10 Office Snacks That Can Keep You Motivated

10 Office Snacks That Can Keep You Motivated The infamous  mid-afternoon energy lull effects even the best of us. A study has shown that the least productive time of day is 2.55pm (which ironically is when cat video views boom!) and lethargy and tiredness creeps in. This is the time you need to get up from your desk, move your feet, grab a drink, and more importantly eat some brain food! So what are the best things to eat when you encounter this dip in motivation? Read my  list of top 10 office snacks that can get you back in the zone to  take full advantage of your last few hours at work: 1) A banana: Ahh, the old classic office snack, the banana. The banana is 100 calories of goodness, and perfect for getting your through the afternoon. Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of manganese, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, potassium, biotin, and copper. Why WOULDNT you eat a banana? 2) Almonds: As well as being darn  delicious,  almonds  are equally as nutritious!  Almonds can actually reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, and they can lower your cholesterol. Almonds  are packed full of Vitamin E, which  is proven to boost brain power and can even prevent Alzheimers. They are also the perfect snack to keep at your desk as they cant go bad or go stale. 3) Carrots and hummus: This one takes a bit of preparation, but is definitely worth it! Carrot and hummus is a healthy snack that will tide you over until hometime, or it could even be a part of a balanced lunch!  Carrots will leave you feeling refreshed and the hummus is protein rich so will keep you fuller for longer. 4) A cheesestring: As well as being an incredibly fun, handheld snack, cheesestrings are crammed full of calcium and protein. Cheese also contains an amino acid called tyrosine, which is actually proven to make us feel happier! Wooohoo for cheesestrings! 5) Biscuits: Its all well and good eating healthy food in the office, but sometimes biscuits are the only answer. Keep a biscuit tin full of your favourite sweet snacks and have one when you need a pick-me-up. Dont eat them all at once though! 6) Yogurts: Im sure youve all heard about the benefits of eating yogurts from the dancing ladies on TV adverts, but ill tell you all once more! Yogurt is packed full of protein and calcium and includes nutrients such as vitamin B-2, vitamin B-12, potassium and magnesium to name a few. Its an easy snack to keep in the office fridge and snack on when youre peckish. Just dont forget your spoon! 7) Dried strawberries: If youve never tried dried strawberries before, you are missing out!  When buying dried fruit, make sure you check the ingredients as sometimes unnecessary ingredients are added for taste. Dried strawberries are particularly nice, and perfect for those with a sweet tooth! 8)  Seaweed: This is definitely more of an unusual choice but is becoming more and more popular with the health conscious. Snack packs of dried seaweed are  now widely available in supermarkets and grocery stores. They are high in fibre and protein and a whole packet is usually only about 25 calories! 9) Fruit and nut bars: If youre looking for a mid  afternoon pick-me-up, fruit and nut bars are a great option!  There are so many options to choose from when buying your bars but, but why no make your own?  This way you can add all your favourite things but still monitor the ingredients that go into your bars. You can find two great healthy fruit and nut bar recipes  here and here. 10)  Blueberries: Its official, blueberries  = brain food! Why not keep some blueberries on hand to ease your  hunger? Its scientifically proven that blueberries can improve your memory and keeping it stronger for longer.  Some researchers have even claimed that eating blueberries can even reverse some age-related memory loss. Get yourself  some blueberries, pronto! Have you got any other office snacks youd recommend to others? If you do, make sure you let us know!

How to Create an Impressive E-mail Signature

How to Create an Impressive E-mail Signature Creating an e-mail signature may seem like an easy task, but when you sit down to actually get to it you find out that it can be rather confusing.   You may start adding so many things that you end up having a signature that could be even longer than some of your e-mails.   Having such a signature would be detrimental to your career as some people would rather not look at long e-mails, and that would have them not seeing the information you would want to provide, such as a sales quote or a partnership request. To help you avoid the above scenario, here are a few tips that you can use when creating an e-mail signature: 1. Keep it short: The acceptable number of lines for a signature is 4 lines.   You may do less, but do not do more.   Remember that you can use colons or pipes to separate text and indicate that the next set of words are a different idea or item already. 2. Use HD graphics: If you do decide to use a logo, do your best to find the best copy.   If it is to be scanned, go for the higher dpi and then just scale it down to size. This would make the logo look sharp and you would be able to avoid pixilation should that logo to blown up somewhere. 3. Contact information: A lot of people get confused in this area, so there would be a few sub tips under this: Do not add your actual mailing address unless absolutely necessary. In this day and age, not all people would go to your office for a face to face meeting. Your contact information would suffice. Do not place multiple phone numbers and e-mail addresses, as this could confuse people.   They would want to have the contact information that would get the fastest reply.   Choose the best way to contact you for each medium (if you have multiple e-mail addresses, get the one you monitor the most.   The same goes for phone numbers). Some people include their Skype and IM details in their signatures. That is fine only if you monitor those two methods of contact constantly, and you expect to get calls through them.   If not, then do not include them in your signature. 4. Web addresses: Avoid hyperlinks, as they would no longer work in some instances.   There are mobile devices that would not recognize them, and you would want these “clickable” by anyone.   Expand to the full URL as much as possible. 5. Formatting: Be careful when you use special formats, even HTML.   These do not translate properly on some devices.   You can stick with plain text (though most prefer not to).   If you do go for HTML, be sure to test out your signature on multiple e-mail clients.   What translates well on outlook would not necessarily look good for others. RELATED:  What Is the Best Resume Font, Size and  Format? 6. Quotes: you might want to attach an inspiring quote or one that helps you get through the day, but it would not be recommended.   Although you find the quote really positive, others may take offense for one reason or another.   To avoid that, just skip the inspiring message. RELATED:  The Best Career  Quotes  of All Time Do note that in the age of the Internet, lengthy does not necessarily translate into something positive.   With the number of mail that people send and receive daily, they would be really appreciative of concise messages.   The same would definitely go for the e-mail signature.   One glance and they would see all they need to see.   The experience would just get better when they find out that all the information they see on the signature, they can use.   So think things through, have the best signature and impress your clients and colleagues.

What Order Should You Put Related Experience When You Are Writing a Resume?

What Order Should You Put Related Experience When You Are Writing a Resume?Resumés that ask the question, 'In what order should you put related experience when you are writing a resume?' are usually seen in places where hiring managers get a glimpse of their past employment records. A resume with the correct chronological order is essential in both the initial hiring process and also during the hiring process to build a good working relationship with potential employers.Even after you have finished your work for the day, a resume can often be seen being sent in for review and approval before it will be distributed and used by potential employers. Resumes can be viewed for any number of reasons, but sometimes the initial look is just to be able to make sure that your past records match the current work that you have done and not to make sure that all of your work is fair game for the selection process.If you find yourself asking this question as part of the resume writing process, th en it is important to know that the time to answer the question is when the resume is first being drafted. The reason for this is that employers are likely going to be viewing your previous work on a work history side-by-side with the resume itself. The best idea is to start the placement process by showing how all of your related experience was part of the resume.One reason why you might be asked the question in what order should you put related experience when you are writing a resume is because there are times when certain resumes are sent to the same job position. It is quite common for the hiring manager to request that you submit a resume for the opening in which you want to apply. In many cases, the hiring manager wants to review a few different resumes to ensure that the person who is applying for the position has the qualifications necessary to fill out the position.The best idea when answering the question, 'In what order should you put related experience when you are writ ing a resume?' is to provide a sample resume. When showing the resume to potential employers, include a sample that is arranged in a chronological order based on the specific job position that you are applying for.When filling out your resume, you can answer the question, 'In what order should you put related experience when you are writing a resume?' By giving potential employers a glimpse into the job and education that you have completed, employers can make a determination as to whether or not you are a good fit for the job opening that you are applying for.Another reason why the question, 'In what order should you put related experience when you are writing a resume?' is so important is because it helps to keep the job searches that are submitted to the employer's general pool organized and manageable. If an applicant fills out several different resumes and then only includes a small portion of the information in one of them, it is going to create a disorganized job search and s ome applicants might even be passed over completely due to this organizational problem.When filling out a resume, it is easy to get caught up in the details and it is easy to forget to include pertinent information about yourself. With a job search that is arranged in a logical and orderly manner, you will be able to display more of the information that you have accomplished over the course of your career, which is what potential employers look for in a resume.

Finalist for COTJ Mascot Naming Contest Revealed Vote For Your Favorite!

Finalist for COTJ Mascot Naming Contest Revealed Vote For Your Favorite! 8 Flares 8 Flares Wow.  Thats about all I can say after reading through  your suggestions for COTJs new logo.  I thank you, and so does our soon to be named Corn on the Cob guy.  We thank you, from the bottom of our stalks Lets get down to bizzy, shall we? The Finalist! While there were so many fantastic name suggestions, Ive selected four that I like best.  Please leave your vote in the comment section, and help one of your Corn Heads win $50!  Here are the finalist! A. Bob Submitted by Jonathan Hyland B. Cornelius Submitted by Lindsey Tramuta C. Dale Submitted by Marian Schembari D. Colby Submitted by Anna WINNER CORNELIUS!!! Congratulations to Lindsey Tramuta for suggesting the winning name!   Out of 33 total votes, 29 of them belonged to Cornelius!   Thank you to everyone who participated!

9 Achiever Capabilities You Need To Keep Advancing In Your Career

9 Achiever Capabilities You Need To Keep Advancing In Your Career As you come across Career Gates â€" those times when you need to show you’ve “got what it takes” in order to keep advancing â€" what’s the “right mix” of capabilities you need to “Learn, Do and Show” to others? All of us achievers want to know the answer to that question. And it’s important to keep asking it because the answer changes over the course of your career. However, the right answer is hard to come by. Sometimes, people fob you off with “just keep doing what you’re doing” (which is the worst career advice of all) because they’re too busy focusing on their own careers, or don’t want to risk offending you with the truth. Well-meaning people can give conflicting advice. And in the end, it also needs to be tailored to your own unique set of attributes, assets and abilities. To make matters more complicated, it’s not something we can easily see for ourselves because we’re so close to the situation. Three dimensions to help you find your answer Well, over the years through my own 24-year career and now through helping my coaching clients navigate their leadership and career challenges, I’ve come to see that there are three main categories of capabilities you need to “Learn, Do and Show” you’ve mastered for the role and level you’re aspiring to: Working with People â€" the way you interact with others matters since none of us succeeds on our own Working on the Business â€" the ability to deliver results matters whether you’re in a business, non-profit, higher education or government setting Working on Your Self â€" your most important asset is you, and the investments you make in this category is completely portable and therefore never wasted And across those categories, I find there are 9 capabilities that can make the biggest difference. Before we move on to the specifics of the 9 Capabilities, it’s important to note that these three dimensions â€" People, Business and Self â€" are all equally important, and you’ll want to make sure you’re building your career muscles in all three. While one of the categories will come more naturally to you than others, don’t fall into the trap of becoming lopsided in your approach. Being over-reliant on just one or two aspects has stopped many achievers from advancing beyond a certain point in their careers. For example: Don was a commercial animal. He delivered results like no one else. Yet, he was a terror to work for and chewed through junior associates. He aspired to run bigger parts of the business, but ultimately topped out because he was seen as a lone wolf producer who couldn’t lead a team. Jean was all about her team and taking care of her people. But management worried that she was so nurturing that she wouldn’t make the tough decisions or have the commercial drive to deliver on the numbers for a larger unit. Would her concern for people completely overshadow the ability to deliver results through those people? Was she even focused on results? Bob had great business acumen and showed he could lead a high performing team. However, as his business unit became more and more successful, his previous confidence now came across as arrogance. This lack of self-awareness was what ultimately brought his career to a plateau. So, don’t let that be you! 9 Achiever Capabilities That Will Serve You at Any Career Stage Working on these 9 Achiever Capabilities will stand you in good stead no matter what your role, industry or career stage. And working on them will put you in a much better position to pass through your Career Gates whether or not you’re aware they’re there. Think of these Achiever Capabilities as muscles that you need to continually use and keep in shape. These aren’t like school papers that you turn in and never look at again â€" they’re living, breathing capabilities that you need to keep fresh. In fact, these are “evergreen” capabilities you’ll want to return to over and over again to develop in an increasingly advanced and nuanced way because they will help you keep progressing to higher levels of excellence as you advance in your career. And the more you work on them, the better you’ll become, the more natural they will be, and you’ll be on your way to creating a virtuous cycle that can lift your career onward and upward. Working with People: Stakeholder Management â€" building relationships with key people who have a say in your business in order to get the backing you need without being “political” Team Leadership â€" becoming a great leader who is a talent magnet and builds a strong bench of leaders around you so that you can achieve greater results and make a positive difference in the organization and in the lives of your team Communication & Influence â€" being clear, engaging and effective in getting your point across, and having the versatility to influence in different situations and in different ways so that you can get things done when you lack or want to preserve authority Working on the Business: Vision and Strategy â€" developing a bigger vision for what your business could be beyond what it is now, and having a strategy for owning that “space” so that you can produce better results and earn a seat at the table with senior management Decision-Making â€" preserving your decision-making capacity so you can crisply make the ones that really count, learning to frame the key decisions to get to the best outcomes so that you can be seen as a decisive leader with good judgment who is worthy of advancement Creating New Business â€" being a “rainmaker” who delivers commercial results and grows the pie regardless of where you sit in the organization so that you can contribute to driving the business forward and earn greater opportunities for advancement and recognition for you and your team Working on Your Self: Self-Awareness â€" being attuned to how you come across and able to self-manage in order to achieve the results you want Presence and Profile â€" managing your brand, reputation and visibility so that you increase the likelihood of getting opportunities to put your best abilities to work in arenas where you can make a difference, advancing your business and your career, and providing greater opportunities for your team Building Your Network creating a group of people where there is mutual trust, respect and support, including mentors, sponsors, and raving fans, so that you can be in a position to be your best self and make the difference you were meant to make in the world Focus On The 1-2 That Matter Most Right Now Now, it’s hard to work on 9 things at the same time and, frankly, I don’t recommend it. Instead, it’s about identifying the one or two that will make the biggest difference to your progress if you were to focus on them right now. You may know intuitively what they are, or perhaps you’ve been told in your latest performance review. If you don’t, then asking a few people you trust will help reveal them. So, take a look at these capabilities and identify which ones are your strongest, your most challenging, and the single most important one for you to work on right now to advance your career. And by the way, the one to work on right now is the one that gives you the biggest boost â€" it may not be the area that’s weakest or most challenging for you. It may even be your strength that you need to lean into. It’s the one that will most move the needle for you now and in the future. Where do you get the greatest benefit from investing your energy to improve? To use a sporting analogy, these days, careers are more like a decathlon than a single athletic event. You’ll have a better chance of winning when you engage in cross-training and working on multiple dimensions in combination, whether that’s strength, endurance and agility in the fitness world, or People, Business and Self in your career context. If you’re an achiever who wants to advance in your career then you’ll need to equip yourself with the skills, experiences and capabilities needed to succeed at every stage. Which ones are most pressing for you to address right now?

Writing Phone Numbers on Resume - Do You Really Know How to Get Them Right?

Writing Phone Numbers on Resume - Do You Really Know How to Get Them Right?What is the best way to write phone numbers on resume? It can be a bit challenging to get your words out there. It can also get confusing and difficult to make it all work out if you don't know how to do it.The best way to get numbers off of a resume, and the best way to do it without sounding like a moron, is to just sit back and let them come to you. You can type them out and just choose them when you need them, but you won't always get the spelling and grammar correct. That's just not what you're going for. If you want to impress a hiring manager, then you need to get it right the first time.One of the reasons it can be hard to write phone numbers on resume is because they are very similar and for some reason we all just kind of fall back on the same old styles. So you can't really do anything about that, but you can certainly improve the way you choose to spell them.First of all, try to think about some di fferent ways of spelling phone numbers. For example, would you prefer the letters C and V? Are you thinking that instead of '43' you'd like to spell it '43-4', or even '43 and four'? And if so, you probably get the idea.When you get ready to do it yourself, put a sheet of paper in front of you that lists the numbers you want to use. On each one, write the name of the phone company, and the phone number. Then go back over your list and try to write the numbers that you don't have.Next, go over your list with some extra information about the business, like the locations of the offices and thephone numbers of the main contact persons. Write down their phone numbers, and consider whether you'd rather give them a 'home' or an 'office' telephone number. Just as an aside, if the business is in New York, you might want to give it a 'Manhattan' phone number instead of a 'Manhattan office'. (This is not as much fun, but I am sure you will remember it and be able to use it for future reference .)Finally, go over your list again and choose the phone numbers that you think sound best. If you have questions, write them down too. If you are trying to find the phone number of the CEO, just put his name in the blank space, and then write 'headphone'. That's it.

What Are the Best Nonprofits to Work For

What Are the Best Nonprofits to Work For Looking for a job and something more fulfilling than trying to beat out Bob from accounting for that next promotion? Careers site Indeed has released its annual ranking of the best non-profits to work for, based on employee reviews around five factors: compensation and benefits, work/life balance, job security and advancement, management, and culture. At the top of the list are organizations that pride themselves in giving back to the community, with Habitat for Humanity up front, followed by the AARP, Boys Girls Club of America, the Boy Scouts of America and Communities in Schools. According to Indeed, several newcomers are in the top 15 compared to last year: The Salvation Army, Girl Scouts of the USA, American Red Cross, Easter Seals, Teach for America, Planned Parenthood, and PRIDE Industries. Though a majority of Americans work in the private sector, according to the Non-Profit Quarterly, the labor force has increased within the non-profit sector since 2003, with more than 14 million people working at non-profits now. A majority of that work performed is within the health and education fields, which correlates with the list below. “Employees seem to be very satisfied and happy to work for a mission-driven organization that helps a community they are passionate about,” says Indeed’s senior vice president Paul D’Arcy. “Users were ranking each of these nonprofits very high in terms of work/life balance, management, and culture.” Some of the more interesting sounding jobs available right now include “Chief People Officer” at Teach for America, the CEO of the Girls Scouts in the Hudson Valley, and a vice president of digital strategy at the AARP. Of course, there are a slew of entry-level and mid-career openings as well. So if you’re looking for a meaningful gig â€" check out the list below, with links to their current openings.   Habitat for Humanity (176 job openings) AARP (89 job openings) Boys Girls Club of America (331 job openings) Boy Scouts of America (74 job openings) Communities in Schools (20 job openings) YMCA (4070 job openings) The American Legion (2 job openings) YWCA (28 job openings) The Salvation Army (1767 job openings) Easter Seals (26 job openings) Girl Scouts of the USA (181 job openings) Teach for America (76 job openings) American Red Cross (831 job openings) Planned Parenthood (708 job openings) PRIDE Industries (206 job openings)