The job search is no walk in the park. In fact, a 2017 CareerBuilder study found 73% of job seekers feel it’s one of the most stressful experiences in life. And without a doubt, the interviewing process is quite possibly the most stressful part of the entire job search. 

Nothing skyrockets the nerves quite like meeting interviewers and understanding your future career is hanging in the balance of a 30-minute conversation. Simple phrases, statements, and even questions can leave interviewers questioning you as a candidate. Don’t let communication mishaps with your interviewers leave you out of the running for a great job. 

If you’re in the midst of a job search, here are a few things to stop saying to interviewers and what to say instead:

Let’s be honest, work is stressful. It’s up to you to create an environment where your employees can thrive and successfully navigate increasing workloads, distractions, negativity, and changes in the workplace. 

According to The American Institute of Stress, 75 percent of employees believe that workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Additionally, 80 percent of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress, and 42 percent say their co-workers need such help. It’s up to employers to help employees handle everyday stress. 

Getting a handle on employee stress not only increases productivity and improves overall employee well-being, it also prepares your team to handle events that are even more stressful or worrisome. Tapping into your employees’ emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

Here are some emotionally intelligent tips to help your employees better manage stress: 

You’ve heard it a million times: keep your social media presence professional. Facebook, Twitter and, of course, LinkedIn are now riddled with employers and recruiters searching and researching potential hires. 

But Instagram is a safe zone, right? You can post there freely and a potential employer would never see it. 

Wrong.

The 2018 Recruiter Nation survey from Jobvite found 25 percent of recruiters are investing in Instagram recruiting efforts. An even greater number of millennial recruiters (35 percent) see the value of the social media site as a talent source. 

This trend is actually a good thing for young professionals. It’s another chance to show recruiters and employers just how awesome you are. When you approach Instagram like a trained job seeker, you increase the chances of getting noticed for your dream job.

Congratulations! Summer is here, the hectic days leading up to graduation are over, and now you and the students you’ve helped mold can relax. For a minute.

OK, that minute is up! As your newly-graduated students move into active job seeker status, there are several tasks you can encourage those brand new alumni (or even current students) to do throughout the summer to gain valuable experience, learn new skills, and get ready for the workforce.

Here’s a summer to-do list you can download and share with recent grads and students:

No employer wants to ever consider having to lay off a large portion of their workforce — but it happens. In 2019, alone, we’ve already seen major layoffs from large companies like General Motors, Buzzfeed and, most recently, the final white-collar cuts by Ford. Smaller organizations like local factories, school districts, or even fire departments have also had to let a significant number of employees go.

Sometimes, layoffs can’t be avoided in order to keep the company afloat. But whenever possible, employers should offer displaced employees the best severance packages and support they can. It’s important to show you care for their well-being. After all, many of these individuals have given years to your organization.

The question then becomes: what’s the best way to support displaced employees? To find that answer, you need to understand the greatest worries of displaced workers. Then, find ways to alleviate the specific fears of your displaced workforce with a severance package that offers more than a modest payout.

Here are three typical — and understandable — concerns of laid-off employees you need to consider when determining the offerings of your severance packages: