How to Give More Powerful Positive Feedback

How to Give More Powerful Positive FeedbackHow to Give More Powerful Positive Feedback Contrary to popular belief, giving positive feedback to your direct reports isnt just about recognizing them and making them feel good. While those are important factors, theres a lot more to it.Great managers get this. Instead of jumping in with a rote nice job or thanks, they take a few extra minutes to consider how to give praise in a way that will be truly useful . Maybe you highlight an element of someones work that veers away from a less productive habit, or help an insecure direct report binnensee a strength he or she was unaware of, or inspire the whole gruppe to match someones proactive approach to solving a problem.Also keep in mind that powerful feedback needs to beAuthentic. People can tell when youre exaggerating or havesome ulterior motive in mind. If you dont genuinely believe someones behavior deserves recognition and has the impact you claim, then dont give the pra ise.Specific. Describe the precise behavior you noticed so that recipients understand what theyve done and that you noticed it. And describe the impact of that behavior so that theyll understand why they should continue doing it. As youre preparing the feedback, think of the formula I noticed X, and the impact is Y.Individualized. A compliment thats highly motivating to one person may fall flat with another. As you choose your approach and words, draw from how your direct report has reacted in the past. Also, make a point of asking about motivations and goals in one-on-ones , setting yourself up to link positive feedback to what drives the person. What if you dont have enough of a foundation to customize your feedback when something praise-worthy happens? Try leading with a question before you give feedback (e.g., What do you think went best in the meeting you just facilitated? ), then calibrating your praise based on the persons answer (e.g., I agree - I love how we all walked a way with clear action items thatwill help move the project forward more quickly ). For more on listening and responding, see 9 tips to listen like a leader .Below are just a few examples of how you couldgive effective reinforcing feedback to a direct report who has justdelivered an excellent presentation to colleagues. You can modifythese approaches to fityour direct reports accomplishment.Great job today. I noticed how youre applying the things weve been talking about in our one-on-ones Y our tone of voice was more authoritative, you used nontechnical language that the whole group could relate to and your message was much more clear and focused. When you compare your presentation today to the one you gave belastung quarter, youve come a long way .Y our presentation today was so engaging. I especially liked how you spoke up clearly and made a point of making eye contact with each person in the room. I know youve said in the past that talking in front of groups makes you nervous, buttoday you came across as in command. It was a great example of your persistence and strength.I know you put a tremendous amount of work into todays presentation - not only with all the data you gathered from other departments, but also the hours you put in over the weekend. I appreciate the extraordinary effort. It shows your commitment and will go a long way to helping the team feel prepared when they talk to clients. Next time, lets figure out how we can save you some prep time.Great job today. The clear way you presented the process is going to help the team get up to speed quickly. Youve saved them probably a weeks worth of work, since now they dont have to dig around for their own answers. Theyll have your handy slides to use as reference.Great job today. The way you outlined the competitive landscape gave everyone important context theyll need to implement the new client strategy. It wasa big contribution toward our department goal this quarter. Keep thinking along thes e lines.Your presentation today really showed off your communication skills , especially the way you connected Mauras idea at the end to what Tobias had said earlier. I think pointing that out helped clarify next steps for everyone. Yourability to draw connections and package information like that is a real next-level leadership skill.You did an excellent job involving each member of the team in todays presentation. And you managed to do it without putting anyoneon the spot andmaking them feel uncomfortable. And your presenting next steps as questions really helped everyone feel like they were part of the process. Thats the kind of inclusion thatll help us work better as a team.Acknowledge the relative size of the accomplishmentYou did a great job ending your presentation on time today. That may seem like a small thing, but I could tell the group appreciated having that time for Q&A.Thank you for the amazing presentation today. When you take the initiative to gather and present a ll that market research, it saves me a ton of time and is a huge help. And the way you explained it made me see connections between our process and business results in ways I hadnt before.Nice work today - you nailed it. The way you presented the process step by step was exactly what I had in mind when we talked through it in our planning meeting last week. I also liked how you included the client impact with each step - that really went above and beyond.This article was originally published on Jhana.com . Reprinted with permission.

Qualifications to Be a U.S. Navy Quartermaster (QM)

Qualifications to Be a U.S. Navy Quartermaster (QM)Qualifications to Be a U.S. Navy Quartermaster (QM)U.S. Navy Quartermasters (QMs) are experts in navigation. They stand watch as assistants to officers of the deck and the navigator. They also serve as helmsman and perform ship control, navigation, and bridge watch duties. But thats not all they do. Also, QMs procure, correct, use, and stow navigational and oceanographic publications and oceanographic charts. They also maintain navigational instruments and keep correct navigational time, render honors and ceremonies in accordance with national observance and foreign customs, and send and receive visual messages. QMs also serve as petty officers in charge of tugs, self-propelled barges, and other yard and district craft. QM Job Duties Conducting weather observations.Determining compass and gyro error.Computing gezeit and tidal current data.Keeping logs and records to determine their ships position by visual and electronic means.Co mputing times of sunrise and sunset.Following the nautical rules-of-the-road to prevent collisions at sea. Working Environment After A school, USN Quartermasters are assigned to all types of ships. Full-Time Support (FTS) QMs are assigned to Navy Reserve Force (NRF) ships in the Continental United States (CONUS). Upon completion of sea tours, FTS QMs will be assigned to reserve centers across the country including the heartland. While assigned to reserve centers, FTS QMs will train and administer Selected Reserve Personnel. During a 20-year period in the Navy, QMs spend about 60 percent of their time assigned to fleet units and 40 percent to shore stations. A-School (Job School) Information Great Lakes, IL - 40 calendar daysASVAB Score Requirement VE AR 97Security Clearance Requirement Secret Other Requirements Must have normal color perceptionMust be a U.S. Citizen Sub-Specialties Available for This Rating Navy Enlisted Classification Codes for QM Current Manning Lev els for This Rating CREO Listing Advancement opportunity and career progression are directly linked to a ratings manning level (i.e., personnel in undermanned ratings have greater promotion opportunity than those in overmanned ratings). Sea/Shore Rotation for This Rating First Sea Tour 60 monthsFirst Shore Tour 36 monthsSecond Sea Tour 48 monthsSecond Shore Tour36 monthsThird Sea Tour 48 monthsThird Shore Tour 36 monthsFourth Sea Tour 36 monthsForth Shore Tour 36 months Sea tours and shore tours for sailors that have completed four sea tours will be 36 months at sea followed by 36 months ashore until retirement. Advancement U.S. Navy Enlistees enter the Navy as E-1s (seaman recruits). They then advance to E-2 or a seaman apprentice. This advancement may be achieved after nine months of naval service, with advancement to E-3 (seaman) after another nine months. These Sailors are eligible for re-enlistment bonuses at the time of re-enlistment.

Army Officer Functional Area Careers

Army Officer Functional Area CareersArmy Officer Functional Area CareersA functional area is a grouping of officers by technical specialty or skill, which usually require significant education, training, and experience. An officer receives his or her functional area between the fifth and sixth years of service. Individual preference, academic background, the manner of performance, training, and experience, and needs of the Army are all considered during the designation process. Here are some of the military occupational specialties (MOS) among Army officer functional areas Army Foreign Area Officers Field 48 All branches of the U.S. military have a foreign area officer or FAO program, and the Armys is the biggest and oldest. Theyre grouped by areas of concentration, expertise and language skills. These commissioned officers are regionally-focused experts in military-political operations, which includes cultural knowledge, sociological insights, and geographic and economic awarene ss. To qualify for an MOS in the Foreign Area Officers field, youll need to be proficient in the language spoken in the region you plan to serve. Youre likely to serve in a role where you assist and advise commanding officers on decision-making, such as a defense attache, a liaison officer or a general political adviser. The MOS for this field include 48B Latin America48C Europe48D South Asia48E Eurasia48F China48G Middle East/ North Africa48H Northeast Asia48I Southeast Asia48J Africa South of the Sahara48X Foreign Area Officer (for otherwise undesignated regions) Nuclear Medical Scientist MOS 72A These officers work as parte of the Army healthcare team, conducting research for national defense in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear matters. They provide guidance for hazmat and emergency response teams and work on radiation safety and nuclear elimination missions. To qualify for this job you need a masters degree in one of the following areas radiobiology, radiochemi stry, nuclear physics, health physics, radiological physics, applied atomic physics, nuclear engineering, laser/microwave physics or a similar, related field. You have to serve for a year in a clinical laboratory facility for the Department of Defense or another eligible facility. Entomologist MOS 72B Army entomologists are involved in all aspects of pest control measures, including disease prevention and health effects. Youll need a masters degree in entomology or biological science, and have to be a U.S. citizen to serve in this job. Audiology MOS 72C Like their civilian counterparts, these soldiers are medical professionals who help their fellow troops preserve and protect their hearing. They conduct hearing tests and evaluate protective devices such as hearing aids. Before you can enlist in this MOS, you need a doctoral degree in audiology, and either a one-year externship or completion of the Army Audiology Externship Program. This job is only open to U.S.citizens. E nvironmental Science and Engineering MOS 72D These soldiers supervise scientific research for environmental health, with the aim of preventing illness among military personnel. To serve in this MOS youll need a bachelors degree with at least 30 hours in either biological or physical sciences, and an unrestricted license to practice. You also need to be a U.S. citizen. Social Work MOS 73A Social workers in the Army provide many of the saatkorn services as their civilian counterparts. They counsel to soldiers in a variety of settings, oversee and assist with patient care, and conduct research and training on issues of importance to the Army. To qualify for this job in the Army, youll need a masters degree in social work and an unrestricted license to practice if youre on active duty. Youll need the same in the Army Reserves but will also need to be a permanent U.S. resident (active duty social workers need only to be U.S. citizens). Clinical Psychology MOS 73B To qualify as a n Army psychologist, if youre on active duty, youll need a doctorate in clinical psychology, counseling psychology or similar sub-specialty and a license to practice. For the Army Reserves, youll need a doctorate in clinical psychology or counseling psychology, and will have to complete a one-year internship with an American Psychological Association-approved program. Like their civilian counterparts, Army psychologists evaluate and treat patients, and conduct research on psychological conditions. Explosive Ordnance Disposal MOS 89E These officers lead the Armys explosives experts, both technical and tactical. They conduct missions in support of Army units all over the world, coordinating the use of ordnance, advising commanders of explosive ordnance disposal threats, and commanding and controlling combat operations. If youre interested in this MOS, youll need a top secret security clearance from the Department of Defense. You also may want to consider acquisition careers.

The Best Jobs You Can Work From Anywhere

The Best Jobs You Can Work From AnywhereThe Best Jobs You Can Work From Anywhere The ability to work from anywhere isnt just nice, its downright awesome. Mondays you can work in your favorite cafe, Tuesdays you could log-on from the airport, Wednesday you could be in White Mountain National Forest, Thursday you could work from a hotel bed, and Friday you could take your laptop and work from the beach. Sounds impossible? Think again.Remote jobs give you the flexibility of working from anywhere and deciding what environments suit you best. After all, life is too short to be stuck in a cubicle. Check out these 9 cool jobs you can work from anywhereTravel untersttzung Specialist, TripActions Company Rating 4.9 Brief Description TripActions is a rapidly growing startup that reinvents one of the fruchtwein used & hated processes in your workplace. Were saving customers 30% on their travel budgets and incentivizing their employees along the way. This hybrid position is p arte of a 24/7 dedicated support group working with our Global customers and agency support team, with the goal of delivering the best service levels for both tech and travel related support. Cool Perks In addition to working remotely, TripActions gives each employee $2000 personal travel stipend to use on the app every year and a pre-tax benefit plus a $1000 yearly transportation stipend.Systems Consultant, Dell Company Rating 3.7 Brief Description As an integral part of the Dell sales team, this role is responsible for providing subject matter expertise to both customers and the sales teams to ensure that all requirements and objectives are met. This includes, but is not limited to, the development and implementation of sales strategies, thoughtful discovery of customer requirements and subsequent solution proposal development, delivery of product presentations, product demonstrations, and customer focused seminars. Cool Perks Jobs come with benefits that include health pl ans and other interesting perks like on-the-job training and mentoring opportunities.Staff Appraiser, Assurant Company Rating 3.2 Brief Description Assurant Valuations, a subsidiary of Assurant Inc., offers an innovative and differentiated suite of valuation solutions and appraisal services for mortgage industry professionals nationwide. Appraisers complete Desktop and Field Appraisal/Valuation Reviews including all product/property types. Cool Perks Competitive salary, health benefits starting on Day 1, car/travel allowance, monthly communication allowance and continuing education reimbursement.At Home Active Lifestyle Brand Ambassador, TeleTech Company Rating 3.4 Brief Description As a TeleTech At Home Customer Support Representative, youll use your get it done, high-energy, professional approach to answer in-bound calls from customers who share your passion. TeleTech will provide you with paid training, ongoing coaching and support every step of the way. Cool Perks A flexible work schedule around your availability part-time (20 25 hrs/wk), casual dress code Yoga pants, shorts, sweats its your choice, and career advancement opportunities.Bilingual Spanish Seasonal Tax Support Specialist, Intuit Company Rating 4.2 Brief Description Intuit is hiring credentialed tax experts (CPA/EA/Practicing Attorney) for their TurboTax expert network, the largest virtual tax community in the world. Youll bring confidence, tax expertise, and personal experiences to new client relationships that will empower and educate people, so they can lead better lives and get one step closer to financial freedom. And you decide how much, when and where to work, creating a schedule that works for you. Cool Perks Employee discounts, job training, and tuition assistance. Plus employees at Intuit can request up to 32 hours per year of paid time to volunteer during normal work hours.Business Information Developer, Anthem Company Rating 3.4 Brief Description This tele commute role is responsible for assisting with the development and execution of data mining analyses to enhance reporting functionality and identify data relationships and patterns. Cool Perks Anthems Total Rewards program is a comprehensive benefits package that supports greater quality of life for our associates, personally and professionally, through a wide range of thoughtful offerings like dependent care, parental leave and employee discounts.Remote Senior Sports Sales Specialist, NCSA Company Rating 3.4 Brief Description The NCSA is the worlds largest and most successful collegiate athletic recruiting network. NCSAs Recruiting Sales team is designed to produce top performing sales professionals responsible for conducting recruiting assessments with potential NCSA members over the phone. The sports sales team is charged with identifying qualified college prospects for college coaches nationwide. Cool Perks The earning potential for this role is $50K-$150K per year, plus NCSA has a Wellness Reimbursement Program of $65 per month.Realtime Captioner, VITAC Company Rating 3.9 Brief Description VITAC currently produces more than 300,000 hours of realtime captions per year thats about 6,000 hours per week. All employees travel to VITACs headquarters for one week of paid technical instruction at the beginning of a salaried training period. Upon completion, the captioner is paid a competitive hourly on-air rate. VITAC remote captioner employees are provided with all of their equipment, hardware, software, technical support, phone line installation, and direct billing of phone line charges. Cool Perks VITAC is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, 365-day-a-year business. If youre watching something on television, likely someone somewhere is captioning at that time. That might sound overwhelming, but it can result in some interesting scheduling options.juniorin Account Manager, BambooHR Company Rating 4.7 Brief Description As a member of the work-from-home i mplementation team, you will join forces with new HR clients and their teams to help manage the project of implementing our HR software. Working from home, you will have the opportunity to cut out the distractions that come with being in an office, learn how to be a master of your craft and crush your job responsibilities. Cool Perks 3 weeks paid time off, 11 paid holidays, and they pay you to go on vacation (apply to learn more).

The 30-Second Trick for Clerical Resume

The 30-Second Trick for Clerical Resume Another means to show off interpersonal skills is to scan the work listing for absolutely any soft skills it might have mentioned. Listing skills will be able to help you stand out. Skills of a secretary can fluctuate drastically. There are lots of other computer skills, however, that are generally used across all industries which are important for most job applicants to know. Employers want to understand what you could do for them and how youll be in a stelle to do it. Make it simple for recruiters to come across all relevant information. Recruiters understand the character of competition. They are familiar with it so theyll know where to look for information. New Step by Step Roadmap for Clerical Resume Most companies require that you give your credit card info. After a time, purchasing a report done by professionals will turn in the very best option, especially because you have to prepare the oral presentation too. Consider the s imple fact that the employers might have to read even hundreds of resumes and pick only a single person and make yours a distinctive paper. If you search on the netz for a wide variety of resume samples, you can observe that a few labels, such as education or employment experience are all written in capital, while some arent. You may often find both systems on computers at your neighborhood library, though you might also be in a position to learn on the work also. Many businesses utilize communication and collaboration tools to aid with productivity. Today, virtually every job requires a fundamental comprehension of computers, and numerous jobs involve intermediate to advanced computer abilities. Finding the correct job is a struggle. In addition, the sort of residents or patients youre going to be working with also has an impact on the skills desired by hiring managers. If it comes to the care and wellness of people, it is going to take more than just skill to acquire the job. If youre asking for a job where you arent part of the administrative team or whether you arent applying for a clerical job, look at describing your technology skills in a manner that doesnt look like youre an accountant trying to find a secretarial position. Many administrative support workers have a tough time detailing their accomplishments. If you need a career in the Travel and Tourism industry, you should have the correct personality attributes since you will be constantly dealing with people. Standard understanding of productivity software suites may add value to your resume. The sorts of computer skills employers expect will vary depending upon your career or industry. Even in case youve been keeping up with new abilities and technologies, you might have missed the most recent industry jargon and trends. Finding a job is a procedure that involves several steps and it all starts with your resume. Google Docs is a completely free aber ja processor that you could ac cess online for practice. Any extra computer skills, like the ability to design or edit web pages, would be regarded as a huge plus. Bear in mind that the resume is your principal marketing and advertising tool. Your background should enable you to donate to the requirements of the corporation. Make sure to keep an eye on all your phone calls. You are also going to be surprised how frequently hiring managers become distracted. Furthermore, you can learn more on the topic of administrative careers on Monster. If youve got formal training in record-keeping, office machinery, or company software, make sure you include that A self motivated worker always eager to undertake additional duties. Volunteer work which youve finished in your free time is crucial, particularly should you held an officer position, but has to be listed as such. If youre planning to change significantly summarize your long work career in one paragraph. The work description posted by the hirer will supply you with the information to learn more about the office clerk position which youre seeking for with the organization. Now, lets see a few examples of office clerk career objective statements that will help you quickly learn to make effective objectives for your resume.

Key Pieces of Writing a Resume for Bar Management

Key Pieces of Writing a Resume for Bar Management An excellent sample manager resume will contain keywords a couple of times throughout the document. Once you are finished with listing your most important info, you can decide to list whatever you feel is critical. The lists below can help you get inspired. Life, Death and Writing a Resume for Bar Management As a project manager, your primary duty is to communicate to your teams, verbally or written if a particular sort of communication is mentioned in the work description, be certain you use the stated one. Education if you are feeling your education is just one of your strong suits, then you can place it before Work Experience. If your education is linked to the job, it is a no-brainer. The target of your resume is to secure you the interview. The capacity of good managers to delegate various responsibilities to employees gives workers a feeling of worth, teamwork, drive, and the chance to learn new skills as each aim i s met. Project managers are those in charge of earning a change. They arent just limited to a single field of work either, in fact, most industries will require a project manager at some point. The hiring manager will be searching for someone whos an exceptional applicant. Then show you comprehend the work description. If youre on the lookout for a job for a bartender, your introduction type needs to be dependent on the quantity of experience youve got bartending. Furthermore, you can look for bartender jobs on Monster. Life, Death and Writing a Resume for Bar Management The hiring manager merely wishes to binnensee whether you bring any skills to the table which arent highlighted or clear in the remainder of your resume. In fact, youve got to create all your prior positions and be truthful at it. For instance, you may have collaborated with a group of 23 employees during your tenure with your preceding employer. What Everybody Dislikes About Writing a Resume for Bar Ma nagement and Why Bar Managers run pubs or bars and make certain customers are happy. The bar manager ought to carefully monitor the supply of liquor stocks and be sure they never come to an end. The bar manager must handle the whole bar. Inventory Bar managers must continue to keep a close watch on inventory. The Ideal Strategy for Writing a Resume for Bar Management Therefore locating a person who knows the way to write properly can be a huge help. In addition, there are a few helpful methods to help you craft a successful resume. Please call us if you will need help at 321.704.7209. Email me if you need assistance or wish to go over. The Importance of Writing a Resume for Bar Management To learn more on what it requires to be a Bar Manager, take a look at our complete Bar Manager Job Description. Your manager resume clearly needs to concentrate on your precise experience and should not be overly generic. Assistant managers help manage staff and make sure customers are happy with their dining experience. Your new position for a restaurant manager will undoubtedly ask that you execute a range of technical and administrative tasks. A Microsoft sie sagen es document may seem funny, based on the monitor. Though your letter doesnt need to be very long, it ought to be densely packed with good info about your work history and why youre qualified and would succeed if hired. Writing a cowl letter can be among the most traumatic facets of task seek.

Meet My Heroes

Meet My HeroesMeet My HeroesA few months ago, Readers, I asked you to send in pictures of yourselves to remind Ladders.com team that its all about you the heroes of this economy.This week Id like to introduce you to a few of Ladders.coms everyday heroes your fellow subscribers who have found great new jobs here on the site. After all, folks like Sandy, Susan, Chris, Kurtis, Michael and Jim and you are the reason were here.Ex-Military Fire Chief Returns to War ZoneSandy Sanders is a hero by any measure. After 20 years in the Air Force, the last 10 as a fire chief, and several more as a civilian fire chief, he was looking for a job that would use his skills managing a big fire department or multiple operations. Working through OpsLadder, Sanders landed a position as fire chief for construction- and engineering-services giant KBR. After he finishes a training program in Houston this June, he will be in charge of fire stations in 44 locations in Asia and the Middle East. His job is to make sure all these locations, many of them in war zones, are running smoothly.Read moreAfter a Break, a New Door Opens in Real EstateUpLadder member Susan LoGiudice used the time after getting laid off from her real-estate management job to explore work toward her MBA, roles as a TV extra and a trip to Europe. When she returned from that trip, LoGiudice had not one, but two job interviews waiting for her. She is now working as director of leasing for Vantage properties of New York, one of the citys leading investors in residential and retail properties. If you are laid off, you should definitely post your resume, maximize your use of recruiters and tell everyone you meet that you are looking for a job, LoGuidice said. You do have to put yourself out there. But look at it as an opportunity to do something youve always wanted to do but couldnt because you were stuck at work.Read moreTuning Up a Career in Music MakingChris Anderson loves to make music, and the MktgLadder members new job brings his profession and passion together. After he was laid off as national director of shopper marketing for Pepsi Co., Anderson used Ladders to score his dream job, global product manager for Gibson Guitars in Nashville, Tenn. This is an opportunity to get paid for something I love, and Im so glad I had the patience to really think my priorities through before I got into the search, Anderson told Ladders.com. I had the patience to wait and make sure I was getting the right job for me, not just taking the first thing that comes along.Read moreAfter 35 Years, a Change of GearsKurtis Tatum had been working as a consultant at Unisys for the past 35 years and enjoyed his work. Hed done many different jobs there, and for the past five years had been traveling worldwide optimizing data centers. But last June, he decided that he needed to start thinking about looking for another job. He said he needed to be proactive, rather than react to the market. Through TechnologyLadder, he lan ded a job as practice lead for Siemens IT Solutions and Services. They have money to invest and innovate, Tatum said. The job is doing very similar work to what I am doing now. And they were looking to bring in senior people to help them grow. They liked the experience and skills I could bring to their team.Read moreRegional Sales Manager Finds Higher Pay in Medical SalesSome days, in sale you can feel like you are on top of the world. Other days, you feel like you have been stepped on and trampled on. But I have done the cubical job and I have done the hard-labor job and I have done the sales job, and even at my worst day in sales, I will take that any day over any of the other industries, said SalesLadder member Michael Meyer of his position as regional sales manager for Sleep Solutions Inc, a privately held diagnostic service provider focused on products for patients suffering sleep disorders. There is no doubt that this is where I see myself. And every day, I love it.Read moreHi red From Army Reservist to Veterans HRJim Deimer faced a real challenge at the end of his active duty. A former human-resources professional in the financial sector, the Army reservist was coming up on the end of a long activation in support of operations in Iraq and islamische republik afghanistan as a personnel officer. So, as he prepared to come off active duty, Deimer turned to Ladders to help him network. I found The Ladders to be a good resource not just for the $100K jobs. It gets your name in front of people. Deimer is now a human-resources manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs, helping other military veterans bridge the gap.Read moreOK, Readers, I hope you enjoyed these six stories of success in the trenches. Now lets write yours

Working Mom Career Tips

Working Mom Career TipsWorking Mom Career TipsField trips. Daycare germs. Babysitting backfires. Morning meltdowns. Pediatrician appointments. Class parties. These are just a few of the extra demands that the working mom has to juggle along with job responsibilities. And while we want to be a patient, present motzu sich for our little ones, we want to be an indispensable employee, too.More employers are starting to get it Nearly half of human resources managers surveyed by OfficeTeam said their organization had made policy changes in recent years to better accommodate working parents. But however family friendly the company, a woman raising children and working toward an administrative professional career will often be stressed by the constant push and pull of competing demands.OfficeTeam is here to help with tips on how to juggle career and family, impress the boss, and maintain a peaceful kingdom at home and at work. Here are five common challenges the working mother faces and how to deal with them in a professional manner.Youre andrangning late for a meeting due to a morning hiccupBeing a working mom requires excellent time management skills, including the ability to cope with the unexpected. If a tantrum, sick kid or forgotten permission slip causes you to run late for a meeting, here are some suggestionsCall ahead and let the organizer or attendees know youre running late. Provide an estimate of when you expect to be in the office.Offer a sincere apology, especially if its a one-on-one meeting. But keep it brief. Youre not the only mother (or father) whos been in this situation.Email any information or documents you were responsible for bringing so others dont have to wait for you to arrive to get started.If possible, dial in to the meeting so you can join from the road.If youre running more than a few minutes late, or youre a key presenter, propose a time to reschedule the meeting.When you do arrive, take a minute before stepping in to compose yourself, d rop your coat and bag off at your desk, and silence your phone.Slip in without interrupting the meeting or calling attention to yourself.Make yourself available for questions after the meeting and let your colleagues know youre happy to follow up with them individually for updates as necessary.If the meeting had to be postponed, arrive early for the rescheduled appointment.You need a day off to be with your kidWhether your daughter develops a fever, and youve got no one to care for her while youre at work, or you want to request a vacation day to coincide with a school holiday, field trip or class party, a working mother is very familiar with the need to take scattered days off. Consider these options when you need to be out of the office, but the job still needs to get doneMake your time off requests as much in advance notice as possible so you - and your manager - can plan ahead.Team up with another mom or dad in your department and make a pact to pick up the slack for each othe r in a pinch. Share your calendars with each other and schedule a regular touch-base to go over any important items that might need to be covered if parenting duty calls. Be sure your manager is informed about your plan.If your company offers remote work options, utilize them. You may be able to do some work while your kid naps or plays during the day, or you could catch up on email in the evening. Check that you have the necessary technology and tools at home to allow for this before you find yourself suddenly needing to telecommute.Also talk to your boss about flexible work hours. If your baby is sick, you may be able to work in the morning, then return home to relieve your spouse in the afternoon. Although not a full day, such an arrangement could allow you to be in the office for key meetings or deadlines.At the start of the school year, network with a few other parents, and agree to take turns caring for one anothers children on school holidays. Establish a schedule and get cle arance from your manager for needed day offs.Read about the best work-life balance benefits and get tips for juggling your partal and professional obligations.Youre called to pick up your kid from daycare or schoolWeve all had those periods in parenting where a week doesnt go by without getting a call to pick up a sick child, particularly during the daycare and preschool years. Heres our advice for minimizing the impact on your jobFocus on critical work first thing in the morning, before the calls from school or daycare are likely to arrive. Work on longer-term or lower priority projects in the afternoon.While its admittedly difficult to identify someone who is willing to watch a sick kid (especially if the person has healthy children at home), make it a point to find a back-up babysitter. A relative or close friend who is retired or doesnt work outside the home could be a good option. The goal is to have someone you can call in an emergency when you absolutely have to get that repo rt filed by 5 p.m.Review your work schedule with your spouse Sunday night and discuss days and times its critical for you to be at the job - and vice versa. Its a proactive way to avoid scrambling to determine which working parent is going to respond to the call if it comes.Let your boss know if your child has a chronic health condition, or a nasty cold is making its way through your daycare facility. Together, you two can discuss priorities and ways of keeping up with your work.If you have a child with a chronic illness, you may be able to apply for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Consult your human resources department about your eligibility or about other leave of absence options.Learn how to craft an effective out-of-office message if you need to be away from work for an extended period of time.Youre exhausted from being up all night with a sick babyIf youre a sleep-deprived working mother whos been up all night caring for a sick baby, try these tactics to keep yo ur energy high throughout the workdayIts OK to reach for the caffeine, but remember to start the day with a good breakfast. A healthy balance of carbs and protein will give you instant energy and help you sustain it.If your workday allows it, think about taking a 15- or 30-minute power nap.Try to tackle your most pressing work first-thing in the morning before your energy starts to wane in the afternoon.Drink lots of water and take short breaks from your workstation to stretch and rest your eyes. Getting your blood flowing, and stepping out for a little sun and fresh air will help you shake off the brain fog.Keep a stash of healthy snacks at the office for days like these when you dont have the energy to pack them in the morning.Resolve to work hard and make the most of the hours in the office so you can leave on time and go to bed early.Check out this list of healthy snacks to increase your stamina at work.Youre distracted by family obligationsYoure thinking about the call from you r childs teacher discussing your daughters difficulty acclimating to kindergarten. Your sons winter recital is scheduled for the middle of the school day. Your spouse needs to vent about a rough morning with the kids. These struggles can eat away at your productivity. Here are some tips for a working mom dealing with common interruptions or unavoidable gaps in the workdayIf you need to leave early to make it to your daughters soccer game or take a couple hours in the middle of the day for your childs dentist appointment, check in with your boss first. Let him or her know when youll be gone and how youll make up the time.Try to catch up on work in the evening or come into the office on the weekend if you cant use paid time off to cover your hours away from the job. Just be sure to communicate with your manager so the two of you can come up with the right solution.Schedule appointments as far in advance as possible and put them on your work calendar so you can plan ahead and adjust yo ur workflow accordingly.If you cant make it to every school program or class party, ask a fellow parent to snap a few photos of your kid and email them to you. Then, offer to return the favor. Or commit to chaperoning a field trip with each of your children once a year. This can help you stay involved at school without sacrificing all your time off.Hopefully, you work in an environment where your boss and coworkers are sympathetic to your unique challenges as a working mother. You can minimize the impact on your workflow and colleagues if you plan ahead, anticipate how youll respond to spur of the moment issues, and build a support network at work and home.Read How Ive Changed Since Becoming a Working Parent for more great balancing tips for the working mom and dad.More work-life balance tips4 Work-Life Balance Tips for the Real WorldOffice Humor Redefining Work-Life Balance

Sales Manager Trades Flex Time for Family Time

Sales Manager Trades Flex Time for Family TimeSales Manager Trades Flex Time for Family TimeMatthew Marshall had wearied of telecommuting with a California office then OpsLadder and a networking campaign helped him find a job in his hometown of Reading, Pa.Matthew Marshall had well-defined criteria for his next job.The schlussverkauf manager wanted to move into procurement, and he wanted to work for a global company, somewhere he could use the multiple languages he speaks and the experiences he had living in Germany, Mexico and the U.K.He also wanted to work in an office again, but without a long commute. After years of telecommuting from Reading, Pa., to his companys California headquarters and two-week-long trips every month, Marshall wanted a way to be part of the gruppe everyday, without missing his family for weeks at a time. It also needed to match his salary or come close. He wanted the best of all worlds, and he had little hope he could find what he welches looking for near h is home.When he found the perfect job, Marshall pulled out all the stops and operated an unorthodox job search to land it.I did much more than I had ever done in any previous job search, he said. How many times do you find a global manufacturing company five minutes from your house? I needed to stay hungry and keep pushing.He also kept looking for other procurement jobs and landed a backup in case perfection proved impossible, he said.Time to leaveWhen Marshall began his last job, as a national schlussverkauf manager and senior business leader for a modular-buildings manufacturer, he was happy to telecommute. It seemed a good fit for a father with two young children. When I was first offered the job, I thought, Hey, flex time, thats great. But it doesnt work for me. He wanted to get back in the office.He didnt like being out of the loop. He missed interacting face to face with colleagues. I think it helps to be in the office if you want to move up in the company, he said. Those side conversations you have in an office - What do you think about this? - could be the icing on the cake that could get you the next position.When he got his wish, it created another problem. The company began demanding Marshalls time on site. I was traveling one week each month. That turned into traveling once a week, every other week. It was time to look for a new job.Close, but so farMarshalls first fruitful lead on the job search was a job with a federal agency about 90 minutes from his home. The job appealed to him on many levels, and it would mean he would work in the office and be home every night with his family. But the thought of a 90-minute commute seemed arduous to him. Thats when he found another job, the perfect job.Marshall found the job listed on OpsLadder. The employer was a publicly traded, global company with nearly 7,000 employees globally. And the job was in Reading.It was a surprise to find this company, he said. Reading is a small city, and my wife has lived he re since she was six years old, he said. We didnt know about this company, which is the global leader in industrial-battery manufacturing.He sent his resume immediately. He wasnt surprised by the slow response from such a large organization, but he decided the job was too perfect to chance. He launched an all-out campaign of contact and persuasion. He wasnt going to wait for the company to contact him.I called the headquarters, got the name of the hiring manager and her e-mail address, and started sending her notes and cold-calling her, he said. It took over a month of phone calls and e-mails until an HR person and I connected. Finally, I had a foot in the door.While Marshall waited for a response from the Reading company, he did all he could to find out more about the battery-manufacturing company, so that in case I did get an interview, I would have some background about the people and the company, he said. Finally, in May, he got an interview. After a second interview a few weeks later - a dinner with an international team member - he was offered the position of senior procurement manager with the company.By that time, he had already been offered a position with the government agency for a higher salary. But, Marshall had other priorities. After thinking about what was most important to him, he was happy to accept the local job. He started work in June.It fit my salary range, it was a global headquarters right in my backyard, and it has career potential for me, he said. Its run by very dedicated managers its a family-oriented environment but global players. Hes back to traveling once a month, but its planned in advance for a shorter period of time, its not every other week, so its much more manageable.And for Marshall, work and life are once again in balance. Im back in a competitive, energetic environment. But I can also do some exercise and pick up my kids. Those are the positive things you cant put a dollar value on.