The Best Way to Handle a Competitive Co-worker -The Muse

The Best Way to Handle a Competitive Co-worker -The MuseThe Best Way to Handle a Competitive Co-worker Weve all been there Your big ideas stolen by a colleague at a meeting, or you were upstaged in front of the boss. Competition happens in most work environments, whether friendly or intentional. People from different backgrounds are working closely, which can lead to great collaboration, but also to different opinions or outright competitiveness.In the cases of an intentional co-worker whos purposefully trying to drag you down, Id recommend speaking to your manager (and here are tips on how to do that). But I also understand thats leid always the best move on your part.Throughout my career, Ive learned to use competition to my advantage. Here are three tips for doing it1. Make Them an AllyMy technique for dealing with competitive co-workers throughout my career? Befriend them. I try to understand what theyre aiming to do, look at the good aspects of their challenging behavior, and tr y to win them over as an ally. For example, when approaching a competitive co-worker you can say, You had a great idea in last weeks meeting. Im working on something similar, so I was wondering if youd like to join forces?In some cases, this might mean giving up credit for your ideas. And while thats not right for every situation, in many cases its more important to succeed together than to be right on your own. Ill be honest. This isnt always easy. Turning competitors into allies requires a deep level of empathy, an ability to find common ground, and a concerted effort to build a new bridge. But if youre willing to do it, it is possible. And in the end, you might end up teaching this colleague about teamwork.2. Use it as Motivation to Improve Your Own SkillsIf youre going to reach your goals, you have to ensure youre the best at what you do. A little competition at work is a good thing, if you channel it into self-improvement. You need to show your colleagues and your boss that you have the skills and abilities to lead. When a competitive colleague stands in the way, use this as an opportunity to hone in on and fine tune your skills- whether its by signing up for an online class, working with a coach, taking more risks in your current role, or learning from other team members who also excel in that area.Your co-worker may continue to try to one-up you, but growing and improving in your own role will keep you one step ahead. And in the end, no matter what you plan to do next, it never hurts to pick up some new skills3. Always Be the One Who Acts With IntegrityA recent study by Bentley University found that 84% of business leaders (including corporate recruiters) believe integrity to be the most important quality in an employee. Other highly prized qualities included professionalism (75%), a positive attitude (75%), and working well as a team player (71%). With all this data on your side, the odds are high that a naysayer who brings down the team will be expose d at some point. But most importantly, this also means that the more morally good you are, the better youll turn out in the end.So, regardless of how competitive colleagues choose to act or how frustrating it can be at times, make the decision to always be fair, accountable, and team-oriented in the work that you do. It seems idealistic, but by choosing not to engage in petty competition, your aggressive counterpart will start to stick out like a sore thumb- and they just might back off.It would be great if we could just wish away co-workers who are constantly working against us, but the truth is the only choice we really have is to try not to let them get under our skin.By focusing on what you can control- rather than them- you make it easy to ignore them, thrive alongside them, and even learn from them. And that makes you the winner in the end.

Two Words That Keep Your Resume From Being Read

Two Words That Keep Your Resume From Being Read Two Words That Keep Your Resume From Being Read But the times have changed. It became a buyers market in the realm of hiring, and resumes written in the older format no longer attract positive attention.Exactly what changed? The environment went from being all about the job seeker to all about the potential employer. No longer does a potential employer want to know what the job seeker wants instead, todays employers want to know what the job seeker can do for them.Beginning a resume with the two words career objective cansend your application straight to the no pile.Studies show that the average recruiterreads the top quarter of a resume for anywhere from 5-10seconds usually six seconds before making a decision about whether or leid they want to continue with the applicant.Five to ten seconds. That is all the time you have to make a first impression that really counts.This is why it is imperative that the opening of your resume answ er an employers most important question What can you do for me?To answer this questions successfully, the beginning of your resume needs to cover three things the skills and qualifications that areimportant to the position, how you match unterstellung skills and qualifications, and how you will be valuable to the company.The Skills and Qualifications That Are Important to the PositionThoroughly read the job description and get as much information about the position and company as you can. Research, research, research. Identify keywords, key concepts, and key strengths. Integrate these into your resumes opening statement and throughout the rest of the resume.Your Matching Skills and QualificationsIf you have performed the same job in the past and you are a perfect match for this opening, terrific If you are looking to move up or over in your career and do not match the open position exactly, do not fret.Look beyond the specific tasks of the role themselves and into the skills and abi lities needed to accomplish these tasks. Then, emphasize on your resume the skills you have andhow those skills will help you fulfill the responsibilities of the role.Demonstrate Your ValueAlthough you might be tempted to highlight your years of experience, a degree, or even a title, these things do not equate to value.Performing a job for a number of years does not mean that you performed the job well. Titles are often meaningless, especially if the company you previously worked for believed in bumping your title without changing your actual job. Certifications and degrees are great, but only if youve learned how to use those things to improve your performance at work.Value is demonstrated by showing that what you did at a company made a positive difference. The difference could have been made for the benefit of the organization, the clients, your team, or just your individual position. Value is not always quantitative. Improving communication is not measurable by percentages, but it is definitely valuable.When you cant quantify your achievements,use accurate, descriptive words to convey the message significant reduction, constant decline in costs, continual improvement in efficiency, etc.*Your resume should open with a succinct, short paragraph. Use your first 5-10 seconds of recruiter attention to tell the reader, Here is what I bring to the table, what I have done before, and what I can do for you.If you send that message, youll make the recruiter want to learn even more about you.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career. Like this article? We also offer tons of free eBooks on career and recruiting topics - check out Get a Better Job the Right Way and Why It Matters Who Does Your Recruiting. document.write(Read more ) in Resume Writing

Being too hard on yourself could lead to these debilitating disorders

Being too hard on yourself could lead to these debilitating disordersBeing too hard on yourself could lead to these debilitating disordersDo you feel like the fate of the world rests on your shoulders? As well as being stressful, that mindset may be affecting your mental health. A sense of over-responsibility is one trait that makes people vulnerable to developing obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety, according to a study published in the International Journal of Cognitive Therapy.While its normal to feel anxious, and also to act in ways that one might casually describe as OCD such as keeping your house spotlessly clean its when these behaviors become persistent and intense that they develop from traits into disorders, researchers say.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreFor example, youre using two audio recorders instead of one, says researcher Yoshinori Sugiura Sugiura, asso ciate professor at the University of Hiroshima, in a release. Its just in case one fails having two recorders will enhance your work but if you prepare too many recorders that will interfere with your work.There are many theories as to why someone might develop OCD or anxiety. The study sought to narrow them down as much as possible and settled on having a sense of inflated responsibility, defining it as 1.) feeling the responsibility to stop dangerous situations or to prevent harm from happening to yourself or others, 2.) a feeling of personal obligation and blame about any bad results when negative things happen, and 3.) the tendency to ruminate over a problem.The researchers sent an online questionnaire to American college students and found that respondents who scored high on questions about responsibility were also more likely to show behaviors that were shared traits with OCD or anxiety.Due to the skewed population of the sample studied mainly female university students th e researchers stress that this preliminary study does not represent the wider population.The elusive trick to soothe these disorders is to minimize feelings of personal over-obligation.A very quick or easy way is to realize that responsibility is working behind your worry, Sugiura said.And cut yourself some slack while youre at it.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