Friday, December 27, 2019

How to Resign With Class

How to Resign With Class How to Resign With Class If youve been following the entertainment news over the last few days, youll know that NBC plans to deal with the failure of Jay Lenos new show by giving him his old time slot back and pushing Conan O Briens Tonight Show back to after midnight.Not surprisingly, Conan isnt happy with this. Hes been waiting to take over the Tonight Show for years indeed, he had a contractual agreement with NBC to do that. And he apparently turned down offers over the years in order to inherit the famed Tonight Show. So now to have his show pushed back just to accommodate Jay Leno must really irk.And yet the statement he issued today is a textbook example of grace and class.He does not actually say hes resigning presumably there are legal issues to work out with NBC but he does refuse to host the Tonight Show at a later time slot, which amounts to the same thing.I think this is my favorite partbelastung Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended t o move the Tonight Show to 1205 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 1135. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 1205 simply isnt the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.So it has come to this I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.You really should read the whole thing here because this letter is a perfect example of how to behave when your bosses screw you over. And lets face it, weve all been there. Probably not as publicly as Conan, but weve been there.According to one of his friends, Conan spent hours writing this statement. Can you imagine the first drafts of that letter? And how blue the air must have been? And yet the final product is dignified, humorous and not at all self-centered.Here are a few things I can think we can all learn from the way Conan handled his resignation1) Keep any bitterness to Yourself. Its natural to want to shout your anger from the rooftops when someone has wronged you, but angry people never win. Being angry automatically puts you at a disadvantage. First, its easy to dismiss what you as over emotional and second, anger does tend to make us exaggerate, further giving an advantage to the people who actually wronged you.2) Express your conce rns in terms of the damage to the business, not yourself. Conan is careful to say that he wont do this because a) he thinks it damages the brand and b) he thinks its unfair to someone else who would also be hurt by the move. At no point does he say and I ALSO WONT DO IT BECAUSE ITS UNFAIR TO ME3) Make your points subtly and without emotion. Nevertheless, Conan does make that point. He says the followingSix years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the gelegenheit to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future.In this paragraph, he clearly makes the point that he has been treated harshly without actually making the accusation. Instead he ties this point back into the broader theme of his letter, which is that the show is too valuable a franchise to be treated this way.4) Diffuse tension with humorConan ends his letter thusHave a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair its always been that way.5) Never burn a bridgeNowhere in this letter does Conan issue a judgment about anyone elses behavior. Nowhere does he criticize anyone. He simply lays out the facts calmly and professionally. It would feel so great to write a nasty letter to the guy who wronged you and storm out of the office guns blazing, but that feeling wears off pretty quickly and then all youre left with is fewer references than you would otherwise have had and no paycheck.In the end, almost everyone comes out of this looking badly in my view. The NBC executives look hapless, disorganized and mercenary. And Jay Leno has gone from one of Americas favorite comedians to the guy who let someone else get stiffed so he could get his old job back after he failed in h is new one. Only Conan looks better than he did yesterday. And that is the beauty of his brilliant resignation.What Conan Has That You DontOf course, Conan no doubt had the help of lawyers and PR experts when writing his letter and you wont have that, but I think thats exactly why this is such a valuable example to read and internalize. He paid for the lawyers and PR people, but theres no reason why you cant learn from their workWhat do you think? Did I miss anything great about this letter? Or do you disagree with my whole premise? (You can tell me Im practicing being gracious a la Conan)

Sunday, December 22, 2019

5 Questions to Ask if Youre Looking to Relocate for Your Next Job - The Muse

5 Questions to Ask if Youre Looking to Relocate for Your Next Job - The Muse5 Questions to Ask if Youre Looking to Relocate for Your Next JobBy the time I was 11, I had lived in four states. No, I wasnt a military brat, my dad was in advertising- on the agency side. Because we were uprooted every five years, Im no stranger to relocating for your career, and I want to ensure that youre taken care of, too.I spoke with Jenna van Aswegen and Oana Iordachescu, who both made international moves for their current roles on the recruitment team at Booking.com, a company that relocated more than 500 people to the Netzu sichlands in 2016 and aims to double that number this year (in addition to adding more staffers to the other countries in which they hire). Here are their tips for a seamless relocation.Relocation Questions to Ask Throughout the bewerbungsgesprch ProcessBefore you decide to relocate, make sure that its elend only a good move for your career, but also that your transition will be fully supported by your new employer. Ask these questions.1. Will you provide moving and housing assistance, and in what way?Do not- I repeat, do not- relocate without understanding your package. Its not uncommon for companies to pay for you to get your furniture, your clothing, and those yearbooks you just cant give up professionally packed and shipped to your new home. Plus, more than a few employers also offer to set up new hires up with paid temporary housing (and even unpack for you). Jenna moved from Denver, CO, for her current role. Her advice? Aim for at least of month of temporary housing assistance, which will give you time to find your new home without the rush. She also suggests asking your potential employer if they can set you up with a reputable real estate agent, which Booking.com offered, along with packing, moving, short-term housing, and a relocation bonus. Our goal is to ensure that the relocation experience is frictionless, so on arrival you can focus on whats important enjoying and learning about your new environment, settling into your job and, of course, supporting your family, says Oana.2. Will you pay for me to visit the city?While you may be up for the adventure, youre still uprooting your life. So its definitely not too much to ask your potential employer to pay for you to spend some extra time in what could be your future hometown. Booking.com brings future hires over for three days during which they only spend half a day in the office for an interview for the rest of their stay, theyre encouraged to check out the city.During that time, Jenna suggests completing a mental checklist to determine if its right for you. Whats the community look like, and could you happily fit in? What would your commute be like? Would your kids be happy going to the schools? Could your spouse get a job? Where will you buy groceries? Considering these types of questions will not only give you a feel for what life would be like if you moved, but will als o help you understand what to ask for in your relocation and compensation package. Oana notes that Booking.com offers customizable packages, depending on each candidates situation, so its worth doing your research. 3. Will my new salary make up for any differences in cost of living?Remember that question about groceries? Well, it wasnt for nothing. This can be a key indicator of an areas cost of living- a sneaky one you may not otherwise consider. Other things to research include rent, taxes, andthe exchange rate. Ask to speak with someone else in the company who has relocated, ideally someone whos come from a place similar to your current home, to get the scoop. And dont hesitate to ask your recruiter, says Jenna, whos likely to be honest about it. After all, the company wants to ensure its a good fit on both sides.4. What is the company culture?Even if you get all the relocation perks and a fantastic compensation package, you wont be happy if the company isnt a cultural fit. Which , frankly, can be pretty hard to sniff out when youve been doing much of the interview process virtually. While youre in the office, get a feel for the place, and dont be afraid to ask questions of your recruiter and future colleagues.A few to get you started Whats the work environment like? Whats the work-life balance? Does the company offer a fair vacation package- and do people take their vacation? How much does the team value collaboration, and how do they handle conflict? Are people friends at work? Do colleagues get together for social events? Remember, while your work friends may not make up your entire social circle in the long run, theyll likely be the only people you know in town when you arrive. 5. How do you expect me to make an impact?When making your final decision, a lot comes down to this question. If youre moving for a job, you want it to work out, so your big move wont have been in vain. Ensure you understand the role, the onboarding period, and whats fully expecte d of you. It doesnt hurt to understand your new boss expectation of exactly when youll start making an impact, either. The most important aspects for me were about my role and the team, affirms Oana, This included the mid- and long-term expectations and how I expected to impact all of it. Oh, and its always worth it to check your employment contract to see if youll end up having to repay anything (i.e., your relocation bonus) if it doesnt work out.Are You Ready?Oana just celebrated her first anniversary at Booking.com. During that year, she helped many people make their own decision to relocate to Amsterdam. Most of the stories I hear are positive concerning the care and support they receive coming in, she says. You get to dedicate your energy to professional growth and hardly deal with the hassle of relocation. Having moved before by myself, I know how much effort it is to make it a seamless experience.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Cover Letters The Icing on top of the Resumes

Cover Letters The Icing on top of the Resumes Cover Letters The Icing on top of the Resumes You read the outside of the bag and check the ingredients (and if youre like most Americans, the caloric content as well). The outside of the bag is the only legitimate thing that you have to go on when it comes to deciding whether or not you will buy that bag of chips.The exact same thing can be said for deckblatt letters they are the best possible way to convince a hiring manager to buy the chips, in this context, yur resume.A resume is something that tells employers what you have done, how long you have done it, and whether or not you were able to do it with a modicum of success.Your cover letter is the gold that will sell recruiters on your resume.It is your opportunity to allow your personality and achievements to filter through and give companies a better idea of who you are, how passionate and motivated you are and, quite frankly, how badly you want a job.Cover letters are the opening arguments to an intense court case. Youre the lawyer and youve got to sway the judge and the jury to rule in your favor.With todays economy and job market, youre doing your resume (and yourself) a major disservice if you arent submitting a personalized cover letter to each and every single company that you are applying to.In a previous article, I talked about modifying your resume for different industries, and the same is true for a cover letter. The cover letter supports the resume and should, therefore, be personalized as well.So now that youre convinced that you need a cover letter (because you most certainly do) how do you make koranvers your cover letter sells itself?First, you want to make sure that youre individualizing it.This means including proper format and addressing it to the appropriate party.Most job descriptions will tell you whom to address your resumes to. If a name isnt listed, check the companys website to get the contact information for the hiring manager or HR department head. Avoid the typical To Whom it May Concern because this is impersonal.A cover letter is also a great place to explain any listed requirements or credentials your resume lacks. Maybe you might be short a year of the required experience or might not have the skill set in its entirety, but the cover letter gives you the opportunity to explain why the company should still consider you for the job.Stay away from statements like Im the best candidate for this position and, instead, just explain what skills you do possess, how you can utilize them for the role and how this will benefit the company.If youve got a an upper-level degree, such as a masters, and the entry requirement is a high school diploma, use the cover letter to explain that youre aware of this difference and that youre completely okay with it.Follow up with your reasoning, for example, that you truly desire to work for this specific company for XYZ reasons, are looking to work your way up the corporate ladd er, and willing to abflug from the ground up.Most important, your cover letter needs to tell the hiring manager why you want the job.Honesty is the best policy. Recently an undergraduate student wrote a blunt cover letter for an internship stating that he was from an average university, would work for next to nothing, and didnt want to waste the recipients time exaggerating his credentials or job titles. He saidI wont waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crapp (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. Ive interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at redacted, for whatever that is worth.This student was blatantly honest and Im sure the recipient of his letter, as well as others, respected that. Companies hear applicant after applicant spew forth the I am committed to excellence, I am hard working and dependable, and Working for this company will take me one step further to reaching my career goals lines. You are unique so, let this show through your cover letter. Avoid clich, overused sentences and be honest about why youre seeking the position.By the way, every employer knows, at the end of the day, workers work to get a paycheck. No need to be frank about this. Stick to your motivations for applying outside of compensation.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

3 Resume Old Wives Tales Debunked!

3 Resume Old Wives Tales Debunked3 Resume Old Wives Tales DebunkedWriting yur resume is no easy feat, especially with all the resume rumors flying around out there. Watch out for resume advice that can actually hinder your chances of getting the jobThree common misconceptions that will lead you astray and likely get your resume trashed includeUsing white-font-keywords on your resume to get past an applicant tracking ordnungsprinzip,Using a functional resume format, andPlacing a photo on your resume.Myth 1 Getting Past Applicant Tracking Systems is Easy Just put a Bunch of Keywords in White on Your ResumeOh the white writing trick. The advice here is that you can take the keywords in the job description, or even the whole job description, and put them/it in the margins of your resume in a small white font. This way the applicant tracking systems would see you as being a match but when a hiring manager opens your resume they arent able to see that youve cheated the system.This might ha ve worked great ten years ago unfortunately now applicant tracking systems are actually set to detect this. In fact, some systems are set to immediately eliminate those resumes that use this deceitful white writing tactic. Putting keywords or job descriptions in white font could completely eliminate you from any chance you had at obtaining the position youre looking at.One prominent career expert wrote I probably hear the white-font-keyword advice about once per week. Its a very clever idea, and it sounds like a great cheat code to get passed the ever-frustrating applicant tracking systems that hound all job seekers. This advice worked really well about ten years ago, but applicant tracking systems got wise, and this trick no longer works. Not only that, but using this trick nowadays will make your resume look like a jumbled mess after its submitted. This is because applicant tracking systems automatically turn all fonts black when you submit your resume, so your keywords will go f rom hidden secret to illegible muck.Its important to note that many employers will look at this manipulation as deceitful and automatically place you in the trash pile, if the ATS system didnt already take care of that for them.In short, using the white font keyword strategy is a resume old wives tale debunked for the following reasonsApplicant Tracking Systems are now set to detect this and some systems will even automatically boot your resume if youve used this tactic.Using this trick will make your resume look like a mess after its submitted, as the ATS system will automatically turn all fonts black.Many employers look at this manipulation as deceitful and place your resume in the trash pile.The SolutionThe better bet is to compare the job description to your actual skills and then get those matching keywords into the professional profile, key skills and experience sections of your resume.Myth 2 Use a functional resume format instead of a chronological oneA functional resume is u sed to showcase your abilities rather than your chronological work history. The majority of your resume is spent going over your skills with a very small work history section at the bottom. Functional resumes are typically used by those that have gaps in their work history, are reentering the workforce, have frequently changed jobs, are looking to change to a new career, or dont really fit the job position perfectly. In these situations you may want to consider a functional resume though it certainly isnt an ideal scenario with the way applicant tracking systems read resumes now.Applicant tracking systems specifically look to have you complete your application in a chronological way. In the end, if you use functional resume format, youll find yourself having to reorganize your resume to fit with what applicant tracking systems are looking for anyways.Additionally, during the financial crisis many applicants started to use functional resumes as a way to gloss over employment gaps or to apply for jobs that werent in their area of expertise. Since then, functional resumes have been equated with unemployed or unqualified applicants. If this is your situation, then it certainly might be an vorkaufsrecht for you to use this resume format, just be careful with it.Functional resumes as a successful resume format is a resume oldwives tale debunked for the following reasonsThey dont work well with applicant tracking systems.Functional resumes are often equated with unemployed, under qualified, or unqualified applicants since the financial crisis.The SolutionThe most highly recommended format for your resume currently is to use a bit of a combination resume. With this format youll list your skills and experience to start out and then follow with a reverse chronological order of your employment history. This way you can use a small professional profile and core competencies section to showcase your skills relevant to the position youre applying for, while also providing y our work history and specific job duties. This type of resume is useful for advancing past applicant tracking systems since you have the opportunity to get some keywords into your top profile and skills section, as well as throughout your work history.Myth 3 You should include a photo of yourself on your resume since theyre going to look you up anyways.Many countries use CVs instead of resumes. In these locations it is absolutely okay to include your photo on your resume, and in many cases even encouraged. However, in the United States, resume experts advise against attaching pictures or any image files to a resume.First, these photos mess with applicant tracking systems. While your resume might look nice on your end, the system wont always know how to interpret a photo and may even sto your resume into the trash pile.Second, HR professionals prefer that you do not include a photo on your resume as it can lead to discrimination claims. As one career expert writes, Its illegal to con sider factors like age, race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability status in hiring decisions. So hiring authorities prefer to not officially know whether youre a member of one of these protected classes. If you put a photo on your resume, you reveal some of these details. If the employer later interviews you but doesnt hire you, it opens the possibility of a discrimination claim. Some companies will even flat-out reject resumes with photos, just to avoid that potential accusation.Many HR departments will cringe when they open resumes that have a photo on them for fear of any potential discrimination cases that could be made if they simply decide the candidate is not qualified for the position.Basically, it is still considered unwise to include a photo of yourself on your resume in the U.S. so this is a resume oldwives tale debunked because,Its not currently viewed as professional,Photos are not readable by applicant tracking systems which could hurt your chances of landing the job, andPhotos on resumes can lead to discrimination claims.The SolutionGet a step ahead by including a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume. This way the HR team or hiring manager will be more likely to go straight to your professional page and less likely to dig up old facebook photos that you couldve sworn you had deleted. Be sure to edit your public LinkedIn URL so its clean and easy to read.Avoid Common Resume Mistakes and Follow a Format that WorksAt Resume Yeti, we help you create a resume thats equally optimized for ATS software and human readers alike. Following the format laid out in our resume builder will lead to greater success in your job hunt. Try our service today, and watch your response rates increase as your resume starts getting through to the right people.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

The Unusual Secret of Rsume

The Unusual Secret of Rsume The Appeal of Rsume The health care industry can be quite competitive. Various kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with lots of the exact same skills. Hard skills have a tendency to be more technical, and each business or kind of job will often have its personal necessary set. You are also able to get a feeling of the internal language used within a specific industry or company. New Ideas Into Rsume Never Before Revealed You should organize your resume to assist agencies evaluate your experience. If you dont supply the info necessary for the hiring agency to ascertain your qualifications, you may not be considered for the job. It supplies the hiring manager a summary of the qualifications youve got for the job for which youre applying. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in contrast to traditional hiring methods. All About Rsume However much or what type of work experience youve got , theres a resume format that is likely to make your qualifications shine. Ensure you highlight technical wisdom and certifications. You also ought to chat about past experience. When there is relevant volunteer experience, that needs to be included, too. ur resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that can help you get your fantasy job. Although resumes are composed using standard elements, there is absolutely no prescribed format is effective equally well for everybody. If youre seeking to customize professional, pre-formatted resumes, have a look at our totally free downloadable templates. Everything about your resume is selling one product you and if you are wanting to work in retail, you want to demonstrate that you understand just what is needed to sell yourself. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Rsume Is Wrong Generally speaking, an objective on your resume can be useful if it concisely describes your immediate employment goal, but it isnt an essential element of a successful resume. Possessing a crystal clear and professional resume is important in the health care field. Even if your information is in bullet format, it may still be tough to quickly recognize the pertinent abilities and accomplishments which are important to the prospective employer. Our resume examples can ensure youre prepared in the event you receive a referral. The War Against Rsume Nurturing your inner wellspring of creativity will allow you to tackle challenging issues. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. Read through it a couple of occasions and youll probably spot three or four vital skills mentioned many times throughout the document. To do so, you will want to detail your abilities and experience, with a distinctive focus on how you may use those abilities to turn a profit. You may borrow or use a number of the phrasing here to demonstrate that youve been responsible for many significant areas in yo ur previous work. Thus, theres no need to attempt to build one resume profile or write one particular profile title that fits every position you need to submit an application for. There are a few things that dont belong on a resume for work. The challenge of being a true student searching for a job tends to be an absence of prior job experience. The Dirty Facts About Rsume Your experience should address every necessary qualification in the job announcement. Assembling information in a timely manner is valuable to your manager since it means the corporations time is being utilized well. Its merely a process we need to go through. Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any stage in the creation approach. Concentrate on these sections to understand whether you meet the requirements for the position. Writing a strong application is a difficult procedure and we would like to make it simpler. How this switch impacts the cmdlet is dependent on if the cmdlet demands confirmation before proceeding. Be certain to include quantifiable information to truly drive home how valuable you can be to a possible employer. The area of information technology grows more important daily. You must keep your resume short and sweet, but still consist of enough excellent information to produce an impression. Important information is called out and simple to find. Another important point to consider is to relate the way your previous experiences would benefit the target company. A distinctive life situation needs a unique resume. Its also important to think about the sort of work you genuinely wish to be hired to do. Its a remarkable place to be. What to Expect From Rsume? Check out these resume samples to make certain hiring managers see the very best edition of you Job seekers deserve to locate decent content quickly. There are many jobs available within this exciting field. There are a lot of standard kinds of resumes used to make a n application for job openings.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

How to Spend Less Than 10 Percent of Your Week in Meetings

How to Spend Less Than 10 Percent of Yur Week in Meetings Theres a lot to be said about how to do meetings better fewer PowerPoints, fewer people, zero distractions. However, none of those tactics will move the needle enough on its own.The bold move most organizations must take, but rarely do, is to cap the total time employees spend meeting internally.Organizations depend on meetings, but having too many meetings is wasteful. By one estimate, poorly organized meetings will cost US firms $399 billion in 2019. Thats a significant headwind unless yur product is corporate satire, that is.Two-thirds of managers said wasteful meetings come at the expense of deep thinking, keep them from completing their work, and miss opportunities to bring teams closer together, according to a study published in the MIT Sloan Management Review. That study cited research showing that executives spend an average of 23 hours per week in meetings.The data only tells part of the story. Meeting fatigue is a real problem from a qualitative (and quality of life) point of view as well. Think back to the last time you laughed at an anti-meeting meme or checked social media while on a conference call. Funny cuz its true, right? And when you see a meeting invite on your calendar, do you celebrate? Thats what I thought.To start, we have to ask how we can get more value out of our meetings. If we can improve meeting ROI, we can boost efficiency. Then we can free ourselves to think deeper, improve alignment across teams, and increase velocity throughout the company.How? Lets take a page from the classic laws of supply and demand. When the supply of meeting time goes down, the value of the minutes that remain necessarily becomes more precious.When You Limit Meeting Time, You Place a Value on TimeThink of the opposite of capping meeting time allowing an unlimited number of meetings. To do so effectively values internal time at zero. If theres no cost to adding ano ther meeting, meetings are as cheap as they get.Except that when you factor in time, meetings, on the whole, are actually one of most companies more significant expenses.At our company, our peoples time is our biggest asset, so we cap internal meetings at 10 percent. Yes, thats only four measly hours per 40-hour workweek. For you, it might be different. Whether you can achieve 10 percent will undoubtedly vary across organizations and industries. An excellent place to start is to count the number of hours currently spent on internal meetings, then set an aggressive goal for reducing that number in the next quarter.Create an Agenda That Everyone Owns and Pre-Work That AgendaOnce you have a target for the total number of meetings you want to allow each week, you can hit this target by making the meetings that remain as useful as possible.Setting an agenda is the gold standard for a better meeting. However, if only one person owns the agenda, thats a problem. After all, a meeting isnt j ust your time or my time its our time. To value our time, we need to agree on how best to use it, right?Everyone who attends the meeting must have a stake in the meetings content. By pre-working the agenda in a collaborative environment, your team can align around meeting topics faster, recognize when a session isnt necessary (a huge win), and determine who needs to be in the meeting and who needs to be looped in after the fact.For more expert HR insights, check out the latest issue of Recruiter.com MagazineShare Meeting Notes With Those Not in AttendanceWhat are your criteria for inviting someone to a meeting? Chances are you dont have any, or you send out invites if the topic seems vaguely relevant to a person. People do this because its better to send an invite than explain why you left someone on the sidelines. Its a safer move, but it is a total waste.We found that after we limited meeting hours, we needed better logic to drive the invitation process. As it turns out, that log ic is hard to articulate as a general rule. So, as much as possible, we let the agenda process drive invites organically. People opt in or opt out, choosing how to spend their allocated meeting hours just as they might spend other aspects of their budget. Sometimes just reading the agenda, or adding to it, is enough to allow someone to skip the meeting.Fewer of us (and fewer of you) need to be active participants in meetings than you might think. Many of us only really need a summary of the meeting content. By publishing meeting notes afterward on our company Slack channel, weve found its easy enough to leave someone out of the meeting. They still get looped into the substance of what happened, what decisions we made, and what the next steps are.Embrace Asynchronous CommunicationWhen we tell people about our companys internal meeting rule, they look at us with astonishment and ask, How do you communicate?Whats interesting about this question is that it assumes meetings are the only high-bandwidth way to share and discuss. We all know thats not true theres literally a meme about surviving another meeting that shouldve been an email but perhaps we need to be reminded that meetings and emails arent the only options.Think about what forms of communication are the most effective. At the very top of the list, we have meetings (face to face and conference calls). We place meetings at the top for the same reason we limit the amount of time we spend in meetings While theyre the highest value, theyre also the most costly use of our time because they require us to sync up. Finding that shared time can be especially challenging in todays workplace, especially for companies where people work remotely or in separate time zones.Just below meetings, though, are a range of asynchronous communication tools like Slack, email, and video messages that are almost as good but which require a lot less investment.Choosing which channel to use is often a matter of what you have to co mmunicate. While Slack and email are mainstays for most offices, we have something of a love affair with video messages. For one thing, videos are easy to create, thanks to free software like Loom. Unlike email or Slack, videos have the benefit of carrying the messengers tone.A quick explanation of how a process works or a brief to-do list comes across with the personal touch of a face-to-face chat. Thats huge for coworkers who rarely see each other IRL.Speaking of a meeting that should have been an email, videos are also much faster to record than typing out a careful email on a complex topic. That email should have been a video.Regardless of which asynchronous communication tool you use, youre empowering yourself to value your own time without sacrificing the information sharing that comes from meetings. As an organization, weve discovered that the more we communicate in an asynchronous way, the less we disrupt our work. It helps us move faster overall.Just as important, weve also found the 10 percent of the time we do use for meetings is something we all value and appreciate. In other words, we like our meetings, and because our calendars arent overwhelmed with invites, we look forward to the opportunity to talk things over.Josh Lowy is CEO and cofounder of Hugo.