Welcome to The FreshGigs Weekly Recap. We know how busy you are, so every week we’ll help you get caught up on some of the best career related stories from around the web. Weekend reading from last week that you can apply for the week ahead.
Should I Tell The Interviewer About My Upcoming Vacation? (Forbes)
Job hunting with a scheduled vacation approaching puts you in tricky situation. Do you let the interviewer know about your vacation plans during the interview? What about dropping an interviewer a note after the interview? What if the vacation—even if it’s for an important family wedding—gets in the way of receiving a job offer? There’s a lot to think about, and it’s common situation that people go through—you booked the vacation a year in advance, but by the time it comes around you’re actively interviewing for a new position. In this article, Liz Ryan, who we’ve covered on the FreshGigs blog before, shares some insight on what you should tell the interviewer in regards to your upcoming vacation. Read the article here.
Email is supposed to bring people together and make communication easier, but sometimes it does just the opposite.
Article Snippet: “You and I are old enough to know that when they don’t value you during the recruiting process, ain’t no way it’s getting better once you’re on the payroll. You know what they say about first impressions, Rick! You are making a first impression now with each of those prospective employers. If they leave you sitting in silence, speak up.”
Why Your Company Should Consider Banning Email (FastCompany)
A radical thought: should your company do away with email? It’s hard to imagine going a day without using email, but that’s exactly the policy PBD Worldwide has implemented—no work email on Fridays. Email is supposed to bring people together and make communication easier, but sometimes it does just the opposite [Tweet This]. Even worse, work email can be a source of stress, especially when you’re trying to relax on the weekend and keep getting work email alerts on your phone. In this article, Stephanie Vozza looks at whether banning email is a worthwhile idea. Read the article here.
Article Snippet: “Still email-free four years later, Atos has experienced a cultural shift with employees moving from an individual mindset to that of a community. The company reclaimed 25% of its work time that had been spent on email, and reports a 30% increase in customer satisfaction and efficiency.”
9 Things Successful People Won’t Do (Inc.)
We often read about things successful people will do, like wake up early to knock off tasks and get ahead in the day, but what about things successful people won’t do? As it turns out, cutting out certain traits is as important as strengthening existing ones, or learning new skills, to become successful. Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, looks at 9 things successful people won’t do for Inc. Read the article here.
Article Snippet: “Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you face, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves performance. Emotionally intelligent people won’t dwell on problems because they know they’re most effective when they focus on solutions.”
If It Doesn’t Get Scheduled, It Will Never Get Done (99u)
Scheduling your day is an easy way of staying focused and productive. It helps you organize your tasks and priorities, and all you really need for a proper schedule is a pad and paper. You can try to keep everything in your mind, but you’ll eventually start to forget tasks both big and small, including important deadlines to hit and meetings to attend. It’s even better if you can automate your schedule as much as possible, as this way you can plan months in advance. It’s no surprise that if it doesn’t get scheduled, that it will never get done—a message Elizabeth Grace Saunders harps on in this article for 99u. Read it here.
Article Snippet: “Sometimes just a small change can make a big difference. See if there are small commitments you can make to set up automatic time investments that align with your goals. By making these time commitments predestined and automatic, you reduce the friction and decision making power needed to accomplish them.”
The Single Most Proven Way to Get Smarter and Happier (Time)
The quick answer? Exercise. Online courses, reading books, working in a company with great culture, and more, are all great, and all help you become smarter and happier, but exercise tops the list. Have a busy schedule? Fit in a quick run before you head off to work. Or get in a routine and hit the gym right after work. The possibilities are endless—and you can make the time to exercise. In this article, Eric Barker references a few studies to show why exercise is the single best way to become smarter and happier. Read it here.
Article Snippet: “That super-productive co-worker who runs every day might not exercise because he has energy — he might have energy because he exercises. While it might not make you the smartest person in the world, among the many ways to increase intelligence, exercise stands out.”