Whats the Best Timeline to Follow Up After an Interview

Whats the Best Timeline to Follow Up After an InterviewWhats the Best Timeline to Follow Up After an InterviewYou planned your interview outfitdown to the smallest detail, you aced all of the questions, and you wrote the perfect thank you note. So, how long do you wait before following up with the manager? When youre excited about a job, youre refreshing your email and checking for a voicemail message every few minutes. But mora often than not, the hiring manager is not on that schedule. Theyre meeting with stakeholders, reviewing their budget and, yes, meet with more candidates. Heres how to figure out when you should follow up with a hiring manager Decide to follow upFirst, let us be clear following up in an appropriate and respectful way is an important way to show you are interested in the position, and it keeps your name front-of-mind for the hiring manager. It can also help you establish your skills in communication, organization and taking initiative. Its not a question of whe ther you should follow up, its a question of when. Wait X business daysTheres no official rule about how long you should wait to follow up on an interview, but an informal poll on Twitter found that 49 percent of hiring managers who responded prefer candidates follow up after five days.Recruiters How long should candidates wait before following up on a job interview? Simply Hired (SimplyHired) May 10, 2016This is compared to the job seekers we polled, of whom 37 percent wait five days, 36 percent wait a full week, 11 percent wait two weeks, and 16 percent dont follow up.Job seekers How long do you wait before following up on a job interview? Simply Hired (SimplyHired) May 3, 2016Whats the best follow-up time for you? It will depend on the company and the role. In general, one full business week is the minimum you should wait before reaching out. This gives the hiring manager at least some time to meet with other candidates or reflect on interviews with other stakeholders. Beyond thi s first week, smaller companies tend to move faster on hiring decisions, as well as companies hiring for positions that became vacant quickly, but the process may extend as long as three to four weeks in medium and large-sized businesses. Follow up carefullyWhen the time comes to follow up, do so carefully. Personalize a templateto make your first contact, and if the hiring manager shuts you down or asks you not to follow up, be sure to follow those instructions. Your goal is to make it clear how interested you are in this position, not hassle them to death until they hire you. And if they never respond, even though you had a stellar interview? Heres what you should doif the trail goes cold. How long do you wait before following up with the hiring manager? Let us know in the comments below.

The state of Vermont wants you to visit and never leave

The state of Vermont wants you to visit and never leaveThe state of Vermont wants you to visit and never leaveVermont needs fresh blood.First, the maple state enticed people to live there by passing a law last yeartempting remote workers with $10,000 to move there throughout the year 2019.Now, the the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing is introducing its Stay to Stay Weekends, which hopes to lure people already in the area to visit or ski into considering moving to the state through a option that includes a welcome reception, meetings with the employers or a visit to an incubator/co-working spaces, and a tour of the area with a realtor.The pilot program, launched last year, had 140 participants and yielded seven converts into full-time Vermonters. Meanwhile, 37 more people from the pilot program people are seriously planning to move, and are currently in the midst of looking for jobs and housing in the area.Vermont has an aging population one of the oldest in the country w hich is creating a shrinking tax base.Were just trying a bunch of different things to try to get some younger folks moving back to Vermont, says Nate Formalarie, communications director, Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. A lot of folks go to college here, they love the experience, they come back on vacation, and they can envision moving back here, but its How do I do that? How do I make that work? With the Stay to Stay Weekends (or Stay to Stay schi Weekends that partner with local resorts), Its catching people while theyre here, Formalarie says. While youre on vacation, why dont you stop in for two hours and meet with a realtor, with some companies that are hiring?Potential Vermonters or curiosity seekers must pre-register.Theres a tech sector and a high amount of remote working available in the state people may not be aware of, Formalarie says.One sector that is overlooked in Vermont is that there are a lot of technology jobs here. A lot of people think you work at a sk i resort if you live in Vermont and, thats not the case. Theres also a lot more flexibility working remotely, even within the state. If you have a job in Burlington but you live in Rutland, you can work four days a week from Rutland.As for the rural states draws, there are four distinct seasons, a big outdoor recreation scene, and small theaters and art galleries. Local food is in, where its locavore restaurants or community-supported agriculture.As for what type of person would make the ideal Vermonter, Formalarie says it helps to have a desire to enjoy the outdoors, and a desire for a life thats a little bit slower.

Online Programming Training Courses

zugnglich Programming Training CoursesOnline Programming Training CoursesSomeone I know just started a new job. She was recruited via LinkedIn, and shes sure it was because of the online courses she has taken. She added her certifications to her profile and, as soon as she did, the inquiries from employers started coming in. The online classes she took helped her transition from a absatzwirtschaft role to a tech role and made her much more marketable in a job market where tech rules. Even if youre not working in a purely tech role, programming skills are a valuable career asset. The more you can do, the more opportunities you will have, both in your current job and with prospective employers. If youre out of work or underemployed, these types of courses can help fill in resume gaps, as well as give you new expertise. You dont have to spend a lot on class fees and tuition. There are many free and low-cost courses you can take to get started if you are a beginner who is just getting st arted or an expert who wants to add to their portfolio. Heres more on free and low-cost online programming classes Jacques Bouchard, Internet Marketing Manager, Onward Search. Free and Low-Cost Online Programming Classes Whether you have no programming experience at all or youre an expert in multiple languages, theres a wealth of quality materials online that are made especially for you some for free, and some for a small monthly subscription. These sites tend to cater to a very specific audience whether its the level of programmer or language covered, or theyre marketing to a more youthful audience. When youre looking for an online training course that fits your needs, consider these factors Price You wont be paying much. In fact, free is great, and certainly possible to find. But if you give yourself a budget of $30/month for the courses, your options will multiply. Prestige Before you dedicate an evening to a new language, consider the source. Many of the online training cl asses have ties with respected universities (or even NASA), or ties with companies and agencies that can consider you once youve completed the courses. Purpose Does the site specialize in what youre interested in learning or is it more of a clearinghouse of technocentric training material? Look around if youre interested in learning Ruby and you find someone who puts bread on their table by teaching only that language, youve found your starting point. Process What is your learning experience going to be like? Will you be watching hours of videos or will there be quizzes, activities, and evaluations to help you practice as you go? Look for a site that has a useful, active forum that will help you if you get stuck. Recommended Training Courses Code Avengers A fun and interactive way to learn HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Superhero themed and free, it provides structured, hands-on lessons for beginners on up. Codecademy notlage to be confused with the now-renamed Code Academy, this i s a free resource for effectively learning Javascript, Python, CSS, HTML, jQuery, and more. Learning is 100% interactive and ideal for beginners. Frequent badges keep the format fun and encouraging. Coursera With connections to 35 different educational facilities and universities, this free site offers a great variety of courses, each rich with quizzes, documentation, syllabi, and the like, as well as a killer forum. Targeted to all levels of learning. edX The home of university-level courses from MIT, Harvard, and Berkeley all at no charge. Classes are limited and offered with a set beginning and ending schedule. Those with at least some programming experience will be most comfortable. Lynda Around since 1995, this website sports more than 140 instructors and hundreds of short, high-quality videos on programming and all things technological. With subscriptions starting at $25/month, the courses are best suited to those hoping to hone an existing skillset. Rails For Zombies This is a great place for beginners to sink their teeth into Ruby at no cost. With a wide variety of quirky videos, downloadable presentations, and a browser-based tool to help you experiment with code, its sure to please. Treehouse With agreements in place with Facebook and other companies, this is a great place to train yourself in a new skill, then get hired doing it For $29/month, beginners can cut their teeth in iOS, Android development, starting a company, and more. Hundreds of short, amusing videos, and badges to reward you for your accomplishments as you go. Udacity Free and provided to you from instructors with a background in Google, Stanford University, and NASA, this site provides 14 high-quality courses for those interested in learning Python. The lessons are rich with tests, quizzes, and activities, and the site has an active forum where questions can be asked and answered. The site is targeted for beginnersbut is best for intermediate users.

SAMPLE Networking Contacts Spreadsheet for Your Job Search!

SAMPLE Networking Contacts Spreadsheet for Your Job SearchSAMPLE Networking Contacts Spreadsheet for Your Job SearchOne of my coaching clients recently moved to a new city. Now, even more than ever, she realizes the importance of networking to help increase her chances of finding a job especially since she is looking for opportunities in a specialized field in which she has little direct experience. This is exactly where networking contacts help open doorsBut after a few months both before and after her move, shes contacted a lot of people and is having trouble keeping track of whom she followed up with, whom she still needs to follow up with, and the individual details related to each person she is trying to build an ongoing relationship with.So where welches she finding networking contacts? Before we get to her solution, you might be wondering how she was finding people to connect with. She filled me in on all the things shed been doing, includingattending a local conference relat ed to her interestfinding alumni working in that fieldpursuing names she was given or found online using LinkedIn, etc.continuing to look for new potential networking alliesfollowing up with contacts by providing updates of her progress Meanwhile, she was applying for jobs even somewhat related to her goal (big goals may start with small wins). Plus she got certified for a credential that would open up more job possibilities. (Great also to talk about when networking and in interviews, because it shows you are determined.)Also, wherever possible, she scouted out contacts that worked in companies she was applying to or people who might know someone there. Plus she dug deep to find names through people she met as parte of her certificate process, and also related organizations. You never know which one will get you to where you want to go, so get creative about where you look for names.Remember that networking contacts can be found anywhere, even grocery lines and barbecues (where I f ound a great one once). But the trick is not to be begging for help, but to be ready to talk about your story briefly and make it exciting. Youre on a quest and cool things happen. Be prepared to get others (even people you just meet) engaged in your evolving story= Click here for more job search samples Networking contacts spreadsheet (template) And now as promised..To solve her problem, my client decided to create a spreadsheet to help her remember whom she contacted and when. This will help her know when its time to follow up.I love the idea so much, I put together my own sample for Career Nook readers. Of course, adjust it to your own needs. Hope this helpsProperty Career Nook. Not to be copied or distributed without permission. nbspMore articles to help? 12 Secrets of Non-Linear Career Growth Success? Zen and the Art of Schmoozing for Networking and Career Growth? Job Search Networking Whats the Best Way to Ask People for Help?? How Shy People Like Us Can Network for Jobs nbs p

The New Angle On Basic Resume Templates Just Released

The New Angle On Basic Resume Templates Just Released Career Perfect is a superb supply of resume advice and seems to have a superb reputation online too. Writing a successful resume is dependent upon several factors. Writing a Basic Resume Template isnt a little feat as it requires time a slew of preparations. Whether youre experienced or inexperienced, its always important to get a concise Resume Format. Sponsored Every professional has to be well conscious of how resumes are perhaps the most significant documents that are needed to seek out various job opportunities in any organization or company. Resumes are usually categorized by the fashion in which the info is presented. Chronological resumes are the ideal place to highlight your accomplishments. General ledger templates are ready to use documents which may be utilized to prepare general ledger easily for a company or business to have the ability to keep your eye on accounting related transactions and circumstances. Ledger paper is also known as tabloid paper. Printable ledger paper can help with student activities.Basic resumes typically have an extremely classic and standard tone. They do notlage have to be boring. Resume examples and templates are very helpful, especially when youre writing one of your initial resumes. To compose a good resume it is helpful to use examples of different resumes. A basic resume may be the ideal format and tool for you once you are trying to transition into work from freelancing or self-employment. A fundamental job resume is best for candidates that are fresh out of college and are probably searching for an expert start. Irrelevant abilities or experience, because there are some skills which do not contribute to your being in a position to your making a great impression. Alongside the work experience, a comprehensive understanding of the skill set you possess should assist the recruiter rank your candidature. Remember also you have the cover letter t o spell out why youre the perfect candidate. The main aim of your resume ought to be to show employers that youre a valuable add-on to their company. The left sidebar provides you with extra room to get around the two-page resume, and the most important body area is ideal for your resume objective or summary and your work experience. The most important idea of your resume should concentrate on the valuable addition you are able to make to an organization. The Tried and True Method for Basic Resume Templates in Step by Step Detail To discover more about them, its possible to just check out and download our templates. You might also be interested in some suggestions that might be able to assist you use your templates more easily. Youre searching for simple resume templates. The majority of the templates are offered by named, resume writing specialists and thus the quality is quite good.Dont forget to incorporate any important continuing education courses you might have comple ted. The Resume Anna is a basic yet elegant resume template with a two-column konzept which makes it simple to concentrate on relevant info. When youre crafting your resume, you are going to want to make certain youre including the proper info. Similarly when selecting resume templates also, picking an easy and basic resume templates is always an extraordinary idea. The template is given with all the basic headings and includes a pre-formatted structure too. Your template may also include things like different sections. Referring a sample template will thus help you in producing the the majority of the opportunity. The previous template on the list has a timeless appeal and a simple design that gives it an exceptional look. Up in Arms About Basic Resume Templates? A basic resume is also less difficult to read. A simple resume is indispensable, especially if youre a fresher. So your resume must stick out A good resume ought to be written until it is ideal.

Resume Skills Examples Features

Resume Skills Examples Features If possible-and if its correct, of course-demonstrate your understanding of and experience with a few of the most well-known trends in teaching. If youre not certain which skills you would like to share, consider your prior experiences. Some skills might be relevant while others arent. Regardless of what your age, and however much experience that you have, you always need to be ready to learn a new skill or technique. As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. Before you jump into writing down all of the incredible talents youve got, lets learn a little more about what skills employers typically start looking for on a resume and see whether you are able to incorporate any in your skills section. Perhaps your skill set is totally different. Technical skills are either something youve got or you dont, but theyre always something which youre able to learn. Hard skills can be classified in various ways, depending upon your job title. They tend to be more technical, and each industry or type of job will usually have its own required set. Your skills are an overview of what you could do for the prospective employer if you were offered the work at the moment. Thus when writing down your job skills take some time to strategize and find out the very best approach to organize them in your resume. Instead, review the job posting for the essential skills and be certain to list the vital skills you do possess. Communication skills are important for just about any position. You ought to be including communication skills on your resume but it ought to be carried out indirectly. More technical or computer-centric hard skills are occasionally also known as technical skills. Hard skills arent skills that are really hard to learn. Soft skills are the skills that are applicable to every job. In the majority of cases, your soft skills can boost your hard skills . As stated earlier, assessing soft skills is far more difficult.

A Window into Energy Savings

A Window into Energy Savings A Window into Energy Savings A Window into Energy SavingsWhen considering how to save on home energy costs, the thoughts of most people usually go to the heater or air conditioner before the windows.But windows can offer more than just a view. They can also be the difference in saving homeowners thousands of dollars in energy costs over a homes lifetime. And Princeton University has been working on a smart window to take advantage of this possibility.Room with a ViewTwo different areas of research were combined to give life to this project, says Nick Davy, who is a team member and a Ph.D. candidate in chemical and materials engineering at the school.My work welches on solar cells and developing the transparent materials for these cells a few years ago, he says. Another research area was working on developing polymers, a legacy project that many students had worked on. She team member Melda Sezen-Edmonds worked on an electrochromic window and we combined u r technologies to work on a smart window. Its basically ten years of research. Im on a later generation of these materials and the same thing with Melda.Smart winows team Professor Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, (center), and graduate students Nick Davy (left) and Melda Sezen-Edmonds (right). Image David Kelly Crow / Princeton UniversityOne feature of the window includes a smart film that regulates visible light. Its either clear or tinted and thats where the control of heating or regulation of sunlight is achieved, Davy says. The second technology is a solar cell that powers that first technology.The first technology is also dynamic coating that allows you to have control over the tinting but it comes at a price, which is that it needs external power, he says. Were converting near ultraviolet light to power. There are many electrochromic cells and all require onboard power and are constrained in insulation because of a requirement to have power and external wiring. You have to understand tha t when you install this kind of electrochromic film, it needs wiring, it adds labor costs and insulation costs and other costs. It restrains how you can use these windows and more, and because of that, its used mostly in new buildings - and expensive buildings.The materials theyre using, Davy explains, are complementary.You have got a high operating window because the electrochromic cells that comprise the smart window are voltage dependent, he says. You have larger voltage from our near ultraviolet cell, he says. Ultraviolet light is higher in energy than invisible light and near infrared light. Our cells harvested this near ultraviolet light and produced higher voltage and that voltage is useful.Part of the reason to have solar-powered smart windows is to create a wireless window, Davy says, adding that the window blocks more than 80 percent of light and can capture sunlight that is not utilized by smart windows.In terms of reducing energy costs and carbon footprint, over half of the buildings that will be in use in 2050 are already built so its a huge opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings, Davy says.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further Discussion The first technology is also dynamic coating which allows you to have control over the tinting but it comes at a price, which is that it needs external power. Nick Davy, Princeton University

The Best Ways to Get Great Recommendations on LinkedIn

The Best Ways to Get Great Recommendations on LinkedInThe Best Ways to Get Great Recommendations on LinkedInEmployers are using LinkedIn to research candidates for employment. In some cases, even before you are selected for an interview, a recruiter or hiring manager will check you out on LinkedIn to see what youve accomplished, who you are connected to, and who is recommending you. This means that recommendations are a vital component of an effective LinkedIn profile. When someone views your LinkedIn profile, they will see an online version of your resume, complete with references, if you have recommendations in your profile. Recommendations from supervisors, clients, suppliers, and colleagues affirming your skills, accomplishments and positive work style will not only enhance your profile, but they will also show a hiring manager, at a glance, glowing references that attest to your candidacy for employment. Heres advice on how to get LinkedIn recommendations, who to ask for referen ces, and how to manage the recommendations youve received. Tips for Getting Great LinkedIn Recommendations Do take the time to request recommendations from your LinkedIn connections. Recommendations from people you have worked with carries a lot of weight. To a potential employer, a LinkedIn recommendation is an employment reference in advance and can help you secure an interview. Who to Ask A LinkedIn recommendation is a testimony of your professional value written by one of your first-degree connections. So, you will want recommendations that are powerful, weighty, and authoritative. So here is how to receive them Be connected with a current or former manager, colleague, client, or other contactsCompose a request to him or her, including a few accomplishments of which you are most proud, as well as a graceful way to say no. The Best Ways toMake a Request The best way to get recommendations on LinkedIn is to give them. When you recommend a LinkedIn member, you are attes ting to their qualifications and people love being recommended. They will probably reciprocate if you take the time to help them out. A first step is to search LinkedIn for staff at your firm, clients, and other professional contacts who are registered with LinkedIn. Dont overlook colleagues at professional organizations with whom you have collaborated. Consider volunteer work, freelance jobs, and other non-employee work experience. Give to Get Next, consider writing a recommendation for any contacts who also might be in a sttte to write for you (as long as you view them favorably). Doing this service for them will help engender a sense of obligation that they should reciprocate. Once you have completed their recommendation, let them know why youve written for them (because of the specifics underlying your positive view of their work) and ask if they might consider writing a recommendation for you. Ask Directly Or, you can ask for a recommendation. Its easy to request a rec ommendation via LinkedIns messaging system. When you request a recommendation, ask the person to recommend you if they can and if they have the time. This way they have an out if they arent interested in giving you a reference, are precluded by company policy from giving references or dont feel they know you well enough to recommend your work. It can be helpful to include with any request a reminder of the shared experience which might serve as a basis for their recommendation. For example I thought you might be kind enough to write a LinkedIn recommendation for me given our successful collaboration on the Johnson proposal. LinkedIn Recommendation Request Example Dear MargaretI hope youve been doing well It was great running into you again - it brought to mind the fun and crazy times when we worked together, like those all-nighters we pulled to make sure those projections were as accurate as possible.Im in the process of updating my LinkedIn profile, and it would feel incomplete wit hout a Recommendation from you. When we worked together, I felt I really demonstrated my value and skills, especially with the vendor review in which I was able to shave half a million off our year on year expenses by finding alternatives and influencing skills.Because of a new direction, I hope to take professionally, Id like to emphasize my influencing skills. If you could speak to that accomplishment, it would be especially helpful to me.If you arent comfortable making such a votum - obviously its been a little while since we worked together - I certainly would understand that.Either way, have a great day Expand How to Make a Request Click on your connections Profile.Click More and select Request a Recommendation. (Or scroll down to Recommendations and click Ask to Be Recommended.)Personalize your request by following the questions provided, and then add a customized message. Note the form will provide you with a canned script Hi connection, can you write me a recommendation? Always delete this message and provide your own. The more personalized you can make your request, the better. Reference common projects and experiences and remind them of your connection and why they might want to recommend you. Better yet, offer to write them a recommendation first. If someone has already written a recommendation for you outside of LinkedIn, you can forward a copy of their document and ask if they might be kind enough to upload one online as part of LinkedIn. How to Manage LinkedIn Recommendations Youll be able to manage recommendations youve received and ask colleagues, clients, managers, employees, and others who can recommend your work for a reference. When you receive a recommendation, youll get notified via email and youll be able to view the recommendation and request a revision, if necessary. If for some reason you dont want the recommendation on your profile, you dont have to publish it. One important note dont ask people you dont know for recommendat ions.

How to read people 5 secrets backed by research

How to read people 5 secrets backed by researchHow to read people 5 secrets backed by researchWed all like to learn how to read people like Szu sichlock Holmes. And research shows understanding things like body language is even morapowerful than you might think.MIT found that the outcome of negotiations could be predicted by body language alone 87% of the time.FromThe Charisma Myth How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal MagnetismAfter extensive studies, the MIT Media Lab concluded that it could predict the outcome of negotiations, telephone sales calls, and business plan pitches with 87 percent accuracy simply by analyzing participants body language, without listening to a single positiv of content.But fruchtwein of what youbelieve about body language and analyzing othersisbased on myth or guesswork, not real research.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraSo how can you learn how to read people the right way? Lets get answers from experts and studies.But first we need to understand all the mistakes youre makingHeres What Youre DoingWrongInThe Silent Language of Leaders How Body Language Can Helpor HurtHow You Leadthe author points out a number of common errors people make in reading peopleIgnoring context Crossed arms dont mean much if the room is cold or the chair theyre sitting in doesnt have armrests. Everything has to pass the common sense test given the environment. So ask yurself Should someone in this situation be acting like this?leid looking for rubriks One of the biggest errors youmake is looking for one single tell. Thats great in movies about poker players but in real life its a consistent grouping of actions (sweating, nichts voning the face, and stutteringtogether) that is really going to tell you something. So ask yourselfAre fruchtwein ofthis persons behaviors associated with X?Not getting a baseline If someone is always jumpy, jum piness doesnt tell you anything. If someone is always jumpy and they suddenly stop moving - HELLO. So ask yourselfIs this how they normally act?Not being conscious of biases If you already like or dislike the person, its going to affect your judgment. And if peoplecomplimentyou, aresimilarto you, areattractive these can all sway you, unconsciously. (I know, I know, you dont punkt for those tricks. Well, the biggest bias of all is thinking youreunbiased.)(To learn the 4 rituals that will make you an expert at anything, clickhere.)Soyoure taking context into consideration, youre looking for clusters of behaviors, youre getting a baseline and youre aware of your biases. Tall order. Lets make it simple to startIn reading people, when can you trust your gut?When To Trust Your InstinctsGood News your first impressions areusually pretty accurate.Bad News whether they are wrong or right,first impressionsaffect us in a big wayandwe are slow to change them.Sam Goslingis about as close toSher lock Holmes as you can get. Hes apersonality psychologist at the University of Texas and author of the bookSnoop.Heres SamFirst impressions are often quite helpful but you have to be willing to update them quite rapidly. Thats whats very hard to do.So with no tips from me or Sam, and nothing mora to go on than a glance, what should youtrust your gut about when you first meet someone?Studies show if someone seemsextroverted, confident,religiousorconscientious- they probably are.And if theyre good-looking, trust your instinctseven mora.Why?We all pay mora attention to pretty people - and so our evaluations end up beingmora accurateOverall, people do judge a book by its cover, but a beautiful cover prompts a closer reading, leading mora physically attractive people to be seen both mora positively and more accurately.And Sam says you can trustsomeones visual identity claims.These are the things someone chooses to display that says something about who they are or how they want to be pe rceived.A class ring. T-shirts with slogans. Tattoos. Pay attention to them because theyre usually accurate signs.HeresSamIdentity claims are deliberate statements we make about our attitudes, goals, values, etcOne of the things thats really important to keep in mind about identity statements is because these are deliberate, many people assume we are being manipulative with them and were being disingenuous, but I think theres little evidence to suggest that that goes on. I think, generally, people really do want to be known. Theyll even do that at the expense of looking good. Theyd rather be seen authentically than positively if it came down to that choice.Now this is all pretty personal. So what about if youre trying to read someone in a professional context?Want to know if someone is good at their job? Thenwatch them do it for thirtyseconds - or even justsix seconds.Your guess about their competence is more likely to be right than wrongIn the 1st study, consensual judgments of col lege teachers molar nonverbal behavior based on very brief (under 30 sec) silent video clips significantly predicted global end-of-semester student evaluations of teachers. In the 2nd study, similar judgments predicted a principals ratings of high school teachers. In the 3rd study, ratings of even thinner slices (6 and 15 sec clips) were strongly related to the criterion variables.Want to know if someones smart?Researchsays this is hard to tell from mere appearancewhen evaluating adults. But theres a trick that can help. Are they funny? Becausefunny people are smartThe current study lends sttze to the prediction that effective humor production acts as an honest indicator of intelligence in humans.And theres one other thing to listen for while theyre yakking.Theword I can be very tellingPowerful people dont say it much. Less powerful people say it the mostPennebaker finds that people who use I at higher rates tend to come across as more personal, warm and honest. While people who use I at lower rates come across as more self-confident He also finds that the highest status person in a relationship tends to use I the least, and the person who is the lowest status tends to use the word I the most.(To learn what Harvard research says will make you happier and more successful, clickhere.)Okay, so you know when to trust your gut. Now there are a gazillion studies on behavior, so lets focus on reading people to get answers to the questions we all want to know, likeCan ITrust This Person?Of course, people trying to deceive or manipulate you are going to fake signals that they are trustworthy.So we need to focus onunconscious behaviors that arent easily controlled and convey a clear message.InHonest Signals How They Shape Our World, the authors mention oneto keep your eye onSpeech mimicry andbehavioralmimicryAre they using the same words you use? Speaking at a similar speed and tone? Are they sitting the way you sit? Is a subtle, unconscious game of follow-the-leader go ing on? This is a sign the other person feels emotionally in sync with you. Itcanbe faked but thats difficult to pull off across an entire conversation.Beyond that, trustpeople who areconsistently emotionally expressivein their body languageThese results suggest that cooperators may be more emotionally expressive than non-cooperators. We speculate that emotional expressivity can be a more reliable signal of cooperativeness than the display of positive emotion alone.(To learn an FBI behavior experts tips on how to get people to like you, clickhere.)And now lets look at the other side of the coinwhattells yousomeones not-so-nice?Is This PersonUp To No Good?Lets start at the extreme. You can generally trust your gut as to whether someone is going to gofull-Jeffrey-Dahmer on youWe then report two experiments in which participants, given a set of headshots of criminals and non-criminals, were able to reliably distinguish between these two groups, after controlling for the gender, race, a ge, attractiveness, and emotional displays, as well as any fhigkeit clues of picture origin.Now I dont want youstereotyping people or thinkingyoure ready to be acriminal profiler. But if you really want to know if a man is dangerous,ask a short guyAlthough men generally perceived masculinized faces and voices to be more dominant than feminized versions, this effect of masculinity on dominance perceptions welches significantly greater among shorter men than among taller men. These findings suggest that differences among men in the potential costs of incorrectly perceiving the dominance of rivals have shaped systematic variation in mens perceptions of the dominance of potential rivals.But, in general, youre usually not sizing people upbecause youre worried about your physical safety. How can you tell if someone is going to cheat or mislead you?First,pay attention.Sounds obvious but youre probably not doing it consistently throughout aconversation.A simplebit of motivation can make a r eal difference.When I spoke toMaria Konnikova, author ofThe Confidence Game, she saidWhen your motivation is high, you actually become much more accurate at judging other people accurately. Most of the time, our motivation isnt very high because that takes more of our resources, but when were motivated, we suddenly become much better judges of character. We become much better able to read cues. Then you start being able to discern certain things.And theres a consistent cluster of behavior that has been seen among people who are trying to cheat you.ViaWray Herbert, author ofOn Second Thought Outsmarting Your Minds Hard-Wired HabitsAgain and again, it was a cluster of four cues hand touching, face touching, crossing arms, and leaning away. None of these cues foretold deceit by itself, but together they transformed into a highly accurate signal. And the more often the participants used this particular cluster of gestures, the less trustworthy they were in the subsequent financial excha nge.Andlets set aside violent people and liars - how can you just tell if someone is more likely to be a jerk? Give their clothing a look. A neat and formalappearance just says theyreconscientious.But aretheir dudsexpensive? Is a woman displayingcleavage? Is aguy showing off his muscles? Hello,narcissism.HeresSam GoslingagainNarcissiststend to put much more care into their appearance. The women tend to show more cleavage. The guys tend to show more muscles.(To learn how to deal with a narcissist, clickhere.)So youve got a better idea how to spot the Ted Bundys, the cheaters, and jerks of the world. I told you we were going to focus on the important questions were all curious about when it comes to reading othersSo how do you know if someone is interested in you?Are They Flirting?Ladies, you all consistently underestimate how attracted men are to you. (Andresearch shows thatwomen are more successful in their flirting when theyre more direct.)And less attractive guys consistentlyover estimatehow interested women are. Now whoshould definitely trusttheir gut as towhether the opposite sexis flirting with them?Handsome men. Research says of all the people studied, theyrethe most accurate judgesthe less attractive men (who believed they were better looking thanthe womenrated them) were more likely to think beautiful women were hot for them. But the more attractive guys tended to have a more realistic assessment.And the women? Perilloux and her coauthors found that women underestimated mens sexual interest.So if youre not Brad Pitt (or Angelina Jolie for that matter) what should you be looking for to tell if that special someone has the hots for you?MIT research says the 1 sign a woman is interested in a maniswhether shes talking smoothly and quickly.FromDo Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes? Bodies, Behavior, and BrainsThe Science Behind Sex, Love, AttractionThe number one tip-off that a woman was interested in a man for more than friendship was her own speaking rate. Did she talk smoothly and quickly (a good sign), or hesitantly and awkwardly?And both men and womendeepentheir voice when speakingwith someone of the opposite sex they find attractiveWe found that both sexes used a lower-pitched voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to the more attractive, opposite-sex target.And another clear sign to look for is touching. A touch on the shoulder, waist or forearm is a good. A face touch? You should hear slot machine noises when that happens.FromClose RelationshipsThe behavior that participants rated as reflecting the most flirtation and the most romantic attraction was the soft face touch, followed by the touch around the shoulder or waist, and then the soft touch on the forearm. The least flirtatious and romantic touches were the shoulder push, shoulder tap, and handshake.(To learn more about how to flirt scientifically, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot about how to read people. Lets round it up and learn the realwayyou can project a better image so when people read you, you come off looking greatSum UpHeres how to read people 101Dont make the usual mistakesTake context, clusters, baseline, and biases into consideration.First impressions are oftenaccurateWith a number of traits youcan trust your gut. But know which ones.Trust mimicry and emotional expressionBut they have to be sustained and consistent.Awful people have tellsPay attention to notice them.And look for narcissists in flashy clothing.Deepening voice and touching says flirtingTrue for both men and women.And so now that weve been through a dizzying amount of research on reading others, how can you make sure you come off well when others read you?Do you need to pay more attention to your body language? Nope.Your facial expressions or your behavioral mimicry? ersatzdarsteller nope.When I spoke toOlivia Fox-Cabane, author ofThe Charisma Myth, she said all of that is doomed to fail unless you have an acting Oscar on your shelftryin g to control your facial expressions is not just impossible, it will even backfire. Since the micro-expressions will be incongruent with the main expression, theyll give the impression that something is not quite right and you can end up seeming fake - which, of course, ruins trust and charismaYour body language and the signals you send are determined bywhats inside your head. Change how you feel inside, and what you radiate will follow. HeresOliviaThe same way that athletes get themselves into the zone you get yourself into a mental zone of whatever body language you want to emanate. And that way it will cascade through your body from whatever mindset that you wanted to get. So it really is mind over matter in the sense that whatevers in your mind will come out through your body language.In the end, it really is whats on the inside that matters. We can shape that and smooth it, but you cant go through life acting for any considerable stretch.So try something simplebe the best you that you can be.Join more than 300,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.This articlefirst appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.How to read people 5 secrets backed by researchWed all like to learn how to read people like Sherlock Holmes. And research shows understanding things like body language is even morepowerful than you might think.MIT found that the outcome of negotiations could be predicted by body language alone 87% of the time.FromThe Charisma Myth How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal MagnetismAfter extensive studies, the MIT Media Lab concluded that it could predict the outcome of negotiations, telephone sales calls, and business plan pitches with 87 percent accuracy simply by analyzing participants body language, without listening to a single word of content.But most of what youbelieve about body language and analyzing othersisbased on myth or guesswork, not real research.So how can you learn how to read people the right way? Lets get answer s from experts and studies.But first we need to understand all the mistakes youre makingHeres What Youre DoingWrongInThe Silent Language of Leaders How Body Language Can Helpor HurtHow You Leadthe author points out a number of common errors people make in reading peopleIgnoring context Crossed arms dont mean much if the room is cold or the chair theyre sitting in doesnt have armrests. Everything has to pass the common sense test given the environment. So ask yourself Should someone in this situation be acting like this?Not looking for clusters One of the biggest errors youmake is looking for one single tell. Thats great in movies about poker players but in real life its a consistent grouping of actions (sweating, touching the face, and stutteringtogether) that is really going to tell you something. So ask yourselfAre most ofthis persons behaviors associated with X?Not getting a baseline If someone is always jumpy, jumpiness doesnt tell you anything. If someone is always jumpy and th ey suddenly stop moving - HELLO. So ask yourselfIs this how they normally act?Not being conscious of biases If you already like or dislike the person, its going to affect your judgment. And if peoplecomplimentyou, aresimilarto you, areattractive these can all sway you, unconsciously. (I know, I know, you dont fall for those tricks. Well, the biggest bias of all is thinking youreunbiased.)(To learn the 4 rituals that will make you an expert at anything, clickhere.)Soyoure taking context into consideration, youre looking for clusters of behaviors, youre getting a baseline and youre aware of your biases. Tall order. Lets make it simple to startIn reading people, when can you trust your gut?When To Trust Your InstinctsGood News your first impressions areusually pretty accurate.Bad News whether they are wrong or right,first impressionsaffect us in a big wayandwe are slow to change them.Sam Goslingis about as close toSherlock Holmes as you can get. Hes apersonality psychologist at the Un iversity of Texas and author of the bookSnoop.Heres SamFirst impressions are often quite helpful but you have to be willing to update them quite rapidly. Thats whats very hard to do.So with no tips from me or Sam, and nothing more to go on than a glance, what should youtrust your gut about when you first meet someone?Studies show if someone seemsextroverted, confident,religiousorconscientious- they probably are.And if theyre good-looking, trust your instinctseven more.Why?We all pay more attention to pretty people - and so our evaluations end up beingmore accurateOverall, people do judge a book by its cover, but a beautiful cover prompts a closer reading, leading more physically attractive people to be seen both more positively and more accurately.And Sam says you can trustsomeones visual identity claims.These are the things someone chooses to display that says something about who they are or how they want to be perceived.A class ring. T-shirts with slogans. Tattoos. Pay attention to them because theyre usually accurate signs.HeresSamIdentity claims are deliberate statements we make about our attitudes, goals, values, etcOne of the things thats really important to keep in mind about identity statements is because these are deliberate, many people assume we are being manipulative with them and were being disingenuous, but I think theres little evidence to suggest that that goes on. I think, generally, people really do want to be known. Theyll even do that at the expense of looking good. Theyd rather be seen authentically than positively if it came down to that choice.Now this is all pretty personal. So what about if youre trying to read someone in a professional context?Want to know if someone is good at their job? Thenwatch them do it for thirtyseconds - or even justsix seconds.Your guess about their competence is more likely to be right than wrongIn the 1st study, consensual judgments of college teachers molar nonverbal behavior based on very brief (under 3 0 sec) silent video clips significantly predicted global end-of-semester student evaluations of teachers. In the 2nd study, similar judgments predicted a principals ratings of high school teachers. In the 3rd study, ratings of even thinner slices (6 and 15 sec clips) were strongly related to the criterion variables.Want to know if someones smart?Researchsays this is hard to tell from mere appearancewhen evaluating adults. But theres a trick that can help. Are they funny? Becausefunny people are smartThe current study lends support to the prediction that effective humor production acts as an honest indicator of intelligence in humans.And theres one other thing to listen for while theyre yakking.Theword I can be very tellingPowerful people dont say it much. Less powerful people say it the mostPennebaker finds that people who use I at higher rates tend to come across as more personal, warm and honest. While people who use I at lower rates come across as more self-confident He also find s that the highest status person in a relationship tends to use I the least, and the person who is the lowest status tends to use the word I the most.(To learn what Harvard research says will make you happier and more successful, clickhere.)Okay, so you know when to trust your gut. Now there are a gazillion studies on behavior, so lets focus on reading people to get answers to the questions we all want to know, likeCan ITrust This Person?Of course, people trying to deceive or manipulate you are going to fake signals that they are trustworthy.So we need to focus onunconscious behaviors that arent easily controlled and convey a clear message.InHonest Signals How They Shape Our World, the authors mention oneto keep your eye onSpeech mimicry andbehavioralmimicryAre they using the same words you use? Speaking at a similar speed and tone? Are they sitting the way you sit? Is a subtle, unconscious game of follow-the-leader going on? This is a sign the other person feels emotionally in sync with you. Itcanbe faked but thats difficult to pull off across an entire conversation.Beyond that, trustpeople who areconsistently emotionally expressivein their body languageThese results suggest that cooperators may be more emotionally expressive than non-cooperators. We speculate that emotional expressivity can be a more reliable signal of cooperativeness than the display of positive emotion alone.(To learn an FBI behavior experts tips on how to get people to like you, clickhere.)And now lets look at the other side of the coinwhattells yousomeones not-so-nice?Is This PersonUp To No Good?Lets start at the extreme. You can generally trust your gut as to whether someone is going to gofull-Jeffrey-Dahmer on youWe then report two experiments in which participants, given a set of headshots of criminals and non-criminals, were able to reliably distinguish between these two groups, after controlling for the gender, race, age, attractiveness, and emotional displays, as well as any potent ial clues of picture origin.Now I dont want youstereotyping people or thinkingyoure ready to be acriminal profiler. But if you really want to know if a man is dangerous,ask a short guyAlthough men generally perceived masculinized faces and voices to be more dominant than feminized versions, this effect of masculinity on dominance perceptions was significantly greater among shorter men than among taller men. These findings suggest that differences among men in the potential costs of incorrectly perceiving the dominance of rivals have shaped systematic variation in mens perceptions of the dominance of potential rivals.But, in general, youre usually not sizing people upbecause youre worried about your physical safety. How can you tell if someone is going to cheat or mislead you?First,pay attention.Sounds obvious but youre probably not doing it consistently throughout aconversation.A simplebit of motivation can make a real difference.When I spoke toMaria Konnikova, author ofThe Confiden ce Game, she saidWhen your motivation is high, you actually become much more accurate at judging other people accurately. Most of the time, our motivation isnt very high because that takes more of our resources, but when were motivated, we suddenly become much better judges of character. We become much better able to read cues. Then you start being able to discern certain things.And theres a consistent cluster of behavior that has been seen among people who are trying to cheat you.ViaWray Herbert, author ofOn Second Thought Outsmarting Your Minds Hard-Wired HabitsAgain and again, it was a cluster of four cues hand touching, face touching, crossing arms, and leaning away. None of these cues foretold deceit by itself, but together they transformed into a highly accurate signal. And the more often the participants used this particular cluster of gestures, the less trustworthy they were in the subsequent financial exchange.Andlets set aside violent people and liars - how can you just t ell if someone is more likely to be a jerk? Give their clothing a look. A neat and formalappearance just says theyreconscientious.But aretheir dudsexpensive? Is a woman displayingcleavage? Is aguy showing off his muscles? Hello,narcissism.HeresSam GoslingagainNarcissiststend to put much more care into their appearance. The women tend to show more cleavage. The guys tend to show more muscles.(To learn how to deal with a narcissist, clickhere.)So youve got a better idea how to spot the Ted Bundys, the cheaters, and jerks of the world. I told you we were going to focus on the important questions were all curious about when it comes to reading othersSo how do you know if someone is interested in you?Are They Flirting?Ladies, you all consistently underestimate how attracted men are to you. (Andresearch shows thatwomen are more successful in their flirting when theyre more direct.)And less attractive guys consistentlyoverestimatehow interested women are. Now whoshould definitely trustthei r gut as towhether the opposite sexis flirting with them?Handsome men. Research says of all the people studied, theyrethe most accurate judgesthe less attractive men (who believed they were better looking thanthe womenrated them) were more likely to think beautiful women were hot for them. But the more attractive guys tended to have a more realistic assessment.And the women? Perilloux and her coauthors found that women underestimated mens sexual interest.So if youre not Brad Pitt (or Angelina Jolie for that matter) what should you be looking for to tell if that special someone has the hots for you?MIT research says the 1 sign a woman is interested in a maniswhether shes talking smoothly and quickly.FromDo Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes? Bodies, Behavior, and BrainsThe Science Behind Sex, Love, AttractionThe number one tip-off that a woman was interested in a man for more than friendship was her own speaking rate. Did she talk smoothly and quickly (a good sign), or hesitantly and a wkwardly?And both men and womendeepentheir voice when speakingwith someone of the opposite sex they find attractiveWe found that both sexes used a lower-pitched voice and showed a higher level of physiological arousal when speaking to the more attractive, opposite-sex target.And another clear sign to look for is touching. A touch on the shoulder, waist or forearm is a good. A face touch? You should hear slot machine noises when that happens.FromClose RelationshipsThe behavior that participants rated as reflecting the most flirtation and the most romantic attraction was the soft face touch, followed by the touch around the shoulder or waist, and then the soft touch on the forearm. The least flirtatious and romantic touches were the shoulder push, shoulder tap, and handshake.(To learn more about how to flirt scientifically, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot about how to read people. Lets round it up and learn therealwayyou can project a better image so when people read you, you c ome off looking greatSum UpHeres how to read people 101Dont make the usual mistakesTake context, clusters, baseline, and biases into consideration.First impressions are oftenaccurateWith a number of traits youcan trust your gut. But know which ones.Trust mimicry and emotional expressionBut they have to be sustained and consistent.Awful people have tellsPay attention to notice them.And look for narcissists in flashy clothing.Deepening voice and touching says flirtingTrue for both men and women.And so now that weve been through a dizzying amount of research on reading others, how can you make sure you come off well when others read you?Do you need to pay more attention to your body language? Nope.Your facial expressions or your behavioral mimicry? Double nope.When I spoke toOlivia Fox-Cabane, author ofThe Charisma Myth, she said all of that is doomed to fail unless you have an acting Oscar on your shelftrying to control your facial expressions is not just impossible, it will even back fire. Since the micro-expressions will be incongruent with the main expression, theyll give the impression that something is not quite right and you can end up seeming fake - which, of course, ruins trust and charismaYour body language and the signals you send are determined bywhats inside your head. Change how you feel inside, and what you radiate will follow. HeresOliviaThe same way that athletes get themselves into the zone you get yourself into a mental zone of whatever body language you want to emanate. And that way it will cascade through your body from whatever mindset that you wanted to get. So it really is mind over matter in the sense that whatevers in your mind will come out through your body language.In the end, it really is whats on the inside that matters. We can shape that and smooth it, but you cant go through life acting for any considerable stretch.So try something simplebe the best you that you can be.Join more than 300,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via em ailhere.Related postsHow To Get People To Like You 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertNew Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You HappyNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulThis articlefirst appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.