High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Techniques to Boost Your Confidence

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Confidence Boosters to Help You Overcome Your Nerves: "Write down affirmations that remind you of your capabilities and strengths and keep them somewhere you can find them if nerves strike."

• 5 Bad Managerial Habits: "Regardless of how the employee presented that feedback -- calmly, angrily or with frustration -- the worst thing you can do is be defensive and argue against what they're feeling."

• 5 Must-Read Books for the Independent Solopreneur: "If you've ever thought you wanted to do something more, but were afraid to because you were comfortable, or just didn't know where to even begin, you should be reading this book."

• 9 Ways to Know What Passion You Should Pursue: "Ask others in your circle to see what they think you are best at and what enthralls you most. What do they consider your biggest strengths?"
• 5 Ways to Lead a Group to Greatness:"As difficult as failure is, it is inevitable for teams that are stretching and growing and trying to make a difference."

4 Steps to Developing an Effective Working Relationship with Your Boss

A key to your job satisfaction is developing an effective working relationship with your boss. If you have a difficult or negative relationship with your supervisor you are unlikely to enjoy your work and it can seriously impact your work quality and, therefore, your opportunities for moving up.

You have the ability, however, to improve this relationship and here are 4 steps to help build a good working relationship with your boss.

1. Understand your boss's working style. It is important to understand how your supervisor likes to work. Is she detail-oriented, driven by deadlines, or does she make decisions slowly and deliberately? You need to understand how your manager likes to work in order to best meet his or her expectations.

2. Speaking of expectations. What exactly does your boss expect of you? The clearer you can come to understanding this the more effective your working relationship will be and the more effective you can be in your job. Try to get these expectations in writing so all parties can reference them if necessary.

3. Develop a communication plan. When you've done the work to understand your manager's style and know what her expectations are then you should have an indication of how best (and how often) to communicate. If he or she is a micro-manager then you might need to provide daily updates on a project and if you know your supervisor prefers face-to-face meetings then you likely don't want to provide these updates by email. Work with your boss to develop a communication plan that works for you both.

4. Maintain a positive attitude. There still might be times when your supervisor frustrates you or handles a situation or project in an unexpected way and in those times it's important to take a step back, realize your boss is human too, and maintain a positive attitude toward him or her. Avoid falling into the trap of bad-mouthing your manager to colleagues or other managers.

Implement these four steps and you'll likely see improvement in your interactions with your manager.  

5 Factors to Consider When Evaluating a New Job Offer

It can sometimes be difficult to know what to do when faced with a new job opportunity or a job offer. We can spend too much time trying to figure out the right course of action and be fearful of making the wrong decision.

If you have a new job or career opportunity consider these 5 factors when evaluating if it's the right move for you.

1. Managerial style. Do you know who you'll be reporting to? If so, you might already know something about this person's managerial style. Is s/he a micromanager or will you be left to make decisions on your own? The managerial style of the person you'll be working for can play a major role in your job satisfaction so be sure to consider this.

2. Salary increase? If the new position includes a salary increase you might think it's an easy decision.

However, sometime when we take a step back we realize that more money does not necessarily equate to more job satisfaction.

3. Work-life balance. Consider how the new position will impact your work-life balance. Will you be required to travel a lot, spending time away from family or do you have the flexibility to work at home if needed?

4. Career opportunities. Will this job lead to more opportunities for you to enhance your skills and develop your skills or will you feel trapped?

5. Location/environment. Are you moving out of state or just down the aisle? Is it a formal work environment or can you dress casually? You'll want to consider the location and work environment to ensure that you are comfortable in your new position.

Once you've taken the time to consider these factors (and others of importance to you) you can then feel confident you've made the correct decision for you and your career.