Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Know the Best Time to Start a Business

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below from Inc., entrepreneur Jake Bronstein discusses how to know when it is the best time to take the risk and start a new business. (Hint: It's NOW.)

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 8 Daily Habits to Build Your Mental Strength

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!

• 8 Daily Habits to Build Your Mental Strength: "Your successes and failures are on you, not anyone else. Although some people prefer to blame others, you become mentally strong by admitting errors and taking responsibility for the challenges you face."

• 5 Body Language Mistakes You're Making In Interviews: "Two thirds of hiring managers surveyed said poor eye contact could cost you the job in an interview. Failure to look someone in the eyes sends the signal that the candidate lacks confidence."

• How to Successfully Make a Career Change Without Losing Your Mind: "Before you make a complete 180 on your career be sure you’re ready. That means knowing what you want to do before you quit your current role."

• If Stuck or Lost Reinventing Your Career Try to Reframe: "Instead of trying to find a new place to do the same thing you've always done, challenge yourself to move beyond your comfort zone and surrender to the idea that you may actually have to start from scratch."
• The Science Behind Picking the Perfect LinkedIn Head Shot: "our pictures give off all kinds of signals about us -- our personality, our competence and our likability. Picking the right one is key -- and it may not be what you expect."

5 Steps to Stay Healthy at Work

Have you ever been in a company and watched a virus run rampant through a work team, keeping people home in droves? It's not uncommon for viruses and illnesses to spread quickly throughout a work area given the proximity to our co-workers, and the often unhealthy environments where we do business.

In order to stay healthy at work implement the following five practices:

1. Participate in work sponsored activities such as yoga or a chair massage. Many companies provide opportunities for employees to focus on health. Some provide an onsite gym, yoga classes, or other sports activities. Take advantage of these opportunities to maintain your health.

2. Get active at regular intervals. If you have a sedentary job be sure to schedule regular times of activity. Set a notification on your computer to let you know that it's time to take a brief walk around the building. If you can do it outside, all the better.

3. Improve the air quality in your work area and keep your space clean. In many buildings the windows do not open and we are subjected to stale circulated air. Keep some plants around your work station to improve the quality of the air around you. In addition, regularly clean and dust your work space to support your health.

4. Practice brief periods of meditation. Again, another useful tip is to practice regular times of meditation. You can combine this with a walk, as described in point two, or you can simply sit quietly at a desk for a few minutes, or catch an empty elevator. Even a few minutes of meditation will help quiet your mind, increase your motivation, and improve your health.

5. Wash hands frequently throughout the day. Finally, be sure to clean your hands often throughout the day. As we go to meetings we shake hands with others, and touch the same door knobs, and work surfaces, increasing the possibility of sharing and spreading viruses.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Why You Still Have Time to Change Your Career

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below from The School of Life we learn why we still have time to change our career and how to go about doing that.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 15 Things You Can Do to Be Happier at Work

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!

• 15 Things You Can Do to Be Happier at Work: "Many will just put up with the situation until they decide it’s time to quit. But proactive careerists can use proven methods to improve their situation and grow into their role, ultimately becoming happier at work."

• 3 Ways to Make Time for the Little Tasks You Never Make Time For: "One possibility is to batch your less important tasks and accomplish them in one fell swoop, creating a sense of momentum."

• What you Need to Know to Nail a Last Minute Interview: "Knowledge of these types of items can be good conversation starters, particularly when you don’t know as much about the organization as you would if you had more prep time."

• 5 Brain Hacks to Boost Your Motivation: "Focusing on the bigger goal gives you the feeling of working on something greater and being part of something bigger than yourself. It gives deeper meaning to the objective you seek."
• Brand Yourself for Career Stability: "Your unique way of getting things done makes a difference in the world. Capture this feedback and use it to market yourself."

Making the Most of a Professional Conference

So, you have a professional conference coming up and you want to use the time and experience more productively. Here are a few tips to make the most of your upcoming professional conference.

1. Engage online prior to the conference. Many conferences start online groups on Facebook or Twitter for attendees to start the conversation early. Be sure to join and get engaged. You might want to pose a few questions, such as asking for advice for a first-time attendee or finding out what sessions or topics others are most interested in.

2. Identify 3-5 individuals you want to meet and schedule meetings in advance. Look over the schedule and the featured speakers and identify a few you'd like to meet. Likely you can find their contact information easily with a simple search. Send a brief message letting the person know what you'd like to discuss with an offer to buy a coffee or drink. Most people are generous and you can count on several of these forays to result in a meeting.

3. Narrow your focus and plan to attend fewer sessions than you want to attend. You can usually find session after session that sounds interesting and valuable but you might want to consider planning to attend fewer than you think at first glance. You'll want to save time for those sessions that go long, provoke spontaneous conversations among attendees, or offer you an opportunity to talk with one of the presenters.

4. Schedule time to rest and recharge. You'll be at your best and enjoy the conference more if you schedule regular time to rest, get away from the crowds, and recharge.

5. Follow the people you meet on social and mention or retweet them. In addition to collecting business cards be sure to follow the people you meet on their social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and share or retweet information they put out there.

6. Send a brief message of thanks and follow-up with your new contacts within a week of the conference. Once you get home and get resettled you'll want to send a note of thanks to those you meet and invite them to connect with you on your social media channels.

These are just a few of the steps you can take to get the most out of your upcoming professional conference.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Use LinkedIn, Twitter and Snapchat in Your Next Job Search

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below from Entrepreneur, Jessica Abo speaks with digital expert and entrepreneur Courtney Spritzer about using LinkedIn, Twitter, and Snapchat in your job search.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 5 Techniques to Increase Your Motivation

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!

• 5 Techniques to Increase Your Motivation: "Without a powerful motive, no goal can withstand misfortune. You can create motive by taking time every day to visualize your goal in detail."

• The Importance of Face-to-Face Networking in a Digital World: "The value of face-to-face networking is being recognized as one of the most powerful tools available for increasing one’s personal exposure, creating meaningful relationships and providing growth opportunities at a personal and professional level."

• 7 Common Words Powerful People Avoid (That You Should Avoid, Too): "The word 'just' diminishes the content that follows this word. It is a “protector” word, a word that softens what you want to achieve."

• 4 Easy Ways to Reboot Your Relationship With Your Boss This Year: "Your manager might not be able to weigh in on every project you tackle, but every boss is on the lookout for people who can think in ways that positively impact the organization, both inside and out."
• What to Do When Your Boss Says No: "A 'no' gives you the opportunity to prove to others that you can find creative solutions to deliver quality work with less."

4 Tips for Writing Effective Emails at Work

Communication skills can make or break a career and one of the most basic, and overlooked, forms of communication in the workplace is email.

Many people, unthinkingly, jot out their emails in haste, not realizing that they could be damaging their reputations and careers by ineffectively, or rudely, communicating with colleagues.

Here are four tips to avoid that and ensure that your emails enhance, rather than harm, your career.

1. Delay emails when frustrated or angry. Many of us do just the opposite: we receive an email that appears to criticize us or demean an accomplishment and we angrily dash off a snarky email in response. In fact, many of these situations would be best handled with a face-to-face conversation but, if you must reply by email, take some time to calm down and relax, write a brief email, and perhaps even suggest a meeting in person to discuss the issue in more detail.

2. Send email only to the individuals who really need to receive it. We've all been on the receiving end of email strings that go to large groups and are largely irrelevant to the majority of people who are cc:d. Don't be like this; it only annoys colleagues. Be sure to send your emails only to those most impacted by your email. 

3. Be clear about the focus of your email. Write a clear, brief, and specific message in the subject line of your email. This will help your readers understand the content and priority of your message.

4. Write brief messages. An email should not be a lengthy report. It should, in fact, be brief and to the point. "I am working on A, B, and C", for example, or "Our priorities for the week should be X, Y, and Z." Use short, concise, and clear statements for your readers and use language that appears courteous, rather than curt and rude.

Focusing on these four tips will increase your effectiveness when communicating by email. 

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Find Your Higher Calling

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below from Inc., Sprinklr founder Ragy Thomas talks about finding your higher calling in your career and moving beyond the barriers to it.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Tips for Showcasing Soft Skills on Job Interviews

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!

• Tips for Showcasing Soft Skills on Job Interviews: "As more companies recognize the importance of soft skills, they're becoming more interested in figuring out how candidates will respond to certain scenarios."

• 6 Good Daily Habits for a Fulfilled Life: "My best daily habit is waking up each morning feeling grateful for the opportunity to live another day and have impact on the world around me."

• How the Best Companies for Women Neutralize the Mommy Wars: "Ultimately, I find that most women will say there is gender equality at their firms if an equal amount of sacrifice is required of both men and women, whether they have families or not."

• If Your Team Agrees on Everything, Working Together is Pointless: "What we need is collaboration where tension, disagreement, and conflict improve the value of the ideas, expose the risks inherent in the plan, and lead to enhanced trust among the participants."
• 28 Best Habits to Have in Business: "Considering the difficulties involved with building a notable business, it's important to stay inspired. Find something that inspires you every single day."

4 Ways to Prepare for an Unexpected Layoff

It's an experience that we anticipate with dread: that call into our manager's office, letting us know that we're being let go. It usually doesn't make us feel better to know the circumstances, whether the company is down-sizing or eliminating a specific area. Our focus is on the immediate. What do I do now?

Fortunately, there are some ways you can prepare for this future possibility and reduce some of the sting of it.

Below are four ways you can prepare for an unexpected layoff:

1. Keep your resume and LinkedIn profile up to date. In the event of a sudden, unexpected layoff you'll be grateful that you've kept your resume up to date. It will decrease your concerns about preparing for the job hunt and will help you focus on job opportunities that are best suited to you and your strengths and skills. Be active on LinkedIn and let other know you are looking for new opportunities. Schedule time in your schedule every three months to tweak your resume and LinkedIn profile.

2. Stay engaged with your network. Be sure you're taking some time each week to stay connected with your colleagues--both in the office and those you know virtually or through conferences, or previous places of employment. Often these will be the first people you'll contact about work and job openings.

3. Be involved in a professional organization. Nearly every profession has some type of professional organization and associated conferences you can get involved with. Start now and make a point of having at least one conference you attend annually. Not only will you increase your knowledge base, and build your network, but professional organizations often provide resources and information for job seekers.

4. Contribute to a "rainy day" fund. Finally, prepare in advance to handle the financial storm of an unexpected layoff by regularly putting aside some money from your paycheck into a savings account. And be sure not to touch it! You'll be grateful it's there if the unexpected happens.