Your Personal Life Is a Project. Learn to Manage It like a PM Superstar!

Your Personal Life Is a Project. Learn to Manage It like a PM SuperstarYour Personal Life Is a Project. Learn to Manage It like a PM SuperstarYou need to get something done. You set a date. At some point you actually start working on it.The deadline flies by. Youre still at it.Why did I ever think that deadline welches reasonable?And how the hell did this get so expensiveEver heard of the planning fallacy?Its basically a catch-all term for every mistake possible underestimated costs and complexity, not accounting for unknowns, and being overly optimistic about external circumstances.Were all guilty.Get this in an experiment, Americans were asked to evaluate the expected cost of remodeling their kitchens.The average estimate? $18,500.The actual mean cost? Almost $39,000.Try explaining that to your bankAgain, were all guilty, but there are people who seem to always be on top of things. Theyre actually paid for doing just that.Project managers.Do they have superpowers? Are they lucky? N o, not at all. They just happen to know some things you dont.And theyre about to teach you those skills. (And, as a bonus, recommend some of the coolest, easy-to-use productivity apps to help you manage your personal life like a pro.)1Understand why we all suck at planningStep one realize whats been stopping you so far.In a word overconfidence.Its best explained by a concept of WYSIATI (What You See Is All There Is) coined by one of the most exceptional psychologists of all time, Nobel Prize winner, Daniel Kahneman (Every project manager I spoke with mentioned this theory).You see, when we make plans, we tend to focus only on the known knownsphenomena weve already seen and can anticipate.What we forget about, though, areKnown unknownsthings we know might happen, but we ignore them because we hope they wont happen (or well fix them later.).Unknown unknownsevents that we dont know about and cannot predict.If what you see is all there is, you better see it all.So2See the BoardEach thin g you do actually requires you to do a lot of smaller things. We dont think this way about walking the dog, making tea, or sending an email to accounting.But we dont think this way about mora complex projects either.In the search of a solution to that problem, I reached out to Shai Shandil, an Agile/Scrum management coach, and a founder of softsolutions.His answer? See the mainboard.No, this isnt a zen koan He means literally.The easiest way to combat a mounting pile of tasks is to have a physical board that holds all these tasks.Its called a kanban board and was first used by Taiichi Ohno at Toyota.Shai let us see his board he used for moving home(Hestotally un-high-tech about it)Notice two thingsFirst of all, the tasks on Shais list are very specific.For instance, its not clean the house. Instead, its divided into smaller, controllable tasksVacuum house, Clean between oven glass, Wipe down kitchen, (already done).Clean shower, Clean drains, Bleach kitchen blinds, Mop house, (to do .)Secondly, all stakeholders (be that your spouse, children, or flatmates) can immediately learn what the status is.Its a BRILLIANT way of stopping nagging because the answers to all How are you going with X? types of questions are so readily available, Shai says.I know what you might be wondering3How much should I break down my tasks?Thats a question many kanban users ask and, ironically, most kanban tutorials rarely answer.For good reason. Theres no one-size-fits-all answer. You need to be agile and learn what works for you.But there are two general guidelinesDependencyOne of the main reasons work gets delayed is the dependency on other people. When breaking up your work, make sure that its clear which item requires someone else to take action.At a given point, the number of external stakeholders your task is waiting for should not exceed two.What if it does?Thats a signal you should break down the task further, into lower-level items that dont rely on that many dependencies.TimeT his factor is much more speculative, but if you need a basic rule of thumb, here it isThe minimum task size is 30 minutes.Aim for a maximum of one workdayfor sanitys sake, you dont want work to spill over to the following day.It will take time and practice to determine what goes on the board. The good thing is, after a few iterations, youll notice things flow smoothly from left to right.Youll see what needs to get done first, do it, and move on to the next task.Plus, once you see movement on the board, youll learn to manage your time to keep things moving. Got a time slot for X? Do X. Not enough time before your date? Do Y.Shai gave another personal example to brilliantly illustrate thatI never iron more than three items at a time. Its less about how much it takes me to get it done. Its more about how much time it takes my wife to get date-ready. All of a sudden, I no longer have to set up an ironing task every week, a saving of an hour for my free time.4A continuous flow of tasksNo tice that, in Shais kanban board, theres no backlog column.Thats because kanban management doesnt concern itself with time boxes work comes in, gets worked on, and gets finished. Thats it.This approach seemed surprising coming from Shai who specializes in Scruma methodology focused on timeboxed iterations called sprints. But Shai suggested that the simplicity of kanban is usually way more fitting for personal or family needs.Another PM, Leigh Espy, Project Manager at FedEx and owner of ProjectBliss.net shares Shais approach.Three years ago, she encouraged her then 10-year old daughter to start using a simple kanban boardmade from just a whiteboard and Post-It-Notes, with three columns Not Started, Doing, and Done.The simplicity lets my daughter focus on getting the work done and moving the task through the stages of execution very quickly. Having a list of chores to pick from gives her a sense of control, Leigh says.She still has to do the work, but she can determine in what order. And shes formally taken ownership and committed to the task. Once shes finished the work, she moves the task to the Done column and picks the next item. This is also helpful for meit lets me know what shes actively working on, she explains.A child-friendly, glorified to-do list? No, its more than that.First of all, we rarely know when well have a bit of free time. The kanban board lets you queue tasks, prioritize them, and get them done when you have an opening.Secondly, committing to using a board will let you see patterns. Youll notice repetitive tasks, identify which ones take longer than expected, and soon youll streamline everyday processes (remember Shais ironing example?).But proper project management is not only about getting things done more efficiently. Its also about working towards an important objective5Whatever you plan, think about the big goalIn the end, we all do things for some grander reason.For someone, as someone.Every Sunday, Scott Perry (a PMP-certified Projec t Manager by day, and a baseball blogger at CatchersHome.com by night), together with his wife, holds the weekly marriage meeting.They open up their very analog Moleskine schedulers and go through their plans for the upcoming week.But thats not all.Another thing I do in my personal weekly planning is to integrate a Role Map into my plans. Its a structured blueprint of every role you have in your life (think Employee, Son, Husband, Father, Little League Coach, etc.) that connects you with your weekly plan so that your actions are intentional, not reactive, supporting further development of each role. This way, I can spend time on things that count and not on busy work that doesnt really matter.Ever found yourself elbows deep in something, only to realize youre not getting closer to what you actually want to achieve?Exactly.Busy is a drug. Makes you feel good. But being busy doesnt imply being productive.Always ask yourself whats the actual outcome of what Im doing? Is there any value in it? Are the steps Im taking bringing me closer to the end goal?Make reality checks a habit. Kanban or no kanban.At the end of the day, good project management is about making the right choices. You know, the ones that actually pull you closer to the desired outcome.And for the final word... Heres how to boost your efficiency with apps65 top apps recommended by PMs for increasing your productivity1. OmnifocusAn indispensable daily tool for organizing your home and professional tasks.It allows you to easily group your tasks by priority, complexity, and dependenciesthe time of day, your location, other people, etc.Available for iOS and MacOS users only.2. todoistA super easy way to seat daily and weekly goals and analyze your productivity. Beautiful visualizations will help you notice trends in your productivity. Not to mention Todoist karma points, streaks, and levels which will gamify your life and make you want to chase numbers(Its also very easy to integrate todoist with your G mail and Google Calendar.)3. PocketThe easiest way to save cool reads and other stuff you find online. Store them in your Pocket and revisit when you have some free timeon your computer or mobile.4. TrelloLove the idea of a kanban board but cant be bothered to set up a physical one?Enter Trello. A straightforward, easily accessible online kanban board you can use on your own or with your family.5. AudibleLast but not least.Reading is a joy, but sometimes you cant really sit down and stare at text. Get your daily dose of literature as you walk your dog or clean the tub.So, what do you think?

Finding a Job After Leaving a Career

Finding a Job After Leaving a CareerFinding a Job After Leaving a CareerThe Donald calls it our depression. Hes talking about the economy, not our mood but I think he intends the double entendre. Technically, it is a deep recession, but one with soaring unemployment and plunging retirement account values. That combination is forcing thousands of American managers and executives in their 30s and 40s to rethink their career path and many mora in their 50s and 60s to revamp retirement plans. Those changes coupled with new legislation out of Washington could spark a commitment to public service not seen since the 1960s. Volunteering is not new for out-of-work execs or senior corporate folk who have recently retired. Historically, those ex-executives have the means to retire comfortably or hang out for a while until the next senior position presents itself. But this unprecedented economic climate is turning some of those stereotypes on their ear. Two quick examples and then a probabl e solution. I spoke to a friend this weekend who had been an executive at one of the headline-grabbing banks now partially owned by Uncle Sam. He had been quite successful there for the past 15 years but got his walking papers late in 08 as part of sweeping downsizing. Given the supply of top jobs (shrinking) and the toxic (forgive the adjective choice) working environment at most major banks these days, he really doesnt want to continue with what had been his career. While he is considering a redirected career path in some other part of the private sector, he told me he has been strongly considering the path of public service government, teaching or non-profit organizational leadership. And Im hearing this kind of thing a lot these days.Second example a 60-something acquaintance of mine who retired early about five years ago after a solidly successful career as an executive. His health is superb better than when he was working but his 401k is not so superb. In fact, he has lost more than the average Joe about 45% of the value back in 2007. So, as he sits here today, he is facing a longer-than-expected life span and a shorter runway of funds to support his desired and accustomed lifestyle. Given his age and the contractions in the private sector, he too is looking at the public sector.One external initiative could accelerate opportunities for the people like them. President Obama is expected to sign the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Act soon. The bill is designed to encourage more Americans to commit to national service and expand opportunities for them to do so. AmeriCorps, which links volunteers nationwide with local needs in education, health care and infrastructure will be tripled to 250,000 slots. For older Americans, in particular, and also for mid-lifers looking for a second career act, the legislation will create a series of programs that will help direct retirees into new roles in nonprofit and public service, on the front lines and in manag ement. (As an example, check out a pilot program in California called Encore Fellows.) The federal government is also working hard to improve its recruiting and talent management approach. The Partnership for Public Service has been encouraging the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to do more in the areas of employer branding, recruiting process improvement, applicant tracking, and talent development and retention. There should be obvious opportunities for people with deep knowledge of how the private sector works and for those with skills in technology, health care, infrastructure and energy.Regardless ones view of a pending recovery, its clear to most people that we are now living in different times. The public sector is already different and there are many changes in store in the next decade that may make it a far more attractive place to launch that second or third career or for former execs to parachute back onto the battlefield for another round of challenges and opportu nities.

8 Amazing Jobs for Early Careerists

8 Amazing Jobs for Early Careerists8 Amazing Jobs for Early Careerists Are you breaking into an industry as a relative newbie? Or do you have three years of work experience under your best and trying to figure out what the next step is? If so, its important to understand the various levels and job titles on each rung of the ladder. Looking through hundreds of occupations on Glassdoor, we pulled out some of the most interesting jobs for early careerists or entry-level job seekers.Here are a handful of well-paying jobs for those early in their careers. Polish your resume and apply now.Public Relations Specialist Average Base Pay $60,845 Job Description This role has ownership and accountability for building relationships with, augmenting, and maintaining a list of press, analysts, influencers, bloggers, and podcasters. You will pitch thought leadership, product news, and customer storytelling opportunities to secure coverage and tracking run items. Write and dis tribute press releases and other articles about the company.Marketing Associate Average Base Pay $56,730 Job Description A Marketing Associate helps plan and implement a marketing and advertising activities. For this role, you should understand the full marketing cocktail and be familiar with ways to analyze market research and customers behavior. You should also be able to create spreadsheets and analyze quantitative data to interpret ROI and KPI metrics. Ultimately, you should help achieve business goals through building strong marketing campaigns.Customer Service Representative Average Base Pay $37,221 Job Description A customer service representative, or CSR, will act as a liaison, provide product/services information and resolve any emerging problems that customer accounts might face with accuracy and efficiency. The best CSRs are genuinely excited to help customers. Theyre patient, empathetic, and passionately communicative. They love to talk. Customer service represen tatives can put themselves in their customers shoes and advocate for them when necessary.Sales Account Representative Average Base Pay $33,060 Job Description Sales reps products and services using solid arguments to prospective customers. They perform cost-benefit analyses of existing and potential customers, and maintain positive business relationships to ensure future sales. You will provide complete and appropriate solutions for every customer in buchung to boost top-line revenue growth, customer acquisition levels and profitability.Graphic Designer Average Base Pay $52,589 Job Description The perfect candidate is highly creative and artistic, able to innovate and create in the blink of an eye. This person is incredibly visually minded, being just as skilled with a pad of paper and a pen as they are in computer graphic programs. They set high standards for themselves and the work they produce, never resting until each project is done to perfection.Captioner Average Base Pay Varies Job Description Captioners or Captioning Agents provide excellent customer service by dictating/captioning a variety of conversational topics verbatim while maintaining a high level of accuracy. Many captioners work from home and enjoy a flexible work schedule. Employees are provided training prior to transcribing for customers.Investment Banking Analyst Average Base Pay $101,377 Job Description Investment bankers are responsible for a wide range of duties including raising capital, providing advisory services for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and other corporate transactions, completing valuation work, and marketing the value of the banks expertise to client companies. Investment banking analysts are typically straight out of top undergraduate programs, and join the bank for a two-year analyst program starting in the late summer after graduation, with the possibility of a third year option in certain instances.Staff Accountant Average Base Pay $61,478 Job Desc ription The Staff Accountant is responsible for assisting with the preparation of monthly financial analysis reports, developing and maintaining department budgets and generating cost reports. The successful accountant will also collect pertinent information for third-party audits, oversee financial reporting and operations and will be the first point of contact for accounting issues.

5 Tips for an Out-of-the-Box Job Search

5 Tips for an Out-of-the-Box Job Search5 Tips for an Out-of-the-Box Job Search12If your daily grind is getting stale and you are looking to revitalize your working arrangements, there are more employment options available than the typical 9-5. Out-of-the-box job searching has become the fashionable method in the world of job seeking, as competition has increased and businesses are operating differently than they did prior to the recession. There are also a lot of changes taking place as more Baby Boomers retire and Millennials enter the workforce, creating (and demanding) a new relationship with work-life balance. If you are wondering how to think out of the boxto find a job, check out the tips below.TelecommutingMany people flirt with the idea of telecommuting, but when it comes down to their job search, they stray from a new way of thinking. Telecommuting jobs may offer some- or all- remote work options, but they are very similar to their full-time, in-office counterparts. Try usin g telecommuting in your job search to open up more opportunities.FreelanceYes, being a freelancer can be scary when you have never done so before. There are a lot of regulations and stipulations to follow, but freelance jobs also offer a whole world of opportunities. Some freelance jobs are very similar to their employee counterparts, yet other freelance jobs give immense control to the freelancer. Plus, a lot of freelance jobs could lead to more permanent positions if you so choose.Part-TimePart-time jobs should elend be discarded just because they are part-time. If you arent looking for part-time work, you could always consider two different part-time jobs. Additionally, just as freelance jobs can lead to more permanent positions, part-time jobs sometimes open the door to full-time positions. Dont forget that many part-time jobs also offer benefitsTemporaryWhen you need a change, temporary is the way to go. Maybe you are looking for a little extra cash, you have a project lined up for a later date, or maybe you just want to keep a little variety in your life. Searching for temporary jobs is a great way to job search out of the boxGeographical LocationMany job seekers, when searching online, forget to simply search by their location. Everyone knows what their title should be, but unfortunately businesses do not follow a manual for job titles. Searching by location can open possibilities for transfers, telecommuting options, as well as new ideas for job titles.Come check out the latest listings on for thousands of out-of-the-box opportunities.How do you search for jobs? Do you have any unique tips or tricks for job searching?

Customizing your LinkedIn Headline for Professional Gain

Customizing your LinkedIn Headline for Professional Gain Customizing your LinkedIn Headline for Professional Gain Your LinkedIn headline is especially important if your presence there is being leveraged for professional gain and exposure. So whats heading your LinkedIn profile? Your title and name of employer? Thats not surprising. Most people bungle their headline in this way and may not even realize that they can change it to whatever they want. Nothing is stopping you from taking that headline and making it into a bold statement of your value as an employee.The reason so many people have such dull and uninspired headlines is because they are either ignorant or too lazy to change what LinkedIn puts there by default. But dont let those 120-characters go to waste. Let your headline work for you by promoting your brand, marketing message, and expertise. Allow your headline to sell you even before a recruiter dives into your profile. Consider behauptung five elements when looking to generate an intriguing LinkedIn headline1. LinkedIn profiles are breezed through by recruiters as fast, or faster, than any resume. This means you only have a matter of seconds to showcase your value proposition a reason for a recruiter to stop and have a closer look at you. Be bold, be succinct, and for crying out loud, be creative.2. Dont use a generalized statement to get your point across. Craft your headline to directly address your intended audience. Youre trying to get the attention of a select group of decision makers, so what do they care about most? Once you know, put that into your headline and let recruiters know how amazing you are at addressing all of their needs.3. Bearing in mind your specific audience, keep your headline as specific as possible when constructing a stand-out blurb. Let your audience know exactly what you do, how well you do it, and, if you have space, where youve done it.4. Keywords, keywords, keywords. Keywords are important everywhere and help targ et your message even further when you consider the terms and phrases your target audience would be most interested in reading. How would a recruiter search for you on LinkedIn? Take those words and work them into your headline.5. Finally, the more memorable you are, the better your chances of grabbing and holding onto the attention of those you seek most. Be creative. Can you be informative while being a little off-kilter? Inject an amusing witticism into your marketing statement? Do it.So, get to LinkedIn, find the Edit tab next to your name in the Edit Profile section and make your mark. Just a bit of effort and creativity on your part can allow your profile to stand out among the myriad say-nothing headlines that pollute the LinkedIn networking space.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin Ideas

Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin Ideas If you document what you were making, you might be selling yourself short, and should you say how much you want to make, you might be killing any prospect of an interview. However, this is an intriguing question regarding how folks use this increasingly popular expert networking tool. For each job there is somebody who loves it. You may add your new employer to your work history at the moment without worrying your customers or friends will secure the incorrect impression. Now that you know what things to put on your resume, lets at a few matters you should leave off if you would like to have interviews. The advice for LinkedIn is, naturally, the specific opposite. They provide no cost ongoing career advice for as many as 60 with after you get your completed resume. The Advantages of Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin Additionally, there are books solely written to assist you write amazing resumes. Most individuals go to Job Boards so that you have a lot of competition. You want recruiters and hiring managers and HR people to get in touch with you so you may show them you are a true part who you can ask questions and make a fantastic impression whilst engaging in human contact. If youre on the lookout for your next job, among the best practices is uploading your CV to a work website. You will take note of a broader assortment of jobs and companies. This ability cant alone advice you acquisition a job whichs an acceptable fit, but nevertheless, it can additionally advice accumulate your work search, extenuative adored moment. Join industry groups to acquire information, share info, see what companies are inclined to be expanding. People at your intended companies especially find details for their competitors to be valuable. The Unexpected Truth About Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin It might even potentially damage your candidacy if youre perceived as unable to present extra documentation regarding your cr edentials by your profile. Even if youre pursuing diverse kinds of positions, your Profile really should have a realistic match for nearly every of your objectives. When you look thorough lots of college resume examples, it is going to become obvious your achievements in education are a really strong foundation for a hiring decision. Download your profile for a PDF. When it can be useful for LinkedIn contacts to understand when to send you a birthday wish, you do not have to incorporate any personal info, like your age or birthday, on your resume. The LinkedIn URL ought to go in the header along with the remainder of your contact details. This may be done via email, at events or on the internet. Contact through toronto site. The Appeal of Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin I am able to get together with coworkers readily, but I simply dont have the type of aggressive personality necessary to be successful at sales. There is the perfect chance to meet 5 people at every occ asion. In addition, an expert handshake is almost always a very good idea. And that man is always likely to acquire the jog over a person who doesnt give a damn so long as they get paid. New Step by Step Roadmap for Should I Put My Resume on Linkedin It is very important to mention that your only LinkedIn profile has the potential to attain a broader audience than your resume. That means youd miss a number of the best things that you can put on your LinkedIn profile. If youre wondering what things to put on your LinkedIn profile, youve come to the perfect place. Second Your LinkedIn profile is a great approach to complement your resume and supply extra specifics. Actually, resumes and LinkedIn profiles are extremely different. Finally Being present on LinkedIn has turned into a standard for serious professionals who know the worth of private branding. Remember it is possible to get carried away and make your LinkedIn resume too long to work, so make an effort not to get too wordy. LinkedIn provides these 5 strategies for picking the proper profile photo if you would like more help with this. This article was initially posted on CareerRocketeer. By comparison, a photo is necessary for an optimized LinkedIn resume. Williams states, adding your photo is intended to show you at your professionalnot personalbest. Every package includes a Canadian job search kit. The existing U.S. professional standards do not ask that you include things like a photo on your resume. Your own personal life is your private life. Both can cause you to get exceptional but only one can enable you to land work. You dont wish to have to take up valuable job-search time to work out what works and what doesnt theres a step-by-step plan which works.

The Competition Has an Elevator Speech Do You

The Competition Has an Elevator Speech Do You A WorkSphere survey released in September by Spherion Staffing Services reveals that, for the most part, employees can articulate what they do for a living in 30 seconds or less. Eighty-nine percent of employees feel confident in their ability to give an elevator speech, which suggeststhat a large portion of the workforce is equipped with the right tools to win the next job, promotion, raise, or company award.Hiring managers have long lauded the elevator speech as the ticket to career advancement. Given that the majority of workers are able to eloquently describe their jobs in elevator pitches, how do individuals make their speechesstand out from the crowd? And for job seekers who dont have an elevator speech at the ready, what are the right (and most important) things to highlight in the short span of the elevator speech?Titles Are ToughOne stumbling fraktion many people experience while attempting to st reamline their speech is their job title. More than a quarter (27 percent) of employees think that their job title misrepresents their role at work, and 24 percent say job titles impact their job satisfaction.Its important for a title to be reflective of the job the employee is responsible for, says Spherion President Sandy Mazur. When job titles are representative of the role of the titleholder, the employee is mora likely to be aware of where they fit in the overall picture of the company and compared to their peers in the industry.Quick Tips for a Better Elevator SpeechCoupled with a well-fitting job title, the following specific techniques canmake one elevator pitch more engaging than the next, according to MazurBegin by leaving your audience wanting more By saying something they dont expect, you will make them want to listen to what you have to say.Dont be formulaic Being unpredictable and exciting can better showcase your personality and increase the likelihood of a future con versation.Talk with them, not at them In general, people are more open to dialogue than lectures. Even if that means you dont get to every point in your speech, giving the other person room to ask a question or two ultimately makes the exchange more unique and memorable.Read your audience If the person you are talking to isnt into the conversation or seems disinterested, dont force it.Rehearse, but dont sound rehearsed The Spherion survey found that more than a fifth (21 percent) of employees find it challenging to explain what they do for a living. So, its important to know what you want to say and practice saying it, but when its time to deliver your elevator speech, repeating a memorized speech filled with jargon wont stand out.The anatomy of a successful speech starts with a clean slate.Because a typical elevator speech is about 30 seconds or less, its important to map out the essential information to describe who you are in the beginning of the process, says Mazur.Start with a blank piece of paper and outline everything you would want say if you had an unlimited amount of time. From there, you can start to edit your speech, eliminating any impertinent or unnecessary information until you have a clear, compact, 30-second speech. Remaining positive and excluding boring details provides fertile ground for a successful elevator speech.