Epic buffalo prank at Zappos - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Epic buffalo prank at Zappos - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog We visited Zappos in Las Vegas last week and saw this epic prank video :) Ever done something like that in your workplace? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Why This Post Isnt About BlogHer

Why This Post Isnt About BlogHer Sun Will Come Out folded card by Everything Little Miss This post was supposed to be about BlogHer. I promised. And Im sorry if you were looking forward to it. I scheduled it into my calendar today, but (a) ran out of time and (b) couldnt wrap my head around it. Right now, I should be making dinner. But I couldnt bring myself to BlogHer or dinner without sitting down and getting this out here, in the open, to you, to me. Long story short? I surrender. I put up my hands. I give up the cape. I wave the white flag. (Insert all other similar analogies here) As it turns out, Im not Superwoman, and it has to be OK right now. I have clients to coach and Spring to co-host and an e-course to launch (in October, we think! stay tuned!) and I. Just. Cant. Do. Everything. Thats not true. I could. I could choose this to keep working this way. That would also be making the choice to be constantly tired, and mostly cranky, and considering a lunch break of more than 30 minutes a rare luxury. And I absolutely, positively go against that choice. Remember when, about 6 weeks ago, I talked all about what was in my head what was making my brain explode how I was totally overwhelmed? After I wrote it I was able to own it, but yet I find myself here. Again. Thank all that is holy that I started working with Thekla again on time management, and really discovering what needs to happen in my business, at this level. Im so, so, so (so! so! so!) very thankful that my client load is at a maximum and the consultation calls continue to roll in, but now comes the part thats even tougher than getting the clients: managing it all. Managing it to my limits, my needs, my energy level,   my expectations what I put on my plate. And the big realization here is that, well, I dont really know what that is. I might think I know, but I dont. And why dont I know? Because Im new here. Its only been 144 days since Ive been a full-time coach, and what I thought I could handle isnt the reality. I am, however, taking notice, am getting a sense now as to how many client sessions I want to conduct each day (3 maximum), and how late is too late for me to coach (9p Eastern), and that I need a Partner in Crime to manage my nudging and billing, which is taking way too much brain power now that Im juggling (heading to spreadsheet, counting, counting, counting) 47 clients. Wait, did I just say 47 clients?! I totally did. Wow. Whoa. And other W words. Yes, Wonderful, too. I honestly didnt realize that, but between my group session clients and my private clients, I have 47 on the current roster. No wonder Im logging about 60-70 hours/week. Ah. And thank the good lord,   Ive already cut off working with new clients til after Labor Day, but maybe I need to extend that date out, too. I promise Ill keep figuring this out, and cluing you guys in, and bringing you along for the ride. The most wonderful piece of all this is knowing that you guys are here for me, supporting me, cheering me on, showing up whether I blog twice a week or two dozen times a week (right?). And dont even think that Ill be neglecting this space at all I love it too, too much. ************************************************************************************************************* Delicious Discount: Get a $25 discount for any $250 purchase from    Tara Sroka all the way through Aug 31st. Affiliate Awesomeness: Khristian A. Howell’s Confessions of a First Timer (get your mind out of the gutter!) is the perfect read for any trade show exhibitor virgin. Get my cult leader Danielle LaPorte’s Digital Firestarter Sessions in your own home, on your own time. Also, Molly Hoyne’s Pay-What-You-Can-Afford Joy Equation is your 30 day guide to Living on Purpose.

Tips For Writing a Cover Letter to Complement Resume

Tips For Writing a Cover Letter to Complement ResumeWriting a cover letter to accompany resume is a practice that you should do in the right way. A good letter or cover letter for an ideal job is your best and the only way to build your resume in its right place. In this process, it is very important to convey your personality to the reader. Here are some tips for you:A cover letter must contain an overview of your personal skills and achievements. This can be done with a few sentences. The first sentence can include some personal and professional experience that you can show the reader. The next paragraph may contain your qualifications, accomplishments and skill. Next to that should contain some details about yourself that can be useful to the reader.The next step for you to take is to introduce your audience. An impressive cover letter for resume will include your contact information such as email address and cell phone numbers. The details must be precise enough to reach the audi ence easily. One must be able to have a few lines where you can ask a specific question. Here is some advice for you to write it.Another important part of writing a cover letter for resume is to find out whether the company has a position where you can apply. This can be done by checking the company's website. Try to find out whether you can be put in the application form or not. Here are some more tips to write it.Another step for you to take is to write a summary of the position you can be offered a good job in. It should include your detailed experience and skills. It should be in a formal and readable manner so that it can be understood by the reader.The third step is to write a letter to the potential employer. This letter should explain how you have met him and how you can help him further his business. The letter should explain your skills, experiences and qualifications in a correct manner so that the reader can know more about your capabilities.A good and effective cover le tter for resume should not be too formal. A lot of times, the reader will just skim your letter and choose the next best one. You should not hesitate to let them know about you and what you can offer them.

How to Ask for a Raise

How to Ask for a Raise A few years ago, you might have been grateful just to have a paycheckâ€"even if it wasn’t as fat as you deserved. Today, you finally have the upper hand again when it comes to asking for a raise. You can thank the rapid improvement in the job market in the last year for that. Unemployment is expected to drop to 5.4% by the end of this year, and 57% of companies say they are worried about retaining workers, up from 20% in 2010, according to PayScale.com’s Compensation Best Practices Report. That’s putting pressure on employers to boost compensation: 82% plan to increase salaries for current employees this year, up from 73% last year, according to CareerBuilder’s latest jobs forecast. “Workers should be feeling pretty good about their chances for getting a raise this year,” says CareerBuilder’s Mary Lorenz. Music to your ears, right? The average worker should see a salary bump of 3%, according to estimations from Mercer’s 2014/2015 U.S. Compensation Planning Executive Survey. But those who are top performers or have in-demand expertise could see their paychecks rise even more. The average boost for the most valued employees will top 5%, according to Mercer. To go from a so-so raise to a big bump up, here’s what you need to do: Get on Your Boss’s Calendar Don’t wait until performance-review time, typically in the spring, to ask for a raise. Not only will you have more competition from coworkers then, but budgets will already have been decidedâ€"which will make it harder for your supervisor to get you more cash even if he or she believes in your cause. Assuming you and your company have had a good yearâ€"the latter also being a mustâ€"schedule a meeting with your supervisor ASAP before your window for the year closes. Sure, even the most confident of workers may find it intimidating to call a meeting with the boss and ask for more money. But the odds are good that your boldness will pay off: A recent PayScale survey found that 44% of people who asked for a raise received what they asked for, and 31% more still got a raise, just less than they requested. Collect Some Evidence In the meantime, to help make your case, gather accolades from the past year. Pull together emails of praise from higher ups, ask happy customers or clients to write testimonials for your work, and make a list of your major accomplishments, quantifying them as much as possible. Bottom-line-focused supervisors will especially want to hear about how you’ve boosted revenue or cut costs. Put a Number On Yourself “It’s important to go in with a number in mind,” says CareerBuilder’s Lorenz. “You should know your value and be able to go in with an idea of what you think you deserve and be ready to explain why.” Your ask should be based around what others are getting, since you’ll shut down the conversation fast if you request a boost that’s out of the ballpark. Start by seeing where your salary falls compared to others in similar jobs with the same skill set and years of experience, using sites such as PayScale.com and Glassdoor.com. Keep in mind that top performers may earn 10% to 15% more than these averages. Put your findings in perspective by determining what’s realistic at your company. If you have a manager you’re close with, a higher up mentor, or a friend in HR, ask for insight on salary ranges for people at your level or on how much the company is budgeting for raises this year on average. If you’re a top performer and can prove it, you should feel comfortable asking for more than the average. Make Your Ask You’ve got your proof and your number, so you’re ready, right? Not quite. Ideally, you’ll want to do a run through of the conversation with someone, since practice will make you more comfortable when you’re in the moment. You might start the conversation something like this: “Hey Jane, my department had a really great year in 2014, and I was hoping to get your feedback, talk about ideas going forward, and discuss my compensation.” Then, dig into your successes. Since your boss may not realize all that you’ve accomplished, you should make him or her aware by pointing out a few key highlights from the “to-done” list you made. You could say, “I don’t know if you’re in the loop on everything I’ve accomplished this year, so I just wanted to point out of few of my biggest successes…” Bring up the testimonials where relevant. Talk not only about your achievements but also about what you are going to tackle next. Your boss is more likely to reward you if you’ve got a plan for what you will do for the company, not just what you did. Have a Plan B The best outcome is a permanent boost in your salary. But if that’s not possible, ask for a bonus. One-time rewards, including spot bonuses and project completion bonuses, are on the rise as more companies worry about retaining employees, the WorldatWork Survey of Bonus Programs and Practices 2014 found. Spot bonuses typically range from $2,500 to $5,000. Be aware that income taxes can lop off up to 40% of the bonus, so ask if your company will “gross up” the reward so you actually get the whole amount. Be Ready to Jump You’re not always going to get what you want. If budgets are tight or layoffs are looming, your manager’s hands may be tied. So you may have to leave to get that raise. But the good news for you is that even in good times, the biggest pay jumps come when you switch to a new job. Job switchers simply have more leverage when negotiating salary, especially since the number of employees voluntarily quitting is at its highest since April 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ quits rate measure. That leaves employers with a lot of empty positions to fill, and they are showing their eagerness to put bodies in these slots: The average wage growth for job changers rose from 4.3% at the start of 2013 to 4.5% at the end of 2014, according to a report by the Kansas City Federal Reserve. So whether you stay or go, the chances are good that you’ll make more money in 2015. Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. More on financial resolutions: 7 Super Simple Ways to Simplify Your Finances in 2015 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Better Credit 5 Career Questions That Will Make You More Successful in 2015 Forget Feel-Good Resolutions! Just Do These 3 Retirement Tasks in 2015

5 LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get You the Job

5 LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get You the Job It’s not a question of whether the hiring manager will look you up on LinkedIn; it is a question of when. If you’re job searching, you have no excuse not to make the absolute best of your online presence. And be proactive. You never know when a potential employer is going to check your profile. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0'); }); Make sure you’re ready to make your best possible first impression. That means no spelling or grammatical mistakes. It also means making sure you’ve taken the following 5 steps.1. You need a summaryIt’s perhaps the most daunting part of the profile, but it’s unfortunately a must. Don’t let your profile look amateur or incomplete. Suck it up and summarize. The upside is you’ll be able to set a tone and shape how your potential employer reads the rest of your materials.2. Maximize the space you haveUse as many of those 2,000 characters as you can. Any space leftover is space wasted unless you squ eeze in a few more important keywords. Beef up your Headline, Specialties section, Job Titles, and Summary with as many hard-hitting keywords as you can.3.  Tell a story with your profileMake yourself the candidate they want to root for. Everybody likes a story, after all. Turn yourself into the most compelling and likeable candidate you can with the tools available to you. Provide much needed context to your bulleted experience list. Endear yourself to hiring managers with tales of how you overcame a challenge, or worked with a team to solve a problem. Be a politician on the stump and watch the votes pour in.4. Make it easy on the eyesTry to avoid huge blocks of text, especially in your summary. Recognize that recruiters are very busy and often don’t have more than a few minutesâ€"even secondsâ€"to spend poring over your materials. Make the information flow in easily identifiable chunks with subheadings and titles and small paragraphs that are easy to digest. They’ll take in mo re information without feeling taxed. More points for you!5. Be out in the openNever make a prospective employer search for your contact info. Make sure it’s prominent and accessible in every place you have a presence, and on every document you send. If they want to reach out to chat with you over the phoneâ€"or better yet, set up an interviewâ€"you don’t want them clicking around trying to find your email address.

When It Comes To Workplace Diversity, Silicon Valley Still Has A Long Way To Go

When It Comes To Workplace Diversity, Silicon Valley Still Has A Long Way To Go The US epicenter of the tech industry, Silicon Valley prides itself in its international reputation as a cradle of innovation. Off-kilter ideas and progressive theories are theoretically celebrated and rewarded here...but the tech sectors hiring practices dont quite reflect this forward-thinking ethos.Revealpublished a study of Silicon Valleys staff demographics, and the region unfortunately still features a lack of a female presence, particularly in leadership roles. As far as ethnic variation goes, white men still dominate the industrys executive positions, and women of color only show up in significant numbers in less-lucrative support roles. Through data-based investigations and interviews with Silicon Valley insiders, Reveal identified factors contributing to techs diversity problem and potential ways to move the industry in a more inclusive direction.Women and people of color are underrepresented a t all Silicon Valley income levels, but particularly in executive roles.Upon publishing the results of their study, Reveal opened with the following very telling discoveryTen large technology companies in Silicon Valley did elend employ a single black woman in 2016. Three had no black employees at all. Six did leid have a single female executive.Reveals study included 177 top tech companies, and their findings about diversity at the executive level showed that a third of Silicon Valley firms lacked any women of color among their upper leadership. They also learned that white men constitute a full 59% of Silicon Valley executives. Also, while Asian employees make up a larger percentage of the Silicon Valley workforce than any other minority group, their representation dwindles at the top echelons, with only 20% of tech executives claiming Asian heritage.Women and people of color are overrepresented in only one tech-industry sector support and customer service.Without question, manage ment and engineering roles in Silicon Valley operate within an established boys club (and, even more to the point, a white boys club). But if you look at the bevlkerung working as administrative assistants, retail associates, and customer service reps, youll see a far different racial and gender-based breakdown, according to RevealFacebook, for instance, had 21 times as many women as men in its administrative support jobs in 2016, a proportion much higher than most other companies that have released their numbers. At the executive level, it was two and half times as many men, according to its EEO-1 report.Upon interviewing some service-level Silicon Valley employees, Reveal learned that upward mobility isnt an easy feat for these hard-working individuals. Angelica Coleman, an African-American executive assistant at Dropbox, told Reveal that she learned to code while working her administrative job and asked her boss for the opportunity to transfer to the design department. However, a nother white manager sat me down, looked me in the eye and told me, If you ever want to be anything other than an admin, you need to go somewhere else. What can Silicon Valley do to fix its diversity problem?Silicon Valleys overly-homogenous population of workers exposes serious problems with the supposedly cutting-edge industrys hiring priorities. However, Reveal indicates that there are actionable steps that hiring managers can take to shift the tech business toward a more inclusive dynamic.First and foremost, Silicon Valley needs to stop making erroneous excuses for its failure to hire a more diverse workforce. Reveal mentions a frequently-cited array ofstudiesindicating a gap between black and Latino college graduates with degrees in computer science and the number of engineering employees of Silicon Valley with similar ethnic backgrounds. Sources involved with Silicon Valley hiring often blame the pipeline between university tech programs and industry recruiters for the lack of diverse candidates, but Carissa Romero ofParadigmquestions this explanation. Usually companies feel like its more of a pipeline problem, but often, the pipeline has more diversity than the current employee population. And thats particularly true when you look at race and ethnicity, Romero told Reveal.So if the pipeline isnt actually presenting a major obstacle, whats actually holding back female candidates and candidates of color? One problematic habit could be the tendency of Silicon Valley firms to value Ivy League educational credentials above proven technical skill, says Karla Monterroso, CEO ofCode2040 Stanford is not a skill. MIT is not a skill. Harvard is not a skill. They have yet to identify the skills that are disproportionately coming from those universities that make them top-tier talent.Silicon Valley isnt hiring minority employees at a representative rate, but other industries certainly are 8 percent of tech engineers in fields like banking, medicine, and education id entify as black, which only 4 percent of Silicon Valley engineers fit into that category. Because of this, UMass Amherst professor Donald Tomaskovic-Devey calls shenanigans on the pipeline mea culpa. If there is a pipeline problem here, it may simply be the failure to build the pipe, he quipped to Reveal.The industry as a whole needs to address its lack of inclusivity in a more direct way, and according to Reveal, a few major companies are taking corrective steps. After receiving a rash of (rightfully) harsh criticisms over its lack of hiring diversity, Facebook implemented specialized training and recruitment programs aimed at students of color, establishing a presence at historically black colleges and schools with high percentages of Hispanic students. Meanwhile, large firms like Paypal, Airbnb and 23AndMe strive to promote a culture of gender equality, and each of these companies currently employs a 40-percent-female staff at the management and executive levels, a sharp increase from the industry voreingestellt of 28 percent. In order to live up to its futuristic and advanced mythos, Silicon Valley needs to lead by example and address its diversity shortcomings with direct and measurable action.

Whispered Best Resume Writing Services Military Retired Secrets

Whispered Best Resume Writing Services Military Retired Secrets Resume writing isnt simple, and there are a number of unique opinions on the best way to do it. If you need a job outside the military, you will have to use different language and even a different format to pull attention. Its hard for a writing service to guarantee you a job as there are many variables that will influence the brde selection. With ur custom made essay offer, you can be guaranteed to find any kind of essay help youre looking for. Best Resume Writing Services Military Retired No Longer a Mystery If youve got an idea what you would like to do in yur post-military life, great When writing your professional military resume, our purpose is to elevate your personal price and make sure you are very competitive. Once youve got a concept of which type of job or industry that you want to pursue, find out more about the skills needed to work in that area. For having that type of attitude, you might lose me ritorious jobs for not trying. When applying for work, its wise to phone beforehand and learn if the business youre applying to scans their resume submissions. Almost all you have to execute is usually to heed all them since they are simply pretty important part of your lifestyle. The details are utilized to pinpoint what each client needs and how they may be helped to finish their mission. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cannot read certain products. How to Get Started with Best Resume Writing Services Military Retired? Utilise the assistance of our service and dont be concerned about how you complete the school. As somebody who makes the decision, youre totally free to look for available feedbacks of a particular service and to pick the business that offers best professional resume services. A superb way to make certain youre dealing with a reliable service is to first check their BBB rating. There are various packages for various s ervices, but regardless of what you need they will help to make your resume much better. Your Military Resume Writer will check with you throughout the resume preparation procedure to make sure your most relevant abilities and qualifications arrive at the forefront. Credentials like the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) may also indicate that a website is legit. Clients have to complete a form. Our customers decide what should or shouldnt be included in the last document. The worst part is that such individuals dont know where they need to seek such guidance, even if theyre from a military intelligence services. As a substitute, a functional resume places the work which most qualifies you for a specific job at the peak of your resume. When you realise that the time isnt enough, you start to work more productively. You need to use that time wisely. For a regular task a provider should undergo a monumental degree of candidates along with their paperwork. In some cases, it will even offer you a money-back guarantee if you dont get sufficient job interviews. Respectable companies even supply you with free resume evaluations. The very best writing businesses wont just utilize questionnaires to develop the resume.