Tailoring Your Onboarding Strategy for Different Types of Learners

Tailoring Your Onboarding Strategy for Different Types of Learners Let’s face it… in the war for talent, it’s a candidate’s market. While unemployment figures remain high, employers looking for candidates with unique and hard-to-find skill sets will always know the ideal candidate’s value to their company, and the monetary losses they face if the job goes unfilled. The impetus then falls on the employer to ensure that once those choice candidates are found, they want to stay. The onboarding process plays an important part in assimilating new employees into the company. This is when new hires learn about the company, its employees, culture, products, processes and where they fit in. Failing to convey the right information, bring the new employee up to speed and make them feel welcome can be the difference in them flourishing with the company for years to come, or being onboarded by another company a few weeks later. While your onboarding process may be comprehensive and cover all the bases, not every candidate learns the same way. As if management’s job isn’t difficult enough, employers must ensure they’re reaching each new hire, regardless of their learning style. Delivering the right information isn’t sufficient; how it’s delivered can determine whether or not it reaches its intended audience. Let’s look at the different learning styles and how, in the case of new employees, each will most effectively process information. Visual Learners Visual learners learn by seeing and visualizing ideas and relationships. These employees will benefit most from charts, diagrams and photos in a PowerPoint presentation incorporated into your onboarding process. Any handouts you provide will also be useful, as visual learners may be inclined to circle, highlight or otherwise mark up anything of importance in order to remember it. On the other hand, these individuals will be least responsive to listen-and-respond situations. Auditory Learners Auditory learners process information by hearing it, and often repeating it to themselves or others. These new hires will benefit from lectures, storytelling or word association â€" anything that involves listening. Also, following up with a group discussion or question-and-answer session will further allow them to excel. This type of learner, however, will not respond as well to visual presentations and notes. Reading / Writing Learners This group of learners is self-explanatory. They learn best not when seeing or hearing, but when interacting with the information by reading or writing it. While information may be introduced in visual or verbal form, reading/writing learners will internalize it if given a handout in advance so they may follow along with the presenter, or if given a quiz or questionnaire after the presentation. Even without these, they will most likely take extensive notes throughout the onboarding process. Kinesthetic Learners Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They’re not satisfied sitting and watching or listening; they want to experience the information. These new hires will get restless quickly in lengthy presentations. They will benefit most from touring the office, participating in group activities and challenges, shadowing other employees and throwing themselves into the mix to discover their role in how the company functions. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.” He was obviously a kinesthetic learner. For new employees, the learning curve starts the minute they begin the onboarding process on day one. For employers, however, there’s no way of telling how each new employee most effectively processes new information. Therefore, it’s necessary to ensure that employers reach all learning types with their onboarding message. Employers who recognize the different ways in which individuals learn and process info will eventually see results in the form of a shorter onboarding process and a quicker ramp-up time leading to employee productivity. Image: Shutterstock

Easy Tips For Writing a Handyman Resume

Easy Tips For Writing a Handyman ResumeWriting a handy man resume is not a difficult task. In fact, when you have some handyman skills in the past, it will serve as an added attraction to your resume. Most of the resumes with hard-working and problem-solving skills come through. But before you begin creating your resume, you need to do some research about the type of person you want to be remembered as.First of all, the type of people you want to reach can be determined by the work environment that you have been to. For example, if you have been to a company that is designed for businesses, then this will serve as a guide. If you are a handyman, then you will not look good if you came to a company that only provides building materials. So you need to have some idea about your specific field to get started. In fact, you should even do more research before you start writing a handyman resume.Second, you should consider the previous work experience you have. It can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your future goal. To make a good impression, you need to have the right skills to be able to meet the expectations of the employer.Third, when it comes to your resume, you need to have reliable references. They can be a real help when it comes to writing a handyman resume. You can search online and get references from different websites. Since these references are real people who have applied for this job before, you can have a good base to go on from.Fourth, even though you are going to apply for this job, make sure that you really are going to submit it. If you have experience, then it may just not be worth your time to apply. With a lot of people applying, you may just end up wasting your time.Fifth, if you have any handyman skills in the past, include it. This is one of the best ways of showing how serious you are about getting the job. Besides, there are still many companies that will hire someone who has this kind of skill. The thing is, they will pay fo r it because they know that you have the skills to be able to fix their broken or missing tools. Some companies will also give you an additional bonus for this.Writing a handyman resume has only two sides to it. The good thing is that you can put it in your own words. Because you can write it yourself, you can customize it according to your preferences. It is one of the best ways of writing a resume because you have the liberty to write whatever you want and get hired on your resume.So remember, it is not a hard job to write a handyman resume. In fact, if you have some personal experiences in doing handyman jobs, you can add them to the resume to make it more convincing.

Less Stress, Better Interview

Less Stress, Better Interview Congratulations â€" you finally landed the big meeting.   The only thing standing between you and the job of your dreams is a successful interview.   If the thought makes you a little queasy, you might be feeling the pressure of facing a meeting that has to go right.   Even if you have all the right qualifications for the job, stress can sabotage your poise and cost you opportunities.   Here are some tips for relieving stress before an interview. First, make sure you are comfortable with the logistics.   Use an online mapping service to confirm the location of your meeting and get directions.   Think about traffic patterns during the time of day you’ll be traveling, and make sure you plan for plenty of time to get to your destination nothing is more stressful than running late. You might also take a test drive to your location before the interview.   Look for possible parking spots; if you don’t see any, call the company and ask the receptionist where you might park the day of your interview.   If you’ll be facing street parking, make sure you have a supply of quarters with you for meters. You can also take action to make sure that you are at your best as you prepare for the interview.   Try on the clothes you plan to wear the day before the meeting â€" including shoes.   If there is anything that doesn’t fit or is uncomfortable, you can fix it early.   Be sure to iron your outfit the evening before; if there is a missing button or other repair needed, you won’t have to deal with it at the last minute.   Check your shoes for shine and your hose for runs.   These seem like small details the night before, but they can be very stressful at the last minute on the morning of your meeting. The more prepared you are, the better you’ll sleep. Speaking of sleep, do everything you can to get close to eight hours the night before.   Not only will you be more alert for your interview, you’ll also look better.   Bright eyes and a relaxed smile are must-have accessories for an important meeting. If you have techniques for relaxation at your disposal, this would be a good evening to use them.   Meditation, a warm bath â€" any nighttime ritual that helps you relax will be beneficial. Being prepared for the interview is one of the best stress relievers.   Spend some time researching the company   and the person who will be doing your interview. A Google search on the company name may turn up news on expansion plans, new products or services or relate the business to some larger industry trend.   A search on the interviewer may turn up a presentation in which she talks about particular challenges in hiring or doing business.   Research can help you break the ice at the beginning of your meeting or help you answer a challenging interview question.   Don’t forget to review your answers to standard questions as well. Think about what you might say about your background or why you want to work for the company in light of what your research uncovered. Finally, take a few well thought out accessories with you.   Place a couple of extra copies of your resume and references in a portfolio, along with a pen. If you have a “cheat sheet” that lists your previous employers and dates, bring it along as well.   You may be asked to fill out an application before the interview. Write down the name and title of the person you’ll be asking for at the front desk, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting or mispronouncing her name if you get nervous.  As you get ready for sleep the night before, visualize yourself answering questions with confidence and getting an offer.   Experts believe that visualizing success is one of the ways you can influence outcomes.   Practice smiling.   You can make yourself feel more confident simply by arranging your face in a relaxed and confident expression.   You’ll also have a positive effect on your interviewer, helping him enjoy your conversation more.   Confidence and enthusiasm are contagious â€" and they can give you the edge over other candidates as you compete for your next position.

Speaking as an Expert Makes You One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Speaking as an Expert Makes You One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I had been writing for seven years before I finally decided to call myself a writer. Even so, I was unsure. I wasnt A Writer. I was an Oh, Im also a writer. . .? (You know that annoying way people put the question mark at the end of a statement? I did that for three more years.) But now, 24 years after I started writing, I finally achieved what I consider to be my capstone accomplishment as a writer: I gave a keynote speech about writing to 150 bloggers. It wasnt the books Ive written that I consider my crowning achievement. It wasnt the newspaper columns, plays, speeches, or even the blog posts Ive written.   It was the speech itself. Because even after 24 years of being a writer, there was still a small part of me that questioned whether I was really a writer. Even after 24 years of being a word slinger, I still worried that someone could cast doubt on my self-proclaimed title. By giving the day two keynote at Blog Indiana though, I was able to plant that flag in the sand and could stop anyone from taking it away from me. After all, if I stand up in a room full of people and declare myself to be an authority on something Ive done for over two decades, then I must be a really-and-for-true writer, right? Hell yeah! I had never felt more like a writer than I did when I was finished. So heres the lesson I want to share If you want to be the smartest person in the room, if you want to be the authority, if you want people to mention your name as the expert about a topic, speak about it. A lot. Not just once at your local Toastmasters group, or to the local I dont get it nonprofit charity group. Attend a conference in your field, and speak about an industry niche or specialty. If youre a librarian, talk about how social media is changing reading habits of patrons. If youre in sales, talk about how referral networking leads to better results than cold calling. If youre in publishing, talk about how ebooks are changing traditional publishing. If you talk about a topic enough times â€" assuming youre also blogging about it, guest blogging, and writing for industry journals â€" you will soon be the expert on that topic. It will be your name that everyone bandies about when that topic comes up for discussion. If youre not a public speaker, learn how. Join a Toastmasters group and start learning. Once you complete your Certified Toastmasters (CTM) program, offer to speak for free to small community groups and at special events. Get several of those under your belt, then speak at industry conferences. Take advantage of every speaking opportunity you can. Every time you do this, promote your talk to your social network so they can see youre a speaker. Take some photos and then write a follow-up blog post about your talk. Whenever possible, get videos to put on your website as further proof of your speaking ability. Of course, this means you have to have the goods â€" the actual knowledge you profess to own. Dont get up and  BS your way through a presentation, counting on basic, scant knowledge to skate you past a bunch of people who actually do know better. Theyll see right through you and youll lose any credibility you had built up to that point. So get educated about your biggest passion and start telling as many people about it as you can. Its a great way to build your personal brand, and put that final stamp of expertise on what you do. Author: Erik Deckers is the co-owner of Professional Blog Service, and the co-author of Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself. His new book, No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, which he wrote with Jason Falls, will be released in October 2011.

How to Write a CV for the First Time

How to Write a CV for the First TimeIf you are reading this then you are probably wondering how to write a CV for the first time. A lot of people have trouble with writing them, or may even be having some difficulty with it now and I'm going to share with you how to do it.Firstly it's important that you know what a CV is and how to write one. I am not going to go into great detail on this so if you are interested in learning more about this topic you should read our post on it: Introduction to CVs.The question I'm most often asked when starting out with CVs is whether or not they are just a resume and why. Well, the short answer is yes. But they are also a way of showing employers that you have actually made an effort and have put in the hard work to make yourself available to them.So now you have the question on how to write a CV, it's very important that you pick up your pen and start writing. The next question is which method should you use?Firstly I would say that the biggest pro blem with resumes is not knowing where to start. It doesn't matter if you use MS Word, Microsoft Word or just plain old Word, you need to start by deciding which question you want to answer.If you are struggling to think of questions to answer this might be because you don't know where to start, the best way to go about this is to write down all the questions that you have and then simply looking for them in the list. A lot of people struggle to find their CV questions but don't worry it's not difficult and you will get there in time.The second thing that I would recommend is that you start by figuring out what type of CV you are going to be writing. This is not always as easy as it sounds but once you have you should easily get it.As you can see the method I used was a bit more advanced than the other methods out there. You should start off writing a CV and then pick and choose to write the more in depth sections of it. Once you get your head around the structure then I'd suggest t hat you move onto the more advanced methods.

5 Reasons Why Your Performance At Work Is Declining CareerMetis.com

5 Reasons Why Your Performance At Work Is Declining â€" CareerMetis.com In a world where high-demand is a common ingredient in daily life and working performance is expected to be top-notch, many people are suffering from the struggles of keeping a balanced working life with their personal time, thus, in many cases, leading to serious health issues for not taking into account the amount of stress we put in our lives.Regardless of what people may think of what is healthy or not for a working environment, 5 crucial factors can be killing your overall performance, and we are going to cover them in detail in this article.1) Not Sleeping EnoughevalWhile many of you can relate to the scenario in which not sleeping seems like the solution for meeting up with a huge workload, actually is the very first cause of why so many works are being held behind.Studies show that people that sleep less than 6 hours a day are prone to suffer from cardiac illnesses, anxiety, depression, diabetes, not to mention chances of becoming an overweight person are twice what could be expected for an average person.The reason for these elements to occur is related to our metabolism, which is severely affected by switching shifts or reducing the sleep time needed per day. Alterations in metabolism due to poor sleeping can be acknowledged in less than a week of sustained habit, requiring in some cases professional help to counter side effects like gastritis, insomnia or anxiety attacks.2) Lack of a Proper ScheduleAnd behind the lack of adequate sleep time comes the sole reason why people are constantly delayed with work: they simply don’t build up a schedule.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comWith milestones to meet, reunions to attend, time to study or put to practice newly acquired skills, it’s important to track down all the activities to fulfill during a day as to prevent not only losing time in unimportant activities but also to remember everything that should be done in a day.3) RelationshipsBy this, we are not only referring to personal relationships as what cou ld be coupled but also working relationships. People that are constantly exposed to stress, in most cases, happen to be suffering from stressful relationships with their bosses, co-workers, and taking that amount of stress to their household.Photo Credit- Pexels.comRemember that attitude is the first step towards a top-notch working performance. In case you have differences with your boss, it is best to sit down and talk about a way in which both of you can manage to achieve the goals the company has without compromising, even more, your personal relationship as part of the organization itself. A discouraged employee won’t be able to deliver the same energy to the working environment as a person who feels the work that is doing as their project.4) Lack of ExerciseevalThere is a well-known link between a sedentary lifestyle and a good amount of health issues, and besides those who can define themselves as couch potatoes, people happen to fall under the claws of a sedentary lifestyl e out of lack of time for doing the needed exercise time a day.Motivation is a factor of course, as people that are suffering from financial inconveniences won’t be feeling driven to take sport as an activity in contrast which what happens to successful business entrepreneurs; however, there is important to not take lack of exercise as just another element to add to your list of pending things to do â€" by doing 45 minutes of intensive walk sessions a day you most likely feel renewed energies by the end of the week.5) Distractions, Distractions and More DistractionsNot every single person that quotes distractions as the reason why their performance is struggling has ADHD. The most common distraction to take into account for the past 5 years is social media and mobile phones, thus the reason why they are banned in many working environments.Nevertheless, there are other important elements to consider in our working environment that can lead to distractions:Loud conversations.Music.L ack of proper working space.Phone calls.Outside factors: urban noise.Uncomfortable working furniture.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comevalIn case you wish to help your overall performance, do sit down and track the elements you consider might be taking your focus from the work to get done.If the factors are strictly your responsibility â€" like losing time in chit-chat or social media â€" then it is time to consider new habits; if, on the other hand, is related to your current working conditions, then politely approach your bosses and talk about what could be done and how can you help to fix this situation.Not only you are showing interest in doing a better job, but also you are acknowledging your current limitations â€" an A+ score for projecting a professional image with your boss.

Open Source Car - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Open Source Car - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog The OScar Project is an attempt to design a car using an Open Source, web-based approach. Anybody can contribute to the concept and design at the website. I loved this quote from the site: You cant treat a car like a human being. A car needs love. Walter R?hrl 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

Do You Need More Reasons to Enhance Your Online Profile -

Do You Need More Reasons to Enhance Your Online Profile - Photo by Turbo Because every bunnys doing it?   I couldnt resist the pun when I found this image on flikrIn all seriousness, I read yet another reason to update your linkedin profile and focus on your social network Yesterday, my cyber-friend, Chris Russel at Secrets of the Job Hunt, blogged about a recent survey developed by Robert Half International. An independent research firm interviewed 150 senior executives from the nations 1,000 largest companies.   They asked executives: Which of the following technology tools do you believe will be most useful in your firms recruiting efforts in the next three years? The responses: Professional networking sites (such as Linkedin).62% Social networking sites (such as Facebook or MySpace ).35% Video resumes..20% Second Life..7% None of these..15% Other/dont know. 10% * Multiple responses were allowed. (For the record, both Chris and I were surprised at the 20% figure for video resumes, as our experience is that they are not widely used.) Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of Job Hunting For Dummies, noted, Tried-and-true methods such as networking at industry events, submitting well-written resumes and cover letters and diligently following up with hiring managers are still essential to landing the ideal jobCombining personal and online networking offers the best of both worlds. I love to quote experts who agree with advice Ive been giving for years! Follow this link for tips to get your social network going. For suggestions to improve your linkedin profile, click here. Follow this link  to read our advice regarding networking in general. Keppie Careers will help you enhance your linkedin.com profile.   Email us at results@keppiecareers.com for more information about our high quality, affordable services.