Tips for Career Change Interviews

Tips for Career Change InterviewsTips for Career Change InterviewsIf youve succeeded in getting an interview for a job in your new desired career, congratulations Thats a sure sign that youve crafted a career change cover letter and resume that successfully conveys that youre a qualified applicant, and your previous experience is relevant to your new career. During your interview, continue to hammer that message home. Here are six tips to help you have a successful career change interview. Play Up Similar Skills Heres the good news about switching careers Its bedrngnis a hard reset. You wont need to work your way up from an entry-level stelle all over again. During your original career, you gained valuable experience and knowledge that youll bring to any new role. In fact, your former field may have more in common with your new industry than you thought. Before your interview, list out the skills you used in previous jobs thatll be relevant in your new career. Review the job desc ription, and consider where you have applicable experience. Heres how to match your qualifications with the job description. During the interview, sell these transferable skills, giving lots of specific examples. Soft skills, in particular, often carry over from one career to the next. Also look for ways the two careers have overall similarities. If youve managed a construction crew, for instance, youll want to put the focus on your management skills (delivering on time, communicating projects, etc.) during interviews (and not on your construction know-how). Or, if youre moving from retail to food services, you can focus on your strong customer service background. Have a Plan for Gaining New Skills While soft skills can often transfer, you may not have some of the hard skills or job-specific skills needed in the new role. This will likely come up in your interview, so make sure you can address how youll ramp up and gain this experience, whether by taking a class, finding a mento r, or researching online. You can also consider implementing plans to gain knowledge and expertise even before you have the job. For instance, if your new field requires a basic knowledge of hypertext markup language or the ability to copy edit documents, you can enroll in a class. Then, if it comes up in the interview, you can say youre already taking a class to improve your knowledge, which will make you seem proactive and invested in your new path. One cautionary note Its better to be straightforward about areas where you do not have experience than to be vague or obfuscate. And never, ever be dishonest - thatll only lead to unpleasant revelations when you do get the job. Keep in mind No job candidate will have all the skills and experience required for a job. So its fine to have some gaps. Showcase Your Flexibility Not everyone deals with change well. Companies will only take a chance on some new to the field if theyre confident the candidate can adapt to new workflows, pri orities, and responsibilities. During the interview, make it clear that youre comfortable with change by showcasing moments when youve dealt with unexpected adjustments, such as a new boss, changes in your job description, or even just moments when youve handled problems on the fly. Point Out Any Advantages of Your Old Career Path It could very well be the case that your previous career offers benefits to your new career in the form of insider information or a helpful network of connections. For instance, if you switch from a client-side role to a vendor role, youll be able to share insights with your new employer on what exactly clients are looking for. If youve moved from content to publicity, you might be able to share a contact list of writers and editors to promote a product, or might have insight into what pitches will be best received. Be Prepared to Explain Why Youre Changing Careers Theres no question that youll be asked during the interview process why you are shif ting careers. Try to frame your move as being logical - develop a narrative that conveys why youre making this move. Your goal is to convey that you are not flighty, and will not seek to switch careers again. Employers are eager to hire candidates who will stick around. Put the emphasis again on the qualities that are similar between the roles, and share what makes you feel excited and enthusiastic about your new career. Be careful to avoid being overly negative about your previous career. Its fine to say that an industry is shrinking or you feel theres a lack of available opportunities, but dont harp on the negative aspects. Be Aware - and Adjust for - Culture Changes The appropriate interview outfit for a corporate job and a start-up company are very dissimilar, and the same is true for fashion and banking, teaching and sales, and so on.The differences in whats considered appropriate arent only outfit-based Different industries can have vastly different cultures and communic ation styles. Start-ups, for instance, often have a flat organizational structure, with feedback welcome from everyone, while more corporate industries may have a top-down structure. If the environment in your new industry will be very different, try to show that youll fit in by walking the walk and talking the talk during your interview.

How to Make an Important Career Decision - The Muse

How to Make an Important Career Decision - The MuseHow to Make an Important Career Decision Ive always been plagued by indecision. In one particularly illustrative example, my nine-year-old self broke down in tears in a shoe store having to decide between the purple hi-tops and the pink and green hi-tops. I just didnt know which option would be the best way to kick off the fourth grade. In my adult life, this has often come up in job-related decisions. Ive spent weeks wringing my hands, tossing and turning, and endlessly contemplating Should I work at this small agency with great people, or the larger one with better pay and personenname recognition? Should I take the new position, or hold out for a promotion at my current job? Should I stay in the city I love or move for a great career opportunity?Of course, I utilize all of the tried-and-true methods making long lists of pros and cons, talking things out with friends, making a choice and sleeping on it, and even taking a class on q uantitative analysis (complicated Excel models most definitely included).But in many situations, theres no clear right answer, or even a best one. Which is why I really loved the advice I read recently from Inc.s Jayson Demers. When faced with a particularly tough crossroads, he writes, try asking yourself Who do I want to be?As he explainsInstead of thinking what you want to do, think about who you want to be. Picture how your identity will change as the result of your decision. Are you the type of person who works for a casual, laid-back company, or the type of person who makes more money and wears a suit every day? In a way, our decisions construct our identities, so use this strategy to help you figure out who you want to be.Yes, its important to know and think about all of the practical pros and cons of any given option. Its certainly valuable to consider the monetary benefits, growth potential, and happiness factor of each opportunity- and to understand the benefits and tradeo ffs of each. But if youve done that and you still arent clear, try going through this exercise. Grab a notebook, and write out the answer to Who do I want to be? Think about yourself three years out (often, one year seems too soon and five years too far away), and describe the ideal version of your future self in as much detail as possible. Then, ask yourself Will the job opportunity- or opportunities- Im considering get me closer or further away from that person? Your answer just may be crystal clear.If not, and if youre comfortable doing so, this can be a great exercise to do with a friend. Talk through who you want to be and describe how each option would get you there (or not). Other people can often uncover messages that we miss, or even pick up revealing cues that we cant read, like body language, tone of voice, or nervous habits. No, asking yourself who you want to be isnt easy. But in the long run, its the question that will get you closer to the right answer- and to the lif e that you really want to live. Oh, and I decided I was a pink and green hi-tops girl. Havent looked back since. Photo of rock scale courtesy of Shutterstock.

Four Essential Steps for Product Planning

Four Essential Steps for Product Planning Four Essential Steps for Product Planning Product planning can be a difficult process. Even deciding to give a potential creation more than a cursory glance is a major choice. Before its money, its your time. But how to begin this process and make it as smooth as possible?Jonathan Cagan, a lab professor in mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, and co-author of Creating Breakthrough Products, looks at four gates in the product planning process, though he emphasizes some use as many as three or even more than 10.The Four GatesThe first gate is uncovering the needs and wants of the consumer. Once youve done that, the second phase is understanding the opportunity through research, defining the product, and deciding what its value attributes are. The third is the conceptual design. The fourth is realizing that opportunity by detailing the design and conducting the stress analysis.Cagan says if you miss any of these steps, your product could be in trouble, but the second is especially important. Mechanical engineers love to determine what theyll design and create but they dont stop to think about whether theyve really found the right product for the marketplace, he says. Its a complete waste of time unless you figure this out.Abedrngnisher key problem is not having a commitment from the group or company. If they dont have time to invest to achieve the valued product, then it can die as just another great concept. A further component of this is the discipline required for each facet of creation. Cagan says this becomes even more vital if youre creating a new technology as opposed to improving on what already exists. Its amazing when you dont have to invent something completely new, how quickly you can move, he says. We teach a semester class where you can get from a clean sheet to the patent stage in 16 weeks.Ask the Right QuestionsIts also vital to Cagan that you ask yourself these important qu estions right from the startWhen getting to production do you want to patent it?Do you want to build a more refined prototype?How far do you want to go into the prototype process, or are you looking to go to the point of full tooling?Which brings us to Cagans last point It doesnt have to be all or nothing. Its better to have more money available than less, he says. But ask yourself if you can figure out whether its a go or no-go in a fraction of the cost. Maybe a final version would cost $5 million, but would $1 million tell you whether you can pull the plug?The bottom line is that product planning requires a vision you believe in because potentially, youll be living with it for long time. From planning to marketing, asking yourself if youre willing to go the distanceeven if that distance becomes extendedmay be the most important question of all.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.The bottom line is that product planning requires a vision you believe in because potentially, youl l be living with it for a long time.

14 ways to gain confidence when youre at a new job and an introvert

14 ways to gain confidence when youre at a new job and an introvert14 ways to gain confidence when youre at a new job and an introvertIf you are an introvert, there are many aspects of life that can feel extra challenging - like gaining and communicating self-confidenceat a new job. But, it doesnt have to be.It is completely possible for an introvert to build confidence and good positive relationships with people over time. Heres how1. Know that you are wired to leadSeveral years ago,TheLadders.com, conducted a survey and learned that 65% of 1,542 senior managers believed that introversion was an impediment to getting ahead in the workplace. The belief is that managers tend to see extroverted employees who tend to be mora talkative, energetic and often popular as leadership material.But, according to Professor Adam Grant from theUniversity of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Businessintrovertscan be better leaders. Thats because introverts are in tune with their likes and dislikes. T hey know what works best for them and they use this information to create work environments that optimize their effectiveness. Maximum effectiveness is key to career success. If you are an introvert let that sink in. You are wired to lead. Own it2. Get charged before you engageThe main difference between introverts and extroverts is where they get their energy. Extroverts get their energy from engaging with other people the more people they engage with the more charged up they get. On the other hand, introverts get their energy from being alone. Much like a cell phone battery, their energy gets depleted with extensive social interaction. Depending on their capacity, they will need to retreat from social interaction to recharge before they are comfortable enough to re-engage with other.If you are an introvert, make sure that you find strategic times during your day to grab some alone time to re-charge. Consider scheduling an hour of alone time before large staff meetings ornetworki ngevents. When you are charged and re-energized you more easily engage with others. This allows you to communicate confidence more easily with your new co-workers.3. Leverage one-on-one interactionsIntroverts are often more comfortable when they connect with others one-on-one. If youre an introvert, use this to your advantage. Set uplunchdates with each of the members of your team and with colleagues from other departments. Use these opportunities to get to know them on a more personal fundament as well as to ask for success tips for your new role. The bottom line is when youre in one-on-one settings youre more comfortable and this will go a long way in communicating confidence at your new job.4. Dress for successDo you know that awesome feeling you get when you have a new outfit that looks great on you? Theres nothing like it. There is no doubt that when we look and feel our best, we communicate confidence. So always strive to look your best. It will put a pep in your step that wil l radiate self-confidence at your new job.5. Speak with a period at the endIn plus-rechnen to your physical appearance, how you speak will make an impression at your new job. So, if youre an introvert who wants to communicate confidence at work, use language that projects that you are aconfident leader.Also, be mindful that the volume and tone of your voice are instrumental in conveying confidence and leadership. Dont sound tentative when you speak. Instead, speak with a period at the end. In other words, affirmatively and withauthority. You should also limit your use of phrases like I think and I feel. If youre ina meeting where others are dominating the discussion, dont always wait for everyone tofinish speaking before you chime in you may never get the opportunity. Be ready topolitely, but firmly Interject.6. Watch yourbody languageYour body language speaks loud and clear long before you open your mouth to say a word. The way you carry yourself sends strong messages about whoyou are and how you feel about yourself. Your presence and demeanor communicateyour level of self-confidence.So, watch your body language and adjust as needed in reservierung to communicate self-confidence. You can start to communicate self-confidence by watching yourposture holdyour chin up, shoulders back, feet 12 inches apart with your weight evenly distributed on both feet.If you do this regularly, you will begin to feel relaxed and comfortable in your own skin owning who you are. As you communicate self-confidence with your body language, others at your new job will begin to view you as a leader.7. Be engagingWhether youre at a meeting or at a social event your interactions withcolleagues and key influencers will establish a foundation for your future success in yournew role. Make it a point to be engaging and genuinely interested in the person you aretalking to. You dont need to be an extrovert to be engaging. Dale Carnegie, a master at building relationships, said it best when he wrote the 6ways to make people like you in his bookHow to Win Friends and Influence PeopleBecome genuinely interested in other peopleSmileRemember that a persons name is to that person the sweetest and fruchtwein importantsound in any languageBe a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselvesTalk in the terms of the other persons interestMake the other person feel important and do it sincerely8. Speak upAs an introvert, you are likely not prone to speaking just for the sake of speaking. This is a good thing. But, you should be prepared to speak when it matters. As the new employee on the block, always prepare before meetings. Review the agenda and considerhow you will substantively contribute to the discussion. Perhaps you will makerecommendations to a project or ask questions that will clarify a point.You may evenaffirm someone elses point of view or offer a different viewpoint. Whatever yourcontribution is, be thoughtful about what you say and how you say it. In additi on,understand that using too many words can kill the effectiveness of what yourecommunicating. Use fewer words and get to the point. Remember, every word youspeak will help to build your credibility before your new peers.9. Talk about your accomplishmentsMany introverts miss out on leadershipopportunities because they are uncomfortable with self-promotion. They think that self-promotion is bragging. But self-promoting and bragging are two different things.Bragging is ego driven self-promotion is accomplishment driven. Find and/or createopportunities where you can update key stakeholders about your contribution tosuccessfulprojects at your new job. Those early wins feed your confidence for the next win.For example, speak about your accomplishments during yourperformance evaluation with your manager or at a status update meeting. You mayeven find an opportunity to share in a memo that is widely distributed throughout yourorganization.10. Public speakingWhile it sounds counterintuitive , public speaking is an excellent way to build confidence when you are an introvert. Find opportunities at your new job to speak at meetings, workshops, seminars, and conferences. In addition to helping you build confidence, public speaking is an important leadership skill to develop. You can join a local Toastmasters International group or work with a coach who will be able to provide you with personal individualized attention.11.Stay positiveNewjobscome with new people, a new company culture and often new challenges. Thats why starting a new job can be emotionally draining for an introvert. This can ultimately impact your level of confidence. To counteract this, train yourself to see the glass as half full rather than half empty when you encounter challenges at your new job. When you find your thoughts going in a negative direction, challenge yourself to focus on the positive side of things.Ask yourself questions likeWhat can I do to improve this situation? What lessons have I lea rned that will help me be successful in the future? How can this situation help me to help others? In addition to asking yourself these types of questions, take the time each day to write down the things you are thankful for. For example, you may be thankful for the sunset, the change in seasons, your talents, abilities, friends, etc. These exercises will help you to develop an attitude of gratitude and will lay the foundation for an uplifted spirit, a positiveperspective and a higher level of confidence.12. Develop a growth planIn this day and age, it is increasingly more important thatyou be strategic about your leadership path. Therefore, the earlier you do this at your new job, the better. Developing a plan and a timeframe for whereyou want to go and how you plan to get there. Begin by doing research. Become astudent of your industry and your new organization. Become familiar with trends andorganizationalchanges.Enlist the help and advice of mentors to help pave the way. Thiskin d of research and planning will help you to make wiser decisions about leadershipopportunities that may become available to you in the future.A growth plan will fuel you with a sense of purpose and confidence at your new job.13. Volunteer for stretch assignmentsAs a new employee and an introvert, a great way to gain confidence at a new job is to volunteer for a stretch assignment. So, dont wait to be selected for a specialproject volunteer to participate in one. Speak to your manager about your goals and how you believe you can make a meaningful contribution. When anopportunity pops up that will highlight your skills and capabilities, volunteer for it.But,dont just volunteer for projects that will come naturally to you. Look for opportunitiesthat will stretch you and help you learn new skills that will help you build your confidence. Be aware, nonetheless, that everynew opportunity is accompanied by risk. But, its a risk worth taking if you are ready forthe challenge.14. Celebrate y our victoriesEvery victory you have at your new job will empower you and make you more confident. Relish those moments andcelebrate your victories.This article originally appeared onFairygodboss.

Are You Using All Your Resources

Are You Using All Your ResourcesAre You Using All Your ResourcesPush, pull and receive business opportunities using your three energies.Rachelle is a CEO of a startup Internet company. In 2009, her company did well.So whats the problem?Like any entrepreneur, Rachelle welches pleased with her companys success but she was not so sure how shed gotten there.I just do it intuitively, she explained. Im not aware of my process. Id like to bring it more to consciousness so that I can use it intentionally.Rachelle wants to make sure shes growing her company wisely, so at the beginning of the year, she looked at what shed done in 2009 and decided that one of her goals in 2010 was to better understand how shed achieved those successful results.On the job-seeker front is Fred, formerly an SVP in an oil company. Hes frustrated that his job search is taking so long.I want to make sure that I am doing all that I can, he said.Like Rachelle and Fred, business professionals and job seekers alike shar e a common goal gaining awareness about how they are operating so they can use all their inner resources.The Three EnergiesAll human beings have three ways of using their energy. Since most of us are unaware of this, we tend to default to one or two modes, and therefore miss the opportunity to maximize our success. When we become aware of the options, though, we can deploy the energies we need at the right time.DynamicThe first way to use our energy is dynamically. This is the energy of action make a plan, send an e-mail, have a conversation, build a model. Dynamic energy is the one most of us are familiar with, the one that wildwestfilm culture accentuates. Its exemplified best by the Nike slogan Just do it. Think of it as pushing energy. When Fred and Rachelle looked at their style, they each agreed that they spend a lot of their energy this way.MagneticThe second way to exercise energy is magnetically. Its the energy of wanting and believing you can get what you want, or the en ergy of attraction You focus on a goal and draw it to you as if you were a magnet. You see, feel and hear what you want to happen in front of you and then pretend youre a fishing rod, cast your energy out to what you want and reel it in. Think of it as pull energy.Though the movie and book, The Secret, popularized pull energy, many business people are new to the concept. Regardless, we all know what its like. Its what we experience when we say someone is charismatic. You meet someone and are drawn to him. Whether he knows it or not, he is using his energy magnetically to bring you close. You can also see it in people who seem to be lucky. They do very little, but opportunities keep dropping in their laps.When Rachelle thought about this, she realized she used her energy magnetically all the time to attract business deals and contacts. Fred, however, couldnt recall sensing magnetic energy.It sounds kooky, he said. But I guess Im desperate enough to try anything.ReceptiveThe third way to employ your energy is receptively. This energy leaves you open to receive whatever hunches, intuitive feelings or direction from others may come in. It neither pushes nor pulls. Instead, you stop doing and absorb the world through all your senses. In this way, you allow yourself to be influenced. Receptive energy creates insight, which is why great discoveries often happen when we give up and do something mindless Newton lying under the tree and having an apple fall on his head, Archimedes in the bathtub.When were receptive, we not only open up to our own inner knowing but allow ourselves to be influenced by others. Because weve slowed down, were more able to see, hear and feel the signs indicating the path of least resistance to where we want to go. Instead of dynamically pushing our agenda I know it has to happen this way we become aware of options wed not noticed when we were busy pushing.Using her energy receptively is not something Rachelle typically does. Nor does Fred. Now that they understand these options, they are both willing to learn. Rachelle is now having regular massages as a way of increasing her receptivity. She reports shes having greater insights when she stops and does nothing. Fred is meditating daily and just realized that, rather than trying to push himself back into the Fortune 100 world, he could leverage his experience to entice a solar-energy company into hiring him.The Energy Three-StepWhat about you? Which of these three energies do you routinely use? Once you become aware, you can start to use each on purpose rather than out of unconscious habit. Heres how theyre meant to be used1. Dynamic Get into action to achieve your result.2. Magnetic Vividly imagine what you want and feel yourself drawing it forth.3. Receptive Open up to receive inner wisdom and outer signals that youre on the right path (or not).Because its nonhabitual, it may feel weird to use your energy in all three ways. You may be worried that youre not doing it right, but give it a try. Push for what you want, pull opportunities toward you, and open yourself to new endeavors.

Get the Scoop on Objective for Customer Service Resume Before Youre Too Late

Get the Scoop on Objective for Customer Service Resume Before Youre Too Late For instance, you could be in a role that gives tafelgeschirrs to other, internal teams. You dont need to include things like every small responsibility held in each position. Service are some suggestions to get you started. The ones it is possible to see in the original job posting. Lets hope you will think that its good. 1 thing a lot of people dont understand about writing resumes is you have to be certain it has all the pertinent information to assist you get hired. If you discover you cannot honor a deadline for some reason, get in touch with your customer before the deadline and say so. The Dirty Facts About Objective for Customer Service Resume An energetic and quick learner whos committed to excellent customer support. Be patient and allow the customer know that youre working hard to address the issue. Its not useful to the customer with the complaints in the event the customer service re presentative doesnt understand how to give assistance over the telephone. Every customer would like to feel important, though your attention might be pulled in many directions. The above is a clear case of how sample customer service resumes are best structured and the best way to write them for high odds of succeeding. Hence, to be able to help you capture your recruiters attention, here are a few customer service representative Sample Objectives for you to select from. A premium quality sample customer service resume will incorporate numerous suitable key terms and phrases that could comprise phrases like customer satisfaction, customer retention, processes or efficiency, based on the particular job. Reviewing customer feedback may provide you a different sense of your present customer service abilities than that which youll receive internally from management or colleagues. The capability to problem solve is integral to demonstrating fantastic customer service abilities. Ever yone can benefit from improving their customer service abilities. Even if youre not able to present your customer what he wants, by establishing rapport hell truly feel a degree of satisfaction with the experience. Excellent communication is the secret to good customer services. Excellent customer service skills are vital for several different kinds of jobs. It is an impossible task to supply decent customer service and have inadequate communication skills at the exact moment. Enhancing your customer service skills will be able to help you move from providing very good customer service to great customer services. As youll learn many essentials at work, you will want to start out with a good grasp on some basic skills. Communication skills are required for each and every job. Everyone has desirable abilities and experiences to provide employers including you When youre crafting your resume objective, you should concentrate on particular abilities and experiences which are di rectly linked to the job. Even though a standalone objective statement was once standard practice on resumes, its now obsolete, meaning that a well-written breakdown of your experience is essential to catching the interest of any prospective employer. As a result, while your resume objective should incorporate information on the career which you want, you also need to spell out why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Normally, the primary purpose of any resume is to highlight the abilities and get work. The absolute most efficient objective is one which is tailored to the job youre applying for. The Bad Secret of Objective for Customer Service Resume For instance, if you work as a digital assistant for a technology company, you can want to aid customers troubleshoot issues with their devices. landsee the total customer service resume. As youre going to learn how to create a kickass customer service resume. Some customer service resume samples are offered online, and they could have the ability to offer additional helpful tips regarding inclusions, but they might not always have the most optimum structure.

This Is Why You Need To Hire Baby Boomers

This Is Why You Need To Hire Baby BoomersThough many businesses are anxious to hire millennials, known for their fresh, enthusiastic take on professional life and their social media savvy, hiring managers and recruiters shouldnt overlook the value of baby boomers. Though some might assume that boomers are retired or are biding their time until they get there, in reality, boomers make up29 percent of the workforce, according to Pew Research Center. Theyre an active, engaged part of the professional world, and they can add significant value to your business. Its clear theyre an important professional group to pay attention to.Here are some of the benefits your office will enjoy when you hire baby boomers and how to attract this unique generation for a flawless transition in your organizationBaby Boomers Know How to Bring ItThey have the experienceThe boomer generation has been at work longer, which means that employees in this age group have the kind of insight that you just cant teach . Theyve seen firsthand what works and what doesnt. They can use this awareness to inform the choices they make. This foresight makes baby boomer-aged professionals valuable in a management role. When you need to select project leaders, you know theyll be up to the task.They know what they wantBaby boomers have already gone through the phase where they want to try new adventures professionally. While younger workers might want to do sale one week, the next week they might want to be a graphic designer or give culinary school a shot. This can lead to a lot of turnover for businesses hiring these individuals, which is both costly and tiresome. When you hire a baby boomer, youll likely gain mora consistency. At this point, these individuals know what theyre looking for in a position and they know what kind of company theyd like to be part of. When you hire someone from this generation, you dont have to worry as much about them leaving in six months for a new opportunity they just have to try out.They can work with different personality typesAfter spending years in a professional setting, baby boomers have gotten familiar with navigating the waters of office politics. Theyre not rattled by the office gossip type or the one who takes leistungspunkt for their ideas. They know how to deal with various personality types in a way that remains peaceful and professional. This makes them valuable mediators in a dynamic office situation.Theyre confidentProfessionally, boomers have a confidence thats highly appealing. They trust their own abilities and it makes them decisive gruppe members. You dont have to worry as you send them out on a big client meeting because theyll likely feel calm in the situation. You can trust that they will represent the business well.Theyre well connectedAfter working in the industry for years, boomer-aged professionals have built up a strong base of connections in the field. Beyond surface-level relationships, these are deep friendships they ca n leverage when needed. This is beneficial for a business, particularly in a sales-related position. If they need to get in contact with a certain company, they probably know someone there.They can mentor younger employeesWith their knowledge and experience, baby boomers are in a perfect position to become influential mentors to younger employees. This improves employee morale and makes everyone in your office better.A unique perspectivePeople from this generation see the world differently. They werent raised on social media and the internet. This different perspective can be valuable in a professional situation, particularly if your office is heavy on millennials at the moment. An even balance is key.Theyre not scared of the phoneWhen you have employees who have grown up texting and emailing, sometimes it can be challenging to encourage them to pick up the phone and have a person-to-person conversation. Yet, these types of discussions are essential for preventing miscommunication, and often enable work to get done in a more timely manner. Baby boomers are used to this being the only vorkaufsrecht for communication, and are usually comfortable communicating this way. This means they can help build deeper relationships than the ones formed when emojis are at play.They know how to adaptDespite the fact that they didnt grow up tweeting or Instagramming, baby boomers have had to adapt in order to keep up professionally. If you still refuse to use email or social media, youre going to fall behind. Suddenly, the world runs on email and 140 characters, so theyve had to get used to this shift in communication. This means they know how to adapt and learn about new technology. If you have to introduce a new piece of software at work, you probably wont overwhelm this type of professional when you announce the change.babyboomers have the experience, confidence, and adaptability you want in an employee.Click To TweetKnow How to Bring Boomers OnboardFor those who are lookin g to expand their team and want to ensure their open position appeals to and attracts the attention of baby boomers, here are some points to considerBe descriptive when discussing the positionBaby boomers are more experienced professionally. They know what they do and dont want to do at work each day and have probably gone through a lot of trial and error to get there. Therefore, when theyre reading a job description, theyre going to be looking for specific details about what the position would be like. Being vague or general isnt a good approach. Instead, offer as many details as possible and attempt to paint a clear picture about what that position would actually look like for the person who accepts the role.Be honestYou may want to attract the attention of a baby boomer, but dont try to fudge the details about a job. They probably have read enough job descriptions and been on enough interviews to know when a potential employer isnt being upfront with them. If theres an aspect of the available position that may be considered undesirable (having to cold call frequently, for example) then be honest about this in order to avoid wasting everyones time.Know that benefits matterWhile millennials might be on the lookout for work from home options or a flexible schedule, baby boomers are all about the benefits when it comes to selecting a new position. Provide an appealing health care and retirement package if you want to attract their attention.Dont rely only on social mediaWhile many baby boomers love Facebook and Twitter, they probably dont check it as constantly as millennials who have grown up using these platforms. Therefore, if youre relying solely on social media to reach boomers, you may be missing out. If you want your job opening to reach professionals in the baby boomer generation, make sure you diversify how youre spreading the word. Feel free to use social media, but depend on the reach of other platforms, such as industry-specific sites, to attract th e attention of boomers ready for a new professional challenge.Be OK with approaching passive candidatesIf you want to diversify your office and get a variety of perspectives involved, be willing to get active and recruit talent. Have conversations with standout professionals. Show them why they would enjoy being part of your team. Just because a person isnt hitting send on their resume the second a job posting at your office goes live, doesnt mean theyre a poor fit for the role. Passive candidates can bring equally as much enthusiasm and vigor to a new role, they just require hiring managers to recruit them more intently. When it comes to recruiting baby boomers, benefits matter. Know which perks appeal to them.Click To TweetLead Your Diverse Team With ConfidenceWhile there are a number of benefits to having people from different generations working together for your brand, managing a team like this creates a unique set of challenges. You have different personalities and perspective s melding together in one office. Heres how to lead a multi-generational team successfullyEducate your employees about their colleaguesHave a training session that covers the styles of each generation, while highlighting both differences and similarities between them. Boomers may not understand the subtleties of the millennial generation and vice versa, so making everyone aware helps to prevent misunderstandings.Encourage employees to get to know one anotherEncourage your team members to interact with one another and to get to know their colleagues on a deeper level. You can do this by setting up a mentoring program in which more experienced professionals mentor newbies, or you can put together office happy hours, sports leagues, or other opportunities for social interaction. When your employees know each other as more than just a name on an email chain, its easier to foster cooperation.Promote in-person communicationWorkdays are busy, and its tempting to fire off an email to someon e on the other side of the office instead of pushing back your chair, walking to their desk, and having a discussion with them. However, when your employees get into the habit of communicating with each other solely via electronics, camaraderie is lost. Its easier for tone and context to be misunderstood. For these reasons, encourage your staff to rely on face-to-face communication whenever possible.Know that there will be differences in learning stylesWhen youre working with a broad range of ages, understand that youre going to find differences in preferred learning styles. If the team is sitting through a presentation, some may want a PowerPoint, while others want a more technology-based, interactive session. Try to compromise and find a way to accommodate the various preferences in your office.Take time to know each employee personally tooWhile there may be general tendencies among members of the same generation, this doesnt mean that each individual within that generation is the same as everyone else who fits into that group. Its easy to get caught up in generational stereotypes, but make it a point to learn your employees as individuals, too. What do they need to succeed at work? How do they learn and work best? Understanding these details contributes to the long-term success of your office.Dont play favoritesPersonally, you may relate better to a particular generation, but try to avoid favoritism in the office. Just because something falls in line with your particular communication or organization method doesnt mean your co-workers and employees agree. Be sensitive to other peoples preferences, too even if they dont totally sync up with your own.Let employees play an active role in the office environmentRather than dictating how the company will run, let employees weigh in, when appropriate. How do they prefer to receive notifications about news? Are paper memos preferable or is an email fine? What kinds of changes would they recommend so that the busin ess can operate more smoothly? When employees understand that their voices matter, it fosters a more collaborative environment.Dont get too hung up on the differences in employeesWhile age gaps mean that there might be some differences in how employees see the world, dont assume that your team members will have nothing in common. Youd be surprised how well a 25-year-old employee can relate to a 50-year-old employee, despite differences in age and experience. Instead of assuming that age gaps will be problematic, give your staff a chance to bond.Get to know each employee and the generational divide will disappear. leadershipClick To Tweet Members of the baby boomer generation can add valuable knowledge, insight, and energy to your office. However, recruiting and managing these professionals often requires a different approach than when youre dealing with people from other generations. Understanding the differences in preferences allows you to make sure that your business appeals to t his valuable group of experienced professionals.