When Bad Jobs Are Not Really Bad

When Bad Jobs Are Not Really Bad When Bad Jobs Are Not Really Bad Some would disagree. Bosses and academics may argue that any job that is accepted and turns out as the employee expected or expects to turn out on average can never be a schwimmbad job, just so long as it is actually a voluntarily accepted paying job and not work on a chain gang or some other form of literally involuntary servitude.Yet, viscerally and intellectually, many of us recoil from what seems to be such an absurd idea, especially given how horrific or crazy some kinds of work can seem to observers and to those doing it, once they abflug the job.On Average, Not Bad? Then Not Bad, PeriodOther bad-job skeptics argue that if, on average, the typical worker in a given job category comes out ahead, those who dont cant complain about the jobs being a bad job. To whine about their specific job outcomes, as Barry does, is, the critics maintain, as unreasonable as Las Vegas losers complaining about poker decks or roule tte wheels (actually maybe even mora unreasonable, since the house on average wins at the expense of the gambler, unlike the average boss).These bad-job skeptics are invoking the mathematical concept of expected gain, which measures the average expected payoff of choices in terms of a combination (actually the multiplication of) their risk and reward. For example, tossing a coin and betting $1 each time has an expected gain of zero, because, after many tosses by one or many individuals, the average payoff will be zero- reflecting the fact that heads are just as likely to come up as tails. On average, a bet on heads (or tails) will lose as often as it wins. You cant complain because you lost, betting on your last or only coin toss or the job you want to toss, if, on average, the payoff to workers or players is zero (fair, but only break-even) or greater than zero (net gain).When Bad Jobs Are Really Not BadOf course, a job that exacts more than welches bargained for, because of unfore seen developments like a tsunami or employer fraud, can become a bad job. But what about the voluntarily accepted job (actually a redundant phrase, since job should, by definition, be voluntarily accepted employment) that turns out exactly as expected? Can it really deserve to be called a bad job by the worker who has it?Here are more details about the possible arguments that would appeal to both heartless sweatshop bosses and well-intentioned dads encouraging their kids to take that summer job at the car washIf the expected gain from the job for an individual or on average for all workers in that job category is greater than zero, then,by definition, the job cannot be bad. This summarizes the point made above. If the job someone has accepted involves exactly as much labor, time, risk and resources (LTRR) and sacrifices of whatever available alternative uses of his LTRR as he rationally expected and agreed to, and it results either personally or on average for all workers in that ca tegory in the net gain expected, the job cant be bad.The worst job may not be a bad job Obviously, since some jobs pay more cash (goods, perks or resources) per unit of labor, time or resources, some jobs will, of course, be better than others- a lot better. But, when making comparisons with better paying, safer, cleaner, etc., jobs, those comparisons are purely academic if the alternative jobs are unavailable, representing not even opportunity costs. However, if those jobs not only exist, but are also truly available to him, the rational worker will accordingly take one of those better jobs - which still only makes the job he previously voluntarily accepted relatively worse rather than necessarily and absolutely bad, in terms of the conditions and rewards it specified and which were agreed to.The point here is that the worst of the jobs is not automatically a bad job. It just means that its not as good as the alternatives. Hence, it is, as a minimum, conceivable that among a compl ete listing of all jobs, one of them is the worst, without being at all bad. If this sounds strange, rather than obvious, stop thinking about jobs. Think about movies instead Titanic, you say, was better than Avatar, but neither was as good as Terminator. Hence, you believe that Avatar was the worst of the three. But that doesnt mean Avatar was bad.It judging whether a job is bad or not, it must always be borne in mind that every job represents a voluntary exchange by two parties- the worker and the employer (including a private customer or client). In exchange for payment in cash, goods, services or other rewards, someone does something for someone else, often using up personal resources, such as paint or bandwidth, to schliff the job.In the end, if the money or other rewards received are, as expected (or at least on average among all workers in that job category), worth more to the rational and informed worker than is the labor, time and resources used up and risks taken to do the job and the rewards are offered in exchange for the cash, goods or services, the job is a good deal, not a bad one. In every such case, the work (on average, at least) represents a net gain. The individual worker or the group comes out ahead, or on average stands to come out ahead. How can that be bad?This line of argumentation is perhaps best used on Mona, the teenager on Barry, the software salesman and on the factory workers, if their jobs are, in fact, exactly (on average among them) what they expected them to be when they accepted them- including the conditions and salary as net gain.On the other hand, to Chinese factory workers who have had horrible surprises, e.g., in the form of unexpectedly dangerous working conditions and/or broken promises, thrown at them, this analysis does not apply. Nonetheless, mathematically speaking, if the calculated and resulting expected positive payoff, a.k.a. expected gain, is greater than zero and approximately equal, the job is, on this argu ment, never bad- even if for a particular worker the outcome is not as good as it is for the average worker doing the same job in the same company or industry.A job that is truly bad will be one in which the reward received is worth less than the initial or eventual costs and risks accepted by the worker (i.e., a job that has gone bad or one taken on through bad judgment in the form of initial miscalculation of the payoffs and associated odds, or an irrational debt-wish). In the same mathematical terms, bad job means a job in which the expected gain is less than zero at the outset or is revised to less than zero once the job commences.If the job turns out exactly as expected, it cant be called bad, unless the worker was crazy enough to knowingly accept a losing proposition. If there is no net gain (i.e., a break-even situation) expected or there is a net loss to the worker expected at the outset, the job-takers judgment deserves to be called bad, as well as the job itself.Learning f rom Jack NicholsonTo understand this point about average payoffs and jobs, think of failed wannabe and A-List Hollywood actors If on average their expected earnings are greater than zero and with attractive calculated risk-to-reward ratios that allow for spectacular success, being an actor, for them, would not fall into the category of bad job, even though it may turn out badly for many, indeed, most, actors. For every 100 struggling actors among the 150,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild (recently merged with AFTRA), serving upscale lunches in L.A., there may be as few as one Jack Nicholson eating that lunch, but eating and buying anything else his heart desires, and enjoying a colossal income that evens things out, job-wise.Thats Hollywood.That makes acting probably fair..and probably not a bad job.In Part II How a bad job is like a snoring husband, and other unexpected insights into jobs we hate.

The Art of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional)

The Art of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional) The Art of Bragging Appropriately (and Why Its Crucial for Todays Business Professional) Few professionals cananswer these questions, regardless of their title or prestige. I know this from firsthand experience.Over the years, Ive had the honor and privilege to provide career coaching and consulting services to many individuals. Ive worked with people ranging from entry-level job seekers to executives at Fortune 500 companies such as Merck, Wells Fargo, and Capitol One.Based on my experience,Id estimate99 percent of professionals have never learned the art of bragging appropriately. Its not really their fault. Most professional development programs offered by organizations are awful at teaching professionals to brag appropriately about themselves. Professionals are rarely taught why this skill matters, much less how to cultivate and use it.And since fruchtwein of us havent learned to brag appro priately or experiencedthe benefits of doing so, we dont even realize it is possible to brag appropriately. To many of us,brag appropriatelysounds like an oxymoron. All bragging feelsoff-putting to us, and we consequently steer away fromever doing it.However, I would argue learning this skill of bragging appropriately should be a priority for all professionalstoday.As you probably know,staying at one job throughout your entire career is no longer an option for most. It is vital to be well versed in the art of bragging appropriately, becauseyou never know when you are going to findyourself looking for a new job - or in fear of being laid off.Plus, the business and job-seeking landscapes largely exist online now. With everyone displaying their portfolios for the world to see, you need to be able to articulate what differentiatesyou from competitors and how you can bring value to employers.While bragging appropriately maynot feel natural or comfortable, it is a skill you need to devel op.On the bright side, Ive found that when most people learn the distinction between simple bragging and bragging appropriately, they arent so turned off by the concept. They begin to understand the value ofit.How to Brag AppropriatelySo, how does one brag appropriately?There are a few key points to understand about bragging appropriately before we look at an exampleBragging appropriately requires the use ofrelevant statistics and information that highlight your value.Bragging appropriately requires you to effectively communicate your experiences, qualifications, and impact in a way that people can easily understand.Bragging appropriately requires clear, concise communication.Bragging appropriately is not only an art form, but an ongoing, evolving process.For instance,let me tell you a story. In 2017, LinkedIn contacted me based on my branding insights and posted content. The company wanted to hire me as a 1099 contractor to provide consulting on branding strategiestojob seekerswith premium accounts.If I were to stop there, you may or may not be impressed, depending on the context and your current needs.But what if I told you I was 1 of only 35 people LinkedIn chose for this project? Of all 500 million LinkedIn users, the company felt that only 35 of us were qualified for this project - and I was one of them.It is likely that, upon hearing this, you would be mora impressed. You would start to see what sets me apart from others, regardless of whether my particular brand of expertise is relevant to your needs.Im using this specific example for a couple reasons. The first is to show a way to brag appropriately that would make a big impression on both your target market and your network. Maybe someone in my network wouldnt need my services right now, but at thevery least they are more likely to remember my specialized skill set. Perhaps they will recommend me to job seekers on LinkedIn in the future.The second reason Im using this example is this If I hadnt perso nallylearned the skill of bragging appropriately myself, I wouldnt haveasked the project manager at LinkedIn a question like, How many other providers did you choose for this project?I asked this question because I was trying to grasp how competitive of an achievement this was. As an educated guess, there are thousands of people on LinkedIn who provide a similar service.LinkedIns choice to select me out of these thousands puts me in a more elite category.Youll also note that my appropriate bragging is not based on a personal estimation of how great I am. I am simply sharing facts with you.Another exampleImagine a professional basketball player selected to play in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game is speaking to a group of peopleabout this accomplishment. Lets say this is a group of tourists, and the player is trying to convince them to come see a game.If the player is bragging inappropriately, he might boastabout how great at basketball he is. And lets assume these peopledontknow much abou t basketball they have never seen him play before. This player has already established credibility in other circles, but in this context, his bragging is likely to be received as off-putting.It probably wont carry much weight with the group to whichhe is speaking. These people will likely have no interest in attending the gameBragging appropriately to this same group of people, on the other hand, would consist primarily of stating facts. Instead of saying how great he is at basketball, the player can share that he was 1 of 24 basketball players chosenby the worlds largest professional basketball association to play in agame viewed by more than 7 million people around the world. Based on these simple facts, the group may actually be interested in attending a game to see this man play.Can you feel the difference?Hopefully, these examples illuminate for you the distinction between bragging and bragging appropriately. I also hope you see now how impactfulbragging appropriately can be on your professional success.I believe business professional across the board need to learn the skill of bragging appropriately. If you want to effectively compete in todaysjob market, you need to start developing this skillnow.Scott Engler is the author ofThe Job Inner-ViewandLegends of the Recruiting and Career World.Read his latest,The dicke bretter bohren mssen and the Solution,on his website.

Dont Kill Your Resume Operate On It!

Dont Kill Your Resume Operate On It Dont Kill Your Resume Operate On It This post by Michael at Human Race Horses makes an argument that I hear often. In behauptung days of social media and web-based job search, can a resume really do the job? Michael thinks notAnother personal reason for wanting to kill my resume is that in looking at this little historical snapshot from so long ago slightly over two years it is is really shocking to realize that it does nothing to communicate anything at all about me that I would want to put out if I were job searching. It doesnt effectively reflect * extensive skills in social media * knowledge and expertise of Hr and how it applies to todays work environment * research skills, especially deep skills on the net * networking * blogging, writing and thought leadershipHe wonders then whether he shouldnt scrap his resume in favor of online profiles where he can better communicate these skills. But this is the part of the resume is dead a rgument that I dont understand. People say to me all the time I cant capture who I am in a resume and I always ask them the same question Why not?Is it because words are just not adequate to describe the wonder that is you? UnlikelyMore likely its because you are being limited by what you imagine a resume should be. If you step outside the box (sorry for the cliche) a little, you might see lots of ways to convey who you are and what you have to offer a company. For example, Michael could begin with a summary that outlines the skills he mentioned above, complete with links where appropriate, but then he could go on to provide evidence of these skills through action-oriented achievement stories and even by quoting testimonials from LinkedIn, or thank you letters from blog readers, or by listing training hes completed or e-books hes written, or by numerous other means to show that he is indeed a thought leader in his field.If his resume were to do all that, it would generate phone call s and interviews.As for the web profiles, it doesnt have to be either/or. I like to end my clients resumes with a section called on the web or learn more where I list their career-related web profiles and/or blogs. It can also be effective to add the statement feel free to google my anthroponym for more information to either your resume or cover letter nothing conveys more confidence than telling people to go look you up.Im not defending the resume because I make my living writing resumes after all, if resumes go away, Ill probably make my living writing web profiles instead. Im just not sure that the answer to an outdated style of resume writing is to blow up the entire concept of resumes. At least, not yet.

WeWork bans employees from expensing meat

WeWork bans employees from expensing meatWeWork bans employees from expensing meatFor some of us, going meatless is a personal lifestyle choice. At WeWork, its now company policy.WeWork co-founder Miguel McKelvey told his estimated 6,000 global staffers that the company that provides shared workspaces around the world will no longerexpense meals that include meat and, in addition, the company will stop paying for any red meat, poultry or pork served at its company events, Bloomberg reported.The move was said to be part of a move towards saving the environment. New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact, McKelvey wrote in an internal memo this week, even more than switching to a hybrid car.What limiting food choices say about a companyHow will this new policy get enforced? Bloomberg reported that employees who eat meat for medical or religious reasons can talk with the companys policy team t o discuss their new options. The move has also sparked outside criticism.At Slate, Felix Salmon said that the ban was performative vegetarianism that does not make sense from an environmental perspective Eggs cause just as much environmental damage as chickens do, and much less than lamb does. Its hard to see much environmental logic in a policy thats fine with factory-farmed salmon but that forbids people from eating pigeon, he wrote.From a branding perspective, the move to limit food choices also builds a tribe mentality.If you have ever had a friend launch into a longwinded talk about their choice to go vegan, Paleo, keto, Whole 30, etc., we intimately understand that food choices create food tribes that become a part of someones identity. In this way, food choices are not just about fulfilling day-to-day hunger needs, they become emotional choices that signal ones personal values.One study that analyzed histories of food choices found that they can increase a sense of belonging. Food taboos can strengthen the confidence of a group by functioning as a demonstration of the uniqueness of the group in the face of others,Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow wrote in theJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.WeWorks meatless announcement signal that it plans to be special corporate food tribe. It remains to be seen if the tribe of employees affected by this move will feel a greater sense of belonging, as science says it can do, or if the new policy will create a new kind of tribe - one thats united against the meatless ban.

Helpful Tips to Manage Your Retail Business

Helpful Tips to Manage Your Retail geschftslebenHelpful Tips to Manage Your Retail BusinessRunning a successful retail store is challenging and demanding work. It requires hiring and guiding staff, managing inventory, handling finances, and marketing your wares. There are a number of resources available to improve at retail management, but there also are some broader areas where focus is needed. These include customers, your staff, and day-to-day responsibilities. Customers Customers are the lifeblood of your retail business and everything from store design to staff training must center on satisfying those customers. In this age of social media, good and bad experiences are shared widely, and you want the buzz to be all positive. Customers need to be the foundation for everything you do in your retail business. It is their needs and desires you are aiming to meet with your products and services. By allowing the wishes of your customers to drive what you are offering, you can be c onfident that you are providing goods and services that are in demand. This approach also must be passed along to your staff. You want your store to be one where customers feel like your staff is a valuable resource to help them find what they want. No one wants to walk into a store and be made to feel like she is interrupting the work of the employees. Customers should feel like they are the focus of that work. Managing and Developing Your Team Your team is the face of your store to your customers. We have all experienced a rude or inattentive clerk in a nice store, and these encounters ruin the experience and can guarantee lost customers for life. Focus on getting your team right and your team will take care of the customers. Some important tips include Training supervisors Your top employees should know how to handle all situations, but training should not stop with them. Identify lower level employees potential to be supervisors one day and bring them along slowly by adding responsibilities.Get employees involved Your staff wants to feel like it is doing more than just following directions. Theyre on the sales floor and dealing with customers, so make sure they know that gives them valuable insight about your business that you want to hear. Listen Be available and take to heart what your customers and employees are telling you.Provide positive feedback Employees want to know when they are doing a good job. Even if it is something small, remember to let staff members know when they have made a difference. Managing the Business From assessing and responding to competition to initiating and guiding improvement projects to managing and improving quality, a retail store managers job is never done. Some good tips to help strengthen your performance as a business manager include Start strong When you start strong, you dont have to play catch-up. Whether it is a new project, a marketing push, or a new or revised product or service, be sure you commit enoug h time to planning and training your staff, so youre not wasting time and resources correcting mistakes on the fly.Understand the bottom line If youre running your own retail business, you might not necessarily have an extensive background in the financial end of the business world. There are a lot of things you can do to stay abreast of current and relative topics, including finding a mentor, taking classes, and attending relevant seminars. Competition Competition from the big box stores, online retailers, and speciality shops is a fact of life in the world of retail management. The stores that will survive and thrive create unique experiences for their customers by hiring, developing, and supporting great staff members. The managers of these stores think like strategists and execute on initiatives with the precision of great project managers. Armed with the passion to succeed and the management insights to navigate the challenges of people, teams, projects, customers, staff a nd competition, your odds of success increase tremendously.

Introducing Social Media Coordinator Resume

Introducing Social Media Coordinator Resume Online Marketer and Social Media Resume Objective Employees who focus on social media spend their days communicating with customers, thinking up strategies to market the brand, and keeping updated with the newest trends and technology. Customer Service Social media isnt merely a way to receive your message out, its also a means to listen. Social Media Marketing has made an instantaneous progress throughout the world in a brief length of time. Social Media Coordinators manage social networking accounts for a variety of clients as a way to support their absatzwirtschaft and promotional targets. Being a prosperous social networking coordinator isnt all about being social. So you wish to be a social networking manager. A social networking manager should manage A business-savvy social networking manager sees the larger picture and understands the function of social networking in the firm. The Characteristics of Social Media Coordina tor Resume A social networking manager will also have general understanding of design as a way to create visually appealing graphics to coordinate with appropriate postsa skill thats incredibly valuable in the current media landscape. Your company might already have a social networking management tool in place or you could be searching for a recommendation. Making your own social networking accounts is a fantastic way to learn the ideas and tricks of the trade, and stay informed about the newest tools and trends. Each various social network needs a slightly different fashion of writing. Experience in social media marketing is crucial because clients wish to find results from what youve already done. A social networking manager is predicted to stay on top of new trends and business and industry news. Like every senior advertising and marketing role, a superb social networking manager requires a wide variety of skills to permit them to create engaging content that converts as m any of their followers as possible into loyal clients. A fantastic social networking community manager is equipped to ask the proper questions to facilitate engagement and answer questions regarding the item, company, or industry. The Ideal Strategy to Social Media Coordinator Resume If youre a social networking manager for a business, you are going to want to be certain the goals are aligned with the providers vision. Its important to realize that social media ROI (return on investment) is 1 approach to measure your advertising efforts. You need to outline goals, define your intended audience and know what platforms can help you scale your efforts. Social networking goals operate in the same manner. Now, companies have been hiring social networking influencers or social networking analysts to work on their advertising promotion. The development of social networking in the worldwide marketplace has completely redefined the way businesses apply their advertising and marketi ng strategies. To begin with, ensure youre certified in social media marketing and other relevant disciplines. Youll discover a myriad of social networking apprenticeships available from a huge variety of providers. Higher use of social media as a means for companies to communicate with the public may indicate that you will discover ample opportunities for work. Most business owners wish to know the direct relationship between social pursuits and sales. Social networking is rapidly growing and all businesses will need to make the most of it to be able to remain competitive but having the wrong social networking coordinator responsible for your account can be devastating to your company. With most every business needing to develop their on-line presence so as to take part in the present hyper-connected consumer buying procedure, its in your best interests to employ the very best and track their progress. The History of Social Media Coordinator Resume Refuted At a minimum, yo u have to be familiarized with social media platforms. When youve planned your social websites strategy and executed it flawlessly, then you must gauge the results. As a Social Media Coordinator, youll be accountable for coordinating the social networking content across sketchs platforms and keeping up our on-line presence. Social networking channels come and go, therefore its important to remain informed and keep flexible. Youll have to create a customized segment inside Google Analytics specific to your social networking traffic. Youve got to define the way your company sees social media. When social media started there werent any tools to measure the effect of your campaigns and advertising initiatives on social networking. A very good social networking manager always looks for the hottest trends online, making sure they are keeping up with public shifts in media attention. Only incorporate a link when it is very beneficial in showcasing what you could do or documenting t he particular achievement to which youre referring. You need to make sure social media is incorporated into every portion of your small business. Over the past ten decades, social media became one of the most effective communication tool on earth. Social networking is an ever-changing landscape which requires constant and continuing learning and adaptation. For that, it is suggested to pursue social networking courses online. Every social networking coordinator resume need to have a section focusing on skills. Becoming a social networking coordinator takes a high degree of interest and expertise in the area. The New Angle On Social Media Coordinator Resume Just Released Therefore, learning the the inner workings of social networking metrics and judging which ones are meaningful for your company is necessary for a social networking manager. Theres an almost endless collection of expected tasks for social media marketers. There are already more than 200,000 individuals who work in social networking and the range of interested applicants will continue growing. For that reason, its imperative that you seek the services of somebody who isnt just acquainted with the basics of conventional marketing, but also someone with a keen comprehension and awareness of the way to wield various current and emerging social networking platforms without difficulty.

Bring Your Hiring Team Together With Video Interviews - Spark Hire

Bring Your Hiring Team Together With Video Interviews - Spark HireVideo interviewing has become a critical component of talent acquisition. In our 2018 report with HR.com, The Pivot to Video and Interview Platforms, just over half of all organizations surveyed reported using some form of video interviewing.Among larger firms (1000 or more employees), the proportion rises to 62 percent. And even among small firms (with less than 100 employees), more than one third (36 percent) use video interviews as part of their hiring process.Its clear many hiring professionals know video interviews improve the overall candidate experience and drive better relationships with talent. However, video interviews are often overlooked when it comes to relieving complications occurring within the hiring gruppe. Video interviews offer an opportunity to decrease countless challenges and frustrations by improving communication and collaboration for the entire hiring kollektiv. Heres a breakdown of how video interviews succeed in getting your team on the same page and prevent hiring process misstepsPrevent candidate mix-upsHiring should, when possible, be a collaborative process. Of course, members of your hiring team will be involved in different parts of the hiring process. If theres a communication breakdown, a candidate mix-up could occur. For example, while discussing the attributes of a potential hire, it becomes clear certain elements were not translated accurately from one evaluation to the next. At the critical point of making a final decision, you find a fellow hiring manager is thinking of an entirely different person.Video interviews enable everyone on the hiring team to review the exact same interview and post clear comments where everyone can see, removing this confusion from the equation. You can also pull up the interview whether live or one-way to review together. This ensures agreement about which candidates to advance by getting feedback from all stakeholders.Video interviews decrease hiring frustrations by improving team communication and collaboration.Click To TweetConnect busy team membersThe elusive team member is a common hiring process challenge. Of course, its not a deliberate disregard for the process. Scheduling conflicts sometimes make it impossible for everyone to be in the same place at once. When this occurs, decision-makers rely on interview notes rather than experiencing the candidates exact responses, mannerisms, and conduct first-hand.Thats likely one reason more hiring teams turn to video interviews. We found, in our previously mentioned report, nearly half (49 percent) of hiring teams that use a dedicated video interview platform benefit from asynchronous interviews. This feature eliminates hiring process delays due to the scheduling conflicts of an elusive decision-maker. In fact, anyone on your hiring team can take part in interviews regardless of their location so scheduling around business trips and meetings is no longer a conflict.Make up for missed in-person impressionsReviewing a candidate in-person early in the hiring process helps your team assess for important qualifiers that dont translate on paper. Unfortunately, not everyone whos responsible for final hiring decisions can be present in the early screening process. This makes it difficult to factor in impressions of soft skills, cultural fit, and personality traits.Video interviews put all hiring team members on the same page by making the process more personal and accessible. With everyone reviewing the same interview, whether live or recorded, every decision-maker has the ability to capture critical in-person impressions and make fully-informed decisions. Video interviews put all hiring team members on the same page by making it easy to evaluate talent anywhere, anytime.Click To Tweet