Thursday, May 28, 2020

Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Will VAs Rule the World

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Will VAs Rule the World Does a human or robot virtual assistant (VA) make knowledge work easier? Human virtual assistance has been a booming business for almost a decade, and now, with the wide launch of Amazon Echo, you can have a robot as well. However, just because technology grows ever more sophisticated doesn’t mean our lives as knowledge workers are getting any easier. We will have a variety of needs that aren’t being met with existing process and tools. In this piece, we’ll examine the productivity pros and cons associated with all kinds of virtual assistants, answering the question: are they worth it? Dan Ackerman at CNET thinks the Amazon Echo was the breakthrough product of 2015. For those who don’t know, Echo is an internet-connected wireless speaker wrapped around a digital personal assistant named Alexa. Why does Ackerman love the Echo so much? He claims that, unlike any other voice-recognition technology he has tried, Alexa understood what he was saying at least 80 percent of the time, and very often offered logical, informative replies. He was also able to speak to Alexa in an everyday, casual voice that puts Siri’s required mega-enunciation to shame. Echo makes sure you’re dressed appropriately for the weather. It can access audio streams from Pandora, TuneIn and other providers; answer general interest questions, often by quoting Wikipedia; access your Google Calendar information; and even control some of the most popular smart home devices including Philips Hue and Belkin’s WeMo products. Just this week, Amazon announced some new features for the Echo. One is a fitness option. You can now ask Alexa to start a seven-minute workout, for instance, and she will provide “a set of exercises designed to increase metabolism, improve energy, lower stress, and remove fat.” Another is “Ask Fidelity,” which will pull up stock quotes by name or ticker symbol, and you can also ask for information about the latest political debates. VAs: When robots catch up to humans It’s only a matter of time before the Echo and Alexa can do nearly all administrative tasks associated with knowledge work â€" including setting up and transcribing meetings, organizing your online files, managing projects, creating reports, building databases, summarizing articles and books, publishing your writing, managing your social media accounts, processing invoices and expenses, and booking business travel. Many start-ups and small businesses have been using human virtual assistants (VAs) for years. But during the recession, when full-time, onsite administrative help became scarcer, remote human VAs made their debut in larger and more established organizations. Increasingly, virtual assistants are being hired by companies on a work-from-home basis to help out executives and teams with admin, creative, and/or technical tasks. Like other independent contractors, remote VAs provide services using their own space and equipment, and typically do not enjoy company benefits like insurance. Terms and contracts are fluid, and many VAs never meet their clients in person â€" communicating instead via a bevy of videoconferencing and project collaboration tools. For the rest of the post, head on over to QuickBases Fast Track blog.

Monday, May 25, 2020

Startup vs Corporate Which Job Offer is Right for You

Startup vs Corporate Which Job Offer is Right for You Are you considering whether to join a startup or a big established corporation?  Consider these factors first! The Fit Most of us spend at least 45 hours each week working, so your work environment is critical. Choosing between a startup and a big firm means looking at yourself, as well as at the company. Sure, the startup may have great perks like crash rooms or cool furniture, but does it fit your personality? Startup Generalizations In a startup, your responsibilities will change frequently, as can your manager and your daily tasks. There’s an ‘on your own’ approach to prioritizing, problem solving, finding information and solving problems. Innovation and flexibility are critical, and broadly defined. Expect constant change: one day you could be working on the product prototype, another on the fundraising pitch. Startups often walk a financial tightrope, without a lot of spare money to spend. You will, however, have lots of access to senior management, giving you some great lessons on life at the top. Corporate Generalizations Long established, ingrained processes are the norm here. Expect to hear ‘that’s how we do this.’ You’ll have ‘wise owl’ colleagues you can ask for help. Big companies have big hierarchies. Layers of management can mean a clear career ladder; they also limit contact with the executive level. Innovation and flexibility may be restricted; you will have to stay within the confines of those established processes. Even in these tight financial times, big companies will have more money and resources available, for training, travel, and more. And a corporation can be a good name to have on your CV: work at PG in Marketing for 2 years gives you great credibility as a marketer. Oversight vs Autonomy In a big company, you will have a manager. And she will have a manager. And so on, up to the CEO. Each will want to know what his or her team is doing. That’s a lot of oversight, and a lot of time spent reporting and managing up. If you like a clear hierarchy, you will be comfortable here. At a startup, you might work directly for the CEO, who probably won’t have time to check the details of your work. You make sure that the important tasks are done well, and that your work advances the company’s goals. If you like to work independently, this could be your ideal environment. Our Way vs. Teaching Yourself Along with the hierarchy of a big company come the processes: long lists of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), rules and standards. Whatever you are doing, someone has probably done it before. Downside? Not much freedom to innovate. Upside? You can always find out how the company expects a job to be done. A startup will have few written procedures, if any. If you are the one person in Marketing, your way is the company’s way. That means lots of self-guided learning. If you prefer to figure out the best way to do something as you go along, instead of following someone else’s rulebook, you will love this aspect of startup life. Risk vs. security There is usually more security in a big company than in a startup. Startups can suddenly fail, leaving you with nothing but memories. Big firms are more likely to go down slowly, being bought or merging. Big firms are more likely to have a separation package. But a startup could offer you the chance to get a piece of the company when it’s small, with a big payoff later if it takes off (think Steve Wozniak at Apple). Decide which is more important for you: the startup adventure with its potential big upside, or the security of the well-established firm. Everyone is different We’re all unique, with different personal, financial, and career goals. The perfect fit for your closest friend might stifle or terrify you. Look at yourself, the job and the company, then go for it!

Thursday, May 21, 2020

How To Give Constructive Feedback - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Give Constructive Feedback - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Just as you owe it to people praise them, you owe it to them to provide critique. Face it. People will disappoint you. Regardless of your great example, careful delegation, and optimistic blind hope, people will disappoint. The first rule is to not shoot the messenger when you learn about a problem. You shouldn’t punish the deliverer of bad news. He or she will clam up next time or sugarcoat information, and you’ll end up not hearing about a problem at a time when you could possibly do something about it. Before you find fault, double-check yourself: Are you responding to cronyism or favoritism? Are you looking at all sides? Do you have as many of the facts as possible? Are you being fair? The following steps will help you know when constructive criticism is necessary. 1. Don’t Attack 2. Give it in private â€" in general 3. Avoid being repetitious or nagging 4. Be specific and be brief 5. Explain the consequences of their action The goal is to present the idea that constructive criticism and feedback is the “breakfast of champions.” In reality it is, but in the heat of the moment, it can look like a personal attack if it’s not handled well.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

5 CV tips for graduates entering the tech industry  

5 CV tips for graduates entering the tech industry   The tech sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world; according to the World Economic Forum, at least 133 million new tech-related roles will be generated globally by 2022. Although tech is a booming industry, with ample employment and progression opportunities, the market is experiencing a skills shortage due to the lack of tech professionals able to fill the high volumes of roles being created. So how can you successfully apply for these jobs in the technology sector? Andy Mason is the Director of Mason Frank International, a specialist tech recruiter. Here he shares his insight gained from assisting with the staffing of hundreds of IT projects around the world. The imbalance between open positions and available candidates has made tech a real job seekers’ market. If youre on the brink of graduating and are looking for the ideal graduate position, pursuing a career in the tech world could be a great choice. The sector has a wide range of job opportunities, from computer science based jobs like engineering, software developing, and computer system analysts, to the more business-savvy roles, such as consultants, business analysts, and project managers. There are a variety of advantages to pursuing a career in tech. First and foremost, the national median for starting salaries in the sector is £30,000; a significant jump up from the UK average of £19,000. And according to our  recent survey of software professionals, common perks for tech employees include flexible working hours, bonuses, training opportunities, and access to cutting-edge industry events. Thanks to the massive variety of job types in tech, and the increasing demand for candidates to take on newly created roles, you don’t have to be a computer science major to land a rewarding job in the tech space. You do however, need to be capable of presenting a strong skill-set to get your foot in the door, and set yourself apart from your peers. The obvious and best place to start your tech job search is, of course, with your CV.  Here are five tips to ensure you submit an eye-catching application to kick off your exciting new career. 1. Tailor the resume for each application   No two roles are the same, and using a cookie-cutter approach is a sure-fire way to send your application to the bottom of the hiring manager’s pile. Improve your chances of getting a reply by starting with the job spec and working backward to create your application. Highlight all the essential skills and experience required, as well as proven examples of how youve met the criteria in the past. If you can combine that with a cover letter demonstrating your knowledge of the business, what you can bring to the table, and why you would make a great fit for the team, then there is no reason you wont be considered as a viable contender. 2. Learn the scanning process Contrary to popular belief, your future boss may not be the first person who reads your CV. In most cases, your application will have to endure numerous levels of potential readers before it is even placed in front of the decision-maker.As a modern graduate, youll likely start the applying process online by uploading your CV to a database, where it will be retrieved by a computer and scanned for specific buzzwords that were featured in the original job ad. Next is the screening phase. This will probably be conducted by the companys HR or talent acquisition team, or potentially outsourced to a specialist recruiter. Either way, due to the volume of responses, screeners tend only to scan your CV and will not have the freedom to make assumptions regarding your skills. Very similar to the computer, they will only approve candidates who meet the specific criteria set by the hiring manager. Youll need to ensure the right accomplishments and appropriate skill-set stand out on the page, so th e reader can quickly connect all the dots from the requirements on the job spec to your CV. Try adding a key skills section right at the top of your CV so the reader can quickly pick out relevant skills, and make sure you tailor this section to reflect the job spec in question. 3. Impressing the Decision Maker Your CV will reach the hiring managerâ€"aka, the decision-maker, and potentially your future boss. Unlike the screener, they have the power to bend the rules and make a judgment call on your experience. To impress the decision-maker, focus on your provable accomplishments and what you can bring to the table as a candidate for the role. 4. Present relevant technical skills As a recent graduate, you will be leaving university with a set of refined hard skills and diverse knowledge of the latest trends in technology, making you a valuable commodity for hiring managers. The key to showcasing your technical skill-set is relevance. As mentioned previously, you should utilise the job spec and give examples of how you have demonstrated the required hard skills, then organise them in a way that will appeal to the decision-maker. 5. Understand the role soft skills play Many applicants believe using examples such as problem-solving, time management, and excellent listening skills are generic and irrelevant to the job at hand, especially when it comes to tech-heavy roles. Nevertheless, many tech professionals require a multitude of soft skills to pursue a career within the ecosystem. Almost every IT role relies massively on critical thinkers, the ability to think outside the box, a keen sense of observation, and impeccable patience. The majority of soft skills are transferable from any previous job, regardless of the industry. All you have to do is cherry-pick the relevant skills to the job spec, combine that with your hard skills, and Im sure you’ll ace the screening stage.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

How you can turn any degree into a career in business

How you can turn any degree into a career in business This article was written in collaboration with  EY. Explore internships, industrial placements and graduate programmes at EY by  heading to the Opportunities tab of the Debut app. When people think of the business sector they think it’s full of those with finance, economics or accountancy degrees. Often they think their degree is totally unsuitable, and they don’t stand a chance of making it in such a competitive industry. Well we’re here to tell you the complete opposite is actually true. Companies like EY take on graduates from a huge range of degree backgrounds; what they’re looking for is skills and behaviours, not specific qualifications. To bust some business stereotypes, we spoke to four EY employees about their experiences. Chloe Weaver, Audit Senior, Maria Rodolis, Audit Associate Government and Public Sector, Gemma Stockbridge, Audit Assistant Manager and Alison Coxon, Senior Consultant, sat down with us to discuss their degree background, studying at EY and the skills they use to thrive in their roles. And we mean literally any degree Our four EY employees all studied vastly different degrees, showing just what we mean when we say you can come from any degree discipline. Between them they studied maths, chemistry, history and modern languages, and yet they all ended up working in business with EY. So no matter what you study, if you think you’re not qualified for a career in business or finance â€" think again. Your degree, regardless of its subject, will provide you with a unique skillset that will enable you to thrive, we promise. You’ll be taught from scratch “How am I supposed to work in business when I know literally nothing about it?”, we hear you cry. It’s a good question, but companies like EY have you covered. You won’t just be thrown in the deep end, you’ll study a professional qualification such as the ACA accounting qualification. You’ll be given time to study at college, alongside working, so you’ll be building up a solid bank of knowledge to draw upon in your work. Gemma said: “I was nervous about starting the ACA and whether I would be behind those that had specialised in accounting, but within a couple of weeks any difference had disappeared, as the accountancy training at college was great and the firm was very supportive. I found that the majority of people in my year had not specialised in accountancy and that I was not behind as a result of this.” You’ll be surprised at how many skills you already have So you think you know nothing about business and finance? I can almost guarantee you will already have a whole host of skills which will help you to thrive in a business environment. Here are some of the skills our EY employees transferred across from their degree. Self-motivation “Being able to motivate myself to study, completely self-sufficiently, was a key skill I learnt at university.” Chloe Proficiency in Excel “This was definitely useful to my role in EY”. Maria Professional scepticism “This is key to a successful role in audit and was something I had begun to develop during my history degree through the challenges of sources and fact patterns.” Gemma Communication “Studying modern languages was all about communication both in person and in writing, and with people of different cultures and backgrounds. Communication is just as important to my role at EY, whether I am writing a report for the client or giving a presentation to my team.” Alison The crucial thing to remember is that your degree will have taught you to work and think in ways you won’t even have realised, and you’ll be much more employable in the business sector than you might think. It’s not all about being good with numbers There’s a perception that business is all numbers, numbers, numbers. While being able to analyse data effectively is an important part of the job, there are also much more crucial aspects to the role. According to Gemma, “I think people assume that to have a career in EY you have to be good with numbers and at maths. In reality a lot of the maths is done for you by Excel and it is much more important to be able to spot patterns, build relationships with clients and be able to communicate ideas effectively.” So before you freak about the fact you haven’t done maths since GCSE, remember its not the be all and end all. Diverse backgrounds create better teams So why exactly is it better to have graduates for a wide range of degree backgrounds? To the women we spoke to from EY, the benefits are clear. “Different experiences bring different views and different ways of thinking.” Chloe said, “If everyone has the same background, everyone will have the same way of responding to a challenge variety helps to think outside the box!” Maria went on to explain, “Quality can only be achieved when mathematicians, writers, innovators, technical specialists, linguists and more work together to solve a problem.” Whats more important to EY than the degree that you studied is the skills that you bring with it. Every degree discipline will have equipped you with a wide range of strengths, all of which you will be able to apply to a career in business. So if youre thinking about applying for a role at EY, dont stress too much about your academic background focus on what you can bring to the table and youre sure to go far. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

What we teach girls about careers matters beginning early in their lives

What we teach girls about careers matters beginning early in their lives What We Teach Girls About Careers What we teach girls about careers starts really early. And then continues throughout adolescence. The photo above really captures the problem. While boys are being encouraged to make active career plans for their lives, girls are fed a daily diet of goopy details and minutia about personal care and beauty.  Nevermind where you might work; it’s how you look that matters. Nope. Nope. Nope. This just doesn’t make sense since women now make up 47% of the workforce.  Girls need to be thinking about their careers just as seriously as boys. In this era of opportunity, innovation, and choice of careers, young girls should be given the “career talk” early in their lives by parents. The good news is that ever since Sheryl Sandberg wrote “Lean In” and a furor has grown decrying the lack of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer, and Mathematics), a new conversation is taking place about career tracks and growth. But first and foremost, the what we teach girls about careers discussion needs to take place inside the home. As parents, people have the opportunity to share perceptions of young minds which can help combat some of the stereotypes perpetuated by media. Asking a daughter what types of careers she is interested in, then taking the initiative to open doors which expose her to knowledge and learning in those directions can be a giant step. What we teach girls about careers begins here… by hands-on learning and chances to experience how those careers might fit their interests. The key is to offer very same choice opportunities that boys receive all the time, rather than trying to define what girls “should” or “shouldn’t” become. I am not saying that we need to de-emphasize femininity; I think that by providing different opportunities and messages, what we teach girls about careers can be shifted from a passive, non-important discussion into one that is just as strong and relevant as that of boys. And then maybe, just maybe, magazine covers such as above will be more career oriented versus beauty oriented.

Friday, May 8, 2020

What Should Be On Your Resume?

What Should Be On Your Resume?If you are wondering what to put on your resume, and why you should put what you want on your resume, then this article should be of some help. The first thing you should think about is how long you want to stay in the job. Many people do not put their work history on their resume.Most people get this wrong. People put their job first. They want to remember the salary they received, and all that, but they have their job first. They are more interested in how much money they will get from their job.This is a mistake because it will take you away from your job. It will also leave out everything that could show you are the right candidate for the job.If you are getting offers of jobs every day, it is important to know the most current job openings that are available. You should be aware of any job opening that has not been filled. The last thing you want to do is jump at the first job offer that comes along.When you write your resume you should be able to f ind the information that should be on your resume. If there is something that should be on your resume but is not, you should find out why. You should be able to work around this so that you can concentrate on the work history.When writing your resume, you should also think about how many times you have applied for jobs. You should be able to find out how many interviews you were accepted for. This will help you put more of your experiences on your resume.By taking a little time to review your resume, you will be able to find out more about you. You should also check for errors that you may have made. Even a simple typo can cost you an interview.The information that should be on your resume is already on your resume. In order to see if it is on your resume, you should see what your past employers say about you. You can read these resumes on your company's website or you can find them in a variety of places.