Tips for Quality Monitoring in Call Centers

Tips for Quality Monitoring in Call CentersTips for Quality Monitoring in Call CentersCompanies invest large sums of money in call centers, so they want to make sure they are operating as effectively as possible and that customers are satisfied with the speed and quality of tafelgeschirr they receive. They do this through quality monitoring of the call centers and their employees. The majority of these facilities with dedicated equipment and staff respond to incoming calls, but some make outgoing sales calls. The incoming call centers also handle sales calls but are also used forcustomer serviceand customer support. If you purchase a product or service from a large company, or if you need help with that product, you will most likely deal with acustomer service representativeat a call center. These call center agents are often the face of the company to its customers. What Quality Call Center Monitoring Is Call center managers monitor call centers with respect to performance and t o quality, settingKey Performance Indicator (KPI)metrics for them. Performance issues include metrics like how quickly the caller can reach a call center and how quickly they can reach an agent, how quickly their issue can be resolved and the call closed, and how long they wait on hold during a call. These metrics are typically measured by an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) phone ordnungsprinzip and are discussed elsewhere. Quality issues that call center managers set KPI metrics for include agent courtesy and ability to follow procedures. These are typically measured by call center quality monitoring programs, explained in detail below. The Importance of Call Center Quality Monitoring Most call center quality monitoring is done by people rather than software. Speech recognition software is improving but has not yet reached the point where it is preferred over human monitors. Some companies set up their call centers without including a quality monitoring program. This is short- sighted. The information captured by the metrics of a call center monitoring program is essential to the cost-effective operation of the call center and the capturing of vitalcustomer feedbackon quality, performance, and service. Benefits of Hiring an Outside Firm for Call Center Quality Monitoring A company has to decide whether to monitor the quality performance of their call center representatives using their own staff or hiring an outside firm to do it. Even when a company has an internal Quality Department to supplement the kollektiv managers in the call center, it is preferable to hire a third-party firm to do quality monitoring. This outside monitoring provides additional data that the team managers just dont have the time to produce. An outside firm doing the quality monitoring of your call center is preferred because the outside firm is perceived as more objective for the following three reasons 1. Objectivity When monitoring is done by an internal quality group or team leader, call center representatives wonder whether the score they receive from that company member might be biased by other interactions within the company. They worry, for example, that the quality monitor might give them lower marks because of the disagreement they had in the lunch room last week, or that their supervisor has favorites to whom he or she gives higher marks. When the monitoring and grading are done by anonymous outsiders, none of those possible biases influence the scores. 2. Speed When supervisors are responsible for monitoring calls their employees take, they often monitor as few as two or three calls a month. An outside quality monitoring firm is able to meetservice level agreements(SLA) that monitor four to eight calls per employee each week. This produces more accurate metrics more quickly. 3. Perspective An outside firm can often provide insight into the underlying issues and problems the quality monitoring reveals that the internal quality team cant binnens ee because they are too close to the problems. How to Start the Call Center Quality Monitoring Process Develop a scorecard that will be used to measure the subjectivemetrics, such as customer courtesy. Make sure you get input from all stakeholders, including the employees who will be handling the calls.Listen to the calls. Typically they are recorded in case there is any difference of opinion on the scoring, or to reinforce training points. The quality monitor can listen to the calls live as they happen, or later.Score the call based on the scorecard developed at the beginning of the program. These scores are then made available to the company management to see if they are meeting their goals and to then take appropriate action. Data analysis of scores tells management how well they are doing, whats going well, and where further training is needed. It can also highlight where changes need to be made to the scripts sales teams follow or to the procedures the service team uses. Do ne right, it provides excellent information on the Voice of the Customer that is critical to the companyscustomer satisfaction program.Select a sample of calls to use to calibrate your scoring. Everyone involved in scoring needs to periodically evaluate the same call and compare scores to make sure scoring is standardized. Bottom Line Takeaway for Quality Monitoring in Call Centers By monitoring a statistically significant number of calls, scoring them against a calibrated scorecard, and providing those data to everyone involved, a company can maximize the value of its call center and call center employees.

This Nobel Prize winning psychologist reveals the cognitive biases that lead to bad decisions

This Nobel Prize winning psychologist reveals the cognitive biases that lead to bad decisionsThis Nobel Prize winning psychologist reveals the cognitive biases that lead to bad decisionsIn the problematik of 1969, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman- two rising stars in the psychology department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem- formed a formidable friendship that would change how we think about how we think.Together, the pair would create the field of behavioral economics and revolutionize large parts of cognitive psychology.After Tversky died in 1966, Kahneman carried the mantle and in 2002, welches awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.Central to Kahnemans revolutionary work was the discovery of cognitive biases that affect our decision-making.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraHere are the top five major cognitive biases that lead to bad decisions in life and work.5 Cognitive Biases That Affect Your Decision-Making1. Anchoring.Anchoring refers to the idea that we are easily swayed by irrelevant information presented to us prior to making a decision.In a classic experiment, Kahneman and Tversky recruited students from the University of Oregon as subjects, spun a wheel of fortune and asked them to write down the number on which the wheel stopped.1The catch, however, was that the wheel of fortune had been rigged to stop only at numbers 10 or 65, rather than a range of numbers between 0 to 100.Kahneman and Tversky then asked the subjects two questions Is the percentage of African nations among UN members larger or smaller than the number you just wrote? What is your best guess of the percentage of African nations inthe UN?The results were astonishing.The average estimates of the participants who saw 65 on the wheel of fortune were 45%, whereas those who saw 10 had a lower average estimate of 25%.In other words, the subjects were anchored by the wheel of fortune numbers, which swayed their final estimations.Just like the subjects in this experiment, we tend to fall prey to anchoring on a daily basis.For example, youre more likely to buy a special deal sandwich for $5, if you previously saw another sandwich that cost $20.Even though the price of the more expensive sandwich is irrelevant to your buying decision, the cognitive bias of anchoring will lead you to perceive the lower priced sandwich as a cheap bargain, when it may not be.In judging the likelihood that a particular couple will be divorced, for example, one may scan ones memory for similar couples which this question brings to mind. Divorces will appear probable if divorces are prevalent among the instances that are retrieved in this manner. 22. Theavailability heuristic.The availability heuristic refers to our tendency to make judgments based on information that can be easily recalled from memory. 3For example, lets say youre driving on a highway at 70 mph like everyone else, but then you see a catastrophic accident and the other motorists slow down to 50 mph.Because the possibility of an accident is more available in your mind, youre more likely to slow down to 50 mph as well, even though the probability of an accident occurring remains unchanged.The availability heuristic also explains why certain catastrophic events occur, like divorce. As noted by KahnemanIn judging the likelihood that a particular couple will be divorced, for example, one may scan ones memory for similar couples which this question brings to mind. Divorces will appear probable if divorces are prevalent among the instances that are retrieved in this manner.In short, the availability heuristic leads to bad decision-making because misleading information tends to come to mind more easily than accurate ones.4. Regression to the meanWithin the context of psychology, regression to the mean describes our tendency to make biased predictions about the future, because we fail t o take into account the power of regression.For example, whilst helping the Israeli Air Force to train fighter pilots, Kahneman noticed that instructors- like most coaches and managers- believed that criticism was more useful than praise.Their basis for this belief was that whenever they praised a pilot for having performed well, he would always perform worse the next time out, whereas the pilot who was criticized always performed better.Kahneman however, noticed that both groups of pilots simply regressed back to the mean- in other words, they performed better (or worse) regardless of praise and criticism from the instructor.Failure to take into account the regression to the mean often leads to faulty predictions based on misleading information. Heres an example explained by Kahneman in his book,Thinking Fast and Slow(Audiobook)Depressed children treated with an energy drink improve significantly over a three-month period. I made up this newspaper headline, but the fact it reports is true if you treated a group of depressed children for some time with an energy drink, they would show a clinically significant improvement.It is also the case that depressed children who spend some time standing on their head or hug a cat for twenty minutes a day will also show improvement.5. Hindsight biasHindsight bias refers to our tendency to look back at past events, adjust our worldview to accommodate the surprise and hold the position that I-knew-it-all-along.This cognitive bias is especially pervasive amongst experts, who tend to look back at surprising political elections and technological innovations, and reframe their wrong predictions to match reality.Within organizations, hindsight bias rewards and promotes reckless risk seekers, who tend to take crazy gambles that work. Kahneman explains this phenomenon in Thinking Fast and SlowLeaders who have been lucky are never punished for having taken too much risk. Instead, they are believed to have had the flair and foresigh t to anticipate success, and the sensible people who doubted them are seen in hindsight as mediocre, timid, and weak. A few lucky gambles can crown a reckless leader with a halo of prescience and boldness.Dont Trust Your IntuitionWed like to think that our expertise and intuition are enough to make smart decisions, but Kahnemans work on cognitive biases carries a homilie with a strong warning left to its own devices, the human mind tends to make systematic errors that lead to costly mistakes and bad decisions.Its a humble reminder that even thesmartest person in a room can make the worst decision if they rely on intuition alone.Ultimately, the ability to identify and manage these cognitive biases will shape our decision-making and the quality of our lives.This article first appeared on Mayo Oshin.Mayo Oshin writes at MayoOshin.Com, where he shares the best practical ideas based on proven science and the habits of highly successful people for stress-free productivity and improved men tal performance. To get these strategies to stop procrastinating, get more things by doing less and improve your focus, join his free weekly newsletter.FOOTNOTES1. Michael Lewis (2017).The Undoing Project A Friendship That Changed Our Minds.2. Tversky, A., Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty Heuristics and biases. Science (New Series), 185, 1124-1131.3. Kahneman, Daniel, and Amos Tversky. Subjective Probability A Judgment of Representativeness. Cognitive Psychology 3 (1972) 43054.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

This is the best way to detect lack of integrity in others

This is the best way to detect lack of integrity in othersThis is the best way to detect lack of integrity in othersIntegrity is a word that we hear almost every day but we seldom take the time to think about it. Integrity is similar to ethics, honesty, and trustworthiness- they are a moral code of values that affect ur behavior. Integrity is about doing the right thing in every situation, whether its convenient or notlage.The world is so competitive that some people will lie, cheat, and bribe to get what they want, either for themselves or their children. Integrity is pushed to the side but people who dont want to be featured on the front page from a scandal will need to scrutinize their lack of integrity and moral codes to a far greater degree than they have in the past. Leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners must accept that they are held to a higher standard of integrity than others.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Producti vity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreMaybe one of the reasons we dont think about integrity is because its the opposite of self-interest. Weve devolved into a me culture that promotes self above others. While that might be acceptable in small doses, it can have a toxic affect when it bleeds over into ur behavior in business and life. We need to bementally toughto hold ourselves to a higher moral standard.The best way to detect lack of integrity in others is to listen to what they say and watch what they do. Beware of the following1. They Do The Right Thing- When Theyve Got An AudienceIntegrity is usually defined as doing the right thing when no one is watching. A person who lacks integrity will make decisions based on how it will make them look rather than how it will benefit others. They look at their actions as a wertmiger zuwachs to be rated for approval rather than a step toward doing the right thing for the community.Watch out because these people tend to yearn for the spotlight and will do whatever it takes to get there- even if it means doing the right thing, but only in front of an audience. Pay attention to how they make decisions when no one watches over them. Observe how they treat people who are lower in rank or status.Tip On How To bedrngnis Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity In situations where youre not sure whether or not youve lost your moral compass, ask yourself, Did I do the right thing? Take the time to really think through the answer. If there is a doubt, find another way.2. If Its Legal, Its EthicalFormerValeant CEO Michael Pearsontestified to a Senate committee hearing he regretted that he pursued acquisitions where the rationale for the deal rested on increased prices of the medicine. It wasnt illegal, but the public didnt like it. Valeant stock took a nose dive and the company had to change their name to shed the scandal.The law is enforced by the state or federal government with penalties for violations but ethics is far broa der than the law. Ethics and integrity imply good conduct as determined by the values and customs of society. Our moral codes of behavior inform us when weve crossed the line- lying, betrayal, nepotism. These behavior are wrong, but they are not illegal.Watch for these behaviors People who lie, break promises, make decisions based on greed, or cheat on their spouses have not broken the law, but they are unethical.Tip On How To notlage Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Integrity is self-motivated and based on your values. Take the time to think about the values that drive your behavior. Are they something youre proud of? Would you want them printed in your obituary?3. They Dont Care About Little White LiesA lack of integrity usually starts small and rolls down a slippery slope from there. Very few people wake up one morning and say, Ive decided Im going to do something unethical. Instead, its shortcuts, laziness, carelessness, and greed that triggers the behavior. Small concessions t hat, at first, dont seem like a big deal especially if they can land a big sale, favorable performance appraisal, or a corner office.A recentstudy by the Harvard Business Reviewfound that people who lack integrity are more likely to rationalize their conduct if it isnt presented as an abrupt change. Researchers found that if they could get people to cheat a little the first time, theyd be willing to cheat a bit more the second time, and finally cheat big the third time.Anytime you hear someone say, Its just a little white lie, give them a wide berth. Its the thinking of a poor leader whos philosophy incorporates excuses and a tendency to blame others for their mistakes.The safest road to Hell is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.- C. S. Lewis.Tip On How To elend Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Be accountable to others who will nudge you in the right direction. Help each other acknowledge and address yo ur problemsbeforeit spills into unethical or greedy behavior that can get out of control. Even small reminders and nudges can deter undesirable behavior.4. They Think Their Behavior Doesnt Hurt AnyoneOperation Varsity Bluessickened everyone and has placed a spotlight on how some people with wealth justify their self-interest, even at the expense of others.Researchshows that people will go to great lengths to rationalize their lack of integrity and maintain their higher status. In the case of cheating for their children, parents morally disengaged because they wanted successful kids to reflect well on themselves.Their behavior hurt others because their children were placed ahead of those who worked hard to get good grades and didnt have rich parents to buy their way into an Ivy League school. People who lie, cheat, and bribe hurt everyone around them and they are either stupid or narcissistic if they dont realize it.Todays world is so focused on individualism that its hard to find so meone who focuses on ways to help others. People who put the best interests of others before their own have integrity. They dont expect loads of praise or recognition for their actions.Interesting researchshows that people are more likely to justify cheating if they can share the benefits with others.Elizabeth Holmes of Theranosis a great example of how a person will find reasons to justify why they cheat and misrepresent the facts- in her case, to change the world.There are no moral shortcuts in the game of business or life. There are, basically, three kinds of people, the unsuccessful, the temporarily successful, and those who become and remain successful. The difference is character.- Jon HuntsmanTip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Make note of how many times you say (or think) something like Others do the same thing, or I know people who do lots of worse things. Its an attempt to minimize the consequences of your actions or words.5. Their Definition Of Honesty Is FluidWhen you lie to Congress, its a crime. When Congress lies to you, its politics. In much the same way, those who lack integrity have a fluid relationship with the truth. It becomes flexible and dependent upon the circumstances and when it benefits them.If an FBI agent displays a lack of integrity, they are fired. Lack of candor will send an agent to the unemployment line faster than any other transgression. Internally, FBI stands for Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity.The reason the FBI places so much emphasis on candor is because agents must have the guts and integrity to uphold federal laws. Unfortunately the FBIs reputation has been tarnished by a few renegade agents at the top who made decisions on what they considered to be right or wrong and who should become president or not. They did not act with integrity and have been fired or removed from the ranks.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Integrity means you need to tell the truth, even if its ugly. Once you start to delude others, youve also deluded yourself. People with integrity make promises, keep their word, and dont change the truth to justify their behavior.6. Do As I Say, Not As I doResearchshows there a tremendous gap between our actual behavior and the way we see ourselves. We have a strong desire to maintain a positive moral self-image and will make excuses or find ways to justify our behavior. For example, we claim all the credit on a project, engage in a conflict of interest, and show favoritism- without an awareness of our behavior.When people lead with a do as I say, not as I do manner, expect others to resent the double standard. Cognitive dissonance occurs when an admired role model behaves in a manner that is distasteful to those around them. Even in what might be considered a small white lie, their lack of integrity signals hypocrisy and, in time, will damage their reputation.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity In todays world, leaders are distrusted until theyre proven trustworthy. The onus is on you to be vigilant about what you say and what you do. Others will watch and take their cues from your behavior. If there is a discrepancy between your words and your actions, you lack integrity.This article originally appeared on LaRae Quy.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleThis is the best way to detect lack of integrity in othersIntegrity is a word that we hear almost every day but we seldom take the time to think about it. Integrity is similar to ethics, honesty, and trustworthiness- they are a moral code of values that affect our behavior. Integrity is about doing the right thing in every situation, whether its convenient or n ot.The world is so competitive that some people will lie, cheat, and bribe to get what they want, either for themselves or their children. Integrity is pushed to the side but people who dont want to be featured on the front page from a scandal will need to scrutinize their lack of integrity and moral codes to a far greater degree than they have in the past. Leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners must accept that they are held to a higher standard of integrity than others.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreMaybe one of the reasons we dont think about integrity is because its the opposite of self-interest. Weve devolved into a me culture that promotes self above others. While that might be acceptable in small doses, it can have a toxic affect when it bleeds over into our behavior in business and life. We need to bementally toughto hold ourselves to a higher moral standard.The b est way to detect lack of integrity in others is to listen to what they say and watch what they do. Beware of the following1. They Do The Right Thing- When Theyve Got An AudienceIntegrity is usually defined as doing the right thing when no one is watching. A person who lacks integrity will make decisions based on how it will make them look rather than how it will benefit others. They look at their actions as a performance to be rated for approval rather than a step toward doing the right thing for the community.Watch out because these people tend to yearn for the spotlight and will do whatever it takes to get there- even if it means doing the right thing, but only in front of an audience. Pay attention to how they make decisions when no one watches over them. Observe how they treat people who are lower in rank or status.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity In situations where youre not sure whether or not youve lost your moral compass, ask yourself, Did I do the right thing? Take the time to really think through the answer. If there is a doubt, find another way.2. If Its Legal, Its EthicalFormerValeant CEO Michael Pearsontestified to a Senate committee hearing he regretted that he pursued acquisitions where the rationale for the deal rested on increased prices of the medicine. It wasnt illegal, but the public didnt like it. Valeant stock took a nose dive and the company had to change their name to shed the scandal.The law is enforced by the state or federal government with penalties for violations but ethics is far broader than the law. Ethics and integrity imply good conduct as determined by the values and customs of society. Our moral codes of behavior inform us when weve crossed the line- lying, betrayal, nepotism. These behavior are wrong, but they are not illegal.Watch for these behaviors People who lie, break promises, make decisions based on greed, or cheat on their spouses have not broken the law, but they are unethical.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Integrity is self-motivated and based on your values. Take the time to think about the values that drive your behavior. Are they something youre proud of? Would you want them printed in your obituary?3. They Dont Care About Little White LiesA lack of integrity usually starts small and rolls down a slippery slope from there. Very few people wake up one morning and say, Ive decided Im going to do something unethical. Instead, its shortcuts, laziness, carelessness, and greed that triggers the behavior. Small concessions that, at first, dont seem like a big deal especially if they can land a big sale, favorable performance appraisal, or a corner office.A recentstudy by the Harvard Business Reviewfound that people who lack integrity are more likely to rationalize their conduct if it isnt presented as an abrupt change. Researchers found that if they could get people to cheat a little the first time, theyd be willing to cheat a bit more the second time, a nd finally cheat big the third time.Anytime you hear someone say, Its just a little white lie, give them a wide berth. Its the thinking of a poor leader whos philosophy incorporates excuses and a tendency to blame others for their mistakes.The safest road to Hell is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.- C. S. Lewis.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Be accountable to others who will nudge you in the right direction. Help each other acknowledge and address your problemsbeforeit spills into unethical or greedy behavior that can get out of control. Even small reminders and nudges can deter undesirable behavior.4. They Think Their Behavior Doesnt Hurt AnyoneOperation Varsity Bluessickened everyone and has placed a spotlight on how some people with wealth justify their self-interest, even at the expense of others.Researchshows that people will go to great lengths to rationalize their lack of in tegrity and maintain their higher status. In the case of cheating for their children, parents morally disengaged because they wanted successful kids to reflect well on themselves.Their behavior hurt others because their children were placed ahead of those who worked hard to get good grades and didnt have rich parents to buy their way into an Ivy League school. People who lie, cheat, and bribe hurt everyone around them and they are either stupid or narcissistic if they dont realize it.Todays world is so focused on individualism that its hard to find someone who focuses on ways to help others. People who put the best interests of others before their own have integrity. They dont expect loads of praise or recognition for their actions.Interesting researchshows that people are more likely to justify cheating if they can share the benefits with others.Elizabeth Holmes of Theranosis a great example of how a person will find reasons to justify why they cheat and misrepresent the facts- in her case, to change the world.There are no moral shortcuts in the game of business or life. There are, basically, three kinds of people, the unsuccessful, the temporarily successful, and those who become and remain successful. The difference is character.- Jon HuntsmanTip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Make note of how many times you say (or think) something like Others do the same thing, or I know people who do lots of worse things. Its an attempt to minimize the consequences of your actions or words.5. Their Definition Of Honesty Is FluidWhen you lie to Congress, its a crime. When Congress lies to you, its politics. In much the same way, those who lack integrity have a fluid relationship with the truth. It becomes flexible and dependent upon the circumstances and when it benefits them.If an FBI agent displays a lack of integrity, they are fired. Lack of candor will send an agent to the unemployment line faster than any other transgression. Internally, FBI stands f or Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity.The reason the FBI places so much emphasis on candor is because agents must have the guts and integrity to uphold federal laws. Unfortunately the FBIs reputation has been tarnished by a few renegade agents at the top who made decisions on what they considered to be right or wrong and who should become president or not. They did not act with integrity and have been fired or removed from the ranks.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity Integrity means you need to tell the truth, even if its ugly. Once you start to delude others, youve also deluded yourself. People with integrity make promises, keep their word, and dont change the truth to justify their behavior.6. Do As I Say, Not As I doResearchshows there a tremendous gap between our actual behavior and the way we see ourselves. We have a strong desire to maintain a positive moral self-image and will make excuses or find ways to justify our behavior. For example, we claim all the cred it on a project, engage in a conflict of interest, and show favoritism- without an awareness of our behavior.When people lead with a do as I say, not as I do manner, expect others to resent the double standard. Cognitive dissonance occurs when an admired role model behaves in a manner that is distasteful to those around them. Even in what might be considered a small white lie, their lack of integrity signals hypocrisy and, in time, will damage their reputation.Tip On How To NOT Be The Person Who Lacks Integrity In todays world, leaders are distrusted until theyre proven trustworthy. The onus is on you to be vigilant about what you say and what you do. Others will watch and take their cues from your behavior. If there is a discrepancy between your words and your actions, you lack integrity.This article originally appeared on LaRae Quy.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Fear and Motivation

Fear and MotivationFear and MotivationThink a job search is scary? It can be a lot like walking on hot coals. Eitzu sich way, you have to master fear to reach yur goals.A few weeks ago I attended a firewalk, where I literally walked across a bed of hot coals. We also broke boards and walked over broken glass.These activities were part of a seminar titled Fear in Action run by Larry Levine, president of the Core Remedy Group and a certified firewalking instructor. This was my third time attending a firewalk the last time was more than 10 years ago. This time, I walked to see how this font of seminar might be useful to job seekers in a difficult economy.Even though I had done it before without a problem, the fear of stepping on hot coals hadnt disappeared.The purpose of the seminar is not to make fear disappear but to teach you to change the way you think about your fears. According to Levine, believing you cant do something keeps you from trying - and very often from succeeding. I wa s able to overcome whatever fear I had by reminding myself that the worst that might happen to me (a slight burn akin to what I experience when walking to the water across a hot sandy beach) wasnt really that bad. Viewed in that light, it wasn t hard to take that first step.Of course, once you step onto the hot coals, you dont stop until you have successfully accomplished what you had set out to do. And thats really the point of the exercise. The seminar wasn t about breaking boards or walking on hot coals but about recognizing that fear is a state of mind that holds you back from achieving things that are not nearly as hard as they seem.Fear holds people back in their careers. When someone gets laid off, he may behave like a deer caught in headlights. Fear immobilizes him. Even after he calms down enough to begin his job search, he is so afraid of not finding a job that he appears desperate. The more desperate the job seeker seems, the less attractive he becomes as a candidate, ser iously hurting his chances of finding employment.According to Denver career coach Ayn Fox, One of the underlying causes of fear in the job process is that you will fail, be rejected and made to feel incompetent and worthless. This comes from a way of thinking that if you dont get the job, it is about you. To help overcome those fears, she offers the following tipsDont personalize rejection. Recognize that when you dont get an offer, it is not necessarily about you. The employer may have someone else in mind or some skill, experience or quality she thinks is important that you may not have.Be flexible. Think of the job search as exploring where you might be a good fit rather than selling yourself.Dont judge your abilities. Treat each interview as research about the profession you are seeking that will help you whether or not you get this specific job.Realizing that each rejection moves you closer to the job you want will inspire you to get out there to collect more rejections faster. Kathryn Tristan, author of Anxiety Rescue - Simple Strategies to Stop Fear from Ruling Your Life, describesone of her clients who lost two jobs in four years to downsizing. The experience left her client anxious and fearful. Because the woman was having trouble finding a job, she became anxious during interviews. Her anxiety in turn reduced her chances of getting a job.There were two things the job seeker needed to do, according Tristan First, get back in the saddle and continue applying for employment and second, overcome the growing fear she had about the interview process.What her client needed was an outlook makeover. Instead of fearing the worst, she needed to be aware of her negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Some people say they will believe it when they see it. Actually, the opposite is true Once you believe something is possible, it can and will happen. Tristan coached her client to picture in her mind an interview setting where she felt comfortable an d in control. Not only did her client get an interview, she got the job.Fear is normal, and it can be healthy. It keeps you from doing stupid things. It can cause you to prepare better. Harnessed properly, the nervous energy and adrenaline it produces can improve performance. When fear keeps you from doing the right things, however, you need to learn to deal with those feelings differently.Because fear is internal, it needs to be addressed internally.How we see our situations, our capabilities and our future are all choices we make every day. Our thoughts create our lives. You need to choose the thoughts you want to focus on.When it comes to changing jobs, fear often holds people back as well. It may prompt people to pass up opportunities for advancement or stay at jobs where they are miserable.Eileen Lambert, associate director of human resources for Verizon Wireless New York Metro region based in Warren, N.J., tells a story about a Verizon employee working in operation s who Lambe rt thought would be exceptional in sales. He resisted the idea because he was scared about the uncertainties of working on commission. Eileen put him in touch with successful sales people who had made that same transition, and they gave him the courage to give it a try. He now is a successful salesperson and laughs about how hesitant he was to make the change. Eileen advises taking a chance on a new type of job, if the opportunity is a good one. Paraphrasing hockey great Wayne Gretzky, you miss 100 percent of the chances you never take. There is something to get out of every experience, whether its successful or not.What I learned at the Fear in Action seminar applies to facing fear in the job market. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst, instructor Levine said. When it comes to facing our fears, we would do well to heed his advice Fear is the feeling people create when they wish what is was different.You need not like a situation you just need to accept that it exists. Anxiet y goes away when you accept the situation that exists. From there, you can take action to change it more to your liking.

The Foolproof Admin Assistant Resume Strategy

The Foolproof Admin Assistant Resume Strategy As always, you are going to want to examine the work listing to find out what sorts of skills and abilities each provider wants most. Organizations are increasingly turning to the web to discover new talent and employees. So when the hiring company hasnt provided a salary for work, we look at salary data from related businesses and locations to develop a fair estimate for what you may expect. Some specific businesses require a specific experience. Administrative Assistants ought to be adept in multitasking and can keep calm under pressure. Seeking a new job can be an intimidating undertaking, but should you take the opportunity to craft a resume targeted to the particular job, you can obtain the healthcare records specialist position you desire. There are lots of jobs offered in the industry business, so begin putting your administrative coordinator resume together once possible The Unexpected Truth About Admin Assistant Resume The remainder of your resume will want to speak for itself the summary is merely to entice them to read more. A complete schablone to inspire your own resume if youre asking for an administrative position. Our resume builder (it is possible to create your resume here) will provide you tips and examples on the best way to compose your resume summary or another section. Our resume builder gives you tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. Ruthless Admin Assistant Resume Strategies Exploited If you arent certain where to get started to your own CV, take a peek at our administrative assistant CV example. Dont neglect to take a look at the subsequent Administrative Assistant resume sample for more information about how to make yours perfect The Career Objective is intended to provide the hiring manager a reason to keep on reading your resume. Writing objectives for resumes can be challenging. Well, youve got executive administrative assistant resume templa tes today to assist you. Finally, an administrative assistant should have adequate leadership abilities. He is a vital aide for any executive office. The executive administrative assistants are a crucial aide for virtually any executive. A gorgeous Administrative assistant resume summary is an ideal beginning to the interview session. You know you would like to land that interview. Dont forget to land the job, you will also must compose a cover letter. A senior administrative assistant cover letter will cause you to stick out among other applicants and tells the organization you would like the job. The Importance of Admin Assistant Resume An informative resume is a superb thing, but theres such a thing as too many particulars. The secret to successfully landing a job which you love is to make a compelling resume that can help you stick out from the crowd. Ask that person if you are able to assist with a project or two, at no cost. If and when somebody prints the documen t, you would like to ensure there arent any technical challenges. The War Against Admin Assistant Resume Furthermore, you can learn more on the topic of administrative careers on Monster. Picking the most suitable accomplishments for your resume is essential. Resume writing can be challenging. Be certain to include job particular skills. The Meaning of Admin Assistant Resume Since many different kinds of companies hire administrative coordinator, the work environment can fluctuate greatly. Friends, family, and former clients can on occasion assist you in finding employment. Among their many diverse tasks, administrative coordinators make certain their businesses are operating smoothly. Demonstrated history of successfully assisting in a number of administrative tasks. The New Angle On Admin Assistant Resume Just Released Fill the info in Administrative assistant resume skills sample document as it is simple to understand and covers all facets of the skilled and individua l data. As you may argue that youre asking for an administrative assistants position (for instance) and do not necessarily will need to be technology savvy, youll be requested to carry out lots of your tasks in a technologically challenging atmosphere. The Administrative assistant resume template is a great tool for those users. Most Noticeable Admin Assistant Resume Each company will be searching for different abilities and will have their very own unique means of talking about who and what theyre searching for. Seems like you already knew what are you hoping to find, or perhaps you are in active seeking for starting position. Some folks might believe that fancy is better, but in the event of a thriving executive resume, easy and professional is the best way to go. With a little bit of preparation and a deep comprehension of the local job market, it is possible to easily simplify your work search. Characteristics of Admin Assistant Resume Always stay honest, and bear in mi nd that most companies are expected to perform background checks and contact references. Studying resume samples is among the absolute most efficient approaches to get ready for developing your own winning document. Be certain to include all your present contact information somewhere close to the peak of your resume. Click behauptung images to look at the resume sample. Following that, it must impress the hiring manager with information which is related to them. Lets say youre asking for a social networking manager position. To put it differently, whatever links your top executive assistant resume to the work description. Youll discover the vital keywords and phrases in the job posting or on the organization website. This administrative assistant resume is only a sample to demonstrate the standard and fashion of our professional resume writing services. Knowing the very best job search practices can significantly increase your probability of being hired, together with make the search less stressful. Choose from multiple resume template options and discover the very best option to help you make your polished, professional resume. Admin Assistant Resume - Overview Below youll find the top skills necessary to fulfill an administrative position. Due to the broad selection of daily tasks, administrative coordinators have many distinct traits and talents. Detail-oriented with the capability to multi-task effectively. Proven capacity to efficiently plan and manage many assignments to satisfy tight deadlines.

Turning a Slow Work Day into a Time for Extra Productivity

Turning a Slow Work Day into a Time for Extra Productivity So, youve made it through the crush of the busy season where your multi-tasking and time management skills were regularly pushed to the limit with new challenges flying at you multiple times per day. But what do you do now that everything has slowed to a snails pace? What if you have hours, or even days, of otherwise free time on your hands? Discounting things like Facebooking and shopping on Amazon, take a gander at several ways to use your extra time productively and help make the next rush that much easier to plow through. Even after you have read your entire email backlog and organized your desk just so, there is still room for improvement. Once you file every email away into the proper archive, now is the time to save important messages, such as those regarding hiring and HR matters, emails you spent hours creating, and positive feedb ack you have received on your past efforts these fit in great on a resume deckblatt letter. Finally, take some time to handle any emails you keep putting off for the indefinite future.After youve completely overhauled and organized your email collection its time to catch up on any calls to clients or other VIPs. Even if you call to simply touch base, get their feedback on how things are going and where they have found any room for improvement. This is an excellent trust and relationship building activity that shouldnt be overlooked when you find yourself with some extra time to spare. One thing though, make sure you have a purpose when calling out of the blue or come to a mutual agreement on when a good time to call may be. You may be making calls largely to kill time but the other person may be inconvenienced by an unannounced call.Even though you find yourself twiddling your thumbs at your desk, some of your colleagues may be swamped with catching up. If your immediate coworkers a re in no need of assistance, take the extra time to learn about other departments and even gain new skills if one of them should request your assistance. Helping others is always appreciated and never goes unnoticed. But should your entire organization be in a slow phase, actively seek out new projects. Browse through company materials and look for out-of-date information that should be replaced or identify parts that could be made clearer in successive updates. This not only helps your organization as a whole but your initiative reflects well on you with the higher ups.But, of course, there are always periods where you may not have enough time to start a project, help a colleague, or seriously edit corporate materials. Should you have only an hour or less to kill, look for brief, self-centered activities such as your own professional development. Think about aspects of your job or organization that you would like to know more about and read up on them. Browse industry blogs, update your network, catch up on trends, and otherwise work to increase your value.All of that having been said, if you find that you are regularly faced with extended periods of unproductiveness, you may need to approach your anfhrer and develop projects that will allow you to contribute to your company. After all, while the occasional slow period may help you normalize, having slow days every day is a symptom of a deeper issue.