How to Avoid Overthinking Your Work Problems - The Muse

How to Avoid Overthinking Your Work Problems - The MuseHow to Avoid Overthinking Your Work ProblemsEver spent any amount of time obsessing over a problem thats not really even a problem? Im guilty of this on a personal level (just ask my spouse), and there once was a time when I struggled with making mountains out of molehills at work too. But the thing to know? More often than not, unless youre really, truly slacking off and regularly under-delivering at your job, your so-called problems are most likely in your head. Best-selling author, Seth Godin, in fact, calls them make-believe. He explains that by elevating these and moving them to the top of our priority list, we avoid the things we should be paying close attention to.We turn little things into major ones, causing us to react in a senseless way to situations that are not dire. While the list of its-not-the-end-of-the-world issues is probably infinite, see if you identify with any of the ones below, and if you do, make a plan t o stop your negative, overblown thinking so you can focus on the stuff that really matters. 1. Youre Worried About Not Speaking Up in a MeetingEver left a meeting annoyed with yourself for not contributing? You literally sat in silence while your teammates interjected with this or offered that. Post-meeting, you cant help but replay the situation over again and again and again. Why on earth didnt you say anything? Now you just look like an incompetent idiot.Sure, you could go on feeling totally lame for staying quiet, or you could do something now. How can you focus on the big picture and take action that shows you were present and not zoning out? Because thats what really matters here- not how many words you got in compared to everyone else.If you have a big idea to add, just shoot out a follow-up email. Or, if your idea doesnt seem email-worthy, make a note to better prepare for your next meeting so you find it easier to weigh in quickly. Youre Only Allowed to Stress Out If.Youre rarely contributing to discussions- both in person and over email. While speaking up can feel scary for some of us, its important to do if you want to get your voice heard and earn a reputation for being thoughtful, innovative, creative, and a whole host of other positive adjectives. 2. Youre Worried That You Eat Lunch Alone Every DayAt your desk. Every day. Its your time to unwind and catch up with your personal email, or its a few minutes of social media browsing you allow yourself. And yet, as much as you enjoy your routine, you cant help feeling like people are talking about you. Or not even realizing you exist. Youre Only Allowed to Stress Out IfYou havent made any friends at work Although you dont have to be BFFs with your co-workers, it helps to be friendly and open to conversation. Eat at your desk alone if thats your preference, but dont avoid getting to know a few of your teammates in other ways.3. Youre Worried That You Always Leave Work Before Your BossMost days you head out after youve whittled your to-do list down in a satisfactory way. Your brain doesnt function too well past 5 PM, so you often find yourself shutting down your computer and packing up your thing before your boss does. You stress a little about it each time, but, frankly, after an hour or more of trying to run out the clock, your eyes begin to glaze over and you feel like the only answer is to get out of there before you go nuts. Youre Only Allowed to Stress Out IfYoure leaving early because youre bored or youve been told youre not working hard enough. If this is the case, then your guilty exit is cause for concern. In the long run, your stagnant position or your reluctance to work diligently is going to creep up on you, and youre going to wish youd talked to your boss about getting more assignments or read up on how to be more productive. Im not going to pretend otherwise Theres always going to be an opportunity to make something out of nothing. So, the next time youre tempted to moan and groan over that little thing, take a moment and ask yourself if youre stressing out over nothing.

Six Cover Letter Tips - CraftResumes.com

Six Cover Letter Tips - CraftResumes.comSix Cover Letter Tips - CraftResumes.comSix Cover Letter TipsYou may be asking yourself if you still need a titelseite letter today. Cover letters are still very important and are usually the first introduction youll have to a company. According to a study conducted by Robert Half 2018, 90% of executives say that writing a titelblatt letter is valuable. A well-written deckblatt letter can help you stand out from the crowd, whereas a poorly-written cover letter, that appears like a copy and paste that you sent to all employers, can hurt your chances for an interview. This article will outline six key elements of a writing an effective cover letter to help you stand out.Identify the Hiring ManagerGlassdoor (2017) demonstrated that the average corporate job opening receives more than 250 resumes. Its way too common for applicants to blanketly apply through the various job boards and company websites without giving any effort to try and find the co ntact person. Taking the time to get personal and identify the decision maker (hiring manager) will make you stand out from the masses of applicants who address the cover letter by simply writing to whom it may concern. The extra little effort required to locate the decision maker and address the cover letter to them specifically will pay off in spades. Tailor the Cover LetterIn addition to addressing the cover letter to the hiring manager, you should tailor the cover letter to the specific location youre applying for. Be sure to include the relevant keywords and highlight exactly why youre qualified for the position. You can use the most relevant achievements from your resume or include new accomplishments that are tailored for the position. This customization will clearly separate you from the candidates who use a generic cover letter that they use for every position they applied for. Showcase Your ValueJust like you resume, you want your cover letter to showcase your value and im mediately indicate why you would be a great fit for the specific job you are applying. An easy way to achieve this is with a concise opening paragraph followed by a few bullets with your relevant achievements that are applicable to the position. Remember that employers want to know about your previous contributions and how you are going to make a significant difference at their company.Clearly Indicate Why Youre InterestedOne of the most common interview questions asked from hiring managers is why do you want to work for us? Your cover letter gives you the chance to include this information unlike your resume. You should be very specific on exactly why you want to work for the company. For example, you may have seen the companys new product release that you want to be involved with. Perhaps youve been following the companys social media channels and constantly read about the positive culture of the organization where you would be a great fit. Make every company and unique position t hat you apply for feel as if its the only one youre considering.Keep it ConciseLinkedIn (2017) conducted a detailed study of hiring managers and discovered that the average recruiter spends only 6-seconds reviewing a resume Knowing this, you can count on recruiters spending less time reviewing your cover letter. Your cover letter needs to be concise and always less than one-page. Avoid using lengthy paragraphs with too much information. Instead, use very concise bullet points that are easy to read and can quickly showcase your skills and qualifications for the position.ProofreadThere is no excuse for submitting a cover letter (along with your resume) to a job that contains spelling and grammatical errors. Although most people will use Microsoft Word or a similar word processing program with spell checkers, you still need to proofread your cover letter to guarantee that it didnt miss anything. The spell checker wont be able to properly review things such as specific company names, pr oducts, positions, etc., where an egregious spelling error can cost you the position. Finally, be sure to proofread for any grammatical errors that a writing program could easily miss. Mixing up homophones (words that sound alike but are different) is an easy error to miss. You may have listed your when you should have listed youre. Finally, be certain to spell the hiring managers name correctly that you are addressing the cover letter to since a spell checker will not be able to catch this.ConclusionThe purpose of the cover letter is to get the recruiter to read your resume and hopefully lead to being invited for an interview. A study conducted by Careerbuilder (2015) highlighted that 49% of employers wanted job seekers to include a cover letter for the position theyre applying for. Remember to 1) identify the hiring manager, 2) tailor the cover letter for each position, 3) showcase your value, 4) clearly indicate why youre interested, 5) keep it concise, and 6) proofread it for co nsistency and to avoid any spelling/grammatical errors. Cover letters are still important today and will be for the foreseeable future.

Vaults 2019 Midsize Law Firm Rankings Are Here

Vaults 2019 Midsize Law Firm Rankings Are HereVaults 2019 Midsize Law Firm Rankings Are HereVault has released its ranking of the 20 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For and Lightfoot, Franklin White tops the list again after, besting two-time champion Nutter, McClennen Fish last year. Lightfoot earned the ranking through high ratings in Vaults numerous Midsize Quality of Life categories, including ranking as the top firm in Satisfaction, Firm Culture, and Quality of Work. Nutter does earn the No. 1 spot in Vaults new midsize Pro Bono ranking, while Susman Godfrey tops the new ranking for Selectivity. Desmarais ranks highest in Compensation for the third straight year, Bookoff McAndrews repeats as the No. 1 firm for Diversity, and Nelson Hardiman is the new top firm for Hours.The 2018 Top 10 Best Midsize Law Firms to Work For are