15 Companies Hiring Opportunity Youth

15 Companies Hiring Opportunity Youth15 Companies Hiring Opportunity Youth When many people talk about diversity and inclusion recruiting, the narrow focus can hone in on racial or ethnic diversity. However, a growing number of companies are opening up the focus to recruit new collar workers or those without traditional degrees. Many of ansicht new collar workers are also known as opportunity youth, according to GradsofLife.org .Opportunity youth are people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor working. According to recent reports, out of the 38.9 million Americans who fall into the 16 24 age range, about 6.7 million can be described as Opportunity Youth. These young men and women represent a social and economic opportunity - they are eager to work hard, contribute to society, and help their communities.Whether youre under 24 and hungry to carve out a promising future or you know of someone who is an opportunity youth, check out these 15 exci ting companies that are investing in this diverse community and hiring now. Apply and transform your life.1. 3M Company Rating 3.8 Details In 2016, 3M committed to giving real work exposure and mentorship to 400 Opportunity Youth over the next 10 years. The companys current initiative STEP (Science Training Encouragement Program) affords learning and internship opportunities for about 40 Opportunity Youth annually in St. Paul, MN. -This program exposes youth to hands-on training and students are paired with 3M mentors to create stronger career pathways. 3M is also committed to training youth for future careers and evaluating its own job descriptions and screen processes to ensure they are accessible to teens and young adults. Open Roles Data Analyst, Manufacturing Associate, Logistic Execution Warehouse Lead, Manufacturing Product Engineer, Supply Chain Analyst, IT Data Conversion Analyst, Production Operator, Multi Skilled Maintenance Technician & more. Where Hiring Brook ings, SD Maplewood, MN Cottage Grove, MN Charlotte, NC Quapaw, OK & more.2. AT&T Company Rating 3.4 Details To help reduce employment barriers, AT&T removed the requirement for a resume during the application process and have provided alternatives to requiring years of experience. The company also provide various aids for applicants, including test guides, job coaches, and educational opportunities to train up for a particular role. Open Roles Warehouse Assistant, Senior Specialist, Part-TimeSales Support Representative, Assistant Vice President Technology, NetOps Specialist Junior, Brand Ambassador & more. Where Hiring Seattle, WA Dallas, TX Twentynine Palms, CA Cleveland, OH Pleasanton, CA San Ramon, CA San Francisco, CA Quantico, VA Columbia, MD & more.3. Baxter Company Rating 3.4 Details Baxter is committed to providing opportunities for all employees, and recognizes that every individuals unique background and experiences contribute to a successful organization. Bax ter is building partnerships with community-based organizations like Grads of Life that embrace and support diverse stakeholder groups. Open Roles Product Technician II, QA Associate, Cybersecurity Analyst, Prep Group Leader, Sr. IT Manager, Quality Analyst, Nursing Clinical Consultant, Regulatory Affairs Manager & more. Where Hiring Bloomington, IN Marion, NC Cleveland, MS Deerfield, IL Round Lake, IL Louisville, KT Nashville, TN & more.4. Citi Citi Foundation Company Rating 3.5 Details Through Pathways to Progress, the Citi Foundation is focused on providing youth with the career readiness tools and opportunities needed to thrive in the 21st century economy. Pathways to Progress comprises programs across the globe that are helping youth build an entrepreneurial mindset, acquire leadership, financial and workplace skills, and begin to engage in the formal economy through a first job. In 2014, as part of its Pathways to Progress approach, the Citi Foundation made a three-ye ar, $50 million commitment to boost the career readiness of 100,000 low-income youth, ages 16-24, in 10 cities across the United States. The effort is strengthened by the active involvement of Citi volunteers in these markets. Open Roles Home Lending Officer, Part-Time Teller, Full-Time Analyst, Personal Banker, Residential Real Estate Loan Officer, Bilingual Spanish Speaking Part Time Teller, Senior Compliance Officer & more. Where Hiring San Francisco, CA Long Island City, NY Tampa, FL Jersey City, NJ OFallon, MO Irving, TX Charlotte, NC & more.5. Dermalogica Company Rating 2.8 Details In 2014, Dermalogica committed, under the FITE initiative, to launch FITE Future Entrepreneurs in partnership with the International Dermal Institute in order to create a pathway to entrepreneurship for at-risk young women who inspire to work in the skincare industry. Through a scholarship application process, Dermalogica will identify and select up to ten young women in the New York area to go through a complete industry education and on the job training program over the next two years that includes undergraduate education, necessary materials and supplies, mentorship, secondary/graduate study, and apprenticeship/job placement. Open Roles National Account Manager, Retail Associate, District Sales Manager, E-Commerce Manager & more. Where Hiring Carson, CA Virginia Orange, CA Redondo Beach, CA & more.6. Hasbro Company Rating 3.8 Details In September 2014, long-term partners Hasbro and Year Up Providence launched a first of its kind workforce training program for local opportunity youth, ages 18-24, within Hasbros World Sales and absatzwirtschaft headquarters in Rhode Island. Using Year Ups one-year training model as the blueprint, the Transforming Talent program combines intensive job and life skills training, an earn-while-you-learn structure, multiple levels of support and corporate internships in Hasbros North American Sales and Marketing Division. Upon succ essful completion of the Transforming Talent program in July 2015, Hasbro is committed to providing participants full-time employment with Hasbros North American Sales and Marketing team. Open Roles Retail Merchandiser, Sr. Finance Coordinator, Small Doll Design Co-Op, Sr. Financial Analyst, Sales Representative, Associate Operations Planner & more. Where Hiring Pawtucket, RI Renton, WA Sugar Land, TX Providence, RI Binghamton, NY & more.7. Mastercard Company Rating 3.8 Details In 2017, Mastercard will launch a new First Opportunity pilot program in St. Louis, working with local community partners to identify recent high school graduates or GED recipients ages 18-24. Intern fellows will participate in a year-long program with extensive training and the possibility to extend the fellowship for one year. This program will provide fellows with skills that can be applied to appropriate available positions at the company and other organizations. Open Roles Business Leader, Visu al Designer, Sr Specialist of Implementation, Director of Product Innovation, Senior Engineer, Senior Consultant of Software Engineering, Director of Product Delivery & more. Where Hiring OFallon, MO Purchase, NY Miami, FL Saint Louis, MO & more.8. Marriott Company Rating 3.8 Details Marriott Foundations 25-year program, Bridges from School to Work, is committing to help businesses hire opportunity youth with disabilities. Over the next five years, Bridges will help meet the employment needs of at least 5,000 diverse urban youth with disabilities, whose unemployment rates are estimated to be 2-3 times higher than their non-disabled peers. Bridges staff in nine major U.S. cities make job matches that meet employer needs and align with young adults skills and interests this model of coaching both youth and employers has resulted in more than 16,000 first jobs since the programs inception. Open Roles Banquets Aide Houseperson, Director of Restaurants and Bars, Housekeeping Aide , Lounge Servicer, Signature Butler, Front Desk Agent, Door Attendant, Guest Service Representative, Housekeeping Supervisor & more. Where Hiring Orlando, FL San Francisco, CA Bethesda, MD Atlanta, GA Lake Buena Vista, FL Austin, TX Rancho Mirage, CA & more.9. New York Life Company Rating 3.5 Details New York Life Insurance is committing that Opportunity Youth will make up at least one-third of all its interns over the next 3-5 years and it will convert an average of 50 percent of those Opportunity Youth to full-time employees. Interns will be paired with executive sponsors and will receive regular professional and life skills training. Open Roles Bilingual Korean Customer Service Representative, Senior Associate, Change Management Lead, Customer Service Representative, Payroll Specialist, Domain Architect Where Hiring Dallas, TX Walnut Creek, CA New York, NY Jersey City, NJ Alpharetta, GA Tampa, FL & more.10. Ochsner Health System Company Rating 3.9 Details Ochsner He alth Systems 28 hospitals and 60 health clinics in Louisiana and Mississippi were experiencing high turnover of medical assistants. New hires lacked the soft skills required for dealing with patients and other medical staff. They partnered with Delgado Community College to develop a program through which Ochsner would train its own medical assistants. They received planning grants through a New Orleans Works initiative and the Greater New Orleans Foundation. They were shocked when 504 people applied for the first 20 training slots. Students come to Ochsners medical facilities for on-the-job clinical training once a week during the 15-week program. They also job shadow medical professionals in various departments and take the medical assistant national certification exam, which helps build their self-confidence. Ochsner reserves training slots for entry-level workers already on staff as well. Open Roles Radiation Therapist, Registered Nurse, ICU Staff RN, Medical Assistant, Urgent Care Assistant, Medical Technologist, Driver/Supply Chain Technician, Surgical Technician, & more. Where Hiring New Orleans, LA Gretna, LA Baton Rouge, LA & more.11. PG&E Company Rating 3.5 Details Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is committed to providing scholarships and internships to youth throughout Northern and Central California. PG&E will also provide training and mentoring opportunities with its employees in both operational field roles and entry-level engineering positions. PG&E plans to begin its pilot program in June 2017 in partnership with local high schools, colleges, workforce and non-profit partners. Open Roles ADM Support Lead, Cybersecurity Solution Analyst, IT Compliance Assessor, Technical System Specialist, Regulatory Case Coordinator, Lead Building Mechanic, ECAP Specialist & more. Where Hiring San Ramon, CA Concord, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Moss Landing, CA Stockton, CA & more.12. Salesforce Company Rating 4.2 Details In 2014, the Salesforc e.com Foundation committed to scaling and expanding its youth mentoring and internship programs by expanding existing partnerships, initiating new partnerships, and educating other businesses on the benefits of youth engagement. The Salesforce.com Foundation will expand its partnership with Year Up and Genesys Works to provide job training to Opportunity Youth, and will scale and expand its mentoring and workforce development program BizAcademy. Open Roles Senior Sales Engineer, Software Lead, Commodity Manager, Product Designer, Diversity Program Lead, Recruiting Coordinator, Staff Accountant, Contracts Negotiator & more. Where Hiring San Francisco, CA Chicago, IL Dusseldorf, Sydney hauptstadt von irland & more.13. Viacom Company Rating 3.6 Details Viacom is committed to hiring 60-80 Opportunity Youth into internships in Viacom locations across the country each year. In addition, Viacom will take steps such as expanding job preparedness training and mentorship to create e ven stronger career paths for Opportunity Youth. Open Roles Domestic Tax Analyst, Media Manager, Assistant Treasurer, Content Designer, Executive Assistant, Counsel, Manager of Animation & more. Where Hiring Miami, FL Minneapolis, MN Hollywood, CA Burbank, CA Franklin, N & more.14. Starbucks Company Rating 3.8 Details Building on its initial commitment to hire 10,000 Opportunity Youth by 2018 and investing in Opportunity Youth training and mentorship, Starbucks founded the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, a coalition of now more than 50 companies committed to hiring and supporting Opportunity Youth. Together these employers have already hired more than 100,000 Opportunity Youth, and invested in key communities with signature Opportunity Fairs that have set a new standard for excellence in resources and experiences for youth. Open Roles Store Designer, Barista, Shift Manager, Team Member, & more. Where Hiring Corte Madera, CA Seattle, WA Scottsdale, AZ Berkeley, CA Arlin gton, CA Washington, DC Chevy Chase, MD & more.15. Xerox Company Rating 2.6 Details Xerox Services is committed to hiring high school graduates for customer service positions and will waive required work experience for eligible students who have completed the Jobs for Washingtons Graduates program in Washington State. Xerox will also share its program and results with a state-wide network of local Workforce Development Councils to inform policy, best practices and action. Xerox will also expand this program to support hiring in our Xerox Services locations in seven additional cities. Open Roles Service Technician, Finance Administrator, Account Executive, Recruitment Partner, Marketing Manager, POS Account Manager, Sales Manager, Supply Chain Summer Intern, Customer Service Associate, Document Imaging Specialist & more. Where Hiring Tulsa, OK Webster, NY Charlotte, NC San Francisco, CA Austin, TX Bakersfield, CA & more.

Recommendation Letter Sample for a Valued Employee

Recommendation Letter Sample for a Valued EmployeeRecommendation Letter Sample for a Valued EmployeeLooking for a recommendation letter sample to use as a guide when you write your own recommendation letters? This recommendation letter sample is written for a valued employee who is moving on to a new opportunity at a new location for family reasons. Because of the nature of herbei work, you have agreed that it requires an onsite employee. You are invested in helping this employee advance her career at her new location as you valued the employees commitment and contribution during her time with your organization. Employees must leave your organization for reasons that can include spouse relocation, graduation from college, family needs, and promotional opportunities that your organization cannot currently offer. Especially for an employee whom you have valued, a recommendation letter will assist the employee to obtain his or her next job. Written on company stationery, with a clearly printed address and telephone, and the recommenders name and job title, the recommendation letter provides a sometimes needed boost to a job searchers credentials. The fact that the letter exists says a lot about the integrity and contributions of its subject to a potential employer. You will want your Human Resources office to review your recommendation letter before you send it. Some organizations have policies that require this oversight others ask employees not to write recommendation letters at all. They prefer that all recommendations come from Human Resources. Know your organizations policies before writing a recommendation letter. Use this recommendation letter sample to write about an employee who made positive contributions to your organization. This recommendation letter is for an employee whom you want to help. Recommendation Letter Sample Stephanie Harris123 Main StreetAnytown, CA 12345Office 517-687-3469Cell 517-272-3465stephanie.harrisemail.comSeptember 1, 2018Human R esourcesAcme Networking123 Business Rd.Business City, NY 54321To Whom It May ConcernThis is a letter of recommendation for Linda Fisher. Linda reported to me for the past four years as my administrative assistant in the training and organization development department at State University.While Lindas title welches administrative assistant, the title does not accurately describe her actual contributions to the department. She was the glue that held all of the activities of the department together. She stayed on top of all consulting projects and training classesand coordinated the steps in their planning, implementation, and follow-up.Linda was responsible for managing the office and for providing oversight and direction to two receptionists/schedulers. The schedulers who enrolled our participants in training sessions reported directly to her. Additionally, all student employees and interns in the department reported to Linda who assigned and supervised their work.Linda was the offic ial face of the department to the university. She performed all initial needs assessments with potential clientsand followed up to research potential training classes and seminars that might meet the needs of the clients.She assisted me with every aspect of my work from developing training materials, PowerPoint presentations, and visual aids to making sure that the training rooms were supplied for the training sessions.Linda was an effective contributor to our departments success. She enthusiastically took over additional responsibilities as they became available and handled each new role with professionalism. Linda will be sorely missed by department members and the entire faculty and administrative staff we serve.Linda is leaving to relocate for family reasons. It is my hope that this recommendation letter will assist her to obtain a position that will take advantage of her many capabilities. We are sorry to landsee Linda go, but we completely understand that her priority must be the needs of her family.I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with Linda and hope that if you become her next employer that you appreciate her as much as we have.Please contact me if you want or need additional information. I have enclosed my office phone extension and my cell phone number so that you can reach me directly for follow-up.Regards,Stephanie HarrisDirector of Training and Organization Development ExpandA copy of the recommendation letter, after a review by Human Resources staff, should be placed in the employees personnel file. This ensures that it is available for review in the future. On the off chance that the terminating employee decides to reapply in your company, the reference letter provides useful documentation as to the skills and contribution during the prior employment. More Sample Employer Letters How to Write a Recommendation LetterDisciplinary Action / Warning LettersEmployment Letters

High school principals downfall shows lying on a resume wrecks your career

High school principals downfall shows lying on a resume wrecks your careerHigh school principals downfall shows lying on a resume wrecks your careerOne high school principal wouldve gotten away with lying about zu sich credentials if hadnt been for some meddling kids.On March 31, student journalists in southeast Kansas publisheda blockbuster expos on their recently hired principal, Amy Robertson. Days later, Robertson resigned.Heres how it all went down student journalists at the Booster Redux interview new members of the school as part of their welcome, and in interviews with Robertson that they discovered inconsistencies in Robertsons credentials.The case of the missing degreesRobertson said she got her masters and doctorate degrees at Corllins University,but when the students looked up the school, its website didnt work.Working through spring break, the students found out that Corllins University welches a diploma mill that was not accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.Pu tting Robertsons name through a search engine, the student journalists found that she had been called out for this before as principal of the Dubai American Scientific School, local papers had said she was not authorizedto serve as principal.After the students published their takedown, faculty held an emergency meeting where Robertson couldnt even produce the transcript to her undergraduate school, the University of Tulsa.Eventually people will ask questionsStudents asked the questions the adults did not. The school district spokesman Zach Fletcher had said earlier that month that, Robertson comes to Pittsburgh with decades of experience in education.Although this is embarrassing to the local board in the short-term, in the long-term, the teenaged journalists saved their community time and money.According to The Kansas City Star, Robertson, with no educational background that could be confirmed, was due to make $93,000 a year.Your past will catch up with youYou can talk aboutyour pa st experiences and responsibilities in their most flattering light, but when it comes to skills, you better be able to back it up.If you say you can manage a school, you better be able to manage a school. Robertson may have been able to get away with her liesfor decades, but the truth eventually came out with some phone calls and cross-references.This is one more cautionary tale against lying on yourrsum. Interviewers can figure out lies by calling up past references and employers. Or if it doesnt come out in the interview process, it will when youre unable to do the job you said you could do.And thebigger the stage, the more scrutiny those exaggerations and white lies will get. George OLeary served asGeorgia Techs football coach for two uninterrupted decades, but when he got a higher-profile job, so came the questions. OLeary only lasted as Notre Dameshead football coach for five days after a newspaper figured out he had lied about playing football in college and had never gotten t he masters degree he claimed to have.Surprisingly, people who lie on their resumes can go pretty far, showing they do have basic competence to do the job even when they lie about how they got it. High-ranking executives at Yahoo, Veritas and Lotus have all been canned for lying about qualifications and degrees.What gets them canned is not their performance, but the dishonesty they perpetuated for years - and even strong relationships and strong performance dont protect them.

How to Handle Multiple Job Interviews or Offers

How to Handle Multiple Job Interviews or OffersHow to Handle Multiple Job Interviews or OffersWhats the best thing to do when youre interviewing for multiple jobs, and youre not koranvers when or if youre going to get offers? You might worry that if you get a job offer from one company, you will have to decide before you have a chance to interview for the second job. Job interview timing is tricky, especially when youre very interested in more than one job. However, there are ways you can handle interviewing for more than one job at a time and end up with the job thats right for you. Handling Two Interviews If you have two (or more)interviews lined up, there is no need to mention the second interview with an employer during the first interview. There is no point in confusing the situation until you know the first company wants to hire you. That being said, if you get an offer from company 1 before you have gone on your second interview, you can contact company 1 to ask for some t ime to make a decision. You dont have to mention the other interview but can simply ask for time. When asking for time, be sure to express your stronginterest in the position. You dont want to seem unenthusiastic. Express your interestin the job and the company, and then ask for a specific deadline for getting back to them. You might let company 2 know that you have an offer, which might speed up their hiring process. After the interview with company 2, you can say that you already received another job offer and need to give them a decision. You can then ask for company 2 to make their decision soon, if possible. When sharing this information with company 2, be sure to express your enthusiasm for the job. You might say, After my interview, I am even more confident that I would fit well with your company, and that I am an ideal candidate for the position. While I would prefer to work for your company, I was recently offered a job with another organization. They need my decision by Mo nday. Is there any chance you could arrive at a hiring decision on or before Monday? Company 2 might say no. In this case, you can ask company 1 for an extension on your decision deadline. Dont Rush the Decision Before your interviews, you might be more excited about one job than the other. However, dont rush to any conclusions until you interview at both companies.Until you have interviewed with both employers and been offered a job, it can be hard to know for certain which job is the best fit. Salary, benefits, company culture and the people you will be working with should all factor in, and you dont know about those until your interview. Here are some important questions to ask an interviewer to get a sense of the company culture, and whether or not you would be a good fit. Here is a list of things to consider when evaluating a job offer. These sortiment from salary benefits to retirement plans to company culture. Getting Multiple Job Offers If you get job offers after bo th interviews, congratulationsIt is a good thing, although it can also be a challenging and stressful situation. In this situation, express gratitude for both job offers, and ask for time to make the decision. Make sure you have all the information about both job offers, and that you thoughtfully weigh the pros and cons of each. You might contact either of the employers with any follow-up questions.

What You Should Do to Find Out About Electronic Resume Before Youre Left Behind

What You Should Do to Find Out About Electronic Resume Before Youre Left Behind For instance, the electronic resume may incorporate a section for capturing data like educational background and work history. Thus, look about and apply the broadest possible lens to the connections youve got at the business. It is crucial to realize that the substantial info to include in an electronics resume will differ from person to person. To have the very best chance at landing interviews, you must understand how to format your electronic resume to benefit from the program. The Hidden Secret of Electronic Resume 1 important section of your resume is undoubtedly the section in which you list your abilities. The peak of your resume should includecritical key phrases and a fast snapshot of your core strengths, Leavy-Detrick states. If you have several locations to list, do your best not to exceed eight points. Each position likely has different requirements and responsibilities, so ensure you include qualifications that match. Recruiters know where to search for your education. Recruiting and retaining nurses Healthcare organizations also find the advantages of the electronic expert portfolio. Resumes may be used for a number of reasons, but fruchtwein often theyre utilised to secure new employment. They may be organized in different ways. The functional resume is utilized to concentrate on skills that are particular to the kind of position being sought. At times it resembles an impossible undertaking. Generally speaking, an objective on your resume can be useful if it concisely describes your immediate employment goal, but its not an essential element of a successful resume. For example, the work description might say that you need to have the capacity to diagnose malfunctioning systems and fix them. Electronic Resume at a Glance If you are trying to get the part of a sales associate in an electronic shop, you will want to meet certain requirements from e mployers for them to be certain you will be effective at work. As an electronics engineer theres such wide array of sectors that you might be employed in that your electronics engineer CV or resume has to be in a position to recognize your experiences and abilities within each different or specific sector. Say you submit an application for work and have a great interview with the hiring manager. Electronic resumes permit the job seeker to swiftly and easily make an application for job openings with a couple keystrokes on a computer. Recruiters want to understand what impact you made on your prior job. To learn more on what it requires to be an Electronic Technician, have a look at our complete Electronic Technician Job Description. Brand yourself well for the job which you would like to have. Seeking a new job can be an intimidating endeavor, but should you take the opportunity to craft a resume targeted to the particular job, you can receive the healthcare records specialist position you desire. Ok, I Think I Understand Electronic Resume, Now Tell Me About Electronic Resume To find out more about how to make documents cyber-safe, you can look at our extra on the best way to Create a Cyber-Safe Resume. Its possible to also review the training webinars readily available on the website. Resumes formatted for electronic submission provide a superb chance to make the most of your exposure. Paper resumes are somewhat more appealing since theyre formatted and simple to read. A well written header can create an effect. The main reason for that is the information which you provide in a tabular format may not appear in the exact same way youve created it. Although resumes are composed using standard elements, theres no prescribed format is effective equally well for everybody. If your resume does not include the correct important words, or if a number of the important words cannot be read, it is not going to be selected from the database for viewing. The Argument About Electronic Resume Even if youre sending your resume to a business in the exact segment, the individual who will read it for the very first time may not have any technical expertise. The absolute most important thing to keep in mind is that a resume is not likely to win you a job, however perfect it reads. Know the purpose of your resume Some people today write a resume like the aim of the document was supposed to land work. For instance, an individual writing an entry-level electronics resume will have completely various information from someone who has over ten decades of experience under his belt for the exact same job. Actually, their placement has gotten so important that its sometimes helpful to put them in the body of the electronic resume. Dont make the error of answering each job posting with the exact generic resume. You merely receive a very short quantity of time to produce an impression and a well written resume summary can make a big difference .Examine the work description and relevant job ads for a clue on what the employer might be searching for. Therefore, its vital that you stand out to employers and provide them good reasons to choose you. Soon, you might have an all-star resume that attracts a possible employer In terms of technical jargon, do not automatically think that the employer will understand what you are speaking about.

Unproductive Meetings Got You Down Technology Can Help

Unproductive Meetings Got You Down Technology Can Help Weve all sat through at least one meeting thatleft us thinking,Well that was a waste of time. It happens to the best of us One thing leads to another, and then another, and eventually, someones unrelated tangent goeson for the whole hour.Unfortunately, this isnt only a common problem its also a serious one.Unproductive meetings dont justwasteyourand your companys time. They also waste a staggering amount of money. According to Business Insider, American companies lose $37 billion every year on unproductive meetings.Just how do unproductive meetings cause such losses?Well, consider that a manager gets paid $2,000 for 40 hours of work every week, explainsShiv Sharma, Taskworlds content manager. If he sits in a two hour meeting that doesnt lead to any actionable conclusions, thats equivalent to burning $100.In the past, companies could easily blame this problem on a number of things e.g., unforesee n circumstances, a lack of resources, or even poor employee performance.But, if you want to move beyond excuses, now may be a good time to check out the various ways in which business technologies have come to rescue us all from unproductive meetings. Now,we have access toproductivity platforms like the aforementionedTaskworld that allow us tocreate projects for our meetings, assign action items in real time, and set completion dates for eachtask. With a simple app like that, meeting can become a lot mora productive.Imagine starting your computer and finding a screen that tells you exactly what you need to do for the day, gives you all the files that you want, and allows you to communicate with any member of your team. Now imagine it also suggests specialized workflows to help organize your work. Thats the kind ofproductivity platform your company could benefit from if youre still struggling with unproductive meetings.Get Your Meetings Right The Four Golden Rules of Meaningful Meet ingsThat being said, productivity platforms arent magic cure-alls. They wont automatically save you from bad meetings. In fact, before a productivity platform can help you, Sharma says, you have to learn and adhere to the four golden rules of meaningful meetingsHave a specific purpose.Involve the right people.Follow the schedule.End with planned actions.The word specific in that first step isextremely important. Generic agendas will only invite generic discussions.Instead of saying youll be discussing pricing in the meeting, say youll be coming up with pricing limits for enterprise costumers, Sharma says.And of course, you should invite only the people who can adequately contribute to the topic of conversation. According to Sharma, If you invite people who dont need to be there, your meeting will be longer, less efficient, and thus, more expensive.Ultimately, the key to having productive meetings lies in standardizing the way companieshold their meetings.We at Taskworld have creat ed a methodology based on the above rules, Sharma explains. Even though the agendas of various meetings may differ, this methodology will still hold true.Beyond standardizing as much as possible, its also important to treat meetings as limited resources.With the advent of the latest technologies in project management and communication, it has become possible to avoid meetings for a lot of projects, Sharma says. Having fewer meetings keeps people motivated and focused.The truth is, nobody really likes having meetings. But theyre a necessary part of any business operationand they arent going anywhere, so we might as well make the most of them. And there are few things more satisfying than leaving a meeting with clarity, purpose, and a general sense of accomplishment.This is something we all like to feel in the workplace and, if you follow the tips outlined above, you will.Youll save your company some money, too.

How to Boost Your Creative Brainpower

How to Boost Your Creative BrainpowerHow to Boost Your Creative BrainpowerSearching for inspiration? Heres how four accomplished creative professionalscome up with all-star ideas.Generating ideas for new projects can seem daunting, and getting started is frequently a huge part of the battle. Feeling stuck? We talked to Gail Anderson (cofounder of Anderson Newton Design), Will Miller (partner and creative director atFirebelly Design), Andrea Pippins (founder ofFly and adjunct faculty member at the Maryland Institute College of Art) and Ron Thompson (cofounder of Italic Studio) about how they tackle the idea generation process. Based on a wealth of experience, here are their tipsWhen it comes to idea generation, beginning is often the hardest part. How do you kick-start yourself?Anderson I collaborate with my partner, Joe Newton. Its great to have someone to commiserate with. He is probably more polite than he needs to be, but its good to know that theres someone there to shoot down my bad ideas as needed. We do a lot of pencil sketches and have copious notes scrawled everywhere, so we typically dont rush to the computer right away. Both Joe and I really enjoy dissecting a project together, so its fun to just sit at our desks and talk about all the possibilities.Miller Many times, we push ahead by looking back. Past projects provide many opportunities for good ideas that began to take shape but might not have come to fruition. We also ask ourselves what weve seen out in the world thats exciting - a special print process, a certain type of binding or an interaction we werent expecting. If its something of interest to the studio and makes good sense for a project, well try and find a way to explore it and make it unique.Pippins I typically start writing down words that come to mind when thinking of the topic at hand. Its usually in a list form or a mind map. I use those words to refine my research for inspirational imagery. I love going to the library to do resear ch, but I also use online resources. I build private mood boards on Pinterest for projects, and collect images that I can use as inspiration and reference throughout the process. Then I start sketching. Most times, those thumbnails are scanned in and used as a base where I build the final design or illustration.Thompson Luckily, we dont begin any project in a vacuum. We have a starting point that is spelled out in the client brief. After listening to our clients talk about the problem theyre trying to solve, well do a deep dive with them to learn all about their industry and their product. This initial research gets us in the right frame of mind for developing our concepts, from which all other ideas and visuals will flow.Do you have idea generation sessions with clients to get their input?Anderson Some clients really appreciate engaging, and others are too overwhelmed with their own day-to-day chaos to have time for more than a quick email. But its always preferable to draw clients out to get any tidbits of information, even if its simply telling us what they dont want. Weve been working with one client whos been really great about including us in their internal process, and who welcomes our input and guidance. Thats been really energizing, and keeps us on our toes. When a client truly respects your point of view, you want to give them 110 percent. Everyone wins.Miller When we talk about ideas and inspiration with the client, its typically early in the project. We present real-world examples of design, art, and architecture, and we talk about each example in a way that highlights the clients need or captures a key characteristic of the project. A 10- to 15-page deck of inspiration, organized by concept and design direction, really helps our client understand how what we do will directly tie to their goals and objectives. An added benefit of this step is it allows clients to voice their subjective distastes, helping us focus on what will be fruchtwein well-rec eived.Thompson Each client is a bit different. Some want working brainstorming sessions while others are fine being hands-off and letting us do our thing. With that said, we always start every project with a kickoff meeting in which we discuss the creative brief with our client, listen to their goals and then ask a ton of questions. Then, we like to break out on our own to really dig into our ideas rather than sit in a room and have a big brainstorming session where ideas are jotted on whiteboards. Those meetings can work against you when it comes to being efficient and letting your mind flow unedited.What do you do when you hit the proverbial wall? Do you have any advice on how to overcome creative blocks?Anderson Over time, Ive learned that the best thing to do when you hit a wall is to step back from the project. Close the file and walk away - temporarily, of course. Even when things are time-sensitive, you need to take a stroll around the block, get a cup of coffee, or whatever it takes to shift your mind and focus on something else, preferably not work-related. Its really important to figure out what to do when the needle gets stuck. Its a lesson that took me about 20 years to learn.Miller Theres a huge amount of collaboration in the office, so when one person is hitting a wall and feeling stuck, well share files and discuss. Theres no ownership of work and no one is protective of a project. We try to work together to move projects forward in the best and most appropriate way. Being willing to ask for advice and critique is a solid way to move forward.Pippins Having a person you can go to for feedback on a project is a great way to get unstuck. He or she can ask you questions and provide insight you havent thought of, or tell you what youre doing is great (youre overthinking it) or terrible (you need to go back to the drawing board). It always helps.Thompson I wish we had a secret serum (whiskey, perhaps) that would always allow us to be at our peak, but we all get blocked. For us, just stepping away tends to be the best cure. Go run, walk, surf, bike, read a book or whatever it is that you like to do outside of work. It can help to take your mind off things and open you back up to new ideas or ways to approach the project.Do you have any tips for recent grads just starting out their creative careers on how to generate ideas and stay fresh?Anderson When youre walking down the street, put your smartphone down and remove your earbuds. Constantly observe your surroundings, noting even the most mundane daily occurrences or patterns. There are stories everywhere, and those stories are the basis of ideas. Not being afraid to fail is important, too. An idea might seem corny or bad in the moment, but you never know if theres a kernel underneath that can be built on. I find that even now, Im sometimes too self-conscious to take a chance on throwing an idea out there that might be a clunker, only to hear someone else say it. And then everyon e thinks that person is a genius Ugh.Miller Stay aware of whats happening in the design world. Dig into projects that have a lot of writing accompanying the final piece. Reading how other visual communicators have turned colors, symbols and ideas into something fresh is exciting and empowering. Not only does it help you understand how to talk about successful projects, it promotes the vocabulary needed in your own work to articulate challenging concepts.Pippins I show my students at MICA different techniques to generate multiple ideas like visual brain dumping (quick doodles) or giving them a random word to think about in relation to the topic. My advice is to get off the Internet when doing research and go to the library. Looking for historical references and the original sources for an idea you saw online can trigger another direction. When we learn as much as we possibly can about a topic, within a given timeframe, it gives us more information to be inspired by.Thompson Get out o f your comfort zone and live. Meet new people, try new restaurants, visit a country youve never been to, take a class and so on. Also, write down your thoughts or keep a journal. And I mean write, not type. Its amazing how the mind works differently when using a good old-fashioned pencil or pen on paper. Just get your ideas out and get them out fast.Idea generation can be tough when youre a freelancer who works alone. For more tips, read our post, How to Brainstorm When Youre Working Solo.SEARCH OUR JOB OPENINGS

Raising a Mid-Level Resume to VP Level

Raising a Mid-Level Resume to VP LevelRaising a Mid-Level Resume to VP LevelCertified professional resume writer Ken Moore bridged a senior sales executives varying roles together to elevate a sub-par resume.Sometimes its hard to recognize that your resume doesnt really reflect your talents - or may even give readers the wrong impression.Case in point Bill Johnson.Bill, who asked Ladders elend to use his real name for this article, is a senior sales executive with proven leadership in geschftlicher umgang development. But to read his old resume read, you would think he was a mid-level strategic partner, not a vice president-level expert in both wireless technology and construction materials.Bills former resume would have given people a false impression that he only had mid-level experience, said Ken Moore, certified resume writer with Ladders. He was much more senior than he was portraying. Also, there was no focused job target in his intro.Johnson attended a networking auffhrung La dders held recently at the New York Athletic Club, where he received a resume critique. (For more information on upcoming events nationwide, drop a line to the career services team.)You know, I was pretty skeptical about the whole thing, Johnson admitted. There are a lot of people trying to take advantage of this downturn, and lots of job sites that are polluted with garbage. I made sure to grill them about things. And I got my answer.The answer? His resume needed a professionals touch.I decided I would try the free resume critique they had there at the event, Johnson said. They were very gentle about it. They went out of their way to critique it in a way that was considerate, but they ripped it to shreds. It was a gentle but constructive shredding.Johnson said he is really pleased with his new resume and much preferred collaborating on it to going it alone.I had a hard time reconciling my two very different sales roles in wireless and construction supplies, Johnson said. I also had a really hard time writing about myself, and I really wasnt up with the style of resumes written today. Writing your own resume is kind of like cutting your own hair. Ive tried it, but it didnt exactly look right. Two roles, one goal One challenge we had with Bill was to bridge and condense his expertise in two very different fields, Moore said. But we also had to overcome some common mistakes in resumes that we see a lot, like the use of personal pronouns and the lack of things like revenue numbers and percentage of business increased.In a field as competitive as technology sales, it becomes incredibly important to quantify the bullet points in your resume. With guidance from Johnson, Moore was able to go back and retrofit the resume. He included hard numbers about business Johnson won and brands he supported, and he consolidated the document to focus on the past 10 to 12 years.Bill had a lot of one-liners, said Moore. Things like 1 sales performer in U.S. for two years but no qua lification of what that did for the business. Anyone can write that, but you need to qualify it in a more detailed fashion.The formula for a successful resume, according to Moore Say what you want by saying what you are.Its not personal, its businessYou have to capture the reader of the resume right at the very beginning, Moore said. You have to point out your immediate career goal and show your value to a future employer.Moore said it takes subtlety to focus on what you want without overdoing the personal angle.Your career goal is not a personal objective statement, Moore said. Its a branding statement that says, This is who I am and This is what I can do for your business. What surprised Bill most about the process of having his resume tuned up by The Ladders professionals?They know what they are doing, Johnson said. Its like the difference between an autobiography and a biography. You know what I mean? Its like having a nice, finished, polished product thats been run through all the quality checks. It was very worth it, and I got it back in a week. They were good and fast.

This isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friend

This isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friendThis isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friendNothing feels better than onboarding a friend - someone you know, trust, and can speak bluntly to, right? Nobody imagines that when they hire or partner with a friend, they may one day need to fire them, but thats often the case.Hiring friends can lead to the very best, and the very worst outcomes. If you have the fortitude to weatzu sich the latter, then it might be well worth the risk. For instance, my fellow co-founder, David Mainiero, has been my best friend since freshman year of college, and I cant imagine running my business without him.Still, having fired friends a few times before, I thought I would pass along a step-by-step guide on how to confront what may be every entrepreneurs worst nightmare.1. Realize that, either way, your friendship is overMost individuals Ive spoken to tell me their biggest concern is that firing their friend will jeopardize their relat ionship.She wont forgive me Indeed, she may leid forgive you. But one thing is certain if you dont call it quits when the business relationship clearly isnt working out, it will beyouwho does not forgivethem.If you are debating whether to fire a friend, chances are that your friendship is already over you just dont know it yet. Hopefully, your friend will handle their termination with grace and forgiveness, but thats the exception, not the rule.2. Focus on the legal situation at handNow that youve lost your friend, things could get ugly, and its time to get your legal approach in order. Oftentimes, when people feel personally invested, they tend to overlook those pesky legal details. But its precisely during that time that you should pay particular attention. Youd be surprised by the number of legal issues that arise due to personal, rather than business-related, issues.Read your friends employment agreement, and if necessary, the operating agreement for your company. If your frien d is just an employee, consult an employment lawyer in your state, or if theyre a partner, consult an attorney. Be sure to ask what your rights are, what his/her rights are, and how you can make termination legal and incontestable.Before your friend has even an inkling that you intend to fire them, you should essentially have your entire approach planned out.3. Set up an in-person meetingMuch like breaking up with a significant other, firing a friend should be done face to face. Once youve gathered yourself and your legal strategy, its time to send them an email setting up a place and time to chat.It will behoove you not to betray your intentions at this meeting. Youve made up your mind, and this is whats best for your business. If you make it clear that youre coming in guns blazing, youll only give them more of an opportunity to prepare.Remember that self-preservation is human instinct, and if you were in their position, you wouldalsoleverage feelings of personal attachment and gui lt to keep your job. They will likely do the same, and providing advance warning will only make it worse.4. Be honest and transparentThis is where things get really difficult, because you dont want to hurt your friends feelings. As well, your friend (hopefully) doesnt want to let you down or lose their job. If you arent extremely direct, open and firm, youre going to find yourself in an argument about how you can make things work. But this isnt the time for an argument this is the time for separation.So, muster up all the courage you have, look directly at your friend and say, Im going to be completely honest. This isnt working out, and I dont believe we can work together. Im very sorry, and it hurts me to do this.Afterward, you may choose to provide examples and justifications. Give your friend the opportunity to vent, ask questions, and generally be angry. If possible, explain how your own shortcomings have contributed to the situation. But dont lie or sugarcoat your comments. The correct answer to, I wasntthatbad is not, I know, Im just looking for something else. Its, Yes, you were that bad.This may seem unduly harsh, but there are only two options from your friends perspective. Either a) They couldnt meet your expectations, or b) Youre a horrible friend who couldnt give your best friend a break. Trust me, you do not want the latter.5. Remind your friend that this wasnt personalThis entire affair means that you must remain dispassionate. Its adifficult thing to do, but its necessary. Once its clear that the business relationship has ended, remind your friend that this has nothing to do with your friendship, that you hope you can remain friends, and that you will help them however you can.Joel Butterly is the co-founder ofInGenius Prep, an admissions consulting company.This article first appeared at BusinessCollective.