Is Your LinkedIn Headshot Dooming Your Job Search

Is Yur LinkedIn Headshot Dooming Your Job SearchIs Your LinkedIn Headshot Dooming Your Job Search8The wrong kind of LinkedIn headshot can solidify a negative impression within seconds, before you even have a chance to win them over with your experience and credentials.Lets face the facts a study by The Ladders has found that recruiters spend an average of six seconds per LinkedIn profile- and 19 percent of that time looking at the profile picture. Research on first impressions says that it takes one-tenth of a second to draw conclusions about a person from a photo, and that this process is so automatic its almost impossible to stop.So, what makes a negative LinkedIn photo anyway? According to our experience with PhotoFeeler, heres how to create a solid LinkedIn headshot1. Skip a picture that doesnt project business values.An unprofessional picture is any that fails to put you in a professional light. For instance, if your photo shows you in a baseball jersey in a stadium seat holding -gesellschaft a foam finger, this says little to nothing about you as a professional. It might project personal values, like loyal or fun, but nothing that translates directly to the workplace.When viewed in a professional context like LinkedIn (rather than a social one like Facebook), a picture like this can backfire into a negative impression like indicating youre not serious, that youre inappropriate, or that youre a goofball.For an appropriate LinkedIn headshot, opt to dress in your industrys business attire against a neutral or blurred-out background. Shoot for business-related values, including smart, organized, or assertive.2. Avoid an unfriendly facial expression (or pretty much any look that isnt a smile).People hire people that they like. And the fastest way to look like someone a hiring manager might want to work with- day in and day out- is to give your LinkedIn photo a simple smile.Now, in case youre not convinced just yet, Ive got to tell you something about the altern ative. See, you and I assess non-smiling pictures of ourselves differently than strangers do. The fact is, with the exception of a smile, almost all facial expressions are easily misinterpreted by strangers. So, while you may think the intellectual look in your LinkedIn photo is helping your career, the hiring manager who reads you as smug might disagree.3. Be careful of creepy or shady lighting.Most people who arent professional photographers highly underestimate the importance of lighting, but this mistake can be downright fatal for your job search. Artificial or scarce lighting is the fastest way to give a recruiter creepy vibes.The easiest way to get flattering light for your LinkedIn photo, aside from hiring a photographer, is to use natural light- ideally from a window. Stand at an angle that gives you even light across your whole face and be aware of whether youre casting harsh shadows behind you, in which case youll want to get farther away from your background.4. Get an unb iased opinion.To be honest, the rules of a great LinkedIn photo arent always incredibly clear-cut. Worse yet, research shows that we cant see photos of ourselves objectively, and feedback that comes from people who already know us isnt much better. (Not including the fact that our friends and family lie to spare our feelings)For quick and easy feedback on your prospective LinkedIn photos, check out PhotoFeeler.com. This takes all the guesswork out of it. Plus, testing photos on PhotoFeeler can help you go beyond just being appropriate for LinkedIn and actually put you ahead of the competition.Readers, which of these tips are most relevant to improving your LinkedIn headshot? Let us know in the commentsAnn Pierce is cofounder and CEO of PhotoFeeler, an easy (and free) way to find out what other people think of your photos before you post them, for business, social, and dating use.

Glassdoors SVP of Product Design on Leading as an Influential Woman in Tech

Glassdoors SVP of Product Design on Leading as an Influential Woman in TechGlassdoors SVP of Product Design on Leading as an Influential Woman in Tech Hone yur strengths and turn them into superpowers. This is the advice that Annie Pearl gave a ballroom of over 500 women as she accepted her award for the SF geschftlicher umgang Times 2019 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business . As the SVP of Product & Design at Glassdoor, Pearl has certainly followed her own advice and empowered other women in tech to do the same. But it was her signature brand of humor - and dedication to Glassdoor - that caused the entire room to erupt into laughter.And if you happen to work for a bad boss, leave a review on Glassdoor.Its this commitment to mentoring women and workplace transparency that has allowed Pearl to rise the ranks of Glassdoor to be one of the leading women at the nearly 11-year-old company. As a member of the Product team at Glassdoor, we have the privilege of being able to help job seekers around the world navigate this decision and find a job and company they love. It is this mission that makes the work we do every day so valuable.We caught up with Pearl ahead of her big awards night to talk servant leadership, the future of HR tech and what it means to be a woman with influence.Glassdoor How does it feel to be named one of the fruchtwein influential women in Bay Area business?Annie Pearl I am extremely honored to receive this award and humbled to accept it alongside an impressive group of other influential women in Bay Area business. Im particularly proud to accept this award on behalf of the Product and Design team as well as the rest of the executive leadership team at Glassdoor. Im grateful for the recognition this brings to the work we do every day to help job seekers and employers around the world.Glassdoor Not only is this is a significant acknowledgment of your work but also of the work that youve done at Glassdoor as an SVP. H ow has your time and contributions at Glassdoor led up to this moment?Annie Pearl I have the incredible opportunity through my work as the SVP of Product and Design at Glassdoor to help over 60 million job seekers who use our product each month to find a job and company they love as well as help employers around the globe recruit high quality, informed candidates.Through this work, we are able to provide job seekers with transparency and guidance as they evaluate whether a company will be a good fit for them, prepare for an upcoming interview, or negotiate a higher salary. ansicht decisions are some of the most impactful decisions we make that affect our day-to-day lives and livelihood. In parallel, hiring qualified candidates who will thrive at a company is one of the most impactful decisions employers make to build successful organizations.It is this real-life impact of this work we do on the Product and Design team that I am most proud of and has led to this moment.Glassdoor Tak e us back a bit to the journey that brought you here. How did you come to be SVP of Product and Design at Glassdoor?Annie Pearl Im a Bay Area native who migrated to Southern California for college at Claremont McKenna and then came back up north to Santa Clara for law school. While I was in law school, I worked at a boutique management consulting firm who specialized in working with startups helping them scale during times of rapid growth. Through this experience, I became fascinated with technology and caught the entrepreneurial vorderteil eines schiffs that led me to join the founding team of a financial services startup in 2009 after graduating from law school and passing the California bar.It was at our startup where I started my career in product management and learned all about building a product from the ground up, finding product-market fit, and the power of focus.After four years of leading Product and Design at our startup, I had the opportunity to join the Product organi zation at Box in 2012, where I was exposed to a new phase of a companies growth as we scaled through our IPO in 2015 and I learned all about how to evolve a product to meet the needs of larger and larger customers, how to effectively grow a product organization, and create new products for our Enterprise customers.In 2016, I joined Glassdoor where I now lead Product and Design. Over the past 2.5 years, I have been able to apply the learnings from both my startup experience and at Box to help grow and scale our product, team, and company through our acquisition last year by Recruit Holdings.Glassdoor What makes you excited to be a woman in tech today?Annie Pearl What makes me the most inspired to be a woman in tech today is the pace at which women are founding and launching tech companies, becoming partners at Venture Capital firms deploying capital towards women-led startups, and holding executive leadership positions at tech companies.As I think about women starting their careers out today, Im excited by the opportunities that these young women will have and for the confidence, I hope they will feel, to pursue a career in tech because they have women role models to look up to across the whole tech ecosystem.We still have a long way to go in terms of closing the gender pay gap and continuing to open up doors for women looking to enter into tech as well as hold leadership positions at tech companies but there is an incredible amount of momentum here and Im optimistic as to the impact this will have on bringing mora gender diversity to the whole ecosystem.Glassdoor You have an amazing team of product leaders, designers and extremely talented women in your organization. How has leading a dynamic team of men and women shaped your leadership style?Annie Pearl Im a big believer in servant leadership and view the most important aspects of my role as attracting and hiring a diverse group of highly talented product and design thinkers, setting the north star vision f or where we need to go, and then focusing my energy on doing all I can to support the team in getting there.As part of this style, I look to the dynamic team of men and women in my organization to bring in a diverse set of perspectives, opinions, and experiences to define the strategy and path to achieving this north star vision. I focus on empowering the team to think big, bring in bold ideas, and push the envelope. My hope is that through this style of leadership I am able to foster a culture of innovation through diverse thinking.Glassdoor Youre hiring for product managers and innovators from SF to Chicago. Why should job seekers apply to Glassdoor now?Annie Pearl Deciding where you go to work every day is one of the most important decisions we make in life. After all, the majority of people spend more time at work than they get to spend with their families and friends.As a member of the Product team at Glassdoor, we have the privilege of being able to help job seekers around th e world navigate this decision and find a job and company they love. It is this mission that makes the work we do every day so valuable and why joining the Product and Design team leads to meaningful work.Right now, we are working on some very exciting new products, expanding Internationally, and scaling our Product and Design org across the U.S. If youre looking for an opportunity to learn, grow, and make a big impact, wed encourage you to applyGlassdoor Lastly, what advice would you give women in tech eyeing an SVP title? Any advice to women job applicants or women in tech for success?Annie Pearl I would encourage women in tech looking to grow in their careers to identify their strengths and focus more of their time and energy on how they can hone their strengths to turn them into superpowers and less energy on improving their areas of weakness.We all have areas of growth we shouldnt ignore but I believe you can drive a step function change in career growth and effectiveness thro ugh figuring out how to best leverage your strengths to your advantage.Id also encourage job applicants or women in tech to optimize more for growth and learning when taking a new role. By taking the opportunities that are going to expose you to new skills and push you out of your comfort zone, you will open up new doors down the road you might not have anticipated or didnt even know existed. Im a Lawyer turned product leader and I attribute much of this to being curious, looking for opportunities to learn, and not thinking about my career as a linear line but more of a jungle gym.

8 Job Search Tips for Environmentalists

8 Job Search Tips for Environmentalists8 Job Search Tips for Environmentalists6Seek out green companies to work for.Not all companies are created equal when it comes to green practices, and some are certainly better than others. If a companys environmental impact is important to you as an employee, be sure youre pinpointing organizations that support environmental sustainability.As we detailed in a post from earlier this year, there are three main ways to work for a green companyApply for jobs with companies that have green missions. It doesnt take a green thumb to find green jobs. Whether youre in marketing, media, or mortgages, there are a number of ways to find a green job. These companies have regularly listed jobs in our Environmental and Green jobs category.Look for companies with green initiatives. Many companies outside of the green/environmental industry that you wouldnt think of as environmentally friendly actually are. These companies are a great distributions-mix to find green jobs for all professions. Pay attention to each companys website.Find companies that allow for remote work. Another way for you to be green in your work life is by finding a company that will allow you to work remotely. By cutting your commute, youll prevent extra carbon emissions from going into the air. If you were working in a traditional office- where everything from the overhead florescent lights to the printers and even the coffee machine is powered by electricity- youll use up so much more electricity than you would at home.Do more research to determine if a company is green.Mother Earth News has a great list of tips for how to tell which businesses are eco-friendly. In particular, they offer several resources that actual rate a companys eco-friendliness.Independent, nonprofit organizations such as Green Seal can be a great resource. Their website includes a search program so that you can quickly and easily locate eco-friendly businesses. Other sites will actually rate companies based on their eco-friendliness. Climate Counts takes into account everything from recycling programs to the energy efficiency of automated shipping systems and gives the company a score.Keep up your green practices in your job search.Theres no need to abandon whatever daily sustainability measures youve already taken when youre job searching. Here are some tips specifically meant to green your job search.Send digital thank-you notes. After an interview, its customary to send a thank-you note. There are some gorgeous digital designs to choose from, and you wont waste time or trees sending a paper thank you.Bring your own water. Youll probably be asked if youd like a bottle of water when you arrive at an interview, but be prepared to say no thank you by bringing your own reusable bottle of water.Use recycled resume paper if you need to print. Usually, its wise to bring a couple copies of your resume to a job interview. Stock up on some recycled resume paper for printing. An d dont go crazy printing a lot of copies- two or three ought to do just fine.Take public transit, walk, or bike to a job interview. If at all possible, try skipping a car ride to your job interview, and use a more green transport method instead.Readers, what job search tips for environmentalists do you swear by? How do you stay green in your job search?

How to Motivate Yourself When Your Job Search Isnt Going as Planned

How to Motivate Yourself When Your Job Search Isnt Going as PlannedHow to Motivate Yourself When Your Job Search Isnt Going as PlannedThere may be points throughout your job search where things dont go according the plan. Maybe its taking longer than expected or perhaps you clam up during interviews and arent getting those second calls. Although it can be easy to get discouraged in these situations, its important to stay positive and motivate yourself so you dont lose your momentum.Motivate yourself when your job search isnt going according to plan with these tipsBreak it down. A job search typically has just one goal- to get hired. Sure, it might be great if you make some new connections, or find acareer mentor along the way, but ultimately, you want toland a job.Having such a big goal to achieve might be overwhelming, especially if days/weeks/months pass and you dont get hired. So instead of thinking big picture, break down your job search into smaller, bite-sized segments to keep yourself motivated. For example, you might plan that tomorrow, youll try to redo your LinkedIn profile, and by the end of the week, youll have made a new connection. By making smaller goals, youll feel a sense of accomplishment that can help sustain you until you get hired for a job.Create a vision motherboard. Sometimes, its good to envision what you want your goal to be. Yes, you want a job that gives you flexibility, but what else? Maybe youre hoping for a remote job so that you can spend more time with your kids, or focus on improving your health.Whatever your motivation is for finding a flexible job, create a vision board of those reasons- and keep it centrally located so you can look at it whenever you feel that your search isnt going anywhere. By keeping your eye on the prize, youll subconsciously motivate yourself to move forward.Start preparing for your future job. If youre searching for a telecommuting job, why wait until youre actually hired to start preparing yourself fo r the position? Avoid the stress of getting everything in order by planning for your future job now. Set up your home office if you havent already, and make sure that your office equipment all works, so that when the time comes for you to work, you canPerhapsgetting yourself into the mindset of an employee in a particular role will help you land job interview, and ultimately the job of your dreamsTake some classes. While it can feel like your job search is a full-time job in and of itself, you should take advantage of the flexibility you have right now by taking a class or two. To keep yourself motivated, look for a class that is in your desired field.elend only can it keep your knowledge current (which is important when youre trying to impress a potential boss), but you can also improve your resume with any additional licenses, certifications, or accreditations that you get as a result of the class.Try getting some informational interviews. Although you want to get real job intervi ews that lead to real job offers, it can be a good idea to reach out and get some informational interviews, too. Informational interviews can offer a wealth of information to a job seeker (such as what the companys culture is like), plus theyre a great way to get your foot in the door with a potential company. And if your interviewing skills are a little rusty, an informational interview can be good practice for when you have a real job interview.Keeping yourself motivated during a sluggish job search is important. Dont lose your focus (or your hope) and youll likely find yourself with a great job opportunity before you know it.Start Browsing Jobs

10 Career Paths to Take After Graduation

10 Career Paths to Take After Graduation10 Career Paths to Take After GraduationRemember the time when adults kept asking what you wanted to do when you grew up? Yeah, we do too.Ironically enough, that same question doesnt go away right up to the point where you end up actually doing something out there (sorry for being the bearers of bad news, but youre probably not going to be an astronaut). To help you with this oh-so-tough decision-making, we made this sweet sweet infographic explaining a bunch of different career paths you can take. So follow the flow-chart and see where you end up.Infographic about different Career Path to discover after graduationNow that youre enlightened and know which career paths you could take, check out ur resume examples to get inspired by real peoples resumes that got the job. Also, like our Facebook page for some bite-sized Career tips Nick Zviadadze Certified Storyteller, Job Hunting Enhancer, Digital Marketer and a Coffee Enthusiast One comment on 10 Career Paths to Take After GraduationLeave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName * Email * Website Subscribe now for moreSee more great content and inspiring examples of resumes done right each month. Subscribe Youre subscribed Latest posts See all posts by Eric D. Halsey The Resumes of Chernobyl by Eric D. Halsey 4 Ways Creativity Can Improve Your Resume by Katherine (Tori) LutzHow to Create a First Year Elementary School Teacher Resume

Techniques for Functional Resume Templates That Only the Experts Know

Techniques for Functional Resume Templates That Only the Experts Know There are a lot of standard forms of functional resume example sample used to make an application for job openings. There are particular kinds of recommendations. Utilizing resume templates allow you to be certain that you are appropriately laying out every one of the accomplishments youve done, and also permit you to make certain you have the ability to set your thoughts together in a way that will cause you to get attractive for a vast range of different work in the industry in which youre applying for. In order to produce all these factors simplified to be understood precisely, its vital to list handy strategies for preparation. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Functional Resume Templates You may see the work samples of a professional resume writing tafelgeschirrs to understand the way you can do the very same for your curriculum vitae. The template ought to have a section for writing skills and about t he certification an individual may have. The ready-made templates are made to produce the candidates job easy in addition to for assisting them and the recruiters into writing the resumes in an acceptable format. Writing resume with the assistance of resume templates readily available on the world wide web has become the most effective means of writing resumes that ensure that youre using the perfect format and correct information thats ideal for the job youre applying for. The customer service analyst responsibilities include answering the queries of the consumers and ensuring they remain loyal towards the organization. Some employers search for freshmen as prospective employees, since it suits a few of their criteria. There are specific set of skills necessary for the customer service jobs. Get the job that you want with a functional resume templates no cost httptopresumeinfofunctional that highlights your experience in various service scenarios. Want to Know More About F unctional Resume Templates? Our Job search section will give you with proven procedures and methods to help you discover that job. Utilize Resume Templates One of the greatest ways which you can begin putting together a resume thats going to allow you to land the job which you want, is to make sure your resume is properly laid out. Research well and refer to a couple examples as well before you get started filling your resume. There are many Resume examples out there, where you could see using keywords in the very best way in a CV format for job application. The Dirty Facts About Functional Resume Templates Make certain you list your relevant abilities and any certifications you might have, like your sample of a functional resume Handlers card. If you dont have a lot of work experience then youll be limited by how much information you can set in your CV. Use the anthroponym based on the nation in which youre submitting the application. Each and every work type needs different kind of resumes. Templates will supply you the raw format of resume. Template for resume is a normal layout which can be used for any work position. Different types of Resume Templates Word 2003 There are various types of templates for resumes an individual may come across online. There are rather many templates online but not all of these are good enough. All About Functional Resume Templates Make certain that the template youre choosing can highlight your details in the ideal approach. Its wise not to blindly adopt any resume template and begin filling in the specifics. A template will inform you all of the relevant data that you need to be mentioning in your CV, with particular reference to the type of position you are trying to find. Employing a template can help you to create a cover letter with a typical structure. While there are numerous expert CV and resume writing services available on the internet, and theyll certainly do the task for you, it is going to cost you to get it written for you in particular. Only relevant and necessary information should be offered in the resume, as stated by the requirements of the job. The best method is to select the support of Resume builder for writing a resume so you may not loose the work prospect. Who Else Wants to Learn About Functional Resume Templates? For this reason, youre advised to make profile which clearly specifies your goal related to employment. Resume is not simply a document. however, it defines you and is the very first important key that ensures your prospective employer takes interest in you. If the info in the CV isnt presented properly, you are going to be rejected and lose the chance. Its a fact that lots of us are recognized utilizing outer incentives which will drive some motivation, however if youre encouraged from within yourself, youre going to want to execute the work, regardless of the incentives. A CV curriculum vitae ought to have the link so the possible employe r can know that you mean business because you have updated your LinkedIn profile too and youre quite serious in locating a part in an organization, proactively searching for a new challenging function. For making positive influence on the recruiter, its important to get a unique resume portraying your job particular particulars. If you are thinking about how to create an effective Resume, among the things to bear in mind is that it should be search engine optimized. The template is essentially a ready-made fill in the blank form available on the majority of the on-line job portals. Resume writing is an intimidating job for everyone. In addition, in the darbietung where ones last job reference wasnt the best one, an individual might want to select the assistance of a functional resume template. Some do not require any sort of download, you can just take the pointers you need and leave the rest. Using Microsoft word to create a resume can be quite uncomplicated but at the very same time just a little bit sophisticated if you dont find out how to do it. Ruthless Functional Resume Templates Strategies Exploited The persons objective needs to be portrayed in such a way that in just one look the interviewer should have the feeling that the candidate is fantastic for the job. Little research for the ideal template increases your odds of getting your dream job. Keep your referred person updated while youre applying for work. Moreover, in regards to seek out job, then, being specific is the secret to entice the eye of employer significantly.

Spark Hire Podcast for the Week of December 3 - Spark Hire

Spark Hire Podcast for the Week of December 3 - Spark HireEach week on our sparkCast we tackle important aspects of the hiring process in order to help our human resource professionals out. This week Spark Hire discussed the importance of educational background and work experience. Which one is mora important? Its an age-old debate HR professionals have had and its still an ongoing oneWe also talked about how volunteering can help your company culture. Company culture is a very important aspect of your company and your employee engagement, so tune into our podcast to hear how volunteering can help your company create a great cultureArticles CoveredEducational Background vs. Experience What is Most Important?Can Volunteering Help Your Company Culture?The official podcast of Spark Hire. Discussing news and topics for job seekers and human resources professionals.Follow us on Twitter Spark Hire TwitterLike us on Facebook Spark Hire Facebook PageWatch us on YouTube Spark Hire YouTube Cha nnelHOST Nicole Nicholson (Content Editor at Spark Hire)ALSO Patrick Beggan (Marketing Assistant at Spark Hire)powerpress url=http//blog.sparkhire.com/sparkcast/sparkcast32.mp3

Marketing Consultant Back in Someone Elses Boat

Marketing Consultant Back in Someone Elses BoatMarketing Consultant Back in Someone Elses BoatFreelance marketing consultant Scot French enjoyed being his own boss, but wanted to work for a large organization again.Scot French liked the perks of working as a freelance marketing consultant. He worked with nearly half-a-dozen startup technology companies in two years and enjoyed the flexibility and variety of working for multiple clients.I welches able to have a lot of different experiences, he said. Focusing on one job can make work redundant or repetitious. Freelancing made work interesting and exciting. And the autonomy and flexibility welches great. It allowed me to spend mora time with my kids and coach their teams.He also found monetary success, he said. But the honeymoon soon faded. French, who lives in Seattle and had previous in-house experience as a marketing manager at interactive companies, found that work was taking more of his time. While he was free to leave the office d uring the day, often hed be back at his desk that night. And, he said, one of the things I wrestled with as an independent contractor was whether the world needed one more marketing-services organization.He also yearned to be back in the boat, as he called it. Collaborating with other members of a single team, helping to guide that boat, being a part of that success, French said, was ultimately more important to him than being autonomous. What it came down to was that I have always wanted to be a part of a team that was building something. And thats the biggest thing that was missing, and thats what pulled me back to a full-time job.So last summer, French decided that if the right opportunity came along, he would go back to work with an employer.While French was mulling strategies that would help him transition back to a full-time job, opportunity knocked on his door. One of his clients told him about a new company, Mpire, an advertising optimization technology company that sells to agencies and advertisers and needed someone to do its marketing. He told me I should get to know this company, French recalled. He said they were doing some interesting stuff, and Id be perfect for them.Many of his previous clients were also Mpire clients. So he agreed and accepted a job at Mpire in November. It was an opportunity to get into a company that I like in a market that I am excited about, he said. I am using my ability to hone in and focus and see if I can build this company.French said that anyone looking to make the transition from independent contractor to full-time employee needs to keep an open mind when considering opportunities. You are never sure where great opportunities will come from. And then do your due diligence. Make sure this is the move you want to make.But even if youre ready to give up on being your own boss, do the best work you can for the clients you have. Your reputation is on the line, French said. Its so key, he said. Thats what will bring you o pportunities.

How a Google expert manages his Gmail email account

How a Google expert manages his Gmail email accountHow a Google expert manages his Gmail email accountThere isnt just one way to manage your inbox, and if youre anything like me, theres probably room for improvement on that front. Lots of room and yet leid a lot of space (hello, way too many unread emails).So I knew I could learn a thing or two from JR Raphael, the technology journalist who is frequently found covering all things Google and Android for Fast Company and Computerworld. He publishes the weekly Android Intelligence newsletter offering a goldmine of recommendations and practical tips.JR graciously provided a peep inside his systematized inbox for an interview with The Gmail Genius. Some highlights from the exchange follow.When you open an email, dont just let it sit thereWhile giving a rundown of his daily email routing, JR noted, My golden rule is to never open an email twice and never leave an item in my inbox beyond a single day.Im by no means perfect about that, but i ts what I strive to achieve.He says he tries to only have his inbox open for an hour or two in the morning, a quick block after lunch, and another one in the late afternoon. He also admitted to one final inbox session before the end of the night.My goal each time- whenever I look at my inbox, really- is to process everything thats there. That doesnt necessarily mean I answer every email right away, he said. Instead, he suggests taking one of three actions within a few seconds of looking at a messageArchive it - if the message doesnt require any response or action.Respond to it - especially if I can do so in a minute or less. (And then archive it.)Snooze it - if it demands a level of thought or response I cant get to right away. I might snooze it for later that day, later that week, or a month down the road, depending on when I think Ill be in a good position to deal with it.Super-specific alerts can helpJR acknowledges that email notifications are the enemy of productivity. But i n some cases, alerts can be useful - and even provide peace of mind.Most of us receive at least some messages that truly do demand our immediate attention, even if theyre a tiny fraction of the total, he wrote in his Computerworld column. But with a teensy bit of custom-tuning, you can set things up so that your most urgent incoming messages will alert you - and everything else will wait politely in your inbox without screaming for instant scrutiny. In the article, he describes how to set up a filter in Gmail and then configure it your Android device to only notify you about the messages sent to that label.Bet you didnt know you can alter the snooze timeNotification customizations are only the tip of the iceberg. Taking the time to modify Gmails features according to your own rhythms and preferences is key to exerting control over your inbox - and not letting it control you.Another helpful - and highly underutilized - setting to adjust is the default snooze time for a message. You wouldnt know it by looking anywhere in Gmail itself, but you can actually customize the specific time of day each option uses, JR said.He explainsOpen up Google Keep and click the Settings option in its left-hand menu. See the section labeled Customize your reminder defaults, with choices for morning, afternoon, and evening? Change those times to whatever times you prefer.If you want messages you snooze for Tomorrow to show up at 10 a.m., for instance, set that as your morning time. If you want emails snoozed for Later today to show up at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., or 1147 p.m., set your evening time accordingly.Once you hit save, youll see Gmail start to use those new times within its default snooze suggestions.Helpful, right?For additional next-level tips, definitely take a look at how you can customize these little-known Gmail settings. Tinker to your hearts content, but whatever you do, stop organizing your inbox into folders. Ill leave you with JRs wise words on that, As a wise virtua l princess once said, let it go. Stop worrying about organizing all of your incoming email and just power through it. Then, when you need to find something in the future, search.When shes not interviewing people about their email habits,Jaclyn Schiffis a strategist who loves getting her feet wet at the intersection of media, partnerships,and content. Her writing has covered topics ranging from healthcare innovation to travel budget tips to digital nomads. Shes had bylines at NPR, HuffPost, AllAfrica, Thought Catalog, The Muse, Modern Healthcare and others.

8 Words and Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work

8 Words and Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work8 Words and Phrases to Never, Ever Use at Work Every industry has its jargon. But some words and stichworts can be unclear , unnecessary or even offensive. Maybe some of these are phrases you like building into your business vocab, but use them with caution. If youre going to offend or annoy someone, or if theres a clearer way to say something, why notlage go the easy way and avoid them altogether?Our little caveat every office has different protocol. If youre buddies with your coworkers, its not so strange to talk to them about personal issues. And if youre in the thick of the consulting, tech or business world, you might feel inclined to use the lingo and play along. But the joy of language is that theres always another way to phrase something.Weve all heard it When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me. Cute. But even if the catchphrase earns your eye-roll, its a good point dont accept something to be the case without proof. For exampleI assume you finished the report? I assumed Bob would run that part of the presentation . I assume youll be working on Saturday?From a boss, assume is a passive-aggressive way to show authority. From an underling, it looks like ducking responsibility. In both cases, there are ways to make your point without making an ass out of you and me.I like these doughnuts is fair game. But avoid using like, um, sort of, basically, and other weasel words that fill dead air. They make you sound less confident and can even sort of give the impression that you basically dont know what youre, like, talking about.Or, I finally got that $10K raise, or even Ive never eaten there because its too expensive. Good rule of thumb avoid stating the amount of money you make or the pile of dough you spent on your trip to Iceland. If someone makes a lot mora or a lot less than you, it could lead to awkwardness.Not everyone who works is a man, and even seemingly innocent phrases li ke Hey, man or Whats up, dude, when used between people who identify as men, can create an environment of exclusion. Nicknames in general can help build a bond of casual camaraderie - but when that bond is based on being the same sex, that means anyone who doesnt fall under the category of man or dude is excluded from the camaraderie.Most people who use these phrases arent being exclusive on purpose. But by calling out a connection based on something that other people in the office dont share, these dudes might be making it harder for women to build the connections that will get them ahead.Talk about it? Discuss it? Have a meaningful and productive dialogue about the issue and its repercussions?Heres why Grammarly doesnt like this phrase talk is not traditionally a transitive verb because it doesnt take a direct object. You can talk about something, but thats an intransitive verb with a prepositional phrase a very different category.While phrases like we can talk it out or lets talk things through have shown the potential for talk to take on transitive qualities, lets talk that is a step too far.If youre pointing out someone elses mistake , you seem blaming and harsh if youre talking about your own, you risk undermining your coworkers sense of your abilities.Heres how to turn it around if you messed up, find a task too tough or arent sure how to address a problem, dont start in with I cant, its hard, or I failed. Find someone to ask for help and tell them what the problem is, what youve tried so far and what you need to know or do to fix it.On the flip side, some companies love talking about failures as opportunities for learning and growth. If you work in an environment brimming with that kind of positivity, kudos. But no matter whether your company embraces the word failure or avoids it like the plague, same idea goes focus on next steps and ways to learn moving forward, not on whos to blame.In business, throw it over the wall can be translated as send it to the client. This is one of the cases where jargon gets in the way of clarity - and that can, in turn, lead to things not getting done. If you want to be understood, this is a phrase you can throw over the wall - as in, get rid of it.If your goal in the office is to think outside the box , why not do the same with your well-worn clichs? Theres nothing really wrong with this phrase, but its been used so many times that we dare you to find new ways to express the idea. You can keep it simple, like innovate, find unusual solutions, or even come up with creative ideas, or you can invent something totally new like think one galaxy over. (Though if youre going for clarity, you might want to stick to brainstorm.)Either way, if youre trying to find creative solutions at work, you might as well think outside the box in how you use language, too.A version of this article originally appeared on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.