Opportunity or Obstacle 3 Ways to Identify Career Distractions

Opportunity or Obstacle 3 Ways to Identify Career Distractions An article by Quantum Learning Solutions Inc. lists six startling statistics about interruptions in the office. They are The average employee spends 28 percent of his/her time dealing with unnecessary interruptions followed by recovery time to get back on track. (2009, Basex)The time spent per day being interrupted and trying to refocus is 2.1 hours. (2009, Basex)Physically co-located workers spend longer chunks of time engaged in tasks for which they are not accountable. (University of California-Irvine)The average manager is interrupted every 8 minutes. (Study conducted by Priority Management)The Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London suggests that your IQ falls 10 points when youre fielding constant emails, text messages and calls, an equivalent loss to missing an entire nights sleep. (Yoga Journal, p. 22, 12/2005).The cost of managing interruptions at work costs the US economy $588 billion per year. (2009, Basex)As evident, in our careers and in our lives, distractions can be costly. We do as people always seem to fall pray to distractions. WellFor one, theyre easy to fall victim to (especially if you have a short attention span or are uninterested in the task at hand)And two, most distractions are appealing. Catching up with Janet in the break room and having a good laugh sounds much more enticing than inputting data into a spread sheet. And reading the latest sports stats will provide more excitement than reading over the latest company report.But as the old saying goes, all that glitters isnt gold i.e. just because something looks good, doesnt mean it is.This concept makes me think of our career paths. We all have goals we wish to accomplish, and as we travel down our different roads, were sure to encounter various scenarios. Yet, how do we learn to distinguish between the opportunities we enc ounter and the obstacles? Because there are plenty of opportunities that exist, yet some may lead to creating obstacles in our lives, especially if the opportunity wasnt meant for us.Case in point Dan is studying to go to medical school, but in the meantime, Dan needs a job. Dan meets someone who offers to give him a job managing rental properties. It offers a decent salary with the potential for bonuses. (Opportunity)Because the offer sounded so good, Dan accepts the position. Yet, he soon realizes just how heavy the workload is. Dan works 12-hour days, and even some weekends and rarely finds time to study anymore. Before he knows it, the MCAT testing date has come and gone, and now Dan must wait even longer to pursue his medical school dream. (Obstacle)Everyone may make a Dan decision every now and then, but the following are three simple steps to take to minimize confusing obstacles with career opportunities1. Evaluate your long-term goals. What is it that you ultimately hope to accomplish? Then, think about all the necessary steps it takes to get there. Now analyze how the opportunity fits into your plans. Will it benefit you in the long run, or will it ultimately set you further back?2. Consider your short-term goals. These could be things like getting a degree, getting a job in a specific field (to eventually work your way up), or, like Dan, having a source of income. Consider the opportunity thats been presented to you to determine whether or not itll help you achieve your short-term goals, while also pushing you closer to the long-term goal. Remember, quick fixes can also mean temporary fixes.3. Weigh the opportunity costs. What are the benefits of you taking this supposed opportunity? What are the disadvantages? Are there any other solutions or alternatives you can choose from, and, if so, how do they measure up to each other? Weighing the opportunity costs will help you decide whether or not the opportunity will produce more harm than good, or vice v ersa.

Are There Skeletons in Your Closet

Are There Skeletons in Your ClosetAre There Skeletons in Your ClosetBackground checks explained.You have been working diligently in your search for a new job opportunity. Finally, you land an interview and get a great offer. The hiring manager indicates that the only thing remaining is a background check (BC). Your heart starts to pound and beads of sweat appear on your forehead. Questions fly through your mind. Lets answer unterstellung questions for you.Does this company trust its employees?Companies are using BCs more than ever before to be certain theyre hiring the right person. Unfortunately, BCs are more common because so many job seekers have a tendency to exaggerate on their resumes. Companies want to identify potential problems in the candidates employment or personal history.What are they looking for?BCs include criminal history, civil history, wants/warrants, leistungspunkt reports, reference verification, social security reports, education, driving history, previous emplo yer verification and even drug tests.What are they going to find?Only information of public record is available juvenile records cannot be accessed.Can they do a BC without my permission?No. Companies cannot conduct a BC without your written authorization.Can I be turned down because of a BC?If youre turned down because of a BC, the company must tell you why, in accordance with federal law.Am I in trouble because of the DUI I got when I was 20 years old?It depends, as timing plays a role here. Felony and misdemeanor searches can be conducted by county, state, or throughout the nation. Some states will only provide information for the past seven years. You need to check each state for its policy.Is a drug test conducted with a BC?Approximately 15 to 20% of all BCs include a drug test. BC companies typically contract with local medical clinics to conduct the test. It can be expensive, so it is not done in all cases. In most cases, the job requirements determine if a drug test is neces sary, particularly for anyone operating machinery or a motor vehicle. Executives are also frequently screened.Will they know if I was involved in a court case?Yes. A BC includes whether the job candidate is/was a plaintiff or defendant.Will my bankruptcy from 12 years ago prevent me from getting the job?Credit checks are a very common item for BCs. Companies are searching for financial stability. If you filed bankruptcy, it can appear on your leistungspunkt report for up to 10 years. However, this does not mean that you will have bad credit for 10 years. You can start re-establishing your credit immediately after filing bankruptcy. Even without filing bankruptcy, most negative items appear on your credit report for at least 7 years.Will they find out I got fired instead of quitting? What will my former vindictive boss say about me?Employer verification is the item that makes most job seekers nervous. Almost everyone has had some form of disagreement with his or her boss. The concern centers on what the employer will say and whether they will release employment files. In most cases, because of a dramatic upsurge in lawsuits from job seekers who received false bad references, previous employers typically only confirm dates of employment. Compensation and good or bad references are not generally provided however, that doesnt mean it is not done. A job seeker might want to consider hiring a reference check company to verify what previous employers are saying.One thing to watch out for is an inaccurate blemish on your record. Bob Mather, CEO of MyBackgroundCheck.com, indicates that identity theft and false criminal reporting are on the increase and can appear on your BC. He mentions, Errors in criminal history frequently occur as the darker side of identity theft. Most people quickly become aware of problems on their credit history as a result of identity theft. But you should also be aware that false reporting of crimes may be reflected on your BC because someone has stolen your identity.In 2007, there were over 8 million incidents of identity theft reported by the Department of Justice. If you have any concern about identity theft, or if you wish to learn what a BC will reveal about your background, you may wish to conduct a BC on yourself for a nominal fee.As far as what you can do, the next step is to relax. Too often job candidates worry too much about a BC. In the overwhelming number of cases, minor problems on your BC will not be an issue. Problems that occurred in the distant past will be overlooked based on your recent history and track record of performance. If a company is going to do a BC, be straightforward with them about any problem that might be discovered. Offer evidence that this is no longer an issue. Your hard work and honesty will help overcome any mistakes from the past.