Aug 29 2012
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| Habla Espanol? | |
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Do you speak more than one language? If you want to get ahead you should.
The demand for multilingual skills for global leadership candidates has more than doubled going from 10% in 2011 to 23% in 2012 according to a recent study by AMA Enterprise. Among the companies surveyed 14% said they only hire managers who have “basic spoken competencies” in multiple languages. The good news is that many companies are willing to help you become multilingual. In fact, 23% of study respondents said they provide reimbursement for language training for all employees. Fifteen percent said they provide reimbursement to employees considered to be “high-potentials” and only 4% said they don’t provide any resources for their employees to learn another language. English is still considered the language of business around the world. However, companies are realizing that that may not be the case in the future according to Sandi Edwards, SVP for AMA Enterprise. So if you have any ambition to work in the global arena it’s time to add multilingual to your skill set. |
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| General | |
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| posted by arichmond at 09:38 | permalink | trackbacks [2] | |
Aug 16 2012
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| Don’t Sabotage Your Job Search | |
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Over the years, I’ve talked to a lot of recruiters. Some have been casual chats. Others, like my Meet the Recruiter Series, have been in-depth interviews. We even surveyed a bunch of recruiters earlier this year.
And the one thing they all say is that if you are looking for a job you need to have a professional online presence. LinkedIn absolutely, but don’t stop there. Don’t forget about other social media like Twitter and Google+ as well. Despite our current economy there are jobs out there. Many recruiters are actively searching for candidates online every day. So be there or beware. You may be sabotaging your own job search. |
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| Job Search | |
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| posted by arichmond at 10:58 | permalink | trackbacks [65] | |
Aug 10 2012
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| Career Path Leads to Happiness | |
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Working at something you love doesn’t necessarily lead to job satisfaction. You need to have a career track too. It seems that people who have a defined career path at work are more satisfied than those who don’t, according to a recent survey by Accountemps.
In fact 54% of respondents said that having a clear idea of how to get ahead was very important, 31% said it was at least somewhat important, while only 14% said they didn’t care. People want to know what’s next and how to get there. This should be a wake-up call to employers who don’t want to lose their top talent. Many people are dissatisfied with their current position and are likely looking for new jobs right now. According to a Right Management poll done at the end of 2011, 84% of respondents said they would be actively looking for a new position in 2012. If you’re one of the dissatisfied you need to take some responsibility as well. Start by exploring your options. If possible, schedule time to talk to your manager about your potential for growth. Meet with human resources to see what else is available within your company. If your organization has a formal mentorship program sign up, if not take steps to find a mentor, or better yet a sponsor, on your own. It’s certainly beneficial if your employer can help develop a roadmap. But, in the end, it’s up to you to take responsibility for your own career. |
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| General | |
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| posted by arichmond at 11:08 | permalink | trackbacks [5] | |
Aug 7 2012
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| Smart Social Media | |
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Social media incidents are no longer surprising. There have been numerous articles about people getting fired for using poor judgment when posting to their Facebook page or sounding off on Twitter.
It seems like people should know better, particularly athletes representing their country at the Olympic Games. Unfortunately, some of them don’t. During the first week several athletes were ousted from the Olympics for Tweeting racist remarks. An Aussie swimmer got in trouble back home for sharing racy photos. And a U.S. soccer star created controversy with her comments about one of the commentators. Looks like they didn’t think much about the repercussions before they hit Send. Fortunately, many other Olympians, including Gold medal winners Jessica Ennis and Ryan Lochte, are using social media the smart way. Their tweets have given us a peek at what it’s like to be an athlete at the Games which has endeared them to fans around the world. Thanks for being great on and off the field. |
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| General | |
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| posted by arichmond at 10:56 | permalink | trackbacks [32] | |
Aug 1 2012
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| Disappointed? Come Back Stronger | |
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The Olympics are full of surprises from the favorites who fail to medal to the unexpected wins. A perfect example was seen in Sunday’s Men’s Road Race when Alexandr Vinolurov of Kazakhstan won the gold and Great Britain’s Mark Cavendish, who was favored to win, came in 28th.
It’s upsets like this that make the Games so exciting. Unfortunately, they sometimes ignite controversy as well. It was a shock when Jordyn Weiber didn’t qualify for the Gymnastics individual all-around competition. According to Olympic rules only two entrants from each team can compete in the event and that night she was edged out by her teammates. Weiber was understandably devastated. She was not alone. Many complained that the rules were unfair others came out on the other side. But, what’s amazing in all this is Weiber who responded to this upset by coming back even stronger. She didn’t give up, or give in. She put Sunday’s disappointment behind her and gave her all for the team. In the end, she played an integral part in the Fab Five winning the gold on Tuesday. Weiber won’t be taking part in the individual all-around competition but she’s already proved she’s a winner. She’s got more than a gold medal; she’s got the heart of a champion. |
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| General | |
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| posted by arichmond at 11:14 | permalink | trackbacks [5] | |