5 Things You Should Never Reveal in a Job Interview

5 Things You Should Never Reveal in a Job Interview5 Things You Should Never Reveal in a Job Interview5 Things You Should Never Reveal in a Job InterviewHave you ever said something in an einstellungsgesprch and walked out completely regretting it? Thats what happened to one of my colleagues several years ago. She had an interview lined up for a great job, and had just found out she was pregnant. Everything about the interview was perfect, except for the part when she shared the great berichterstattung about her pregnancy. As she left the building, she realized she would never hear from that company again. (And sure enough, she didnt.)In most situations, its best to be honest and up front, but theres a time and place for everything. In a job interview, there are certain topics that can quickly take you out of consideration for the job if you voluntarily reveal them.Heres a short list of five types of information you never want to volunteer in a job interviewYOURE PREGNANT (OR TRYING) When an interviewer hears, By the way, Im pregnant, their immediate thought is Oh boy. This job requires months of training and shell barely be up to speed before she takes a leave of absence. And what if she never comes back? Save the good news until you have a job offer in hand, when you can present the news along with a plan of how youll make it work for both you and the employer.YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS Many employers are wary of hiring someone whod be quick to push their personal political views in the office, making others uncomfortable and getting in the way of productivity. Mention anything that hints at your political standing in an interview and youre forcing the employer to reconsider your professionalism and how well youll fit with the rest of the team.YOUR RELIGIOUS VIEWS See 2. Same concept.HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO MAKE So, how much do you want to make in this position? Um. I...uh...well...uh....I think...well. Never go into an interview without a good idea of what youre worth and what a reasonable salary range for the job should be. (Suggested sites PayScale.com and Salary.com.)YOUD RATHER BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE Times are tough, and you may be willing to settle for less than your ideal job, but the employer doesnt want to hear that. Employers want you to WANT to work for them they dont want people who are just there for the paycheck or to get by until a better opportunity presents itself. Show some enthusiasm, even if you have to fake it.My point? Keep your focus on the value you bring to the job and the employer, and leave those personal interests unexposed.

How to Write a Great Resume Headline

How to Write a Great Resume Headline How to Write a Great Resume Headline Many people struggle with how to start their resume. Should you write an objective statement describing the type of lage you seek? Or should you just launch right into your career history, figuring thats what employers most want to see?The answer is neither. Instead, I recommend starting your resume with a strong resume headline that clearly communicates who you are and what you have to offer. The reason is simple your resume will be viewed by people who are very busy and who are inundated with other resumes to view. Very often, they will also be filling more than one vacancy. This means that when they look at your resume, they need to immediately understand two things1) What type of job are you applying for?2) Why would you be great at that job? How to create a resume headline For this reason, I like to create resume headlines in two parts. The first part of the headline simply states your target position (for example Marketing Manager or Senior Sales Executive or Junior Accountant.) This allows the busy recruiter, manager or HR rep to mentally assign you into a potential vacancy. (Ah, hes not applying for the sheep shearing job then.)The second part of your headline needs to say why you would be the best marketing manager, senior ausverkauf executive, or junior accountant they could possible hire. And even more importantly, it needs to say it in plain English without waffle words. Dont try to come up with clever wording or branding statements. The recruiter doesnt care. She simply wants facts facts that tell her why you would be successful in her company. So lets take the senior sales executive. He might sayDocumented record of driving sales multimillion dollar sales increases in tough economic times, including recent 40% boost for XYZ Inc. despite decline in overall market. Built and led teams that have beaten sales goals 12 years in a row.If this sub-header is bolded below the headli ne SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE, its hard to imagine too many recruiters who wouldnt want to talk to our executive.But what if you work in a more junior role or one that isnt accountable for delivering sales increases? Thats OK. Delivering 40% sales increases isnt your job, so you have to think about what is. What is the reason employers hire people like you? What skills and achievements are important in your line of work? What personality traits are valued? What results are important?Our marketing manager might emphasize his knowledge of both traditional and new media marketing. Our junior accountant might stress his qualifications along with his 3 years of experience with SAP or his specialty in financial analysis.Here are 3 resume samples that start with powerful headlinesNon-profit executive resume sampleIT Manager sample resumeCTO resume sampleThe key is to make your resume headline factual, easy to read and clearly focused on the specific needs of employers in your industry or field , so that they know exactly why they should hire you. (For more on this, check out How to Write a Resume Summary that Grabs Attention).If youre interested in professional resume help, just shoot me an email with a copy of your resume and Ill get back to you with feedback and a price quote. The best bit? As a reader of this blog (and therefore clearly a person with impeccable taste) you are entitled to claim a 15% discount on our resume writing service. Just mention the blog when you email me.

7 fun facts about naps you probably dont know

7 fun facts about naps you probably dont know7 fun facts about naps you probably dont knowIts no coincidence that National Napping Day occurs right after the return of daylight saving time. We know, your circadian rhythm is all out of whack and it feels like the only way to remedy the situation is to go to sleep. But before you drift off, here are some fun facts about the best part of the day - nap time - that you probably didnt know.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more1. There arethree distinct types of nappersTheres the habitual napper who takes a nap at the same time every single day. Theres the planned napper who plans to snooze before she actually gets tired. And then theres the emergency napper who waits until shes so tired that she has to stop what shes doing ASAP and snooze. (Which one are you?)2. Naps are a great de-stressing toolYep, if youre feeling especially wrung out , ditching your stressor and taking a snooze instead can give your brain a brief vacation from whats bothering you and calm your central nervous system. Then, when you come back to it, youre more collected to solve the problem more effectively.3. The coffee nap is one of the most effective ways to rebound your energy levels.Simply drink a cup of coffee and then sprawl out on the couch for your power nap. Twenty minutes later when you wake up, youll feel more refreshed and alert than ever. The boost you feel from caffeine doesnt typically kick in at full force until about 30 minutes after youve consumed it, and napping during that period of time helps your body process its existing feelings of drowsiness while you wait for the caffeine to take effect. Win-win.4. You dont have to fall asleep to reap the benefits of a napEven if you spend 20 minutes just lying down with your eyes closed, you can safely and effectively lower your blood pressure, relieving additional stress that your bod y is experiencing. So if you cant drift off, dont sweat it. Just pretend that youre lying on a beach somewhere and soak it all in.5. Humans nap differently than other mammalsThe vast majority of other mammals in the animal kingdom sleep for short periods of time throughout the day whenever their bodies tell them they need to rest. We, on the other hand, designate a large chunk of time for sleep and a large chunk of time for wakefulness, intentionally delaying rest even when we feel tired.6. Your body has an ideal nap timeAccording to researchersat the University of California-Berkeley, the best time to take a nap is right in the middle of your wake cycle. So, if you can, aim to nap eight hours after waking up in the morning and eight hours before going to bed at night.7. Theres such a thing as a napping competitionIts called theNational Siesta Championship, and its held in Madrid. In the past, the winner even got to take home a cash prize. Um, where do we sign up?This article first appeared on Swirled.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Top 10 Emerging Careers

Top 10 Emerging CareersTop 10 Emerging CareersAre you the type of person that likes to stay ahead of the latest trends? Instead of following, you like to lead and anticipate the next big financial, career, or other market moves before your fellow peers. If so, you may be the perfect candidate for an emerging career position.Emerging careers are those that are in demand based on changes in technology, society, processes, and more. From computing to efficiency experts, emerging careers are sure to create a rewarding future return for those willing to take the initiative today. Keep reading for our suggestion of top ten emerging careers for inspiration.Computer ProgrammerIt seems like you cant shake a stick today without running into an industry or ordnungsprinzip that is powered by computers. Computer programmers are the backbone of this growing industry. From coding the next big video game to developing the newest and greatest software to keep future generations plugged in, if you hav e a keen interest in technology, this may be the field for you.Computer Programmer JobsElder Care Specialist We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you arent getting younger. For that matter, neither are your parents, grandparents, or other aging relatives. In previous generations, nursing homes were a bit of a mundane and dreary affair. With improvements in health care and longevity, however, elders are interested in more upbeat communities where they can live productive lives while still receiving needed medical care. Whether an in-home specialist or member of one of the up and coming residential centers, if you have a passion for the elderly and a desire to take care of people, a career as an elder care specialist is rewarding and secure.Elder Care JobsEnvironmental EngineerThanks to Al Gore (and scientists of course) people are increasingly aware of the impact of humans on our greater environment. Surveys before building and environmental impact studies are now par for the co urse. In plus-rechnen, the impact of emissions on our weather and global temperature continues to be a hot button issue. Be a do-gooder while earning a salary by considering launching a career as an environmental engineer.Environmental Engineer JobsPhysicians AssistantIts a given in life that if you have a population of people, youre going to need doctors and nurses to keep them healthy. With the increase of conversation around health care costs, physicians assistants are much-desired experts that help bridge the eu-agrarpolitik between serious medical care and routine treatment. Ditch the medical school and opt for a shorter degree term to earn the right to practice in this steady and stable field.Physicians Assistant JobsMobile Applications DeveloperIf youre reading this blog from a smspeciesphone or mobile device, chances are youre utilizing the work and efforts of a mobile applications developer. The number of new apps launched yearly across all platforms is staggering, and that doesnt count the updates and bug corrections. Learn how to program the next big thing in mobile with a career as a mobile applications developer.Mobile Applications Developer JobsManagement ConsultantIts a constant in human evolution that as society and jobs progress so does the desire for less work and more play. Management consultants are an emerging position based on employers desire to cut costs and keep workers happy while maximizing efficiency. Consulting is a flexible gig, in addition to being in high demand. Not a bad combo for a bit of guaranteed job security.Management Consultant JobsHome Health AideMuch like our previous career suggestion of elder care specialist, aging, sick and injured are increasingly opting to avoid the hospitals in lieu of healthcare from home. If you have the option to be mobile and a desire to serve and help make peoples lives better, a home health aide could be an exciting and steady gig for years to come.Home Health Aide JobsEmployment Placement SpecialistWeve touched the topic of recruitment quite a bit here at the Simply Hired Blog. Todays career market is focused increasingly on the use of recruitment professionals to place employees in mission-critical positions. Employment placement specialists are sure to be in demand in years to come. As a bonus, many of these positions work on a commission basis meaning you see an extra reward for your excellent performance. Employment Placement Specialist JobsWeb Content StrategistRemember those days when you would sit in your high school bedroom or college dorm room and create a website, just for the fun of it? Gone are the days when companies and brands rely on simplified websites or even their web platform alone as their only choice of connecting with potential clients. Web content strategists manage the entire portfolio of the internet, social media, and email marketing for clients. Like the internet and social media and have a knack for selling? A career as a web content stra tegist will keep you busy and employed for years to come.Web Content Strategist JobsFitness InstructorEverywhere you turn nowadays there seems to be another diet or exercise regime guaranteed to get people looking and feeling their best. With a focus on healthy lifestyles, it only makes sense that those dedicated to coaching and teaching others in the art of fitness would make it into our list of top ten emerging careers. If you have a passion for muscles and a love of aerobics, consider fitness instructor as a strong career move.Fitness Instructor JobsHave other suggestions for emerging careers that are sure to be in demand in the coming years? Drop us a line and tell us your experience and opinions for a chance to be featured in a future article.

Survey 60% of American adults have entertained the idea of heading back to school

Survey 60% of American adults have entertained the idea of heading back to schoolSurvey 60% of American adults have entertained the idea of heading back to schoolA new survey fromChamplain College Online found that 60% of American adults have entertained the idea of once again hitting the books to secure a bachelors degree, associate degree, or certificate.

The History of Resumes De Trabajo Refuted

The History of Resumes De Trabajo Refuted But then you have to back this up with what specifically differentiates you. No restrictions are made on the sort of study. Ensure that your contact information is clear, prominent, and simple to read. Then ask if theyd like more information. Architects work in an office the majority of the moment. Interviewers want to get sold. The great thing is you dont will need to visit art school or spend any moment in hipster coffee shops. Regardless of what graphic you pick, be sure that it is of premium quality and that it fits with the content of your resume. In this transition, youll still be in a standort to use the telephone system three days per week, and were adding a new feature to our internet service to allow it to be simpler than ever to submit a claim or check your account status online An excellent method to create friends and influence people. The incredible thing about Facebook Ads is the capacity to learn quickly. Sorry, N aughty Dog doesnt provide any internships or student work-study opportunities at this moment. In any field wherever your personality or expert appearance is a central part of the job, a photo is a great way to demonstrate that off. It might have a graph, a pie chart, or a different visual direction of presenting this info. Make sure that your photo is professional. Including an expert photo of yourself is an excellent idea for creative resumes. Following your account was established, you can upload your resume and follow the actions to produce and fill out an application. The ideal way to get prepared for the interview is to learn the questions which may be coming and practice your answers ahead of time. Theyre provided that you use as a guide, providing you the simple structure for formulating your own answers. And note this question could be utilised as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict in a team, so be ready. The following are a few of the toughest qu estions you will face in the duration of your job interviews. Its also a great idea to discover who will be reading your resume, if at all possible. When you have become practiced in behavioral interviewing skills, you will realize that you may use nearly every question as a launching pad for a specific example or compelling story. The times you need to use a creative resume are fewer than when you need to use a formal resume. Self-taught how to utilize PS computer. Talk about an actual weakness from years past then show what youre doing to overcome it. Learn more This course will help you become promoted. It will teach you how to think about marketing. It gets pretty technical. You should choose a weakness that youve been actively working to overcome. It doesnt offer prospective employers with helpful details about you and might hurt your odds of getting work interview. However, there are numerous tried-and-true suggestions to get you started. Unfortunately, youll need to get used to everyone pestering you to pull reports for them as they dont understand how.

How to Solve Common Problems with Interviews - Spark Hire

How to Solve Common Problems with Interviews - Spark HireIf youre involved in your companys hiring process, its important to understand the errors that frequently happen in job interviews. Many hiring managers get so comfortable with their interview routine that they dont stop to consider whether their process is effective, or if it could be improved. These are some of the major issues with job interviews, along with some tips on how to correct themTheyre too theoreticalSure, you want to gather some background information about a person. You want to learn about their thought process and gain some insight about their harte nuss solving abilities. But too many job interviews today are all theory, with no hands-on component to them. If your entire interview consists of asking the candidate questions, youre doing your company a disservice. Dont forget to include some sort of practical element to the interview. If your new hire will be asked to build things should they get an offer, have them build something during the interview too. The project should be small and not terribly time consuming, of course, but its still a necessary part of the process.They prompt clich answersBy now, everyone is prepared for the standard interview questions. These include Whats your biggest weakness as an employee? among others. Because these questions are so overused, they prompt clich answers from a candidate. These responses dont help you gain further insight into who this individual is and what theyre like as an employee. Make it a point to break away from the traditional interview questions and ask innovative interview questions in order to draw insightful and useful answers from your candidates during the conversation.They focus too heavily on what happened in the pastOf course you want to know what the candidate has accomplished in their career thus far. What kind of training do they have? How have they solved problems that came up in previous jobs? But dont make the mistake of focusing too much on the past when conducting an interview. Be sure to incorporate questions about the future. What would your candidate do if they were hired? What goals would they like to accomplish in their career? These questions are often more telling than those focusing on what has already happened.They dont take into account menschenwrdig emotionSome interviewers forget that the people theyre talking to are just that people. They get nervous and those nerves can get the best of them. When youre interviewing, listen to the answers carefully, but also cut the candidate a break every now and then. No one is perfect. People misspeak or get flustered. They can still be a great hire, despite small mistakes.How do you make sure your interview process gives you an accurate assessment of a potential hire? Let us know in the comments.Image Sergey Nivens/BigStock.com

These 10 Most Useless Jobs Will Make You Feel Great About Your Work

These 10 Most Useless Jobs Will Make You Feel Great About Yur WorkThese 10 Most Useless Jobs Will Make You Feel Great About Your WorkLets face it. Some of us feel bored or useless in our current professions. Often we feel like were not really accomplishing anything or moving in any direction. This kind of frustration is hard to overcome and often results in changing jobs.According to a recent survey, legal professions have been ranked the dullest. They are followed by other yawn-inducing careers in management, support functions and finance control.To comfort those who hate their jobs, weve looked at some of the most useless jobs in the world. Theyll hopefully make you recognise the creativity that your job involves. Or the unbearable dullness youve come to accept and should deal with right away.1. Restroom AttendantGuardians of the sanctuary, these people do nothing but make our trips to public toilets uncomfortable. Sitting there all day, they watch you closely as you follow the rul es. And their main task is to prevent you from entering without paying.Lets imagine a world without them. Would any of us miss the experience of having a total stranger squirt soap in our hands or give us gracefully some toilet paper?2. Lifeguard at the Swimming OlympicsThe Olympics host the worlds fastest and strongest sportsmen in the universe. Take swimming for example. The performance of Michael Phelps and others prove their direct affiliation to aquatic animals. But not even these demigods are free from followinghealth and safety rules. Following the regulations, a massive fleet of lifeguards is always on hand to help them should they get into trouble.3. Elevator OperatorThese peoples job is to press the floor button for whoever enters the elevator. They earn a meager salary for traveling up and down inside thesetiny steel boxes. And for performing this complex activity they need a unique qualification of, you guessed it,pressing buttons.This custom might have come from the tim es when elevators were much more complicated. But now in the 21st century, the profession has no reason to exist.4. Pet PsychicCould you build your career on pretending that you can read the minds of strangers pets? Indeed, relaying what theyre thinking to their masters takes courage. But the advice that will foster the intimate relationship with their darlings will be much appreciated.This profession usually involves cats and dogs. No one knows why, but who the hell cares what a fish is thinking? Perhaps that this is one of the most useless jobs in the whole universe.5. Parking AttendantAlthough ridiculously outdated, this profession totenstill exists. These people are the last remnants in places where machines havent had their go yet. One can nothing but admire parking attendants for doing their job with full dedication in the harshest of weather conditions.6. Subway PusherIt seems highly unlikely that youd dream of becoming a subway pusher in megacities like Tokyo, NYC or Madrid. This phenomenon can now be seen mainly in Asia, although the profession originated almost a century ago in NYC. They spend their days jamming a never-ending conveyor belt of human mass into a train carriage before the door shuts. Not even the euphemistic term of passenger arrangement staff does help make this profession more enjoyable.7. Night Security GuardImagine yourself sitting outside in a bad weather all night. And you have do that knowing several affordable cameras and alarms could do the job for you. Whats more, your world is turned upside down. Your shift may start as late as 10 or 11 pm and end well after the sun comes up. These night watchmen cannot avoid working any night of the week, even on weekends and holidays. Not an ideal profession when you want to lead an ordinary social and healthy lifestyle.8. Toll Booth OperatorThere are still people sitting in the toll booths, fully immersed in their job. Theyre handing out change while giving you that familiar blank stare. How long could you sit there knowing that a machine can break a $10 banknote much faster and far more accurately than you? Definitely one of the most useless jobs out there.9. ATM GuardYes, certain banks in India and Europe actually employ ATM guards. Is there anything more bizarre than than people guarding an automated system that was meant to replace bank tellers?10. Prime Minister of North KoreaNorth Korea has a Prime Minister Pak Pong-Ju has been serving in that office since April 2013.Never heard of him? Thats quite understandable. His achievements are dwarfed by the performance of the infamous Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the Workers Party. Hes the only supreme leader of North Korea, making the work of his prime minister invisible.Just the tip of the iceberg These professions are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Even though your job might not be as pointless as the ten most useless jobs above, you might be seriously questioning the usefulness of your current position.Dont d espair. Youre not supposed to wither away or die from ennui. If even after reading this your job leaves you cold, theres a solution.If youre stuck doing the same mind-numbing task or clock-watching till you can drink yourself into oblivion, its definitely time for a change. Most useless jobs have their smarter counterparts in fulfilling, meaningful careers. So why not opt for those right away?Writing your first resume but dont know where to start? Check out our exhaustive resume guide and get hired before the end of JanuaryShare Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Appeasing Your Robot Overlords How to Make Sure A Human Sees Your Resume

Appeasing Yur Robot Overlords How to Make Sure A Human Sees Your ResumeAppeasing Your Robot Overlords How to Make Sure A Human Sees Your ResumeIf youre like most people, youve sent an application to a company, after spending time customizing it and creating the perfect cover letter. Within a few minutes of sending it in, you get a rejection emaille from the company or even worse, you never hear from them.When this happens, your resume was never seen by a human being, and your cover letter was never read. It was automatically rejected by an applicant tracking ordnungsprinzip (ATS), software designed to help hiring managers wade through hundreds of resumes. Large and midsize firms almost always use these systems to make the volume of applications manageable. A typical job posting could receive as many as several hundred applications. An ATS is intended to screen out people who are underqualified or overqualified, leaving only the best applicants.In practice, however, applicant tracking systems basically screen out everything that doesnt have the right formatting or the right keywords. Its estimated that about 75% of applications dont make it through the ATS, and this isnt because those people werent qualified.Youre getting rejected by unthinking, unfeeling robots. These systems arent going away anytime soon, and until the software becomes more sophisticated and gains a better understanding of context and nuance, its something that you have to work with.For now, its time to welcome our new robot overlords. To avoid the grim reality of contemporary unemployment, youll need to appease them as best you can.Why Does My Resume Keep Getting Rejected?If your resume keeps getting rejected by applicant tracking systems, theres probably a reason. The good news is that you can fix it, giving yourself a chance to get your resume seen by an actual person. Here are some of the most common issues with peoples resumes.The ATS Cant Process Your Resume CorrectlyEnsure that the soft ware can process your resume properly by sticking to formats that work well with applicant tracking systems. When using a PDF file you want to make sure it is a readable PDF. A readable PDF contains actual text that a machine can read. An image PDF, by contrast, might contain text but an ATS wont be able to read this text. To verify that your PDF resume is readable you can simply copy and paste a line of text into Word if it copies/pastes nicely then youre in good shape. When you are applying for a position you can verify that everything will be read properly by reviewing your resume in the HTML box that typically appears during the application process, if you see anything that looks off at this point simply edit the text directly in the HTML area. Even the most basic resumes can look off in this HTML area so dont worry that youve done something wrong if this happens, just be prepared to clean up as needed here.The ATS Cant Read Your HeadingsApplicant tracking systems sort things o ut based on section headings. For that reason, youll need to stay standard and generic with them. Use standard issue headings like Experience, Professional Experience, Key Skills, Core Competencies, Education, Professional Profile, etc. If you use the wrong heading, the software might just skip the entire section. Remember, youre elend trying to impress a human, youre trying to input data into software.Youre not using the right targeted keywords.When an applicant tracking system reads your resume, its specifically looking for certain keywords that were determined by the employer. You need enough keywords and key phrases for your resume to make it through. To find keywords, look closely at the job description. Use the same terms and labels that the job posting uses to improve your chances.Youre using too many keywords.It would seem that over-optimization is, in fact, possible. You cant just stuff your resume with a big bullet list of various keywords. Having a robust professional pro file and key skills section is great as this will help get some necessary keywords into your resume. But its advised that this area doesnt take up more than a third of a page combined. If you have a key skills section that contains more than 18 lines of key skills you may want to prioritize and cut some unnecessary terms out.Answer online application questions thoroughly.In many cases, youll need to fill out an application online, as well as submit your actual resume. Its important to fill in everything if you can, because otherwise, the ATS may throw out your application.Optimizing Your Resume for SuccessTo have a shot at almost any job with a midsize to large firm, you need to make sure your resume is optimized with proper keywords and formatting so that it caters to what the applicant tracking system is looking for. At Resume Yeti, we help you create fantastic resumes that appeal to humans and robots alike. Give it a try today, and watch your response rate go through the roof.

Our coffee cravings impair our ability to learn, new study finds

Our coffee cravings impair our ability to learn, new study findsOur coffee cravings impair our ability to learn, new study findsFor those of us who crave the sweet elixir of caffeine, theres a reason to keep it going when we skip our morning cup of coffee, it can have far-reaching consequences to our memories, as one study found out.University of Tasmania researchers got 55 regular coffee drinkers to participate in a memory challenge where they had to recall unrelated words in the right order. But first, half of the participants were induced into a state of craving.The researchers poured a cup of freshly brewed black coffee right in front of them. They asked these poor participants to imagine what it would be like to have a cup of your favorite coffee right at this moment, and they told them that under no circumstances would they be allowed to have the coffee right in their reach.Coffee cravings impair our ability to memorizeThe other half of the participants got to drink their morni ng coffee like they normally would and were asked to imagine their favorite holiday. So half of the participants were irritated and craving caffeine and the other half were imagining their vacation in the Maldives. Unsurprisingly, the caffeine-craving participants significantly underperformed on the memory challenges compared to the control group. Researchers suggest that this is because when youre craving something, it blocks out other thoughts, and makes it hard for you to concentrate on the task at hand.Cravings on memory performance can be considered a special case of cognitive load, the study states. Cravings trigger consumption schemas and the inhibition of these schemas requires cognitive resources, leaving fewer resources available for other cognitive tasks.So if you have a big test coming up, dont skip your morning coffee if youre already a regular drinker. Although there are naysayers about coffee consumption, the beverage has been experiencing a renaissance as studies tou ting its benefits have been coming out of the woodworks this year. First, there was a 15-year review of coffee studies that found that our healthy bodies can handle up to four cups of coffee without experiencing adverse effects. Then, there was recent research that found a link between drinking coffee and living a longer life.If youre already a coffee drinker, be aware of its significant effects on you- which can be as amazing as living longer or as terrible as forgetting your memories.