Why Cultural Fit Matters For Educators - Spark Hire

Why Cultural Fit Matters For Educators - Spark HireWe often read about how cultural fit matters within large offices, but its important to understand that cultural fit has the ability to shape a teachers effectiveness within their educational institution. Though school administrators must make sure to hire a person based on experience and skill, they should also consider how that individual will blend in with the schools community.How can cultural fit shape a teachers ability to positively impact their students lives? It happens in many ways. For exampleTeachers who feel like theyre a real part of the school community are generally more positive and energized than those who feel distant or disconnected from their colleagues. This allows them to radiate this positivity in the classroom, spreading it to their students.Teachers who see eye-to-eye with colleagues and administrators are able to implement changes more effectively, and can convey ideas to students in a way that makes sense. If the teacher doesnt understand the concepts that the school is enforcing, it will be hard for them to relay these ideas to their pupils effectively.Teachers who feel connected to their school are better able to collaborate with other educators, thus yielding more effective and cohesive lessons for students.The culture within a school can be a tricky thing to identify, which is often why educators and those hiring teachers struggle to make sure that a new employee is the right fit. For example, some schools place a heavy emphasis on athletics, while others value making sure that all students feel included.For those doing the hiring, understanding where your schools priorities lie fruchtwein heavily can help you to make better choices when it comes to finding the best cultural fit for a job. Its also important to have an honest conversation with potential new hires. Talk with them about where they place an emphasis as an educator. What matters to them? What kinds of values do they try to teach their students? In what kind of environment do they see themselves teaching? This type of dialogue helps to sort out differences between candidates, who may have similar qualifications, making it easier to see who the ideal fit truly is.Image leaf/Bigstock.com

10 Times Lying on Resume Backfired In the Most Spectacular Ways

10 Times Lying on Resume Backfired In the Most Spectacular Ways10 Times Lying on Resume Backfired In the Most Spectacular WaysLying doesnt pay off and its not just about ethics. Now that we live in a digital age, any piece of information can get leaked at any given moment. Your resume is no exception. Imagine that awkward situation when the truth comes out and the whole world comes to see that youre a cheater.Theres just one advice be honest and truthful. Pursue authenticity in your resume or cover letter. Otherwise, you can end up in one of these 10 hilarious situations.1. Nobodys language skills could be this epic.Making up your language skills is one of the silliest things you can do. The moment will come when youll be asked to demonstrate your expertise andit goes without saying that you shouldnt fail.WatchCatherine Tates attempt to speak seven different languages go wrong. In this sketch, English actress and comedian volunteers to step in for a translator during a business meet ing. But what she ends up producing are just stretches of meaningless gibberish.2. The same goes for computer skills.Do you remember that famous scene from the British sitcom IT Crowd with Jens job interview? She fakes computer experience and ends up in a wrong place with the weirdest people shes ever met, also known as standard nerds.Dont say youre familiar with modern technology unless you truly are. IT experts might be some of the best-paid professions nowadays, but trying to pretend you have their skills is sure to do more harm than good.3. That one when Joey applied for a job.Revise your resume well before submitting it. Or even better, ask your partner or a friend to do thefact checking for you. Theres usually plenty of reality twisting and you definitely want to filter these things out before applying for a job.In one of the episodes of Friends, Phoebe bombards Joey with questions related to his resume. Apparently none of it is true. No tap dancing, archery or horseback ridin g. But to drink a gallon of milk in just 10 seconds- that he can do4. Degrees from the University of Life dont really count.Its pure folly to lie about doing military service or having a college degree, especially when youre applying for a prestigious sttte. However, there are still some people- such as one of Trumps advisors- who believed they could get away with it. But at the end of the day, an honest apology will be the first thing youll need to do.Faking your academic achievements will make your career sink right away. So why would you ruin it before it has even started?5. Cant do something? Dont act like you can.This adventurous Venezulean athletehas probably never seen snow in his life. And yet he dared to include cross country skiing on his virtual resume as one of his dominant skills. Get rid of bragging and keep a humble opinion of yourself. If you dont feel confident with certain skills, its better to exclude them rather than lying on resume.6. Even Cedric Diggory had to lie about his education.To get his role as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, the actor Robert Pattinson deceived the casting directorsby saying he attended Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In fact, hed been unemployed for a long stretch of time.Explaining a gap in your employment might get tricky at times, but lying can never be a solution. Try to emphasise the benefits you reaped from the time when you could focus on the career change.7. Expert horse rider? Olympic fencer? Please.List your real hobbies. Coming up with impressive yet fake pastimes can lead to embarrassing situations. Did you know that even James Bond himself Daniel Craig claimed to be an expert horse rider to get various movie roles? Whether you enjoy playing checkers or collecting stamps, go ahead and use your resume to tell your true story.8. Doesnt matter it was 40 years ago. People are still gonna check.Do not attempt to embellish your academic credentials. Vice President in the Obama administration, Joe Biden, had to abandon his presidential bid. It was discovered he lied about graduating in the top half of his class in law school. Too bad9. You cant judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.Think twice about your area of expertise. Its absurd to claim youre an accomplished alpine ski racer when you actually excel in gymnastics. Watch the aspiring French skier Julien Lizeroux showcase his extraordinary skillsbefore he even touches the snow.To avoid making your career somersault, list the most important skills first and proceed to more marginal ones towards the end of the list. Recruiters will read your resume from the top to bottom, not the other way round.10. Is the job you have to lie to get really worth it?Focus on larger goals. Small-scale steps are important, but getting stuck on them will lead to nowhere. To elucidate this point, just have a look at this insanely bad freestyle skier Elizabeth Swaney, the halfpipe sensation of 2018 Winter Olympics.Swaney worked towards the single- minded goal of making it to the Games. If your only objective is to get to a specific job position or pay rise, you might miss out on far more important features such as simply being good at what you do.Keep your feet on the ground.Learn from the mistakes of others and dont let half-truths and little lies enter your resume.Whether you are a fresh graduate or senior staff member, its high time to do away with fabrication andexaggeration.Sincerity is the safest path to credibility.Build up your career step by step, work on your skills and the results will come along the way.If youre just out of college, check outour ultimate guide to an irresistible college student resume.It will help you get your resume into shape in no timeShare Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

How to Get Your First Job in the Creative Industry

How to Get Your First Job in the Creative IndustryHow to Get Your First Job in the Creative IndustryGraduating soon? While its an exciting time - no mora late-night study sessions or subpar cafeteria food - the post-college employment search can feel daunting. But do not fear. Heres how to get your first job in the creative industry.Its a big, professional world out there, and there is no shortage of job opportunities for recent or soon-to-be college graduates looking to enter the creative field. At the same time, getting your foot in the proverbial door can be challenging if you dont know how to sell yourself to hiring managers.So, what matters most to employers today? In a survey by The Creative Group, advertising and marketing executives said they place the most weight on a candidates interview performance when hiring entry-level creative professionals. Resume ranked second and previous experience came in third. (See our infographic of the research below.)Fortunately, you can pr epare for meetings with hiring managers - whether in person or via phone or video - and get that much closer to landing an offer. And you would be wise to Executives said they conduct three rounds of interviews, on average, with top creative candidates.Here are some tips on attracting the attention of employers5 ways to get your first job1. Cast a wide net when networking. Start spreading the word about your job search both online and off. Youve no doubt heard it before, but who you know can be the key to landing your first job. Talk to friends, family, college professors, alumni members, neighbors - even the parents of your friends. Take advantage of professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, and join industry associations and groups relevant to your field. Request informational interviews with people in positions that you aspire to have one day. Briefly explain your qualifications and be specific about the kind of creative job you want. If you dont ask (in a professional w ay), you dont get - and you may be pleasantly surprised by others willingness to help.SEARCH OUR OPEN JOBS2. Perfect your application materials. Nearly three-quarters of advertising and marketing executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they prefer to receive traditional resumes - that is, Word or PDF documents - from candidates applying for creative roles. The best resumes and cover letters are easy to read and highlight specific skills and achievements related to the open position. Research each employer so that you can customize effectively. Try to track down the name of the hiring manager so you can further personalize your pitch. Also, make sure that every piece of written communication, including thank-you notes, is error free.3. Only show your absolute best creative work. Polish and (potentially prune) your portfolio. Some recent graduates make the mistake of trying to show employers their range by including far too many samples in their portfolio. Stick to sharing y our very best work - eight to 12 items is generally good. If youre not sure about a particular piece, leave it out. For more tips, check out our post on how to put together your first professional portfolio.4. Do your homework before interviews. Peruse the company website and ask people in your network what they know about the position and company culture. If you know who youll be interviewing with, review the persons LinkedIn profile. Prepare to answer the most common interview questions. If youll be presenting your portfolio, practice with friends and family before the meeting. You need to be able to effectively articulate your role in and the results of each project.5. Be prepared to prove your technical proficiency. Employers know its not uncommon for job candidates to exaggerate on their resumes - and in-person assessments are one way they can validate applicants claims. In fact, 17 percent of executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they always include skills testing a s part of their hiring process for creative roles another 36 percent said they sometimes do. So dont be caught off-guard if youre asked to complete a test to prove you have it takes to do the job.

If this is the color of your bedroom, you could be ruining your sleep

If this is the color of your bedroom, you could be ruining your sleepIf this is the color of your bedroom, you could be ruining your sleepA lot of things can impact whether you get a good nights sleep from the food and drinks, you eat all day to your evening routine, to even what position your hand is in when you sleep. And now it turns out your interior decorating style can also have an impact on not only your sleep but what your work style is.Colors we wear project certain signals and colors can impact our mood, including what we may think about when we sleep. A study conducted by Travelodge on 2000 rooms found that the people who get the best nights sleep tend to have blue, yellow and green AKA calm colors. Though no one wants to feel blue you should embrace the color for sleeping as people who slept in blue rooms logged 7 hours and 52 minutes on average of sleep and tended not to have nightmares because they felt a sense of calm. Green and yellow, though quite a combination when worn together, also provided stellar nights of sleeping coming in at 7 hours and 40 minutes.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreChris Idzikowski, Sleep Expert from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre said of the study results, behauptung receptors feed information into an area deep in our brain that controls 24-hour rhythms, and affects how we perform and feel during the day. That interaction between light, sleep and wakefulness is supremely important.So which color is bad for your sleep? Purple. Though this is a color embraced by creatives, it does not make for a good sleep environment. Purple dwellers only slept an average of 5 hours and 56 minutes and often they had nightmares. Because purple is such a stimulating color it wont let the mind calm down for the night and can give way to some very vivid dreams. Along those lines, red, even though it sounds cool for a bedroom, is not a great sleep aid. It can increase your blood pressure and makes you want to move around. These are two things that are not helpful when you are trying to go to sleep.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

Why perfectionism gets in the way of joy

Why perfectionism gets in the way of joy Why perfectionism gets in the way of joy The other day I visited my 84-year-old mother. She lives nearby in an assisted living center. Her room is on the third floor, in the memory unit.Despite being a Parkinson’s patient and unable to walk, my mother’s joymind is alert and sound. She chose the room in the memory unit because the ratio of staff to residents is high. As a result, she receives excellent care.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!As I took the elevator to her floor, my mind was elsewhere. Filled with things I wanted to accomplish. Goals for the day. Mental checklists.I scanned some notes in my little, leather pocket journal and considered how they would incorporate into an article I was working on.Then I thought about the new gym I was going to join, and how a new workout schedule would mesh with my creative commitments.In short, my mind was doing what it always does. Running full steam ahead. Juggling creative ideas and an insatiable appetite to achieve. To find success.The elevator door opened up. I walked down the short hallway and entered a security code into the wall panel, unlocking the door to the memory unit.In some ways, I unlocked the door to another world and a new perspective on the nature of joy.Meaning in an imperfect worldAuthor Iddo Landau has written a book titled  Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World.  Landau argues that people misunderstand what a meaningful life truly is.Some people have a tendency to fall into despair. They observe the vastness of the universe and conclude that their lives are inconsequential. Others compare their lives to famous people and figure they failed to achieve much.The mistake people make, according to Landau, is that a meaningful life need not be a perfect life. People fail to see the value in ordinary life.Illustrations by John Weiss.Our culture of celebrity worship and wealth fixation doesn’t help. We dismiss ordinary achievem ents, like planting a beautiful garden or volunteering in a soup kitchen. Compared to Martin Luther King’s achievements, or Gandhi’s life, such everyday endeavors seem small.A recent  review  of Landau’s book in the Wall Street Journal asks the following question:Does the life of a child with Down syndrome have less value than the life of a healthy child? Is a retail clerk leading a less meaningful life than, say, Elon Musk? A perfectionist would have to say yes and yes. But Mr. Landau wisely points out that it’s cruel and misguided to hold ourselves or others to this standard for meaning because it neglects each life’s inherent worth.The Wall Street Journal’s review ends with Landau’s point that we should not beat ourselves up for failing to attain lofty goals. Rather, we should celebrate the “value of an ordinary life well lived. In the same way you don’t have to become a monk or nun to be a good Christian, you don’t have to be a Shakespeare or Rockefeller to l ead a good life.”The allure of perfectionismEntering the memory unit, I was immediately face the face with a resident we’ll call Helen. Helen doesn’t speak a word, but her eyes beam with a kind of inner radiance. I have never seen her without a smile on her face.Helen ambled forward and gave me her customary hug. Everyone in Helen’s orbit receives a hug. Despite the fog of dimentia, she has descended into, she appears to be in a perpetual state of joy.I’m aware that Helen is not who she used to be. No doubt, her family mourns the loss of who she was. Yet, I can’t help but smile at her gentleness and tender happiness.Helen’s presence seems to soothe the confusion and untethered feelings that other residents face.My mother takes it all in stride. She enjoys the unexpected visits to her room from fellow residents. During one visit, a gentleman in a wheelchair rolled into her room. He smiled and proceeded to tell Mom all about his days of cattle rustling. Then, with a wave , he trundled off down the hallway.Folks in the memory unit are well past life’s earlier struggles. They no longer compete for promotions, money and status. Apart from bits of memory here and there, they live mostly in the moment.The memory unit is another world. There is music, good food, laughter and games. Sometimes there is fear, but mostly the residents have returned to a childlike state.Visiting my mother and the residents in the memory unit, I had an epiphany. We don’t need fame and fortune to feel joy. We make life harder than it has to be.Just as Iddo Landau’s book,  Finding Meaning in an Imperfect World,  points out,  a valuable life doesn’t have to be a perfect life.Consider Helen, in the memory care unit. We lament the dementia that has blurred her reality, but for all we know, she may be happier than we are. She is no longer troubled by notions of success, or keeping up with the Joneses.As children, we live more in the moment. We play happily with other kids on the playground. We aren’t concerned with looks, position and possessions. We appreciate the simplest of life’s pleasures, like cupcakes, birthday parties and summer vacations.In childhood, the allure of perfectionism is forestalled. Temporarily, anyway. But before long, adolescence comes along, and we cave in to all those pressing concerns about looks, status, popularity, etc.It only gets worse in adulthood. We pretend not to care, but we do. It’s only when sickness, old age or impending death come knocking, that we figure out what’s really important. Namely, the simple joys of daily living. A nice cup of coffee. A good book. An unexpected visit from a good friend.The satisfaction of the  mindA buddy of mine invited me to a men’s coffee group. We meet three times a week in the early morning to discuss life, current events and personal observations.At 52 years old, I’m the baby in the group. Most of the guys are in their seventies. You’d think a bunch of old guys would talk about health issues, but surprisingly, our conversations have been varied and enlightening.Beyond talk of family and current events, these guys share experiences from their present and past. I’m impressed by how well travelled several of them are, and what they learned from their experiences.My father always told me to take the time to talk with older folks. “Ask them questions,” he’d say, “and learn from their wisdom.”Society today celebrates youth and beauty, but the Roman statesman Cicero had this advice:“Great deeds are not done by strength or speed or physique: They are the products of thought, and character, and judgment.”In contrast to today’s fixation on beauty, youth, and perfection, Cicero offered the following wisdom:“When its campaigns of sex, ambition, rivalry, quarreling, and all other passions are ended, the human spirit returns to live within itself and is well off.”Then Cicero added this last bit:“The satisfaction of the mind are greater than all the rest.”You never  restSuccess.com published a helpful article titled  9 Reasons Why Perfectionism is a Bad Thing.  Here’s what they came up with: You are never done You are stressed and discontent You don’t take risks Your creativity is suffocated You strive to keep everyone happy You’re highly critical of others You can’t delegate You personalize everything You never rest I can definitely relate to number nine, “You never rest.” My creative compulsions and desire to achieve, grow and succeed are relentless. Not to mention, exhausting. Every time I push the envelope to be perfect in one area of my life, another area invariably suffers.The self-help gurus and personal growth experts, however well-intentioned, don’t help. They tell me to get up insanely early, read thousands of books a week, take cold showers, declutter, and hack every facet of my life. Then I’ll be perfect and happy.Yeah, sure. Except, that level of self-absorption would leave precious little time for the important stuff. Like long talks over coffee with my wife. Or killing an entire Saturday reading a Jim Harrison novel, slowly, because I like the way he writes. Or binge watching mindless episodes of  The Flash  with my son.Sometimes, the time wasters in life are more important than we realize. My son is more likely to remember our day of  Flash  episodes over some viral articl e I wrote.Maybe the perfection gurus should revisit number one: “You are never done.” In other words, it never ends.Maybe a touch of imperfection, here and there, is how we keep sane?Writer Jessica Stillman, in  Inc.com, had this to say about perfectionism:“The consequences of this incessant sense of failure and worry are grim. Being this sort of  perfectionist  â€˜can contribute to serious health problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, fatigue and even early mortality.’ Or in other words, you can stress yourself into an early grave.”Perfectionism isn’t all bad if you approach it properly. Setting high personal standards and working toward goals in a pro-active manner is a good thing.Giving your best effort is fine. The problem is when you take it too far. When you become neurotic and endlessly obsessed.Writer Jennifer Kromberg, in  Psychologytoday.com, wrote the following:“…being a perfectionist isn’t about things being perfect; it’s about thi nking things  need  to be perfect and vigilantly pursuing it. Emotionally, this means that instead of living your life in a place of self-acceptance,  perfectionists  are on a continual treadmill chasing the elusive feeling of having everything in their lives be “right.”Perfectionism has to be managed. If you get carried away with it, you’ll probably burn out. So much of life comes down to balance and moderation.Our souls at  nightA few years ago, I was prowling the fiction aisle of a bookstore when I discovered Kent Haruf’s splendid, spare novel,  Our Souls at Night.The novel is about Addie Moore and Louis Waters, a widow and widower. Each knew the other’s spouse, and they lived next door to each other. They come together, platonically at first, to overcome mutual loneliness. To get through the nights.The novel examines themes of aging, second chances, and what’s truly important in life. It was made into a decent movie, staring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Here’s th e trailer for the film:There’s a scene in the book when Addie says the following to Louis:“I do love this physical world. I love this physical life with you. And the air and the country. The backyard, the gravel in the back alley. The grass. The cool nights. Lying in bed talking with you in the dark.”Just two elderly people who discover they are still able to grow and learn. No need for perfectionism. No need for life hacks, recommended reading lists or early morning routines.The pleasures and rhythms of everyday life are enough.Every time I visit my mother in the memory unit, and every time Helen gives me a quiet hug, I remember to slow down.I try to let go of perfectionism. I embrace the joys of daily life. And I repeat this little mantra to myself:Life as it is, is  enough.Before you  goI’m John P. Weiss, fine artist and writer. Get on my free email list  here  to receive the latest artwork and writing.This article first appeared on Medium.    You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

Free Entry-Level Nanny Resume Templates

Free Entry-Level Nanny Resume Templates Free Entry-Level Nanny Resume Templates Building and submitting an entry-level nanny resume is a good way to get your foot in the door. This basic resume states your purpose neatly and shows that you are ready to move beyond babysitting. Review the sample provided to see how you can write and format an advanced resume.Create ResumeEntry-Level Nanny ResumeCustomize ResumeIndustry SnippetsBy studying the free entry-level nanny resume templates, you will gain insight into resume-making for your competitive industry. Entry-Level Pros and ConsThe design itself is explicitly for applicants who want to highlight their education, accomplishments, and hands-on experience acquired through babysitting, student work, or volunteer work. Even so, is this the right format for you and your needs?Pros: Very organized and easy to comprehendPros: Widely accepted format, especially for an entry-levelCons: Your resume wont stand out from the crowdCons: You miss an opportunity to illuminate your creativityResume TextAmandaGreene123 Street,City, ST, 12345 (123) 456-7890 (H) (123) 456-7890 (C) email@isp.comProfessional SummaryDriven professional with a background in childcare and early childhood development. Highly adept at designing educational and engaging activities to strengthen intellectual, emotional, psychosocial, and behavioral development incorporating learning through play and discovery teaching methods. Successful in working within collaborative environments to establish educational foundations to create lifelong learners and leaders.Skill HighlightsChild CareEarly Childhood DevelopmentActivity PlanningChild SafetyLearning Through PlayRelationship BuildingMentorship and GuidanceBehavior ManagementProfessional Experience8/1/2013 PresentBabysitterThe Preloger Family Salt Lake City, UTSupervise three children ranging from 3 to 10 years of age in private home setting and create and maintain safe living and play environment. Engage children in entertaining and educational activities to drive emotional, behavioral, and social development.Prepare snacks and meals according to each childs nutritional needs and encourage children to participate in cooking process.

20 Career-Boosting Steps to Take by New Years Eve- The Muse

20 Career-Boosting Steps to Take by New Years Eve- The Muse 20 Career-Boosting Steps to Take by New Years Eve- The Muse It’s finally December, and you’ve worked hard all year long. You wrote enough emails to fill a novel. You spent an average of seven hours a day on your computer. And, if you were working full-time, you probably spent 42 hours of your life battling traffic during your daily commute. Whoa. If anyone deserves a chance to kick back and relax, it’s you! But as tempting as it may be to spend the rest of December curled up with a big mug of cocoa, a snuggly blanket, and a never-ending Netflix queue, you probably want to avoid hibernating all month long. Regardless of whether your job status is employed or unemployed, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of getting a jump-start on your career in the year ahead in the final days of the month. Use the next few weeks wisely so that you can finish 2017 feeling clear, focused, and organized when the year comes to an inevitable close. (If you’re job hunting, this is an especially good time to get your ducks in a row because January is one of the best times to apply for a new job.) Here are 20 career-boosting action steps to complete before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. 1. Write Down Your Wins Make a list of your top 10 professional accomplishments from the past year. You can incorporate these “wins” into your resume the next time you spruce it up- employers love seeing descriptions of “accomplishments” as opposed to “duties.” 2. Congratulate Someone on Their Career Success By celebrating others’ “wins,” you’ll reinforce the belief that you’re a positive, encouraging person- two qualities that are on every employer’s wish list! 3. Redesign Your Professional Materials Order beautiful new business cards. And then, when that’s set, think about revamping your personal website. 4. Clean Out Your Inbox Don’t just delete old emails and archive others. Take the next step and unsubscribe from mailing lists that waste your time. 5. Send a Thank You Note Think of a colleague, manager, or mentor who helped or inspired you this past year, and let that person know you’re grateful for his or her assistance or inspiration. Sure, you could use email. But it would be better to use pen and paper. A handwritten note is a simple, classy way to make people feel special- and strengthen your professional network. 6. Read Up on How to Get Your Resume Close to Perfection More specifically, read these 43 tips. They will only get you closer to getting that job you want. So, tweak your resume accordingly, or don’t be afraid to start over from scratch instead of building on one you’ve had for years. 7. Make That Revamped Resume Stylish Find a beautiful new template among one of these 275 free templates and go forward with confidence as you send it out. (After tailoring it for each job, of course.) 8. Contact an Expert if You’re Lost If you’re feeling stuck or don’t know where to begin, it might be worth it to pay an expert or hire a coach to get you past your obstacle. 9. Learn How to Answer the Most Common Interview Questions Your resume’s only doing the first part of the talking. The interview step is hugely important and not one that you can risk blowing. Prepare in advance by running through these common questions and you’ll likely ace it. 10. Update Your Professional Wardrobe Make sure to purchase items that are both professional and industry-appropriate. 11. Invest in a Standing Desk You won’t believe the health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s well worth speaking to your office manager about getting one for the office. 12. Reorganize Your Workspace Remove clutter. Add beauty. Make a vision board or write a career manifesto and hang it above your desk. 13. Get on a Healthier Sleep Schedule It’s no news that many Americans are sleep deprived, and being chronically tired is just as bad as going into work tipsy. The more rest you give yourself, the sharper and more productive you will be. 14. Google Yourself Distasteful social media content? Snarky blog comments? That YouTube video that you uploaded during Mardi Gras circa 2009 still around? Put yourself in a recruiter’s shoes, and make sure your online footprint makes a good first impression. 15. Take Your LinkedIn Presence to the Next Level Start by adding a personal note when you send out invitations to join your network. You’d be surprised by how few people do this, so it’ll really make you stand out and get noticed. 16. Reach Out to Six People You’d Like to Connect With Start lining up coffee dates for the first few weeks of January. (And before you go on any of them, make sure you know how to have the best coffee date ever.) 17. Choose a Skill You Want to Improve in 2018 It could be public speaking, time management, or creative writing. Sign up for a class, seminar, weekly writing group, whatever makes sense for you and whatever might get you motivated. Then decide how you’re going to develop that skill. Block out the time on your calendar now. 18. Read a Few Career-Boosting Classics I recommend Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. More of a listener? Subscribe to a smart podcast or two. Mmm. Brain food you’ll actually start to crave. 19. Fill Your Inspiration Tank to the Brim Read these 45 beautiful pieces of career advice. Or these 50 inspirational quotes that’ll make you feel ready to take on the world. Or, at least your personal goals. 20. Write Out Your One-Year Plan Whether you’re looking to make a move or are currently satisfied at your job, figure out what you plan to do to take your career to the next level. Maybe it’s telling your network you’re looking to make a move. Or, perhaps it’s getting a promotion (and a raise!). Whatever it is, figure out how you’re going to make it happen. And if you do only one thing? Make an effort to re-connect with people you admire. Strengthen the relationships in your professional network. You never know how one follow-up email, thank-you note, or holiday card might impact your career.