The Event You Should Plan for Your TeamASAP

The Event You Should Plan for Your TeamASAPThe Event You Should Plan for Your Team- ASAPYouve probably heard tales of hack days at startups and major tech companies- time set aside for the engineers to spend working on whatever they want, with the goal being they build something new by the end of the day. And they probably sounded pretty fun There was music, maybe food, everyone got to devote time to a cool project. Maybe you were a little jealous, felt a little left out.Well, Ive got news- hack days arent just for engineers anymore. A few months ago, our team started a tradition of having an all-team hack day. From vorwort to sales to engineering, we all have to set aside our normal work and spend the whole day creating something new from start to finish.Its quickly become one of my favorite team traditions, and its one that I think any office could benefit from. Read on to learn why all-team hack days are so valuable to the development of your team and company, and how to have one of your very own.Why Take the Time for a Hack Day?The reasons I love this tradition are numerous, but perhaps the biggest is that it affords your team members time to devote to things they otherwise wouldnt have time to work on. Moreover, it gives them time to work on projects that dont even have to get done. Think pet projects, ideas theyve been mulling on, processes that they think would help the company but havent had time to implement, skills theyve been meaning to develop. Supporting your employees in this sort of development is a fantastic morale booster, so carving out some time for it is just smart. Hack days are also a great opportunity to encourage teamwork and give members of your team a chance to get to know each other better. We always allow people to work in pairs or teams if they think multiple skill sets will help their projects along (think someone from marketing or editorial partnering with an engineer), giving them a chance to work with colleagues they dont get to on a day-to-day basis.Finally, hack days really encourage creative, out-of-the-box thinking- something that can be really important to the growth of your company but that can easily get lost in the day-to-day. For example, out of our hack days weve seen new sections of the site be born, new product ideas be brought to the table, and better processes be created. And, of course, fun stuff that makes us smile.Planning Your Own Hack DayReady to get started? The process of having an all-team hack day is pretty simple. Start by choosing a day that tends to be pretty devoid of meetings or urgent work (we like Fridays), and let your team know a few weeks ahead of time to block it off on their calendars (and start thinking about their projects).Its good to prompt people at this point with some parameters Generally, the projects dont have to be connected to their jobs or be necessary for the teams day-to-day operations, but they should relate to the company in some way. And whatever they dec ide to do, it has to be something that could feasibly be completed in one day. If your team members are stumped for ideas, you can suggest they think about a problem they want to solve or a skill theyve been looking to sharpen or develop. The day before your hack day, send an email around asking people to let everyone know what theyll be working on- that way, theyre accountable for actually getting it done. Then the next day, get ready to get cranking. While everybodys going to be working hard, we like to make hack days fun affairs. Often, well have somebody in charge of music, and well have food delivered to the office so everyone can keep powering through the lunch hour. The ProjectsYou might be wondering what non-engineers could build in a day. And true, having an all team hack day definitely requires a more creative interpretation of build. But here are a couple examples of my favorite projects to come out of hack day so far to give you a sense of whats possibleWhile we had been creating Muse University email classes for a few months, our COO decided to try a new format, creating our first hard-skill class focused on Excel models.Our director of marketing, who wanted to learn a little more about coding, created a random excuse generator that people could use when they dont feel like going to work. Our editor in chief spent one hack day creating a full guide to using our content management system- something that has made it much easier to onboard new employees.I wanted to develop some of my design skills, and we needed a page that explained how people could write for The Daily Muse, so I spent a hack day conceptualizing and designing the page. (I later went back on my own time to figure out how to code it Check it out here)Weve even talked about having someone do something physical for the office, like decorating a wall or building a bar with a $0 budget. With an open mind, the possibilities are endless.The ResultsThe last step of a hack day Make sure you h ave an hour or so set up before the end of the day for everyone to show off what they did to the rest of the team. In fact, this is where the real magic happens Its when your employees get to learn more about each other and experience everyones abilities. While people are presenting, their co-workers get a chance to see their passions, learn a little more about their side of the business, and generally be reaffirmed at how awesome they are. Even if people failed- meaning they didnt get their project to the point they thought they would- if they can come to the table explaining the road blocks they hit and what they learned, then its leise a win. And thanks to hack day, its a win that gets celebrated by everybody. With so many benefits, you cant afford not to set aside some time for an all-team hack day. So pick a date, get your team brainstorming projects, and get excited to get hacking.Photo of team working courtesy of Shutterstock.

Interview Questions About What Motivates You to Sell

Interview Questions About What Motivates You to SellInterview Questions About What Motivates You to SellIts always a good idea to come to a job bewerbungsgesprch prepared to demonstrate your value and if you can do it with a dollar sign attached, so much the better. At the end of the day, no matter what a company makes or manages or perfects or distributes, most are in the business of making money. Thats especially true if youre seeking a position in ausverkauf. How to Answer Sales Interview Questions About Motivation As a prospective employee especially one who works in sales its in your best interests to be able to show that youll make a productive, money-making member of the team. Employers seek goal-oriented, motivated employees with the desire and drive to succeed. When it comes to sales jobs, the need to demonstrate results is even more important. Your paycheck may depend on whether or not you can make a sale, but your employers bottom line certainly requires you to be a ble to close the deal. Therefore, when youre interviewing for a sales job, you can expect to be asked what motivates you and the answer is almost always some variation on money. When you are interviewing for a sales position, its important to tie your motivation to sales goals. The interviewer is going to expect you to be self-directed and to be motivated by achieving sales goals and targets. If you have sales experience, share specific examples of what motivated you to achieve success in your previous position(s). Again, the goal is to demonstrate that you can hit targets, that youre self-motivated, and that you can make money for the organization. Here are sample answers to the interview question What motivates you? Sample Answers I am motivated by a challenge. I enjoy spending the time to showcase a product and help the customer to understand the benefits to them.Im motivated by the desire to beat my belastung record. My goal is always to make larger deals and see bigger num bers and more clients.What motivates me most is money. I enjoy making large sales, seeking out new clients and growing my departments earning percentage.I am motivated by innovation. I like to try different things, and I love being in sales because every customer brings the opportunity for a new approach. I like helping clients get the deal they need, even if they dont know it yet when we start talking. My goal is always to make a sale that will leave us both happy so that we can continue to grow our business together for years to come. Sales Job Interview Tips Its important to prepare for any job interview, but for a sales job, your primary focus should be on demonstrating value. Come to the table with data that show your worth, e.g. increased sales volume over 10 percent for three quarters in a row or brought in three Fortune-500 clients in fiscal year 20__. This information should feature prominently in your resume and cover letter, as well, but youll want to do some practice interviews ahead of time so that youll be able to remind your interviewer of this information in a way that doesnt seem stilted. If you include numbers on your resume, you can share some of those statistics during job interviews. If you didnt list quantifiable achievements on your resume, job down some of your top accomplishments to mention during job interviews. Research the company and its products or services ahead of time, so that you can speak knowledgeably about the organization. Dont restrict yourself to the companys website or PR materials dig into recent news items about the employer, so that youll have an idea of the issues facing the company in the market right now. Finally, go over your elevator speech, the quick, 60-seconds-or-less overview of who you are and what you have to offer an employer. Remember, the goal of a sales job interview is to sell yourself. For this meeting, youre the product. Make the sale.

How to Practice Self-Actualization to Find the Job That Fits Your Life

How to Practice Self-Actualization to Find the Job That Fits Your LifeHow to Practice Self-Actualization to Find the Job That Fits Your Life Renowned psychologist, Dr. Abraham Maslow, called the pinnacle of self-understanding and functioning self-actualization. He defined it as a humans desire for self-fulfillment. He notes that an individual who achieves this realizes his or her full potential and can become everything that one is capable of becoming . . . Angling to become self-actualized is a deeply worthwhile pursuit, but its also a complex process. Its about finding that function that you were made to perform. Dr. Maslow described the self-actualized behauptung highly evolved individuals assimilate their work into the identity into the self, i.e., work actually becomes. . . part of the individuals definition of himself . . .then work tends to improve the people. This tends to improve the industry Self-actualization is about knowing yourself and using that a wareness to unlock your potential through professional efforts that both challenge you and at the same time fill you with certainty that you can deliver quality. It places hefty demands on your best skills thereby refining them daily. You already possess the tools you need to become professionally self-actualized. Heres how to get started Dr. Maslow writes, self-actualization is hard work, and it involves a calling to service from the external, day-to-day world, not only a yearning from within. Achieving this state requires both soul searching and professional diligence. A good first step is to identify which aspects of the jobs youve held make you feel most engaged . Which functions make you lose track of time and think I cant stop until I get this right? Do you achieve this blissful, timelessness by writing code, creating recipes, talking with patients or refinishing crown moldings? Think about which aspects of your work most speak to you. Imagine how your feelings about your p rofessional life would improve if you could further explore and enact these functions. Most of us dont pull our right-fit job right off the rack. ur experiences inform our subsequence efforts, and hopefully, each role we assume hones more skills and brings us closer to our truth. Maslow writes Each person must place himself in the society. This is so because each person must know his own identity and find out his own identity, meaning his own talents, capabilities, skills, values, responsibilities, etc. If youre in the throws of this reconnaissance, be patient with yourself. Its a process, and it can be surprising when what you expect yourself to need meets the reality of what suits you. Working through the process requires clarity, bravery and flexibility. Dont fault yourself if you havent found yourfit right away. This is part of your professional journey which will ultimately enable you to find your sweet spot. This is a golden age of networking . Identify mentors , teachers, colleagues, childhood friends, former roommates parents, etc. Anyone who is doing the work that youve identified as that which speaks to you most. Connect with them . Learn about where they work, how they got started, their roles and their employers. While it can feel uncomfortable to go out on a limb and ask for a professional hand-up, part of your eagerness to consult them is because youre assuming them to be a self-actualized professional. Dr. Maslow assures Self-actualized people rise above the dichotomy between selfishness and unselfishnessthey get pleasure from the pleasure of other people. People who are happy in their professions tend to be willing to assist others in their quest for fit. Often they too have needed a hand up to find their way. Finding your right fit will require you to take some risks. Some wont pan out. But your effort is an important part of your journey, and tenacity tends to bear fruit eventually. Be purposeful in your efforts to identify employers tha t seem likely to suit your needs. Take your time. Decide what factors matter to you, both in terms of what positions look like they could be a good fit for you and what kind of company culture would best suit you. Examine Glassdoor reviews and see how current and former employees describe their experiences. Then schedule an informational interview , where you can do face-to-face research and learn about the roles and the culture you want to pursue. Your goal is to identify a company and a position where you think that you can secure optimal fit. Dr. Maslow writes The only happy people I know are the ones who are working well at something they consider important. You deserve the joy, fulfillment, and productivity that comes from becoming professionally self-actualized so purposefully pursue it.