6 Tips for Women Graduates Entering the Workforce

6 Tips for Women Graduates Entering the Workforce The world needs balance and diversity in its leaders. As the CEO and cofounder of a leading financial technology company, I have some advice for young women graduates looking for or settling into their first jobs. Here are tips Ive gleaned from both my career and from watching other women in the workforce, offered in the hopes that they will help you build your career. 1. Build Your BrandFor the first 10 years of your career, think of yourself as a product you are developing and marketing. Think about building your brand and creating a strong product. Early in your career, your personal brand is going to be about the brands you have on your resume.Seek experience in companies that have well-recognized brands some of their luster will rub off on you. If you can go to work for a bigger brand and take a lesser role, do it. If you cant, make sure that you move around to get different experiences inside you r company.Your knowledge base is also part of your brand, so think of yourself as being in knowledge acquisition mode for at least the first ten years, making your product yourself more valuable. When I worked for Mentor Graphics, a large tech company, I started in the corporate finance group doing financial analysis. When I could, I moved to pricing analysis, and eventually had responsibility for pricing and packaging of the company products. Pricing was part of corporate marketing, so this allowed me to join the marketing team and then make a move into division marketing. I transitioned into as many different roles as I could, which gave me the opportunity to learn and to figure out what I wanted to do. 2. Dont Be Afraid to Change CourseComing out of college, young people put so much pressure on themselves to find a perfect job, but your first role is not an irreversible career decision. You dont have to find the perfect job out of the gate because youll have multiple shots at i t. If you find yourself in a job and its not what you thought it was, or if you dont like working in the field you majored in, do something else.When I graduated, I started my career at KPMG. I worked at fitting in for about year before I realized accounting wasnt for me. Accounting has changed a lot since then, but at the time it was mainly score-keeping measuring and reporting what had already happened in a business. This position helped me understand I wanted to be involved in making decisions that drove a business, so I decided to make a change. I applied to MBA programs. A year later, I was on my way to Harvard Business School. Your career is going to be a very long road. If you find youre going the wrong direction, its easier to make a change early than it is to change later. 3. Seek FeedbackIve watched young women propel their careers forward very quickly by consistently and proactively asking for feedback. This is something I wish Id done more. For every significant task yo ure assigned and every project youre on, ask the people you worked with for feedback on what you could have done better.Be prepared to take some knocks, but keep it in perspective. Give yourself a break, because youre still learning. Also, realize being able to give feedback constructively is a skill few have mastered, so what you get may not always be delivered in the most diplomatic way. But, if you have the courage to consistently seek feedback and more importantly, learn from it you will dramatically improve the trajectory of your career. 4. Meet New PeopleMake it a point to meet somebody new every week. Ask people out to coffee or lunch. This isnt something that comes naturally to many of us, but theres no better way to build your interpersonal skills and expand your network. Youd be surprised how much more confident and outgoing you can become just by doing this. Improving your networking skills now will pay off in the future, since much of your success depends on your abili ty to work with others and find ways to put them at ease. 5. Find Women MentorsWhile there are still not anywhere near enough women in leadership roles, there are more than there used to be. Many women are willing to help others around them learn and avoid the mistakes theyve made, so dont be afraid to ask. Everyone I know who has been asked to be a mentor has welcomed the opportunity.Whom should you ask? Perhaps you have a family member who is accomplished in her career. Maybe you had an internship in college and connected with someone there, or maybe there is a professor you admired who could make for a good mentor. Maybe your parents know someone whod be willing to step up. 6. Find a Cultural FitIts clear that while women have made great strides in business since I started out, gender bias in the workplace is far from dead. Its rare today for a companys culture to be overtly hostile to women, but a more subtly biased culture canpersist in the random comments, in certain common po ints of view, and in the different ways people are treated in the office.If you see such a culture emerging around you, think about moving on. Most cultures are deeply ingrained theyre not going to change in the short term. You dont have to silently struggle and keep working there. Life is just too short to put up with bias.Find a company where youre comfortable. There are plenty of good ones out there. Meet with the HR person at your current company on the way out. Be very clear about why you are leaving and let them know what you experienced. If enough women communicate their experience and leave because of the culture, the companymay realize it needs to change. Later in your career, when you have the opportunity to change or build a culture, build one that welcomes everyone, regardless of how they look.I hope these tips help you succeed or better yet, far exceed your goals. The world is waking up to what women leaders bring to a company, and I believe there will be more opportun ities for women in the future. Believe in yourself and persevere. Im rooting for you.Karla Friede is CEO, cofounder, and member of the board of directors atNvoicepay.

Register Now for Power Energy 2016

Register Now for Power Energy 2016 Register Now for Power Energy 2016 Register Now for Power & Energy 2016This June, the ASME Power Energy Conference will bring together five concurrent ASME conferences and forums focusing on issues related to power generation, energy sources and energy sustainability. Discounted registration is available through March 31 for the event, which will be co-located with the 24th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 24) from June 26 to 30 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.ASME Power Energy 2016 will include three of ASMEs major conferences the ASME Power Conference, sponsored by the ASME Power Division the ASME Energy Sustainability Conference, sponsored by ASMEs Solar Energy and Advanced Energy Systems Divisions the ASME Fuel Cell Conference, sponsored by the ASME Advanced Energy Systems Division. In addition, this years Power Energy will also feature two new forums the ASME Energy Storage Forum and t he ASME Gas Turbine Forum.One of the highlights of this years event will be the student poster competition, which is open to engineering students who participate in the Power Energy and ICONE poster sessions. Awards for best poster will be given to selected posters presented during the following tracks track 1-12 of the ASME Power Conference track 2-13 of the ASME Energy Sustainability Conference track 3-6 of the ASME Fuel Cell Conference track 6-3 of the ASME Energy Storage Forum and track 15 of the ICONE Student Paper Competition. In addition to awards in those individual tracks, a Best of Event Poster will also be selected. Poster abstracts are being accepted through March 28. For more information on the competition or to learn how to submit an abstract, visit the Power Energy competitions page and click on the Poster Competition - Power Energy and ICONE link.March 28 is also the deadline to submit a presentation-only abstract for Power Energy 2016. To submit an abstract, visit the login page on the Power Energy section of ASME.org, located at asmeconferences.org/PowerEnergy2016/Login.cfm.Attendees who sign up for ASME Power Energy Conference and ICONE 24 by March 31 can save up to $200 on the standard registration rate. Registration by that date will cost $770 for ASME members, $970 for non-members, $350 for ASME student members, and $450 for non-member students. To register for ASME Power Energy 2016, visit www.asme.org/events/power-energy/register. For more information on the event and the five conferences it encompasses, visit http//go.asme.org/powerenergy.

3 Questions That Will Give You Instant Clarity on Your Work Priorities

3 Questions That Will Give You Instant Clarity on Your Work Priorities3 Questions That Will Give You Instant Clarity on Your Work PrioritiesLets start by making one point clear If everything seems like a priority, there are no priorities. Priorities require focus and being able to make judgment calls. If youre finding yourself drawn and quartered between projects and managers, its for one of two reasons Youre not 100% sure of what your responsibilities are, or your company doesnt know where its going. (If you find that its both of these, start looking for a new job ASAP.)Otherwise, there are three questions you can ask to start getting clarity while also showing your potential as a leader.1. What Are the Companys Goals?Every company should know what problem it is looking to solve, its reason for being. It doesnt need to be anything lofty like eradicating world hunger, but it should be specific and known to everyone who works there. Your kollektivs leadership should have a plan for ho w to fulfill this mission over time (perhaps by quarter or by year), and that should be the context for the work you do.If you dont know your companys mission or goals, doing research should be your first step. Start with reviewing any founding documents, annual reports, recent presentations, or press featuring your companys leadership. Look for statements of big ideas, themes, and performance metrics.If your research is inconclusive, this is the time to start asking questions. Start with your manager, and be sure to share the research youve done. Your manager should appreciate that you are showing initiative and that youve already done your homework. Ask about the companys short- and long-term goals and how your department and, specifically, your role fits into them (more on that below).2. How Do My Responsibilities Fulfill Those Goals?So, youve confirmed that your company does indeed have a future. How are you helping it get there?Each bullet in your job description should align w ith moving one or more of those goals forward. You might be thinking that your sales gruppe is the fruchtwein obvious contributor, but it takes more than increased revenue to make a company run. How does your work help improve the product or service? How do you keep your customers happy or your team members engaged?Use your description to make a personal development plan. Align your personal goals with corporate goals so that as the company performs better, you do, too. The work that lands on your desk should clearly connect to your responsibilities and your department or company goals. If it doesnt, speak up. Ask your manager what that task is meant to accomplish and whether it takes priority over how youve understood the companys plans. 3. How Can I Partner Better With My Team?Consider this a more proactive and collaborative way of thinking I need help. Yes, you do need help. But if youre struggling to prioritize, you might not be alone. You and your team can be allies for allevia ting each others workloads and getting more done, which benefits everyone in the process.Ask your co-workers what theyre working on (if you dont already know from a daily standup meeting). Listen for where they may be struggling, and share your own challenges, too. Offer 30 minutes for a brainstorm to identify solutions that might work for what youre both facing (take 15-minute turns each).When you feel stuck at work, youre probably also feeling that you should have all the answers and you dont. Well, youre on a team for a reasonuse it to your advantage Leverage each others strengths to make the collective load lighter and hopefully bring new clarity to what truly deserves priority.Remember that the best steps for any problem are to gather information and create options for solutions. With these questions, youll get the clarity you need to know what matters most for you, your team, and your company as a whole.Photo of hands courtesy of Shutterstock.

Overview of Commercial Real Estate Property Leases

Overview of Commercial Real Estate Property LeasesOverview of Commercial Real Estate Property LeasesAs long as local and other zoning ordinances permit geschftliches miteinander use, any public or private facility can be used for most general types of businesses. Because home-based businesses are operated in properties zoned for residential use and not commercial use, they are often subject to many restrictions on the type of business that can be operated, as well as subject to severe limitations and restrictions on conducting face-to-face business from a home-based sekretariat. What to Consider Before Deciding on a Lease Two main considerations to focus on when deciding on the right type of space to lease for your business are the schauplatz and the type of lease being offered. A mall might offer a great location for a retail business but you will likely have to share a portion of your profits with your landlord in addition to paying a base rent. Leasing industrial or business p ark space is an alternative worth considering for retail businesses because the rents are cheaper and it is unlikely you will have to share your profits. Commercial Property Commercial real estate can be land, property, or facilities that are either zoned foror used exclusively forbusiness purposes. In most cases, people cannot live in a building zoned for commercial business purposes and many local ordinances may also have restrictions on what and how commercial property is used.And, to make matters even more limiting, local community and homeowners associations and individual landlords may have their own restrictions. It is extremely important when looking for commercial properties to lease that you are completely honest with realtors and landlords about what you plan to do with the property and any future plans you may have to improve the property or expand your business. For example, if you are planning on setting up a retail shop or place of business where you expect a lot of customers coming and going throughout the day you need to let the landlord know in advance. If you dont and suddenly turn and office into a thrift store you and your business might end up on the street for breaching the lease (and you may still be financially liable for the rent until the place is leased again.) It pays to take your time, think about what you want, and ask questions about restrictions.Here are some of the most common types of properties you can lease and little about each one. Types of Commercial Properties Most Business Owners Lease Commercial property does not just refer to stand-alone office buildings but also includes commercial parks, business parks, and retail malls and outlets. In addition to traditional low-rise and high-rise commercial office buildings, businesses (and individuals) lease in Business ParksA business park is a group of buildings designed for general and light-industrial use business purposes. Business park rents are often cheaper than retail properties and comparable to industrial park rents. Many doctors and other service professionals lease space in business parks. Industrial ParksThis type of commercial property consists of buildings divided into units or spaces that are often warehouses or other large, unfinished spaces. Industrial parks are usually zoned for heavy-industrial purposes but are often also used for other types of businesses. Industrial park spaces can be used for manufacturing and other heavy industrial purposes, like warehouses, can be converted into more traditional office spaces, or serve a combination of business uses. Industrial spaces that have store-front window exposure, are now also used by many small retail businesses just getting started. Some industrial parks have become so attractive that on the surface they are hard to distinguish from business parks except they typically have large, garage-style doors for access. A determined business owner can usually find industrial leases that have been renovated or built-out by previous tenants into office or retail space. These semi-upscale spaces still often cost far less to lease than other types of commercial properties. Commercial Retail PropertyThis type of property includes malls, strip malls, and other facilities suitable for store-front types of businesses. In addition to facilities designed either specifically or exclusively for retail businesses, many retail business owners also lease units in industrial parks and business parks.

Senators work on a law to eliminate KSAs!

Senators work on a law to eliminate KSAsSenators work on a law to eliminate KSAsSenators work on a law to eliminate KSAsI am very pleased to see that Senators Akaka and Voinovich are beginning to unravel the federal application process. They are talking about NO MORE KSAs And I hope that they put a limit on the Questionnaire questions also. And if they could take off 8,000 characters from the essay limits, that would be great too. They are also saying that announcements are written in language difficult for people to read RIGHT, please write in Plain Language. What do you think about this? KathrynAkaka, Voinovich Introduce Bill to Streamline Federal Recruitment and HiringMarch 30, 2009Washington, D.C. Today U.S. Senators Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH) introduced the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act of 2009, a bill to streamline the federal recruitment and hiring process.Too many federal agencies have built entry barriers for new workers and invented ev aluation processes that discourage qualified candidates, Senator Akaka said. Like the private sector, agencies need to take advantage of modern technology to find and hire the right candidates. By streamlining and simplifying the hiring process, this bill will be an important step toward making the federal government the employer of choice.Over and over, we hear of the problems in the federal hiring process. It takes too long it is too burdensome, and so forth, Senator Voinovich said. The quality of technology has improved, but our processes have not. This does nothing to dispel any preconceived notions that the federal government is nothing but a bureaucratic system. It is time to convey to the thousands of men and women at all stages of their career looking for work that the federal government is more than just an employer, but a place where Americans can utilize and grow their skills in service to their nation.Among other provisions, the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act see ks to address these issues by requiring agencies to* Develop strategic workforce plans, including hiring projections and critical skills gaps in the workforce* Post brief, clear job announcements in plain writing* Allow applicants to submit resumes and cover letters, and no longer require knowledge, skills, and abilities essays* Provide timely notification to applicants on the status of their applications* Take no more than 80 days from the time a managers decides to fill a vacancy to the time an offer is made* Keep an inventory of all applicants who elect to be considered for other federal vacancies and* Measure the effectiveness of hiring efforts and reforms.

Preparing Your Career for 2017

Preparing Your Career for 2017 Preparing Your Career for 2017 Unfortunately, the time between Thanksgiving and the new year is also a slower time of year for hiring. Many hiring managersgo on vacation, and hiring often getsput on hold for budgetary reasons.Despite this, the holidays can also be the perfect time to prepare for next year. You dont have to wait until January to begin your 2017 job search. If youve already started your search, you dont have to slow down. Companies will put their hiring efforts back into high gear after the first of the year, and you want to be ready when they do.While there are many ways tospend your time when job searching, these specific activities will add the most value updating your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and engaging in some professional networking.1. Update Your ResumeYour resume should include all of your recent and relevant work experience. Have a friend proofread it for both errors and readability. Once you are happy with it, save it as a .PDF and email yourself a copy. This way, you willalways have a resume on hand to send to friends or professional contacts who offer to help you look for a job.2. Update Your LinkedIn ProfileYour LinkedIn profile should match your resume. Be sure that you are representing yourself in a way youre comfortable with and that communicates your current career interests. Post acurrent photo of yourself and include a short bio in the summary section. Connect to as many old friends and colleagues as possible. The mora people youre connected to, the larger your reach will span on this professional social network.3. Build Your NetworkSpendtime during the holiday season building your in-person professional network. You can do this in a number of ways. First, take advantage of holiday parties and events. They will allow you to reconnect with those you havent seen in a while. You might also want to send holiday cards or emails to your contacts. Take the time to learn about whats goi ng on with each person and to share whats new in your life. These personal connections are important not only to your immediate job search, but also in your career over your lifetime.As you can see, there are a number of advantages to using the holiday season to prepare for your upcoming job search. You are often less pressured at work during this time of year, which means theres more time to work on personal goals, including your resume and LinkedIn profile. Plus, you have an opportunity to reconnect with so many of the special people in your life.Using this time of renewal to focus on your future job will prepare you to be at the top of your game and the competition in the new year.A version of this article originally appeared in theMemphis Daily News.Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm,Copeland Coaching.

The Unexpected Truth About Usajobs Resume

The Unexpected Truth About Usajobs Resume The 30-Second Trick for Usajobs Resume To begin with, by utilizing the USAJOBS resume builder, you will make a document in a conventional federal resume format. If you dont meet the requirements, you just wont be considered. If youve attached your existing resume, you do not have to repeat whats already in it but you can definitely add more info. Instead, tailor your federal resume to satisfy the demands of the particular opening. Usajobs Resume Secrets That No One Else Knows About It is a fact that a resume should typically be kept brief but by means of the federal government resumes, its about the ideal balance between being concise and being informative. Hiring officials will revolve around the most recent five decades of your career. You must keep in mind that if you want to receive a government job As a consequence, agencies will be asked to accept electronic resumes. If you dont yet have work in mind, we can help you locate the suitable government vacancies for your experience. Few candidates get a degree specific to the area of arbitration, mediation, or conflict resolution. Job seekers should always work to avoid making it seem as theyre constantly going from 1 job to the next. In terms of earlier jobs, most job seekers wish to return as far as possible since they need to impress hiring managers. Thus, theres no need to attempt to build one resume profile or write one particular profile title that fits every lokalitt you need to submit an application for. Which format you select will depend, in part, on the form of work youve performed and whether you will continue in the very same field. There are a few of the various ways to frame a resume. If your resume format is disorganized and unclear, a prospective employer has possibly hundreds of resumes from different candidates to check through therefore they wont waste time attempting to make sense of it and youll miss your opportunity for an intervi ew. A superb sample resume will incorporate quite a few of suitable key terms and phrases that could include things like words like mixing fillings, customer service and others based on the work advertisement and key skills listed. There are various ways to organize your resume. Employing the assistance of a USAJobs resume writing service can provide you the help you have to successfully navigate the federal job application approach. Download the internet Casino software today and you may play our totally free casino online, and be on your way to the fun and excitement of Vegas style internet casino gamingBasically, if its listed in the work ad, it needs to be in your resume somewhere, at the very least a couple of times. If youre a returning client, were excited about working with you again Although having similar titles, different job announcement will use different search phrases to spell out their requirements for the candidate. So be sure that you pick a corresponding answ er to every question before applying for a job posting. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Usajobs Resume Is Wrong Nobodys perfect, but anything you send to a possible employer has to be absolutely flawless. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a particular kind of work for some period of time. Otherwise, youre likely wasting your time. Please note that you need to get your paycheck as an immediate deposit. A specialist writer with several years of experience features expertise to come up with interview-winning resume packages. If you wish to receive a GS-13 position you have to show that youve worked successfully at the GS-12 level for a calendar year, even when you arent currently working for the federal government. Sure, you would like to highlight your related work experience and wish to be specific about your skills, but you wish to be concise too. Some individuals have had as many as 90 jobs in the past decade, therefore it only makes sense theyre c onfused and dont understand how many jobs to grow their resume. Some agencies utilize keyword search to choose the very first batch of candidates. The Federal hiring procedure is tedious, not not possible. It resume format is not something completely different from the other resumes you have seen on the web. Creating your federal resume is a significant step in the application processbut it isnt the just one. If you are not certain, get in touch with a Certified Federal Resume Writer. Employment is a significant issue for Veterans. Resumes ought never to be written in third individual. The Federal Resume can provide you a chance for the next prospect.