5 Interview Questions for Discussing Work-life Balance

5 Interview Questions for Discussing Work-life Balance5 Interview Questions for Discussing Work-life BalanceFor job seekers, finding a company with a great work-life balance is a high priority.You want to find a job that fits your professional experience but doesnt leave you without time or energy for other activities.Asking these questions during your interview helps you discover your work-life balance expectations.1. What does your company do to improve or maintain its employees work-life balance?This is a good question to open up a discussion about what benefits and programs are in place to support work-life balance without putting too much focus on just benefits. Positive sign Discussion of benefits, programs, and policies that encourage and support work-life balance in employees.Some examples of work-life focused benefits include flexible schedules, unlimited PTO, wellness/health incentive programs, and mental health support.Any program or policy that supports employees health a nd happiness are usually signs of healthy work-life balance.Negative sign If the hiring manager seems to freeze up or become uncomfortable with discussing work-life balance, you know the answer.If work-life balance is essential to the company, they would be open to discussing it in the interview.2. What does a typical day in this position look like?This question is a good way to judge your daily responsibilities, how your team functions, and how long a typical workday is.Positive sign Your daily responsibilities should be clear and understandably laid out.The workload on your team is balanced, and the structure is easy to understand.The work hours are regulated or fair considering the role.Negative sign If your interviewer cant give you specific details on your daily responsibilities, this may be a warning sign that the company is unsure of what your role will be.If the work hours seem long or unbalanced with the position, work-life balance may not be a priority for this company.3. What is the company culture like? What makes it unique?Company culture is a critical part of work-life balance. A company focused on good work-life balance will have a culture that employees enjoy and are supported in.Asking what makes this companys culture unique will give you a clearer picture of what this company is doing to stand out.Positive sign Good company culture will be clearly defined, support employees, and encourage growth and development.They may offer employee get-togethers, encourage career development, and support employee health.Any mention of benefits, programs, support, and growth are all signs that the culture is positive and supportive of work-life balance.Negative sign Vague, non-specific descriptions of company culture is a red flag.If your interviewer cant give you one example of what makes their culture unique or has nothing positive to say about the culture, it probably isnt going to be a good fit.4. How is employee success measured? What is the process fo r employee feedback?Examining how a company measures employee success and handles employee feedback is an excellent question to judge how you will be supported in your role.Positive sign Defined policy for measuring and rewarding success. Clear process on how your feedback will be handled.A company that values work-life balance will appreciate your success and will have a process for how you are encouraged and rewarded for meeting and exceeding goals.Likewise, your feedback should be valued and implemented to improve processes.Negative sign If the hiring manager doesnt have a process for measuring your success or doesnt put a priority on employee feedback, be warned that it may not be a good fit.5. What do you enjoy about working here?While your interviewer can tell you all about the company culture and what they offer, the best way to get a sense of the company is by asking for their opinion.Positive sign Your interviewers answer should be happy with clear examples of why he or she enjoys working for the company.Specific examples of the work, the company, or the culture are good signs of a great company.Negative sign Vague or non-specific answer without any passion or interest. Any open hostility or negative comments is an immediate red flag.

How to Decide if a Job is a Good Fit

How to Decide if a Job is a Good FitHow to Decide if a Job is a Good FitWhen you are searching for a job, its important to consider more than just the job itself. The job, of course, is important, but its a good idea to review more than just the paycheck and the job responsibilities. It doesnt matter how good a job it is if youre not going to be happy doing it. Your goal should be to secure a position which fits nicely with who you are as a person and with your lifestyle. When the job is as close to a perfect match as it can be, it will mesh with both your personal and professional aspirations. How can you tell whether the job is a good enough match to apply for and, even more importantly, how do you know if you should accept an offer for a job? Although there are never any ironclad guarantees, following a thoughtful process can increase your chances of making a sound decision. Different Factors to Consider An important first step is to develop a list of what you are looking for in a job. Everyones profile for a desired job will differ, but here are some factors to consider as you compile your list Job Content Your satisfaction with a job will be determined in large part by how stimulating the daily tasks are for you. Even the highest paying or most prestigious job can get old quickly if you dont enjoy the work. Ask yourself if the tasks involved with the job will engage the skills you enjoy utilizing so you will be energized by the work and more likely to succeed in the position. Make a list of your most important skills and circle the ones which you have most enjoyed applying to past jobs, volunteer work, activities and academic projects. As you read the job description and discuss the position through the interview process, gauge how well the job matches up with the list of skills you prefer using. Salary Even what sounds like the best job can fall short if you are unhappy with your level of compensation. Be aware of the level of income and benefits whi ch you need, want and deserve. Research salary averages for your field and location so you know the going rate. Finding out that you are underpaid compared to your peers after you start work can be demoralizing. The babo Think about the ideal manager for you and carefully evaluate the person with whom you would be working in a target position. Consider factors such as whether you prefer a hands-on anfhrer or one who will leave you to work very independently. Ask prospective colleagues to describe the management style of your possible supervisor and look for both verbal and non-verbal cues about how the individuals personality would blend with yours. Think carefully about accepting if you dont like the person who would be your manager. Opportunity for Advancement If you are interested in moving up within your field, then you will want to determine how and when you could be promoted at your target employer and what those positions might be like. Investigate the average salary increas es for promotions. Location For many individuals, where the job is located can be of great importance. Proximity to the arts, culture, recreational activities, mountains, the ocean, family, friends, and good schools can all be factors. The length and nature of ones commute can influence how palatable a job will be as well. Mission of the Organization Make sure that you can embrace the goals of the prospective employer or at the very least are not alienated by the products and tafelgeschirrs supplied or the way business is conducted. For example, a person whose primary values center on advancing the public good will probably not be happy working for a company that produces tobacco products regardless of how well the job and salary fits them otherwise. Culture of the Organization For many workers, an important component of how they feel about their job is how well the culture of the employer blends with their values and lifestyle. How formal or informal is the dress code? Does the org anization value innovation? Do decisions flow from top management down, or is the process more democratic? Is work/life balance encouraged or are employees expected to work 60 hours per week? Is the organization concerned about environmental issues? Do they encourage employees to perform community service? Job Security Factors such as whether an employer is in a growing or declining industry, whether their market share is increasing or decreasing, and the quality of their executive leadership can impact the chances that you might be laid off in the near future. Prestige If you are concerned about how others view you, the status of an employer and a particular job might influence your decision. For example, how would feel about working as a manager for Walmart versus for Macys? Analyze the Job and the Employer Once you have selected your criteria you will have two options for determining how well a job fits your specifications based on your decision-making style. If you are an in tuitive type, you might simply review what you know about the position and reflect on how well you feel it meets your needs. Your gut is almost always right, so listen to it if its saying take the job or dont take the job. If you are more analytically or quantitatively oriented, you can assign a weight to each factor in your criteria on a scale of 10 based on how important that element is to you.Then rate on a scale of 10 how much of each factor the job you are considering offers you. For example, if job content has an importance of 10 to you and a particular job offers a level of 8 in job content, then you would assign a total of 80 points for that factor.If salary wasnt as important 8 out of 10 for example, but the compensation for the job is at a level of 6, then you would had 48 points for salary. You can then add up the score for each of your factors and derive a total score. If you think that score is close enough to the maximum possible score, and the job feels right to you , then it is probably a good fit. In either case, you will want to identify deal breakers or factors which would make any position inappropriate. For example, the commute might be too far, the salary is too low, the boss isnt someone you would want to work for, or the hours wouldnt fit in with your family responsibilities. Dont Be Afraid to Say No (Thank You) I once turned down a job after repeated offers of more money, because the money wasnt enough to overcome what I saw as negatives when evaluating the job. I didnt want to work in the location where the job was or in the work environment that was established by the company. My gut told meno, and it was worth listening to. I got an offer for a better job shortly after I declined the one which wasnt a good fit. If you have any hesitation about saying yes, or if the positives dont outweigh the negatives, think twice before applying. Definitely think twice before accepting a job offer. Its much harder to leave a job that isnt wor king out than it is to turn it down. When to Say No You dont have to wait until youre offered a job to turn it down. If you have reconsidered after you have applied, its acceptable to withdraw from consideration for the job. You can do that at any point in the hiring process. In fact, even though you may have been a top candidate, the employer will be glad you withdrew before they invested more time and energy in your candidacy. Hiring managers are also looking for the best candidate fit. If you already have an offer, heres how to politely decline it.

These are the 5 best workplaces for women

These are the 5 best workplaces for womenThese are the 5 best workplaces for womenAn equal seat at the table. The presence of female executive leadership. Generous health insurance and continuing education benefits. These are just a few of the qualities that catapulted businesses to the top of the list on Fortune and Great distributionspolitik to Works100 Best Workplaces for Womenin 2017, unveiled today.Surveying mora than 400,000 U.S. workers at employers bearing aGreat Place to Work-Certified label, the study looked at four primary factors Representation, Comparison to Colleagues, A Consistent Experience within a Diverse Group and Key Great Place to Work Metrics.Employers alsohad to have a minimum of 50 female employees to be considered.Among many other findings, 95% of women employed at companies on the list deemed them welcoming, friendly and places they are proud to tell others about, and the women at companies on the list also tended to rate them highly if they offered venues f or professional development.Unlike for men, who reported greater job satisfaction the higher up they got in rank, women experienced a slight dip in job satisfaction when they moved from front-line roles to middle management, the study found. In addition, women were five times more likely to consider their place of employment as a potential for a long-term career if they felt that they had been treated as full team members regardless of position during their time at the company,the study found.Even more important to women than salary or benefits, however, was a sense that they were doing meaningful work and making a difference at their company, the study found.So how are companies making the list? Lets check out the shared qualities of the winnersHeres who made the list1. Texas Health ResourcesThis non-profit health care company took the top spot, with 77% of their staff made up of women employees and 70% of women in executive/manager roles.Salaried employees atTexas Health Resources make an average base pay of $80,829, while the average base pay for hourly workers is $78,208.While the company doesnt have childcare services onsite or limitless sick days, it lets employees telecommute, gives part-time workers health insurance, has domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples and more.Employees praised the companys open-door policy to solutions.Texas Health promotes a culture where the best idea wins - regardless of the seniority of the person who contributed it. I feel free to share my opinions even when they differ from those of leadership, and this has been true since I began my career here, one staffer wrote, according to the study.Parti-time and full-time workers also have the opportunity to get thousands of dollars in college tuition reimbursement, which the company says it supports because it helps employees build their academic credentials from the GED through graduate coursework.Texas Health Resources was also rated 1 on theBest Workplaces in Texas 20 17 list and 1 on Best Workplaces in Healthcare 2017, among others.2. Ultimate SoftwareThe staff of this IT company is comprised of nearly half women - at 49% - and 42% of executive/manager jobs are filled by women.Ultimate Software offers employees the option to telecommute, they can get money back for their college tuition, participate in compressed work weeks and have health care coverage of 100%.Walking into the office feels like walking into Magic Kingdom the air feels safe, comfortable, and warm, and everyone is happy and smiling, one employee wrote.Salaried workers receive 25 hours of training on average, while hourly workers get 39 on average. The average amount of money employees got back for their college tuition in the last 12 months is $3,737.Ultimate Software gives employeesmassages, free food and car washes and each worker gets $300 per child per year to spend for their dependent child to participate in a team or extracurricular event of their choice.Among salaried wo rkers, the most popular job is System Consultant. For hourly workers, the most popular one is Tax Analyst.3. Edward JonesThis financial services and insurance gianthas almost 40,000 U.S. employees, with women making up 63% of its workforce. While only20% of its executive/manager roles are filled by women, one survey recipient wrote that it was far more female-friendly than its counterparts in the financial world.As a woman, I feel like my contributions are evaluated without bias and I cannot say that was true at any of my previous firms, the staffer said.Edward Jones doesnt offer full health coverage (100%), or onsite childcare, but it does offer compressed work weeks, tuition reimbursement for employees and allows staff to participate in job sharing.The average base pay for salaried employees is $88,168, and for hourly employees, the pay is $35,706 on average.Salaried employees receive 115 hours of training on average, while hourly workers get 27 on average.The company also offers mentoring, career-long development, and health insurance that covers acupuncture and homeopathy.4. Marriott InternationalThe hotel juggernaut has 741 sites around the world, with women making up 55% of its workforce and 55% of its executive/manager leadership.The company genuinely cares about putting people first and taking care of associates, one survey participant said.Eighty-eight percent of employeessay they can take time off when they need to, including for volunteer work - with employees logging more than 722,000 hours at company-sponsored volunteer events in 2016 alone.The company also ranked No. 5 on Great Place to Works Best Workplaces for Latinos 2016, snagged No. 7 for a similar list for Best Workplace for African-Americans 2016 and No. 31 on a 2016 list of best places for working parents.5. Cooley LLPThe Palo-Alto, CA-based legal firm earned praise from its employees for featuring a staff thats diverse and inclusive.They work incredibly hard, care for their clients, and care for the people who work for them. No one is arrogant or better than anyone else, employees said. Our bosses make this a very unique place to work because they are some of the nicest, most genuinely caring people you could ever meet. I know that attorneys dont usually have that reputation, but it is true here and it is remarkable.The staff is made up of 57% women overall, and 57% of its management/executives are women.They offer up to $3,000 a year for tuition reimbursement, nearly three months paid maternity leave, allow flexible time schedules and pay for backup childcare and offer perks like subsidized lunches and free beverages, as well as dry cleaning, gym subsidies and massages.What this all meansWhen it comes to attracting top talent, companies would do well to take a page from these top performers books, according to Great Place to Work.Fair hiring, pay and benefits are just the table stakes for retaining talented people in 2017. The Best Workplaces for Women stand abov e competitors by creating trustworthy organizations that eliminate gaps in employees day-to-day experience,Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, saidin a statement. You can landsee the results in healthy, dedicated teams where all co-workers thrive.

Your work spouse should probably make your real spouse jealous

Your work spouse should probably make your real spouse jealousYour work spouse should probably make your real spouse jealousWeve all been there. Youre deep in the trenches at work and just need a shoulder to cry on to make it through the day. So you confide in someone at work - rather than bringing it home to your actual romantic partner or spouse - and suddenly, you feel better. You feel heard. You get sympathy and good advice. Its a beautiful friendship. Your confidant is your work spouse.This is the person who you turn to in times of anxiety, the person who gets coffee with you, the person who tells you when you have spinach in your teeth. Together, you swap advice, alleviate stress, and may even help each other get ahead, all while building trust for eight or more hours a day. In some cases, that may be more of your waking hours than youre spending with family or friends - which new research shows can spell trouble.A new, informal survey shows that more white-collar workers th an ever before are relying on co-workers for emotional support during the workday - perhaps not surprising, considering Americans work longer hours than anyone in the industrialized world and take less vacation.Around 70% of business professionals said they currently have a work spouse now or have in the past, according to a recent Office Pulse survey by digital media company Captivate. Thats a big jump from compared to 65% in 2010 and 32% in 2006, the company said.The scope of the intimate information we share at work also seems to be expanding. While 81% of respondents said they talk about work with their work spouses, and 41% of people said they never see a work spouse outside the office, there is the potential for things to get intense. Some conversations reportedly strayed to more touchy subjects like problems with spouses, money problems, and airing dirty laundry usually left at home.Source CaptivateThe age gapTheres a significant age difference in how people see work spouses , too.Millennials reported being happier at the office because of a work spouse, with 73% of them saying so. Only 52% of baby boomers said a work spouse improved their lives at the office.But with work remaining central to our identity development and people wanting to enjoy their careers, sharing more and more with a work spouse over the course of a 40-hour work week may pose a threat to ones actual marriage, since much of who we believe we are at our core is often related to the work we do.The gender of work spouses seemed to matter quite a bit and seems to mimic heterosexual romantic relationships, according to Captivate, which found that 94% of men report theyve had a female work spouse, and 77% of women have had a male work spouse.Crossing the lineThis can create an element of danger back home. Although its possible to have a work spouse of the same gender, people can create emotional infidelity by sharing more intimate feelings with someone of the opposite gender at work than they did with partners at home, psychotherapist M. Gary Neuman told Business Insider.That threat of infidelity seems to be small, but totenstill too big to be dismissed. Around 7% of the professionals surveyed by Captivate said they crossed the line with a work spouse, although it wasnt clear what exactly that meant. Another 7% of male professionals said their actual life partner was jealous of their work spouse, as opposed to 2% of female ones, and 11% of men and 5% of women keeping their work spouse a secret.And there may be good reason These increasingly close relationships at work are so full of trust that they can outlast most marriages. Around 47% of business professionals say theyve never lost a work spouse - which is more people than stay married in some generations in the US.

What Everybody Dislikes About Indeed Resume Builder and Why

What Everybody Dislikes About Indeed Resume Builder and Why Choosing Good Indeed Resume Builder Resumes dont need to be boring. Infographic resumes supply you with the chance to creatively show off your finest assets. Or you might be unexpectedly laid off, and must start work search. Submit the same resume for each job. Then again, lets say the exact same job requires you to be creative and bold. Simply because youve got zero experience or its your very first job. What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Indeed Resume Builder A resume builder will allow you to rectify any errors and supply you with a working vision of the resume although you edit. The option is right your decision 1 additional benefit of Monster is that, being international, you can use it in order to discover decent quality resume advice on destinations away from the USA. Also think about if theres anything else you can do to assist your resume stand out. The web has affected peoples reading behavior throu gh the years. Microsoft Word resume templates are the fruchtwein regularly used tool in the work hunting. For instance, a mail icon can be employed to replace the word Email and a telephone icon can be utilized to replace the words Phone Number in the contact part of your infographic resume. There are lots of free resume templates readily available on the web but sometimes it can be quite hard to pick the best one that is most suited to you. A basic resume is also less difficult to read. You ought to have five objective statements. Resumes do not need to take so much of your time but still shouldnt be neglected. The Benefits of Indeed Resume Builder Read More, here are several resume templates that it is easy to adjust to satisfy your requirements. Resume templates are one method to guarantee structure behind your resume. The majority of the templates are offered by named, resume writing specialists and thus the quality is extremely great. Each one of our creative style te mplates offer you a perfectly balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and some style. Focus on how youre an advantage to the companynot the way the firm can help you. Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better likelihood of standing from the crowd even supposing its made utilizing a template.Be very cautious when employing any sort of image, unless youre an expert designer. Then it may be time to bring some style to your resume Sometimes all you will need is a timeless style template thats clean, clear and right to the point. Resume objectives can be somewhat controversial. Building your resume with an internet templatecan greatly enhance your odds of getting your dream job by providing you an effective, concise resume which appeals right to the position or company that youre applying to. Try to remember, your target is to catch the hiring managers eye and stick out from the remainder of the paper in that pile. Getting the most of a resource that wont only help save you time, but is demonstrated to elevate your odds of scoring a work simply is reasonable. The very first step towards getting your fantasy job is to make a fantastic first impression. The crucial moment of making an amazing first impression has passed. Be certain to never use the stock template language, particularly for important components of a resume like the objective statement. As an example, utilize an icon that will help you section headers stick out. As soon as you have modified the standard resume template that you found on the net, make it simple on your upcoming self and save many versions of your resume. The Illustrator file makes the the majority of colour to assist its simplicity. The template is totally at no charge and prepared to print. Along with its basic appearance, it gives you the sections you should include with subtle prompts to help. The rest of the templates are readily available to Pro subscribers. Zetys resume templates are made with the assistance of recruiters and adhere to the best practices in HR. Now imagine whether that SAME resume had had a summary statement on top clearly outlining why youre an ideal candidate. Resumes offer the all important first impressions to an employer an applicant cant give during the first phase of the application procedure. Your resume, after all, isnt an autobiography, but instead a summary of your previous experience and qualifications.

Top Rates for Resume Writing Services Guide!

Top Rates for Resume Writing Services Guide The Debate Over Rates for Resume Writing Services As you may have gathered, Resume Writing Service is among the largest professional services online, which means that you can be certain your unique needs will be met. Choosing a resume service to compose your resume can end up being beneficial in many facets. Craft Resumes provide an extra service in social profiles, working with their customers to make aya that theyre putting themselves across in the best way possible in their on-line world. Craft Resumes supplies a stunning, comprehensive and skilled site, making it beyond easy to locate the particular service youre searching for. Rates for Resume Writing Services Put simply, the business is seeking to make the rates the exact same to make certain that each client receives the ideal help at the least expensive rate. If there is not going to be a facility of direct communication between the customer and writer, the author will cer tainly miss a few important info about the customer in the resume and ultimately, client need to request the changes repeatedly. When you want to select the best resume writing service to boost your resume, its simple to be overwhelmed with options. Ensure you select the ideal professional resume writing service based on your demands and expectations. First impressions matter, which is the reason why the best resume writing services might be big asset for you. You might believe that there isnt much improvement for your resume, but if youre not being brought in for interviews, theres likely an issue with your resume. With the most recent technologies, there are new tactics to earn a good resume. As youre setting your rates, you are going to want to consider about the types of projects youre going to be requested to take on and estimate how many hours it will take from beginning to finish. Yes, theres somebody who can assist you with your essays expert essay writers at MyPerf ectWords. The very best thing about its that it provides one-on-one stab und sttze from professional writers. Men and women struggle with writing resumes for a complete host of factors. A whole lot of inexpensive services on the net also outsource their work to inexperienced or very low high quality writers. By keeping the aforementioned demand in view, plenty of inexpensive resumes andonline resume writing services are obtainable for the ease of candidates, but it isnt easy for all of the jobless candidates to bear the excessive professional resume writing rates. You are able to choose such writers to compose your resume in rather economical budget. Simply speaking, you can employ the best resume writers at the lowest prices.