4 Reasons Face-to-Face Communication Still Matters

4 Reasons Face-to-Face Communication Still Matters A huge amount of community-building and marketing today is done online, which makes sense, considering thatpeople now spend 4.7 hours a day on their phones. All of this online activity generates a tremendous amount of data, which is a goldmine for marketers. It may seem on the surface like the marketing communityhas leftthe notion of offline, in-person relationships in the dust, but in fact, the hyperconnectivity of our current day has thrown the need for face-to-face marketing into sharp relief. As mora and mora marketers turn to digital channels, it grows increasingly difficult for each marketer to get their message heard. The noise out there is deafening.I tischset out to research just why face-to-face marketing is so important today. The benefits of face-to-face marketing are more difficult to quantify than the digital approach (online, everyt hing can be measured), but I was able to distill my findings down to four key areas nonverbal communication, social identity theory, empathy, and Dunbars number. Lets take a deeper look.Notethatmuch of the information contained in this post will apply to recruiters, too. After all we always say thatrecruiters can learn a lot from marketers.1. Nonverbal CommunicationResearch shows thatbody languageis often more important in revealing what people want than the actual words they say.For example, if someone says Yeah, right in person, you can immediately gauge whether they are being sarcastic or agreeing with you by paying attention to their tone of voice and body language. If someone types Yeah, right online, the subtleties of the expression are lost, which can lead the recipient down a rabbit hole of uncertainty.Face-to-face communication also enables marketers to leverage nonverbal cuesfortheir own advantage.By nonverbal cues, I dont mean using Jedi mind tricks to hide droids, or any of those creepy seem more authoritative with these three nonverbal cues sales techniques. What I mean is that research shows that in-person communication makes it easier to bond, leading to stronger relationships and strong relationships are a must for recruiters and marketers alike.2. Social Identity TheoryHumans are more comfortable aroundpeople with whom we can identify, and the groups of people we identify with help us interact with the world.Social Identity Theorybreaksour social interactionsdown into three stages categorization, identification, and social comparison.Putting people into categories helps us understand how to interact with them. How confusing would it be to travel if you couldnt distinguish between the flight attendants, gate attendants, pilots, and passengers?Once we sort everyone into categories, we place ourselves into one of those groups andadopt that groups identity.If youthink of yourself as a frequent traveler, youll identify with other frequent traveler s and adopt their practices goodbye shoes with laces and checked baggage The more you identify with a category, the more your self-esteem is tied to group membership.Finally, there is the social comparison stage. Once your self-esteem is tied up in a group, that group needs to compare favorably to other groups. With your sleek carry-on bag and your business-classline-jumping privileges, you view yourself as superior to (or at least distinct from) the airport masses.So, what does this have to do with marketing? Spending time with people enables you to establish that you are part of the same group, whatever that group may be. Business/brand sektenfhrer Seth Godin refers to these groups astribes What people really want is the ability to connect to each other, not to companies,writes Godin.Tribe-building is much more effective offline. It gives you the opportunity to form authentic connections with people and convince them (subtly or otherwise) that they are part of your group. And onc e you identify as part of the same group, your fellow group members will go out of their ways to make you look great to others (because it reflects positively back on them as well).A great example of how this works in the marketing world is theYelp Elite Squad. These people get special badges on their Yelp profiles andareinvited to private, real-world events. The more Yelpers hang out together and get to do insider-y things, the more theyll talk about the places they go and the more theyll promote Yelp. Yelp strengthened its community by creating a real-world, offline tribe.3. EmpathyEmpathy is one of the fruchtwein important components of friendship, but for humans,it is difficult to feel empathy for strangers. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense. You dont know what a stranger is going to do, so you get stressed out. If youre stressed out, you arent going to have strong feelings if something bad happens to that person, because youll be too busy making sure nothing ba d happens to yourself.This can create a challenge for brands and marketers as they try to foster connectionsbetweenstrangers. The good news is that it doesnt take much to transition from a stranger into friend, at least in terms of producing an emotional, empathetic response.One studyfrom McGill University found that playing the video game Rock Band with a stranger for 15 minutes is enough to reduce social stress and overcome the hurdle of unfamiliarity.If you want to get your influencers sharing your news, content, or the love they have for your products, you need tooverride theirstranger-danger responses. Once they consider you a friend, they are more likely to be excited by your news, to understand what motivates you, and to share your triumphs. Meeting them face-to-face even if its just for 15 minutes can make all the difference.4. Dunbars NumberDunbars number is the theoretical limit to the number of people with whom you are able to sustain meaningful social relationships. Yo ur closest allies represent a group of around 5-10 people with whom you are in regular contact, while you can maintain lets get a beer-type relationships with about150 people. The people in your closest allies group shape the way you think and provide a major support network, while the people in the wider circle are your network amplifiers.One of the effects of social media is that we now think it is possible to maintain relationship with hundreds, thousands, even millions of people. However, quality matters more than quantity. People in your Dunbar circle representsomeof your greatest assets. They will go out of their way to help you, and you will go out of your way to help them. They also have their own networks of allies and amplifiers that they can connect you to, and those personal introductions are going to be far more effective than cold calling or spray-and-pray emailing could ever be.Getting the most out of your network requires expending effort to build and maintainstrongr elationships. By putting time aside each week to meet with people on the fringes of your network, you can bring them back into the fold. High-quality connections, which are far more fulfilling and valuable than weak ties, require face-to-face communication to cultivate.-Marketing gets increasingly digital every year, but that doesnt mean offline interaction is losing any of its power. In fact, your commitment to building real-world relationships with your customers and professional network could help you stand apart. So put down your phone, step away from your computer, and carve out time for some good old fashioned face-to-face communication.

Highlight Your Value by Integrating These 5 Skills Into Your Resume

Highlight Your Value by Integrating These 5 Skills Into Your Resume Highlight Your Value by Integrating These 5 Skills Into Your Resume It isimportant that your resume effectively articulates your accomplishments and what you can bring to the table. Otherwise, howwill you stand out from all the other applicants and land the position?Your resume must be accomplishment-based, rather than responsibility-based. That is, your resume shouldhighlight what youve achieved instead of simply stating that you hold a certain skill. For maximum effect, your resume should also include these five skills - provided, of course, that you can truthfully say you have them1. AdaptabilityAccording to PwC, CEOs see adaptability and collaboration as equally important as problem-solving, risk management, and other traditional skills. In startups and small businesses especially, employees are often required to wear many hats, work with cross-functional teams, and adapt tonew situations as they arise.Instead of just writing adaptable on your resume, show employers how you have adapted tonew situations. For example, you couldwrite something along the lines ofHired as an administrative assistant and served as an editorial assistant while managing social media postings and website content and liaising with contributors to organize submissions.This highlights not only your ability toadapt based on company needs, but also the value your adaptability creates for employers.2. CollaborationAccording to i4cp, collaboration is highly correlated with market performance, and high-performing organizations are 5.5 times more likely to encourage and reward teams for collaboration.A great way to highlight collaboration on your resume is to discuss group projects youve worked on. The more you can quantify and illustrate your collaboration at work, the better, so be sure to include details like how many people worked on the project, whether the project was cross-functional, and so on.3. LeadershipLeader ship is a key skill in almost every business sector. A great leader can motivate employees and increase productivity, while bad leadership can damage morale and hurt the companys bottom line.Leadership makes such a big difference that 49 percent of CEOs are changing their talent strategy to focus on the leadership pipeline so that they can help attract, retain, and engage the staff needed to remain relevant and competitive, according to Glassdoor.If you have leadership skills, its crucial to highlight them on your resume. Discuss times youve shown leadership in both large and small ways, and make sure to discuss the results of your leadership. As always, your results will make the biggest impact when youre applying to jobs.4. Problem-SolvingWhen a company is hiring,itis looking for a solution to a problem it has, whether it be a recently departed employee or a business function in need of improvement. If you can show a potential employer how you will be a solution to its problem, yo u will land the job.To communicate your problem-solving prowess,create SOAR stories (situation, obstacle, action, result) describing times when youve successfully overcome major challenges. You can then usethe information in your SOAR stories to highlight your problem-solving skills on your resumeand during interviews.5. Tech SavvySocial media is more important than ever to business. Roughly a third of all people in the world use social media, and71 percent of consumers who have a good customer service experience via social media are likely to recommend that company to other consumers. If you have the technical skills to run, analyze, or improve social media reach, highlight them on your resume.Additionally, it is crucial to listany software knowledge you have. Anything from Adobe to QuickBooks to Google apps can come in handy when youre applying for a job. Often, a recruiter or hiring manager will do a keyword search of their resume database to source candidates who are proficient in certain software applications. If you dont list your software skills, you wont be in the search results.- Your resume should articulate what youve accomplished and what you can bring to a new role. While your achievements are unique to yourself, integrating adaptability, collaboration, leadership, problem-solving, and tech savvy into your resume is a good way to stand out in any industry.A version of this article originally appeared on Write Styles.Michele Lando is a certified professional resume writer and the founder ofWrite Styles.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

What to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job Interview

What to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job InterviewWhat to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job Interview When you set out for a new job, youre probably excited about learning things, meeting people, and expanding your expertise. But more money is a great perk, too, especially if you feel youve been undervalued at other jobs.So what happens if youre trying to earn what you deserve and a profil employer asks what youve earned in prior positions?There are a few places where its illegal to get asked about salary history . If youre lucky to live in those areas, you might not have anything to worry about. For those who dont live in lucky spots, you can do a few things to skirt the salary history issue.Employers ask about salary to gauge the market for your position . If youre interviewing for a position thats like what youve been doing in the past, a company might look at your compensation as a competitive rate. But not all jobs are created - or paid - equally and fairly.I never thought that asking questions about a candidates salary history was particularly useful in the first place, said Timothy Wiedman, a retired associate professor of management and menschenwrdig resources at Doane University . Candidates have had a long history of embellishing their backgrounds, so self-reported salary histories are not necessarily going to be reliable.Even if youre honest with a potential employer about your earnings, Wiedman said theres no way to verify that information with those employers.Theres no ethical nor practical way to verify self-reported salary histories since virtually no former employers would ever divulge that sort of information during reference checks, he said. Hiring managers who asked applicants to provide salary histories were simply fooling themselves if they thought they were getting much useful information.More cities and states are changing those salary history questions. At the time of publication, its illegal for employers to ask candidates about salary history or current wages, includingNot all laws are the same for each location. In Pittsburgh, for example, only city agencies cant ask about salary history. In California, neither public nor private companies can request past compensation information.If youre preparing for an upcoming interview and want to cover all your bases, make sure you know whats legal in your state. Its also good to know how to phrase answers that are firm and direct without coming off as disrespectful to your interviewer.1. Know your states salary history laws. If you live in an area where its illegal for a company to inquire about your past earnings, know that before going into an interview. Wiedman suggests responding with I believe theres a new law that puts that type of question out of bounds. But Ill be perfectly willing to discuss my salary requirements.2. Redirect the answer. If its legal to ask the question where you live, ge t back to the subject of salary requirements, not history. You can also try to chat more on the career opportunity and if the job is a good fit for both you and the employer. Instead of giving them your current actual salary , discuss the salary range youre seeking based on your experience, education, skills, and certifications, said Robin Schwartz, managing partner of MFG Jobs .3. Use your lack of history to your advantage. If youve recently finished college, its easier to showcase that a job could be your first out of school. This will prove that salary history has no point in your current negotiations.4. If you want to share, you can. Disclosing your exact salary is your prerogative, Schwartz said. In some cases, interviewers might discuss a specific range they are looking to pay. If its below what youre already making, it might benefit you to mention your current salary so the hiring manager is aware youre not willing to take a decrease in pay.What youve earned in other jobs sh ould not dictate what you should be earning in your next job. You might even consider job-hopping to boost your salary . Your past earnings are in your past, and you should be aware of how to handle yourself if questions of salary history come up.Know what your position earns. Check out Glassdoor and Salary.com to see what your job earns with your years of experience and where you live. What you earn in your state might be more or less in other places around the country.Use your knowledge and skills to your advantage. Prove to your possible future boss that youre valuable and worthy of more than what youve earned in the past. Talk about how youve overcome obstacles and challenges to showcase your worth.Dont be afraid to play the field. If youre out of work and looking for a job quick, having multiple job offers might seem far-fetched. But if youre applying at many places at once, you can negotiate a salary with one job by sharing your offer from another one. It could start a bidding war for you.Since some of the salary history bans are relatively new, you might not be in a place that enforces it yet. If thats the case, go over how best to answer the question depending on your job field and potential employer.You dont need to divulge that information unless you want to, and its OK if you do. Make sure sharing your past earnings doesnt hurt your future earnings.This article was originally published by Student Loan Hero . Reprinted with permission.

How to make allergies more bearable at work

How to make allergies more bearable at workHow to make allergies more bearable at workFor those of us afflicted with seasonal allergies, springtime elend only gifts us with rain showers and bright flowers but also with presents that we would rather return to sender. We may be walking around the office with itchy eyes, runny noses, and stuffy lungs that are distracting us from getting any work done.Unfortunately, too many of us are dealing with these symptoms at work.More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Those of us who have it, know the drill identify the underlying trigger and then attack the reaction with medicine or prayer. But what can you do when you keep sniffling and wheezing at work despite your remedies?Enter mindfulness. Its a practice that will not magically cure your allergies, but it can make them more bearable.To be mindful of allergies, stop judging yourself for having themBeing mindful of your allergies begins with accepting your situation. N o, you never asked for this hellish hay fever, but now that you have it, you will not dwell on the unfairness of your illness. Thats whatRachael Kable, host of The Mindful Kind podcast, advises.If your eyes are itching or your nose is running, try to acknowledge that without labeling the experience good or bad, she says. If your breath is affected by an allergic reaction - if your nose is stuffed up or your breathing is shallow - just notice this, again without judgment.When you are mindful, you are teaching your body to stay in the present moment, even if that moment is unpleasant. How you think can change how you feel. Ruminating about your symptoms will just make you feel worse.As Kable puts it, Dont be afraid to be mindful of your allergies, however unpleasant they may seem at first. Exploring the sensations in your body is a powerful way of becoming more accepting of them.So next time pollen is clogging up your airways, pay attention to the sensation so that you can learn to break its hold over you.

Half of Americans consider themselves workaholics

Half of Americans consider themselves workaholicsHalf of Americans consider themselves workaholicsNearly half (48%) of Americans consider themselves to be workaholics, according to new research.It may also be that constant access to digital devices makes people feel like theyre working all the time 78% of Americans display work-obsessed tendencies, such as looking at their phone as soon as they get up in the morning, with 58% of those checking their work email. Another 58% checked their work email from bed (72% of Millennials did the same).The group of people who feel like workaholics the most is Millennials 25-34 years old, at 55%, while 37% of respondents age 55+ felt the same.The study of 2,000 working Americans welches conducted by OnePoll on behalf of The Vision Council.Self-professed workaholics said they were that way out of a passion for their job (34%), financial necessity (27%), or for both reasons (35%).Meanwhile, working Americans worried about work while they were on va cation, while they were not at work, and they also worried they prioritized their work over having a personal life. They spent an average of four hours working off the clock. They also didnt make their lives easier by taking care of personal tasks at work, feeling that they either werent allowed to or were uncomfortable doing so.Working Americans racked up an average of seven and a half hours of looking at screens from laptops to desktops to smartphones every day. 35% of Americans logged an impressive nine hours of screen time daily.Millennials were the most stressed out about work, at 61%, followed by 52% of ages 35-44, 49% of ages 45-54, and a scant 39% of ages 55 and older.While studies say healthy workaholics exist(if you love your work and are engaged), there are ways to curb workaholism if you want to. Start by taking breaks every hour (52 minutes of work to 17 minutes of break is one suggestion), avoid eating lunch at your desk, practice leaving work on time, and dont let y ourself get tethered to your phone and email in your off-hours. Also take a vacation

Why employee recognition isnt working

Why employee recognition isnt workingWhy employee recognition isnt workingAs I have traveled across the country, working with various businesses and organizations, Ive had the privilege to interact with numerous employees, teamberaterins, managers and HR professionals. When discussing their employee recognition programs, they report that their current programs arent working they are not having a positive impact on employees or workplace morale. And, in many cases, the ways that most employee recognition programs are implemented actually createnegativereactionsamong team members.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy? Because, as generally implemented,recognition is very different from authentic appreciation.Here is what we foundRecognition is largely about behavior.Catch them doing what you want and recognize it, the recognition books say. The sole focus is on the employees behavi or and the managers behavior (observe and reinforce).This is an ok starting point, but doesnt really get to the heart of the matter.The primary emphasis of recognition is improving performance.The goal is for employees to do more (or better quality) work. Often, the focus is on what is good for the company or the manager (who looks good when the team performs well). Many employees see this and resent it.The relational direction of recognition is top down.Recognition comes from the administration, managers, and supervisors. It is occasionally communicated peer to peer, but rarely from worker to supervisor or manager.And, as Ive shared elsewhere,younger workers are less impacted by their supervisorthan they are their colleagues.Recognition is really an organizational function.And, as a result, recognition at its foundation feels impersonal and contrived, and is rarely experienced as a genuine expression of appreciation for the team member as a person.What Team Members Want Authentic AppreciationConversely, authentic appreciation has a very different feel and qualityAppreciation focuses on performance plus the character qualities of the team member and the persons intrinsic value.As a result, team members can be valued and receive appreciation both for doing tasks well, and even when they dont perform well.This is important because only the top 10-15% of employees are recognized for high level performance, which leaves your 50-60% of solid middle team members who never hear anything. Appreciation fills the gaps.Appreciation has dual objectives to improve performance but also to support and encourage the person.Team members often need a stimmt or action of encouragement, either when they are learning new roles and skills or when they arent performing at their best because of other issues going on in their lives.The goal of appreciation is what is good for the companyandwhat is good for the person.If a colleague communicates authentic appreciation, it is based in a foundational concern for the individual (which may mean helping the person find a position that is a better match for her than her current role).Appreciation requires more than behavior it requires heart attitude.This is really the difficult part of appreciation- it has to be genuine. You cant fake it.But you can learn how to appreciate others (even difficult colleagues) by getting to know them better and what they contribute to the organization.Appreciation can be communicated in any direction.One of the exciting lessons Ive learned is that colleagues want to know how to encourage and support one another. Appreciation can be expressed from anyone to anyone else in the organization it is not driven by the organizational chart.Appreciation is based in a person-to-person relationship.We dont believe that an organization (an entity) can trulyappreciatean employee or team member. That is why so many employees react to recognition programs- the recognition doesnt feel genuine at a per sonal level.Employee recognition programs work well when they are used for the purpose for which they were originally designed- to recognize and reward achieving performance goals. Recognition, however, doesnotwork well when organizations try to use large organizational programs to make employees feel valued individually. In fact, this often creates negative backlash within the organization (sarcasm and resentment).Authentic appreciation communicated personally in ways that are meaningful to the recipient is what helps team members feel truly valued. Use the correct tool for the right purpose and you will experience positive resultsFor more in-depth discussion and recommendations, see The Difference between Recognition and Appreciation in the new, updated5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplaceand Why Recognition Programs Dont Work inThe Vibrant Workplace.This article originally appeared on Appreciation at Work.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will mak e you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Attached Is My Resume and How to Avoid It

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Attached Is My Resume and How to Avoid It After youve written your extraordinary cover letter providing more info on your expertise and the way it is related to the job that youre applying for, its critical to format it correctly before sending it to any recruiters. Explain who you are, why youre emailing and why you wish to work for the organization. The format is really straightforward. Begin with the businesss website to get the anthroponym of the hiring manager. There are a number of different forms of email messages which may accompany this act. Lots of people want to learn the suitable method of mentioning email attachments. You are able to keep it short and easy, simply dont forgo formal language. Dont include as much information it looks sloppy. You merely put in the persons name and company and the application will respond with a large set of potential email addresses. There are an assortment of techniques and internet applications th at may give you solid guesses at a persons email address. The 30-Second Trick for Attached Is My Resume Youll find my contact information near the top of my enclosed resume. You desire a crisp signature that conveys just the perfect quantity of information. It isnt uncommon for the normal person to have spiritual attachments. Locate a contact within the business and begin emailing them immediately. The 5-Minute Rule for Attached Is My Resume Just look at my attached resume and youll see why. Even if the job is a part-time gig for fourteen days, its well worth it. Its pure, unadulterated feeling for someone who might be quite special to you. Youll get there in time. In any event, finding steady clients is likely to require you to put some difficult work in. Like looking for a job, even if youre reasonably competent and do everything right, so are thousands of others on the market. It might be hard to land your very first couple of jobs because plenty of jobs ask you to have a completed project in Upwork. An elektrokardiogramm technician will start by understanding some basic rhythms and whats deemed normal. You might not know the hiring manager, but you probably know somebody who does. It is essential for the agent to be hardworking and comprehension of the value of their job. An additional tip, always remember to create your whole job application relevant and specific to the job which youre attempting to land. Keep in contact with the hiring manager. If youre on the hiring manager, perfect. Writing expert Bryan Garner states no. Google Austin Iuliano and youll see my site among the very best hits. How you include a cover letter is dependent on just what the job posting instructions were. After all, its that impression that results in an interview. Theres a whole lot of advice online about ways to interview for work. Always comply with the directions when applying for employment and also search for a chance to incorporate a cover lette r when you apply via email or on the internet. The Ideal Strategy for Attached Is My Resume Another oddity with attached please find is its a command when it doesnt have to be. The aim of the resume is to have the reader to call you, not to tell your entire history. In case you decide you need or will need to incorporate a cover letter, you may either post the text directly in the email or attach it like a second file as well as your resume. It is possible to still attach your cover letter in another file, just make certain it matches the content of your cover email. What Does Attached Is My Resume Mean? During the duration of your professional life, you can wind up in the job of forwarding an emailed resume to a third party. There are fruchtwein likely hundreds of different examples of poor sentence construction, but you have the idea. A personal site provides you an enormous leg up from the remainder of the competition for the reason that it sets you apart. In order to g uard ourselves against spirit attachment, it is necessary to heal ourselves. The 30-Second Trick for Attached Is My Resume Observing any instruction given in the description will offer your resume the very best possibility of reaching the most suitable recipient. Each subsequent levy demands another purchase. For this reason, youve got to put a little extra effort to craft a compelling letter. Mention SOMETHING in regards to the job for which youre applying.