How to take ownership of your work and design a better life

How to take ownership of your work and design a better lifeHow to take ownership of your work and design a better lifeThe biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual. Remember Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career - Earl NightingaleFor better or worse, the days of having a steady income at a 95 job for decades are dying.Entrepreneurs and freelancers understand this more than anyone.Creating your own career naturally leads to defining your own day to day activities and creating a workable, scalable plan for your retirement years.Because those later years depend so heavily on the financial decisions you make now, your career choices carry a heavyweight.Richie Norton recommends you ponder over these questions and self-reflect to change how you get paid in life.When do you get up in the morning? Why?When do you come home? Why?If you had a different j obyour ideal employment (or self-employment), would your lifestyle changeat all? Why?When do you go on vacation? Why?Do you dread Monday or is it like any other day of the week? Why?Who do you hang out with 95, M-F? Why?The future is hereToday, access to opportunities is no longer limited to your physical location.You can be based in Mumbai yet still have the opportunity to work for any hot startup in the world.More opportunities and access to attractive businesses all over the world means more choice, more freedom, and less commitment to one company.As work patterns, economic times, and digital technology evolves, the traditional work environment is growing, changing, and emerging with the times.A recent Future Workplace survey found that 91 percent of millennials expect to stay in a job for less than three years, and that flexible hours and location-independent policies are more desirable than salary.The future of work is a lifestyle of personal preferences, personal development, and personal responsibility.The future of work means fewer hours spent on-site, locked into a cubicle, and punching a time clock tied to a rigid set of hours and rules.The mind-set of lifetime or long-term employment doesnt even exist for many employees today. They simply expect to be at an organisation for a few years and then move onto the next thing, says Jacob Morgan (an Author, speaker and futurist) of Forbes.With job security a thing of the past, what can you do to set yourself up for success?Pitching yourself as an expert is the ultimate form of career insuranceWe can create the ultimate job security by becoming less dependent on the organisation for which we work and more dependent on our own resources. - Bo BennettWant to thrive?Pick a niche.Get even better at what you do.You get your greatest reward and satisfaction from the intersection between what you enjoy doing most and what people are wiling to pay for.Starting today, you can easily diversifying your income based on your unique skills- a strategic way to create a solid, reliable income now and establish a retirement fun you can depend on in the future.Aside from the change in the functionality and attitudes of the contemporary workplace, job security is an illusion for an entirely different reason.If the companies and corporations of the past suffered bankruptcy or any other financial crisis, the pension their employees had worked so hard for simply disappeared forcing many of them back into the working world, often at lower pay scales.Even when a company closes its doors for reasons other than commercial failure, the security of your job and the security of your pension are plunged into uncertainty.Taking your career firmly into your own hands is the best way to ensure longevity, career and retirement security, and a diverse income stream.Think you cant create multiple income streams on your own?Think again.Surviving in todays economy means having the flexibility to let go of the ideas of th e past, the courage to constantly reevaluate plans for the future, and the presence of mind to adapt to life, as it is, in the moment, writes Micha Kaufman of Forbes.Career security should be your long-term focusShifting your focus from job security to career security is a simple act of understanding that youre in control of your own destiny.Use the skill you have to your advantage.Learn other skills if you must.Skills you can sell on your own. Marketable skills.Build a portfolio.Get your name out there, and not just connected to your current job title.Do these things to keep control of your own life and career.Even if you think youll never say goodbye to a steady paycheck, prepare yourself anyway for the future.Stay indispensable.Dont become stagnant just because you dont want to lose your job.If you are deliberately trying to create a future that feels safe, you will willfully ignore the future that is likely, writes Seth Godin in his book, Linchpin.The most successful people put their interests, and careers first.They follow themselves, and continuously find the motivation to equip themselves with skills and knowledge to thrive.Keeping your skills fresh, current and relevant is the best way to stay marketable.Identify any gaps that need addressing to position yourself as a highly valuable asset to any client.Join the on-demand economyChoose a series of consultancy gigs you can do as a freelancer.Today, technology has changed everything.The trend points to a new era in which most of us will work in multiple micro-careers at the saatkorn time, leaving the traditional full-time job behind, writes Kevin Maney of Wired.People are choosing to work remotely, on projects, or build careers as experts in their industries.Making those three strategic moves is its own method of income diversification because it ensures you have gigs coming in from multiple sites.You can also establish your expertise in more than one area.You can easily market your expertise in engineer ing, law, chemistry, writing or anything else to an array of clients, assembling a well-paid career as a multi-faceted on-demand worker.If youre a pro writer, you can leverage amazing platforms like Medium to get exposure. Can you create stunning designs, landing pages and websites?You can easily offer your service offer startups and small businesses.Create a stream of passive incomePassive income can take on many forms.Identify a special component of your freelance gigs and turn it into an eBook.Are you an expert in a particular hands-on craft?Create a how-to, instructional eBook.Are you more successful than others in your entrepreneurial endeavors?Turn that expertise into a how-I-did-it eBook.eBooks are cheap and easy to publish and turn a small investment of time into an ongoing source of income.Information is a hot commodity and people are flocking to info products in droves these days.Info products arent limited to eBooks - try creating on-demand webinars, online courses, paid membership sites, and live workshops.Identify mutually profitable strategic partnersStrategic partners are a freelancers goldmine.What are they?They are fellow career entrepreneurs who share your target market without being your direct competition.For example, a graphic designer might form a strategic partnership with a copywriter.Although they share the same target market, they dont compete with each other.Therefore, theyre in the coveted position of being able to refer work to each other and team up to win bigger clients.They can even work together to pitch themselves to potential clients as a complete package that saves time, money, and run around for the client.Consider making a sound financial investmentInvesting well is one of the oldest forms of passive income.Avoid making overly risky investments or investing on your own with no help or guidance.Instead, opt to work with an experienced investor or join a local or online investment club.Smart, well thought out investments, r eal estate investments, and bank CDs provide slow but steady growth.Once a month, I buy more shares of the Vanguard Index Fund and thats it. The cost is low, and the risk is also relatively low (when a company thats on an datenbankindex goes bust, it gets replaced by another one).A great way to double, triple, or even quadruple your earnings is to learn a little about stock investments and put your money towards a low-risk investment.With the right help and savvy strategies, investments can add to your income and, over a longer period of time, build a robust retirement fund.Your only security is YOUThe typical rat race with its glass ceilings and corporate limitations isnt necessarily a bad thing.For the segment of the population who might struggle to create their own day to day structure, a traditional 95 job might be their best employment option.For others who have the resolution to create a daily, weekly, and monthly task list - and stick to it - entrepreneurship is their ticke t away from the illusion of job security.It allows them to set goals, identify multiple income sources, market their skills, acquire clients, and establish savings.More importantly, it allows them to do it on their own terms.Job security is highly dependent on the financial condition of the overall economy.When the economy takes a downturn, layoffs, firings, and cutbacks are common.In the face of an economic downturn or dip in the stock market, job security quickly falls to the wayside.As an expert, freelancer, on-demand worker, consultant, or entrepreneur - you have the ability to shift your focus from one income area to another income stream just as quickly.In fact, creating your own economy allows you to cater to recent trends, adjust pricing to meet current demands, and scale your company of one as needed.That kind of creativity, flexibility, and freedom is what create real job security.A diverse income is easily created due to the seemingly limitless possibilities of the gig e conomy, the side hustle, and self-determination.Income diversification offers a layer of protection in the event you lose one income stream.Moreover, it offers peace of mind in the face of looming changes.Having diverse income sources keeps panic at bay, keeps bills paid, and keeps you happy and fulfilled.Make a dent, no matter how smallNobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little - Edmund BurkeYou dont have to cure cancer to make a dent.You can make an impact in your own small way.You can make a dent by pursuing your lifes work.Be yourself, loudly.Start a new side project, doing only one thing, but doing it very well.Start a business that does a service youve always wanted, or that you are frustrated within other companies because the service sucks.Make music that makes others want to weep, to laugh, to create.Teach young people to do amazing things.Write a play, get others to act in it, record it.Empower others to do things theyve never been able to do before.Show up every day and work on your most important life work.Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyones task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it, says Viktor E. Frankl.You dont need a lot of money, a large following, or fancy equipment to do your best work, thrive in the process, and get paid to do more of it.Give a damn about what you really want in life.Its your turn to profit from what makes you come alive.Make it countExcerpted from my recent book, Working in the Gig Economy How to Thrive and Succeed When You Choose to Work for Yourself. Its a guide to successfully navigate the new flexible and changing world of work, and pitch yourself as an indispensable expert in your industry. It contains true stories of successful freelancers who have reinvented themselves by choice.Before you go You can subscribe toPostanly Weekly(my free weekly digest of the best posts about behavior change that affect health, wealth, and productivity). Join over 50,000 people on a mission to build a better life.Thisarticlefirst appeared on Medium.

13 questions hiring managers ask to test your personality

13 questions hiring managers ask to test your personality13 questions hiring managers ask to test your personalityEmployers today arent necessarily only looking for candidates with the right set of technical skills and years of experience under their belt.They also want to hire those who also have something unique to offer - like a great personality 0r a strong set of soft skills.In fact, if they find a candidate who has less experience than their competition, but has stronger growth potential and seems to be a better cultural fit, the employer may feel encouraged to hire that person, said Edward Fleischman, chief executive officer of Execu Search, a full-service recruitment, temporary staffing, and retained search firm.In an effort to find new hires that are great cultural fits, employers are putting mora emphasis on soft skills, like organization, communication, leadership, initiatives, and the ability to think your feet.To figure out if candidates possess the soft skills or perso nality fit that they are looking for, employers will ask questions like the ones outlined below.What welches the belastung new task or skill you learned, and how did you go about it?Employers ask this question to evaluate how a candidate views their own professional development, Fleischman said.He recommended answering with details on how you learn new skills. Emphasize that youre curious and continually learning new things about your profession.Tell me about a time that you did more than what was required on the jobYour interviewer wants to make koranvers that youre committed to excelling.So, Fleischman said, give an example of a time where you went above and beyond the call of duty. This will also help show that you care about the quality of your work.If your best friend was sitting here, what would they say is the best part about being your friend?The purpose of this question is to bring out a sense of honesty and candor in a candidate.Learning about what makes an applicant a goo d friend allows employers to get a better feel for whether or not they would fit in with the company culture, Fleischman said.If you could change one thing about the way you approach challenges, what would it be?This question puts candidates on the spot, and allows hiring managers to evaluate a candidates self-awareness and ability to admit there are some aspects of their professional life they would like to improve, Fleischman said.Since humility is an important quality to many employers, a response to this question is something they listen closely to, he added.If you were an animal, what would you be and why?This inquiry is a favorite amongst hiring managers because it allows them to not only evaluate how quickly someone can think on their feet, but it also requires candidates to exercise some degree of creativity in a relatively short amount of time, Fleischman said.These are two skills that can be applied to solving almost any geschftlicher umgang challenge.What has the most sat isfying moment in your life been?When employers ask this question, they are looking to see what motivates a candidate and whether or not their values fit into the company culture, Fleischman said.How would your last supervisor describe you in three words?This inquiry gives the employer a glimpse into how others view a candidates professional value, Fleischman said.What drives you in your professional life?Employers ask this question to gain insight into what motivates a candidate both in their career and as a potential employee.As cultural fit becomes more important to employers and their business as a whole, many look for candidates whose goals align with theirs, and asking this question allows them to assess what exactly a candidates goals are, Fleischman said.What drives you in your personal life?On a similar note, this question aims to delve into a candidates personality and better assess their cultural fit.By developing a better understanding of a job seekers non-work life, and by learning about what drives them personally, an employer can get a better grasp of the type of personality theyd be bringing to the company, Fleischman said.And, painting a picture of a candidates personal goals can help an employer better understand how motivated they are in general.What types of hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?Just like learning about what drives someone in their personal life, discovering how someone spends their time outside of work and what specific activities they enjoy and invest in can give an interesting look into their personality, Fleischman said.In addition, hobbies can translate into specific soft and hard skills that can be applicable to many jobs, and employers are often interested in learning what a candidate has to offer outside their resumes skills section.Can you take me through a scenario at work that was particularly stressful for you, and how you handled it?This question shows not only the candidates ability to think on their feet, but also their ability to be diplomatic, Fleischman said.For example, if the stressful situation was due to someone elses errors, was the candidate able to speak about it in a professional, tactful way?Or, if the stressful situation was due to their own error, it shows a great deal about a candidate if they can take responsibility for it in their explanation.If you could meet a celebrity, who would it be and why?Many people admire certain celebrities and public figures. Learning about who a candidate would be most excited to meet offers another interesting viewpoint into their personality and their values - two important factors of cultural fit.Have you ever played on a sports team?The answer to this question can reveal personality traits that are important to certain companies, depending on the nature of their business.For example, a former athlete could be a great team player or, depending on the sport or position they played, may thrive best while working on their own, Fleischman sa id.Athletes often have a competitive nature, which can be good or bad.Jacquelyn Smith contributed to a previous version of this article which first appeared on Business Insider.13 questions hiring managers ask to test your personalityEmployers today arent necessarily only looking for candidates with the right set of technical skills and years of experience under their belt.They also want to hire those who also have something unique to offer - like a great personality 0r a strong set of soft skills.In fact, if they find a candidate who has less experience than their competition, but has stronger growth potential and seems to be a better cultural fit, the employer may feel encouraged to hire that person, said Edward Fleischman, chief executive officer of Execu Search, a full-service recruitment, temporary staffing, and retained search firm.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn an e ffort to find new hires that are great cultural fits, employers are putting more emphasis on soft skills, like organization, communication, leadership, initiatives, and the ability to think your feet.To figure out if candidates possess the soft skills or personality fit that they are looking for, employers will ask questions like the ones outlined below.What was the last new task or skill you learned, and how did you go about it?Employers ask this question to evaluate how a candidate views their own professional development, Fleischman said.He recommended answering with details on how you learn new skills. Emphasize that youre curious and continually learning new things about your profession.Tell me about a time that you did more than what was required on the jobYour interviewer wants to make sure that youre committed to excelling.So, Fleischman said, give an example of a time where you went above and beyond the call of duty. This will also help show that you care about the quality of your work.If your best friend was sitting here, what would they say is the best part about being your friend?The purpose of this question is to bring out a sense of honesty and candor in a candidate.Learning about what makes an applicant a good friend allows employers to get a better feel for whether or not they would fit in with the company culture, Fleischman said.If you could change one thing about the way you approach challenges, what would it be?This question puts candidates on the spot, and allows hiring managers to evaluate a candidates self-awareness and ability to admit there are some aspects of their professional life they would like to improve, Fleischman said.Since humility is an important quality to many employers, a response to this question is something they listen closely to, he added.If you were an animal, what would you be and why?This inquiry is a favorite amongst hiring managers because it allows them to not only evaluate how quickly someone can think on their feet, but it also requires candidates to exercise some degree of creativity in a relatively short amount of time, Fleischman said.These are two skills that can be applied to solving almost any business challenge.What has the most satisfying moment in your life been?When employers ask this question, they are looking to see what motivates a candidate and whether or not their values fit into the company culture, Fleischman said.How would your last supervisor describe you in three words?This inquiry gives the employer a glimpse into how others view a candidates professional value, Fleischman said.What drives you in your professional life?Employers ask this question to gain insight into what motivates a candidate both in their career and as a potential employee.As cultural fit becomes more important to employers and their business as a whole, many look for candidates whose goals align with theirs, and asking this question allows them to assess what exactly a candidates goals are, Fleisc hman said.What drives you in your personal life?On a similar note, this question aims to delve into a candidates personality and better assess their cultural fit.By developing a better understanding of a job seekers non-work life, and by learning about what drives them personally, an employer can get a better grasp of the type of personality theyd be bringing to the company, Fleischman said.And, painting a picture of a candidates personal goals can help an employer better understand how motivated they are in general.What types of hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?Just like learning about what drives someone in their personal life, discovering how someone spends their time outside of work and what specific activities they enjoy and invest in can give an interesting look into their personality, Fleischman said.In addition, hobbies can translate into specific soft and hard skills that can be applicable to many jobs, and employers are often interested in learning what a candidate has to offer outside their resumes skills section.Can you take me through a scenario at work that was particularly stressful for you, and how you handled it?This question shows not only the candidates ability to think on their feet, but also their ability to be diplomatic, Fleischman said.For example, if the stressful situation was due to someone elses errors, was the candidate able to speak about it in a professional, tactful way?Or, if the stressful situation was due to their own error, it shows a great deal about a candidate if they can take responsibility for it in their explanation.If you could meet a celebrity, who would it be and why?Many people admire certain celebrities and public figures. Learning about who a candidate would be most excited to meet offers another interesting viewpoint into their personality and their values - two important factors of cultural fit.Have you ever played on a sports team?The answer to this question can reveal personality traits that are importan t to certain companies, depending on the nature of their business.For example, a former athlete could be a great team player or, depending on the sport or position they played, may thrive best while working on their own, Fleischman said.Athletes often have a competitive nature, which can be good or bad.Jacquelyn Smith contributed to a previous version of this article which first appeared on Business Insider.

Resume Tips

Resume TipsResume Tips