Category Archives: prepared

Applying for a new job? Don’t be surprised if you have to take a test.

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Your test-taking days are not over!

Personality tests are becoming more and more popular for candidates and new hires. Sometimes it is part of the hiring process, and sometimes it is post-hire for training and learning purposes. Either way, personality tests can be stressful because testers can begin to feel concerned that they have to answer the way management would want them to answer. However, this thought process does not work. Here are a few tips if you have to take a personality test.

  1. Be yourself. You cannot outsmart the test, so don’t try to. You want to answer truthfully so that you don’t end up looking indecisive or dishonest.
  2. Don’t rush. Personality tests can be boring and draining but you should try to take your time and do your best.
  3. Enjoy the opportunity for honesty. It is a lot easier to admit your faults to a screen than it is to a person, and no one will hold it against you for doing just that. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and letting your employers know what they are ahead of time will help them to set you up for success in the workplace.

You should not be afraid of a personality test. Be yourself, don’t rush, and enjoy the opportunity for open communication.

Have you ever had to take a personality test? What was it like?

 

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Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen

How to Win an Argument – Once and for All

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Featured Image: Ways To Settle Arguments

So, lately I have witnessed my fair share of intense arguments, not only on my Facebook feed, but also on my LinkedIn, Twitter, as well as among my friends and family (I have actually partaken in some of these). It is no hidden fact that as a society we will have differences, which can result in conflict, but sometimes healthy debates are necessary and good in order for our society to function. I mean, could you imagine? A world where we all had the same thoughts, same likes, and same passions? Not sure about you, but to me, that sounds unpleasantly robotic. However, nowadays we see very few friendly debates; we mainly see full-blown arguments, with the sole intent of attaining victory and to change our opponent’s mind, as opposed to inform and simply listen to one another’s point of view. So, what is the fool-proof way of winning these arguments? That’s simple: avoid them – and here’s why.

  1. “You have a duty to speak up.” 

    I can see how the circumstances of unfairness and the human responsibility to look out for one another can send us into a down spiral “discussion.” However, the belief that we have a duty to always give our opinion is not true, and it is not what “speak up” means. When you start/enter into an argument in which your thoughts were not necessarily requested, it will only cause hostility. Doing this will not make your opponent like you; it will only make him/her strike back. I once saw a quote that said “instead of attacking what you hate, start promoting what you love,” and it truly stuck with me. If you truly want to speak up, start upholding and working towards what you believe in, and stay away from the unwanted, pull-your-hair-out arguments 🙂 .

  2. “You can prove them wrong.” 

    Yes, you can provide amazing facts, charts, examples, and use many other great tools all for the sake of proving your opponent wrong – but, at what cost? Although these things are great when used in friendly debates (those discussions that lead to information and communication rather than confrontation), it is counterproductive when used in a heated argument. Within the environment of an escalated dispute, proving someone “wrong” will not only insult your challenger’s intelligence, but it will also make that individual feel inferior, hurting whatever relationship you have (or could’ve had) with that person – even if the damage doesn’t show immediately. The take-away from this: always aim to simply inform and communicate, rather than using these great tools to humiliate and insult.

  3. “You win.” 

    Actually, you don’t. When you lose an argument, you lose. When you win an argument, you also lose. How? Because even though you will feel awesome, triumphant, and will want to tell your mom all about it, the other person does not. Their pride has been hurt, he/she feels degraded, their self-respect and judgment feel attacked, and most importantly: that person will just resent you for your great “win.” Oftentimes we believe that by proving someone wrong and proving ourselves to be right, we have won the person’s opinion in favor of ours. However, the truth is, as Dale Carnegie put it, “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” Winning an argument will never change anyone’s mind. What can change people’s minds, however, is your life example as to how you live by what you preach. This is not to say that you will never make mistakes; I have made plenty – yet it does not mean I have to advocate for the mistakes I’ve made. If you fall, pick yourself right back up; acknowledge and learn from your downfall. Doing so will not show that you’re a “hypocrite,” it will rather deepen your credibility and show your ability to correct yourself when you have failed.

I hope that by now you are as turned off from arguments as I am – it truly serves no good purpose! Of course, as I previously stated, friendly and informative debates/discussions are healthy, and needed for our society to function. Nevertheless, keep in mind that heated and escalated arguments are not debates; they fail to be properly informative (because the other person is not interested in listening), they do not serve the purpose of good communication, and they cause more harm than good. I am certainly not saying that I have not been caught up in these myself, especially when it comes to topics that I am passionate about, but slowly and steadily I am learning that this is not an effective way to have your voice be heard. Take the time to do some reading, keep yourself well-informed, and remember these words from Dale Carnegie:

“Why prove to a man he is wrong? Is that going to make him like you? Why not let him save face? He didn’t ask for your opinion. He didn’t want it. Why argue with him? You can’t win an argument, because if you lose, you lose it; and if you win it, you lose it. Why? You will feel fine. But what about him? You have made him feel inferior, you hurt his pride, insult his intelligence, his judgment, and his self-respect, and he’ll resent your triumph. That will make him strike back, but it will never make him want to change his mind. A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” – How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.

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By Nayadee Wilson

Is Your New-Year’s Resolution Useless?

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As the new year approaches most of us have decided on, or are thinking about, a New Year’s resolution. Being carried away in my thoughts earlier today, it suddenly dawned on me: why do we have New Year’s resolutions, anyway? I mean, most of the time, let’s face it; we don’t exactly follow through. Time and time again I see myself, and others, fail miserably before the end of January to attain the infamous purpose that we had so excitedly set forth. Nevertheless, I did brainstorm a few reasons why having a New Year’s resolution is actually pretty beneficial, whether you’re able to achieve your goal or not.

  1. Everyone likes purpose.

    One thing that I know for sure is that having goals in life is essential for your overall wellbeing – it gives us a sense of purpose and meaning. Having goals, such as a New Year’s resolution, to work towards gives us the intrinsic motivation that otherwise we may not always find elsewhere. Although sometimes hard to achieve, and oftentimes we may fail to achieve the desired end result from these, we shouldn’t be too quick to overlook the inevitable impacts that come simply  as a side-effect of pursuing a goal. Whether your goal this year is to start a business, or to just be able to get out of bed before noon, goals are important no matter how big or small. 🙂

    Tip: if you’re having a hard time achieving your New Year’s resolution, try examining what your goals are. If you have too many of them, it can be overwhelming and will ultimately cause you lose focus on what should be your priority. Try listing all of your goals on paper, pick the top three that are most important, and focus solely on those instead. This will give you a greater chance of success.

  2. Adulting like a rock-star.

    What’s another great side-effect of setting goals? It forces you to be responsible. Of course, this will depend on how committed you are to your goals. Nevertheless, it is a great way to make you feel like you are awesome at being an adult :). I personally miss the time when I was 7 years old and had no idea where money came from. I remember asking my mom: “Where do you get money? Is it like a building where you go and they just give it to you?” Good times… Then, of course, I came to a rude awakening when I found out that people don’t just “hand” you money. Point is, we don’t always like living the responsible adult life, yet when we have goals, being responsible becomes a little easier and more habitual.

    Tip #1: One way to spark the responsibility side-effect is to set a time line for your goals. Want to lose/gain 10 pounds? What’s a reasonable timeline for accomplishing this? Or maybe you want to write a book; how many chapters or paragraphs would you like to have completed in a month? And so on, and so on.

    Tip #2    :  Unless you’re incredibly disciplined, it may be hard to achieve your goal without some accountability. Find someone you trust to hold you accountable for your goals. This way, if you start to slack off, you’ll have someone to encourage you to keep going.

  3. More to come.

    Another awesome goal side-effect is that while we are pursuing goals we become hopeful. Hope is that thing that gives any human being motivation to do one thing: keep moving forward. Think about it; if you had no hope for anything lying ahead, what would be the point of doing anything towards your future? When you pursue your goals, you are being hopeful that you can achieve it, and a good result will come out of it – this is why you set it in motion in the first place.

    Tip #1: If you’re having a hard time having any hope of achieving your goals, what you might want to do is take some time to focus on the end result (although being careful not to dwell on it – remember that you also get lots of small victories in the process). If you can picture yourself at the end of it all, and remember why you wanted to do this in the first place, it can motivate you to keep working – one step at a time.

    Tip #2    : To pick up on that first tip – take it one step at a time. Celebrate the small victories! So maybe you haven’t started your business yet, but perhaps you’ve made some great connections in the process. Or maybe you haven’t written a book, but you’ve written a few paragraphs and placed your heart on paper, letting yourself know you can do it – that’s a start!

  4. I can only get better.

    What else can we get out of having goals? We learn a lot about ourselves in the process. We learn what makes us tick, what doesn’t, what works for us, and what harms us. Anytime you take the initiative to work towards anything, it brings within itself an opportunity to learn. (For example, I have learned that no matter how hard I try or what I try, I am not a morning person… at all). No matter what the end result is, whether you succeed or fail, there is no doubt that you will learn things about yourself you might have not known before. And as you know – Knowledge is power!

    Tip    : This will probably sound repetitive and cliché, but it is so true. If you’ve failed at achieving your goal, this failure is simply a lesson to be learned. When you fail, you learn about the things that did not work for you. Use this knowledge to improve yourself rather than to self-criticize.

     

  5. Time to straighten up.

    Lastly, as Jim Rohn put it, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” When you are committed to your goals, the inevitable happens: self-discipline. A “goal” is something you have not achieved before, that you are willing to work towards; a desired result in your life. Working towards your goals will require you to do things that you may have never done before, forcing you to create new habits and commit to these – and this is a great thing! When you create self-discipline, it is a trait that stays with you past the desired achieved (or failed) result. So, regardless of the outcome, remember that the process of this very same pursuit will only benefit you in the end.

    Tip: If at first you don’t succeed, you can dust it off and try again! Don’t forget that there is always next year. 🙂

*All images/comics used in this blog were obtained from Unearthed Comics*

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By Nayadee Wilson

What Redesigning my Daughter’s Room Taught me About Poor Planning

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A few weeks ago my husband and I decided to embark on an exciting project; to design and renovate our 4-year old daughter’s bedroom. Although these kinds of ventures can be thrilling for most, it can truly cause some serious headaches when you do not have the right preparation to tackle them appropriately. Also, having a hammer in one hand and a crowbar in the other is definitely not a good combination for frustration to enter the scene – so proper planning is a must! As we picked up momentum and dove right into this project, I soon started to realize some things that we either missed or miscalculated, and how a lot of these fundamental steps would be applied to our everyday work tasks.

I’ve got everything! Except for these 10 other things…

5_zps8tkmnkmcI had been looking forward to this for the past 3 months, and I was beyond excited. In my head, I knew everything I needed to do; I was ready to get all of our supplies, and ready to get started. Once we got back home from the store, we got right to work… we then realized we had the wrong sanding paper, and not nearly enough paint. After the second trip to Home Depot, we realized we got the wrong kind of paint. Then after the third trip, we realized we had the wrong kind of nails. In other words, after four trips to the store, my husband wanted to run away to Mexico, and I wanted to burn down the room – she can just sleep with us! :). It was mindboggling how a project that I couldn’t wait to start was so quickly turning into a nightmare. 😦 So here was my mistake number one: Unpreparedness.

More often than not we make the same mistake at work time and time again. Many times when we are presented with a task, we dive into it without really looking at what is required. We then find out half way through the project that we missed something along the way, usually causing aggravation to enter into the mix. To avoid this undesirable frustration, it might be a good idea to make a check-list of everything you will need to complete your task or project, before you start it. I know that check-lists are somewhat old-school and can be viewed as unnecessary (especially for minimal tasks), but the time that it will take to write out a list is well worth it compared to the vexation you may suffer later, after figuring out you’ve missed something. Not only does making a list help you become more prepared, but writing things down will also help you remember things a lot better (E.g. you can remember the proper supplies for decorating your kids’ room), which can certainly be advantageous in any task.

Um, any chance we could push out that deadline?

6_zpsnbc9f5ucWhen I started to “plan” the process of it all, I was certain that it would take us just about a full day to complete her room – after all, I had already painted three of the four walls the week before, and that’s the time-consuming part, right? Well, here was my mistake number two: Underestimating. As it turns out, not only did I dismiss the amount of work that still needed to be done, I also did not take into consideration the time that it would take us to complete it all. I mean, we are talking about removing moldings, sanding and painting them, painting doors, drawers, etc., yet all of that slipped my mind. All I could think of was my dreamy end result, and my plans of relaxing the rest of the weekend. Of course, I was in for a rude awakening, and our entire weekend was consumed by this project – which is still not entirely finished 😦 (although my husband thought my misguidance was quite comical; I’d say half of our time was spent by him laughing at my one-day-project idea).

Whenever we are faced with a lengthy project it is always important to have a realistic outlook on the time that this task will actually take. Not taking the time to plan accordingly could cause you to underestimate what needs to be done, which in turn can cause you to miss a deadline (or just barely make it). In addition to making a list of what you will need, it may also be a good idea to do your best to calculate how much time each item on that list will require. Do you need to write an article? Think about the amount of research you need to do. Or maybe you have a spread sheet to create – think about how long it might take you to edit and enter information properly; making extra time for the small tedious jobs will be beneficial as well. Once you do this, you will have a much better chance at completing your work on time, and you won’t be pulling your hair out the day before it’s due.

I could’ve sworn I had my notes in here…

7_zpssgob24evLast but not least, being organized is an absolute essential (this is, most definitely, my favorite tip). My next mistake during my daughter’s awesome room makeover was – you guessed it: Disorganization. I cannot stress enough how irksome it was to be in the middle of painting/sanding/nailing and not being able to find the paint brush/sand paper/hammer. Or, when this wasn’t the case, I would start doing something that my husband had already started to do – double the work for nothing. Or, my favorite: we nailed the door frames back onto the wall, only to have to take them down again because we put them in the wrong order (they didn’t fit properly). Meh. 😦

Needless to say, you will be much better off making sure that you are organized with all of your work. Designating a place for everything and keeping it all in order will avoid lots of headaches and will guarantee a much smoother work flow. Keeping your notes organized and in an assigned location is a good way to start your organization process. Another good idea is to keep your desk as organized and decluttered as possible, as this will naturally make you feel more calm and focused; having too much clutter around you will interfere with your brain’s ability to process information. In addition, being organized in your work will not only increase your ability to focus, but it will also dramatically reduce the time you spend working, which means that you’ll have a much better chance at finishing your work on time (or early) and then be ready to just head on home! 🙂

For more on organization, read “7 Health Benefits of Getting Organized”

It feels good to be done.

Whether it is being unprepared, unorganized, or maybe just simply procrastinating, lack of planning can certainly put a damper on our to-do list. Although there are many other ways to prepare for any task you may have, these are some good steps to keep in mind. Just remember, it will always be better to spend a little more time on preparation in the beginning than a lot of time stressing trying to rush it all in the end.

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Written by Nayadee Wilson

P.S.

In case you’re curious, here are some pictures of how the room is turning out.

Before photos:

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After Photos (still a work in progress):

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What do you mean I have to give a presentation?!

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*Featured image: The Meep by James Hance*

Usually, our first responsive thought to the suggestion that we might have to get up on stage may be something like this: “you mean in front of people?!” Now, by “getting up on stage” I don’t mean singing, or dancing, or performing a comedy act – most people would probably prefer to do those instead. No, I mean the big, giant, enemy of our very souls, Public Speaking! =O (Cue scary music). Whenever the time comes to give that big presentation or speech, or maybe even something as simple as asking a question during a meeting, the scary thought of public speaking can send most of us running for the hills. I’m sure that we have all heard about the infamous surveys showing that people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of dying. Can you believe it? This basically states that some people would welcome death if it meant that they wouldn’t have to be involved in public speaking. I know that public speaking can definitely be intimidating, but it does not always have to be deadly. I personally love public speaking – I like the spotlight. Sure, right before I have to start, I feel like throwing up everything I consumed the night before, but I work my way around it. Mainly by making sure I don’t do that =). Nevertheless, as you read on you’ll find that there are some things you probably wish you knew about how to handle the big monster called “Public Speaking.”

1. I wish I didn’t get so nervous!

One thing you need to know firsthand is that nerves are your body’s way of preparing; they can actually be used as a tool. Instead of thinking “I’m so nervous,” you should change your thought process to tell yourself “I’m getting so ready for this!” instead. When you start feeling nervous about your public speaking performance, you can use that energy to your advantage with just a little focus. Doing this will help you speak clearly and firmly, and this energy will serve as a drive for the correct body movement, depending on the kind of public speaking you might be involved in. Before I was married I was actually a performer – certainly not a famous one, but I did a lot of singing and some acting. This was the advice I was given by my coaches. Now, I noticed that whenever I used this tool I would always do great. However, when I let my nerves get the best of me and didn’t focus on using them to my advantage (i.e., negative talk: “What if I mess up? What if I fall? I feel nauseous! Etc.), it was not a pretty show; talk about embarrassing performances! >_<. So, before you do your public speaking, make sure you embrace those nerves. Practice positive self-talk, and focus on using these to work for you rather than against you.

(For more on self-talk, read this article: 3 Reasons You Should Talk to Yourself)

2. Eh… I’ll just wing it.

Although the term “wing it” sounds appealing to our spontaneous side, if you rely on this for public speaking you will often be in a lot of trouble. And unless you’re one of those wonderfully, naturally charming “win-the-crowd-over-with-very-little-effort” kind of people, you will always need to prepare (and even the naturals do some kind of preparation). Your amount of planning will always vary depending on what you are doing, but it will always be essential even for the most minimal kind of public speaking. For example, if you’re nervous about asking a question during a meeting, write it down before asking it and read it to yourself. This will give you more assurance in what you’re asking and will help you sound confident and firm when you speak up during the meeting. Now, when it comes to something more involved, such as giving a speech or presentation, needless to say that you should write it up beforehand – if you wing that and you don’t freeze up midsentence, then I salute you! But seriously, make sure you do your due diligence and prepare what you will say before you stand in front of your peers trying to do the old “pretend they’re all in their underwear” trick (which, by the way, absolutely never works).

3. I kind of, sort of, know what I’m talking about.

Undoubtedly, if you’re going to be involved in public speaking you should absolutely know your topic. This does tie into the preparation tip, but it is a different kind of preparation altogether. It would be really pointless if you prepared a power point presentation, reciting your fancy bullet points out loud, for you to then get stumped during Q&A because you actually don’t know your topic very well. Granted, you will most likely not know the answers for everything. When this happens it is perfectly okay to say “I don’t have the answer for that at the moment, but I will work on getting one for you.” However, you should be as prepared as you can be to encounter these kinds of situations, so make sure you do your research. Not only will you be able to answer these questions (if applicable), but doing your homework will also dramatically boost your confidence – and of course we’re all on board with a little confidence boost (whoop-whoop!). So, what happens when you feel confident? Well, you will be able to take control of your nerves, and you will also come across your audience as reliable in your subject knowledge, gaining their attention and trust. There is nothing more captivating in a presentation than someone who seems confident in what they’re presenting. If you’re not sure about the amount of research you’ve done on your topic, a good way to test this is by going through your presentation/speech and ask yourself some questions about the topic. This will not guarantee that you’ll have absolutely everything covered, but it helps tremendously. You can also practice your speech with some friends! Another set of eyes/ears will always be beneficial, and it allows you to laugh at yourself during practice time without necessarily wanting to sprint out of the room in fear.

See? Public Speaking is not so bad – certainly not worse than death! Of course, we know that people are not really more afraid of public speaking than they are of death (I’d hope not!). Although it is funny how this was the first answer that came to mind for most of these individuals when asked what they feared most; fear of death usually ranked second O_O. Coming from someone that actually welcomes the rush of public speaking, I can definitely say that it is still a nerve-wrecking and not always pleasant experience. However, following these easy and simple guidelines always helped me do my best, and I am sure it can do the same for you. So no need to jump off the bridge just yet; let’s conquer the fear of public speaking and live to tell about it! =)

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Written by Nayadee Wilson

Prezi, the future of presenting?

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By: Kaitlyn Neese

If you work in an environment with a lot of presentations, you’ve probably heard of Prezi. It is gaining popularity among the younger generation of the workforce, but I imagine that it is soon going to be utilized by all ages.

If you are unfamiliar with Prezi, it is a free, web-based, more visually appealing version of PowerPoint. It is pretty simple to use and the final product always looks stunning. Prezis are typically much more interesting than PowerPoints, and even the most boring information comes to life with Prezi.

Prezi is new and different. It is fun and it looks so much smoother and more sophisticated than PowerPoint.

So what’s the problem? Why isn’t everybody and their mother flocking to download Prezi and kick the outdated PowerPoint to the curb forever? Long-time PowerPoint fans have a hard time retraining their brain to effectively use Prezi.

Personally, I have become comfortable with the setup of Prezi, but will admit that I have had technical difficulties in the past. Saving presentations has been an issue, and sometimes it takes a while to open up a saved presentation. This can be awkward if you are in front of a group and about to present.

A complaint of Prezi audiences is that it can be distracting. Listeners may be so involved in how gorgeous your presentation looks that they do not hear a word you say. So that definitely defeats the purpose.

So what presentation aid to I prefer to use? I’m going to have to say Prezi, despite its downfalls. Though I will admit Prezi can be distracting and confusing at first, the seasoned Prezi user will learn the tricks of the trade and be able to create excellent presentations. PowerPoint is just too mundane, outdated and limited.

So yes, I believe that Prezi is the future of presenting. If you are uncomfortable with Prezi now, you might as well get used to it. Although your hesitations are probably valid, Prezi is eventually going to be everywhere, so I suggest getting ahead while you still can!

What do you think of Prezi? Are you a loyal PowerPointer? Why?