LIFESTYLE

Career Lifestyle

Spend good time with family and friends. Have a life outside work too.
Know that success and happiness depend on you, not on what’s given to you.
Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win. – J Kozol
Never say bye to learning! Learn a radically new skill (or two).
Know where you want to lead your group to and avoid unproductive activities.
Don’t under-use people – it causes them as much stress as over-use.
Have regular conversations with each of your customers and clients.
A career is born in public- talent in privacy. – Marilyn Monroe.
Remember 3 important things: 1) Ask, 2) Listen and 3) Learn.
Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final – Babson.
Management works in the system. Leadership works on the system. – S. Covey.
If you want to live a happy life tie it to a goal. Not to people or things.
Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own.
What’s a sure-fire way to raise your value on the job? Keep learning!
Use cues (e.g.: phone ringing) as a buzz to take a deep breath.
Join the ranks of a manager with: A spring in your step and warm disposition.
Communicate with peers and especially seniors in different expertise areas.
Anticipate your boss’s need. This builds credibility and reputation.
Don’t waste your boss’s time. Come prepared to meetings.
Show yourself as a go-to person for your boss. Welcome your tasks.
Become visible. Don’t just wait for your work to speak for yourself.
Get out of your shell. Develop a sense of what’s going on in the company.
Not enough mental stimulation at work? Go for a work-related course.
Biz launch etiquette: Find out about your guest’s business and interests.
Don’t ever promise a raise or an important project, for the sake of it.
Improve your social life. Do more interesting things outside of work.
Inject fun into your workplace- example: a pastry treat on Friday evening.
Always ask your guest about his choices and make suggestions from menu.
ON BUSINESS LAUNCH see that the server doesn’t take the bill to your guest.
On the day of business launch, land up early and choose a suitable table.
On business launch: don’t let business be the only thing you talk about.
Eating Etiquette on a business lunch: Don’t talk with a mouth full!
Hold a higher rank? Throw challenges and help your team achieve them.
As a manager, ingrain a “We can do” attitude form “I will do” attitude.
Angry? Take time-out. Be out of the situation and assess if its worth.
Build positivity: Acknowledge any good work immediately.
Business launch etiquette: Chose a restaurant close to the guest’s office.
Business launch: In the west, it’s not welcome to ask questions on one’s family.
If you can laugh together, you can work together. – Robert Orben.
Creative with an eye for aesthetics? Try your hand at tattoo art.
Take out a few minutes from your work routine to pamper your passions.
Work mantra: individually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean.
Have a voice that melts hearts and sells products? Voice-over is for you!
The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one. –O Wilde.
Angry about non-performance? Learn to upswing and downswing your expectations.
Keep your anger in check – learn the art of communicating cohesively.
Like candles? Love crafting them? You can shape it up as a side business.
Bag designing skills: Visualization sense of fabric and color.
Have a sense of style and fashion accessories? Bag designing is for you.
Your voice is your strength? Consider RJ’ing, dubbing, anchoring.
Voice-over artist: Prospects TV/Radio ads, films etc need voice-overs.
Visual merchandising: Involves product displays, creating an ambience.
Fashion styling: creating a defining look that goes beyond clothes.
Candle making: scope today, candles are used fro aroma therapies etc.
Fashion avenues: fashion writing: one has to report on fashion and trend.
Connections are everything these days- join online career networking.
Fashion avenues: Graphic designing, fashion advertising, PR.
With magazine like vogue launched in INDIA, fashion writers have a good scope.
Understand ‘Personal PR’ – It’s about selling your skills at work.
Never be the sole focus always. It should ‘everyone and me’.
Get noticed: take on a corporate initiative, apart from your set role.
Maintain important details of your professional contacts and use them. Wish your ex-boss on his birthday.
Build a contact list at work- helps grow your professional network.
As you grow, take on initiatives which impact larger amount of people.
Why online career networking? You can promote your skill in a subtle way.
TIP: In slowdown, cross-functioning becomes your differentiating edge.
Irrespective of the mood of the job market, add one competency each year.
FIRST IMPRESSION: every candidate is nervous, but you can still smile!
Interview tip: Articulate your strengths with examples that are recent.
Interview: when asked about education background highlight important aspects.
Tell us about yourself: Express why you’ll be an asset to company.(your USPs)
1st impression: sit up, make eye contact and focus on the interviewer.
Part time career: Calligraphy- you can design mugs, logos for cos., etc.
Interview: Your strengths should answer “Why the company should hire you?”
Calligraphy: Be it a part time / full time job, this art of words is paying.
Taking CAT? Avoid ‘tension groups’ just before the test is to begin.
CAT FACT: Many people blunder up their paper. Most often its paranoia.
Not to do at CAT: Don’t discuss what you left out/didn’t focus much on.
Fire fighting teacher and scientist topped the 30th annual poll in the most prestigious U.S. occupations.
Job search: cover letter should be tailored to the employer’s needs and show your knowledge of the organization.
Interview? Remember, enthusiasm is what an interviewer wants to see first.
Tell us about yourself: this is your opportunity to sell your candidature.
Practice “I can”, “I will”, “I am able”, “I am ready” when you are stressed about a particular project.
Resume: “your interests” should give pointers to your behavioral traits.
Resume: Your interests highlight your personality, not hobbies.
Be confident: consider you are well prepared. This doesn’t mean conveying a “know-it-all” attitude.
During CAT, do not delve on the question: what if I don’t crack CAT?
There’re enough questions in CAT that could earn you enough to get a call.
You’ve to educate your stake holders- bring your work to notice.
Get noticed: Give reports, copy relevant people on emails about work progress.
Learn to work smarter, not just harder.
At work: Practice smiling, nodding or making eye contact more often.
Self-help: Be assertive at work- it’s about being open, honest and direct.
At a business event? Introduce yourself to people, find common ground.
MATCH THE MEDIUM TO THE MESSAGE: don’t always hide behind the e-mail.
For every important task, decide if e-mail, phone or face-to-face communication is best.
G. K.: distance education council: determines the standards of distance education in India.
Offbeat: Party planner: India as a country of celebrations, provides an extensive scope.
Never say in an interview “I don’t know anything about the company”.
Interview: you may ask about the typical career path for the position.
Creative and a good organizer? Consider party planning- an emerging career option.
Career: interview? Never say: ‘No, I don’t have any questions for you’. Interact.
Flair for organizing parties? Polish it with an even management course.
Interview: Attempt to make your overall interaction reflect optimism.
Interview? Never say: ‘Another thing I hate…’ May show a bad attitude.
MBA avenues: health care management- Involves working with hospital groups, as hospital manager.
MBA adventures: Health care management- managing finances, medical supplies, etc.
Develop your own brand start a blog / site. Write about your expertise.
Must-have as you grow in your career: Maintaining self-esteem of others.
Encourage your team every now and then. Time-to-time give positive examples.
Flair for engineering? Adventurous? Love being at the sea? Consider marine engineering.
Be willing to ask for help. It’s OK to say, “I don’t know”.
Be humble: Ego can end up alienating those around you at work.
Everyone makes mistakes and you are no expectation. Be fourth coming about it.
You are a good listener if: You nod in agreement when one’s talking.
Communication: Don’t: keeping headphone over head even when it’s off.
Be a ‘can-do’ employee: Never let ‘I don’t have time’ slip your lips.
Communicate with expression. What would be more effective- a flat “Hi” or a jubilant one?
Sign of a good listener: Smiling, saying words like ‘yes’, ‘okay’.
A good listener…. Repeats what he has understood, in case of doubt.
Never abruptly change the topic of conversation. Acknowledge first.
Job interview? You may ask: What’ll be my roles and responsibilities?
Work to become, not to acquire. – Elbert Huddard, American writer.
Interview: avoid initiating the salary topic. Let the company do it first.
Interview? You may ask: what’s the guidance offered in initial stages?
Aerospace: you can apply for PhD at IIST. www.iist.ac.in
While talking at work, your voice and tone must be audible and soothing.
Sharpen your skills: Open up to networking, volunteering, socializing.
Sharpen your skills: join specialized groups, be active in business forums.
Be ready to solve problems proactive and create win-win situations.
Speech therapist: works with speech, language and voice disorders.
Reciprocate to breed communication, example: say thanks when you get some information.
Greet peers, subordinates and boss once you enter the office.
Dress to suit your profession and to create positive vibes in your workplace.
Do not speak ill of your colleagues or anyone else.
Avoid political and religious comments at work, especially when in a group.
Speech therapist: to practice, one needs a minimum of BASLP degree.
Question to avoid in interview: Do you work on Saturdays?
Questions to avoid: What’s your leave policy? It may show a wrong attitude.
Question to avoid at interview- What’s the best way to reach office from my residence?
Questions to skip- when’ll I get my next hike? You may come across as greedy.
Question to avoid- will you do a reference check? It invites suspicion.
Question to avoid – can you tell me something about your company? Do your homework!
Resume tip: Focus on your achievements along with the responsibilities.
Resume tip: Write a career in bullets or as a short paragraph of 5-6 lines
Resume tip: Attach figures which justify and quantify your achievements.
Resume: Grammatical errors show that you don’t have an eye for detail.
Let your resume stand out. Use past tense of words.
Resume: Use strong words, e.g., ‘secured top position in college’ than rather ‘Topped the college’
Beginners: It’s a fallacy that we can be perfect only for one career.
Leaders are readers! Every book becomes a layer of knowledge for you.
Leaders: Have ambition with a great vision, which keep them going.
Leaders: Put an effort in studying matters with a holistic approach.
Do consider creating your own professional group networking sites.
Survey- 72% of employers use networking sites to research candidate.
Economies change and so do people. So, re-evaluate your career periodically.
Leaders: Aren’t perturbed by challenging moments and keep their cool.
Leaders: Manage uncertainties of situation, can take decision in tough times.
Resumes Do’s: Keep sentences short and meaningful with simple language.
Up your value on the job- keep learning. It could be as simple as reading a book.
Ensure your contact info is easily found on your resume.
A CV is a formal document. Use a formal font on a plain A4 paper.
Keep your CV in a chronologically descending order. – Latest at the top.
CV’s are mostly passed on to the next level by HR department. So, limit abbreviations.
Realize others can see your friends on your social network, so be selective about who you accept as friends.
Job hunt? Know your USP- of what value are you to the org.
On your social network, highlight accomplishments inside and outside of work.
At work: A warm and friendly disposition wins over being standoffish.
Let your CV help, find the info a company’s looking for, in a single glance.
Find a ‘career mentor’- to help you excel or make a career transition.
CV Tip: Give clear contact details, mostly your number where you can be reached directly.
Don’t mention your current / expected CTC in your CV. Discuss it later.
Before you decide to quit: Learn the most you can out of your present job.
CV: Keep your e-mail ID formal- combination of first and last name, ideally.
At work: Don’t fear change. It a change is healthy, change with it.
Pleasure in the job puts the perfection in the work. – Aristotle.
Love your job but never let your comfort stop you from updating your skills.
At work: Never compare yourself with others. Instead, enrich your own knowledge pool.
To build a career, sticking to a job for ling is a good way to consolidate your learning and growth.
Looking for a job change? Know whether your qualifications are adequate for the direction you are aiming at.
Before you say “I quit”: know if the phase at work is a temporary one.
Before you quit: Judge whether a change of job will mean moving up in life too.
5 D’s to remember: Dependibility, Determination, Delight, Detailed & Devotion.
Seek feedback from boss often. Talk to your clients about service.
Keep yourself abreast of the trends and working concepts in your industry.
Take charge of your own growth at work. Ask for help from your boss.
Cover letter: Highlight your key qualifications and how you are “fit” for the job.
Talk to the professionals who work in your field and network extensively.
Before joining a company assess whether company’s culture is a good fit for you.
At work: Try and spend some time with people who influence you greatly.
Victim of boss’s temper? Tell him how it’s affecting your productivity.
Remember, tough talking doesn’t work in the long run, tough people do.
Re-look at your career path once a year, and assess for any damage.
Your dream job may show up tomorrow. Be prepared. Keep your CV updated.
Pen down your career goals- where do you see yourself a year down the line?
Don’t let a busy job kill your dreams. Put your goals into action now.
Treat others at work the way you would want yourself to be treated.
Respect yourself: Be the best you can yet keep your career goals in mind.
Don’t stagnate. Strive to improve your profile in your company.
Salary offer: Check industry standards or confirm through contacts in the company.
Ask your boss about the evaluation process. This shows competitiveness.
Resign with proper reasons and feedback – help keep a clean background.
Never confuse opinion with decisions. If in doubt, always check with the opposite person.
Develop comfort from your responsibilities and identify the constraints that need to be addressed during your workspace interactions with seniors.
Advice only when asked & don’t keep expectations for its execution.
Challenge your limits: Strive for perfection while completing a task. Push yourself an extra mile, to extract the best of your potential.
Enhance your skills: A good employee takes ‘effort’ to do work; a smart employee uses ‘skill’ to accomplish his job.
Identify and write down your goals. It gives you a clear sense of direct and helps put your energy to right use. And yes, always aim high.
Get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious food, and exercise regularly. Your health compliments the sense of satisfaction on the job.
Find work responsibilities the interest and challenge you. Assess your accomplishments at work to utilize your full potential.
Execute your basic fundamental aspects of job in the most efficient manner. Be the employee your boss would be glad to hire, supervise, and promote.
Dress professionally and formally in an organization. Avoid any sort of fancy accessories that attract undue attention of people.
Sharpen your networking skills which help you find career tips, new job opportunities. Staying connected improves your self confidence at work.
Polish your job skills on a regular basis. Try a training course and be updated with new technologies or ideas related to your field.
Adopt a positive outlook in life. It helps negotiate conflicts at work. Negativity drains your energy and decreases your job performance too.
Simple but effective: Prioritize your to-do list at work. Classify your daily schedule and arrange the tasks to be completed as per their importance.
Avoid sharing your negative feelings at the workplace. Your complaints show your sign of weakness and reduce your self-value.
Be patient during times when some else gets applauded for the ideas that were actually yours. Never be insecure about your job role.
Be confident: Trust your instincts to make the right decision at the right time. Self-belief and confidence makes you work towards excellence.
Embrace knowledge! Be open to ideas and new trends. Make a habit to cultivate a desire of learning, that shapes our personality and character.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going! Crisis Management is the key to tackle difficulties. Take is as a challenge and overcome the hurdles.
Healthy competition. Respect the qualities and skills of other employees. You can compete with them to inculcate a positive impetus.
Strengthen your team. Develop your subordinates and spend time in process training. Junior executives feel enriched and become self-focused.
Try to motivate the team through use of voluntary social and sports activities. Use inter-team contests to stimulate team spirit.
Share your ideas with your seniors to help them visualize the concepts, you think, would be useful for the organization.
Remember that making work fun, does not mean undue shortcuts. Establish what is required of the job, and meet the needs with precision.
Know your role. Everybody is important but nobody is indispensable in an organization. Play your part in a team without procrastination.
What’s your motto? You need to have an objective to your mission. Define your goals and then strive hard to achieve it.
Practice what you preach! Lead by example, so that you can be a role model to your team and the first person to take an initiative.
While in interview, do not disclose your dislikes for particular subjects like ‘I hate math’, etc! It might not impress the interviewer.
Skip debates with your colleagues or customers, on topics related to sentimental issues like caste, politics and religion.
Personal life is the time spent with your family and friends. Balance it with your work as you need to relax and it can act as a stress buster.
Uninformed absenteeism and late remarks at work are treated as warning signs of carelessness. Avoid such indiscipline.
Encouraging initiatives to improve efficiency, enriches job and increases output. Ask staff for suggestions, and discuss or act upon them.
The 5 Ps at work:Performance, Perseverance, Presentation, Planning, Preparation – Master It!
Talk it out! Have a candid talk with your boss about your future. Share your own career goals with him/her. Your boss will respect your confidence.
Volunteer; seek opportunities to serve on voluntary boards, where you can use your passion and dedication to work for the benefit of others as well.
Action speaks louder than words! Think, digest and follow the thoughts that inspire you. Nothing happens until you act upon the change you desire.
Redefine your Excellence! Outstanding performers in all professions utilize their abilities to continue with their achievements of progressive excellence.
What not to reveal at work. Your extremist views – be open minded.
Build a network as mych as possible to enhance communication skills
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in work. – Aristotle.