How to achieve your goals by creating an enemy

How to achieve yur goals by creating an enemyHow to achieve yur goals by creating an enemyDJ Khaled, the one-man internet meme, is known for warning his tens of millions of social media followers about a group of villains he calls they.They dont want you motivated. They dont want you inspired, he blares on camera. They dont want you to win, he warns. On Ellen DeGeneress talk show, Khaled urged the host, Please, Ellen, stay away from themThe they Khaled invokes are clearly a sinister force. But who are they? Khaled offered clues when he told DeGeneres, They are the people who dont believe in you They is the person that told you, you would never have an Ellen show.Although Khaleds claims may seem outlandish, he is in fact leveraging a powerful psychological hack scapegoating. The practice of imagining a villain thats conspiring against us, scapegoating can be an effective way to motivate ourselves and change our behaviors. Of course, as history has shown, terrible things can happen wh en people act on baseless conspiracy theories. But sometimes the antidote is in the venom.Khaled isnt the first to use the technique. In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield uses an entity he calls Resistance to describe the force conspiring against creative output. Most of us have two lives, Pressfield writes. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance. Throughout his book Pressfield reminds readers, Resistance is always plotting against you.The author and game designer Jane McGonigal described a similar conspiracy of bad guys in her book SuperBetter. McGonigal blames villains like Mrs. Volcano and Snuff the Tragic Dragon when she loses her temper with her kids or feels self-pity.Khaled, Pressfield, and McGonigal know that they, Resistance, and the bad guys dont actually exist. For Khaled, thats the joke that powers the meme. If Khaled were to point a finger at a real group of people intent on sabotaging him, such as an ethnic group or a partic ular corporate entity, his scapegoating wouldnt be funny - it would be malicious.Correct causesIn order for productive scapegoating to work, its important leid to assign blame to something or someone too specific if we do so, well shirk our responsibilities to change our own actions.Instead, we need to find the underlying causes of our bad behaviors, which requires asking difficult questions - especially since our intuition is frequently wrong. Maybe we dont binge on junk food or YouTube videos because of the pleasure in what were consuming, but because of deeper problems consuming us. Perhaps the true reason we allow our phones to interrupt dinner is not that were addicted to our phones, but that were addicted to work.Once weve identified our own self-defeating behaviors, the next challenge is to implement a change, which can be difficult if we think whats happening to us is beyond our control. In these situations, its easy to feel powerless and to give up. Its here that scapegoa ting can be used to our advantage. By directing our anger and anxieties at an invisible they, the forces working against us seem mora tangible, so we feel like we have more power to fight them.Powerless if you think you areSeveral recent studies have observed a strong connection between the way we think about our ability to act and our follow-through. For example, to determine how in control people feel regarding their cravings for cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol, researchers administer a standard survey called the Craving Beliefs Questionnaire (CBQ). The assessment is modified for the participants drug of choice and presents statements like Once the craving starts I have no control over my behavior and the cravings are stronger than my willpower. How people rate these statements tells researchers how powerful or powerless they feel in the face of temptation. Lower scores reveal that subjects believe they are more in control, while higher scores correlate with people who believe the drugs control them.A study of methamphetamine users that appeared in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment in 2010 concluded that people with low CBQ scores were more likely to stay sober and that participants whose scores decreased over time - indicating that they felt more powerful as time passed - had increased odds of abstinence. A study of cigarette smokers published in 2014 found similar results The smokers most likely to fall off the wagon after quitting were the ones who believed they were powerless to resist.Though the logic isnt surprising - if we believe were powerless, we dont even try not to fail - the extent of the effect is remarkable. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that individuals who believed they were powerless to fight their cravings were much more likely to drink again. In fact, beliefs of powerlessness determined whether someone would relapse after treatment as much as the level of physical dependency itself d id.Embracing the enemyBesides making us feel more powerful, scapegoating can pferdegeschirr our instincts to resist threats to our freedom and autonomy, a phenomenon that psychologists call reactance. For example, when your boss micromanages you and tells you what to do in a patronizing way, you may feel crummy and decide to do the opposite, to stick it to the man. Scapegoating uses the power of reactance toward productive ends. If we feel that someone or something is conspiring against us, were more likely to work harder to prove them wrong.Eliciting reactance has been used successfully in public health efforts, such as the anti-smoking Truth campaign, which tried to appeal to rebellious high schoolers (who feel reactance toward just about everyone). Instead of showcasing far-off consequences like emphysema and black lungs, the Truth campaign did away with the gore and instead painted the tobacco industry as a bunch of scheming jerks. In one ad activists attempt to deliver a case m arked lie detector to the headquarters of a tobacco company and are promptly kicked out. In another spot, cartoon characters interrupt smokers at a party by shouting Its a trapWe can apply the same methods to use careful scapegoating to increase our own motivation. If we imagine a force working against us, were more likely to get fired up, resist our temptations, and work harder to achieve our goals.Of course, its actually just us against ourselves. But for the times when we dont want to admit that, providing a clear enemy to rebel against - a they who doesnt want you to leave that extra cookie on the plate or get back to writing that blog post - can help us summon the tenacity we need to succeed. Even if, in reality, that they resides in each of us.Heres the gistIf used correctly, scapegoating can be a powerful tool for resisting temptation and sticking to hard goals. It can also be dangerous and backfire if used incorrectly.Assigning blame is a kind of psychological defense mech anism that frees us from uncomfortable feelings when bad things happen out of our control, or when we dont want to accept that we are responsible for our own problems.Nothing can be done when bad things happen as a result of circumstances truly beyond our control. But were often more powerful than we think we are when it comes to our own behavior. Studies have found that people who believe that temptations control them are much more likely to give in.As long as we target the behavior at the root of the problem, creating an imaginary enemy - projecting our struggle onto the scapegoat - can make us feel more powerful and help us resist temptation or achieve our goals.This column first appeared at Nir and Far.

5 Big Mistakes You Are Making on Your Resume

5 Big Mistakes You Are Making on Your Resume 5 Big Mistakes You Are Making on Your Resume Crafting a resume that stands out from the crowd is no easy feat. To do so, you must first understand the principle objective of any resume not to land your next job, but to open the door for your first interview. Having your resumes primary purpose clear in your mind will help you focus on what is really important in a resume.Believe it or not, many candidates still make some very basic errors on their resumes. The following list outlines five major mistakes that candidates make all the time. Make sure youre not guilty of them yourself1. Including Links to AllYour Social Media AccountsYou may have a presence on every hot social media network, but is each profile relevant to your potential new employer? For example, if you regularly share personal information and pictures on Facebook, including a link to this page on your resume may not be a great idea.Instead, it is recommended you include on ly links to the social media networks that are relevant to the target position. For example, if you use Twitter to share news related to your industry, adding a link to this social profile will be a success.Bear in mind that according to Jobvite,93 percent of recruiters will review a candidates social profiles before making a hiring decision. It is therefore important to make sure your privacy settings are properly maintained on all social media sites - especially those you dont want recruiters to see2. Using Boring Resume TemplatesThere is no harm in using a resume template. The problem occurs when you use a template without making any changes. If your resume looks exactly like everyone elses, how are you going to stand out?You should choose a modern resume format that aligns with your industrys best practices. Then, you can adjust the different sections so you highlight the information most relevant to the job to which you are applying. Doing so will make your resume more attract ive to the recruiters eye and help them find the information theyre looking for more quickly.3. Overusing Adjectives and Adverbs Instead of VerbsAccording to a study conducted by CareerBuilder, terms such as best of breed, go-getter, think outside the box, synergy, and others are outdated and overused. Instead, candidates should be using more specific action verbs like achieved, improved, and resolved, which more clearly show hiring managers what they have done and can do.4. Leaving Out Quantifiable DataInstead of relying on words to describe your last job success, consider including some good-looking numbers. Adding quantifiable results to your resume will do two things First, it will show recruiters the kinds of amazing results youve produced in the past. Second, numbers will catch a recruiters attention as they scan the resume, thereby sparking their interest in you.According to a study conducted by The Ladders, recruiters spend only 6 seconds reviewing an individual resume. By u sing numbers, you can make busy recruiters stop for a second. Then, youll have them right where you want them with all their attention on a relevant section of your resume.5. Writing a Resume Thats Too Long or Too ShortThe perfect resume length is up for debate, and unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in sight. However, according toLaszlo Bock, Googles former senior vice president of people operations, a good rule of thumb is one page of resume for every ten years of work experience.This means you need to be very concise with your resume. Leave out experience that is not relevant to the job you are applying for. Remember that the objective of your resume is to secure an interview. This means you should summarize your career and demonstrate your top, most relevant achievements. Leave the detailed elaborations for the face-to-face interview.Maria Onzain is a digital marketing expert who writes about careers, education, ed. tech, and life hacks.Master the art of closi ng deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

Bad Habits of Annoying Coworkers

Bad Habits of Annoying CoworkersBad Habits of Annoying CoworkersHeard in the Lunchroom is a Robert Half blog series offering real-world advice on navigating tricky topics that can impact your professional happiness and career prospects.Annoying coworkers are a part of office life. Many people have strong technical skills but lack courtesy and common sense in the workplace, from pushing back when theyre asked to help on projects to coming to work sick and infecting the rest of the team.You may think your on-the-job etiquette is just about perfect, but the fact is that we all have habits that can annoy others.Here are 10 bad habits that annoying coworkers are known for. Consider it your guide to what not to do. And feel free to share this link with your most, um, considerate colleagues (wink, wink).1. Always saying, Im so busyFirst and foremost, everyone is busy. Why do some coworkers feel the need to constantly (and loudly) remind us of how swamped they are? Moreover, its one thing to set appropriate boundaries its another to never step up to help overworked colleagues because thats not my job. For those who dont like to work beyond their job description, keep in mind that being part of a team means pitching in whenever possible.2. Being closed to new ideasA few colleagues have come up with a brilliant concept for an event brochure, but your teams resident naysayer says, Weve always done it this way - no need to reinvent the wheel Not being open to change breeds resentment and stifles creative thinking and innovation.3. Calling unnecessary meetingsMost of us have a meeting addict in our midst. These people are far happier talking about work than actually doing work. Beyond calling too many meetings, he also invites too many people. Concerned that you might be a meeting addict? Periodically step back and ask yourself if a routine gathering truly needs to take place. In many cases, youll realize you can alter its frequency, reduce the participant list or scrap it altogether.4. Ignoring detailsYouve crafted a detailed email to your coworker, outlining next steps and due dates for an upcoming project. You ask him to reply with any suggested changes or to confirm that he agrees with your proposal by the end of the day. Three days go by with no reply, so you ask again. He writes, Looks good. He obviously didnt read your original message in full and has held up your timeline by a few days. Be respectful and make sure you follow up on details that require your eingabe promptly.Get our report on happiness in the workplace now5. Frequently offering unsolicited adviceYoure brainstorming with your manager about a new client project, and the coworker sitting next to you chimes in with her thoughts and tries to steal your thunder. Its great to have opinions, but make sure that youre diplomatic - and in a situation where people actually want your two cents.6. Talking too loud on the phoneWe all have that coworker who practically shouts into the phone. Her voice is so deafening you cant hear yourself think. Even worse, she speaks at maximum volume when divulging details about her personal life. If you dont have four walls and a door, be mindful of your phone conversations.7. Constantly dropping byWhile its good to have regular interactions with our colleagues, everyone has work to do. When you work in a cubicle or have an open desk, youre really at the mercy of those around you. Dont be overly chatty. And dont reflexively drop by your neighbors desk every time you need a break or have a work eintrag to discuss. Instead, if your visit is a social one, you might ask if its a good time to chat (or IM first), and batch those work items to discuss all at one time.8. Coming to work sickSick days are there for a reason. Please dont go to the office coughing and sneezing. Youll be doing a huge disservice to your coworkers by spreading germs. Stay home and rest when youre ill, or talk to your manager about possibly working from home.9. Not having good scentsThis one isnt new, but there are still annoying coworkers who go to work wearing far too much cologne or perfume. And then there are those who insist on heating up leftover tuna casserole and eating at their desks. Overpowering scents are nauseating, especially when working in a confined space for eight hours or mora.10. Expecting others to have all the answersThey say theres no such thing as a dumb question. Yet one member of your team frequently interrupts you with queries that she could easily answer herself. Its OK to seek clarification when youre uncertain about something, but its also important to be proactive and use the resources available to you first to help avoid wasting others time. And when you do ask for assistance, always make a point to offer your appreciation.Many of the behaviors mentioned above can be avoided by simply pausing and taking other peoples feelings into consideration. Its unlikely anyone is deliberately trying to be an annoying cowor ker, and if you think a little more about those around you and how you want to be treated yourself, office life can be much easier - and a lot more pleasant. Tags

What your boss wont tell you about raises and promotions

What your boss wont tell you about raises and promotionsWhat your boss wont tell you about raises and promotionsThe four top items your boss wont reveal to you about getting a raise or promotion1) Stop thinking doing a good job is the fruchtwein important thingHard work isnt all its cracked up to be. Performance is onlylooselytied to who succeedsVia Stanford business school professor Jeffrey Pfeffers bookPowerThe data shows that performance doesnt matter that much for what happens to most people in most organizations.That includes the effect of your accomplishments on those ubiquitous performance evaluations and even on your job tenure and promotion prospects.Research shows being liked affects performance reviews more than actual performanceIn an experimental study of the performance appraisals people received, those who were able to create a favorable impression received higher ratings than did people who actually performed betterbut did not do as good a job in managing the impressi ons they made on others.2) Be a little self-obsessed, be a little obsessiveNarcissism and obsessive compulsiveness were correlated with success.Dark side traits have been associated as much with success as failure in specific occupations.This study examines the possibility that some dark side traits may be advantageous in particular occupations by focusing on the relationship of eleven dark side traits with six, self-report, validated measures of occupation behaviour and qualifikation.Nearly 5000 British adults completed the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), and the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) which has six criterion-based measures of occupational scales. Whilst some disorders (i.e. Excitable, Sceptical) seemed consistently associated with low work outcome and potential ratings, others seemed either neutral or positively associated (Bold, Diligent). Some dark side traits were highly variable being positively associated with some occupational scales, but not others (Mischievous, Colourful). The total potential index of three potential measures showed most positive correlations with dark-side traits.The present results suggest that the manifestation of specific dark side traits may not always lead to work problems.3) Manage up or Move outJeffrey Pfeffer, author ofPower, explainsthe three keys to moving a career forwardLet higher ups know what youre accomplishingShape perceptions of your work, early and oftenIf its not working, moving on is better than trying harder4) Most pay raises are given to prevent good employees from leavingIf youre not good, and it doesnt seem like you might leave,dont count on bigger checksThis paper studies the ex-ante effect of worker separations on wage negotiations using matched workerfirm data from The Netherlands.We find that wage negotiations aim to prevent separations workers with a high propensity to quit are offered higher wages, while workers with a high layoff probability give up some of their wage.Join 315,000 readers.Ge t a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsWhat are the 18 secrets to giving a presentation like Steve Jobs?Silicon Valleys best networker teaches you the secrets to making connectionsThe top FBI hostage negotiator teaches you the 5 secrets to getting what you wantThis article originally appearedatBarking Up the Wrong Tree.

New Step by Step Roadmap for Star Resume

New Step by Step Roadmap for Star Resume Definitions of Star Resume Chronological resumes are the ideal distribution policy to highlight your accomplishments. Its completely your decision. It may sound over-simplified. Very user friendly and edit. For the past five years Bookboon has reached an extremely strong market position globally. This service is critical, one of the greatest investments you can do to help your career. Premium resumes are matched with churches depending on the work category. The Hidden Treasure of Star Resume Due to this, the author misses the opportunity to showcase the skills used to perform this endeavor. If you should make certain that the last work is going to be of exceptional quality, youre welcome to bring a PRO Writer bundle to your purchase, so that one of our top writers will schliff the assignment for you. Also, its not possible to describe how much effort it requires to do an appropriate research and choose the most relevant sources. Q uite frequently, students do not understand how and where to begin writing. A basic resume may be the perfect format and tool for you once you want to transition into work from freelancing or self-employment. Even though a normal CV could just list relevant bullet points, a STAR-based CV stipulates a concise narrative that provides a much fuller picture of your competencies and the way youve previously set them into practice. Your aim should be to be certain your whole job-seeking presentation allows them to obtain that insight. There are a few general strategies that you need to adopt and then some particular strategies and suggestions. The selection panel dont want to understand about an instance of a scenario, job, action and result you have you have encountered once in your day to day work. In case you have any of the aforementioned reasons for getting specialist help online, make the suitable choice let us assist you with your assignmentsEach day youve got to perform plen ty of assignments and process lots of information. Theres no need to worry that anybody could ever know that youre using our expert services. It can help you to get your fantasy job. To earn a one-page resume work for you, it is important that you prioritize key bits of your work history that are related to the position youre applying for. Finding the Best Star Resume By making a matrix, you will be ready to answer the difficult questions that come your way during an interview. If you are searching for the ideal writing services online, youre in the appropriate location. Each undertaking is, in different words, an issue. Finally, some men and women find completing papers a rather tedious undertaking and therefore prefer requesting an expert writer cope with this. Lets look at how you may think by means of this procedure. If you employ the STAR method to compose your selection criteria it isnt going to doom you to failure. When confronted with a challenge, youre not reluc tant to dig in and make a solution. Describe your task related to the goal and challenge of your undertaking. New Ideas Into Star Resume Never Before Revealed If youre puzzling who can assist you with the assignment at the lowest price as youre a student and is occasionally pressed for money, youre at the appropriate place as we offer cheap custom made writings. If you would like to download or print, note youll require the premium account. Whats more, you can order one-page small business plan so that youll have a good outline based on which you are able to structure the entire work. You dont have to say that business program is an extremely complicated kind of paper which demands a great deal of time and efforts even if its not a grand implementation plan for starting an organization but an ordinary university assignment. Be aware that the course of action isnt for the lazy, and you really must take an active role if you want to have the best result. The variety of examples isnt as vital as assuring your experience matches the ECQ criteria. The STAR method has ever been a favorite method of structuring statements against selection criteria. Each template offers step-by-step guidance which will let you create an effective resume. Star Resume Ideas Since you may see, the STAR method makes a much more compelling resume entry. You want a product, you shop for that product, then you get the brand that most fits what you demand. Since you may see the STAR procedure is a simple way to produce wonderful descriptions of work experience. The STAR technique is comparable to the SOARA technique.

3 Ways to Improve Communication with Your Staffing Firm - Spark Hire

3 Ways to Improve Communication with Your Staffing Firm - Spark HireSeventeen million. 17,000,000 for perspective.That is the number of temporary and contract employees staffing firms place in a year, according to the American Staffing Association. Its safe to say staffing firms play a crucial part of many employers and HR pros talent acquisition processes.When you combine forces with external talent sourcing teams, breakdowns in communication have the potential to create challenges for your hiring process. Its the responsibility of all parties involved to communicate their needs and ensure the best hiring outcomes.Rest assured, your staffing firm is going to touch base to get on the saatkorn page about role requirements, expectations, timelines, and mora. The metrics you track internally, however, say a lot about the state of your hiring process. Making these details available can set a baseline for your staffing firms talent sourcing process. While it may binnenseem logical to keep your hiring data close to the vest, its an invaluable tool that empowers your staffing firm to bring you the best possible candidates. Effective communication is the key element to getting the most out of using a staffing firm. Here are three tips to improve communication with your staffing firm and ensure all efforts contribute to a successful staffing experienceMake them an extension of your teamAlthough the staffing firm is technically an external consultant, think of them mora as a full-fledged member of your team. The communications you have with your internal hiring team and those you have with your staffing firm should never be completely separate.Keep them in the loop on your team communications. They shouldnt be the last to know when job details change or when youve decided a candidate isnt right for the position. Its especially important for them to see the effectiveness of their predictive metrics. Share data from ongoing productivity assessments of their previous referr als so they know if they are screening candidates for your roles effectively.Giving your staffing firm regular insight into your teams evolving preferences and needs allows staffing pros to be proactive and change their strategy when necessary. And when your hiring team and staffing firm communicate directly, they can work together on solutions in real-time.Dont keep your hiring team and your staffing firm separate. Keep everyone in the loop on team communications.Click To TweetGive feedback early and oftenYour staffing firm is not made up of mind-readers they only know you have a problem with their process if you tell them. Radio silence allows them to assume everything is running smoothly and they can continue with business as usual.Your staffing firm will undoubtedly ask for feedback as part of their regular check-ins. But you can take a more proactive stance with your communication. Alert your staffing firm of any issues as soon as they pop up. Dont wait until the position is f illed (or worse, sits empty draining more of your hiring budget) to deliver feedback.Dont just filter your staffing firms referrals into yes and no piles. Measure where candidates are missing the mark in skills or culture fit. Let them know if the process needs to pick up to reduce time-to-hire costs or if you need them to take more time screening candidates to fill skills gaps. In the same vein, be sure to let them know when theyre hitting the nail on the head.Dont wait until asked for feedback. Share insights and opinions about placements with your staffingfirm.Click To TweetMake the best use of communication toolsDont restrict your communications to traditional emails and phone calls. Sometimes questions are addressed more quickly via text or instant message.In addition, video is a great tool to get to know your staffing firm better and collaborate more efficiently. For example, instead of outlining your company culture in an email, give them a virtual tour. This will allow the s taffing firm to get a real sense of your office and culture so they can easily identify the right candidates.If you have questions about their process, request a conference call with the staffing team. Theyll have an easier time explaining the nitty-gritty details over the phone versus a long-winded email, and you can request to record their responses to refer to later. Just be sure to update this information when changes in the process occur over time.Dont forget. This isnt your staffing firms first rodeo. If youre unsure what metrics to measure to help them help you find the best talent, just ask. As long as you keep communication flowing both ways, your external talent sourcing and internal hiring teams will be an unstoppable duo.