Archive for the ‘Interviews’ Category
Tips to follow up contacts
If you are still looking for a job, here are some tips on how to follow up on your contacts:
* Send a thank you note right after the interview, ideally after a
couple of days. This is a way of getting the prospective employer
to hear from you again. Should you not get hired for the current
position that they offer, someone from that company will likely
keep your information on file for future consideration.
* Make sure that you leave your mobile and landline number, email
address and home address so that prospective employers
will have no excuse of not getting in touch with you.
* Be accurate in getting the contact information of perspective
employers. In return, when you place their information on any
letter that you send out (i.e. resumes, thank you notes) avoid
typographical errors and make sure that you have their names
correct, to see to it that everything is in order.
* Some companies do take a look at your character references
so alert the people on your list that they might receive a call
from your prospective employers.
* Always be on the positive side. Should you not get hired for a
particular position, you may ask the people from that company
for referrals to other companies or at least keep you in mind for
future hiring.
If you are currently in business, whether you are just starting out or in
the midst of expanding, you also need to make sure to follow up on all
important contacts. For example, you go to a corporate event and you
have distributed a lot of business cards. Do not stop there. These
people might eventually bring big business to your company so it is
important to build up a strong business relationship with them.
Tips on Using Your Warm Contact List When Networking
When you are searching for a job, aside from checking the ads in newspapers, internet and bulletin boards, it is also very helpful to ask
for information from the people on your warm contact list. They can provide you with up-to-date information on the company and
position vacancies that are not posted on job ads. At times when they cannot provide you information about the job that you are looking for,
they may be able to refer you to a person that they know who might be able to tell you something about the job.
This is called networking. Networking is when you start using your warm list to get information or referrals to their other contacts. Many
people are repelled by the thought of networking. Some believe that it is not a reliable source of information about the job. Others say
networking is more difficult than following the leads on the ads that are posted in the newspaper, internet or ad boards.
Contrary to such beliefs, networking is not that difficult to do. You may just have to contact or meet some people, and you can get
valuable information that can help in your career search. Also, since the people you meet belong to the same industry, they can provide
you information about hiring that isn’t advertised and first-hand facts about the company.
You are already networking and you just dont know it. When you have seen an ad in the paper posted by a company you know little of,
you ask your friends if they know somebody who works for the company. So even if you are not attracted by the idea of networking,
it is still essential when seeking a job. To make networking easier and more productive for you, here are a few tips.
Here are some tips on how you can hold your
Here are some tips on how you can hold your own against a big
business:
1. Small businesses have big competition.
This means that you need to know how to survive out there.
No matter what nature of business you have, it is better to learn about
the competition so that you will be able to survive.
Here are some tips on how you can survive the big competition:
>Keep your business alive.
When it seems as if your cash flow is in a downward slope, keep a
tight rein on your budget.
Do not spend on unnecessary business purchases and always balance
your books.
If you are one to buy on impulse or if you are the type to listen to
those who sweet-talk you into purchasing “necessary” items, control
yourself.
Get a second and third opinion if possible, as these impulsive buys
may lead to the end of your small organization.
>Do not be afraid to seek professional help.
The fall of most small businesses start with decisions on problems
which are not carefully analyzed.
Although you think that you already have a contingency plan, make
sure that you have foreseen the results of a certain business decision.
In the long run, it is better to seek professional help rather than
embark on a plan that could start the downfall of your business.
>Keep your books straight.
The better option is for you to hire a professional outside accountant to
figure the returns of your investment and handle the other financial
aspects of your business.
>Take advantage of every free business counseling whenever
available.
This does not just help widen your knowledge, but it will also give you
an idea of how other businesses are ran by small-scale owners.
>Know exactly where your business is headed.
In your day-to-day operation, make sure that you know where you
want your company to be 5 or 10 years from now.
Be always aware of the trends in the industry that you are in, practice
good money management and learn how to recognize potential
problems before they arise.
The Three Biggest Job Search Mistakes
Do you blame the economy for making you stay at a dead end job? You feel you are stuck at your current job because there are no good jobs available in today’s economy. Well you are not alone. Many people feel the same way.
But is this honest? Is it really the economy’s fault or is it your fault and you are using the economy as an excuse to not look for a different job? Once you have joined the club of reality, read on.
Even in today’s economy, good jobs can be found; it just takes a little more time and effort to find them. Stop making excuses and get out there and find the job you want. Read the next part very carefully, it could prevent you from making a fatal mistake.
Lesson One
Look for and find a job that you want to do. Do not base your job search on what others think you would be good at doing. You know you better than anyone else. You surely have a good idea of the types of jobs you would enjoy doing.
In today’s economic situation, it is vitally important to be passionate about what you want and equally passionate when it comes to finding the perfect job. If your heart is not in it then you are doomed before you ever start.
Lesson two
The best jobs are those that are filled via word of mouth. They never have to advertise because the best people for the job come highly recommended by others associated with the company. Someone who knows someone talks to someone, then that person talks to someone, and so on.
Network for the job you want. Tell everyone you know about the job you are after. Ask everyone you know if they know of someone you could talk to about the job. Talking to everyone you know and getting them to talk to everyone they know is called networking.
Lesson Three
Take action now, do not delay, time is of the essence. You can find an entirely new job market through networking. It is the best way to find your dream job. Do not make the mistake of thinking small. Be creative and talk to everyone. Talk to the cashier at the grocery store. Talk to the bank teller when you cash your unemployment check. Talk to the mail carrier and the paper boy. You never know who others might know. It could land you the job of a life time. Being highly recommended from a friend of a friend is much better than being one of hundreds turning in applications for dead end jobs.
Searching for employment can be an overwhelming undertaking. With all the competition doing lots generally has to be matched with value for success. Have a look at Target Jobs for constructive recommendations and also Target Employment application. Having sound suggestion saves time searching for what may work through having to look through what doesn’t. By receiving solid help probably will boost one’s chances of separating yourself from the opposition.
The employment marketplace is forever shifting and the individuals who are able to adapt the quickest often will be the ones that get first choice of the top opportunities. Through the accessibility of information and the upgrades in computer, searching for work is not what it once was.
The game has changed in a huge way and at the moment people have to not only manage to deliver a total package of abilities and knowledge for the profession but have got to also learn extra competencies to even be given an meeting for the occupation you want.
The Internet Job Posting
How To Write A Successful Internet Job Posting?
The key to a successful Internet job posting is first recognizing that it is not a print classified advertisement. An Internet job posting is interactive, and requires a good understanding of interactive marketing. One of the greatest challenges contractors face when posting jobs online, is recognizing that they must change their traditional job posting habits. An online job posting will not do well if written like a print classified ad. It must be thought more like an interactive marketing campaign for the entire firm. The Marketing Department rather than the HR Department should write it.
Update the Company Web Site
The company web site is rapidly becoming the first point of contact for most job seekers or prospective clients. Contractors should update their corporate web site so that it provides a professional and interactive presentation of the firm, its goals, key personnel, corporate culture, top achievements, and business philosophy. In fact, every marketing resource available to the contractor should be utilized to make the corporate web site the best it can be. Although most job boards provide hot links to company web sites, some do not. Either way, job seekers are likely to independently surf the Internet in order to locate a contractor’s web site, relevant press releases/news, before submitting their resume.
Keywords Rule
In the fast paced world of Internet surfing, most job seekers will only take the time to view the top 20 search results. Making it to the top usually is about keywords. They often make the difference between a successful job posting and a waste of time.Contractors should put the right keywords in the right place so that the right people can find their job postings. Online job postings are not viewed the way print classified ads are viewed. Online job postings are hidden within databases containing thousands of records, and they must be called up for a job seeker to view them. This process up may take the form of keyword selection in a search engine or any number of methods with point and click directories. It’s important for contractors to study the job posting and keyword guidelines of the hosting job board since they will differ from site to site. Many job boards will rank or prioritize job postings within their database by title, membership status, date, keywords or other less obvious means. Adding keywords properly assures that a job posting will find its way to the top of the job board’s search results. Adding keywords improperly may result in having the job posting deleted by the hosting job board or simply lost in the volumes of database records that job seekers never find. While identifying the best keywords for a job posting, contractors should determine which words the job seeker will select in utilizing the job board’s search engine – and include all relevant occupational-specific terms (i.e. Hard Bid Estimator or value engineering). To cover all the bases, It is a good idea to use multiple words or synonyms that may mean the same thing. For example, if the job location is in a lesser-known town such as Maitland, Florida but near a well-known city like Orlando, Florida, then Orlando should be added as a keyword. Most job boards require keywords to be added in a special field, in a particular fashion (using quotes, comas, etc.). Job postings that do not offer a special field for keywords usually require the contractor to add keywords to the Job Description, Job Requirements or other searchable fields. When adding keywords to a Job Description, contractors should write the keywords into complete sentences so that the content flows as a logical composition.
Make It Believable
Job Postings should be believable and complete if they want to attract the top talent. Most executive job seekers are interested in job postings that contain detailed job descriptions and job requirements. Many want to see salary and information about the company. Others want to know job location. Most job boards claim that a well-written job posting can achieve many more qualified applications than a poorly written job posting. Fortunately many job boards offer FAQ’s and job posting guidelines to help contractors get the most from their job posting. Some provide statistical analysis of individual job postings. These statistics often show the number of job seeker views and applications submitted to each job posting. Contractors can use statistics to evaluate their results and modify the job posting accordingly. The more details provided in a job posting the more credible the job and the better the fit. Therefore, more job seekers will respond. Contractors should be specific about the scope and type of work, the hours, the job goals, the salary and the location. They should also make sure all fields are appropriately filled in completely. Some boards allow for job postings to be previewed prior to going live helping contractors see the completed job posting the way job seekers will see it. Many job boards allow for real time editing during the advertisements flight.
Manage Style
Unlike classified print ads, online job postings usually allow for pages of copy. Headhunter.net allows for three thousand characters in the Job Description and three thousand characters in the Job Requirements fields – or about two typewritten pages. Contractors should write clearly and present text in an organized, logical manner. Job postings should read like a composition and not a print classified ad. Sentences can be short but they should always be complete sentences containing correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The copy should include natural paragraphs, with line breaks, so that the job seeker can find relevant information quickly and easily. Writing in all Caps, using excessive exclamation points, or adding acronyms and abbreviations will reduce the credibility of the job posting and potentially result in job deletion by the hosting job board. Acronyms and abbreviations should also be spelled out since job seekers usually search by complete words.
Read Job Posting Guidelines
Most job boards have Terms of Use agreements that members/users must agree to – in order to utilize their service. It’s important that contractors read and understand the terms that relate to job postings and keywords to get the best results. It is typical for job boards with have high quality control standards to delete or edit up to 25% of all job postings as being inappropriate. Most job boards do not allow for listing of emails, URL’s, use of copyrighted material, defamatory remarks, false, inaccurate or misleading information, illegal or unethical content. Job postings that encourage job seekers to email for more details, are usually prohibited.
Follow up
Contractors should immediately follow up on all qualified applications that have been submitted. Peter Weddles at weedles.com says, “Speed is everything in hiring top talent.” Within ten days, the top 10% of job seekers are gone. Once someone desirable is identified, it’s important to act on that person right away. Today’s recruitment market is highly competitive and the hiring cycle should not allow for any dead time between in-house interviewing schedules and final selection. Contractors should not leave job seekers hanging more than five to seven days without a scheduled follow-up meeting. Otherwise, they risk losing the job seeker entirely. There needs to be top-level management involved with all key hires. Involving top management makes job seekers feel that the hire is an important position, and that they have personally been selected as the “candidate of choice” by the top brass. Contractors should begin closing the deal the moment they know that they want someone for hire. They should not let up until an offer is on the table and accepted.
Common Internet Job Posting Fields & Their Purpose
Job Titles
Titles should be industry-specific and familiar to job seekers since they will use keyword search for positions according to standard job titles. The Job Title field is not the field to market the job posting (like with a classified ad). The Job Title field should be used primarily to have the job posting found by job seekers. Adding appropriate keywords, in the appropriate place, is far more important than catchy job titles that never get seen. However, it is acceptable to add relevant, occupational-defining adjectives to the basic Job Title (such as On-site Architectural Project Manager, Conceptual Chief Estimator, Hospital Flooring Project Engineer, and Veteran Concrete Superintendent).
Job Descriptions
Job descriptions typically focus on job responsibilities, duties, scope, achievements and goals to be accomplished. The clearer the description, the more likely qualified job seekers will apply. Job descriptions should focus on the job seeker’s needs and not just the position. Job descriptions should be written from the job seeker’s perspective. They should also answer the question, “Why would a job seeker want to apply for this job?” Contractors should describe the best parts of the job, interesting challenges, future job opportunities, reporting relationships, and why the position is available. It’s important to sell the overall career opportunity while not just describing it. If a job seeker takes the job, what will their lives be like? Use word pictures and try to communicate desirable images that the job seeker can visualize, compelling him/her to change jobs. For example: “work in a progressive environment where you can learn more in six months than you may have in the last six years”, or “walk into your private office and join a team of enthusiastic professionals who are building the next great management firm”. If there is not a job-posting field that lists specific benefits and perks, add them into the job description. Job benefits include things such as flex time, work at home, child care, above average medical benefits, company vehicle, education reimbursement, country club membership, and other special offerings. However, contractors should recognize that the Job Description field should not describe the company, the job requirements, the job location, salary, or anything else unless there is no other appropriate field in which to post this information. Inappropriate content (or placing content in the wrong fields) may result in the job posting being edited or deleted.
Company Profile
Most job boards allow for a hot link to the contractor’s corporate web site. Many job boards, in addition to offering a hot link, will offer a special Company Profile field. Contractors should completely fill in this field. This will add valuable content and keywords to the job board’s database in order to improve their chances of being found by searching job seekers. A Company Profile field creates an additional promotional opportunity for the firm and the job position. Use this field to describe what the company does – addressing key elements like organization size, location, benefits, company goals, mission, management style, employee quality of life and what makes the firm special. Contractors should also include information about the qualities desired in all team members. This field often provides for limitless content and is the least edited by the hosting job board. Some job boards even allow for multiple company profiles that can be individually linked to a respective job posting (allowing recruiters to add information on each respective client, and contractors the opportunity to promote information about their various divisional offices).
Contact Information
It is essential to put contact information on all forms and in all appropriate fields. Contractors should make it easy for a job seeker to apply. Most job seekers prefer email. Some prefer using mail, fax or phone calls before sending their confidential resume. It is appropriate to specify a preferred contact method, and request that all applications include the respective Job ID. By having several contact methods and the contact name (not just a department) of a real person, a job seeker is more likely to believe the job is valid and apply.
Job Identification (ID)
For job postings, contractors should use a tracking system to provide a unique Job ID for each job posting and require that job seekers reference this ID on applications whether faxed, emailed, or mailed. This allows contractors to know which site – and specifically which ad – brought in the respective application. Information as to where the best applications come from will help contractors to know what job boards have been the most productive sources of talent.
Job Responsibilities
Job Responsibilities are simply the job requirements for the position. In order to get the best response, contractors should list why the requirements are there. Examples would be: “A Bachelor of Arts Degree is required to help lead Corporate Communications” or “We require seven years of project management experience for commercial building projects. This position will manage three Project Managers and seven Project Engineers”. Make clear the “required” qualifications and the “desired” skills. Avoid clich’s or trite phrases like “self-motivated”, “team player”, and “fast-paced” (making the job posting appear common). Contractors can also use the Job Responsibilities field as an eliminator of unwanted resumes by making qualifying statements (“Applicants must have a minimum of six consecutive years with the same general contractor. Otherwise, please do not apply.”). In order to eliminate many unwanted job seekers, contractors can also add qualifying phrases such as “background checks are performed in the hiring process” or “personality testing is used in the hiring process”.
Salary
Many contractors refuse to post salary information in job postings. Salary figures make job postings credible, and substantially improve the job seeker response rate. It is also one of the most widely searched fields on a job posting. Job seekers are typically more interested in the salary than any other item in a job description. According to executive recruiter, Chuck Groom of CC Group, Inc., money is one of the top reasons why people leave their job. Job seekers do not want to waste time with a job that may not pay what they require. When a salary figure is lacking, they will assume that the contractor may be embarrassed by the level of salary level – or have something to hide. Phrases such as “Salary is commensurate with experience, N/A, Open, or Depends on experience” do not prove effective. They will actually significantly reduce response rate to a job posting.
Work Status
An important qualifier, that is often overlooked, is the work status field. With the international reach of the Internet, more and more foreigners (without valid work visas) are applying to United States job postings. Contractors can eliminate many foreign applications by simply stating “applicants must be United States citizens”, or “only United States citizens or those with valid work visas need apply”, or “you must have clearance to work in the United States to be considered for this position”.
Location
Most major job boards require the location field to be completed. Although many recruiters refuse to identify job locations (in fear of disclosing their clients need for confidentiality), listing the job location is one of the main fields that job seekers search. Job seekers from all over the country/world may see the job posting. Without a valid city noted, job seekers must guess the job location. They often will not apply because they think that the posting is in an undesirable location, or that it’s invalid to serve only as a ploy to collect resumes.
Best Places to Post an Internet Job Posting
There are several good choices for contractors who want to post their jobs online. However, the key is to find job boards that to provide the “right” viewers – as well as a large volume of “right” viewers. Contractors want their job posting to be seen by as many relevant viewers as possible. However, although most job boards charge similar fees for services, their volume of viewers can vary dramatically. Many contractors will choose to post jobs online with traditional, well-known, off-line businesses that have a job board presence online. However, the online job posting business (like any Internet business) is a unique business that requires an entirely different set of rules and business acumen. The off-line leaders are rarely the leaders in the online world. In selecting the right job board, contractors should compare results based on verifiable industry standards. One way to make an accurate comparison is through Amazon’s Alexa Research, which can be downloaded at Alexa.com and easily attached to a web browser. Once installed, this tool will indicate a web site’s visitor traffic (based on a common standard, and measured against the entire seventeen million plus web-sites currently on the Internet).
“The article above was written by construction recruiter Frederick Hornberger, CPC, president of Hornberger Management Company in Wilmington, Delaware (www.hmc.com), a construction recruiter specializing in senior level, executive search.”
Steps to Improve Your Interviewing Skills
In the midst of technological advancement nowadays, the “back-tobasics” rule still applies when it comes to getting hired for a job. It
does not matter if you are planning to apply for a million-pound company or a small, independent firm. When you face an interviewer,
it all boils down to how you present yourself. This is the deciding factor whether you will get hired or not.
So you have distributed your resume to prospective employers and you have determined the correct job to apply for. The next step is to
schedule the job interview.
You can make the acquaintance of the assistant or the receptionist when you schedule for the interview, either by phone or personally. Be
friendly and polite, as these people might provide information that can be essential to getting that job or, even just give you a background of
the company or your prospective boss.
Finally, you show up for the interview. The basic traits of being prompt, how you speak and carry yourself
and even how you dress are all factors that contribute in making a lasting impression that will eventually get you hired.
So You’ve Lost Your Job – What Now?
Sometimes life has a way of creating an opportunity for change when we least expect it, and it can come in the form of being fired or laid off. For those who have a means to get by financially for a few months, the experience may be fairly easy to deal with and perhaps a relief if it was a job that you were unhappy with anyway. But if you live paycheck to paycheck, it can be a terrifying experience, even if you were not happy with the job you once had.
In either situation, whether you’re scared out of your mind or not, this is a moment of opportunity. The typical response for someone in this situation would be to go searching for a job very similar to the one they had, as that is what they know. But pause that thought long enough to check out your options first…If you were unhappy with your previous job or career field, this is an opportunity for you to take some time to reflect on your life, rediscover who you are and what’s important to you, so that you can go in search of a job that will leave you feeling happier and more fulfilled.
During the 80′s I was lucky enough to be laid off from the job I had. I can look back now 25 years later and say I was lucky; however that wasn’t my first reaction! My employer was putting me through college part time, and I was paid well. When I really gave it some serious thought, I realized I didn’t feel fulfilled in that career, and I actually admitted to myself that the thought of spending the rest of my working life in that career gave me the chills. Because of the choices I made at that time I can genuinely regard my being laid off as a blessing.
Maybe you are someone who already knows that you want more out of your life than what you had in your previous job, but you’re unsure about what job would make you feel happy and fulfilled. Maybe you’re already in the right career field, but just had the wrong job in that field.
Learning more about what makes you happy, how you feel about your current job, and taking stock of your life will help you connect the dots and create a clearer picture of the direction you need to take. By taking stock of your life, you can gain a clearer perspective of where to go from here. You can take this information and use it as a road map that can help you take advantage of opportunities and avoid or lessen certain challenges you may face if you decide to start the journey down a new career path.
Copyright (c) 2010 Catherine Trebble. All Rights Reserved.
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Reasons to Quit a Job – Discover Why a Lot
Reasons to Quit a Job – Discover Why a Lot of People Simply Quit
There are many reasons to quit a job that a person can put forward to a company and express his or her reasons for why the job does not suit them. The reasons usually depend on the individual, the company in which they work, the atmosphere the company gives to them and the advantages that they have by working in that company. Some reasons may be immediate cause of quitting the job and some may be gradual.
Immediate causes are those, which cause unexpected quitting of the job by a worker by unexpected reasons. The facts that cause those happenings may be weird. Reasons like having a clash with senior officials, sudden illness or conditions that may make the worker not suitable for continuing to work with the company.
The gradual reasons may be those where the worker may get exhausted with the same kind of job, or he can be bored with the monotonous work, or he can become gradually ill by working with the company, or he may find better jobs for his growing experience, or he finds his atmosphere in the company uncomfortable for working or even finds the same job more profitable in the outside market.
These facts can lead to the quitting of the job by the worker. The company has no right to stop the person from transferring his job unless it has a bond with that person signed personally and have agreed to work with the company for a certain period of time. The worker however is not needed to submit the reason for quitting the job he is currently in.
This is because he is free to decide on which company he should work. The company has no right to have restrictions with this. Hence it is the company, which is responsible to keep the workers happy and make them survive long in the company to make profit.
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Project Your Own Image
When youre looking for the perfect job whether its a new job or within your
current company you need to find the right image for you and portray that to
everyone around you. It doesnt matter what everyone else is doingyou have to
do what is right for you. Its something as personal as some people will not wear
pants to church while others have no problem. You want to present an image that
portrays you in the way you wish to be portrayed. Each person has an individual
image and you must create yours to fit within the way you want others to see you.
Keep in mind that your image is not important only when you are looking for a new
job but also when you are looking to advance in your current job. Let us look at
dress, for example. Even if the company has a policy of casual dress for all
employees but you notice that managers and other high level employees wear
business attire that is the way you want to dress if you are looking to advance to
that level. You have to show management that you want to be where they are in
order to be viewed as someone of that caliber. That does not mean you have to
begin the job acting as if you are better than everyone else is or dressing in a
management style, but when you know there are openings on higher levels you
need to begin showing interest by the way you act and dress.
Even if you are not interested in a management position you still have an image to
portray in order to find the job that suits you best. You want to present yourself as
someone who is dependable and reliable above all else. Whatever else you wish to
portray is of course good as well, but those two assets are the most important.
Some of the other assets you may wish to make part of your professional profile
include detail oriented, quality conscious, deadline oriented, hard worker, loyal, and
confident to name a few.
Before you begin to look for a new job or advancement within your current
company, make sure you develop the proper image and present it as you go for
interviews. Take the time to perfect any flaws you may have that will place your
professional image in a negative light.
Positively Thinking Out of the Box
How can one person “think out of the box?” This should be done
independently, but how? Here’s an example: Cut a cake into eight
slices but you have to make no more than three cuts. Most people will
have trouble coming up with a way to cut the cake. But to solve this,
you have to change the way you look at the cake and how to cut it.
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One perfect solution is to cut the cake into two equal sizes and put the
other half on top of the other. Cut it again in half then stack the other
half pieces on top of one another and cut them again. There you go,
that’s thinking out of the box.
Another example of thinking out of a box is this: Here are four
words… subtract, multiply, add, decrease… Now which one does not
belong to the group? Mostly people would right away say that the
word “decrease” does not belong. Why? Because all the other three
words are mathematical jargons and the latter is not. Well, that’s not
thinking out of the box, if you think out of the box, the answer would
be the word “add” since it only has three letters while all the other
have six and more. You could give a lot of right answers but the one
that shows more creativity stands out.
The prevailing component in the way our minds work is inserting some
changes from past experiences and processes. Another good sample
is when you are asked two days that starts with the letter “T”. Your
answer would probably be Tuesday and Thursday. Hey, how about
Tomorrow and Today? Well, that is out of the box all right.
Companies try to test a new product and are sure they are getting a
design at a reasonable cost. They look at things in the business and
think that objectives will work just as planned. But these things sound
monotonous already, for they only think using the past as patterns.
Patterns are helpful since they help finish tasks such as driving, eating
or drinking. However, these are the same patterns that make it hard
for people to think out of the box and create alternative solutions to a
dilemma especially when challenged with unwanted data.
One important move to break the pattern is trying to reverse patterns,
designs or solutions and arouse new interest. Take thing as they are
and turn them inside out, upside down, or simply turn them around
and you’ll be surprised with the result. This was Henry Ford’s personal
experience. His conventional plan was to just “bring people to work.”
He tried to change all this into: “bring work to the people.” This plan
generated more revenues.
Another way to bring out other solutions to simple problems and
situations is to not think about the subject. If you want to bring about
something more creative, think not of the part of the problem itself,
rather, think of people or subjects in motion and then use the abstract
formation or design as a stimulus for a new design.
But to think out of the box, never shy away from the fact that some of
your ideas could really be crazy enough. This could break rigidity of
thinking and present a way to sift the harebrained and irrational. This
gives the thinker more freedom to think out of the box and reinvent
things in way they have never been arranged before. What you could
do is list several odd or absurd ideas about a certain problem.
Letting go of the question will release the stress you are undergoing by
trying to squeeze the creativity. Once you let it go, all the power of
the universe is free to find a solution and the solution will come to you
when you least expect it.
In much more real life scenarios, you could think out of the box for
fun. You can practice fun trouble-making stuff without hurting anyone
by saying or doing the unexpected. But make sure that you do this
first to persons you already know to avoid conflicts and negative
confrontations. Say, a buddy asks for the time, automatically you
would look at your wrist watch which is a result of the stimulusresponse
theory. Thinking out of the box, why not say something
crazy like, “Oh it’s time for a vengeance,” then head toward the door.
Watch their reaction as they go into total confusion and trance as you
have totally mixed things up in their heads and interrupted their
thinking pattern. (Don’t forget to apologize afterwards)
Thinking out of the Box or usually known as creative thinking seeks to
design new and really creative arrangement of elements to produce a
work of art. Being an out of the box thinker can be a rewarding
profession. This is dangerous, but it could be one of your strengths in
no time. If the herd is going to the right, you go the other way.
Remember that you could be genius in your own way. Your thoughts
come from deep reaches and these totally different ideas are clever
enough to make a difference in the end. Being creative and out of the
box is wild sometimes, but could move you through growth and selfdevelopment.
You’ll be surprised at how easy and differently it will be
for you to fix and try to solve things away from the tried-and-true
habits. Let your thinking out of the old box be your guide to a new
and better, wonderful approach to life.