How to make your next presentation more successful Nonverbal communication, like smiling and making eye contact, can help you engage with your presentation audience, advises Emily Murphy of Indiana University. Information on the slides should be simple and minimal, and you should avoid reading directly from them, marketing consultant Jeff Magnuson adds. Glassdoor (5/9)6 characteristics of successful people Being a conscientious worker can have a positive impact on your ability to plan and deliver long-term strategies, but don't let your diligence stop you from being flexible, writes David Robson. The ability to adapt to new situations with ease can help increase your productivity and give you the resilience to deal with stress better. BBC (5/9)
Engage with your colleagues by talking to people in different departments and showing interest in your coworkers' progress, Chrissy Scivicque writes. If you don't have the time to pursue new networking events, try to talk to people at activities you're already involved in. U.S. News & World Report (5/11)
The Landscape
More employees have access to dental, vision, health plans Fifty-nine percent of employees say their employer offered dental benefits in 2017, compared with 54% in 2013, according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, while percentages for health, life and vision insurance and a retirement-savings account also increased. Health savings accounts and accident insurance have become more common, but fewer employers are offering short- and long-term disability insurance and traditional pensions, the survey finds. Money Talks News (5/8)
Your Next Challenge
Be proactive in your job search Start with a plan for your job search, which may include networking, updating your resume or searching for jobs online, Jack Kelly writes. Recognize your strengths and take steps to improve your weaknesses, and don't lose sight of why you want a career change. Forbes (5/11)Take steps to keep your resume updated all the time Aimee Lutkin finds tips for keeping your resume up-to-date on the subreddit LifeProTips, in which one user suggests adding the job description and date of a new role as soon as you start. Add in accomplishments you have achieved while they are fresh in your mind, and make note of any job responsibility changes, another user adds. Lifehacker (5/9)
Study: Sharks can recognize jazz music Sharks can identify jazz music and swim to the area where it's playing to receive food, researchers at Macquarie University have found. But when the researchers tried to get the sharks to swim to a different area in response to classical music, they found the sharks had a difficult time differentiating between the genres. The Guardian (London) (5/10)
Only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you.
