360 degree appraisal What you need to know

360 degree appraisal What you need to know by Amber Rolfe Getting feedback from your colleagues doesn’t always have to be personal… OK, so you already know what appraisals are, but what happens when you’re given a 360 degree appraisal? Aside from providing you and your manager with some well-rounded feedback on how you’re doing at work, they could also help you to improve your performance.To help you understand how they work, here’s everything you need to know about 360 degree appraisals:  What is a 360 degree appraisal? A 360 degree appraisal is a holistic employee review process.It involves gathering the anonymous views and opinions of colleagues, managers, and direct reports, which is used to give an employee well-rounded and constructive feedback.This type of appraisal may also take insights from clients, vendors, or consultants â€" providing they work regularly with the employee being reviewed.  How is a 360 degree appraisal different to a traditional appraisal? A traditional appraisal is usually carrie d out by your line manager, and reviews everything from your performance through to your goals â€" ensuring they’re in line with the company’s objectives.A 360 degree appraisal differs in that it gains insights from a range of sources, providing a broader view of your capabilities. And, although traditional appraisals cover what’s being/been done, 360 appraisals review how you’re doing it on a daily basis.But, unlike a traditional appraisal, it can’t be used to understand whether an employee is meeting their objectives, targets, or basic job requirements â€" meaning that both types of appraisals are often used in conjunction with each other.Who are 360 degree appraisals for? Although 360 degree appraisals were originally designed for those in leadership positions, it’s becoming a popular review method for colleagues of all levels.Not only does it allow employees to improve in their current role, it also helps those wanting to progress to management understand what areas they should build on.360 degree appraisals for non-managers differ in that they don’t include input from direct reports.  What are the benefits of 360 degree appraisals? 360 appraisals are a great way to address a range of competencies with a broad level of feedback.Here are a few reasons employers use 360 degree appraisals:They measure otherwise difficult to quantify factors like team work, communication skills, and leadershipThey give colleagues new potential areas for developmentThey improve working relationshipsThey allow colleagues to see things from a different perspectiveThey focus on the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’They increase self-awareness and encourage better behaviourThey’re anonymous, meaning people can be completely honest with their feedback  How do 360 degree appraisals work? Although the way they’re carried out may vary depending on your role and company, here’s a general structure of how a 360 degree appraisal could go:A group of colleagues, custom ers, and/or managers will receive a feedback form to complete, which includes questions and rating scalesThe person receiving the review will also have to fill out a self-assessment form (before any feedback is revealed)The results are combined to create an anonymous report of the employee’s strengths and weaknessesThe feedback is used to help the employee create a well-informed developmental plan360 degree appraisals will often be carried out in an addition to a traditional appraisals, in order to give the most comprehensive overview of your performance.What questions could be asked in a 360 degree appraisal? The questions you or your colleagues are asked will depend on your role, and the nature of your relationship.However, they’ll usually consist of ratings based or Y/N questions, followed by open-ended questions that allow you or your colleague to elaborate on the previous answer.The questions should also be straight forward, non-emotive, and objective â€" so expect to be as ked about easily identifiable behaviour that avoids subjectivity.For example; a series of questions about problem solving could go something like this:Does the employee solve problems effectively? If yes, what kind of skills does the employee exhibit? If no, what areas do you think the employee needs to improve on? Five tips to guarantee career progressionHow to get promoted360 degree appraisal tipsSome of our top tips for getting through a 360 degree appraisal include:Do be objective â€" see it as a learning experience, and be honest with yourself when it comes to the feedback you receive.Don’t ask who said what â€" the point of a 360 degree appraisal is that it’s anonymous. So try not to let it affect your working relationships.Do take feedback on board â€" take as much as you can from the experience, and aim to work on areas that are highlighted for improvement.Don’t take it personally â€" the answers will usually have been vetted by your line manager, and should always aim to be constructive rather than cruel. See it as an opportunity to be better at your role, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Life At Work

QA debt consolidation loans

QA debt consolidation loans These are times when getting the necessary money for covering all daily expenses is not an easy thing to do. Even with a full-time job, sometimes you need to ask for a loan in order to pay rent, utilities, medical bills or a gift for a special someone. However, in most cases, paying for the loan interest can be a real challenge. But have you ever thought of a debt consolidation loan? If the answer is no, here are some things that you have to take into consideration. How can you get a debt consolidation loan? If you are interested in debt consolidation loans for bad credit, you should know that you can receive your money within days. It also allows you to consolidate your bills into one single payment, which is very beneficial and time saving. But, first of all, you should know if you are eligible to receive the money. Make sure you know exactly what the implications of a consolidation loan are before taking the money. Your priority should be to reduce the number of debts, not gather more. Also, those who have already taken such loans before say that you should have a rainy-day fund. There are some emergencies that you cannot control and they require some unexpected payments. Thus, make sure you take this thing into consideration. How can you get a lower interest? There are a few ways of getting a lower interest rate, but the most common one is adding a co-signer. The responsibility of the co-signer is to cover the payments in case you are not able to do that. This makes your loan less risky and you are allowed to pay less. What is direct debt payment? There are lenders who directly pay for all of your debts, an excellent option that saves you time, money and reduces the risk of making rookie mistakes. Just think of the fact that you would not have to take care of all the documents and paperwork. Are there other fees that you have to take into consideration? When it comes to debt consolidation, it all depends on the lender of your choice. There are some people who do not ask you to cover any fees, whereas, others charge you for their services. To avoid unpleasant surprises, try to discuss every single detail from the beginning. Ask all the necessary questions, and do not feel bad for your lack of knowledge. Sometimes, taking a debt consolidation loan can be quite confusing, especially if you do not have any financial studies. How can I avoid being wrong? To make sure that you will completely understand the information related to debt consolidation loans, you should hire someone to help you. For example, there are companies that offer you such services, without asking you to pay for a fortune. The only thing you have to do is to explain to them why you need the money and they will take care of everything.

Overcoming insecurities and achieving new year resolutions

Overcoming insecurities and achieving new year resolutions Each year, millions of people make their new year’s resolutions to feel better about themselves. The first promise they usually make is to get in better shape. They promise themselves that they will sign up to the gym and go regularly to get the sexy athletic body that they desire. But all too often, we see people fall off the bandwagon and their dreams are never accomplished. They hope that they could overcome their physical limitations that contribute to their personal insecurities. And then the cycle repeats again with the person saying “This year, I will get in shape and sign up at the gym for a year.”   Sounds all too familiar right? But there are a variety of ways to overcome your personal insecurities. Below are a few ways to overcome those insecurities and help you become a better person. Be proud of how you look like on the outside! Whether you choose to admit it or not, your physique will help you with your confidence. The more confident you are in your physique, the less you worry about it as a limitation and this confidence radiates in other areas of your life. This doesn’t mean you need to become Mr Olympia. It does mean that you need to achieve a physical look that will allow you to be happy and radiate with confidence! You can achieve this with a good diet, nutrition and exercise plan. Follow a plan that incorporates cardio training and resistance weights. The results may start to show in as little as three months. With dedicated training, you could achieve an amazing body transformation over 12 to 24 months. Alternatively, you could turn to liposuction treatments that will offer you a quicker solution with removing the fat cells within your body. It is becoming more socially acceptable for men to turn to liposuction treatments to transform their bodies that in turn, boost their confidence! Have a great smile! A smile brightens up the room and is infectious. It is easy to smile, but to smile brightly means the person needs to have confidence in their teeth. This can be an easy treatment by ensuring that you brush and floss regularly and that you take steps to make your teeth whiter. Visit your dentist to get them to clean your teeth and to further improve your smile. If you feel like your teeth are quite bad, you can undergo cosmetic treatments to give yourself a great smile. Be proud of your character on the inside. It is amazing how the mind can play tricks on us. The mind often puts doubt into our minds about situations. We set limits on ourselves because we doubt our character traits and we focus on our imperfections rather than the things that make us perfect. To overcome your own insecurity, you need to be proud of the person you are and to live life without regret. Live life according to your own expectations and not the expectations of you by others. If you have a loud voice, be loud and proud. If you like to dance, then go and dance and express yourself. Don’t be held by the chains that bind. Go out there and break free of the limitations and be the person you always wanted to be. Overcome anxiety by letting go One of the biggest issues we all face is the problem with anxiety. It affects us so much that we actually do get anxiety attacks that cause us to panic. Some of the reasons we have these attacks is because we rely too much on the expectations and dependence of others that leads us to worry too much. We must let go! Achieve this by living in the moment and pursuing a life of spontaneity rather than the dependence on a future outcome. Furthermore, don’t limit yourself to one specific outcome when the outcome can provide so many more opportunities. Keep your mood positive Make sure to go out with a sense of optimism and whatever you do, be positive about it. Flash your smile all of the time. You will notice that people will start behaving more positively around you and that you will draw positive attention. If it is difficult to do, fake a smile until it becomes second nature to you. People love to be around positive and fun people. Your presence will become infectious. Create your own positive mood by listening to your favourite songs and doing activities that you enjoy. Be around who you want to be. Being around a good network of people is important. Good people make you feel awesome about your life. Others will try to bring you down. Cull the bad people and keep the good people close. You will feel better and enjoy life a lot more. These are a few things that you can do to enhance your life experience and overcome your insecurities. So fulfill your new year’s resolution by taking action!

Lose Your Manners, Lose Your Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Lose Your Manners, Lose Your Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Because the US post office is trying to stay alive amidst threats of major cuts from Congress, and with postage being so expensive even at bulk rates: I took advantage of USPS’ new EDDM program, in an effort to see if my company could be an even better corporate citizen. EDDM allows you to help postal workers keep their jobs by doing their work. In other words, you print, sort and package your direct mail so it’s ready to deliver to each carrier’s route. All the post office “workers” need to do is put it in the right cubbyhole for each carrier. Other than being “verified” by a “supervisor” who takes your money for postage, it bypasses the “post office staff” pretty much. All you need is the mail-delivering post people on each route to put the mail in mailboxes. The planning and execution on your end is harder than it sounds, involving a ridiculous mount of photocopies, rubber bands, and paper cuts on your intern’s hands. Sorry Mel. Why? We tried EDDM out locally for one client in Los Angeles, because I wanted to experience the process before we recommended to clients that they do this themselves, or to themselves.   We started out optimistically. The USPS TV commercials show a pleasant, fit, uniformed, cartoon postman and a happy soundtrack. Just print and package your mail, and a guy who looks a lot like the Maytag repairman practically dances as he delivers it. As a person and a citizen, I’ve been worrying about Congress’ threat to layoff 150,000 postal workers. I had a notion that postal workers are earnest people trying to do a tedious job well in order to support their families and have the dignity of a good, civil service job. Ha! Boy, was I wrong! I invite you to visit the 90064 US post office on Sepulveda and Exposition in West Los Angeles. It’s probably operated similarly to one in your local area, so start there. Rude! Mean! Lazy! Really, really fat! No one has washed their hair or uniform shirt in weeks, maybe months. We watched them THROW letters and parcels around the back like it was Frisbee golf. They spoke in some mutant kind of slang at each other. They stood around and talked about getting on disability. They were grumbling, mumbling, filthy people who could not read or add (at least so they said as they glazed over the forms â€" (that we downloaded from the USPS website). Manners and impressions Maybe I’m naïve but I was dumbstruck. Reality bites that TV commercial of the happy, helpful postman. The post woman “helping” at the counter started at us as if we had landed in a space ship. “We don’t do that here,” she drawled as we showed up smiling with our neat little packets of mail and typed forms. “No one here can help you,” she scowled at us when we made our case for taking our mail. Four postal workers in an hour tried to avoid us. Closed the door on us. Made us stand in line three times. Repeat this for three days in a row and you get the idea about what I think should happen at the post office. On our last “visit” we just left the mail, neatly stacked with our check on top of it. The “supervisor” told us no one could do anything with it but if we insisted, she would stick in the back. The next day, I called and was put on hold for 35 minutes. Then I called back. The person who answered snorted at me: “You waited for 35 minutes? You should be nicer to us. That’s what you need to do.” No, I am not going to romance the postal workers. Not going to bring them brownies. We started with smiles. We ended with :-O faces. Yes, I have reported this. Yes, it’s not much different than the really, awful terrible no service we’re all getting everywhere. Yes, if you lose your manners, you should lose your job. Because here’s the thing. I vote with my money and I vote with my ballot. And, so should you. Let’s stop giving our business to any establishment or institution that doesn’t deliver on the fundamentals. Like manners. Author: Nance Rosen  is the author of  Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at  NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name:  nancerosen

How Crowdsourcing Helped Me Become a Published Author [Guest Post] - Career Pivot

How Crowdsourcing Helped Me Become a Published Author [Guest Post] - Career Pivot How Crowdsourcing Helped Me Become a Published Author I never thought I would write abook,even though I have published books for well over a hundred authors in recent decades. This article originally appeared on RussEanes.com. I have always loved writing and decided when I left my job as Publisher and Executive Director of MennoMedia in early 2018 that I would semi-vocationally write articles and shorter pieces on topics that interested me. I was not interested in authoring books, which would require pinning myself down to a single idea or topic for much too long of a time. I had known authors who had wrestled with a book for years and wasn’t sure I would want to do that. When I left my work, I had decided to take a year off and, to fulfill a dream I’d had for decades, went to Spain for six weeks to walk 500 miles on the ancient pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago,from the Pyrenees mountains in France to Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. I was going to walk it for the experience alone, and it was indeed one of the most amazing of my life. Writing a book about it was not part of the plan. When I was in Spain I had written letters, emails and messages home to my family and friends. I wrote about my experiences and posted photos on Facebook, and heard from many that they were closely following me and loved hearing what I wrote. It was gratifying, but I thought that was all I was going to do. So I was surprised when, after returning home from six weeks in Spain and walking the Camino de Santiago, the idea of a book came to me. The idea to write a book dawned on me during a bike ride,a few weeks after my return. I was developing a plan to start my own self-publishing service and the thought came that I should begin by self-publishing my own book. It was that simple. I was also pretty enthusiastic about my experience and recalled how my own desire to walk Camino de Santiago itself had been fueled by a book. I wanted to provide similar inspiration myself, which I would later call the “why” of my book. My first stepwas gathering up everything I’d written home, emails, letters and WhatsApp messages, alongside my pocket journal. Included were many anecdotes that I had recorded and had shared with others. In the process of collating themâ€"and simultaneously reflecting inwardly on my experiencesâ€"I developed an outline of about ten chapters on topics that jumped out at me. I began imagining something that was about 20,000 words in lengthâ€"that’s a book of less than 100 pagesâ€"that I could simply write and get out in a few months. I had also taken over 2,000 photos and I wanted to share them in a book, as well. My second step, simultaneously, was to read books about the Camino. I had a total of six to compare, and I noted that they were of three general types: simple chronological, personal narratives; chronological narratives sprinkled with themes, supported by anecdotes; general themes, sprinkled with anecdotes and experiences, but not necessarily chronological (There is even another book that doesn’t fit any of the above, a book so scattered in its structure that I have never been able to get into it.) Listen to the most recent episode My third stepwas to think about who my audience(s) were. What were the ages and demographics? Was there more than one audience? Then before I could get much further, I set the whole project aside. When I came back to it five months later, I was unsure how to proceed.To regain my momentum, I decided to take a “crowdsourcing” approachto my writing. Deciding that I needed to zero-in on a structure, style and audience, I began to use informal networks of friends, former colleagues and other contacts to help me figure out my final product. Some of this contact was direct and personal, either face-to-face, or by email or phone, but a good part of it was also done via social media (which, besides Facebook, included some online forums about the Camino de Santiago). As I wrote and developed the manuscript,I sought out groups of readers via these personal networks,Overall, I had over fifteen readers who read my writing at its various stages, starting with the first drafts of the earliest chapters; these readers represented my broader audiences. Crowdsourcing helped me hone my structure (which in the end is a rough chronology, focusing on themes) my content (a narrative, sprinkled with dozens of stories and anecdotes) and my audiences, (of which are two: people over 55 who are seeking again adventure in life, and people of any age who want to, or who already have, walked the Camino.) It was my readers who helped me to decide to create a rough narrative that takes the reader along all 500 miles of my walkâ€"a journey is a story and a story is a journey. Readers told me they especially related to the narrative style. Looking back through my notes and journals, I selected anecdotes to go with certain themes, then placed these in narrative fashion along the Camino road, when and where the accompanying stories happened. The readers told me what was working in the narrative, where detail was lacking (or where I had placed too much) and which kinds of stories they appreciated. Some who had walked the Camino told me the kinds of things that I needed to include. This all helped me achieve a good balance and blend of personal experience, community, culture, and history. My first chapters are filled with daily detailsâ€"which readers told me they wantedâ€"while later ones dealt more with inner themes and lessons learned. My readers helped me know which themes were most important helped me to know where to fit them into the journey. The final product was much like an assembled puzzle, with each part carefully positioned, and which, at 50,000 words ended up being more than two and a half times longer than my original concept. For the final draft, I also worked with two editors, and I combined their grammatical and prosaic expertise with the feedback of readers. My last group of readers got a chance to read the entire manuscript and were most helpful in telling me whether or not the book hung together as a whole. When it came to the final title and cover designs, I also tested these with the “crowd.” For my title, I chose keywords that I found best expressed the content and created the most interest with my audience. As a publisher, I also knew that they would be helpful for Google searches; equally importantly, however, my “crowd” indicated that they gravitated immediately to the title and this helped confirm my choice. For the cover, over 50 people gave input on a set of about six mockups which I displayed on Facebook, voting for their favorites. I was especially thankful for the input of a few who were designers; this, ironically, led to me in a different cover concept entirely, minimizing the image in favor of a textual emphasis. I used two design professionals to help me with the final cover. While many believe that self-published books are not as high quality as those done by a publishing company, I felt in the end that crowdsourcing helped compensate for my lack of an external editor and publisher (who typically help develop an author’s work). The result is a book that I am pleased to hear inspires and holds readers, which I think stands out among similarly self-published works, and which, more than anything else, was fun to write. Two last thoughts about crowdsourcing: First, this concept can be applied across a wide spectrum of creative processes, not just writing. It employs, in fact, a number of similar concepts to another process I learned over 25 years ago, something called “Strategic Design,” which itself utilizes gathering stakeholders and markets in a feedback loop to help designers. Secondly, always be sure that you don’t unfairly “use” your crowd. Social Media works best when those involved don’t feel they are being manipulated. Always be sure that people know what you are asking them, and what they are getting in return. Don’t leave room for misunderstanding. It will build trust and further community, which are vital for any artist or writer’s future. This post was written by Russ Eanes. Russ is a writer, walker, and cyclist from Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he lives with his wife, three of his six adult children and his five grandchildren. He also enjoys traveling, gardening, reading and photography. In 2018 he “downshifted” to experience a less hectic pace of life and is now putting to use several decades’ experience in the publishing business to work as a freelance writer, editor, publishing coach, and consultant. His book, The Walk of a Lifetime: 500 Miles on the Camino de Santiago, is available atAmazon.com. Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

How Committed Are You to Your Job Search - Hire Imaging

How Committed Are You to Your Job Search - Hire Imaging For most folks, their career change doesn’t arrive with that instant lightbulb moment of clarity. Nancy wanted to have her own business. She set up an office cubicle. Then what? She wasn’t sure. Oh! She loved to organize things. So, she’d make a gazillion bucks on an organizational consulting business. Then what? She had no clue. Barry hated sales. He liked his industry. He told me he had no idea how to hone in on â€" let alone, navigate â€" that change. While it’s nice to think things will hum along, I’m going to tell you what many don’t want to hear. It’s a step-by-step process. It includes icky words like “research” and “soul-searching” and “brainstorming”. How committed are you? On a scale of 1 to 4, (with 1 as strongly disagree and 4 strongly agree), rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements: _____ If it’s going to take more than 30 days to make this change, that could be a problem. _____ If I must think, never mind. _____ I hate doing research and probably won’t do it. _____ If I must use my imagination, not happening. _____ If must think about my feelings, forget it. _____ I don’t want to go out there and talk to people. _____ I’m not great at making and keeping goals. _____ It’s hard for me to go against the status quo and others’ requests. If you scored between 24 and 32, ask yourself if you’re really committed. Honesty, you probably won’t do a comprehensive, strategic job of exploring career change. And that lowers the odds of your finding a new career that is meaningful and satisfying to you. If you scored between 8 and 16, you’re realistic about what it’s going to take in the career transition: A realistic timeline. Research. Introspection. Imagination. Input from other people. Going against the grain of what others say or what you’ve been told you “should” do. Facing your fears. Rolling up your sleeves with hard work. Willingness to set a goal and stick with it. You can still begin! You know exactly what you want to do next in your career. You haven’t a clue. It doesn’t matter. What does, is that your gut, inner voice â€" whatever you want to name it â€" is telling you to: 1) do something different (or at least investigate it). 2) do that thing you know you want; or 3) figure out what you do want. Which are you? _____ I know exactly what I want to do next. (Clear) _____ I don’t have the slightest idea what I want to do next. (Oblivious) _____ I’ve got some idea, but … (Vague) If you identified yourself as “Oblivious,” you are like most folks who tell me they don’t know what they want next. A job search process will help you connect the dots. If you identified yourself as “Vague,” a process helps you further clarify whether your ideas are a good fit. If you’re “Clear,” a process is a good test to see if what you think you want is aligned with other realities. It can also help you expand the thoughts you have about your next career; and show you how to go about crystalizing your milestones to land in a new and happy fit. Do you want more in your career? Do you think, “Is this all there is?” There is a process in job search that take you to where you want to be. Having a process is leg work. It’s hard. But it also gives you control and relieves a whole lot of stress. You get to choose. Are you committed to beginning? I always love to hear from you. Please comment below.

Why Do Resume Writing Services Charges So Much?

Why Do Resume Writing Services Charges So Much?One of the reasons why your resume writing services charges so much is because you are helping them do this job. They do not expect you to pay the high fees to get a well-written, quality resume for you. It would be a waste of time and effort for them if they charged you a fortune just for doing a simple task.There are common sense things that you can do to help you save money when hiring resume writing services. These would include showing up with an application only to have it rejected. You could also have the applicants rejected based on their performance in the past job.If the applicants are not able to meet all of the important criteria for consideration, they would be politely asked to re-write their resumes, and they will be accepted only if they make some improvements. Their past resumes will also be examined and rated based on their previous experiences and skills. It is only after each applicant has received this information wi ll the company consider the new resume.The basic charges you would pay to these services are usually based on the number of applicants you are trying to hire. The more resumes you need to review, the higher the costs. Depending on the number of jobs you need, the fees might also vary based on the rates.The other important factor is how well the service charges you to process your application. Some may charge you only for the initial work done on your resume. Others will work it out as a percentage of the job you are getting.If you decide to pay for the service of an entire resume writing service, you will be able to review hundreds of resumes before making a decision. This will increase your chances of finding a job much faster because you will not waste time looking at resumes that are not suitable for you.Some services charge you a lot if they are looking for one job, but they would be happy to search for several jobs. These services are able to save money because they would be on ly using one person to search through the resumes.If you are not happy with the results, you can always work with the low charges and try out other services. When you go with a professional resume writing service, you know that you will be getting a well-written resume and your chances of getting hired will be greatly increased.