Keep Tabs on Your Visible Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Keep Tabs on Your Visible Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When it comes to building a reputation for your personal brand we often neglect to follow what others are seeing about us online. But this is an important step not to be missed, especially for those looking for new job opportunities. Here are some tips on how to monitor your social networks and online activities for maximum effectiveness. A personal reputation is extremely visible in today’s Internet world. You are responsible for how others perceive you both online and offline, which can make or break a job opportunity. What gets noticed by recruiters? Your integrity, online communication, appearance, and how others perceive you. Once a post or tweet is online, it is a permanent record. Before you go on that next job interview you will want to pay attention to the image of your personal brand that is being portrayed through communication. The biggest mistake anyone can make is to assume that everything is okay, but it pays to perform a personal assessment of your online activity. Recruiters are constantly seeking valuable candidates online. Whether you are aware of it or not, your online profiles are being looked at and evaluated in a highly competitive environment. This the first impression that they will have of your personal brand, and so you will want to make it a great one. How to keep tabs on your online reputation There are several steps you can take when building a personal brand to ensure a winning persona. • Be honest Don’t hide mistakes or failures. Take care of any explanations online first before it is brought out in public. • Stay true to your niche Remain focused on your current skills, and create content around your area of expertise. Narrow your connections to your industry, and avoid spreading your reach too thin. • Allows others to promote your personal brand Be careful not to blow your own horn constantly. Your reputation is built on the recommendation of others. Showcase these on your social profiles. • Stay active on social media Communication is what drives a personal brand online. Stay in contact with your network, and engage in conversation daily. When you spend extra time to monitor your personal brand you will not only protect your reputation, but your persona will stand out from the rest and get noticed by job recruiters in your niche.

Death Battle Resumes vs. LinkedIn Profiles - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Death Battle Resumes vs. LinkedIn Profiles - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I am writing this post because I want to help you be more successful in advancing your career, whether in active or passive job search mode. I want you to avoid the wasted time and frustrations arising from ineffective activities that produce minimal results. At the top of my ineffective activities list are applying for jobs online and endlessly revising resumes. One of the many common job search pitfalls I have observed is becoming  resume centric. By this I mean that many job seekers  focus on  revising/tweaking/etc their resumes under the false belief that creating a better resume will improve their odds of getting their next job. Their belief is a mythic bull which I seek to fatally  gore in Chapter 6 of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!): Having coached hundreds of job seekers and discussed the subject with many hundreds more, re-writing resumes based upon untrained advice appears to be an epidemic. Three recent posts of mine have touched on resumes in some way. Keeping Your Job Search Confidential discussed how to use your resume discretely. Job Seeker Employment Date Codes sensitized you to the importance of employment and unemployment dates. Dont Give Me Your Resume was my strident  plea to stop wallpapering our planet (literally and electronically) with resumes. If you have invested too much time and placed too much emphasis on your resume, its not too late to confess your sins and turn your life around?? My first suggestion is to start applying more of your efforts toward a tool that probably deserves more time and attention: your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn profiles are on a steady march toward eclipsing resumes as a career marketing and job search aid. There are several good posts on this blog about LinkedIn. Check out Leslie Truexs post on keyword optimization of your profile and Ceren Cubuckus post on leveraging LinkedIn as a networking resource. I do not want to duplicate their information, so I will just offer you one suggestion and that is to include your phone number (or at least your email address) in your profile. The vast majority of the job seeker profiles I have reviewed have failed to add this vital information that will  increase the likelihood that recruiters and hiring managers contact you when they  have a job they feel you  match. Here is the bottom line: If you are fishing at the bottom end of the job market, such as applying for jobs on craigslist or other blind postings that dont tell you the name of the company, the pay, etc., then continuing to wallpaper the earth is fine with me. But, if you are seeking a good paying job with a company that is not cheapo and understands how to find higher quality job candidates, you need to give your resume a rest and revisit your LinkedIn profile with an eye toward improving it. Id love to hear your comments and experiences. Let me know what you think and best wishes for your success. Author: Richard Kirby  is an executive career consultant, speaker on career strategies, and author of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!). Richard Kirby’s earlier experience includes managing engineering, human resources, marketing and sales teams for employers that ranged from a Fortune 100 to a VC-funded entrepreneurial startup. For the past 11 years at Executive Impact, Richard has helped hundreds of executives and professionals successfully navigate today’s transformed 21st century job market and achieve better employment for themselves. Richard’s expertise includes career assessments and goal setting, personal marketing/branding, resume enhancement, strategic networking and job interviewing, and “contrarian” job search methodologies. He is a Board Certified Coach (in career coaching) and a Certified Management Consultant (recognized by the ISO).

Tips For Writing a Resume That Doesnt Scare Away the Recruiters

Tips For Writing a Resume That Doesn't Scare Away the RecruitersIf you are considering having someone look at your resume, then you should consider how to write a resume that does not scare away the people who are looking for a job. A great resume will be easy to read and understand but it is also not going to be so obvious that others get the wrong impression that you are lacking experience or knowledge.When it comes to resumes, most people are looking for professional looking, honest, and concise. When you look at the different styles of resumes, you may be surprised to see that some of them are actually longer than others. There are times when you want to see a resume with writing.If you have a long resume, you need to make sure that the reader can quickly scan it. This means that you should consider leaving a few blank spaces for blank areas. The recruiter will naturally have to cross reference this information against your other resume materials to be sure that you really do hav e what they are looking for.Most long resumes will be all lined up. The recruiter will find that most of the information is on one side of the page, including your contact information. You may be wondering why this is bad if you know you will still have a chance to quickly glance at the other side. The recruiter will not know this if you only have a section blank on the page.If you do not have much time to read your entire resume, you may want to consider writing a short resume that has to do with what you are looking for in a job. In this case, you can fill in your contact information and leave a short paragraph explaining what skills you have and how these skills relate to their needs. It is best to highlight the parts of your resume that relate to your own qualifications for the job.There are also many methods for writing a resume without using writing at all. A few examples of these are hand-written signatures and hand delivered letters. It is a good idea to provide a personal t ouch, though, because it will not do any good to a recruiter if they have the wrong impression about you.Another method is to use short essays that summarize your skills and why they are more important than those of others. The recruiter will be able to find this information more easily than you can without writing and will give you a better chance at getting the job.If you are not a writer, there are some things that you can do to make sure that your letter is simple and professional. First, make sure that the content of the letter is not all out of order or difficult to read. Then, take out any filler words and use only the most important words in your letter.

Is Your Credit Affecting Your Job Search - Hire Imaging

Is Your Credit Affecting Your Job Search - Hire Imaging In the past few months, I’ve been approached for coaching around financial issues potentially negatively impacting candidates’ success in landing the job. The issues ranged from a retail customer service candidate’s low credit score, to a CFO having gone through bankruptcy due to circumstances beyond his control. He was among the top candidates for multiple jobs, only to hear nothing.   It is reasonable to suspect that if vetting or background checks were done on him, financial woes would be a deal breaker for a financial executive. It is legal for employers to conduct background checks. For executives, vetting and checks are so routine in the recruitment process that one would need to question the wisdom of the hiring entity that does not perform them in today’s employment landscape. No matter what the jobâ€"entry-level to senior managementâ€"employers use credit reports to form an opinion on   how accountable and   financially stable you are. The results of a credit check can hinder your chances of getting a job offer if your credit report isn’t top notch. It’s important to note that before a company can run a credit report for employment reasons, they are required to notify you in writing and get your written authorization. But do you want to be in the position of refusing? If you haven’t checked your credit reports in awhile, you may be missing important clues that reveal problems that are costing you money and possibly that dream job. To find any hidden dangers, you can order your free annual credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com. When you receive your credit report, here are three things to look for: Indications of identity theft There might be a home address change that isn’t yours, your name spelled differently, a name you’ve never used, inquiries from organizations you haven’t contacted and accounts you didn’t open. If you spot any of these, submit a dispute to the credit agency to have them removed, request a fraud alert on your account so you’re notified when anyone tries to open an account in your name, then file a report with local law enforcement so that you will not be liable for fraudulent charges. Issues reported incorrectly Perhaps you paid off a credit card and it’s still showing you owe. Or all your payments were on time, but are reflected to be 30 days (or more) past due on your bill. Companies make errors all the time. It falls on the consumer to be proactive and diligent in catching mistakes. It’s crucial since it can impact whether you’re approved for a loan, what interest rate you’re offered, or whether you get that job! If this happens, complete a dispute form for each credit agency where the mistake shows up. Omitted data Missing information can hurt your credit history and career as much as incorrect negative information. If there is positive information missing, you simply don’t look as good to the credit card companies, loan officers or employers. For instance, if a credit card company reports that you’ve been a cardholder for five years when you’ve been one for 12 years, contact that company and ask that they correct the omission. If your bank hasn’t reported that your loan was paid off, have them fix the inaccuracy. And have these organizations send the corrected information to the credit bureaus. Perhaps your financial status and credit have actually suffered. Recession economies and foreclosures, lost jobs, serious illness and a host of other things can cause financial hardships that include bankruptcy. If this is the case, know the red flags in your background. Be meticulous and honest with any paperwork submitted during the interview process. Always practice transparency with applications or paperwork. If there is a red flag, it is better to disclose it during the interview process where the issue can be put into proper framework. I advise my clients to tell the employer prior to the first on-site interview; there’s no sense to waste anyone’s time. Risk telling the truth. They want you as a candidate or you wouldn’t have gotten this far. A proactive approach can also differentiate you from other candidates. Your straightforward conversation about credit issues and how you’re working to resolve them will play favorably in most cases. You’ll likely be perceived as a person of integrity. Know and protect your rights. Ask employers how the information is transmitted from vendor to employer. Order your own background search to possibly uncover and correct information that is inaccurately reported. Remember that information provided in a search is only as good as the person who entered it. And whatever the skeletons or red flags in your financial profile, stay confident and calm during the interview process. No matter what comes up from a pre-employment screening, direct the search committee or hiring decision-makers to what you bring to the table. Your success stories. Your skill sets. How you can help ease that employer’s pain. Bad stuff happens to good people. Be up front about the bad; focus on the good. Photo: bookmama

The happiness empire expands - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

The happiness empire expands - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Yesterday we expanded our company headcount by over 30% when our newest associate Arlette Bentzen joined us. And of course there were flowers: Arlette (on the right) has a background int the travel industry and in fitness. She will be doing workshops and speeches and she will also be our event manager and run our conferences and other events. Arlette is a wonderful person who has a lot of energy (pretty much a requirement to work for us) and were very excited about her :o) And heres the whole team: Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

All About Writing A Tech Writing Resume

All About Writing A Tech Writing ResumeIt is very important to have a good Tech Writing Resume. It is an important element for any tech student's career. The job is a challenging one and will require your efforts to be high quality.The objective of your resume is to tell the hiring manager as much as possible about you. The main thing that you need to focus on is your personality, your skills, experiences and most importantly your personality. This will become your major key to getting the job.If you have sales letters, you can use it as a basis for your resume. You will want to include how much you have sold, how many customers you have sold, what you have sold, where you have sold the products, etc. This will show the hiring manager that you have strong connections with customers. It will also help them to find out how much you have been paid for the work you have done.This is not only a part of your job description, but a very essential one. This is not a part of the written job d escription, but it is very important and will provide you with an opportunity to show your knowledge about the industry. Without this, it will be difficult for the hiring manager to hire you, since there are many people who lack this kind of experience.The question to ask yourself when applying for a job is, 'what have I learned during my education that will help me in this job?' How much experience can I bring? What other qualifications do I have that will make me an asset to the company?One of the things you must take into consideration when applying for a job is the English skills. There are many kinds of companies that look for specific English skills. You may be trained in other languages, but if you do not have good English skills, it will be very difficult for you to get a job.Good Tech Writing Resume is very important for any tech student's career. In this article, we have discussed some tips that you can use to build a great resume.

What Does Relevant Experience on a Resume Mean (Examples and Tips)

What Does Relevant Experience on a Resume Mean (Examples and Tips) Spread the loveJob-seekers are constantly being told to focus on relevant experience when they’re creating a resume. However, the term “relative” can be subjective, and thus difficult for many candidates to properly define. Sadly, that can make it hard for some job-seekers to properly identify which previous employment experiences are most likely to be relevant in a new position. Far too often, candidates assume that a past job is relevant, simply because they view it as such. In this post, we’ll examine the idea of relevant experience, offering some tips to help you better craft your resume narrative.How Do You Define Relevant Experience?Before you can even begin to include your relevant experience, you need to be able to identify relevancy. And when it comes to resumes, that means thinking like the employer. So, while you may have held jobs that seem very relevant to you, your opinions means less than the employer’s needs. Every open job position has certain requirements that need to be met. Different duties require specific skill sets. Ultimately, your job is to figure out which experiences and skills an employer is looking for from job candidates.Obviously, you cannot read that employer’s mind, and it’s probably unwise to just blindly guess. The good news, though, is that you don’t need to read minds or guess and hope for the best. The reality is that there are a number of ways to identify the employer’s needs and your own relevant experience. The following tips can help:Tips to Identify Relevant ExperienceStart with the Job DescriptionThe job description is your best source for defining which experience will prove most relevant. To maximize its usefulness, you need to break it down into its central features:Use a notepad or Word document to document your findings.On that document, make two columns, with one labeled skills and the other labeled duties or responsibilities.Now go through the job description, line by line, and highlight each job duty and named skill required.Insert those skills and responsibilities into your document.You now have a list of all the core skills you need for the job, and the responsibilities with which you will be tasked.Go through your resume and identify previous jobs where you’ve had similar responsibilities or been required to use similar skills.Make a list of those jobs, the duties you performed, and the skills you used.Be sure to use the exact keywords from the job description in your job list.Omit Irrelevant ExperienceAs you go through that list process, you should eliminate any previous job experience that lacks relevancy. That will include many of your early jobs, as well as any that use completely different skill sets. However, if you had soft skills or some technical skills that could be used in your desired position, note them under a separate list. They can be included in a separate resume section labeled “Other Skills” or “Special Skills.”Quality Over QuantityAvoid the temptation to stretch the definition of relevancy just to pad your resume. Employers care more about the quality of your relevant experience than the quantity.Remember, their goal is to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills needed to fill the position. For most employers, it won’t matter whether that relevant experience was all gained at one job or ten.Ignore Past Job Titles and Focus on Problems and SolutionsAs you go through your prior work history, ignore your job titles. Those titles don’t always tell the story when it comes to relevant experience. Instead, focus on the tasks and challenges you faced, and the solutions and results you achieved. In most instances, those results will prove the true relevancy of your experience.Achievements Matter More than DutiesDon’t fall into the trap of highlighting the tasks you performed in past jobs. Instead, focus on what you achieved. Try to use real numbers to highlight the value of any relevant experience. That’s the best way to ensure that a potential employer sees just how relevant your prior work history truly is. For example, don’t simply say that you led the company’s advertising team. Instead, describe that experience using quantifiable numbers that showcase value:Led ABC Corp’s 12-person ad team, revolutionized client ad campaigns, increased client retention by 23%, and profits by 31% yearly.Don’t Forget to Highlight SkillsFinally, emphasize those skills. Always describe how you used relevant skills, to showcase their importance. That will help to ensure that you create a resume filled with relevant experience that speaks to an employer’s needs. And that’s the best way to showcase yourself as the top candidate for the job and land that crucial interview.We wrote a good post here on how to include skills on your resume. What Does Relevant Experience on a Resume Mean (Examples and Tips) Spread the loveJob-seekers are constantly being told to focus on relevant experience when they’re creating a resume. However, the term “relative” can be subjective, and thus difficult for many candidates to properly define. Sadly, that can make it hard for some job-seekers to properly identify which previous employment experiences are most likely to be relevant in a new position. Far too often, candidates assume that a past job is relevant, simply because they view it as such. In this post, we’ll examine the idea of relevant experience, offering some tips to help you better craft your resume narrative.How Do You Define Relevant Experience?Before you can even begin to include your relevant experience, you need to be able to identify relevancy. And when it comes to resumes, that means thinking like the employer. So, while you may have held jobs that seem very relevant to you, your opinions means less than the employer’s needs. Every open job position has certain requirements that need to be met. Different duties require specific skill sets. Ultimately, your job is to figure out which experiences and skills an employer is looking for from job candidates.Obviously, you cannot read that employer’s mind, and it’s probably unwise to just blindly guess. The good news, though, is that you don’t need to read minds or guess and hope for the best. The reality is that there are a number of ways to identify the employer’s needs and your own relevant experience. The following tips can help:Tips to Identify Relevant ExperienceStart with the Job DescriptionThe job description is your best source for defining which experience will prove most relevant. To maximize its usefulness, you need to break it down into its central features:Use a notepad or Word document to document your findings.On that document, make two columns, with one labeled skills and the other labeled duties or responsibilities.Now go through the job description, line by line, and highlight each job duty and named skill required.Insert those skills and responsibilities into your document.You now have a list of all the core skills you need for the job, and the responsibilities with which you will be tasked.Go through your resume and identify previous jobs where you’ve had similar responsibilities or been required to use similar skills.Make a list of those jobs, the duties you performed, and the skills you used.Be sure to use the exact keywords from the job description in your job list.Omit Irrelevant ExperienceAs you go through that list process, you should eliminate any previous job experience that lacks relevancy. That will include many of your early jobs, as well as any that use completely different skill sets. However, if you had soft skills or some technical skills that could be used in your desired position, note them under a separate list. They can be included in a separate resume section labeled “Other Skills” or “Special Skills.”Quality Over QuantityAvoid the temptation to stretch the definition of relevancy just to pad your resume. Employers care more about the quality of your relevant experience than the quantity.Remember, their goal is to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills needed to fill the position. For most employers, it won’t matter whether that relevant experience was all gained at one job or ten.Ignore Past Job Titles and Focus on Problems and SolutionsAs you go through your prior work history, ignore your job titles. Those titles don’t always tell the story when it comes to relevant experience. Instead, focus on the tasks and challenges you faced, and the solutions and results you achieved. In most instances, those results will prove the true relevancy of your experience.Achievements Matter More than DutiesDon’t fall into the trap of highlighting the tasks you performed in past jobs. Instead, focus on what you achieved. Try to use real numbers to highlight the value of any relevant experience. That’s the best way to ensure that a potential employer sees just how relevant your prior work history truly is. For example, don’t simply say that you led the company’s advertising team. Instead, describe that experience using quantifiable numbers that showcase value:Led ABC Corp’s 12-person ad team, revolutionized client ad campaigns, increased client retention by 23%, and profits by 31% yearly.Don’t Forget to Highlight SkillsFinally, emphasize those skills. Always describe how you used relevant skills, to showcase their importance. That will help to ensure that you create a resume filled with relevant experience that speaks to an employer’s needs. And that’s the best way to showcase yourself as the top candidate for the job and land that crucial interview.We wrote a good post here on how to include skills on your resume.