5 Ways to Be More Efficient in Your Job

5 Ways to Be More Efficient in Your Job5 Ways to Be More Efficient in Your JobWith a slew of challenging yet fulfilling work always coming in, theres never a dull moment in payroll. But if youre not organized, the load can soon become overwhelming.Work efficiency is the key to success in a function like payroll. You can departure with small but obvious steps, like keeping your desk tidy, socializing less and minimizing online distractions. But sometimes you need to make larger changes to the way you work and collaborate. Here are a few tips to help you reach maximum productivity1. Plan your dayEvery morning, take a few minutes to make a list of things you need to accomplish by the end of day. If you have a lot to do and dont know where to start, prioritize tasks by dividing them into three categories of urgency and importanceImportant and urgent - do firstImportant but not urgent - do secondNeither urgent nor important - do as time permitsOrganizing your to-do list this way helps ensure you dont simply put your energy into the things you like to do while putting off urgent or important tasks.2. Bring work efficiency to your emails, callsEmails and phone calls from company employees are a standard part of a payroll job, but those demands can be a real productivity killer. Its hard to focus when interruptions constantly pull your attention in multiple directions. Thats why its important to have a system to deal with queries that boosts your overall efficiency.When it comes to answering the phone, perhaps you and your payroll colleagues could agree on a schedule that allows everyone to have uninterrupted blocks of time to concentrate on work.Emails are easier, as you dont have to respond to those immediately. One suggestion is to set your email client to check for new messages once every 15 minutes or even manually. That way, you wont get distracted by unending pop-up notifications.SEE WHAT TEMPORARY ROLES WE PLACE3. Stop putting out firesIn your payroll job, a re you mostly proactive or reactive? If much of your day is spent fixing mistakes and dealing with irate employees, that means something in the department isnt quite right and work efficiency is nowhere to be seen. When youre super busy, its tempting to just put out a fire and move on. But in the long run, its much mora efficient to carve out time, investigate the problem and find a proper solution.Try keeping an incident log to see if you can spot patterns that lead you to the source of nagging issues - and prevent them moving forward. Gather information on which categories of employees experience payroll problems, when they experience them, and so on. After youve identified the root cause, implement changes and improvements. Yes, this process takes time, but its a worthwhile investment thatll ultimately save time.4. Request additional trainingLack of knowledge is a major barrier to productivity. Think of when youve had to spend extra time in research because youre not well versed in, say, tax compliance, or how a task took your team so long to complete because theyre not proficient in certain software.What do you need to learn so you can be more efficient in your job? To find out, do a skills audit. Then research courses and other educational options that would close up that skills gap. Third, find out about getting the professional training you need. A good place to start is to become certified. The Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) is designed for people just beginning their career in this field. Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) is for those with extensive experience who would like to move into a leadership role.5. Get help when necessaryPayroll teams periodically get hit with extra work. Some of this is predictable, such as during tax season or the annual enrollment period, while other times are one-off events like a merger and acquisition. Payroll professionals are accustomed to additional tasks and tight deadlines, but watch out that you dont have so much to handle that you risk making errors and having to correct them - the epitome of wasting time.If youre a payroll manager, one of the best ways to improve your departments work efficiency is to hire temporary help for busy periods. As for payroll clerks, let your boss know when the team is struggling to keep up so they can bring in reinforcements.We all have days when we haveless than 100 percent work efficiency, and thats OK. But dont get into the habit of always having to catch up and deal with emergencies - not when there are definite steps you can take to waste less time and get more done.

Move over Millennials Heres how Gen Z is going to do your job

Move over Millennials Heres how Gen Z is going to do your jobMove over Millennials Heres how Gen Z is going to do your jobA few weeks ago, The New York Times pronounced the end of the Millennial Era. It would seem, like the many fleeting digital trends theyve championed, Millennials have finally been displaced.The generation thats made a collective career out of brazen entrepreneurialism and brattiness (Theyre brash, theyre narcissistic, theyre entitled, says the Times, Or so the clich goes) has new competition in the workplace Generation Z.A note on the new kidsTo give you some context on Generation Z these kids are, literally, kids. The oldest just finished high school, but many are still toddlers. Gen Z wont be running Fortune 500s in the next three months, but theyre the next world order. In the coming decade, theyll dictate how we advertise, how we evolve the workforce and society, how we progress.And heres the thing they stand in complete opposition to the Millennial mindset. These are the kids who grew up post-911 in the height of a recession. They view their careers and hard-earned money through a lens of anxiety. Gen Z witnessed parents out of work, tight Christmases, the emergence of terrorism as a dinner table topic- all with a heightened sense of imperfection, inevitability, and tragedy.In the Times article, Lucie Greene, a director of the Innovation Group at J. Walter Thompson, calls them Millennials on steroidsIf Hannah Horvath from Girls is the typical Millennial - self-involved, dependent, flailing financially in the real world as her expectations of a dream job and life collide with reality - then Alex Dunphy from Modern Family represents the Gen Z antidote. Alex is a true Gen Z conscientious, hard-working, somewhat anxious and mindful of the future.How Generation Z does businessSo what exactly does this mean for the workforce? A lot- although its anyones guess exactly how it will turn out.For employers, its probably going to be a great thin g. Where Millennials were raised in a period of relative peace and affluence, the products of 1990s stability (think Cher in Clueless, meandering through malls, buying shoes to make herself feel better, negotiating her way to better grades through hard sells, not hard work), Gen Z comes from a mora unstable background. They have good reason to fear the bottom falling out, meaning theyll work that much harder to secure their stability.Where weve grown accustomed to Millennial logic (I dont like my boss. Ill just start my own company or I may be 18, but Im too talented to work entry-level), well now find dogged dedication. These are kids who study web development in school and grew up making Vine videos, who in short, live in a digital reality- but pair this with the very real fear of going broke. To put it simply theyre innovative, but most of all, theyre pragmatic.What this means for the MillennialsMembers of Generation Z still take their cues from their Millennial forerunners- they join the workforce fully-equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset. But theyve also witnessed their predecessors mistakes. You wont catch these kids posting any questionable photos on social media that might cost them a job, but you wont find them working at Dairy Queen either.Says 15-year-old Andrew Schoonover, Kids are witnessing start-up companies make it big instantly via social media. We do not want to work at a local fast-food joint for a summer job. We want to make our own business because we see the lucky few who make it big.Theres still a permeating sense of entitlement, but you dont stop working until you get to where you deserve to be. There are no shortcuts, which means the cheats and lifehacks of Millennials may not hold up well against the hard work of younger employees. Despite the fact that Americans already work longer hours than they should, we all might need to work a lot harder to compete. So look out, Lena Dunham, the next round of girlbosses might give you a ru n for your (possibly unfairly earned) money.This article first appeared on Career Contessa.

11 High-Paying Marketing Jobs Open Now

11 High-Paying Marketing Jobs Open Now11 High-Paying Marketing Jobs Open Now If you play yur cards right, absatzwirtschaft can be a very lucrative career. Depending on your specialty, location, and experience, many marketing jobs pay handsomely - a figure that only increases as you climb your way up the ladder. In the marketing field and looking for your next opportunity? Check out one of the 11 open positions below.The Role This Product Marketing Manager role requires an understanding of all aspects of product marketing and marketing channels and has an uncanny ability to tell the world the story of Wufoo. Your primary responsibility will be driving growth for Wufoo through the execution of our go-to-market strategy, optimization of our customers experience and creating compelling product positioning.The Role Zoosk (maker of the 1 online dating app) needs talent to grow its Digital Marketing Analyst team. The incumbent Digital Marketing Analyst will own customer a cquisition campaigns across online and mobile marketing channels, such as Facebook, Google, Yahoo, to hit monthly budget and ROI goals. This requires the set-up, optimization and analysis of multiple campaigns on a daily basis following a direct response marketing approach. If you dont know how to do this, but it sounds cool, feel free to apply and we will teach you.The Role The Senior Partner Marketing Manager is part of an innovative worldwide team and the key marketing point of contact between the VP of Partner Marketing, the geschftsleben Development Team and the Global Marketing Organization. As a Senior Partner Marketing Manager you are responsible for designing and executing a successful partner marketing plan and budget for the assigned partner/s, in alignment with global market objectives, global company positioning, and vertical strategies.The Role Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing, the Associate Marketing Manager is primarily responsible for supporting the Ma rketing function and its initiatives to maximize guest transactions and revenue, and grow the geschftliches miteinander. This full-time position is responsible for the development and execution of marketing projects and day to day activities, including consumer marketing promotions and initiatives, business analysis, and special projects.The Role Reporting to the BU President, Bank Solutions (BSD), you will be a member of the BSD senior leadership team focused on raising opportunities to drive growth for the Business Unit. Constantly asking, What key relationships do we need to build, Whats missing from our solution set right now?, you have strong consulting skills and bring a portfolio management perspective to the team. A broad-based strategist, you have strong teaming and communication skills that you skillfully employ to support the achievement of overall operational plans, financials, and strategic objectives.The Role This position will achieve the overall sales goals of Geor gia by providing a presence for Johnson & Johnson and JJPF in the Georgia property and casualty insurance market. Tasked with creating and maintaining business relationships with the independent agents in Georgia, this person will identify opportunities and capture market share while spearheading the growth of business in the Georgia market.The Role SHYFT is seeking a seasoned Senior Marketing Programs Manager to leverage their expertise in designing, deploying and managing demand-generation and nurture programs. A successful candidate will have the ability to craft and evolve the overall programs strategy, while also being able to roll up their sleeves and execute the components necessary to launch, scale and measure those programs. This role works hand-in-hand with the Product Marketing Manager and other cross-functional groups within the organization.The Role We are seeking an experienced Marketing Automation Specialist to join our marketing team. Were looking for a highly moti vated and intelligent individual who can make an immediate positive impact. Your mission is to design, build, measure, and improve the effectiveness of our marketing automation using Marketo. In this role, you can have a significant impact in an already rapidly growing company. You will work closely with marketing, sales, and executive management teams.The Role You will Assist the Product team with ideation, development, and launch of innovative products. Assist in developing key messaging and strategy for DeviantArts suite of products and features. Plan and execute rollout strategies. Engage with the community and measure response after a launch. Create and execute innovative marketing campaigns to increase awareness and usage of specific products.The Role The Email Marketing Automation Manager is responsible for creating and executing campaigns within a marketing automation platform. The EMAM is also responsible for fully managing a range of integrated digital marketing campaign s simultaneously.The Role This position will report into the Sr. Director, HCP Marketing on the Neurology team and is responsible for assisting with the development and execution of the strategic and tactical plan to support the launch of APL into the Parkinsons market.

A Way to Your Heart

A Way to Your Heart A Way to Your Heart A Way to Your Heart?Talk about surgeries that involve the heart and often people will think of the risks involved. But what if there was a device that could improve a patients chances for a positive outcome through a different angle of sight for surgeons? A chip-related technology being worked on at Georgia Tech might be leading to one more tool for the medical communitys arsenal.Chip AwayWeve been developing this invention involving transducers and a chip, explains F. Levent Degertekin, professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech. It was clear that a small device could help. My brother, who is a cardiologist, said if you want to include devices like this then you need to include a camera. It helps to see in front of you while doing surgery and, really for devices before, it was like driving your car and looking from side windows but you dont have a front windshield.The chip Degertekins team has developed can actually get inside the hea rt and blood vessels. For example, if the artery is totally blocked, you can see beyond that blockage, he says.F. Levent Degertekin (left) and his colleague in the lab where new 3D medical imaging technology is being developed. Image Georgia TechYou need to understand that what we have are behauptung transducers and receivers distributed over that chip area and its very much like radar, Degertekin says. Information ultimately comes from a cable to a computer and since we know the location when it comes to a receiver, we do math to align those signals and create an intensity map and we can create a three dimensional image.One problem in this single chip technology is that it requires building transducers directly on top of the electronics, he says.Its like a sensing chip and building the imaging device directly upon it requires low temperature processes, Degertekin says. You wouldnt go to a temperature like 400 degrees centigrade because of the survival of the electronics. Another ch allenge was developing the design tools to predict performance of the devices. For this fabrication process, we basically had to design electronics compatible with this transducer array. We also had to bring a multidisciplinedteam together. We were combining aspects like vertical engineering, mechanical engineering and cardiology.A vital issue was reducing the number of cables. Because on that single chip there are more than one hundred receivers of ultrasound and you cant connect all of them individually from outside, he says. You have to build the electronics and get information from all those devices and get out like four at a time by sequencing. And then we do the circuit design. We send computer files to a foundry and they come back to us from silicon wafers and then at Georgia Tech we process the wafers to put these vibrating devices on them. Even then, you totenstill have to process to make them like a doughnut shape to be suitable to put on a catheter and theres even still m ore.They still want to make further improvements, including eliminating the catheter. The chip is around one millimeter in diameter at present and there are around ten cables, but we are even developing a new system which would need less cables, he explains. Theres more potential to explore.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionIt helps to see in front of you while doing surgery and, really for devices before, it was like driving your car and looking from side windows but you dont have a front windshield.Prof. F. Levent Degertekin, Georgia Tech

The Indisputable Truth About Should You Put High School on Resume That Nobody Is Sharing With You

The Indisputable Truth About Should You Put High School on Resume That Nobody Is Sharing With You When youre learning how to compose a resume youll need to enlarge your vocabulary. Particularly when youre asking for work that demands fluency in a specific language. Also, make certain to keep the language clear and easy. Moreover, you can change the font style so long as its still professional. Understanding Should You Put High School on Resume Career objectives are incredibly important since they can let employers know within seconds what you need to offer. The employment history in functional resume is much more different from what is offered in the conventional resumes. First of all, you should try and answer the employers specific requirements. Keep in mind, the resume is a great approach to demonstrate the employer or recruiter how hard youre prepared to get the job done. Top Choices of Should You Put High School on Resume The chronological resume format is something which virtually every employer and job seeker is familiarized with, and is thought to be among the most easiest and simplest of resume formats. On your CV you wish to communicate how good youre as fast as you can. It is very important to plan your CV before you begin writing it. A CV includes a thorough description of a persons work experience, educational background, and abilities. Should You Put High School on Resume - Dead or Alive? There are times that you understand what you need to write in resume but simply dont understand how to write in a professional means to produce decent impression on employer. The period biodata, which very few individuals know stands for biographical data, is usually utilized in the health care field. In the majority of instances, its what it is. Actually, ordinarily, it did the specific opposite Perhaps you would like your reader to view how you helped your present employer improve the caliber of their service or product, or another accom plishment. Finding the businesss mission statement on its website is also a fantastic idea. The plan of the resume is quite vital as a good resume layout will guarantee that it will become easy for an employer to experience your resume. Research online and make certain information online matches the info on the individuals resume. The Principles of Should You Put High School on Resume You Can Benefit From Starting Today You need to understand where you desire the resume to take you, and you have to make certain its crystal-clear to the prospective employer. You should emphasize that. Not tailored for the sort of position being sought. Youre too wordy (and I am not discussing the period of your resume). Before you submit your resume to make an application for work, take the opportunity to reassess and refresh your resume so that its going to provide you with the ideal opportunity to have the interview. If you cant ever send out a resume, youll never be requested to intervi ew. Locating a new job, making new resumes and going to a number of interviews may appear to be an incredibly daunting practice. Before writing the resume remember that, your job objective should concentrate on what it is possible to supply to the company rather than that which you desire from the organization. Targeting your job statement to the specific job will impress the employers and boost your probability of finding the work interview. On the flip side, a professional resume writer provides you an accurate assessment of the way the employer would view your background. Only relevant and necessary information should be supplied in the resume, as stated by the requirements of the job. The Should You Put High School on Resume Game Many employees wind up feeling that their existing employers find it impossible to offer what they are seeking and proceed to scan the marketplace. If you dont have any experience that would help you in receiving the job, then highlight interests or achievements that are about the field. Lots of people struggle to assemble a resume they are content with, and utilize that resume to assist them to land work. Most colleges and some vocational schools provide employment solutions, meaning they can help you prepare for a work interview. No hiring manager will sit there and dig through your education section to see whether youve got the degree or certification theyre searching for. It ought to be creative if youre in the creative field, full of graphics if in that market, and more professional with industry jargon if youre a C-suite executive. You may even use three in case you have over a decade of expertise and want a high-level executive position. To begin with, you can take a look at the job posting that the business creating to determine precisely what is necessary for the position.

Why People Arent Talking About Expert Ways of Writing a Resume and What You Should Do Right Now About It

Why People Arent Talking About Expert Ways of Writing a Resume and What You Should Do Right Now About It Expert Ways of Writing a Resume - Is it a Scam? Its fast and simple to use. A good example is able to help you make a decision as to what information to include. Such information gives them a notion of what youll promote their firm. You may have a foundational resume that compellingly articulates the most significant info, states Heifetz, but you need to alter it for each opportunity. By comparing different resumes from various Professional Resume Writers, youre going to be in better position to produce a determination that is right for you and your job search. For instance, the summary section needs to be written in the very first individual. A resume is basically a succinct overview of your professional qualifications. It is vital that you keep it as short as possible highlighting only the crucial information that is related to the job which you are applying for. N o, you dont need to call or email the business. As soon as you set up the preliminary small business framework, you can begin working on the fun parts of your organization. If youre on the lookout for a steady, high-paying career, then mechanical engineering is a good field for you to think about. The job, the market, and the institution proved not the proper fit for me. Definitions of Expert Ways of Writing a Resume Many job seekers feel compelled to lie since they think its the only means to compete. Much of a work hunters success is dependent on attitude. Landing your fantasy job is dependent on a lot more than the resumeensure youre employing a thriving job search strategist who understands the total recruiting process, of which the resume is one particular part of that approach. Be Brief Never forget that you arent the only one applying for that specific job. Details of Expert Ways of Writing a Resume If you are able to catch an employers attention right off the bat, youre going to be on their short list once it is time to choose interviewees. A resume isnt a detailed collection of everything youve ever done. Make it simple to find info about you by including a header or skilled summary at the peak of the webpage. If you resume appears too long with a lot of irrelevant info, the man reading it is going to be bored and will just beipass it making you drop the opportunity. Resume writing is a writing discipline unlike many different kinds of writing, and is frequently described as a mixture of business writing and copywriting. Come back to it as soon as youre done writing the other sections. There are a couple routes you may take with resume writing. If you need assistance writing your resume, itll be our pleasure to aid you.

5 ways to stop overanalyzing everything your boss does

5 ways to stop overanalyzing everything your boss does5 ways to stop overanalyzing everything your boss doesA shortlist of phrases your boss can say that will push you right into panic modeK.I got it. Thanks.Oh. Nevermind.Can we talk in my office, please?Everyone will admit to sometimes worrying about the state of their employment, whether they think theyre doing a stellar job or a lackluster one. While a bit of angst is to be expected, if you find yourself constantly over-analyzing and fretting over everything your manager does, doesnt do, says or doesnt sayyou might be tumbleweeding into a dark place. Career coach and co-founder Jill Tipograph explains this habits is a defense mechanism for people who are trying to make sense of a situation that feels like no path will lead to a successful outcome. When a request comes from the manager, the employee starts to internally raise questions about how to plan or shape the deliverable, she continues. At first it seems like normal work str ess, but in an environment where the employee does not feel safe to openly ask those questions of the manager, or perhaps tried to ask the questions and welches shut down from that line of inquiry, the downward spiral of over-analyzing begins.So how do you cut it out already? Here, the pros share their valuable insightChannel your stress in a different wayHave you ever attempted to reason with a toddler? More often than not, the only way to calm their fears is to direct their attention toward a new toy, task or, well, shiny thing. Though it might not seem like an effective technique, say, for an adult- Tipograph explains it can be quite effective. Because youre flinging yourself off the ledge, you need a better source to pour this energy into. You need to create a strategy to channel this energy to actual work product output, getting the work done, while at the same time addressing this information gap that is causing your stress, she explains. Cycling through these thoughts, is wh at keeps people from falling asleep or distracts them from time they need to spend getting important things done. What are some examples? Writing, exercise, meditation, chatting with a trusted friend who wont let you talk for yours are great starting points.Confirm with your manager Ever have one of those days where youre spending more time researching what to do, instead of doing it? Or second-guessing every left move, so you backtrack, make a right and doubt yourself again? This usually happens when youre assigned a project that has many question marks dangling above it. Tipograph explains whether youre confused about the scope, the deadline, the facets or any of it, take a breath and pause. Set aside five minutes on your managers calendar and walk through it one more time. Play back to your manager very quickly, the exact work you will get underway on immediately, and list out your open questions with your suggestions formulated, she suggests. If the manager never responds, simpl y work on the core elements first, and then proceed to the enhancements that remain unclear. By approaching a project this way, you save yourself hassle and headaches, and can begin to put your nose to the grind. Resolve any uncomfortable situationsMuch like being left out of the party list to a wedding you thought youd be invited to, when your boss doesnt include you on a meeting- you might raise an eyebrow. And then, of course, spend hours trying to figure out if youre being fired or if they simply dont respect your opinion. Instead of worrying, Tipograph says to well, ask to be included on future opportunities. Or, if they took an angry tone with you in a brainstorm or discussion, address how you feel ASAP. Do not let it fester in your mind. Find the courage to ask, privately, if he was having a bad day, in general, versus starting to probe if it was related to you personally, she continues. In a virtual meeting environment, it is possible that something upsetting distracted her/ him and it was unrelated to you or your work. However, if it was directed at you, ask that he find a way to give you negative feedback in a one-on-one versus team setting, as you can then ask questions to better understand how to approach a project in stronger manner. Identify your triggersIs it when youre passed over for a promotion? On Fridays, when your manager has one foot out the door at noon? Or perhaps when everyone is meant to come together to collect ideas, and yours feel discounted. Whatever the trigger, knowing which ones can send you into a spiral will help you alleviate their weight. Tipograph says when youre able to pinpoint the cause, youre making a big improvement personally and professionally. Reigning in the tendency to overanalyze may make you realize that your negative frame of mind is because you are stressed about something, unrelated to management, and are simply aiming your thoughts at your manager rather than those more generalized concerns which is unhealth y for you, and unfair to your manager, she explains. As you can learn to recognize when you trigger this behavior and redirect yourself, you will find it easier in the future to shorten the cycle of over analysis.Learn to validate yourselfPart of the reason we ask for second opinion- on what were wearing, on our cover letter, on how the pasta sauce taste- is we need validation. But heres the kicker you probably already know youre doing just fine. Mentor and business coach Christine Agro recommends creating a checks-and-balance with yourself, where you try to understand why youre overthinking your bosss actions. Is it because of their actions- or your insecurities? When we look for others to tell us that we are good or doing a good job, our power rests in their acknowledgment. Learn to find value in the work you do and the person you are, and chances are, youll stop overanalyzing, she says.

The In-Basket Exercise and How to Use It

The In-Basket Exercise and How to Use ItThe In-Basket Exercise and How to Use ItIts a dog-eat-dog world out there and businesses advertising for help or that otherwise put out the word that theyre hiring can be inundated with applications. Many of them come from qualified applicants, making the decision as to who to hire particularly difficult. Enter the in-basket exercise. Its an activity (a tool, really) that can help befhigung employers gauge how well applicants perform job-related tasks within a certain period of time. Some exercises also test applicants prioritization skills. Theyre called in-basket exercises because employees used to have physical in-baskets on their desks where others would place assignments to be completed. Thats not always the case today, but most employees do have some method or procedure in place by which they can track their work assignments. When These Exercises Take Place In-basket exercises are usually administered when candidates come in for bewer bungsgesprchs. They complete the exercises immediately before or after the interview. The hiring manager uses information from the application materials, as well as from the interview and the exercise, to make a decision on which candidate will receive a job offer. Elements of the Exercise When managers want to test applicants prioritization skills, they may put more tasks in the exercise than can be completed within the given amount of time. Managers should tell applicants when this is the case. Otherwise, candidates might be leery about taking the job because they perceive the hiring manager has unrealistic expectations on how much work can realistically be completed on a certain schedule. Most applicants believe that theyre expected to complete the entire exercise within the assigned time period, and this is a reasonable assumption, particularly if theyve never faced in-basket exercises before. But the manager actually expects them to complete the most important tasks first, then any others that can be tackled and completed within the allotted timeframe. Failing to inform the candidates they dont have to complete the entire exercise completely defeats the purpose of seeing how candidates prioritize the tasks within the exercise. Tips for Applicants Candidates should work quickly to complete in-basket exercises, but not so fast that they become sloppy. After all, employers are not just looking for speed but for competence as well.If they have time, candidates should read over their completed exercises before they turn them over to the hiring manager. Theres no advantage in finishing early if the work is sloppy, and theres no shame in taking the whole time to complete the jobs well. Some Examples of In-Basket Exercises A manager is hiring an administrative professional to assist her. She devises an in-basket exercise that includes editing a piece of written correspondence, completing a purchase requisition and filling out a travel voucher.The hiri ng process for a public information officer position might include an in-basket exercise which is comprised of writing a press release, responding to a reporters written questions and providing feedback on a draft brochure intended for the general public. If youre a potential employee, an in-basket exercise can be your opportunity to shine and show off your amazing skills. If youre an employer, it takes you a step beyond the written resume and the interview questions to help ensure that youre hiring the best person for the job.

I left my life behind to travel Here are 10 lessons I learned

I left my life behind to travel Here are 10 lessons I learnedI left my life behind to travel Here are 10 lessons I learnedDuring the summer of 2014 I hopped a plane and left behind Quito, Ecuador I had lived and taught English there for five years. Life had become a dull, dark, dreary (insert abedrngnisher word for depressing) hole and I welches desperate to climb out. I broke up with my fianc, left behind everything I owned except for a suitcase, and traveled around Europe. I visited lots of different countries, had crazy adventures, and met kindred spirits that will be friends for life.I would like to say it welches all a bit Eat, Pray, Love but some might say it welches more Bridget Jones. Either way, I learned a number of lessons from all this traveling. For example, do not try to stay awake for 36 hours, because you will inevitably embarrass yourself by doing something stupid like trying to walk up the down escalator at the airport (true story). Also, in Ukraine, vodka is cheape r than water (also true).A number of things I learned from traveling can also be used in everyday life, and these are the lessons I share with you below.1. You cannot truly know yourself unless you spend time aloneAfter breaking off an extremely unhappy relationship, I was free for the first time in years. A weight the size of Donald Trumps toupee had been lifted off my shoulders. The first questions I asked myself wereWho am I as in individual?What do I like to do when Im alone?What do I, myself, like to eat?Who am I when talking to new people?The great thing about traveling was being in a new country where nobody knew me and I could be whoever I wanted to be.In Canary Islands, I lived in a small village on the water. I started doing yoga every morning on the secluded beach and sharing my thoughts with the ocean.I started free writing daily, and enjoying getting to know myself again. During this time, I became friends with myself again, and its been a happy relationship ever since. 2. The best pictures you will ever take are stored in your mind as memoriesLook up travel or wanderlust on Instagram and you will inevitably be met with photos of charming women doing marvelous things.Theyll be standing on mountain tops in sports bras, hair billowing perfectly in the breeze. Theyll be standing on beaches with white sand and clear blue water, bikini body on full display, and possibly doing an advanced yoga pose.While travel photos on Instagram are entertaining to look at, its important to enjoy them simply for their aesthetic and realize they arent real. What strikes me most about these photo is the amount of work it takes to get them.There were a few months during my travels when I was obsessed with increasing my follower count. I spent more time trying to get the most perfect shot of me walking down the promenade in Nice than actually enjoying the view.I was that girl on the beach doing yoga while in Turkey. I would sip cold hot chocolate in Ukraine after spending 30 minutes trying to get a perfect picture of my cup next to my glasses on the table.When I got married and my husband started calling himself an Instagram husband, (those poor guys you see taking pictures of their wives in front of perfect brick walls) it was time to stop cold turkey. I deleted my Instagram, never to return.Now, my travels involve being in the present moment and taking in where I am, all saved in my memories. Also, cocoa tastes better hot.3. In general, most human beings are actually good peopleI lived in Lviv, Ukraine for three months and will forever consider it one of the best periods in my life - it was a big city with the feeling of a small town community.The second day I was there, I messaged about 10-15 people on Couch Surfing to see if they wanted to get a drink or show me around the city. I quickly received messages from just about everyone, telling me they would take me to the mall, ice skating, clubbing, to get coffee, and do everything in between.Befor e going to Ukraine, I was apprehensive about it. The conflict had just started in Crimea and I didnt know much about the country at all. But, once I got there, I realized that they were the most welcoming people, and were so happy to show a foreigner around their city.I learned that in general, most human beings are good people, no matter where theyre from.4. You cannot have unforgettable experiences if you arent willing to put yourself out thereWhile living in Ecuador, I did many things that were adventurous and adrenaline inducing - zip-lining, paragliding, jumping off waterfalls, accidentally stepping in quick sand in the Amazon, and taking the city bus (trust me, it was dangerous).Every time I had to do anything that made me nervous, there was always an apprehensive voice in the back of my mind saying, maybe you shouldnt do that. But, I told it to sit down and shut up.The only things you take with you when you die are the experiences you had here on earth.5. There are sad, lone ly, dark moments - but that doesnt mean its not worth itJust as in life, travel is made up of all kinds of moments, including the ones youd be happy to forget.Not long after arriving in Europe, I was in a weird place emotionally. I was in Dijon, France and it was right before Christmas. I walked to the supermarch and burst into tears in the cereal aisle, much to my eternal embarrassment.I wasnt crying about my ended relationship (not at all) and I wasnt crying out of loneliness. Honestly, looking back, Im not 100 percent sure why my tears were falling on to a box of frosted flakes. I think everything hit me all at once. Being in a new place, having no idea what I was going to do with my life it was somewhat of an existential crisis.Just because I was in France didnt mean I wouldnt experience an upsetting moment. Im still human, and life is not an Instagram photo.6. There is no better way to bring your thoughts to the present moment than to put yourself in a new environmentIf someon e asked me what the most peaceful, content moment of my life was, I could immediately come up with an answer.I was standing at the top of a hill, on a stone balcony in Zagreb, Croatia. I could see out over the whole city. It was Saturday, around 7am, so the city was quiet and empty. A street performer was playing a soothing song on his saxophone in the square below. I was eating a cinnamon bun. All of my senses felt the moment, and it was the most present Ive ever been.Being in a new environment sets your senses on fire and brings peace to your mind.7. Forget all the planning, because things rarely work out how you think they willWhen I lived in Ecuador, I planned on staying there permanently. I had a job teaching English, I was starting to make some friends, and I had an apartment. My life plan was set up well into the future. However, I was not happy where I was, and I needed to do something about it - but it took me five whole years to finally make that change.The ironic part is that my change involved going to Europe with no plan, no house, no job, and no clue. Most of the time in life, plans never work out how you think they will, but you will end up exactly where youre meant to be.8. We may all be very different people and come from very different cultures, but in the end, we all just want to be happyDuring my travels, Ive met lots of different people from a number of countries. I had a friend from Austria who wanted a job in the government, and to settle down with her boyfriend. I had a friend in Ukraine who was living the single life, and was more interested in her job at a technology company than settling down.Ive met people with wanderlust in their blood who adore traveling and have an addiction to adrenaline. Ive met people who loved living in one place and preferred to stay in the own community forever.The one thing all these people had in common was their desire to be happy and achieve their life goals. We may all be from different countries, but as human beings, were all the same.9. You dont need to own as many things as you think you do, and you can fulfill yourself in other waysI wasnt able to carry much makeup with me, and I didnt have any hair tools either (this meant my hair was au naturale, even in humid weather). My wardrobe consisted of two pairs of jeans, a few basic shirts, and one pair of shoes. The only souvenirs I took with me were my memories.I learned to do other things besides shopping. I found happiness outside of accumulating possessions. I experienced a profound sense of freedom in not having all kinds of material things to worry about, and I didnt base my worth on anything I owned.Ironically, I met my husband while I was in my most natural state. I found confidence in myself that wasnt based on how I looked, and allowed my inner beauty to do all the talking.10. A smile will get you very farYou would be surprised at the ways youll learn to communicate when you dont speak the language in a foreign country .For example, the time I had to moo like a cow to buy some beef at a butcher in a small village in Bulgaria, (it was either that, or end up with something really weird, like horse liver). The lady behind the counter laughed and we both found it amusing.What I have found most helpful in foreign countries is smiling. Most European people make fun of Americans for this, claiming were too friendly. But, smiling has always been my universal language, and it works every time.These days, with the amount of closed-mindedness, judgement, and ignorance that has unfortunately taken over the world, its important to realize all we can learn from each other.During my travels, it hasnt been the museums, tour guides, or castles that have taught me the most. All the lessons Ive learned have come from other people and learning about other cultures.The world may seem like a very big place, but as Ive made my way through it, Ive realized its pretty small after all.This articlefirst appeared on The Ever yGirl.