Fairygodboss Of The Week Sonar Thekdi

Fairygodboss Of The Week Sonar Thekdi Sonar Thekdi, a VP of Engineering Business Operations at Cisco, is a true Fairygodboss whos always looking to expand her network. Shes passionate bedrngnis only about her work but also about people in general - which is one of the reasons she loves beratung young women interested in STEM careers. She leave us with some great advice about getting out of ur comfort zoneFairygodboss of the Week Sonar ThekdiVice President, Engineering Business Operations, Computing Systems Product Group - CiscoSan Francisco Bay Area, CAFGB Tell us a little about your career. How did you get to where you are now?ST I lost my dad when I was 3 years old - he was an accomplished engineer who I never got to know. I dont even remember him, but very early in my life, I decided that I would carry my fathers legacy forward by becoming an engineer. Raising us single-handedly my mother was very clear on the value of an education. She has dedicated her entire life to raising my sisters and me always teaching us to be strong, focused and hardworking. So it was very natural for me to get my degree in Computer engineering.Once I completed school, I went to work as a SW engineer writing BIOS firmware. It was exciting to have a real job, make real money and solve real world problems. But about a year into my job, I realized that I wasnt looking forward to Monday mornings with the same excitement as I had been year before, and that something was missing. I realized that my true passion lied in being around people, bringing people together and helping solve engineering problems, not by digging in deeper technically, but by understanding the nuances of how people think and react and work with each other.I changed my job to become a system engineer and then a system manager. Every job I have held since then has been engineering focused, solving real engineering problems and building great products, but also always focusing on the teams and the people that make the se things real. At Cisco, I have combined my education in engineering with my passion for people and technology in a series of roles in engineering program management, engineering operations and strategic planning with increasing responsibility to evolve into a business leader.FGB What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?ST Over my 16 year career at Cisco, I have worked in seven different business units, across a wide portfolio of products and for a very interesting and diverse set of senior leaders. I am proud of not only having successfully transitioned in and out of each role but also continuing to grow and expand my network every time. FGB What is a challenge that youve faced and overcome?ST Recently, we faced a quality challenge across our product portfolio that was negatively impacting the perception of our products in the field, and as a result the revenue as well. While quality is owned by multiple functions, it was clear that we needed one named leader who made it th eir mission to turn it around I took on that challenge, and working with my peers in Engineering, Supply Chain, Services and IT, I drove a massive year+ effort to evolve and modernize our development processes, tools and infrastructure, metrics and automation to successfully turn this around. FGB Who is YOUR Fairygodboss? Why?ST My current boss, Liz Centoni, is my Fairygodboss, because besides being wicked smart, articulate and funny, she always pushes me to develop new business skills. She gives me challenging projects that push me out of my comfort zone and she encourages me to not take no for an answer. Lastly, she gives me support and air cover when needed when I push the boundaries and look for new ways of doing things. She rocksFGB What do you do when youre not working?ST I love hanging out with my family, cooking, and reading. I am also passionate about mentoring those around me, especially young women thinking of pursuing careers in STEM.Lightning RoundFGB What is your favo rite movie?ST Gosh, listing just one is very hard. My favorites are The Pursuit of Happyness, Titanic, Bourne Series, Lord of the Rings trilogy FGB What book would you bring with you on a desert island?ST Any of Maeve Binchys heartwarming novels (Tara Road is a fave)FGB What is your shopping vice? What would you buy if you won the lottery?ST My shopping vice is traditional indian jewelry. I really dont believe in playing the lottery but if I somehow acquire a few hundred million dollars the thing that I would buy for myself would be a beach house.FGB What is the 1 career tip youd like to share with other women who want to have successful careers like you? ST I would say learn to be agile when it comes to your career. Accept and expect to fail early and often, until you figure out what youre passionate about and what youre really good at. Once you figure that out, there will be no stopping you. Get out of your comfort zone every day.FGB Why do you love where you work?ST I love the sm art, compassionate, committed and driven people that I work with every day. The work environment weve been able to create is fun, upbeat, high energy and that puts a smile on my face (on most days ) ).Fairygodboss is all about women helping other women. So each week, we celebrate a woman who makes a difference in other womens careers. Is there a woman who has made a difference in your career? Celebrate and thank her by nominating her here.

Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Options

Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Options The Demise of Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency Resume writing can be a challenging task. Writing a resume can be fraught with lots of small concerns when it has to do with etiquette. While everybody can write, not everyone is able to grow to be a writer. An independent writer should possess skills besides writing. Whatever They Told You About Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why So you need to be mindful in regards to the certification of the writers when employing an online resume service. There are times that you proceed through the site of a certain writing service and it seems just perfect. If you determine that your prior employer has merged with a different organization or has become the topic of an acquisition, list the present name initially, followed by the prior name in parentheses. The busines s is the one which will be your most trustworthy reference. The Ultimate Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Trick Since youre a freelancer, your clients do not supply you with a particular position. Dont be concerned if youve got an entry-level Freelance Writer resume. If youve completed a good deal of work for a freelancer, you dont need to list each individual client youve worked for. As an expert freelancer, you probably have an on-line portfolio or website you may share in your resume. There are many explanations as to why folks take temporary work or employment through an agency and its getting more and more common. There are a couple things you should do. When youre asking for work, the resume is not the one thing you want. Theres nobody way of locating a job. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency If youre looking for work through third parties, including agencie s or independent human resource managers, they can request your CV to find you the very best fitting alternatives. If youre asking for a project, ensure that the requirements are listed too. If it comes to resumes, different types ought to be available. In a short-term contract agreement, youre working on behalf of the staffing agency, not the organization youre assigned to for the whole period of the contract. Listing your work by means of a staffing agency will help you in various ways. Real estate jobs are about closings. Many services provide affordable rates and discounts, and that means you get great value for the money there. If youve accomplished things in work role, its wasteful not to utilize it to your benefit to impress an employer. Its not sufficient to list out your responsibilities. You might have worked for an agency for two decades but held four distinct positions. Otherwise it is possible to describe clients more generic to present your upcoming employ er at least an idea. At the exact same time, let the customer get a glimpse of what you could do. Find out what the provider is searching for, then match your skills up. If youre targeting a particular company, then its far better center on the individual whod be your direct manager if at all possible. Keep in mind that if it has to do with listing contract work, for example, work is always oben liegend than ignoring it. Whatever format you choose to utilize for the temp jobs on your resume, make sure that you are consistent. A site will give clients the opportunity to evaluate your talent. Many will be pleased to assess the portfolio.

Workplace Screaming a Self-Defeating Effort

Workplace Screaming a Self-Defeating Effort To be pathological or nearly so, behavior doesnt have to be menacing or insane. Stupid, pointless and self-sabotaging behavior, such as screaming at employees, will do as close approximations, especially when the consequences for the individual or for otzu sichs are dire.Acting in a merely neurotically self-defeating way, especially when it is habitual, is sometimes enough, even if not necessary, for pathology. Screaming at an employee (or anybody else, for that matter) is a case in point. An irascible bosss (frequent) screaming at an employee in order to motivate her is an example of what can demonstrate both pathology and stupidity (which are, in virtue of being equally maladaptive, closely related, although, of course, not identical).The Three Legs of PathologyAlthough the term is used far too casually, and far too often without any clear definition ( even in psychiatric literature), pathological behavior can perhaps best be understood as behavior that isSelf-defeating, self-frustrating or self-destructive (e.g., pathological dieting to the point of emaciation or even death)Without any rationally predictable or predicted net benefit to anyone (e.g., pointless, needless, yet compulsive lying that is unmotivated by any anticipated rational gain, as opposed to the calculated and strategic lying of spies and ponzi-scheme operators)Unjustifiably and dangerously anti-social (e.g., sociopathic criminal behavior)When at least one of the above applies, a particular case of bro screaming may prima facie be viewed as pathological. Just as gambling and lying come in both pathological and non-pathological forms, office screaming per se can be non-pathological, depending on the specifics of the case, e.g., whether employees somehow positively respond to being screamed at. (This suggests that social pathology is best defined as an n-person rela tionship, not as a single-person trait. If the screaming works, its not pathological, even if scary or irritating.)What will make the screaming both stupid and pathological is the circumstance in which although repeated outbursts are intended to improve employee performance, they are very likely to impair it, making the screaming self-defeating. This is what will happen when (as is commonly the case) the employee can take flight (quit), fight back (even if only passive aggressively, e.g., by working mora carefully and therefore much more slowly), or feel so much fright or resentment as to be unable to concentrate on the job.Self-Defeating Brooms and BossesSuch self-defeating actions, like that of a badly frayed and disintegrating broom that mostly sweeps up its own broken and shed bristles, are forms of self-contradiction the means adopted preclude and subvert achieving the ends. Ones stated goals are contradicted by ones chosen means. The solution, like sweeping with a damaged broo m, perpetuates or exacerbates the problem.Its a bit like a goth teenagers trying to get her parents to love jarring dub-step and ear-splitting punk rock by turning up the volume the louder the message, the more deaf to it the target audience becomes. More achieves lessresult self-defeat. This frustrating outcome is especially likely when the dramatic medium (a megaphone-volume scream) dwarfs the basic message (Please work harder).The pathologically screaming boss is in the contradictory state and situation of seeking workplace harmony (in terms of smooth performance) by creating organizational, interpersonal and personal disharmony (the latter being his internal disharmony in the form of frustration and the shared perception of a conflict) by attempting to increase productivity by jeopardizing it and by trying be respected or feared while in fact triggering resentment, resistance or retreat.It is often said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting diff erent results. Although this definition has its flaws (e.g., bending metal over and over again and expecting it to split, far from being an insane notion, is perfectly intelligent), it is a useful diagnostic in some instances, including instances of office screaming.Smart ScreamingThe only circumstance in which screaming at an employee doesnt carry the risk of amounting to a huge self-defeat is when the employee cannot quit, cannot resist and is not so traumatized by it as to be unable to do her job. Such situations do existfor instance, the relationship between a waking and hungry screaming infant (employer) and its harried mother (employee).But given the odds against such successful screaming in other contexts, characterizing it as high-risk self-defeating behavior seems right. When it persists, despite being virtually guaranteed to fail, such screaming deserves to be labeled pathological, or at least really stupid.Using the three criteria given above to determine whether specific behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, etc., are pathological, labeling screaming as pathological seems warranted if the outbursts are self-defeating, demonstrably without benefit to anyone and/or unjustifiably anti-social (or unprofessional), with the co-existence of any dire consequences as a compounding factor.To the extent that the screamer is a boss or an infant who not only can get away with such high-decibel onslaughts, but can also get what (s)he wants, the screaming is not evidence of pathology. Instead, it is merely evidence of..being a baby.

Why people doing favors and giving freebies can put us on edge

Why people doing favors and giving freebies can put us on edgeWhy people doing favors and giving freebies can put us on edgeGetting a basket of free goodies sent to us at work may bring some of us elation. But for some of us, these kinds of freebies put us on edge. If youre one of the many people who walk down the free sample aisle at the mall with dread, theres a scientific name for what youre feeling reciprocity anxiety, a termthe authors behind a new Journal of Economic Psychology study defined as feeling anxious in a situation that requires them to reciprocate or when they anticipate such a situation.Reciprocity anxiety is why freebies make us uncomfortableThe team of researchers developed an 11-item scale you can consult to see if you experience this particular kind of social anxiety. Here are some of themIll never ask for help if I dont have to, to avoid owing othersUsually, I dont accept favors unless I am sure I can pay back all the favors quicklyI hesitate to ask for help be cause then I dont need to think about what I might give in returnIm restless and on edge when I owe someoneIf you feel reciprocity anxiety, you do not take comfort from what people give you you worry about what this favor means you now owe. You may be struck by the urge to avoid any kind of social obligation you will need to reciprocate and are distressed at the thought that you may have to pay someone back. Instead of seeing a favor as a freebie, you fixate on perceived unseen strings attached. You may see relationships as more transactional. When a coworker offers to plektron up the check, you focus more on the anxiety that you will need to pay for their lunch next time.In one experiment, participants were asked to imagine getting a free drink at a store. Participants who scored high in reciprocity anxiety said they felt less customer satisfaction at this freebie and would be less willing to return to the store. For some of us, getting freebies perks us up. But if someone rebuffs your favor, do not take it personally recognize that these socially anxious recipients may be seeing a different message than what you are seeing. You are signaling generosity, but your recipient is seeing dollar signs.

3 Career Mistakes to Avoid When You Hate Your Job -The Muse

3 Career Mistakes to Avoid When You Hate Your Job -The Muse3 Career Mistakes to Avoid When You Hate Your Job There are plenty of things you could do to cope when you hate your job. You could vent. You could try to find a solution. Or, you could throw yourself into a job search because you cant stomach the idea of going back for one more day. All three of those moves are reasonable. But what you cant do is make the following three mistakes because theyll only hurt your reputation and career. And thats not good for you at all.1. You Cant Stop CaringOK, thats not entirely fair. Im not telling you to find a way to be passionate about a gig that you just cant stand. But you cant flaunt your feelings in a way thats disrespectful to everyone around you. For example, just because youre not pumped to start your day doesnt make it OK to casually stroll into work 30 minutes late with your headphones blasting while everyone else is trying to work.Nor is it acceptable to completely mail it in be cause you couldnt care less if a project or task even gets done. This behavior doesnt just affect your co-workers, but eventually you, too. Remember The people sitting in that room are your future references and you want to leave this job on the most positive note possible. Not to mention, its probably not their fault that youre no longer fulfilled, so taking it out on them makes you a crappy co-worker (and if it is their fault, consider this great practice in dealing with challenging people). 2. You Cant Avoid Looking for a New JobTheres probably at least a little part of you who thinks that no matter how bad your job is, youre just way too tired to go home after a long day of work and start looking for something new. And I get it. Doing something you dont enjoy is exhausting. The problem is that nobodys going to do this for you, so youre going to be stuck at your job indefinitely if you constantly avoid it.Want to make the whole thing easier to swallow? Block out time for searchin g on your calendar for an hour here and there throughout the week. Youll quickly notice that having a regularly scheduled block (or blocks) of time set aside will not only make you hate job searching less, but youll maybe look forward to cranking out a few applications in the time youve set aside for yourself. Just one more thing you can check off your to-do list.READY TO MAKE A CAREER MOVE LIKE YESTERDAY?Trust us, we know the feeling. Thats why we have 10,000+ jobs waiting for you.See all of them here 3. You Cant Keep it to YourselfI know you might be thinking, Im being a good trooper. Why should anyone know how much I cant stand this place? Your resilience is admirable, but the truth is that at some point, youll bottle up a lot of frustration to the point where you take it out on someone (or something) in an incredibly unproductive way. Not only that, but theres really nothing to gain from trying to figure it all out yourself. While you might think that your closest friends and fa mily appreciate the fact that youre not bothering them about whats happening at work, the truth is that they probably have a feeling that things arent awesome right now anyway. So go ahead and trust them with what youre thinking. And dont worry- if they run out of things to say to make you feel better or get sick of hearing you complain, theyll let you know.As a band I still love once sang Work sucks, I know. I want nothing more than for you to find something that you love to do for money, and I completely understand your predicament. It might be hard to drag yourself to the office to do that thing you hate to do, but you that doesnt give you free reign to start behaving unprofessionally on the job. Youre better than that and you owe it to future you to step it up a notch.

This Should Be Your Work-Life Balance Mantra - The Muse

This Should Be Your Work-Life Balance Mantra - The MuseThis Should Be Your Work-Life Balance Mantra Whats the difference between a car and a human being? A car is efficient. A human is not. Let me explain A car only has one job- to go fast in a certain direction. And thats why it can be so efficient. Humans, on the other hand, have many jobs. Therefore, its impossible for us to do them all well. We cannot possibly be perfect employees, perfect friends, and perfect at every other activity all at once. No matter how many multitasking articles we read. Rather than continuing to strive for 100% in every area of your life, watch this video from The School of Life and remind yourself that you arent a car- and that everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.Photo of woman running courtesy of Shutterstock.

What to do if these 9 bad things happen during a job interview

What to do if these 9 bad things happen during a job interviewWhat to do if these 9 bad things happen during a job interviewYou spend hours - sometimes days - preparing for a job interview,hoping that everything will go perfectly. In your ideal world, the hiring manager will ask the questions for which you are most ready, theyll appreciate your skills and abilities, and they will be amazed at your insights and ideas.Unfortunately, most of us dont live in an ideal world.Unexpected problems often pop up at the worst possible times - say, in the middle of a job interview.Do your best to prepare for thesetroublesome interview situations, to the extent that you can. But youll also need to deal with some things on the fly. Here arenine things that may go wrong during an interview, and how you should handle each problem.1. You show up late.Technically, this is something that happens before the interview begins, but it fits the category of an unfortunate problem. Whether you were stuck in traffic or accidentally put the wrong time on your calendar, a lack of punctuality can start the interview on a bad note. If you know youre running late, its a good idea tocall ahead to let the interviewers know, apologize, and see if theyd like to reschedule. Be humble, but dont apologize so much that you sound whiny. Chances are theyve been late for something in their lives, too, so theyll probably be understanding.2. The interviewer is switched at the last minute.You usually know in advance who will be interviewing you, which gives you an opportunity to research the person(s) and prepare to talk to them. Ifsomeone else meets you for the interviewwhen you arrive, it can throw you off your game.However, this is really an opportunity for you to get to know the new person, according to an article from The Muse.Ask questions about her sttte, specifically how her job relates to the one youre gunning for, and ask about her career background in case you have something in common, the art icle says. Although it can be disquieting at first, after you get over the initial surprise of the switch, youll likely find that you can talk just as much to this person as to the one you planned on interviewing with originally. That displays your adaptability and willingness to take on an unexpected challenge.3. The technology you need for a presentation isnt working.For some positions, the interviewers expect you to prepare and present information on a topic relevant to the job. If the computer or projector wont work when you try to begin, it can lead to many tense and awkward moments. To overcome this problem, try to memorize the key points of your presentation in advance. Bring a printed copy of your slide deck with you, orhard copies of other materialsthat will help you make your points. Instead of wasting the precious few minutes you have with the interviewers trying to get a computer to work, move along with your presentation.This will show that you can overcome problems and stay on track even when the unexpected occurs.4. The interviewer notices an error or inconsistency in your resume.Its a good idea to bring severalprinted copies of your resumewith you to the interview, both for yourself and the interviewers. Hopefully, that resume is accurate and honest. If you have exaggerated an accomplishment or made an error in reporting your past positions, chances are thats the one experience the interviewer will further explore. If this happens,own the mistake and correct the error. Then try to salvage the point by providing a specific example of the skills you possess.5. The hiring manager is rude or a bad interviewer.If the former is the case, you might want to reconsider your interest in the position. Stay engaged and polite during the interview, in case theyre just having a bad day, butkeep the behavior in mind as you move forward. If the person simply isnt good at interviewing, The Muse article suggests that you remember the points you want to discuss a bout yourself and the questions you want to ask about the position. Then, take an active role in directing the conversation to keep the person on topic.6. The interview is interrupted by distractions.Hopefully, you remembered to turn off the ringer on your phone and stow it somewhere during the interviewso you wont be the cause of an embarrassing interruption. If that does happen- or if the interviewer seems distracted by their phone or by people walking by- you may have to work harder to keep the meeting on track.Be polite and patient, up to a point. If the interruptions become so frequent that a meaningful conversation is impossible, ask if it would be helpful to reschedule, acknowledging that you understand unexpected emergencies sometimes develop and you want them to handle whatever has come up. No matter what, keep your cool.7. You get angryMaybe those previously mentioned distractions are finally too much for you. Or maybe youre asked about a job from which you were fired, and old feelings of gemeindeland rise to the surface. If you feel that happening,you must get yourself back under control.Angry people are NOT people employers want to hire.Angry people are not fun to work with, says an article from Job-Hunt.org. To avoid such a reaction, the article says, Stop, before you enter the employers premises, take a few deep breaths, focus on the opportunity that awaits you at this potential employer, put a smile on your face, and do your best to switch gears mentally so you arenotin a bad place in your mind.8. You zone out and miss a questionYou would think that an interview would make you nervous enough that zoning out couldnt occur, butif the hiring manager is droning on about something and your mind wanders, you could miss a question. That will not look good to your prospective employer, according to an article from The Balance Careers. If you feel your attention slipping away, make an effort to stay engaged. Maintain eye contact, lean forward slightly wh en talking to your interviewer, andmake an active effort to listen effectively.9. You realize you dont really want the job for which you are interviewingAs you answer questions and learn more about the job, you may discover thatthe position youre discussing isnt a good fit for you. If this happens, and youre still interested in working for the company, dont get frustrated. Instead, continue to emphasize your skills.Talk about why you want to work for the organizationand how you could help it prosper. Even if you dont get the position you were interviewing for, you may plant a seed that will lead the interviewer to suggest you for a more appropriate spot. Its always better to build bridges than to burn them.As in all parts of life, unexpected problems will pop up during a job interview. Its inevitable. By accepting that reality and mentally preparing to handle what might go wrong, youll show that youre adaptable and unflappable when it does.This article was originally published on Fl exJobs.com