No Sickie Zone Why Contractors Dont Take Sick Days

No Sickie Zone Why Contractors Dont Take Sick Days Why dont freelancers and contractors take sick days? Is it because they lose out on their day rate? Is it because they are simply super-human workers? The latest data from Contracting Scout’s Contractor Confidence survey shows that contractors are a committed part of the UK’s workforce, with the majority not having had a sick day in the past two years. Some 53 per cent of respondents haven’t called in sick in the last two years, with 31 per cent of these having never called in sick. Research  findings Over a third of contractors would have to be at death’s door before they called in sick to work Sixty per cent been out of work for more than a month at a time they wanted to be working Three-quarters (75 per cent) would recommend the contracting life to others While 13 per cent of contractors stop working when ill, 52 per cent continue working if they’re mildly unwell and 35 per cent soldier on unless they’re at death’s door. Most contractors seem happy with their working life, with three-quarters (75 per cent), saying that they’d recommend becoming a contractor to others. The majority (60 per cent) also plan to continue contracting for at least the next two years, if not indefinitely, with 17 per cent wanting to stop in the next two years, and 22 per cent undecided. Of the 25 per cent who said they wouldn’t recommend contracting, the majority (62 per cent) cited worry about where the next contract would come from as the reason. The study suggests this is a potential risk for the majority for contractors, with 60 per cent saying they had been out of work for more than a month at a time when they wanted to be working. However, most contractors have prepared themselves well for gaps in employment. Some 52 per cent have three or more months’ worth of earnings set aside, while 72 per cent plan to increase the amount they have saved. The experts weigh in Aki Kakko, CEO of Candarine: Contractors overall often behave very similarly to entrepreneurs. They feel that it is their responsibility to get the work done and achieve the results regardless of their current condition while full-time employees often feel that it is their right to have sick leave and others in the team will pull the weight during that time. The perception of sick leave is often completely different compared to permanent employees. As a downside, this can lead to unwanted long-term consequences such as burnout and other health issues. Dominic McNamara, CEO of Cruit: Contractors are certainly not super-humans but unlike the gainfully employed they appreciate where each days pay comes from. While those employed often feel hard done by and bemoan their situation, contractors (due to their higher earning potential) have a value attached to each portion of the day, week, month and year. So, sickness and time-off in general is considered in a different light: Contractors know that taking a holiday isnt just a flight/hotel/spending-money cost but a non-earning period too whereas permanent employees feel theyve earned their time off and will avoid working during those two weeks in the sun however possible! Having managed teams across Europe I was always amused at some employee-friendly nations where permanent staff felt compelled to take their contracted sick-leave as if it were additional holiday days! This concept is totally alien for the contracting workforce! This debate defines well the Opportunity : Cost scenario it it worth a day in bed to lose £500? It would be telling to analyse the differences in opinion on this debate where earning potential is similar for Contractors and Employees. For sure, high rate contractors value their time off, but dont take duvet days for fun! Andy Bellass, co-founder of hibob: I think one of the things to consider here is the true definition of what a ‘sick’ day actually is, which we know can actually have many meanings. ‘Interview’ day, ‘Hangover day, I’ve simply had enough’ day. But for a contractor it’s much clearer. The first definition is quite clearly ‘Unpaid’ day and you can imagine that money has a brilliant placebo effect on constitution. I’d love to see statistics that correlate ‘Fever to Picking up the phone ratings. e.g. The Average Full Time Employee is more likely to pick up the phone 2.3 Degrees lower than a contractor. Then we’ve got ourselves some stats. There must be an app for that. I think the second thing to consider is from the Full Time employee side. There is an argument to say that FT employees work harder, work longer hours and be more emotionally committed to a business that they are part of. As such ‘sick’ days can often simply blur into ‘duvet / recovery’ days and when you think that contractors are less likely to work 100% of their available time this makes complete sense. Again another interesting stat would be to compare that actually yearly hours worked for a Full Time Employee vs a Contractor. They may have less sick days but do they actually work more!! Will Ryles, Head of Recruitment at Contracting Scout: Contractors are a very reliable part of the workforce, with the majority carrying on with projects unless they’re very sick. There is of course a financial incentive for them to do so as they do not receive sick pay, but this also shows that if you want something done on time, contractors can be an excellent option. Liz Sebag-Montefiore, Co-Founder Career Coach at 10Eighty I believe contractors rarely  take sick days based on two reasons firstly due to the obvious reason that  they only get paid when they work;  but more importantly, they enjoy the work theyre doing  and  have chosen to take the work on. People  are far more likely to take sick days when theyre not engaged at work, and as freelancers and  contractors can be picky as to what work they take on,  are bound to want to complete projects even if theyre not well so they get paid and for the satisfaction of seeing what theyve achieved that day. After all, they can rest and recuperate over the weekend!

The 6 Keys to Gain Confidence, Get Noticed and Get Promoted

The 6 Keys to Gain Confidence, Get Noticed and Get Promoted Over the past month, I have spoken to over 25 professional women on career strategy sessions (you can sign up for your session here) and I keep hearing the same things over and over again.  So I will be holding monthly webinars to tackle all of your career challenges that I keep hearing.  The first challenge I want to tackle this month is how to gain confidence as a female leader and get noticed and promoted.  If you are ready to take your career to the next level, this webinar will give you a step-by-step plan to make your career goals happen. Click here to register I want to teach you my PROVEN, Female Leadership Success Formula so you can learn EXACTLY how to get your career on track, find balance, get promoted and become less stressed…FAST. When? Tuesday, March 11th at 4:00pm Pacific The webinar will help you learn how to: Respond strategically to demands of your role and competitive pressure Capitalize on your innate leadership strengths to achieve high-impact results with greater ease Build new levels of confidence to take on greater roles and excel as you advance in your career Gain respect working with men Emerge with stress and time management techniques so you can operate at peak performance and clarity Increase your energy and enhance your effectiveness at work and at home Expand your network and establish a career strategy plan Click here to register Who is Anna? Anna Runyan is a speaker and leadership coach, founder of  ClassyCareerGirl.com, one of Forbes most influential career sites for 2014 and the author of the popular new book,  The Professional Woman’s Guide to Managing Men. She’s the go-to gal when you want to talk about how to be the best female leader possible. Anna Runyan uses her background working in a male dominated field for eight years as a Military Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton to teach her clients how to successfully upgrade their leadership. Anna also teaches Management as a Professor at DeVry University. P.S. The webinar will be recorded so if you can’t make it live, still sign up to get the replay! Click here to register

Non- Permanent Ways You Can Completely Transform Your Appearance

Non- Permanent Ways You Can Completely Transform Your Appearance Now and again it’s fun to switch things up a bit. Maybe you’re going to a special party and want to do something different, and really wow everyone. Or perhaps you just feel like experimenting? If you work in a professional environment, you might not get much creative expression with your look or style during the week. So being able to change it up in a non-permanent way is the way to go.   With that said, its also important to remove all the make-up after a long day. Thats where having effective make-up removers can be a big help. With a few changes to your routine, you will be able to regain a refreshing look again.    Here’s how you can go about it! Makeup Makeup can dramatically change your appearance.  Done well it really is an art. Start by evening out your skin tone and covering blemishes and dark circles with a good foundation, concealer and powder. This will instantly make your skin look flawless.  If you usually have a lot of redness, freckles or blemishes just this step alone will change the way you look. Use highlighting and contouring techniques to alter the appearance of your bone structure. This is where darker and lighter creams or powders are applied to areas on the face. It can make your face look slimmer, your cheekbones look more defined.  You can even change the appearance of the size and shape of your nose. For example, running a contour product that’s a few shades darker than your natural skin tone along each side of your nose with a lighter highlight shade run down the center will make your nose look slimmer. Facial Makeup Details Matter Cleverly placed eyeshadow will make your eyes look bigger and more defined too. Experiment with different smokey eye looks and liners. These can really accentuate how they look and make them a stunning standout feature. False eyelashes are extremely effective and can help you achieve a very pretty doll-like finish. They open up your eyes making you look more awake, and do a much better job than any mascara ever could. You can get a huge range of styles from natural and subtle all the way through to ultra bold and glamorous. Finally, big lips have been a huge trend for the last couple of years. But you don’t have to resort to lip injections to get on board. Slightly overlining your lips with a lip liner before filling them in with the same shade will give you the appearance of a plumper pout. Choose a matte product as this will have the most lasting power. When you’re using this technique you don’t want it smudging across your face! A smudge-proof liquid lipstick is your best bet. Contact Lenses Incredibly, a procedure now exists where you can permanently change the colour of your eyes. A coloured implant is inserted into the iris, giving them a different colour and works almost like a permanent coloured contact lens. However, this is still a very new procedure and not without its risks! If you don’t want to go to such extremes, regular removable colored contact lenses are a much better choice. You can experiment with all different kinds of shades. From natural looking colors such as brown, blue and green to more extreme vibrant colors for fun. You could also try Korean circle lenses which make your iris appear larger. It’s a quick way to instantly change how your whole face looks and is an excellent way to try something new. Have a go on an eye color changing app or program online, and you can play around with different shades before deciding. The difference really is shocking, with a dramatic color change (light to dark, or dark to light) most people look like a different person entirely. Fake Tan If you’re naturally quite pale, fake tan is a quick way to totally transform your look.  But without dangerous UV rays from the sun or sunbeds. A tan can make you look healthy and sun kissed.  Who wouldn’t want to look like they just stepped off a beach?! When your skin is darker, it can change how your eye and hair color looks, and overall just make you look different. Getting fake tan right can be tricky so you may have to experiment with various brands and shades. There’s a fine line between bronzed and satsuma, so it’s worth treading carefully. Always exfoliate before applying for the best finish, and use a tanning mitt to put it on. Fake tan hands is a cardinal beauty sin! Deepen the look further using bronzer on your face and body. And if you’re going out for the evening, a small amount of shimmer on the legs and decolletage looks fantastic over fake tan. If you’re using to looking a certain way, this is bound to create a massive impact when you turn up at the party! Hair Extensions Even if you’re too scared to dye or cut your hair, you can change how it looks with the use of hair extensions.    Clip in extensions aren’t too expensive to buy and allow you to instantly change your appearance. The length and added volume of the hair will make you look and feel glamorous.    But always go for 100% human hair rather than synthetic, or a synthetic blend. They also allow you to try out styles that you might not have been able to achieve with your natural hair. Long ponytails, messy buns, braids and a whole host of other styles can be accomplished with clip in extensions. There are of course longer lasting extension methods such as sew-ins and extensions that are bonded to the hair with glue. These will last for a few months. However, the clips ins are great as you can take them in and out within minutes. You could keep your hair tidy and modest for work but go all out on the weekends with long volumized locks. Beyond Extensions To change thing up even further, you can even buy clip in bangs too if you’ve always been too scared to cut your own. This can massively change how a person looks, and best of all it’s completely reversible. And if you wanted to temporarily modify the color, why not go for a full wig instead? You can buy wigs made out of 100% human hair which look very natural and realistic. So if you’re a blonde that has always wanted to experiment with a dark shade, or are naturally dark and want to try platinum this is a fantastic way to go! Alternatively, you could go with a fun colour that you’d never be allowed to wear at your workplace. Pastels are popular, or you could even have a hairdresser do you a custom shade. Again just make sure you’re not buying synthetic hair, as with extensions it gets very tangly and can’t be dyed or heat styled. Plus synthetic hair has a naturally plastic looking quality which looks very obviously like fake hair. Glasses If you usually wear glasses, switching to contacts instead can be enough to make you look completely different. If you don’t wear glasses, try experimenting with pairs which have clear/ non-prescription lenses. ‘Geek Chic’ has been a comeback trend this year inspired by Gucci.  You can easily experiment with the look using fashion glasses. Thick bold frames can look amazing! Clothes Finally, change your appearance with clothes. If you usually wear a certain style, changing this up will alter the way you look. Push yourself out of your comfort zone.  Go into a store and pick up a few pieces to try on that you wouldn’t usually have considered. If you don’t want to spend much, look through sales or thrift stores and pick up items from there instead. Use blogs, Pinterest and Instagram as a source of fashion inspiration and replicate any styles you’re drawn to. If people are used to seeing you wearing very ‘safe’ pieces, or you’ve had the same style for years, this is bound to make their jaw drop! If you’re conscious of your figure in tighter pieces, wearing shapewear underneath will pull you in and make you look smooth and slender. Think about outfits as well as footwear, jackets and any accessories to finish everything off. Think New You You can transform from Plain Jane to fashion diva, biker chick, girly girl or bohemian in minutes just by what you wear. Tailor your hair and makeup to the style for the full effect. Clothing is a fun way to switch up your style, and if you don’t like it, then you can just change back. So give it a go! So play around with different looks and just enjoy it! See yourself as a blank canvas and allow yourself the creative expression to try new things. The beauty of all of this stuff is that its completely reversible, so what have you got to lose? If you’re fed up of looking the same way and crave a new look, you can totally transform on just  weekends.  And then still be back to your professional and modest self on Monday morning. Have you ever found yourself in a style rut, or craved a new look? Then go ahead, be daring, and try some of these! Image credits. Main.   Makeup.   Contacts.     Hair.  Glasses.  Clothes.

From Top Biller to Billing Manager... Ready or Not

From Top Biller to Billing Manager... Ready or Not Deciding whether or not to take the leap of faith to becoming a billing manager in recruitment is a dilemma faced by many  successful recruiters. Equally, it can be  a big challenge from the employers perspective too, in terms of how to ensure that employee experiences a smooth transition. In this blog, I will assess what qualities I think a strong billing manager needs to have for it to be the right move, to help you  make your own decision. As well as sharing some top tips for billing managers, I also take a look at what alternatives exist for those who have  proven themselves  as a successful biller but  DON’T want to manage people! Writing from experience In terms of my own testimony, I became a billing manager in 2001. I took the reigns with little preparation; I was sent on a course which gave me the bare essentials but effectively my role was to still bill ( £15k a month as oppose to £30-40k a month as a consultant) and to feed the figures up to my Director.  I had little autonomy in how I developed my team so I moved on after 10 months into my first proper “billing manager” role. By definition, this role meant I had full P+L responsibility for the branch: I trained, managed and developed the consultants to achieve their own personal targets and career goals (training one up into a management role so that I was then managing managers too); developing opportunities for the branch. All still whilst maintaining my own personal billings too; its a big task.  *And as an aside, as mum to two daughters, I have always joked (albeit I am serious) that “managing” two kids and a home is more than enough for me!* What things  do successful billing managers do or possess? 1. Leadership In order to gain the respect and kudos of those you will be managing and supporting, you will need to be a natural leader. Those who have managed externally, so for example, sports teams, tend to display this natural ability well. Do as I do, not as I just say. A strong billing manager will LEAD BY EXAMPLE. If your team doesn’t see you doing it,  how can you expect them to do it? 2. Follows process A good billing manager knows there is a method in what has made them successful. Whether it is set KPIS, a certain style. You need to use your CRM system, have consistency in your approach. Be able to characterise how you have been successful and then encourage and develop your team to follow a process to allow them to achieve success too. 3. Approachable and adaptable Being a manager means you may have to deal with situations as they arise, often without forward planning. Showing  you have the time and interest to get to know your team is something you should  always be wary of. 4. Altruistic In the truest sense, this attribute sort of goes against the premise of recruitment because of course, every action we take in recruitment is about achieving the overall goal of “profit for the business”. However, some of the best leaders I have partnered (as R2R) on behalf of are very generous in how they operate within the team. Working as a “rainmaker” for their team, creating business opportunities for everyone to generate revenue and success. A rare quality in a recruiter? Maybe, but in a good manager, essential. You have to THINK BIG as a manager, for the good of the team as a whole. A collegiate approach to creating a successful team is the ONLY way to be a good billing manager. 5. Commerciality You can be all of the above with bells on but  if your division/team is not making money (profit) it is all totally irrelevant in the long term. Therefore, a successful billing manager must be able to demonstrate commerciality. As a manager youll need to be  capable of creating revenue streams by working strategically with their team to enhance their client proportion. Find new ways, innovate, listen, embrace and expose the team to the best commercial opportunities. If you possess all of the above skills but ultimately you arent certain that managing people is a route you actually want to take, what other career paths are there? Practise lead The notion of a non billing manager is not a new one. By channelling all the ambitions of a successful recruiter yet not allowing them to progress up through a business is risky so most recruitment firms offer a hybrid route now; remuneration milestones are on parity with managers: they may champion certain clients. focus on business development. Or, simply act as the ultimate example of how to operate as a specialist recruiter. As long as the rewards are on behaviours as well as revenue, this route has become very common and creates exceptional recruiters. Business Development Specialist Very often, someone who has been enormously successful as a 360 recruiter has done so through exceptional business development. Another alternative route is to become 100% focused on winning new business for the company. A wise route for any company as it allows you to continually grow potentially in to new markets, thus ensuring you don’t rely on too few clients. Client Services Manager Similar to the BD role, except this role actually leverages existing relationships more than just winning new clients. Where else can we generate relationships and revenue within our current clients. A very strategic role and I think certainly an area that more recruitment businesses should focus on if they want longevity in their markets. Training/ Support/ Operations By taking a recruiter off the tools, you can utilise their skills by then training and developing new staff (and more junior existing) in how to operate within that particular niche and/or company. The top biller sat with newbies showing them how to replicate is surely a satisfying and obvious way to acknowledge the achievements of said consultants and hopefully create a culture of equally successful consultants coming through the ranks. My advice to anyone seeking to move into a billing manager role: Speak to your existing boss/MD. Talk about how you can avoid reducing your own personal earnings. What support can they offer you to ensure this doesnt happen (unless you are not money motivated at all, there is a very realistic threat that you will take a hit). What is your ultimate career goal? If you want to move into senior management, then your criteria is going to change. What training do you need to ensure you have the business skills to be successful as a people manager? Who has been a  successful billing manager in the business before? Speak to these people  about what issues they faced and how to overcome them. I have always maintained that the “jump” from recruitment consultant to billing manager is the hardest one in your career, but if you can achieve it with the support of your employer, it has to be one of the most rewarding jobs in the world!

How to Improve Job Satisfaction and Increase Employee Engagement

How to Improve Job Satisfaction and Increase Employee Engagement You must know that job satisfaction is highly critical to motivation, low employee turnover, and motivation. All employees feel that they are constantly facing challenges to secure their jobs for a long period of time.Therefore, it becomes really challenging for employees to increase employee engagement and job satisfaction.evalAccording to a survey conducted by the Conference Board showed only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their jobs. So if you want to improve job satisfaction and increase employee engagement.1. Provide a positive working environmentevalOne of the ways through which you can improve your job satisfaction and increase employee engagement is by providing a positive working environment. This is the first step that can lead you towards job satisfaction and increase employee engagement.As Fran Tarkenton once said, ”To find what motivates people, you have to find what turns people on.” It shows that a motivating working environment takes a plenty of effort including going beyond the call of duty and providing the needs of a worker. It takes a lot more than we think it does.Walt Disney World Company is one of the organizations that provide an excellent working environment for their cast members as well as employees to boost up their creativity. They provide various services to their employees that include employee discount programs, childcare information, money orders, postage stamps, check cashing, and bus passes.2. Reward and RecognitionOne of the ways through which you can improve your job satisfaction and increase employee engagement is by providing them reward and recognition. It is very important for employees to get reward and recognition because it motivates them to work harder.As Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Personal motivationis something that boosts up the morale and confidence of an employee, be it a personal note from a supervisor or a peer, or a pat on a back, all work wonde rs unless it is a compliment. Small, informal celebrations are way more effective than quarter, or once a year formal event.Graham Weston, co-founder and CEO of Rackspace Managed Hosting gives all the top-performing employees the keys to his BMW M3 convertible for more than 5 days. He feels that this creative way to reward and recognize the efforts of employees leaves a deep impact on them as compared to cash.evalHe says, “If you gave somebody a $200 bonus, it wouldn’t mean very much. When someone gets to drive my car for a week, they never forget it.”3. Involve and Engage the workplaceOne of the ways through which you can improve your job satisfaction and increase employee engagement is by involving and engaging the employees in the workplace. You must have seen that people do show up for work but they are really not productive or engaged.The CEOs and managers of the company should try to encourage other employees to contribute their ideas and provide suggestions for the bett erment of the company. It will help them grow. For example, The Sony Corporation encourages the exchange of ideas within the departments by sponsoring an annual Idea Exposition.

Holiday Networking Can Facilitate New Year Opportunities

Holiday Networking Can Facilitate New Year Opportunities This month, members of the Career Collective are discussing tips to help job seekers ramp up their efforts for the holiday season and New Year. Here are my thoughts on making the most of your job search during the holiday season.Ive been spending the past few evenings writing out holiday cards to my clients. I find that holidays are a great way to reconnect with clients and find out what they have been up to.The same can be said for job seekers. The holidays provide a natural touch point for reaching out to your network and seeing how friends, family, and colleagues are doing. Its also an excellent way to become top of mind with people in your network and open up a dialogue in the New Year. Here are some other things you can do during the holiday season to beef up your network and start meaningful career conversations in the New Year.Attend holiday parties. Many professional associations host holiday parties. This is a great way to meet others in your field that may be able to make meaningful introductions for you.Throw your own party. Have an intimate dinner party or a bigger bash at your home or nearby restaurant. This is a great way to practice your pitch, and reconnect with people who may be able to assist you in your search.Ask for informational interviews. The last two weeks of December are traditionally slow for most businesses. You may find that the decision makers who are in the office during those last two weeks are more likely to take a meeting with you.Volunteer. Tis the seasonvolunteer to do something meaningful in your personal or professional communities during December.   Doing so can increase your visibility and jump start some conversations with people who may be able to help you in the New Year.Take a vacation. What better way to meet new decision makers? It doesnt need to be extravagentjust find new people to have conversations with. Let them know what you do and ask for their suggestions for expanding your brands reach in a very informatio nal, non-threatening way. You may just pick up a lead or two.Reconnect with friends of Christmas Past. Check out LinkedIn and Facebook and search for old friends. What better time to reconnect than the holiday season? Get over the fact that its been awhile since you last spoke and take the first step. You may be pleasantly surprised by the response you get.You can read what my colleagues at The Career Collective suggest here:@MartinBuckland,  Elite Resumes, “Season’s Greetings and your Job Search”@GayleHoward,  The Executive Brand, “It’s Christmas: And a ho-ho-ho-hum?”@KCCareerCoach,  Career Chaos,  â€œThe Gift Every Laid Off Job Seeker Needs”@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog,“Holiday Resume Sparkle: Outshine the New Year Job-Search Mob” @heathermundell,  life@work,  â€œHave a Holly Jolly Job Search”@sweetcareers,Sweet Careers, “Holiday Job Search Tips for College Students 2009?@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, K wanzaa Cheers”@careerealism, CAREEREALISM.com, “Holiday Tip for Job Seekers: 4 Ways to Impress Others with Your Professionalism”@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, “4 Tips for Making the Most of Holiday Job Hunting”@LaurieBerenson, Sterling Career Concepts, “Three Resolutions to Take It Up a Notch”@KatCareerGal, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, “Avoiding the Holiday Blues in Your Job Search”@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithillness.com, “Avoid this Minefield: Drive Your Bus!”@DawnBugni, “The Write Solution Could that sound really be opportunity? During the Holidays?”@andyinnaples, “Shift Your Focus to the Highest Impact Job Search Activities During the Holidays to Leverage Your Time”@erinkennedycprw, Professional Resume Services,  â€œHow to keep up the Job Hunt during the Holidays” @keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, “Four tips for effective networking follow-up for the holidays and the rest of the year”@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, “ Navigating the Mistle Toe of Job Search”@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say, “Merry Christmas! Can I Buy You Coffee to Talk About Me?”@expatcoachmegan, Career By Choice Blog, “Expat Networking: Holidays Are a Great Time to Nurture and Grow Your Network”@chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog, “Footprints Associations: Job Search Tips for the Holidays” @JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org,  (Holiday) Party Your Way to a New Job

Watch your tone!

Watch your tone! Ever have one of those moments when you are emailing someone, send off the email, and then think, did I sound harsh/dumb/silly/desperate/bored ___? (feel free to fill in the blank with your own adjective). These days, an online presence is more important than ever for job seekers and entrepreneurs. Its a lightening fast way to develop connections, cultivate friendships, and foster online community collaborations and support. Whether its emailing, IMing, DMing, tweeting, or texting especially if we dont know the other person in real life its important to remember your tone. Certain aspects of your tone can mean certain things, or certain words you say could mean something different to another. Evaluate how you want to be perceived and how to write in a way that will get your message across the way you want. If the wrong tone is perceived, the reader may become offended. Whether subtle or loud, tone is attitude. A few simple tips include: 1- Dont write in ALL CAPS. It implies yelling. 2-Avoid emails that make assumptions, Im sure you agree.. 3-Try to avoid sarcasm or slang. It may not come across as you would like it to.People have different types of humor. Yours might come across to them as rude. 4-If you are emailing to a global audience (international jobs), avoid using words that other countries may not understand, i.e. my bad, whats up, whats happening?!, etc. 5- Use spell check and grammar check. If emailing to prospective employers, as always, its important to keep an eye out for spelling or syntax errors. Your tone is like your body language, so be sure to have it in check when emailing people you want to impress. Sit up, look alive, smile and send online correspondence with confidence.