4 Next-Level Email Moves to Upgrade Your Communications

4 Next-Level Email Moves to Upgrade Your Communications4 Next-Level Email Moves to Upgrade Your Communications Once youve got the basic structure of an email down pat, and you know what mistakes to avoid, its time to focus on making your drafts stand out from the myriad emails fruchtwein people get every day. Here are four strategies to take yours to the next levelSending an email that is remotely negative , or even neutral, can put you in a tricky place. And as with any written communication, there may be room for misinterpretation.In the absence of other information, our interpretation often defaults to the negative, explains Dan Post Senning, an etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute. When youre talking about negative communication, youre missing the information that is tone of voice, the twinkle in your eye, the good humor that you intend something with or even the genuine care or concern with which youre offering critique. So be really careful. When some thing reads as negative to you, it probably comes across as even more negative to someone else.You wouldnt want to get an email that reads, Dear client, or which references your work in public relations when youre actually in sales, because it would immediately show that the sender is either mass emailing you, or they didnt do the proper research and find the right contact. Similarly, youll want to make sure that every email you send is crafted specifically for the recipient, and that youre sending it to the right person.So even though it may be tempting to use templates , its important to personalize it and keep in mind the communication style of the recipient before hitting send. To accomplish this, a quick Google search or a peek at the recipients LinkedIn or Twitter feed can do wonders. Before sending, try putting yourself in the recipients shoes for a gut-check on tone and content.If youre sending an email, youre likely looking for a timely response. But with the large amoun ts of emails most people sort through each day, things can end up getting lost. As a general rule, a follow-up message should never come less than twenty-four hours after sending the initial email.In other words Dont be the person who sends a follow-up request two hours after sending. In extreme cases, that kind of behavior can even get you blocked. When youre taking more time and actually caring about the person on the other side of the email, youre immediately going to see a much higher response rate. I had to learn that the hard way, says Cole Schafer, founder and copy chief of Honey Copy.Most of the messages you send will likely be on the shorter side, which is great for rapid responses and getting things done. But for longer emails, scannability is the name of the game. Thats when things like bolded font, bullet points, underlined sentences and a TLDR (too long, didnt read) section come in handy.There are a lot of factors to keep in mind when composing an email , and theres a wide margin of error. But after all is said and done, it isnt about perfection. Its about effective communication.I think people feel this pressure that you need to be this perfect communicator with this huge vocabulary and these perfectly structured sentences. And I dont know that thats always the case because youre just two people, communicating, says Kat Boogaard, a Wisconsin-based freelance writer.This article was originally published on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.

Do Robots Deserve Legal Rights

Do Robots Deserve Legal Rights Do Robots Deserve Legal Rights Do Robots Deserve Legal Rights? Saudi Arabia made waves in late 2017 when it granted citizenship to a humanoid robot named Sophia, developed by the Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics. What those rights technically include, and what the move might mean for otherbei robots worldwide, remains unclear. But the robot itself wasted no time in taking advantage of her new, high profile to campaign for womens rights in her adopted country.This would be the same Sophia that, in a CNBC interview with her creator, Dr. David Hanson, said that she would destroy all humans.So, granting legal rights to robots clearly remains a complicated subject, even if it is done primarily as a PR stunt to promote an IT conference, as was the case in Saudi Arabia.But that hasnt stopped a long list of voices in this country and abroad from arguing both for and against the creation of a set of rights for robots, based on a variety of concerns. Is robotics b eginning to outpace our existing system of ethics and regulations that require a new system to deal with behauptung issues before they surpass what we can control? Or does creating a set of machine-specific rights for these inventions place too much emphasis on robots as a sort of life form?So far the idea has generated a lot of discussion, but few researchers are throwing their hilfestellung behind robots as a legally protected class on par with humans.Lets take autonomous cars, says Avani Desai, principal and executive vice president of independent security and privacy compliance assessor Schellman Company. We have allowed computers to drive and make decisions for us, such as if there is a semi coming to the right and a guard rail on the left the algorithm in the autonomous car makes the decision what to do. But if you look back, is it the car that is making the decision or a group of people in a room that discuss the ethics and cost, and then provided to developers and engineers to make that technology work?Robots might use machine learning to refine their algorithms over time, he argues, but there is always an engineer who originally coded that information into their databanks. So, the berzeugtheit von sich selbsts, ideals, and thoughts of that engineer could be coded into a robot that is going to potentially make decisions that could affect the population at large.From a legal perspective, then, who would face trouble in the case of litigation related to a decision that a robot made? Would it be the engineer, the manufacturer, or the retailer who sold and serviced that robot? Or would it be the robot itself?We see this issue with autonomous cars and the legal cases we have seen and it has come back to the automobile manufacturer due to a flaw in the algorithm, Desai says. Until we as a society fully understand the implications of robots, the technology and the decision-making process, we should not apply the same rights we apply to humans to robots.Sophi a, a robot developed by Hanson Robotics, was granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia in 2017. Image ITU PicturesWhose Rights?The analogy of the car is a good one, says Chris Roberts, the head of industrial robotics at Cambridge Consultants, in parte because both are expensive, complex and valuable machines. They both need to be insured and protected in roughly the same way.And neither deserve their own set of legal rights.I work with cutting-edge robotics and neural networks every day, and while the technology is really exciting and we can routinely do things that were science fiction only a few years ago, were a long, long way from creating sentience and having to worry about the moral rights of the machine, he says.Sophia may look like a person, and respond in ways that mimic human responses, but it is just a machine.Facial recognition, neural networks, speech synthesis and so on can look convincing, but theyre not intelligent, just good at doing a particular task, in this case respon ding to questions.Despite those arguments, there are still moral questions around robotics, including the ethics of using machines to make decisions about determining whether or not to program them to save only humans instead of other animals. With robots, a lot of the moral questions revolve around the work they are doing and the jobs they are replacing. If a robot comes in and replaces an entire class of workers overnight, what moral duty do we as a society have to help the people who are directly affected by this change? What sort of retraining and support should we offer them?Its the rights of the people that are much more important than the rights of the machine, Roberts says.Beyond the MachinesAt its core, the question of robot rights is less about what those potential rights should look like and more about why we would want to protect them as a group at all. Is it in their interest or ours?At lot of it comes down to fear, according to Dr. Glenn McGee, an expert in bioethics a nd a professor at the University of New Haven. Fear that the robots wont need us anymore. Fear that they will get smarter than we are. Fear that these new creations will rise up and come get us.And weve seen this before.Its like when the Europeans first came to the Americas and the colonies began to rebel, he says. Weve historically always begun with the assertion that if you give rights to something, something that didnt have rights before, youre doing so because that will enable them to function without coming to get you. I think a lot of the discussionaround rights for robots or entitlements that robots have come less from our sense as a society than the idea that we better get this right or else.For example, if we encountered an alien race we wouldnt expect them to follow the set of laws and standards that we as humans do. Wed look at them through an anthropological lens first to see what it means for these other creatures to interact with our world and what we need to do to pro tect ourselves.Were not talking about whether or not creatures who otherwise would have a soul will have more of one if we give them rights, Dr. McGee says. Were really describing whether or not the designed creature, the robots that sort of become animal, whether or not the design will afford them the ability to interact with us in ways that make us feel better.Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Were really describing whether the robots that sort of become animal, whether or not the design will afford them the ability to interact with us in ways that make us feel better.Dr. Glenn McGee, University of New Haven

How to Become an Executive Assistant Robert Half

How to Become an Executive Assistant Robert HalfHow to Become an Executive Assistant Robert HalfAs an administrative assistant, your skills are top-notch. But are they adequate for transitioning to an executive assistant position? Both roles involve many of the same skills and experience, but there are some differences in the types of responsibilities each is expected to handle.Typically, the duties of an executive assistant include screening calls, managing calendars, making travel arrangements, coordinating meetings and events, preparing reports, and maintaining good customer relations. The bottom line The role of an executive assistant requires a higher degree of initiative than that of an administrative assistant.If youre thinking of making the leap from administrative to executive assistant, youll need to sharpen your skills accordingly to meet the demands of the job. Following are several qualities employers look for in an executive assistantImpeccable communication skills Stro ng verbal and written communication skills are some of the most important qualifications for an administrative assistant. For an executive assistant, communication is the most important skill. A large part of the job involves speaking with people at all levels within the company, as well as clients and customers. Youll also need to write letters, memos and prepare reports and information for distribution. Whatever the means of communication, the ability to be clear and concise is at the top of an employers checklist when hiring an executive assistant.Download OfficeTeam and IAAPs Office of the Future Guide to learn more about in-demand skills shared among the best administrative professionals.Strong computer and internet research skills An executive assistants computer proficiency must extend beyond spreadsheet management and sie sagen es processing. Executive assistants often use their computer-based skills to maintain company records, set up filing systems or digitally manage dail y operations. You may also be asked to take on special projects usually outside the realm of the administrative assistant, such as conducting market research for statistical reports.Flexibility The responsibilities of an executive assistant vary greatly and are rarely the same each day. He or she must be versatile enough to handle tasks ranging from the mundane to the more complex on a daily basis. From screening calls to organizing documents for a board meeting, a first-rate executive assistant must be prepared to do it all.When its time to interview for an executive assistant position, know what questions to ask the hiring manager.Excellent interpersonal skills Very often, executive assistants are required to work closely with other staff members, so its important for you to relate well with people. For example, sometimes you may be charged with managing or training lower-level administrative staff. Strong people skills are also a must for interacting with clients and vendors.Last ly, as an executive assistant, you must be committed to maintaining strict confidentiality regarding any sensitive information you may be privy to. Working with senior managers and CEOs, you might hear about sensitive issues, such as upcoming layoffs or company trade secrets. Its essential that you can be relied upon for absolute discretion regarding delicate matters.Robert Half conducts exclusive research and offers free resources you can use to advance your career.CONTINUE READING

How the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Affects your Career Goals

How the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Affects your Career Goals How the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Affects your Career Goals You landsee, my friend just knew that no matter what, in no way shape or form, did she desire (or plan to) stay in the same city of our alma mater (that would be Phoenix). It didnt matter if somehow she welches offered a job in Phoenix, shed turn down the offer even if she didnt have anything else lined up. She never applied to one position in Phoenix, even when other students, professors and the dean called her too picky. She had her mind made up that she no longer wanted to live and work in Phoenix and, in turn, closed the door on any opportunity that could potentially present itself there.Perhaps youre thinking my friend was making an unwise decision, but Ill tell you this Unlike many college graduates, she is currently employed in the field of her degree, making decent money, and she does not reside in Phoenix.My friend had what one may call a self-fulfilling pr ophecy. BusinessDictonary.com defines this concept asAny positive or negative expectation about circumstances, events, or people that may affect a rolles behavior toward them in a manner that causes those expectations to be fulfilled.Here we have a soon-to-be college graduate seeking to secure employment. She knows where she would and would not like to move to and not only says and acts like she isnt staying in Phoenix, she doesnt expect to. Her expectation of getting a job in a new city caused her to only apply to cities outside of Phoenix, thus landing her a job outside of Phoenix. So the equation is simple a persons expectations of XYZ will affect his/her actions toward XYZ, which will cause XYZ to be fulfilled (either negatively or positively).Perhaps youre in the same position, i.e. looking for a new job. Or maybe you desire to apply for a promotion or start your own business, but you arent 100 percent sure. Take a look at this self-fulfilling prophecy (or Pygmalion Effect) con cept from Psychology Today to see how you may be either positively or negatively affecting your career goals1. Our beliefs about ourselves influence2. Our actions toward others, which impact3. Others beliefs about us, which cause4. Others actions toward us, which reinforce5. Our beliefs about ourselves.So, lets relate this to a persons career aspirations, shall we?First, our beliefs about ourselves, which means how we see ourselves and our capabilities. Are you confident in your skills? Do you believe in the idea for the product you want to sell or the business you hope to create? How we view ourselves, our talents and abilities is the most important aspect of a self-fulfilling prophecy because this view ultimately affects everything else.Second, our beliefs about ourselves influence our actions toward others. If you are confident in your skills you will be more likely to apply for that job and/or promotion, even if you arent fully qualified. Why? Because you believe in yourself and your capabilities. Likewise, if you lack confidence or optimism, you wont bother seeking out a loan to start your business or telling people about your product idea because you already believe youre incapable of getting a loan and/or being an inventor/entrepreneur.Third, our actions toward others impact others beliefs about us. If your teamberater is seeing youre showing initiative and drive by applying for a promotion, he or she will see you as a confident worker and someone looking to advance in his/her career rather than being complacent. Also, if investors see that you have an idea for a new product but fail to market it or pursue funding, they may deem you as having a lack of drive, motivation, or a quitter.Next, others beliefs about us cause others to respond, or act, in a certain manner toward us. Because your supervisor sees your desire and commitment to advancing your career, perhaps he or she will put in a good word for you or tip you off on other opportunities. Or if a r ecruiter sees your persistence in applying, he or she may be more prone to calling you back.Just the same, if someone believes you have no drive or confidence, they may not give you a loan, or funding for your business idea.Finally, others actions toward us reinforce our beliefs about ourselves. Remember how you initially believed in your capabilities for the job? This is only reinforced by your supervisor talking you up or, for the unemployed, by you receiving the job. And, if you lacked confidence and/or didnt believe youd accomplish your career goals, this is simply reinforced by how others responded to you.Your attitude and expectations when it comes to your career can either help or hurt your potential accomplishments. Stay positive to reap positive outcomes

Your Guide to Who Its OK to Hug at Work - The Muse

Your Guide to Who Its OK to Hug at Work - The MuseYour Guide to Who Its OK to Hug at Work A female friend- well call her Fran- recently called Mollie in a panic. Im worried I crossed a boundary at work, she said. Several times a year, I meet with a group at a hotel or conference venue for a few days to plan a big conference. The group members arent my direct colleagues since they work at different organizations. I give everyone a hug goodbye when we leave, since were friendly and I know it will be a few months before I landsee them again. At our most recent meeting, there were several new people. As we said goodbye at the end of the week, I hugged the people I already knew. But then I felt awkward not giving a hug to the new people, so I went in to hug them as well. Now Im worried that I was too forward.Sound familiar? This is a common experience in the digital age when work communication has been brought to a whole new level of intimacy. Messages from your manager might include emoj is or arrive via text or Facebook Messenger. People you havent actually honigwein in person feel like they could be actual friends.So how do you know where to draw the line? We spent three years studying these kinds of challenges for our book, No Hard Feelings Emotions at Work (And How They Help You Succeed).Graphic courtesy of Liz Fosslien and Mollie West-Duffy.First off, there are three levels of work relationships to consider, and each has a different hugging norm.There are the people you work with every day, like your teammates. Well call them your day-to-days. It would be a lot to hug these people hello or goodbye because you see them so frequently. Even if youre leaving or coming back from vacation, its fine to just say or Slack them your greeting. And when it comes to your direct report (or someone else junior to you) or boss, unless youre very close, a good general rule is to forget about hugs all together.Then there are people who you see less often, like colleagues who wor k in other offices, clients, or partners at other organizations. Well call these people your occasionals. Its more normal to hug these people simply because you dont see them that often (as was the case in Frans situation). However, there is a huge variance in peoples comfort level with hugging. Mollie has noticed that some of her clients, for example, are huggers, and some are definitely not. The clients who are huggers tend to view Mollie as a friend and partner, in plus-rechnen to a consultant. The clients who are not huggers tend to view her as an advisor and prefer to keep a professional boundary by not hugging.Lastly, there are people who youve just met or will only be seeing once. Well call these people your newlymets. For example, Mollie often facilitates workshops for extended client teams. She knows she will only meet these workshop participants once, and so it would be weird to hug them hello or goodbye.Graphic courtesy of Liz Fosslien and Mollie West-Duffy.The problem in Frans case was that she was interacting with people from two different levels at once the occasionals and the newlymets. The norms for both of these groups are different.So, what to do? There are three good optionsYou can hug the occasionals and offer a handshake to the newlymets. Its unlikely that someone you just met will be offended that youre not hugging them.You can wait to take your cue from the other person. As youre going down the meeting-each-other line, dont launch in for either a hug or handshake, but watch the other persons body language to see what theyre going for. If you dont watch carefully, this can result in the awkward hugshake, which is what we call the jumbled mismatch of limbs when one person goes in for a hug and one goes in for a handshake. (If this happens, dont stress- its not the end of the world and will most likely be forgotten in an hour.)If you really want to hug the newlymets for consistencys sake, you should acknowledge it. You can say something lik e, I know we just met, but Im a hugger. Is it OK if I hug you as well? This gives the other person a bit of a heads up and the opportunity to grant their permission (or not) before you go in for a hug.Graphic courtesy of Liz Fosslien and Mollie West-Duffy.One more note well make is that some people dont want to hug for reasons beyond not knowing you- because of personal space or sensory issues, or because of certain traumas, for example. So even if you love hugging, make sure youre aware of the other persons body language and are giving them the option to say no.Remember that its always better to err on the side of more formal. When in doubt, offer a handshake.

The Advantages of Free Resumes Online

The Advantages of Free Resumes Online Free Resumes Online Secrets That No One Else Knows About You may even easily edit your CV on your cellular device. You will forever in our top collection of clients so in the event that you send us a message, you will be the initial one well reply. At times, you have to come across resumes in a special format. So, as you craft a resume with a particular format, consider the organizations to which youre sending that resume. Formatting options provide job candidates an opportunity to emphasize pieces of the resume they dont want recruiters or hiring managers to overlook. Get through them, and among the experts working at our resume company will produce a fantastic presentation of your abilities and experience so you will develop into a prime cut for recruiters. A lot of people dont like their existing job or career. Talk about the way the organization will profit from hiring you. The Advantages of Free Resumes Online Job postings give the choice to make an application for a position online and select a resume to submit. As soon as you own a list of critical words, use the next Boolean methods to run the most effective search. The work search may be a lengthy process just examine the statistics below What Has to be Done About Free Resumes Online There are scores and scores of possible skills to think about using. Classic resumes no longer have to include your fax or house number, and a few different things have gotten redundant. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cannot read certain products. There are lots of additional resumes to reassess. Characteristics of Free Resumes Online Theres a great chance it wont include all the keywords set out in the work description. There are, in addition, a lot of absolutely free phrases which you can add that is a good option particularly if you are uncertain about the most suitable words to utilize in a professional setting. The ve ry last thing you desire is for your resume to let you down when youre actually the best suited pick for the job. Lets talk a little more about main information and new resume format 2016 trend. How to Find Free Resumes Online on the Web So far as features are involved, it is quite a bit more versatile. There are over 50 templates to pick from. By utilizing a resume template absolutely free of clutter, youll only consist of relevant details. Resume templates can be ideal for ideas but take the opportunity to produce your own formatting. A simple resume template is going to be your very best bet. A simple resume template will help you become by that software without difficulty When you have gained enough knowledge, you can departure building your own. When it has to do with working with an online resume builder you want to understand what areas youre struggling with and what areas youre good with. To save a whole lot of heartache later on, be certain you use our resume bu ilder to create a document that may be easily transferred to different job applications. Resume builders may also help prepare a simple to follow formatted resume. You will have the ability to discover the very best free resume builder which could help you make a professional resume that will grant you an impressive job prospect. Tell how youre a best match for the job. Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any moment in the creation practice. Also be sure you tailor the document to the job youre applying for. Otherwise, you should change your resume styling. Choosing which to use is dependent upon the sort of job that you are applying for and your degree of experience. Then it may be time to bring some style to your resume You can decide to compose your resume and cover letter in many languages. Writing a professional resume isnt easy. If you get a lengthy employment history, you dont will need to include everything. Should you need access to unlimited resumes and cover letters youll need to pay more. The Characteristics of Free Resumes Online At this time theres still an opportunity to stick out from the competition being different. Many dont understand how the resume can impact your professional life. You dont need to finish your document in one sitting, and you can examine your progress on the way. Various men and women need various resumes, actually, every individual needs different versions of his own resume to utilize for many purposes.

Best Practices in Cultural Hiring e-Course - Spark Hire

Best Practices in Cultural Hiring e-Course - Spark HireA recent study by Gallup determined that 70 percent of employees are disengaged on the job, which leads to a cost of approximately $550 billion in the U.S. annually due to lost productivity. Furthermore, for small businesses and startups, company culture fit can be make-or-break. Recent figures, from a study done by Mark Murphy for his book Hiring for Attitude, found that 46 percent of new hires failed within 18 months. In nearly 90 percent of these cases, employee turnover welches due to poor company culture fit.Hiring for cultural fit means lower turnover rates and money being saved. While some companies are turning to cultural hiring, there are still many who are not following suit.Its been discovered that many employers and recruiting professionals are overlooking the metric of company culture fit when trying to reach hiring decisions, says Josh Tolan, CEO of Spark Hire. This e-Course will detail the importance of evaluating candidates personalities for cultural fit and discuss how to do so successfully.Participants of the e-Course can expect one lesson delivered to their inbox each day, allowing employers and recruiters enough time to digest the information in every lesson before the next email arrives. The first lesson introduces participants to the e-Course by going over the various kinds of organizational cultures so they can determine which one applies to their company. The lesson also provides tips for finding top-notch candidates for specific cultures.The e-Course also discusses the usage of the one-way video interview and how employers and recruiters can use this technology to find great-fitting candidates for their company culture. Participants will also learn about asking the right interview questions for cultural fit, with several sample questions to use. There are also lessons addressing talent assessments and background and reference checks.Employers and recruiters interested in implementin g video interviews into their company can use this e-Course as a stepping stone to better hiring.Sign up for Spark Hires free Best Practices in Cultural Hiring e-Course today and begin connecting with the best talent that will stick around and bring your company continued success