4 Ways to Work Well with a Client You DONT Like

4 Ways to Work Well with a Client You DONT Like Relationships in business can be hard, especially when they’re ones you can’t remove yourself from easily â€" like when you’re working alongside a tricky client. However, there are ways to combat the strain. With a few simple tweaks, you can learn how to put your personal grievances to the side, and nurture a healthy working relationship instead. Want to find out more? Keep reading and we’ll show you how! 1. Remember that you are at work This may be the simplest piece of advice, but it’s an important one to start on. You are at work, and you are doing a job â€" and sometimes, the job may involve aspects that you don’t totally like. Perhaps it’s the morning meetings, or being on photocopying duty â€" or being the go-to for a particularly challenging client. Start to distance your personal feelings away from the situation, and treat it as plainly as possible. Remember that you are serving a purpose, and fulfilling a work commitment â€" you’re not seeing this person in your free-time, where the choice is entirely your own. Try to put your own personal feelings to the side, and channel your focus onto the job in hand instead. 2. Examine the situation, and suggest a new way of working Does the problem run deeper than your client being slightly off-hand to you over the phone? Are there bigger problems at play that need to be addressed that are causing you to be over-worked and stressed? If so, action them. Maintaining strong business relationships doesn’t come easily, and if problems do arise, it’s up to you to fix them â€" only you know how much a situation is affecting you. Schedule a time to discuss a change in process with your client, but make sure that the change is mutually beneficial. For instance, allotting a set day for your client to send you new job briefs can lead to better productivity during the week, and a higher quality of deliverables. As well as the client benefit, it will offer considerably less strain for you and your workforce. Spin the changes as a win-win situation to keep both parties happy at all times. 3. Write everything down Make sure that you keep a written or digital log of conversations between you and your client. As Business Bee points out, then “if the client says there is a problem with the way your services were performed, you have these details to show you took the right course of action.” It’s important to ensure you’re covered when working with external clients, and to not over-promise on deliverables. If there’s a written log to back up (or dispute) claims, this will help to add security. This way, if a client is pushing for more work than has been originally agreed, you have a document in which you can prove this isn’t true. It’s all too easy to bend over backwards for a client, but it’s important to maintain a sense of control when discussing projects, and to manage expectations correctly. 4. Take a breather The Muse share a poignant statement on this topic: “no one needs to be a hero every hour of the day.” It’s easy to get caught up in client’s demands and deadlines, and lose yourself in worry and stress. You are entitled to step away from a situation for a while, and re-evaluate. Not everything has to be completed straight away â€" you are a human, not a robot! It’s good to remember that the whole business does not rest on your shoulders â€" you have a team around you to support you, and your work. So, use them! Involve them in your stresses and work out a plan of action. If you do this, you will feel closer to your colleagues, as well as feeling happier in the workplace, which is absolutely paramount. About the author: Lucy Farrington-Smith is a careers advice writer for  Inspiring Interns, a graduate recruitment agency which specialises in finding candidates their dream internship.

Looking to Make Your Way to the Top at Reddit?

Looking to Make Your Way to the Top at Reddit?A question that is commonly asked by people trying to make their way through the increasingly competitive job market of today is what they can do to get ahead in their online career and make it to the top at Reddit. They are particularly interested in how they can make themselves stand out from all the other applicants for a particular job position.Now Reddit is a site for users to discuss a wide range of topics. The topics are split into topics that relate to their own personal interests and topics that are more broadly based. The posts on this site range from mundane and topical questions and issues to much more challenging discussions.Another great source of information for job seekers is the message boards on this site. These message boards are categorized by specific interests. Some of these topics include the sale of information, building websites, technology, art, and other topics that deal with the creative side of things.One of t he big draws of Reddit for job seekers is the huge number of jobs available. This is a big draw because of the fact that there are a lot of applicants for a lot of different jobs.Of course, a big factor that discourages many people who apply for a job at Reddit is that the jobs are posted without prior notice to the moderators of the site. You would think that when you spent several hours of your time in front of a computer writing out a job application, that you could get a heads up on what the position entails before posting.There is no secret job-hunt tactic that Reddit offers applicants. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't a tactic for them.Now, a major problem for job seekers when they are trying to use Reddit to make themselves stand out from the crowd is that most of the jobs available are fairly low paying. For most applicants that aren't already accustomed to working full time jobs, this can make the difference between getting hired and getting paid. That means that if you are looking for a job at Reddit, you need to get to work on marketing yourself effectively.However, the most important factor in getting ahead in the field is education. Reddit is a serious step up from the average job and requires applicants to have some sort of actual real world job experience. So if you want to improve your chances of getting hired at Reddit, start working towards that end sooner rather than later.

Personal Branding Pledge for 2012 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Pledge for 2012 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This year is about discovery, and complete recovery from what kills my drive I allow impatience to test relationships to learn who’s stealing my time I accurately judge who’s robbing me of what’s mine I jettison people who are boring or ignoring me or angry that I am soaring People who cast doubt, or those who need to learn what friendship is about And suddenly I find space and suddenly I am free This year I find the person whom I most wanted to be I find me! And with that comes a flurry of folks who know what life is about I allow them to teach me, reach me, nourish me and treat me I drop the baggage, the lead weight, old memories of what I wasn’t I heal from the large wounds of life, the paper cuts and concussions I find freedom and joy in uncovering my soul I master the meaning of life and love what I come to know I find happiness and optimism in the real person I am Effortlessly eager, enthusiastic and encouraged by my passions I see my destiny, I see success and I see that I am the plan And for the first time I understand I want nothing more and nothing less than the best for myself And I want to share, I want to care, to be grateful and of service I can do that this year because I am filled with my true purpose I’m in my prime, I feel fine and I am who I define myself to be This is my year; this is the best time in the world to be me Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen

CCG13 Podcast How To Find the Right Career Path For You With Career Coach Dennece Mckelvy

CCG13 Podcast How To Find the Right Career Path For You With Career Coach Dennece Mckelvy PODCAST: Click play above or  right click here and save link as  to download or subscribe on iTunes  here on this link: Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud Show Topics: Interview with Dennece McKelvy How to find the right career path for you by discovering your values, motivations, interests and skills Discovering your core self How to find purpose and meaning in your job What to do if you need a career change and are stuck in a rut Transcript: For the transcript of the podcast and video interview, click here - Networking Interview with Dennece McKelvy

Tell-tale Signs That You Should Turn Down That Job Offer

Tell-tale Signs That You Should Turn Down That Job Offer When it comes to obtaining a job offer and securing a job, there are many factors that go into this process. Tasks such as filling out the application, finding the proper interview attire, preparing the correct responses for the interview, going over your resume… the list can appear to go on and on and be downright daunting for many. So what happens after you’ve put endless time into what you thought was the job of your dreams, all to discover it’s not at all what you had in mind? Instead of rejoicing when you hear the words “you got the job,” you cringe as you are unsure of what your next steps should be. Career coach and owner of Rock Career Development Julia Rock breaks down a few factors to keep in mind when it comes to accepting the job offer or turning it down. When youre looking for work, is it important not to be too eager to accept a job offer? Why? It is very important to ensure that you don’t appear too eager to accept a job as it can come across as desperation. If you appear as desperate, the employer may be unlikely to offer your worth in salary because you have indicated that you are in need of the role, therefore willing to accept the offer, regardless of salary. Furthermore, appearing overeager in accepting a job may be a warning sign to the employer that you aren’t necessarily excited to work for  their  company, but perhaps you are just happy to get any other position than you have right now. This can be a complete turnoff as the company wants to feel as if they are truly your employer of choice rather than just the first company to offer you a job. How important is it to consider the costs of relocating for a job and the cost of housing at the new location?   When accepting a job offer outside of your current location, it is critical to do your research on the cost of housing in the new area vs. your existing costs, as well as the costs of actually relocating. Housing is one of the largest expenses you have in your monthly budget and usually set the tone for the cost of living in a given area, therefore you will want to analyze the costs of housing and ensure that your new salary/compensation package is truly competitive for that region and accounts for cost of living adjustments from your current location. It is also important to consider the costs of actually relocating because you will need to understand how much money you have to set aside upfront to cover these additional expenses to your static monthly bills. Paying for moving services, insurance, utility setup, storage, etc. can become quite costly, and therefore you will want to evaluate whether the benefit of moving from both a compensation and career perspective outweighs these incremental costs. But if possible, you should seek to negotiate a signing bonus or relocation package with your new employer to help either reduce or eliminate these out of pocket costs. Should your ability to advance be considered before accepting a job? Why is this important? If you have established clear career goals, any position you accept should be helping you to achieve those goals and attain your desired professional success. Therefore, it is important to understand opportunities for career development and progression before accepting a job as you don’t want to waste time with something that will prove to be a dead-end and can detour your career path. Furthermore, if you accept positions with no growth or advancement potential, you may find yourself job-hopping or constantly starting over with new companies, preventing you from gaining traction in your career and building a depth of knowledge. If you have a bad feeling about a job, is it ever OK to go with your gut and reject it, even if you dont have a specific reason?   Yes, it is actually the right thing to do if you have a bad feeling or are in any way uncomfortable about the job being offered. You should feel confident that the job you are accepting is favorable to both your professional and personal goals. You should feel like you are walking into an environment where you will be set up for success. In addition, job decisions can have life-altering impacts, not just for you, but also on your family (should you have one), especially if you have to relocate or significantly change your work or travel schedule to accommodate. So if you don’t have a positive feeling about the job role, there is nothing wrong with turning it down and continuing your search elsewhere. Older workers have less time to earn money before they retire. Why is it important for them to refuse a job offer that could be a poor financial move?   Unfortunately, older workers no longer have the benefit of time in the workforce when planning for retirement and long-term financial stability. Given the fact that in many cases, Social Security only covers a moderate portion of monthly expenses, and not all companies provide pension plans, older workers will want to ensure that the job moves they make in their later years will have a positive impact on their financial position and will help ensure they are provided for upon retirement. A job that proves to be a wrong financial move can set their retirement earnings back, and it may cause them to continue working much longer than anticipated in order to establish the required financial base before leaving the workforce. Why should job applicants ask about the rate of turnover for the job they are seeking?   Job applicants should ask about the rate of turnover because you want to uncover any red flags prior to accepting a position. If turnover is high, that may mean there are issues with the actual job role, work environment, overall company culture, or some combination. Asking about the rate of turnover and the reasons behind the predecessor’s departure can help you gain insight as to what kind of environment you are walking into, and if that position and company truly represent the right next step for your career. How should applicants react if they cant get straight answers about such things as what duties the job will require and the rate of pay?   If you are unable to get straight answers about the job responsibilities or compensation package, that can be a red flag. However, applicants should opt to ask the questions in a different way first to see if there may be an answer. Instead of asking “what is a typical day like?” or “what will this position be responsible for?”, try asking “what are the immediate priorities for this position?” and “what would you want this position to accomplish over the first 6-12 months?” Sometimes if a position has been newly established, it may not be fully outlined before bringing in a new employee. Therefore, it may be difficult to answer direct questions about job responsibilities. But if you rather focus on the priorities and objectives of the role, you may get a better answer. In addition, if you aren’t getting answers about the pay rate as once again, this may be a new role with no historical pay baseline, you can ask about the pay  range  or incorporate market rates into your discussions to see if that helps to drive the conversation to a more concrete place on compensation. However, if you are  still  not getting satisfactory answers to these basic, but yet critically important questions, you may want to ask yourself if this job is one you should pursue any further. How important is it to find a reasonable work-life balance at a new job? If the boss assures you he wont work you more than 60 hours a week, is that a warning sign? Work-life balance is essential because, without it, you will be overworked and run the risk of becoming burned out, unmotivated, and ultimately unproductive. Working extended hours on a weekly basis can negatively impact both your physical and mental health. If your boss assures you that you will not work more than 60 hours per week, that may be a warning sign depending on the role. While the typical workweek is 40 hours, certain fields require longer weekly hours, but then offer a more robust vacation and paid holiday packages to help provide balance. However, if the role should only typically require 40 hours, and your boss is potentially asking for 20 additional hours per week, that can be a warning sign that the role may be too demanding on your life beyond the office. You may want to get some additional clarification to understand whether or not the 60 hours per week is standard, temporary, or just during peak periods. This can drive your decision on whether you want to accept t he job offer or not. This guest post was authored by Julia Rock Julia Rock is the owner of  Rock Career Development, a boutique consulting firm whose mission is to empower individuals to unlock and achieve their full professional potential while earning the money they want, no matter what career path they choose. She launched Rock Career Development in 2013 to help job seekers and career changers take the guesswork out of the job search process and reach their desired career goals. Julia is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP), and a career, entrepreneurship, and leadership development expert. Furthermore, she has a true passion for economic empowerment and financial literacy in the Black community. Julia has been featured in several publications, including xoNecole, AspireTV, Blavity, 21Ninety, and more. In addition to working with individual clients, Julia also serves as a speaker and workshop presenter for various professional, religious, and community organizations.

Necessary Endings - They are Part of the 2nd Half of Life - Career Pivot

Necessary Endings - They are Part of the 2nd Half of Life - Career Pivot Necessary Endings Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloudis probably one of the most thought-provoking books I have encountered in quite a while, particularly for those in the 2nd half of life. I think the author states it best in the following passage: “Whether we like it or not, endings are a part of life. They are woven into the fabric of life itself, both when it goes well, and also when it doesn’t. On the good side of life, for us to ever get to a new level, a new tomorrow, or the next step, something has to end. Life has seasons, stages, and phases. For there to be anything new, old things always have to end, and we have to let go of them. Infancy gives rise to toddlerhood and must be forever shunned in order to get to the independence that allows a child to thrive. Later, childhood itself must be given up for people to become the adults that they were designed to be.” Most of us do not like to end things. I have discussed this before in my post,Failure Is Not an Option Is Total BS, where I write about how we have been brought up to see an ending as a failure. Pruning Dr. Cloud relates necessary ending to pruning a rose bush. Dr. Cloud writes: “Endings are also an important factor in our personal lives. There are relationships that should go away, practices and phases that must be relinquished, and life stages that should come to an end to open up space for the next one. A breakup, an ending of some friendships or activities, or a unplugging from some commitments often signals the beginning of a whole new life. It is a necessary step I refer to as pruning.” Dr. Cloud tells us that a rose gardener will approach pruning a rose bush in 3 ways: Healthy buds or branches that are not the best ones Sick branches that are not going to get well Dead branches that are taking space needed for the healthy ones to thrive. This is exactly the same thing we should do with our careers. We should be selective in our career or job choices If something is not going well in our career we need to prune We see a dead end like our industry or company failing we need to move on How Do We Approach Necessary Endings? We all approach necessary endings differently. In the first half of my career, I avoided necessary endings. I stayed with several jobs too long and made myself miserable. In the 2nd half of my career, I became quite adept at moving on before it was forced upon me. How about you? Listen to the most recent episode Dr. Cloud suggests you consider the following: “What is your intellectual response to the idea of pruning? Do you affirm or question the three kinds of pruning described above (too many buds, sick buds that will never recover, dead buds taking up space?”) “What is your emotional response to the idea of pruning? Does it turn your stomach? Does it feel mean or uncaring when people are involved? Does it make you anxious in some way? Is it energizing? All of the above?” Most new opportunities occur when something else comes to an end. Why do we avoid necessary endings? We have a lot of reasons for avoiding necessary endings. We will let people around us down emotionally or spiritually Others depend on us financially Our social status will diminish Fear of change Can you add to the list? I bet you can! We hold onto our job or career because of inertia. I wrote about this in my postInertia and Persistence as it Relates to Your Career. Inertia is very dangerous in managing our careers. Make the endings a normal occurrence “Make the endings a normal occurrence and a normal part of business and life, instead of seeing it as a problem.” Dr. Cloud writes that we need to do the following: Accept Life Cycles and Seasons Accept That Life Produces Too Much Life Accept That Incurable Sickness and Evil Exist I realize that I have made some endings a normal occurrence in my career. I wrote about a few of these necessary endings in the Career Failures chapter in my next book â€" “Repurpose Your Career â€" A Practical Guide to the 2nd Half of Life.” You can listen to this chapter in my podcast episodeCareer Failures, and How to Recover from Them [Podcast]. Conclusion I am in the process of listening to this book a second time. I will listen to it a third and fourth time in the next month. It has gotten me to think about the necessary endings that need to occur to make the 2nd half of life successful. I have decided I will never work for someone else. Next, I want to transform my business where I can work from anywhere. This means making some necessary endings and some new beginnings. I highly recommend you orderNecessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud(affiliate link) and you spend some time processing what you need to end. When you are ready, please share the necessary endings that you are considering below. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Ask Dana How to play the odds in your job search

Ask Dana How to play the odds in your job search Question: A few months ago, I applied for a full-time position that I was very qualified for with an organization that I previously worked for. A month later, someone within the organization told me that the hiring manager for the position was particularly slow at filling new positions â€" in one instance it took him almost eight months to choose a candidate. Finally, someone on the organization’s HR team contacted me, saying that the hiring manager wanted to interview me. Details were to follow. However, I never received a follow-up call. So eventually, I left follow-up voice and e-mail messages with both the HR rep and the hiring manager, expressing my continued interest in the position â€" still no response. This would be a great job with a great organization. Realistically, how long should I continue to pursue this opportunity? How else can I snag a face-to-face interview? Advice from Dana: Here’s the most important piece of advice that I have for all job seekers: You simply cannot rely on one, two, or even three job opportunities to actually land a position. I even dedicated an entire chapter in my book “Cut the Crap, Get a Job!” to the importance of playing the odds. Your question outlines just one type of “crap” that happens on the company hiring side. Here are a few of the most common hiring roadblocks: A slow-moving hiring manager, HR department, or other inefficient team. The job is posted, but it’s really not open and you don’t know that. You applied, but have no contact information. Your application is in the “black hole.” Even if you’re “perfect for this position” or the job description “has your face on it,” you cannot get wedded to any one position. It’s not just that there are, on average, over 200 applicants per position â€" it’s that there are too many variables between a job posting and an actual hiring event. Rules for playing the odds game So, how do you play the odds? Try juggling at least 10 active job prospects at one time. That way, you will feel better about your search, your progress, and your opportunities. Plus, it will decrease the time between now and your start date. Rule No. 1: Have a minimum of 10 “active” job possibilities in play You need 10 active opportunities in motion at the same time. If one drops off, add one. You can find these openings online or through the company itself, just don’t count the make-believe job you designed in your head. An “active” opportunity means you have done something to get the job. You may only be in pre-application research mode, but you’re still being active. Feel like you have too many balls in the air? In a recent Business Journals Career Mojo article, we gave out a free Cut the Crap Job Tracking Tool [https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/human-resources/2014/02/is-your-job-search-out-of-control-get.html], which will teach you how to track all of your job search activities. Rule No. 2: Make each job opportunity countâ€"or cross it off the list My father taught me “If you cheat, you are cheating yourself.” So don’t cheat on how you count your 10 active opportunities. Each of your active openings must meet at least one of the following requirements: You are doing research and preparing your customized application to submit. You applied, and fewer than 15 work days have passed without hearing something back. You had a phone or face-to-face interview, and fewer than 15 work days have passed since you heard from the company. You heard something back from the company, acknowledging receipt of your application, and you are within the 15-work-day window for initiating the next step. The good news: Every time you cross one off your list (meaning, it’s no longer viable), you get to shop for a new job and add a new opportunity to the group.