Being Reviewed by the Qualifications Review Panel

Being Reviewed by the Qualifications Review PanelBeing Reviewed by the Qualifications Review PanelA Qualifications Review Board (QRB) is a panel of Senior Executive Service (SES) members who decide whether a candidate for SES membership will be admitted. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) administers SES processes, which include assembling QRBs and overseeing the activities of each one. While the U.S. Office of Personnel Management ensures boards adhere to process requirements, boards make independent decisions about SES candidates. Review Panel Composition OPM provides a staff member for each board that serves as the QRB Administrator for each board, conducts a briefing about the hiring selection methods used by agencies, gives instructions about the certification process, answers questions from QRB members, and provides any other guidance and staff support as appropriate, states OPM. Each board is made up of three executives from different agencies. At least two of t he three must be career public servants. One of the three must have served on a QRB before. This composition helps OPM de-emphasize technical skill and promote transferable leadership skills in the SES. This independent and objective review is intended to ensure that the (U.S.) government is hiring executives with the qualifications needed in todays environment, especially the ability to lead in times of change,and that technical expertise does notlage outweigh leadership skill in the selection of new senior executives, OPM says. Board Members Volunteer to Serve Board members volunteer their time and effort. Their motivation for volunteering is to ensure the federal government has a quality stable of applicants ready to fill leadership positions. Volunteers have the opportunity to leave a mark on the SES beyond their own careers. Boards help the federal government maintain a baseline of excellence in top-tier career service positions. Those interested in volunteering should work with their agencies human resource offices or contact OPM directly. Communication among board members about board business is privileged. OPM may release the names of individuals who have volunteered on QRBs. OPM does not release the makeup of particular boards. All Qualifications Are Reviewed and Considered QRBs evaluate the credentials of those applying for admittance into the Senior Executive Service. Admittance allows career federal employees to assume some of the highest leadership positions in the federal government. Senior Executive Service members compete for jobs directly supervised by Presidential appointees. A candidates approval by a QRB is no guarantee of a job it only means the candidate can legitimately apply. QRB members evaluate each candidate based on the executive core qualifications, but members do not limit themselves to only those factors. The QRB is responsible for the fair and objective assessment of all case documents in the candidates QRB case to deter mine if the candidate possesses the required executive core qualifications (ECQ). Board members do not limit their assessment of executive qualifications to the candidates ECQ documentation statement they consider all of the information included in the application package. The candidates qualifications taken as a whole must demonstrate that the individual has the leadership qualities needed in todays SES, OPM says. SES candidates are not compared to each other in QRB deliberations. Instead, candidates are evaluated individually on their own merits. Anyone deemed worthy of approval is approved without competing with other candidates. A Focus on Succession Planning Succession planning is essential in all levels of government. While hiring processes should be open competitions, managers need to groom likely successors. When promotion opportunities arise, current employees need to be ready to step into roles with greater responsibilities. If an organization has a person who can prom ote into a new job, that person can likely be up to speed more quickly than someone entering the organization from the outside. QRBs play a vital gatekeeping role for succession planning in the highest levels of the federal government. By playing this role, QRBs set baseline expectations for the leadership skills possessed by SES members.

Is it Possible to Over-prepare for a Job Interview

Is it Possible to Over-prepare for a Job InterviewIs it Possible to Over-prepare for a Job InterviewPreparation is one of the basic tenets of searching for a job. If you show up underprepared, youll rarely leave a good impression. For that reason, we always recommend researching the company and job for which youre interviewing. But can you over-prepare to the point where you hurt your chances of being hired? Put simply yes.As one of the leadinginterview prep, career coaching, and professional resume writing services, ResumeSpice knows that over-preparation can result in sounding like a robot instead of an authentic human being. You might also back yourself into a corner. If the interview doesnt go according to the script youre writing, you might freeze and, strangely, come off as unprepared.When prepping for an interview, look to these three tips for guidancePrepare for your interview, but dont memorizeIf youve spent countless hours Googling interview questions, writing out answers, and practicing your responses like your interview is opening night on Broadway, youre going to sound rehearsed and inauthentic. Instead, look up common questions and simply jot down a few bullet points youd like to get across about each one. Yes, practice, but dont memorize your answers. You should be able to deliver a great answer without sounding scripted.Speak to your strong pointsSpend time thinking about your experience and hintergrund and what unique strengths you bring to the table so that you can honestly answer questions. Really think through the job and why youre a great fit for it. Have relevant accomplishments in mind that youre ready to talk about and which showcase your skills and abilities.Be yourselfSure, you might look great on paper. But if you appear nervous, jittery, or give canned answers, youre not going to get hired. Employers want to hire people who have positive attitudes and are enthusiastic about the job. So dont deliver stiff answers, even if you think theyre the right ones. Instead, let your personality shine through and show the hiring manager why youre interested in the job.Remember, theres a big difference between being well-prepared and sounding rehearsed. You need to think about why youre a great fit for the job and be ready to get specific with examples. But you dont need to script exactly what youre going to say ahead of time.Do you need more help preparing for interviews?Call the team at ResumeSpice Our team of career consultants and career coaches can help you prep for any interview situation.

Targeting Cancer Drugs to 3D-Printed Tumors

Targeting Cancer Drugs to 3D-Printed Tumors Targeting Cancer Drugs to 3D-Printed Tumors Targeting Cancer Drugs to 3D-Printed TumorsIf physicians knew in advance which medication would most effectively target a patients cancer, theyd immediately administer it. That efficiency could eliminate the lengthy trial-and-error process doctors now go through to find the best anti-cancer drug for each patient.To achieve that, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical Center are developing a technique to 3D-print auswuchs models that can mimic the behavior of a tumor inside a persons body. The goal is to accelerate the development of personalized anti-cancer drugs, says David Corr, one of the studys principal investigators and a Rensselaer associate hochschulprofessor of biomedical engineering.For You 3D Printing Blooms in Biomedical The problem with many of todays cancer treatments is that doctors dont know in advance whether a specific drug will target their patients t umors. They introduce an anti-cancer drug to a patient and then perform imaging and blood tests to see if the drug has been helpful. If tumor cancer markers are low, the doctor keeps the patient on the medicine. If not, they introduce another drug.One of the main challenges in developing new and effective cancer treatments is the lack of adequate tumor models that can mimic in the laboratory how tumors may behave in a specific individual.Prof. David Corr, Rensselaer Polytechnic Researchers at RPI and Albany Medical Center develop 3D bioprinting and imaging techniques to generate and analyze tumor models outside the body. Image Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteOne of the main challenges in developing new and effective cancer treatments is the lack of adequate tumor models that can mimic in the laboratory how tumors may behave in a specific individual, Corr says. To achieve that, we have to not only develop new 3D bioprinting techniques to generate tumor models with pres cribed cell composition and architecture, but also new imaging techniques to visualize how different drugs interact with cancer cells depending on where they are located within these tumor models.To build the tumor, researchers use a 3D printer to deposit living cells, which are infused in an ink or gel to keep them alive, layer by layer. The material is then incubated in a cell culture that mimics human body conditions.After the tumor has been 3D printed, doctors would use the imaging technique to analyze the tumor while introducing drugs to it. That would allow researchers to examine the capability of drugs to bind to cancer cells, says Margarida Barroso, an associate professor of molecular and cellular physiology at Albany Medical College.Cancer cells possess specific receptors, which are proteins that act like antennae to which drugs can be targeted to lead to the eradication of tumors, Barroso says. Our imaging approach can detect the binding of drugs to those cancer antennae t hroughout the tumor in its native environment.Doctors use the technique to determine how well a drug actually targets and binds to a tumors cancer cells to ensure all cancer cells are targeted and not just a small fraction.If a drug didnt target and bind to all the cancer cells, the physician could repeat the analysis using a different drug. A medication that successfully targeted and bound to all the cancer cells would be introduced to the patient, Barroso says.The research aligns with the universitys Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, a group of researchers from across the institute that addresses cancer through a systems-based approach.Complex diseases such as cancer require a multifactorial approach. This project is an example of how Rensselaer, with its clinical partners, is changing the Healthcare paradigm by leveraging cutting edge technologies such 3D printing, and developing new imaging tools with a goal to deliver a personalized treatment modality, say s Deepak Vashishth, CBIS director.Jean Thilmany is an independent writer.Read moraMini Sensor Detects and Measures What We EatEngineers Contain Cancer Cells For Further Discussion

How to Get a Film Production Internship

How to Get a Film Production InternshipHow to Get a Film Production InternshipYou are probably familiar with the in eigener sacheship programs offered by major corporations, but did you realize that most movie and television production companies also offer a wide variety of internship programs? For almost every aspect of production, from writing to camera work to producing, there is an internship program. Internship programs serve two purposes for a typical production company 1) the production company gets free (or very cheap) labor, and 2) an internship program allows them to identify potential candidates for current or future positions. For the intern, the benefits include hands-on experience and the opportunity to build a relationship with the individuals who will be responsible for hiring you should you end up working out. Being an intern also has advantages that might not be available to most full-time employees of a given company. For example, you have the ability to explore ot her avenues. You are not necessarily bound to doing one particular task. In fact, you are often encouraged to talk with other departments and ask more questions compared to full-time staff. Whereas the typical production employee is often expected to cope on day one, interns are usually provided ample training and given the leeway to make mistakes because their inexperience is assumed. Where to Look for Internship Programs in Entertainment and Film Production internships can include working in various departments such as makeup, camera, or lighting. Or, you might find yourself as an office intern working with a major media corporation. To find these internship programs, there are a few places you can look Career CenterIf you are still in school, your career center is a potentially valuable resource and should have some contacts you can pursue. Talk to a career counselor to explore their resources and the best way to approach a potential employer. Corporate WebsitesAlmost every m ajor media company now offers a wide variety of internship programs in just about any capacity you can think of. Often, these opportunities are posted on their websites. If you have trouble locating an internship program, try looking for the About Us or Corporate Info links on their sites, which should take you to their job boards and internship program information. Daily Trades?In both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, you will find weekly lists of every television and film production that is being shot. Many of these lists will include phone numbers for the production office. Simply call these numbers and ask for a production coordinator. Once that person is on the line, explain that you are looking for any internship opportunities they might have available. More often than not, theyll direct you right where you need to go. Things to Remember It is important that you realize how big an opportunity an internship really is. This is your gunst der stunde to shine. Most internsh ips are unpaid (although sometimes school credit or a stipend of a few hundred or thousand dollars is offered), but it is still crucial that you treat it like a full-time job. Remember, these are the people that might one day give you your first entertainment job, and you want them to see you in the best light possible. What about a deferred pay internship program? These have become more popular, especially with smaller production companies who will often pay their employees ?after a movie or television show is produced so that they can put any extra money directly into the production. Just be sure that if you agree to a deferred pay arrangement that it is likely you will never be paid. Its more important (and ultimately much more valuable) that you learn while you work.? Your only responsibilities as an intern are to listen and learn. You might be given a few seemingly lowly duties, such as fetching coffee or running someones personal errands, but the more respect you give the inte rn opportunity, the more you will get out of it in the long run. The education you receive while in an internship program could quickly prove to be thousands of times more valuable than a paycheck.

Jobs for Political Science Majors

Jobs for Political Science MajorsJobs for Political Science MajorsPolitical science majors study political processes, systems, and behavior. Coursework includes topics such as political theory, comparative politics, policy studies, and international relations. By majoring in this liberal arts discipline, often referred to as poli sci, you will become an expert in the inner workings of government. Your studies will also allow you to develop essential soft skills like writing, verbal communication, decision making, critical thinking, problem solving, and research skills. You will learn how to work well under pressure, develop and market ideas, function as a strong leader and team player, and interact with diverse populations. These skills and abilities are valuable for a variety of careers. Lets take a look at some of the jobs that are good for political science majors. Political Scientist After majoring in poli sci as an undergraduate, you may choose to continue to study political s ystems, public policies, and the structure of governments to become a political scientist. To pursue this option, you must get a masters degree or doctorate. Your career will involve researching political subjects, collecting and analyzing data through public opinion surveys, testing theories, monitoring current events, and forecasting trends. Though this may be the most obvious career choice, it certainly isnt your only one. Median Annual Salary (2017)$115,110 Number of People Employed (2016)7,300 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)3percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)200 Attorney Attorneys advise people who are involved in civil or criminal legal cases. They present evidence in support of their clients interpret laws, rules, and regulations for their clients negotiate settlements and prepare legal documents. Majoring in political science will endow you with all the skills you need for this career- strong communication, analytical, problem solving, writing, and research sk ills- but you will also need to earn a law degree after you complete your bachelors degree. Political science is a popular undergraduate major for law school applicants. Median Annual Salary (2017)$119,250 Number of People Employed (2016)792,500 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)8percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)65,000 Paralegal Paralegals help attorneys prepare for trials, hearings, and real estate closings. They do research, einstellungsgesprch witnesses, and draft legal documents. To work in this occupation, you need some of the same skills attorneys do, for example, strong communication, research, and writing skills, but you wont have to attend law school. After earning your political science degree, get a certificate in paralegal studies. It will take under a year. Median Annual Salary (2017)$50,410 Number of People Employed (2016)285,600 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)15percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)41,800 News Reporter News reporters investigat e stories and then deliver them to the public via television, radio, print, or the web. They do research, make observations, and interview witnesses. A degree in political science will be particularly helpful to political reporters or those who cover international affairs or government. A reporter must have strong research and communication skills, both of which you would have picked up while earning your degree. Median Annual Salary (2017)$62,910 Number of People Employed (2016)44,700 Projected Job Decline (2016-2026)10percent Projected Decrease in Jobs (2016-2026)4,500 Legislator Legislators enact laws and make decisions regarding the distribution of public funds. Voters elect them to run the federal government as well as state and local governments. While you wont need a degree in political science or any degree for that matter to become a legislator, the education will provide you with an in-depth understanding of how governments function. Your excellent problem solving, decis ion making, communication, and leadership skills will help you do your job. Median Annual Salary (2017)$25,630 Number of People Employed (2016)56,000 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)8percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)4,400 Lobbyist Lobbyists work for all different types of institutions and special interest groups. Their job involves persuading legislators to enact laws that benefit the entities they represent. Some lobbyists are volunteers, but many are paid for their work. The federal and state governments have restrictions regarding who can work as a lobbyist. You will need excellent speaking skills, as well as strong research skills to do this job. Knowledge about the legislative process is also essential. So far so good. You have all those qualities. Experience with the industry or cause you will represent is also required. Many who work in this field choose to focus on topics that are meaningful to them and about which they have substantial knowledge. Salary and e mployment statistics are unavailable for this occupation. Tax Examiner Tax examiners make sure individuals have filed their taxes correctly. They contact taxpayers to discuss any problems in their filed returns. You will be able to call upon your excellent analytical skills and communication skills to succeed in this career field. Dealing with the public also requires strong interpersonal skills. Median Annual Salary (2017)$53,130 Number of People Employed (2016)62,100 Projected Job Decline (2016-2026)1percent Projected Decrease in Jobs (2016-2026)400 Urban or Regional Planner Urban and regional planners help communities figure out how to best use their land and resources. They work for local governments. Your knowledge of how governments function can help you do your job. You will also utilize your excellent communication skills because urban and regional planners spend a significant amount of time meeting with the public, government officials, and special interest groups. Plan to spend a little more time in school. A masters degree in urban and regional planning is required. Median Annual Salary (2017)$71,490 Number of People Employed (2016)36,000 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)13percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)4,600 High School Teacher of Government and Politics Secondary school teachers instruct their students in one of a variety of subjects including mathematics, English, art, history, world languages, and government and politics. Individuals who aspire to work in this occupation typically get dual bachelors degrees- one in secondary education and the other in the subject in which they want to specialize. In addition to your subject area knowledge, you will also bring your excellent communication skills to your job. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are also needed. Median Annual Salary (2017)$59,170 Number of People Employed (2016)1,018,700 Projected Job Growth (2016-2026)8percent Projected Increase in Jobs (2016-2026)76,8 00

Warehouse Supervisor Resume Explained

Warehouse Supervisor Resume Explained Another similar profession to think about is truck driver. A supervisor should know everything about the work including transactions and how theyre made so they can easily spot whether there are things which are already going wrong in the operations. Being a real distribution center clerk gives you the strong skill set that employees are searching for in applicants. The very first thing recruiters see is whats up-front and center. A manufacturing supervisor must be particularly skilled at resolving day to day personnel grievances that can occur among the employees from time to time. Warehouse workers may also utilize lot zoning and task interleaving functions to steer the pick-and-pack tasks in the most effective way. Your employees expect you to address poor performers on the job. Ultimately, they are dealing with managerial change in their own way and trying to figure out what kind of manager you really are. Understanding Warehouse Su pervisor Resume Immediately below your contact information youve got to tell the hiring manager what kind of position youre looking for. The wages of a supervisor will be different within the industry an individual works in. Budget authority does not ordinarily fall in the domain of a supervisors job. If youd like more assistance, weve got a step-by-step resume guide that is going to teach you just how to create your own. Quite an easy method to demonstrate a hiring manager that youre not just on the lookout for any job but need to specifically do the job for their company is to target your resume to each specific company youre trying to land a job with. Writing a warehouse trainer resume thats complete from all angles isnt always possible. If you would like to be a supervisor for some job, you will need to prove that the knowledge which you have is sufficient to add value to the operations of the business. The Fight Against Warehouse Supervisor Resume Organizing orders for picking can be achieved in a variety of ways, meeting the requirements of the user. There are a lot of kinds of resume vorlages readily available online and you can select the one which is suitable for your need. Your resume formatting will supply you with away. It is preferable to find an acceptable template than attempting to alter an existing one drastically. All About Warehouse Supervisor Resume Warehouse supervisors are responsible for all the incoming and outgoing products of the specific warehouse they work in. A warehouse employs lots of skills. It may have their own proprietary software. In summary, now that it is becoming more important to competing in the marketplace, it may be time for managers to reset warehouse goals so that the whole supply chain team works in unison to achieve corporate-wide objectives. Assessments shall be done in order to understand what actions ought to be made. Supervisors need to ensure that all of the members are aware of what they ar e doing and are always prepared to do the job which they are tasked to do. They should be acquainted with all of the relevant policies as well as to make sure that the employees are, as well. If youre on the lookout for entry-level positions, then put emphasis on any transferable skills that will be crucial for the job. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Skills are important, but the very first step to success at work is consistently showing up whenever youre scheduled to do the job. Hard skills have a tendency to be more technical, and each business or kind of job will often have its personal necessary set. Possessing a crystal clear and professional resume is important in the medical field. Perhaps you have warehouse packer experience. Real estate is quite a lucrative industry so its obviously a competitive one. Warehouse Supervisor Resume at a Glance Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples about how to co mpose your resume summary. Also, be sure you recognize just what warehouse position youre applying for, since there are usually associate and managerial jobs. If youre attempting to obtain work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult.

Diversity and Inclusion at Morgan Stanley

Diversity and Inclusion at Morgan Stanley Below is an article originally written by Susan Reid at PowerToFly Partner Morgan Stanley, and published on September 20, 2018. Go to Morgan Stanleys page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.We consistently strive to make Morgan Stanley a place where people from multiple backgrounds and experiences want to work. Every summer, we welcome well over 1,000 summer and full-time analysts and associates to explore financial services careers at Morgan Stanley. As a member of the human resurces team and Head of Diversity and Inclusion, I frequently meet with members of the entering classes during their first days with the firm, and Im consistently impressed. They radiate energy and curiosity, and the strong sense of values and purpose that we frequently associate with the millennial generation.Their perspective reminds us to remain vigilant in ur efforts to make Morgan Stanley a place where people from multiple back grounds and experiences want to work. As the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, a black woman and an immigrant, Im keenly interested in ensuring that ur culture creates space for a variety of people to thrive personally and professionally. Achieving this objective is intrinsic to the firms core values and our business strategy.Why We Do What We Do on Diversity and InclusionImplicit in our core value of doing the right thing is the understanding that each of us has the responsibility and power to help create the type of society we want to live in. That means building an organization where people of every gender, race, sexual orientation and ability can contribute to our success as a business, and that our business environment also contributes to their success.We are committed to supporting the careers of historically underrepresented groups globally by investing in organizational change and a robust range of programs to help recruit and advance a dynamic talent base.Building a d iverse and inclusive organization is not only the right thing to do, but the commercially smart thing to do. There is growing evidence that diverse organizations outperform peers. For example, Morgan Stanleys Sustainability research and Global Quantitative Studies teams collected and analyzed data from around the world to create a proprietary gender-diversity framework to rank companies on relevant metrics. They applied the framework to more than 1,600 stocks globally and found that companies that are more gender diverse offer similar return with lower volatility. 1Progress to DateThe makeup of our intern classes has become more diverse over the past five years. Among our 2018 U.S. summer analyst and associate classes, 56 percent of participants were ethnically diverse and 43 percent globally were women.We have also seen progress at the more senior levels, with the percent of women managing directors reaching 19 percent in 2017, a steady increase from 14 percent in 2012.Central to o ur progress is a commitment that starts at the top of the firm. We hold ourselves accountable through annual business unit diversity reviews, where business heads and HR leaders assess progress against diversity and inclusion goals, and identify areas where we are doing well and areas where we have opportunities for improvement.We have several programs to engage prospective employees from underrepresented groups such as Early Insights, the Freshman Enhancement Program and sophomore internship programs in the Institutional Securities Group (ISG) and Wealth Management divisions. unterstellung programs and others continually edge us closer to a workforce that reflects the world in which we do business.For full-time Morgan Stanley employees, we offer numerous programs that help position diverse talent for success. Examples include the Leader Engagement and Development Program for Black and Hispanic Executive Directors and Vice Presidents, and the Development Series and Platinum Program for Women. Through the Pride when I speak to new analysts, I still find myself thinking, We can and must do better. However, I am proud to say that we are on the right track. Through participation in initiatives such as the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion and Catalyst CEO Champions for Change, for example, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James Gorman has pledged our commitment to help accelerate progress by strengthening our pipeline of diverse talent, continuing to benchmark and track our progress through talent data analysis, actively facilitating mentorship and sponsorship for our colleagues, and sharing best practices. By continuing to tailor our strategy to address areas where challenges remain, we will build a culture where all of our employees have the tools and support necessary to advance and thrive. 1 http//www.morganstanley.com/ideas/gender-diversity-investor-guide. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. About Susan ReidSusan Reid, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Morgan Stanley, has 20 years of human resource experience across a broad range of industries including financial services, telecommunications and higher education. Susan joined Morgan Stanley in 2008 as a Human Resource Business Partner supporting the Investment Management division. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Susan held a number of roles at various companies, including Human Resource Business Partner, and Head of universittsgelnde Recruiting and Diversity at Marsh and McLennan Companies, Head of Campus and Diversity Recruiting at Bell Atlantic, Head of Recruiting at RR Donnelleys financial services division and Head of Employment at New York University. Prior to transitioning to Human Resources, Susan was an Assistant Director in Student Services at New York University where she developed and led programs to retain and advance academically gifted students of color. Susan serves on the boards of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and Storefront Aca demy, a tuition-free private pre-K through 8th grade school in Harlem, NY, and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council.Susan has a degree in Economics and Political Science from New York University and lives in Harlem, New York. Aki Merced

A Job Recruiter Can Boost Your Search

A Job Recruiter Can Boost Your SearchA Job Recruiter Can Boost Your SearchWe hear a lot about what the latest employment numbers mean for employers Business is up, prompting companies to create more positions and hire more people. So if the demand is higher than the supply of candidates, do you need to find a job recruiter?Yes, if you want a partner to give your search a boost and land a job thatll be the best fit for you.Ive worked with candidates for more than 20 years, recruiting them for roles in a variety of industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to financial services and public accounting firms. One of the first things I learned is that navigating through the volumes of online postings to conduct a thorough search is hugely time consuming. And even if time isnt an issue for you, its likely you cant access information and openings on your own that the best recruiters have.Here are some of the other advantages of working with a specialized staffing agency when youre lookin g for a job in finance and accounting. Recruiters can do the following for youGive you access to positions elend posted on job boardsThe best recruiters cast wider nets, with their extensive networks and long-term relationships with their client companies. That helps you find career opportunities that might not even be advertised.Match your career objectives with their client companiesRecruiters typically have insights into the companies and the openings theyre trying to fill. When they talk to you about your qualifications, work history and skill set, and discuss whether they fit with the role and the job description, they can match you with the accounting and finance role that best suits you.Help manage and speed up the job search processNot only do recruiters know which companies are looking for new employees they can help accelerate the hiring process. They can help you target your search and schedule interviews with hiring managers.Offer career guidance and feedback Recruiters can provide employment advice, interview tips, resume suggestions and more. If youre not chosen for a position, its tough for you to find out why, but recruiters can often give you feedback to help you strategize for your next opportunity.Share salary information for negotiationRecruiters know the market rates for the jobs youre looking for. They can also give you tips to help you negotiate your salary with your potential employer.Visit the Robert Half Salary Center, where youll be able to adjust salary ranges for your city with the Salary Calculator, and get your own copy of the Salary Guide.Help you reach your career goalsOf course, theres no guarantee youll get hired, even if you work with a job recruiter. But it cant hurt to have a one-on-one relationship with an industry specialist who not only has access to a large professional network but is also committed to your success.Here are some questions you might haveDo candidates have to pay their job recruiter? At Robert Half Finan cial Accounting, services are free for registered candidates. Fees are paid by client companies.How do you find a recruiter who specializes in finance and accounting? You can begin the process by applying for a job on the staffing agencys website. You can also contact the nearest office location to schedule an in-person, confidential interview with a finance recruiting professional.WORK WITH OUR RECRUITERSEven in todays labor market, its not easy to pinpoint the perfect position and then persuade the employer that youre the one. Getting a new job, whether its your first or your 15th, can be a challenging experience. When you work with a recruiter, youre not alone in your search.Who knows? In a few months, you could be working at a job you love. Grace Fidalgo Grace Fidalgo i s vice president at Robert Half Finance Accounting, North America. Shes worked as a staffing manager and branch manager for Accountemps and division director and field training manager for Robert Half Finance Accounting.

The real reason your boss lacks emotional intelligence

The real reason your boss lacks emotional intelligenceThe real reason your boss lacks emotional intelligenceOver the past century, the heartless, no-nonsense CEO has become something of an icon- and a clich- in American society. Hollywood would have us believe that the Machiavellian chief exec is leise alive and well.But thats just TV, right? How about in the real world? Do businesses still allow these inhumane relics to survive?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraTo find out,TalentSmartanalyzed the emotional intelligence (EQ) profiles of the million-plus people in our database- workers from the frontlines to the C-suite. We discovered that the answer is yes, organizations today do promote the emotionally inept except when they dont. Allow me to explain.We found that EQ scores climb with titles from the bottom of the corporate ladder upward toward middle management. Middle managers stand out with the highest EQ scores in the workplace because companies tend to promote people into these positions who are level-headed and good with people. The assumption here is that a manager with a high EQ is someone for whom people will want to work.But things change drastically as you move beyond middle management.For the titles of director and above, scores descend faster than a snowboarder on a black diamond. CEOs, on average, have the lowest EQ scores in the workplace.The trick is,for every title in the graph above, the top performers are those with the highest EQ scores.Even though CEOs have the lowest EQ scores in the workplace, the best-performing CEOs are those with the highest EQs. You might get promoted with a low EQ, but you wont outshine your high-EQ competition in your new role.The higher you go above middle management, the more companies focus on metrics to make hiring and vorrcken decisions. While these short-term, bottom-line indicators are important, its sho rtsighted to make someone a senior leader because of recent monetary achievements. Possibly worse than metrics, companies also promote leaders for their knowledge and tenure, rather than their skill in inspiring others to excel.Companies sell themselves short by selecting leaders who arent well-rounded enough to perform at the highest levels for the long term.Once leaders get promoted they enter an environment that tends to erode their emotional intelligence. They spend less time in meaningful interactions with their staff and lose sight of how their emotional states impact those around them. Its so easy to get out of touch that leaders EQ levels sink further. It truly is lonely at the top.Whether youre a leader now or may become one in the future, you dont have to succumb to this trend. Your emotional intelligence is completely under your control. Work on your EQ and it will boost your performance now. Your effort can also ensure that you dont experience declines as you climb the c orporate ladder. Even if your employer promotes you for the wrong reasons, youll still outperform your contemporaries.To help you get started, here are some of my favorite EQ-boosting strategies for leaders. They apply to anyone, so give them a try, even if youre not a leader (yet).Acknowledge Other Peoples FeelingsAssertive, action-oriented executives dont exactly ignore other peoples feelings. What they tend to do instead is to marginalize them or fix them so that they dont get in the way of action. While some have suggested that this is a predominantly male problem, it can more accurately be described as a power problem. People who fail to acknowledge other peoples feelings fail to realize that lingering emotions inhibit effective action. So the next time you notice someone on your team expressing a strong emotion, ask him or her about it. Then listen intently and play back what you have just heard in summary form. By validating their emotions, youll help them feel understood so that they can move forward without hindrance.Watch Your Emotions Like A HawkThe techniques above are extremely effective, but both require an awareness of your own emotions in the moment. You may think you have a world-class poker face, but if youre like the average executive, your weakest self-awareness skills are understanding how your emotions impact others and recognizing the role you have played in creating difficult circumstances. In other words, you would become a much more effective leader if you obtained a better understanding of what you feel, when you feel it. Practice this by taking notice of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors just as a situation unfolds. The goal is to slow yourself down and take in all that is in front of you, so that you can understand how your emotions influence your behavior and alter your perception of reality.Dont Hold GrudgesThe negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the even t sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. When the threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when the threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means youre holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Letting go of a grudge not only makes you feel better now but can also improve your health.SleepIve beaten this one to death over the years and cant say enough about the importance of sleep to increasing your emotional intelligence and improving your relationships. Your self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when you dont get enough- or the right kind- of sleep. Sleep deprivation also raises stress hormone levels on its own, even without a stressfaktor present. The pressure that leaders are under often makes them feel as if they dont have time to sleep, but not taking the time to get a decent nights sleep is often the one thing keeping you from getting things under control.Quash Negative Self-TalkA big step in developing emotional intelligence involves stopping negative self-talk in its tracks. The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that- thoughts, not facts. When you find yourself believing the negative and pessimistic things your inner voice says, its time to stop and write them down. Literally stop what youre doing and write down what youre thinking. Once youve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.You can bet that your statements arent true any time you use words like never, worst, ever, etc. If your statements still look like facts once theyre on paper, take them to a friend or colleague you trust and see if he or she agrees with you. Then the truth will surely come out. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brains natural threat tendency inflating the perceived frequency or severity of an event. Identifying and labeling your thoughts as thoughts by separating them from the facts will help you escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive new outlook.When You Care, Show ItThis might be the easiest thing you can do- as long as you actually do it. Good leaders always notice when people on their teams are doing good work, but they dont often show it. When you appreciate something that another person does, let him or her know about it. Even a quick email or pat on the back goes a long way in this regard. There are people who do great work around you every day. Dont put off letting them know h ow you feel about it. Your praise will build fierce loyalty and inspire your people to work even harder.Bringing It All TogetherIs your employer perpetuating this trend, or are they bucking it by developing high-EQ leadership? Do you know high-EQ leaders who outshine the rest? Share your experiences in the comments section below, and lets have a conversation about this important topic.Dr. Travis Bradberryis the award-winning co-author of the 1 bestselling book,Emotional Intelligence 2.0,and the cofounder ofTalentSmart, the worlds leading provider ofemotional intelligence testsandtraining, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by,Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, andThe Harvard Business Review.This article first appeared on LinkedIn.

Employees Sharing Rooms When Traveling

Employees Sharing Rooms When TravelingEmployees Sharing Rooms When TravelingIt is elend illegal to ask employees to share rooms on business trips. Employers ask employees to share rooms for a variety of reasons, but should they? Cons come from employees who seem to universally dislike the practice. The pros come from executives and owners who are often not subjected to the same rules. Reasons to Require Room-Sharing Employers defend the practice of employees sharing rooms for these reasons The employer wants to cut the cost of travel and entertainment. Economically, sharing rooms affects an employees ability to attend conferences, training, and business meetings because, without the shared rooms, only half of the eligible employees would be able to attend the fest.Some employers argue that sharing a room builds camaraderie and a sense of teamwork. They say that it helps employees get to know each other on a whole new level.The employer would not have obtained the work contract if the cost savings of employees sharing rooms had not been factored into the bid. Employers argue that employees would rather have the work than their privacy. Negatives About Shared Rooms On thecontrary view, employees should never be asked to share a room with a coworker, not under any circumstances including saving money during tough economic times. While it may not be a legal issue- although we can certainly conjure up harassment scenarios- it is a respect issue. Employees who travel for business to benefit their employer should be treated with the respect and regard that they deserve. This includes privacy, a place for downtime away from coworkers, and the opportunity to relax without having to worry about the opinions, feelings, habits, and stuff of a coworker. Possible violations of ADA by placing an employee with an accommodated medical condition in a situation where he or she does not have full privacy for the medications, medical equipment, or room accommodations they may require. By requiring employees to share rooms, you violate their privacy and may cause them to disclose medical information they dont want to share. Even if you require sharing rooms, an employee with a medical condition should be able to ask for a single room.The potential benefits of camaraderie and team building are overwhelmed by the lack of privacy and the stress engendered by sharing a space with a stranger with whom the employee is not intimate. Employees are vulnerable when they sleep, and even well-liked coworkers in the same room can interfere with sleep. And, in a shared setting, the employee gets no real downtime after working or traveling all day. If you respect your employees, your employees should not have to listen to a coworker snore, smell their stinky socks, work around their toiletries in the bathroom, share the soap in the shower, listen in on their phone calls, deal with their clothing and hygiene habits, or put up with their late-night work habits.Working effectively with coworkers requires a certain amount of respect and privacy. Asking employees, who maintain their self-determined professional distance from each other at work, to violate these rules of conduct on the road destabilizes patterns of interacting. Employees develop their comfort zones and behaviors that help them cope with the workplace over time. Employers cannot expect that the disruption of these distance and space needs will benefit employees. Seeing your coworker walk around a hotel room wearing a towel when youre used to seeing her across a conference table wearing a business suit creates discomfort. While some employees may be unphased, others will be deeply uncomfortable. Why risk it?An employee who is giving up hours of his or her free time, spending time away from family for a business purpose, should have a private room to retire to for breaks and in the evening. The employee should be able to call home without an audience, drink a few cocktails without a di sapproving observer, work until the wee hours of the morning, or call it an early night without worrying about the needs of a coworker. Employees who have just spent breakfast, lunch, and dinner together plus attended all-day meetings with fellow employees deserve a place for solitude and rejuvenation. Sharing a room is not a team-building event and it may result in damaged work relationships even if both of the employees are respectful and mindful of adult behavior.Business travel is stressful enough, and your employees are already voluntarily giving you hours of their time, without adding one more layer of potential stress and offensiveness. Give your employees the respect they deserve. Unless good friends ask to room together, employees should never be asked to share rooms. Alternative Ways to Cut Travel Expenses The problem remains. Business travel costs continue to escalate and employers need to control costs. Hopefully, youre convinced that making employees share rooms is not the answer. If youre a large corporation with a travel department, you have likely implemented these solutions and suggestions already.