The Ultimate Resume Guide for Every Job Seeker

The Ultimate Resume Guide for Every Job SeekerRemember that old song by Destinys Child, Skills, Skills, Skills? Oh, wait, that was Bills, Bills, Bills. Still, you can still use that old tune to remind you that skills are the beating heart of your resume. Work experience and your network are essential to get you to the next step, as is a solid interview performance, but skills are what get you hired. Think of them as a kind of currency you collect them along the way, and trade them to employers in exchange for experience and mora skills to add to your wealth. Theyre also something that affects every level of job seeker, from the least-experienced folks just starting out to those who have many years in the trenches and are looking for a new job. No matter who you are, you can always find new and better ways to build and showcase your skills to take advantage of new opportunities. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Which Skills Belong On Yo ur Resume?2. The Newbie Applicant3. The Changing CareersApplicant4. The Paused Career Applicant5. The Promotion Seeker via ImgurWhich Skills Belong On Your Resume?Skills can seem like an abstract concept. We hear about social skills, communication skills, job skills, sports skills. On the most basic level, skills answer the question, What am I good at doing? or What are my competencies? In the context of the resume, we get more selective and focus almost entirely on the schriftarts of skill areas that help you do your jobCommunication skills How you convey needs and results to colleagues or clients, or how you present yourself in writing and in personProblem solving skills How you approach challenges in the workplaceOrganization skills How you structure your tasks, and set up the resources you need to do themTechnical skillsHow you use tools (like specific equipment, programs, or processes) to do your jobInterpersonal skills How you interact with bosses, colleagues, team membersHar d Skills vs. Soft SkillsHard skills are those that are easily quantifiable, and can be learned formally. Some examplesSoftware training or competency (like Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, InDesign, SalesTracker)Program certificationsComputer programmingForeign language fluencyTyping (words per minute)Hard skills are important because they show immediately what you can do. If you have training in Photoshop or other photo editing software, that tells the resume reader that you have a very specific area of expertise. Hard skills are ones that can be developed fairly easily, though tutorials, classes/education programs, or practice.RELATED13 Skills You Need to Put on Your Resume Soft skills are those that are a little more subjective and open to interpretationbut dont be fooled into thinking theyre less important Some examplesCommunicationWork ethicProblem solvingTeamworkOrganizationMultitaskingAdaptabilityCreativitySoft skills are harder to pick up they tend to come more through exp erience and personality instead of a class or tutorial. However, soft skills are gaining more traction in the job hund world, as hiring managers look for personalities that will mesh well in their work environment. This is not to discount the importance of experience and hard skillsbut recruiters and others are turning more and more to the less quantifiable strengths (sometimes referred to as emotional intelligence) that suggest a well-rounded candidate.So which set of skills reigns supreme? Well, neitherand both. The best resume will have a strong showing in both categories, so youll need to find a balance between them. The important thing to remember is that your resume should play to the strengths required by the job youre seeking. If youre applying for a job that has a heavy computer programming focus, emphasize that on your resume, but also make sure to include bullet points about how your softer skills stab und sttze that hard skill. The way you use these skills on your resum e may also be affected by what kind of goal youre hoping to achieve in your job hunt. If youre a non-traditional candidate (entry-level, applying for jobs after a break, or already employed), the best format for you is likely a skill-based resume over the traditional reverse-chronological format. Lets walk through different job seeker scenarios to see what would be the best way to use your skills on your resume.The Newbie ApplicantIf youre just entering the workforce, creating a resume can be really tough. How do you fill in that page when you dont yet have much experience? This is where skills become especially importantbecause you may not have work experience yet, but you definitely have skills. Its just a matter of framing those in a hire me way. Through your classes and activities, you likely picked up experience in aufgabe solving, or teamwork, running meetings, or communicating with others. These may not fall under the heading of work experience per se, but dont count out your skills just because you havent been paid for them (yet).RELATED10 Biggest Job Search Mistakes of New College GradsAccording to The Muse, there are many soft skills that you may have picked up along the way without even realizing it, includingAnalytical skillsTeaching classesEditing publicationsDramatizing ideas of problemsOrganizing people and tasksRaising fundsCommunicationMotivating othersSetting up demonstrationsAdvising people writing reportsCoordinating eventsMeeting the publicCustomer ServiceFinding informationManaging your own timeBookkeepingCounseling peopleInterviewing peopleProblem solverSchedulingEnduring long hoursIncreasing productivitySelling productsEscorting VIPs on toursInventing new ideasOffice managementInvestigating problemsDisplaying ideas graphicallyHandling complaintsPersuading othersUpdating filesAdministering programsDelegating responsibilityAnalyzing dataArranging social functionsAdvertising/promoting eventsSpeaking in publicEvaluating programsProposing al ternate approachesConfronting other peopleCorresponding with othersInterpreting languagesListening to othersEntertaining peoplePreparing materialsManaging an organizationDispensing informationWorking under pressureHandling detail workSketching charts and diagramsWorking collaboratively with people with different backgroundsImagining new solutionsPlanning organizational needsMaking decisions with incomplete informationSupervising othersCollecting moneyRunning meetingsCompiling statistics And dont forget personal skills as wellthose can show potential employers what kind of employee youd be. Prized personal skills include punctuality, flexibility (think adaptable, not gymnast), responsibility, persistence, and creativity. The best way to use those on your resume is to tailor the document to the job description for which youre applying, and come up with examples (bullet points) of those skills that match the job. After all, the hiring managers will understand that youre fresh on the jo b scene, experience-wise, but you want to help them understand how youre already well equipped for that next step into the career world. Your career path might be a blank slate at this point, but youre not.The Changing CareersApplicantA similar scenario is someone whos changing careers, or shifting lanes within an industry. If youve decided to pull a career switcheroo and pursue a different type of job from the ones youve already held, experience can be as much as an issue as it is when youre just starting out.RELATED 6 Things You Must Know About Changing Career In that case, a skills-based resume could help ease that transition. In this kind of resume, you put a hefty Skills section front and center, followed by an abbreviated work history sectiontailored to the highlights you can most easily apply to your potential new job/industry. You can also skip bulleted points, and just include company names, position titles, and dates. Definitely include any volunteer experience or internsh ips, classes, etc. that pertain to your hoped-for job. On a traditional chronological resume for an experienced employee, youd likely skip those (unless directly relevant to your job), but here youre aiming for flexibility and the transferability of skills you already have.The Paused Career ApplicantResume gaps can occur for a lot of different reasons job loss + challenging hiring landscape, personal issues, maternity/paternity/family leave, etc. Whatever the reasons, your skills can be recruited to help ease the frustration of experience/work history gaps on your resume. The most important thing to remember is that this isnt necessarily a dealbreaker you just need to do a little extra work and tailoring to show that the gaps dont define your career path or goals. The skills-based resume is a good option for you as well. You want to emphasize that regardless of your experience, you have the tools necessary to be a great employee.RELATED6 Ways to Handle Employment Gaps on Your Resume For your skills-based resume, its extra important to customize your resume for the individual job description. Youll need to be able to a) get your resume seen by someone who might be screening for more experience or whos currently working in the field and b) convince the reader that hmm, this person may have a gap, but s/hes got experience and the right skills, if not doing it currently. Before applying, do your researchWhich tasks/skills are specifically outlined in the job description?What background information can you find about the companys values? (Company websites often have mission statements, or brief summaries of the companys values and goals.)Does anyone in your network work at this company? If so, the benefits are twofold this person could help get your resume in the right inbox, but he or she could also give you some insight into what the companys culture is like, and what qualities would be most welcomed.Once you have as much info as you can find, tailor your Skills b ullets. For the work history, you can keep the position info brief and as vague as you darejust know that if you dont include dates or company names, it could be either a red flag to a reader, or lead to specific questions about it in an interview. Its okay to be honest about gaps and employment datesjust be prepared to speak to why, then pivot the conversation about how youre ready for the opportunity at hand.The Promotion SeekerIf youre seeking an advancement where you already are, your case is a little different from the resume builders mentioned aboveyoure already in, you just want to go up. In that case, it can be easy to dismiss the need for a resume at all. After all, they already know you, right? Not so fast.RELATED7 Workplace Tips For Getting a PromotionThe resume can be a great way to reintroduce yourself, the you that has picked up skills and experience (and maybe even awards or professional certifications) along the way. Your old resume is likely picking up dust (literal ly or digitally) somewhere in HRs files. No ones likely to dig it up to give you the promotion you deserve, so take the initiative to update your resume and show why you deserve a promotion or raise. This has the added benefit of your experience back when you applied, you probably framed your resume based on what you thought would apply to the job. Now you know what applies to the job, because youve been doing it. You can refine skills that are directly relevant, and weed out ones that never really applied to your day-to-day. You can also add specific examples and achievements from your time at the company.The skills-based resume is a good format for a promotion because your work history is less crucial here. They know where youve beenright in cubicle C. Its good to keep the abbreviated work history section in there, just to give the powers that be a reminder of your path to your current positionbut the spotlight should really be on the skills you have, and have built in your curren t job.If youre looking for a raise, emphasize skills that show you going above and beyond your basic job description. If youre looking to move into a more senior position, emphasize your leadership and management skills. Again, you have the benefit of inside information about the job and the company, so use that to tailor the heck out of your resume. Dont just brush off your old resume filestart from scratch and think deeply about what skill areas you want to emphasize.Skills, Skills, SkillsSkills are one of the most effective tools you have in shaping your career narrative. Names, dates, and titles only go so far in telling a hiring manager what you can do. No matter where you are in your career, crafting a resume that makes your skills shine could be the key to your next big opportunity.

What Job Descriptions Can Reveal About Employers - Jobscan Blog

What Job Descriptions Can Reveal About Employers - Jobscan BlogPosted on July 7, 2015August 30, 2019 by Trista Winnie When you are researching a potential employer, there are numerous sources of information the companys website and social media presence, reviews on Glassdoor, and of course, good old-fashioned Googling. But dont overlook the power of job descriptionstheres a lot they can tell you a lot about a company.Just like your resume is a marketing document, selling you as the product, job descriptions exist to sell candidates on a company and a role. A job descriptions content and tone can provide job landseekers with a number of insights about the employer.Workplace cultureFor example, start-up and tech companies often highlight their open and collaborative work environments. In many cases, this means they have an open office layout. Open offices have both huge fans and huge detractors. If youve never worked in an open office environment, be sure to read up on the trend as par t of your job research.Many start-ups and tech companies use open office layouts. They arent for everyone.These companies want to attract top talent, so they offer unique benefits, and advertise them in their job descriptions. (Think in-office beer fridges on-site chefs preparing organic, locally-sourced meals or airfare allowances of thousands of dollars. These are all actual benefits offered by various start-ups and tech companies in Seattle.) But if you prefer to leid blur the lines between work and playand between your work life and your home lifesuch companies might not be your best bet.Company culture is an important consideration, because succeeding and advancing at work often comes down to not just ability or results, but to how well you fit in with the company culture. Many times, job descriptions can clue you in on what that culture is.Clarity and goalsIf you come across a job description thats full of jargon and buzzwords, but light on detail, youve likely found a company that doesnt know quite what its hiring for. Another possible indicator is a job description that asks for impossibly wide-ranging skills, or numerousdifferent types of outputs expected on a regular basis. Measuring success in a role thats loosely defined can be toughand it can mean that you miss out on chances for advancement.Overly broad or especially unclear job descriptions can also indicate that a company is trying to stretch its budget and hire one person to carry out the functions of multiple jobs. Some might view that as an opportunity, while others might see it as a burden. It all depends on your goals and expectations.Pace and focusFast-paced, deadline-driven work environments dont always leave time for pursuing big-picture goals.Constant deadlines and constant pressure do not directly translate into meaningful work they often mean busywork, and many small tasks in place of larger goals. If you are a big-picture person, a company that focuses on daily deadlines might not g ive you the time or opportunity to focus on anything else.If you find deadlines exhilarating, you might thrive on that tempo and feel aimless in a slower-paced job. Or maybe youwant a job where you work hard while youre there, but dont take your job home with you.Reading job descriptions carefully can give you a sense of whether a role is focused on numerous short-term goals or on fewer long-term ones. Fast-paced, urgency, and deadline-driven are just a few common terms that should be red flags for job seekers more interested in big-picture roles.Whatever pace you prefer, make sure your resume demonstrates it. Echo the keywords from the job descriptions throughout your resume wherever they fit to help build your candidacy.Knowing what you want in your next job is important. If your job search tactic is to submit as many applications as possible, youre incredibly unlikely to ever be among the top candidates for any jobeven if your qualifications are a match. Only the top 2 percent of job applicants are offered bewerbungsgesprchs, according to Robert Meier, president of Job Market Experts. To be among the top 2 percent of candidates for a job, you need to not only be qualified, but to have customized your application for that specific job.To gauge how well youve targeted your resume for a specific job, run it through Jobscans online resume analysis tool. It offers not just a match rating, but personalized feedback on how to improve your resume.Read job descriptions carefully and then apply for the best jobs, not the most jobs. Submitting targeted resumes to carefully-chosen roles dramatically boosts your chances of landing in that top 2 percent of candidates. Thats how youll get an interviewand a job.Facebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

Everyone Faces Setbacks Adopt a Resilience Regimen Today

Everyone Faces Setbacks Adopt a Resilience Regimen Today Setbacks are an unavoidable part of life, especially in your career. If you dont learn to deal with them properly, you may end up with a lot of regret and you may evenmake the setback harder to overcome.When it comes to setbacks, the sooner we learn to deal with them, the better. Whether a setbackispersonal or professional, one thing is certain Building resilience is critical to overcoming whatever comes your way.The Resilience RegimenSetbacks bring up a lot of emotions. They can make you feel deflated and even helpless. Theycan rob you of your sense of control over your own life and career. Once you start feeling that way, the setback may start to look positively insurmountable.When faced with a setback, the key is to quickly shift to a solutions-based mindset. This is where the resilience regimencomes in.Formulatedby Harvard Business School Professor Joshua D. Margolis and PEAK Learning CEO Dr. Paul G. Stoltz in a 2010 Harvard Business Review article, a resilience regimen is a deliberative rather than reflexive approach to dealing with hardship centered on asking questions to reframe negative events in productive ways.When we look at setbacks, we have the option to see them through various lenses. For instance, we might examine the event in terms of the control we have (or no longer have) and how longthe impact of the setback will last. While some of us have a natural tendency to blame ourselves and get stuck in the sea of negativity, others quickly focus on how to turn things around. They triage the situation, conduct some kind ofpostmortem evaluation, and are able to learn from their mistakes. These people use the setback as an occasion to find ways to move forward and to prevent the situation from happening again.For those of us who need more help when trying to shift from a blame-focused to a solutions-focused mindset, all hope is not lost. We, too, can practice re silience. We just need to ask the right questions. That way, we can clarify for ourselves how to push through the setback and get back on track.It is important to realize that you are not powerless in the face of adversity. You may not be able to control everything, but you can control some things. These should be your starting point. Toward that end, Margolis and Stoltz recommend you ask yourself the following questionsWhat aspects of the situation can I directly influence to change the course of this adverse event?How can I make the fruchtwein immediate positive impact on this situation?What can I do to reduce the potential downside of this event by even 10 percent? What can I do to maximize the potential upside? (If you look hard enough, there may be an upside to focus on. For example, getting laid off is certainly a setback, but it could alsobe the catalyst that causes you to find a jobthat ultimately makes you happier.)What do I want life to look like on the other side of this event, and what steps can I take to get even a little closer to that end?Adopting any habit takes practice, and a resilience regimen is no different. Practice this type of evaluation as often as you can.Its just like working out a muscle The more you try resilience, the stronger your resilience will grow.Another thing that helps is to write your answers down. When you write down the answers to these questions, you force yourself to be more specific than you would be if you had just thought about the answers in your head. Writingyour answers down also allows you to revisit them at a later time. According to Margolis and Stoltz, studies show that writing your answers down canbetter support youremotional and physical well-being and offer you a stronger sense of control over the situation.Its also critical to seek support, especially if you tend to isolate yourself when dealing with a setback. That said, dontconfuse support with finding other blame-focused people with whom you can commi serate. If youre building resilience, thats the last thing you need.Instead, look to people you trust who arent too emotionally investedandcan really be objective. Someone like a mentor or trusted advisor would be best.Finally, remember that youre not alone. Everyone, even those who are wildly successful, experiences setbacks. Research your heroes and learn from the stories of how they overcame various challenges. Youll find the most successful people in the world are those who have mastered the art of reframing failures. Theyknow failure leads to growth. Instead of simply pushing past failure, they embrace the experience as a learning opportunity,and theylook forward to putting what they learned from their mistakes into practice.A version of this article originally appeared on theAtrium Staffing blog.Michele Mavi isAtrium Staffings resident career expert.

Response Strategies for Positive Risk

Response Strategies for Positive RiskResponse Strategies for Positive RiskNegative risks are when things could go wrong on a project. However, its also possible for risks to be positive. Yes, really We tend to think less about positive risk in project management, probably because team members, managers, and project sponsors focus more on what could go wrong. Positive risks are situations that could provide great opportunities if you only harness them effectively. There are also formal management strategies for responding to positive risks. They are Exploit, Share, Enhance, and Accept. Lets look at them in more detail. Exploit This response strategy tries to make aya that the risk happens, so you get the perceived benefit from the situation. Simple ways to do this could be to train the team to give them extra skills or to tweak your deliverables slightly so that they respond better to the opportunity. Remember that positive risk doesnt have to only apply to the deliverables you ar e creating. It can also apply to the way you are creating them. An excellent example of this is if someone on your team comes up with a way of cutting the project timescales by 10 percent if you make a change to a project management process. By training people in the new process, you can increase the chance that youll exploit the opportunity to deliver 10 percent faster. It can be hard to think up ways that you could exploit the opportunity so that you make the situation happen. Spend some time brainstorming to see what you can come up with. Share An excellent example of the Share response is in bidding for work. You may find that your bid would be more successful if you partnered (i.e., shared) with another firm. The opportunity (in this case, winning the bid) would be more likely to happen if you worked as a team. Another example might be if you are building something, working in partnership with a specialist firm for a particular component might give you the edge. Enhance Enhancing the opportunity can come about when you focus on the causes of the opportunity. In other words, what are the factors that are going to make this positive risk/opportunity happen? Think about how you can influence those factors. This could be by introducing software features to make the new product more marketable or shareable. It relies on being able to adequately articulate what is going to cause a beneficial situation to happen so that you can focus your efforts appropriately. Get everyone on the project team together to come up with ideas. Youll find it easier to work out how best to respond to the situation as positive risk response strategies can be challenging to get your head around. Accept As above, this is the do nothing response. Its a perfectly valid response, but one that might need a bit of explaining to your project sponsor. It simply means that you accept that the opportunity is going to come your way or it isnt. You do nothing to influence it either wa y, and you dont put any plans in place to deal with it. The most likely situations for using this approach are When taking action is going to be too costly for the benefit youd get back if the opportunity did happen.When taking action is disproportionate regarding work its too much effort to put the plans in place based on the likelihood of the risk happening. There might be other situations where you would instead do nothing. As long as you take this option as a considered approach and not because you didnt get round to making a decision, then thats fine. Talking About Positive Risk Most risk management is focused on trying to avoid situations happening that are going to be badeanstalt for your project. Thats why it can be hard to get people to think about the things that might go right, and how, in those cases, you are going to capitalize on the situation and make the most from it. Use your Project Board meetings as a starting point for this kind of discussion. Whichever one o f these positive risk response strategies you choose, your risk response strategy should be noted down in your risk register.

Customize this Outstanding Medical Assistant Or Phlebotomist Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Medical Assistant Or Phlebotomist Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Medical Assistant Or Phlebotomist Resume SampleCreate Resume Holly Jenks100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA 91010Cell (555) 987-1234example-emailexample.comProfessional SummaryEfficient and compassionate medical assistant or phlebotomist with extensive knowledge of phlebotomy techniques as part of background of overall patient care. Over six years as medical assistant also responsible for drawing blood, properly handling specimens and ensuring patient comfort within a growing family practice. Experienced in most widely used computer programs, medical terminologies and documents processing.Core QualificationsSafe blood collection and handlingProper blood storage techniquesDonor and patient careMedical records documentationRegistered and licensed phlebotomistBasic life support (BLS) certifiedExperienceMedical Assistant or Phlebotomist, March 2009-April 2015Cityland Regional Family Practi ce New Cityland, CAEscorted patients from waiting area into treatment rooms for doctor consultation.Provided phlebotomy services as directed by physician or nurse.Obtained blood samples for medical laboratory testing through venipuncture or capillary puncture.Ensured patient comfort and stress free provision of blood sampling services.Maintained high standard of safety and ensured all infection control policies and procedures were strictly observed.Cleaned, maintained and prepared blood collection equipment.Assisted nursing staff and other healthcare providers as needed and directed.Honored as Employee of the Month eight times in six years with the organization.Education2007 Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT)American Medical Technologists (AMT)2007 Licensed PhlebotomistState of California2009 Associate of Science, Laboratory TechnologyUniversity of California-New Cityland, CACustomize Resume

How to Handle Job Rejection With Professionalism

How to Handle Job Rejection With ProfessionalismHow to Handle Job Rejection With ProfessionalismHow to Handle Job Rejection With ProfessionalismTo respond or not to respond after job rejection, that is the question. What to do after youve been rejected.The job search can be emotionally draining and nothing can make it feel more so than when you receive a job rejection letter for a position you really wanted. It can be hard to take, but that doesnt mean you simply have to accept it and walk away.With that said, there is a time and a place for responding tojob rejections, and there is definitely clear etiquette for how to do so. Below is a quick guide to assist you in crafting a response and also in determining if you really should send one in the first place.Should you respond to job rejection?There are a number of ways to verstndigung im strafverfahren with job rejection, and while most people just move on, there are times when you may feel strongly that you want to make your case. W hen deciding if its worth the emotional and time investment to craft a letter after job rejection, consider the following three questions (and be honest in your responses)How badly did you want this position?If you have been applying to multiple companies and to almost anything related to your field, this job rejection homilie is going to be one of many. What welches it about this job beyond being a job that you wanted? If you dont really have an answer, then its not the time to respond. Take the rejection and wait for the right fit.How far into the process were you?Generally speaking, if you are only at the job-application phase of the process, theres no need to respond with a letter after job rejection. Your rejection was due to being screened out or to a strong candidate pool, so chances are, you need to start with analyzing your resume or skill set to determine why that was. However, there may be times when you feel strongly that you slipped through the cracks, so if your gut tells you something went awry from your submission to the hiring managers desk, you may still have a reason to respond.How personal was the job rejection?If you received a generic email, even after an interview, it may not be worth your time to respond with a letter after job rejection. There are a number of reasons for this, and some are based more on time restraints, but if the company didnt value your application enough to call or to send you more than a form letter, the response may go into a pile unread as well.All of these are only guidelines, as every case is different. Ive seen some candidates get a response when theyve been proactive at the early stages of the interview process, whereas others have gone through 5-6 interviews only to never hear a word. Consider your own comfort level and desire for continued contact before you decide to respond.How should you respond to job rejection?Should you decide to reach out, keep these guidelines in mind.Be politeRemember the golden rule we were taught as children. If you cant say anything nice, dont say anything at all. Remember, this is still a business communication, so keep your message professional. Nothing is worse than damaging a future relationship - and your professional brand. Thank the contact for their time, express your gratitude for the opportunity, and ask them to keep you in mind in the future.Be conciseShow the employer you value their time by keeping your message short and sweet. You are not responding to beg or to try and change their minds. You are simply leaving the door open for future discussions. Thank them for their consideration, tell them that you enjoyed meeting them regardless, and let them know you hope they will be in touch, should another opportunity thats a better fit open up down the line.Put the ball in their court and leave it thereWrap up the letter after job rejection with the response that allows the hiring manager a chance to reach out to you later. Leave a contact email and number, but dont attach a resume or add more information. You had the follow-up note for that, and the hiring manager has found the person they want to hire. Think of your message as an opportunity to cultivate a potential future partnership. Leave them to make the next move.It absolutely happens that people are contacted after a job rejection, and you will leave them with a positive feeling about you as a professional if you follow these steps.Is your current resume getting rejected? Let a TopResume writer help.Recommended ReadingCareer QuizIs Your Resume Ready to Beat the Bots?7MotivationTips for Job Seekers to Keep You GoingFree DownloadJob-Search Jumpstart PlanRelated Articles

Here is how energy drinks can harm our bodies

Here is how energy drinks can harm our bodiesHere is how energy drinks can harm our bodiesEnergy drinks are among the most common dietary supplements in America, but new research may make you want to break the habit of relying on Red Bull and Monster to stay awake at work. Energy drinks are filled with high levels of caffeine, sugar, taurine, and other stimulating substances to keep employees up, but researchers in Houston found that a single energy drink can worsen our cardiovascular health.How energy drinks can hurt usFor research to be presented at the American Heart Association,John Higgins of McGovern Medical School in Houston and colleagues got 44 healthy students to drink a 24-ounce energy drink and found that just one drink hurt their cardiovascular system. After participants consumed the energy drink, their blood vessels dilation decreased to 2.8% in diameter 90 minutes later, suggesting that the blood flow within their arteries had gotten worse.The American Beverage Associa tion maintains that energy drinks are safe for consumption by government authorities. But some employers are warning their employees from abusing them. The U.S. military warned troops from drinking them, saying energy drinks could do some serious harm to your body following a report that found soldiers who drank them were more likely to fall asleep on the job.When you are guzzling energy drinks, you risk overdosing yourself with caffeine, which is known to make our bodies and minds go haywire. Drinking doses of caffeine equal to or above 200 milligrams is known to cause anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, muscle twitching, restlessness, and chronic daily headaches, according to a paper published in theInternational Journal of Health Sciences.One way to get more energy without risking your arteries? Sleep, the great healer of restless, weary souls. That energy boost is free.