Freelance Resume Writing Jobs Online - How to Make a Great Resume Online

Freelance Resume Writing Jobs Online - How to Make a Great Resume OnlineYou may have heard the term freelance resume writing jobs. This is the quickest way to find great job opportunities and this is where you can find the best part of writing your own resume online. You just need to know the basics about what writing your own resume involves and then you can get started right away.The first thing that you need to know about your resume is that it should be different from every other resume. You do not want to copy every resume that you see online. In fact, there are many websites that offer free resume templates. These will allow you to start out with your own unique look, which is very important. These templates make it easy for you to type out a resume, but you want to keep your own style.Writing a good resume takes time. Most people do not write resumes in a few weeks, but in months and years. Some people might even write multiple resumes at the same time, depending on their curr ent position. You don't want to rush your resume, but you do want to keep your writing style consistent.You should look at a few templates before you begin to write your own resume. These will help you get ideas and help you come up with a professional looking resume. Many times you will need to change some parts of your resume, so do not worry about it. Just change the template if necessary. This way you can make your resume stand out in the crowd.You should also consider using a basic resume that you can change when you go back and edit the details. After all, you will be changing it multiple times over the course of your career. Don't worry about making your own work style or your own unique style.Freelance resume writing jobs online will help you hone your skills. It will give you the opportunity to market yourself and will help you to be noticed when you apply for more jobs. This is a great way to show that you are capable of performing certain jobs, and this is why you need to take advantage of these opportunities. Whether you decide to work for an employer or you choose to use your own ideas and make your own resume online, you should always remember that a great resume is the first step in your job search.Your resume should include a great deal of details about your education, experience, skills, and experiences. Most resumes will focus on your education, although you can also mention previous jobs. Make sure that you are able to present yourself in the best possible light.

The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship - Is it Worth It

The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship - Is it Worth It The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship The unpaid internship is a source of constant debate in the professional world. On one hand, these positions can allow young professionals to gain experience in industries where a paid gig just isn’t feasible. On the other hand, they can be easily exploited by greedy companies looking for free labor. The usefulness of an internship has more to do with your goals and the nature of the position than whether or not it’s paid. No internship is created equally. An unpaid position could easily yield countless benefits where a paid one just nets you a paycheck. The trick is figuring out which you’ve signed up for before it’s too late. I’ve worked both paid and unpaid internships. My experiences have been largely positive, but not without their drawbacks. Here’s what I learned through each, and what you need to look out for. My unpaid internships In college I majored in journalism, an industry struggling to sustain profits and create jobs. I knew that if I wanted to secure a gig after college, I had to rack up internships during the summer. What I didn’t realize is that most of the media internship opportunities were unpaid. I got lucky my first summer and found an internship at my hometown newspaper that paid a $1,000 stipend, which I immediately put toward my tuition. Since I was living at home, I didn’t have any other expenses to worry about. I left that summer with a new item on my resume, dozens of clips and a new understanding of journalism. The next summer, I signed up for a university-sponsored, six-week study abroad and internship program in London. The program placed students with a newspaper, magazine, or PR firm where they would work three days a week. Not only was this an unpaid internship, but I would have to pay thousands of dollars for housing, transportation, and groceries. My parents paid for part of the cost, but I was on the hook for the rest. The whole experience cost me a significant amount, but it’s more than paid for itself as an item on my resume. Potential employers have always perked up at seeing that I worked in London. Two years later, I had the opportunity for another unpaid internship, this time for a local magazine in Indianapolis. While I already had lots of newspaper experience, I had none at a magazine, which are harder to break into. I took the gig, working 20 hours a week at the publication and 10 hours a week at a call center to make ends meet. This unpaid internship gave me great local contacts, and I still freelance for that publication. It helped that they were flexible and worked around my other job, so I could earn money and get valuable experience. Pros of unpaid internships Unpaid internships remain a viable option for employers because for many students, it’s the only chance to get work experience before they graduate. Paid internships are rare in fields like journalism, entertainment, art, and fashion. Getting an internship is the only inroad for many students without a personal tie to the industry. Expectations are often looser for unpaid internships, so they can be a great way to get experience without the stress of a paid position. Most employers are wary about driving unpaid interns too hard and running afoul of labor laws. A friend of mine had an unpaid internship at a national magazine in New York City. She was a journalism student, like I was, and took the gig realizing it would be huge for her career. But because it was unpaid, she had to live like a poor college student. I didn’t realize what it was like until she published a story talking about how she lived in a hostel in Brooklyn and spent $40 a week on groceries. But a few months later, she landed her first real job at another national magazine. Without that hard summer, she might not have gotten her next gig. Thinking about her story always reminds me of the power of internships, paid or unpaid. Meeting the right people at the right time can lead to the greatest opportunities. Even in our social media-obsessed society, face-to-face contact is key for making real connections. Cons of unpaid internships The obvious con to unpaid internships is that, well, they’re unpaid. That’s not so bad if you can live at home or if you only work part-time. But if you have no savings and your folks can’t help you out, you might have to take out a credit card or loans to finance your internship (which we dont recommend). Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that people who had unpaid internships on their resume received average starting salaries of $34,375 compared to $53,521 for those who had paid summer jobs. Part of that could be attributed to the fact that industries with unpaid internships are generally lower-paying, but it’s an important consideration. If you have an interview, don’t mention that your internship was unpaid or an employer may use it against you in negotiations. An interesting aspect of unpaid internships is that many require you to receive school credit in exchange for work. When I interned at a magazine in Indianapolis, I had to tell them I was getting at least three credit hours. Otherwise, I learned, they could be violating labor laws. However, my student loans didn’t cover summer classes and paying $2,400 for three credit hours was not in my budget. A fellow intern told me the magazine never asked for proof that you were taking those credit hours. “Just lie,” she told me. So that’s what I did. I completed the summer without HR ever finding out. If you find an unpaid internship that also requires you to take a class, see if you can get it covered by your college. Paying someone to work for free is a crappy deal, and should be avoided at all costs. Summary Most of us just cant afford unpaid internships. But, those who can afford to live on their own, or at home for a summer can gain an incredibly valuable experience that may land you a job in the future. Read more How Not To Suck at Applying For A Job Finding A Short-Term Rental Anywhere

2 Key Ways To Focus Your Job Hunt Message - Work It Daily

2 Key Ways To Focus Your Job Hunt Message - Work It Daily After years of very high unemployment, things appear to be turning around. But how can you focus your job hunt message to ensure you're one of the next 100,000 people to be hired? Your job as a job hunter is to make it easy for people to understand how you can add value to the company that hires you. Everything about your resume, networking, and interviewing should be designed to strategically further this fundamental message. How To Focus Your Job Hunt Message Here are two of the most common examples of off-track messaging and how to fix them: Situation #1 You are between 45-65 years old, and your cover letter begins like this: “… I’ve got 25 years of experience doing XXX in YYY industry.” You get rejected, and fear that it is due to age discrimination. In reality, that might be the case, but by the way you project your own case you give the underlying message that you are an older worker. Remember you aren’t selling decades of experience. Rather, you are selling the knowledge, skills, and abilities which you happened to attain during your years of experience. The Fix: Lead with something like, “In my most recent position as XXX, I provided value for my company by…” Then give a brief story that conveys a situation, how you took control of it/dealt with it, and the glowing results that you accomplished. Sell the story of your experience â€" not the length of it. Situation #2 Point after point in your resume begins with the words, “Responsible for…” or something else that describes your prior job description. Such language fails to give any positive message. It doesn’t say anything about what you actually did, how you think, how you interact with others, or the results you produced. Worse, you simply position yourself as one of countless others who have had similar roles and responsibilities. The Fix: Make each point in your resume is about something you actually did, and briefly tell the story providing three basic elements: a) The situation or problem; b) your actions; and c) the success/results you achieved. Wherever possible quantify your results in terms of increased sales, decreased costs, reduced liability, potential savings, or increased productivity. Example Sales people have the ultimate quantifiable results. The numbers speak for themselves, but they speak even louder when you tell a story about how you achieved your numbers like this: Uncovered and exploited opportunities to increase revenue from new and existing accounts, and rekindled dormant relationships, resulting in year-to-year sales increases of 16-18%. Of course, not everyone has a job whose results are measured in dollars. Still, you can tell a story and give a “soft” result like this: Achieved customer satisfaction for engineers involved with new product development by organizing seminars on emerging technologies. Remember this: You have the ability to fashion the impression people will have of you. The words you chose can tell important stories, and convey purposeful messages. One of my greatest joys as a career coach is working with my clients to frame the messaging that builds the case for them to be hired. What’s your story? What’s your message? Related Posts 5 Ways To Instantly Improve Your Job Search Results 7 Common Job Hunting Mistakes Students Make Job Seekers: 5 Smart Steps On Twitter Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

12 Clichés That Undermine Your Credibility on a Resume

12 Clichs That Undermine Your Credibility on a Resume Weve all heard clichs about the job search, like, Opportunity doesnt knock twice, and Good things come to those who wait. These ideas can help us understand the process and relate to each other better. Their familiarity makes it clear were not alonejob searching (and rejection) is an experience everyone shares, even if youre exceptionally qualified.But these platitudes have also become so overused, they reif hollow today. They might even make you cringe.Its easy to point out empty expressions when they come from other people, but its more challenging to identify those problems in our own writing. Most people continue to use stale language on their LinkedIn profile and resume, for example.These documents contribute to a hiring managers first impression of you as a job candidate. And if they binnenbinnensee the same aber sichering repeated, it can be hard to stand out from hundreds of other applicants. At the end of the day, clichs are just fluffwe include them because we think recruiters want to see buzzwords. But that couldnt be further from the truth.Keywords arent enough to get you hired.Most recruiters and hiring managers are looking for proven examples of the results youve produced. Inflated descriptions wont mean anything if you cant support the language with evidence.Here are some of the most over-usedand, therefore, unremarkableexpressions we see on LinkedIn and resumes.12 Clichs to Avoid on Your Resume and LinkedIn1. Detail-OrientedA well-organized resume with no spelling errors and clear descriptions will demonstrate that youre detail-oriented. You dont need to point this out explicitly in the writingits best to use that space to cover information thats more relevant to the position.2. Team-PlayerShow that you can work on a team by giving examples of how youve collaborated in the past. You can also use active verbs, like mentor or cooperate, which are more engaging and convey personal agency.3. Resu lts-DrivenIf youre working, the hiring manager will assume you achieve results for your current employer. This message will produce a bigger impact if you can demonstrate through key performance indicators (KPIs) what results youve achieved.4. Self-MotivatedInstead of relying on a self-assigned label, use your work summary to speak to the independent work that youve initiated on behalf of the company. Describing your affiliations with professional organizations also shows that youre motivated to improve your skills beyond your immediate work environment.5. Go-GetterThis term is too broad. Instead of using one word to encompass an idea thats central to your career growth, describe when you took charge or led a project. A concrete example shows initiative.6. HardworkingThis is another sentiment thats more meaningful if you include an example. Prove that you work hard with the results and achievements that you list on your resume.7. Responsible ForEach bullet point on a resume needs to be robust and start with a verb. Responsible for is a passive description and makes the sentiment fall flat. Instead, choose a more specific and compelling action, like transform, secure, develop, launch, reconcile, or capitalize.8. SeasonedThis word sounds like a euphemism for overqualified. Age discrimination is rampant, and job seekers should avoid any terminology that could imply their age.9. SuccessfullyYou can usually cut a vague adverb by choosing a more specific verb or adding more details that point to specific KPIs. Hiring managers like to see measurable outcomes listed in your job history.10. Think Outside the BoxThis phrase might accurately describe your mindsetbut its so familiar, it loses all of its impact. Less commonly used words like conceptualize speak to your creativity. Using more succinct wording will also make the sentence easier to follow.11. InnovativeWhat did you innovate? Youre better served by giving an example than hoping a hiring manager will take your word for it.12. Proven Track Record/Proven AbilityIts best to avoid the word provenit doesnt actually provide, well proof Instead, try substituting it with information about your concrete deliverables.Bonus Microsoft arbeitszimmer SuiteThis final point isnt a clichbut its still overused and doesnt belong in a resume or LinkedIn profile. Microsoft Office is the industry standard, which means its not considered a skill. Hiring managers assume every qualified candidate will know how to use this software. Delete this item and instead use the space to discuss skills that are unique to the position you want to fill.For most people, resume writing doesnt come easily. If you want to hone your employee branding and stand apart from other candidates, work with a talented Career Coach from Ivy Exec. Theyll help you capitalize on your skills and make a powerful first impression. Amber Crow--This story originally appearedon Ivy Exec. Amber Crow is a Career Advisor for Ivy Exec with three years o f experience. She is focused on promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace through her website TheQueerCareerBlog.com.

The Chronicles of Resume Writing Laboratory

The Chronicles of Resume Writing Laboratory The War Against Resume Writing Laboratory Scroll down one fold and youre going to observe an ideal research assistant resume sample. Resumes are just a page in length (if you dont own a sortiment of years of experience in a special field), and space is at a premium. One means is to place your education section at the base of your resume. The experience section should consist of info about your work experience and ought to start with the most recent one. Define a lab reports to enhance communication is a critical portion of papers. Writing the ideal research assistant resume objective or summary can be challenging. Providing best diagnostic lab report is an excellent laboratory. As a Chemistry Lab Technician, you will have to have the ability to aid with all projects and make sure that the lab is always safe. Writing an effective resume is quite crucial for getting your preferred job. Before writing a resume make a list of all o f the requirements for the specific job you are trying to find. If you wish to find out more about writing resumes that get bewerberinterviews, go to a site such as Top Career Resumes where you will discover several articles and suggestions. Resume making is most likely one of the most overlooked parts of a work hunting strategy. Might effort beneath the medical technologist otherwise any senior. Therefore, the valuable ideas and information mentioned would certainly enable you to draft an interview winning chemical engineer resume and boost your probability of getting work. The interview is the initial step in every work attaining process where your resume plays a crucial role. Resume journalists that have a place with resume-guaranteeing associations have a tendency toward remain exceptional in resume viability. Including an objectives section at the commencement of your resume provides a succinct introduction to the intention behind the resume, highlighting your career obj ectives and the sort of job you are searching for. Since you can see, to be able to construct a fantastic objective statement, you must have a certain objective in mind. The skills required vary based on the field youre applying for. Business writing is a substantial portion of producing a little company offer document. Across turn, your company meeting with expertise need to be wonderful if youd like to develop one definite recruiting supervisor which will help give you any position. If your resume doesnt have an expert appeal, it doesnt tischset you apart from the competition. Starting an online resume business is in fact easy and quick. The True Meaning of Resume Writing Laboratory The primary reason behind writing a cover letter is to grab the interest of a work employer at the exact first glance. Your objective statement is the very first thing theyll see and read, since its the very first thing on the webpage. A good resume objective can assist you in a positive mea ns to compose the remainder of your resume. There is no explanation as to why your resume must seem amateurish. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Writing Laboratory Your customer care analyst job description plays a crucial role in making you geta job prospect. You have to formulate a very clear statement what you want from the job and the organization youre applying to. A work targeted resume set you apart from the competition and make you an ideal option for the work position. Furthermore, you can look for laboratory technician jobs on Monster.

The Future Of Work 4 Trends To Look Out For

The Future Of Work 4 Trends To Look Out For The Future Of Work 4 Trends To Look Out ForPosted January 19, 2015, by Vivien Luu Weve bypassed 2015 the very same year that Marty and Doc travelled to in Spielbergs cult classic, Back to the Future. While we know we wont be seeing self-lacing shoes in the office or a daily commute that involves a hoverboard anytime soon, when it comes to the future of our work, what can we expect to see? 1. A global workforce without mid-skilled jobs, but lots of robots In short, technology and the growing availability of high-speed internet is simultaneously creating and destroying jobs. Work goes global Twenty years ago, broadband internet was a luxury. Today, the UN says its a basic human right, and in some countries like Finland, its even a legal requirement. With the number of people connected to the web growing at lightning speed, experts are predicting that by 2025, five billion of us will be online. This trend will create a global workforce that , according to future work experts like Lynda Gratton, will have profound impacts on the way we work. Itll mean continual growth in global outsourcing, enabling companies to figure out who their essential people are and simply outsource the rest, a Vistage White Paper reports. And its something were already seeing. In 2013, over $1.5 billion of work was done globally in online marketplaces like oDesk, Elance and Freelancer. Middle-skilled jobs are disappearing The labour force is experiencing unprecedented polarisation, as we continue to lose middle-skilled jobs to outsourcing. Gratton says The past few years have been marked by the hollowing out of work By which I mean that the middle-skilled jobs traditionally taken on by graduates have been outsourced leaving only low-skilled jobs or high-skilled jobs. It means the only jobs left will be complex ones, and low-skilled jobs that need to be carried out by someone on location. Humans need not apply robots make jobs redundant Contrib uting to this loss of middle-skilled jobs is the fact that automation technology is growing at a rapid pace, leading experts to predict robots will be replacing us in the not too distant future. According to a study conducted by Oxford academics, Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne, within the next two decades, a staggering 47 per cent of jobs will be made redundant thanks to computerisation. MIT economist Erik Brynjolfsson and co-author of the book, The Second Machine Age, points out that technology has always been destroying jobs and has always been creating jobs, since the first machine age. But, as he tells the ABC, the problem is today its happening at a scale and speed thats much greater than before. These days there are machines that can do a multitude of things that were unthinkable a decade ago, from self-driving cars through to machines that can answer legal questions or make medical diagnoses. So this makes you wonder, which jobs will the bots steal from us and which ones are safe? According to Frey and Osbornes findings, the jobs most immune to automation are the ones that involve caring for others, persuasion and negotiation skills, social perceptiveness as well as fine arts and originality. At low risk (Less than 1% chance of being automated) At high risk (99% chance of being automated) Teachers (preschool, primary and secondary) Telemarketers Fabric and apparel patternmakers Sewers Athletic trainers Insurance underwriters Emergency management directors Watch repairers Choreographers Cargo and freight agents Anthropologists and archaeologists Tax preparers Allied health professionals like occupational therapists, psychologists, podiatrists, speech pathologists and nurses Tile examiners, abstractors and searchers HR managers Library technicians Computer systems analysts Mathematical technicians Curators table-border td border1px solid 444table-border border2px solid 000table-border td, table-border th padding3px border1px solid 444 table-border tr td + td + td, table-border tr th + td + td table-border tr td + td , table-border tr th + td 2. A multigenerational workforce thanks to longer working lives According to the World Health Organisation, Australian girls born in 2012 can expect to live, on average, to 84.6 years, while Aussie boys can expect to live to 80.5 years of age. Combine this with the Australian Government Actuarys projections that one in eight babies born in 2014 will live to 100, and its pretty clear life expectancy is on the rise. What this is doing is also increasing the age at which Australians can retire. Were working longer Between 2004 and 2005, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that the average age of retirement was 58 years for men and 47 years for women. But in 2008-2013, this rose drastically to sit between 61.5 - 63.3 years for men, and 59.6 years for women. And its only set to get worse. Within the 45+ age bracket, almost two-thirds of people intend to retire at over 65 years of age, while 17 per cent expect to work til they are 70 or older. So what does this mean? With a greater percentage of older people needing to remain working for longer, the most multigenerational workforce we have ever seen has begun to emerge. Talkin bout my generation The numbers dont lie, writes director of Future Casting, Brian David Johnson, for an Intel report on the future of Australia. We know we will have a lot of young people and people with grey hair. They are going to be spread all over the world and not evenly distributed. Currently there are five generations in the workforce Traditionalists (born mid 1920s 1945) Baby Boomers (born 1946 early 1960s) Generation X (born early 1960s early 1980s) Generation Y (born early 1980s mid 1990s) Generation Z (born mid 1990s present) And each of them turn up to work each day with their own distinct set of values, priorities and expectations. This can only be a good thing, right? Well, for the economy, yes. Senior eco nomics writer for TIME Magazine, Stephan Gandel, gives an example When women entered the workforce in the 1960s and 70s demand for child-care workers took off, the prepared-foods industry boomed. And unemployment rates in the following decades hit new lows. A healthy supply of older workers can be the salve for one of the worst types of economic poison inflation. But for HR managers and organisations, catering to the diverse needs and career expectations of five distinctly different cohorts is proving to be problematic. At the Centre for Workplace Leaderships 2014 Future of Work conference, Gratton pointed out this emerging trend. Were already seeing at work quite a lot of friction between behauptung generations, particularly because they like to use technology differently. Looking into the future, the multigenerational workforce could be a goldmine of opportunity for companies, or a landmine of friction and conflict. 3. Work thats about productivity and flexibility, not just showin g up As Gen X take the reigns, and millennials flood the jobs market, were going to see a strong cultural shift in the workplace thatll embrace flexibility and turn traditional ideas of work upside down. In the Safeguarding the Future of Digital Australia in 2025 report, Chief Privacy Officer of McAfee, Michelle Dennedy, says Employers have tried to judge performance on now meaningless correlations of check in and check out times in the office. But the most productive work may take place anywhere and anytime. In future, well be mora results-based, not showing up-based. This means more freedom and flexibility for workers whatever that may mean for your individual circumstances. As Gandel points out, flexibility is no longer a favour to be handed out like candy at a childrens birthday party its a compelling geschftsleben strategy. And heres the kicker. When companies give employees freedom, theyre happier. And when workers are happy, productivity skyrockets. Gandel cites examples suc h as the American company Best Buy, who implemented a system called ROWE resulted-only work environment and found that productivity, in some cases, shot up by 40 per cent. And thats the magic word, really productivity. Experts are already pointing to the myriad of ways companies can increase productivity and foster a more cohesive and collaborative work environment. Future trends include implementing a work culture that encourages more social engagement and designing office spaces that support teamwork. Intels report predicts future offices will be more attractive than those of today and designed to facilitate face-to-face communication and collaboration. Creating office spaces like Pixars and Googles ones that foster play will soon become the norm, as employers increasingly realise the benefits of a cohesive office. Take the Bank of America for example, who saw a 10 per cent increase in productivity when they simply encouraged workers to eat lunch together. 4. Companies tha t care about social responsibility As a society, were becoming increasingly more conscious of our social responsibilities to the world a trend that is also impacting the workforce. A Neilsen global survey on corporate social responsibility found that millennials (Gen Y and Z) are particularly responsive to sustainability causes. Brimming with idealism and naturally attuned to corporate responsibility and social ethics, Gen Z is, according to Intels report on the future of Australia, moving into the workforceacting on the principle that they can take effective action today to create a better world tomorrow. And with millennials set to make up almost half of the labour market by 2020, according to a forecast by the Society of Human Resource Management many experts like Gratton say businesses need to play a bigger role in combatting global issues in order to attract top talent, remain relevant and stay competitive. The issue of poverty and inequality is changing work, its changi ng organisations, said Gratton at the Future of Work conference. Society is placing increased pressure on organisations to pull their weight and help solve big global problems like climate change and extreme poverty. A global PWC survey found that 65 per cent of respondents said they wanted to work for an organisation with a powerful social conscience. In their Future of Work A Journey to 2022 report, PWC envisions three different futures one of which involves a green world where Corporate responsibility is not an altruistic nice to have, but a business imperative... and companies take the lead in developing a social conscience and sense of environmental responsibility. Fail to rise to the challenge, and experts say companies will find themselves unable to succeed in a business landscape that increasingly demands more. Want to future-proof your career? Find out what skills every employer will want by 2020 Future-proof yourself in 2015 by upskilling or taking your career in a new direction ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchesapplication letter for community workerconstruction worker resume sampleresume for aged care worker samplesample cover letter for aged care workerhigh paying jobs in demand for the future CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire Online Vivien LuuViv is a writer who enjoys researching and writing about creativity, how the human mind works, and neuro processes. She values creativity above all else and admires people who pursue their career dreams, no matter the sacrifice. In her spare time, she binges on HBO shows and ep ic fantasy novels.Related ArticlesBrowse moreCAREER ADVICECharles Sturt University (CSU)5 Reasons to Consider a Career in TeachingEducating the minds of tomorrow. Its a big responsibility, its also one of the most rewarding careers and an industry thats on the rise. Not convinced? Here are five reasons why you should think about kickstarting your teaching careerCriminologyCriminology CareersIn a broad sense, criminology is the study of crime, criminals, their behaviour, and societys definition of, and response to, crime and crime prevention, as well as how we treat criminals via corrections.CAREER INSPIRATIONInternational Volunteer Day - 5 DecemberInternational Volunteer Day celebrates one of the most honourable jobs in the world being a volunteer.

Confidence in the workplace Examining the confidence gap

Confidence in the workplace Examining the confidence gapConfidence in the workplace Examining the confidence gapWe are conditioned to admire those who are seemingly self-assured. We are encouraged to share our views. We are often told to have mora confidence in ourselves and taught to believe that if we act with determination and authority, we will be more successful in our endeavors. But, what does confidence mean in todays workplace and does it actually pay to be confident?Over the past few years, the idea of confidence in the workplace and the role it plays in a persons career trajectory has become a focal point, especially in how it varies for men and women. According to one study from Advances in Physiology Education, men tend to overestimate their intelligence and academic abilities, while women tend to underestimate both. Yet, the quality of performance between men and women is essentially the same. This disparity in self-concept is what, some say, ultimately leads to under pa rticipation from women in academic and professional settings, particularly in STEM fields, and over participation from men.Even though I have reached the level of corporate scientist, the highest technical rank a scientist can achieve at 3M, I am bedrngnis immune from feeling anxious. Whenever I take on a significant role, my irrational inner voice, like a well-honed muscle memory triggered by years of practice, surfaces to unhelpfully inform me I dont think you can do it Its like an involuntary reflex an uninvited guest that invades your mind-space before you can even register its on its way. And, voila. At that moment, all your accomplishments, your qualifications, and proven abilities give way to your number one concern Can I do it?Im here to tell you that, yes, you can do it. Heres what you can do at that moment Take a breath. Hit pause. Channel your rational voice, the one that reminds you how far you have already come, how you got here and how much more you are capable of. For me, this works because I know myself and my track record I will bring everything I can bring to make it work. Ill learn more about the topic than anyone else Ill devote more time planning how Ill approach it than anyone else Ill ask the right people, the right questions. In short, I can rely on myself to know Ill do whatever it takes to optimize success.Im sharing this because I know I am not alone. I have had many women mentees, coworkers and teammates over the years who have admitted theyve felt unsure of themselves when embarking on a new endeavor. Based on observations, Ive also noticed women tend to vocalize their lack of confidence, at times in self-deprecating ways, more often than our male colleagues. Ive come to believe that often, we do this just to seek validation and reassurance.The solution may not be rooted in learn how to be more confident so much as learn how to handle these feelings when they emerge. A recent study explored how perceptions of a womans self-confiden ce translate into professional success and influence. It found that in professional settings, men who are viewed as confident tend to excel. However, a womans self-confidence doesnt have as much bearing on how successful she is, or how confident she appears to others. Rather, it argues a womans influence is determined by perceptions of how warm, nurturing, and social she is (assuming the job capabilities are even). Therefore, encouraging women to be more confident could actually hinder their career progression. Im not suggesting that women should conform to a standard that others impose. But I do think what is critical is to be yourself. Bringing your most authentic self, and being comfortable with who you are, is a form of confidence in of itself.I recently joined a panel hosted by 3M on World Intellectual Property Day to discuss women in innovation and creativity. The panel touched upon how women inventors hold a small share of patents, and at the current rate of progress, gender equality is estimated to be more than 75 years away. Clearly, we have some work to do in science. But while this number seems high, it is reflective of other statistics. In fact, out of the top Fortune 500 companies, only 24 are leuchtdiode by women. Thats not all women are 18% less likely to be promoted to management positions. There has been ample research now proving that diverse organizations result in much better business outcomes.Despite possessing the same skills and ambitions as their male counterparts, women arent reaching the same levels of success. Heres what we can do to help fix this gapStop trying to define confidence Confidence, like many things, is a relative concept that comes in many forms. The definition of confidence and how it is experienced is different for everyone. The gap is in our understanding. Whats important is for women (and men) to stay authentic to themselves. Being comfortable with who you are (and what you are capable of) exudes its own brand of con fidence. Just as all men dont fit into the same confidence box, nor do all women.Recognize people for their abilities, not their characteristics There is a gap in the way we assess and evaluate. Whats important is to recognize talent and skills in colleagues, rather than confidence levels. Self-help game plans to help women overcome their reservations and exude more confidence is missing the point. If we judge women and men on their abilities and contributions rather than character traits, we secure a more even playing field.Embrace diversity Offices and workplaces should strive to eliminate any unfair pay gaps and celebrate inclusivity and diversity of thought and styles, starting at the top. There is a lot to lose if everyone is forced to think and act the same way.A final thought as we look to the future for women in science and in industry we can all commit to being conscious of what we are projecting on our children, starting at an early age. If we are unconsciously telling o ur daughters to act certain ways and rewarding our sons for certain behaviors, we maybe seeding a gender gap from the start.According to 3Ms State of Science Index, 82% of adults said they would encourage kids to pursue a career in science. Yet, there is still a lack of female representation in the science world. Could this be because we arent encouraging our children in the same way? According to the same survey, 43% of women regret not pursuing a science career. It would be great if we could work to change that in the future.There are many opinions when it comes to confidence and gender in the workplace, but one thing is certain, in many workplaces the current environment tends to be disadvantageous for women. It is up, as leaders and as employees, to us to change that. And it cant just be women leading the charge. 3Ms Womens Leadership Forum (WLF) and its Men as Advocates Program convenes both men and women to promote diversity in leadership and a great example of employees engag ing in conversation to address this important issue. If we work to create environments in which all can succeed, we will move towards a more diverse, productive future. Lets strive to close the gap on acceptance, understanding, and empowerment.Dr. Jayshree Seth is a corporate scientist at 3M and the companys first-ever Chief Science Advocate. With 61 patents to her name, she leads technology development for sustainable products in 3Ms Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division (IATD). She is a frequent speaker on topics of innovation, leadership, and career development.