Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Peer Effects Use Them for Good or Evil

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Peer Effects Use Them for Good or Evil Those who have reading my posts for a while know that I have a special interest in the intersection of economics and business, as well as the intersection of neuroscience and business. Recently, I corresponded with Eyal Winter, a professor of economics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalam. In his excellent book,Feeling Smart: Why Emotions Are More Rational than We Think, Eyal asks this question: “If our emotions are so destructive and unreliable, why has evolution left us with them? The answer is that, even though they may not behave in a purely logical manner, our emotions frequently lead us to better, safer, more optimal outcomes.There is emotion logic in emotion, and emotion in logic.” A part of this phenomenon that’s relevant to managers is what Eyal calls “peer effects.” Apparently, employees will avoid putting much effort into their work if they know or believe that their co-workers are shirking their responsibilities or otherwise not living up to their full potential. On the flip side, when employees witness co-workers putting in extra effort, they will be motivated to do the same. So the answer to the central question in this post is yes, onelazy employeecan andwill destroy your team’s productivity, and that’s why you must engage instrategic teambuilding. Here are two examples from the economic literature to prove Eyal’s case. Work Ethic is Contagious in Italy Italy, more than any other European Union country, is characterized by extreme cultural gaps between different geographical areas, especially the north of the country versus the south. Two Italian researchers,Ichino and Maggi, studied a database containing information on the behaviors of thousands of employees at one of Italy’s largest banks. The collected data on each employee included detailed information on the number of times the employee came to work late or failed to show up entirely, promotions to higher ranks in the bank hierarchy, and transfers from one branch to another. Using this information it was possible to identify bank employees who had moved from bank branches in the north to branches in the south and vice versa. Ichino and Maggi discovered that bank employees who moved, for example, from Milan in the north to Naples in the south, exhibited extreme changes in their work behavior. Once in Naples, they were frequently late to the office and missed a lot more days of work. Since only sick days are considered acceptable reasons for missing days of work at the bank, one might surmise that the move from one city to another led to deteriorations in the health of transferred employees, but the researchers found that employees transferred from Naples to Milan also exhibited different patterns of behavior, which in this case was expressed in lower rates of tardiness at work and fewer missed work days. Further analysis of the database proved that the only reasonable explanation for these changes in behavior patterns was the phenomenon of peer effects. Employees transferred from Milan to Naples quickly learned that their colleagues in Naples had a weaker work ethic than the one they had been used to in Milan. This reduced their internal incentives to maintain high standards of work ethic. In contrast, employees transferred from Naples to Milan learned (although apparently not as quickly as those moving in the opposite direction) that their new environment was one in which colleagues invested more time and energy at their jobs. This, of course, was an uncomfortable position for them, but it still created an incentive for them to adopt the work ethic of those around them. For the second example, take a look at the full post on Intuits Fast Track blog.

My Perfect Resume Cost Money - Tips For Saving Money

My Perfect Resume Cost Money - Tips For Saving MoneyMy perfect resume cost money is an old saying that many online or offline job seekers use to determine the cost of providing a resume. Though it seems like an easy decision, it is not as simple as just taking someone's word on the amount of money it would cost to get your resume written and printed. It is much more complicated than that.Because your resume is your life story, and this will serve as your first impression in a particular situation, you must make sure that you have prepared a well-structured document. Of course, you do not want to go too cheap. But still, the right amount of cost will not be a huge burden for you to pay.But it is also not a one's idea. You can get so confused with the process that you will end up leaving out the most important aspects of your resume. This can get you a bad first impression and may discourage you from trying to get a job.The most effective way to make sure that you will not get caught u p with the processes of the printing and delivery of the resume is to ask for samples. Many companies offer sample packages that you can try out for a while without having to sign any contracts. However, be sure that the sample is for actual resumes, and not just a template for resumes. It is very important to be careful about this.There are other ways to find samples. Look around and ask people who work for the company. You might be surprised to find that they are very helpful and could offer you samples that you might be interested in.Besides these two methods, you could also make an appointment with the sales and marketing department of the company that you are going to order the product from and discuss your idea on making the ideal resume. Theywill probably tell you that it would be cheaper to have a professional writer do it for you. Though this might be true, still, it is better to ask questions before making the decision.And the third method is also one of the most effective ways to cut down on the cost of having the ideal resume. By asking several sources for quotes, you can save up to 20%.The best way to get the perfect resume at the least possible cost is to take the initiative and do some research. This is what a lot of people should do.

A Book with a Great Author Bio Resonates With Your Brand Followers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Book with a Great Author Bio Resonates With Your Brand Followers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Establishing credibility for your personal brand begins with great content. A great way to showcase your expertise is a published book both in print and in the digital realm. You want to ensure that all of your time and effort gets the most visibility with a well-written biography. A personal brand’s reputation is built through a unique voice that speaks to an audience. Your message and knowledge can open the doors to more opportunities and online visibility. The path to success involves a well laid out plan, a professional persona and precise writing and editing. A great introduction to who you are as an individual or business is built on your knowledge and expertise along with answering the most pressing questions of your target market. How can your brand make your content work for you? Through a well-planned strategy, which leads to a culmination of ideas that can be shared not only in your publication but on all of your online properties. A brand with a compelling biography will certainly get noticed along with a professional website and smart marketing plan. In order to be effective there are a few key strategies to line up first. How to attract readers for your book with a great biography There are several ways to attract more readers for your brand’s next publication. Focus on the most important elements Make sure when writing out ideas that your experience lines up with your niche. People are less interested in awards, degrees and accolades â€" they want to know that you understand their needs and desires and have the answers to their most pressing questions. Testimonials are powerful Include real testimonials from your clients, professional sources, and include a list of any publications you’ve been in or interviews on radio, podcasts, television, ect. The higher level of influencer recommending your brand the more your readers will be interested in your content. Showcase the uniqueness of your brand Focus on what is unique to your brand in order to stand out from the rest in your industry. You really want your readers to know what you are about and how you are different from the competition. The goal here is to develop a “human” picture of you as a real person or company that they can relate to. Cross promote your online channels The most important link to include in your bio is your main website URL and any social networks. This is especially important for publications that are in both print and eBook format â€" only list the main places that you want to interact with your audience in. Taking the time to clearly define your personal brand can greatly enhance and increase book sales. Write out different versions of your author bio with the understanding that this will be the main tool to use when marketing your work. It’s best to develop something that is consistent that your brand audience will be able to easily recognize when they do a search for you online.

Who is on Your Board of Directors

Who is on Your Board of Directors Who is on your board of directors? A board of directors typically means, a group of persons chosen to govern the affairs of a corporation or other large institution. Do you think of yourself as your own corporation or brand? If not, you should. Every young professional needs a board of directors. Yes, I said directors. For example: 1. Friend mentors 2. Workplace mentors 3. Big-Gun Mentors: company/industry leaders you admire 4. Peer Mentors The Go-Getter Girls Guide points out these interesting facts from Catalyst, the leading non-profit research and advisory organization for women in business: 56% of female senior executives said having an influential mentor or sponsor was important to their career success. Over 69% of those with mentors were promoted, compared with 49% of those with no mentors. In addition, the greater number of mentors that respondents currently had, the greater the number of promotions they received. When reaching out to those who youd like to be your mentor, keep in mind that they probably have a very limited amount of time. They will not be your best friend, you will not call them after a tough day, and it is rare if you get to hang out with them regularly. Rather, lean on your mentors for big decisions such as deciding between job A and B, considering a career change or dealing with an unusual situation at work. A simple email is a great way to start. Keep it brief. Give your background and education in a few sentences, briefly tell the person why you admire their work and how it inspired you. Then simply ask if the person would be willing to chat with you for ten minutes about their expertise/career/knowledge of opportunities/experiences or whatever you need. Do you have mentors? How have your mentors helped you in your career? Do you feel that mentors are especially important for women considering we often like to discuss before making big decisions? Your homework this week is to reach out to someone new, pay them a compliment and begn a dialogue with them. Get over being uncomfortable. You have nothing to lose. People love talking about themselves and helping others. And if they dont respond? Move on to another mentor and dont take it personally. Let us know how this goes!

A List of Adjectives For Resume Writing

A List of Adjectives For Resume WritingThe best tool in resume writing is an innovative list of adjectives for the resume writing. One has to be creative and imaginative to add ideas to your resume. To follow this approach, follow these steps:Go online and type in the subject that would be required in writing the resume. You will get many lists that will suit your needs and types of resumes that you may like. One important aspect to the matter is that they should be specifically designed to meet the needs of the job seeker. So, before you submit your resume, do some research on the best method to make the job seeker love it. The resume should appeal to the eyes and the ears of the reader and the recruiter.Browse the websites of other applicants and sample their resume. Try to analyze and then use similar kinds of style and words in your resume. You need to start the whole process of a job search by carefully planning the subject. There are so many categories of resumes available toda y and the best way to search them is with the help of an online resume writing software.Read the different articles and look at the links that you have missed while browsing the websites. Use the links provided to find out what other samples are available. Once you have found the best websites, start searching the internet for more information about each category. Once you are done with this step, you can easily come up with a great idea of how to put together a great resume for your needs.If you want to come up with a great idea of how to write a resume, you must take help from the experts. You must read through these articles and books written by people who have accomplished great jobs. Reading such articles and books is one of the most effective ways to get a better idea of how to write a resume.You will be amazed by the fact that the ideas presented by these people have been successful in different fields of business. These people know the secrets to effectively finishing their resumes. They have also mastered the art of writing a resume that will make the applicant love the resume.Start the process by trying to follow the various examples mentioned in the article. Follow the ideas that are explained in the article to produce a good list of adjectives for resume writing. When you are done with this process, you will be able to create a unique resume for yourself.If you plan to start this endeavor and if you have been ignoring this writing task, you can also take help from the computer. There are a lot of free resumes in the internet. This option is very useful if you want to have a professional resume without spending too much.

Communicating in the Modern Workplace (Infographic) - CareerEnlightenment.com

Eight Qualities Interviewers Wish Their Candidates Possessed - CareerEnlightenment.com

Eight Qualities Interviewers Wish Their Candidates Possessed Truth be told, most employers hope that the first two or three candidates they see will all be A-players, eminently qualified, and hungry for the job.   That way they can fill the opening with an A-player and move ahead with the next opening.   With this in mind, here are the characteristics employers wish their candidates possessed or demonstrated during the interview:1. I wish candidates were more likable. After all, if the interviewer finds someone unlikeable, chances are coworkers and customers will too.   People don’t give jobs to people they don’t like or don’t trust.2. I wish candidates didn’t use superlatives all the time. Superlatives are words that describe the greatest extreme, such as the best, longest, most, and biggest.   While interviewers might believe a few of these, most results are not extremes.   A candidate who calls good “best,” or big “the biggest” seem prone to exaggeration and mistruth.3. I wish candidates asked better questions. Questions th at show they really understand the job and the company and want to be here.a. Involvement questions are a great way to do this. An involvement question assumes that the candidate is on the job and is asking questions such as, “What kind of training would I receive in this area” or “What process or standards will be used to evaluate my first six months on the job?”b. Performance questions show that the candidate has researched the company and the interviewers. An example might be, “I saw that {employer} had your third straight year of double-digit growth.  What do you see as the two biggest factors of this success, and what role would you like to see me play in making it a fourth straight year?”4. I wish candidates asked for the job…but only after the interview and not before.A Asking for the job means a strong expression of confidence to do the job well and a desire to move to the next steps in the process.   Wait until you know you want the job before saying so.5. I wish candidates stood out more but not in a negative way. The best candidates exude both confidence and humility, have thoroughly prepared, they simplify explanations and convince employers they are perfect for the job.   Interviewers would love it if the first few candidates did this so that the current opening could be filled with a top candidate. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. 6. I wish candidates could prove what they say. Proof comes in a number of forms:a. Using an Example-Specifics-Results response whenever providing an example is proof.b. Projects that demonstrate mastery and accomplishment are proof.c. Showing publications, patents, and awards are proof.d. Having letters of commendation and recommendation is proof as well.e. Reports that provide performance metri cs and/or outcomes are also proof.7. I wish candidates asked for a tour of the facility or an opportunity to observe the workplace. That shows the candidate is not just looking for a job, but the right job.   And it demonstrates an interest in the employer.8. I wish candidates would follow-up their interview. Employers want to be wanted â€" they are ready to invest in salary, benefits, training, equipment, and opportunity.   But with no follow-up from someone who could receive all these benefits if hired, why would an employer think the candidate would follow-up on the job?   Don’t leave your interviewer thinking, “I wish she would have asked me what follow-up I would like to see, but they didn’t.”Bottom line: Review the list of eight qualities and you’ll notice that every single one is within your direct control as a candidate. Possessing a few will put you in the running, but possessing them all will separate you from the pack and give you the best chances of winning the position.This post was excerpted from the latest edition of my new books, Get a Better Job Faster, on Amazon.com.