There was a wonderful piece in the satirical news site The Onion recently about the recent SXSW conference in the USA. The piece claimed that the word “innovation” had already been said 650,000 times, and drily noted the complete absence of phrases such as “investment model” and “practical business strategy“. When people think of innovation, they think of inventions such as the iPhone, or high-tech startups in Silicon Valley. This aura surrounding the concept of innovation, particularly the idea that it means doing something unique or radical, had led some recruiters that I know of to believe that innovation is impossible in recruitment. However, this certainly isn’t the case! By applying critical analysis to innovation management, I will show how agencies can become innovative. [Read more...]
Professionalism in the Workplace by the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]
Generation Y is accustomed to a much more lax atmosphere where sending text message-like emails from their smart phones is second nature. Recent grads are becoming more laid back, but their future workplace may not be.
The job market is as competitive as ever. As recent college graduates have looming school loans over their heads there is no better time to avoid the common mistakes of the rest of the Gen Y’ers vying for the same positions.
The 2012 “Professionalism in the Workplace Study” surveyed a national sample of HR professionals, upper class undergraduates, and managers or supervisors. The study helped to define professionalism and provide numbers to analyze the current state of professionalism in the American workforce. [Read more...]
Heather R. Huhman
Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, a career and workplace education and consulting firm specializing in young professionals.
Social Media Etiquette: Everything I Know I Learned From Real Life!
With the wide adoption of social media over the last couple of years, the conversation has evolved away from “Why use social media?” to “How do you use social media?”. A simple Google search for “social media etiquette” brings up 1,580,000 results. But do we really need all of those articles to tell us how to behave online?
Sites like LinkedIn have shifted us away from anonymous internet usage to an age of personal branding and online identity ownership. So, if our online profiles are to be taken as extensions of ourselves or at least representations of our best self, shouldn’t our actions online just be a reflection of what we are like offline?
If social media is just a new tool to achieve the same end goal – to communicate – shouldn’t the same etiquette for communicating in person or over the telephone apply? [Read more...]
Maebellyne Ventura
Maebellyne Ventura is a digital marketing professional within the recruitment industry. She is also one of the founders of Clever Biscuit, a young start-up creating simple and innovative products. Follow Maebellyne on Twitter @Maebellyne.
How to Deal with Conflict in Life and Work
Life would certainly be easier if we all got along with each other, wouldn’t it? On the surface, people are ready to agree, nod and even go along with what you propose. In reality, the situation is vastly different. Life and work continues to teach us that we react to conflict in a visceral manner. The reasons are many – the potential of being disliked, vulnerable, ridiculed and even cast out is real. For some, the fear of the unknown or unexpected can be paralyzing. What if you are stuck with figuring out the uncharted territory? For others, strong emotions associated with conflict might be overwhelming. What if the issue escalates quickly and virulently?
When asked what a life without conflict might look like, most participants in a recent leadership seminar responded: “boring, without excitement,” “complacent, no growth,” “low stress yet uninteresting,” “dull without propelling tension.” Isn’t that a human paradox? While conflict can irritate, it can also beckon. While conflict can bring out the worst in people, it can also bring out the extraordinary. While conflict can make us resist, it can also expand our understanding. While conflict can divide, it can also unite.
As participants discussed ideas and practiced on examples of conflict from their work, here is what I observed: [Read more...]
Sunitha Narayanan
Sunitha Narayanan is a certified career coach with a passion for connecting people and their talents to life and work opportunities. She is a co-active coach, empowering her clients to believe in their dreams, set actionable goals and actively create joy in their work lives. She is with OI Partners Promark Company, a firm that offers executive coaching, leadership development and outplacement services. Learn about her interests by visiting her LinkedIn profile.