Transfer From Active Duty to National Guard or Reserves

Transfer From Active Duty to National Guard or ReservesTransfer From Active Duty to National Guard or ReservesSome of the U.S. armed services allow personnel to request early gestaffelte anordnung to serve in the National Guard or Active Reserves. The other active duty services occasionally will allow you to request a discharge from active duty to serve in the Guard or Reserves under a Convenience of the Government Discharge. When the Military Could Request a Discharge The military can also use this provision when it wants to initiate a separationbut doesnt have a basis to require your separation under any other program. For example, if you won the state lottery and became a multi-millionaire overnight, the military probably would find it disruptive to the morale ofthe other personnel. In such a case, they would likely approve a discharge request under convenience of the government. However, to qualify, you must be within a designated time (usually one or two years) from your mus ter date of separation. Approval is not automatic, and approvals for transfer are based on the needs of the service at the time. Service Commitment for Reserves It may surprise you to learn that everyone who joins the military for the first time incurs a minimum eight-year service commitment. It doesnt matter if you signed a two-year active duty contract, a four-year contract, or even a six-year contract. Your total military commitment is eight years. Any time not spent on active duty must either be served in the Active Guard/Reserves, (the program where one performs drill one weekend per month, and two weeks per year,) or in the inactive Reserves. In the inactive Reserves, one doesnt perform drills, but can be recalled to active duty at any time for war, or national emergency). Early Discharge from Active Duty While you can easily get discharged from theDelayed Enlistment Program (DEP), getting out of the militaryonce you are on active duty and before your active duty commi tment ends is not a simple process. In almost all cases, the onus will be on the military member requesting the discharge to prove that the action is justified. Other Reasons for Early Discharge from Active Duty The Department of Defense will allow a military member to be discharged early to pursue their education if they are within 90 days of their normal separation date. Sometimes the Navy or Air Force will approve a request for longer than 90 days, but no such provision exists in the Army or Marines. There are some conditions, however. Unlike in the past, when pregnancy was a reason for automatic discharge for women in the military, there are now specific rules about when a pregnant woman can request leave and for how long. These will vary based on the branch of service shes in and her specific medical circumstances. Be advised that if you do receive a discharge due to pregnancy, the type of discharge (honorable or general) will affect the type of benefits youre entitled to a nd your veteran status.

How to become mentally strong 3 secrets from neuroscience

How to become mentally strong 3 secrets from neuroscienceHow to become mentally strong 3 secrets from neuroscienceEver get to the point wzu siche your brain is just pooped? The ol grey matter is waving the white flag. Youre exhausted. You cant go on. Youve got no more mental energyWell, sorry, but thats just notlage true.In fact, you know its not true. When the deadline is in 5 hours, you can work for five hours straight. But when the deadline is next week, suddenly you cant work for 20 minutes before your eyes are glazing over. What gives?Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Oddly enough, we can find an answer in cutting edge research coming out of Would you believe me if I said professional sports? Seriously.A sprinter breaks a record. The commentators are saying how that competitor gave it his or her all Really? Did the sprinter use every bit of energy they had? Then why didnt they die? Im serious.Why didnt their heart stop beating because it had no energy? Why didnt their brain stop functioning from lack of calories? Why didnt their thighs muscles snap?But youve never seen an athlete just die from exhaustion, have you? Why not? Something flipped the tired switch before their heart, brain or muscles gave out. Long before.And that thing is your governor. No, were not talking about politics. Were talking Central Governor Theory. Something in your brain that regulates energy use in your body - and your mind.At the end of a grueling event have you ever seen an athlete kick it into high gear? They were wiped, but suddenly the finish line is visible and the afterburners kick in. If they were really out of gas, how could they kick it up a notch in the final moments?Because they werent out of gas. Their governor told them they were tired. But with the end in sight, wily old G stopped holding-gesellschaft them back.From Endure Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elasti c Limits of Human PerformanceBut when I asked Noakes for the single most convincing piece of evidence in favor of his theory, he said, without hesitation, the end spurt. How could the runners at Comrades, after pushing themselves through 56 miles of hell, summon a finishing sprint to beat the 12-hour limit? Conventional physiology suggests that you get progressively more fatigued over the course of a run, as muscle fibers fail and fuel stores are emptied. But then, when the end is in sight, you speed up. Clearly your muscles were capable of going faster in the preceding miles so why didnt they?Your brain doesnt want your gas tank to ever get anywhere close to zero. It doesnt want you to blow ligaments or tear muscles. And it also knows that its quite the energy hog itself, with your neurons burning as many as 20% of your daily calories.So its a miser. The governor errs on the side of being conservative. And your body and your mind feel tired long before youve gotten anywhere near em pty.But can we trick that governor into easing up a bit so we can increase our mental stamina? aya we can. The answer lies at the intersection of sports science and neuroscience. And its not nearly as difficult as you think.Lets get to it 1) Cheer upWant to be mentally tougher? Want the challenges ahead to seem easier? Try this esoteric technique called smiling.From Endure Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance known as the facial feedback hypothesis, an idea that can be traced back to Charles Darwin just as emotions trigger a physical response, that physical response can amplify or perhaps even create the corresponding emotion. Related experiments have extended this finding to clusters of related mental states smiling, for instance, makes you happier, but it also enhances feelings of safety and- intriguingly- cognitive ease, a concept intimately tied to effort.You get exhausted and you grimace. But when you grimace you make yourself tired. The feedback lo op works both ways. So smile. You can trick your governor into thinking things are easy.Across the board, feeling good increases endurance. Optimism increases grit. Looking at cute animals reduces stress. And thats not only true in the lab What do people with the highest levels of mental and physical endurance say? When I interviewed Army Ranger Joe Asher he said this welches the attitude that got him through his incredibly difficult trainingIf I can laugh once a day, every day Im in Ranger School, Ill make it through.Navy SEAL Platoon Commander James Waters told me the same thingYouve got to have fun and be able to laugh laugh at yourself and laugh at what youre doing. My best friend and I laughed our way through BUD/S.If you want to be able to endure, be positive. Smile. Laugh. It helps people keep going during the toughest moments in life, including combat and severe illness.From Resilience The Science of Mastering Lifes Greatest ChallengesSubstantial evidence exists for the effe ctiveness of humor as a coping mechanism. Studies involving combat veterans (Hendin Haas, 1984), cancer patients (Carver, 1993), and surgical patients (Culver et al., 2002) have found that when humor is used to reduce the threatening nature of stressful situations, it is associated with resilience and the capacity to tolerate stress (Martin, 2003).(To learn more about the science of a successful life, check out my bestselling book here.)Now if that was all it took, high school cheerleaders would win all the Nobel Prizes in physics and go on to be Navy SEALs. So what else does it take to build mental endurance?2) Train your brainYour brain is a muscle. Its cliche, I know. But even when we want to get mentally stronger we sure dont put that metaphor into action.If you wanted bigger biceps, youd increase the weight at the gym. And if you want more brain stamina, you need to systematically increase how long you make it work.From Endure Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Hu man Performance long years of training help the mind adapt to resist mental fatigue, just as the body adapts to resist physical fatigue.You might say, work gets boring. But thats not you talking thats your governor. Its sneaky, making you feel bored or tired so you never get anywhere close to your capacity - or your potential.Every time youre doing some serious brain work, try and go a little longer without a break.From Endure Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human PerformanceBeing boring is an important characteristic for inducing mental fatigue and, therefore, a brain training effect, he replied. Just do a longer session of one test at a time.Georgetown professor and author of the bestseller Deep Work, Cal Newport, recommends the exact same thing. Doing a little more each day is a simple method for increasing your brains stamina.(To learn the seven-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click here.)Dont stop reading now - dont give in to your govern or. Just one more left 3) Perception beats realityIf it was all about how much gas you have in the tank, then your energy levels would always determine your performance. And you know thats not the case.Ever work longer and harder because theres a looming deadline? Ever suddenly feel tired because you look at the clock and realize youve been at it for hours? So its not about how depleted you actually are - its about how exhausted you think you are.Researchers call this perceived exertion. Your brain relies on cues from your body and environment to determine when you should feel exhausted - and when the governor should kick in.Researchers at Canterbury Christ Church University in Britain gave cyclists doses of caffeine before a series of time trials - but they didnt tell them exactly how much. The subjects that believed they had been given a moderate dose rode 1.3 percent faster. If they thought they had taken a high dose they were 3.1 percent faster. And those who thought they got the placebo rode 1.4 percent slower. But guess what?They had all been given the placebo. Their performance differences were completely due to their beliefs, not how much energy they really had. So we need to trick that governor.What makes you feel like youve been working hard? Do you eye the clock and say, Jeez, Ive been at this for hours? Do you look at the work youve completed and say, Whoa. Thats a lot?Reduce how much effort your governor perceives and youll reduce how tired you feel. And whats the best way to do that? Make any mental effort into a game.Work challenges you, frustrates you and takes hours. And you get tired. Video games challenge you, frustrate you and can take hours. And theyre addicting. Its all about perception.When you see things as a game, you dont perceive effort the same way. And so you keep going.Whats one of the things people who live through disaster scenarios have in common? They make survival a game.Happiness expert Shawn Achor said the best way to de al with stress is to see problems as challenges, not threats.Kids do better in school when its treated like a game.And Navy SEALJames Waters said the same thing about getting through his trainingMany people dont recognize that what theyre doing at BUD/S is assessing your ability to handle a difficult circumstance and keep going. Its a game. If you want to be a Navy SEAL, youve got to play that game. Youve got to have fun with it and youve got to keep your eye on the bigger picture.So how do you make things into a game? Challenge yourself. Set a goal. Get feedback. Score yourself. And try to do better. Can I accomplish this faster than I did last time? Can I cut this from 5 pages to 4 and still get my point across?(To learn more about how to increase mental toughness - from Navy SEALs and Olympians, click here.)Okay, weve learned a lot. Lets round it all up and find out why everyones favorite mental stamina booster - caffeine - is proof that these tips can help Sum UpThis is how t o become mentally strongCheer up Smile. Be optimistic. Laugh. They improve endurance and grit. (Side effects may include happiness and enjoying life.)Train your brain Push that mental muscle and it will grow. Work a little longer each time and youll be able to work a lot longer over time.Perceptions beats reality Reduce the signals that make you think things are tiring and they wont be as tiring. Make it a game instead of a chore.Caffeine gives you more energy, right? Wrong. Caffeine doesnt give you more of anything.Adenosine is a chemical in your body that tells your brain youre tired. And caffeine blocks adenosine. The tired glaubenszeugnis never reaches the governor, and so the governor doesnt hit the brakes. Caffeine works via that same principle we talked about above - it reduces perception of effort.And that, dearie, is what keeps coffee-guzzling bloggers blogging.From Endure Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance caffeines ability to shut down rece ptors in the brain that detect the presence of adenosine, a neuromodulator molecule associated with mental fatigue. Warding off mental fatigue, in turn, keeps your sense of effort lower, allowing you to exert yourself harder and longer.So you dont need more energy. You need to act like a giant caffeine molecule and hide cues in your environment that remind you how tired you should be.Throw in a few laughs and smiles. Build your endurance over time by extending your bouts of work a little each time. And, most of all, keep the Central Governor Theory in mind. You can always do more than you think.Remember how The Little Engine That Could kept going? Well, that tiny train didnt read as much science as you do, so youre one step ahead of him. She said, I think I can.You know you can.This article first appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

Should You Apply to This Job

Should You Apply to This Job Should You Apply to This Job Ask yourself these questions before you submit your next job application.Let’s face it â€" applying to jobs can be a tedious and time-consuming process, especially when each application is properly tailored. Before you submit your resume for another job, make sure it’s worth your time.Review the job description carefully and ask yourself the following questions before you invest in your next job application.Do I meet the requirements?Job descriptions often contain a wish list of skills, education and experience the hiring manager would like to see in an ideal candidate. However, that’s exactly what it is â€" a wish list. Instead of getting caught up in every desired skill in the description, focus on the must-haves for the role. If you don’t meet the core requirements for the role, this application is not worth your time.Are my qualifications obvious?It’s not enough to simply possess the right skills and experience for the job; you have to advertise those qualifications to the gatekeepers and hiring manager. Incorporate key terms from the job’s requirements into your resume and test your resume’s readability with a friend. If your friend has difficulty identifying your qualifications against the job description, then you know it’s still not clear enough.Am I within commutable distance of the job? Or if you’re in sales, do you have an established book of business in this area?Employers tend to favor local candidates, as they’re less expensive to hire and less likely to jump ship. If the position requires relocation, let employers know in your cover letter that there’s a good reason for the move. In other words, make it clear you didn’t make this decision on a whim and that you’re not an expensive flight risk.Do I know anyone at the company?Studies have shown you are ten times more likely to land a role when your job application is accompanied by an employee referral. This could be as simple as including your contact’s name in the appr opriate field of the online application or better yet, having your contact pass your application on to the hiring manager. Before you apply for the job, check your network for valuable connections that currently work or previously worked at your target organization.In the end.By asking yourself these simple questions before committing to your next application, you’ll be able to save yourself the time and potential hardship of applying for a position you might not be right for.

How One Karaoke Song Almost Cost Me My Career

How One Karaoke Song Almost Cost Me My Career How One Karaoke Song Almost Cost Me My Career I was young, insecure, shy, and drunk, and I knew nothing about being a professional. That as it turns out, is a toxic mix for doing karaoke at a company event. This is a lesson in professionalism, making terrible mistakes at work, and how to recover from those mistakes. It’s also about really bad singing and booze. OK, let’s start with a general rule of thumb: When 20 shots of Jagermeister are brought out for a group of 15 people, don’t be one of the five people willing to take a second shot. Gleefully being part of that group was the first mistake I made on that fateful night. The second was failing to understand that co-workers at a bar are, well, still your co-workers. And the third, and most painful, was forgetting I’d have to see these people the next morning. Looking back, my mistakes were understandable, and probably ones that many people have made at some point in time. Finding your way in corporate America isn’t exactly easy, and as a kid who had just graduated college three weeks earlier, the nuances of office life weren’t yet part of my knowledge base. It’s not like someone handed me a manual on how to behave at a company happy hour (which, had they, I gladly would have read cover to cover). So, there we were, me and 20 colleagues, including my manager, his boss, and the CEO of the company. Everyone drinking, singing karaoke, and seemingly unwinding after a long, stress-filled week. Given that I’m terribly shy and an even more terrible singer, I assumed I could hide and avoid having to get up on stage. But when my boss nudged me and said, “Everyone sings, including you,” I realized I wasn’t going to get out of this. Though, in hindsight, outright refusing to sing would have been better than what I did next- which was quickly downing two shots and two more beers, then handing my song selection to the DJ. If you want to know the song I sang, you can listen to it here (definitely NSFW), but general themes of the song include excessive cursing, sex, oral sex, and then more sex. I’m still not sure why the bar had it as an option. But I knew it well and thought it would make everyone laugh to hear me sing it. It didn’t. It was like watching people watch a car wreck and not being able to do a single thing about it. No one was laughing. In fact, everyone stopped smiling. I saw our CEO lean over and whisper something to my boss. When the song ended, I left the stage and only one co-worker said anything to me. He was drunk, and he laughingly said, “I’d update your resume.” It was then that I threw up. As I quickly learned, there is a direct correlation between the level of your work screw-up and how many people at the company know about it. The more people who know, the worse it was. When I walked in the next day, the very first person I saw said, “Hey Elliott, heard you had quite the karaoke performance.” Considering she wasn’t there, I knew I was in trouble. Word had spread. I put my head down and scurried to my desk, hoping no one would see me or talk to me. I already had a couple emails waiting for me from co-workers who asked if I’d sing again for them since they missed my epic performance. It was then that I decided the best thing to do would be to speak to my boss before he asked to speak to me. I went to his desk, asked if he had a few minutes to chat, and quickly told him how sorry I was. I explained, as honestly as I could, that I was nervous, drank too much, and simply made a mistake in judgement. I assured him that it would not happen again, and that I hoped to continue working there for a long time. To my surprise, he brushed it off and said I shouldn’t overthink it, but thanked me for saying something. Later that day, he stopped by my desk and said something I’ll never forget: “I’ll never tell you how close you were to getting fired. Just remember, you’re always an employee, you’re always representing your company, and you’re always representing yourself.” I’ve kept that lesson in mind ever since. But, I also learned a more important one: Since then, I’ve screwed up plenty of times at work (though, thankfully, never on that drunken scale). It’s natural that at some point, you will do something you regret, like sending a bad email to the wrong person, forgetting a major project was due, or stepping over the line at office happy hour like I did. And while I learned it the hard way, I now know that when you do mess up, it’s crucial to own up to it. Be honest, be apologetic, and be sincere. And then move on and be the best employee you can be moving forward. Oh, and don’t take Jager shots with your co-workers. Nothing good can come from that. Photo of microphone courtesy of Shutterstock.

5 ways to build an engaged and productive workforce

5 ways to build an engaged and productive workforce 5 ways to build an engaged and productive workforce Every business leader wants a team that’s engaged in what they do and excited to come to work in the morning because they know it enhances both the quality and quantity of output. No one working has an argument with this, because it makes work that much more enjoyable â€" people want to be engaged. It’s clear that enhanced engagement would be to everyone’s benefit, and everyone seems to know it.But …Disengagement in the workforce is at 85% costing businesses in the United States between $250 and $350 billion dollars a year. Thought leaders are tired of saying it, business leaders are tired of hearing it, and the workforce is tired of experiencing it.So what’s needed to improve engagement and drive productivity?“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person â€" not just an employee â€" are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled.” â€" Anne MulcahyPurposeHaving purpose means having a meaningful direction that’s beyond profit and seeks to add something to the world. It’s long been considered an afterthought â€" pushed aside as a marketing campaign for when there’s room in the budget. But, when a purpose is just a marketing campaign, it’s not going to be taken seriously internally, because they will see that the stated values aren’t being lived.If your employees don’t think the organization has purpose, then they won’t think they have purpose working there. If your business  is just there to make a profit then you can’t expect your employees to be there for anything other than a paycheck.But the flip side of this is clear: Individuals driven by purpose show 64% higher rates of career fulfillment and stay 20% longer with their company. People are going to be more committed to your company, and will stay longer, if they can feel a sense of purpose working there. When you have purpose, engagement follows.After interviewing hundreds of organizational leaders, I’ve found that authentic and genuine cultures are rooted in purpose and give their tribes (not employees) meaning beyond a paycheck. The main takeaway: Brand is a reflection of culture and culture is driven by purpose.Personal growthPurpose is having a sense of meaningful direction and personal growth is the journey towards achieving that purpose.50 years ago it was normal to expect long-term employees to accept a stagnant career path. Perhaps with a few promotions thrown into the mix, but personal growth was something you did on your own time â€" it had nothing to do with work. The younger generations in the workforce and those entering the workforce won’t stand for this. Even older generations are quick to embrace personal growth â€" people have been hungry for growth for a long time.Personal growth at work is transformative yet difficult to quantify and scale. Studies have shown that micro-activities have the ability to turn desired behaviors into organization-wide habits. Micro-activities are brief activities do ne to target a desired behavior and frame the way you approach your day. By looking into the research in positive psychology, from ideas of psychological capital to role of meaning in the workplace, micro-activities have enormous potential.RecognitionHow enthused do you think you’d be about putting in extra hours for a project you wouldn’t be recognized for? Well, probably not very enthused at all.Despite recognition being one of the easier engagement feats to accomplish, it’s one the most common complaints we hear: “I work hard and put in the extra effort, but I feel it all goes unnoticed.”Special recognition programs could be most helpful to retain and continually inspire those that might normally be taken for granted. You know the type â€" diligent and hardworking, but introverted and unassuming. They’re more difficult to notice than others, but every bit as essential.This is why recognition programs should not be overlooked as they more effectively increase employee engagement, performance, and innovation than a salary increase of 5%.LeadershipToo often, when leaders pursue a new culture initiative, they bring a top-down mentality. Leaders sometimes think that if they can just rearrange their management structure just right the company culture will improve, and they won’t have to make any changes themselves â€" “It’s for them, not us.”This is the wrong attitude. When leaders are conspicuously absent from their own culture initiatives, then engagement suffers â€" if leadership doesn’t think it’s worth engaging in a culture change then why would the team? I’ve noticed time and again that if a leader is actively participating in their own culture initiatives then the team is likely to be engaged as well. This principle rings true across a spectrum of organizations.This is why the Harvard Business Review referred to intractable bosses, those that make demands inconsistent with their own effort, as one of the worst obstacles to organiz ational change. That is when the leaders of a company refuse to change they act as the biggest obstacle to organizational change.Leading by example isn’t a special kind of leadership, it IS leadership. If you aren’t leading by example, you have to ask yourself the question, “Am I just managing?”CelebrateOur brains are structured to reward us for achieving goals â€" even micro ones. This is why video games often prove to be so addictive with their host of achievements, level ups, and badges of honor; and why it feels so good to cross something off our to-do list.The fact is that little rewards drive behavior. Each little reward causes your brain to emit a rush of dopamine that tells you, “This is good, this is rewarding â€" let’s do it again.”Micro activities coupled with micro celebrations drive behavior forward. When it’s used to support positive behaviors it can transform organizations. Major celebrations for big achievements are important, but not enough â€" in be tween you need inspiration, otherwise motivation can wane. You need continual doses of reward to show you and your brain that progress is being made.To achieve big victories you need little victories along the way.What I see as the biggest opportunity in the workforce is best summarized by Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do.”Adam Fridman is the author of the best-selling book, “The Science of Story: Brand is the Reflection of Culture”. He is also the Founder and President of ProHabits.com, a platform that integrates the science of human psychology with corporate philosophies and technology, allowing leaders to nurture their employees’ personal growth while developing positive behaviors and fostering a strong organizational culture.

Writing Letters of Appreciation To Team Members

Writing Letters of Appreciation To Team Members Writing Letters of Appreciation To Team Members It’s always good practice to recognize the efforts of the members of your team. Communicating with the people who lend you a hand is one of the best ways to strengthen your work relationships and your network. Everyone likes to be appreciated, and most people do their best work when they feel a level of personal satisfaction. One of the quickest and easiest ways to do this is to write a letter of appreciation to your team members when they do something outstanding. Your letter can be sent via mail or email and should express your thanks for a job well done. How to Send Your Thanks The size of your company, your relationship with the team members and team leader, and the scope of the project can all affect how you choose to send your letter. Sending a written note has the advantage of providing the recipient with a hard copy of the letter. A handwritten note can add a personal touch that means something special to certain people. Sending the message by email will get it there immediately, and the note can also be copied to supervisors or human resources (HR) managers who may want a record for the employee’s file.   What to Include in Your Letter In your letter of appreciation, be specific about the project that the team member was helpful with. You can recognize the skills and experiences the person used to assist with the project and mention how they helped the team accomplish their goals. You should thank them for the time and effort they shared. You can also mention that their willingness to help will be brought to the attention of upper management. While most people are willing to help another team when they can, letting them know that their efforts will be noted to the people making wage, bonus, and promotion decisions will provide them with tangible appreciation for their efforts. Here are some sample appreciation letters for a team member at work. Use these examples to get ideas for what to include in your own letters. A business letter should be formatted with the names and addresses at the beginning of the letter, with a handwritten signature as well as your typed name at the close. Sample Appreciation Letter to Team Member Your NameTitleCompanyAddressCity, State Zip CodeDateFirstname LastnameTitleCompanyAddressCity State Zip CodeDear Firstname,Thank you very much for meeting with me yesterday regarding our current social media marketing project. I really appreciate your insight into streamlining the implementation plan. I am looking forward to incorporating your suggestions into our timeline.It is really helpful to have someone who has had experience with similar market parameters to help with this undertaking. I appreciate your advice and assistance and being part of our team.Best regards,Your Written Signature (hard copy letter)Your Typed Name Expand A handwritten note should contain the date on the card before the salutation. Sample Appreciation Note to a Team Member DateDear Firstname,I really appreciate your taking the time to help us get started on our year-end inventory. It was so helpful to have someone who has been through the whole process before to guide the newer employees through the procedure.Your experience made everything go so much smoother, and we are already noting improved accuracy in our numbers due to your input.Regards,Your name Expand If you are sending an email message, the subject line of the message can simply say thank you. You might want to cc the person’s supervisor and/or upper management as well. Sample Appreciation Email to a Team Member Subject Line: Thank YouDear Name,I would like to thank you and your team for the work you have put in over the last month on the proposal for the expansion of our building. You have put together a thorough and well-researched presentation, and I am looking forward to sharing it with the regional executives when they arrive next week.Please express my sincere thanks to the rest of your team. I will be updating and thanking them all individually after your presentation to the executives. We should have feedback and a decision on moving forward with the project by the first of the month.Best regards,Your Namecc: Supervisor, Regional Manager Expand

The Importance of Continually Updating Your Resume

The Importance of Continually Updating Your Resume The Importance of Continually Updating Your Resume There is, however, an easy fix for this situation: update your resume as you go! It sounds simple, like it should be second nature but unfortunately, this is most often not the case. Add New Jobs to Your Resume as Soon as You Start Chances are you already have a job description given to you by HR. This, along with the job advertisement itself and the information in your onboarding package, will make  it pretty easy to update your resume as soon as you accept a new job. The company-generated job description is a gem, and its not something to simply throw away or forget about in your unnecessary paperwork pile. The same thing goes for new responsibilities and skills: adding them to your resume as they come along ensures that you wont forget about them later. Dont even worry about the spacing and formatting as you go. Your main priority is to just get all the information listed. You can always edit your resume and make it look pretty later, but finding job descriptions, skills, and project information from a while back is much harder to do. Do It Now Because It Gets Harder Later Trust me on this: the longer you are with a company, the harder it is to create a resume if you are not continually adding to it, that is. Ive worked with  quite a few clients who were at a company for 10+ years. When it was time for them to start looking at new opportunities, they struggled to  obtain information about their  prior positions. It may seem unnecessary to update your resume when youre applying for an internal promotion because the company knows you and has firsthand experience with your quality of work, but taking the easy option now is sure to lead to suffering  later on down the road. Stay Organized If updating your resume is too intimidating, or you arent comfortable doing the work by yourself, you should at least keep copies of everything and file it all in one place. This way, if you do seek professional help when it comes time to update your resume, you have all the necessary documents ready and on hand. I always suggest creating  a folder on your computer or in your cloud storage system labeled Resume Information. Save everything you may need in the future in this folder. Include things like job descriptions, recognition emails from bosses, project descriptions, certification information, specialized training/coursework, etc. The more information you can gather, the better. Also, make sure to label the different documents within the folder so you can easily sort through them when you need to. The beautiful thing about technology is that, if you add files to this folder as they come along, you can sort through everything by date and actually create a chronological timeline of your work information. This makes creating a resume infinitely simpler  than trying to remember all of the information or duties you took on. Resumes Are for Everyone Not Just Active Job Seekers It seems as though there is a belief  that you must be unhappy with your current job if you are working on your resume, but  this is absolutely not the case. Its possible to love your job and still want to be prepared in case a new or exciting  offer shows up. Being proactive about your resume will only benefit you by preparing you for the unknown, and it will give you a leg up when the time does come for a new career move. Please, do yourself a favor and at least gather the information you need to build  your resume. Even if thats the only  step you take, your future self (and/or resume writer) will thank you.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. We're SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.