5 Things You Need For the Perfectly Productive Home Office

5 Things You Need For the Perfectly Productive Home Office Company culture has evolved from the weeklong 9-5 and more employers are letting their staff work from home. This allows businesses to give their employees a fair work/life balance and in turn promote diversity and productivity within the team two major things people look for nowadays on the new job hunt. So whether your employees have set work from home days in their contract or just need the extra flexibility occasionally, YES Glazing has five things they need to think about for a perfectly productive home office. 1. The chair When working from home it can be incredibly tempting to set up shop on the couch in front of the TV, on the bed or dining room table. While some of these are good temporary solutions, they don’t make for productive work at home environment; each of these places has their own purpose and it’s easy to get distracted in a place that isn’t specifically for work. Choose a chair that is the right height for you and your desk, is comfortable, and provides proper back and arm support. Tom Bourlet, Marketing Consultant for The Stag Company, says the first place he started was with his chair as he works completely from home:   “You will be spending a huge amount of time sitting down and unfortunately you won’t have the big budgets of giant companies to invest in high-quality chairs. But it should still be a heavily considered cost. I strongly believe that any chair under £100 you will probably regret further down the line and find yourself buying a replacement. Spend extra and you will find yourself happily sitting all day in your chair without any back pain or frustration.” 2. The lighting The lighting in your office can have a huge impact on productivity and wellbeing, and the road to improvement may actually mean turning the lights off. “Natural light is the best way to go,” says Tom Ellis, Managing Director of YES Glazing. “Not only will it not cost you a penny but it’s also much better for your mental health. A survey conducted by Future Workplace showed that 43% of people felt gloomy because of the lack of natural light, and 47% felt very tired. “So if you’re going to let some light in, make sure it’s as natural as possible. Set up your desk so that it’s in front of a big wide window, preferably south-facing if you can manage it. If that’s not possible, or it is but you find your office getting a little dark in the late afternoon, opt for soft and warm bulbs that replicate the outside light rather than harsh fluorescents.” The placement of any light is also incredibly important. To reduce eye strain, optimum light placement is directly over your ready area, above the computer and behind you, as this ensures there’s no glare or reflection off your computer monitor. Your computer should also be placed a comfortable distance from your chair; you shouldn’t have to strain or hunch to reach the keyboard but also not need to squint or use reading glasses. 3. The desk This is where you’ll be spending the vast majority of your day so make sure it’s a good place to be! In fact, Nick Pollitt, Managing Director at office furniture suppliers, Diamond Interiors, believes the desk should take pride of place: “Your desk is a key element to your home office; it’ll help pull the rest of the room together and will also act as a focal point that draws the eye. And it’s going to be an important part of your productivity levels. So take your time and choose something that is going to be a good place to work for a long time. No matter what you go for, make sure it’s large enough to fit everything you need within arm’s reach and sits at the right height for you to work comfortably.” If you find yourself quite limited to office space, it’s time to whip out the old paper and pencil. Draw out a rough floor plan on graph paper and take some measurements of the space available and the sizes of furniture you’re working with. Make the most of the space you have by installing shelves above your desk or an under-desk mobile or desk height fixed pedestal. 4. The layout Now we come onto the layout of what’s on your desk. It’s only natural to want things close to hand, but it’s surprising what you don’t need. No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “tidy desk, tidy mind”, and it’s true! Clutter can be incredibly distracting and can stop you from being productive. Instead, get yourself organised and sort through your supplies. Use ergonomics in your favour to make working easier and much more comfortable. If you like to put your feet up, then consider investing in a small footstool. Around 10” high should do and it should be placed under your desk. A slide-out keyboard holder is always a good idea for keeping your keyboard at the right height, and choose a mouse mat that provides wrist cushioning and isn’t too far out of reach. 5. The working day Now you’ve got your surroundings set up exactly the way you want them, it’s time to turn your attention to how you go about your working day. Staying motivated when you work from home is harder than you’d think, and it certainly isn’t the relaxing heaven it’s made out to be. Karen Kwong from RenOC, says you need to plan your day as meticulously as you choose your office furniture: “Have a plan for what you want to achieve that day and for the entire week. It gives your day some context and allows you to fill mini pockets of time with a smaller to-do list, whilst still being focused.   “Work out what your best work patterns are e.g. if you work better early or later. Then tell non-work people that you can’t be disturbed during those hours. It is assumed that people who work from home are free to play, whereas that’s not strictly true. Maybe sometimes they are and sometimes they’re not. Having these time limits in place helps to create healthy boundaries. “Also make sure you take regular breaks; it’s healthy for your physical and mental wellbeing. Make time to exercise during the day, eat well and get lots of sleep at night. It’s also important to get out of the house. When you work from home, face-to-face contact is one thing you miss out on, but you still need socialization, even if you’re a natural introvert.” Working from home can require a lot of will power to stay on track, but these tips will ensure a satisfying and productive day of hard work! About the author:  Tom Ellis, Managing Director at YES Glazing.

How to Get Resume Writing to Bid on the Service on LinkedIn

How to Get Resume Writing to Bid on the Service on LinkedInThe sales copy is the most crucial part of a resume to get noticed by an employer and this is the area that any professional writer should concentrate on when they are trying to sell their services on LinkedIn. There are lots of reasons why the sales copy is important and this article will try to explore the issues you should consider in writing a winning sales copy for yourself or your organization.First of all, you should understand that professional sales copy needs to focus on the problem that your organization has to solve. That is why it is a good idea to make sure that the sales copy is focused on the business problem that your organization has to solve. Then again, it is also a good idea to highlight your advantages as a solution to the problem that your organization has to solve. A great sales copy will do this in a way that the reader can easily relate to what you are saying.The sales copy should also highlight the benefits that you will be offering to the readers as an answer to the problem that your organization has to solve. That is why it is also a good idea to state your advantages as a solution to the problem that your organization has to solve. Just because you know that the readers of LinkedIn are familiar with LinkedIn does not mean that you should be boring in your writing.One thing that you should never do is to be vague in your writing on LinkedIn. It is always important to be specific and tell your audience exactly what you have to offer and what your product is.What is very important about writing a resume for LinkedIn is that the resume must be appealing. This means that you should always stay with the font size that is used and use the right typeface in order to keep your resume looking appealing. Even if you work on LinkedIn and you are confident in your abilities, it is still a good idea to take a look at your resume to see if it is appealing to the eye.What is a good idea is to think about the format that you want your resume to follow. This means that you should always avoid writing a resume in bulleted or numbered format. You should rather write your resume in a format that makes it very clear to the reader and also keeps the reader interested in what you have to say.Another good idea for you to consider is to look at the job description that your organization is trying to find and look at what the job description says. Make sure that the job description talks about the solutions that you are offering to the problems that your organization has to solve.Doing this kind of copywriting on LinkedIn can be a great way to get resumes noticed by the employers. After all, these are the people who are going to be reading the resume so they need to read something that is well written and compelling. A sales copy for LinkedIn is a great way to get resume writing to bid on the service on LinkedIn.

Preparing for Your Phone Interview - Dos and Donts - Career Sidekick

Preparing for Your Phone Interview - Dos and Don’ts - Career Sidekick Preparing for Your Phone Interview Dos and Don’ts Interview Preparation / https://www.edenscott.com/blog Once you’ve applied to a job post, you may be invited to do a phone interview. This is an indication that the recruiter has reviewed your resume and found that you have the basic skills and experience required for the role. The goal of the phone interview â€" or phone screen â€" is to weed out the most desirable candidates from a larger pool of candidates who, at least on paper, appear to be qualified.Phone screens typically last between 15 and 30 minutes, during which a hiring manager will ask you a series of questions about your background. It is also an opportunity for them to evaluate your communication skills, get a sense of your personality, and determine whether you’d be a good cultural fit for the organization.To help you prepare for your next phone screen, we’ve compiled some commonly asked questions, as well as dos and donts. Study up and make a great impression next time you take a call from a recruiter.Phone Interview Dos, Donts, and Common Questions:When should I schedule a phone screen? While those job seekers who are eager to find a new job might be tempted to schedule a phone screen during the work day, try to avoid this if possible. Many recruiters will make arrangements to speak to you either before or after business hours, and you’ll be more relaxed if you aren’t worried about getting back to work on time.Allow yourself twice as much time as you think you’ll need for a phone screen. This will allow you to be organized and ready a few minutes early and will provide a buffer on the back end in case the recruiter calls you a few minutes late.What questions will I be asked during my phone interview?Without a crystal ball, this one is a bit hard to answer but, below, we have compiled a list of questions you could be asked during your call. Here is a pro tip: write out your responses to each of the following questions. The best part of a phone screen is that you can have a cheat sheet with you during the call, which can help you get your key points across to the recruiter.Questions during phone screens typically fall into two categories: questions about you and your experience and questions about what you are seeking in your next role. Here are some sample questions:Potential questions about you: Tell me more about your current roleWhy are you looking to leave your current job?What do you see as your greatest strength/ weakness?Tell me about a major challenge you’ve faced and how you handled it?What kind of manager best motivates you?What is your leadership style?How would your coworkers describe you?What was your starting salary in your current role? What are you earning now?(Note: In some cities and states, employers are banned from asking about current and past compensation. Click here to find out if you live in one of these cities or states.)Potential questions about the company and the role: How much do you know about our company?What interests you about this role and why do you think you’d be a good fit?Why do you want to work here?What do you hope to gain from your next position?What can you contribute to this company?Are you willing to travel for work?What are your salary expectations? (Even in states and cities that have banned questions about salary, questions about salary expectations are allowed.)If you cant answer these questions, your interview is more likely to go poorly. So make sure to be ready.What research should I do before my phone interview?Do your homework by thoroughly researching the company and the interviewer. Knowing the basics about the company and recruiter is critical.Go to the company’s website and read the About page for an overview. Next, read recent news articles written about the company. Add your findings to your cheat sheet. Next, look up the recruiter on LinkedIn. Look for commonalities; perhaps you share an alma mater, or maybe you have common connections. These facts are nice to have in your back pocket as convers ation starters during the call.Where should I take the call?Find a quiet room in your house; you’ll be most comfortable at home and will have the most control over the environment. Ideally, do your call when pets and children are out of the house. A child asking for a juice box mid-call can make you lose your train of thought. Consider whether you’d be most comfortable in a chair or if pacing helps you to gather your thoughts and plan your location accordingly.What will I need during the call?Print out your résumé and cheat sheet and mark the important skills you want to highlight during the conversation (and consider fine-tuning the doc with a resume builder to make sure it’s in tip-top shape). Keep a pad and pen handy for taking notes. Pour yourself a glass of water and have it nearby, just in case. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged and turn off any sounds or alerts that could distract you.Prepare your own questionsThe quality of your questions can show a recruite r your level of interest. Formulate questions from the research you’ve done on the company and from information in the job description. Ask questions about the role, the team you’ll be working with, and about company culture. Don’t ask about compensation at this stage of the interview process. If the recruiter doesn’t offer the information, save those inquiries for the next round of interviews.Ask about next steps When the screen is winding down, ask about next steps. A recruiter should be able to give you a timeline for when you can expect to hear back about in-person interviews or when they hope to hire for the role.Follow up Send a hand-written thank-you note, if possible, though a well-crafted email will suffice. You should mail or email within one day of your interview, but not immediately after the call. Keep it short but sweet. Express your interest in the company, your ability to do the job, and emphasize your desire to take the next step in the interview process.Abo ut this guest author:Since 2005,LiveCareer’steam of career coaches, certified resume writers, and savvy technologists have been developing career tools that have helped over 10 million users build stronger resumes, write persuasive cover letters, and develop better interview skills. Land the job you want faster using ourfreeresume examples and resume templates, writing guides, andeasy-to-useresume builder.

How to decide where to live

How to decide where to live Take the question of where to live seriously. Dont let inertia push you toward a big-name city, the place you grew up, or your old college haunts. Make a conscious decision to live somewhere that will improve your quality of life by really understanding what your core needs and interests areand will be. City leaders understand they are competing to attract vibrant, creative populations and are branding themselves accordingly. Young people get this, and many treat cities as a consumer product to be test-driven, like a new car. A white paper written by Next Generation Consulting stated that because of an increasing shortage in skilled workers, Generation Y is saying, I can find a job anywhere. Its more important to me to find a place where I fit in. Rebecca Ryan, CEO of Next Generation Consulting, says: Where you live is more important than where you work because a mortgage and your kids school are more long-term than the job you have. So how do you choose where to live if everywhere is a possibility? 1. Understand what really matters. Richard Florida, professor at George Mason University and author of The Rise of the Creative Class, summarized conclusions from a recent summit of the mavens of the economic development and psychology-of-happiness communities: Place is as important as having a job that challenges you, but not as important as relationships with family and friends. Jane Ciccone, designer of jewelry line Jane Elizabeth, got it. She says she and her husband, fell in love with San Francisco, but our families were in Massachusetts. We could have stayed in San Francisco if we could have gotten some of my family to move there. But no one would move because of the cost of living. Now they live in Newburyport, MA, and she is expecting to give birth any day. 2. Leave room for career flexibility. You probably wont have the same career your whole life. If you move to a city where the culture or demographics reflect your values (think recycling rates, number of churches) and meets the needs of your non-work interests (e.g. kayaking in the Pacific Northwest) then you are more likely to move among careers without having to relocate away from your interests or relationships. Realize that a high-cost of living directly affects what flexibility you have in your career. You severely limit your ability to drop in and out of the workforce and careers if you are raising kids and paying a mortgage in an expensive place. 3. Live where your income is at least as high as the median. If youre surrounded by people who have more money than you, you wont feel like you have enough. The relative amount of money is what matters, according to Daniel Khaneman, who won a Nobel Prize for applying psychology to economics. 3. Consider that more choice is not intrinsically more desirable. Do you really need to be able to choose from 20 takeout restaurants every night? Probably not. The same is true for private schools, and pet-friendly parks. More choices make us nervous about deciding and more likely to regret what weve ultimately settled on, according to Barry Schwartz, author of the Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less. You dont want life dictated to you, but you also dont want to spend your whole life deliberating what-if scenarios. 4. Dont relocate away from a spouse or significant other. The single biggest factor in our happiness, according to many studies is not money, its our sex life. Daniel Blanchflower, professor of economics at Dartmouth College, has quantified it for us: Going from sex once a month to sex once a week creates a big jump in happiness. Caveat for the adventurous: Sex needs to be with a single, consistent partner to confer bigtime benefits. 5. Keep your commute short. Theres a huge psychic cost to joining the suburban crawl. You think you are moving out to the suburbs because its better for your kids, but in some cities, youre never going to see your kids because youre always in your car, says Wendy Waters, founder of the blog All About Cities. 6. Seek diverse populations for a richer life. Bigger cities are often among the most homogenous. Ethnic diversity and racial differences now are not as pronounced as economic and educational differences. Diverse ideas are often based in diverse experience; however housing costs are pushing out nearly everyone but the rich from the most popular cities. Richard Florida says, San Francisco is becoming an entirely homogenous place. This is true of entire regions and migration trends will make this worse. The creative revolution is creating a concentration of wealth worse than in the Industrial Revolution. 7. Make a decision to improve the world. The key to solving this problem, says Florida, is not to beat up Boston and San Francisco, but to make second-tier cities attractive. In a large part, this is a government problem. Pay attention to cities such as Columbus, Ohio, where mayor Michael Coleman has a vision for the city that intensely embraces diversity. Or Madison, Wisconsin, where theres a capable network of investors working with the government to promote local technology innovations. You can find meaning in community by helping to promote diversity and creativity in a city such as these. You can help build new models for cities that make room for communities of people with diverse ideas and diverse income levels. The decision is a little like driving a hybrid car: We cant fix everything in the world. But we can live our life in sync with our values and with intention to make a difference. How to decide where to live Three years ago, I made a decision to move from New York City to Madison, WI based purely on research. I put economic development research together with positive psychology research. Then I combed the Internet for city statistics, and I moved. (If you want to read the research I used, I linked to it all in this post.) I had never been to Madison in my life, and you know what? It was a good decision. Except for one thing: I ignored the data about schools. I didnt believe that a city known for progressive social programs and university filled with genius faculty could have poorly performing public schools. But it ended up being true, and all economic development research says do not move to a place with crap schoolsits a sign that lots of things in the city are not right. So when you decide where to live, pay attention to the research. Ignore stuff like the geography of personality because its interesting, but theres no data that says it correlates to what makes you happy. And pay attention to research that flies in the face of everything you know, like you can be a millionaire anywhere. But, then, you should probably not be looking at that research because being a millionaire wont impact your happiness so it should not impact where you choose to live. Heres some research Ive found recently that you should consider if youre considering relocating: Live by water. People who live inland are not as happy as people who live near water, according to research coming out in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. And some scientists think this is because humans evolved by following the shorelines and living off water life. So, the Journal of Preventative Medicine shows that if you live in the Appalachian Mountains you are twice as likely to have mental illness than if you live in Hawaii. Live where people have as much money as you do. Of course, the Hawaii vs. Appalachia issue is clouded by the overwhelming evidence that people have a lot more money in Hawaii. Its true that money does not buy happiness. But it is only true if you are not living in poverty. Poverty is pervasive in Appalachia, so that probably accounts for a lot of the mental health problems there. But dont go move somewhere where everyones got a lot of money, because financial security is relative. And you need to have a little more money than your friends do in order to feel financially secure. Move to where your friends are. If you move within a mile of a good friend, both of you will become significantly happier, according to Nicholas Christakis, a physician and sociologist at Harvard. If youre considering relocating away from friends and family because you believe money will buy happiness, you are sort of right. But Nattavudh Powdthavee of the University of London shows that youd need to have a salary increase of at least $133,000 in order to have a net positive impact on your happiness from that move. Move to an inexpensive city if you want to start a company. Seventy percent of Gen Y wants to start a company. So a lot of people are relocating to do that. You might think you need to be in Silicon Valley since the people there never shut up about their startup culture. But in fact, most startups need to keep their burn rate low more than they need that mythic startup culture, so you should move to a city with a low cost of living. Maybe you should stay where you are. When one spouse relocates for another, they generally end up earning less over their career because of it. So maybe spouses should stop relocating, period. There is a widespread feeling among Generation Y that transience is exhausting, and relocating away from family and friends for a job is a nonstarter. And anyway, it used to be that you could get a company to pay for your relocation, but Microsoft is no longer doing that, and you can bet other companies will follow. So at some point, relocation starts looking expensive, high risk, and maybe a bad idea. Unless youre starting from New York City.

Writing APs on a Job Resume

Writing APs on a Job ResumeWriting APs (Appointment Pads) on a job resume can be an art form. Here are some tips that you can use to make sure that your cover letter and APs fit the job, the industry, and the company.Before you write any kind of APs on a job resume, you should have a goal in mind. What are the main points of the letter? What are the company's goals? This will help make sure that you come up with a great and personalized AP that will catch the eye of the human resources person when it's time to discuss the hiring process. Besides, it will also ensure that your personal brand is more than just a few slogans you have memorized.You should also include your resume on the letter. Some companies don't even ask for a resume, so if this isn't part of your hiring process, get it in before you start your writing. It makes it easier for the hiring staff to refer to it and actually see your skills when they are deciding whether or not to hire you.In your cover letter, always ensu re that it has a catchy headline. It should be short and sweet but at the same time powerful. Your cover letter can easily get lost if it is too long and it should make it easy for the reader to get attached to your company and your professional credentials.In addition, include some personal touches. This shows that you care about the position and the company. The human resources department wants to know that a potential employee is willing to share personal information like their hobbies and favorite places.Leave a little bit of room for interpretation. The company is looking for someone who can express themselves well and honestly in the written correspondence. This is the only way that they can get a feel for who you are as a person and what you can do for them. Just be yourself and let the hiring staff know what you are really capable of.And always keep in mind that the company doesn't want to be all business and no fun. They want someone who is a good match for the job. They wi ll be impressed by your professionalism, style, and attitude, and they will know that you will be able to show them that you are valuable to the company.It's important to remember that APs and cover letters are often the first impression that potential employers get of you on a job resume. Use these tips to help you compose a great letter that will make a lasting impression on the human resources department.

Dont Have a Nonprofit Resume?

Don't Have a Nonprofit Resume?No one likes to show up to a job interview with a resume that clearly shows their lack of education. Even the most well-educated applicants who are not trying to get a better paying job with better benefits will get noticed. It can take a lot of time and money to go back to school to continue your education and be better off in the end.Most organizations pay very close attention to resumes because they pay professionals to go into these organizations and answer questions and make recommendations for jobs. If you have not done so in years, then you may have to convince them that you can still perform in this capacity. This is the job of a nonprofit resume.A nonprofit resume is geared towards providing the professional resume but does not use all of the generic or typical formatting that is found on a more professional resume. Many nonprofit organizations are growing and need skilled people to fill their positions. A nonprofit resume may be more appropriat e for these types of positions than a resume that has a heavy reliance on educational facts. Also, non-profit organizations are often times smaller and offer fewer benefits.While some organizations require the nonprofit resume, many do not. The resume should be tailored to the job opening for the organization. The resume should also clearly state why you were chosen and how you will perform the position.There are plenty of nonprofit resume sites that you can use. These websites will provide you with specific types of resumes for all sorts of positions. You may find that the nonprofit resume is the best option for your organization because it will be more unique and more likely to be noticed.Once you get started, you can spend some time working on your resume. Spend some time understanding your strengths and weaknesses and your education. This information will help you tailor your resume to the right type of job opening. This will make it easier for the organization to identify you a nd the right resume for the job.Non-profit organizations can find some work from home opportunities as well. This is one of the best ways to supplement your income or even go to school full time. Going to school online may be a great way to get the necessary education and go to school part time. If you have already graduated or completed your coursework and want to get a nonprofit resume that can be used to apply for a non-profit job, you have many options available to you.Again, the key to getting noticed when you have a nonprofit resume is to focus on your strengths and know what the specific job opening requires. There are nonprofit organizations that are just as competitive as regular non-profit organizations, but you do not have to go that route. You can provide them with an informational resume that will show them that you have the experience and the skills they are looking for. Use your nonprofit resume to promote yourself and get the employers to notice you.

Book review Gung ho! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Book review Gung ho! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This book, subtitled Turn on the People in Any Organization, is a really quick read, but it contains some pretty good ideas nevertheless. The whole book is a a story of an iron plant in America, thats in deep trouble. Profits are down, and the employees are hostile towards the new CEO thats just been hired. The CEO talks to an indian, and learns the spirit of the squirrel, the way of the beaver and the gift of the goose. The spirit of the squirrel means that everybody should know why their work is imporant. Squirrels work hard collecting nuts, because their lives the next winter is on the line. The way of the beaver means that employees should plan their own work. When beavers build a dam, theres no beaver boss planning the whole thing, delegating work. Everybody knows what to do. Lastly, the way of the goose, is about cheering each other on. When geese fly in formation, they are constantly honking, cheering each other on. Receiving feedback is vital for people especially praise. The book is cheerful, touching and easy to read at a mere 198 pages. Theres no accompanying theory only the story, and thats enough. Which in itself says a lot about the power of storytelling. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Job seekers and motivation - things to consider when job hunting -

Job seekers and motivation - things to consider when job hunting - The following is a guest post by Miri Zena McDonald, an organization development and communications strategist on a quest to help companies thrive by engaging employees, improving culture and promoting wellness. She tweets at @miri_orgchange. Have you ever really thought about what it takes to motivate you? I think job seekers have an obligation to themselves and the companies where they would like to work to determine what really motivates them. Why do I say this? Gallup has been studying employee engagement over the  past decade.  Their latest  data (July 2009)  from a longitudinal study of over  7000  employees shows that: 30% of respondents are engaged 52% are not engaged 18% are actively disengaged Meaning, about 70% of employees are not engaged at work! To be honest, that depresses me because I think we should be proactive in determining what environment and characteristics engage us. I also think  learning what  motivates us is key to being engaged and new research makes it even easier for us to do so. Daniel Pink recently spoke about motivation at The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). RSA produced an engaging video of the talk. Its a bit long  (about 10 minutes) but in my opinion worth  viewing because it provides some actionable data for job seekers: The first two findings that kind of blew my mind were the ones about money: Money is a motivator but not in the way we might think. If you dont pay people fairly, they will not be motivated. Fair compensation takes money off the table and people are freed up to think about work. When  tasks involved even simple cognitive ability, monetary rewards didnt work. They actually had a detrimental effect on performance. Meaning,  offering a  big bonus  is not really the best way to get the best thinking and solutions. So if money doesnt do it, what does? The data  pointed to  three factors that lead to better performance and personal satisfaction:  Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. Autonomy allows employees to be self-directed. Mastery is working to get better at what you do. Purpose helps people feel  they are part of something bigger. Job seekers can use this information in a few ways. Review Salary Data: Research salaries to determine fair pay for your field and geographic location. Prepare to negotiate what you think is fair given your skills and experience to know what salary offer will take money off the table in your mind. Ask Questions: During your interview, tactfully ask questions about management style and the companys overall mindset regarding self-directed work. Ask about formal and informal growth opportunities. What about the ability to create your own special projects? Review Corporate Websites: To learn more about whether the company will inspire your purpose motive, read mission statements, look for community outreach initiatives, and other clues for a higher purpose other than revenue! I think its easy to get lost in the I hope they like me mindset when looking for a job and after the thrill of getting that offer, we can forget that we actually have to come to this place every day and work! Wouldnt it be much more fun if we could be motivated and engaged and as a result happier while we are there? photo by sarkasmo