Professional Development (Page 5)

For most of us, the struggle to be productive when we want to be and when we are expected to be can seem endless. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to being productive, and there certainly isn’t a finish that guarantees we’ll get it right every time. Productivity is something we’ll have to continue working on for the rest of our lives.

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“Always be learning.”

It’s a simple yet powerful statement for anyone in today’s workforce. Think about it: When you were 22, did you imagine that you’d be where you are today? What experiences have you had? What have you learned? And what do you still want to learn?

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Recruiters receive an average of 118 resumes for every job listing they post.

As you can imagine, they don’t always have time to read through every one. In fact, they may not even have time to open every one.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure your resume — and the email or cover note you send along with it — is written in a way that pleases the recruiters reading it.

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Where do you see yourself in five years?

Of all the interview questions out there, this might be the most difficult.

These days, career paths aren’t linear. The age-old corporate ladder model of putting in a few years as an individual contributor, becoming a manager of a small team, and climbing your way through senior management or director roles is not right for everyone.

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As famed dancer and choreographer Martha Graham one said, “The body never lies.” And it turns out that this is as true in an office or boardroom as it is on a stage or dance floor.

Whether you realize it or not, your posture, your mannerisms, even how close you stand to someone can communicate something to the people around you.

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Some days, you just feel … blah.

It happens to all of us. It can be short-term, like when we’re exhausted or bored, or we’re embarking on a new project but have no idea where to start. Other times, it’s a little more long-term, like when we feel like we’re tapped out of good ideas, or stuck in our careers.

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Congratulations! You’ve recently been promoted to a new position as a manager.

You now have a team, perhaps the opportunity to hire, and the chance to guide and grow your new direct reports. Are you ready for this?

You may be feeling excited, afraid, nervous, or empowered.

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For many, goal-setting can feel like a daunting process.

You want to be sure that whatever you’re working towards is measurable, impactful, and challenging enough to keep you on your toes. Trouble is, the planning process is only half the battle. 

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Trying to nail down Seth Godin’s greatest strength is no easy task. He’s a brilliant author, marketer, speaker, and entrepreneur, but above all that, he’s truly mastered the art of getting straight to the point. 

Have you seenhis blog? He carefully boils each post down to a few hundred words. No fluff. No fancy sentences. Just perfectly distilled lessons. 

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Whether or not business school is worth the investment is a hot topic these days. But regardless of where you stand, you don’t have to go to business school to gain a better understanding of how businesses work.

“Business” is quite a versatile topic with many components. There’s a lot that goes into becoming more business-savvy, whether it’s learning the “softer” skills (like people management and public speaking) or mastering the “hard” skills (like accounting and finance).

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While setting and working towards personal goals is often hailed as a way to stay motivated and productive, the science behind goal-setting paints a different picture.

For starters, a study from the University of Liverpool revealed a connection between depression and setting generalized, abstract goals. It turns out that when we don’t have precise criteria for what it means to achieve a goal, it’s difficult to ever feel a sense of accomplishment.

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In the early days of HubSpot, I wore a lot of different hats — some of which fit me pretty well.

How did I know this? Well, I started getting more and more offers for speaking engagements. People wanted to hear from me. And when your company wants you to be a public-facing spokesperson for the organization, how can you say no?

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No one seems to agree on cover letters. How much time do you need to spend perfecting them? Do hiring managers even read them? Is it better to just send in your resume and call it a day?

Now, I’m not in HR, but I’ve been approached by applicants who wondered whether their cover letter would actually be read. My answer is one not many of them wanted to hear: “Sometimes.”

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When you nestle into your warm bed, shut your eyes, and slowly drift off to sleep … do you think your mind and body are shutting down for the night?

Not the case, my friend. While our bodies might remain (relatively) still when we sleep, our minds are hard at work. During these critical hours, a lot of that processing, restoration, and strengthening that’s so important to our bodies and minds is taking place.

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