A Cosmopolitan Job Search

With increased globalization and cosmopolitan approaches to life, the job hunting process is also undergoing changes. People are increasingly looking for jobs outside the borders or their countries, in various fields regardless of their education, and in a more competitive world then ever. While the companies from developed countries are struggling to hire the most qualified work force, it is becoming more likely that this work force will be coming from countries in transition or developing states. As an example, Eastern Europe was able to supply the EU labor market with increased numbers of highly educated professionals who were willing to work for less. 

When you are looking for a job, and you care less about the country this job will take you to, but you are more concerned about you role in the job, it is important to take the following into consideration:

Particularities of job search approaches
When looking for jobs outside any state borders, we cannot assume that the job search process is the same worldwide. While the overall process may be the same, there are certain things that are done differently. In some countries it is important that you call the employer to discuss the job before applying, while in others you are discouraged from contacting the employer. These are details you should be aware of so that you can have a successful application process. It might be best for you to:
- Contact people who work in the country of application (even if it is on a forum and you don't personally know the people you are addressing) and talk to them about the recruitment process they went through;
- Take a look at a few resumes of people who work in the country of destination and check if your resume follows a similar pattern (at the same time don't try too hard to make yourself blend, differences can be positive in bringing your resume forward in front of an employer);
- Learn more about the culture of the country you seek employment in and incorporate this knowledge in your job search strategy and decision making.

Cultural differences
Being cosmopolitan in your job search does not mean you have to be ignorant of culture and life outside the borders of your country, or assume that everything is the same everywhere. The world is very diverse, and you are cosmopolitan when you learn to embrace the differences and respect various cultures. Before you apply for a job in another country - take a few hours time to learn more about the country, the people, and the culture of that place. Knowledge of the culture will help you prepare a resume and a job search strategy that will generate results. This process will also help you decide if you would really be happy in that country. When you want to have a life outside the office, this becomes even more important. As an example, I know a job seeker from the US who decided to move to a company in the UK, and without making any research assumed that London would be the same as Los Angeles. It does not quite work this way.

Honesty and integrity
Applying for a job thousands of miles away does not mean that the employer or recruiter will never check your background. Make sure that in your application you provide only verifiable information, and that you can support the provided data with more details during the interview. Also, make sure you can undertake legal employment in that country, and do not forge any documents that will help you get that job. It is not only dishonest - it is also not worth it.

The world is a very small yet diverse place, and every culture has a certain impact on the overall life and job-hunting process of its people. If you are looking to apply for a job outside the boundaries of your country, make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into. This will help your put together a successful job search strategy. I understand that this is complicated when you are looking at 10 or more countries at the same time, but who said life of a cosmopolitan careerist is easy.

5:55 AM   by Unknown ·   0

Choosing Your First Trucking Company

As you probably realize there are tens or even hundreds of thousands of trucking companies nationwide. There are some as small as one truck and some as large as tens of thousands of trucks. There are local, regional, and over the road companies and some that are a combination of two or even all three. There are tanker, flat bed, reefer, dry van, dump, and a multitude of other types of trucks you can drive. There are companies that specialize in one type and companies that have a combination of several different types. 
So with all of these choices presented to you how do you know where to start your career?

To tell you the truth it's not that hard. Let's cover some of the key points you should focus on.

First let's start with your lifestyle. Are you married? Divorced? Do you have children? Do you love adventure? Would you like to travel extensively and see the country or have you already had that chance and want to stay near home? 

Home time is one of the most important considerations you should make. There is one point I can not stress enough – if you have a family of your own, please, please, please don't take an over the road job where you are gone for weeks at a time. It's been done by thousands of drivers over the years and is being done by thousands today, but the stress it puts on every member of the family is enormous and is simply not necessary. 

There are tons of opportunities in the industry to make good money and be home at least every weekend, often times every night. Countless numbers of families have split up because of the time apart. I certainly don't want to see that number grow. 

Even regional jobs can be very stressful, but I think it can be done. It will definitely test your relationship both as a couple and with your children though. Ideally you would like to be home with your family everyday but often times your financial situation dictates that you get a really good paying job which you may not be able to find in a local company. 

Be forewarned though, even a regional job will be a HUGE test of your family's strength, not to mention you will miss so much of your family's lives. 
You may be married, or in a serious relationship, but you don't have any children. There are a lot of couples that travel together. In some cases both are drivers and share the driving duties, in other cases only one drives and the other helps in varying degrees with navigation, phone calls, paperwork, and in a variety of other duties. 

But again be forewarned... the inside of your truck is the size of a walk-in closet and you two will be together nearly non-stop 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I don't know if you've ever tried to share a tiny space with another person practically ever minute of every day but it is very difficult. At best it will take a lot of getting used to and at worst you will be at each other's throats after a while. Some couples can handle it, many can't. Often times the only way to find out is to try it. 

But if you do decide to give it a shot please don't give up your home or apartment for several months figuring it will work out. If you can handle it for three months you should be ok. Often, though, both parties are glad that they can travel together sometimes and at other times one person can stay home to give themselves a break and to take care of other responsibilities. There really is no easy answer for this type of situation. It's a matter of trial and error. 

Now when I started driving I was 21 years old, hadn't traveled too much, had never been married, and had no children. The idea of traveling all of the time and living in the truck sounded AWESOME, and it was! The better part of my first 9 years of driving was over the road. I would stay on the road for weeks and sometimes months at a time. I just totally loved it! It really suited my personality and lifestyle. I was able to give up my apartment and vehicle and just let the money pile up in the bank. 

I usually found myself driving a lot during the week and having a lot of free time on the weekends to entertain myself. I'd go to bars, sporting events, concerts, and do the “tourist thing” like in Las Vegas or New Orleans. It was spectacular! 

So your first consideration should be home time. But please be honest with yourself. Don't convince yourself to do something that deep down inside you probably have some serious doubts about. If you have a family please try to find a job with as much home time as possible. If you absolutely NEED to make as much money as possible at least for a little while then at least try to formulate a solid plan that will get you out of your money crunch and into a position to take a job that will get you home as often as possible. I'm telling you, too much time away from home can ruin a family. Try to avoid it. 

The next big consideration will be the size of the trucking company you choose to work for. I have worked for companies with over 5,000 trucks and for companies with as few as four. It's a huge cultural difference. 
The larger trucking companies have a huge amount of resources available. They have tons and tons of different types of freight and driving opportunities. They often have local jobs, dedicated jobs - where you remain with one customer or run one route all the time, regional jobs, and over the road. They have much more flexibility when it comes to home time and will allow you to freely move between different divisions within the company when you feel an opportunity presents itself. 

Larger trucking companies also have accounts set up with customers, lumpers, repair shops, towing companies, motels, bus companies, and truck stops. These accounts generally allow you to walk in the door, tell them who you work for, and get what you need taken care of without doing a thing. Repairs, towing, showering, getting bus tickets when needed, and picking up or delivering freight becomes much faster and easier under this system. To me this was always a really big deal. 

Larger trucking companies also have a large pool of equipment to use. A variety of tractors to choose from and a huge number of additional trailers available make life much nicer for the driver. With the extra trailers you get to do a lot of “drop and hooks” where you pull into the customer, drop your trailer, grab a different trailer, and leave. 

You don't have to wait around to be loaded or unloaded. This is really huge because most jobs pay by the mile so the time you spend sitting around waiting to load or unload is unpaid, wasted time. You want to keep rolling as much as possible and drop and hooks can help you make a lot more money in a lot less time.

Drop and hooks also give you more flexibility as far as when you make your pickups and deliveries. Often times they will give you a deadline to pickup or deliver but you can generally get in there as early as you like, 24 hours a day. So if you have to pick up a load that's sitting in a trailer in downtown Chicago you don't have to try to push through rush hour traffic to arrive at a certain time. 

You can go in late at night when traffic is light. Or maybe you're gonna get there really early but you really would love to take a nap for an hour or two or sit down for a nice meal first. Go for it. As long as you arrive ahead of the deadline everyone is happy. Believe me you're gonna LOVE having this kind of flexibility. 
To continue with this theme larger companies tend to have a long list of perks. 

I've worked for trucking companies that had things like free family counseling, large plush driver facilities with arcades, big screen TVs, and restaurants, free 24 hour medical phone lines where you can call and talk to nurses confidentially about any medical questions you might have, discounts on travel accommodations, top of the line health insurance, 401k and direct deposit, free high speed wireless networks, shower facilities, and on and on and on. I must say at times we'd wish they would just pay us more instead, but you know how that goes. The perks really are unbelievable though. 

Ok so large companies must have some disadvantages right? Of course they do. At a large trucking company you are simply a number not a name. You hopefully will get to know a few people working in the offices like your dispatcher, his or her boss, and maybe one or two middle managers like a terminal manager or operations manager. If you get to know that many people... and by get to know I mean they actually recognize you by name or truck number, you've probably done either an excellent job or a terrible job over a period of many months or more likely a couple of years. 

It's tough to stand out when there are thousands of drivers at one company. So if you like that personal attention and family-type atmosphere a large company is not going to provide what you're looking for. 
Because of this you will find it very difficult to get any special consideration for anything. Doing a great job for a couple of years is going to get you an automated thank you letter and maybe a patch for the company jacket you had to buy from your own company when you wanted one. On the other end of things you may find yourself in a situation that nobody will take the time to understand your side of. 

They don't have the time and frankly they really don't care. I'm going to go deeper into this subject later on with a few stories related to this theme.
Smaller companies in my opinion don't have too many advantages over the larger ones from a driver's perspective. 

You will definitely get to know everyone in the office and they will certainly know you. Often times if you live nearby your main office the people in your company will even get to know your family and the families of the other employees. This family atmosphere is nice in a way, but you also have to be aware of a couple things. 
For one, just like in any tight group of people, everyone tends to know everyone else's business. 

Maybe you don't want everyone at work knowing about an operation you have to have, or the tough times you're having with your marriage, or the trouble your kid got into at school. Maybe you got a well deserved raise but now the other drivers are envious and raising a fuss. 

Or maybe your excellent performance is being rewarded with more miles and a nicer truck which again causes problems with the other drivers. As you can probably tell I've been in these type of situations before and I'm not really too fond of them.

The other concern with regard to company size is how much your company counts on you. At a large trucking company if you'd like to take some time off nobody really cares. I've taken MONTHS off at times and simply been told, “ok just turn your truck in to the terminal and let us know when you're ready to return and we'll get ya goin.” But at a really small company that's not likely to happen. You may be one of ten drivers so if you take time off they just lost 10% of their fleet! The smaller companies rely on you much more so than a big company does so you don't have as much flexibility.

One time I worked for a small company pulling food-grade tankers. There were only eleven drivers in the company. I ran really, really hard for them and they got a little too greedy about it. It got to the point that I was running an average of about 4500 miles per week. That's a lot! As time went on the owner expected more and more. It was getting ridiculous. Finally I stayed out on the road for almost six straight weeks, averaged about 4500 miles per week, and when I returned home he booked a load for me to haul two days later. Six weeks on the road, two days at home, and I have to leave again? I don't think so. 

Well, he fired me. I had been there a year and had a perfect safety and service record. I also was second in average miles driven per week but I guess that wasn't good enough. Turns out the owner was in serious financial trouble and I found out the company closed just a few months later. 
So it turns out that he was desperate to get all the money coming in he could get to save the company. But he had a good thing going with me and ruined it. Don't you make the same mistake. Don't run so hard you'll damage you mind, your body, or your license. Think long-term and make smart choices. 

Just be aware that small trucking companies will count on you far more than large companies will. There will be advantages and disadvantages to any company you work for. It's always somewhat of a compromise. It's just a matter of finding what works for you.

One of the best ways in my opinion to really find out what life is like on the inside of a company you are considering applying to is to talk with some of the drivers and mechanics that work there. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the honesty you'll get. 

Now please be aware of one thing though... often times a company will offer a referral bonus to any employee that refers a driver to the company. Often times it's quite significant.. in the area of $500. So when you begin talking with a driver or mechanic make it perfectly clear that you are looking for an honest opinion, not a sales pitch. 

If you were looking for propaganda you could simply talk to their recruiting department. If they want to give you their name and truck number so they can make money for recruiting you simply thank them for their time and try to find someone else. But most of the time you will get a brutally honest opinion.

Drivers often tend to look out for other drivers. We all live the same kind of lives and face the same difficulties so the last thing we should want to do is make life difficult for one another. I've been asked many hundreds of times about my experience working for a particular company. I have never once given out my truck number or name, nor have I ever received a nickel in referral money. Often times guys were so appreciative of my time and honesty that they asked ME for the info knowing I would get paid for the referral and I politely declined. I told them there was no way they could be sure I was being honest with them if I knew I was going to get paid to promote my company. I've gotten plenty of good advice for free over the years so I just considered it good karma to give some back. 

Make sure you talk to at least five different drivers from any particular company. One or two could by coincidence be happy or unhappy with a company at any given time but if you can get a pretty consistent group of opinions from several different drivers then you know you've probably gotten a good feel for the way drivers are being treated there. Ask them if they're getting the mileage they would like to be getting, whether they get home when they are supposed to, and whether or not the trucks are well maintained. That's the three most important things a company must do well. 

Also talk to one or two mechanics. The biggest thing you'd like to know is if the maintenance program is a good one. Ask them if the trucks are well taken care of and especially if a driver's requests for small things like new wiper blades, faulty mirror heaters, and blown fuses are handled promptly and without debate. If they aren't taking the time and care to look after the trucks then not only will you be losing a lot of money while unreliable trucks are sitting in the repair shop all of the time but you'll know that the company's management really isn't concerned with the comfort, safety, and happiness of its drivers. 

A poor maintenance program is a huge red flag. Stay away from that company. 
Also, be leery of guarantees from a company. The trucking industry is by nature cyclical and unpredictable. If they make promises like “you WILL be home every Friday by dinnertime”, or “everybody gets home for the holidays”, or “you WILL get a minimum of 2000 miles per week” then you KNOW you're being lied to. 

There are no guarantees in this industry. Weather factors, fleet size, economic fluctuations, vehicle breakdowns, gaining or losing customers, changes in computer software or dispatching structure, and a massive number of other variables all lead to a naturally unpredictable amount of miles and home time from week to week and year to year. 

Staying with the theme of “beware guarantees”, let me warn you about company recruiters. A recruiter's job is to get you in the door...period. Once you've gotten hired at a company their job is done. They will lie their heads off if it gets them paid...like used car salespeople. Tons of drivers I've talked to have been promised new trucks, certain divisions, big miles, and lots of home time only to find out they've been lied to by the recruiter. What can you do about it if this happens to you? Nothing. Everyone will simply shrug their shoulders and say, “don't know what to tell ya”. 

There's one easy way to test a recruiter...tell them to put it in writing. If they promise you a new truck tell them to fax it in writing to you with their name on it so that you can bring it to orientation with you. If they'll do that you may actually get what they promised...but I'm not guaranteeing that either. Recruiting can be a dirty process at times.... so watch out for promises. They will lie to you if they think they can get away with it. 

There will be good weeks and bad ones, good months and bad ones, even years can fluctuate quite bit from one to the next. You have to take the good with the bad and try to get a good understanding of the big picture and how all of the different variables will affect your mileage and home time. If a trucking company makes guarantees, they're lying. 

If they make statements like, “we try to get everyone home on weekends and holidays”, and “you'll average about 2200 miles per week overall” then you can be pretty sure they're doing their best to be honest. 

Just be aware of the personal interests and possible agenda of the person you are talking with. Remember, you as a driver are the one in demand. You should be interviewing the company, not the other way around. You know if your record is decent then they'll be glad to have you. 

Make sure they are offering what you are looking for in a company. You may not have ever been in this position before. Up to this point in your life maybe you were hoping to get a job and were competing for positions. It's not that way in the trucking industry. 

They need you far more than you need them. Don't let them try to convince you otherwise.

5:54 AM   by Unknown ·   0

NASCAR In Bristol - A Truck Drivers Road Story

NASCAR in Bristol – Truck Drivers Road Story

Prove yourself as a quality, hard-working, safe, reliable driver and get to know as many people in the chain of command as you can. You don't have to be a kissy-ass, but just get to know them, show them respect, and make sure you do an awesome job for them. When you do your job well it makes them look good and makes their lives much easier. 

But the opposite is also true and don't forget it. 

Being a truck driver doesn't carry any prestige with it I'm sorry to say, not even inside a trucking company. But being a great worker and a good person does. Make those your priorities and life will be much easier on you most of the time than it would have been otherwise I can assure you.

For Example......

I was always an excellent truck driver. I ALWAYS ran hard and ALWAYS on time, ran the lousy loads when they needed me to; I was a given....if you gave me a job to do, you could consider it done. 

Once I was outside of Bristol, TN on a Wednesday morning. I had just gotten done delivering my load about an hour ago and went up the road to the nearest truck stop to get some breakfast while I waited for my next assignment. 

Arriving, I noticed that there were a number of NASCAR tractor trailers in the parking lot. Being a huge racing fan I realized that the only two tracks they could be on their way to was Bristol,TN or Fort Worth,TX. I asked somebody and sure enough they were going to Bristol, about an hour up the road. 

I was running in a regional fleet and was going to keep running the rest of the week until I got back home on Friday or Saturday. But JEEEZ, would I love to take the rest of the week off and stay in Bristol for NASCAR! I had been with my company for a few years already and had proven myself as a great truck driver so I asked my dispatcher what he thought about letting me stay in Bristol for the races.

He told me he didn't have the authority to approve that, which I knew already but I always ran everything by him first (he was the best dispatcher I had ever had).

He told me to talk to his boss, whom I also knew very, very well, and I begged and pleaded with the boss. He said, “what are you going to do with the truck?” I told him I was going to be sleeping in it every night, of course, and it would be safe.

My rationale: “Come on man, you know I kick ass out here. Let me stay in Bristol this weekend. You know I'll take care of the truck and make it up to you.” Of course he knew I was right, and he let me stay. There are VERY few drivers that would have been able to pull that one off, but I had proven myself and had gotten to know the right people and that was all it took. 

I rocked the weekend at the races and had a blast. Everything went perfectly and Monday morning I called back in, they gave me my next load, and I was off and rolling again.

Another great adventure on the road for this truck driver.

5:53 AM   by Unknown ·   0

Truck Drivers Responsibility - Trucking Safety

The Truck Driver’s Responsibility – Trucking Safety, First And Always.

Let's talk about what exactly the truck driver is responsible for when it comes to hauling freight safely. To be on the safe side let's assume that the driver is responsible for absolutely everything unless I specifically say otherwise.

And I probably won't say otherwise.

A typical story you'll hear a truck driver tell after his truck has tipped over is, “I was going around the curve on the offramp and the load shifted causing the truck to tip.” 

And I believe every word of this story almost every time because that's exactly what usually happened, except they left out a couple of details....what they should have said was, “I was going too fast around the curve on the offramp and the load, that I said was loaded properly and was safe for travel, shifted causing the truck to tip.”

Couple of really important things to note here. The first one simply relates to how fast a truck can go around a curve. In trucking, there's two ways to find out. One, you could hire an engineer and give them the numerical details involving weight, center of gravity height, turn radius, etc and a few simple calculations later you have the exact speed a specific truck can go around a particular curve.

The easier way is too just get in a truck and find out the “real world” way. DON'T do this. NOT EVEN ONCE! 

Often times when a truck tips over on an interstate highway ramp the driver knew when he took the exit that he was going way too fast but figured he'd find a way to get it slowed down really quickly. 

Misjudgments in a big rig can be really, really bad sometimes. Really bad. Taking chances and making assumptions as a truck driver can be equally terrible. 

I realize that it's out of order to cover this topic right now but I don't care....nothing in the world is more important to any trucker than safety. 

There is no bad time to mention it. 

Often times when a truck tips over on an interstate highway ramp the driver knew when he took the exit that he was going way too fast but figured he'd find a way to get it slowed down really quickly. Misjudgments in a big rig can be really, really bad sometimes. Really bad. Taking chances and making assumptions as a truck driver can be equally terrible. I realize that it's out of order to cover this topic right now but I don't care....nothing in the world is more important to any trucker than safety. There is no bad time to mention it.

5:51 AM   by Unknown ·   0

Personal Pluses That Ace A Job Interview

As the business world has become more competitive for the shrinking markets available to them, companies have shifted their focus from hiring the most educated or experienced graduate, to hiring those employees with personal pluses as well as the job skills.

Right now, you may be in an entry-level job, gaining experience and hoping to work your way up. This is also the time (if you haven't learned them while growing up), to develop your people skills as well. Because these tend to be the "soft" sell features that make candidates stand out at an interview.

Promptness is one attribute that employers appreciate. It doesn't come naturally, but it doesn't take a great deal of work to acquire either. A little planning, or putting thought into your daily routines and habits, mean you are not only on time for work, but for outside activities as well.

Personality also goes a long way, when an employer is considering equally qualified candidates. Do you enjoy your work? Have you had good experiences with previous employers? If not, don't make those incidents a focus during your interview. Instead, highlight the positive aspects of past jobs, and how they have helped to make you suited for the position related to the interview. And don't ooze friendliness. Leave that to your puppy at home. Interviewers can spot a phony as soon as they show their orthodontist's handiwork. Be your natural, sincere self. Your real personality will show through, and sometimes will count for more than the degree on your graduation certificate.

People skills are now being considered one of the most valuable assets that any employee can have, no matter what their role. It's not just the customer service part of the job that counts, but how well you function as part of a team, and part of what may be a small, and highly motivated company where there can be periods of intense and concentrated work that tests both your professional skills and your temper. Having an even "keel", and knowing how to deal with those who don't, is a talent that will follow you from job to job, in written recommendations, and in how you present yourself at an interview.

With the number of people seeking work, either as new graduates or recently laid off employees, you need to put not only your best foot forward, but your best "self". A company can go to any institute and hire a person trained to a particular skill. What they are really looking for when they grant interviews, is someone with the technical skills and personality pluses.

5:49 AM   by Unknown ·   0

So You Are Working for a Difficult Boss, Huh?

Well. A bad boss is a universal phenomenon. All of us at some point of time or other have faced the monster from hell that just loves twisting you round his tiny li'l finger and takes pleasure in trashing your hard day's work right into the bin without any compunction! Phew... it's a tough little world we all live in. Here are a few practical pointers that will help you not only in dealing with that tough taskmaster of a boss, but also maybe help you win him over!

Don't judge him/her in haste.
Call it the human tendency to gripe, but experience shows that people crib about their bosses just two days into their job! So if you are just into your job and are having problems coping with the Big B for inexplicable reasons, take a breather. Instead of rushing into conclusions, take time off to understand your boss and his/her working style. Giving yourself some time gives you some breathing space to settle into your job, get accustomed to the work environment and hit off a working relationship with your colleagues and more importantly, your boss. According to experts, 3 months is a good enough time. In an ideal world, by the end of the period you will end up realizing that your boss is not a bad soul after all!

Understand his/her psyche.
Yes. Apart from discharging your duties, being on a job also entails taking on the role of a psychologist. It pays to observe people, not the least your boss. Silently noticing your Boss and colleagues gives you a peek into their character. Pay more attention to your Boss's conversations, his mannerisms, how he interacts with the rest of the team. Observing him will help you discover his likes and dislikes, pet interests and even weaknesses. If you are smart, you will know how to leverage this knowledge and develop good camaraderie between the two of you. You might gladly end up discovering that you share similar interests. So, the next time you feel like wringing your hair out in frustration, stop cribbing and starting observing!

Speak Up.
Ok so you have grinned and borne your boss. Observed him to get to know him, have tried every thing to get him to like you, yet he continues with his boorish behavior. Then it is time to have some frank speak with him/ her. Put your concerns out in the open. Tell them frankly what it is about their behavior that is discouraging you. If your boss is considerate, he might take efforts to change his behavior. But if he refuses to back off and regret his misgivings, go on and talk to the HR and other higher ups in your company to come out with a solution. According to industry experts, talking out sometimes helps clear the air and gives your boss an opportunity to correct himself. Standing up to him will show you in a new light, as someone who is confident and fearless. It may, with the right boss earn you some brownie points a la good commendation and better prospects for promotions.

Vent your woes to willing ears!
Can't handle the stress anymore? Then go ahead and vent your woes about your unfortunate situation with your colleagues, friends, and family - well practically anyone who is willing to lend you a patient ear. As any amateur psychologist would say, bottling up your feelings will only end up stressing you out. While talking out will relieve you of tension and give you solace that you are not the only one afflicted with a bad sore-of a boss.

Cautionary advice:
Have these sessions outside office and very far from your boss!! Don't over do it. You may end up driving people away with your whining.

Nothing works? Get out! If you think you have given your best shot to live with that bully of a boss and he still ends up making your life a living hell? Then its time for you to pack your bags and scout for another job!

5:48 AM   by Unknown ·   0

Be more Productive...Instantly!

Imagine how your life would improve if you were instantly more productive.

You could get more done at the office every day and maybe earn a promotion, or make more money as a result of your ability to produce more sales.

Whether you are a sales person, a CEO, or a housewife, being more productive every day can dramatically improve your life.

OK, right now you are probably saying...sounds great, how can I be instantly more productive?

It's really quite simple. To be instantly more productive you need to acquire a new habit called the 4-D habit.

What is the 4-D habit?
The 4-D habit increases your productivity instantly by helping you prioritize daily tasks and get more done in a shorter period of time.

Here is how it works.

Each day we are all faced with new tasks that must be acted upon. Your boss calls you and asks you to prepare a sales report, your child calls and asks you to help him or her with a difficult school project, your husband wants you to find a better deal on car insurance.

How you act upon the tasks you are presented with each day determines how productive you will be. Make it a habit to apply the 4-D's as listed below to each task.

Number One
Do it now - take immediate action, perform the task right away.

Number Two
Dump it Now - this task is simply not important enough for your time. Dump it and move on.

Number Three
Delegate It - this task can be performed by someone else, give that person or persons the task. Many people make the mistake of trying to perform all the tasks they are given. The ability to properly delegate is what turns managers into CEO's.

Number Four
Defer the Task - This task must be done by you, but it can wait. Use the free time you have gained by not performing this task right away and perform other high priority tasks instead.

Get in the habit of applying the 4-D decision making tool to every task prese nted to you and watch your productivity soar!

5:47 AM   by Unknown ·   0

Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words

Has it ever occurred to you how much you are saying to people even when you are not speaking? Unless you are a master of disguise, you are constantly sending messages about your true thoughts and feelings whether you are using words or not.

Studies show that your words account for only 7% of the messages you convey. The remaining 93% is non-verbal. 55% of communication is based on what people see and the other 38% is transmitted through tone of voice. So think about it. In the business setting, people can see what you are not saying. If your body language doesn't match your words, you are wasting your time.

Eye contact is the most obvious way you communicate. When you are looking at the other person, you show interest. When you fail to make eye contact, you give the impression that the other person is of no importance. Maintain eye contact about 60% of the time in order to look interested, but not aggressive.

Facial expression is another form of non-verbal communication. A smile sends a positive message and is appropriate in all but a life and death situation. Smiling adds warmth and an aura of confidence. Others will be more receptive if you remember to check your expression.

Your mouth gives clues, too, and not just when you are speaking. Mouth movements, such as pursing your lips or twisting them to one side, can indicate that you are thinking about what you are hearing or that you are holding something back.

The position of your head speaks to people. Keeping your head straight, which is not the same as keeping your head on straight, will make you appear self-assured and authoritative. People will take you seriously. Tilt your head to one side if you want to come across as friendly and open. 

How receptive you are is suggested by where you place your arms. Arms crossed or folded over your chest say that you have shut other people out and have no interest in them or what they are saying. This position can also say, "I don't agree with you." You might just be cold, but unless you shiver at the same time, the person in front of you may get the wrong message.

How you use your arms can help or hurt your image as well. Waving them about may show enthusiasm to some, but others see this gesture as one of uncertainty and immaturity. The best place for your arms is by your side. You will look confident and relaxed. If this is hard for you, do what you always do when you want to get better at something - practice. After a while, it will feel natural.

The angle of your body gives an indication to others about what's going through your head. Leaning in says, "Tell me more." Leaning away signals you've heard enough. Adding a nod of your head is another way to affirm that you are listening.

Posture is just as important as your grandmother always said it was. Sit or stand erect if you want to be seen as alert and enthusiastic. When you slump in your chair or lean on the wall, you look tired. No one wants to do business with someone who has no energy.

Control your hands by paying attention to where they are. In the business world, particularly when you deal with people from other cultures, your hands need to be seen. That would mean you should keep them out of your pockets and you should resist the urge to put them under the table or behind your back. Having your hands anywhere above the neck, fidgeting with your hair or rubbing your face, is unprofessional.

Legs talk, too. A lot of movement indicates nervousness. How and where you cross them tells others how you feel. The preferred positions for the polished professional are feet flat on the floor or legs crossed at the ankles. The least professional and most offensive position is resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee. Some people call this the "Figure Four." It can make you look arrogant.

The distance you keep from others is crucial if you want to establish good rapport. Standing too close or "in someone's face" will mark you as pushy. Positioning yourself too far away will make you seem standoffish. Neither is what you want so find the happy medium. Most importantly, do what makes the other person feel comfortable. If the person with whom you are speaking keeps backing away from you, stop. Either that person needs space or you need a breath mint.

You may not be aware of what you are saying with your body, but others will get the message. Make sure it's the one you want to send.

10:30 PM   by Unknown ·   0

A Clothes Encounter In The Business World

Do you ever wonder where all the dress rules have gone? Depending on when and where you are on any given business day, the words "distant past" might come to mind. It's difficult to decide if people don't know what to wear to work or if they have lost sight of the relevance of appearance to professional success.

The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles, "Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot." Clearly, she was saying what many people are reluctant to accept; that people judge us by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward appearance sends a message.

Try going to a busy restaurant at lunchtime. Look around you at what people are wearing and see if you don't make judgments about who they are, their line of business, their personalities and their competencies. Think about how you feel when you are dressed in your usual business attire as opposed to casual dress. Your choice of business apparel speaks to your professional behavior and credibility. It is important to understand how to dress for business if you wish to promote yourself and your organization in a positive manner, 

How you dress depends on four factors: the industry in which you work, the job you have within that industry, the geographic area in which you live; and most importantly, what your client expects to see.

Professional Dress for Men
In men's clothing, fashion does not change significantly from season to season but business attire is about being professional and not about being fashionable. It's about presenting yourself in a way that makes your clients feel comfortable and confident with you. Dressing for success is still the rule. The professional businessman should keep in mind these few points when deciding what to wear to work.

Choose a conservative suit in navy, black or gray either pinstripe or solid. The quality of the material speaks as loudly as the color and can make the difference between sleaze and suave.

A solid white or blue dress shirt with long sleeves offers the most polished look. The more pattern and color you add, the more the focus is on your clothing, rather than your professionalism.

Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric. Avoid the cartoon characters and go for simple and subtle if you want to enhance your credibility. 

Socks should be calf-length or above. Make sure they match not only what you are wearing, but also each other. A quick glance in good light before heading out the door can save embarrassment later in the day. Check for holes as well if you'll be going through airport security and removing your shoes.

Shoes should without question be conservative, clean and well polished. Lace-up shoes are the choice over slip-ons or flip flops. Don't think for a minute that people don't notice shoes. Many people will look at your feet before your face.

Belts need to match or closely coordinate with your shoes. Once again, quality counts.

Keep jewelry to a minimum. In a time when men sport gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, the business professional should limit himself to a conservative watch, a wedding band and maybe his college ring.

Personal hygiene is part of the success equation. Freshly scrubbed wins out over heavily fragranced any day of the week. Save the after-shave for after hours, but never the shave itself.

The finishing touch for the business man is his choice of accessories: briefcase, portfolio and pen. When it comes to sealing the deal, a top of the line suit, a silk tie and a good pair of leather shoes can lose their affect when you pull out the ball point pen you picked up in the hotel meeting room the day before.

Professional Dress for Women
When women entered the workplace in the 1970's and 1980's in greater numbers than ever before and began to move into positions which had traditionally been held by men, many of them believed that they needed to imitate male business attire. The result was women showing up at the office in skirted suits or coordinated skirts and jackets with tailored blouses finished off with an accessory item that looked very much like a man's tie. Happily those days are gone. While the business woman may now wear trousers to work, she does it out of a desire to appear professional and at the same time enjoy the flexibility and comfort that pants offer over skirts. Her goal is no longer to mirror her male colleagues.

The same overall rules apply to women's work attire as apply to men's. Business clothing is not a reflection of the latest fashion trend. A woman should be noticed for who she is and her professional skills rather than for what she wears. Her business wear should be appropriate for her industry and her position or title within the industry.

Start with a skirted suit or pants suit for the most conservative look. A skirted suit is the most professional. With a few exceptions, dresses do not offer the same credibility unless they are accompanied by matching jackets. 

Skirts should be knee-length or slightly above or below. Avoid extremes. A skirt more than two inches above the knee raises eyebrows and questions. 

Pants should break at the top of the foot or shoe. While Capri pants and their fashion cousins that come in assorted lengths from mid-calf to ankle are the latest trend, they are out of place in the conservative business environment.

Blouses and sweaters provide color and variety to woman's clothing, but they should be appealing rather than revealing. Inappropriate necklines and waistlines can give the wrong impression.

Women need to wear hose in the business world. Neutral or flesh-tone stockings are the best choices. Never wear dark hose with light-colored clothing or shoes. Keep an extra pair of stockings in your desk drawer unless the hosiery store is next door or just down the street from the office.

Faces, not feet, should be the focal point in business so chose conservative shoes. A low heel is more professional than flats or high heels. In spite of current fashion and the sandal rage, open-toed or backless shoes are not office attire. Not only are sandals a safety hazard, they suggest a certain official agenda.

When it comes to accessories and jewelry, less is once again more. Keep it simple: one ring per hand, one earring per ear. Accessories should reflect your personality, not diminish your credibility.

Business attire is different from weekend and evening wear. Investing in a good business wardrobe is an investment in your professional future. For those who think it's not what you wear but who you are that creates success, give that some more thought. Business skills and experience count, but so does personal appearance and that all-important first impression.

10:29 PM   by Unknown ·   0