Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom How to Do Citizen Development the Right Way

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom How to Do Citizen Development the Right Way Alec Sprague is not an IT guy. His background is in consumer advocacy, but in his position as database developer for Work for Progress, he has instituted a culture of citizen development at the fast-growing nonprofit organization. “Our organization is scrappy,” Sprague said. “We operate on shoestring budgets to maximize our benefit to society and our return-on-investment for our funders and donors.” At the beginning of his tenure with Work for Progress, Sprague struggled with outdated systems and felt the organization’s issues were too important to waste time with antiquated technology. “In the past year, we’ve made a more intentional push atdigital transformation, moving a lot of our data out of siloed systems and into the cloud so that we could save everyone’s time andproductivity,” he told an audience at QuickBase’s #EMPOWER2016 user conference in Nashville, TN. In the last year and a half, Work for Progress has developed 22 applications, including 12 apps that are each used by more than one department and more than 80 people. This from an organization that doesn’t even have an IT department! App Progress at Work for Progress One example of this citizen developer led transformation took place within Human Resources. The group was working with paper files and using a clunky database. Sprague taught a representative to build an app that would bring all of the group’s data online in one place. He followed up with weekly calls to workshop questions and problems. The whole department now uses the app, with several team members working on front-facing dashboards and workflows so that supervisors can take action on benefits and other HR-related items. A second implementation involved grant reporting. Sprague surveyed end-users and determined that reporting grants fundraising was a complex and confusing process. He worked with the grants department on an application that could quickly and easily report grant proposals, income, and deliverables so the organization could better keep track of fundraising work and communicate with donors. Why Citizen Development? “My job is to motivate and inspire people and give them the right tools to do their jobs,” said Sprague. “The fact that 68 percent of all IT projects fail underscores the need for bottom-up system creation.” Bottom-up system creation can be explained by breaking down the term “citizen development.” Citizens are recognized and have rights and responsibilities. Development can be a process of growth, creativity, and suffering. Citizen developers are permitted to create something meaningful and productive, but the journey often isn’t easy. Sprague’s best practices for encouraging them are as follows: Empower Everyone at Whatever Level is Right for Them Sprague noted the different types of people within an organization. You have system-minded people who need permission to act, people who have permission but might not understand the best path forward, admins or people with extra time on their hands, and end users. The needs of these groups vary. “Some people have good ideas but not the time or the skills to follow through on them: you need to empower them to share their ideas,” Sprague said. “On the other hand, some people have good ideas and could follow through on them if they just had the skills: you need to empower them by building those skills. Some people have good ideas and the skills to implement but need to be allowed to move forward: you need to empower them by giving permission, space, and tools.” Sprague suggested looking for intersections within these groups and understanding where to find particular individuals. For more where this came from, check out the QuickBase Fast Track blog.

Why You Should Consider Hiring a Resume Writer For a Communications Job

Why You Should Consider Hiring a Resume Writer For a Communications JobResume writing for communications jobs is a little different than resumes in other fields. It is essential to understand that a communications job entails skills that are more complex and require a certain amount of expertise. This is not to say that an applicant with a bachelor's degree, for example, would not be qualified to do a job as a communications professional. Rather, communications jobs require a certain level of expertise in order to be successful in the field.When you are applying for a communications job, it is imperative that you first make sure that you know what you are signing up for. This may be difficult if you have no idea about what the job entails. Even if you are completely aware of the responsibilities of a communications professional, it is important to remember that there is a lot of difference between any job description and an actual description of the duties involved. The basic respons ibilities of a communications professional include creating, directing, or editing written and audio materials for a variety of audiences.A communications job does not just entail creating or writing one product. Instead, the communications professional may be required to read and interpret material for a wide range of audiences, which can make the job much more challenging. In addition, the communications professional is also required to speak to a wide range of people for many different reasons. These reasons might include presenting a lecture, appearing on television, producing audio products, etc.The importance of this is that the communication career is always changing. You will never know exactly what you will be required to do next until you start looking for a job. Even if you already have a job, the industry is constantly changing. You will never be able to keep up with all of the changes.This is why it is very important to know the details of the job you are applying for. Instead of just throwing a resume together without considering the specifics of the position, you should carefully research the requirements before sending out the application. With this in mind, you may want to consider hiring a professional to help you create your resume. Resume writing for communications is no longer a simple task that is required of all employees.Once you understand the specific details of a communications job, you can start looking for a resume writer. The fact that the job is growing every year makes finding a good writer for the job almost impossible. There are, however, a number of places to turn for help. You should look into going through a career website that caters to this field, such as Monster.com, to find someone to write your resume.The advantages of this process are that you will already have access to a number of different writers who have experience in creating resumes for this field, allowing you to pick the best one for the job. As long as you g o through the process properly, you should be able to get the job done without any trouble. If you do have some trouble, you can always contact your local human resources department to see if they have any references for your resume writer.A resume writing for communications job is no longer as simple as it once was. The job has undergone a tremendous amount of change over the past several years, and you will have to be updated on all of the developments. Resume writing for communications jobs involves a wide range of duties, so make sure that you are confident that you know what you are doing before starting. It is worth it to learn the details of the job before jumping in.

Im launching new stuff today.

Im launching new stuff today. I am not good at launching stuff. It stresses me out. I am not good at focusing on multiple things. Ryan Healy used to hate working with me because of this, and, frankly, I hate working with me because of this too. I need to divide everything into very little projects in order to ensure that one project does not ruin everything else around me. This is why, in the past, blog posts have been the perfect length for me, and having a startup has derailed my whole life. The first thing Im launching today is a homeschooling section. To be clear, I dont homeschool. But I definitely think its a huge trend that will shake up all of our lives, because homschoolers will take over the workplace in the next ten years. I am worried that Im making the wrong decision by keeping my kids in school. So this is the spot where I will worry about it discuss it. Here is the post where I explain in more detail why Im adding the homeschool section. The other section that Im launching is Mailbag. I answer all my email. People are often shocked by this, which, in turn, shocks me. I mean, what am I writing a blog for if I dont want to communicate with people? But I decided I should publish the questions and answers since many people ask the same type of questions. (Dont worry, Im changing details to conceal the writers identity.) When I met my Ex he was working for Sony. He was in charge of online properties for Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. The marketing people always said that people watch Jeopardy to say Hes so smart! and people watch Wheel of Fortune to say Hes so stupid! I think that marketing approach may be applicable to the questions in Mailbag. Hopefully you will think my answers are smart. But if you dont, theres room for you to give your own answers. On Sundays my Ex comes to our house to hang out with the kids, which made today a great day for my launch. Also, do you ever wonder what my Ex looks like? Here he is well, about one-third of him with my son. Heres a question I get a lot: Does your Ex mind being on your blog? Heres the answer: Hes probably really happy being on with just one-third.

Lessons in Graduate Job Hunting - Tested Worked

Lessons in Graduate Job Hunting - Tested Worked Graduate job hunting is becoming more and more of a daunting prospect for soon-to-be-graduates. But Career Geek is here to help you, guide you and make sure you’re prepared for your job search before you graduate. Today, I would like to share a few key things that I learnt while graduate job hunting. It took me a while, I was rejected numerous times, but I can finally say â€" it was all worth it because I finally got a job â€" doing what I always wanted to do, in the sector I am so passionate about. The Graduate Job Hunting Journey It was more than a year ago when I embarked on this journey. Having completed my dissertation, I started looking for jobs. It didn’t take long for me to realise how ill-prepared I was for the graduate job market. A few swift rejections to my applications and I knew my degree was not going to get me far in getting interviews that could potentially turn into job offers. Throughout this past year I learnt a lot and the key points will be summarised below so you can apply them to your own situation. Develop a Strategy for Your Graduate Job Hunting The first thing to do when you start job searching is to get organised. Assess your situation, where you are, and where you’d like to be. Then, you’d know what you need to get there. If you’re lacking work experience, find out how you can get some as soon as possible. Research the industry you’d like to work in, and see what qualifications you’d need. Another point to consider is whether you’d like to apply for graduate schemes or entry-level jobs. Spend a few weeks doing that, and then start applying for the jobs that you’ve decided suit you. A few months down the line, if you’re still unemployed, you might realise you need to change your strategy, but this is a natural process. A lot of graduates end up not knowing exactly what they’d like to do with their degrees, so naturally, it will take some time to figure out what sort of job will suit you. Learn from Your Mistakes This is related to the previous point. Once you realise your initial approach isn’t working, adapt and change your strategy, as necessary. Try to see yourself and your job search from a distance in order to assess it â€" what do your actions convey about you to a potential employer? Does your education, experience, qualifications present a favourable image of you? If there are any gaps, fill them and show you’re flexible and willing to learn â€" employers will appreciate your efforts. Every time someone’s giving you feedback, listen carefully. I know how difficult accepting criticism is, but learning from it is essential in your progress. At the same time, don’t take everything people tell you at face value. Use your own judgement and take away the valuable information, leave everything else. Don’t let anyone patronise you and underestimate your abilities and potential. Hard Work Pays off At times during my graduate job hunt I was quite sceptical when I heard the above words. But if you are persistent, determined and work hard, sooner or later you’ll find your dream job. Don’t rely on anyone but yourself, people will be willing to help you with advice and moral support, but don’t fool yourself â€" you will have to do the work. My family and friends were always by my side while I was going through the numerous difficulties over my job searching year, but even they were starting to doubt how long it would take me to reach success. Sometimes, I was faced with the nagging feeling that I wasn’t  doing the right thing, and pursuing the wrong jobs. A lot of people tried to advise me to give up and do something else instead. And just when I was starting to believe them, the perfect opportunity came up. No matter what you’re told, no matter how many rejections you receive, keep believing in yourself and do not give up your dreams. In the end, when it all works out for you, you’ll realise it’s all worth it and hard work does pay off! 8

The Office Of Human Capital And Trainings Tip Sheet On RSum Writing

The Office Of Human Capital And Trainings Tip Sheet On RSum WritingSome of the greatest literature that is ever written on the office of human capital and training in England was begun in the office of human capital and training. That is what the office of human capital and training is all about. It is all about getting better, faster, smarter and more efficient workers in place.What are Rsum? Well, it is a system of goal setting and performance evaluation. It is not only simple enough to be used at home but the same way can be used in the office. The same is true when they talk about training.Rsum do not have to be written down. The individuals in the office can actually use them in real time during their daily routine work. This is the great thing about Rsum's. There is nothing complicated about them. It is like having a training program in place that is extremely fast and effective for one to go through.When people that are in the office are thinking about how they are going to be at their boss at the end of the month and get their paycheck then they can actually use Rsum to have an answer to this question. So they will start with a goal of beating their boss. Then they can go on to a list of goals that they need to achieve in the month so that they will have more money to put into their pockets.So that is one of the ways that people can take advantage of Rsum's and start to train their workers in the office. Then those workers will start to see positive change in their work environment and they will start to beat their boss for sure. They will be more motivated to succeed and make their boss proud.When someone is looking for some RRum's tips then they can always seek these tips from the office of human capital and training and take advantage of them as much as possible. This is where all the great writers come from. They wrote in that office. When you want to get the best tips in the business then you will have to look to the office of human capital and trai ning.In the next few paragraphs you will read about the great things that can be done by the office of human capital and training. You will be able to see how the office of human capital and training can help you in the area of RRum's. You will be able to see the creativity that is in your employees when it comes to RRum's and RRum training tips.Finally, you will be able to find some RRum's tips and the place where they are being written down. You will be able to read and learn more about how you can get the best RRum's tips in the business. What ever is your reason is for you to find the RRum's tips and RRum training information in the office of human capital and training.

Why Toppers Dont Get Jobs Easily - CareerAlley

Why Toppers Don’t Get Jobs Easily - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The moment you will step outside your university to find your first job, you will encounter a whole new outlook of the world, where grades and CGPA are seldom noticed. I went to my first job interview with my resume that mentioned my CGPA of 3.8. I was hoping that this would be enough to get me to the job, but to my surprise it was not the case. The only time when the recruiter looked at my CV was when he wanted to check my date of birth so to confirm that Im not underage. Though, I am not denying the importance of resumes, CVs, and cover letters, but when you are at the interview table, it is you who speak for yourself and not your resume. Over the past decade, I have seen a number of toppers to face more difficulty in finding their first job than their other classmates, who were less competent in terms of grades and course knowledge. Even seven of my classmates, whom CGPA was below 2.5, got their first jobs in relevant fields two months before me. So, what makes it intricate for the toppers to get their first job, or what extra skills the average students possess, which makes them preferable for workplace environments? Here are some answers that can help both toppers and other students augment the probability of getting their first job easily. 1. High Expectations As an engineering student, I invested a great lot of money in my degree, certification courses, and in learning other software programs, which I was told are needed in all engineering jobs, which though was not true. So, during my job pursuit, I kept thinking about the money I have spent for my education, and was looking for a job that could pay me off in months or at least a year. Considering the current global recession, it is hard to find a job that is relevant to your field, pays good salary, and hires fresh candidates. Unfortunately, I overlooked this reality, and in search of a high paying job, I wasted my first three months after graduation, declining three low salary offers, and another seven months doing a job that pays me just above average salary, but was not related to my field. So, even after nine months of my engineering graduation, I had zero work experience. This is the mistake that most of the toppers and high-grade students make, expecting too much from the very first job with little or no experience in the bag. This compels the recruiter to hire someone with low expectations, and many average students fit nicely into this description. 2. No internship Experience A personal observation is that a number of top students spend their semester breaks learning new software programs, reading more marketing books, or assisting their teachers in their work. Though these are good activities, they cannot surpass the importance of company internships. Reading Porters five forces and personally seeing and dealing with market competition is altogether a different thing. Internships act as a gateway to your professional career, where you spend some time with professionals, who do not like sharing things with their subordinates, but they can share it with you as you do not pose a position threat to them. So, average students with internship experiences are often preferred over toppers with no internship experience. 3. Weak Bonding Network When I was busy solving my math problems, a number of my classmates were visiting different companies, making contacts, asking for career suggestions from industry professionals, and spending time with teachers who have come from various industries. This way, they always had a better know-how of the industry and career opportunities than me. My job search was limited to online job databases while many other students even knew companies, which do not post any job ad, but start their hiring process every August. So, it is important for students to not only look for a job after the degree is completed, but also during the phase of the degree in order to save the crucial time after the degree is completed. Furthermore, the job search should not be limited to online job databases, but students should try to visit companies, just like they would do after their degree. Author Bio: Fourges William is an executive education trainer and consultant, providing coursework writing service to undergraduate and Master level students. His forte is in addressing career opportunities to students, helping them take wise decision with their career path selection. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif [emailprotected]

The future of mobile job search - CareerEnlightenment.com

In a February 2012 poll conducted by JIBE, over 60% of jobseekers said that they would search for positions on mobile, and almost 50% said they would apply directly on their phone.What impact will mobile technology have on your life in regards to your job search?    Six  months from now, will you actively search and apply for positions on your smartphone or tablet?  To find out more about  mobile job search technology, follow Jibe Guy on twitter @JIBEguy