How to Guarantee productive meetings

How to Guarantee productive meetings by Amber Rolfe Ah, meetings…Although they’re an essential part of any smooth-running business, they’re not always done right â€" especially if there’s no clear goal in mind from the outset. Luckily, however, there are a few easy ways to streamline the meeting process, making it far easier to communicate ideas and actually get things done.To make sure your meetings aren’t a waste of time, here are our top tips on how to guarantee productive meetings:  Set an agenda A meeting without a plan will never work.Even if you go into it with the intention of covering all bases, this strategy isn’t guaranteed to make you more productive. Not only will you end up focusing on everything but the key objective, you’ll also get a room full of people on totally different pages.And let’s face it â€" there’s only one possible series of events:1. You’ll try to focus on too many things at once, 2. You’ll realise you should probably cover those topics in separate meetings, an d 3. You’ll give up and talk about the weather for 30 minutes.So to ensure you’re not wasting your time on elevator talk â€" set up a specific agenda in advance, and actually stick to it.This should be detailed but concise, outlining everything the meeting is going to cover, what preparation needs to be done, and what you expect to get out of it.  Make it exclusive  Not every meeting is going to be a good use of your time.That means that whether you’re the organiser or the attendee, it’s vital to understand who actually needs to go.Aside from wasting the time of those who aren’t getting the most out of being there, having too many people in one meeting could also have a negative impact on productivity. After all, a full room only equals less chance of everyone getting a word in, and more chance of people getting bored.So ask yourself whether a person’s expertise is really essential before inviting them, and politely decline any meetings you don’t think you’ll be abl e to add anything to.Remember: catching up on notes afterwards is always an option.  Get a change of scenery When it comes to productive thinking, you need the right setting.And sometimes that isn’t a meeting room. In fact, sometimes it isn’t even sitting down.Stand-up meetings aren’t just a great way of injecting energy into proceedings, they also encourage people to stick to the point, and think faster and more energetically. After all, who wants to stand for an hour of pointless chat?Walking meetings are also popular for one-to-one conversations, and getting out of the office can be a great way to regainJust don’t opt for this format if you’re expecting a large number of attendees. You know, unless you’re cool with playing a long game of Chinese whispers…  Actually start (and end) on time OK, so this may seem obvious â€" but that doesn’t mean we’re not all guilty of it.So don’t be afraid to wrap things up and call people out â€" whether it’s because they’r e still talking five minutes after the meeting ended or are still discussing the weekend five minutes in.Aside from adhering your allocated start and end times, it’s also key to make meetings as long or as short as they need to be. People tend to use the time they’re given, so you might find that you’re able to get just as much covered in a shorter slot.Don’t assume you have to default to 30 or 60 minutes either. Some of the most productive meetings can be just 20 minutes (or even 23, if you’re not adverse to uneven numbers).This could also help to factor in the logistics of back-to-back meetings (e.g. travel, drink top-ups) that are often to blame for late starts.  Switch offTechnology is great, but it can also be distracting.And unless you’re using it to help you run the meeting, phones, laptops, tablets (insert other device here) probably aren’t essential â€" especially if you’re focusing on them more than you’re contributing to the discussion.Not only will you risk missing what you came to the meeting to do, you could also come across rude â€" especially if you’re asking people to repeat themselves every five minutes.So use your time wisely, give the group your full attention, and avoid the temptation to multitask.Your emails will still be there when the meeting ends.Follow upEven the most productive meeting can be sabotaged by a bad ending.You might have covered everything you needed, stuck to the agenda, and come up with a solution. But then the meeting ends, and you all go on with your day â€" with no record of the work you just did.So how can you make sure your meeting has a lasting effect?Firstly, always take notes throughout. This will remind you of what you talked about, influence next steps, and enable those who weren’t at the meeting to catch up.Secondly, create (and email) a clear action plan â€" allocating tasks and next steps for everyone involved. Whether it’s that research needs to be done, clients need to be contacted , or products need to be built â€" there are a number of possible next steps to come out of meetings.You just need to make sure you keep the ball rolling.Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Life At Work Workplace culture

What Does it Take to Be a Good Interior Designer

What Does it Take to Be a Good Interior Designer Being a good interior designer requires a flexible approach, a creative mindset, and an ability to work well with others. Each client will vary in their requirements and budget, so if you wish to work in this field then you’ll need to be adaptable. Here are a few thoughts about what it takes to be an effective interior designer. Be Inspired You have to learn about what style of interior design gets your creative juices flowing. Finding the perfect piece of furniture to fit into a space that matches your planned color scheme is enriching because it brings job satisfaction. And when the client loves it too, it just makes your day. It doesn’t matter whether you’re picking out restaurant furniture like right chairs, tables and counter tops to suit a restaurant refit project, redesigning an office space to make it more inviting, or creating a lounge that’s an oasis of relaxation, being inspired matters. Be an Excellent Communicator Talking with the client about your design ideas and being animated as you do so is important. Your enthusiasm for the concepts for each room in their home or for their business showroom is infectious, in a good way. Despite graphics mockups and illustrations to help them picture it, most clients will only truly get your vision when they see it in person. They need to trust your judgement and roll with ideas that they don’t truly know if they’ll come out to their liking, but still allow you to go ahead anyway. The trick to gaining their trust is partly to communicate your ideas clearly enough that they have confidence in them, and in you. Be Aware of New Design Ideas A good interior designer is aware of new approaches to design that are becoming popular with clients. When the client describes what they’re looking for, the designer has to be able to recognize where their influences are coming from. With this knowledge, they can return with a planned design that considers what is currently popular and put their unique spin on it. Keeping current with new layouts and design ideologies is also helpful to avoid using stale ideas. Home, office and venue design evolves over the years. The perfect layout, use of fabrics, flooring, cabinets and other elements all get updated to match ever-changing tastes. New manufacturing techniques and other modern touches also influence how an interior space can be designed, so a practitioner who is keeping up with style changes has a longevity that an out-of-touch interior designer does not. Be Able to Work Within Different Budgets Not every client can afford the best of everything. A good designer will work within their budget to come up with innovative ideas without leaving them feeling like they’re getting short-changed. Decisions and cuts will be made so you will need to decide where to spend more of the budget and what places to simplify or economize. Certainly, the areas of the home that the occupants spend the most hours each week is a worthy consideration in this respect. Ultimately, it’s your ability to continually come up with interesting concepts that meet the client’s initial brief that will determine your success in this industry. Reputation is everything, so deal with every person in a fair way and produce a polished result to generate excellent and positive word of mouth.

12 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

12 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search Your Linkedin profile  is your shop window to recruiters and potential employers, and the first place which potential recruiters will look when they are considering contacting you. Here are our top twelve tips to make sure your Linkedin profile is found by the RIGHT people: 1. Consider your job seeking objectives Like any social networking medium you need to firstly decide why and how you will use LinkedIn for your job search. Before you can use LinkedIn, you need to have decided on what role you are looking for. It is no good branding your LinkedIn profile for a role within a professional practice if you decide you want to go in-house. 2. No typos, spelling or grammatical errors please You don’t need to tell us that on-line first impressions count just as much as face-to-face first impressions. It’s also even easier to make assumptions about someone or some group when working with them on-line rather than face-to-face. Make sure that your profile as well as being error-free is succinct and articulate. Ideally, spend as much time working on your LinkedIn profile as you would your CV. 3. Who do you want to be seen as? Every time you appear on LinkedIn your headline or personal tag line goes with you. Make sure you brand your headline as what you want to be seen as by the on-line community, and especially potential recruiters. It is better to brand yourself for the job you want rather than the job you have. The reason? Recruiters will often search for a specific job title when looking for potential candidates. 4. Write your elevator pitch The summary box in your profile needs to be your personal elevator pitch but targeted at the people you want to see it â€" i.e. recruiters. Your elevator pitch needs to be why you are different and the value you can bring to an organisation. Make sure you include some of the keywords which recruiters are likely to be searching for. Use the second paragraph â€" specialties, to list your specialties as this is a good opportunity to add in keywords as recruiters search on this section. See more at How to Write Your Elevator Pitch. 5. Public Profile and URLs Fight for the right to have your personal name in your LinkedIn profile URL, i.e. “http://linkedin.com/in/yourfullname.” As well as your LinkedIn URL you need to think about other websites that you want your profile to display. Do take the time to put the actual title of the link in rather than leaving them as ‘My company’ or ‘My website’. For example, instead of ‘My Company’ â€" I have written ‘The Efficiency Coach’. Do include links to any profiles you have on social media sites where you maintain a professional presence. 6. Connect up your social networking presence It is very inefficient to manually update all of your social networking presences. Luckily, Linkedin can be used to connect up all of your social networking presences. The application Blog Typepad can pull in a RSS or atom feed from your blog(s) and twitter feed. If you write a wordpress blog, there is an wordpress application which lets you display your blog on your LinkedIn profile. (Although Blog Typepad will do the same thing for you) 7. Recommendations Most social networking sites have an ability for members to collect recommendations and testimonials. LinkedIn is no different â€" and your recommendations are very prominently displayed. Do take the time to ask your clients and colleagues to recommend you on LinkedIn. For example, after I finish a coaching relationship I ask my client if they are willing to write me a LinkedIn testimonial. A bunch of positive recommendations can often be the deciding factor between being rung up by a recruiter. For more, see How to Get LinkedIn Recommendations. 8. Make it consistent Consistency just like integrity and reliability is very important in the on-line world. Make sure the messages on your website, Twitter biography, (business) Facebook page and other on-line sites you maintain a profile on are all consistent. For example you should use the same avatar for each on-line profile. Recruiters will do on-line searches for you, BEFORE they decide whether to call you. 9. Keywords Search Engine Optimisation is very important on LinkedIn. Annoying, but true I’m afraid. Your profile on LinkedIn is about to become your electronic resume. Therefore, all those keywords which you put in the ‘electronic’ version of your CV needs to be liberally scattered through your profile.  For example, do remember to put an industry in your professional summary because recruiters often use that field to search. More on keywords at How to Make Google Love Your LinkedIn profile. 10. Update your status regularly LinkedIn can be your very own micro-PR machine. I’m not sure how many characters LinkedIn will limit you to on the status update feature. Regardless of how many characters you are allowed; regularly tell potential employers and recruiters what you have achieved, or are doing in the course of your normal working life. For example, tell people about great client wins, new recommendations, product or service launches, networking meetings you are attending. Recruiters are looking for evidence that you are keeping your LinkedIn profile active and up to date. Do remember to update the content in your LinkedIn profile regularly. For example, you should refresh your profile at least once a quarter. You are more likely to show up in the LinkedIn updates if you regularly update your status and general profile. If you are actively (and openly) looking for a new role, then sprinkle your updates with phrases such as this: “Sam is looking for a new senior audit manager position in London. Who do you know who may be hiring?” “David is ready for his next senior interim HR generalist position. Who can you introduce me to?” 11. Add more content Boringly you will achieve more with LinkedIn the more content rich you make it. So do use the experience section to explain what each company you worked for did and what you did there. Remember to include any board, advisory or voluntary positions. For the qualification section, do add in context to each qualification you quote, such as why you went there and what value it may or may not bring to your professional or business life. 12. Make sure you are open for business If you are on LinkedIn and using it to look for a job you DO want to be found. Common sense really! Make sure you contact settings are set to include, career opportunities, consulting offers, new ventures, job inquiries, reference requests. Make sure your profile is public, and as suggested earlier, customize your public profile URL so that it contains your name. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Why GDPR and GDPR-Compliance Matters

Why GDPR and GDPR-Compliance Matters The GDPR, short for General Data Protection Regulation, is set to take effect in just a matter of weeks. Come May 25, recruiters around the world will need to take into account a new set of rules regarding the storage of EU-citizens’ personal data in ways not everyone is excited about. When it comes to compliance, especially the topics and who and why there is a lot of info out there. As a result, it can be confusing to understand who needs to comply and why compliance, in general, is important. Working with any identifiable data from EU citizens makes you susceptible to the GDPR Regardless of your stance on the subject, GDPR is here to stay, making compliance with it essential for the recruiters it involves. While not every recruiter will be affected by the GDPR (namely, those that work exclusively with personal data from non-EU citizens), those that are should prepare themselves ahead of time in order to avoid the headaches and potentially costly consequences of non-compliance later on. Compliance is an ongoing process, not just an updated ToS In a recent study by Lever,  73% of those polled stated that their company hired legal advisors to help create new internal guidelines and policies in order to meet the requirements of the GDPR. Chances are, you’ve seen one of the byproducts of this legal work in the form of updated Terms of Services and blog posts confirming the company’s compliance. While updating your ToS is definitely a necessary step in the process, being GDPR-compliant means adapting to a more intentional and minimalist form of data collection (a practice aptly-named data minimization). Knowing what kind of personal data you need to complete a task and safely deleting data when it is no longer relevant are arguably the key points of the GDPR. Additionally, compliance is about keeping your candidates and applicants in the loop, making sure they are aware of what personal information you currently have and what you’re using it for. For ongoing projects, such as email marketing campaigns, it is important to periodically re-obtain consent from recipients. Non-compliance can be costly and potentially business-ending Chapter 8 of the official GDPR document describes the conditions and penalties of non-compliance, including: Fines up to 20,000,000 EUR, or 4% of a company’s worldwide annual revenue Potential payments for damages to the victims of any data breach resulting from non-compliance Reprimands and other official reputation-damaging statements Additional penalties from the specific nation in which non-compliance occurred Penalties for non-compliance will be determined by a supervisory authority and will reflect the circumstances in which non-compliance occurred, with intentional offenses being more harshly penalized than accidental incidences. Though it is unlikely that accidental non-compliance would result in the maximum fine, the best way to avoid penalties is to be proactive and vigilant with regards to compliance. The GDPR is retroactive, meaning that on May 25, companies and organizations are liable for compliance with all of the private data they have on EU citizens, regardless of when it was acquired. CATS Software recently released an infographic, covering four best practices to implement ahead of the GDPR. Infographic courtesy of CATS Software, Inc. The GDPR isn’t just a law, it’s a response. GDPR brings about an inconvenient but necessary change in the way we store personal data. According to the Breach Level Index, there were more than 1,700 known data breaches worldwide in 2017, the vast majority of which (92%) being the result of a “malicious outsider.” The GDPR was created as a response to the continuous problem of data security. It is an attempt to learn from the Equifax, eBay, Target, and countless other data breaches and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the EU. For recruiters, it is important to embrace and adapt to the guidelines put forth by the GDPR not just out of necessity but to instill confidence and trust in candidates and applicants in your dedication to the safety of their data. About the author: Jt Fels is a writer and editor based in Minneapolis, MN. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

UX Designer CareerMetis.com

How to Transition from Web Designer to UI/UX Designer Source â€" Freepik.comAs a web designer, you are probably already aware that UI/UX designers are currently amongst the most in-demand professionals in the market.It’s predicted that, in the U. S. alone, there will be more than 3.000.000 new jobsfor these professionals over the course of the next decade. Salaries are generally very decent in this field, with an average annual compensation exceeding $73 000.Looking at the career perspective and the salary, it’s normal that many web designers want to transition to this field. But how to actually transition over can be a challenge if you aren’t prepared.evalIn this post, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide that can help you on your journey to becoming a UI/UX designer.Things to consider before you make the moveEven though this is a popular field, it’s not a profession for everyone. UX design is about understanding how users perceive a product, how they interact with it, and the underlying psychology behind every interaction wit h a website/app. Unlike web design, it focuses far less on the technical execution and keeping up with the web landscape.This means that you need to be prepared to work with different people and to master skills like collaboration, communication, and understanding.Try to get in touch with somebody who has made this same transition â€" you might already know someone, but if you don’t, you’ll be sure to find them in online communities like Reddit, Quora, UX Stack Exchange, etc. Hearing their process and personal experiences will give you valuable insight to inform your decision.Finally, you should ask yourself whether you still find your current work meaningfuland would it change if you would make this career switch?Namely, career switching often demands a lot of extra work and learning so having the right motivation to do it can be a game-changer.1) Find the area that suits you bestevalUX is a broad termand there are various specializations you can, according to your affinity, ch oose. The general UX designer role combines user research, UI design, usability testing, information architecture, and others. But you can begin by specializing in a domain whereyour current skills can be of most value and then learn other things as you go.evalChoosing a narrow area from the start will help you remain focused and make the career switch much smoother.2) Determine the skills you can build onSource â€" Unsplash.comOnce you’ve determined the road you’re going to take, the next step involves a bit of self-assessment. You want to unveil the skills and experiences you possess which are going to be relevant and perhaps even fundamental in this new career path.The skills you have acquired as a web developer can be a great asset for your new career. Fortunately, there are many overlaps between web developing and UX design. Most web developers have already worked front-end development and visual designs of websites. Some, even, worked user research and testing, so it shoul dn’t be that hard to catch up.3) Get the necessary educationSource â€" Freepik.comThis doesn’t mean you’re obliged to get a formal education. In fact, you don’t need a degree to land a UI/UX designer position. However, this also does not mean that the knowledge will fall from the sky straight into your head. Some professionals suggest that you need 10.000 hours of learning UXtechniques, but this is obviously going to vary from one individual to another. Here are some things you will need to master:Human-centered design and basic design approaches.The general theory of design, which includes typography, color theory, and Gestalt principles.Design patterns are very useful for beginners in this field. For every problem that pops into your head, some designer before you has already had a solution.The principles of taxonomy and hierarchy You can find both online and printed resources for all of these basics. But if you are not confident in your ability to learn them on your own a nd would prefer the guidance of a mentor, it’s best to take a specialized course.You can try popular online learning platforms such as Udemy or Coursera, which offer some great courses.4) Get adjusted to prototyping for UXAs a web developer, you probably already have some experience with prototyping, but it is not the same as the UX field. Here, you will need to focus on constant iterations instead of creating the final product. The habit of creating sketches of your ideas can help you fill in the gaps, but you should also use a digital prototyping tool.5) Practice the new skills before officially making the switchevalReading and studying the basics is a great place to start, but you’ll need to get some real practical experience in the field. You can even find some opportunities to practice in your current workplace. For example, take your current projects and try to figure out which improvements you can make to the front-end, from a UX perspective. You can also ask to take part in a UX-related project at your workplace.6) Be open to criticismTo see how you are doing, you need to seek feedback from experienced UX designers. You have to make mistakes in order to learn, but you’ll need to find someone who can point them out to you and steer you in the right direction. Don’t shy away from criticism. Also, ask opinions from real users and observe how they are interacting with your designs.7) Create a design portfolioWhen hiring UI/UX designers,recruiters look at two things: professional experience and portfolio. The former, you don’t have, at least not in this field, but the latter can be made. Here are some pointers for creating an impressive portfolio:Consider the portfolio as evidence for every claim you’ve made on your CV about your skills and capabilities. So for example, if you state that you know Information Architecture, make sure to present the projects where you can back this up, and include site maps, content audits, etc.Don’t try to cram in everything you’ve done, but only your best work. Include the projects you did for practice and try to choose the ones that showcase a wider skillset. You want to give a holistic picture of your abilities and creativity through the content you present. Don’t only show pictures and the final designs. Show the process of your work. By showing how you got to the final design, from start to finish, you’ll be telling a story through your work and prove that you understand what you’re doing.Give information about projects, including target audience and context. You want to show through your work how you contributed to the overall project. Highlight the biggest challenges of the project and the solutions that have brought you to the final outcome.Don’t wait for the opportunities to find youThe best way to find a job in this field is to connect with people from the industry. You can do this by visiting local UX events, finding professionals on LinkedIn, or choosing some establis hed experts and following them on social media.ConclusionSource â€" Freepik.comWeb development and UI/UX design are related fields, so moving from one to another shouldn’t be difficult.evalIf you have decided to make the switch, you need to be aware that learning will not only take time, but it will take forever, as it is a constantly evolving discipline. However, it is also a rewarding one.

recommended linkedin profile writers

Use LinkedIn’s company pages to learn what products they sell. Read industry related blog posts and articles from Alltop.com. Join industry specific groups on LinkedIn and see what people are talking about.Bottom line: Be curious about them, their company, and their industry.Step 3: Informational InterviewDon’t skip this. If you do, then you’ll be like those other 118 job seekers competing for the positions you want.A great tool for finding informational interview sources are your college alumni. Visit LinkedIn’s Alumni Search Tool, and use it to identify 3-5 potential alums working in the industry or company you are targeting.Using one of my LinkedIn inMail scripts, or one from 100 Conversations for Career Success, request informational interviews from these non-decision makers.When your profile is targeted and well written, those info sources are more likely to take you seriously and agree to the meeting.Step 4: Query the Decision MakerGoing back to the list of target compa nies from Step 1, then do an advanced people search to find decision makers.In LinkedIn’s home page, click the word Advanced next to the top search barEnter one of the companies on your target listEnter the job title of someone is a position to hire you, like VP or manager (be sure to select Current)Find 2-3 possible contacts, read their profiles and join their groups before inMailingBe prepared when you send these emails. Read my post, “4 Essentials for Reaching out to Strangers on LinkedIn.”Go for the off-line meeting right away, and never presume that you are a good fit. The reason for your call with them is to see if you might be a good fit.When your inMail demonstrates you’ve done your homework and you won’t be wasting their time, and your profile is relevant to them, you’re very likely to get a positive response.Now YouThe name of the game is networking. It has always worked. It will continue to work. It worked for blog reader Kathy when she got her dream job durin g the height of the recession in 2009.It will work for you now.But you can’t do any of this if your profile isn’t in tip-top shape.Overwhelmed? Here’s Good NewsWriting about yourself is hard. When I wrote my book, Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, I got done with 360 pages of great content, but had trouble writing the two paragraph bio!(I admit, I hired a writer to get me unstuck.)That’s why I’m really excited about my LinkedIn Profile Writing Service. I’ve recruited and trained some of the most experienced LinkedIn profile professionals in the country, and then made the service half of what other profile writer’s charge.I offer a 30-day no-questions-asked guarantee. So if you don’t like the work I’ve done for you, just let me know. If you do like the work, then expect your career to take a turn in the right direction.This is a no-risk opportunity for you.Click below to find out more about this service.This is the third post in a three-part series about LinkedIn.Part 1: Why You Should Use LinkedIn Like Your Career Depends on ItPart 2: Who LinkedIn is for, and Who it isn’t ForPart 3: 4-Part Strategy: How to Use LinkedIn to Get the Job You Want

How To Write User Stories On Resume

How To Write User Stories On ResumeIf you are a writer, you have probably considered the many different ways to write user stories for resumes. A lot of people use them as a way to start their resumes, but it is really important to note that these types of notes can be very helpful in terms of generating better resumes. User stories can be very good for starting a new career path or finding a new job, so think about how they could help you.When you are going to create a person's resume, you need to include plenty of information that will show why you are the perfect candidate for the position. This is one of the most important aspects of a resume, and this fact applies to story writing as well. It is great to write a personal letter of introduction or a detailed resume, but not all of this information can be included in the one document. When it comes to a resume, you really need to include a section of information that can tell others about who you are and what you can do for a comp any.By writing your own user stories, you can put your individual personality into it. You can take some of the best parts of your resume and incorporate them into these stories. By doing this, you will also get a chance to add information about yourself that you would not have had if you had not written the story yourself. What could be more professional than that?If you are wondering if you should include your personal work history into the resume itself, then you may want to consider it. There are times when the company may need to check your references, and this will allow them to see how you have handled other situations before they hire you. This is especially true for those that work for large corporations or work for large companies.If your resume is going to go online, then you will need to include information on each of your projects. The reason you need to include this information is because it is so easy to make an error with an online resume. Even if you have proofread it, there are some companies that allow their workers to do so by word of mouth.Not all writing of user stories should be used for resume purposes. A lot of writers tend to put too much information into their resume. The more you put into it, the easier it will be for the employer to look past what you are telling them. They will also not know what to ask you about during the interview.Another tip that is a great idea when you are writing user stories is to make them more fun. As a writer, you probably love to tell stories, so try not to lose your voice. Try to incorporate this information into the content of the resume, while still keeping it lively. People will enjoy reading it if it is enjoyable and can relate to you.If you are a beginner at the job search, it can be a little overwhelming at first. However, you can still take advantage of the benefits of writing user stories, which can help you craft a great resume. Not only are they an effective way to build a resume, but they c an also provide a lot of information about who you are and what you can do for a particular company.