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Browse published articles attributed to Cecile Peterkin, with full-archive search.
Having good manners is defined as behaving in a way that does not make other people uncomfortable in your presence. Since it is crucial that a workplace have a pleasant and supportive environment, everyone in it is expected to contribute to creating a workplace environment that promotes good relationships among workers.
Sleep allows your brain to have a much-needed break from all the stresses of your day. When you sleep, your mind is rejuvenated so it could process information. But the biggest question is how much sleep you actually need. While everyone's needs vary, research shows that adults who get to sleep for 8 hours a day tend to be healthier, and have lower mortality rates compared to those who sleep more or less than 8 hours.
Many of us have a dream of working abroad, but in most cases, this turns into reality when they are in their 30s or 40s already. The idea of working abroad in your early 20s may not sound interesting for you now, but it should be. There are many things you can get from this experience that can benefit both your personal and professional growth. Working abroad can help build your character.
For those planning to start their own business, getting into a joint business venture is an attractive option. In a joint venture, there are two or more companies or even individuals who join together in at least a temporary partnership. What these businessmen do is put their resources together to accomplish a common goal, which is to earn profit. Joint ventures are actually very common because of the benefits they come with. But there are some drawbacks to this type of business setup as well.
Much has been said already about how we could keep the balance between our personal life and work life. However, not all of the advice you get can actually match with your personality and lifestyle. While it is true that focusing too much on work and having very little time for your personal life is not good for your well being and even for your performance at work, not everyone is willing to change a routine they’ve long been used to. What’s worse, forcing yourself to work less and play more can leave you more uncertain and stressed out in the long run.
Making a career change over 40 isn’t any easier than it was in your 20s or 30s. Whether your decision is based on your desire to finally pursue your dreams or a need to find a new career path due to an ever-shrinking market or faltering industry, making a career change in mid-life can leave even the most confident job seekers asking themselves, “How do I find a new career?”
You did it! You impressed your future employer to the point where they called you in for a face-to-face job interview. This is your chance to go in there in person and shine. Now that you’ve been given this opportunity, it’s critical that you don’t waste it. Here are the top ten mistakes made in job interviews and how to avoid them. 1. Dressing Dreadfully: According to a Careerbuilder.com survey, the single most common mistake made by candidates in job interviews is inappropriate dress.
Do you know that more than 90% of the fully operational businesses in the US are under the category of ‘small businesses’? This is a surprising fact, but an encouraging one for those of you who are considering becoming an entrepreneur. This figure only shows that the majority of the successful businesses you may see around you may have started really small. However, no matter how many small businesses are operating out there, this doesn't mean that success is guaranteed for anyone who is about to launch an enterprise.
Is there anything you can do to be able to keep up with your busy career while at the same time having time to do what you have to do for yourself, your family and your friends? Is there really a way that you can just relax? Keeping the balance between your work and personal life is so important if you want to live a fulfilling life. Without this balance, you will be putting your personal relationships at risk, as well as your personal development and even your sanity. But how are you supposed to recognize that there is something wrong with your work-life balance?
Perhaps the easiest thing to do in the world is to procrastinate…but only if there were no deadlines that exist. With tons of work waiting for your attention and action, there’s just no way you should waste time. Below are some useful tips that will help you stay focused throughout the day: #1: Evaluate How You Use Your Time
Owners of small businesses, have to have their particular goals in terms of running and growing their businesses. It is vital that they have a clear idea of what short term and long term goals they need to achieve, which should include funding, increasing profits, gaining more customers, and expanding their business. Goal-setting can be considered a simple process, but the challenge is how to make sure your business goals are specific, measurable, and most importantly, realistic. Below are the important aspects of a small business every entrepreneur should look to improve:
How great it would be if there was a machine that could identify the things that can surely make a person happy…but there isn’t! Nevertheless, it seems quite easy for us to tell if a person is happy or unhappy. Thus, if you want to live a happier life, it won’t hurt to know what happy people do in general, so you could perhaps apply some of them in your own life. Their habits may not necessarily make you happy, but they can be a great source of inspiration for you. So what do happy people do? 1. They don’t consider wealth as their only source of happiness.
Finding a new job in the summer seems intimidating to many people. The prospect of job hunting, only to be rejected, keeps potential workers from realizing some of the best opportunities available. Summer is often the best time to make a career change. What you Need to Know If you want to find a new job this summer, think positive. Many career resources are available. With effective job search techniques, the occupation of your dreams may be just around the corner. You need to know that: * Summer is a good time to revive your search strategies * There is less competitionr
Every year, an average employee is expected to receive an average pay raise of 3 percent. For top performers, another 1 percent of salary raise is given. While this would clearly not make a huge difference, a lot of companies are still struggling to offer their workers such a raise. This is not surprising, though, considering how terribly the economy is still struggling. Therefore, you must appreciate every bit of raise you are to receive. Nevertheless, there are things you can do to make sure you are in a position to ask for a raise that is significantly higher than average.
The references that you include in your resume when applying for a job that you really want are so valuable. Putting a name of a reference who cannot be reached can definitely cost you the job you’re trying to get. As a matter of fact, most hiring managers use the provided references as a basis for choosing between equally experienced and skilled job applicants. Before we talk about the things you should do to ask for a reference, you should understand first what you should NOT do. These are the following:
Did you ever have to manage people who just can’t seem to put their trust on one another? If yes, then you have an idea of how draining and difficult it is to build trust among your team members. And while there isn’t any way you could do this easier, you really have to try to achieve this goal.
Being able to live your life to the fullest seems just too good to be true. For many of us, it is a big struggle to reach their full potential, be it personally or professionally. What makes things even more complicated is that failing in one aspect of our live can have a significant effect on our success in the other aspects of our lives. If you want to make the most out of life, you must go back to the basics and address certain issues that you think were trivial. Here are some tips on how you may start living a happier and fuller life:
In the world of business, one of the biggest sins you can make is to compare yourself to others. If you belong to the group of Gen Y entrepreneurs, chances are you’re feeling the pressure of being successful just like your more senior and experienced counterparts. What’s interesting is the fact that young entrepreneurs tend to follow how older entrepreneurs do business. On the other hand, older company leaders are almost not interested in knowing how the younger ones run business. Well, this is a big mistake they’re doing.
Besides using a resume that is full of grammar mistakes and typos, the easiest way to not be considered for a job is saying silly things during an interview. Sadly, no matter how important it is for a job seeker to present himself in the best possible manner during an interview, so many job candidates fail to prepare enough for the big day. In a job interview, remember that whatever comes out of your mouth is a reflection of the type of worker and individual you are. Thus, you have to be careful in choosing what to say. Below are the things you must never say during an interview.
As a leader in your company, if you’re frustrated with your middle management, you have only yourself to blame. The success or failure of middle managers rests upon the support of upper management and how well both parties work together. For middle management to do their jobs properly they must first understand the company’s Mission, Vision and Goals – something they cannot do without the guidance and modeling of upper management.
We all know how difficult it is to concentrate and get work done when you couldn’t even keep your eyes wide open. It’s true that not getting enough sleep can make you feel tired and sluggish the following day, but this is not the only way lack of sleep can affect you and your work. In fact, worse things can happen to you and even your career. Here’s how sleep and lack of it can affect how you do your job: 1. Sleeping too little leads to more sick days.
Coaching clients in senior roles is often necessary because they lack self confidence. As a result, they are not seen as leaders. Instead, they all seem to have one quality in common. They all have a fear of making the necessary decision required of their position. Self perception affects everyone in both their personal and professional lives. However, for individuals in positions of authority, it’s important to understand how self confidence impacts your leadership. Why Self Confidence is Vital in Leadership
This is an interesting time in the history of business - workplace dynamics are in the midst of a huge shift. Baby Boomers in their 60’s are running into the challenges of managing the very different needs of those in the Y generation. In fact, so much focus has been placed on these two sizeable generations colliding in the marketplace, that the generation in between them, Generation X, has been largely forgotten.
Self awareness is knowing and understanding your own personality, which includes your thoughts, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, emotions and motivation. By being aware of yourself, you are more able to understand how other people perceive you. Why is it important to develop self awareness?
One of the biggest conce s that many of us have in our lives is their own ability to find a career that will suit them perfectly. Nobody can say that it’s easy to find your dream career, but nobody said it cannot be done, either. The secret to finding the right career path is to first have the right mindset to get you where you want to be. You could spend all of your time and energy taking on every job search action, but if you lack the proper mindset, it is unlikely that you will succeed. For you to attract your ideal job, take keep these three things in mind:
We all want to have a good life. For many, it’s about having a great career, a house of their own, a nice car and everything they need. But for some, life is good when they get to do what they love and just being with the people who matter in their life. Regardless of how we think living a good life is about, keeping the right balance is of utmost importance. While it is good that you work really hard to succeed in your career, you can’t spend all your time at work. At the end of the day, all that really matters is your wellbeing. So how can you be really happy with your life?
If you think that you work better and are more productive when you do things under a looming deadline, you’re probably mistaken. The truth is that you just feel more satisfied with the fact that you accomplished your tasks even with the time almost running out. Did you know that by getting rid of your procrastination habits, you can be more productive, effective and less stressed out? Yes it is easier said than done, but the fact remains that it is very much doable.
We can do anything and everything just to impress others, can’t we? Showing off the expensive things we’re using or even the successful career we have could be the best way to leave a mark…or maybe not. Honestly, there isn’t anything wrong with wanting to be impressive, but it’s always how we do it that makes us desirable or not. Thus, it’s important that you be very careful in choosing the means by which you’re going to impress people around you. If you want to impress others in a dignified way, here’s what you should and should not do:
If you are running your own business and are wondering if you are doing well at it, you should go figure out if you were born to be an entrepreneur or not. If it turns out that you don’t have what it takes to be a successful businessman, there’s no reason to feel miserable. It wouldn't even mean that you don’t have the potential to succeed in owning a business. You can easily think of it as a sign that you should instead let your talents be used by a good employer.
Many of us are talented, driven, highly functional, and just very good at what they do. Yet, it is still not uncommon for some of these people to decide to move away from their jobs despite really enjoying many aspects of their careers. The main reason is that they feel that some of the things they do in their jobs don’t fit what they are planning to do in the future. In this case, you would wonder if changing careers is a smart decision to make.
Are you still trying to figure out how you can live your life to the fullest? If yes, you are definitely not alone. Many of us feel like we are going through life without actually experiencing what life really has to offer. Thus, we tend to miss a lot of opportunities to meet great people, see beautiful places, and make great memories. Below are the undeniable truths that all of us need to understand when it comes to living the best life we could possibly have: 1. Plan how you will spend your time
According to a saying, “Sometimes you need to spend money in order to make money.” This is true, especially for business people, but it’s not only them who should invest to make profits. This saying applies to your career as well. In order for you to move up or advance in your career, then you’ve got to invest in yourself. However, there are also certain limitations as to until when you should spend. It is wise to spend when: a. You feel that a particular brand name can make a huge difference.
Business owners would all agree that one effective way of maximizing profitability is keeping customers satisfied. By maximizing the satisfaction level of your customers, you are actually giving yourself a better opportunity to have your customers come back, and this could happen without you having to spend more on marketing. In addition, customer satisfaction increases their loyalty, and therefore reduces the need for the company to spend on acquiring new customers. How to Keep Customers Happy
Despite the fact that hourly employees make up the majority of the workforce in most developed countries, employers are still unable to find enough candidates who are qualified for the job. Not only that, companies, big and small, often fail to retain their best workers long enough to capitalize on their investment.
Nobody ever wants to get fired, of course! Getting terminated from a job can damage not only your reputation, but your confidence in yourself as well. Although this is a forgettable moment in your life, there are things you should learn about yourself also through this experience. Whatever the reason may be that you lost your job, it is important that you recognize them so that you would know what you should work on to become a better professional. Here are the possible reasons you got fired: 1. You’re not the right fit. It’s as simple as that.
When some business owners and corporations start looking into mentoring programs, there is some initial confusion about what mentoring is. One of the biggest confusions that they have is identifying what differentiates mentoring from coaching and why mentoring can be so much more effective.
If you are searching for a job wisely, you must have done a lot of research about cover letters, resumes, job interviews, and almost everything that has to do with effective job searching. Whether you are looking for Vancouver jobs or one from your local area, you should take advantage also of the power of social media when looking for a job.
Several studies have revealed that those entrepreneurs who belong to the age group of 55 to 64 are actually more likely to succeed in business compared to their younger counterparts. This can be explained partly by the fact that older entrepreneurs are more active and serious about making their business initiatives a success.
When it comes to being organized at work, many of us believe that it should start with having a clean and well-arranged workspace. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should spend the first hour or so of your day trying to organize things around you. It will be a waste of time if you go on cleaning up your desk and organizing your files right before you start work. Read on to learn some useful home organizing tricks that will help you spend less time de-cluttering workspace. Whether you work in an office or in a home office, these tips will be helpful:
Contrary to what many people believe, anger management is not about suppressing or internalizing anger. It is just a set of skills that you need so that when you recognize that you are becoming angry, you will be able to deal with the situation in a more positive way.
When talking about a ‘perfect leader’, we easily think of someone who seems to be always in control. This person never allows his temper to overcome him no matter how difficult the situation is. You may also imagine a perfect leader in a person who is trusted by his staff because she is someone who knows how to listen to her subordinates and has the ability to make informed decisions. If you try to analyze such traits of a good leader, you will realize that it takes a high level of emotional intelligence to become a perfect leader.
Self-regulation is your ability to keep your impulses and disruptive emotions in check, and also to think before doing something. It is also one of the 5 elements of emotional intelligence (recognizing your emotions, managing your emotions, understanding other people's emotions, motivating yourself, and managing relationships). Emotional intelligence is a very important skill that every leader has to possess in order to be effective. Emotional intelligence allows you to be aware of your own emotions, and also of the feelings and needs of other people.
More and more businesses are becoming reliant on the internet to remain competitive on the international market. What the web does is make them available and operational 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This has clearly made technology an essential aspect not only of the sales process, but also in offering quality customer service. However, it is important that businesses, regardless of their size, realize that technology alone will not enable them to give their customers top quality customer service.
With the advancement in technology, it has been noted that people are living healthier and life expectancy is increasing. It is for this reason also that professionals of today are able to work much longer compared to the earlier generations. Many older people are also actively seeking a career at a later stage in life. Just because you are in your prime doesn’t mean you need to stop doing what you love doing, especially in relation to your work or career. It is important, however, that you keep the right balance between your life and career if you want to stay healthy and happy.
It is definitely very easy for student entrepreneurs to get caught up with their startup during summer because they feel this is the perfect time for them to attend to the many aspects of their new businesses. And so, having a day job is not a very popular option for them. While it may seem that joining an internship is a waste of time, there are many useful things a starting entrepreneur could pick up from this endeavor. Follow these tips so you could take full advantage of your internship:
There are many reasons why businesses fail, and all of them are due to the company owners’ inability to spot where things are going wrong in their business. If you are an entrepreneur who wants to avoid having to shut your company down, you may as well take a careful look at your financial statements because they actually show some warning signs that something is not right about the way you’re handling your business. Taking these red flags for granted can leave you surprised that all your investments and hard work should go nowhere. Here’s what to beware of:
All of us have our own values that we apply in whatever workplace we go to; even managers do. For managers, there can never be an assurance that the people he or she hires have the same workplace values. Nevertheless, it is important that company leaders try to hire only those who will fit in their existing workplace values. What we are going to look at in this article are the ways you can identify and easily understand what workplace values are. Why Are Workplace Values Important?
Succession planning is often the key to a company's long term success. With succession planning, business owners will find that they are able to work with the leaders in their company, to hire those prospects that will be a great fit for the company and who will be able to learn, grow and be a ...
Having the amount of money that you need to start up a business is not the only important thing to do to start your own business. It is actually very easy to find where you could spend your money, but sadly, it is hard to guarantee that your investments will be all worth it. Thus, it is crucial that you make sure you are ready to quit your job and become an entrepreneur before you spend out a single penny out of your savings. Here are the things you should ask yourself before jumping into the field of entrepreneurship: Are you ready to change your lifestyle?
Millions of employed individuals work at desk jobs that require them to sit almost the entire day while using their computers. While this kind of job seems really easy and not physically demanding, there are several ways it can also jeopardize the health of workers. If you want to stay healthy with your desk job, here are the things you should do: 1. Pay Attention to Proper Sight Lines