How to Deal With a Toxic Work Environment

How to Deal With a Toxic Work Environment When you find yourself trapped in a toxic work environment, your number one priority should be to protect your mental health. If you end up depressed or sick due to the way things are run, fixing things or making your escape will become much more difficult. The ongoing distress of a work environment where the pervading attitude is overwhelmingly negative, the management is self-interested and incompetent, and/or bullying and cliques are rife, makes you more likely to experience depression. It can leave you physically and emotionally drained in your work and personal life. And all that stress and depression can take its toll on your body. Once you’ve identified your workplace as toxic, it will be beneficial for you to find some free time to make a plan. Deciding how to cope with things in advance, putting them on paper, makes you feel more in control when under fire. Before work Your free time is your own, and it’s important to separate it from your work time, especially if your job is getting you down. The simplest way to do this is to literally disconnect: sign-out of email and Slack so that you only see work messages when you’re on the clock. Otherwise, you just end up being drawn in emotionally or even by responding when you should be enjoying your breakfast (and your family if they’re around). At the very least, leave your smartphone in another room overnight so it’s not the first thing you look at when you wake up. Getting a positive start to the day will better equip you to handle what work throws at you, too. As the appropriately named productivity expert and coach Ellen Goodwin says, it’s all about getting some ‘wins’ behind you. “If you wake up [energized], you’re going to carry that energy through the rest of the day,” she says. A win might be making your bed or making time to read a chapter of a novel before you leave the house. Or it might be doing something nice for your other half. Anything that illustrates that you have control over your life will strengthen your mind before you head to work. At the workplace A toxic workplace is primarily caused by one thing: people. Negative people or those that default to conflict can very quickly bring down an entire room. If there’s someone in particular like this, slowly begin distancing them from you. And don’t forget the positive counterpoint to this: people are also good. Amazing, even. So put even more work into getting to know the positive, supportive workers around you, and they will give you the strength to prevail against the emotional vampires. Do what you can to be the kind of colleague you’d like to have. Be supportive of those who deserve your support, and work towards developing your own skills and experience to build your confidence and your prospects. After work Okay, so it’s a relief to be back in the personal zone, but that doesn’t mean relax! It can be all too easy for your mind to get drawn back into the toxic workplace if you don’t give it something else to work on. See friends, get some exercise, try some hobbies, and don’t forget to look after your body by eating well and pampering yourself. Your body will repay your mind with endorphins and maybe even a little clarity. And once you’re feeling stronger and clearer, you can start working on the next stage: how to escape or how to improve your toxic workplace. For a blow-by-blow guide on diagnosing your workplace as toxic and looking after your mental health, check out this new visual guide from Resume.io About the author:  John Cole  writes on behalf of NeoMam Studios. A digital nomad specializing in leadership, digital media, and personal growth topics, his passions include world cinema and biscuits. A native Englishman, he is always on the move, but can most commonly be spotted in the UK, Norway, and the Balkans.

How to Choose the Right Resume Writing Service

How to Choose the Right Resume Writing ServiceWhen you look for a resume writing service, do not make the mistake of going with a low cost option. While a resume service may be able to provide you with high quality work, it may not provide you with the skills you need to present your qualifications. In other words, if you want to work in a particular area, and you hire a company to write your resume, you may find that they are not skilled in that particular field.To ensure that you are getting the best services, and avoiding low price options, you need to search for a professional resume writing service that can customize your resume to meet your needs. There are several companies that have established reputation for being able to provide you with custom resumes, which will be easy to read, keep your message simple, and keep you in the subject line of the first email you send out. You will also be able to choose the fonts and colors that you prefer to use, as well as to make the resu me unique to you.Pay attention to the time you spend on the process. It may seem like a simple process, but when you try to save money on a service, you are not giving yourself the tools necessary to be successful. There is no way to guarantee that your resume will look like everyone else's. If you spend the time and money to find the right resume writing service, you can be sure that your resume will not just be like any other.The right resume writing service will allow you to contact them by phone or email, so that you can get your resume edited and revised as needed. Also, remember that you have several options when it comes to who is editing your resume. You can have an employee of the company you work for write your resume, as well as you do it yourself. Many people prefer this option, simply because they are comfortable working with an employee and the person they are sending the resume to will be a close friend or family member.The key to choosing the right resume writing ser vice is to find one that can offer you the type of help you need, but at a reasonable price. Before you begin looking for the right service, you need to start by identifying what skills you have that would make a good candidate for an employee or the job. Are you a self-starter? Do you possess the ability to organize a room?Consider how you would use those skills to get ahead in your career. Are you an office manager who works closely with others? Or, do you want to do tasks on your own such as organizing the office space?You may also want to ask about organizations and businesses that have employed individuals with similar skills, so that you can find the appropriate companies and agencies to turn to. A company that specializes in hiring and assisting professionals in their career path may be a good choice. They should be well established and highly reputable, and provide support when needed.By following these tips, you can find the right resume writing service to help you in your career search. Once you find the company that meets your needs, you can relax knowing that your resume will be professionally written by someone who understands the skills you have and is willing to give you the assistance you need to land the position you want.

Personal Branding Workshop - Bentley College - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Workshop - Bentley College - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last night, I held a personal branding workshop at Bentley College. There were about 25 students, sitting at 5 tables. I gave a 35 minutes keynote presentation about how competitive the job market currently is, how personal branding is the future of recruitment, my success story, as well as how crucial social media and networking is in their lives. Afterward, I ran a discover your brand exercise, in which students had a worksheet, where they filled in their interests, skills, network, experience and goals. Each one was a theme at each table and acted as a discussion point. As students shifted from table to table, they uncovered more of their personal brand. Finally, I told them to write down what they felt their brand was, taking into account what they listed for the five topics. Overall, I felt it was very successful and the students enjoyed listening and speaking about their professional and personal lives. The students ranged from freshman to seniors, which was great because they could help each other conduct a personal brand investigation. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_0NemhUznE] For all of you who would like to see the presentation, I uploaded it on slideshare and you can view it below: [slideshare id=144874doc=keynote-personal-branding-1193265557695187-5w=425]

Ask MCG How do I overcome procrastination

Ask MCG How do I overcome procrastination Dear Ms. Career Girl, I am a huge procrastinator. I know the things I should be doing, but I just can’t help putting them off.   How do I overcome this? E.R. Many people believe that procrastination is an imbedded trait.   No matter how hard you try, you just can’t help but procrastinate on the things you need or want to do.   It’s just easier, right? So instead of doing something about it, you continue to leave everything to the last minute. If you’ve ever found yourself saying that you “just can’t help but procrastinate”, take a moment and realize this:   Procrastination is a habit, not a trait.   It’s not fixed into your genetics; it’s something that can easily be changed by no one else but you. I used to be the queen of procrastination.   Back in my undergraduate years, I would always pull all-nighters for every test I took.   In my mind, it was easier.   I wouldn’t have to deal with studying each day; Instead, I would leave it to the last several hours before the test to cram everything into my head.   After taking the test, not only was I extremely exhausted, but it threw off my entire day (or sometimes, even my entire week, depending on how long I studied).   I slept well into the afternoon, I made poor eating choices, and, overall, I was feeling groggy.   To top it off, I would have to re-train my body to sleep at night after spending the entire afternoon recovering from the all-nighter.   The results from one little decision worked like a domino effect that lasted much longer than the time Id spent pulling the all-nighter.   Procrastination creates this domino effect. Procrastination can be a very hard habit to break, but it is breakablelike many other habits, it takes time, self-control, and effort.   Take a step back and reflect on a certain project that you’ve been procrastinating on.   Identify the area(s) that is making you push it back.   What part of this task do you hate?   For example, if you’ve been putting off writing a proposal paper, are you procrastinating because you can’t decide on a solid topic?   Ask for help in deciding exactly what to write about.   Is it because it’s not a fun task to do?   Well, get creative and make it fun!   Once you identify the problem, find the solution. Just how do I make such a boring task fun? Something I like to do is to put on my favorite show (The Big Bang Theory) and watch it while I do my task.   For instance, when I have a huge pile of clothes to iron, I watch a marathon of The Big Bang Theory online and iron away.   Since I’m watching something I like, it makes the task less miserable and more enjoyable.   You can substitute watching your favorite TV show with listening to your favorite songs.   Perhaps you can even have a friend help you out with your tasks. Another way to conquer procrastination is by chipping away at the task little by little.   Incorporate it into your daily or weekly planner to serve as a constant reminder.   Setting aside as little as 10 minutes a day gets you one step closer to completing your task.   Incorporate a timer to time yourself for those 10 minutes.   The time will fly by each day and before you know it, you won’t even realize how much you’ve done when you’ve reached the end. In my experience, once you start the task you’ve been procrastinating on, you’ll gain momentum and won’t even want to stop.   You’ll even think to yourself, “This wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated!”   I like to explain this using my marathon running analogy (runners, you’ll be able to relate to this): the first few miles will not feel very good. This is when your body is warming up, and your breathing and heart rate are getting used to the running.   But once you overcome the initial hump and reach that magical point (for me, it’s around 3.5-4 miles), you start feeling awesome.   You feel as if you could run forever!   You’re pumped, and nothing can stop you.   Once you’re finished, you will realize that the experience was a lot more pleasant than you thought.   To top it off, once you’re done, you won’t feel any guilt or stress that you would’ve felt if you hadn’t done the task.   The feeling of satisfaction will make your task worth it in the end!   S o go ahead and tackle on all of the tasks, projects, and goals you’ve been putting off.   If not now, when? Quit making excuses for yourself, and erase your habit of procrastination. “We are what we repeatedly do.   Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle

Live Happier by Doing What You Love

Live Happier by Doing What You Love Discovering what you want to do in life is, for many people, a life-long pursuit. From the time you graduate college you start asking yourself what career would best suit your interests and skills, but often you choose something different than your instinctual response to that question, either out of necessity or concern for security. Maybe you want to be a musician, for example, but doubt your ability or are intimidated by the odds of success, so you take a job working in the corporate world. While decisions that take you on a more secure path provide you with the staples of comfortable living and give you some peace of mind in regular work, if you aren’t working a job that is aligned with your passion, it is very unlikely that you will feel fulfilled or truly happy with your life. A recent study has found that at least 65% of Americans are dissatisfied with their current occupation. And while part of that figure stems from the state of the economy, a larger portion of that percentage represents people who simply are uninterested, uninspired, and unfulfilled by their jobs. Don’t live unhappily. If you are dissatisfied with your current job, even if it provides you with a reasonable level of security, consider the following strategies to help you find more rewarding work: Take inventory of your interests. Unhappiness in one job is often coupled with confusion about what could serve as a more fulfilling substitute. If you’ve been working in one job (or one field) for so long that you don’t remember what you are passionate about, or if you haven’t yet given it much thought, it’s probably time to start searching yourself for the things that get you fired up. Use your past dreams as clues: What did you imagine yourself doing before you started in the grind? Start paying attention to things that excite you while you do them. Brainstorm ideas of careers that center around things you really like. Forget about the pay. Chances are you chose the job you’re currently working based on pay more than anything else, and that decision is now burdening you. Focus on your interests and your passions, even if they seem farfetched; doing something you love will make you happier than being paid for doing something you hate. More on this at 5 Reasons You Should Never Work for Money. Take career assessments. If you have trouble choosing from the many kinds of jobs out there, consider career tests to help steer you in the right direction. These tests are designed to give you an idea of your aptitudes and what kinds of jobs would be most satisfying to you. The results can be surprising, and can often lead to careers you might not have considered otherwise, but can bring you happiness you wouldn’t have expected. Check out the Top 5 Psychometric Tests for Your Career Success. Investigate specific jobs. Once you have an idea of what might be a fulfilling alternative to your current job, do some research about that job to find out what changes you’d have to make to work in that field, and to give you an idea of any training you might need. Pay attention to average salaries in that job, but don’t give that too much weight. Remember that you can always scale back. Being happy is not the same as being rich. Talk to current professionals. Conducting your own research is good, but if you want the best perspective on a prospective job, interview someone who has that job and find out the pros and cons from someone who has experience. They will be better able to give you an idea of what to expect than any statistic can. Finding out what career will be a rewarding one for you can be daunting, but can also bring more happiness into your life. Once you’ve decided on a path, start developing any skills that you’ll need for that job that you might not have, and then get out there and chase your dream so you can live happily. Furhter reading on this topic at 12 Kickass Ways to Love Your Job and Life. Author: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer with onlinedegrees.org. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

4 LinkedIn Ways to Keep Your Personal Brand Top of Mind - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

4 Ways to Keep Your Personal Brand Top of Mind Want to be thought of when executive recruiters and people of influence at your target employers learn of a good-fit opportunity for you? Use to remind them of your unique ROI to those employers, reinforcing your personal brand and good-fit qualities. Staying top of mind with these people can help you penetrate the “hidden” job market. offers 4 often overlooked ways to make people aware of you, and the value you offer, without the discomfort of initiating one-on-one conversations with people you may not know very well, if at all. 1.  Posting an Update Posting relevant updates to your “Activity Feed” is a relatively quick and easy way to stay top-of-mind with your network â€" which should include employees at your target companies and recruiters, along with your various professional contacts. Get into a routine of posting updates once a week, or at least a few times a month. As shown in this screenshot, the “Share an Update” button appears at the top of your home page, below your name and photo. Read more in my post, Keep Your Personal Brand Top-of-Mind with Updates 2.  Publishing Long-Form Posts on ’s Pulse Platform How would you like to reap many of the benefits of blogging without the hassles of maintaining one? offers this powerful platform to demonstrate your subject matter expertise, express your opinions, influence people, build your personal brand online, and stay top of mind with your network. Help explains what happens when you publish a long-form post: Your original content becomes part of your professional profile. It is displayed on the Posts section of your profile. Its shared with your connections and followers. Members not in your network can now follow you from your long-form post to receive updates when you publish next. Your long-form post is searchable both on and off of . This feature may not be available to you yet. is slowly rolling it out to all members. If you see the Publish a Post button on your profile, to the right of the Share an Update shown in the screenshot above, youre ready to start writing a post. 3.  Updating Your Profile Content Regularly Are you one of the many executive job seekers who put up a minimal profile years ago, and put it out of your mind? You figured, Im on . Good enough. If so, youre forgetting the value of for differentiating and positioning yourself as a good-fit candidate for your current target employers. When youre gearing up for job search, the content in your profile needs to be squarely focused on those employers. It’s time to work on targeting and researching employers, and building fresh content around the value you offer them. More in my post, When Was the Last Time You Updated Your Profile? 4.  Staying Active with Groups I frequently review the profiles of executive job seekers. Many have only a handful of Group memberships, if any. When I speak to them, they often say they dont participate at all in the Groups they belong to. They’re missing out on one of ’s most powerful features. Groups help you: Generate interest and build credibility for the value you offer your target employers. Keep your personal brand top-of-mind. Position yourself as a thought leader and subject matter expert in your field. Learn from other experts in your field. Bring new people into your network, to open yourself to more opportunities. Find the right people to connect with to advance your job search and career. Connect directly with people who are not first degree connections. More in my post, Deadly Mistake: Forgetting Groups An added benefit of using these 4 strategies Youll be demonstrating your social media savvy and grasp of the new world of work. Candidates who know how to use for networking and business are more desirable than those who dont. More About and Executive Job Search 10 Steps to Executive Job Search Success How Do I Find a Job in the “Hidden” Job Market? Personal Branding, Resume or Job Search Targeting: Which Comes First? Best Ways and Places to Research Your Target Employers graphic by © Nevit Dilmen 00 0

Gross Happiness Product - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Gross Happiness Product - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Mike pointed me to an article in Wired on how GDP is failing as a national success indicator. Since the time of Adam Smith, weve used the wealth of nations as a proxy for the well-being of nations. We measure whether life is getting better by checking whether the good numbers (GDP, personal incomes, and so on) are going up and the bad numbers (unemployment, inflation, and so on) are going down. However, over the past half century, something strange has happened. The USs per capita GDP the value of all the goods and services a nation produces divided by its population has nearly tripled, but American well-being hasnt budged. Weve grown almost three times richer but not one jot happier. Theres ample evidence that in all postindustrial societies, material wealth and broader happiness are no longer closely in sync. Yep! Id actually take it one step further: GDP growth probably causes a decline in happiness, since GDP growth means people are focused on increasing production. And increased production makes noone happier. That takes something else entirely. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Negotiating Tips for Success

Negotiating Tips for Success Everyday life is all about bargaining and negotiating to get what you want or need. Whether at work, school, or home, you will always find a time of day where you will need to rely on your best negotiating skills, especially if you are trying to get ahead or make a point.     When asking for a salary increase, your negotiating skills need to be developed, sharpened, and communicated in a professional manner.   One of these skills is showing confidence in your request and approach.   If you are lacking confidence when you ask for  an increase, your boss may see that you also may lack confidence in showing that your work is worth getting a raise.   To truly show confidence in your negotiations, you must be prepared.   Before you sit down in front of your boss to negotiate a new salary or benefits (i.e. and extra week of vacation each year), consider the following:  Define your goals before you start the negotiating process. What is the highest/lowest monetary amount you are willing to accept? If you can’t get an extra week of vacation, would you settle for 2-3 days of additional vacation time? What have you prepared to prove your worth/point? Do you have quantitative examples of your achievements in your current position? Have you practiced HOW you will ask for a raise or enhancement to your benefits package? What is your introduction to the situation going to be? Create an agenda for your conversation and use strong keywords that will make a point. Try to prepare for any objections or questions that your boss may fire back at you and come up with concrete answers to prove your point(s). Don’t only practice your words. During negotiations of any type, your body language is also important. Are you able to keep your language in check if the discussion grows heated?   While eye contact is a great tool, staring down your boss with a scowling face to get what you want is not.   What is your stopping point? How long will you fight before you know your request is a lost cause? Are you prepared for the fallout if your boss denies all of your requests?   Are you okay with just going back to your to your office and continuing on with no extras?   Will you threaten to look elsewhere for employment, and if so, will you be prepared if your boss encourages you to take your career elsewhere effective immediately? The bottom line is that you need to be prepared before you enter into any type of negotiations at home, with your supervisor, or with a colleague or client. Successful negotiations aren’t just about getting what you want, but more about building stronger relationships and having the confidence to ask for what you deserve and/or are worth. If you’re able to get some or all of what you asked for, wellthat’s a bonus!