Whether to Specialize or Generalize in Todays Job Market - Your Career Intel

Whether to Specialize or Generalize in Todays Job Market - Your Career IntelThe catch phrase in todays work world is gig economy. A study by software company Intuit suggests that by 2020 40% of Americans will be freelancers, contractors or temp workers. That means 60% will be regular full-time employees. But a full-time job doesnt promise anything anymore. The economy is changeable and external factors threaten job security. Whether freelancer or regular employee, many workers wonder how best to plan their career specialize or generalize?What is Job Specialization? People who specialize have one skill (or a few) that they do better and faster than anyone else. In a company, the specialist becomes the go-to person for a specific area. Specialization can also mean a particular skill within an occupation. A photographer might specialize in doing only family and baby photos while staying away from weddings or modeling shoots.Benefits of SpecializationA specialist has marketable job skill s that can merit employment in any number of industries. The esoteric knowledge of a specialist adds value for a company.A defined skill set increases respect among co-workers. Specialists operate in different parts of the company, which means people depend on their expertise.Job satisfaction is a byproduct of specialization. Specialist usually enjoy their work and gain satisfaction from solving problems.A specialist career frequently leads to higher earnings. Since specializing takes time (study, certification, etc.) and the positions are narrowly defined, the salaries tend to be higher.Disadvantages of Job SpecializationDoing the same work over and over can lead to boredom and burn out.With technology and innovation redefining work daily, the risk of obsolescence is high. Todays valued skill today can quickly become tomorrows buggy whip.The narrow field and a specific skill set of a specialist can result in career inflexibility.Although specialists can expect better earnings, a na rrowly defined job means fewer job openings.What Is Job Generalization?The most common definition of a generalist is, jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. Generalists have a broad sortiment of skills and experience within a specific field. A marketing generalist might know something print advertizing, digital media placement, email campaigns and brand building without knowing the minutia of each.Benefits of GeneralizationIn a fickle workplace transferable skills are increasingly important. Managing employees, for example, is a key skill no matter what the industry.With broad understanding of a topic and transferable skills, career opportunities expand for generalists.Generalists may be better at navigating uncertainty. Research by Professor Phillip E. shows that generalists are better than experts at predicting outcomes. In an uncertain world, this may give generalists an edge.Disadvantages of GeneralizationThe most common criticism against generalists is they sacrifice depth for bre adth. Increased complexity can mean a lack of in-depth understanding and missing vital information.Generalists, who work various positions with loosely defined responsibilities, may find job security iffy.Generalist v. Specialist, Which Is Best?There is no right answer for which to choose. Career goals play a role. Specialists often become high-level consultants, giving them a degree of autonomy. For those wanting to move up the corporate ladder, a generalized skill set serves executives who must have knowledge in many areas.

The WayUp Guide To A Perfectly Productive (And Fun) Winter Break

The WayUp Guide To A Perfectly Productive (And Fun) Winter BreakThe WayUp Guide To A Perfectly Productive (And Fun) Winter BreakWinter break can be long. According to a straw poll of folks at the WayUp office, breaks can last anywhere from a measly two weeks (Seriously, UPenn?) to a luxurioussix (Bless you, NYU. VioletPride).For most people, lets say, it falls somewhere in the middle. That means youve got a month to yourself. And no ones saying you have to go crazy with work during it. Its your free time and you totally earned it.But, at the same time, there really isnt a world in which you need every hour of a month entirely dedicated to chilling. Plus, in a way, preventing future stress is sort of like relaxing (but, like, in the future tense).So, with that being said, here are four things to keep on your winter break checklist that are aya to lead to happier, more fulfilling (but still entirely relaxing) winter break.1. Stay Healthy (And Happy)Uhhh, results may vary.That sedentary lifestyle can kick in a littletoo hard over winter break. Its cold. Theres nothing on the agenda. Plus, you stayed up really late last night. Thats a recipe for a couch/bed-locked disaster day.Were not saying you have to be the guy from P90x or anything, but getting some exercise can really help with your mood and general energy.We know you dont have your schools gym to go to, but see if you can borrow your dads YMCA card or a friends sports club membership on their off day. A treadmill, a weight room, and an indoor pool all offer much warmer venues for exercise than the great outdoors. Plus, there are tons of workouts you can do at home, no equipment required.2. Apply For Internships (OrYikesYour First Full-Time Job)By following this guide, Kiefer. Duh.For the first time in a long time, youve got time. Use it wisely.It might be hard to comprehend, but recruitment for many of the summers best internship programs (and even entry-level job openings) has already begun. We get it, you were too busy doing school and life and everything else first semester to think about applying for your dream summer position. Thats why now is the time to strike.Here are a few tips to get yourself into fighting shape for application season (crafting a perfect resume, updating your angeschlossen profiles, writing quality cover letters, and finding the right jobs to apply to).3. Read A Single Book (For Fun)You can go to Starbucks and flex on all the screen-watchers.Theres so much to watch. Andwe really believe thistheres no shame in TV or movies. Theyre art, too. But scientists (and every English teacher youve ever had) will tell you that there is legitimately something different about what reading does for your brain. It makes you more empathetic. It makes your brain work better. Plus, it also makes you more interesting to talk to.Space it out over however long you decide. Do it before you go to bed or while you eat breakfast. Just get it done. If you pick a classic (or even a mode rn classic), then chances are you willnotregret it.4. Make Some Money And Beef Up Your ResumeMake it rainmoderately.This ones for the real go-getters. You know how much a semesters worth of fun costs. You also know how much time a part-time job can actually take upespecially a campus-based job. Plus, theres always your actual school work.So, winter break might be the perfect time to stock up on some funds AND beef up your resume for all the summer internships (or full-time jobs) youre going to apply to in a not-so-distant future.But getting that bread doesnt have to mean donning the mask of delivery driver for your local sandwich spot, either. There are plenty of ways that college students can make money without putting their entire life on hold. Heres a quick list of awesome side hustles that will beef up your wallet (and your resume).If you manage to nail behauptung steps, youll be headed back to school in fighting shape. Let the winter chill-but-not-too-chill begin

Reinvent Your Career Expo, Sydney

Reinvent Your Career Expo, Sydney Reinvent Your Career Expo, SydneyPosted October 13, 2011, by Louisa Veidelis The Reinvent Your Career Expo is coming to Sydney. The expo is a great opportunity for people thinking about or making a career change. It provides crucial resources to assist during a career transition. Australias largest employers, educators and trainers will assemble to offer practical career insights into industries, companies and jobs. The free services at the expo will include seminars, career counselling and resume services. There will be loads of information on thousands of jobs and, importantly, opportunities to meet your new employer face to face. If youre still working out your career path, you can find out how to up skill yourself to fast track your progress, get the lowdown into different industries and make useful connections with education and training providers. Whether youre looking to return to the workforce, upgrade, re-skill, or totally reinvent your care er, go to the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday or Sunday 25/26 October 2008. Opening hours Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm, Sunday 10.00am to 4.00pm ($10 entry). ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice Administrator CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineLouisa VeidelisRelated ArticlesBrowse moreCareer progressionJob hunting tipsHow To Negotiate Your Pay And Get The Raise You DeserveNot negotiating your salary at every opportunity means that you could be robbing yourself of over $600,000 over the course of your working life. Here are 11 scientifically backed negotiation strategies t o help you get the raise you deserve.Study tipsUniversityAll Things Qualifications - Your Complete BreakdownWhats the difference between a Certificate and a Diploma? Does my dream job require a Degree? Get the right answers with our breakdown on all things studyUniversityHow to choose your uni preferencesWith achter monat des jahres already upon us, its a crucial time for final year students its time for you to choose your university course preferences.

LinkedIn Launches Inspiration Index, Reveals Most Inspired Professionals

LinkedIn Launches Inspiration datenbankindex, Reveals fruchtwein Inspired Professionals LinkedIn Launches Inspiration Index, Reveals Most Inspired Professionals To date, more than 100,000 professionals have contributed to the index by answering one simple question How often do you feel inspired by your work? The index measures responses on a scale of 0 (never inspired) to 100 (always inspired).The Inspiration Index was launched to measure where the most inspired professionals in the world are and what they do for a living, said Joe Roualdes, a senior manager of communications for LinkedIn Talent Solutions. This data can help recruiters show prospective candidates that certain industries can actually boost their spirits and make their work more inspiring.The index findings includeMost inspired industries for HR and Recruiting professionals (average score = 69)1. Hospitality 762. Pharmaceuticals 733. Education Management 724. Financial Services 725. Non-profit Organization Manage ment 71Most inspired industries for sales business development professionals (average score = 67)1. Health, Wellness and Fitness 772. Airlines/Aviation 773. Computer and Network Security 764. Internet 735. Leisure, Travel and Tourism 73Most inspired industries for marketing professionals (average score = 67)1. Food Beverages 722. Financial Services 713. Internet 714. Information Technology and Services 705. Non-profit Organization Management 69Most inspired industries for finance accounting professionals (average score = 63)1. Real Estate 692. Management Consulting 673. Telecommunications 664. Information Technology and Services 665. Pharmaceuticals 65Anyone with any career, even non-LinkedIn members, can participate. Contribute to the Inspiration Index here.

9 ways you can be a better communicator this year

9 ways you can be a better communicator this year9 ways you can be a better communicator this yearFor many of us, 2018 was a doozy, but we here at Brit + Co are ready to hit refresh in 2019 Follow ourHit Refreshseries through January and February for new ideas, hacks, and skills that will help you achieve (and maintain) those New Years resolutions.Thinking about where to start withNew Years resolutionscan get pretty overwhelming. Should you focus on wellness, relationships, finances, work, hobbies? Sincefocusing on one thing at a timecan make the process of setting ansicht yearly goals feel much more manageable, we suggest communication.You already know that communication is key - clich, but true - so you might as well work on making baby steps toward becoming a stronger, more confident communicator. Plus, improving those skills can seriously pay off in your relationships and your career.We reached out to lifestyle and communication experts to get their take on the best communicati on-related resolutions we all can be making in the new year. Read on for nine great suggestions.1. Communicate to understand, not to judgeAsking good questions within a conversation does more than cultivate that comforting back-and-forth it demonstrates that youre genuinely interested in the other person. Communication means listening deeply, coach and founder of LoveQuestCoachingLisa Concepcionsays. Asking questions with a spirit of curiosity tells the other person that their perspective is valid.2. Pay attention to non-verbal communicationRelationship therapist and dating coachIrina Baechletells us that body language is a key element of cultivating positive communication, especially within romantic partnerships.Non-verbal communication will tell you everything your partner wouldnt say out loud, she says. It can help you understand the complete message. Also, body language will boost your awareness of their reactions to what you say and do. When youre having a discussion, start tun ing into non-verbal cues like crossed arms, leaning away, and eye contact.3. Ask for clarityNot 100 percent sure that youre following what someone is saying? This year, dont be afraid to ask them to clarify This is especially important in more emotional conversations or when you find yourself feeling defensive.This may feel awkward at first, but you will find over time that we often create stories about what other people say and do, and in reality, it often has nothing to do with that, positive psychology practitioner and life coachKendra Daviessays. When we give others the opportunity to clarify, we truly allow compassion and empathy.4. Use I statements during tough conversationsYoure probably familiar with this communication rule of thumb - when arguing with a friend, family member, or significant other, its best to use phrases that start with I than phrases that start with you. All too often, though, were aware of these kinds of rules and dont actually put them into practice.Mar riage and family therapistHeidi McBainurges you to make this a resolution in the year ahead. If, for example, youre feeling like your partner has been disengaged from you recently, resist the urge to say Youre ignoring me and instead go with I feel like youre not as engaged with me lately. That change in wording can go a long way.5. Focus on listeningWeve all been in the middle of conversations in which we struggle to truly listen to the other person. Maybe its because were distracted by other things going on in our lives, or perhaps were just so busy thinking about whatweregoing to say next that we arent actually tuning into whats being said in the moment. Lets change that in the new yearCommunications improve when we listen fully, looking to understand what the person is saying, life coachMary Connollytells us. Listening to comprehend and not just to hear is key to being a good communicator.6. Create the right environment for difficult discussionsIn many cases, you know long befor e a conversation gets heated that the subject is going to cause tension. Get ahead of that tension by setting the scene. Clinical psychologist and life and relationship coachAlyssa Adamsrecommends starting these tough conversations in a quiet place with limited distractions.Go a step further toward positivity by opening the interaction with a statement about what you most appreciate about the other person.7. Find the balance between honesty and kindnessI often find that people feel like if they are honest with what they want, then they are being mean, licensed marriage and family therapistIrene Schreinersays.Were all for speaking your mind bluntly when the situation calls for it, but were also here to challenge you to work on perfecting the delicate balance between being kind and being straightforward. It doesnt have to be one or the other.8. Put your phone awayStashing your screen tops the list of recommended communication resolutions from goals coach Nadalie Bardo, the founder ofI ts All You Boo. Cutting back on phone time can have benefits in many aspects of life, but communication is definitely one of them. When youre trying to truly communicate with someone, its best to eliminate all distractions.9. Replay interactions in a positive lightIf you schliff up a discussion with someone - at work, at home, anywhere - and arent happy with how it went, its easy to overthink the conversation and get stuck in all the negatives. Public speaking consultant and coachMaryna Shkvoretsrecommends making a habit of changing your perspective in these situations.Make a resolution to replay these interactions in your mind going exactly the way you wanted them to, she says. First of all, youll feel better about it. And youd be amazed how often you can redeem yourself in a different situation, and it helps to have a clear vision of the interaction going the right way.How do you plan to improve your communication skills and relationship this year? Tweet usBritandCo.This article first appeared onBrit + Co.

What Makes an Aircraft Technologically Advanced

What Makes an Aircraft Technologically AdvancedWhat Makes an Aircraft Technologically AdvancedThe term Technologically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) is a modern term used to describe light aircraft with advanced equipment on board- specifically advanced avionics like GPS and glass paneldisplays. Categories of Technologically Advanced Aircraft There are three categories of technologically advanced aircraft New aircraftNewly designed classic aircraft with updated avionicsOld aircraft that have been retrofitted with new avionic It used to be that only professional pilots like corporate or airline pilots needed to be trained in modern avionics and other modernonboard technologies. Today, this same high-tech equipment is being used widely in small aircraft, which means that pilots of these small aircraft must be trained in TAA, or run the risk of being inept at using this equipment, or worse, a safety hazard to themselves and others. What Makes an Airplane a Technologically Advanced Airc raft The FAA defines a TAA as an airplane that is equipped with the following A moving map displayAn instrument-approved GPSAn autopilot Many aircraft are equipped with all of these and even more complex systems, making it difficult for even the best of pilots to navigate through their aircrafts avionics, let alone the airspace theyre in. Many pilots are familiar with the term glass cockpit. An aircraft that is considered to be a TAA is bedrngnis always a glass cockpit aircraft, but a glass cockpit aircraft is always considered a TAA. A glass cockpit goes beyond the description of a TAA and is generally defined as one with a Primary Flight Display (PFD) and a Multi-Function Display (MFD), both of which replace most of the old-style gauges in an aircraft. According to AOPA, more than 90 percent of new aircraft today are coming off the line with glass cockpits. These aircraft are all considered TAA. Controversy Over the Use of Technologically Advanced Aircraft The FAA has come u nder fire because of the influx of TAA and the FAAs lack of a modern flight training program. The current flight training standards have been in place since 1973 and were designed with basic stick-and-rudder flying in mind. Current training syllabi do not leave room for TAA training, but that could change in the future. As of right now, pilots are training on both the old style instruments and the new glass panel displays. The old six-pack displays are still very common, but as glass panel displays become more commonplace, well see the old six-packsdisappear. TAA is generally a good thing for the average pilot, as long as the pilot knows how to use the equipment correctly. Still, many accidents are attributed to the pilots lack of understanding of the aircrafts avionics.When a pilot doesnt fully understand the avionics on board his aircraft, he can quickly become task-saturated trying to figure out how it all works. This task-saturation, coupled with excess heads-down time in the co ckpit, can lead to disorientation and loss of aircraft control. TAA is, by and large, improving situational awareness for pilots. The criticism of technologically advanced airplanes being more of a distraction than a helpful tool holds merit, though. For this reason, the FAA created the FITS program and new training program that supplements the old one, created specifically for use with TAA. The FITS program is designed to assist flight instructors and flight schools in training pilots for TAA and includes a more scenario-based training environment.

Muslim Amazon contractors finally allowed to use company prayer rooms

Muslim Amazon contractors finally allowed to use company prayer roomsMuslim Amazon contractors finally allowed to use company prayer roomsAfter months of pray-ins and protests, workers for an Amazon contractor finally got what full-time Muslim employees at Amazon already had the right to pray during the day.Like many, Amazon contracts Security Industry Specialists (SIS) to get security officersto patrol its large Seattle campus. 500 of 800 of those security employees are Muslim, according to SIS workers, but they had to pray in garages and other out-of-the-way places on campus and managers reportedly threatened them if they took 15 to 30 minutes off the clock to worship.Now thats changed. SIS told Seattle Globalist that its management released a listof available prayer rooms on the Amazon campus, which are the same rooms that were available to full-time employees.Amazon began establishing dedicated Prayer Rooms earlier this year and was kind enough to let us know that SIS employees c an use them, the President of SIStold the publication.Thats a rosy picture that ignores the complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Boardthat went into getting access to these rooms.Time off for religious worship at workThe labor victory follows multipleallegations of religious discrimination by Muslim contract workers at the tech giant. Security officers said they were repeatedly denied spaces to pray, were reprimanded for taking time to do their daily prayersand faced intimidation for union activities.SIS workerAbdinasir Elmi said that one managertold other employeesto blame the Muslims who took time off during Ramadan for their increased workload.Federal law requires that employers must make reasonable accommodations for peoples faiths unless it would be an undue hardship on the employers operation of its business. Undue hardship canmeans its too much money or it decreases workplace inefficiency.According to the Pew Research Center, Islam is the fastest-growing religio n in the world. There are 3.3 million Muslims living in America, which account for 1% of the U.S. population. But although Muslims are a growing part of the workforce, their religious practices - which can include praying five times a day and fasting for a month during Ramadan - have frequently clashed with a companys bottom-line.In 2016, a Cargill plant in Colorado fired about 150 of its Muslim workers in a prayer dispute. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which publicized the case, alleged that workers were told to go home if they wanted to pray. The plant retorted that workers were given the reasonable accommodation of prayer rooms. That same year, Ariens, a Wisconsin manufacturing company, fired seven of its Muslim workers for taking unscheduled breaks, which they were using to pray. Muslim employees said that the companys scheduled break times did not align with their needed prayer time.As part of their faith, Muslims must pray five times each day at sunrise, noon, mi d-afternoon, sunset and evening. Ariens initially allowed Muslim workers to have a brief third break needed to accommodate prayers but ultimately concludedthat this disrupted production. 14 other Muslim employees resigned over the break policy.Ladders reached out to Amazon about the allegations of its contractors conditions and we will update when we get a response.A different classContract workers like Amazons security officers are the unsavory underbelly of the tech industrys approach to employment. They are too often seen but not heard. They work at the company, but as one SIS security officer noted, were in a different class than the rest of Amazon.SIS workerEden Medhane noted that Amazon security officers are not allowed to park in the employee parking garage, even though their job is to patrol it.Medhane has been one of the leading voices among irate contractors unimpressed with the proportion of the divide separating them from managers and full-time workers in terms of wages, benefits and treatment.In his blistering April op-ed, SIS Amazon workerMedhane wrote that if easing economic inequality could be as important to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos as developing a private space program, he could turn his attention to the lives of his workers - all of his workers - in the city that helped make him the second-richest person in the world.Crowdsourced work with no financial netThe divide between full-time workers and contractors is not unique to Amazons security workforce.Amazon also uses contractors for Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourced digital marketplace that exists largely for data processing tasks that cannot be automated. It is repetitive and often mind-numbing work.Employers using Amazon Mechanical Turk decide what they wish to pay crowdsourced contractors. AMT contract workers have no minimum wage.Google chose full-time hires instead of contractorsMany tech companies hardly balk at paying engineers richly, but they save costs on contract workers, whic h work alongside full-time staff on many similar tasks but receive fewer benefits.A former Google employee critiqued Googles decision to hide itssubcontracted workforce of service workers, content moderators and laborers they didnt ride the Google shuttle, eat the Google food, or attend beer-filled all-hands Friday meetings.In fact, Googles abundantly productive, nonhierarchical, and playful workplace seemed to rely on hidden layers of menschlich data work subcontractors who were off the books.Google made changes. In 2014, it parted ways with SIS and hired about 200 security officers full-time