What to Do When Someone Else Got the Job You Want - The Muse

What to Do When Someone Else Got the Job You Want - The MuseWhat to Do When Someone Else Got the Job You Want Theres no doubt that being passed up for a job you wanted is a terrible thing. But even worse than that? Meeting the person who got the position you were gunning for.Maybe you spot him at a networking event, or you work in an industry small enough to know all the important names. She might have even been a colleague youve worked with for years.If and when you find yourself in this awkward situation, it can be tempting to drop everything and flee. After all, your wounds are still fresh, and the last thing youd rationally want to do is be cordial to the person who stole your dream job right out from under you. Thankfully, Muse columnist Jaclyn Westlake and Muse career coach Lauren Laitin have sound advice for this exact problem. Instead of trying for a Bond-style escape route every time you bump into this person, you can handle it professionally. First off, you should know that the job search process is a grueling one for everyone, so that sour taste in your mouth is natural. Before you do anything, remember its OK if encountering the new hire feels personal to you. Missing out on something you really wanted sucks, and youre allowed to feel sad about that.Youre not going to convince anyone that youre doing just fine if you havent taken an honest moment to grieve, explains Westlake. Losing out on a new opportunity or promotion can shake your confidence and make it even harder to face the person who edged you out.So after you give yourself adequate space, jump start the healing process by reminding yourself what made you capable and skilled in the first place. Whatever resolve convinced you that you were qualified enough to go after that position- thats what you should bring yourself back to. Westlake recommends you start by making a list of your greatest strengths and most meaningful accomplishments. Then, if you find that youre second guessing yourself in your interactions, itll be helpful to have that list to refer back to.From there, you can lay the groundwork to genuinely get along with the person. If its about a new job, reach out to him or her. As in all things, taking the high road is your best bet, says Laitin. You never know when a new opportunity at that company might open up, and you might end up being colleagues after all. In this specific situation, a short email message will do the trick. You dont need to gush or be disingenuous, just keep it short and sweet, explains Westlake. It can be something as simple as, Hi name, I just heard the news- congrats on your new job This serves two purposes It breaks the ice and sets the tone for the first time you run into each other. The simple gesture wont only position you to be on friendlier terms with a potential contact, but itll also pave the way for opportunities down the road as well.But, maybe its not about a new position at a new company, but rather something between you an d a colleague- a peer who just became an authority figure. If the situation is about a promotion that you didnt get but your co-worker did, as difficult as it sounds right now, do your best to be civil. Westlake says, Chances are, the person who got the job over you is feeling a bit awkward about the situation too, so taking a moment to let him or her know that there are no hard feelings should make everyone more comfortable.And, if youre willing to take that extra step, you can even ask if theres anything you can do as that person transitions into the new role. Better yet, let him know that you had some great ideas for this role and would love to collaborate once hes had a chance to settle in, shares Westlake. Ideally, youll be able to help him succeed (youre on the same team, after all), and youll gain valuable experience with the job you wanted. Seriously, what better info could you add to your resume?Regardless, being gracious and cordial is best, confirms Laitin. If you can sto mach the answers, you might even ask how its going- you never know what you could learn about the company you were so excited about.The common thread here is to try your best to learn from the experience. Being passed up for a job or a promotion can be an extremely difficult thing- and it takes real moxie to dive head first into solving what might have been your problem areas.You dont need to be BFFs tomorrow with the person who ended up with the job you wanted, but chances are, you have a lot in common with him or her. On top of a shared passion for and experience in the same industry, you also have similarities in terms of your ambition and ideal company fit. So, its not so much of a stretch that youd be able support one another and exchange notes- as equals rather than as competitors.Photo of two women talking courtesy of Caiaimage/Tom Merton/Getty Images.

How to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring Job

How to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring JobHow to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring JobAs a recent college graduate, I spent a little over a year learning the ropes in an entry-level position at a thriving international nonprofit. I believed in the mission and learned so much about the industry by watching others- but as the Grants and Contracts Coordinator, I sometimes felt left out of the action.It was a struggle to feel like the analytical and writing skills I proudly displayed on my perfectly formatted resume rarely crept into my day-to-day routine of responding politely to passive-aggressive emails, entering contact information into databases, and getting intimate with the filing cabinet. There were moments when it took my most valiant effort leid to throw the stack of papers I was sorting up in the air and head to Pinterest for some therapeutic procrastination.In other words, it wasnt my dream job. But, sticking it out paid off when I was offered a position I could never have la nded without the experiences and connections I gained in that first job. So, Im here to tell you If youre stuck in an uninspiring gig, dont let it go to waste Use the ideas below to get the most out of yur position now- and launch yourself into your dream job.1. Treat Yourself Like a ProfessionalWhen you dont love your job, it can be easy to get a little lax with professionalism. What does it matter if you show up a few minutes late or if you dont dress quite as nicely as those above you? Its not like youre presenting at an all-staff meeting or having lunch with the CEO, right?Not exactly. No matter how low on the totem poll you are or how jaded youve become by your to-do list, its still important to show up early, wear something sharp, and avoid Facebook like the plague. Ill admit, in my former position I was guilty of getting distracted at work, showing up a few minutes late, or throwing on a wrinkled button-down from time to time, especially on days I was feeling uninspired. But I discovered that when I acted like a professional, I suddenly felt like my work was a lot mora valuable. Looking the part boosted my confidence, helped me begin to binnensee myself as a highly capable contributor to the team- and ultimately led the rest of my team to see me in the same light.2. Find Opportunity in the Little ThingsOnce in a while at a boring job, a task that is pretty exciting relative to your usual day-to-day responsibilities comes along. My own personal examples included selecting a new software program for our department, brainstorming a list of titles for an article that somebody else wrote, and drafting a letter for the company President to send out as his own.OK, you might say yawn- but for me, these tasks were an opportunity to let my talents in organization and writing shine. The point is When you get a task thats even moderately related to what you really want to be doing, let your geek flag fly and wear a giddy smile on your face as you throw yourself int o it. By doing a stellar job on these little tasks, your boss will slowly start to trust you with more substantial responsibilities. Sure, today you might just be researching a list of board member meeting venues, but if you do it well, you could wind up with more event planning duties on your plate.3. Volunteer Your TalentsFeeling like you have an outlet for your talents, even if its not part of your actual job description, is essential to your job satisfaction. The reality is, when you join a new team, colleagues can be so engrained in their routines that they dont think to ask for your help or expertise- they may not even be aware of certain abilities or interests you have.At my first job, I was able to step away from the grant management database to write a creative feature article for our magazine and handle communications and event planning for an annual partner conference- valuable experience gained all because I asked if I could help. After discussing my passion for writing with my supervisor- who supported me branching out as long as I prioritized my current tasks- I was put in touch with our communications department to ask if I could join a meeting for the upcoming publication. It turned out that my help was welcomed by the understaffed department. And though I ended up spending some personal time working on writing projects in order to keep up with my daily responsibilities, it was well worth it because I was finally doing something I loved- and building my professional portfolio.If you see a team youd love to be on or a project you could lend a hand to, dont be afraid to let co-workers know how you could contribute. Remind them. Remind them again. Finding opportunities to help in ways youre excited about will make this job feel more relevant to your future, and it may even get you noticed by someone who doesnt see your work day-to-day.4. Keep Your Eyes on the PrizeWhile you want to be a rock star at your current uninspiring gig, dont lose sight of why youre doing it in the first distributionspolitik to gain experience, skills, and networks that will put you in reach of that next, more fulfilling job. Read about people who are in positions you admire- I pay special attention to the bio of a professional whose job I want, for example. Ask your colleagues to refer you to contacts with experience in your field of interest and try to meet them for informational interviews. Figure out what types of professional development will position you for your dream job, and make time outside of your 9-to-5 to do it. At check-ins, remind your boss what youre interested in and how youre hoping to grow.No, the leap to your ideal job will not happen immediately. But taking even small steps to move toward it can help you feel empowered about your future.While nobody wants to work an uninspiring job, there is a silver lining. No matter what youre doing, youre growing every day- refining your understanding of what you would and would not want in y our next job, expanding your network, and deepening your industry knowledge. Even the very tasks you dread are probably building a foundation of important skill sets for your career, like organization, prioritization, and effective communication. And youll more than likely be thankful for them later, once you have that fast-paced, high-responsibility job youve always dreamed of.Photo of man photocopying courtesy of Shutterstock.

Five Steps to a Squeaky-Clean Online Identity

Five Steps to a Squeaky-Clean Online IdentityFive Steps to a Squeaky-Clean Online IdentityFive steps to managing your zugnglich identity and ensuring that when someone Googles you, they see the personal brand you build.In 2004, I delivered a personal-branding presentation that, for the first time, included a slide that asked the question If you dont show up in Google, do you exist? That slide got a huge audience reaction and has been in virtually every presentation I have delivered since.The answer to the question is no, at least as far as hiring managers and executive recruiters are concerned.But what if you do show up in Google, and what Google reveals is either unflattering or inconsistent with how you want to be known?Googling (performing a Google search on someone) is quickly becoming the standard reference check in job searches and a key filter hiring managers and executive recruiters use to evaluate and cull candidates. Studies reveal that executive recruiters Google candidate s and have eliminated candidates from the running based on their Google results. So knowing what Google says about you is important, and proactively managing your online identity is an essential element in your job-search strategy.For $100K+ earners like yourself, you dont have the saatkorn concern about beer-funnel photos that younger managers do, but that doesnt mean that your online profile is squeaky clean.There could be content online that does leid represent who you are and what you have to offer prospective employers. We call this undesirable content digital dirt. Digital dirt includes any Web-based content that will prevent you from reaching your goals.There are two kinds of dirt1. Self-posted dirt.Thats right, you may have muddied up your own profile. The good news is that most of this self-created content can be easily vacuumed up. But its important to note what constitutes dirt. Remember, it is not just outright negative or inappropriate content that qualifies as dirt if you have revealed a little too much about your political views or posted a comment to someones blog that is replete with typos and misspellings, you might be removing yourself from consideration for some jobs.Too much content about what you did in a previous life can also impede your prospects. Be sure virtually everything you post on the Web reflects your unique value and positions you for the role you seek to fill.2. Dirt posted by others.This is a much more insidious kind of dirt and typically much harder to clean up. I once had a client who welches fired from his investment-industry job, and a Wall Street Journal story about the seemingly fraudulent transactions in which his company was involved included his personenname. In fact, the word fraud was only three words away from his name in the Google description It was a major problem for him since this data showed up as the first item in a Web search on his name. He was unable to get the Wall Street Journal to remove the story fr om its Web site.Like it or not, today your Google results are as important as your resume or cover letter. So as you seek your next role, you must focus on building and maintaining an accurate and compelling online profile. Heres the five-step process for managing your online identity - sweeping up as much digital dirt as possible.Step 1 Know whats out there. The first step to resolving most challenges is to get the right information. In this case, the information you need is available just by Googling yourself (also known as ego-surfing). To help make sense of your Google results, use this free tool www.onlineidcalculator.com. When evaluating your results, focus on the first three pages of results. Those who perform Google searches rarely look beyond Page Three. Once you know what is out there and where you fall on the digital scale, you can make a plan to address it.Step 2 Know what you want your Google results to say. Now that you know what is out there, you need to think about what you want your Google results to look like. You cant get from here to there if you dont know what there looks like. Its time to uncover and define your personal brand. You need to answer these questionsWhat do you want to be known for?What makes you stand out from all your peers?Whats your area of expertise/thought leadership?What words do you want people to use to describe you?What are your greatest accomplishments?Learn more about personal branding here reachpersonalbranding.com/about/personal-branding/.Step 3 Clean up the dirt and enhance your digital image.If you posted anything that might be considered inappropriate or perhaps comes from a past life, remove it. If you have dirt that was posted by others, first ask those who posted it if they will remove it. If you cant wipe your digital identity clean, you must create enough high-ranking content to move that dirt beyond page three (Steps 4 and 5 below) or, you must at least ensure the clean sits alongside the dirt so people have a better understanding of who you are.Step 4 Build your own place on the WWW.The best way to get people to understand exactly who you are is to tell your own story. First, you must buy your own domain name - e.g., www.williamarruda.com. You can buy domains at www.godaddy.com. Then you can build (or have built for you) a personal Web site. Blogging platforms such as TypePad and WordPress are great tools for building a Web site - even if you choose not to blog. Remember to includeYour bioA professionally taken headshotLinks to all relevant content on the Web about you (making it a one-stop shop),Testimonials from people who have worked with youProof of performance (PDFs of presentations, video, audio clips, and so on.)Links to Web sites and content on the Web that you think are valuable and help showcase your area of expertise or thought leadership.Ensure your site content and style reflect your personality. Use color, fonts and imagery to bolster your brand attributes.Step 5 Use Web 2.0 tools to enhance your online ID.If you arent ready for your own Web site or would like to increase your volume of Google results, take advantage of all the social-networking sites that are available - like LinkedIn, Naymz, Ziki and Ziggs (and countless others). Include your branded bio, professional headshot and other relevant information. You need not use the social networking aspects of these sites (in fact, you wont have the time to be an active participant on all these sites), so use LinkedIn for networking and the others to enhance your online ID.In addition, find blogs related to your area of expertise ( www.technorati.com is a blog search engine that will help you find relevant blogs by keywords), and subscribe to them. Then append relevant comments to blog posts when you have something valuable to contribute. This becomes part of your online identity.Of course, your Google results change all the time, so you need to be vigilant. I suggest Googling yourself weekl y and subscribing to Google Alerts for your name ( www.google.com/alerts ). Then, every time something shows up on the Web with your name on it, youll be the first to know.

How to Take Breaks in a Job Search

How to Take Breaks in a Job SearchHow to Take Breaks in a Job Search2Feel like you can barely keep your eyes open to read anotlageher company profile? Ready to bite your spouses head off for simply asking how your day went? Thinking of applying for a position in a vets office even though youre allergic to animals? When red flags signal exhaustion, frustration, or poor judgement, do yourself a favor and take a breakDiligent job searchers often throw themselves full throttle into a hunt and worry that stepping away will waste valuable time. But everyone needs periods to mentally and physically refresh in order to maintain optimism and productivity.Consider these ideas to take breaks in a job search without losing momentumPlan breaks into your day.A proper lunch is not optional, so put it on your to-do list every day. (No, a bag of Doritos eaten in front of the computer doesnt count.) Likewise, schedule in a block or two for fresh air and movement, whether that means walking the dog or puttering in the garden. Both your brain and your back will thank you. Breaks provide fuel to keep going, so give them an actual place on your schedule to ensure they dont get overlooked.Or consider this strategy from Denise Dudley, author of Work It Get In, Get Noticed, Get Promoted.Divide your day up into scheduled mini-breaks. (The trick here is to stick to the schedule, though.) Work like crazy for one hour- searching for job opportunities on the Internet, sending out letters of inquiry, whatever- and then take a one-hour break. One hour on, one hour off, on, off, throughout the day. Many people find that their productivity and work output during the one hour on stint is much greater than if they simply sat at their desks for an entire two-hour period.Respect days off.Job hunts often get compared to full-time employment because of the time and energy required. Remember, however, that workers generally dont perform seven days a week- and neither should you.Most work schedules (at least in the U.S.) are divided into weekdays and weekends. And this five on, two off method is one that seems to work- in great part, because its familiar to us- so I suggest that job seekers continue to follow this pattern. Dudley says.She notes, however, that the restorative wonders of two days off come only when off really means off- not wandering over to the laptop and clicking around. Spend time with your family, visit an out-of-town friend, head to the movies, or whatever else makes you feel recharged.Use breaks as incentive.Lastly, consider the behavioral psychology trick of boosting productivity by holding out the promise of a break as a reward. As Dudley explainsYou say, As soon as Ive spent two hours reworking my resume, Im going to call a friend and go out for a beer. Or, After Ive spent the next two days sending out individualized titelseite letters to my targeted list of employers, Im headed off to go camping for the next few days. This way, the break is already built into the overall plan. Youknowa break is forthcoming, which keeps your spirits up, and youre less likely to become discouraged or burned out.Know someone looking for a job? Refer a friend to with this link- youll get a month free service and theyll get 30% off

What You Must Know About Free Professional Resume Templates and Why

What You Must Know About Free Professional Resume Templates and Why If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Free Professional Resume Templates Another page is acceptable, but anything past another page will likely be ignored. The manual will help you through the procedure, with captions that tell you what things to write in each provided field. There are lots of free resume vorlages readily available on the web but sometimes it can be very hard to choose the best one that is most suited to you. Most free templates are made to be specific to certain industries, so its well worth browsing through the choices available that suit the work sector you would like to work in. The Unexposed Secret of Free Professional Resume Templates When choosing a resume it is much simpler to choose one thats offered in Microsoft Word format for you to customize. Absolutely free printable resume template with creative and easy design. Everybody knows the way to utilize Microsoft Word. There are an assortment of templates offered for Microsoft Word. Do you have to compose a resume and titelblatt letter to apply for employment or internship. Its clear from the work description that you want to employ a versatile candidate who can deal with the many facets of the job. There are lots of places to get templates for nursing CVs including our on-line service Our service features nursing CV writing and in addition to help with developing Curriculum Vitae for RNs all around the world. Some templates are good enough to land a fantastic job since they expertly showcase your abilities. Whats Really Going on with Free Professional Resume Templates The very first thing on your resume should become your name. A crystal clear layout makes it simple to read and helps it seem professional. The advantages of employing a template The obvious reason behind using a template is the way quickly and easily youre able to put your resume together. Its possible to download the resume template free of charge and can readily edit the template using Microsoft word. The Ultimate Free Professional Resume Templates Trick When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you want a resume template you can inject a little more personality into to make it pop. The manner of your resume depends not merely on the job which you are applying for but also how you need to present your individual abilities, job history and education. The very first thing a CV has to do is get the interest of the hiring manager or employer. Your CV should force you to stick out from the crowd of different applicants whether youre a nurse in Ireland or another nation. Free Professional Resume Templates at a Glance There are lots of free, reliable templates readily available online. A quality resume must incorporate the ideal titles, easy to read fonts, different colours and in certain cases images. You dont have to be an Adobe wizard to make an amazing resu me, there are several free resume templates which permit you to create amazing quality resumes with ease. If you locate a couple of templates whose designs you love, mix and match till you locate a format which works for getting your message across. Offered in two shade of colours, dark and light now its possible to present your private curriculum vitae with the wise and refined way. You can also locate different references for the design of your house about Decorating here. Creating your resume has never been simpler Each one of our creative style templates offer you a perfectly balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and some style. The Importance of Free Professional Resume Templates You shouldnt need to pay for a cover letter template. Resume cover letter needs to be written when youre going to make an application for a new job. The Sample titelblatt Letter is, in different words, a mean to advertise yourself and increase your brand in the opinion of the employer s. The expert cover letter shouldnt be more than 1 page. Examine the job description and relevant job ads for a clue on what the employer might be searching for. You will see plenty of helpful info on job ads. You know you have what it requires to find work, so make certain you let them know too Whether you would like to make an application for a designers job in a creative agency, or want to submit an application for a hot job in a top bank, professional resumes are going to have you covered. Even if youre sending your resume to a business in the exact same segment, the man who will read it for the very first time may not have any technical expertise. You have to leave yourself open to having the ability to reformat as needed. Now its your part of play that is likely to make difference. You wish to plek a resume template which will help you make an excellent first impression, even before people start reading.

Brief Article Teaches You the Ins and Outs of Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny and What You Should Do Today

Brief Article Teaches You the Ins and Outs of Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny and What You Should Do Today You will surely get a high-quality resume from them. When youre at the mid-advanced point in yur career, odds are you own a LOT of experience, perhaps in 1 form of company or one form of field. Needless to say, this means that youll have a little bit of competition. This will guarantee that you have the amount of service which you both deserve and desire. Resume Strategists will guarantee you are in possession of a strong personal brand to produce that happen Recognizing your value and understanding how to speak about its a distinct competitive benefit. Our expertise in this aspect is unparalleled. The 30-Second Trick for Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny In the fest the solution to these questions is no, then maybe you could use the assistance of an expert. Your Job Search Goals We will understand your work search goals before the building of your resume. This is particularly beneficial if you wish to go after a job in a different field. Also try to discover the name and title of the person who will review your resume. The absolute most important document you will be liable for in your lifetime is your resume. When I say its PERFECT I mean it. The Battle Over Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny and How to Win It A Resume youll be pleased with. She sent me the very first draft which did not capture the info required to update the info despite being on the phone with me for over one hour. Unfortunately, youll need to buy a more expensive service as a way to receive resume writing from My Brand Evolved. And our site would give you a hand with this difficult but yet essential choice. Getting you the job you desire is our joy and our small business. Its safe to say this business has a large number of talents, one of which includes Buffalo resume writing. Have a look at our list of the best Buffalo resume writers and get pre pared to rock Queen Citys job marketplace. You might not know whether the company has a job opening, but you want them to know that youre available and your experience and talents may be an asset to the firm. A resume tells the prospective employer what youve accomplished before and that which you can do to help their company now. The resume is frequently the first contact a prospective employer has with a work seeker. The best resumes are tailored for a specific employer. The Basics of Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny You dont need to be concerned about having a resume writer whos unaware of the role which youre applying for. I agree with a prior reviewer. Things You Should Know About Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny I am very content with the final outcome. There are several facets that you will need to ensure youre doing to be able to succeed in your job search. After all, sometimes all it requires is a small polish. Possessing an objective person or more th an 1 person look at its valuable. Resume Writing Services in Elmira Ny Secrets That No One Else Knows About However, for well-established professionals this might be a very good thing, as they simply work with high-end customers. I am happy with the outcome and recommend her services highly. It is possible to think of us as your private marketing and advertising company because we understand how to package people. We understand how to target and structure a resume for particular jobs or numerous kinds of positions.

US Military Education Enlistment Standards

US Military Education Enlistment StandardsUS Military Education Enlistment StandardsEach branch of the U.S. military has slightly different education requirements for enlisted personnel. The minimum requirement is a GED (general equivalency diploma), and a certain number of college credits. But if you dont have a high school diploma, the requirements to enlist are more stringent. While its still possible to enlist with a GED, your chances are elend as strong as people with traditional high school diplomas, and youre encouraged to bolster your education with some college credits. fruchtwein branches will require at least 15 credits, which is a full semester at most community colleges. Armed Forces VocationalAptitudeBattery (ASVAB) All recruits must also take the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test before enlisting. This helps assess not only whether an applicant has the skills to join the service, but for what role he or she might be best suited. The ASVAB test i s used to calculate the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) scores, using the test takers standard scores from the arithmetic reasoning, mathematics knowledge, paragraph comprehension, and word knowledge subtests. For enlistment purposes, the military breaks education into three overall categories tierisches lebewesen 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The vast majority (more than 90 percent) of all enlistments fall into the Tier 1 category. Tier I Applicants in Tier I have a high school diploma, or at least 15 college credits. This means a high school diploma, not a GED. Depending on state law, completion of high school by home study may or may not be considered equivalent to a high school diploma. This is the most viable route to enter the armed services as an enlisted member. Tier II Tier II includes GEDs, home study (in some states), Certificate of Attendance, Alternative/Continuation High School, Correspondence School Diplomas, and Occupational Program Certificate (Vo/Tech) hold ers. The services limit the number of Tier II candidates allowed to enlist each year. In the Air Force, the number of Tier II candidates is fewer than one percent each year. In such cases, and the applicant must have a suitable score on the AFQT. Usually, requirements for the AFQT are more stringent for GED holders, as opposed to those with high school diplomas. The Army has typically allowed up to 10 percent each year to be Tier II candidates, and theMarines will only allow about 5 percent, and the Navy about 10 percent. And like the Air Force, Tier II recruits in other branches have a higher minimum score requirement on the AFQT. The Coast Guard only accepts Tier 2 candidates if they have prior military service, and also requires them to score higher on the AFQT. Tier III This category is all but non-existent in the 21st-century armed services. It includes anyone who is notattending high school and is neither a high school graduate nor an alternative credential holder. The ser vices almost never accept a Tier 3 candidate for enlistment. If you fall into this category, your best bet is to get at least 15 college credits, so that you will be qualified as Tier I. Speak to your recruiter about the latest requirements, and see what assistance may be available to you in order to make yourself a more suitable candidate for enlistment.

Tap into the Exponential Power of the Crowd

Tap into the Exponential Power of the CrowdTap into the Exponential Power of the CrowdTap into the Exponential Power of the Crowd H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler, authors of BOLD How to Go Big, Create Wealth, and Impact the World (Simon Schuster, 2015)Until very recently, grand business challenges were off-limits to most mortals. The issue was scale and the fact that scale has always been a pay-to-play proposition.Historically, going big meant huge capital outlays and multi-decade bets. It meant arms and legs in dozens, sometimes hundreds, of countries. It also meant an astounding array of talent, the infrastructure to hire that talent, retain that talent, and as the technology evolved retrain that talent.But with the array of exponential crowd tools available to todays entrepreneur, the entire playing field has shifted.Today, incredibly, the ability to play at scale is never more than a few mouse clicks away.Tap the Power of the CrowdHere in the twenty-first century, business is a bout exponential possibilities. Unlike the previous century, the skills required to unlock these possibilities are bedrngnis the hard skills of yore, but rather the soft skills of understanding how to tap into these crowd-powered resources and use them effectively.Mastering tools like crowdfunding, crowdsourcing, incentive competitions, and the potency of a properly built community is becoming essential.Our motivation in writing BOLD Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World, was to create a resource on the use of emerging technologies, thinking at scale, and mining the awesome power of crowd-powered tools. These exponential advantages empower entrepreneurs like never before.These tools are exponential in power for three simple reasons1)The Crowd is Growing. Over the next decade, the size of the crowd (those folks online) is expected to more than double from roughly 2 tausend milliarden to 5 billion people (perhaps 7 billion if some of the orbital or stratospheric communication so lutions are deployed). This means 3 billion new minds are about to join the global conversation (this is the group referred to in our previous book, Abundance, as the rising billion).2)Technologies are Growing. The communication technologies underpinning the crowd are growing exponentially, morphing once thin data connections into ubiquitous broadband. The multinational professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers projects that the penetration of mobile (broadband) Internet services will reach 54 percent of the worlds population by the end of 2017. As a result, the crowd is becoming hyper-connected and hyper-responsive.3)Accessibility is Expanding. Perhaps most important, all of the exponential technologies are starting to become easily accessible to the masses, further empowering this hyper-connected, hyper-responsive crowd. What this means is that the people you can now tap for support are themselves far more capable than ever before.For existing businesses to tap these resou rces, it is important to keep these six things in mind1. The only constant is change.2. The rate of change is increasing.3. If you dont disrupt yourself, someone else will.4. Competition and disruption are no longer coming from some multinational company overseas. Theyre now originating from the guy or gal in a junges unternehmen garage harnessing exponential technologies.5. Given Bill Joys famous comment, No matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else, how do you tap into these individuals?6. If youre dependent upon innovationonly from within your company, you are dead. You must harness the crowd to remain competitive.Building your CommunitySo how many members do you actually need to build an online community? Less than you probably think. Heres how to get startedBe the First Mover. It seems obvious, but being the first one into any space gives you considerable leverage. If people want to have a conversation and your community is the only place to have it, youre already winning. If you cant be first mover in a space, then the problem youre here to tackle better be significantly different and arguably more visionary than the competitions.Handpick Early Members. Research shows your early adopters tend to become your most ardent supporters. Get the ball rolling by personally handpicking your first ten to fifteen members. Be sure to engage these folks in the community-building process. Ask for their advice. Integrate their input. Dont waste your time going after big names. As a general rule, these folks are busy with their own communities.Establish a Newcomers Ritual. You want to give members a way to feel like they belong but they have to earn it. Create a ritual and tie it to a specific membership milestone. After a new member has their fifth blog post or one of their comments draws ten likes on Facebook, reward that level of participation with a token.Listen. No matter what your core vision is, you cant get anywhere without your memb ers. So pay attention to what they have to say and be prepared to change direction when necessary.Todays exponential entrepreneurs have at their disposal more than enough power, as Steve Jobs famously said, to put a ding in the universe. Billion-dollar companies are being built faster than ever, and trillion-dollar industries are on their way.More than ever, it isnt the hard skills that will set these entrepreneurs apart, but their ability to tap into the exponential power of the crowd.Parts of this article were adapted from BOLD How to Go Big, Create Wealth, and Impact the World by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler. Copyright 2015 by PHD Ventures. Reprinted by permission of Simon Schuster, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Author BiosPeter H. Diamandis is a New York Times-bestselling author and the founder of more than 15 high-tech companies. He is the CEO of the XPRIZE, executive chairman of the Singularity University, a Silicon Valley-based institution backed by Google, 3-D Systems and NASA.Steven Kotler is a New York Times-bestselling author, award-winning journalist and the cofounder and director of research for the Flow Genome Project. His books include The Rise of Superman and Abundance.

4 major mistakes Ive made (that Id do all over again)

4 major mistakes Ive made (that Id do all over again)4 major mistakes Ive made (that Id do all over again)How scared are you of mistakes? Of the small ones. Of the huge ones. Of the personal. Of the professional. Are the mistakes you fear of making, actually making you? Well, maybe. Because if avoiding a mistake means youre avoiding the pursuit of yur potential, or the pursuit of creating, or the pursuit of being out there and vulnerablethen ya. They might be making you.Ten years ago, I definitely considered myself a perfectionist. I feared mistakes like they had 8 legs. Today, not so much. Am I obsessed with doing a great job? Sure. Seeking major value and integrity? Totally. But Ive messed up enough to know that in the pursuit of anything big, of anything meaningful, the mistakes we make will be major along the way.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreUnfortunately, dealing with th e aftermath of making a mistake doesnt get easier. It doesnt suddenly start feeling any better just because youre a little more cool with making them now. But youdobegin to see them differently. You begin to see them as stepping stones to something developing in your life. Theyre signals of where to go next. They might have been avoidable, but now you understand what to avoid and how. Mistakes are really the only way there.I like looking back. Even at the ugly parts. Even at the parts of my life that still make my chest tight and my tummy clinch a little bit out of shame, out of embarrassment, out of sadness, out of disappointment. Because in each of those dark pockets of my life is the little hole punched where brightness seeped in. Not because I was trying, but because thats how brightness worksit finds its way in. Often times through the vessel you didnt expect, like painful mistakes, regretful missteps, or misunderstood choices.Like that timeI didnt prep for a dream job intervi ew in the way I should have. I was young, but Im still embarrassed when I think back of how simple the question was. How ill-prepared I was to answer. And how it all blew up from there. But just when I thought that door was closed, another one in the adjacent building opened.Or the timeI shared something online that had an komponente of something important to me, but because I didnt do full research on the subject it was about, I didnt know the person went against most of what I believed. It was not good. But I forgave me. And was reminded context is everything.And that timeI went against my gut. I took the job even though I knew the person hiring me was about to make my life an actual hell. Hell it was. But I clawed my way out and learned more lessons in a year than I knew could be learned in a lifetime.And finally that timeI should have walked away. Thats what wise women do. When someone is costing us our power. When we know were on the losing end of our own generosity. When our h eart is literally splintering minute by minute and yet we stay. But thats OK, because the feeling of knowing your power is often found from the feelings of ignoring it.It can be hard to walk away, until you realize that in doing so, youre running to yourself.Thereve been more mistakes in my life than I could fit in a 10-book series. Therell be more. Ill sidestep, turn around, fuck up, and want a do-over. But at the end of the day, even in the failures, the brightness will find its way in. As long as we keep showing up. As long as we keep loving on ourselves. As long as we dont let the mistake tell the story of our past, and rather allow the lesson learned to become our dominating narrative.This article originally appeared on Maxie McCoy.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people