Coffee Meets Bagel CEO on turning down $30M on Shark Tank, working with family, and pursuing her dream

Coffee Meets Bagel CEO on turning down $30M on Shark Tank, working with family, and pursuing zu sich dreamCoffee Meets Bagel CEO on turning down $30M on Shark Tank, working with family, and pursuing her dreamBefore she headed one of Millennials top stops for dating, Coffee Meets Bagel CEO Dawoon Kang took a gamble. She didnt have to, but an inner calling welches urging her to do something different with her life. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Kang welches working for JP Morgan when she wanted to start her own geschftliches miteinander. Together with her two sisters, they started Coffee Meets Bagel, the Millennial dating app that stresses slow dating compared to hook-up counterparts like Tinder and Bumble.Kang recently visited Ladders offices in Manhattan to speak at length about her experience as CEO, the dynamic of running a company with her twin sister, why she left JP Morgan to chase her dream job, and what would she do if two employees met using her app.Career pivotYou w orked at Avon and JP Morgan before leaving and starting Coffee Meets Bagel with yur sisters. Some would say thats a risk. What influenced your decision in changing career fields?I grew up in an entrepreneur family. My sisters and I always knew that we wanted to start a geschftsleben together. It welches very inspiring, particularly my dad, because he ran a pretty sizable business which he built from ground up with his brother. It welches a recycling metal business which had different factories. He actually built a lot of the plants himself. He was an engineer and patented a lot of them. He went through hiring and firing, sometimes going through layoffs - that was his baby. Sometimes he would just wake up and start talking about work. He probably didnt really care that we didnt really understand the things he was saying, but I think just the energy was very contagious.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIt became something that we knew we were going to do. We just didnt know when. Of course, we all had our own interests as well. For me, particularly in finance, I went to Penn. Wharton has a very strong presence on campus. I majored in psychology, I was a Liberal Arts major. I think part of me always saw finance as this mysterious power and intelligence. I kind of wanted to try it for the sake of finding out what its like to be in it. I was partially interested in the field of micro-finance for economic development and knew that in order to get into something like micro-finance, like private sector finance, experience only helps. I never really saw that as my calling or anything. It was very intellectually stimulating. Theres always something exciting happening and youre surrounded by colleagues who are really driven and ambitious. I knew very quickly that this wasnt something I wanted to do for the long term because it doesnt feed my soul. I did it for three years and then at the time, my twin sister graduated from school. She said we always talked about starting something together, why dont we just try it now. Thats when I moved off.A lot of people ask me, Was it hard? I think because I grew up in an entrepreneur family it didnt seem that crazy to me. Jeff Bezos talks about this a lot because he also comes from Wall Street. He talks about how he started Amazon where he was packing boxes on the floor and what not. He uses this framework called regret minimization model. Its basically like imagine yourself when youre 60 looking back, what decisions will you regret making the least? I think thats where you dont want to be for yourself, no matter what the outcome is. I thought that was such a no brainer because I got to work on something that I wanted to do since I was little with two really awesome people. Being able to give it a go and create something that could impact millions of peoples lives, I mean, it just really felt like a no bra iner.Making a name for yourself in a crowded spaceWhat about joining the dating app landscape? I feel like its always changing with whats hot and popular while others die off.Its never really changed. A lot of people really think dating just heated up recently, but its actually not true. Its always been like this, just not in mobile space. Theres never been a shortage of dating services. The competitive dynamic is still the same. The reason why we landed on dating because we think its an interesting dicke bretter bohren mssen. If youre going to do something for a long time, you better make koranvers its something that youre really passionate and invested in. It has to be really meaningful to you. We said, Hey, whats more meaningful than enabling people to find someone significant in your life? It really does have a transformative impact on you. That felt really good for us. It was an interesting but very hard problem.We also saw market potential. There are millions of singles coming online globally. Its growing 15-20% every year. Its a very huge market. We also saw white space in this sea of dating services. We didnt really see a dating service that took this slow dating angle that focuses on quality. We really thought that was the best - and better way - to actually create real connections that add something more to your life instead of just swiping all day.The leadership transitionWhats the fruchtwein surprising aspect of being a CEO for you?One thing that I didnt realize starting off when you get to a company of 20-25 size, thats probably the biggest transition for a CEO whos a founder. When youre starting small as a founder, youre basically a product person. Your vision, and the problem you wanted to solve, you brought the product into life and youre just building it. Youre the product manager basically. Once your gruppe becomes bigger, you actually become a manager and a leader. That transition is actually the hardest and the fruchtwein jarring for a lo t of founders because we start off as a product person and we feel like thats what we need to be doing. But you kind of start having to let go of that and you need to think about how to build an organization. That takes a lot of investment and work. Thats something that should be talked about more.Was it difficult for you?I think it caught me by surprise. It wasnt difficult. Luckily, I enjoy both - not every founder is like that. But I think I was caught by surprise by how I was spending too little time on leadership and managing and recruiting and retaining. Those all take a lot of time. There was a period of time at CMB that I saw some turnovers very unexpectedly that made me realize what should I be prioritizing at this juncture of this company. I realized I wasnt spending enough time at this area of my job which has now become more important because, in order for my company to be successful, I need have to succeed through my team. I cant be the one who is actually doing things anymore.Being that you run a dating app, whats your stance on inter-office dating?Our teammates use CMB and other dating services because we can always learn to go on dates. A lot of us are single and very much like our target user base. We actually have a singles channel on our Slack for all our singles and we have conversations like these. They are the first people our product and marketing team go to to get immediate feedback. In terms of office dating, we dont encourage. We dont have a specific policy on it.But, hypothetically, what if a coworker were to match with another coworker through CMB, would you encourage the relationshipI wouldnt encourage it like, Oh, I think you guys should date. Were very small so everyone knows each other. If they were to see each other on the app and something starts happening, I think thats great but Im not going to encourage that, per se. Its their personal thing. We encourage everyone to use CMB because they are single and dating. But if they a re single and not dating, I dont want anyone to feel pressured to use it.Swimming with SharksIn 2015, CMB went on SharkTank and turned down reportedly the highest offer ever ($30 million) on the show. What were you hoping to accomplish on SharkTank?We were looking for a deal and exposure. Shark Tank is great because it gives you both.If Mark Cuban were to offer you $30 million today for CMB, would your answer be different?No, I dont think. The problem that we set out to solve which is dating is such a hard, exhausting thing. Its honestly gotten worse with the rise in Tinder and mobile dating apps that emphasize and causes all this swipe fatigue. Theres actually is even more and a real desire and real awareness with this not being the right model here. Years later now, I dont think theres better timing for a service like CMB because of how the dating industry has evolved.Coffee Meets Bagel had a big year last year. The app doubled its user number and raised $12 million in its Series B in 2018.The app underwent a redesign and introduced a ton of new features. Is there anything else on the horizon to look out for?We have so much stuff coming out that Im super excited about like our subscription program. We havent even rolled out the actual product because its still being built into a package that we want to present. But the experiments we have done have been extremely successful, but we want to make it into this ultimate dating hack where its a super no-brainer. Im sure Ladders audience falls into a similar category they want to be super productive and whatever they do, they want the biggest bang for their buck. If youre that person, its no brainer - youll become a CMB premium member because its a great way to get results fast. We are adding things like priority likes where youll always be the first to be seen by your potential matches. There will be unlimited likes. We give our users a limited amount of matches because if the user is actually exposed to too man y, they are just going to be swiping. But if youre someone whos willing to prioritize and commit to dating and making a lot of room for it if youre becoming a premium member, obviously youre not going to swipe and youre going to still be thoughtful, so well give you more. You have access to activity reports, where youre with more data from your matches so youre not left wondering if they saw your chat, how likely are they to respond, do they actually typically initiate chats? Its kind of like your superpower.Were actually creating a section called Likes you for you, where youll actually spend only time on people that actually liked you. Its just going to power-boost your dating life which comes out in July. Its our way to fight to ghosting. Besides the subscription package, not everyone is going to have this approach of wanting the best bang for their buck. A lot of users are not going to want to do that. We want to make sure our basic service is still really good and differentiated and delivering our mission. There are features for everyone. My philosophy with how dating apps have evolved in the last few years is about swiping and what not.We get a lot of inspiration from other dating services like matchmakers like how can we bring in some of their ideas instead of being just a regular dating app. Theres going to be a lot of those features coming up in the summer.Whats the most enjoyable part about being a CEO?There are two things. If I think about the stakeholders of my company, its our customers, my team, and then my shareholders, which actually include my team and investors. What gives me joy the most is when Im able to make them feel joyful and fulfilling. Nothing makes me happier than that. For our customers, when we hear from them about what kind of impact Coffee Meets Bagel has had on them when they share photos or stories or their babies. Even if they didnt get married, they still learned something through the people that they met on Coffee Meets Bage l. Nothing makes me happier or more fulfilled than thinking my time was worthwhile.I would say my team has a higher impact on joy than even the customers. That might sound weird, but I work with my team on a daily basis. I come into the office and see them working so hard, building and making our vision come true. Seeing them with each other really gives me a lot of joy. Recently, we celebrated the anniversary of an employee. Any time theres an anniversary, we celebrate together. My teammate was celebrating his four-year anniversary with us. In the Valley, the average tenure is not even one year. This was a big milestone. He wrote me such a nice email about his reflection on the last four years and what kind of impact working at Coffee Meets Bagel and with me and the teammates has had on his life. It brought me to tears. Thats hands down the most fulfilling part of my job, making an impact on my team and working with my team.Of course, if something doesnt really go well, thats also the most stressful.Keeping it in the familyWhats the dynamic of running a company with your twin sister, Arum? Id have to imagine there are times when you butt heads.Its not easy. The great thing is we have a level of trust and respect for each other. Thats something that needs to be talked about more. I feel its the most critical attribute you need to find in your partner or co-founder because even if theres a little bit of dent in trust, it causes a ton of dysfunction in your company between you and your co-founder. Even if she does something I dont understand, she has the best interest in the company and the best interest in me. She would put that ahead of her own needs or visa verse. I have no doubt in my mind about that which is really awesome.On the flip side, theres a lot of things we have to deal with being sisters, having that baggage and growing up as sisters when we were little. We started as co-founders. My older sister Soo left because she started a family and wanted to focus more on the family. My twin sister and I run Coffee Meets Bagel. Being twins, you get compared a lot growing up. You self consciously compare yourself to the other person. There were certain levels of a competitive dynamic that have gone on and on throughout our lives. We do butt heads from time to time, actually pretty frequently laughs. The good thing is we have the tools now to be able to work things out because sometimes it gets heated. I think its very important for our roles to be clearly defined such that whenever theres an issue that cant be resolved, we have to differ it to the other person when it comes to their own domain as long as we stick to that. In the very beginning, it was very hard to stick to that but now whoever owns that domain owns the ultimate call.5 questionsWhats the best advice you never listened to?I didnt never listen to it, but I definitely didnt get it. The value of relationships. Really, thats everything. Not only for the success of your busine ss but for your life. At the end of the day, thats what matters. If you actually got something at the expense of the relationship, youre going to regret it.Whats the last book you read?Im currently reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Hes a really amazing philosopher who really talks about the new earth. This might be a little bit out there laughs but peoples conciseness wakes up and we become aware of who we are as ourselves versus our ego. A lot of times we think its the same but its actually not.Are you a podcast listener? Have any youd like to share that impact you?One of my favorites isImpact Theory by Tom Bilyeu. I look up to him so much. A lot of things I share are tidbits that I get from him. He talks a lot about dating because he and his wife actually starting a company together and in the Impact Theory, he interviews a lot of great people. Sometimes, he has podcasts that are focused solely on relationship because of both of them on. Hes my hero.Do you have a morning or ni ghtly routine you try to stick by?I have a set routine. Its nothing innovative that I do, but I have a gratitude journal. Sometimes I write or if I feel lazy or too tired, I actually tell my partner. In the morning, I do the same thing every single day. Its by this guy named Hal Elrod called The Morning Miracle. Its six things you meditate, exercise, visualize, you have affirmation and you read and write.Would you say this is your dream job?This is my dream job Its funny - I also went to business school and in the last semester, we have a seminar dedicated to life outside of school. I remember one of the alumni coming and he was talking about his job saying how he wakes up every day to go to work and how he feels grateful for having this job. He said he couldnt believe he got paid to do this. After he left, we were having discussions with our classmates, asking each other, Is that possible? We all concluded that wasnt possible and it was BS. Its so funny looking back on that becaus e Im in the same position. Certainly there are days when I dont feel like this, but usually, I wake up feeling super energized and really lucky to do what I do. I feel really lucky for the team that I have and really humbled and honored by the opportunity. I think its a privilege to run Coffee Meets Bagel and I cant believe I get paid to do it.I could say I wish I could work a little bit less and thats something Im working on. It does sometimes get overwhelming.If someone is in your similar position thinking about leaving a solid, safe job to chase a dream, what would you tell them?This may sound out there, but take time to listen to yourself. That requires sitting still and listening to yourself. When it comes to a dream job that actually not in the realm of what youre used to, theres a lot of skepticism and doubts. You fear thats going to be there. Its going to sway you the other way. Its going to confuse you and you might end up believing that this isnt what you want to do. Its v ery important you create room to listen carefully about what your mind and body is telling you. Keep inquiring. Figure out what the fear is and keep asking. Thats really an important element.I also think creating support is also very important. Of course, if you have more support, its going to feel less scary. If you have a supportive family, supportive friends or finding someone whos actually done this, its very important.I guess this is all mitigating fear so that you can actually just listen to what you really want. This also helped me out a lot. Imagine your worse scenario. For me, it was starting this thing and it not going anywhere. We said we were going to do this for a year. A year in the grand scheme of life isnt a whole lot of time. We invested our own money and I invested the money I was comfortable losing. After a year, if it doesnt take off we move on. Itll be a good experience and I could go back to doing what I was doing before. When I positioned it that way, it didnt feel like a big deal. To think its a choice I have to live with for the rest of my life is really scary. But that made it easier for us to make that change.

Why You Shouldnt Lie on Your ResumeAnd How Many Do Anyway

Why You Shouldnt Lie on Your ResumeAnd How Many Do AnywayWhy You Shouldnt Lie on Your Resume- And How Many Do Anyway2According to new research, 1 in 10 people surveyed have lied or embellished the truth on their resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile to help them get a job at a different company. Yet if job seekers or workers get caught lying about their professional credentials, it can result in serious consequences, including being fired from a job or elend hired for an opportunity.The 2019 research findings from Blindwere based on responses from more than 10,000 people from 17 different companies. The survey focused on workers in the technology industry, and resulted in over 1,000 respondents from various tech firms including Amazon, Facebook, Uber, Google, and Microsoft stating that the following statement was trueI have embellished or lied on my LinkedIn or resume/CV to help land another job.SAP, Amazon, Cisco, and PayPal topped the list of companies that had the most employe es who admitted to this type of career-related lying (at 12.5%, 11.57%, and 10.78% of employees, respectively). Salesforce had the fewest employees who said that they lied on their resume or LinkedIn, at just 2.83%.According to Blind, when people lie on their resume, its often related to their age, academic degrees, technical abilities, or even their criminal records. Interview situations seem to generate a different set of lies about the job candidates references, previous salaries, and full work history.This isnt the first study that has documented a percentage of the job search population as lying- and it isnt just a tech industry phenomenon. In 2017, HireRight published an employment screening benchmark report that found a surprising 85% of employers caught job applicants in the act of lying on their job applications or resumes- an increase from 66% in the five years prior.In an article from Inc., J.T. ODonnell speculated on reasons why job seekers might feel compelled to lie ev en during times when unemployment rates are low, noting that applicant tracking systems- in which applicants must enter their details in a very specific format on the companys website- may be part of whats behind the increasing trend. Job seekers have gotten wise to the finicky nature of the technology and are lying on their resumes and applications in hopes of making the cut, ODonnell wrote.Regardless of how compelling your reason might be to stretch the truth during the application process, its not wise to fib to a potential employer about your background and/or credentials. While you may think that youre getting away with your story in the short-term, employers have multiple ways at getting at the truth, which include (as ODonnell points out)Online background checks, which employers can purchase to confirm everything from past employers for whom youve worked, to your salary history and criminal records.Calling people not on your reference list.While most employers will request th at you provide a list of professional and/or personal references to validate your performance and character, not all recruiters or managers will stick to your list. As ODonnell explains Some recruiters research and secretly contact ex-colleagues of a candidate to inquire about his or her performance. Their goal is to speak to someone NOT recommended to them by the candidate, since most references have been coached to say only good things.Interview grilling.Using interview techniques such as behavioral interviewing, hiring teams may try to throw you off by drilling down into questions that require extensive detail of past experiences to answer. If you falter or cant justify the claimed experiences with concrete examples, then the gig is up.As you can see, lying during the hiring process is a risky business. If youre caught in the act, it goes without saying that you wont get the job that you want. Worse yet, your failure to tell the truth could affect your professional credibility wi th other employers and recruiters as well, since they may network and share their experiences. So instead of making something up on your resume, job application, LinkedIn profile, or during an interview, just do the right thing come clean about your work history and background to have the best chance of getting that offer.Wish you could talk through your job search and career questions with someone?SIGN UP FOR CAREER COACHING

15 Simple Life Changes You Can Make to Become a Better Person

15 Simple Life Changes You Can Make to Become a Better Person15 Simple Life Changes You Can Make to Become a Better PersonMost of us want to be a better rolle- whether at home, in the office, or just when were out running errands. The harte nuss is where exactly do you start?I realized a couple years ago that I was a jerk at times to people I worked with and to people I feel I couldnt get any value out of. Over the past couple years Ive become a much better person by working on myself.Here are some of the things Ive been implementing into my daily routine to become a better person on a daily basis.1. Think Before You SpeakWords can carry a lot of weight. Think about the first time your significant other told you that he or she loved you. How awesome did that feel? However, words can also be hurtful. Have you ever told an inappropriate joke or called someone a bleeping-bleep? You probably felt pretty lousy afterward.Always take the couple extra seconds to think about the impact of you r words before you say them out loud.2. Embrace ChangeChange helps us grow as individuals. Instead of resisting change, you should be open to trying new things, even if they scare you. For example, you may be nervous about trying that new Thai restaurant in town, but you might discover your new favorite restaurant.Besides embracing change, you should also advocate for positive change. You could start a food drive or recycling program at the office, which would both make your community a better place.3. Be GratefulAccording to research, those who have gratitude journals are more optimistic and feel better about their lives. Additionally, those who discuss gratitude are less envious of wealthier people, are more willing to help others, and can prevent health concerns like coronary artery disease.4. Do the Right ThingAs an adult, you should definitely know the difference between right and wrong. Lets say you dont clean up after your dog after taking it for a walk. You dont need someone to remind you that you should clean up the mess. You know that its your responsibility and that its not fair to leave it there for someone else to step in.5. Use Your StrengthsRemember, your skills and talents are a gift. Dont let them go to waste. If you know how to play the guitar, then share it with others. It will bring joy to you and the people in your life.6. Address Your WeaknessesAt the saatkorn time, you also should be aware of your weaknesses. Its another way that helps us grow as individuals. Take the time to make a list of your weaknesses and set goals to work on them.I am a hard person to deal with. I realize this. Learn to admit and address your weaknesses and then find ways to make them better.7. Take Care of YourselfExercise. Eat healthy. Get enough sleep. Youve heard that advice a thousand times before. But taking care of yourself is one of the best ways to make yourself a better person. For example, how can you go outside and play with your kids when you always fe el lethargic? How can you be more productive at work when youre exhausted? Not only will you be happier and more productive, your loved ones and colleagues will also appreciate it.8. Be a HeroThat doesnt mean that you have to put on a pair of tights and cape. It means helping an elderly neighbor with the groceries. Opening doors for others. Buying a cup of coffee for the person in front of you when her card gets declined. Listening to a friend when his relationship just ended.9. Pay Attention to OthersDoesnt it feel great when someone asks how your day went? Try and do the same for others. Even if you have to jot down reminders in your calendar, it can make all the difference in the world to someone when you follow up with them on important events.10. Stop Being WastefulJust because you can have five plates of food at an all-you-can-eat buffet doesnt mean that you have to- waste is a problem for the food service industry. You can also reduce water usage by taking shorter showers and create less trash by recycling. And, dont forget that unplugging devices when not in use can save electricity. During your part, no matter how small it may seem, can be really important for the environment.11. Be CuriousEvidence, shared via The Huffington Post, found that curiosity can help strengthen relationships, keep your brain stimulated, lessen anxiety, keep you happy, and help you learn- even uninteresting subjects.12. Forgive Yourself and OthersHumans make mistakes- even when its you who makes the mistake. And sometimes those mistakes really sting. However, instead of devoting your energy holding onto that mistake or feeling guilty, forgive that individual- or yourself- and focus on the future. Remember, revenge isnt good for your health, and the best revenge is your is success and happiness.13. Dont Be ImpatientWhen we get impatient, we get aggravated and may do something well regret. Ask yourself, how do you feel if you yelled at your child or a colleague because youre in a rush to get out the door in the morning or finish a project? By practicing patience youll not only make better decisions, youll feel better about yourself every day.14. Be YourselfWhen youre authentic, youll be more focused, build courage, establish your own identity, and be able to define your values and beliefs.15. Stop Pointing FingersIll never forget a grade school teacher telling the class, When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you. We all face obstacles in life, but you cant use that as an excuse to hold you back or to grow as person.In the words of author and motivational speaker Jack CanfieldRemember, you and you alone are responsible for maintaining your energy. Give up blaming, complaining and excuse making, and keep taking action in the direction of your goals- however mundane or lofty they may be.Part of life is growing and becoming a better person- each and every day. What steps are you working on to improve your life?mora From Inc.How P ersonal Values Make You a Better LeaderAre You Nice or Can You Be Nice, Which One Is It?9 Awesome Things Entrepreneurs Are Too Nice to Brag AboutPhoto of happy man courtesy of Shutterstock.

QA Engineer Job and Salary

QA Engineer Job and SalaryQA Engineer Job and SalaryLarge manufacturing companies and the military - groups at the forefront of the computer revolution - pioneered the QA engineer job. So, it is no surprise that software development and quality engineering are closely linked. The software quality assurance engineer (QA engineer) has become a critical component of the software development process.But how has the role evolved?From CMMI to agileIn the last 20 years, the manufacturing world has been moving toward lean methodologies (such as those pioneered at Toyota) that help to streamline product development processes. QA engineers previously worked with software developers who used Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) and other waterfall development techniques, but in the past 15 years many have replaced them with Agile methods. Agile techniques and tools have taken the software development industry - and the role of the QA engineer - by storm since the writing of the Agil e Manifesto in 2001.Instead of having a big chunk of the development process labeled testing, where developers throw code over the fence and into the QA process, QA engineers now work closely with programmers to produce high-quality code quickly while incorporating feedback from customers along the way. The end result is that development teams and the rest of the IT organization have been gelling into DevOps, with the QA engineer a key part of that transformation.From single to multiple platformsOriginally, applications were developed for only one or two platforms. But todays applications will often have a server component with an application program interface (API) which is, in turn, used by mobile, web and desktop applications. Each of those client applications will likely span multiple platforms such as iOS and Android for mobile, or Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox for web applications. This means even a simple application can have five or more different platforms to be tes ted, requiring the QA engineer to bring specialized knowledge on all fronts. Is it any wonder that there is strong demand for quality assurance engineers in the current job market?From manual to automated testingWhen the Web first hit the scene it welches hard to imagine that the non-interactive pages of the first version of HTML would evolve to become full-fledged word processors, spreadsheets or photo editors within two decades. Not only are these applications sophisticated, but they also have a lot of code written in languages like JavaScript, Python and Ruby. This creates added testing requirements for the QA engineer because there is no compilation step to check syntactical correctness.To keep up, the QA engineer of today uses a wide range of automated tools such as LoadRunner and Selenium to put applications through their paces. Because some of these tools have unique purposes such as unit testing, load testing or regression testing, todays QA engineers need specialized knowle dge to use each of these tools, including the ability to write scripts.Todays skills requirements and salary expectationsIn the past, QA engineers performed most or all of their work manually, which was doable since there were a limited number of devices actually needing to be tested. Modern QA engineers spend much of their time working with automated tools to titelblatt the wide variety of devices that can be used. While mobile and web applications have provided end users with benefits such as the ability to use applications on the go or without complex configuration, they have significantly increased both the need for and the difficulty of the work that the QA engineer must do.SkillsQA engineer (manual) Manual QA engineers define the scope and objectives of various levels of QA testing. They also write and maintain test automation, publish test results, develop quality assurance standards, and define and track quality assurance metrics. Manual quality assurance engineers should be highly knowledgeable in quality assurance principles and procedures and able to define, write and maintain test automation. He or she must have effective communication skills to translate technical processes and analytic techniques to solve problems, and be familiar with the materials used to build a product.QA engineer (automated) Automated quality assurance engineers develop and execute automated testing suites. They also lead quality assurance efforts within a software development group and work closely with development teams and stakeholders performing QA activities. These professionals lead QA efforts through defining, developing, executing and documenting automated test plans and cases. Employers look for extensive knowledge in at least one automated testing framework.SalaryThe midpoint salary for a QA engineer (manual) is $71,500, according to the 2019 Robert Half Technology Salary Guide, depending on factors such as experience, industry, local market demand, specialized ski lls and company reputation.The midpoint salary for a QA engineer (automated) is $84,000, according to the Salary Guide, depending on factors such as experience, industry, local market demand, specialized skills and company reputation.Check out the 2019 Robert Half Technology Salary Guide for more details on salaries and other IT trends.This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

What you should know about applying for jobs this holiday season

What you should know about applying for jobs this holiday seasonWhat you should know about applying for jobs this holiday seasonIts that time of year when seasons begin to change, and a lot of people start pondering their jobs Is my current role a good fit for me? Is it time to search for something new? Regardless of your employment status or what youre considering for your next career move, here are a few things you should you know applying for jobs this season.Keep in Mind that Hiring Patterns are Industry SpecificGenerally, hiring will slow down during the holidays, however keep in mind that industries vary based on their peak season. For example, January through April is peak season for tax and accounting professionals, so a lot of firms want to hire employees before the end of the year so they can onboard and train them before busy season starts.Retail companies also hire a lot of employees during the holiday time. (Target is expected hire 120,000 workers this holiday season, up 20% from 2017.) Most of the time these are seasonal roles, but you can use this to your benefit. While retail might not be part of your career goals, if youre strapped for cash, taking on a seasonal role can be a great way to make some extra money while mucksmuschenstill maintaining a career focused job search.Research your target industry and approach potential employers accordingly. Industries who thrive in the new year (i.e. health, wellness, nutrition, etc.) will likely hire employees during holiday months to prepare for the January boom. Additionally, if an employee is planning to make a career move, its possible that they will leave one company before the holidays and negotiate the start date for their new role in the new year to gain some needed rest. If this is the case, there will be an opening during the holiday season that the company will likely want to fill. This could be your opportunity to land a job quickly.Continue Applying for Jobs Through the Slow PeriodDont stop applying between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Since many job seekers take this time off, assuming that no one is hiring, youll likely be in a smaller pool of candidates and can more easily stand out, says career coach, Alyson Garrido.Many job seekers simply take the holidays off because they dont think its worth it, so use this to your advantage. If others are being lazy about their job search, use that to motivate you. Employers will likely notice and appreciate your drive, which will work in your favor.Be Mindful of the Time of YearYes, you should absolutely keep applying to jobs throughout the holiday season, but be mindful that the holidays are a time to spend with the people you love. Dont expect to hear back from anyone on actual holidays, and keep in mind that most offices are closed the day after thanksgiving and potentially Christmas Eve/the day after Christmas. Dont send emaille after email asking for a response. Applying to jobs during November and December is one thin g, but pestering a potential employer or industry contact about a job opportunity is something different.Spread Holiday CheerWhen it comes to networking, sending a holiday message is a great way to connect with others without having to immediately reach out to discuss employment opportunities. Alyson Garrido goes on to say, Send year-end notes wishing your contacts a joyous holiday season or happy new year. Its an easy way to keep in touch and stay on your contacts radar without asking scheduling a coffee or asking a question. Simple, personalized notes make a lasting impression.This article was originally posted on CreateandCultivate.

Unusual Article Uncovers the Deceptive Practices of Office Job Resume

Unusual Article Uncovers the Deceptive Practices of Office Job Resume All you have to do is search the world wide web. In a couple of minutes, youll have a flawless instance of precisely how incredible you are as a possible hire. But youre probably earning a mistake thats equally as bad. Theres no need list them. Before getting into the center of a work hunt, its wise to assemble a detailed plan, along the lines of a company program. Cumulatively these little things add up and add to the success of the organization. Owing to that, it usually means that youre likely to need to find techniques to give yourself some advantage they dont have. It is going to also demonstrate that you understand how to get things done. Get the Scoop on Office Job Resume Before Youre Too Late With the objective statement, you can better your probability of getting hired when you include the most suitable mixture of hard and soft abilities, same as in your qualifications section. Make certain tha t you have ready a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated skills from every category listed here. Theres a simple way to demonstrate your resume experience. Get experience whenever its possible. Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a few minutes. Let our comprehensive resume builder do the difficult work for you. Simply take a look at the entry level post office resume template below to have a start on making your own document. Looking at examples are able to help you make a decision as to what type of content you should include, along with how to format your resume. The job resume is a handwritten or printed document that can help provide precise and brief details about a person who would like to submit an application for a work prospect. This job resume template might be downloaded on the internet or searched from word processing computer software. Beyond a sheet of paper, you would like the manager to learn how valuable youre. The recruiter will learn if you have not properly formatted the document. The resume is a rather important document in the expert career of a person. Dont make them search for this info. Highlight your abilities and respective job responsibilities you had undertaken from your prior employers. We know the reach of her achievement. You might have to receive a small creative, but below are some additional accomplishments you may cite. Proactive individual with superior interpersonal and keyboarding abilities. Companies will always feel that any experience is a great experience. The work description will most likely incorporate a list of required skills. The experience section is going to be divided in line with the different positions youve held. Hard skills are the ones that are teachable. What You Can Do About Office Job Resume Beginning in the Next 3 Minutes Your aim here is to permit the employer understand what you mean to donate to the organization and why you could be ideal for the position. The positive results of your job search is completely your decision. You also ought to state in the Office Clerk resume objective that you fully grasp the roles expected of a person in your position. Any man who applies for work in any organization should prepare and present their job resume. Its crucial to tell the hiring manager what degree youve got, and where youre licensed to practice in your Career Objective. You need your resume to clearly demonstrate the employer what type of employee you are going to be. An administrator should be in a position to have the ability to plan ahead of time and prepare for any possible office problems. Here comes a resume that uses education to demonstrate the applicant is excellent for the job. Outside of experience within the field, hiring managers may be searching for bright candidates with at least a high school diploma or even some kind of business degree. In order to make certain your professional resume w ill support your objectives, utilize this office manager job description to inform what you need to highlight on your resume. While there arent any set-in-stone guidelines outside of what hiring managers are seeking regarding education, a candidate may have to have specific certifications or training to qualify. Above all, it aids the hiring manager quickly grasp the reach of the applicants experiences. The Nuiances of Office Job Resume Last, dont submit the identical application to all the companies you intend to apply to. This statement is the initial and potentially only portion of your resume an employer will read over, therefore its important to showcase your abilities and value within this statement. You dont need to get a costly suit. Explain how you intend to take care of these in case you become hired by the organization.

Why You Cant Approach A Virtual Team Like A Regular One

Why You Cant Approach A Virtual Team Like A Regular OneGetting a virtual gruppe startedNot so long ago, you could landsee every person you worked with from your desk. If you had a question for someone, you just had to walk a few cubicles down to ask. You knew all of your colleagues by their facial features, bedrngnis by their schmelzglas address.Workplace collaboration is significantly different now.In fact, a 2016 survey by RW3 CultureWizard found that around the world, 85 percent of employees have worked on a virtual kollektiv. Of those respondents, 41 percent had never met the other team members in person.While working remotely is becoming the norm, it doesnt come without its challenges, especially for managers of those teams. Heres what you need to know to get the most out of a virtual teamGetting a virtual team startedHiringThe problem When youre hiring virtual team members, location is a big problem. Chances are, not only are the applicants all over the globe, but so is the hir ing team. Different time zones make interview scheduling a nightmare. Not to mention its next to impossible and expensive to get everyone in the saatkorn place in order to interview and evaluate candidates.For many organizations, the next best option is a phone interview. However, this method has severe limitations. If there are multiple members of the hiring team on the call with the candidate at one time, it can be confusing when people begin talking over each other. You also arent able to see the candidate. Subtle, but important, cues from their body language and posture are missed. This leaves you to guessing if the candidate is as confident as they sound.Given these factors, its no surprise that a July 2015 Korn Ferry survey revealed that only 23 percent of executives rank phone interviews as the best way to assess candidates.The Solution One-way, pre-recorded video interviews make location and scheduling irrelevant when hiring a virtual team. Candidates can record their answ ers whenever, wherever. More importantly, members of the hiring team have the same flexibility to review applicants. Since you can easily take a second look at these video interviews, there is no reason to make rash decisions that lead to bad hires. Everyone can take time to think before giving their input. This allows you to make better decisions about which candidates should move on to the next round of the hiring process.Tip Make sure everyone on the hiring team understands the difference between video interviews and regular interviews so they can effectively evaluate talent. For example, they can learn a lot about a candidates professionalism based on where they choose to record their responses and what they wear. CommunicatingThe Problem While there are dozens of different ways for virtual teams to communicate, they all have their issues. For example, text-based communication, like instant messaging platforms or email, can be easily misconstrued. Without vocal or physical cues, a simple sentence like Is the project ready yet? can be interpreted many different ways.In fact, the aforementioned RW3 CultureWizard survey found 51 percent of respondents said it was challenging to fully understand context without face-to-face communication. Plus, employees begin to feel lonely if theyre spending mora time typing to people than actually speaking to them.The Solution Use video communication whenever possible, especially when the information is particularly important. For instance, when its time to deliver good news to your virtual team, do it via a video conference. This will give everyone an opportunity to see and appreciate the excitement of your accomplishment. When messenger or email are necessary, however, take the time to make sure everything is clearly communicated. Have employees rephrase what youve asked them to do in their own words just like theyd do when practicing active listening.Tip Dont be afraid to get creative with communications. You can use me mes or emojis to convey positive emotions more effectively.If you want to set your virtual team up for success, focus on communication. HRClick To TweetOrganizing a virtual teamPlanningThe Problem In any work environment, it can be difficult to decide how to plan and schedule out tasks for a project. With virtual teams, this can be especially tough. You need to be able to determine how much time each step will take and whos the best person for the job.If everyone isnt clear on how theyre supposed to organize their assignments, they will become overwhelmed. In fact, an October 2015 Wrike survey reported that 51 percent of employees found problems surrounding prioritizing tasks stressful.The Solution Have a detailed discussion about what needs to be done with your employees. Take time to decide who will be responsible for which tasks and responsibilities. Prioritize tasks that need to be completed first, and set clear expectations about deadlines. Also, take advantage of technology. T here are many organizing/planning platforms like Trello or Teamwork available for a virtual team. behauptung allow you to assign tasks and deadlines to different employees. You can also monitor the teams progress to make sure everyone is on the right track.Tip Identify who on your team is more of a big picture person and who is a details person. Then have each of them go over the game plan so you can be sure everything is covered.Brainstorming The Problem Many believe the best way to solve a problem is to get in one room to hash out ideas. However, this isnt possible with a virtual team. A conference call allows everyone to communicate together, but its difficult to visualize ideas via phone. The Solution Using video conferences makes it easy for everyone to see whos talking so there are less interruptions. Plus, individuals can share any visuals or diagrams that better explain their ideas through screen sharing. Tip Record all brainstorming sessions so they can be reviewed later for more inspiration or to clarify details if questions arise. Executing The Problem Since all the members of a virtual team arent in the same sekretariat, it can be difficult to keep each other accountable and on schedule. If one person slacks off, it wont be long before the rest of the team starts to suffer.In fact, in the aforementioned Wrike survey, 44 percent of respondents said a lack of accountability stressed them out at work. With a virtual team, where its not always easy to see how everyone is contributing, there can be a sense of people not executing their part. When something goes wrong, team members assume someone isnt pulling their weight, leading to virtual office conflict.The Solution Create regular progress reports so everyone knows where the rest of the team is on project tasks. Be as transparent as possible, especially with your own contributions. This will set an example for your team to be honest and accountable with each other. If someone does fall behind, have a discussion about possible solutions. Ask them if they need more resources or support from you. Encourage other team members to offer ideas on ways the team can get back on schedule.Tip Try to push each other with weekly contests. Each week, the team can vote on which team member has been the most productive or done the best, and be sure to encourage peer recognition on a regular basis.Managing a virtual teamUniting the team The Problem When it comes to a virtual team, absence doesnt always make the heart grow fonder. Its common for virtual employees to feel disconnected from one another. And this can affect trust in the team. In fact, the RW3 CultureWizard found 44 percent of respondents find it challenging or very challenging to establish trust when on a virtual team. As a manager, its important for you to actively develop and nurture relationships between co-workers who have never met.The Solution Find interesting ways to entice team members to get to know each other. Consider pairing up different members to work together on projects. This way everyone is able to understand their co-workers various work styles. Also, make time for everyone to talk about non-work related matters. You can send around a monthly newsletter that keeps everyone up-to-date on their co-workers lives. Employees can share information about their hobbies or weekend activities as a way to get to know and relate to each other.Tip If you use a intracompany messaging system, have a common chat room where any office banter is free-game just like a company water cooler.Recognizing accomplishmentsThe Problem Its easy for employees in any environment to feel overlooked. In fact, a 2017 Officevibe survey found that 63 percent of employees dont feel they receive enough praise. Since you cant give a pat on the back through a computer screen, virtual employees are even more likely to feel unappreciated.The Solution Its so simple we often forget how far thank-yous go. Make a conscious effort to show your gratitude when employees put in a hard day of work. Just be careful that your recognition doesnt lose its sincerity. If you say thanks at the same time for the same reasons, employees will think you dont really mean it. Instead, be clear about what youre acknowledging. Say great job on the sales report this month so the individual can tie the praise to a particular accomplishment.It is also beneficial to record videos recognizing employees. This allows them to see your face and hear your tone so they know how serious you are.Tip Dont privatize employee praise. Be sure to let everyone know whos done especially well lately. That will make the acknowledgement more meaningful for the recipients.Dont let a day go by without acknowledging the hard work of your virtual team. HRClick To TweetEvaluating performance The Problem In a virtual environment, managers often only see the end product, not the process. This can make it difficult to accurately give suggestions on ways employ ees can improve. Plus, if youre waiting for a completed project or task before providing feedback, it might be too late. Either employees will feel like they are neglected for a long period of time or that the guidance is worthless since the project is over.The Solution The more frequently you check in with virtual employees, the more steps you can see in their process. This increases the chances that you will identify where they can improve more accurately.Schedule weekly meetings with individuals and discuss what theyve been working on. Ask them if theres been anything slowing them down and why its been an issue. This will make both you and the employee more aware of how they approach and complete a task. Tip Use technology, like screen shares, occasionally so you can see if employees are properly using the software and tools at their disposal.