We've all had that oddball interview question. The one that's meant to catch us off-guard and reveal something about our true character.

Don Mal, the CEO of Toronto-based software company Vena Solutions, has a go-to question he likes to ask. He recently shared it with The New York Times as part of their Corner Office series.

In interviews, Mal pops this question: Would you be willing to leave your family at Disneyland to do something that was really important for the company?

Think quick. How would you answer? Or more importantly, how do you think the boss wants you to answer?

"Some people have said no, and I haven't hired them," Mal says. He thinks the non-willingness to leave a family vacation displays poor work ethic. I think he's wrong. And it's not for the reasons you might think. Because ditching your family to go work means you're a workaholic? Sure. You could say that. But that's not the real problem I have with Mal's approach.

I think the willingness to leave your family to see to something work-related displays three very problematic problems with your leadership style: a failure to prepare, lack of confidence in your team, and poor leading by example.

Failure to prepare

Just as planning the dream Disney vacation takes preparation, so does leaving your work for any period of time. Just throwing out an out-of-office reply isn't going to cut it, especially if you're in a position where you manage people or projects.

No one should duck out of work without putting processes in place to keep things running as smoothly as possible while you're out. From making sure your colleagues are debriefed on what needs to happen while you're away to giving everyone a heads up that you'll be unreachable, it's your job to set--and manage--expectations in your absence.

Leaving a family vacation to tend to something work-related should not be necessary. It means you failed to prepare your team properly to cover for you while you were out.

Lack of confidence in your team

Whether someone is out of the office for three months of parental leave or taking a one-week vacation, often their work falls to other members of the team. Ideally, you'll have a rock-star team of colleagues who will chip in and help minimize disruption in your absence.

Everything might not be done exactly as you would have done it, but you should have confidence that they'll do their best. It's bad news if you have so little confidence in your team that you feel you need to ditch your family so you can swoop in and save the day.

If you don't trust your team to cover for you while you're on vacation, you've got bigger problems. Either they really can't be trusted to do the work--meaning you've failed to recruit the right team and don't have strong support--or they don't want to help because they're not the helping kind. Then you've got some serious culture problems.

Even worse, the problem is you. Do you believe your work is so precious that no one else can touch it? Do you feel the need to micro-manage everything? So much so that you have to leave your vacation to do it?

A leader is only as strong as her team. If you can't put full confidence in your team's abilities, it might be time to reconsider who you hire or how much control you need to have over every little thing.

Poor leading by example

When you're in any position of leadership, people watch your every move. Even those who don't report directly to you are watching.

As much as you tell your employees that you respect their personal time and they don't need to cut their vacations short just because you do, nothing is more effective than leading by example. The old "actions speak louder than words" trope especially rings true in this situation.

And if people observe you never take full vacations, that sets a precedent. It says that you probably expect all other employees to follow suit.

Mal understands that his opinion on this topic is an unconventional one. He says he wouldn't ask the Disneyland question if he hadn't done it himself. Mal goes onto explain that to close the biggest deal of his company's history, he left his wife and kids at Disneyland for two days. He doesn't regret it. It advanced his career and made the company a lot of money (money that paid for the entire vacation, he adds).

So now it's your turn: Do you agree with Mal or think he's misguided?

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A hacker reveals the most secure thing you can do to your passwords

If you're a homeowner with a spare bedroom that's currently filled with suitcases, miscellaneous filing and the odd piece of fitness equipment, you could be missing out on several hundred pounds a month.

A new study has found that the easiest way for people to make money at home is to rent out a room on Airbnb.

Research by US loan startup company Earnest has found that hosts on the holiday rental site make an average of £709 per month.

That's more than twice as much as the next highest-ranking service, TaskRabbit, where taskers earn an average of £291 per month.

The loan lender analysed more than two years of data from tens of thousands of applicants, to find the best at-home money making schemes.

They found that 85 per cent of side-gig workers make less than $500 per month (£383 pounds), but global Airbnb hosts can make triple what all other workers make on average.

And this could work out as even more in London, where the cost of renting is higher than many other European cities.

According to recent research by Portico, the average two bedroom property in London achieves £106 a night - excluding the cleaning fee.

This adds up to a staggering monthly income of £2,226, based on a 70 per cent occupancy rate.

Outside of Airbnb, Earnest found that some 84 per cent of all gig economy workers make less than £383 per month — but in particular, workers at entrepreneurial app Fiverr and Etsy have especially high percentages of low-earners.

"It might be easy to look at this data and assume that gig economy workers are working at below market rates," the loan lender wrote on its website.

"After all, $500 per month is hardly a livable wage.

"But as the industry category name implies, the vast majority of these workers are utilizing these platforms to make a little extra cash as a side-gig—not to forage a full-time living."

Here are the top 5 earners for people looking to make extra money at home:

1. Airbnb

Average per month: $924 (approx £709)

Median per month: $440 (approx £337)

2. TaskRabbit

Average per month: $380 (approx £291)

Median per month: $110 (approx £84)

3. Uber

Average per month: $364 (approx £279)

Median per month: $155 (approx £118)

4. Etsy

Average per month: $151 (approx £115)

Median per month: $40 (approx £40)

5. Fiverr

Average per month: $103 (approx £79)

Median per month: $60 (approx £46)

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog

The heated debate about political correctness is often misunderstood.

While many individuals across generations dislike the pejorative use of political correctness to represent censorship, a closer investigation reveals generational differences in the desire to use inclusive language.

Millennials know that using appropriate language invites rather than restricts productive conversation. Creating a supportive environment makes space for all individuals to feel welcome in sharing their opinions, rather than fearing that people will demonize their personhood and attack their character based on their identities. Thanks to the internet, Millennials are citizens of the globe and ambassadors of social justice. Unfortunately, not all generations understand how using certain words or phrases prohibits dialogue and hurts other people.

To discover five things that all millennials want older generations to know about political correctness that they don't understand, read the list below.

1. There is a major difference between 'being honest' and spewing prejudice.

You have the right to share your opinion, but you don't have the right to make people feel threatened. Using emotionally charged words that make others feel frightened for their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing — even if it does not impact you in the same way — is morally wrong.

Prejudice means possessing strong unfavorable opinions about a person based on their demographics and cultural affiliations. While we all have varying degrees of prejudice, using yours to purposefully harm others, or refusing to stop saying words that others find hurtful, is bullying. Just as you want a teacher to intervene and protect your child from a bully, it's okay for others to give you the opportunity to correct your behavior when your words are offensive.

2. Political correctness is not about censorship, it's about showing respect.

Censorship is a coercive attempt to hide something from people. Asking people to use more inclusive language is not silencing their voice, it's inviting them to use language in a way that promotes productive conversation.

The purpose of political correctness is to treat all people with the love and respect they deserve. This means calling people by the pronouns they use, and avoiding words and phrases that stereotype and demonize entire groups of people. You can still possess whatever ideology you follow and you can still share your opinion, you're just being asked to do so in a way that is not hurtful to others.

3. Millennials feel more connected to global citizenship and human rights than nationalism.

Not only do Millennials have conversations with people around the world, they are also seeing inhumane acts of violence against marginalized people live streamed on social media. This increased visibility and exposure leads to a desire to ensure equality for all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, or religion.

Nationalism, or the belief that your country and its laws, culture, and government is superior and beyond critique, is not appealing to Millennials. Seeing firsthand pictures and videos on their smartphones of discrimination and unequal rights for people of color, Muslims, immigrants, women, and LGBTQ individuals has increased Millennials desire for social justice.

4. Inclusive language creates space for meaningful conversations to take place, offensive language makes people feel unsafe.

If you were trying to have a difficult conversation with someone and they opened the discussion using words that were aimed at hurting your feelings, making you feel unsafe, or undermining your personhood, would you want to keep talking?

No, and that's why everyone should use more inclusive language. When you create space for other people instead of shutting them out, it creates opportunities for honest dialogue to emerge. You're not being ask to silence yourself, you're being asked to use different words and phrases to express your thoughts. That subtle difference is not a big deal — you do it all the time. You don't speak the same way to your partner as you do your grandmother or your newborn infant. Adjusting your dialogue isn't a momentous task, and doing so might allow you to have more meaningful conversations with people from all walks of life.

5. Millennials are not being sensitive, they're being morally minded and ethically informed global citizens.

Many individuals in older generations think that Millennials are overly sensitive, but it may be the other way around. If Millennials are simply asking older generations to be respectful of others by using more inclusive language, and older generations respond with hostility — a common response to feeling threatened — perhaps older generations are dealing with an underlying fear of being unable to adapt to a changing world.

Making mistakes is part of learning. Most people occasionally say things that hurt other people's feelings. But the mature individuals are the ones that apologize and then adjust. Continuing to use hurtful language only prevents meaningful and necessary conversations.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog

Car insurance is expensive. It's probably the most costly part of driving — but we all have to fork out for it because you never know when you might accidentally scrape along that wall you didn't notice, or when someone might smash up your bumper.

However, the premiums we pay can vary tremendously. Young people, for example, pay outrageous amounts until they prove they're not reckless anymore, or until they hit their mid 20s.

As it turns out, your career might also see your insurance amount soar.

According to new figures from comparethemarket.com, the yearly price to insure your car could increase by nearly double the amount based solely on your chosen career. "Entertainers" were at the top of the list for most expensive payments, with circus workers, comedians, actors, and musicians included.

The website analysed 100 professions overall, keeping the rest of the variables the same. Each estimate was calculated using a petrol powered, manual Ford Fiesta Zetec, based in Peterborough, with a licence holder of eight years.

Here are the 5 professions expected to pay the most per year:

1. Entertainer — £1,408.61

2. Sportsperson — £1,408.61

3. DJ — £1,151.86

4. Taxi Driver — £1,105.97

5. Chef — £1,084.16

In particular, when professions were split up, circus workers had the highest premium of £1,409.61 per year. They were closely followed by snooker players, DJs, and body guards.

On the other end of the spectrum, people who are good with numbers are considered to be the most careful drivers. Accountants were right at the bottom, followed by astronomers, police workers, postal workers, and vets.

These were the 5 least expensive professions:

1. Accountant — £706.72

2. Ambulance Driver — £738.08

3. Judge — £738.08

4. Queens Council — £748.08

5. Paramedic — £748.16

"Insurers use a complex algorithm to determine an individual's premium, with profession making a big impact on the annual cost of an individual's car insurance," said Simon McCulloch, the director of insurance at comparethemarket.com.

"An assumption on the time of day a professional is likely to be on the road, plus the number of hours behind the wheel, may be taken into consideration, in addition to the insurer's claims experience with each job category."

You can see the full list in the infographic here:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's a polite way to end a conversation with someone you don't want to talk to

• Inspired by her gluten-free sons, Gail Becker invented a pizza that became Amazon's biggest seller in just six months.
• Her cauliflower creation came from a "void" of healthy alternatives to gluten-free products.
• She told BI then when launching a business, no one will care about it as much as you do.

Gail Becker's sons were both diagnosed with coeliac disease when they were very young. Little did she know that their severe intolerance to gluten would inspire her to start up her first business.

Becker had a 16-year career at communications giant Edelman, but had no experience of running her own business before launching Caulipower. Now, just six months since its launch, Caulipower makes the best-selling frozen pizza on Amazon. This is the story of how she created a rapidly successful product.

Coeliac disease affects around 1% of the general population, but over the past few years a gluten-free diet has become more popular with people who don't suffer from dangerous reactions.

Nowadays the internet is full of gluten-free recipes and the special aisles in supermarkets are ever-increasing. Just a few years ago, though, this wasn't the case at all. In fact, Becker remembers when she would go food shopping, the gluten-free options always left a lot to be desired.

"I began to notice over the years was how much worse the gluten-free food was for you," Becker told Business Insider. "It had more fat, sugar, salt and calories, and less nutrients because the gluten-free flours are not fortified like enriched flours. So I'd always been on the look out for things that could be healthier gluten-free options."

Catching the cauliflower craze

After a few years of constant searching, she stumbled upon the cauliflower craze which swept over Instagram. While a few years ago you'd probably never have heard of a cauliflower based pizza, now when you search on Google, you get over 560,000 recipes.

Becker tried one recipe for herself, and her sons were fans. It was pizza, but it was good for you. However, when they requested the same the following week, Becker refused.

"It was far too difficult. It took 90 minutes to make, and just coming home from work, I didn't have time to spend 90 minutes making a pizza," she said. "But I said: 'You know what boys, I'll find it for you.'"

Becker checked online everywhere she could think of, but there wasn't a frozen cauliflower pizza anywhere to be found. At the same time, Becker had also just lost her father, who had left her some money. It was enough to take a risk — so she started up Caulipower.

"Everything was this convergence like a perfect storm and I thought, you know what, I'm going to quit my job and start Caulipower," she said. "And that was a little over a year ago."

Caulipower has four pizzas — three with toppings and one just the crust. The products are available in 1,500 stores across America, and by the end of August they will be in about 3,000. Caulipower also launched on Amazon, where it is currently the number one best selling frozen pizza.

Her kids had to like the taste

Becker says she was involved from the recipe stage of the Caulipower pizzas, because it always had to be something children would want to eat. To her, there was no point in joining the gluten-free market to add another bland product to the aisle.

"If it doesn't taste good, nothing else really matters," she said. "I think that's one of the reasons why this product has been so successful, because there are few things more rewarding than watching people taste it for the first time and say: 'Oh, this is really good.'"

It's also important to her that children know and understand nutrition. Some companies sneak vegetables into their products to try and trick children into eating them, but Becker says this isn't what Caulipower is about. In fact, a percentage of her profits go towards building "teaching gardens" where children learn to plant and grow vegetables.

The gluten-free phenomenon

Going gluten-free has become something of a fad in recent years, with cookery books about "clean eating," and myths being spread that wheat is bad for digestion.

Becker's impetus for creating a cauliflower-based product was the fact her children were coeliac, but she knows that this isn't the only reason it has become popular.

"People are not buying just because it's gluten-free, people are buying it because it's a better for you option," she said. "It's a healthier pizza."

Caulipower has certainly benefitted from the gluten-free industry, which is worth several billion dollars. "I didn't invent it, I just listened," Becker said. "It's almost like Caulipower was born out of consumer demand for filling a void they couldn't find. It isn't because of me, it's because there was a hole in the market, and people wanted it filled."

Lessons from starting a business

One of the main lessons Becker has learned about being a first-time entrepreneur is that nobody cares about your business as much as you do — so it's you who needs to put all the extra effort in.

"This is my third child in every sense of the word," she said. "All the time, and the effort, and the heart, and the soul and the money, and the stress — there's nobody who's going to care as much as you do."

Becker's father was also in the food business, and she recently worked out that she used to go on sales calls with him when she was a child. One of the things she recalls he used to sell was tomato sauce — and you can't have a pizza without tomato sauce.

Family has been involved from the very beginning of Caulipower. From her father's inheritance to wanting to find nourishing food for her sons. Becker wanted to show her sons that she could start up a business, and be successful, to prove what you can do if you put your mind to it.

"I always tell my kids, if you don't bet on yourself, no-one's ever going to," she said. "And so I felt like I needed to prove that to them by doing this."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Facebook director who interviews up to 100 candidates a year reveals how to make your résumé stand out

Company culture is the most important thing to Estonian-born Kristel Kruustük, cofounder of software testing company Testlio.

It's so important that Kruustük lived with her first employee for three weeks before she took him on following a few Skype interviews.

"I felt a good connection to this guy but couldn't hire someone I'd never met," Kruustük said.

Testilo was born four and a half years ago out of Kruustük's frustration with how testers were being treated in the industry. She wanted to build a platform which would appreciate the work they do.

"I became very frustrated because my time as a tester wasn't appreciated," she told Business Insider. "Testers were always competing with each other — when really it was always supposed to be everyone's responsibility."

Along with her boyfriend-turned-husband Marko, she entered the world's largest hackathon, Angelhack, and took home first place, winning $25,000 in investment to launch Testlio. Now, the company has 200 freelance testers from 40 countries, covering 65 languages. Their customers include Microsoft, Lyft, Salesforce, CBS, Strava, NBA and Hotels.com.

Although Testlio has grown, some things have not changed — particularly the culture of the company, which remains important to Kruustük.

"The idea of Testlio has been the same since the beginning," Kruustük said. "The heart is the testers and the community. We pay our testers on an hourly basis, and we've built the platform to let the testers work together."

As a first time founder, Kruustük naturally came up against some difficulties and challenges.

This is what she learned from becoming an entrepreneur.

1. Learning takes time.

Kruustük said she learns from her own experience, rather than learning from others, which is a time-consuming process.

"I haven't built this confidence and I'm constantly second guessing myself," she said. "Sometimes making decisions takes a longer time — because I have to go through everything on my own."

However, doing things this way means she has learned a lot, and has also realised that making mistakes is actually fine, even though it has taken her a few years to gain that attitude.

"I tried to give myself the mindset of 'I am doing the best I can every day to the best of my abilities,'" said Kruustük. "I can't look back into the past and think 'What was all of that that went wrong' — if something doesn't work out its fine, we'll learn from it — next time we'll do it better... but it's hard to get there."

2. You develop a thicker skin.

At the beginning, Kruustük says she took everything personally. She said she even cried on Marko's shoulder a few times when receiving feedback on the company. She said she finds it difficult not to look at other founders and think they all seem to have everything worked out.

"I have a lot thicker skin now, but its been a rollercoaster for me," Kruustük said. "Luckily over time I've tried to take myself out of this rollercoaster and really think about the business sense."

Kruustük says her husband has played a big part in teaching her to be tougher. In a Medium post, Kruustük wrote about how he bought her a horse — Rockerfeller — when they got married. Little did she know her new pet would help break her stress cycle and mentally and physically take some time out from the business. Somehow, Marko knew Rockerfeller was just what she needed.

Marko had previous business experience, and Kruustük says he taught her how to not emotionally attach to every single thing that happened.

"When I look at my cofounder, he's so strong," she said. "Then I look at myself — he's trying to get me more on the ground. It's very easy to get stuck into the nitty gritty details, instead of focusing on the long term goal, and learning to take emotions out of it."

3. Diversity is key.

Half of all Testlio's employees are women or from minority groups. 40% of the leadership are also women. For Kruustük, it was important that she created an environment that was welcoming to everyone.

The employees also come from a range of different backgrounds, speaking 10 different foreign languages.

4. Every employee should add to the culture.

Company culture is vital for Kruustük. She and Marko still interview everyone they add to the team, but they tend to ask the candidates about their hobbies, rather than their technical abilities.

"Building a great company culture helps spread good word about the company," she said. "We always talk about how diverse we are, and how everyone is welcome here — that's really important as well."

However, they're also very selective. Kruustük said the company only accepts 3-4% of the testers that apply, because they have to keep the quality very high. This is why they insist on meeting everyone personally before offering them a job.

In fact, Kruustük lived with her first employee, Meelik Gornoi, for four weeks before she took him on. Both cofounders knew they liked him — he had just left Skype as one of their first employees, and was looking for something new to try — but they had only interviewed him on video chats.

"I felt a good connection to this guy but couldn't hire someone I'd never met," Kruustük said. "We had a call and I asked: 'Can you come to Austin, Texas for the next three weeks? We can get to know you and you can get to know us — if you're quitting Skype after 10 years, you want to make sure you make the right decision."

He accepted the offer, and was given the job as soon as it became clear he was a good fit.

5. Always keep pushing yourself.

If Kruustük could go back to when she was first starting up Testlio and give herself some advice, it would be to keep pushing your limits.

"You have to put yourself into uncomfortable positions because that's the only way you can grow," she said. "I wish I could have someone on my shoulder saying 'It'll be okay,' and [telling me] to keep pushing. There's pain and there's failure, but that's the only way you grow."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Facebook: These are the kinds of people we want to hire

As the summer holiday season gets underway, you may well be tempted to leave a jaunty 'out of office' message on your email.

But after reading this, you might think twice before you do.

So what's the harm in the seemingly innocuous note to let your colleagues and clients know that you'll be basking in the sun and knocking back a few margaritas for the next few weeks?

Online security experts highly recommend that if you want to use an out of office message, you need to significantly limit the amount of information you provide.

By admitting that you're topping up your tan in Tahiti for a fixed time period, you're offering vital information to would-be cyber thieves that you won't be in your office (or at home).

Then it's a relatively simple matter of finding out where you work and live. Et voila. All the data a criminal needs to rob you blind, safe in the knowledge that you won't be around to prevent it happening.

Online expert Andy O'Donnell, who is responsible for network security at About.com, claims to have seen plenty of "crazy stuff" in out of office messages. His simple advice:

"It's amazing what people put in them and reveal about themselves. My rule of thumb is, if you wouldn't tell a room full of strangers the information, you shouldn't put it in your [out of office] reply."

O'Donnell also offers four basic tips to ensure that you avoid revealing too much information:

1. Use the facility to send a different message to people within your organization (with more pertinent information) and a far less detailed version to those who do not work directly with you.
2. Set up an internal policy on out of office messages so that everyone is entirely clear what they can share and what they can not.
3. Be intentionally vague about your whereabouts. If you must use an out of office message, then simply state you are unavailable and will get back to the recipient as soon as possible.
4. Don't use your usual signature block. This prevents potential thieves from phoning you to check if you're out of the country.

You may also wish to consider the advice given to me by a previous boss. His assertion was that you should never, under any circumstances, use out of office messages because they come across as unprofessional. He maintained that business leaders in this day and age are effectively 'always on' even when they're on vacation, and to admit that you're going to shut down for two weeks is unrealistic.

To an extent, I think he had a point. I know that whenever I'm away, I always make time to check my emails--even just once a day.

I'll respond to anything that's urgent. Two weeks in most industries is an eternity, and I'd worry if I didn't check what was going on in my absence. (Or maybe I'm just a control freak.)

All that said, many would argue that checking emails defeats the purpose of taking a break in the first place--as you're not fully disconnecting from work. But people these days expect that they need to be flexible in their working lives whether that be in the evenings, at weekends or even on their holidays.

Admittedly, there will be times when you simply won't be available. Maybe you're on a desert island, or a boat with no access to WiFi. On those occasions, it's fair to share that you won't be contactable.

So what do you think? Do you think that the humble out of office message is a genuine threat to your security, or is the whole matter being overblown?

And what about the out of office message being a career-limiting move? Do you think that leaving a message makes you look unprofessional, or is that complete nonsense?

As ever, I'm keen to hear your views.

SEE ALSO: 15 signs you're underpaid

Join the conversation about this story »

The average monthly rent for an apartment in Chicago is $1,770, according to real-estate website Zillow.

If you were to take a recently advertised position at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and take an apartment at the average rate, you’d have about $600 left over after paying rent each month, not including money that goes to taxes or food.

The position in question is described as a “visiting lecturer-German basic language program director for AY 2017-2018.” The position is listed with a preference for a candidate holding a Ph.D., and one with experience in language direction experience, although those still working on their dissertations are welcome to apply.

And it pays $28,000 a year.

The job is billed as a “67 percent” position, meaning it's not quite a full workload. But based on the work description, some are calling that into question, as well as the salary for a position based in a major city.

“I’ve been reading pretty much every ad for a job in German studies for almost a decade, and many of them have robust workloads and modest pay,” said Rebecca Schuman, a writer and former academic with a Ph.D. in German, who publicized the job ad and set off considerable criticism of it. “I have never seen anything like this in all of my years … with such a high workload, that someone disingenuously advertises itself as part-time, and just egregiously low pay.”

Schuman was forwarded the job posting from a Listserv and broke down the workload description in a Sunday blog post that she said had garnered 20,000 views as of Monday. She estimated the workload -- coordinating 14 sections of courses ranging from first to fourth semester, supervising and training about 10 teaching assistants, teaching three advanced language and culture courses, and participating in departmental events -- could easily top 50 hours a week.

“My breakdown of it was, honestly, the least amount of effort you could put into a job like that without getting fired,” Schuman said.

The university said that the position's terms are in accordance with its union agreements for nontenured, non-full-time faculty, and that they reflect the state of the Illinois budget -- the Legislature earlier this month overruled Governor Bruce Rauner's veto to pass a state budget for the first time since 2015, but higher education funding in the new budget is 10 percent below 2015 levels.

"The job posting … illustrates the financial pressures in recent years due to the state's fiscal situation and corresponds to reduced student enrollment and the number of sections needed," UIC spokesman Brian Flood said in a statement.

Flood also said that the position would be dedicated to supporting existing curriculum, rather than developing new curriculum, and it would be supported by a teaching assistant.

"Despite the financial realities being faced, the department is eager to welcome and support scholars who wish to explore this opportunity. Ideally, the financial situation will improve and the number of students enrolled will increase, consequently strengthening the major and the department over all," he said.

Rosemary Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Association, also estimated the job description to be above that of a two-thirds workload, saying it would be at least 35 to 40 hours a week. Regardless of whether it was full-time or 67 percent, she said, the MLA’s salary recommendations are higher than what’s being offered: $64,000 for full-time and about $42,000 for 67 percent.

“Conclusion? Pure exploitation. Recommendation? Double the salary and limit the working hours to 25 per week or pay pro rata for the additional hours necessary to do the job,” she said via email.

Schuman said that while most of the reactions to her post have been positive, some people have said that she isn’t taking Illinois’s budget woes into account. Although the state does finally have a budget, colleges have been hit hard in the meantime, and the amount agreed to spend on higher education -- $1.1 billion for 12 institutions -- is 10 percent lower than what institutions received in 2015.

“To blame that on the budget is buck passing,” Schuman said. “If you don’t have the budget for the job, you can’t have the job. You can’t post a job.”

Responses on Twitter were critical, calling the ad “an abuse of labor” and advising grad students to, instead of applying, “Do literally anything else with your life.”

“My encouragement is for nobody apply to this job,” Schuman said. “There is no context for this job to be advertised.”

SEE ALSO: The 25 highest-paying jobs in America

Join the conversation about this story »

Like many thriving businesses, the accessory and apparel brand Valfré started off as a side hustle. It was created by Ilse Valfré, originally from Tijuana, who began her design journey by sharing her cartoon-like sketches on Tumblr.

Over time, her social media following grew, and her artwork transformed into vintage-inspired fashion designs.

"Our page is all about what it's like to be a girl and we make sure that our content reflects the theme," she said.

Now, Valfré is distributed in over 250 stores in 28 countries around the world. The Valfré Instagram page also has over 650,000 followers.

However, it wasn't always an easy journey. Valfré made her way to LA on an expired tourist visa, and earlier this year, Forever 21 was accused of ripping off her designs. However, she paved her way to success by mastering Instagram and creating a brand that resonates with hundreds of thousand of people.

Business Insider spoke to Valfré to get her top tips on optimising your social media use to build a following.

These are the six things she says you should keep in mind.

1. Tell a story.

The Valfré brand started with artwork, and so it's important that it remains the main source of inspiration behind all of the products on the website.

"Every brand should have a unique story that sells it, and the social media content should be a visual reflection of that story," Valfré said.

For example, one of their products — a phone case called The Selfie Control Pills — started off as a drawing. On social media, the case was promoted with the original illustration, and with a photo shoot that resembled the drawing.

"Connecting the artwork, product, and photography is very important to us and allows us to tell our brand story and set a tone," Valfré said.

2. Make sure your content is balanced.

Valfré says if you're a brand or you're selling a product, there should be a balance of different things on your social media pages. For example, Valfré mixes in images from cult classic movies and characters, as well as lifestyle posts and pictures of new products.

"We want our feed to be a place people can relate to and laugh, while also acting as a mood board," said Valfré.

3. Use Instagram 'Stories' effectively.

Instagram stories are a fun way to show off your personality, Valfré says, so post more of them. It also gives your followers something to look forward to, and the content can differ quite a lot from your regular posts.

"We love Stories because it gives followers a chance to really feel like they are a part of Valfré," she said. "We show behind the scenes of photo shoots, tease upcoming products, give an inside to our blog, and highlight our customers or 'girl crushes.'"

4. Work out what people like.

You should pay attention when posts are getting engagement, and then try and create similar content. For example, Valfré noticed that the best engagement is with artwork and lifestyle posts.

"Ultimately followers do not want to be sold to, so it's important to us to give our followers more of what they like," she said.

Instagram's new algorithm means that posts are analysed for how much they are being liked and shared, and pushes more popular posts to the top of the feed. So the more engagement the better.

5. Use hashtags sparingly.

Valfré says you should only use hashtags when they're relevant. Don't go hashtag crazy.

"Hashtag usage is necessary but unless it's relevant you won't really be bringing interested and engaged followers to your page," she said. "We use hashtags like, #GirlCrush and #GirlPower because we think they really resonate with our brand image."

6. Remember — quality over quantity.

According to Valfré, quality is more important than quantity. Each post should resonate with the audience, and if it won't, you probably shouldn't post it.

"Think of when you're watching your favorite television series and they drag it out for another season. You always want to end a good note." she said. "[If] your followers are left wanting more, you develop an engaged following."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Tony Robbins explains Stephen Curry's incredible 100% free throw record in the first 3 games of the series

Elon Musk is an icon of success. Possessing a net worth of approximately 15.7 billion dollars, Musk is world renowned for his innovation, foresight, and incredible work ethic. Unfortunately, attempting to mimic his work habits and practices won't give you the boost you need to achieve your personal and professional goals.

As a life coach and licensed therapist, many of my motivated clients have attempted to implement other people's practices. They come to seek my help after they've wasted years of valuable time and energy trying to mimic someone else. At that point, my job is to help them clarify their own strengths and shortcomings so that they can create a plan for building practices that will lead them — as unique and talented individuals — to the success they desire. My work with these clients is in stark contrast to the countless others I see online worshipping the icons of entrepreneurship instead of discovering their own recipe for success.

Many people try to replicate other people's work habits, but quickly discover that these practices fail to lead lead them to the world of abundance they desire. If living a productive and successful life were as easy as copying someone else's work, each of the kids in your high school classroom would have been just as successful as the brilliant person whose homework they copied. Unfortunately, the world is much more complex.

Discovering which habits work for you and which ones restrict your growth is a long and challenging process. The reason most people try and fail to work like Elon Musk, or others, is because Musk's work habits work best for him.

We are all incredibly unique. Each of us have individualized environments that suit us best, rest and exercise schedules that maximize our productivity, and specific diets that give us more energy. Every single person has a different psychological, mental, emotional, and physical set of requirements that need to be optimized to achieve personal and professional success — so simply copying and pasting someone else's setup is like sticking a square peg in a round hole — it doesn't work!

The one reason Elon Musk's work habits won't work for you is because they aren't customized to your unique makeup. Instead of wasting valuable time and energy implementing other people's habits, try doing something much more efficient: learning as much about yourself as possible.

Engaging in real self-development practices like therapy or coaching accelerates your ability to discover which habits support your growth and which habits you need to modify to live according to your values and achieve your personal and professional goals. Consistent practice of critical self-reflection highlights your shortcomings — the areas of incongruence between your desires and your behaviors — so that you can transcend these limitations. It also boosts your strengths by highlighting what you do well so that you can continue building upon the practices that positively contribute to your wellbeing.

While you're investing in your personal and professional growth through self-development practices, you can experiment by slowly adding in other people's habits to discover which work well for you. Slowly add in one or two habits over the course of a few weeks or a month to see if it adds value for you or not. Because you'll be consistently tracking your progress in therapy or coaching, you'll have direct feedback to see whether or not these habits improve your life.

The most important part of personal and professional growth isn't trying to copy someone else's habits, it's taking meaningful actions towards your goals. In time, these new actions will become engrained practices that will lead you to success of your own.

There's no need to copy Elon Musk's work habits. You simply need to invest in yourself and construct a customized and individualized plan to maximize your unique gifts.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog

There was never a single eureka moment that set up the idea of Trustpilot.

The website, which is a platform where businesses and companies are reviewed and given a rating, was founded in 2007 by Peter Mühlmann, but is actually the result of many people's ideas.

"Most people expect there is this bathtub moment, you sit there and you get one magic idea, and that turns into the company," Mühlmann told Business Insider. "I want to emphasise it's very rarely like that."

In fact, it took nine or 10 years for Trustpilot to become the brand it is today.

Mühlmann was in his early 20s when Trustpilot was founded, and he's learned a great deal about being an entrepreneur by going in head first. He was at business school at the time, but dropped out when he realised he could learn more by starting a business for real.

He spoke to Business Insider about how to lead successfully from a young age, and what he's learned along the way. These are his six pieces of advice for budding entrepreneurs:

1. Seeing is believing

The number one rule is to believe in yourself. Mühlmann says that if you don't really believe in the idea, then nobody will.

"Often I say to young entrepreneurs that your greatest limitation in life is what you think is possible," he said. "If you think something is impossible, almost by definition it becomes impossible. Often, seeing is believing."

2. Formal qualifications aren't everything

Mühlmann had been at business school for three and a half years before he dropped out. While he did learn some important lessons, he said he probably wouldn't recommend it for people who want to set up their own businesses.

"I really don't think it's a requirement at all," he said. "You learn something, so it's not a waste of time but there are so many other things that are so much more important."

For example, making your own mistakes, and working out how to get through them.

3. Prepare to be tired

As you first start to grow a business, Mühlmann says you're very inexperienced, and so your brain goes into overdrive to compensate for what you don't know.

"Your brain just accelerates and spends an enormous amount of energy to devise solutions to these new problems," he said. "I've seen that happen time and time again in young entrepreneurs, and it's perfectly normal, it's all perfectly okay. But when you experience it, then that's an exhausting feeling. You're absolutely drained by it."

You'll be running into problems that you've never thought about before, which is mentally demanding. It's a bit like when you're doing an exam, and you feel exhausted afterwards.

Mühlmann says you get used to it, but you also have to prepare for this being your mental state for the next 10 years, at least.

4. Don't compare yourself

Celebrity founders such as Kevin Systrom and Elon Musk dominate the social media coverage of businesses. With these success stories so prominent in the media, it can be hard not to compare yourself to them, Mühlmann says.

"You always see yourself naked in the mirror and you see everybody else dressed to party," he said. "So whenever you see others, and they're out there celebrating their fund raising, or recent wins or nominations, and they look so great... I think it's very important to realise that you always see others at their best."

Most entrepreneurs go through the stages of sitting at their desks late in the evening, wondering how they are going to find the money to keep their best employees. The stories of Facebook buying businesses for a billion dollars are actually incredibly rare.

"People have enormously unrealistic expectations about the timeline involved," Mühlmann said. "The only things you read about are the things that are interesting, and by definition, that's things that are unusual. So that creates a certain bias, and everybody thinks that everything you read about, that's the norm."

5. Learn to say 'no'

With every new business, when it starts to be successful, there comes a time where more experienced people will want to join you.

While their experience is very valuable, Mühlmann says you shouldn't be blind-sighted by it. You have to remember that you also bring something very important to the table. Try not to hire "debate champions."

"A lot of these very experienced people, they can win any debate against you easily, because they've done this for the past 20 years," he said. "They have all the right words, and the right PowerPoint slides, and 'I tried this,' and 'I tried that.' If it becomes more about just who's winning the argument, then it can get really dangerous."

Just because they have been in business longer than you have, it doesn't necessarily mean they are right. As long as you are mindful of this, Mühlmann says, you can have a much more valuable conversation.

As a general rule, Mühlmann says you can have three major disagreements with your management team over the course of a year. Any more than that and something needs to change.

6. Raise more than you need

As you are inexperienced, you need wiggle room to make mistakes. Mühlmann says the best way to do this is by raising more money than you think you'll need.

"We often have a full year where things didn't go according to plan," he said. "But because we raised more money, we had the time to figure it out and then get back on track."

Also, he recommends spending the money you have slower than you think you should.

"Your mindset should be: I'm inexperienced, I'm going to make mistakes, so I need a fund if things go wrong," he added. "If you don't make mistakes, good for you — you win. Whereas if you're more experienced, you can optimise it more, and tune the engine a little bit more."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Facebook director who interviews up to 100 candidates a year reveals how to make your résumé stand out

Excuses are like, er... opinions; everyone has one. OK, so that's a much less graphic version of that cliché, but organizations that are full of excuses are also full of bigger problems.

No one has a perfect performance record, but having the accountability to accept mistakes and take ownership of rectifying them are the hallmarks of excellent employees. Within great companies, there is simply no room for excuses — on any side. I heard it said the other day that great leaders sometimes have explanations, but never excuses.

With that said, when an excuse appears, a concise explanation can serve as a powerful alignment of expectations and help create a culture of accountability. Here are three that I've heard along the way and how to keep the organization focused on the solution — not the problem.

1. 'I didn't know I was allowed to do that.'

I give a one-time pass for this excuse because it's actually completely valid. Even if you have a general idea of a person's background, you don't really know the ins and outs of the past politics they've dealt with. It's possible that they came from organizations that always told them to stay in their lanes and only contribute in a way that fit their narrow job description. This is less of an excuse and more of a light bulb moment for you and your employee.

In my company, we make it clear that no rules or job descriptions are written in stone. We empower our people to change anything at any time and tell them not to be afraid to try new things. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, the only thing employees shouldn't be "allowed" to do is assume that the answer is "no." If you empower your employees along those lines, they should be open in admitting when they need help and quick to step in for a colleague who needs assistance.

The flip side of that is, once your employees know they're given carte blanche to explore opportunities, they risk severely hurting their reputations by standing still. Nothing is more disappointing than watching someone go from boundary-pusher to excuse-maker. Allow for one "I didn't know that was how it's done around here," then rid your people of that mindset for good.

2. 'I didn't know where to find the answer.'

Part of empowering employees is giving them license to ask as many questions as possible. It's easy to identify great employees because they're the ones who, when encountering a problem, ask themselves why it's happening instead of just saying, "This sucks."

The first step in problem solving is defining the problem. So, an employee who doesn't know where to find the answer probably doesn't know what they're looking for in the first place.

You should never expect people to know how to solve every issue, every time. It's to be expected that complex problems will require collaboration and teamwork within your organization. Encourage your teams to break down barriers in a pragmatic manner in order to get to the root cause. The answer will often lie in your process.

For example, I've often found that apathy attempts to cloak itself by citing information overload. I was hearing that there was simply too much information to weed through and new employees often got stuck, sometimes due to the daunting number of places where information was lurking.

Whatever the leading cause, your employees should always have somewhere, or someone, to help them find a solution. We implemented a knowledge base that has become the single stop for knowledge. And if the information isn't present, there's an option to ask the question directly in the platform, which routes it to pre-determined subject matter experts who can hop on the inquiry quickly.

By doing this, we've removed the excuse of not knowing.

3. 'I just don't work well with (insert co-worker here).'

Here's one that will keep rearing its ugly head if the problem goes untreated. Conflict happens. I'm not saying everyone at your company needs to be best friends. In fact, I have found that high performers are sometimes the most difficult to work with.

But unless co-workers can arrive at a mutual understanding, they'll constantly be on different pages. At best, the negative effects are limited to their productivity. At worst, it hobbles the entire company.

To help keep this parasitic mindset from spreading, it's up to leadership to encourage individuals to work through their issues on their own. We actually encourage the use of a "safe word"— something that indicates the conversation is no longer productive for one of the parties and that a pattern interrupt is necessary.

There needs to be a collective mindset that encourages empathy and promotes the desire to understand the position of others. I firmly believe that everyone is doing their best, and working toward the best results, as they understand them. Therefore, if this is the assumption you are willing to make as well, every conflict arises out of someone's inability to understand another party, not because of some malicious motivation.

As an employer, when this arises, you have the license to put performance on hold and focus on fostering this understanding. An extended afternoon away from the office can do wonders.

Unfortunately, many organizations allow friction to perpetuate because too much stuff needs to get done on the work calendar. Employees continue to get put on the same team without understanding each other's processes, and as a result never find a workable middle ground. Don't stunt the value each employee brings by sweeping discord under the rug. It will keep popping up again and again. And you shouldn't have the patience to hear the same excuse more than once.

George Washington Carver said, "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." Unlike failure, the only way to create success is through unflinching diligence and by creating a culture where there is simply no excuse for anything less.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how LeBron James reacted when he learned Kevin Durant was joining the Warriors

Are you looking to max out your backyard hammock hours and still make bank when you do have to work?

A new study by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has a list of part-time jobs that pay nearly triple the $7.25 federal minimum wage.

The best part: Job openings in those occupations are expected to grow faster in the next decade than other occupations, and most of them don't even require a four-year degree.

Using data from the National Compensation Survey, the BLS found 19 part-time jobs that pay more than $20 an hour. To save you some time, we threw out any that required more than a bachelor's degree or that were projected to have fewer jobs by 2024.

As you'll notice, a lot of these jobs are in the healthcare field, which we've highlighted in past articles as a really promising industry as our country continues to age. Plus, it's one of three sectors with tons of open jobs.

High-paying part-time jobs that typically require an associate's degree

Dental hygienist

• Average hourly pay: $33.19
• Projected job growth: 19%

Diagnostic medical sonographer

• Average hourly pay: $31.73
• Projected job growth: 26%

Respiratory therapist

• Average hourly pay: $29.35
• Projected job growth: 12%

Physical therapist assistant

• Average hourly pay: $26.75
• Projected job growth: 41%

Radiologic technologist

• Average hourly pay: $25.65
• Projected job growth: 9%

Practical or vocational nurse

• Average hourly pay: $22.60
• Projected job growth: 16%

Insurance sales agent

• Average hourly pay: $20.96
• Projected job growth: 9%

High-paying part-time jobs that typically require a bachelor's degree

Registered nurse

• Average hourly pay: $36.94
• Projected job growth: 16%

Medical or clinical laboratory technician

• Average hourly pay: $34.84
• Projected job growth: 14%

Management analyst

• Average hourly pay: $29.71
• Projected job growth: 14%

Dietitian or nutritionist

• Average hourly pay: $26.56
• Projected job growth: 16%

Mental-health and substance-abuse social worker

• Average hourly pay: $22.37
• Projected job growth: 19%

SEE ALSO: 7 websites that will pay you money to do practically nothing

DON'T MISS: 9 comments that can immediately disqualify you from a job interview

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Every map of Louisiana is a lie — what it really looks like should scare you

When you're on a journey for weight loss, a career change, to learn a new hobby, or to build your business, it's essential to have your brain in the right place.

Without having your mind in the right area, you can easily lose focus, leading to a one-way street of overthinking, overanalyzing, critical judgment, and playing it safe, thus making your goals feel like mission impossible.

Mindset traps are the result of past environmental conditioning and beliefs that aren't all your fault. However, it will be all your fault should you choose not to take any action on reversing those beliefs.

Here are 5 habits that can instantly make you mentally tougher.

1. Let go of focusing on things you don't want

The problem with this is that you're taking up space in your brain with things you don't want in life. In addition, you're creating hyper-awareness for all the things you don't want, which leads to unnecessary stress and being afraid to make mistakes.

This unintentionally brings more of the things you don't want into your life.

Stave off desserts for a month, and you'll find yourself with opportunities for dessert around every corner, along with having dreams of chess pie.

Words matter, because that's what you're filling your mental tank up with.

Keep your attention on the things you want, and you'll start to attract more of those things into your life.

2. Let go of playing the comparison game

If you want a proven path to being joyless and never feeling good enough, then sign up for the comparison game.

This is when you look around and think everyone else is richer, thinner, more talented, and more successful than you are. This is a trap when it comes to social media, because it's easy to think of it as motivation initially, and then it discreetly becomes a comparison to your current life.

Ambition is great, but don't compare your day-to-day unscripted life with a curated and polished life on social media.

3. Let go of listening to the wrong people

While anyone can share his or her opinion, this doesn't mean that you should listen to that person. Your possibilities may be impossibilities to some people, because they see the world through an entirely different set of lenses.

No need to be rude about it, but choose whom you take advice from.

Is this person on the same wavelength as you? Is he successful in an area comparable to yours? Is he living his days as you would want to live yours?

If the answer is no, odds are you need to politely smile and thank him while continuing your day. Only listen to those who add value to your vision.

4. Let go of believing you can do it all on your own

The hero syndrome is a great way to remain stagnate in life. You're most likely intelligent, have great qualifications, and are highly skilled. But as Marshall Goldsmith reminds us, "What got you here won't get you there."

All great feats and accomplishments in life were the efforts of a group of people. Singers, inventors, and entrepreneurs may get the fame and notoriety, but you can bet they had a support group that aided them along their journey.

This is difficult for people, because when you ask for help, you're making yourself vulnerable and that's scary to most. But don't let the ego stop you from becoming the best version of yourself because you're too scared or stubborn to ask for help.

5. Let go of time traveling

Normally, time traveling would sound like an activity that we all should sign up for. But it's not something to sign up for when it comes to bettering our lives.

Time traveling to the past only conjures up memories, which can lead to feelings of guilt and countless "what if" scenarios. Neither of which are productive in the present moment.

Time traveling to the future can make you anxious, since nothing is set in stone. This will only lead to hesitation and unfocused work in the present moment, which isn't beneficial.

If you're looking to change the narrative of your life, business, health, or anything else — place all of your focus first on developing a strong mindset.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The inventor of Roomba has created a weed-slashing robot for your garden

The best things in life may be free, but that doesn't mean they won't take time, sweat, and perseverance to acquire.

That's especially the case when it comes to learning important life skills.

To ascertain which talents are worth the investment, one Quora reader posed the question: "What are the hardest and most useful skills to learn?"

We've highlighted our favorite takeaways, as well as a few other skills we thought were important.

SEE ALSO: 18 hobbies you can turn into a high-paying side gig

DON'T MISS: What 13 highly successful people read every morning

Empathy

"You can be the most disciplined, brilliant, and even wealthy individual in the world, but if you don't care for or empathize with other people, then you are basically nothing but a sociopath," writes Kamia Taylor.

Empathy, as business owner Jane Wurdwand explains, is a fundamental human ability that has too readily been forsworn by modern business.

"Empathy — the ability to feel what others feel — is what makes good sales and service people truly great. Empathy as in team spirit — esprit de corps— motivates people to try harder. Empathy drives employees to push beyond their own apathy, to go bigger, because they feel something bigger than just a paycheck," she writes.

Mastering your sleep

There are so many prescribed sleep hacks out there it's often hard to keep track. But regardless of what you choose, establishing a ritual can help ensure you have restful nights.

Numerous studies show that being consistent with your sleep schedule makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up, and it helps promote better sleep in general.

Time management

Effective time management is one of the most highly valued skills by employers. While there is no one right way, it's important to find a system that works for you and stick to it, Alina Grzegorzewska explains. 

"The hardest thing to learn for me was how to plan," she writes. "Not to execute what I have planned, but to make so epic a to-do list and to schedule it so thoroughly that I'm really capable of completing all the tasks on the scheduled date."

Tina Nicolai estimates that she has read more than 40,000 résumés since launching Résumé Writers' Ink in 2010. She says these are seven of the most annoying mistakes she sees on a regular basis.

Join the conversation about this story »

Simon Sinek is the author of four books, including his latest, "Leaders Eat Last." He sat down with Business Insider to discuss how to start a successful business. Following is a transcript of the video.

So, there are many ways. A “why” is an origin story. It is the reason why we get out of bed in the morning. It’s the reason why we started the business in the first place. The best businesses are usually formed out of personal experience where I personally suffered a problem or somebody I love or care about suffered something and the solution that I found became the business that we built.

The weaker businesses tend to be ones where I looked in a magazine, I saw there was an opportunity, and I decided to start a business.

And the reason is because people aren't really passionate about that. We're passionate for the things we actually do in our lives. Take a look at Airbnb. Airbnb was started because a bunch of people came for a conference and they opened up their home and had people stay in this air bed and breakfast.

Because they set up all these air beds. That's literally how it started. It was a real solution to a real problem. And because it worked so well they did it again, and again, and again. And before you know it, a business was formed. Those are the best ones. But that still doesn't capture the why.

The why really is based on the founder or founders. It's who you are as people. And the business you form, you form in your own image. Virgin is Richard Branson. Apple is Steve Jobs. It’s the same thing.

So you really want to go through your own life and you look at the peaks and valleys in your own life, and you'll find that there's a pattern in all of your experiences that you absolutely loved being a part of. That pattern is your why — it’s the thing that inspires you the most and the thing that drives your passion.

Join the conversation about this story »

In the 90s, when I worked as a corporate drone at a large consumer electronics retailer, I reported to a boss who didn't understand my skills or expertise.

He would talk on and on about a large ERP install he was doing. I'd say "ER what?" and start talking about writing projects, a new usability and design lab we were building, and various employee conflicts. The underlying issue is that he didn't value my contribution or the contribution of my team. We were speaking different languages.

Interestingly, he didn't exhibit the number one trait that makes people quit, which might explain why I stuck around a few more years after that. (In fact, we learned to get along eventually.)

A new survey by a company called BambooHR polled 1,000 employees and ranked the top reasons they find another job. (They also found that 44% of those surveyed quit because of a bad boss.) Because these reasons for quitting are so common, I've added a few extra notes about why that bad boss attribute might be a problem — and how to overcome it.

1. Your boss takes credit for your work (63 percent)

One of the big findings is that employees really hate it when the boss takes credit for their work. And, older employees (those over 45) get even more irritated. Why is it just a trigger? Employees want to be recognized, and then challenged to complete other lofty goals. When they realize they won't get any credit or someone will steal it, they lose all motivation.

2. Your boss doesn't appear to trust or empower you (62%)

Trust and empowerment can change employee perceptions. When you show trust, you're essentially enabling the employee to succeed. Bad bosses don't understand that. They command and control, assuming an employee is going to fail or create conflict. To change, you have to demonstrate to an employee you are OK with small failures.

3. Your boss doesn't appear to care if you're overworked (58%)

The boss is out playing golf or on vacation in Orlando. At work, the employees are stretched pretty thin. That's a problem because, from the perspective of the workers, there isn't an example of how to do the work, someone explaining how to finish tasks, or any time-table other than "get this done before the boss starts paying attention again."

4. Your boss doesn't appear to advocate for you when it comes to monetary compensation (wages/salary/bonuses) (57%)

A curious one that ranks high on the list (above setting expectations or not getting a promotion), not advocating for an employee puts you in the doghouse. Why? Like the other high ranking reasons, the employee knows they won't get any credit (in this case, financially) for hard work. He or she will produce the work but won't ever get the recognition.

5. Your boss hires and/or promotes the wrong people (56%)

Favoritism is another de-motivator. A bad boss picks the people he or she likes, regardless of skill level. It might be because that person also drives an Audi. Bad bosses don't fairly critique all employees and understand what it takes to do a specific job or role.

6. Your boss doesn't back you up when there's a dispute between you and one of your company's clients (55%)

We all want advocates, a boss who will stand up for us. We also crave truth in the workplace, an understanding that it was your skill or your attitude that landed the big customer or pushed a project forward. Bad bosses are weak-willed individuals. They do the hard work of advocating because that involves conflict resolution, time and effort, and maybe even some emotion.

7. Your boss doesn't provide proper direction on assignments/roles (54%)

When an employee doesn't know what to do it creates conflict because, really, that's why Susie is even on the accounting team. It's to use the skills and training she has to excel. We all want to be needed, to show we have amazing abilities. Good bosses know how to funnel all of that skill and creativity in the right direction; bad bosses zap it dead.

8. Your boss micromanages you and doesn't allow you the "freedom to work" (53 percent)

Another big killer for motivation at work is when the boss nitpicks all day. It also reveals a lack of empathy, because the employee sees his or her work output as simply a blip on a screen, a code in a handbook. There's a person doing the work. An exceptional boss recognizes that every employee has individual needs and a desire to work creatively and with discretion.

9. Your boss focuses more on your weaknesses than your strengths (53%)

A bad boss is a wrist slapper. He or she likes to point out anything that's wrong, mostly because the goal is for the boss to look good. When he or she constantly points out problems, it's because the boss wants to make sure the higher-ups don't see any flaws. Good bosses overlook minor issues and focus on the outcome.

10. Your boss doesn't set clear expectations (52%)

Ranking much lower than expected (ahem), this bad boss trait is still one to avoid. It means the boss is not a good communicator, and the employee is a little lost in a maze. What is the role here? What is success? What are the steps to complete a task? When an employee doesn't know the outcome he or she will slip into a mode of low productivity and apathy.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Amazon has an oddly efficient way of storing stuff in its warehouses

As the largest, and most disruptive, generation there's a lot to learn about millennials.

It's estimated that millennials will be almost 50% of the workforce by 2020.

How can we keep them in one place ? How can we talk to them ? What can we learn from them?

Can this generation of people teach older and younger generations the secret to happiness be one such lesson?

They prefer to spend money on experiences rather than on material items.

Older generations had the belief that in order to be successful you needed to have a good career with a good salary. This money allowed an employee to purchase essential items and the finer things in a life.

Most of the older generation want to purchase a home in the suburbs. They wanted that white picket fence. For most of that generation happiness was equated with a home purchase.

For millennials, that's not the case.

"In the hunt for happiness, many have shifted away from material things and toward experiences,"writes journalist and author Dan Kadlec.

"This shift spans the generations, although millennials seem to be further along. 76% of millennials said they would rather spend on experiences rather than on material things. Compare this number with 59% of boomers who feel that ownership is happiness. This information is according to new research from Eventbrite, a ticketing company."

Mr. Kadlec adds, "From the start of their working years, millennials have placed a high value on job satisfaction and enriching experiences. millennial have come to the point of turning down offers or promotions that might get in the way of these experiences. Some 94% of millennials say experiences are an important part of a fulfilling life, according to the survey."

We can't pinpoint the exact moment when this became a turning point. Some believe that the change was connected with the millennials feeling suffocated by the "greed is good" type philosophy. This seems to have happened some time in the 80s.

The internet bubble burst in the early 2000s, and of course then came the 2009 economic meltdown. millennials have figured out that spending money on experiences are more rewarding and can make us all happier.

There's some science to back that up as well.

"We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed, but only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them,"says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University. Dr. Gilovich has been studying the question of money and happiness for more than two decades.

Gilovich's research is the synthesis of numerous psychological studies into something called the Easterlin paradox. Simply stated it says that money buys happiness, but only up to a point.

"Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods," says Dr. Gilovich. "You can really like your material stuff. You can even think of that "stuff" as part of your identity. In some way you can feel connected to those things. Nonetheless mere "things" remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences."

Furthermore, experiences give us something to look forward to and connects us with others. "We consume experiences directly with other people," says Gilovich. "And after they're gone, they're part of the stories that we tell to one another."

They have a different mentality regarding work.

millennials get a bad rap for being lazy. That's not true. They have a completely different mentality on work than previous generations.

millennials like to be doing something that they love and to have the flexibility to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

According to the Intelligence Group,"64% of millennials said they would rather make $40,000 a year at a job they love. They would even leave a $100,000 a year at a job they find boring."

A study from Udemy found that "Young millennials (ages 21-24) are nearly twice as likely to be bored at work (38%). Baby Boomers are only about (22%) likely to be bored."

The bigger picture? millennials aren't motivated or happy with a fat, juicy paycheck. They're seeking jobs where they can make a difference, grow professionally and personally, and have time to themselves.

"Is there really such a thing as work-life balance? If you love what you do for work, then you're not constantly aggravated by the elusive work-life balance achievement. Happiness is the barometer. You need to be comfortable that you're giving enough attention to family, work, friends, and your health."

Do what makes you happy or else everything else will suffer as a result. When things go too far in either direction, I tend to course-correct fairly quickly. "You need to be the judge of this and it varies a great deal person to person," Ryan Harwood, CEO of PureWow, told Forbes.

Kayla Buell, author and millennial career blogger, added:

"Work-life balance means doing an awesome job at work but also having enough time and energy to focus on my other passions and relationships. Last year, I made the switch to a new company which aligned more with my personal passions and allowed me to tap into that energy and focus in a new way. Like many millennials, I was starting to feel overwhelmed by the daily grind, so finding a way to blend my career and passion, allowed me to be more present in my relationships and feel more fulfilled overall."

They want to make the world a better place.

Research has shown that giving makes us far happier than receiving. Other studies have shown that that giving money to others, or donating to a charity, will put a bigger smile on your face. Merely spending that money on yourself doesn't fit the happiness meter. That's because we're a social species and survived for all these centuries because we helped each other out.

That's not to say that other generations haven't wanted to make the world a better place. It's just that millennials have taken this to a whole new level. 74% of this tech-savvy generation has a passion to change the world and are more than willingly to make a positive difference. This generation wants to make changes in both the lives of people locally and globally.

Are you a millennial? If so, let us what you can teach others about how to be happy.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A mother and daughter stopped speaking after Trump was elected — here's their emotional first conversation 6 months later

At Business Insider, we have interviewed hundreds of job applicants.

We are usually impressed with the calibre of candidates. Most people we meet seem smart and accomplished, and applicants "get" our all-digital, fast-paced, anti-boring way of handling business news.

But ... young people are human, too. They make mistakes.

What follows are all real-life errors committed by people who wanted to work at Business Insider.

24. You want a job with us but you don't read Business Insider ...

"So, what do you like most about Business Insider?""Er..."

This is one of the most common, and most baffling, mistakes: When it becomes clear that a promising candidate has not actually looked at our site recently. We're hiring people who want to workwith us, not people who just need a job.

Tip: Read the site on the morning of your interview and take a couple of notes so you can show us you're well-informed.

23. Showing up 20 minutes early.

It may seem like a good idea to show up early, but it puts pressure on the interviewer to meet with you. A time was set for a reason. You should never be late, but five minutes is enough for showing up in advance.

Tip: Find a nearby coffee spot and hang out there until your interview time. 

22. Being too general.

You have one shot to demonstrate your knowledge and skills — so be as specific as you can when answering questions. Don't answer questions with "yes" or "no." The interviewer shouldn't have to feel as if he or she is carrying the conversation.

Tip: Review the projects you're most proud of before heading into an interview. It's easy to forget the details even if it's your own work.