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    5 In-Demand Skills to Grow Your Career This Year—From the Experts

    You’ve heard this familiar career advice: Network your butt off and volunteer for new projects. As helpful as both actions can be, whether you’re looking for a new job or to level up at your current company, identifying and developing in-demand career skills can be the extra push you need to get there.
    Since we shared in-demand skills in 2020, the workforce has changed, and with it, we’re seeing new skill trends valued by employers—and we’re glad about it. Even better: The job market is red hot. So based on labor trend reports and an expert interview with Mikal C. Harden, talent acquisition executive and cofounder of Juno Search Partners in Philadelphia, we’ve found the top skills to consider as you develop your career this year.

    Digital Fluency
    In a recent pulse survey conducted by HFS, companies identified the need to improve digital fluency as the #1 change required. It’s also increasingly becoming a measure of performance. This includes everything from understanding how to use Microsoft Office Suite to advanced artificial intelligence. So what should you do? Show off. Find out the technology skills required to level up, like how to create an enhanced meeting experience in your next team meeting. If your company uses Microsoft Teams, learn how breakout rooms function or about different presentation sharing options. If you’re job searching, try to find out what technology the position works with and begin to learn how to effectively use it.

    Data Analytics
    You’ve seen this one before, but we’re breaking it down for any type of career goal—so no business intelligence or data analyst title required. Data literacy has become the current language of business, but only 21% of employees are confident in their data skills. Another quick stat: In the last year, Udemy has seen consumption of courses related to data visualization software increase significantly. Here’s your chance to get ahead of the curve.
    Think of it as an opportunity to tell a story. “Data drives growth, and there’s no shortage of it in today’s digital world, so understanding the best data to analyze based on your role and breaking it down into an easily digestible story is an extremely valuable skill,” Harden said. Where in your role can you measure your work? What’s your data story? Consider these questions for your role specifically. When you’re ready, here are our top three free tools to get started:

    Datawrapper: Known to be useful for journalists and communications professionals to bring campaigns to life, the site hosts their blog titled CHARTABLE, where they regularly write about the best practices in data visualization.
    Canva Graph Maker: This versatile tool lets you create beautiful data visualizations instantly and hassle-free. Unlike other online graph makers, Canva isn’t complicated or time consuming. There’s no learning curve—you’ll get a beautiful graph or diagram in minutes, turning raw data into something that’s both visual and easy to understand.
    RAWGraphs: RAWGraphs is more advanced, but it’s a free site for your data needs. It works with tabular data (spreadsheets and comma-separated values) as well as with copied-and-pasted texts from other applications (e.g. Microsoft Excel) to break down data into more digestible graphs.

    Source: George Milton | Pexels

    UX Design
    Do you go back to a website just for its awesome look and feel? You can thank the company’s UX design team. UX focuses on customer interaction with products to ensure apps, websites, etc. are designed for the best user experience. This includes accessibility as well. It’s worth noting that web accessibility saw the biggest surge in consumption over the last four years.
    User experience designers are in demand, but if you’re not interested in being a designer, don’t worry. UX is versatile and the skills required are highly transferable. For example, for any writers out there, UX requires copywriting. Other soft skills include communication and empathy. Think about all of the departments that could use an effective and empathetic communicator! If you are interested in becoming a designer, skills get more technical, including information architecture, wireframing, and prototyping. Career Foundry offers a course on UX Design.

    Problem Solving
    Problem solving is both a leadership skill and a required part of effective communication. Needless to say, this skill is simply timeless. Plus, problem solving in a virtual work environment where communication and collaboration can feel fragmented has become essential. It’s easy to feel frustrated with clients or internal teams. It’s easy to complain when things aren’t getting done. But being a problem solver shows your leadership capability. “Not only is it vital to have a solid decision-making process for solving complex business problems, but it’s also a great skill for making important life decisions—for example, making a career switch or moving to a new city,” Harden said. And her pro tip: Break the situation down. Here’s an example:

    Define the situation: Differentiate fact from opinion and assess the situation in your own words. Feel free to write it down to get your thoughts together.
    Generate solutions: This is a great opportunity to use a flowchart to tell yourself, “If this happens … this will be the result.” Take your time on this step and really think about what would serve you, your team, and the company involved. Also consider who you need to talk to to gain buy-in for your idea and minimize resistance to change.
    Consider alternatives: Even if you are the final decision maker (YGG), this is the step to ask for feedback. Depending on the situation, can you talk to your manager about your solution? How about a colleague? Receiving feedback can help you decide what to do next. It’s always helpful to prepare a “backup plan.” Skilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative.
    Implement: We know, this step probably requires approval from “higher-ups,” so we’ll need patience. Once you are able to implement, celebrate your accomplishments and don’t forget to ask for feedback along the way.

    Source: Christina Morillo | Pexels

    Active Listening
    Active listening is another timeless skill, but it’s being seen as increasingly more important. It’s the act of keeping engaged while talking with someone so you truly absorb what they have to say. More recently, studies find active listening is a driver for an inclusive work environment and a requirement for success. “Active listening supports employees in letting them bring their own brand of thought to the table,” Harden said. Practice before your next team meeting or, better yet, company event. Here’s how to start:

    Maintain eye contact
    Don’t multitask on your phone
    No interrupting
    Consider your non-verbal cues like posture and facial expressions—show interest
    Restate and clarify the speaker’s points

    How To Manifest Career Success This Year More

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    I’ve Worked for Myself for 4 Years—These Are the Tools That Keep Me Productive

    I dipped my toes into working for myself seven years ago when I started freelancing in college, but I didn’t take the leap into full-time self-employment until the spring of 2018. Fast forward to 2022, and I now service upwards of 35 clients a year as a freelance writer and content consultant. To stay on top of everything, I rely on a very key set of productivity tools to get the job done.
    I’m going to walk you through the apps, tech, and wellness tools I use daily (or nearly daily) to run my own business!

    Tech

    iMac 24”
    Let’s start with the most expensive tool that completely transformed how I work and was so worth the investment. As a freelance writer, I used to be a fan of the “I can work from anywhere with my laptop” narrative. That was true pre-pandemic, but nowadays, I only work from home. Laptops are so convenient that I never dreamed of getting a desktop computer until I went into the Mac store looking for a new laptop and left with an iMac 24.” Having a larger screen, being required to actually sit at my desk, and not straining my neck by looking down at my laptop has been a work and wellness game changer. My productivity increased, my workdays are shorter, and my focus is stronger now that I have a large desktop computer instead of a small laptop.

    Surface Headphones
    Another pricey but so-worth-it tech tool I use on a daily basis is the Microsoft Surface Headphones. My husband and I both work from home in a one-bedroom apartment, so being able to block each other out while on calls is so important—especially since I can’t drag my desktop into the bedroom when he’s on a call. These headphones really excel in the noise-cancelation department, and when combined with focus music (more on that in a hot minute), you can really get in the zone.

    iPad
    As much as I love having a desktop computer, the idea of adding a second monitor to my desk is unbearable (again, one-bedroom apartment where our office is also our living room). When I need a second screen, I prop up my iPad on a stand. I also use my iPad to download books I need to read for work and to store files that are easier to maneuver on an iPad than a computer. I spend a lot of time zooming in on tiny photos of clothing so I can catch important details to write about for my fashion brand clients.

    Apps

    Todoist

    I recently shared my love for Todoist and other apps I use frequently. This to-do list app is an integral part of how I keep all of the many assignments I have for different clients organized. I love that the app syncs on my desktop, laptop, iPad, and iPhone (overkill, I know) so I can access my to-do list on whatever device I’m working on. This app allows you to create different “projects” and you can organize tasks under each project and assign deadlines and reminders.

    Toggl Track

    A not-so-fun part of working for yourself is trying to figure out how to price projects and how to bill for them. Using Toggl Track serves two purposes for me: If I’m working on a project where I need to bill by the hour, I can use this time-tracking tool as a timesheet of sorts to track exactly how much time I spent on a project so I can invoice accordingly. If I’m working on a project with a set rate, I can track how long I spent on it to make sure I proposed a proper price for the project and can adjust pricing as needed for future projects.

    Brain.fm

    I can’t write while listening to music with lyrics or even too exciting of a classical score. When I need help focusing or drowning out background noise, Brain.fm comes to the rescue. This app provides “focus music” that really does make it easier to focus. You can pick timed sessions, so I like to set it for 30 or 60 minutes and see how much work I can get done during that time.

    Genius Scan

    Because you will encounter the occasional old schooler who wants you to sign an actual piece of paper, use Genius Scan to take the place of a bulky scanner. All you do is take a photograph of your signed document and Genius Scan transforms it to look like you actually scanned a piece of paper. They’ll never be the wiser.

    Wellness

    An Organized Life
    2022 Daily Planner
    I’m a writer, so it can’t come as a surprise that I have an affinity for good old-fashioned pen and paper! A small, but very impactful, change I made to my routine in 2022 is journaling each morning and night in my An Organised Life Daily Planner (which is more like a journal). Each morning, I set intentions for the day, and I find that writing them down really helps me commit to them. At the end of the workday, I reflect on what I learned or what bothered me and how I can move forward the next day. Since starting this routine, I find it easier to stay focused throughout the day and to let things go at night.

    Harney & Sons
    Citron Green Tea
    Don’t tell the other writers or I might get kicked out of the club, but I don’t drink coffee. I, however, love tea. This love for tea is one of the reasons I didn’t enjoy working in an office. For some reason, office tea always tastes horrible. Since I started working for myself, I splurge on Harney & Sons Tea and it has ruined all grocery store tea for me. It’s the best way to start my day and makes me feel majorly grateful that instead of commuting in the dark every morning to go sit in a cold office, I now get to stay warm and cozy at home and enjoy my tea each morning. I splurge as a reminder of how far I’ve come and to stay motivated to keep building my business.

    Native Atlas
    Movement Oil
    I always keep a Native Atlas Movement Oil roller on my desk for moments when I need to reset and regroup. The combination of mentha, holy basil, and lavender is super relaxing and I love to apply it to my pulse points in the afternoon when I need a little boost.

    The Good Patch
    Awake Patch with B12
    Speaking of pick-me-ups, when it’s too late in the day to make yet another cup of tea, I turn to the Good Patch Plant Based Awake Patch with B12 for a boost that won’t leave me tossing and turning at bedtime. The effects usually wear off about half an hour after removing the patch, so it’s the perfect way to perk up for that last chunk of the workday. More

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    How To Manifest Career Success This Year

    Spring is such an invigorating season: The sun is shining, the days are longer, and it’s not as tempting to hide under the duvet to binge the latest Netflix hit—which is why spring is the perfect time to revisit your career goals and actually make them happen.
    If you’re diligently doing the work during your 9-5, then you may feel like there is nothing else you can do to push your career forward. While putting in the work on a day-to-day basis is super important, it’s also easy to fall into a work rut where you just get the bare minimum done and don’t focus on checking your next goal off your list.
    Manifesting your career success will help keep your career goals top of mind and will make it easier to both consciously and subconsciously work toward those goals. Let’s look at how you can manifest career success this year. That way, by the time the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, you will have something exciting to toast to.

    Create a vision board
    Let’s start with the really fun part. Creating a vision board allows you to spend some concentrated time thinking about what you want. If you don’t know what you want out of your career this year, the practice of giving yourself space to find what images and words you’re attracted to can help bring new goals into focus.
    We’re all so busy these days and it’s hard to carve out time to properly think about what we want and how we can achieve it. Spending a few relaxed hours (don’t rush here) on discovery and manifestation can be both inspiring and a very practical step to take toward identifying and reaching your goals, not to mention you’ll be able to circle back to your vision board when you need to be reminded of what you’re working toward.
    If you can, keep your vision board in your workspace so you can see it throughout the workday. If you work in a public office and want to keep your vision board private, consider making your vision board in a journal or in your planner so you can discreetly reference it during the workday.

    Make manifestation a daily practice
    Manifestation only works if you regularly embrace it. Make manifestation a part of your daily practice in whatever way suits you best. You can write down your goals in your diary on a daily basis and track your progress, you can repeat manifestation phrases in front of the mirror each day, or you can make it a point to reflect on your vision board before you start your workday. Whatever manifestation path you choose, make sure you incorporate it into your daily routine. Doing so will help keep your goals front and center, and it will be easier to identify ways you can make career progress every single day. Here are a few other ideas for how you can kickstart a daily manifestation practice!

    Embrace public accountability
    Tweet about it, start a blog, or make your intentions super clear on LinkedIn. There’s something to be said about manifesting publicly. When you put your goals out there in the world, your accountability to yourself increases greatly. If you want to keep your goals more private (which may be necessary if you want to find a new job or switch industries), you can always make it a point to share your goals with a friend, family member, or romantic partner. Repeating your goals, talking about them, and setting expectations for yourself can help you meet them.

    Add manifestation into your meditation routine
    Take a break from time to time and incorporate manifestation into your meditation routine. Visualization meditation is a type of meditation practice that involves concentrating on imagery during a meditation session in order to cultivate mindfulness. Many people struggle with meditation because they feel an immense pressure to clear their mind, which is really hard for most of us to do. Visualization can be an easier technique to master, as you can choose to focus your mind on visual representations of your goals. For some, that may be picturing an MBA graduation ceremony, for others, it could be a corner office, and for you, it could be finally convincing your boss to let you work remotely.

    Find your tribe of goal getters
    There’s something to be said about spending time with others who share your goals. When you’re trying to reach key career goals, try to spend some extra time with friends, family, or colleagues who are also working toward career goals and who want to talk about the progress you’re making. For example, if your goal is to turn your side hustle into your full-time hustle, try to connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs. Not only will you be able to learn and grow together, but being able to talk about your career aspirations with someone who both supports your journey and understands it can also be immensely helpful.
    Manifestation doesn’t have to happen quietly and privately, so don’t be afraid to tell people exactly what you want for your career this year.

    The Everygirl’s Guide to Manifestation and Achieving Your Best Life More

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    This Question Changed My Interview Process Forever

    Picture this: You’re interviewing for an amazing position at your dream company. You’re absolutely nailing the interview and have the recruiter in your pocket after your engaging conversation and intelligent questions when you hear that one highly anticipated and typically dreaded question: “What are your salary expectations?”
    Despite the increase in informational resources and societal conversation around pay equity, many of us still shy away from open discussions about money: rent, child care, spending habits, etc. The job hunt is no different, and applicants (especially women) often feel uncomfortable broaching the topic of compensation. While interviewing, we want to convey that we’re interested in the role at hand for reasons beyond a paycheck, but in reality, our bills still need to be paid.
    That “how much can we pay you” moment is one that used to make me panic. I never knew what was appropriate to answer, if I was asking for enough, or if asking for too much would knock me out of contention for the open position. Then, a few years ago, one of my mentors gave me one of the best pieces of interview advice: It’s less about the questions they ask and more about the one I ask. Now, whenever I apply for a position and get to the salary part of the process, I no longer shy away. Instead, I ask something along the lines of “What is the budgeted salary range for this position?”

    The Risk
    Asking the company what salary range they have budgeted flips the script while giving me good insight into the company and interviewer—it no longer puts it on me to give a hard number, especially in regards to my current salary (Note that in some cities and states, it’s actually illegal to even ask what someone is currently making during the interview process). While current compensation is a good springboard for a desired pay range, the cost of living is constantly rising, as should your salary.
    In my first few roles, I didn’t ask the companies about their budgeted salary range. I didn’t negotiate at all before accepting the offer for my first job out of college, though looking back, I wish that I would have. By not asking how much each company had to work with, I put myself in a position to leave money on the table. If I go into an interview and tell a hiring manager I’m searching for a role that pays $50,000 to $60,000 but the organization’s budget is $75,000, I just cost myself $15,000 at minimum. On the flip side, if I’m asking for a six-figure salary but the company is offering a maximum of $75,000, I need to have an open and honest conversation with myself about my worth, my personal budget, a potential pay cut, and other benefits that might make up for that gap between my expectations and the budgeted reality.

    Source: Julia M Cameron | Pexels

    Once you’ve asked a hiring manager what they’re working with, there are two ways they might answer: They can tell you or they can throw it back your way. The first situation is obviously ideal and can be a good indicator that the company is open, honest, and operating in good faith. If an interviewer doesn’t answer directly or says something vague like, “It depends on the candidate,” then you have a choice to make. You can delay answering with a response like, “I’d love to learn more about the position before determining an appropriate salary,” or you can deliver a range that truly works for you, which requires a bit more preparation on your end.
    As with every stage of every interview, you should go in knowing your worth and what you’re comfortable giving up. A dream job with good benefits and a clear path to your career goals might be worth a pay cut and reworking your current budget. But if you’re reaching for certain savings goals or simply need to make your rent, you might have to walk away from an opportunity that can’t match what you’re looking for. Wherever your final salary range lands is a question for you and you alone to determine, though I’m personally a firm advocate for negotiating more. The only risk is the money you have to lose—the worst they can say is no.

    Source: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels

    The Reward
    While it might take some getting used to, inquiring about the salary budget during an interview is easily worth the reward. If a hiring manager is open with you and provides the salary range they’re working with, you then have everything you need to make an informed decision on whether or not you’d like to proceed with the given range, negotiate your offer, or end the interview process if a company can’t match what you’re looking for.
    I asked about the salary budget early on in one particular interview process, and the interviewer gave me a range of numbers that was overall a bit lower than anticipated, but I could make the upper end work. I decided to proceed with the hiring process and ended up with an offer that fell at the very bottom of the range I knew the organization had to work with. Armed with this information and my worth, I seized the opportunity to push for more and successfully negotiated a higher salary.
    Having the complete picture means you don’t run the risk of leaving money out there. We’ve all heard, “ask and you shall receive,” but if you don’t know what you’re working with, how can you ask the right questions about the job or yourself? I don’t really want to think about the thousands of dollars I might have left on the table at previous roles, but it’s been helpful to learn from previous mistakes.
    The next time you prep for an interview, don’t be afraid to flip the questions about salary and beyond. Sure, they’re assessing you to see if you would be a good fit for a given team and company culture. But the job hunt is a two-way street, and you deserve a role that suits your needs, financial or otherwise.

    17 Interview Red Flags That Should Make You Think Twice About a Job More

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    I’ve Always Wanted To Publish a Novel—Here’s How I Finally Did It

    I spent the majority of my 20s doing what I think a lot of young professionals do: I woke up early, went to work every morning, and dutifully put in nine hours at my cubicle—then, every evening, I came home, cooked dinner, and tried to relax while facing a crushing sense of dread at the thought of doing that again, every single day, for the rest of my life.
    Alright, that feels dramatic—but it’s how I felt, and I’m willing to bet that’s how some of you feel, too. I tried to find meaning in my work by switching industries (several times), investing in professional development, and writing freelance for various magazines, but at the end of the day, I was never satisfied, and I knew why. It was because I knew what I wanted to be doing with my life and I hadn’t yet figured out how to do it.
    I wanted to be an author.
    I’ve been obsessed with writing ever since I was six years old. I grew up writing short stories and screenplays and started trying to write my first novel at age 22, immediately after I graduated college. I’ll never forget typing out that very first sentence, feeling nervous and excited about taking one step closer to my dream—but for some reason, I kept that dream a secret from pretty much everyone in my life. I think it’s because it felt too unattainable and too embarrassing, and I didn’t want to admit to wanting something that I might never actually get. But at the same time, I felt like I owed it to myself to try.
    So, unbeknownst to most of my family, friends, and coworkers, I spent seven years of my life cranking out draft after draft after draft, pitching agents, getting rejected, and trying to break into an industry that is notoriously tough to break into. I was stumbling most of the time, trying to figure it all out as I went. I failed significantly more than I succeeded and I thought about quitting multiple times, but I never did.
    Today, almost a decade after I wrote that first sentence, my debut novel A Flicker in the Dark is an instant New York Times bestseller. It’s been out for a little over one month now and has been optioned by Emma Stone and A24 to be made into a television series on HBO Max. It was chosen as a December Book of the Month Club pick and is currently being translated into 26 foreign languages.
    These are all sentences I never thought I would write.
    If you have a similar dream, I’d like to share how I did it because I know first hand how daunting it can be and how unattainable it can feel. Below, I’ve compiled the book publishing tips that helped my dream come true in the hopes that, one day, yours can, too.

    Signing with your agent is a surreal and exciting experience. Little did I know that exactly two years from this moment, I would be seeing my debut novel on the shelves for the very first time. All photos courtesy of Stacy Willingham

    Set a firm deadline
    Maybe it’s the former journalist in me, but I am deadline driven. When I was 22 years old, I told myself that I would do whatever it took to have a book published by the age of 30. At the time, eight years felt like a lifetime, but now that I’m 31, I realize it went by fast! There’s something about the passage of time that makes life feel very urgent to me, so whether your deadlines are daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, make sure you’re committing to accomplish a specific thing by a specific date—otherwise, it becomes incredibly easy to put it off.
    PS: I hit that deadline, but damn, it was close. I sold A Flicker in the Dark at age 29 and it was published two weeks before my 31st birthday.

    Show yourself the same dedication you show your boss
    If I could give every aspiring author one piece of advice, it would be this: Prioritize and protect your dreams with the same vigor that you prioritize and protect the dreams of your boss. You show up for work every morning, don’t you? You get your work done by your due dates, right? I bet you also stay late sometimes, work weekends, and begrudgingly do tasks that feel monotonous and miserable.
    You do those things at work because you have to—there are consequences, like getting fired, if you don’t. And while it can be really hard to find the time to write a novel while still working a full-time job, going to school, maintaining a social life, and doing all of the other things that life requires us to do, try to think of the consequences if you don’t do it.
    For me, it was the thought of spending the rest of my life helping someone else achieve their dreams because I never made the time for my own.

    First pass pages are the first typeset draft of your book—or, the very first time you’re reading it not as a Word doc, but as it’ll actually look once it’s published! In this stage, the book has already been edited and proofread; now, you’re simply looking out for errors before it’s sent to the printer.

    Now, “making the time” looks different for everybody. Some writers set a weekly word goal and force themselves to meet it; others allot one hour a day every day to write as much as they can. For me, personally, I tried all of those tricks and none of them ever worked. What did work, though, was giving myself the flexibility to write when I could as often as I could and simply trusting myself to get it done the same way my boss trusted me at work—after all, I never liked a micromanager, so I didn’t micromanage myself. Instead, for about seven years, my life looked like this: On most mornings, I spent about an hour writing before work, and if I was running late, I would bring my laptop with me and write during my lunch break instead. A few nights a week, I would write for several hours after dinner until pretty late into the evening, and I spent at least one Saturday or Sunday each weekend in a coffee shop.
    It wasn’t always fun and I missed out on a lot, but then again, I figured that if I made those kinds of sacrifices for my boss, I should be making them for myself, too.

    Learn everything you can about publishing before trying to enter it
    There are so many different avenues to getting published: You can self-publish, go hybrid, work with a small press, publish digital-only, or go traditional. For me, I wanted to try to go traditional, which means I knew that in order to get in front of one of the Big Five publishing houses, I was going to need an agent.
    Literary agents are like the gatekeepers to traditional publishing: They read your book first, and if they love it enough, they’ll represent you, and it, for a commission. You catch their attention with a query letter, which is a basic synopsis of your book that is ideally personalized to each agent and will pique their interest enough to want to read more.

    Before a book looks like a book, it looks something like this. This is an ARC (advance reader copy) that was printed before the cover was finalized; there is also a later version of the ARC with the cover design. An ARC is a mostly-finished manuscript that is sent to bloggers, reviewers and other influential readers to generate buzz leading up to publication.

    First impressions are everything in life, and introducing yourself to an agent is no exception. You only have a few sentences to catch their attention, so once I finished my manuscript, I made a list of every single literary agency in New York City. Then, I went to every single website, chose one agent per agency, and entered them into a spreadsheet with their name, email address, and query guidelines. I chose each agent by reading their Publishers Marketplace profile and Twitter profile to see who they already represented, what genres they liked, and what they were looking for. I also read the Acknowledgements pages of some of my favorite authors to see who their agents were, knowing that my plot and writing style might be similar.
    At this stage in the process, the biggest mistake you can make is querying too soon. Take your time learning about the industry and how it works. Be strategic when targeting agents and really perfect your query letter and synopsis before you send it out.
    Your perfect agent is out there—but you only have one chance to convince them of that. Don’t rush it.

    About a month before publication, you get to see your hardback for the very first time. It’s an emotion that’s hard to describe, and in many ways, it feels like the long-awaited reward after years of hard work.

    Learn not to take rejection personally
    Remember when I said that I thought about quitting multiple times? That’s because when I hit the querying stage, I almost did.
    I spent three years writing my first novel, squeaking out sentences and full chapters whenever I could find the time. Once I had a manuscript that I was proud of, I spent another two years meticulously selecting agents, perfecting my query letter, and sending them out—only to get rejected by over 100 of them.
    I never found an agent for my first novel, which means that A Flicker in the Dark, while it is my debut, is technically my second book.
    The idea of starting over from scratch—of literally filing away an entire novel, opening a blank Word document, and writing another 100,000-word manuscript from the beginning—kind of made me want to burst into tears. But at the same time, this is where the importance of deadlines comes in again: At that point, I was 27 years old. Thirty felt like it was looming, so I knew that if I had any shot of meeting that deadline, I needed to just buckle up and try again.
    In the beginning, those 100 rejections hurt like hell, and the idea of putting myself through that again was incredibly daunting, but here’s the thing: After a while, the rejections kind of lose their bite. A writer’s worst nightmare is pouring their heart and soul into a story, sharing it with others, and having them not like it—and that happened to me over and over again, day after day, for two entire years. By the time I decided to abandon my first book and start another one, I had already lived my worst nightmare—being rejected—and I realized that it hadn’t killed me.

    A few weeks before publication, boxes of books start arriving at your door. These books were all signed and sent to bookstores around the country so they would be ready to be displayed on publication day.

    I still loved to write. I still felt creative. I still wanted to try.
    I signed with my current agent less than two weeks after finishing A Flicker in the Dark, a stark contrast to my first attempt. But while I was celebrating the idea of not having to face another agent rejection again, what I didn’t realize is this: The rejection never stops.
    Now that A Flicker in the Dark is out in the world, I’ve experienced a whole different type of rejection. It isn’t gone just because I’m published; if anything, it feels louder and more personal than ever. Before, “a rejection” meant getting a polite email from an agent saying “thanks but no thanks,” which I could simply file away in my inbox and never look at again. But now, “a rejection” comes in the form of a very public one-star rating from a reader with 10,000 followers. It comes in the form of a less-than-flattering Instagram post with hundreds of likes that magically appears in my newsfeed (thanks, algorithm). My point is: Even after “succeeding,” I still get rejected by people multiple times a day every day, over and over again, so I’m actually glad I got those 100 rejections before because now I feel prepared. Now, I’m able to look at these rejections with more of a clear head. I’m able to let the positive reviews and enriching conversations drown out the negative ones, and in the end, I remind myself that everything in life is subjective, so it’s a waste of time trying to please everyone.
    You will experience a lot of rejection on this journey, and if you’re anything like me, it might tempt you to quit. But please, please remember: One person’s opinion cannot invalidate an entire work of art. It’s a battle you’ll be fighting daily and one that still knocks me down sometimes—but as long as you get back up, you’ll be stronger for it.

    While all of this is happening, you’re also working on your next book! About five months before publication, I sent the first draft of my second book over to my editor. It’s now in production and slated for publication in January 2023.

    Ask for (and accept) help.
    In the beginning, writing a book feels like you’re doing it alone—and for a while, you are. But slowly, you’re going to need to start getting comfortable asking for and accepting some help.
    At first, asking for help looks like letting a few people you trust read and critique your story—for me, that was my sister and my parents (who still to this day are the only people I let read my first drafts). Once you’re agented, asking for help means listening to and taking their professional advice. The same goes for your eventual editor, marketing team, publicity team, copy editors, proofreaders, and so on.
    You’re the expert on your story, but remember that they are the experts on the industry in which you now work. The first few years are a solo sport; once you’re in, you’re a part of a team.

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    The Productivity Tip You Need To Hear, Based on Your Enneagram

    If you’re wondering what your enneagram has to do with productivity, it turns out: a lot. When it comes to productivity, you may think of hustle culture where the grind never stops. Productivity is often tied to the idea of more: more work, more action, more money, more results. But what if we’ve been looking at productivity all wrong? While there are many viral tips on how to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently, perhaps the biggest key to success has been overlooked: you. By understanding your core motivation, mental blocks, and roadmap to the highest version of yourself, you can adjust your workflow to create less stress and more ease. 
    The Enneagram helps you gain a clear understanding of yourself and what you need to tap into your genius zone. The truth is, everyone requires different things when it comes to getting into their flow state: What method or structure works for one person might not resonate the same with another. If you’re struggling to sharpen your focus during the workday or feeling a general lack of inspiration, read on for the productivity tips most aligned to your Enneagram type.

    Learn when things can be “good enough”
    Ones are naturally hardworking and disciplined. Just as much as their eye for detail and strive for excellence can be a strength, it can also be a weakness when it interferes with knowing when a project is finished. In the eyes of a One, nothing is ever quite good enough, which can cause a great deal of stress and tension. A good tip for Ones is knowing the difference between “perfect” and “good enough.” Decide which tasks are worth your time and energy and which ones don’t require your full capacity. For example, you probably don’t need to reread that email you wrote to your boss 10 times before hitting send. This will free up more time for things that actually matter, so you can become more focused on goals that matter.

    Prioritize and set boundaries 
    Twos are the types of workers who love to stay connected and pitch in wherever they can. In fact, they feed off of being seen as helpful and appreciated, which may contribute to them taking on too much. While Twos often don’t mind bearing the burden for others, this can harbor deep resentment over time. It’s good practice for Twos to create a list of the biggest tasks they need to prioritize each week so they can work through those first before chipping in to help others. It’s also important for Twos to set healthy boundaries when it comes to their work. For example, try turning off your notifications when you’re focusing on a task and only offer to take on more when you’ve finished everything on your plate. 

    Check in with your goals
    Threes are known as “The Achiever” for a reason: They have a clear vision of their goals and what they need to accomplish them. But sometimes, Threes can fall into the trap of working from the outside-in rather than the inside-out. This can mean shifting their image to be whoever they think they need to be to fit the mold of success. For this reason, it’s important for Threes to check in with their goals often so they work toward the things that are right for them and don’t waste their energy on what’s not. If you’re a Three, try vision boarding or working with a coach so you can identify your long-term goals, and then create micro-goals to get to where you want to go. When Threes are clearly rooted in who they are, their productivity soars and their capacity for greatness expands.

    Create a morning routine
    As the Individualist, chances are, you don’t take a liking to tried-and-true formulas of productivity because you’ve always felt a little different. However, having a routine can greatly benefit both your productivity and well-being. Because you can get swept away by your emotions, it’s important to start your day in a clear and grounded headspace. Setting daily intentions can allow you to take control over any negative emotions and change the tone of how you approach your day. Intentions are a powerful visualization technique that helps guide your energy to focus on the areas that matter. This can help you work through creative blockages and empower you with the energy you need to reach your goals. 

    Take breaks to get out of your head
    When it comes to productivity for Fives, their head is in the game—sometimes too much in the game. They can become so engrossed in a task that time passes and they haven’t moved or taken a single sip of water. Or maybe they will make a whole strategy to be productive yet struggle to actually complete things. You may think that productivity is all mental, but a lot of it depends on the integration of our three brains: the head, the heart, and the body. Fives are in the head center, so they naturally resort to analytical thinking. But for Fives to fully reach their potential, they need to “wake up” their body center. If you’re a Five, try taking walks or stretch breaks whenever you feel yourself getting stuck or over-analytical. This will help reshuffle all of those great ideas you’re sitting on. 

    Create a comforting environment
    Sixes benefit from familiarity and routine, meaning their work setup can have a profound impact on their productivity. It’s important for them to feel safe and secure so they can fully relax and let their strengths shine through. If you’re a Six, consider what you need to thrive in a work environment. For example, if you work from home, you may need a comfy chair and the right tools on hand. If you work in an office, perhaps you bring cozy elements to your workspace where you can make it feel more like home (think: hanging photos of friends, family, or pets or decorating your space with candles, plants, and art prints). This way, you’ll be at ease and fully equipped to take on any challenge with courage and confidence. 

    Slow down and work in time blocks
    A Seven’s curiosity and hunger for new opportunities make them work quickly and tenaciously. While this can be a strength, it can also cause them to rush through tasks, become scattered, or focus on future opportunities rather than the tasks at hand. If you’re a Seven who finds it hard to stay present at work or you’re working so fast that you get exhausted or miss little details, take that as an indicator to pause and take some deep breaths. Then, restructure your day to create more flexibility and room to breathe. Try working in time blocks where you dedicate a specific amount of time to a specific task. This will help you streamline your focus, take breaks in between, and then approach another task with fresh energy.

    Put your problem-solving hat on
    Eights love to feel in control of their tasks and move things along efficiently. Decisive and strong-willed, they are also great problem-solvers who aren’t afraid of a challenge. They are quick to find flaws or gaps in a plan and come up with a better solution. When Eights rely on these strengths, they can not only get more done but also inspire others to take action too. Since Eights can act on impulse, approaching their tasks from a problem-solving lens can help them reflect on the bigger picture. If you’re an Eight, practice approaching your work by identifying a problem and brainstorming several workarounds to it. If you can, it might also help to talk things out with your colleagues or someone you trust so you work through your ideas. 

    Choose your daily tasks
    Peacemaking Nines own their power when they take action on their goals. The secret to their productivity is feeling like they are the ones in the driver’s seat. While they can get carried away fantasizing about their dreams, one thing Nines can take ownership of is what they do each day. Because Nines crave harmony and connection with the people around them, sometimes they struggle to separate what’s important to them versus what’s important to others. Nines can regain control by choosing small, daily tasks to accomplish. Of course, there may be obligatory tasks as part of your day-to-day, but choosing to do things like cleaning out your inbox or educating yourself about a new industry trend can be rewarding and motivating—both in the short term and the long term.

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    Unmotivated at Work? These Quick Wins Will Help You Feel Accomplished

    Have you been feeling unmotivated at work lately? Because I know I have. The tasks that you used to fly through feel like they take three times as long. Your previously undivided attention is now pulled in five different directions. You’re feeling burned out and checked out.
    It’s common to hit slumps like this throughout your career. Sometimes they last a day, sometimes a week, and sometimes even longer. No matter why or how long you’ve felt unmotivated, one thing is for sure: You eventually have to find a way to get your job done. So the next time you find yourself struggling to cross anything off your to-do list, try these quick wins.

    Send That Email
    You know the email I’m talking about—the one you’ve been putting off for days. Often, tasks tend to feel bigger and more difficult the longer we put them off. But chances are, if you dedicate the time to focus and craft a reply, it’ll be easier than you think. I promise you’ll feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders once you hit send, and it’ll probably take less time than you think. You might even feel motivated to knock out a few more emails while you’re at it.
    To get started, set a timer for five minutes. Commit to no distractions and 100% focus on the email at hand for those five minutes. If you don’t complete the email when your timer goes off, feel free to move on—no need to be hard on yourself. But if you are able to hit send, take a moment to celebrate! Get up and grab a cup of coffee, text a friend, or hit “add to cart” on that item you’ve been eyeing. After all, you sent that email. You deserve it!

    Set a Bite-Sized Goal
    When you’re working on a big project that’s scheduled to take weeks or months to complete, it might feel like you’re barely making progress. But you don’t execute on a big, lofty goal all at once. You take small baby steps to get there. Instead of focusing on the large task at hand, pick one task you can complete today that will move the project forward.
    Take a moment to write down all the tasks you need to complete for your current project. By getting everything out of your head and onto paper, you can then decide which bite-sized task you want to tackle first. Once you check that item off your list, give yourself a five-minute break, then come back and pick another item to knock out next. Before you know it, you’ll have worked your way through your to-do list.

    Move Your Body
    Feeling unmotivated can drag you down both mentally and physically. So in order to shake up your routine and add some motivation back into your day, sometimes you literally have to shake it up. Get up and move your body. Go for a walk without any distractions like your phone or a podcast. Let your mind wander and see what it finds. If you only have a few minutes in between meetings, stand up and do a few squats. Movement helps get your blood and creativity flowing, so you can reignite your motivation.

    Treat Yourself
    Some work tasks simply suck. Since they’re not fun on their own, you need to find a way to make it fun. That’s when it’s time to treat yourself. Tell yourself that if you work on a presentation for an hour, you can take a break to check social media or that once you get through a meeting, you’ll reward yourself with your favorite coffee. Because sometimes work is just that: work. And you have to find the light at the end of the tunnel to keep you going.

    Get Ready
    If you’re working from home, this tip is especially for you. If you find yourself rolling out of bed and getting straight to work, it’s understandable that you don’t feel motivated for the day. You haven’t taken the time to get ready, whatever that means to you. Take five minutes at the start of your day to get yourself ready to work. Do your makeup, make yourself a cup of coffee, write in your journal, or change out of your sweatpants. When you feel the part, you perform the part.

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    Catch Up with a Coworker or a Friend
    We’re social creatures. Even if we enjoy being alone, we still need human interaction to thrive. Take five minutes and schedule a time to catch up with a coworker, give your work bestie a quick call, or make plans for after work. Spending a few minutes to connect with a colleague gives you a much-needed brain break. Even if you’re not talking to the person now, you’ll have something to look forward to later.

    Create a “Done” List
    We all have to-do lists, but do you have a “done” list? When you’re feeling unmotivated, it could be because you don’t feel like you’re accomplishing anything. But if you take stock of all of the things you did that day, I bet you’d be surprised. Start a “done” list of all the work you complete to help you visualize where your efforts and time are spent. It can help give you the boost of motivation you need to tackle your to-do list tomorrow.

    Quick wins at work, no matter how small, lead to big wins later. So the next time you’re feeling stuck in a motivation rut, remember that you’re armed with these tips to help you go from unmotivated to inspired.

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    This Is The Very First Thing You Need To Do When You Become a Manager

    For many of us, career progression means taking on more responsibility and eventually leading a team. Becoming a manager for the first time can be intimidating. Suddenly, you’re responsible for your own work and success—but that success is achieved through the contributions and talents of a number of other people! Whether your team is big or small, there’s one thing you should do the second you take on your new title: start a listening tour.
    While it may be your first instinct to jump into the role and start to put your mark on things, the best leaders know that shaping a team takes time. And your own management style truly can not be best developed until you deeply understand what your team’s goals, objectives, and needs are.
    It can be easy to dismiss the idea of a listening tour, especially if you are promoted from your same team into a leadership position. You may think that you have a great understanding of the work, team culture, and exactly how your peers operate. However, your new role has completely changed the team dynamic, and many of your relationships will now need a recalibration as you operate from a new place of leadership on the team. 
    If you’re completely new to a business or group, then the listening tour is even more important. Starting out with a blank slate and engaging with people individually and in groups become the foundation for your leadership agenda and set the expectations for how your team culture will evolve. 

    Source: Color Joy Stock

    OK, So What is a Listening Tour? 
    A listening tour is as simple as it sounds—but it takes a lot of active planning to effectively execute. Within the first 30 days of settling into your new management role, you will want to set up some individual one-on-one time with all of your direct reports. This effort is essential, even if you feel like you know these colleagues as peers. Take this time as an opportunity to open a new chapter of communication, setting new boundaries and objectives in your work relationship. 
    These one-on-one meetings can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour (more than that, and the energy will start to wane). You also want them to have some structure because they’re serving the dual purpose of creating a first impression for your team on how you will perform in the role while also giving people a chance to communicate their needs to you.
    Spend some time thinking about a few key questions you would like to ask to get people talking. What was the most impactful project they worked on last year? How would they change the business in the next 90 days if they were in your shoes? What are the things about the team that should definitely continue? What motivates them? How do they like to receive feedback? While you don’t want this conversation to be an interrogation, you will want to have thought through enough decision pathways to carry the discussion in a few different directions.

    Source: Karolina Grabowska | Pexels

    Your end goal for these meetings should be to have both extracted some great insight about the colleague as an individual contributor and also to be gathering ideas about how you could start to support your team in reaching new goals. This early focus on receiving people’s ideas and being attuned to listening will pay enormous dividends as you begin to settle into this role.
    It’s also OK to start to socialize ideas you may be forming—you have great instincts for management; it’s why you got the job! What you want to avoid, however, is using these meetings as a platform to present a pre-structured plan. The best way to begin to present these is through open-ended questions that invite good commentary and consideration. “I’ve been thinking about some ways we can modernize the data and visualizations we use for client reporting. What are your thoughts on how our client reports work today?” You may even be surprised to get feedback that is highly aligned with your ideas, or, even better—you may start to get a deeper view that better shapes your plan. 

    Source: Color Joy Stock

    What To Do With What You Learn
    Listening tours are effective for new managers if they’re prepared to do all of the follow-up work that results. Oftentimes, these one-on-one meetings will be a forum where your colleagues feel comfortable now sharing with you challenges they’ve faced or things that they’re hoping you can solve. It is important to start to build trust with your team by letting them know what you’ll do to act on what they share. That doesn’t mean you need to have an immediate solution for everything that is brought up, but you should be taking copious notes and ensuring that you wrap up these meetings restating any expectations or deliverables that may result. 
    The next step of leveraging these meetings is going over all of your notes and ideas that surfaced and reframing them into some shared team issues. Did everyone raise the need to rethink the weekly meeting structure? Tackle that first! Some quick wins that are meaningful to a large share of the team can make a big difference in getting buy-in for other ideas.
    Now, you’ll also be more prepared to engage your new boss, being able to appropriately represent the voice of your team. While you’ll want to be thoughtful and have discretion around what you share, nothing is more credible than pointing to the conversations you’ve had with your colleagues about priorities, goals, and challenges. You’ve now set yourself up to have a strong start in your new management role.

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