€" invest accordingly Eighty-one percent of U.S. workers say “state of the art” technology is important at work. Yet just one in four workers believes that his or her company’s technology is ahead of the curve. “Today we operate across numerous sites and time zones so increased investment in technology is key,” says Vijungco. “Employees are ranking technology as more important than perks like food and beverages, a beautiful office, and onsite amenities. It’s time to put away the ping-pong tables and invest in technologies that help workers be more productive, strike a better work-life blend, and collaborate effectively with their colleagues.” 2. People really love to work Despite attention grabbing headlines about low employee engagement rates, Adobe’s research shows that employees, in reality, really love to work. Seventy percent of U.S. office workers say they love their jobs and 80 percent would keep working even if they won the lottery, with 51 percent of those respondents saying they would even stay in their current roles. “My take is that people love to work, but they need to be intellectually challenged and emotionally connected to their job. If those two ingredients are missing, I’ve found engagement plummets,” Vijungco said. Understanding what motivates workers is critical. People work for diverse reasons. While 88 percent focused on supporting themselves and their families, three-quarters voiced that they work to support their passions and hobbies. Sixty percent want to be recognized as successful, and just over half work to make a positive impact on society. “When you understand what motivates your team, it’s possible to create an employee experience that supports their success, their sense of purpose and, consequently, their long-term engagement,” Vijungco says. 3. Workers are on the move, but seek more than money Nearly 60 percent of workers would leave their jobs for a better opportunity. However, better opportunities are about more than just pay. In fact, 47 percent of U.S. workers would take a pay cut for their ideal job. For those looking for new opportunities, work-life balance (64 percent), clear direction (55 percent), and great co-workers (54 percent) all contributed to the ideal workplace. “The bar is rising when it comes to what top talent looks for in a job,” says Vijungco. “Employers have to provide more than a paycheck and office perks. Instead, companies have to help talent find work they love and a mission they can believe in.” 4. Create opportunities for in-person interactions and collaboration Despite the rise in collaboration and communication technology, workers still want in-person interactions. Fifty-six percent of workers prefer face-to-face exchanges to other methods such as email, instant messaging, or phone calls. “With an increasingly global workforce, collaboration technology is essential. Yet technology doesn’t completely eliminate the need for face-to-face interactions for activities like team building and creating healthy manager-employee relationships. In this case, old school is the new school. Look for opportunities to facilitate in-person interactions, collaboration, and team building to help employees forge lasting connections,” says Vijungco. 5. Work-life balance doesn’t mean 9-to-5 â€" It’s about productivity Workers’ growing focus on work-life balance doesn’t necessarily mean they want to limit their jobs to strictly 9-to-5. In fact, work has a large percentage of people’s mindshare. U.S. respondents spend, on workdays, 78 percent of their time thinking about work and, on days off, a striking 41 percent of their time is spent thinking about work. What’s more, one-third of respondents moonlight or have more than one job. Workers believe that technology improves work-life balance (70 percent), makes the workday better or easier (74 percent), and provides the freedom to work from anywhere (58 percent). “Flexibility and balance are about more than just HR policies. Employers should invest in helping employees be more productive, and design workplace technology systems that support workers’ needs for lives outside the office,” says Vijungco. Today’s top talent wants more than a large paycheck and showy benefits. Instead, employers must provide better employee experiences with flexibility, meaning, and opportunities for growth. People who love their work, embrace their company’s mission, and have the technology needed to efficiently do their jobs will remain productive and engaged for years to come. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!

How to use social networks to get a job -

How to use social networks to get a job - Your resume isnt the only important document  employers consider when it comes to hiring decisions. What you post on social media can help or hurt you in your quest to land a new job. Your goal should be to ensure you do what is necessary to  create profiles that potential employers will appreciate on networks where you expect people in your industry to spend time. How can you really make the most of time you spend using social media? Identify the best networks for your industry. If youre putting out amazing content on networks where no one will see it, the value is questionable. Identify where your network spends time online and share content there. Options include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Periscope the list is endless. Its up to you to decide where youll find your audience. Get my free white paper:  5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week   Create magnetic profiles. You want to attract your audience to your online profiles. What can you include in your profiles to make sure people are both drawn to it and impressed once they get there.  Start by creating a LinkedIn headline with the important elements of key words and a direct pitch. Dont use your job title! Decide what you should post online. What do you  want people to know about you and your expertise? Thats what you should share. Be active on social media. Having a profile isnt enough. If you want to impress and engage, you cant have stale and dull profiles. Showcase your critical thinking and writing skills. These are important for just about any job, and its easy to let people know you have this skillset. Pay attention to what organizations that interest you post online. Follow their accounts and keep up with what they post so you can use that to your advantage. Dont post anything that will give employers pause. If youre mentioning your illegal drug use, just assume youve missed an opportunity with most employers who notice it. Read the entire post on Vault.com.