7 ways to get out of a rut when you hate your job - TheJobNetwork

7 ways to get out of a rut when you hate your job - TheJobNetworkHate your job? Or just feel stuck? Maybe the aufgabe is you and maybe the problem is the job, but sometimes moving on right away is not an option. If this is your situation, there are ways to make walking through the door of the job you despisemore bearable. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) So even if youre just sticking around and biding time until you find something more bearable, here are some strategies to find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places.1. Fix what is in your control.Whats the root of your actual problem/malaise? It is possible to find the root of your work blahs and correct it, thus making your job everything it ought to be? Ask yourself which tasks you like vs. hate, what things challenge you, and what things make you unbelievably bored. You can always try and find a way to shift the balance to the good stuff by taking a little initiative and making a go od case to the powers that be.2. Examine yourself to see if the problem lies within.Just for a second, forget all the reasons your job is the problem and ask yourself whats going on with you. Is this job/company/industry right for you? If not, can you move? How long would the process take? If the problem turns out to be your attitude and not your work life, then you can fix that with a lot less logistical mess.3. Think about the big picture.Zoom out and start thinking about your future. Ask yourself what you really wanta sort of mission statement for your career. Make yourself a declaration of purpose, along with rough sketch of where you want to be in 5 years. Then ask yourself how you can get there. Suck whatever marrow you can from the bone you have in front of you while planning how to get the next one. Find your breakthrough momentwhen you realize what you want and how you are going to go about getting it.4. Look at the other grass.Think that career across the lawn looks greene r and easier? Take some time to watch someone else work and see a) whether their life is actually much different, and (more importantly) b) whether you can infuse something you learn from watching them work into how your approach your own professional journey. You never know what sort of revolutionary methods you can come up with to jazzmusik up your career.5. Surround yourself with positive people.Bond with colleagues who radiate positivity. When youre stuck in a rut and hate your job, it can be really easy (and sometimes utterly necessary) to fall into the habit of spending all your time with other complaining coworkers. But if you try to spend some time with the people who arent quite so jaded, you might just find your own attitude improves by osmosis.6. Do better.Just because your job isnt all its cracked up to be doesnt mean that you can phone it in or casually fail at it. Keep improving and see if you can get that extra award or certification, or reach that higher bar in order to make a transition out of there much easier. Take angeschlossen courses. Take your company up on professional development programming. Start trying super-hard and see what happens.7. Practice self-care.On bad days when you just cant stand it anymore, dont despair. Instead, take a quick walk outside to shake off your bad mood. Go take a coffeeor an ice creambreak somewhere in nature. Whatever you do, dont let your whole mood and demeanor go sour because of small things. Shake it off and get back to the task at handimproving your situation or finding a path out.

Heres How Many Friends You Actually Have, According to Science

Heres How Many Friends You Actually Have, According to Science Whos yourbest friend? This question appears simple and straightforward on the surface, but science tells a more complex story.Researchindicates that while you may be able to rattle of a list of your friends with ease, only 53% of those people would include you on their own list.Researchers examined relationship surveys from multiple experiments and found that while a majority of friendships are expected to be reciprocal, the truth is only about half of them actually are. Why do we believe that people are our friends when they arent? One possibility is that we subconsciously do know we value them more than they value us, but we suppress the knowledge because being one-half of a non-reciprocal friendship can damage our self-image.Anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar proposed that any individual can maintain stable relationships with no more than 150 people, and this theory is often referenced as Dunbars Number. Dunbar believes we have different levels of friendships a couple of best friends, maybe ten we feel a great affinity toward, and many other types of people who we get along with, but have bedrngnis formed deep, sustainable bonds with.Malcolm Gladwell discusses Dunbars Number at length in his bookThe Tipping Point. Gladwell rehashes the story of the leaders of W.L. Gore and Associates who discovered that when over 150 employees worked together in a building, social issues frequently arose. The company eventually set a 150-employee limit per building.When it comes to friendships, the quality of the friendships truly does outweigh the quantity. Maintaining many superficial relationships can lead to insecurity and feeling lonelier than simply being alone. Those undesirable feelings can become destructive if not checked. Developing deeper, more meaningful connections can decrease this risk. Rather than keeping 10 or 20 friends around with whom you share relationships that are ju st so-so, the key is to find a handful or less of truly great friends who provide you with a feeling of comfort and security.If youre feeling a bit unnerved after learning this I was dont fear. There are plenty of ways to enkoranvers that you nurture your existing friendships to keep them as strong as possible1. Communicate HonestlyNo surprise here when you exhibit genuine behavior, you foster genuine relationships. When issues arise in a friendship, communicate with tact but also sincerity. Avoid saying things about friends that you arent saying to them, and express how you feel directly instead of being cryptic.2. Show UpWhen you tell a friend youre going to be there for them, mean it. If they need support or a helping hand, offer it. Make sure they know that should a trying time arise, they have you in their corner.3. Be PresentOne of the most frustrating moments in some of my friendships has been showing up to hang with someone who stays on their phone the entire time. It feel s like they dont want to be there, which makes me not want to be around them. When you make plans with someone, put down the device and really listen to what they say.4. Exhibit EmpathyWhen someone you know vents or complains to you, show that youre truly engaged. Display signs of active listening, offer them advice, and try to really put yourself in their situation when they divulge a problem to you.5. Laugh TogetherYes, its crucial to be a good friend when the going gets rough, but remember to keep having exciting experiences that you can look back on later. Be someone who people can depend on but also feel good being around.--Kayla Heisler is an essayist and Pushcart Prize-nominatedpoet. She is a contributing writer for Color My Bubble.Her work appears inNew Yorks Best Emerging Poetsanthology.

Spark A Conversation Warning Signs in Video Resumes - Spark Hire

Spark A Conversation Warning Signs in Video Resumes - Spark HireHere at Spark Hire, we want to help companies utilize the power of online video to find the best candidates. We get a lot of questions from readers about best practices for using online video in the hiring process. These posts will address those questions about how to find your next superstar employee.Question What are some warning signs to look for in a candidates video resume? -Karissa from Philadelphia Thank you for your question, Karissa Video resumes are a great way for job binnenseekers to get themselves in front of you, the employer. They are also a great way for employers to further screen candidates and look for what they want and dont want in a future employee. In a paper resume, its difficult to get a feel for a candidates personality and their passion for what they do- if they have any.In order to make the best use of video resumes in your screening process, watch out for these warning signs that can show you this candidate is not the future employee you are looking to hire.Company GoalsIn their video resume, candidates will usually state what they feel is most important to them in a company or job. Perhaps they want to work for a company that gives back to the community, or a company that is really into going green and conserving the environment. In other words, look to see if a candidates views and goals align with your own companys goals. This also goes for pinpointing passion in the job seeker for the industry they are in. Why are they interested in this particular sttte? Is it a writing intensive position but all of their past experience is in Public Relations or Customer Service? If so, that may tell you that they are just looking for a right now job and they may not be what you need right now.Background and Video DetailsIt may seem a bit petty, but the fact of the matter is, if the video resume a job seeker is sending you is not up-to-par in terms of background and lighting, then you may have some issues. For instance, if the lighting in your candidates video resume is so dark that you have to strain to see them, or too bright that it hurts your eyes, then that should definitely be a warning sign to you. If this job seeker truly cared about the position they were applying to, they would do everything in their power to be sure they were showing you their best self. That includes having a clean, tidy background and sufficient lighting in their video resume. Attention to detail is important in any position, and without it this job seeker likely wont make a great employee.NervousnessA while back we published an article talking about how a nervous candidate doesnt necessarily indicate a bad candidate. However, if you have a job seeker that looks extremely nervous in their video resume, you may have a bit of an issue. For one, a video resume is pre-recorded and candidates have the opportunity to record new ones until they are satisfied. If you are looking at a vi deo resume with a nervous, sweaty mess of a candidate, they probably wont be any better in the in-person interview. On top of that, how well will this candidate perform under the pressures of the job? Look out for extra-nervous candidates and perhaps move past them.Work ExperienceLastly, if you are watching a video resume from a candidate and they are extremely vague about their past experiences, you may have a bit of an issue. A video resume is a chance for job seekers to expand upon their work experience more in-depth than in their paper resume. If they are being vague about their past work experience, or are failing to mention it altogether, they may not have the right skills and qualifications that are needed for this position. If you still think they are a good candidate, then be sure to ask specifics in the video interview or in-person interview.Do you have a question you need answered? Spark a conversation with the Spark Hire team by submitting your question to blog(at)sparkh ire.com or in the comments below.

Tech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodies

Tech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodiesTech company plans to implant microchips in employees bodiesWhy hire robots when you can just turn your humans into robots?Thats what one Midwest tech firm seems to be asking itself. In Wisconsin, software company Three Square Market said it will become the first company in the U.S. to start implanting microchips in its employees bodies, making them corporate cyborgs.With a syringe, a microchip the size of a rice grain will get implanted between employees thumb and forefinger. Using the near-field communication technology that you have in your phones and leistungspunkt cards, your cyborg hand would be able to send data via an electromagnetic wave.Whats so important that it would require a microchip signal to get it?Snacks.Would you get microchipped so that you could eat chips faster from a vending machine?And Three Square Market said its doing this all so employees can get chips faster from the vending machine. With the micr ochip implanted in their hands, employees can wave their hands and get chips from the company vending machine, enter the company building, and even log onto their computers.Its the next thing thats inevitably going to happen, and we want to be a part of it, Three Square Market CEO Todd Westby toldlocal station KSTP about why his company is doing this. So far, more than 50 employees have agreed to get the implant.Of course, the company emphasized that it will not force its employees to get the microchip.These microchips are said to be biologically stahlkammer for you to receive, but are they safe for your personal data?Although Westby promised that the microchip data would be encrypted and secure, the idea of implanting chips in your employees bodies does raise security and privacy concerns. The microchips can track your whereabouts how often you enter the building or log onto your computer, and at what times you do this. It can know private data about your health, like how often you re buying those chips. A lot of valuable tracking information for a company to have that can measure your performance. And even if a company promises not to disclose this, a hacker could.Although these human cyborgs would be a reported first for the U.S., this implantation has already been going on in Europe. Swedish startup Epicenter said that about 150 of its employees have agreed to be microchipped, so that their hands can act as swipe cards, getting them into buildings and paying for their smoothies. A convenient way to get around the office, to be sure. But it remains to be seen at what cost.

Experts Its time for the C-suite to step up and lead

Experts Its time for the C-suite to step up and leadExperts Its time for the C-suite to step up and leadIts been said before, and Erika Brown will say it again If companies want change, they cant rely on human resources or an outside consultant to make it happen. Their leaders have to own the change they want to see.Brown,Goldman Sachs chief diversity officer, made the comment at the first-ever Hispanic Leadership Summit at the United Nations Headquarters on Dec. 10. She was on a panel about how to get more Hispanics into C-suite roles, which because of pipeline problems is more difficult than one might think.According to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, only about 7% of board members at participating companies were Hispanic, while more than 17% of the employee workforce identified with the ethnicity.We need to make aya that diversity and inclusion really is inclusive, Brown said.Just as Brown talked about how corporate action must come from the C-suite itself, T ammy Tyler, an employment law compliance manager at payroll, human resources, and benefits outsourcing service provider Paychex, recently said that sexual harassment prevention requires a company culture that starts at the executive level.It needs to come from the top down in those companies. And its a culture, Tyler told Ladders.Youre fostering respectful behavior, and making sure that everyone understands that from the beginning.And so the experts are in agreement For businesses to meet their ethical standards and diversity goals, their top players need to be involved in the process. HR can be helpful, as can consultants and other outside groups.But when it comes down to it, a company is its leadership, and those leaders have to be intentional in the way they run their businesses. Otherwise, all the lip service is just for show.

Crosswords can be the secret to staying sharper in life, study says

Crosswords can be the secret to staying sharper in life, study saysCrosswords can be the secret to staying sharper in life, study saysThe secret to staying sharp in old age might be as simple as doing crosswords and puzzles, according to new research.A study from a UK-wide PROTECT published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that adults over 50 who did puzzles like crosswords or number-based puzzles like Sudoku scored higher on cognition tests, meaning their brain functioned better than those who didnt.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWeve found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their wertzuwachs is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention, and reasoning, said lead researcher Anne Corbett. The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance.Researches from the University of Exeter and Kings College in London examined nearly 20,00 people between ages 50 to 93 and asked participants how often they completed puzzles. Participants completed the test online and were quizzed each year. Researchers then had participants take cognitive tests that measured attention, information processing, and memory. These tests included word-matching and number puzzles.The results showed that participants who did daily word puzzles had better short-term memory capacity and was eight years younger compared to someone who didnt do puzzles.The same went for brain function with participants who performed daily crosswords having brain function the equivalent to someone 10 years younger.We cant say that playing these puzzles necessarily reduces the risk of dementia in later life but this research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer, added Corbett.You might also enjoyN ew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from kleine Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

13 things successful people do in the first 3 months at a new job

13 things successful people do in the first 3 months at a new job13 things successful people do in the first 3 months at a new jobYour first three months on the job can lay the groundwork for major achievements down the road.Successful people know this when they start a new job. When it comes to your first few months in a new workplace, its important to set goals, prove the worth you sold in your interviews, and make social ties outside of your own team.Heres what else successful people do in their first 90 days on the jobThey say yes to exciting opportunities, even if theyre bedrngnis quite sure how to execute themEven if youre not sure how exactly to complete the task or what its benefit to you might be, if youre offered with an exciting opportunity, go ahead and say yes.Say Yes, absolutely even though you have no idea what lies ahead and maybe this is the right decision or maybe its not but who knows and who cares, author and speaker Danny Rubin wrote in a geschftliches miteinande r Insider post.They make sure they have achievable goals establishedCareer strategist Miriam Salpeter previously told Business Insider that its important to have goals that you can use to measure your success.Otherwise, you might not know what youre working towards every day.Hopefully your boss developed goals for you to accomplish during your first six months or year of work - whether thats a sales goal, a number of projects to complete, or something else. Those goals should be clearly linked to your job description and the overall goals of the company.Did your boss not give you any goals at all? Then, Salpeter advises you develop those goals yourself.Then, they reflect regularly on those goalsIts easy to set lofty goals, then forget about them. But you should reflect regularly on whether youre actually achieving what you promised to do in the outset of your job.Whatever you sold them on in the interview, make it your mission to demonstrate that youre going to do it, Amanda August ine, a career advice expert for TopResume, told Business Insider.Examine how your goals have changed and how you can improve your workflow to get more done and become the version of yourself you wanted to be on Day 1.They find a way to solve problems on their teamWhen youve just joined a new organization, faults in their structure or business model might be instantly clear to you.But dont just tell your boss what you think is wrong with your team, or leave the issues for more seasoned employees. Discuss what youve noticed, and present a solution.I love employees who have a passion for tackling problems versus avoiding them, Weebly CFO Kim Jabal previously told Business Insider. I want to be surrounded by employees who want to take the steeper hill because they know there will be a big sense of accomplishment at the top as opposed to those that prefer to coast on the easy road.Jabal recommended saying something like this to your boss We have a huge opportunity to fix something that h as gone wrong. Here are a few ideas. Id love your input.And, be sure you dont cousine your analysis on how your old company functions. It can be irksome when a new employee just talks about their old workplace and constantly compares the two.They reevaluate their social group and branch outIts easy to become comfortable with our office neighbors - but once you know them, its time to branch out and meet other people in the company. You may want to start by asking for their advice and perspectives.People are willing to talk about themselves, Rachel Bitte, the chief people officer at the software recruiting firm Jobvite, previously told Business Insider. People are willing to share what they learned being in that field. So dont be afraid to go leverage that network, just to even learn.They sit in on meetings around the company and talk about what they knowAugustine previously told Business Insider that starting in your first week, you should be showing up to meetings and conversations .Those are great venues to discuss your own experience and insights. During those meetings, you can start to establish where youre an expert and become the go-to person in the company for those topics.They continually work on developing good habitsCharles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit, wrote in his bookTypically, people who exercise start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family. They use their credit cards less frequently and say they feel less stressed. Exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread change.Other positive activities that can improve your work might include meditation, writing, painting, or reading.They try to figure out what their leadership needs, and how they can fit into that visionSuccessful people will always demonstrate how much value they bring to their respective roles.I never think in terms of convincing anyone of anything - I think in terms of inspiring them, F BI agent Robin Dreeke, who co-authored The Code of Trust An American Counterintelligence Experts Five Rules to Lead and Succeed, previously told Business Insider. If you want to move into a position of leadership, or you want to move up in the company, the first thing to ask yourself is, How can I inspire them to want me?He added Youve got to understand whats important to them. How do they see prosperity? What can you do to make their job easier?They track how they spend their time, so they can lay the groundwork for doing more of what they loveYou probably overestimate how much time you have to spend doing those parts of your job youre not super into, productivity expert Laura Vanderkam told Business Insider.Start with keeping a log of how you spend your time. Then, see what tasks you spend time on that you dont really adore. Theres a good chance you dont have to spend that much time on them, or that you can eliminate them.To be sure, its not always so easy to eliminate tasks you d ont like, particularly at work, Business Insiders Shana Lebowitz wrote on Vanderkams research. But theres a chance that if you simply identify the tasks that arent working for you, you will in fact be able to limit the time you spend on them.They seek feedback early onAfter a month or two on the job, you can consult with your boss to ensure youre on the right track to becoming a superstar at your company.This is a great opportunity to get some early feedback on what you are doing right, what needs to be done better, and how you can spend your time next week for the greatest benefit of the team, Natalia Autenrieth wrote on TopResume.They chat with the CEOWhether youre making small talk about the holidays or discussing the companys business model, successful people chat with the company leadership when theyre new additions to the company.It can be tricky to find a way to meet your companys C-suite without being awkward, though. Try setting up a networking coffee with them, and develop a list of questions beforehand to show your interest in the company and their work.And dont be afraid to introduce yourself if you happen to bump into them in the elevator.They take every opportunity to network with coworkersNetworking sounds intimidating, but its as simple as grabbing coffee or talking Game of Thrones with your coworkers.Joanna Coles, the former editor-in-chief of Cosmo and Marie Claire, said connecting with your peers is just as important as connecting with your bosses, if not more.The thing that I always try and say to young people starting out is your peer group is really the most important influence on your life because you are going to rise and fall together, she previously told Business Insider. And I have always got jobs through the loose ties of friendships and someone knowing someone who might know a job.They rekindle their relationships with former coworkersAugustine previously told Business Insider that near the start of a new gig, new hires should go b ack and reconnect with people at your old company and ask for LinkedIn recommendations.The best time to get referrals isnt when youre hunting for a job, but well before you need it.Dominic Umbro contributed to a previous version of this article, whichfirst appeared on Business Insider.