Thursday, March 12, 2020

2 Surprising Things I Learned About Myself During My First Performance Review Since Changing Careers

2 Surprising Things I Learned About Myself During My First Performance Review Since Changing Careers Performance review season is a time to reflect. A chance to level up, buckle down and in some cases, back out.This was the case for both wertzuwachs reviews Ive ever had my first, a few years ago, when I was an elementary school teacher and my most recent, now that Im a writer and editor.But this wertzuwachs review was a little different because it came with an unexpected discovery two, in fact.I didnt just circle numbers, drop a few comments and create a plan of attack for the next six months. This review forced me to step out of myself for a second and truly look in the mirror at who I was in my first full-time role since changing careers.And with that, came the following reflections1. I had imposter syndrome.When word of this psychological pattern started going around a few years ago, I had no idea what it meant. It wasnt until my performance review that I was able to recognize it in myself imposter syndrome, a feeling of inadequacy in ones own accomplishments and abilities. Imposter syndrome can look like negative self-talk, lack of self-confidence or the inability to move past your own mistakes (among many other things). On a scale of Im not good at what I do to someone else could do my job better than me, I fell heavily on the latter. And my reasons for why were simple I was a recent career changer and was new to the editorial industry.I spent the first few months taking notes and listening intently. Then I spent the next month doing the same. And the next and the next. Speaking up in my new field felt like trying to jump into a double-dutch rope, and there I was stuck knees bent, swaying to the rhythm of the ropes on the sidelines.Sure, I have a writing and rhetoric degree, taught writing to middle school students and have a portfolio of my writing online. But sometimes, I felt like an AP student with straight As rendered obsolete when I struggled to u nderstand editorial vocabulary, data terms and success metrics. I didnt share many ideas or question much of anything. I just waited to be told what to do because I knew I could do that well.When my performance review rolled around, my manager popped my debilitating bubble of illusion with this simple statementYoure very engaged with the team (both the editorial team and Fairygodboss as a whole).Her perspective made me aware that Id put myself under an imaginary pressure somewhere along the line. That at some point, I started treating myself less warmly, saw myself with less authority and stopped giving myself the credit I deserved for being present. But my managers comment was an important one it let me know that what I was doing was enough.With that, I learned it doesnt matter how long it took me to learn how to swim in this new field. (Ive only been in it for six months, for goodness sake). My treading water looks like doggy paddling so thats all that matters so long as I work on my full strokes which I am.2. Im an advocate for unrepresented people and populations. In completing my own self-evaluation, I noticed a recurring theme in my writing diversity and inclusion. Every other article Ive written has been about Latinx women, the LGBTQ+ community or women in leadership.And looking back, Ive happily jumped at any opportunity to write about these topics or forged those opportunities myself (like the time I covered Bernadette Sheridans panel, a colleague who shared advice on how to stay competitive as a woman over 50 in todays digital work world).Ironically enough, I noticed this theme when I listed out the critical accomplishments section of my evaluation. The contributions I felt the most proud of were the ones that exercised my advocacy (and in many respects, my identity, too). Heres an excerpt of my reflectionLGBTQ+ contentI wrote comprehensive LGBTQ+ content in June and found high-volume KWs for production that month. This effort showed our awareness of gender diversity and identity and demonstrated our solidarity with the community.National Hispanic Heritage Month I edited the National Hispanic Heritage Month article to accurately reflect and recognize the Latinx community, and changed the tone from passive to active. This achievement positioned us as informed allies and activists on the state of immigration and Latinx-facing issues in our country.Before my self-evaluation, the only proof of my allyship to underrepresented groups was my Facebook page where I reposted social justice content on an inconsistent basis. Now, I had proof that I cared. And, to combat my imposter syndrome (because why not?), I had proof that my buttin this seat mattered.All-in-all, performance review season can be a scary time (which it totenstill was for me, just to be clear). But its also a time to reflect honestly about who you are, why youre in your role and if your role is truly the right fit for you.If you want to ease your pre-review jitters, t hen request 90-day performance reviews with your manager or schedule weekly meetings to discuss whats going well, where you could use more support and how you can get ahead of your workload. I had both with my manager before my bi-annual review and its probably why my discoveries were more pleasant than not.--Stephanie Nieves is the SEO Editorial Associate on the Fairygodboss team. Her words can also be found on Medium,PayScaleand The Muse.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Writing a Resume Section for Current Events

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Writing a Resume Section for Current Events You might even have more than 1 section with a certain kind of experience. A great resume format is simple to scan. When you have written and organized your information according to the kind of resume youve chosen, make sure to format it according to typical professional standards. Keep your resume to a single page. New Questions About Writing a Resume Section for Current Events A two-page limitation will force you to determine which details are the absolute most important and which details can be left out. Resume guidelines can change from industry to industry, therefore its advisable to get familiar with specific industry examples. The info in your resume should paint an image of the kind of employee you are and show employers what youre capable of accomplishing. Take a look at our guide on what things to put on a resume. What is Really Happening with Writing a Resume Section for Current Events 1 approach to assist you decide if you have to incorporate a skills section is to refer to the work description. Learn about the three kinds of skills you are able to highlight and the way it is possible to incorporate them into your resume. The skills might be technical skills specifically needed by the field youre applying to, or else they might be more general skills that may be applied to many unique fields. Make certain it includes your soft abilities, hard abilities, along with technical skills. The Benefits of Writing a Resume Section for Current Events If youre applying to a ort in another nation, learn what the resume expectations are for that nation. Perhaps you took a couple of years off of work to boost a family members or care for an ailing loved one, or maybe youve switched industries during the duration of your career. You should list work in reverse chronological order starting with your latest job. Many times, it is a few smallish change s that may make the biggest impact The Upside to Writing a Resume Section for Current Events Tailor your resume to concentrate on the work and extracurricular experiences which are most relevant to the job or industry youre targeting. Again, make certain youve got the appropriate and current contact info, and an expert email. Normally, resumes are one to two pages in length and provide the reader an overview of the way the applicant can benefit the organization or organization. There are lots of standard kinds of resumes used to make an application for job openings. Your present address needs to be placed on the left side and, on the correct side, put the address of somebody who has agreed to accept your mail and will be at the address for a minumum of one year. Handling an event from beginning to finish is quite a challenging endeavor. In the end, you would like to attempt to strike a balance between including experience thats both timely and relevant. Ultimately its yo ur opportunity to persuade a possible recruiter to read on. Spelling The fastest way to deter a recruiter is with inadequate spelling or grammar. A resume coach, or just a friend, can let you see them more clearly.