Why small businesses should always be hiringeven when they dont think they need to

Why small businesses should always be hiringeven when they dont think they need toWhy small businesses should always be hiring- even when they dont think they need toWhy small businesses should always be hiring- even when they dont think they need toSmall businesses cant afford to be caught off guard with a hiring gap or shortage. The smaller a business is, the bigger the impact when you dont have someone to do key tasks.This is particularly true in industries that are seeing talent shortages, such as manufacturing and even financial and business services,according to Korn Ferry. For businesses that need skilled workers, an open position can mean a weeks- or even months-long vacancy while a company locates and screens candidates.What happens is that if they have turnover, or if they want to expand, they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to hire talent, says Jill Johns, who runs a professional service anbieter consulting business outside of Savannah, GA. What they end up do ing is grabbing whomever seems to fit on the surface, but they dont really have a strategy.For that kind of business, always-on hiring can help in several ways.Why its helpful to be always-on hiringYou wont be forced to make poor hiring decisionsIn a pinch, if you need a worker and you cant find a great one, you may end up plugging the spot with someone mediocre or- worse- problematic. This happened to a client of Johns, when one of their skilled technicians left with no elendice. She was just, overnight, gone, Johns says. It took three rounds of interviewing, screening, hiring and firing to finally be able to find a qualified candidate to fill her shoes. And each one of those is time and money.You can be uber responsiveIf your product or service is a function of people doing something, having a backup stack of people who can step in is crucial to your ability to perform. You absolutely have to have a bench for every time you scale and to not disrupt your delivery cycle or whatever it is that your people do for you, says Antara Dutta, a SCORE mentor in Delaware and founder of healthcare startup Ayuvia Galaxy. If someone quits or is sick or unavailable, you wont be in a tight spot to find hands.You might find someone you needIf youre only placing help wanted ads when you have vacancies, you could miss out on that candidate whos exactly what you want- but theyre not actively looking when youre actively seeking. If youre accepting resumes all the time, youll be able to find the great people and flag them for the time when you really need them.You might find someone you never knew you wantedAs a small business, you might not realize you need a person that does X and Y- until you meet them. Then you might find yourself creating a position to accommodate them. You never know whos going to come across your desk, says Johns, who is also a mentee of SCORE. Small businesses in particular are extremely agile, and they can shift and change depending on whats available to them.How to make it work for youUse subscription-based job postingsPutting your postings on a subscription service, likeMonsters flexible job ad options, allow you to be an always-hiring employer, with ads that attract qualified candidates during all hiring cycles. These solutions can be flexible and reasonably priced, allowing you to turn your attention to other aspects of your business.Do whatever takes the longest- in advanceIf you have a process that requires candidates to be vetted before they can be hired, do it before you need to hire them. Lets say a position requires some kind of background check, Dutta says. I would probably have them not only interviewed but also security background check cleared. Its like pre-cooking a meal- how much can a chef do ahead of time?Find flexible candidatesIf youre constantly interviewing so youll have a bench full of talent, but you arent equipped to hire people right away, youll need to look for candidates who are content to work on your ti meline. Where I see it works is where there are a lot of independent contractors or mothers re-entering the workforce, Dutta says. Thats where youd find people who are flexible on timing and starting.Attend job eventsEven when you arent looking for hires, take advantage of local job fairs to meet people and take resumes. This is particularly true if youre near any colleges or universities, because youll have access to a fresh and enthusiastic talent pool.

9 Companies With Work-at-Home Physician Jobs

9 Companies With Work-at-Home Physician Jobs9 Companies With Work-at-Home Physician JobsThe overall outlook for work-at-home physician jobs isnt as good as some other medical jobs from home. The education, experience, and mindset required to become a physician mean that the pay scale and responsibility level of many work-at-home jobs simply arent enough. Many physicians who choose to work at home do so for personal life-balance reasons and work in part-time positions.For those looking for a full-time, nonclinical physician job that can be telecommuted, your best bet is probably to contact a healthcare recruiter.In addition to the companies below, if you are an MD or have a Ph.D. in a medical field, another option for working at home is to become an online college faculty member or subject matter expert. 01vRad, Inc. This company, formerly known as Virtual Radiologic Teleradiology Services, is a provider of teleradiology services and solutions. It hires radiologists to work from home. Requirements include ABR or ABOR certification, hold at least one state license, eligible for hospital credentialing and available high-speed internet access. Full medical liability insurance is provided.

Salary Negotiation Tips for First-Time Job Seekers

Salary Negotiation Tips for First-Time Job SeekersSalary Negotiation Tips for First-Time Job Seekers7Even for the most seasoned of job seekers, salary negotiations can be uncomfortable. So it makes sense that only an estimated 38% of recent grads negotiated salary when they received a job offer, according to a NerdWallet infographic. With barely any job experience under your belt, you may feel unkoranvers whether you should even negotiate salary at all, but you definitely shouldHere are some salary negotiation tips for first-time job seekersUnderstand your expenses.Before you begin salary negotiations, its a good idea to have an idea of how much money you have to earn in order to live. That should be your base number from which to start your negotiations. So if a dream job is offering you a salary that you just wont be able to survive on, you can begin negotiating to get the increase youll need.Be confident.Just because you dont have oodles of experience listed on your resume doesnt mean that you should be paid less than other job candidates. So look for other strengths that you possess that others may not. Potential bosses might favor your youthful energy and exuberance over other been there, done that job seekers. Chances are, youve also been schooled in the latest in industry info. And internships count, too, so be sure to list any previous experiences that you can relate to the position youre applying for. Dont sell yourself short just because you dont have paid work experience on your resume yet.Be knowledgeable.Its understandable that you might be nervous to engage in salary negotiation as a first-time job seeker. Knowledge is power, though, so get updated on what the fair market value is for the position youre applying for. While its illegal for a potential boss to change the salary based on your age, its important that you know what salary ranges to expect before heading into the interview. Websites like Salary.com and Glassdoor are helpful for finding out salary ranges for your job level, career field, and location.Look at the entire offer.Sure, it can be discouraging to hear a smaller salary than you were hoping for. But jobs are more than just salary. Thats why you need to consider the whole job offer, such as medical and dental benefits, work flexibility, PTO, tuition reimbursement- even retirement savings contributions that your employer will make. And if youre able to work remotely, factor in how much money you could save from not having to commute to an bro every day. Suddenly, your salary might start to look a whole lot sweeter than it did beforeBe ready to ask for other benefits.Even if you are offered what is considered to be a fair salary for the type of job youre applying for, that still shouldnt stop you from negotiating other benefits. Ask if you can have work flexibility in terms of a flexible schedule, especially if youre going to travel to work daily. If youre planning to continue your education, you might even as k if the company can pay for it, especially if it relates to your current career.Even if you negotiate only a small salary increase or the ability to work from home one day each week, that first negotiating win will give you the confidence to go after what youre worth for the rest of your career.Dont accept the offer on the table.Unless the job offer is absolutely everything you dreamt of and more (it allows you to work remotely, has a great starting salary, killer benefits, room for growth, etc.), dont feel compelled to accept it immediately. Even if youre a first-time job seeker, you have every right to think the offer over before you take it. This can give you time to really assess if the job offer is right for you- or not. So run the numbers and see if it makes sense to accept the offer outright, or begin your negotiations towards a salary that you want and deserve.Looking for More Career Advice?TRY OUR CAREER COACHING SERVICESThis is a version of a post that was

5 Outdated Career Tips You Should Ignore - The Muse

5 Outdated Career Tips You Should Ignore - The Muse5 Outdated Career Tips You Should IgnoreIt occurred to me the other day as I bit into a homemade cookie from my co-worker how far weve come. I remember the days when baking for a colleagues birthday or bringing in a batch of no-occasion brownies was considered poor practice because it suggested (for women, especially) that you had time on your hands. Instead of working more hours or thinking creatively in your spare time, you were wrist-deep in pie crust, giving people reason to view you bedrngnis as a professional person, but a merely domestic one- or at the very least, an unambitious one. Im so glad that notion has flown the coop. It got me thinking, however, what other career advice is totally outdated? What arcane suggestions could we discard? I can think of at least five off the top of my head1. Keep Your Personal Life PrivateGo ahead and make small talk with your boss, but be careful not to actually divulge any personal details of your life. No need to get into what you did over the weekend or the vacation youre planning. All your manager needs to know is when you need off and that your weekend was good.What antiquated advice. Youre a whole human, your supervisor is a whole human, and as such, you both have lives beyond the work that you do. Why contain yourself when sharing some details about your personal life may actually be a good thing? 2. Pretend You Dont Need Any HelpFake it til you make when you dont know how to do something on the job, right? Just pretend to know or you waste more time than necessary figuring it out. No longer. Eschew this advice and remember that theres a lot of learning to be done when you seek assistance from your co-workers or admit to your manager that youre confused about an assignment. Unless shes a really awful, short-tempered, impatient person who, frankly, has no business leading a team, your supervisor will likely welcome questions and be happy to offer input if itll h elp you produce a quality project. 3. Avoid Interacting on Social MediaDont friend your boss on Facebook and dont follow him on Instagram. LinkedIn is safe and professional, and Twitter is fine too, assuming you only use yours for work purposes, but dont cross over into the personal aspect of the various social sites.Once upon a time this was respected advice. This was around the time when you uttered one-word responses about your holiday break or your sisters visit over the long weekend. But now? As long as youre not displaying anything wildly inappropriate on your platforms or talking crap about your manager, the company, the CEO, its pretty natural to befriend, follow, like, comment on colleagues social media pages. It goes back to that bit about everyone being a whole human.4. Maintain a Separate Work-Life BalanceThe workday ends at 6 PM, and begins again at 9 AM the next morning. In your non-working hours, you avoid email and you also quash any cool, creative ideas that cross y our mind. And while youre in the office, you pretend like your friends and family dont exist, and you have a one-track brain work.In theory, I can understand where this dichotomy emerged, but in real life, it just doesnt make sense. I get a thrill when I find myself inspired by an idea while Im walking the dog first thing in the morning. I whip my phone out and jot down a note so I dont risk forgetting when I cajole my brain into remembering it only once Ive made it to my desk. Im also not going to ignore my partners email about the dinner party were planning just because Im on the clock. Rigidly drawing a line between work and life, which are so obviously connected, is only going to make things difficult. 5. Never Challenge AuthorityWhat your boss says goes. Hes in charge, and whatever youre instructed to do, you do it blindly. He knows more than you, theres a reason hes in his position, and youre in yours. Its not hard to see why this advice stuckverzierung around for so long. In fact, of all the items on the list, this may be the one you continue to struggle with.And yet, if you view respectful pushback as playing into the greater good of the organization, you should be at least halfway over the hurdle of speaking up about your convictions. Your manager, if hes a good one, who cares about your growth and the success of the company, actually wants you to exercise your speak up.As is the case with a lot of well-intentioned advice passed through the decades, its essential to consider some old-school career advice with a skeptical eye. Some of it, you may find, still applies to you, while other bits, youll gleefully toss aside in favor of less archaic professional advice.Photo of man on device courtesty of LittleBee80/Getty Images.

The 30-Second Trick for Janitorial Resume

The 30-Second Trick for Janitorial Resume The Debate Over Janitorial Resume As a Custodian, you will get on-the-job training. A janitor resume must demonstrate a strong work ethic and the ability to wash dozens of rooms and hallways in one shift. Details of Janitorial Resume Our job application builder is the quickest approach to create work application that will be able to help you make your fantasy work. Executive summary is a considerable communication tool employed by academicians and company folks. No server application is needed. A specific application wont use all your available assets, which would usually bring about performance degradation or overall downtime for unique applications. Janitorial Resume the Ultimate Convenience Janitor jobs can vary when it regards schedule. He is a person who have a responsibility to clean any indoor buildings. Youre not merely a janitor. Key Pieces of Janitorial Resume When you have made a janitorial work description, take some opportunity to assess our janitor interview questions. Let hiring managers know that youre able to do the job well on a gruppe and raise its general strength. A superb janitor resume will also incorporate a little about your aims. Never neglect to discover what you can about your interviewer too. Dont forget that your resume is an opportunity to show off, and thus dont hold back. The capacity to edit the resume from any place in the whole world is a wonderful asset that youre ready to utilize to help you acquire that upcoming congrats. If you have sufficient experience and wish to demonstrate how much you have worked in a particular field, you can opt to earn a chronological resume. A resume builder is comparable to toilet paper. Job application or CV or maybe resume cover letter is currently a considerable component our academic along with the qualified lives. If it comes to resumes, you will discover a lot of website providing high regular examples of resumes which coul d serve you as model for a professionally written letter. The issue with resumes is the true actuality it is near impossible to represent yourself about the very same collection of paper. The Janitorial Resume Cover Up After learning what things to include in yours, you then need to go through the work description in order to learn what the provider is searching for in a person. In some instances, you will also interact directly with a providers customers, particularly if youre on the job during geschftliches miteinander hours. Just take the opportunity to generate a resume specifically for the business you are considering working for. There are several little and medium-sized companies which outsource various projects. Resumes have customarily develop into the vital ticket for navigating the task marketplace. Way too many resumes are in reality wordy and difficult to follow. The fantastic housekeeper job search resources will let you develop a winning job application. You can also locate skill ideas from LinkedIn and other on-line job profile websites. If youre searching for a housekeeping job, you will need a resume that sparkles. Youre able to find only outlines of resumes or already made resumes which may serve you as a model, no matter the sort of job that you need and the field in which youre specialized. Life After Janitorial Resume Janitorial and maintenance function isnt only about cleanup. Repairs and other pending work needs to be cascaded to the designated people whenever possible. Janitorial and maintenance work isnt only about cleaning. In either circumstance, Fox Cities Janitorial can provide help. Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. To begin with, templates have to be comprehensive. Its possible for you to use the sites templates and samples to make your care and janitorial resume. You may use the websites templates and samples to make your maintenance and janitorial resume.

Gossip, Lies and Resume Writing Service Roanoke Va

Gossip, Lies and Resume Writing Service Roanoke Va There are not any samples on the site. You may also book an appointment right on their site. You may also send a duplicate of your current resume, which will give some essential info. When the info is received, Mr. Wolf will call you, and go over all your information, and any other information that is needed. The organization is composed of 200 writers with specialties in many fields. AAA Mc Kinstry is among the nations most established resume writing tafelgeschirrs. Our services are given by professional resume writers experienced preparing resumes for a huge collection of industries, sectors and career locations. The Fight Against Resume Writing Service Roanoke Va Wherever youre in your career, were here to assist. Your resume will reflect how serious youre about the job that youre applying to and will showcase the abilities and experience youve got to assist you land an interview. You must routinely update your abilit ies and accomplishments. For some of them you will require help, while others youll be able to write all on your own. Resume Strong is among the best resume writing services Sacramento you come searching for. Find My Profession isnt just a top-notch resume service readily available in Virginia. With our academic writers youll never face such a matter. Writers will tailor your resume based on the position youre applying for. Yes, theres a person who can assist you with your essays expert essay writers at MyPerfectWords. In most instances, someone would finish your resume send the last drafts and you might never speak again. My turnaround times are quick, which means you can be assured that you will have your resume it no time in any respect. Our crew of professional writers create professional resumes all day, daily, 5 days per week. With that variety of positive clients reviews, youre certain to have a game-changing resume within just two or three days. Getting the Best Resume Writing Service Roanoke Va Actually, when you compare his prices to a number of the other resume specialists on the world wide web, Id say youre getting a fantastic deal. Matthew Warzel has written two unique e-books about how you can locate work, so in the fest that you dont wind up using their service it may be worth purchasing the e-books to help your work search along. The review is going to teach you whatever you want to understand and then youre able to place your purchase confidently. Our reviews contain information like the score of the clients, our rating, starting prices, Discounts, and grade of the papers. The Lost Secret of Resume Writing Service Roanoke Va If youre thinking that you will need someone to compose my essay at this time, you can merely rely on our honest reviews. As a conclusion, our group of skilled experts also provides a last verdict which will help you make a well-informed choice. You dont need to be concerned about having a resume writ er whos unaware of the role that youre applying for. Finding the finest San Francisco resume writer can be difficult.

7 Ways to Move Up by Moving Over

7 Ways to Move Up by Moving Over7 Ways to Move Up by Moving OverOver is the new up in many jobs and industries. Learn how to use zur seite hin gelegen moves and other off-the-ladder opportunities for career catapults and avoid getting derailed.Are you looking for that next career challenge but unsure how to get there? Climbing the corporate ladder might not be the only way. Today more than ever, a career detour just might lead to your career destiny. At every level - including the top - professionals, managers, and executives-in-waiting commonly zigzag through several seitlich lurches before stepping up to their destination position.Why has lateral become the new way to the top? The recession is partly to blame - the hierarchy in many companies flattened and compressed during the recession, effectively eliminating rungs that were previously part of the expected climb.Because of this reality, it has become more important to think sideways. If you dont plan ahead by considering late ral rotations as part of your career development plan, you may end up stuck on your current ladder rung indefinitely, unless you find a way to take a larger-than-usual step up. Yet paradoxically, exceptional advancement is less likely if you havent taken the time to boost your experience and confidence with lateral moves.Cheryl Palmer, career coach and founder of Call to Career, suggested a helpful analogy If youre stuck in a traffic jam and it may be hours before youre able to move forward, it makes sense to change lanes and exit on a side road where you can more quickly navigate around it. Sitting in the traffic jam and fuming doesnt get you anywhere.For advice on how to effectively turn a side step into a step up, Ladders asked several career-development experts to weigh in1. Make It Make Sense. Without a strategic career path, lateral moves can become merely a merry-go-round. Joanne Cleaver, author of the new book The Career Lattice Combat Brain Drain, Improve Company Culture, a nd Attract Top Talent, suggested you must proactively plot your own career plan to make sense of diagonal and lateral moves. Your employer wont do it for you, so the first thing to know is that its up to you to pursue and land opportunities that advance your career agenda, said Cleaver.A great place to start is to envision your next up move, and then reverse-engineer the qualifications you need to make a serious run for that position. Cleaver recommended assessing your current experience and skill platzset to determine what you might need to get where you want to go.Ask yourself Am I lacking hands-on operational experience? Proven expertise in a business skill, such as client retention? A working knowledge of a relevant slice of technology? What skill set would tee up my success in that position? suggested Cleaver. By comparing the skills required by your next-step job to the skills you currently have, youll quickly see the gaps that a lateral move can fill.2. Do What Needs to Be Do ne. Your informal self-assessment will likely uncover areas where your skills could be stronger to get you to the next level. Determine specific strategic actions that will help you reach your career goals faster.If you are a project manager who wants to become a department manager, you might need two things a stronger network outside your department so that your reputation is already established with your potential new peers, and broader exposure to customers and clients so you can show that you can drive growth as well as get work accomplished, said Cleaver.In this case, she suggested considering a short-term rotation to cultivate relationships with other departments and functions, or working on an assignment that puts you and your team on a customer-facing project.3. Volunteer Strategically. It can be difficult to find time for volunteer projects in the midst of your primary career responsibilities. But strategic volunteering can be a powerful way to rapidly expand your network o f influencers and to backfill business skills, according to Cleaver.To spin community service into an opportunity for lateral rotation, Cleaver suggested joining an organizational committee whose volunteers complement- yet dont duplicate- your existing network. Look to your current skills for a logical toehold (for example, if you work in marketing, join the marketing committee).Your end game is to transition to an assignment that builds your business skills, once your credibility is established, explained Cleaver. So a marketing exec, needing operational and financial management experience, might volunteer to co-chair an annual appeal. Such assignments tee up results-driven case studies for employees to bring back to their day job, illustrating business skills that prove their qualification for general management.4. Ensure Youre Still Learning. While sometimes taking a few steps sideways - or even back - can help you move forward, not all lateral moves or career detours will take you in the direction that you ultimately want to go. The trick is knowing which will and which wont.According to Melissa Llarena of Career Outcomes Matter, it can be detrimental to take a detour if youre unlikely to learn anything new in the next position. If you are switching to gain different skills or expand your network in the company, then a sideways turn could be helpful, said Llarena. However, if you are switching into a role where you cannot leverage any of your existing skills, then you should hear an internal alarm go off. To help avoid a dead end, Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professionals Survival Guide, recommended evaluating any lateral move in light of whether it will expand your skill set or neutralize what may be viewed as outdated or legacy experience.Stacey Hawley, Career Specialist at The Credo Company, noted that career detours can be beneficial if they round out your overall experience and practical education. Some detours enhance your understanding of an industry or related industries- for example, industries that are vertically integrated, said Hawley. When determining whether a career detour is beneficial, consider how you will use your newly acquired skills for subsequent roles.5. Decide for Yourself What Up Means. Part of effective career planning is knowing whats right for you. If you reach a career crossroads where a move feels wrong based on your own goals and vision- whether its sideways, up, or down- listen to yourself. Not everyones path makes sense as a vertical trajectory. We often enter the workforce thinking its a straight path to the top, says certified professional coach Laurie Battaglia. Usually its not.Workplace coach Darcy Eikenberg described working with a senior leader who knew that the next available step up on his organizations traditional ladder would force him to spend more time traveling - something he dreaded with a young son at home. But after he spent time redefining what career adv ancement really meant to him, he discovered that his current post gave him the flexibility and true advancement opportunity that he wanted.He chose to stay put, to recognize that growing in his current role would not be a detour, but sacrificing his personal values would be, said Eikenberg. Hes been happily succeeding personally and professionally ever since.6. Leverage the Lattice. Whether your lateral move comes about by design or decree, there are ways you can maximize time spent horizontally. One advantage of latticed moves is that they allow you to experience different viewpoints and perspectives.Instead of looking down my own ladder, Im going to look across the lattice of the organization, said Halley Bock, CEO and president of Fierce, Inc. Rather than asking for input from people who share my perspective and experience, the question becomes how to embrace and leverage the different vantage points, including those of different generations.Offering lateral moves as an alternati ve to straight-upward movement can be particularly important for the younger workforce, according to Bock. The opportunity to work among different teams can give variety and depth to employees work experience, said Bock. She added that Millennials bring a strong desire to share their experience and make a difference- so offering multiple avenues to learn and grow can be essential for retaining top young talent.7. Create Your Own Promotion. With the collapse of mid-management roles in many companies, an employee with 10 to 15 years of experience may suddenly find theres no next level in sight- their leaders may be in the same age range with no plans to retire or leave any time soon. Eikenberg said that in cases where you cant expect a promotion, it may be time to orchestrate your own with a few key strategiesIdentify the pain in your organization and how you are uniquely suited to help calm that pain from your current position.Build a business plan for a new role, department, or serv ice you might lead.Communicate with key players in your organization to let your intentions be known.Take your efforts as seriously as you would a new job search.It takes creativity, persistence, and confidence to create your own next step, said Eikenberg, but if youre truly hungry for advancement in a flat world, make it yourself.

This is the secret to improving your self-esteem

This is the secret to improving your self-esteemThis is the secret to improving your self-esteemIt seems we all want to know how to improve self-esteem these days.Life can be hard. And who is usually hardest on you? Yourself. Theres that negative voice in your head criticizing you. And sometimes you cant shut it up.So the answer is to boost your self-esteem, right?Weve seen an explosion of this kind of thinking lately, that self-esteem is the answer to everything.But its had somenegative effects on the world too - like an epidemic of narcissism.Via Self-CompassionThis emphasis on high self-esteem at all costs has also lumineszenzdiode to a worrying trend toward increasing narcissism. Twenge and colleagues examined the scores of more than fifteen thousand college students who took the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1987 and 2006. During the twenty-year period, scores went through the roof, with 65percent of modern-day students scoring higher in narcissism than previous ge nerations.Oh, and theres one other teensy weensylittle problem with trying to boost self-esteem to deal with that critical voiceIt doesnt work.Self-esteem aint the answerThis focus on improvingself-esteem got to the point where the State of California started a task force and gave it $250,000 a year to raise childrens self-esteem.They expected this to boost grades and reduce bullying, crime, teen pregnancy and drug abuse.Guess what? It was a total failure in almost every category.Via Self-CompassionReports on the efficacy of Californias self-esteem initiative, for instance, suggest that it was a total failure. Hardly any of the programs hoped-for outcomes were achieved.What?? Self-esteem is supposed to cure everything, right? Wrong.Research shows self-esteem doesnt cause all those good things. Its just a side effectof healthy behavior. So artificially boosting it doesnt work.Via Self-CompassionIn one influential review of the self-esteem literature, it was concluded that high self-e steem actually did elend improve academic achievement or job performance or leadership skills or prevent children from smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and engaging in early sex. If anything, high self-esteem appears to be the consequence rather than the cause of healthy behaviors.(For the science-based secret to never being frustrated again, click here.)Uh-oh. The cure-all is a cure-bedrngnishing.So what do we do?Researchers have found an answer to feeling much better about yourself - butits not improvingself-esteem.Forget self-esteem. Try self-compassionStop lying to yourself that youre so awesome. Instead, focus on forgiving yourself when youre not.Why?Research shows increasing self-compassion has all the benefits of self-esteem - but without the downsides.Via Self-CompassionThe bottom line is that according to the science, self-compassion appears to offer the same advantages as high self-esteem, with no discernible downsides. The first thing to know is that self-compassion and self-esteem do tend to go together. If youre self-compassionate, youll tend to have higher self-esteem than if youre endlessly self-critical. And like high self-esteem- self-compassion is associated with significantly less anxiety and depression, as well as more happiness, optimism, and positive emotions. However, self-compassion offers clear advantages over self-esteem when things go wrong, or when our egos are threatened.Self-compassion reduces anxiety. Self-esteem doesnt.Via Self-CompassionParticipants self-compassion levels, but not their self-esteem levels, predicted how much anxiety they felt. In other words, self-compassionate students reported feeling less self-conscious and nervous than those who lacked self-compassion, presumably because they felt okay admitting and talking about their weak points. Students with high self-esteem, by contrast, were no less anxious than those with low self-esteem, having been thrown off balance by the challenge of discussing their failings. When youre self-compassionate youfeel less embarrassed when youscrew up. Self-esteem doesnt help here.Via Self-CompassionAnother study required people to imagine being in potentially embarrassing situations being on a sports team and blowing a big game, for instance, or performing in a play and forgetting ones lines. How would participants feel if something like this happened to them?Self-compassionate participants were less likely to feel humiliated or incompetent, or to take it too personally. Instead, they said they would take things in their stride, thinking thoughts like Everybody goofs up now and then and In the long run, this doesnt really matter. Having high self-esteem, however, made little difference. Those with both high and low self-esteem were equally likely to have thoughts like Im such a loser or I wish I could die. Once again, high self-esteem tends to come up empty-handed when the chips are down.Want to feel more self-worth? Guess who wins? Yup. Self-compassion.Via Self-Compassionself-compassion was clearly associated with steadier and more constant feelings of self-worth than self-esteem. We also found that self-compassion was less likely than self-esteem to be contingent on particular outcomes like social approval, competing successfully, or feeling attractive. When our sense of self-worth stems from being a human being intrinsically worthy of respect- rather than being contingent on obtaining certain ideals- our sense of self-worth is much less easily shaken.And guess whos more likely to be narcissistic? Those with self-esteem, not self-compassion.Via Self-CompassionIn fact, a striking finding of the study was that people with high self-esteem were much more narcissistic than those with low self-esteem. In contrast, self-compassion was completely unassociated with narcissism. (The reason there wasnt a negative association is because people who lack self-compassion dont tend to be narcissistic, either.)Research also shows self-compassion eve n makes you less likely to procrastinate.It also boosts happiness and reduces stress.Want a better love life? Self-compassion improves romantic relationships. Self-esteem doesnt.Via Self-CompassionThe results of our study indicated that self-compassionate people did in fact have happier and more satisfying romantic relationships than those who lacked self-compassion. This is largely because self-compassionate participants were described by their partners as being more accepting and nonjudgmental than those who lacked self-compassionHigh self-esteem, it should be noted, did not appear to do a whole hell of a lot for couples. Self-esteem was not associated with happier, healthier relationships, and people with high self-esteem werent described by their partners as being any more accepting, caring, or supportive in their relationships than those who lacked self-esteem.(For more on shortcuts to bonding with a romantic partner on a deeper level, click here.)I could go on and on. But Im s ure youre already saying, Just tell me how to do it, Eric Fair enough.Dont worry. Its not hardThere are a number of ways to boost self-compassion but Im going to focus on one here because its epically simpleI want you to talk to yourself. Nicely.Next time that voice in your head starts saying critical things, reframe the thoughts into something positive and forgiving.Via Self-CompassionThe best way to counteract self-criticism, therefore, is to understand it, have compassion for it, and then replace it with a kinder responseReframe the observations made by your inner critic in a kind, friendly, positive way.Sound silly? Tell that to theNavy SEALs. Positive self-talkis one of the methods that showed the best results in helping them get through their incredibly difficult training.Talking to yourself out loud can make you smarter, improve your memory, help you focus and even increase athletic performance.Maybe youre not buying it.Talking to yourself not doing it for you? Imagine someon e who loves you saying the kind words instead. Research shows thisdelivers serious results.Via Self-CompassionPractitioners first instruct patients to generate an image of a safe place to help counter any fears that may arise. They are then instructed to create an ideal image of a caring and compassionate figureThe training resulted in significant reductions in depression, self-attacking, feelings ofinferiority, and shame.Say you blow your diet and eat a whole bag of cookies. Now that voice in your head is beating you up. How would your loving grandma address the issue? Probably with less criticism and more like thisVia Self-CompassionDarling, I know you ate that bag of cookies because youre feeling really sad right now and you thought it would cheer you up. But you feel even worse and are not feeling good in your body. I want you to be happy, so why dont you take a long walk so you feel better?You need to dispute the negative thoughts and reframe them into something positive. Every time that critical voice starts yammering, instead imagine Grandma giving supportive advice.You forgive others all the time. You need to start forgiving yourself more often.(For more on quieting that voice in your head, click here.)Okay, lets round it up and put it to use.Sum upNext time that critical voice in your head starts going and you think you need a self-esteem boost, instead reach for some self-compassionReframe whatever the voice says into something more positive.If it helps you more, visualize a compassionate figure and have them say it to you.Yes, its that simple.When we focus on self-esteem, we often build ourselves up by comparing ourselves to others. In the end, this is a losing strategy. Even if we come out ahead, it still distances us from other people and thats no path to happiness.By remembering that everybody screws up younot only engage your compassion muscles but youalso drawyourself closer to others. Youre not better or worse. Were all imperfect. And thats ok ay. And it unites everyone.As researcher Kristin Neff explains in her bookWho is the only person in your life who is available 24/7 to provide you with care and kindness? You.Join over 185,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsHow To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done 5 Expert Tips6 Things The Most Productive People Do Every DayNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.This is the secret to improving your self-esteemIt seems we all want to know how to improve self-esteem these days.Life can be hard. And who is usually hardest on you? Yourself. Theres that negative voice in your head criticizing you. And sometimes you cant shut it up.So the answer is to boost your self-esteem, right?Weve seen an explosion of this kind of thinking lately, that self-esteem is the answer to everything.But its had somenegative effects on the world too - like an epidemic of narcissism.Via Self-Compas sionThis emphasis on high self-esteem at all costs has also leuchtdiode to a worrying trend toward increasing narcissism. Twenge and colleagues examined the scores of more than fifteen thousand college students who took the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1987 and 2006. During the twenty-year period, scores went through the roof, with 65percent of modern-day students scoring higher in narcissism than previous generations.Oh, and theres one other teensy weensylittle problem with trying to boost self-esteem to deal with that critical voiceIt doesnt work.Self-esteem aint the answerThis focus on improvingself-esteem got to the point where the State of California started a task force and gave it $250,000 a year to raise childrens self-esteem.They expected this to boost grades and reduce bullying, crime, teen pregnancy and drug abuse.Guess what? It was a total failure in almost every category.Via Self-CompassionReports on the efficacy of Californias self-esteem initiative, for instance, suggest that it was a total failure. Hardly any of the programs hoped-for outcomes were achieved.What?? Self-esteem is supposed to cure everything, right? Wrong.Research shows self-esteem doesnt cause all those good things. Its just a side effectof healthy behavior. So artificially boosting it doesnt work.Via Self-CompassionIn one influential review of the self-esteem literature, it was concluded that high self-esteem actually did not improve academic achievement or job performance or leadership skills or prevent children from smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and engaging in early sex. If anything, high self-esteem appears to be the consequence rather than the cause of healthy behaviors.(For the science-based secret to never being frustrated again, click here.)Uh-oh. The cure-all is a cure-nothing.So what do we do?Researchers have found an answer to feeling much better about yourself - butits not improvingself-esteem.Forget self-esteem. Try self-compassionStop lying to yo urself that youre so awesome. Instead, focus on forgiving yourself when youre not.Why?Research shows increasing self-compassion has all the benefits of self-esteem - but without the downsides.Via Self-CompassionThe bottom line is that according to the science, self-compassion appears to offer the same advantages as high self-esteem, with no discernible downsides. The first thing to know is that self-compassion and self-esteem do tend to go together. If youre self-compassionate, youll tend to have higher self-esteem than if youre endlessly self-critical. And like high self-esteem- self-compassion is associated with significantly less anxiety and depression, as well as more happiness, optimism, and positive emotions. However, self-compassion offers clear advantages over self-esteem when things go wrong, or when our egos are threatened.Self-compassion reduces anxiety. Self-esteem doesnt.Via Self-CompassionParticipants self-compassion levels, but not their self-esteem levels, predicted how much anxiety they felt. In other words, self-compassionate students reported feeling less self-conscious and nervous than those who lacked self-compassion, presumably because they felt okay admitting and talking about their weak points. Students with high self-esteem, by contrast, were no less anxious than those with low self-esteem, having been thrown off balance by the challenge of discussing their failings.When youre self-compassionate youfeel less embarrassed when youscrew up. Self-esteem doesnt help here.Via Self-CompassionAnother study required people to imagine being in potentially embarrassing situations being on a sports team and blowing a big game, for instance, or performing in a play and forgetting ones lines. How would participants feel if something like this happened to them?Self-compassionate participants were less likely to feel humiliated or incompetent, or to take it too personally. Instead, they said they would take things in their stride, thinking thoughts l ike Everybody goofs up now and then and In the long run, this doesnt really matter. Having high self-esteem, however, made little difference. Those with both high and low self-esteem were equally likely to have thoughts like Im such a loser or I wish I could die. Once again, high self-esteem tends to come up empty-handed when the chips are down.Want to feel more self-worth? Guess who wins? Yup. Self-compassion.Via Self-Compassionself-compassion was clearly associated with steadier and more constant feelings of self-worth than self-esteem. We also found that self-compassion was less likely than self-esteem to be contingent on particular outcomes like social approval, competing successfully, or feeling attractive. When our sense of self-worth stems from being a human being intrinsically worthy of respect- rather than being contingent on obtaining certain ideals- our sense of self-worth is much less easily shaken.And guess whos more likely to be narcissistic? Those with self-esteem, no t self-compassion.Via Self-CompassionIn fact, a striking finding of the study was that people with high self-esteem were much more narcissistic than those with low self-esteem. In contrast, self-compassion was completely unassociated with narcissism. (The reason there wasnt a negative association is because people who lack self-compassion dont tend to be narcissistic, either.)Research also shows self-compassion even makes you less likely to procrastinate.It also boosts happiness and reduces stress.Want a better love life? Self-compassion improves romantic relationships. Self-esteem doesnt.Via Self-CompassionThe results of our study indicated that self-compassionate people did in fact have happier and more satisfying romantic relationships than those who lacked self-compassion. This is largely because self-compassionate participants were described by their partners as being more accepting and nonjudgmental than those who lacked self-compassionHigh self-esteem, it should be noted, did not appear to do a whole hell of a lot for couples. Self-esteem was not associated with happier, healthier relationships, and people with high self-esteem werent described by their partners as being any more accepting, caring, or supportive in their relationships than those who lacked self-esteem.(For more on shortcuts to bonding with a romantic partner on a deeper level, click here.)I could go on and on. But Im sure youre already saying, Just tell me how to do it, Eric Fair enough.Dont worry. Its not hardThere are a number of ways to boost self-compassion but Im going to focus on one here because its epically simpleI want you to talk to yourself. Nicely.Next time that voice in your head starts saying critical things, reframe the thoughts into something positive and forgiving.Via Self-CompassionThe best way to counteract self-criticism, therefore, is to understand it, have compassion for it, and then replace it with a kinder responseReframe the observations made by your inner criti c in a kind, friendly, positive way.Sound silly? Tell that to theNavy SEALs. Positive self-talkis one of the methods that showed the best results in helping them get through their incredibly difficult training.Talking to yourself out loud can make you smarter, improve your memory, help you focus and even increase athletic performance.Maybe youre not buying it.Talking to yourself not doing it for you? Imagine someone who loves you saying the kind words instead. Research shows thisdelivers serious results.Via Self-CompassionPractitioners first instruct patients to generate an image of a safe place to help counter any fears that may arise. They are then instructed to create an ideal image of a caring and compassionate figureThe training resulted in significant reductions in depression, self-attacking, feelings ofinferiority, and shame.Say you blow your diet and eat a whole bag of cookies. Now that voice in your head is beating you up. How would your loving grandma address the issue? Pr obably with less criticism and more like thisVia Self-CompassionDarling, I know you ate that bag of cookies because youre feeling really sad right now and you thought it would cheer you up. But you feel even worse and are not feeling good in your body. I want you to be happy, so why dont you take a long walk so you feel better?You need to dispute the negative thoughts and reframe them into something positive. Every time that critical voice starts yammering, instead imagine Grandma giving supportive advice.You forgive others all the time. You need to start forgiving yourself more often.(For more on quieting that voice in your head, click here.)Okay, lets round it up and put it to use.Sum upNext time that critical voice in your head starts going and you think you need a self-esteem boost, instead reach for some self-compassionReframe whatever the voice says into something more positive.If it helps you more, visualize a compassionate figure and have them say it to you.Yes, its that sim ple.When we focus on self-esteem, we often build ourselves up by comparing ourselves to others. In the end, this is a losing strategy. Even if we come out ahead, it still distances us from other people and thats no path to happiness.By remembering that everybody screws up younot only engage your compassion muscles but youalso drawyourself closer to others. Youre not better or worse. Were all imperfect. And thats okay. And it unites everyone.As researcher Kristin Neff explains in her bookWho is the only person in your life who is available 24/7 to provide you with care and kindness? You.Join over 185,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsHow To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done 5 Expert Tips6 Things The Most Productive People Do Every DayNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

A Good, Sad, Real Reason to Go to Law School

A Good, Sad, Real Reason to Go to Law SchoolA Good, Sad, Real Reason to Go to Law SchoolBecause you grew up in an abusive household, with nine brotzu sichs and sisters, most enduring regular bouts of beatings, starvationtorture, reallyas your parents ate steak and lobster, ridiculed your interests, made you, at the age of ten, care for your younger siblings, one of whom was sodomized and chained to a bathtub, and worse, while being brainwashed to think that everyone in the world was as evil as your father who used the money from your brothers life insurance policy to buy a sports car. And because you want to make sure people like that get what people like that should getOn Saturday, Melissa Anderson graduated from St. Marys University School of Law at the top of her class, and she plans to practice family law or represent abused and neglected children in the court system. She would like to run for office some day. She is also an author, and she published her first illustrated childre ns book lastyear.I have a burning desire to help children. I grew up seeing so many injustices in the world, she said. (Law school) seemed like the place to go to make it right, to help someone who is now where Iwas.You can read the full story here.The San Antonio Express-News