How to take intelligent risks

How to take intelligent risks Recently, I covered my hallway in wallpaper I bought online (via Wallpaper Weekly). Everyone I showed the wallpaper to said the it would be too busy a pattern. But I loved it. So I bought it anyway. There are a lot of problems with my hallway now most notably, I used Elmers glue instead of wallpaper paste and Im going to have to pull down the wallpaper and start over. But every time I walk through my hall, I think about how important it is to take risks with my house â€" because thats what makes it mine. Which, of course, is very similar to a life. You can live someone eless tried-and-true template for a life, or you can make your life your own. So many of the questions we grapple with in our life are about this very type of risk taking. We know what we want to try, and were not sure if we should try it. Moving across country. Writing a novel. Starting a business. Painting a room. Im starting to think, though, that we should evaluate risk in terms of process. Do we like what we are doing during the time were taking the risk? Because if you enjoy the process, the weight of the outcome is not so heavy. I liked the solitary process of wallpapering. I liked making copies of family photos and gluing them to the wall. I like seeing how it all turns out what works in my house and what doesnt. So I ask myself, what is the cost if the risk does not work out? But when I consider process as well as outcome, then the scales often seem to tip in favor of the risk. Heres are five things I keep in mind when assessing risk: 1. Long-term regrets are usually about not taking more risks. If you ask people at the end of their lives what their biggest regret is, its common for the regret to center around not taking more risks. The same is true of younger people. Ran Kivets is a psychologist at Columbia University who studies winter break. He says that in the short-term college kids regret not having studied enough, but in the long-term, college kids regret not having had more fun. So its no surprise that of the most popular posts on my blog is about regrets over getting straight As. (Hat tip: Joshua Althouse Cohen) 2. Being wrong costs very little. In general, people dont care if youre wrong; its your life and you get to make mistakes. Also, in general, people dont care if youre right because they are too interested in themselves. And okay, its true that if you invest a lot of money being wrong costs a lot, butut there are very few risks we consider that require a huge outlay of money and a 100% risk on that money. Instead, risk-taking generally requires a relatively small percentage of the money you can earn. Fortunately, the way we get the most happiness from spending money is by spending on experiences. And what better experience than taking a risk and finding out what it will be like. 3. People bounce back faster than they expect. Most of us are much more resilient than we realize. Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard, explains that we each have a set-point for how happy we are going to be, and we mostly just stick there. Winning a lot of money doesnt make us much happier, and losing the ability to walk doesnt make us much sadder. So its fair to conclude that most of us overestimate the impact risk-taking will have on our lives. 4. Dont make the risk bigger than it needs to be. For example a lot of people think they need to quit their job to try starting a new company (you dont) or someone who thinks they need to completely dump one career to try a new career (you dont.) The best risk takers are in fields like entrepreneurship, hedge fund management, and excavation. The thing these people all have in common â€" those who are successful in their field â€" is that they are constantly working to mitigate risk before they take the risk. Sometimes just looking at how someone else has approached your challenge can show you a less risky approach to taking the risk. 5. Most risks turn out fine. In our minds, that is. Gilbert shows that we are able to reframe a poor decision in order to think it was a good decision. Having kids is his favorite example to use. Having kids makes us less happy, but we invest so much time and money into raising kids, that were able to convince ourselves it made us happy, and we dont have regrets. And successful people who make big career mistakes are able to reframe the mistakes so they dont matter. Also, inherently positive thinkers dont usually have regrets over the long-term. (Wondering if you are one of these people? Take the test (middle of the page) You might have noticed in the wall paper picture that there are a lot of lumps. Thats because I was so excited to get started the day the wallpaper arrived but it was 9pm and I didnt have any wallpaper paste. So I googled and it looked like I could use Elmers glue. So I did. Five bottles. And it would have worked, but I didnt know you put the glue on the paper and not the wall. So I have to tear down the paper and start over. But I dont care. I like the paper and I had fun learning how to do it.

4 Skills UK Recruiters Want to Tackle (And How They Can Do It)

4 Skills UK Recruiters Want to Tackle (And How They Can Do It) This article is sponsored by LinkedIn. How are those tough New Year’s resolutions going? The start of the year is always a popular time to take a look back at the last twelve months and ask ourselves what we could do better. But it can be harder to make these good intentions stick. And our professional lives are no different. Creating sustainable, lasting improvements to the way we work is a much bigger challenge than a one-off win. Towards the end of 2015, over on our Twitter channel (@HireOnLinkedIn), we asked UK recruiters to share with us the skills they want to master in 2016 with our #RecruitingSkills campaign. The response was incredibly positive it’s great to know recruiters care about their own skills as much as they care about finding the ones their business needs. We all have to adapt to a changing world, and the hiring process is no different. The big question is what did they tell us â€" and, more importantly, what can they do about it? Half in our online poll have said they are grappling with social recruitment â€" despite the fact that this is the number one source of quality hires (according to LinkedIn research). It’s no surprise to see this top of the list when it comes to recruiters’ self-improvement. Why? In a short space of time, both in-house and agency recruiters have gone from relying on job boards, little black books and cold calling candidates, to finding and engaging the best candidates for the job online. There is now a wealth of useful data at their fingertips to help â€" but only if they can find it and apply it in the right way. Furthermore, recruiters are now successfully hiring candidates who were not actively looking for a new job in the first place. These potential hires need to be engaged very differently compared to people proactively looking for their next position. Long gone are the days of posting a job advert and sitting back to wait for CVs to simply flood in! And for candidates, social media and the web mean they have access to more information about potential employers than ever before. They may know more about day-to-day life in a business than some of its senior leaders; they certainly have more career options available to them as a result. No wonder then that social is transforming recruitment. So what can recruiters do to really tackle this? There is plenty of killer advice available from our in-house experts and others in the field to help overcome all these problems. Here is selection of some of the best: To find out what skills you need to be the world’s greatest social recruiter today, how the role is evolving and what getting your employer brand online is all about check out The Savvy Recruiter’s Career Guide. If engaging and winning over passive talent is top of your list â€" and as two-thirds of talent in the UK is passive, why wouldn’t it be? â€" then check out this guide  to engaging with these potential candidates. Recruiters who use data insights in the recruitment process hire faster and hire better. Data is the secret weapon every recruiter should be able to deploy. Find out more in  our infographic showing why data makes for better recruiters. And finally, if it’s pipelining talent that you want to tackle, we have 12 tips to build a stunning pipeline available to help you build a warm community of candidates for your hardest-to-fill roles. 2016 is already shaping up to be a great year â€" but one thing is certain; no recruiter can afford to stand still and keep using out of date tactics. Only those who keep on adapting and evolving will survive. I’d love to know what your big challenges are this year and what sustainable changes you are striving to achieve in your work â€" please do share them in the comments below. In the meantime, good luck and very best wishes for the year ahead. Image: Shutterstock

Writing a Resume About Cassadeworker - Why Education is Yours Best Advantage

Writing a Resume About Cassadeworker - Why Education is Yours Best AdvantageMany times people will choose to write a resume about caseworker because they feel that they are going to need the experience more than they are going to need the education. The truth is, not everyone has to be an educator or have education and there are many jobs out there that require experience. You can become a caseworker without a college degree but it takes more work.If you are going to be writing a resume about caseworker, then make sure that you take a look at all of your education. You should make sure that you have at least some type of education to be able to do this job. Make sure that you complete all of your requirements in the beginning so that you have no excuse to not completing your work. It is not as hard as it sounds once you know what to do.Remember, if you don't have education, you shouldn't be filling out a resume about caseworker. You need to be able to make sure that you have the prop er education that you need to start out and work your way up. You want to have the right education, then the right experience. When you are ready for a job, you want to make sure that you have everything that you need. The more education that you have, the better your chances are of getting a job.When writing a resume about caseworker, you are going to have to find the right education for your needs. What you want to do is find a program that is going to fit what you want to do. If you are looking for an education that is going to help you with what you are doing, then make sure that you are finding a program that can help you get into a program that is going to help you in your future. You want to find a program that will help you move up in a job that you are applying for. There are different programs that are out there that can help you with your education and you can find what you need with different programs. Once you find a program that you can use, you need to find out how yo u can get involved in that program. There are many things that you can do with the program and you can get involved with different things that you need to do to get the education that you need.Remember, when you are writing a resume about caseworker, you will be giving information about the education that you have. You need to make sure that you are going to be able to say everything that you need to in order to give the most accurate information that you can. You want to make sure that you can get the education that you need and you want to make sure that you will be able to help other people with their education as well. You will be able to get what you need in a program and this will help you move up in your career.When you are choosing a program that is going to help you with your education, make sure that you know that what you are choosing is going to help you move up in your career. It will help you do what you need to do and this will help you to get the education that you n eed. There are many programs out there that can help you in every aspect of life.Education is going to be your biggest advantage when it comes to being able to find jobs out there. You will have to take the time to find what you need to do in order to have the education that you need. Take the time to make sure that you are going to get the education that you need and you will be able to move forward in your career. There are many things that you can do to help you get through the education that you need and this is something that you need to make sure that you are doing when you are writing a resume about caseworker.

Happy jobs in London - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happy jobs in London - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog 2 weeks ago I was in London on vacation with my wonderful girlfriend, and while our time was spent almost exclusively on shopping, good food and musicals, I also stumbled on a couple of interesting things, happy-at-work-wise. At a Pret A Manger (which is Britains version of Starbucks with better food) I saw this sign: The headline is Good jobs, good people and the text is all about how good working for Pret is. But the best one was this sign in the window of the Prime Time video rental store next to the Earls Court tube station: Happy, smiling staff required. I love it! These are sure signs that happy employees is increasingly becoming something that companies want. They recognize that happy people are motivated, productive and better at service. And of course the two ways to get happy employees is to give them god jobs (as Pret promises on their sign) or to hire people who are already happy (as Prime Time video does). The very best way is of course to combine these two approaches :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Biggest Holiday Job Search Myth

The Biggest Holiday Job Search Myth The Biggest Holiday Job Search Myth Job Search / Job Transition / Networking Despite our 24/7 business culture, most job seekers think you can’t find a job during the holiday season. Even looking for work from Thanksgiving to January 1st is widely considered a waste of time. This is the biggest holiday job search myth. HUGE. I say that from personal experience. Years ago, when I was working in corporate, my phone rang just as I arrived home from our company’s holiday party. I was shocked to find that it was someone from HR calling to conduct a screening interview. The conversation went well and a few days later someone else called to set up a face-to-face interview with the hiring manager. The interview was scheduled during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I got the job and started the beginning of January. Before we were connected 24/7, the holiday season was not a great time to look for a new job. But, times have changed. Here are 4 reasons the holiday season is a great time to look for a job. More Relaxed Networking During the holidays, formal networking events are less formal. Most organizations forgo the dinner and a speaker format for a more relaxed arrangement. Generally, “holiday” events revolve around cocktails and appetizers giving you a better chance to mix and mingle. If you haven’t been to an industry event this year, this is a great time to start. Hidden Networking Opportunities Your company’s “holiday” party gives you the unique opportunity to chat with your boss, and even your bosses’ boss, in a less formal setting. It also provides the chance to get to know colleagues in other departments who you have only corresponded with via email. Your partner’s office party is an even better place to make connections as you’ll be surrounded by folks you don’t already know. For more Holiday Networking tips click here.   Less Competition Since many people think looking for work right now is a waste of time, you have less competition. But recruiters and hiring managers are still searching for candidates. Even if they are taking days off, or even a vacation, in today’s 24/7 world of work people are rarely disconnected from the office. Not even during the holidays. Nothing is a Sure Thing Even though the interviews went well, and the employer has told you they’re just waiting until after the holidays to move forward don’t stop looking. Never think you have the job until you have a written, job offer, in, your, hand. Things happen.  You may be the one in the top two who doesn’t get the job. The position may be reevaluated and tabled in January. While recruiting, one of my candidates was asked to travel to the company headquarters for a final meeting. It was just a formality. She was excited. So was I. Just as they were making travel arrangements, the company decided to pull the job. During the holidays, monitor your target employers for new job listings. Keep those employers in mind when you’re out at industry events and holiday parties. You never know who you’ll meet that can help you network into one of your target companies. Despite all the temptations to relax and enjoy the season, it’s a bad idea to put your job search on hold. Keep a few business cards tucked in your wallet in case you run into an old friend while out holiday shopping. Enjoy your neighbor’s holiday party. Spend time with your family and friends. Just remember a savvy job seeker doesn’t take off too much time. The fact that most people believe the myth that you can’t find a job during the holiday season tips the scale for people like you who don’t.

What College Didnt Teach You About Your First Job

What College Didnt Teach You About Your First Job Its the same story every year: New college graduates waving their bright new diplomas are out looking for their first real job. They expect to launch right into their profession and start making the big money. Then reality sinks in. It sure did for me. What actually happens is that you fill out tons of applications and sends in dozens of resumes to land an interview. Then, just on the verge of being hired,  youre  told the starting salary.  Your first reaction is to feel insulted and slighted by the hiring manager. Thats because while college gives you information specific to your major, it  may not  give you the financial  facts of the real world. In the real world, your degree means that you have a specific type of knowledge. It tells the hiring manager that you know how to do certain things; however, you have probably never done them any place but in a classroom. You are untested and need to be trained in how employers want things done. You are also just beginning your career and have nothing to show the hiring manager that you are worth anything more than the base starting salary for your field. This is where many graduates have trouble: they dont understand that everyone starts at the bottom. Start your job hunt with a more realistic view of what you can expect. Have you researched the job market in specific areas? Do you know the salary range for the type of job youre seeking? If you were an intern in your field, then you have some real world work experience in your field, and that means you may command a slightly higher starting salary. If this is the case, you still need to realize  that youre going to have to start at or near the bottom of the pay scale and  then you  will have to prove yourself to your employer before you see a higher salary. You may have graduated from college, but once your enter the working world, your real education is just beginning.

How Much Does Resume Writing Cost in India?

How Much Does Resume Writing Cost in India?There are many ways to save money while going about in India and one of the best ways to do this is by outsourcing some part of your job to an agency or a company that can offer you good and cheap services. However, if you are not an IT expert, then it is time to consider these simple steps in India to find a good agency. Even when outsourcing the work, it is wise to hire the experts who will know more about the IT industry in India than anyone else.One of the first things that you need to consider is whether you want to write your resume yourself or if you need to look for help from an agency. If you don't have the necessary knowledge about the India IT job market and the responsibilities involved, then hiring a company to write your resume for you is the best option. You need to think of some other options as well and decide which one will be easier for you. There are some places where you can find help online.With the help of a website wh ere you can hire people to create a resume for you, you can easily compare the costs of different agencies. You may find it necessary to ask the agency to write your resume for you as well, but remember that outsourcing such tasks to an agency can be very expensive.You need to compare the cost of hiring an Indian resume writer, to paying an agency to do the same. Since you are in India, you need to consider all the financial aspects. Hiring an agency can give you some benefits as well as costs that you would not be able to get by outsourcing your work.For outsourcing jobs, most of the companies and agencies will charge you a certain amount to do a job. The truth is that you need to have a budget that will allow you to cover the cost of such jobs.Before you get started in outsourcing your resume writing, you need to decide how much you want to spend on outsourcing. The most important thing is that you make sure that the agency does the job for you in a cheap and comfortable way.While looking for an agency that can help you out, you need to ask for references of the agencies. This will help you avoid mistakes when you are in the middle of outsourcing the job. You will need to hire the agency that will be the best in what they do.