How to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impress

How to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impressHow to use the first 5 minutes of networking to impressAnyone who saw the news story about the Facebook data breach likely had the same reaction.Sigh, of course that happened.Who today is surprised at a massive data leak? Maybe the Target credit card debacle gave you pause. Or the Equifax breach. But now? Security breakdowns are so common we can only shake our heads.Excuse me while I seek credit monitoring services forever.The predictable is painful. That goes for data breaches and how we interact with one another. You know what happens at a happy hour when you talk and talk?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe other people stand around and think Sigh, of course that happened. They become bored while you dominate the conversation.Thats why, in the first five minutes of any conversation, the smartest networkers do what no one expects they only ask questions.Yep, the best small talkers play the role of reporter and ignore their own back-stories. How? They use the six most powerful words in networking. I include two of those powerful words in bold down below.Smart networker Where do you work?Person Im a sales rep for iHeartRadio.Smart networker Oh, cool. Whats it like to work there?Person Its a pretty cool place. We often get tickets to free concerts and access to new music.Smart networker Thats pretty sweet. What shows have you seen recently?Person Well, lets see. Back in December I saw You ask a question. And then another. And then another. Youll get to your own life soon enough. Stay in the moment.Watch what happens as the conversation ensues.Smart networker Wow, you get to see all kinds of cool concerts. Do you have to work at the shows too?Person Yea, at the show in December, I had to work the merchandise table because the company who usually handles that service dropped the ball at the last minute, and now were looking for another partner.Smart networker Oh, interesting. You know I work for a staffing agency and we provide employees for short-term gigs like that.Person Oh, really? Email me tomorrow and Ill put you in hauch with our HR director.Do you see my point? If you remain laser focused on the other person, you will take the conversation WAY beyond Whats your name? and Where do you work? Now youre in the opportunity realm where a meaningful conversation can lead somewhere substantial.OK. Times up We reached five minutes into a networking conversation.Now what?If you want talk further, you have two options1. Wait for the person to say OK, enough about me. Tell me about you. Thats always best. You spent ample time in question mode, and now its your turn to dish out some answers.2. The person might NEVER say Tell me about you. Weve all met that guy or girl. Clueless to the world. When the person gives you a break in the conversation, interject with your own info.Thats a cool story. It reminds me of a situation at my job Heres the bottom lineWhether you have the chance to tell your lifes story or not, you already got what you came for, so to speak. You (nicely) interrogated someone else, gained knowledge you didnt have and perhaps found a way to network further.All from the first five minutes. All because you asked questions.Thiscolumnfirst appeared onDannyhRubin.com.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

Short-Term Disability Benefit Basics

Short-Term Disability Benefit BasicsShort-Term Disability Benefit BasicsWhether an incident takes place on the job or after hours, everyone bears some risk of becoming incapacitated, unable to work, and in need of assistance from short-term disability insurance coverage. This coverage provides financial support to replace lost income while you take time off to recuperate at home. While becoming injured or ill does happen at home and other places, a surprising number of disabling incidents happen in the workplace in any given year, creating a substantial need for disability insurance coverage. An annual report released by the union organization AFL-CIO has reported its findings on the safety of the American workplace. Called Death on the Job The Toll of Neglect, the report advises that each day approximately 150 workers die on the job, and some7.4 mio to 11.1 million worker injuries take place each year, often going unreported. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, around one-quarter of todays 20-year olds have a chance of becoming disabled at some point in their career before retirement. Some peoples disabilities will require more support than the amount provided by short-term disability insurance. On average, long-term disability incidents last about 34.6 months, meaning almost three years of lost work and foregone income. Short-Term Disability Benefits Employer-provided short-term disability (STD) insurance pays a percentage of an employees salary for a specified amount of time, if they fall ill or get injured, and cannot perform the duties of their job. Generally, the benefit pays approximately 40 to 60 percent of the employees weekly gross income. Independently-purchased short-term liability insurance works relatively the same, offering a range of partial to full income coverage, depending on the policy level and premium you choose to pay. Disability income may or may not be subject to income tax, depending on whether the policy was funded with pre-tax or after-tax dollars, among other considerations. When Coverage Begins Coverage usually starts anywhere from one to 14 days after an employee suffers a condition that leaves them unable to work. The time of coverage may vary from 9 to 52 weeks from eligibility. Many times, employees are required to use sick days before short-term disability kicks in if its an illness that keeps them out of work for an extended period of time. Employers often have other types of insurance that cover workplace injuries, such as workers compensation, with different rules and requirements, versus disability insurance for those injuries that occur off the job. If an employee must be out of work for longer than the short-term disabilitybenefits coverage period, then either a long-term disability plan or permanent disability kicks in. This may happen at 10 to 53 weeks from the date of eligibility. Determination for long-term disability is provided by the insurance companys team of doctors and insurance analysts who carefully monitor each case. Who Pays for Short-Term Disability Coverage? A short-term disability policy can be an employer- or employee-paid benefit. Generally, though, employers offer short-term disability coverage as a benefit. Companies do have a choice of having employees pay for coverage, with certain tax implications. Each state sets its own requirements as to whether employers must carry short-term disability insurance and the mandated limits of basic coverage amounts. States can also dictate the amount of the weekly cash benefit limits. Group coverage for short-term disability can be attained in the following ways Contract agreement through an insurer that covers disability.Through a self-funded plan agreed upon by the employer directly. (Two popular providers include Aflac and MetLife.) Policy Terms and Responsibilities As an employer, you can create a policy dictating that employees use sick days before going on short-term disability for an extended illness. You can also require documentation from a doctor to prove an illness or injury. During the time that an employee misses work, the employer may also request that the employee visit an approvedmedical provider or an occupational medicine center for regular updates on the progress of the employees health. A third-party claims administrator will be in charge of managing these aspects while the employee takes time out of work. Employees must report any changes in their status immediately. These rules are in place to help prevent insurance fraud, a dicke bretter bohren mssen that costs employers billions of dollars annually. Various short-term disability plans dictate different terms for qualifications. The main terms typically include Employees need to work for the employer for a certain amount of time before coverage kicks in.Employees need to work full-time, usually 30 hours or more a week. The following components may be included in a short-term disability plan b enefits package Percentage of weekly salary paid out (typically between 40 percent to 60 percent of weekly salary).Duration of short-term disability benefits (typically between nine to 52 weeks).The maximum amount of time covered under the disability program (up to 52 weeks) Its also important to know the rules of the states in which employees reside. While most states do not have a mandated short-term disability requirement, The Society for Human Resource Management advises that five states including California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and the US territory of Puerto Rico do have mandatory coverage guidelines. Employers may want to also consider offering a voluntary benefit option for a long-term disability program that takes over once an employees short-term disability ends.

The Challenges of Left-Brained Job Seekers

The Challenges of Left-Brained Job SeekersThe Challenges of Left-Brained Job SeekersThe job search is tough for everyone, but left-brained candidates have a big mountain to climb. Find out what their biggest challenge and how to conquer it.Much scientific research in recent decades has focused on the left and right hemispheres of the brain and suggested that people in whom one side dominates are likely to share certain ways of thinking.While the right hemisphere is more intuitive and emotional, studies suggest, the left is more logical and sequential. Left-brained thinkers frequently excel in highly analytical fields such as IT, engineering and law.When it comes to job hunting, however, left-brained people often have more difficulty than their right-brained counterparts - but not for the reasons you might think.To compete effectively in the marketplace, left-brained people have to overcome two important obstacles. The first challenge is common to most job hunters the second is speci fic to technical and analytical types.Our difficulties and their originsWhat is the obstacle? After spending more than 18 years helping job hunters in a range of occupations, I have found that most people have difficulty talking about themselves. Whats even more fascinating is that the problem goes deeper. Much deeper. An overwhelming majority of the people who have a hard time talking about themselves have just as much trouble thinking about themselves.In other words, they struggle to acknowledge their own skills, talents and contributions.Where does this obstacle originate? For analytical and technical types, logical, left-brained, process-oriented thinking is exactly what makes them successful professionally. Job hunting, however, is a absatzwirtschaft challenge that relies more on right-brained skills rarely possessed by hard-core left-brained people. Well explore a few options that should help you think more creatively about your experiences, but dont be embarrassed if you stru ggle with the concepts.Youre not alone. Just find someone who can coach you through the process.Why right-brained job searches thrive Job hunters in general - and left-brained types in particular - miss most of the opportunities to leverage their experiences because they dont understand the difference between an attribute and a benefit. Even marketers arent always clear on the concept. For years, Castrol Motor Oil ran commercials focusing on the products ability to prevent engine viscosity and thermal breakdown. Unless you are a mechanic, that probably doesnt mean anything to you. This is a great example of a company selling an attribute rather than a benefit.For people at Castrol, the thinking stopped at what the product does. A benefit, in contrast, takes into consideration what the product does for you, the consumer. After all, if you dont know what engine viscosity or thermal breakdown is, it probably isnt keeping you up at night.Lets look instead at the benefits. For the purp oses of this example, lets assume that by using Castrol Motor Oil youd lower automobile repair expenses by $400 per year and your cars would last, on average, five years longer. If true, that would be the benefit of using Castrol. It might even convince you to use the product.Now, apply this thinking to your resume. Your ability to use Java or C++, your proficiency with Oracle databases, and even your advanced degree are attributes. People who possess the same basic skills and credentials are everywhere. Thats not why people are going to hire you. True, companies are looking to hire people with those skills, but there has to be more. What really matters is what you have done with those skills. Thats where youll find the benefit.A few right-brained principlesGive them the benefit. There are six basic ways to quantify your experience1. Time2. Money3. Quality4. Quantity5. Safety6. ComplianceSafety and compliance may not always be relevant, but the first four quantifiers almost always a re. First, give people an idea of the types of projects youve done. Start with the basics and describe the purpose, length, scope and results of the project. This is important because employers want to know what you are capable of handling. Then, ask yourself the following questionswelches this part of your job, or were you specially selected to work on the project?What did you do or contribute that otherwise might never have happened?Were you able to convince the company or client to invest more time, money or resources than they originally planned?These questions focus more on your individual contributions. Highlight any projects for which you were specifically selected. This is one of the best ways to show that others value your input. In addition, it is always helpful to identify any ideas you had that improved the outcome of the project. For example, if you came up with an idea and convinced a company to spend time or money to implement it, that can be very compelling. Come up with as many examples of idea generation and problem solving as you can. All companies have problems and are looking for people who can solve them.Applying these principlesTo make these principles work for you, it is absolutely essential to think beyond generic job descriptions and raw skills to actual accomplishments. In this economy, there are countless people who have the same basic skills. Some are more qualified, and some are less qualified. But most dont take the time to quantify their experiences. Thats what will make the difference. Help people understand what you can do and how it will benefit them.This is a particularly difficult challenge because marketing yourself effectively requires more right-brained thinking than you may be used to doing. Remember, jobs dont always go to the most qualified people jobs go to the people who know how to market themselves. Its going to take time to do a thorough self-assessment, but I promise its worth it.It all boils down to one simple choice You can either invest your time up front creating an inventory of quantified, compelling experiences, or you can spend the time on the back end dealing with a string of rejections and the strong possibility of underemployment. Choose wisely.