Laura Smith-Proulx Executive Resume Writer Review

Laura Smith-Proulx Executive Resume Writer ReviewLaura Smith-Proulx Executive Resume Writer ReviewIf you are looking for an executive resume writer to create a professional resume on yur behalf, we are here to help. Today we will be reviewing Laura Smith-Proulx of An Expert Resume. We will explain how she was able to make it on ur list of the Top 10 List for 2019. We will also explain some of the pros and cons of working with Laura Smith-Proulx.Resume Review Laura Smith-Proulx (Author at An Expert Resume)Laura Smith-Proulx of An Expert Resume is an executive resume writer who has been in the industry since 1998 (over 20 years). Her background is primarily in recruiting and project management.An Expert Resume was able to make 3 on our list of top executive resume writing services. We will provide you with some pros and cons of this service.Pricing for Lauras services range from $1,597 and go up to $3,997. The more expensive package includes things such as personal career coaching. Th e entry priced package provides you with a keyword-specific resume. Laura will work with you to figure out what is best for you and your career search.Pros Laura Smith-Proulx has years of experience writing resumes. She has a lot of recognition, including master-level credentials.Cons The overall appearance and layout of the website is not appealing. Though the website might not seem to be very professional, and hard to navigate, you can be sure the service provided by An Expert Resume will be quality.Laura Smith-Proulxs Resume Writing ProcessLaura Smith-Proulxs resume writing process can be summarized into 5 main stepsLaura will learn all about your background and send you a questionnaire.Schedule a resume strategy session by phone.Work to define your goals and brand value.Laura will work as your designated resume expert and job searching coach.Receive your updated resume in 10-14 business days.How Much Does An Expert Resume CostWhile the cost can slightly range depending on the pa ckage, we were able to findcosts ranging from $1,797 - $1,997.Top Alternative Executive Resume Writing ServicesIf you are a senior-executive professional looking for an excellent resume writings service, we always recommend interviewing 2-3 companies before making a decision.To make things easier for you, we have taken the liberty of listing some of our favorites below, with just a hint of bias.Find My Profession(thats us)Chameleon ResumesThe Writing GuruCareer SteeringAvidCareeristAt the end of the day, there is no one size fits all resume writing service. Finding the best executive resume service will depend on your industry, role, location, and overall expectations. The most important thing is that you do your research. Find a credible company, read their company reviews, and make sure they have some sort of guarantee or at least the ability to make edits on your resume.

Information on No-Fee Work-at-Home Jobs

Information on No-Fee Work-at-Home JobsInformation on No-Fee Work-at-Home JobsTheres a very simple rule when it comes to looking for work at home jobs. Dont pay a fee - for anything. You shouldnt pay for job listings, you shouldnt pay to apply for jobs, and you shouldnt pay a fee to get on the payroll. Also, companies that try to tell you that you need to pay for start-up kits or computer supplies to get started, most likely arent legitimate. While there are many legitimate work from home opportunities out there, unfortunately, there are also many fraudulent companies preying on hopeful applicants and cheating them out of money. Dont Pay a Fee for Work at Home Jobs Legitimate companies dont charge to hire you. They pay all the expenses of recruiting, hiring, and training. They also dont charge you for start-up kits, lists of jobs, or anything else related to doing the work. Legitimate employers dont ask for a fee to set-up your account, or to access your personal or bank informat ion. Fees Can Indicate a Scam In fact, companies or websites charging fees for work at home job listings or information on working at home are high on the list of red flags you should watch out for when trying to stay clear of online job scams. You should never, ever provide a hiring company with your credit card number or bank account information. If its requested, that is a very likely sign that the opportunity is in fact a scam. Be wary, too, of requests for unusual personal information, which scammers can use for identity theft. Paying for Equipment The only time you may have expenses is after you have been hired some call center work at home jobs may require you to invest in home office equipment. These expenses should only come after youve gotten the position, and not during the hiring process. During the hiring process, you should be told of the necessity of having access to the required equipment, and may even be offered assistance with your set-up costs. Before you invest in an office or equipment, carefully check out what youll need to spend, and decide if the investment is worth it. Mystery Shopping Done with Check One common scam is for mystery shoppers, who visit stores and restaurants to evaluate the service. There are plenty of legitimate mystery shopper jobs, but make sure you research the company before you begin. This scam starts with the work at home company sending a large check to cover shopping costs and payment for work done. But in fact, the check is a fraud, leaving workers in the red if they engage in the work. Be suspicious of any work from home opportunity that requires you to provide your bank account number or make transfers between your account and the companys. If It Sounds Too Good to Be True When it comes to work from home jobs, be cautious about potential employers that are overly enthusiastic about the ease of work and the plentiful earnings opportunities. That sounds cynical, but the truth is that if it soun ds too good to be true - e.g., earning a dollar for stuffing an envelope - then the opportunity is probably is a scam. Before you agree to work from home, make sure you do your due diligence, and research the company. It will be time well spent to save you possibly risking your online credibility, as well as your financial security. Work at Home Job Search Tips There are plenty of work at home jobs that you can begin with no fees. In fact, you can get started in the great majority of them with just your laptop, a good internet connection, and your own set of skills and ambition. There are lots of freelance jobs that you can work from home, and some that may require just occasional work in the office. With the technology we have available, there are work from home opportunities in almost every industry, and at every level from entry to executive. Finding your ideal position may take some time and patience, but you will likely be surprised at the opportunities available, and the companies hiring in the work from home market. Some of the best distributions-mixs to look for work at home jobs are the same as where you would find a traditional position. Job boards and company career pages will list work from home or remote positions alongside traditional jobs, and the application process will likely be similar. Companies who hire a lot of remote workers have procedures in place for interviewing by telephone or video, so their hiring managers can meet prospective employees in any location. How to Avoid Job Scams Information about job scams including how to check out job listings, how to avoid employment scams, how to report a scam, and where to find lists of scams.

8 ways smart people act stupid

8 ways smart people act stupid 8 ways smart people act stupid It’s good to be smart. After all, intelligent people earn more money, accumulate more wealth, and even live longer. On the surface, being smart looks like easy living. But there’s another side to the story.Intelligent people have a reputation for making dumb mistakes, especially in situations that require common sense. The simplicity of these situations and the abundant intelligence of those who tend to muck them up can be downright comical.“Common sense is not so common.” - VoltaireAfter decades of research, scientists are finally beginning to understand why this happens. Shane Frederick at Yale University was among the first to conduct research that explained why rational thinking and intelligence don’t tend to go hand in hand.In his studies, Frederick gave people simple problems to solve, like this one: “A bat and ball cost a dollar and 10  cents. The bat costs a dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”Frederick found that some people have the tenden cy to confidently blurt out the wrong answer, stating that the ball costs 10  cents. You, of course, knew that the correct answer is that the ball costs five cents, and you’re completely justified if you’re wondering if the, well, less-than-smart people were the ones blurting out the wrong answer.Psychologists from James Madison University and the University of Toronto wondered the same thing. They gave similar tests of logic to hundreds of people and compared the accuracy of their answers to their levels of intelligence. The researchers found that smart people were  more  likely to blurt out the wrong answer because they actually make more mental mistakes when problem-solving.Smart people are more prone to silly mistakes because of blind spots in how they use logic. These blind spots exist because smart people tend to be overconfident in their reasoning abilities. That is, they’re so used to being right and having quick answers that they don’t even realize when they’re bl owing it by answering without thinking things through.The dummies getting the bat-and-ball question wrong weren’t so dumb, either. When Frederick gave the question to students from Harvard, Princeton, and M.I.T., more than half of them got it wrong. Even students from some of the most prestigious universities in the world make stupid mistakes.Perhaps the scariest thing about the errors that highly intelligent people make is how unaware they are of them. People of all levels of intelligence succumb to what’s called the “bias blind spot.” That is, we’re great at spotting other people’s mistakes and terrible at recognizing our own. The sillier the mistake, the harder it is for an intelligent person to accept that they’ve made it.“I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.” - SocratesWhile it might seem like we don’t spend our days solving logic problems like the bat-and-ball question, the brain functions involved in solving these problems are the same ones we use in everyday thinking. Hence, the tendency to do stupid things follows smart people into the workplace. Consider some of the most common ways in which smart people manage to shoot themselves in the foot.1. Smart people are overconfidentA lifetime of praise and pats on the back leads smart people to develop an unflappable faith in their intelligence and abilities. When you rack up accomplishments while people stroke your ego, it’s easy to expect that things will always go your way. But this is a dangerous expectation.Smart people often fail to recognize when they need help, and when they do recognize it, they tend to believe that no one else is capable of providing it.2. They push people too hardSmart people develop overachieving personalities because things come so easily to them. They simply don’t understand how hard some people have to work to accomplish the same things, and because of that, they push people too hard.Smart people set the bar too high, and when people take too long or don’t get things quite right, they assume it’s due to a lack of effort. So they push even harder and miss the opportunity to help others achieve the goals they’re so anxious for them to reach.3. They always need to be rightIt’s hard for anyone to graciously accept the fact that they’re wrong. It’s even harder for smart people because they grow so used to being right all the time that it becomes a part of their identity.For smart people, being wrong can feel like a personal attack, and being right, a necessity.4. They lack emotional intelligenceWhile intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) don’t occur together in any meaningful way (Smart people, on average, have just as much EQ as everyone else), when a smart person lacks EQ, it’s painfully obvious. These high-IQ, low-EQ individuals see the world as a meritocracy. Achievements are all that matter, and people and emotions just get in the way.That’s a shame because  TalentSmart  research with more than a million people shows that- even among the upper echelons of IQ- the top performers are those with the highest EQs.5. They give up when they failHave you ever watched a sporting event and seen the stunned look on the face of an athlete whom everyone expected to win, but didn’t? Smart people can easily fall into the trap of seeing failure as the end of the world because frequent success creates expectations that make failure hard to tolerate.People who have to work hard for what they achieve have plenty of practice learning how to deal with failure. They learn to embrace it because they know that failure is just a stepping stone to success.6. They fail to develop gritWhen things come really easy to you, it’s easy to see hard work as a negative (a sign that you don’t have what it takes). When smart people can’t complete something without a tremendous amount of effort, they tend to feel frustrated and embarrassed. This leads them to make the false assu mption that if they can’t do something easily, there’s something wrong with them.As a result, smart people tend to move on to something else that affirms their sense of worth before they’ve put in the time to develop the grit they need to succeed at the highest possible level.7. They multitaskSmart people think really quickly, which can make them impatient. They like to get several things going at once so that there isn’t any downtime. They think so quickly that, when they multitask, it feels like it’s working and they’re getting more done, but Stanford research shows that this isn’t the case.Not only does multitasking make you less productive, but people who multitask often because they think they’re good at it are actually  worse  at multitasking than people who prefer to do one thing at a time.8. They have a hard time accepting feedbackSmart people tend to undervalue the opinions of others, which means they have trouble believing that anyone is qualified to give t hem useful feedback. Not only does this tendency hinder their growth and performance, it can lead to toxic relationships, both personally and professionally.Bringing it all togetherTo some, this post will read like I’m trashing smart people, but I’m not. Some of life’s greatest gifts, including high intelligence, can also come with challenges. If you aren’t willing to take an honest look at the whole picture, you’re selling yourself short. And that isn’t smart.Travis Bradberry is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the co-founder of TalentSmart.This article originally appeared on LinkedIn. 8 ways smart people act stupid It’s good to be smart. After all, intelligent people earn more money, accumulate more wealth, and even live longer. On the surface, being smart looks like easy living. But there’s another side to the story.Intelligent people have a reputation for making dumb mistakes, especially in situations that require common sense. The simplicity of these situations and the abundant intelligence of those who tend to muck them up can be downright comical.“Common sense is not so common.” - VoltaireAfter decades of research, scientists are finally beginning to understand why this happens. Shane Frederick at Yale University was among the first to conduct research that explained why rational thinking and intelligence don’t tend to go hand in hand.In his studies, Frederick gave people simple problems to solve, like this one: “A bat and ball cost a dollar and 10  cents. The bat costs a dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?”Frederick found that some people have the tenden cy to confidently blurt out the wrong answer, stating that the ball costs 10  cents. You, of course, knew that the correct answer is that the ball costs five cents, and you’re completely justified if you’re wondering if the, well, less-than-smart people were the ones blurting out the wrong answer.Psychologists from James Madison University and the University of Toronto wondered the same thing. They gave similar tests of logic to hundreds of people and compared the accuracy of their answers to their levels of intelligence. The researchers found that smart people were  more  likely to blurt out the wrong answer because they actually make more mental mistakes when problem-solving.Smart people are more prone to silly mistakes because of blind spots in how they use logic. These blind spots exist because smart people tend to be overconfident in their reasoning abilities. That is, they’re so used to being right and having quick answers that they don’t even realize when they’re bl owing it by answering without thinking things through.The dummies getting the bat-and-ball question wrong weren’t so dumb, either. When Frederick gave the question to students from Harvard, Princeton, and M.I.T., more than half of them got it wrong. Even students from some of the most prestigious universities in the world make stupid mistakes.Perhaps the scariest thing about the errors that highly intelligent people make is how unaware they are of them. People of all levels of intelligence succumb to what’s called the “bias blind spot.” That is, we’re great at spotting other people’s mistakes and terrible at recognizing our own. The sillier the mistake, the harder it is for an intelligent person to accept that they’ve made it.“I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.” - SocratesWhile it might seem like we don’t spend our days solving logic problems like the bat-and-ball question, the brain functions involved in solving these problems are the same ones we use in everyday thinking. Hence, the tendency to do stupid things follows smart people into the workplace. Consider some of the most common ways in which smart people manage to shoot themselves in the foot.1. Smart people are overconfidentA lifetime of praise and pats on the back leads smart people to develop an unflappable faith in their intelligence and abilities. When you rack up accomplishments while people stroke your ego, it’s easy to expect that things will always go your way. But this is a dangerous expectation.Smart people often fail to recognize when they need help, and when they do recognize it, they tend to believe that no one else is capable of providing it.2. They push people too hardSmart people develop overachieving personalities because things come so easily to them. They simply don’t understand how hard some people have to work to accomplish the same things, and because of that, they push people too hard.Smart people set the bar too high, and when people take too long or don’t get things quite right, they assume it’s due to a lack of effort. So they push even harder and miss the opportunity to help others achieve the goals they’re so anxious for them to reach.3. They always need to be rightIt’s hard for anyone to graciously accept the fact that they’re wrong. It’s even harder for smart people because they grow so used to being right all the time that it becomes a part of their identity.For smart people, being wrong can feel like a personal attack, and being right, a necessity.4. They lack emotional intelligenceWhile intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) don’t occur together in any meaningful way (Smart people, on average, have just as much EQ as everyone else), when a smart person lacks EQ, it’s painfully obvious. These high-IQ, low-EQ individuals see the world as a meritocracy. Achievements are all that matter, and people and emotions just get in the way.That’s a shame because  TalentSmart  research with more than a million people shows that- even among the upper echelons of IQ- the top performers are those with the highest EQs.5. They give up when they failHave you ever watched a sporting event and seen the stunned look on the face of an athlete whom everyone expected to win, but didn’t? Smart people can easily fall into the trap of seeing failure as the end of the world because frequent success creates expectations that make failure hard to tolerate.People who have to work hard for what they achieve have plenty of practice learning how to deal with failure. They learn to embrace it because they know that failure is just a stepping stone to success.6. They fail to develop gritWhen things come really easy to you, it’s easy to see hard work as a negative (a sign that you don’t have what it takes). When smart people can’t complete something without a tremendous amount of effort, they tend to feel frustrated and embarrassed. This leads them to make the false assu mption that if they can’t do something easily, there’s something wrong with them.As a result, smart people tend to move on to something else that affirms their sense of worth before they’ve put in the time to develop the grit they need to succeed at the highest possible level.7. They multitaskSmart people think really quickly, which can make them impatient. They like to get several things going at once so that there isn’t any downtime. They think so quickly that, when they multitask, it feels like it’s working and they’re getting more done, but Stanford research shows that this isn’t the case.Not only does multitasking make you less productive, but people who multitask often because they think they’re good at it are actually  worse  at multitasking than people who prefer to do one thing at a time.8. They have a hard time accepting feedbackSmart people tend to undervalue the opinions of others, which means they have trouble believing that anyone is qualified to give t hem useful feedback. Not only does this tendency hinder their growth and performance, it can lead to toxic relationships, both personally and professionally.Bringing it all togetherTo some, this post will read like I’m trashing smart people, but I’m not. Some of life’s greatest gifts, including high intelligence, can also come with challenges. If you aren’t willing to take an honest look at the whole picture, you’re selling yourself short. And that isn’t smart.Travis Bradberry is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the co-founder of TalentSmart.This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

5 Project Management Tips to Meet Rising Caseloads and Boost Productivity

5 Project Management Tips to Meet Rising Caseloads and Boost Productivity 5 Project Management Tips to Meet Rising Caseloads and Boost Productivity Time is money. This is especially true in the legal field, where billable hours requirements remain the norm, and productivity and efficiency are critical to a legal team's success. Whether you work in-house or for a law firm, at some point, you’ve probably wondered how your legal team could work more effectively. If rising caseloads are keeping you awake at night, consider implementing the following five tips to help maximize your team's productivity:   1. Promote time management Legal teams are tasked with managing multiple projects on a daily basis. But as the pace of business accelerates, effective time management and organizational skills become even more critical. Consider sending new associates and staff members to time management seminars or ask a project manager to coordinate an internal training session. Team members should receive instructions on everything from creating manageable project lists and establishing goals to delegating administrative tasks and managing electronic files. 2. Be realistic about existing resources What are your organization’s limitations in terms of time, knowledge and experience? Sometimes, we have to be realistic and recognize that there just isn’t enough in-house staff or expertise available to conduct an eDiscovery project or meet a major deadline. You can  often tame workloads, save costs and free up in-house teams by turning to interim professionals and legal service providers that can work with internal teams and outside counsel on large-scale litigation and eDiscovery matters. 3. Maximize legal technologies While technology has helped create the expectation that attorneys will be responsive to clients 24/7, it's also provided us with unprecedented flexibility and ease in managing our workloads. In fact, lawyers we interviewed cited knowledge-sharing platforms, such as e-filing systems, meeting or audio-conferencing tools, document storage sites, collaborative or information-sharing sites, and client portals or extranets, among the top tools they view as essential to productivity.   4. Stay informed You probably don't have time in your day to stay current with the latest tech tools, so consider assigning someone within your group to stay informed about current and emerging technologies, especially those products that can enhance time management and productivity.  In addition, consider asking internal or external clients what would help them the most and then allow that information to drive technology acquisitions. 5. Remember that the basics still matter Even with the help of today’s technologies, legal professionals still have to remember to practice the basics when it comes to time management. Staying organized and on top of caseloads and projects and continually reviewing priorities are all key. As a legal manager, you play an important role in monitoring the workloads of your practice group and individual legal team members. Be proactive in helping staff find better ways to manage their time and boost productivity - intervening with solutions when necessary. Download your complimentary copy of Robert Half Legal’s Future Law Office report for more project-management tips and strategies for meeting rising caseloads.

15 Books That Top CEOs Think Everyone Should Read

15 Books That Top CEOs Think Everyone Should Read 15 Books That Top CEOs Think Everyone Should Read Think spending the summer lying on the beach with a book is unproductive? Think again. Successful leaders such as Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban dedicate hours each day to reading. So if you want to enjoy your vacation time and stay on top of the hustle, we’ve built your summer reading list with recommendations from our Top CEOs of 2018 . Those who are perfectionists often struggle with micromanagement tendencies - when you have a clear vision for something, it’s hard to not want to take the reins at all times. But this often slows the whole team down, and ends up being more harmful than helpful, Stephen Covey argues. In the quick and competitive atmosphere of the start-up world, trusting your team is paramount. Eric S. Yuan, CEO of Zoom Video Communications , counts “The Speed of Trust” among his favorite books. “The big thing I learned from this book is that especially for start-up companies, speed is everything. You’re competing with the legacy companies and quite often you have to make tough, critical decisions… how to build a company at full speed at the same time without creating major problems is the challenge. But if trust is already there, it is very easy,” Yuan said. “If I trust you, I know your intentions are good. Even if you tell me, ‘Eric, this is a huge mistake. Can you fix that’ I trust you and I can make the fix.” Authored by Andy Grove, founder and former CEO of Intel, this book gives guidance to leaders facing sudden change in their companies - and shares how these moments can actually be some of the most valuable opportunities available to a company. Yuan counts this another favorite book of his. “I’m very paranoid. I think in any start-up, no matter what, there is no room to say, ‘We’re okay now,'” Yuan said. “No, we’ve got to work harder. We need to always be paranoid and ready.” In this New York Times’  bestseller, Yuval Harari manages to capture the story of the past 70,000 years of the human race. Beyond chronicling the  history of our species, Harari’s book also implores readers to think about what it means to be human, and ask how we want to  shape the future of the many generations to come. This groundbreaking book is a favorite of Sanjit Biswas, CEO of Samsara  - but he’s not alone. Fellow leaders Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have also endorsed the book. Don’t listen to the naysayers and doomsdayers. According to nearly any metric - food availability, lifespan, income - now is  the best time to be alive by a wide margin, Matt Ridley believes.   In this nonfiction book, Ridley touches on how the human tendencies of  exchange and specialization have improved life for everyone over the past 100,000 years - and how they will continue to benefit mankind in the future. Biswas cites this book as another of his favorites:  â€œIt’s interesting to zoom way out and realize how fortunate we are to live in modern times,” he said. We already know how much of an impact the steam engine, the telephone and the personal computer have had on the way humans work - but what is the next industrial revolution around the corner? According to Klaus Schwab, we’re smack-dab in the middle of it. Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, quantum computing and more are transforming the way business is done in a completely unprecedented way. Among this book’s fans is Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente , who said it has helped him stay up-to-date and ready for whatever comes next. “I keep current by reading what very smart people are thinking about the future,” Tyson said. It might not be the first book you think of when it comes to professional development, but this work of historical fiction has lessons about leadership and  collaboration in spades.  Set in the midst of the Korean War and widespread segregation, “Devotion” recounts the friendship of aviator duo Tom Hudner and Jesse Brown, the first African American carrier pilot for the U.S. Navy. “It’s a wonderful book about friendship, resilience and amazing courage,” said Michael Mahoney, CEO of Boston Scientific . We live in a world where sacrificing morality in order to drive the bottom line is no longer profitable, said John Blumberg. In fact, integrity might just be the most valuable asset you have. In “Return on Integrity,”  Blumberg explores the intersections between the core values of CEOs and leaders and the impact on their companies. Lynne Doughtie, CEO of KPMG , describes it as “ a powerful book that challenges you to reflect on the importance of personal core values.” “When each of us really knows our personal core values, they’ll permeate the organizations we work for by strengthening our decision making and enhancing openness, collaboration and trust,” Doughtie said. Penned by  Dr. Howard Cutler and the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, this seminal guide on happiness explores how to overcome loss and everyday anxieties in order to find your own personal nirvana. Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn , credits the book with shaping his management philosophy. “That’s where I learned the true definition of compassion and the difference between compassion and empathy and how important it is to aspire to live compassionately and manage compassionately,” Wiener told the Silicon Valley Business Journal . Although it was written over 20 years ago, “Being Digital” is still a classic on the future of digital technology. It dives deep into the successes and failures of technological innovations like the Internet, virtual reality, the CD-ROM and more. Weiner recommends this book as well, and said it played a large part in helping him shape the  online business plan  for Warner Bros. “One of the key points that Negroponte was making was everything that can be converted from an atom to a bit will be. So I looked around Warner Bros. and thought, well, that’s going to have some pretty serious implications for a studio and for media,” Wiener said in the same   Silicon Valley Business Journal  interview. In 2015, CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg created a digital book club in which he and other members read a new book every two weeks, then took to Facebook to discuss it. One of his picks was “The New Jim Crow,” a gripping critique by Michelle Alexander that  pulls back the curtain on the crisis of mass incarceration in the United States. “This social justice book outlines the many ways the US criminal justice system discriminates against minorities, disadvantages them and prevents everyone from having equal opportunity. I’ve been interested in learning about criminal justice reform for a while, and this book was highly recommended by several people I trust,” Zuckerberg said on his   Facebook page . Written nearly 1,500 years ago, this Chinese military treatise revolutionized military strategy - and still makes an impact to this day. Sun Tzu’s lessons on strategy, planning and leadership are applicable not just on the battlefield, but also in the business world. The book made so much of an impression on Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce , that he wrote the foreword for the 2008 release “The Art of War- Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained.” “Fundamentally, the book demonstrates how small armies can defeat larger ones,” Benioff said. “Ultimately, it is how salesforce.com took on the entire software industry.” Nobody expected a group of Washington boys descended from loggers, shipyard workers and farmers to beat elite rowing teams from the East Coast, let alone the world over, but that’s exactly what they did. In “The Boys in the Boat,”  Brown tells the story of the U.S. men’s rowing team in  the wake of the Great Depression and their ultimate triumph over the team playing for Nazi Germany. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella endorsed this book in an interview with   Fast Company , calling it “a  wonderful illustration of the importance of teamwork, which was a core part of my focus out of the gate as CEO.” Strike the word “talent” from your vocabulary - Angela Duckworth’s “Grit” shares that  the power of persistence is the true driver of success. Duckworth knows a thing or two about success, having earned a MacArthur Genius Grant and serving as an advisor to “the White House, the World Bank, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs.” One of the many CEOs who counts themselves as a fan of Duckworth’s is Brad Smith, CEO of Intuit “It’s full of amazing, inspirational stories that show that anyone, regardless of I.Q., talent or background, can succeed if they have grit - a blend of passion and persistence,” Smith said in an interview with   Lifehacker . “This book makes all of us underdogs feel like we’re just as capable as anybody else.” The world’s best companies don’t reach the top by settling for “good enough” - rather, a constant drive for excellence propels them forward. But what exactly separates a good company from a great one? In “Good to Great,”  Collins defines these differences, and shares how to make the transition. Richard Flint,  CEO of Sky Betting & Gaming and the #1 Top CEO in the UK, recommends this book to those hoping to make the leap: “It contains some surprises on what makes good leaders and companies,” Flint said. Whoever said CEOs can’t enjoy a good fantasy novel (or seven) on occasion? Craig Donaldson, CEO of Metro Bank , endorses Rowling’s acclaimed series to every parent out there. “Read all the Harry Potter books with your kids if you have children, because there is no better way to relax than reading with an eight-year-old!” Donaldson said.

Why Employers Use Executive Recruiters

Why Employers Use Executive Recruiters Why Employers Use Executive Recruiters One employer explains why he retains recruiters to find candidates.“Recruiters are the first line of attack - almost a gatekeeper,” said Arthur Mandell, who has worked with executive recruiters to fill hundreds of positions during his 25-plus years in the commercial lending and equipment-leasing industry. Mandell said he tends to play a very active role in the recruiting process. He also leans on recruiters when evaluating job candidates. “I would ask them to find out more about certain points [in their job history], how they would benefit the business, or about things in their background I don’t understand,” explained Mandell, whose most recent post was as executive vice president and managing director of Equilease, a privately held equipment leasing and financing company.Like many employers, Mandell’s main concern when hiring is that the candidate be able to execute ideas and bring results. To that end, he has frequently called on his recruiting partners to plumb the d epths of a candidate’s work history. “I would say, ‘Do you know this guy? Were they successful or not at their last position?’ You try to get as much information as you can.”Having also spent time as a job seeker, Mandell is sympathetic to candidates who resent recruiters who seem unwilling to espouse their application when their background isn’t an obvious fit. “Most recruiters are advocates for employers, so if an employer has said they want someone with 15 years of experience and someone comes along with the right experience over a different number of years, they’re not necessarily going to fight that battle.” And these days, he observed, with so many people in the applicant pool, companies are in the position to be even more choosy than in the past.Mandell is currently working with recruiters on his own employment search, and his years of experience on the other end of the process have provided some useful insights. “Job seekers can blame recruiters for not b eing able to communicate the position requirements, but the burden is with the employer’s senior hiring manager and the degree to which he has shared his vision with the recruiter,” Mandell told Ladders. “Sometimes the recruiter is just the messenger.”

The 10 Commandments for Working Motherhood

The 10 Commandments for Working Motherhood The 10 Commandments for Working Motherhood Motherhood is hard enough before you throw in work. Once youre juggling a job, parenting, daycare,  self-care and adult relationships, you start praying for guidance about how to handle working motherhood. Until Moses returns with a couple of stone tablets addressing motherhood, heres my take on the 10 commandments for working motherhood. Thou shalt trust thy gut You know your family best and you also know your employer. Trust your instincts when you feel your kids are acting out because they need your attention. Give them the extra time and nurturing, even if it means you miss a few minutes of work. Motherhood is your most important job, and not one to be taken lightly. Similarly, you know in your gut when youre not fulfilling your work responsibilities. Be sure to do your best on the most important projects. If you do need to take time with a sick child or leave early for a school event, tell your supervisor and colleagues when youll make up the work. When you know your personal and professional values and priorities it makes believing in your instincts easier. Thou shalt not worship money or career success Motherhood fulfills many parts of our souls. But having a job that youre really good at can give you quite a rush too. Its important to keep that feeling in perspective, and only pursue the career that you truly want. Dont thoughtlessly put in for the big promotion or raise. Think through what it would mean for your work-life balance and your children. Would the new duties stretch your skills in a direction you want to go? Or would it merely be a step up the career ladder without any additional satisfaction or challenge? Make sure you are the one defining what success means to you. Its okay if thats simply enjoyable work with flexible hours and no fancy title. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors schedule If your friend or neighbor has flexible hours or a family-friendly schedule, its easy to get bitter and jealous. Remember that most flexible work arrangements have a trade off, whether its telecommuting or setting up a job share. Rather than assuming your neighbor is lucky, ask her questions about how she established the arrangement and what she likes or dislikes about it. If it still looks good, propose a similar schedule to your supervisor! Thou shalt take rests Motherhood teaches us when to say yes or no to our children and set limits. Make sure you use these skills in the office too. Set clear boundaries around work and limit your face time. Better yet, refuse to be pressured into serving face time and leave when your days work is completed both physically and mentally. Thou shalt not feel guilty Once you take ownership of your choice to work, refuse to  feel guilty  about working. There are plenty of people who want to undermine you as a working mom please ignore those comments that  trigger working moms guilt. Guilt is an emotion that you feel when youve done something wrong. Theres nothing wrong with contributing to the financial support, the stability of your family, and the college fund. This page continues the 10 commandments for combining motherhood and work. Dont miss the first 5 commandments for successful working motherhood! Thou shalt not judge others Human beings are often looking over at the next person judging their actions and results. Resist this impulse, please. Or if you must judge, keep it to yourself. Life is long, and you never know when youll be forced to eat your words. Whenever you start to say, I could never ... bite your tongue. Many a diehard working mom has surprised herself by quitting her job once the kids hit grade school or the teen years. Thou shalt enjoy family time When you do have time with your family, enjoy it! You can have fun doing  daily chores with your children  if you have a playful attitude. Or it can be as simple as a quick game of cards after dinner and before homework. Dont simply rush your children from waking to breakfast to school and home again to dinner, bath and bed. Cherish the time together, even in everyday activities. Thou shalt nurture adult relationships If mama aint happy, aint nobody happy. So make sure to spend time on your marriage, close family members and friends. Those adult relationships will sustain you when youre stressed or in crisis. Dont forget the most important relationship with yourself. Take time each week (or each day) on activities that nourish your soul. Thou shalt enjoy thy work We all work for different reasons. Whether its for the money, helping others or job satisfaction, identify the reasons that you work and own that choice. Then, take pleasure in the parts of your job that you enjoy, to reinforce the positive aspect of being a working mom. Even if its simply the paycheck hitting your bank account each week! Thou shalt prioritize ruthlessly When you became a new working mom, suddenly you have little time for the lingering water-cooler chats with co-workers.  Each morning, write down the top three things you must accomplish that day. Tackle them first, because you never know when a call to pick up a sick child might quash the rest of the days work. Edited by Elizabeth McGrory.