What do your professional references say about you? Ever think about it? You should because no matter how good your interview went, if your references don’t say good things about you….you’re not getting that new job you want. Seems kinda harsh doesn’t it? But it’s true, a bad reference can single handedly sink an otherwise great opportunity.Ironically, most people pay little to no attention to their references. I hear things like “I haven’t talked to him in ages.”, “I didn’t really work that closely with her.”, “I’m just his friend” but my favorite is the “one word answers” – yep, no, yes, maybe, absolutely. Joking aside, if you aren’t taking the time to really cultivate and inform your professional references you are putting yourself at a disadvantage in any job search. Someone who takes their job search seriously has educated, informed, prepared and PREDICTABLE references. I recall a candidate interaction a long time ago where the recruiter asked a reference “Would you hire so and so again?”. Simple stuff, nothing major, should be a straight forward response and it was just that….”I wouldn’t hire that guy to stock shelves”. End of interview, no hire, thanks for playing. If your references say they wouldn’t hire you again, it’s pretty bad but when they go out of their way to torpedo your application it’s apocalyptic.Without further adieu, a few quick tips on how to give the best professional references:1) Give people who you know, trust and who will absolutely, positively say nice things about you – I know, right, who WOULDN’T do that? You’d be surprised. I’m not even going to talk about this anymore, do your homework, call your references so when they talk to potential a employer they don’t throw you under the bus.2) Give a former manager – Again, I know, not rocket science. I’m always happy to hear how great a guy someone is, or how they play a mean guitar or how they can finish Halo without dying……….but, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. I want to talk to someone who can tell me what kind of an employee you’ll be once you are hired. Former managers are critical to making sure any potential employer can get the info they need to hire you without reservation. If you don’t have a former manager who’ll say nice things, try someone else in a leadership role. You need someone besides your lunch buddies to say nice things about you, especially in a competitive job market like we have now.3) Make sure your references are available and expecting the call – This one drives recruiters crazy. Nothing more frustrating than leaving voice mail after voice mail for a reference only to follow up with an email that bounces back “On vacation until September 2013″. Good times! It’s common courtesy for everyone involved and will help also make sure our references say nice things about you.4) Have a few people recommend you on LinkedIn – Simple stuff, and frankly it doesn’t matter if this is a former manager or not. With the rise of social networking, more and more companies are searching the web for potential hires. No better way to reinforce that you are a quality hire than to have a well groomed LinkedIn profile that has several people singing your praises.5) Keep in touch with your references to make sure you have a big stable of people to use -This is the final tip, and probably the most important. You want to keep in touch with people who can serve as great professional references. Seriously, think about it. How many former managers can you give that would say nice things about you? The more you have, the better off you’ll be long term. You don’t need to talk to them every day, week or even every month however, you should be just touching base once every quarter or two, JUST in case you need them or, get this…..maybe they need you. That’s right, your former boss may be looking for a job and need a “former direct report” to say nice things…next think you know you guys are colleagues again. So, trust me on this one, figure out who will give you a stellar reference and then maintain and build on that relationship.That’s it, nothing crazy, nothing complicated. Follow these simple tips and I can guarantee you’ll have much more success converting those interviews into offers.
Daily Fitness Tips From Wanitha Ashok – Bangalore Fitness
A busy schedule, a working lunch and hours spent sitting in front of the computer can all wreck havoc with your health. Worried that you don’t have the Wanitha Ashok – Bangaloretime to join a gym and follow a fitness regimen? Fitness expert Wanitha Ashok says you can sneak in exercise into your daily routine with a little bit of determination. A certified aerobic instructor from Reebok and Aerobic Fitness Association of America (AFFA), Wanitha is an expert in Step aerobics, Pilates, Stability ball, Spinning and Kick Boxing and also does talk shows on nutrition and fitness in Kannada TV channels. She tells us why it is important to make time for a fitness routine in your daily life.
Brisk walking for 40 minutes is one of the best and simplest of exercises. You don’t have to join a gym for it. Just make some time in the morning or evening.
If your work involves being deskbound the whole day, get up and walk around in between to stretch your muscles. Walk up to your colleagues and talk to them instead of discussing problems and matters over the phone or email.
If your office or residence is on a higher floor and you must use the lift, get off two or three floors (depending on your capacity) ahead of your destination and walk up. Increase the distance as you progress. You can slowly start doing variations like taking the stairs two at a time, speeding up, doing lunges etc.
After lunch hour at work, take a walk around the building or terrace.
Sitting in the right posture is very important for those on a desk job. Try to learn some simple stretching exercises that you can perform at your desk.
Food in the office canteen can often be oily and heavy, leading to problems like weight gain. Watch what you are eating. Cut down on refined foods and sweets, as these tend to be calorie-filled and make you hungry sooner. Make the right food choices. Instead of a gravy dish and rice, have dal, roti and a light vegetable dish, if available. If you are having sandwiches, try to opt for whole wheat bread if available.
Make time for breakfast in the morning, no matter how rushed you are. Try to have four or five small meals during the day. Never skip meals. You will just lose muscles.
If you can’t spare 40 minutes at a stretch for a workout on a weekday, you can even do small exercises throughout the day for a few minutes each. For example, skip rope in the morning for five minutes. Jog when you can spare the time later in the day for a few minutes. Together, it will make a difference.
Exercising for three to five days a week is ideal with 40 minutes of cardio and three days of strength training. If you are too busy for that, make time for a proper workout session over the weekend. Ensure that you have at least an hour-long exclusive workout. If you are joining a gym, ensure that it has a reputation of excellence and proper certification. If you have a gym in the building with an independent trainer, make sure that she or he is properly certified. You can always ask to see their certification.
Bored of your aerobic routine? Try variations like Kickboxing or Tai Chi as that’s always good. Pick a high intensity workout if you want to burn more calories.
Don’t workout only to lose weight. Work out to stay fit.
There are several passive workout machines in the market. These are mostly a waste of money as they don’t give you a cardio workout.
Several homemakers believe that they get enough exercise simply by chasing the kid around or doing housework. This is completely wrong. The components of a proper workout routine are Cardio, Strength Training, Flexibility, Body composition and Neuro-muscular integration, which decreases with age. Your workout routine needs to address all of these.
Whether you are taking the stairs instead of the lift, jogging around your building or skipping at home, always wear the right footwear.
Do you have any questions for Wanitha about fitness? Post a comment and we will get it answered.
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