Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Should Open Offices Be Closed Forever

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Should Open Offices Be Closed Forever The open office trend has reached a fever pitch, with nearly 70 percent of American workers now residing in them. But is an open office really the best way to go? A few months back in the New Yorker, Maria Konnikova reported that open offices don’t actually do what they were designed to do, which is to facilitate communication and idea flow. She said: In 2011, the organizational psychologist Matthew Davis reviewed more than a hundred studies about office environments. He found that, though open offices made employees feel like part of a more laid-back, innovative enterprise, they were damaging to the workers’ attention spans, productivity, creative thinking, and satisfaction. Compared with standard offices, employees experienced more uncontrolled interactions, higher levels of stress, and lower levels of concentration and motivation. Rats in a Noisy Maze As an introvert, my experiences with open offices have been difficult. Even a cubicle offers a certain level of privacy. You feel like you have some measure of control over your environment. If you need to make a personal phone call, you can do so without worrying about being overheard. If you need silence to focus on an intensive task, you can get it. In an open office, you are at the total mercy of your co-workers’ presence. I recall being constantly distracted, and every time I’d get interrupted, I’d have to exert enormous effort to gain back my focus. Sometimes my mind was so busy I couldn’t even remember what I was supposed to be doing. My productivity was at an all-time low: a task that took me an hour or two at home took me a full work day in my open office. As for communication, I found that when I could get away from my colleagues for two seconds, my interactions with them were more concise and purposeful. Once out of the chaos of the open office environment, I learned how not to waste my co-workers’ time. For the rest of the post, head over to Intuits Fast Track blog.

Warning Dont Let Social Media Discrimination Hurt Your Job Hunt

Warning Dont Let Social Media Discrimination Hurt Your Job Hunt When landing a job interview takes so much effort, you want to make the most of it. And while your social media activities might not prevent you from getting an interview, they could make your interview more challenging. What can you do to ensure an easy, low-risk interview? Well, youd post nothing. Ever. But thats not very realistic in our current world of Facebook, Twitter Instagram especially when these same tools can be used to enhance your online resume advertise your talents. So here are a few tips on navigating the interview process as a social media user. Social Media Discrimination Your Interview During the hiring process, a thorough interviewer wants to ask a multitude of  questions. But many of these questions never get asked because it is not legal to do so. It’s also illegal for the interviewer to discriminate against you due to any information that they may have obtained through your social media content. But if theyre discreet and can provide a legitimate reason for not selecting you it is still possible for them to discriminate based on your online activities. So as you already know be cautious regarding the content you post. What They Really Want to Know There are a number of “taboo” topics that interviewers and companies would like to gather more information about even though they cannot ask direct questions. Because of this ulterior motive, you must be extremely careful during an interview, as they may attempt to obtain this information from you by wording questions in a slightly odd manner. If you dont experience an odd-sounding question or two, its  likely because they’ve already taken information from the profiles of your social channels in order to achieve their goal. What are they looking for? Information regarding disabilities, children, mental or physical illnesses, age and religion. And just because theyre not permitted to inquire on these topics,  that doesnt mean that your interviewer wont attempt to ask you a series of crafty questions trying to determine whether or not you are physically capable of completing the job. Questions To Look Out For Heres a question you could be asked:  â€œIs there any reason as to why you would not be able to perform this role to the expected standard?” This may seem like an innocent query, but it is often a used in order to determine whether the candidate suffers from any disabilities that may affect their performance at work. And its not legal to ask. Another example of how social networking sites can be used against you is by your interviewer noticing that you frequently mention external commitments. Things like always being in charge of looking after your children if something arises because your partner doesn’t pull their weight. Information such as this would suggest that you are a less committed or reliable employee, and that if you were to be given the job you could be absent often. And since an employer cannot openly base their decision on information that they have discovered through your social channels, they may instead ask vague questions such as “Do you have any responsibilities outside of work that could affect your performance?” It’s important that you do not let questions such as this throw you off balance. You should respond as politely as possible by answering with a line such as “My responsibilities would not affect my working performance or my professional etiquette” before leading the conversation to your strong attributes. There are many other scenarios in which the interviewer may try to gain information relating to your background that they cannot directly ask about; our advice would be to ensure that each of your social channels is set to private so that only people you know can view your private data. Current studies show that more and more recruiters are researching candidates via social media, so don’t let a frivolous online comment made to a friend hamper your chances of securing your dream job. About the Author: Alastair Dawson has committed himself to his interest in pursuing the law and aiding others with legal difficulties. When Alastair isn’t working at Access2Barristers Direct he can often be found honing his skills in a number of different areas; although it’s believed that employment law is his favoured subject.

7 Tips to Motivate You in the Morning

7 Tips to Motivate You in the Morning Let’s get real: Mornings can be rough. Let’s get real: Mornings can be rough. This statement is especially true if a) it’s Monday morning, b) the morning was preceded by a late night out or c) the happenings of the day ahead will be less than enjoyable. But in order to maintain a job and continue to climb the professional ladder, getting out the door on time in the morning is an absolute must. If your morning routine isn’t as productive as it needs to be, it’s time to update it. If you’re not sure where to begin, but know your mornings need a makeover, consider the following tips. 1. Pick Out Your Clothes the Night Before Believe it or not, the advice your mom gave you in middle school still rings true. Choose an outfit and lay out every piece of it before you go to bed. This will completely eliminate the madness that comes along with deciding what to wear in the morning, leaving you with more time to get everything else together. 2. Go To Bed a Little Earlier If you’re rushed mornings are primarily caused by the love-hate relationship with your snooze button, an earlier bedtime can put this issue to rest. Turning in earlier will give your body more time to rest and help you to wake up the first time your alarm goes off (or maybe the second). 3. Shower First Women often waste precious time (and precious energy) blow-drying their hair every morning. Instead of showering mid-morning and then drying your hair, shower as soon as you wake up. Give your hair time to air dry before using your blow dryer. Not only will you make your mornings more efficient, you will also give your hair a break from damage caused by excessive blow-drying. 4. Minimize Your Makeup Routine If you have an intense makeup routine, you’re likely wasting precious time in front of the mirror every morning. Spending large amounts of time applying creams, powders, gels and polishes can turn any morning routine into a huge production, causing unnecessary lateness. Instead, try to minimize your makeup routine, only applying the absolute essentials. 5. Plan Your Weekly Breakfasts You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Instead of eating a power bar on your way out the door or buying a breakfast sandwich on your commute, make breakfast a part of your morning routine. Don’t have time to make a gourmet breakfast? Try to give yourself healthy alternatives by, for example, preparing a fruit assortment or egg quiche the night before. 6. Prepare Your Lunches the Night Before Packing your lunch in the morning â€" especially if you require a good salad and sandwich combo to get you through the day â€" can be a huge time-suck in the morning. To avoid this, prepare as much of your lunch as you can earlier in the week. This can mean making soup to last you all week, individually packing nuts, dried fruits and other snacks or making pasta salad to eat all the way through Friday. 7. Get Organized Nothing causes frazzled and stressful mornings quite like disorganization. Not being able to find your cell phone, a matching pair of shoes, your eyeliner or your car keys can cause you to waste valuable time in the mornings. To avoid this fiasco, make a space on your counter, in your purse or your bathroom vanity for all of the items you need, so you’ll never have to search for them. It’s time to put the days of running out the door with wet hair and a stale muffin for breakfast behind. Instead, make simple organization and time management updates to your morning routine. This will transform your mornings, eliminating the chaos that ultimately leads to lateness. Simple tweaks, such as packing your lunch the night before or showering first-thing, can save you time in the morning â€" and save you the embarrassment of always being late. Images by Unsplash and  nile

5 Must Haves For The Perfect Wedding

5 Must Haves For The Perfect Wedding The wedding day is one of the most magical days of your entire life, but it’s also one of the most expensive. You owe it to yourself to make it the perfect occasion. A lot of couples wrap themselves up in the little details that make the average wedding cost over $25,000. In reality, you can count the most important aspects on one hand. As long as these items have been planned for accordingly, you should be set for the greatest day of your life. The Perfect Groom As children, every little girl plays out their fantasy wedding, and the hunky groom is always a major priority. Our idea of the perfect groom may alter slightly with age, but this is still the number one factor for any woman’s perfect day. Of course, dont forget that every groom comes with groomsmen.   Show them your appreciation with groomsmen gifts that theyll appreciate Marriage is a lifelong commitment between two lovers. If the relationship is right, the wedding will be a success. The Perfect Outfit As the bride, all eyes will naturally be on you. It’s only natural that you want to look your best. Besides, when you look special, you feel special too. The wedding dress is arguably the most important outfit you’ll ever wear. If there’s one item you should give thorough consideration, then this is it. Of course, the ring should be equally special too. The Ideal Guest List While bride and groom are clearly the two most important people on the day, this is still a time for sharing your love with friends and family. Your guest list is one of the most important aspects of the entire occasion. You must give serious consideration when deciding your bridesmaids, as should the groom with his best man. However, every guest is important on your big day, and you must be sure not to miss anyone out. Oh, and always send the invitations at the earliest stage possible. The Perfect Venue Ultimately, the wedding is about love and people. Nonetheless, tying the knot in front of an idyllic backdrop will add an extra charm to the perfect day. Choosing your wedding venue is an important step in the planning process. It can also be one of the most expensive. However, you’ll both be remembering this day for the rest of your lives, so it’s imperative that you get this crucial aspect right. It’s far too important to ignore. The Photographer This magic day is one that will stay in your memories forever. Nonetheless, hiring a professional photographer to capture the moment is an item that no bride should miss out on. It might seem like a luxury, but you should try to see this as a compulsory part of the day. After all, you don’t want to look back regretting that you didn’t. Meanwhile, many couples also hire a videographer. Again, it might seem expensive to fork out hundreds on this item. However, after spending thousands on the day, the professional DVD is a memento that will stay with you for the rest of your lives. For the modern wedding, it’s essential.

5 Halloween costumes students can make last-minute - Debut

5 Halloween costumes students can make last-minute - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Andrew Shaw lists the top Halloween costumes that you can rustle up in a rush.   There are three types of students when it comes to Halloween costumes. First, those who dont see the point of dressing up at all. Second, the savvy students whove had their costume all planned out since before the end of summer. Which leaves us with the third type â€" the people who talked about planning what to wear for Halloween and then did absolutely nothing until three days before their first shindig. For every Halloween I spent at university, I may as well have been the president of this final category. In my first year, I didn’t have any idea of what I was going to be until around 4pm on October 31st, and I never got much better at it. I know I’m not the only one who’s awful at figuring out what to wear for Halloween, so I decided to help put an end to the indecision. Here are some of the easiest and cheapest outfits that can be worn by anyone. Sushi Before we start, I’m fully aware there are many different varieties of sushi, so we’re just going to stick to the one most Brits know the best: maki. All sushi is good, but this one’s the easiest to turn into a costume, and who wouldn’t want to dress up like raw fish wrapped in seaweed? All you need is a fish plushie from a toy store, a disposable white t-shirt and either black duct tape or clean black bin bags (I really cant stress clean enough). Using clear Sellotape, strap the toy fish to the top and then tape the black item of your choosing over it. Job done. Enjoy looking like a snack all night. Tony Stark as himself Whichever version of Tony Stark you’re aiming for â€" be it the womanising playboy from Iron Man or Tom Holland’s concerned father figure from Infinity War â€" you’ll want to stick to his classic look: pointy goatee that no one but Robert Downey Junior can actually pull off, thin moustache and slicked back hair or a quiff. For the facial hair, you can either grow it yourself or use mascara. On top of the hair, you’re going to need to copy his arc reactor from the earlier films. This can be achieved as easily as buying one of those small push lights designed to be stuck to shelves and taping it to your chest. When you turn it on, the light will shine through your top, and this little extra detail will help you stand out from the rest of the Stark posers. Fake news Everybody’s using this stupid phrase these days, so if you cant beat them, and you don’t want to join them, you can at least show them what real fake news is. Stick your favourite ridiculous or inappropriate newspaper headlines onto a cheap, light-coloured top and paint the word FAKE over them. Using red paint particularly stands out nicely. If you don’t have any newspapers lying around and don’t want to spend the pound or two required to buy a couple, then you can continue turning to the internet to provide you with what you need for free. Head on over to sites like the Federalist or Russia Today and you’ll find more absurd headlines than you could fit on a wardrobe of fake news outfits. Women in yoghurt adverts This one speaks for itself. Women in yoghurt adverts behave like aliens from a world where yoghurt doesnt exist. I’ve tried plenty of yoghurts in my time and they’ve all been fairly unexciting, yet these women are having their minds blown by the stuff. I cant say for sure, but I have a feeling 51% of the population don’t just sit around with their friends smiling maniacally as they eat, talk and fantasise about yoghurt. Sorry, to get back on topic, if you’re a woman, just walk around balancing half a dozen yoghurts in your arms and grinning like a lunatic; if you’re a man, buy a woman’s wig and do the same. Death and taxes Benjamin Franklin once mused that the only two certainties in life were the two above. But I bet that had he somehow lived until 2018, he wouldnt have guessed that they would be used as the topic for a silly Halloween costume. For taxes (something that you’ll have to get used to soon), dress up nicely and wear a badge or slip of paper with HMRC written on it. You can even carry a briefcase. Now for death, which means putting on a black, hooded robe or gown and carrying a scythe. If you don’t have a scythe on you, its probably best to skip that detail, as youll want to leave it behind if you plan on going out. And as easily as that, you’re all set to be a combination of the most despised things in human history. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

3 Things to Remember Before Asking For a Pay Hike

3 Things to Remember Before Asking For a Pay Hike 0 Flares 0 Flares This guest post is contributed by Brenda Harris, who writes on the topic of executive mba programs. She can be reached at her email id: brenda.harris91@gmail.com. Some people do it timidly and with hesitation; others are brasher and more open about demanding it as their right; and yet others threaten to quit if they’re not paid more. While we all feel the jitters when we want to ask for an increase in our salaries, we adopt different methods to go about this act because there are no fixed rules or regulations to follow. But no matter how you ask for a pay hike, you must keep a few things in mind before you talk to your boss or put in a request in some other way because if you don’t, things could backfire on you in a bad way. So if you’re mulling over a salary increase, think over these things before you go ahead with the idea: The current market scenario: If the world in general or your company is going through a lean period and your co-workers are getting fired or laid off by the dozen, then it’s definitely not the time to bring up the issue of a pay hike. You would think that this is pure common sense and that people will know that they’re lucky they get to keep their jobs in such a scenario, but there are times when people get ahead of themselves and convince themselves that they are indispensable to the company and that they should ask for and receive a raise. Your present standing at work: If you’re in the doghouse with your boss, then it’s sure not the time to bring up the issue of your salary hike. You must wait for the dust to settle and work on getting back into your superior’s good books before you can broach the subject. This does not mean that you must toady up to them; rather, let your work do the talking and your salary hike request cannot be denied without adequate consideration. The probability of you getting the raise: If you’ve just received a raise in the recent past, then your current request is probably going to be denied, unless there are extenuating circumstances. Also, your status within the company counts a lot when the issue of a raise comes up. Your boss may feel that you don’t merit a pay hike because you’re just not that valuable to the company. They’re not worried that you may quit if your request is denied, so there is no compulsion for them to cater to your demands. So holding the threat to leave over their heads may not be a good idea unless you are relatively confident that they will cave in or you have an alternative position lined up. Salary negotiation is a tricky minefield that could end up hurting you badly if you’re not careful. So tread carefully, like you would on eggshells, read the situation well, and use the right opportunity and time to ask for your pay hike, preferably when your work is receiving rave reviews from your superiors.

How to Resume Writing a Novel After a Long Time

How to Resume Writing a Novel After a Long TimeHow do you know if you are in the right career at the right place? There are certain signs which will help you know if you are in the right job or not. The career and the company should have something to do with it.In the employment and the jobs there is an immediate requirement for qualifications to show that you are capable of filling the position. A qualified person can do a lot in this field and make a lot of money by filling up the positions.When you look for a job or looking for a career you must determine the type of job you are looking for. You must choose something which is related to the job you are looking for.There are certain tips that will help you in your resume writing. One of the best ways to get started is to learn some useful tips and learn more about the industry in general. If you have a good experience in your current position then this will give you a real edge over the other applicants who have not been in that sa me position.Another useful tip would be to know what others have to say about you. This will give you a better feel about yourself.The importance of knowing about the company and the job has to be emphasized and also the need for the job is one of the most important factors in deciding whether you are ready to take up the new challenge. There are a lot of companies who provide support to students.Apart from this you should also use an appropriate resume cover letter and also have it customized so that it reflects your personal attitude and profile. It will be better if you have a CV template of your own to make it more convincing. Also, you can always ask a career coach or if possible, a mentor to guide you on how to write a resume.Career counseling sessions would not be wrong for you if you are sure that your skills will be useful for the job you are looking for. When you are in the recruitment of a company there will be an understanding as to what you are going to do when you ente r the job. Therefore, you have to take things seriously and choose the right career and company at the right time.