Friday, November 29, 2019

The surprising things Americans do when they get home from work

The surprising things Americans do when they get home from workThe surprising things Americans do when they get home from workAmericans are watching TV mora than ever and talking to each other less. It seems were a nation of TV-addicted hermits.The 2016 results of the American Time Use Survey, done by the U.S Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, came out this week. It shows some chilling data about how Americans spend their time at home.The short answer? Americans come home from work to watch TV and avoid human contact.Americas eyes are glued to TV screensWatching TV is Americas favorite leisure activity, according to the Census Bureau data. Sitting in front of a televisions took up 2.7 hours daily, or just over half of the total free time Americans have each day.The survey found that American men spend 5.5 hours watching television programming on an average day- compared to women who spent 4.8 hours doing so.The survey also broke down how long people watched by age, em ployment position and more. Older people took more time out of their day for TV- those 65 and older watched more than four hours daily on average. On the other hand, the 15-44 age group watched the least, about 2 hours daily on average. The unemployed also spentmore time watching daily on average than those with jobs- 3.78 hours- versus 2.10 hours for people with either full-time or part-time jobs.That means that even people with jobs are spending most of their time, on average, watching some kind of television programming.No wonder Netflix and Amazon are doing so well.https//twitter.com/moorehn/status/880156956501176322America is not excited about physical fitnessThe flipside is that 21% of Americans in 2016 exercised after work in 2016, with 22.7% of men and 19.2% of women getting into motion. While thats a big bump from 2003 - when 17% of people reportedly engaged in sports, exercise, or recreation on a regular day - it still means that the vast majority of Americans are not making time for physical fitness each day.To break it down another way if you took any four Americans, only one of them would go to the gym after work.We multitask - a lot - while watching TVThe BLS had an expansive understanding of leisure activities, saying that this category included watching television reading relaxing or thinking playing computer, board, or card games using a computer or the Internet for personal interest playing or listening to music and other activities, such as attending arts, cultural, and entertainment events.The fact that catching up on TV is a classic American pastime is no secret- but neither is the concept that we tend to do a bunch of other tasks while viewing.A separate study, the 10th edition of Deloittes digital democracy survey,found that 92% of people are multitasking while the TV is on. People between the ages of 14 years old and 32 years old do an average of four extra things while theyre watching TV. People ages 33-49 do three extra things on average at that time, while those who are 50-68 and 69+ doone extra thing on average.Translation even though were in front of the TV, were not really engaged with it.Heres how much we like to be active and be with othersEmployed adults who had no kids under 18 in their houses were far more active than working parents. The employed adults with no young kids did leisure and sports activities for 4.5 hours daily, according to the BLS. This is 1.2 hours more than adults with jobs who also had kids younger than age six at home.Caveat That 4.5 hours included watching sports as well as playing them. It also included recreational activities such as yard games like croquet or horseshoes, as well as activities like billiards and dancing.What most Americans arent doing is talking to other people. The socializing and communicating category includedtalking in person, or going to or leadingevents, and tookup an average of a paltry 39 minutes per day. On weekends, this number was 59 minutes- compared to 31 minutes on weekdays.Watching TV with no human interaction is probably not the America we want to be. When your other responsibilities outside of work are taken care of, instead switch gears and use your free time to relax, reflect and reconnect with others so you can return to work recharged.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Signs That Your Job Interview Went Well

Signs That Your Job Interview Went WellSigns That Your Job Interview Went WellHow do you know if a job interview went well? Whats the best way to tell if you have a good chance of being invited to a second interview, or better yet, an offer of employment? Sometimes, its a gut feeling. Other times, its not so clear. However, there are signs to look for that will help you determine if your interview welches successful. There are many variables, so it is important to consider more than one thing to get a complete and accurate impression of your experience.For example, if you are interviewing for a large, corporation, the level of personal engagement you experience during theinterview processmay be significantly less than if you were applying with a abflug-up company, but that doesnt mean those dry interactions imply you wont get the job. If your interviewer herself isnt a warm and fuzzy person, her mannerisms may not reflect your likelihood of getting the job- and same goes if she is an especially nice person.Make sure you consider the big picture rather than reading too much into the little details. Remember, trust your gut, but be fair to (and aware of) yourself. If youre the type who constantly doubts yourself, and you think youblew the interview, your judgment may not be accurate. Try to be as objective as possible when considering your interview performance. Review the experience without engaging in too much emotion.If the interview didnt go well, it could be a sign that this isnt the right job for you. Then, review these signs that will indicate if you did a good job on the interview. If you didnt do as well as you expected, consider it a learning experience and practice for the next time around. 01Youre Asked About Your Interest in the JobDid the interview ask you what you thought about the job and the company? Its a good sign if your interviewer asks you questions about your interest in the job orwhere else you are interviewing. If she or he wasnt interest ed in hiring you, your desire for the job- or interest in other companies- wouldnt matter. Inquiries about your interest suggest the interviewer is considering whether or not youwould accept a job offer.02Getting Specific About the Job ResponsibilitiesDid your interviewer dive into the specifics of the job and the daily responsibilities of the individual in that role? For an interviewer to take the time to get into the nitty-gritty can mean he or she felt confident enough about your capabilities to take the conversation to that level.Bonus points if the interviewer referred to you in the role for example You would be reporting to Martha, the digital marketing manager, each day. If the hiring manager is talking this way, it means he or she can foresee you in the role.03Your Interviewer Gives Positive bekrftigungIf the interviewer provides positive feedback during the interview, youre on the right track. This can be an obvious but tell-tale sign of a successful interview. Listen to ho w your interviewer responds when you answer questions.Positive responses like, Thats exactly right, Great answer, or Yes, thats just what were looking for are key indications that an interviewer likes you and will give your application further consideration.04You Get an Invitation for a Second InterviewWith this one, its easy to tell if the interview was a success. Getting asked to come in for a second interview is the best sign that your first one went well Remember, though, dont let the berichterstattung get to your head, as there is a good chance other candidates are also coming in for round two.Embrace your confidence, but definitely dont dismiss the need to prepare for a second interview just because you think you have the job in the bag.05Your Interviewer Sells You the JobIf the interviewer spends some time promoting the highlights of the position, the company culture, and why he or she loves working there, this is a good sign. Your interviewer probably wouldnt try to sell you the job if he or she had zero intentions of considering you for the position.Another good sign is when an interviewer asks when you could start work if you were hired. Wanting to get an idea about when you can start is a good indicator that youre in contention for the job.06The Interview Runs Longer Than 30 MinutesDid the interviewer spend time asking quality questions, listening to your answers, and discussing the details of position with you? If you felt like you came away with a thorough idea of the position and your interview lasted for 30 minutes or more, consider it a good possibility that the interviewer was interested in hiring you.However, in a case where there are multiple interviewers, however, one of them may feel the need to ask questions just to ask them in order to make it seem like theyre doing their job. So, bonus points if its just you and a single interviewer and the discussion still carried on for a significant amount of time.07Exchange of Contact InformationIt is excellent news if your interviewer gives you a business card, or some direct line to reach him or her, like an email or even a cell phone number. Even better if he or she encourages you to reach out anytime if you have questions or concerns08Youre Introduced to StaffConsider it positive news if your interviewer toured you around the office and introduced you to staff. Its even better if he or she brought other staff members in during your interview for personal introductions and work-related discussions.09The Interviewer Responds to Your Follow-upOnce youve sent your thank you note expressing your gratitude for the interview opportunity, gauge how long it takes your interviewer or human resources contact to respond. A prompt response can be good news, but also keep an eye out for the tone of the message.A message like, Thank you for coming in to meet with us We very much appreciate it and look forward to following up with you later this week. Have a great day bodes much better th an something short and dry like, You are welcome, and thank you. Speak soon.10Salary Comes Upfruchtwein interviewers wont get into the (sometimes awkward) discussion of money unless theyre serious about hiring you. Interview questions about your current salary, past salary, and what salary you are expecting to receive can be good signs that they are seriously considering you for the job.If none of these things happen, remember that it might not because of anything you did or didnt say. There are many reasons candidates dont get invited for second interviews, and some of them have nothing to do with the applicant.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How to Write an Irresistible Technical Resume

How to Write an Irresistible Technical ResumeHow to Write an Irresistible Technical Resume In the midst of a record-low unemployment rate , the prospects for job seekers - especially for those with in-demand technical skills - have almost never been better. Today, there are more jobs available than qualified candidates, meaning job seekers have their veritable pick of the litter when it comes to choosing where they want to work next.Just because companies are urgently seeking employees, though, doesnt mean theyll hand out jobs to just anyone who wants them. Above all, recruiters are looking to hire people who are the right fit, so its still on job seekers to prove that theyre worth the investment.The best way to do communicate your talent is by crafting an impressive technical resume - with the right mix of relevant experience, accomplishments and skills, recruiters will be knocking down your door with opportunities. But what exactly are technical recruiters look ing for in resumes, and how can you best incorporate that?To find out, we reached out to the Talent Acquisition team at Northrop Grumman - heres what they had to say.A fancy-looking resume wont mean a thing if it buries what recruiters really want to see.A candidate has 20 to 30 seconds to capture a recruiters attention - so make koranvers your resume is well-formatted, easy-to-read and that your most noteworthy accomplishments/skills are captured near the top of page one, says Kortnie Sullivan, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Northrop Grumman, who primarily recruits information technology professionals.When looking at a technical resume, I look to see if the candidates technical skills/tools match or are comparable to the needs of the position. I also go over the two most recent positions to see if the candidate has experience doing the same or similar tasks that they would be doing in the new role. shares Albrenna Richardson, Talent Acquisition IT Recruiter.Other im portant things to prominently feature are education, certifications and clearance level, if you have one, says Melissa Wallace, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner who focuses mainly on engineering and other technical positions.I want to be able to quickly glance at a resume and make sure they meet the criteria for the level of position Im looking for and then if they do, Ill read their resume more closely, Wallace adds.A generic resume is a guaranteed way to lose a recruiters interest, so make sure that you take a good look at the specific job description(s) youre applying to in order to highlight what matters most.Taking time to build a strong resume that is customized to the position gives you more control in the process. It takes the guessing away from the recruiter and hiring manager and makes a clear, immediate case that you should be interviewed, explains Jessica DeVilbiss, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Northrop Grumman focusing on aerospace systems. Its wort h the time investment for roles that you are interested in and targeting for your next step.In particular, DeVilbiss recommends that job seekers read the specific skills that are listed in the position and include the applicable skills in your resume.And when detailing your work history, make sure to connect what youve done in previous roles with the job youre applying to.I like clearly-written resumes that allow the reader to have a thorough understanding of what they did and how it relates to the position that they are applying for, Richardson says.While its important to share your skills and the technical tools you use, its not enough to simply list them without providing any additional information. Richardson recommends that candidates provide specific detail on how they have used those tools under the description of their current and past positions.As a recruiter, I am looking to see that the tools you listed are something that you have actually used in your work or class proje cts and how you have used them. So instead of simply listing Java and Linux in the skills section , add a statement like this I developed X website using Java and Linux on the backend. You might also want to consider detailing exactly how familiar you are with the various tools and skills you mention.Its especially helpful if candidates rank their skill level with technologies from beginner to expert level, DeVilbiss explains.Beyond giving context to your skills, youll also want to give context to your achievements at work. One of the best ways to do that is by describing the concrete results of your efforts in your work history bullet points.I really like when a technical resume calls out specific examples using real data and numbers. It immediately builds credibility with me and the hiring manager, DeVilbiss shares.When considering which sorts of metrics to include, think about what would be important to an employer , Wallace recommends. If you saved the company money by someth ing you were responsible for, by all means, make sure it is on your resume.A few example bullet points from Sullivan includeOne other note on including metrics, in addition to numbers, percentages can tell a powerful story, especially if your experience is from a company of a different size than where you are applying. For example, saved the company 15 percent on annual expenses in X category due to Y activity/process.When looking at a technical resume, recruiters primarily care about relevant skills and experience - but that doesnt mean they wont notice typos, a clunky design or other common resume mistakes .One issue in particular that job seekers should watch out for is accidentally name-dropping the wrong company. There is nothing more cringe-worthy than a candidate expressing interest in your competitor when applying for a job at your company, Wallace says.Another tip to keep in mind Spell out technical acronyms, Richardson says. Technology is continuing to evolve at a rapid rate and it will assist the technical recruiter if the technology is clearly stated. Acronyms can mean one thing at one company and a different thing at another.Familiarity with the right skills and tools is critical for technical roles, but soft skills like communication , leadership and collaboration are often equally important. But when it comes to including soft skills on your resume, its best to be subtle about it.When highlighting soft skills , make them bulleted and targeted based on what the role is seeking, and then again, use facts and figures, if possible, to demonstrate your competency, DeVilbiss advises. For example, if you are saying you are a skilled lead, talk about the number of people youve led and mentored and/or your specific achievements in a project.A couple more ways you can show off your soft skills List a handful of extracurricular activities you are involved in and if youve had any leadership in those roles, and list some accolades youve received, for e xample, a top performance rating or an on-the-spot-recognition, Wallace says.One of the biggest mistakes Sullivan sees in technical resumes? Unnecessary length.I tell candidates to keep their resume to two pages - a recruiters eyes departure to glaze over if it goes beyond two pages, Sullivan explains. And really, that first block of experience/work history on page one is what needs to catch the recruiters eye.Theres no doubt that writing a technical resume is challenging. After all, its no easy feat to condense your years of experience, achievements and skills into one short document. But the importance of resumes in the job search cant be overstated. Theyre the number one tool you have to catch a recruiters attention and convince them that youre worth spending time on, so a little extra time spent tweaking it is well worth the effort. Keep these tips in mind, and youll be well on your way to an impressive technical resume - and hopefully, the job of your dreams.Want to learn mor e about Northrop Grumman and the opportunities available at their company? Check out their open jobs here