Communication skills is at the top of the list of what hiring managers are looking for. And with good reason. Strong communication is how we show attention, inspire change, and get things done. It's what allows relationships to develop smoothly. It's how we show attention, inspire change, and get things done. In the workplace, an effective communicator motivates a team and promotes productivity. How you communicate contributes to your own success, and ultimately to that of your organization. 

Performance evaluations are useful tools to help managers and employees understand how they are doing and where they may be able to improve. If you haven’t already, you’ll likely be asked to complete a self-evaluation prior to a performance review. For many professionals, that can be a daunting task. However, preparing a self-evaluation doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to consider when working on your next self-evaluation.
 
Be Honest

You might think that once you’ve landed a job you’re all set and no longer need to worry about updating your resume. While that may have been true years ago, in today’s professional environment, it’s important to ensure you have a current version of your resume at the ready. Here are a few reasons why you should always keep your resume up to date.
 
Keep Track of Accomplishments 

Are you ready for this year’s AISES National Conference? Join Indigenous STEM professionals and students from across the United States and Canada from October 19–21, 2023, in Spokane, Wash. Over the course of three days, you’ll have the chance to network with other professionals, learn new information that you can apply to your own career, and discover the many opportunities and programs offered through AISES. With so much to do and see, here are a few ways you can get ready for the conference.
 


Professional work can be exciting, enjoyable, and challenging. It can also be exhausting, intense, and draining. It’s easy to let work take over your life. Especially now, as many professionals work remotely or in a hybrid setting, it’s easy for your personal and professional worlds to overlap. As a result, you may find that you’re not separating from work effectively, and you’re not taking time to recharge. Taking a break is key to being your best at work and at home. Here are a few reasons why taking time out to recharge is so important.
 

Travel of any kind can bring both excitement and anxiety. But professional and leisure travel are different, and it’s important to follow business travel etiquette when representing your organization. Keep these tips in mind when preparing for your next business trip. 

Among the changes brought about by COVID-19 is the virtual interview, and it looks like it’s here to stay. As more jobs become remote, companies can cast a wider net to attract talent. Thanks to technologies like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, employers and candidates can easily connect and meet virtually — proving both time effective and fiscally responsible for both parties. While it may be convenient, a virtual interview does come with challenges. Here are some tips to help you make a good impression on your next virtual interview. 
 

Thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, the past few years have brought new challenges for both employers and employees. Companies and individuals were forced to quickly adapt to remote and hybrid work schedules. Because they no longer needed to be in an office, many people chose to move away from major cities in favor of calmer, more affordable locales. Finally, inflation and rising interest rates have impacted people’s sense of financial security, which has prompted unexpected employment decisions. All of these factors play a role in current hiring trends. 
 

“Quiet quitters” — employees who are simply meeting their job description — make up at least 50 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to a Gallup poll. This trend has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the workplace got worse for young professionals. Between working remotely and limited interaction with colleagues, employees’ motivation and drive waned. Are you among that group? 
 
Reality Check

As you spend more time in the professional world, you may start to think more about where you are and where you want to be. Do you aspire to be an executive one day, or be in a position that allows you to work remotely from anywhere in the world? Are you happy in your current line of work, or is there something else you’d like to be doing? To answer these questions, and make your dreams a reality, you’ll need to set goals, and then focus on achieving them. Setting and achieving goals can help in many areas of your life.