How to Add Bilingual Speaking, Reading and Writing on Resume

How to Add Bilingual Speaking, Reading and Writing on ResumeWhen you are an executive in the technology industry, the ability to understand and speak both English and Spanish is a good thing. However, it is also important that you also learn and communicate with Spanish-speaking individuals as well as other language skills.There are many ways to practice your language skills, so you should definitely consider taking a biweekly test of Spanish. For example, if you are already bilingual in English and Spanish, but have not taken a Spanish test, there are many companies that offer Spanish training classes.If you don't take the time to learn Spanish at home, then you should consider enrolling in a course. You should make sure to learn as much as you can about the language, in order to be able to speak it fluently. There are many things you can do to make this happen, including going to Spanish learning classes, taking classes at community colleges, or participating in study abroad progra ms.Another way to learn Spanish is by taking a practice test to see if you learn it at a fast pace, or if you need more time. With most companies that conduct tests in a hurry, you may want to consider going to a testing center for a chance to take a more advanced test, while still allowing yourself the chance to practice.The quicker you learn the basics of Spanish, the better it will translate on a resume, because employers look for bilingual candidates. Even if you already speak English or another language fluently, it is a great idea to learn Spanish if you hope to get a job in a company that uses the English language.Even if you already speak a second language, this can be a great opportunity to further expand your abilities. You might be able to learn other languages if you do a lot of traveling, attend a lot of seminars, and interact with people who are fluent in multiple languages. If you are concerned about what your resume is going to say when you submit it, you should cons ider learning a new language on the side.Learning a new language can be a great way to include Spanish on your resume. If you find that you enjoy learning a new language, then this can be a great way to expand your opportunities.

How to Avoid Work Distractions

How to Avoid Work Distractions There’s a disturbance in the workforceâ€"a lot of them, actually. You know the ones: the persistent ding of social media alerts, the unending stream of “urgent” emails, the cubicle mate who conducts every call on speakerphone … How can we get any work done with so many distractions afoot? The answer is that most of us aren’t accomplishing as much as we could be. Research from the University of California, Irvine, found that the typical office worker spends only 11 minutes on a task before getting interrupted or abandoning it for another project. And once workflow has been disrupted, it can take about 23 minutes to get back on track, explains professor Gloria Mark, who led the study. To help you out, we asked productivity experts to share their tricks for regaining focus and keeping time bandits at bay.Even if you’re distracted right now, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to their tips! Productivity Killer: Your Colleagues Every office has ‘em: the chatty Charlies who pop by to ask a “quick” questionâ€"but then linger for the next 30 minutes to give you a run-down of last night’s episode of “The Bachelor.” Add the time spent socializing to the 23 minutes it’ll take you to refocus after each distraction, and you could potentially lose several hours of productivity. Focus Fix #1: Take a Standâ€"Literally When colleagues drop by your desk to ask a question, get up to talk to them, recommends Cathy Sexton, a productivity strategist, author and founder of The Productivity Experts. The reason? It’s much easier to cut the conversation short when you’re standing than it is after they get comfortable, Sexton explains. Focus Fix #2: Play Hard to Get Occasionally hanging a simple “do not disturb” sign can speak volumes to would-be chatters. Also look at how you might be contributing to the interruptions. If you have a candy jar on your desk, you’re begging for a constant stream of sugar-seeking visitors. Hide those treats in your desk instead, or ditch them entirely. Focus Fix #3: Combine Your Conversations Even when your distractions are truly work-relatedâ€"such as emails and surprise meetingsâ€"you can still take control of your time. Author Maura Thomas, founder ofRegainYourTime.com, suggests using a “Talk to” list to eliminate constant back-and-forth email chains and cut impromptu drop-ins. “When you have a lot of recurring interactions with someone, like a colleague or your boss, you often think of things that you want or need to share with that person,” she says. “Rather than emailing every time you think of something, create a ‘Talk to’ list for that person.” That means batching several of your questions, to-dos and talking points into one email instead of sending them piecemeal. Be sure to number your tasks in a prioritized list for fast and easy communication and to ensure the recipient addresses every part of the message. Then ask that your colleagues do the same for you. “If the other person has a list for you, as well, this process results in very effective and less disruptive communication,” Thomas adds. And if a pop-up meeting does have to happen, ask your colleague when they can meet and how long they’ll need. Then schedule it on both of your calendars so you’re in control of your own time, advises Sexton. Read More: Coworkers Behaving Badly: How to Keep 6 Toxic Colleagues in Check Productivity Killer: Your Own Distracted Self Not all of our disruptions can be blamed on our coworkers. It turns out half of the time, we’re interrupting ourselves. Whether struggling with an Instagram addiction or just feeling overwhelmed by an overpacked schedule, it can be very easy to get off track. Fortunately there are things you can do to help keep your attention where it needs it to be. Focus Fix #4: Choose Your Background Noise According to the International Facility Management Association, about 70% of U.S. offices have adopted some type of open floor plan, with many believing the layout would foster collaboration and communication. For many workers, however, the open office just created less privacy and more disruptions. “Academic researchâ€"and a mountain of anecdotal evidenceâ€"shows open offices inhibit productivity and creative thinking and can damage the attention span of workers,” says Thomas. “Some research shows it isn’t the open office itself that is the problem; rather its execution is to blame.” If you find yourself getting distracted by some of your colleagues’ noisy quirks, both Thomas and Sexton recommend grabbing your headphones and turning on some tunes via the Focus@Will app and website to dampen some of the office noise. The specialized music service features a library of instrumental pieces programmed to help soothe the limbic system (the part of the brain that controls basic emotions and drives) to continuously tune out external stimuli in 100-minute increments. Focus Fix #5: Give Multitasking a Miss Whether you’re popping between projects every few minutes or taking a work call while checking your Twitter feed, your common multitasking behaviors may be severely hampering your productivity. Experts say that single-tasking is a better way to go and that it can not only help you get more done, it can also make you sharper and smarter. A single-tasking strategy motivates you to attend to your priorities and it can also help ease stress. “Think small,” Thomas says. “You don’t have to persuade yourself to do everything on your to-do list; you only have to persuade yourself to do the next thing. Once you’ve selected a task to tackle, close everything else and just do that.” And as a rule, Sexton advises including no more than three priority tasks total on your daily to-do list to help you stay on track even if you get interrupted. Read More: 9 Realistic Ways to Curb Procrastination, Stress Less and Get More Done Focus Fix #6: Zone Out Counterintuitive, we know. But studies have shown that focus, like our physical endurance, is a limited resource. That’s why as the brain works harder to complete attention-draining tasks, we’re more likely to be distractedâ€"it’s an energy-saving mechanism to reserve mental strength. Most people can only work for about 90 minutes before their productive energy levels start dropping, says Sexton. When this happens, it helps to take a mental break to recharge and refocus. But instead of reaching for your phone or tablet, Thomas suggests simply letting your mind wander. “Your brain needs quiet time to make connections and generate insights,” she says. “What we need is often just a little idle time.” This idle time can be as simple as sitting back in your chair, closing your eyes for a few seconds and thinking about something pleasant, Sexton adds. Read More: How to Succeed at Work the Lazy Way Focus Fix #7: Keep Your Workday Tight If you need a break after 90 minutes, imagine what your body needs after five days of your 9-to-5 (or 6 … or 7) routine. So if you think you’re getting more done by tacking on an extra 15 hours to your regular work week, think again. Research shows clocking in for longer periods of time doesn’t actually make you an all-star workerâ€"instead, productivity drops off at about 50 hours per week. And putting in an inordinate amount of overtime on a regular basis can lead to additional stress, sleep deprivation, burnout and a slew of health issues. While navigating distractions and learning how to refocus can help reboot your productivity, there’s also the acceptance that you won’t get as much done in a day as you think you will. “While everyone would like a magic bullet, there really isn’t one,” says Thomas. “Accepting the reality of the situation can go a long way toward relieving your stress …. The best thing you can do for your work is not work.”

Always Be Prepared for a Sudden Shift in Employment Status - Work It Daily

Always Be Prepared for a Sudden Shift in Employment Status - Work It Daily Expect the best, but plan for the worse. I recall hearing this advice a lot when I was growing up and passed it on to my own children as they navigated their way through many challenging situations. On a recent assignment with an outplacement firm, I met one-on-one with individuals who had just learned their position with the company was being eliminated and they were joining the ranks of the unemployed. As I spoke with these “shell shocked” individuals and thought about the thousands of professionals around the country who have already been laid-off, or would be soon, the above advice came back to me with new meaning. Although the media has kept us all painfully aware of the dire straights of our economy and the current and expected layoffs, most professionals believe it can never happen to them. And why believe other wise? As one of the gentlemen I met with recently told me, while choking back his tears, “My customers love me, I have a stellar performance record, and I was just promised a raise last week.” He was trying to find meaning in something that made no sense at all â€" and yet, there was no reason I or anyone else could give him that would explain away the hurt and disbelief he was feeling. My role was to acknowledge his pain and then turn his attention toward an action plan that would lead him through this unexpected career transition. As I spoke to him about next steps, I was instantly aware that he â€" like thousands of other talented, hard working, and dedicated professionals - had not planned for the worse. Everyday, he did his job and trusted that his career would be taken care of. The fairy tale he had come to believe had been exposed as a sham - and he literally cried. So, what are some of the things you can do while expecting the best yet planning for the worse? Keep your resume up to date. This goes beyond adding each job title and employer as you move forward; a practically worthless activity if you are using the same format and style you began with early in your career. Current resumes bear little resemblance to those used just a decade ago and the resume template that comes packaged with your word processing program is of little value. Find a professional â€" with credentials â€" and craft a branded, achievement-focused marketing document that truly sells you. Keep your resume on a CD or portable flash drive and/or save it on your home computer. The gentleman I spoke to on Monday was panic-stricken when he realized that the only copy he had of his resume was saved to his work PC â€" and he was escorted off the campus before having a chance to download and save his personal documents. Same goes for copies of your performance reviews, awards, kudo letters and e-mails from colleagues and customers. They are nice to display in the office â€" but keep copies at home. Establish a support team â€" an “emergency contact list” of who you will call first if your job suddenly ends. When I meet with professionals immediately following their dismissal, I always ask “Who can you call; who will be at home when you get there?” How tragic the one gentleman I spoke to that day would be driving home alone and the only one there to greet him were his two cats. His closest “friends” were his co-workers, and they were dealing with their own personal issues over what just happened. Build and nurture a strong professional network. I can’t tell you how many times I hear recently laid-off professionals tell me “ I just realized that the only people I know are the people I work with everyday â€" and now many of them are also unemployed.” Join professional associations, and get involved. Volunteer in your community. Connect through online networking services such as LinkedIn and Facebook. Make yourself visible and develop a reputation as someone in the know, with unique qualities and value. Keep learning. It’s not enough to have the skills and knowledge to perform your current job â€" you need to develop the skills and knowledge to perform the jobs of the future. I met a woman recently who worked as an accountant with the same company for 18 years; they were not using any computer technology to maintain their general ledger books and financial records! Don’t expect your employer to provide you with the training and education you need to remain competitive; take control! Enroll in classes, participate in teleseminars and conferences, read professional journals, get certified. I hope your current employer will weather the storm and your job will remain intact as the New Year shuffles in and for many years to come. But, if the time comes you are facing a career transition â€" by choice or circumstances â€" take definitive steps NOW to be ready. There are no more gold watches and lifelong pension plans. You control your career - not your employer, your boss or the HR Department. You can let a job layoff be the end â€" or you can embrace it, with the proper tools and resources already in place â€" as a new beginning! Norine Dagliano, of ekm Inspirations, is an independent and nationally certified professional resume writer (NCRW) and job search coach specializing in working with successful professionals who have limited job search experience. For more than two decades, Norine has crafted powerful, achievement-focused resumes and provided logical and straight-forward job seeking tips and advice that has helped literally thousands of professionals in overcoming the anxiety of looking for working… and finding their ideal job. Learn more at www.ekminspirations.com. Career change image from Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!