Career Spotlight What I Do as an Office Manager

Career Spotlight What I Do as an Office Managertell us a little about who you are, your current position, and how long youve been at it.my name is catzu sichbeiine. i am an geschftszimmer manager at realmatch, and ive been here about 2 months i have a passion for organization, crafting, event planning, and disney movies. i currently have 3 cats, all rescues, and hope to foster pets someday as well. here are some great career options for cat lovers.what drove you to choose your career path?coincidence my career path started way back in high school when my mom notlageiced her accountant scrambling in the middle of tax season. she asked them if they needed help, and i went in for an interview. i became an assistant/bookkeeper there and stayed until halfway through college. i then worked at my dads law geschftszimmer and an advertising company as an assistant before finally becoming an amtsstube manager here at realmatch.how did you go about getting your job? what kind of education and e xperience did you need?i had a bachelors degree in media studiesbut a college degree isnt necessary to be an assistant, even though its preferred. to become an amtsstube manager, i needed at least 2-3 years of experience as an assistant, and i had about 8 i learned something different in each position i held, and it all came together to make me the perfect candidate for realmatch.what steps do you need to take to start a career as an office manager?the best way to become an office manager is to begin as an assistant and work your way up. if you need to get your foot in the door, i recommend networking and asking around. get the word out that you are looking for a position as an assistant, and its very likely that someones mothers lawyer needs a helping hand at his or her office. a personal connection is always very helpful for getting an interview. luckily, almost every office needs an assistant of some kind. if you want to learn everything about getting a job as an administrative a ssistant, check out this useful article job spotlight administrative assistant.from there, you can advance to nearly any position because you will be exposed to all the different departments within the company. for me, the natural evolution from being an assistant welches to become an office manager, because i enjoyed all the various tasks i was given.did you need any licenses or certifications?a college degree is always encouraged. in new york city everyone takes the train, but i can landsee a drivers license and car being a requirement in other cities/states because there can be some running around involved with the job.becoming a notary public can also be helpful. you will become a valuable asset for your bosses if they can go to you for a notarization instead of finding time in their busy day to go out and find one.its important to set the rules and explain to people what youre expected to help with and what you can do only if your other required tasks are done.what kinds of th ings do you do beyond what most people see? what do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?i spend a lot mora time thinking and researching things than most people would think. sometimes a thought on how to improve the office will come about and ill ponder it, trying to find out if it could work. other times, someone will make a suggestion on how to improve the office or their job, and ill take the idea and run with it. ill do some research and get in contact with companies to get pricing before bringing it to the managers for their input. usually most decisions come down to budget, so its always helpful to have a ballpark on pricing beforehand.what misconception do people often have about your job?within the office, people often have the misconception that its your job to do everything they dont want to do. this can range from cleaning up everyones mess around the office to tackling their to do list items they dont enjoy. its extremely important to speak with your manag er and see what he or she expects fromyou. it can become very easy to get bogged down with menial tasks that are not necessarily required of you. its important to set the rules and explain to people what youre expected to help with and what you can do only if your other required tasks are done.find a need within your company, and work to fill itanother misconception that a lot of people have is that the job is really easy and anyone can do it. in actuality, its much more complex than people think. the tasks themselves arent necessarily difficultits juggling all the tasks at once while staying within budget and being efficient thats a challenge.at my last job, i was doing a walkthrough with a rep from a moving company to get a quote, and about four different people approached me with questions while i was speaking to him. i had to politely advise them that i was handling something at the moment while also needing to listen to the rep and remember who needed what so that after the mee ting, i could address it. its really easy to lose your concentration, so it very important to stay on task and organized.what are your average work hours?my current hours are 9am 6pm. this is probably a typical workday for most office managers, but there may be certain offices that work later or prefer you come in before everyone else. most days i only work the 9 hours, but if a big project comes up, i may have to stay a few extra hours or check my email inbox diligently.what personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?i strive for efficiency. when things get hectic, i need to be able to get tasks done quickly and accurately. the first step i take is to organize everything within the office. spending a quiet afternoon organizing is definitely worth it in the long run. if someone asks where the staples are, i know exactly where to lead them. in addition, i love to label everything. this way, if someone suspects an item is in a particular closet, they can open the door, loo k at the labels, and find the item without me.i also love to use evernote to track my tasks. the software can do so much i have tons of different to-do lists, both for work and my personal life. if im working on something and suddenly oh yea, i have to plektron up the dry cleaning at some point comes to mind, ill quickly switch to my personal to-do list and jot that down. its really helpful to clear your mind so that you can focus on the task at hand instead of wondering how youre going to remember to do that after work. you can also create different notebooks, which i dofor events that are coming up. you can paste links, add website snippets, and so much morei also find its better to get quicker tasks done immediately upon receiving them so i dont have them in the back of my mind while working or end up forgetting to do them. if i am at a auszeit point within a big project, i will stop and get a smaller task out of the way. this not only makes my life easier, but it makes the perso n who requested it really happywhat do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession? what do they do instead?sometimes when people are not monitoring you, or when you help a lot of different departments, it can be easy to fly under the radar with tasks. oftentimes, people love when they can get paid to do as little as possible. for me, i prefer to be busy than to be relaxingit makes the time pass more quickly also, the more you do, the more likely you will be to get a promotion or a raise. if your boss asks the other managers within your company what they think about you when it comes to review time, you want to have as many people as possible giving you glowing reviews. if you plan to ask for a promotion, having everyone backing you up and singing your praises can only help you get the job.whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?somehow, my days usually end up being either super quiet or crazy busy. i can have nothing major to do all da y, then at the last minute three things come up that need attention right away. or there will be a week when everyones on vacation and i struggle to find things to do, but the next week they get back and i become so busy, i have to force myself to take a break to get lunch.i deal with it by trying to do things ahead of time. if i know i need to prepare for a new hire that wont be coming for another 2 weeks but i am free now, i will get as much done as possible so that im not overwhelmed if a big project comes in the next week. sometimes im so efficient that i surprise myself. ive had times where i thought uh oh, i forgot to do this only to realize that i completed it the week before in anticipation of the deadline. at those moments, i always smile to myself and think good job and realize that is what others must like about me as well.if your boss asks the other managers within your company what they think about you when it comes to review time, you want to have as many people as pos sible giving you glowing reviews.whats the most enjoyable part of the job?getting to talk to and meet new people. when i was in school, i would get in trouble for chit-chatting with people when i was supposed to be quiet. i love that now i can go over to people when theres a lull and get to know them. its especially helpful for new hires, because theyre usually quiet and shy. its great to talk to them and get to know them before everyone else and see how much they grow and all the new friends they make at the office.what is an unexpected skill an office manager needs to have?i think having a friendly relationship with the people you work with is important as an office manager. i love to be approachable, this way people know that if they have any questions or concerns, they can come to me. you can find out a lot of information about everyone, ranging from office gossip to their feelings about the environment of the company.its extremely important to use another critical skill, discre tion, to decide what to do with this information. is it suspected that two coworkers have started dating, and there is no policy going against it? keep it to yourself. do people reveal they feel overworked and under-appreciated day after day? suggest to management that since people have been working hard, a treat to say thank you may be in order. by using your social skills, you can possibly prevent a small issue (like people feeling unappreciated) from becoming a big one (like half a department quitting).what kind of money can one expect to make at your job? or, whats an average starting salary?an office managers salary can be between $27k and $100k. since thats a huge range, its really important to take a few factors into effect to determine what is accurate. where you live will usually be the biggest determinant, followed by your experience, the office size, and the industry youre working in.if you are curious, check out the expected salary from spotlight administrative assistant .how do you move up in your field?the best way to move up is to work hard, always offer to help, and be someone that people can rely on. i also believe owning up to mistakes is always better than trying to hide them. if you offer a solution to your mistake and can fix it, thats even better.find a need within your company, and work to fill it. create a list of the steps youll need to take to accomplish the goals, and create a timeline. if you have a list of deadlines for the goals you wish to accomplish, its much easier to track. when the date you set for yourself comes up, you can ask questions like am i on track with what i wished to achieve? if the answer is no, figure out where your plan derailed and to get back on track. when its time to evaluate your professional growth, you can show your manager the goals you had and the steps you took to achieve them. always keep notes of your biggest accomplishments. when it is review time a year later, it can become difficult to remember al l the things youve donebefore creating your resume and applying to jobs, think about the tasks you enjoy doing most. highlight those in your resume and look for jobs that match your skills.what do people under/over value about what you do?i think they undervalue the level of organization required. it takes effort to create a routine to know exactly when to order which items so that youre not overflowing from the cabinets or bone dry. i feel that most people dont understand everything an office manager does until they are not around. when i get back from vacation, everyone tells me how they missed me and how much i am appreciatedas for overvaluing, i find it a bit comical when someone tells me im a lifesaver because i told them where the staples are, but i do appreciate their gratitude.what advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?before creating your resume and applying to jobs, think about the tasks you enjoy doing most. highlight those in your resume and loo k for jobs that match your skills. take into account the work environment of a company and your personality and try to find something that suits you.for instance, i love start-ups because they are always changing and conversation is encouraged. i dont feel that i would thrive in a super corporate environment where my hours must be billable and i had to stay at my desk. above all, always try to keep a positive outlook, no matter what is happening. if you start to feel frustrated, take a breath, step away for a moment, and come back with fresh eyes and a clear mind.are you ready? apply for office manager jobs here.catherine sarlis is an office manager at realmatch. sheloves cats, crafts and watching disney movies on lazy saturdays. you can connect her on linkedin and instagram.

6 Ways Career Coaches are Adding Value with Jobscan - Jobscan Blog

6 Ways Career Coaches are Adding Value with Jobscan - Jobscan BlogPosted on May 24, 2018November 11, 2019 by Jon Shields Career coaches and employment specialists have been using Jobscans resume and LinkedIn optimization tools for years to supplement their coaching and provide more value to their clients.We reached out to five coaches and specialists across North America to learn about the different ways theyre using Jobscan, whetzu sich it be apersonal free or Premium accountorenterprise-level Jobscan Premium or Coach accountsLise Stransky,private and contract career coach and facilitator based in Calgary, AlbertaBob McIntosh, LinkedIn and resume consultant at the Career Center of LowellRuth Kunstadter, Career and Transitions Coach at New Pathways Coaching, LLCHannah Morgan, Assistant Director of Simon Business Schools Career Management Center at the University of RochesterJen St. Pierre, Warriors to Work Specialist at Wounded Warrior ProjectI am not a resume writer, said Lise Stran sky, who uses the Jobscan resume optimization tool right off the bat to ensure herbei clients are bringing a quality resume to the table before she gets to work. She tells her clients, I would really recommend you customize your resume before you send it to me and pay me for a review, and heres a tool to binnensee how well youve already customized it.Bob McIntosh, on the other hand, likes to utilize Jobscan to put the finishing touches on a clients resume.When we have their resume to what they think they like, I will pull up Jobscan and paste their resume as well as their job description. Thats when they can really see how successful they are in terms of keyword match and the percentage.Here are a few ways advisors are providing value to their clients and students with Jobscan1) Jobscan is a wake-up call for job seekersIts eye-opening for people, said Ruth Kunstadter. People think they have a good resume for what theyre trying to apply for, but a lot of them dont.When it comes to he lping a job seeker improve their resume, sometimes the first step is proving to them that there is room for improvement. When a job seeker sees a Jobscan Match Report with a low rating for the first time, it can cause them to take notice.The Match Rate percentage at the top of the Match Report indicates how much work there is to be done. Jobscan recommends raising your score to 80% before applying, if possible.Usually their Match Report grades arent that great and theyre really shocked, said Lise. Shocked that their resume is so, what they would say, poor. I say, No, its not poor. Its not targeted.Whatever it takes to shift that mindset, said Hannah Morgan, because this has been going on for years where the student job seekers would send that same unmodified resume to every job without customizing it like it was 1980.2) Jobscan validates what coaches are teachingIts an eye opener because its a tool that shows them what we try to tell them, which is spielblttchen out the keywords in a job posting, said Jen St. Pierre. Thats the employers language.Career specialists have known for a long time that carefully tailoring your resume to a specific job description leads to more opportunities. Getting buy-in from clients who dont want to put work into each resume is the hard part.Jobscan really becomes an advocate for us as job coaches to show the realism of it, that were not just making this up, continued Jen. Many of us have backgrounds in recruitment. We used to write job postings so we know. Its one thing to tell somebody, its another to send them a link to a detailed report that shows it in black and white.Its a good validation in terms of what Im trying to say about tailoring resumes, said Bob.The numbers are right there, said Ruth. Its not like a person telling you that. The machine is going to look at your resume and this is what the machine is going to see. Its objective.3) Jobscan motivates and holds clients accountableBecause the resume is scored with hard n umbers and objective facts, job seeking clients can build clear cut goals around resume improvement.Lets get that number up, Jen tells her clients. It gives them more of a challenge and a reason.She continued, I can do two or three rescans and theyll feel the pride of watching that number go up.As a Warriors to Work specialist, Jen can analyze resumes on a veterans behalf through her unlimited Jobscan Premium account. They dont have to pay, she said. Its already included in my contract. I love that I have unlimited because it gets me to teach them and have them come back for more.At the University of Rochesters Simon Business School, Hannahhas installed enterprise-level Jobscan Coach accounts for the staff advisors through Jobscans University program. Through Coach, Hannah and the other advisors are able to provide Jobscan Premium accounts to students, interact with them directly through Jobscan, and monitor their progress. This promotes accountability in the students and ensures th at everyone is using the resources available to them.I wouldnt know how many of the students were using Jobscan if I didnt have the Coach platform, said Hannah. With Coach, Hannah can offer better direction to the advisors she works with. For example, Hannah said she might tell an advisor of an inactive student, If theyre asking to meet with you, I would expect you to find out how many jobs theyre applying to and then find out why theyre not using Jobscan because its a tool that were giving them for free and its going to make a difference.I can also see how high they have been able to get their scores in an easy visual graph, continued Hannah. It shows the different scores that theyve had when theyve uploaded their resume.4) Jobscan helps job seekers understand applicant tracking systems (ATS)One of the things I see all the time with people that Im working with in job search, they cannot understand applicant tracking systems, said Hannah.fruchtwein companies, including 99% of Fortun e 500, use an ATS to manage, search, and filter applicants.I think students really still believe that recruiters are looking at every resume that comes through the applicant tracking system, Hannah continued.Instead of reading each resume, recruiters can search for resumes based on keywords, or allow their system to automatically rank applicants by comparing the resume to the job description. Because of this, coaches know that job seekers increase their chances by transferring keywords from the job description directly to their resume.Most people are shocked that technology has done this to job search and they dont quite get that a resume has to be customized and targeted every single time, said Lise.I think that Jobscan makes it super simple for anybody to understand what theyre supposed to do, concluded Hannah.The Hard Skills section of the Jobscan Match Report shows exactly which skills are missing from your resume.5) Jobscan saves time for job seekers and coaches alikeOne of the reasons I was excited to use Jobscan at this point in the year is that students are in a mad dash to try and find jobs, said Hannah. As a result, they dont think they have time to customize their resume. Theyre afraid and dont want to miss out on the opportunity, so they just keep sending out the same old resume. We know that thats not effective, especially since these students are only using the applicant tracking system process. Jobscan gives them the tools to apply to more jobs more quickly and be a better match.The majority of the advisors and student workers who were using it said, Yeah, this is definitely going to save time for the students and for me, continued Hannah. If theyve been using Jobscan before they meet with me, I can look at a resume thats a much better version of what it should be and it makes it easier for me to analyze and help the student modify.What we used to do before we had Jobscan is font that all out in an email, because if I did it over the phone it ju st goes in one ear and out the other, said Jen. I would type it all out dont use the same action word, measurable results it would take me forever because every resume was different. Jobscan has really made me more efficient and effective in what I do. Im not having to take the time to type this all out in an email. I literally cut and paste and send them a link.6) Jobscan goes beyond ATSI really like it not just for the ATS stuff, said Ruth. It makes people reframe their view of how theyre presenting themselves and how menschenwrdig eyes would view it.Focusing the resume for human readersThe process of optimizing for ATS can also make a resume read more clearly for a human recruiter.I always tell people, you need to give recruiters the 3-year-old connect-the-dots version, said Ruth. If its human eyes looking at your resume, theyre going to have between 3- and 6-seconds to decide if you meet their needs.Part of what Im doing is training them on how to approach employers and the job search process from a value proposition point of view, said Ruth, linking themselves to the employers needs rather than bringing a three-page resume listing every single job. Its not about what they did, its about what they can do for the company. I think that using Jobscan is a really good way for them to see how theyre seen by a person looking at the resume.LinkedIn optimizationJobscan isnt just about resumes. Coaches and employment specialists can also use Jobscan to guide their clients to a more effective LinkedIn profile.Most of our students are not really embracing LinkedIn, said Hannah. Im trying to be that advocate and say, You need this tool for the rest of your career. So its gonna pay to start investing in learning how to nurture relationships and how to present yourself now. I think that LinkedIn Optimization is a phenomenal asset of Jobscan, and Im so glad that you have introduced that tool.Jobscan loves coaches. Coaches love JobscanLise Its a visual representation that a lot of people understand. Im very happy with it.Ruth Its so user-friendly that I dont need to walk them through the first part of it at all.Jen I just love it. It continues to get better and better. Theres just so many facets to it.Hannah Overall its helping our staff level-up.Jobscans mission is to provide the best tools for job seekers. If youre a career coach, employment specialist, or university advisor, learn more about how you can empower your clients or students at these pagesPartners Bring Jobscan to Your OrganizationCoach Provide Premium Accounts for Your ClientsIndividual Get a Jobscan Account for YourselfFacebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

Signs of a Poor Manager - Spark Hire

Signs of a Poor Manager - Spark HireHave you ever had a bad boss? Chances are yes, because if you have been in the job market and had even just a few jobs, the likelihood of one of those bosses being terrible is pretty high. A bad boss can really make an employees day- well, everyday for that matter- awful. schwimmbad managers can also bring the morale of the entire team down while compromising the company culture. Its easy to spot a bad boss for yourself, but do you think you would be able to tell if you were a bad boss or not? What if you were the boss that your employees really disliked? Who, me? It can be really difficult to spot the negatives in ourselves, especially when we are supposed to be in charge of leading others. However, if no one is a poor manager (according to themselves) then where are all of ansicht bad managers coming from?The fact of the matter is, though you may not be a poor manager, you may also have no idea if you are. No one is going to walk up to you and te ll you that you are a poor manager since that would note bode very well for them. Instead, just to be sure, take a look at some of these signs of a poor manager and take some time to see if you fit the mold at all. The good news is that if you do, there is always time to departure making some changes. If you dont fit the mold then congratulations But dont let it get to your head.Perhaps one of the first- and most obvious- signs of a bad manager is that the majority of their employees are unhappy. Here at Spark Hire we talk a lot about employee engagement and employee morale so you should certainly be able to pinpoint whether or not your employees are happy and engaged with their jobs. As Small Business Chron points out, there will always be employees that are talking behind your back. That kind of just comes with the territory. You delegate tasks and inevitably someone will have an issue with how you operate. On the other hand though, its very different if your entire team is voicin g concern and is unhappy with you as their manager.Just the other day we talked about how a high turnover rate impacts your company. If your department or team in particular has a pretty high turnover rate, then it may be time to look at your management skills and style. It could be the job, true, but if people on your team are constantly dropping like flies, its probably you. If you suspect this is the situation you are in, start first by communicating with your team to see how they are feeling.Going along with this first indication, decreased or low productivity is another sign that your management style isnt quite working. When employees dislike their manager, or feel they are working for a poor manager, its somewhat difficult to be highly productive. Chances are they feel you are not the best person for the leader position, are disengaged with their work and do what it takes to just slide by. Your employees probably arent going above and beyond and their motivation is probably p retty low- or non-existent. Make sure that you are a manager that shows employee appreciation in buchen to keep the morale and motivation up. Set clear goals and make sure you and your employees are on the same page. The best way to do this is to have continual communication.Another thing that Small Business Chron points out about poor managers is that they are generally afraid of change. In order to succeed and grow as a company, there needs to be change. If you seem to always be resisting change then it may be time to wake up and change yourself. In order for your team to be the best, you need to grab hold of the latest techniques, technology or news in your industry. You cannot grow if you do not try new things out and change. Be more open to new things and remember that you want your team to be the best it can be, and that cannot come without some changes down the line.Last in line for the characteristics of a bad manager is poor listening skills. When we were talking about how to keep a team motivated just a couple days ago, we mentioned how important it is to listen to your employees to show them you value their opinion. Not only that, but employees want more than anything to feel in on things and that includes listening to what they have to say. In fact, employees want this more than better wages, according to the infographic. If you are striving to be a good manager, then start by listening to your employees. It can really make a world of difference.If you need some more guidance in terms of how to be a great manager, take a look at the 7 highly effective habits of good managers and start striving to be that manager that your employees appreciate and enjoy working for.Do you think that your management skills could use a little spruce up? Leave a comment with any questions you have or just share with us your storyIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by mateoutah

6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Co-Working Space

6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Co-Working Space6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Co-Working Space After landing a work-from-home job , I had to find a co-working space. But having never worked remotely, I had no idea how to prioritize the half-dozen spaces near me.There will be an estimated 14,000 co-working spaces worldwide by the end of 2017, according to Deskmags annual report .So, how do you choose a space? A co-working space can help you network and be more productive - if you can find the right one.Sixty-eight percent of professionals reported that theyre better able to focus in a co-working space, according to a 2016 survey performed by international architecture firm HOK .Its empowering to be able to choose where you work. You just have to make sure you choose the right office. Here are six important factors to consider whether youre an employee like me, a freelancer or an entrepreneur.The average American workers commute to a co-working space is ju st 18 minutes, according to 2016 data from Deskmag .If you get to choose the location of your office, you might as well choose one thats an easy commute from your home. I went from a 45-minute bike ride into midtown Manhattan to walking five blocks in my Brooklyn neighborhood.Some of my co-working space colleagues are entrepreneurs . For them, location matters in a different way. They needed to choose a space thats geographically close to potential employees and clients.No matter what kind of worker you are, youll probably want an office that has restaurants nearby and is in a safe neighborhood. The best co-working spaces might also have backyards, a connected gym or parking for your car or bike.The office should have clean bathrooms, easy-to-reserve meeting rooms and high-quality desks and chairs. But consider the more abstract aspects of the work environment before committing to one co-working space over another.The fact is, we all work differently. You might prefer a dead-quiet environment where you can be anonymous and focus on your work. On the other hand, you might like some social interaction.Similarly, a writer might prefer lots of natural light coming into the office, while a web developer might prefer coding in the dark.Where you fall on these spectrums might be a driving force in the co-working space you choose. Im an introvert who likes to work in a quiet atmosphere, for example, so I chose a space that forbids loud conversations. Instead, it has booths for phone calls and conference rooms for team chats .There are also co-working spaces that might play music loudly or encourage intraoffice banter. If thats your thing, make sure your co-working space has this kind of vibe.Just ensure that its noise you can handle on a regular basis. One of my extroverted colleagues left her co-working space, in part, because she was seated next to a telemarketer who repeated the same spiel day after day - and that became an annoying distraction.One of the bene fits of choosing where you work is being able to decide when you work. But not all co-working spaces offer 24/7 service.If flexibility is important to you, consider co-working spaces that allow you to work nights, weekends or whenever you want.Along with building access, ask about the security of your potential office space. My workspace, for example, doesnt encourage leaving expensive equipment at our desks but does provide free lockers.And although you might prefer a smaller, boutique co-working space, a national chain co-working space could offer a major convenience. WeWork, which claims 218 offices in 53 cities, for example, gives its members the benefit of accessing its locations while youre on business trips.If youre a member of a WeWork in New York City, for example, you could stop by one of its Los Angeles locations if your work takes you to the other side of the country.Once youve found the right kind of co-working space, youll want to make sure you have friendly neighbor s. Take a tour of the office and observe your potential co-workers. It wouldnt hurt to ask a couple of them about their experience in the workplace.If youre an extroverted freelancer or an entrepreneur, you might also like to look into the backgrounds of your office mates. You might be inspired by fellow writers, for example, or in the market for web development talent. A future friend or employee could occupy the desk or office next to yours.The best co-working spaces offer more formal networking opportunities. Some spaces even sponsor in-house events and meetups to foster community and collaboration. Typically, these are the spaces with long-term members, not those that offer hourly or daily passes.Now youll want to make sure you can afford the co-working space. If youre a freelancer managing your finances , for example, you should have a good handle on how much you can spend on a workspace.fruchtwein spaces allow you to rent monthly. Be wary of signing an annual agreement, unle ss youre 100 percent sure youll make the most of it.Also, watch out for a space that might nickel and dime you above and beyond a flat rental fee. Finally, ask about billing before signing up. Youll want this process to be seamless, particularly if you need to expense your rental charges to your employer each month.Work-from-home jobs offer great perks , but your co-working space should too.Hopefully, you have a few attractive co-working spaces near you. If you need a good tiebreaker, list out the perks youd love in an office and see which contender offers more of them.Think beyond essentials like speedy internet, comfortable chairs and free use of an all-in-one printer. Here are some next-level perks to look out forThe best co-working spaces offer more of these frills than their peers. To make them count, rank your preferred perks before comparing workspaces. That way, you know exactly what your needs and wants are beforehand.I found my co-working space by clicking around Google Ma ps. But there are good resources for narrowing your search. You can use Coworker to find spaces and read user reviews, for example.If youre not ready to make a long-term commitment, dont worry. You can try co-working spaces on a short-term basis with apps and websites like Desktime and Desksurfing . They might also be useful for digital nomads traveling internationally .For those of you who are ready to lay down your roots, your research isnt done yet. Once youve narrowed down your options, take a tour of the office. Ask for a trial period, even if its for one workday.If you find yourself missing home or your local coffee shop, keep searching for the best co-working spaces near you.This article was originally published on Student Loan Hero . It is reprinted with permission.

How to win when you reach your breaking point

How to win when you reach your breaking pointHow to win when you reach your breaking pointMost moments in life shape us, but some define us.Occasionally, an instant has the magnitude to be life-changing - it can define who we are and, most importantly, what we become.We all face a breaking point in life.Even successful people have faced theirs. Actually, thats why they became who they are - they didnt let that moment break them. With courage and focus, they turned a defining moment on their favor.A breaking point tests you - its your chance to realize your true potential. But, first, you have to turn things around. Breaking points make or break us - it depends on you to emerge victorious.The dripping faucetIts leid the load that breaks you down, its the way you carry it. - Lou HoltzMost people crack up when their stress levels become unsustainable - they lose control of the situation.A breaking point is a moment of stress in which we break down - it feels like you are never go ing to get up back again. We are more than under pressure - the situation becomes critical for our survival.Everyone faces a breaking point - we all get there in distinct ways.Some people simmer and then, all of a sudden, they explode. Others, resist being under pressure and may just stop responding entirely. Many overreact to a situation that might feel normal to someone else.Stress builds up over time until we can no longer cope with it.Deepak Chopra refers to chronic stress as hearing a dripping faucet. First, you bedrngnisice it, then you get irritated and finally, you cant stand it anymore. By the time you get to Stage 3, its time to fix the drip. - the spiritual teacher explains.People reach their breaking point in different ways. Getting someone to confess to a crime means the suspect has been broken - the person cannot cope with the external pressure. Interrogators succeed by precipitating a sense of helplessness, an underlying sense of guilt, or an inability to acknowle dge ones vulnerabilities.The paradox is that not realizing our vulnerability makes us weaker. By not acknowledging that they can be broken, people are broken.Life is a tennis matchA man who wins is a man who thinks he can. - Roger FedererStress is cumulative our reaction to it doesnt need to follow the saatkorn pattern. Overcoming stress is not about strength, but wisdom.How do you deal with breaking points?In most sports, the player who scores last may have little impact on the final result. However, in tennis, the player who scores last is always the winner.A break point occurs when a tennis player is a point away from winning a game in which the opponent is serving. Its generally easier to win a game of tennis when you serve - breaking an opponents service increases your odds of winning.In life, as in tennis, not all points matter the same - some define the outcome of the match.Take Roger Federer - the greatest tennis player of all times - as an example. For every single num ber of break points won, Federers chances of winning a match are much higher than his chances of losing.Conversely, saving a break point not only keeps your chances alive but boosts your confidence. Great tennis players break their adversaries, right after surviving a break point on their own service.How you deal with breaking points has enduring consequences.Why we face breaking pointsA breaking point is a moment of greatest strain - most of us give away. We feel so much pressure. There are so many things going on - we can no longer deal with them.Often, one drop after another makes us explode. Others, a single situation can precipitate everything and make us lose control. Sometimes, we are afraid of uncertainty and turn an event into a life-or-death drama.Interestingly enough, the breaking points are the moments in which we need to stay calmer.Deepak Chopra identifies three stages that turn the dripping faucet into a make-or-break situation.Stage 1 You are aware of being under p ressure, but still feel centered.Stage 2 Stress clouds your judgment, and you start to lose control. You have to make a conscious effort not to respond with anger, anxiety, or impatience.Stage 3 You cant cope any longer, and you explode - you release your tension momentarily but feel embarrassed and regretful.Chronic stress gets you irritated, one drop at-a-time, until you cannot tolerate it any longer. Your brain is triggered to respond - it releases stress hormones that throw you out of balance.Busyness is a harmful mindset. You work until you cant take any more responsibilities. You fool yourself by pretending to multitask - you think you make progress though you are not paying real attention to any task. You are regularly checking your phones notifications - you cant enjoy the here and now when your mind is always somewhere else.Life is a balancing act - everything is continually in motion. Research shows that trying to control every event is harmful - suppressing our emot ions increases our stress.We cant avoid facing a breaking point, but we can manage how we react. Thats why Federer Roger is so good at saving break points while he is serving. He stays in the flow instead of panicking - Federer plays a break point like a regular one. The Swiss player avoids turning a crucial moment into a life-or-death situation.Overcoming breaking points requires balance - prevention is the best cure.Win the mental matchOnce you stop learning, you start dying. - Albert EinsteinWhen you face a critical point, you are the only one who can save yourself. Winning or losing is a mental game. Other people can provide support, but the game is played inside your mind. Your emotional reaction is everything - you need to build a first responders mindset.Columbia Universitys George Bonanno coined a term PTE (Potentially Traumatic Event) - an event is not traumatic unless we experience it as such. You can turn an adverse moment into a breaking point or not.Balance lies wi thin yourself, as I wrote here - remaining centered during a stressful moment increases your odds. Here are some thoughts to help you win the mental match.Always adapt, never reactFighting what we dont know or cant control its inherently human. ur brain loves being in charge. Thats why we feel anxious when facing breaking points - we want to be in control of every situation.Take time to acknowledge your emotions. Are you angry? Sad? Disappointed?Self-awareness is critical to pause and reflect - connect with your emotions but dont react. Learn to acknowledge and observe your thoughts rather than through them. Dont let your emotions cloud your vision. Or determine how you behave.Practice builds resilienceRecovering from break points takes time and practice. Its an ability that you develop through time - be patient and willing to put the effort.Federer has saved hundreds of break points in his career - thats why he stays so calm when facing one. Once you get used to playing at lim it situations, its easier not to let your emotions take over. Remind yourself of similar past situations Ive been there, done that. I can do it again.Send a katechese to the worldWhen you are against the ropes, saving a break point boosts more than your self-confidence - you are saying that you are alive and kicking.Treat your breaking points as a match. Dont let your opponent win - stay focused and balanced. Whats your message to the world? Be grateful for every breaking point you overcome. Share your experience so others can learn from you too.Turn your mind into an allyRoutine, distractions, and busyness debilitate our mind - we feel like living on autopilot. Prepare yourself to face breaking points. Meditation and other mindful practices can turn your mind into your best ally.Practice strengthening your mind - become familiar with yourself so that you can deal better with unexpected events. Embracing your own vulnerability makes you stronger. When you let go of the pressure to be perfect, you can flow and play more freely.Utilize social supportWe are social beings - you cannot win alone. Tennis players fire up the crowd after saving a break point. They need all the support they can get to stay focused and win the next point.Your success depends on the strength of your relationships. Identify the key people that can provide you with support or advice - tap into all the help you can to overcome breaking points. Check out this simple exercise to realize and leverage the power of others.- - - We all face breaking points in our lives - they dont just challenge us, they define us.Remember, prevention is always the best medicine. Learn to live a balanced life. Dont wait for your next breaking point to start training your mind.This article first appeared on Medium.

How to Showcase Leadership Skills on Your Resume

How to Showcase Leadership Skills on Your Resume How to Showcase Leadership Skills on Your Resume Leadership is an essential function of successful management that helps to maximize work efficiency and to achieve organizational goals. Regardless of the type of the job youre looking for or a companys size, leadership skills are paramount. They belong to the group of the most sought-after soft skills that employers look for in candidates.Your first contact with a hiring company or organization is through the job application and resume, so how can you demonstrate leadership skills without speaking with an employer or recruiter? It all comes down to the way you write the resume. Here are some top tips on how to optimize your resume with enhanced leadership skills.Provide ExamplesAn average employer or recruiter gets hundreds of resumes for any given job position. The chances of getting an interview increase for those who stand out. The most important thing you can do when showing off lea dership skills on a resume is to provide specific examples. Its common for applicants to state they have great leadership skills without providing evidence. To stand out, mention some leadership-related accomplishments from a previous job. Ask yourself two questions what did I do and how did I do it.Here are a few examplesCoached my team and to adopt a new business strategy (mention details about the strategy)Successfully organized seminars, meetings, team-building activities, and collaborations with other companiesHad to quickly adapt to changes (include specific example) and prepare for unforeseen circumstancesQuantify Measurable ResultsQualities of a good leader dont stop with the ability to motivate and lead others, they also extend to work efficiency and specific, measurable results. When writing about achievements from previous jobs, always quantify your results with statistics and hard numbers. In fact, avoid vague descriptions entirely. Employers appreciate concise writing a nd resumes that get straight to the point.Learn more about how to write strong measurable results39 Accomplishment Examples for your ResumeThe Simple Formula for Identifying Key AchievementsUse Leadership Skills Mentioned in the Job DescriptionDo you use the same resume every time youre applying for a job? Generic resumes dont portray your skills as successfully as youd like. They fail to show what makes you the best candidate for a specific job. Instead of sending the same resume to every employer, optimize it to fit the specific responsibilities.Companies provide detailed job descriptions whenever they need new employees. Read that description thoroughly and modify the resume in order to meet the criteria. Why is this important? Leadership isnt just about the way you act or things you write, its also about the way you organize your writing. Generic resumes and those that dont match criteria are a sign of poor organizational skills, which are important for good leadership.Basically , simply by tailoring and organizing your resume you can help an employer or recruiter consider you as a person of action, someone whos efficient and gets the job done. You can also mention specific leadership skills from the job description and give examples to prove how you demonstrate them. This shows that you actually read the job post and found a way to present your skills to match their needs.You can automate this process by scanning your resume with Jobscan.Try it hereInclude Words Associated with LeadershipVocabulary is your best friend. The choice of words in the resume can help depict leadership skills. Take some time when writing your resume, explore the vocabulary, and dont be afraid to use action verbs.Here are examples of words that are associated with leadership campaign, advocate, engage, mobilize, mentor, empower, delegate, commitment, enable, lead, assemble, enlist, instill, stimulate, elect, guide, coach. Use words like these to emphasize your ability to lead.High light Communication SkillsThe difference between good and bad leaders at the workplace is their ability to use and encourage communication within the department or company. After all, if you cant communicate properly with both inferiors and superiors, you will leid be able to achieve organizational goals. When writing a resume, demonstrate the ability to speak and listen.Bottom LineLeadership at the workplace is of the huge importance of companys success. Since your first contact with an organization is through your resume, optimize it in a way that highlights your ability to lead and inspire others in a constructive and productive manner. Even the choice of words in the resume can enhance your leadership qualities. Good luck.Lucy Benton is a writing coach, an editor who finds her passion in expressing own thoughts as a blogger and currently works at Proessaywriting. She is constantly looking for the ways to improve her skills and expertise. Also Lucy has her own blog ProWriting whe re you can check her last publications.

Compulsory Mechanical Licenses for Music Recordings

Compulsory Mechanical Licenses for Music RecordingsCompulsory Mechanical Licenses for Music RecordingsThere are several varieties of license to consider when you have a copyrighted work. Compulsory mechanical licenses are an important exception to copyright rules. Under compulsory license rules, you have to allow someone to use your recording whether you like it or not. Anybody can obtain a compulsory mechanical license without express permission from the copyright holder. This kind of license is important to understandbut doesnt come into play very often. The administration is extremely time-consuming, and the work required just to prove you qualify for the license is difficult enough. Compulsory Mechanical License Basics A compulsory mechanical license is a license that the owner of a copyright has to issue. In the U.S., mechanical royalties earned under a compulsory license are paid to the copyright owner on the license at the so-called statutory rate, which is the rate tischs et by the Copyright Board for ansicht licenses. The statutory rate is currently 9.1 cents or 1.75 cents per minute of composition, whichever is greater, per unit. A compulsory license provides that the owner of a patent or copyright-licenses the use of their rights against payment either set by law or determined through some form of adjudication or arbitration. In essence, under a compulsory license, an individual or company seeking to use anothers intellectual property can do so without seeking the rights holders consent and pays the rights holder a set fee for the license. When an Intellectual Property Law Exception Is Made for Compulsory Mechanical Licenses This is an exception to the general rule under intellectual property laws that the intellectual property owner enjoys exclusive rights that it may license - or decline to license - to others. Compulsory mechanical licenses can only be requested under very specific circumstances. First, a compulsory license must be grante d to anyone who wants to release an audio recording of your work. Second, a compulsory license can be issued if it will be used for a payment that is a legal obligation. The Rules of a Compulsory Mechanical License If one of those initial rules apply, there are other circumstances that must be met before a compulsory mechanical is granted, which include the following criteria The recording in question must be non-dramatic. Although non-dramatic is a vague term, it is usually assumed to mean a recording associated with a dramatic performance, like a song used in a musical or an opera. The song must have already been recorded and distributed by the copyright owner. Another way this is stated is that the copyright owner gets first use of their creation. Note that the copyright owner has to be the one who recorded it if someone else steals their work and records it, that doesnt qualify as previously recorded. Also, recording it is not enough. The copyright owner has to have made it available for public consumption. Only audio recordings can be made. These audio recordings include physical phonorecords and digitally distributed copies of an audio recording. No major changes can be made to the work. You are not allowed to change the lyrics or make other substantial changes to the original song. If all of these requirements are met, a compulsory mechanical license can be issued. Once a compulsory mechanical is in place, there are certain rules that have to be followed that differ from a standard, non-compulsory license. Monthly Accounting and Royalties Under a compulsory mechanical, accounting to the copyright owner by the license holder is done once a month (a requirement that makes compulsory mechanicals extremely unattractive to many). With compulsory mechanicals, there is a limit on the reserves the license holder can withhold and these reserves must be sold and paid out on at certain intervals. Further, royalties are due on every copy made and distribute d rather than made and sold, which means royalties are paid on promotional copies and other free stuff handed out by thelicense holder. The monthly accounting requirement is what makes these licenses unattractive. That said, compulsory mechanical licenses are very important to understand because of the framework they lay out for standard mechanical licenses, particularly the statutory rate. The statutory rate becomes the de facto ceiling price for a mechanical license. No one will pay over the statutory rate, and in fact, many record labels pay less than the statutory rate to their artists.