Category: Adapt, Innovate, Win

Words that motivate employees are words that create inclusiveness and extend recognition for the contribution of other people make.  They are also words that create a recognition of boundaries that each person feels about receiving help.

I read an article on HBR.org about the power in the word “we” and a second article on HBR.org about the power in the word “together.”  I have also read on several occasions that the word most people want to hear is their own name.

The attraction of all three of these words is that they create inclusiveness.  Picture a discussion about a team’s effort in front of the team members and other people in the company.  The discussion goes like this: “Bill and Sue are on our team.  Together we successfully create projects that exceed company expectations.  Without the great job that Bill and Sue have done, we would never have succeeded on any of these projects.  Together, we are a team of winners.”

“Thank you” is a phrase with two words that people appreciate in response to the things they say or do for someone.

“How might we?” are the three words that the company IDEO states as the basis for the beginning every one of their innovation projects.

“You did a good job” come up frequently as the five best words a person can say to another person.

Again, the phrases “Thank you,” “How might we,” “I regret my mistake,” and “You did a good job” all create inclusiveness by giving recognition for the work of other people and by presenting a willingness of to admit your mistakes.

“May I help you?” is another four-word phrase that helps to motivate people through inclusiveness and by recognizing the boundaries other people may be feeling at the time.

In closing, using words to motivate employees will create inclusiveness, extend recognition for the contribution that other people make, a allow people to relax and focus on the job without co-workers or supervisors intruding on their boundaries.

How important is your college major?

Graduating from college did two things for my career.  I got a key to let me in the door that said, “Degree required” on the job description.  I gained acceptance into business circles and social circles where having a college degree meant credibility.

With a liberal arts degree, I was eligible to do many things and qualified to none.  I developed the skills for my career once my career began.

There are many articles emphasizing that it is not important to pick a major that leads to a career.  One excellent article from the NY Times is, “Your College Major May Not Be as Important as You Think.”

However, I recommend that you pick a major that lays a base of knowledge that relates as directly as possible to the career field of your choice.  The more time you invest in developing a specialty will determine how long it takes you to master that specialty.

“In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success

An example of focusing on studies that directly apply to your career is the early computer studies of Paul Allen and Bill Gates.  They both had thousands of hours of computer times as teenagers.  When they attended Lakeside School in Seattle, WA, they both had access to a Teletype Model 33 ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a General Electric (GE).  They also had computer time on a computer belonging to Computer Center Corporation (CCC).

On the other hand, if you have graduated from college, don’t let your major slow you down from picking a career that is different from your college major.  I majored in English.  I went to Naval Officer Candidate School.  I had classmates who included lawyers, MIT grads, PhDs, Accountants, and a Rhode Scholar.  Some of my classmates had never been in a rowboat.  Some could barely swim.  However, most of us learned the tactics, navigation, and seamanship we needed to become Navy officers in a variety of capacities.

My experience in the Navy helped me to mature.  The fact that I was a junior military officer helped me get jobs in sales with Procter & Gamble and Polaroid Corporation.

If you have gaps in your resume, you are not alone.  Long recessions and a restructuring of the economy in the United States have created new complications for people who need to find jobs.

New types of jobs often require that job seekers develop new skills.  In some cases, job seekers must receive certifications, credentials, or licenses that require formal training.  Some of this training can require that job seekers take time from work.

The result is that many people go through extended periods of unemployment.  According to an article in USA Today, 20% of the people who have lost work over the past 5 years are still unemployed, and many of those who found work are in temporary jobs.

Knowing how to handle unemployment gaps on your resume is important.

There is value in doing consulting work, temporary assignments, and even volunteer work.  Include information on your resume to help people know what you are doing in addition to seeking a new job.

Job searching involves fundamentals.

The uncertainty of job searching can challenge you mentally, emotionally, and physically.  Your finances become uncertain.  Trying to focus on job searching is just part of the mental challenge of finding a job.  Finding mentors and working with friends can help you stay focused and positive as you go through the daily grind of getting a job.  Practicing the fundamentals of contacting employers, making applications, and continuing to seek employment are all critical to finding a job.

Your social media profile has a role in job search.  

Maintain consistency between your social media and your resume.  If you place a record of your career track on LinkedIn or Google Plus, make sure that the records you keep on those websites and profiles on other sites are consistent with each other and with your resume.

List employment periods in years.

Job seekers frequently list periods of employment in years only.  The goal of your resume is to get you to an interview.  If there are periods of weeks of unemployment in your past, getting to an interview to discuss those periods of unemployment is better than not getting to an interview at all.