Twitter users describe stupid questions asked during interviews

Twitter users describe stupid questions asked during interviewsTwitter users describe stupid questions asked during interviewsYou may have seen StupidQuestionsAtJobInterview trending when you logged onto Twitter this week.Some of Twitter users responses were certainly a more tongue-in-cheek look at the interview process, but added some levity to what can certainly be a daunting, draining task.Heres are a few things Twitter users had to say

The No. 1 mistake in networking Follow up or go home

The No. 1 mistake in networking Follow up or go homeThe No. 1 mistake in networking Follow up or go homeYou attend an event and engage in the most revered, all-star networking behaviors. You are friendly and witty. You only consume food that cant get stuck between your teeth. Your dazzling, off-the-cuff remarks flow forth, as a small crowd gazes on in awe. You propel out of the room, waving at new acquaintances neither overstaying your welcome nor rushing out suspiciously early. Watching the cityscape dreamily rush by from the backseat of your Lyft, you recount the evening with a self-satisfied smile.The next day your hectic routine of work and home lassos your life. A few weeks later, you discover an unceremonious heap of tattered business cards at the bottom of your briefcase. A perfunctory skim leaves you without the vaguest recollection of where they might have originated, so you toss the whole pile in the trash.Your efforts were for naught. Without follow up, youre just talking to people.If youre elend following up, youre elend networkingWhy dont people follow up? Lets debunk five popular excuses.Flimsy Excuse 1 I have a bad memoryStalwart Response 1 An A+ memory is not a prerequisite for follow up. Quality systems save the day. After an encounter worthy of next steps, offer your business card and request one in return. Immediately upon parting, note pertinent information on the front of the card you received such asName, with correct pronunciation hintsEvent location and dateTopics discussedIntended follow up ideasFlimsy Excuse 2 I sent a general follow up to everyone I met at that thing.Stalwart Response 2 Anyone can send a generic follow up to a BCCd list of recent encounters. This is a hazy imitation of real follow up. Nonspecific language masking as a personal note is quickly dismissed.Flimsy Excuse 3 Im too busy.Stalwart Response 3 Quality over quantity. Choose where to direct your effort and accomplish meaningful follow up with remarkable alacrity. Prioritizing means putting more effort into fewer people. Focus those who made the strongest impression.Flimsy Excuse 4 They can contact me if interested Following up seems needy or pushy or desperate (take your pick).Stalwart Response 4 Thats ridiculous.Putting the onus on others is a surefire way to lose valuable contacts. Its all in the execution. Have you been a recipient of follow up that rubbed you the wrong way? Reflect on why it had that impact. Was it aggressive, pleading, or demanding? Ensure yours is respectful, articulate, and thoughtful.Flimsy Excuse 5 I followed up and didnt hear backStalwart Response 5 Follow up is rarely a one-off. You may not hear back initially for loads of reasons, and virtually none are intended as a personal affront. Lack of response does not equal lack of interest.Be resilientPeople are stressed, overwhelmed, and behind their shiny veneer alarmingly disorganized. That means diligent outreach can wind up lost in space at the other end. When o ur efforts dont get a chipper reply within a few days we have all kinds of reasons in our minds. Far more likely? They never read it, read it and got distracted, intended to reply, or could swear they did reply.CalibrateIn your initial encounter assess what matters to your new contact and let that guide you. Is there a sense of urgency? Are they merely fact-finding? Adjust your communication to these cues. If youre not sure, ask questions.When checking in, be upbeat and concise.TimingFollow up within two days, with the interaction fresh in your minds. We forget half of what we hear within about forty-eight hours. merge these two paragraphsOne caveat. Monday is considered the worst day to follow up, make requests, or ask for a favor. Many of us are unlikely to respond to anything perceived as non-urgent the first day of a workweek.Be usefulConsider sending your new acquaintance a relevant link, reference, or article of interest. A thoughtful gesture conveys that you are helpful and r ecall the conversation. Include your website so the recipient can learn more about what you have to offer.SubmissionsWhen providing a proposal, job application, or, project quote, it is fine to request acknowledgment of receipt with your initial submission. merge these two paragraphsIf you hear nothing back with the deadline encroaching, email a brief check-in that includes the original submission. Keep it simple Just confirming you received my proposal sent June 18, attached here. Let me know if I can provide additional information.Letting goDespite best efforts, some sought-after connections dont pan out. At a point, outreach yields diminishing marginal returns, and its time to move on. Dont obsess over sunk costs. Knowing when to cut your losses is as important as being attuned to genuine receptivity.Devora Zack is CEO of Only Connect Consulting and author of NETWORKING FOR PEOPLE WHO HATE NETWORKING A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected, Second Ed ition (Berrett-Koehler, May 21, 2019).

US Military Enlistment Standards for Single Parents

US Military Enlistment Standards for Single ParentsUS Military Enlistment Standards for Single ParentsSingle parents are not allowed to enlist in the active duty military. Except for the Reserve components of the military and Army National Guard, waiver approvals are rare, and most recruiters wont even submit one. Prior to 2000s, some recruits would try to get around this restriction by giving up legal custody of their child(ren) until after basic training and job school, then regain custody. If they did not have a solid Family Care Plan when stationed at their first duty station, it would be evident to the chain of command as it causes major problems for everyone. The military has since banned this practice. As a result of wartime deployments in the early 1990s, the Department of Defense (DOD) published DOD Instruction 1342.19,Family Care Plans, to standardize the requirements for all of the military services. Enlistment for Single Parents Isnt Possible Without Custody Transfer Additionally, themilitary servicesstopped accepting single-parents for enlistment in the military because they saw the problems that long-term combat deployments caused. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, with more than 15 years of sustained combat action, the chances for single parents joining is impossible without custody transfer. And, if already in active duty and you become a single parent, you have to have a Family Care Plan that guarantees someone local (nonmilitary) is basically on call (in writing) 24 hours a day 7 days a week to take care of your child in case you cannot.Failure to comply with these Family Care Plans can (and does) result in an immediate discharge. Joining the military with a child and no family care plan can lead to difficulty for the military member, child, and the chain of command. The long hours at work, periods of travel, and long deployments are not conducive to a single parent family. Someone has to be responsible for taking care of the childr en at all times. If it is not the parent, it has to be given to a trusted member of the family (typically) by court buchen. Single Parents in the Marine Corps and Navy In the Marine Corps, one must give up legal custody (by court order) of their child(ren), and then wait one year or more before being eligible for enlistment. For Navy enlistments, the waiting period is six months and the court order must make it very plain that the transfer of custody is permanent. Typically, custody given to grandparents of the dependent child is an acceptable option. Single Parents in the Army and Air Force In the Army and Air Force, single-parent military applicants for enlistment must indicate they have a child or children in the custody of the other parent or another adult. They are then advised and required to acknowledge by certification that their intent at the time of enlistment was not to enter the Air Force or Army with the express intention of regaining custody after enlistment. T hese applicants must execute a signed statement testifying they have been advised that, if they regain custody during their term of enlistment, they will be in violation of the stated intent of their enlistment contract. They may be subject to involuntary separation for fraudulent entry unless they can show cause, such as the death or incapacity of the other parent or custodian, or their marital status changes from single to married. The militarys refusal to accept single parents for enlistment is a valid one. The military is no place for a single parent. In the military, the mission always comes first. Absolutely no exceptions are made in assignments, deployments, duty hours, time off, or any other factor for single parents. In general, an applicant who has joint physical custody of a child by court order or agreement, and the applicant does not have a spouse, he/she is considered a single parent. If a local or state court allows modification, if the other parent assumes full custo dy, the applicant is usually qualified for enlistment. In the Army National Guard, a single parent may enlistif they receive a waiver from the State Adjutant General of the state that individual is enlisting.