Community-Oriented Policing

Community-Oriented PolicingCommunity-Oriented PolicingBecause the notlageion of a professional, uniformed police force is a relatively young concept, ideas about how to best implement and practice law enforcement are continually evolving. For centuries, law enforcement focused on crime and punishment, with a greater emphasis on punishment. Certainly, harsh and humiliating punishments were believed to deter other would-be criminals, but very little time or effort was spent on discovering the reasons behind the crimes. The early histories of both criminology as a whole and of policing specifically show a less institutional approach to crime. As societies grew and evolved, criminologists began looking more and more into ways to prevent crime, while at the same time local governments began to take a more active role in policing their citizens. Professor Goldstein and Problem-Oriented Policing Though this evolution continues today, law enforcement practices began to change dramaticall y after Professor Herman Goldstein introduced the concept of problem-oriented policing in 1979. Goldsteins ideas spread throughout the United States and quickly lead to the development of the concept now recognized as community-oriented policing. Building Law Enforcement and Community Partnerships Community-oriented policing is the culmination of the work of criminology researchers and practitioners alike. The concept shifts the focus from reaction to action. In previous policing models, police departments spent a vast amount of resources and manpower reacting to crimes that had already been committed. Instead, problem-solving policing and its offshoots emphasize building relationships to prevent crimes. The key concepts of community-oriented policing rely on two core components community partnerships and problem-solving. Community-oriented policing brings police professionals, government officials, and community and neighborhood leaders together to identify and evaluate problem s within the community and work together to solve them. It takes into consideration not only police perceptions of problemsbut also the desires, needs, and expectations of the community in formulating an appropriate response. Through these community partnerships, police agencies build trust and rapport with the neighborhoods they serve. It has proven essential in obtaining cooperation from groups that in the past wanted very little to do with law enforcement. Problem Solving and the SARA Model in Policing Community-oriented policing employs the SARA model of problem-solving to come up with long-term solutions to crime that have less to do with the criminal justice system and more to do with changing perceptions. SARA is an acronym for Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment, and refers to key steps in the problem-solving and decision-making processes. The SARA model involves four key components. Scanning involves looking for patterns of problem activities, including victims , locations, and types of crimes. It requires an evaluation of the problem, the perception of the problem by both law enforcement and external partners, and an analysis of the severity of the problem. The next phase of the problem-solving model is analysis, which includes looking for the root causes of any problems or issues identified. Information is gathered from a variety of sources, including crime reports and community members who are directly affected by the issue. Causes of problems can include many factors, including neighborhood and community perceptions of law enforcement themselves. Once the cause is identified, law enforcement officials will work with the community to come up with and execute an appropriate, long-term response. After the response is implemented, an ongoing assessment is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution and make adjustments as appropriate. Finding Long-Term Solutions for versicherungspolice and Communities The community-oriented policing model allows police, criminologists, and other criminal justice professionals to work closely together to find the root causes of criminal activity. By applying the principles of problem-oriented policing, law enforcement professionals find long-term solutions and continue to foster trust among the citizens they serve and help to ensure a safer community.

What People Want From Work for Personal Motivation

What People Want From Work for Personal MotivationWhat People Want From Work for Personal MotivationEvery individual person has different motivations for working at a job. The reasons for working are as individual as the person. But, all people work because the workplace provides something that you need from work. The something that you obtain from your work impacts your morale, yourmotivation, and the quality of your life. Here are thoughts about employee motivation, what people want from work, and how you can help employees attain what they need for their work motivation. Work is About the Money Some people work for their love of the work others work for personal and professional fulfillment. Other people like to accomplish goals and feel as if they are contributing to something larger than themselves, something important, an overarching visionfor what they can create. Some people have personal missions they accomplish through meaningful work. Others truly love what they do or the clients they serve. Some like the camaraderie and interaction with customers and coworkers. Other people like to fill their time with activity. Some workers like change, challenge, and diverse problems to solve. As you can see, employee motivation is individual and diverse. Whatever your personal reasons for working, the bottom line, however, is that alfruchtwein everyone works for money. Whatever you call it compensation, salary, bonuses, benefits or remuneration, money pays the bills. Money provides housing, gives children clothing and food, sends teens to college, and allows leisure activities, and eventually, retirement. Unless you are independently wealthy, you need to work to collect a paycheck. To underplay the importance of money and benefits as motivation for people who work is a mistake. It may not be their most significant motivatoror even the motivational factor theyd first mention in a conversation but earning a living is a factor in any discussion about employee mo tivation. Fair benefits and pay are the cornerstones of a successful company that recruits and retains committed workers. If you provide a living wage for your employees, you can then work on additional motivation issues. Without the fair, living wage, however, you risk losing your best people to a better-paying employer. In fact, research from Watson Wyatt Worldwide in The Human Capital Edge 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement (or Avoid) to Maximize Shareholder Value, recommends, that to attract the best employees, you need to pay more than your average-paying counterparts in the marketplace. Money provides basic motivation. Got Money? Whats Next for Motivation? Surveys and studies dating back to the early 1980s demonstrate that people want more from work than money. An early study of thousands of workers and managers by the American Psychological Association clearly demonstrated this. Managers predicted that the most important motivational aspect of work for people they employed would be money. Instead, it turned out that personal time and attention from the manager or supervisor was cited by workers as the most rewarding and motivational for them at work. In a Workforce article, The Ten Ironies of Motivation, reward and recognition guru, Bob Nelson, says, More than anything else, employees want to be valued for a job well done by those they hold in high esteem. He adds that people want to be treated as if they are adult human beings who think, makes decisions, tries to do the right thing, and dont need a caretaker watching over their shoulders. While what people want from work is situational, depending on the person, his needs and the rewards that are meaningful to him, giving people what they want from work is really quite straightforward. The basics are Control of their work inspires motivation including such components as the ability to have an impact on decisions setting clear and measurable goals clear responsibility for a co mplete, or at least defined, task job enrichment tasks performed in the work itself and recognition for achievement.To belong to the in-crowd creates motivation including items such as receiving timely information and communication understanding managements formulas for decision making team and meeting participation opportunities and visual documentation and posting of work progress and accomplishments. The opportunity for growth and development is motivational and includes education and training career paths team participation succession planning cross-training and field trips to successful workplaces.Leadership is key in motivation. People want clear expectations that provide a picture of the outcomes desired with goal setting and feedback and an appropriate structure or framework. Recognition for wertzuwachs Creates Motivation In The Human Capital Edge, authors Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay say that people want recognition for their individual performance with pay tied to their perf ormance. Employees want people who dont perform fired in fact, failure to discipline and fire non-performers is one of the most demotivating actions an organization can take- or fail to take. It ranks on the top of the list next to paying poor performers the same wage as non-performers in deflating motivation. Additionally, the authors found that a disconnect continues to exist between what employers think people want at work and what people say they want for motivation. Employers far underrate the importance to employees of such things as flexible work schedules or opportunities for advancement in their decision to join or leave a company. That means that many companies are working very hard (and using scarce resources) on the wrong tools, say Pfau and Kay. People want employers to pay them above market rates. They seek flexible work schedules. They want stock options, a chance to learn, and the increased sharing of the rationale behind management decisions and direction. What Y ou Can Do for Motivation and Positive Morale You have much information about what people want from work. Key to creating a work environment that fosters motivation are the wants and needs of the individual employees. The most significant recommendation for your takeaway is that you need to start asking your employees what they want from work and whether they are getting it. With this information in hand, youll be surprised at how many simple and inexpensive opportunities you have to create a motivational, desirable work environment. Pay attention to what is important to the people you employ for high motivation and positive morale. When you foster these for people, youll achieve awesome business success.

Eating just 1 serving of this daily will boost mental wellness, says study

Eating just 1 serving of this daily will boost mental wellness, says studyEating just 1 serving of this daily will boost mental wellness, says studyIts well-known that a brisk walk is good for clearing your head and boosting your mental health, but just one serving of fruits or vegetables can also have that same effect or your mood, says new research.A study called Lettuce Be Happy by researchers at Leeds and York Universities in the United Kingdom analyzed data from 40,000 Brits and found that a positive link between eating fruits and vegetables and peoples self-reported well-being.Its just as good as walking eating just one serving of produce daily had the same effect on mental well-being as eight extra days of walking at least 10 minutes per month.Its well-established that eating fruit and vegetables can benefit physical health, said lead author Dr. Neel Ocean from the University of Leeds, in a release. Recently, newer studies have suggested that it may also benefit psychologica l well-being.Dr. Ocean added that further research was needed to determine cause and effect, but it was clear that people who do eat more fruits and vegetables report a higher level of mental well-being and life satisfaction than those who eat less.The study also controlled for alternative factors that may affect mental well-being, such as age, education, income, marital status, employment status, lifestyle, and health, as well as consumption of other foods such as bread or dairy products.The data also shows that the majority of people in the UK do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, so for those of you who dont get enough produce in your diet, upping it could kill two birds with one stone.Encouraging better dietary habits may not just be beneficial to physical health in the long run, but may also improve mental well-being in the shorter term, said co-author Dr. Howley, from Leeds Business School.The study is published in the journalSocial Science and Medicine.You might also enjoy New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Origins and Use of the U.S. Military Salute

Origins and Use of the U.S. Military SaluteOrigins and Use of the U.S. Military SaluteThe origin of the Hand Salute is uncertain. Some historians believe it began in late Roman times when assassinations were common. A citizen who wanted to see a public official had to approach with his right greifhand raised to show that he did elend hold a weapon. Knights in armor raised visors with the right hand when meeting a comrade. This practice gradually became a way of showing respect and, in early American history, sometimes involved removing the hat. By 1820, the motion was modified to touching the hat, and since then it has become the Hand Salute used today. In British history, in the early 1800s, the Coldstream Guards amended the British military salute custom of tipping the hat. They were instructed to clap their hands to their hats and bow as they pass by. This was quickly adopted by other Regiments as wear and tear on the hats by constant removal and replacing was a matter of great co ncern. By the mid 19th Century, the salute had evolved further with the open hand, palm to the front, and this has remained the case since then. Most historians believe, however, that the U.S. Military salute was influenced more by the British Navy. The Naval salute differs from the Open Hand British Army Salute in that the palm of the hand faces down towards the shoulder. This dates back to the days of sailing ships when tar and pitch were used to seal the timber from seawater. To protect their hands, officers wore white gloves, and it was considered most undignified to present a dirty palm in the salute, so the hand was turned through 90 degrees. When to Salute The salute is a courteous exchange of greetings, with the junior member always saluting first. When returning or rendering an individual salute, the head and eyes are turned toward the Colors or rolle saluted. When in ranks, the position of attention is maintained unless otherwise directed. Military personnel in uniform are required to salute when they meet and recognize persons entitled (by grade) to a salute except when it is inappropriate or impractical (in public conveyances such as planes and buses, in public places such as inside theaters, or when driving a vehicle). Persons Entitled to a Salute The President of the United States (Commander-in-Chief)Commissioned Officers and Warrant OfficersAny Medal of Honor RecipientOfficers of Friendly Foreign Countries A salute is also rendered When the United States National Anthem, To the Color, Hail to the Chief, or foreign national anthems are played.To uncased National Color outdoors.On ceremonial occasions (such as Change of Command, and Military Parades).At reveille and retreat ceremonies, during the raising or lowering of the flag.During the sounding of honors.When the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag is being recited outdoors.When turning over control of formations.When rendering reports. Salutes are leid required when Indoors, except w hen reporting to an officer or when on duty as a guard.Addressing a prisoner.Saluting is obviously inappropriate. In these cases, only greetings are exchanged. (Example A person carrying articles with both hands, or being otherwise so occupied as to make saluting impracticable, is not required to salute a senior person or return the salute to a subordinate.)Either the senior or the subordinate is wearing civilian clothes (a salute, in this case, is not inappropriate, but is not required.) Officers of equal rank pass each other (a salute, in this case, is not inappropriate, but it is not required.) Prisoners whose sentences include punitive discharges have lost the right to salute. All other prisoners, regardless of custody or grade, render the prescribed salute except when under armed guard. Any military person recognizing a need to salute or a need to return one may do so anywhere at any time. Reporting Indoors When reporting to an officer in his office, the military member rem oves his headgear, knocks, and enters when told to do so. He approaches within two steps of the officers desk, halts, salutes, and reports,Sir (Maam), Private Jones reports.The salute is held until the report is completed and the salute has been returned by the officer. When the business is completed, the member salutes, holds the salute until it has been returned, executes the appropriate facing movement, and departs. When reporting indoors under arms, the procedure is the same except that the headgear is not removed and the member renders the salute prescribed for the weapon with which he is armed. The expression under arms means carrying a weapon in your hands, by a sling, or a holster. When reporting to a noncommissioned officer, the procedures are the same, except no salutes are exchanged. Reporting Outdoors When reporting outdoors, the military member moves rapidly toward the officer, halts approximately three steps from the officer, salutes, and reports (as when indoors). When the member is dismissed by the officer, salutes are again exchanged. If under arms, the member carries the weapon in the manner prescribed for saluting. Saluting Persons in Vehicles The practice of saluting officers in official vehicles (recognized individually by grade or identifying vehicle plates and or flags) is considered an appropriate courtesy. Salutes are not required to be rendered by or to personnel who are driving or riding in privately owned vehicles except by gate guards, who render salutes to recognized officers in all vehicles unless their duties make the salute impractical. When military personnel are drivers of a moving vehicle, they do not initiate a salute. Other Salutes In Formation.Individuals in formation do not salute or return salutes except at the command Present, ARMS. The individual in charge salutes and acknowledges salutes for the entire formation. Commanders of organizations or detachments that are not a part of a larger formation salute o fficers of higher grade by bringing the organization or detachment to attention before saluting. When in the field under battle or simulated battle conditions, the organization or detachment is not brought to attention. An individual in formation, at ease or at rest, comes to attention when addressed by an officer. Not in Formation.On the approach of an officer, a group of individuals not in formation is called to Attention by the first person noticing the officer, and all come sharply to Attention and salute. This action is to be taken at approximately 6 paces away from the officer, or the closest point of approach. Individuals participating in games, and members of work details, do not salute. The individual in charge of a work detail, if not actively engaged, salutes and acknowledges Salutes for the entire detail. A unit resting alongside a road does not come to Attention upon the approach of an officer however, if the officer addresses an individual (or group), the individual (o r group) comes to Attention and remains at Attention (unless otherwise ordered) until the termination of the conversation, at which time the individual (or group) salutes the officer. Outdoors.Whenever and wherever the United States National Anthem, To the Color, Reveille, or Hail to the Chief is played, at the first musiknote, all dismounted personnel in uniform and notin formationface the flag (or the music, if the flag is not in view), stand at Attention, and render the prescribed Salute. The position of Salute is held until the last note of the music is sounded. Military personnel not in uniform will stand at Attention (remove headdress, if any, with the right hand), and place the right hand over the heart. Vehicles in motion are brought to a Halt. Persons riding in a passenger car or on a motorcycle dismount and salute. Occupants of other types of military vehicles and buses remain in the vehicle and sit at attention the individual in charge of each vehicle dismounts and render s the Hand Salute. Tank and armored car commanders salute from the vehicle. Indoors.When the National Anthem is played indoors, officers and enlisted personnel stand at Attention and face the music, or theflagif one is present. Saluting Colors National and organizational flags, which are mounted on flagstaffs equipped with finials, are called Colors. Military personnel passing a military formation in which an uncased National Color is being carried, salute at six steps distance and hold the Salute until they have passed six steps beyond it. Similarly, when the uncased Color passes by, they salute when it is six steps away and hold the Salute until it has passed six steps beyond them. NOTE Small flags carried by individuals, such as those carried by civilian spectators at a parade, are not saluted. It is improper to salute with any object in the right hand or with a cigarette, cigar, or pipe in the mouth. Uncovering Officers and enlisted men under arms uncover only when Seate d as a member of (or in attendance on) a court or board.Entering places of divine worship.In attendance at an official reception. Personnelremovetheir headdress indoors. When outdoors,militaryheaddress is never removed, or raised as a form of salutation. When appropriate, civilians may be saluted in lieu of removing the headdress. Saluting Upon Boarding Naval Ships When military personnel (of any service) board U.S. Navy ships, either as an individual or as a unit leader, they salute according to naval procedures. When boarding anaval ship, upon reaching the top of the gangway, face and salute the national ensign. After completing this salute, salute the officer of the deck who will be standing on thequarter deckat the head of the gangway. The officer of the deck may be a commissioned officer,warrant officer, orpetty officer(enlisted). When saluting the officer of the deck, request permission to board,Sir (or Maam), Request permission to come aboard.The officer of the deck will return the salute. When leaving the ship, render the same salutes in reverse order, and request permission to leave,Sir (or Maam), Request permission to go ashore.

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Career Coach

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Career Coach5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Career CoachWhether its to give your job search more direction, or help you if youre stuck at a career crossroads, a career coach can be a great professional asset. Before hiring a career coach, though, be sure to ask some questions to ensure that the person youre seeking guidance from is a good fit for you and your career.Here are five questions to ask before hiring a career coach1. What is your process?Its good to have an idea of the game plan your potential career coach is going to take for your career. After all, there really shouldnt be any surprises, and you should know exactly what steps theyll have you take in order for you to achieve the results you want. So go over, in detail, the career coachs methodology to see if it sounds like what would you want for your career.2. How do you measure success?Everyone has their own measuring stick when it comes to success. Some believe that doing what you l ove is success enough, while others count the dollars and cents on the way to success. First, understand what success means to you, and then find a coach who thinks accordingly. That way, youll both be in sync when it comes to helping you achieve the results (and career) that you want.3. Can you cite some success stories?Its all fine and dandy to cite some stats on previous clients success, but to really understand if the career coach youre looking to hire is as good as they say they are, you should really ask for some success stories. This serves two purposes- first, it helps affirm if youre on the same page regarding what success means to you both. Second, it helps give you some insight into what the career coach could potentially do for you by seeing how theyve helped others in the past. If youre still unsure, you can always ask for references and speak directly with past clients.4. What would you say are your own strengths as a career coach?When youre interviewing career coaches , you should think of it as a job interview, where you are the employer and the coach is a potential employee. A common job interview question is asking What are your strengths? and the same should be done during the career coach vetting process. Remember, you are hiring this person to help craft your career, and its important to understand what the career coachs strengths (and possible weaknesses) are- and how they could potentially impact your own success.5. How do you establish a connection with your clients?Even though the career coach is meant to help you professionally, in many ways it can become a personal relationship, too, as you share experiences about yourself that can better help them understand who you are, on both a professional and personal level. That means you should have a great rapport with your career coach so that you can make the most of the experience. While you might have an instant bond with your coach, you should find out from them how they try to establish a rapport with clients so that they can help take your career to the next level.Career Coaching ThroughInspired by this story to hire a career coach? If youre a member, look no further than our new career coaching services. The 30-minute expert coaching session can help you practice your job interviewing skills, offer answers to specific career questions, have your resume and/or cover letter reviewed, and create an action plan that can assist you in your job searchWe also offer an in-depth resume review service where an expert resume writer will take your existing document and revamp it to make it as effective as possible for your job search. Or try our bundle of a career coaching callandresume reviewSign Up for to See Our Virtual Career Coaching Options

What You Dont Know About Objective in a Resume

What You Dont Know About Objective in a Resume So, its very important on the section of the applicant, that words he is using should be appropriate enough. Always make it a point to never utilize same objective for each and every job which youre applying for. If you opt to include an objective statement, make koranvers youve got a targeted job, you know what skills you wish to mention or youre applying for a specific position. A very clear statement about how you are going to utilize your strongest relevant abilities and professional experiences to satisfy the specific role youre applying for 3.So, your resume objective needs to be such that it always demonstrates that youre the one, the employer is trying to find. If youre asking for an internship beyond your major, include an objective statement so the employer knows just what you want to do. An employer has to experience lots of applications while selecting a candidate. Consider your resume objective as a brief commercial of what you provide a prospective employer. Type of Objective in a Resume Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that will allow you to get your fantasy job. Resume objectives can be somewhat controversial. Editing a resume can be difficult. A resume objective can explain why youre qualified for the job, even if its the case that you do elend own a lot of related experience. A work objective says what youre searching for. Looking out for a job which satisfies all of your needs is a difficult job. Whenever you would like to emphasize that youre ambitious, that you understand what you want in a career, or you have the skills for the particular job, you could benefit from a resume objective. It is essential to make the changes required in line with the job applied. Keep in mind, your target is to catch the hiring managers eye and stick out from the remainder of the paper in that pile. For a person who is just beginning in advanced academics or in the expert world, he must have a career objective which is usually employed for freshers. The manner in which you write your career objectives is essential and ought to be given proper consideration. Writing a winning college student career objective is a rather effortless means to bolster your application for this internship or job youve got in sight. Taking a phrase or two or observing the exact same format as the sample will be sufficient to be sure that youre on the proper path and that your resume starts in the proper way. If you do decide to move forward with a resume summary statement, be sure to deal with it as your personal highlight reel. A summary statement is among the simplest methods to custom tailor your resume to fit the requirements of a specific role, without needing to rewrite all the content. Whether you call it an objective statement or private summary, you need to use the peak of your resume to grab the interest of the reader. Ruthless Objective in a Resume Strategies Exploited Writing objectives for resumes can be hard. You are able to also Simple Resume Template. Resumes are critical to the work hunt. Dont forget, you can store as many as five resumes on Monster. The start of the objective needs to be accomplished with the words that show your interest in the organization. The info within the purpose statement may want to get customized based on your industry too. Finally, stating an objective is optional, but it might help convince employers that you understand what you need and know about the business. It might be a good choice for someone who knows the precise job and industry they want to be in, and often if that job or industry is competitive. One of the absolute most troublesome facets of a Loan Officers job is to assist clients find solutions when its impossible for them to pay their loans in time. If youre arranging a move to some other city, your existing address may confuse the hiring manager. To compose the obje ction section of a customer service resume, you want to discover the significant tasks to be done at work. Nobody reads resumes for funonly whenever theres a particular job to fill.

The top 6 skills youll need in 2014

The top 6 skills youll need in 2014 The top 6 skills youll need in 2014Posted November 22, 2013, by Marni Williams As the new year approaches quicker than any of us can quite believe, its time to consider the skills well need come 2014. While most of us are mora preoccupied with thoughts of glazed ham and prawns than our careers at this time of year, it pays to think ahead. Deep down even your festive self knows that you need to find your inner Rockyand get training. We all need to commit to some skills development before we can expect to be fist-pumping at the top of the stairs career-wise next year. Need a bit of coaching? Dont worry, weve done the research for you. While there are some hot new technical skills on the horizon for people looking for a new direction, here we look at the universally transferable, but hard-to-pin-down soft skills that employers will be looking for in 2014. What soft skills shortages? A lot of attention has been paid to Australias technical skills sh ortages, but thats leid the whole story. In Manpowers recent Talent Shortage Survey, 28 per cent of Asia-Pacific employers highlighted lack of workplace competencies soft skills as the reason for difficulty in filling jobs. This was only slightly shy of lack of technical competencies, at 31 per cent. According to Manpower, the most sought-after soft skills include enthusiasm/motivation, interpersonal skills, professionalism and flexibility and adaptability. The 2013 Leadership Employment and Direction (L.E.A.D.) survey adds that beyond technical skill gaps and shortages two of the top six are areas that should be of immense and immediate interest the areas of leadership and management. So what are you waiting for? Here are the six key soft skills youll need next year hit play on that montage track, and get training MGM 1. Management and leadership With our ageing workforce, global recruiter Hays reports a growing concern over the availability of candidates for management/execu tive posts. In L.E.A.D., management and leadership also climbed from seventh to fourth on the list of skills shortages. Luckily, its a skillset that almost anyone can build. From reading up on management strategies to taking up a leadership role in a volunteer organisation, or stepping up to get some real management credentials by doing a course, the data says that working on these will be worthwhile. MGM 2. Cross-generational relationship-building In 2011 half of the working population of Australia and New Zealand was aged 45 years or over, so its no surprise that while interpersonal skills dropped in relevance to employers, cross-generational relationships came up as an important factor for managers and leaders in the L.E.A.D. survey. More than half the participants in L.E.A.D. believed the effect of the ageing workforce would be felt most keenly within the next five years. If Gen X and Y can stay in the saatkorn place for long enough to build relationships and trust with Boomer s, then this is likely to pay off in the long run. You can build your cross-generational skills by seeking out an older mentor or a younger mentee, being proactive about transferring intellectual property, co-managing projects and systems and generally seeking out opportunities to work with people beyond your own circle. MGM 3. Understanding sales and marketing No matter what your position, understanding the unique selling proposition of your organisation will get you ahead. The need for marketers is widespread, particularly those who understand data and the digital sphere. As Peter Noblet of Hays reports, We are seeing that industry requires digital marketing as an essential component of the marketing mix however, there is a lack of investment in trainingand resources that will enable marketers to be savvier when it comes to extracting actionable insights from data. Keeping track of your companys KPIs and ROI for every initiative, monitoring website performance through Google An alytics and simply keeping on top of how your customers are responding will drive better decision-making and make you an asset to your employer. MGM 4. Flexibility, adaptation, innovation Australia has left the days of primary industries and manufacturing well behind. Our new future is as a service-based and digitally-connected economy, and as this change continues, businesses will need to readjust. Manpowers 2013 Talent Shortage Survey acknowledges the new competitive environment, where companies seek more cost structure flexibility while negotiating increasingly volatile economic cycles. This means that under-employment, casualisation and retrenchments are likely to continue to be a part of our working landscape for the near future. According to a Sydney University study, adaptability is the key to being effective. If you can stay on top of industry developments, be open to new ideas and embrace change when it comes, you might just find yourself floating above it all. Be sure to keep your industry contacts going on LinkedIn as it will become a key hub for freelancing contacts if you need them. MGM 5. Sustainability According to L.E.A.D., 36 per cent of employers were either highly advanced in employing sustainable practices and processes or well down the path in implementing them. Even more convincingly, over 80 per cent of leaders, managers and employees thought sustainability important for their business. If you understand your consumption and the environmental impact of your work, and can be environmentally proactive in your organisation, then it just might help sustain your career. MGM 6. Learning aptitude When I asked Jane McNeill, Director of Hays (NSW ACT), for her thoughts on the most important skill employers will be looking for in 2014, she responded with an interesting one learning aptitude. Employees will need to show that they can learn and respond leid only to their employers demands, but to the demands of a changing market. For job se ekers, as McNeill says, Be prepared to be tested for learning aptitude, just as you might expect to be tested for attention to detail or other relevant aptitudes. Also expect to be asked specific questions about your ability to adapt and learn new skills. Even if youre not looking for a job, you need to keep your mind sharp. Whether youre learning to use the latest technology, working in a new environment or undertaking some training, employers will be paying attention. The Australian Bureau of Statistics Jobs Outlook predicts that one in every three jobs created to November 2017 is set to go to a person with a bachelor degreeor higher. Those with a certificate II or certificate IIIwill also see employment grow strongly to 2017, so education continues to be a sound investment. Get going If youre preparing yourself to look for work or if you havent progressed lately, then dont waste any more time get your training tracksuit on and harden up those soft skills Theres nothing like an online course to whip you into shape, so take advantage. Who knows this silly season could just be your smartest yet.Whats the most undervalued job skill? ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searcheshow to develop skills and knowledgeskill shortages australialist of skill shortages in australiaskills you need for the futureskills to improve job performance CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineMarni WilliamsRelated ArticlesBrowse moreCharles Sturt University (CSU)WORKFORCE TRENDSAgriculture What does the future hold?How will a growing global population feed itse lf? Thats the question facing the agriculture industry. We discussed the potential solutions with two of CSUs agricultural academic experts.Career changePERSONAL DEVELOPMENT5 Things To Consider Before Starting Your Own Small BusinessIf youve ever wondered why so many small businesses fail, and how you can prevent your new small business from following the same path. Weve got the answers right here.Dressing for workWhat to wear to workWhether you are starting a brand spanking new job or youve been with the same company for the past 10 years, what you wear to work each day is important.