How to Prevent Unnoticed Email Security Risks in Your Business

How to Prevent Unnoticed Email Security Risks in Your Business An inordinate amount of data passes through business email addresses every day. However, the more companies send valuable data through email channels, the more likely it is to cause security risks. With phishing emails being themost common methodused by criminals, knowing the risks emails pose can make all the difference. Here, wediscuss the tipsand advice employers can give to keep their email structure safe. The unknown effects of spam Its estimated45 percentpercent of all emails sent globally are spam and when lots of them build-up, it can cause serious problems. Not only do spam emails carry the threat of infecting devices with malware, but an attack of spam emails can cause networks or servers to crash, costing businesses time and money to fix. Too much spam tends to make staff ‘delete trigger happy’, causing actual legitimate emails to be deleted in the rush to clear inboxes. Limit spam emails by applying filters that redirect suspicious emails to a separate folder that can be easily emptied or deleted. This can typically be done in your email provider interface, but separate software can be used to prevent them too. As irritating as it can be continuously receiving emails from unknown sources, dont reply to spammers or ask them to unsubscribe. This only shows the address is active and encourages further phishing. Training for the whole company When it comes to company awareness, the gap between peoples perceptions of their security knowledge and actual practice has been widening. For example; in astudy by Friedrich-Alexander University78 percent of participants claimed they knew the risks and how to identify a phishing email; 45 percent of them clicked infected links anyway. When it comes to instilling a company-wide culture of email safety, it needs to come from the top down. It’s up to managers, directors and supervisors to proactively develop an email ‘safety-first’’ mindset in a team to encourage employee buy-in. Having proper education and training around the risks, with the whole company attending is also key. Training sessions can be done by external companies, in-house or even at seminars. It not only helps employees become more tech-savvy but allows them to see the bigger picture and how what might seem like an individual risk, could spread to company-wide issue if not managed properly. Email signature best practice Ensuring your business adopts branded email signatures not only increases awareness, but they also highlight you are a trustworthy company because due to the use of recognized brand colors, logos and links to the official company website. The dangers of taking a relaxed attitude to email signatures were evident in arecent news story, whichrevealed how an email was deemed as a legally binding contract because it included an automated signature. Check everyone is using a consistent email signature block you know will be applied to all internal and external emails. This gives businesses peace-of-mind and complete awareness of what is being appended to all corporate emails. Having an email signature management solutions service in place means everyone has the same high-quality signature when sent from any device, even mobiles, and Macs. It also  ensures your signature details are always up-to-date and the correct  email disclaimers  are in place. Evaluating BYOD There was a74 percent recorded jumpin people working from home over the last decade and bring your own device (BYOD) policies are helping employees achieve more flexibility in the workplace. However, its difficult to police an individuals digital device habits, with a recent study showing75 percentof employees open company files on personal devices, which are almost always unprotected. To combat this, organize simple training sessions where you can teach the significance of protecting their property. This should contain information on VPNs to obscure IP addresses, choosing strong passwords and using  email archiving solutions  when accessing data remotely. All devices used for work should have the latest anti-virus and firewall software installed, plus the latest OS and patch updates. For those using a personal device when working remotely, offer to provide with these extra layers of security at the cost of the company to encourage compliance. For example; businesses could install Mobile Device Management software as part of their BYOD policy.MDM software provides a single platform where all mobile devices in use can be monitored and managed. Control is further enhanced by making certain OS functions inaccessible, which prevents employees from adapting settings or installing unapproved apps. If necessary, external websites can be blocked and whitelisted too. About the author: Daniel Richardson, is CTO at Exclaimer. He is an accomplished senior executive and board-level technologist, performing the role of Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Officer. As a Prince2 and ITIL Certified Practitioner, Certified Scrum Master and Lean 6-Sigma Greenbelt, I have extensive experience in building enabling technologies for both small and enterprise-level businesses, meeting strategic objectives and driving growth. I firmly believe in delivering business value via the use of innovative, forward-looking technologies.”

How to Write Resume Jobs - Creating a Great Job Description

How to Write Resume Jobs - Creating a Great Job DescriptionYou can write resume jobs in a variety of different ways, depending on what you are looking for. A resume is essentially a job description that a person will give when they are applying for a job, and it is to be filled out with the details about the person's education, experience, skills, etc.There are a few things that you need to consider when writing resume jobs. First of all, you want to make sure that your information is to the point. This is especially true for job seekers who have not yet had any experience, so they don't want to overwhelm their prospective employers with too much information.Some job seekers choose to write a paper in the university or college that they attended. This can be really helpful in defining what they did while in school, and where they did it. The information should also be concise. You want to take as much information out of your resume as possible, and then fill in the blanks with the be st information that you can get your hands on.Another option for job seekers is to get a resume sample. These are resumes that have already been used by several people in the past. They are written from a general standpoint and should be perfect for most job-seekers. This is not to say that they will be the only version of the resume that a potential employer will see, but it can help to keep things consistent in a resume.Many students use their resumes to improve their chances of getting hired. They use their samples to rewrite some of the information to make it more relevant and specific. This is just one way that students are being creative when writing resume jobs.Another way that you can write resume jobs is by using some examples from previous employers. This will allow you to avoid plagiarism issues, which many students tend to fall victim to as they are writing job descriptions.When writing resume jobs for yourself, remember that you should start off with a general idea of w hat the position requires. After that, create a great resume, but remember to go back and revise things if needed. You don't want to hire someone who has the exact same resume that you have written!Writing resume jobs can be a lot of fun, especially if you write for your personal enjoyment. It can be an amazing experience, too, because you are working with other people's resumes. It is very exciting and can help a person to realize what their strengths and weaknesses are.

How to Be a Real-Deal Leader

How to Be a Real-Deal Leader There’s no doubt that women are leading the charge in terms of career growth. In recent times, we have seen many goal-oriented individuals who have risen above the ranks and earned their rightful place as business leaders. In this era of influencers, we are seeing even greater diversity in the workplace than before. And the fact that women are making their voice heard has been an essential step towards this end. If you’ve been promoted as among your company’s higher ups, you will find that the climate has changed, or rather, become even more challenging and complex. That being said, it’s important that you spend ample time learning how to become a real-deal leader. Here are some tips that should show how you can stay true to your form as a higher up. Be prepared to make friends When you are a leader of your company, you will have to reach out to other businesses and other personalities for strategic purposes. Whether it’s through signing contracts or agreements or even inking partnerships with third-party conglomerates, you will have to open yourself up to a diverse range of business leaders who may as well be instrumental to your company’s success. For this, you will need to flex a bit of your networking muscle so you can include more people in your contacts list. It’s also important that you actively take part in industry-relevant events where you can represent your company and make new friends. Be a mentor and a coach It’s often a problem when an employee rises above the ranks and becomes the boss of her former equals. You just can’t think of anything that could cause a great deal of divisiveness in your organization! However, to keep things in line, you should be able to approach your staff with a bit of empathy. Sure enough, you shouldn’t let your title define who you approach or deal with the people at the bottom. Instead, you should learn the challenges they are facing and understand that you have experienced the same when you were once a part of the rank and file. One thing’s for sure, it will help so much if you’re able to talk to your employees directly, listen to their issues, and come up with solutions that will get them to work at their best pace! Never skimp on valuable HR work If there’s anything a company shouldn’t live without, it’s HR. This department, after all, is responsible for managing the manpower of the business. It’s no easy task as HR managers will have to review job applications and ensure that the data of current employees are properly archived and documented. HR tends to be a bit complex, so you may as well outsource your HR work such as payroll and workers’ comp management to a capable service provider. This will help you lessen the workload of your HR staff so they can focus more on keeping the workforce as efficient as possible. With your added guidance, the HR department can help in retaining top quality talent which is essential to your business’ objectives.

The Road to Me 2.0 Why I Decided to Write this Book - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Road to Me 2.0 Why I Decided to Write this Book - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ72NEPJy6s] Subscribe to my podcast series Im starting to enjoy this series of posts on my new book. It really gives me a chance to give you some background and context before you start reading it. Ive told you how I got my book deal and why I was the chosen one. Now its time to tell you why I wanted to write this book. Ari Herzog, a Personal Branding Blog reader, gave me the idea for this one. There is no personal branding class in college Students go through college without learning how to get a job, yet their intention is to acquire a job when they graduate. They enroll in classes such as math, English, and history, without learning how to develop their own career path doing what they love. Are you surprised that 90% of people arent happy at work? Most people have to figure out everything on their own and to expedite that learning curve, this book fill the gap. Even a career class wouldnt be enough to survive this new workplace. You need brand management class or personal branding class. The Japanese have already held one of these courses last year, but it needs to be worldwide. Every single student should be forced to take an introduction to marketing class before they are allowed to graduate. The class should be during their first semester with a transition on how to use basic marketing principles in your own life. This book should certainly serve as the class text book. We are always being judged and we always have to sell ourselves From asking a girl on a date to raising your hand in class, impressions count and how you influence people to take action is also important. This book will teach you how to present yourself positively. Instead of letting someone else brand you, you will learn how to make a lasting impression in a few seconds. When it comes to business, you have to get your fellow employees on your new project or to pitch potential customers on your new product. People purchase base on branding, including how much they know, like and trust you (reputation). We can have as much presence as companies There is a major opportunity to stand out and make a name for yourself with little to no money invested, at the cost of your time. If you want to monetize your passion, then you will have to sacrifice today to get what you want tomorrow, which includes hours and hours of work. Web 2.0 is a personal branding enabler that allows you to have as much presence as the company you work for. Using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and more, you can build brand equity and get your name out in front of the right people. People have a limitless potential but dont realize it In todays work environment, dont expect a company to take ownership of your career. They may offer on-the-job training and some mighty fine perks, but at the end of the day, your career rests in your hands. You need to be a leader. You need to have confidence in who you are, your value and what you can deliver to others. You need to feel empowered to make a difference. You need to read this book ;). Personal reasons for writing it Ive really enjoyed helping coach people these past few years.   To see the excitement and enthusiasm when people go through self-discovery and start using web 2.0 tools is incredible.   I feel like its the right thing to do to pass this knowledge that Ive gained over the past few years onto you. I didnt originally write this book to build my brand or to make money, yet both have occurred as a result.   My thinking is that the more successful I become, the more I can give back.

Helping Your Resume Writing Career Grow

Helping Your Resume Writing Career GrowService letters, cover letters and resume writing community service programs are becoming increasingly popular. There are many reasons why this is so. The first reason is that it helps to build credibility, and provide a nice, friendly voice to communicate what a candidate brings to the table. The second reason is that they help to promote the position of your company.With the advent of web 2.0, career opportunities such as resume writing community service have blossomed into large industries. Services such as this have become very well organized, with multiple types of services being offered. These services can be utilized for your benefit as well.In many respects, the Internet plays a huge role in the progression of these community service based organizations. That is due to the fact that the Internet is capable of spreading the word at a much quicker rate than the average newspaper can. The quality of the work offered by these services has al so risen to a point where many people make the commitment to donate their time and skills to a local or national organization. They feel that the time spent is a form of charity is charity itself. Most individuals donating their services will happily sign a contract with a prospective employer stating exactly how much time is available for service.Many of these online sites offer free listings of different community services in your area. This is an excellent tool for those who wish to start a new career or enhance one they already have. These are services that serve a number of different business sectors and industries, including government, real estate, energy, military, education, health care, retail, transportation, telecommunications, hospitality, and many more. For those who are looking to get started in this type of service, these community service online services can be a great place to start.Using these online sites can be a great way to help keep your resume writing intere sting. These sites are similar to resume writing communities in many ways. Their focus is on providing a variety of different opportunities for individuals to participate in. In some ways, you can think of them as resume writing communities, as well.While they may not offer as many options as resume writing communities, they do allow for a unique approach to resume writing. They feature a variety of activities that may be of interest to a potential employer. There is the chance to write about things that can help you, such as volunteer work with an animal rescue center, working with an organization that provides shelter services, or providing food to school children. There is also the opportunity to put together a letter on a variety of topics. This includes issues such as how to market yourself, web site design tips, ideas on how to attract clients, and job seekers with jobs that do not require experience or skill sets that a potential employer may be looking for.The process of wri ting a community service letter is not difficult, but it does take some time and practice. While these sites are a great place to start, it is not necessary to use them to get started. You can get started writing a resume by reviewing samples provided by online sites that offer these services.If you find that you are interested in using these services to enhance your resume writing, you should be sure to review what is offered. That way, you can be sure that you get the best out of what you choose to include on your resume.

Why, Like Trump, You Need Your Own 100 Day Plan

Why, Like Trump, You Need Your Own 100 Day Plan Whether youre on the pro or con side of the Donald Trump presidency, you cant deny that he has achieved more of his agenda more quickly than any president in recent history (and maybe all time). And he isnt getting stuck in the mud of the bureaucracy in the process. He is taking focused and specific actions that are in his realm of authority (whether hes pushing the envelope of that authority is certainly up for debate).  This allows him to move quickly rather than spending a lot of time waiting for others (i.e. Congress) to move on things. What this means is hes making change happen quickly and getting results quickly. And that is something that is highly noticed and often well rewarded in business. And if youre an employee, you want to be able to demonstrate that youre actively driving business results (and yes, you can do that in any position from the front desk to the corner office). Or if youre starting a new job it is even more critical to make that big, positive splash in the first 30-60-90 days.  And having a good 100 day plan is critical to that success. The 100 Day Plan The 100 day plan isnt a new concept.  It is often used both for those implementing the plan as well as those on the outside evaluating an administrations success. It is common in evaluating political administrations as they come into office. And it is common for leadership transitions in business. Change is often both exciting and scary. And people like to make assessments of a situation quickly.  The 100 day plan is a way to do that. But it isnt just Presidents and CEOs who can implement a good 100 day plan.  You can too. Whether you are a middle manager looking to transform a workgroup or project team to achieve your annual big goal (and get that raise or bonus). Or you are a project coordinator or telecom construction manager or site acquisition specialist looking to make your mark. Take these concepts and make them your own. By implementing these youll rocket your career forward and be that go-to person everyone wants on their team (and that means future job opportunities where you set the terms, not them). So back to the Trump example, lets see what he did and how you can use the same concepts to replicate that success in your job situation. The Grand Vision Nothing great starts without a compelling vision.  Something visible, interesting, maybe somewhat controversial. For Trump it was The Wall. He told everyone what he was going to doBuild a Wall (and it would be huuuge).  And Mexico would pay for it. You dont get bigger and more audacious than that. So what is your grand vision?  Or one you can pull from the company goals? Most big companies these days have a performance review process.  As part of that process people are expected to set goals for themselves (or their bosses do it for them).  In most cases these goals are designed to align with the companys strategic goals.  Whether that is delivering a big project (in my wireless telecom project that could be delivering the Plan of Execution (POE) that is often another version of the clients 100 day and annual plan). So first you need to find out what are the important objectives for your company.  And then ask and brainstorm how you can influence those results from your role and your teams role. Once you come up with that big goal or plan (in my telecom development world it could be Start Construction within a Week of Site Acquisition Complete).  Those in telecom know that doesnt typically happen.  POs, landlord access issues, weather, materials.  You name it, there are things that can derail you. But this is a Grand Vision you and your team can very much understand.  And then everyone on the team can bring ideas and implement things in their area of responsibility to make this happen. But great things cant happen without Work With High Achievers Trump didnt do the standard politician thing of appointing bureaucrats to pay off political favors and do his bidding while screwing over the country. No, he brought in top performers.  Doers.  Transformative Leaders.  People with the same vision and implementation style (do it now and break the rules instead of just melting into the toxic beltway bubble). It is the same with great companies. You dont achieve awesome results by micromanaging everyone.  There just isnt enough time in the day to do that. You need highly motivated people driven for success. Not all A players.  But definitely a lot of A and B players who are motivated to succeed. Ive worked with a lot of these people over the years and have found you can accomplish so much more with good people who are compelled by a Grand Vision and their own desire to succeed and grow in their career. They make things happen.  They develop trust.  And team members start having an almost psychic connection with each other where they complete each others sentences and just know what needs to be done. You need to work with high achievers.  And if you arent with them, you know who they are and where they are.  Connect with them and start preparing to make your next move in their direction.   Good people want to work with other good people.  It makes everyone better.  You need to be thinking that way. Which takes us next to the Create an Implementation Plan No grand goal is complete without the key 30-60-90 day steps or milestones to get your grand objective accomplished.  Trump used his knowledge of business, real estate deals, and project management (hes known for getting projects done ahead of schedule and under budget) to lay out an aggressive but achievable plan. You need to break down your plan in the same way.   What are the intermediate steps or objectives that will get you there? Lay out those building blocks.  Look at the things that are limiting factors in your success. Is it certain people you need on the team?  Or certain skillsets?  Or training?  Or a re-engineered process? Look at the details and your Implementation Plan will be your roadmap to success. But that roadmap is worthless without Action, Action, Action You need to hit the ground running.  The greatest plans are worthless if you arent willing to put in the action and hours to turn your vision into reality. Trump is known for an incredible work ethic.  He works all the time and never lets up.  Hes passionate about his work and will not let laziness stand in his way. And you need to do the same.  Whether it is the start of a new year, the start of a new project, or starting a new job, or youre in a turnaround situation. And with the new smartphone age of super short attention spans, you really need to show incredible progress in the first 30 days of a new initiative or opportunity. So bring that implementation plan, cue up your actions on Sundays so come Monday morning youre hitting the ground and ticking off those actions and getting results quickly each week and over the first 30 days. But what happens when you face others who are not on board? Dealing Swiftly With Naysayers Trump is known for his work on The Apprentice and his catch phrase, Youre Fired! In his first days in the White House he demonstrated this by immediately firing the interim Attorney General who was actively undermining his position (by telling the bureaucrats under her to not follow Trumps executive order that set certain immigration guidelines she didnt agree with). As with the AG, anyone who undermines his work, will likely be fired immediately and replaced with people who will commit to the vision. And similarly, if youre in a leadership position or a turnaround situation you need to be aware of whos in and whos out as well.  And youll need to make appropriate changes quickly if you want to avoid the naysayers sinking your ship. One of Trumps biggest challenges is hes bucking the system.  And a lot of the bureaucrats who didnt vote for him are vehemently opposed to him and his agenda.  As such, theyve theyve undermined his initiatives by leading information to media (who are very willing to spread an anti-Trump message). Im sure that will lead to some action (like Reagans firing of the air traffic controllers) to send a message that will begin the transformation.  Will it be a big impact in the VA?  Or something similar?  Well have to wait and see. You may have to do the same.  Gossip and negativity spreads like wildfire and can kill momentum.  So you need to bring along those that support you, convince those that are on the fence, and replace those who actively oppose you (yes, you need some who will challenge you but support the final decision, but once that decision is made you cant have people undermining that decision). And the good 100 day plan you have will help you through that. Reflection and Revision and Repeat Like every great plan, it is often obsolete on Day 1. Things change, often rapidly.  And you need to be prepared with contingency plans.  Backups to backups.  And be willing to adjust your approach as new information presents itself. The great leader will be able to roll with change and still align it to his master plan. And you need to do the same.  Flexibility is critical when youre dealing with people and implementing rapid change.  But if you can be flexible, you can get a lot accomplished. Document, document, document. Documentation provides clarity. As youre setting expectations with your team, being clear on what you want from them and how youre holding them accountable is critical.  Too often we do that after the fact or are not clear ourselves and expect everyone to figure it out themselves.  Not a recipe for success. That can be preparing a more formalized Project Plan that lays out your expectations for each persons contribution.  Or it can be job descriptions and definitions of success for each role that will help ensure the vision is achieved and the results flow. And you also need to document your successes.  And this can also then help you so you can Reward Success So you laid out a great plan, implemented it, and saw success. But did you forget to acknowledge and reward those who supported your vision and implemented their part successfully? And it isnt just about money (although that is important to hiring and keeping great people too). Life is too short not to share success with others.  And no grand plan is achievable without the contributions of your team members, vendors, clients, etc. So make sure youre providing regular and specific acknowledgement of the performers.  And share those successes with the group and show how their contributions are getting everyone close to the goal. This reinforces a positive feedback loop that reinforces success and energizes the team. Implement Now! So what are you waiting for?  Why are you still here?  Go make 2017 awesome.  Get started today.  Start putting together your 100 Day Plan. Need strategic guidance on your own 100 Day Plan? Or have you decided you want to investigate other options outside your current situation where you might have more opportunities to achieve your own grand visions and work with other top performers? Then contact me and see whether it might make sense to work together in some form (finding you that next opportunity or career coaching or strategic opportunity evaluation). Regardless of how you move forward, make sure you do move forward.  Life is too short not to.  And youll find the ride is awesome!

We need more science in business - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

We need more science in business - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Yesterday I participated in the Copenhagen March for Science part of a global movement to celebrate science and the role it plays in our live. It was tremendously cool to march through the streets of Copenhagen along with hundreds of other science enthusiasts and its easy to see that it has never been more important to encourage the use of science in public policy given the challenges were facing (especially climate change) and the current unscientific and populist tendencies were seeing in some countries. And the same goes in business. Many of the most widespread practices in business and leadership have been repeatedly proven wrong in studies and yet they persist. Here are some of my favorite examples of scientific findings that are being soundly ignored by many companies: Performance bonuses demotivate people Competition leads to worse results Permanent overwork kills people and hurts results Putting time pressure on employees hurts results happy employees do better work Higher CEO pay leads to poorer performance Dont take my word for it click each link above to see the research behind it. Leaders and businesses need to know the science AND apply it. Ignoring this research is hurting employees and the bottom line. Related posts The 5 most important findings from positive psychology that apply at work Much of what we believe about business is wrong and yet we keep believing it Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related