The Branding Contest Opens Today Vote Now!

The Branding Contest Opens Today â€" Vote Now! Its finally here I can share the submissions Ive received! Thanks for your patience over the last few weeks theres lots to say but today Im just going to share the submissions. Please VOTE for your favorite(s) on the Survey Monkey Page, not on the comments section of this post. Without further ado: Career Management 2.0 Empowering tools for lifetime career control. When you outgrow managing your career with a spreadsheet. When you cant manage your career with a spreadsheet. Next-generation career management tools that cut through the clutter of career resources. Next-generation career management tools developed by a regular job seeker who was overwhelmed just like you. networking for smart job seekers The Missing Link Work Life Links Link Force Link to Last Manage Your Career, Organize Your Brain organize utilize strategize JibberJobber The portal to your career management. a career management center for you before, during and after a job search. connecting people with people, resources and the tools to survive in todays new world of work networking your way to your next job your competitive advantage in the job search your own personal CRM – a place where you can manage leads, contacts, accounts and opportunities to help you grow â€Å"You Inc†. JibberJobber Your online career journal Managing your career Journey Career Planning For LIFE Know Who You Know Managing Your Career Connections Helping You Get From Jobs To A Career Making a Career Out Of Your Connections Connecting To Your Career Contact Management For Career-Minded People (Or Those Who Want To Be) Turning Who You Know Into A Career How To Know Who You Know Career Planning Tools for Getting Ahead Career Power Tools Power Tools For Your Career (or career management) Manage your career. Manage your life. Get your act together and keep it there. Your life at your fingertips! At your fingertips your contacts, your career, your life. Central HQ for your career, your relationships, your life. Your Career Control Center One-stop central control for your career, your relationships, your life. Your Career, More Than a Job Get work. Dont make work. JibberJobber your source for job search management tools. Jason Alba The strip mall of relationships! Your internet pit stop to vroom your career Your virtual career coach JibberJobber: The toolset for managing your career. JibberJobber: all the career tools all of the time JibberJobber: targeting your career with tools to help JibberJobber: tools for the next action in your career JibberJobber: Career Management Mastered JibberJobber: The only career management toolset youll ever need JibberJobber: Career Management Tools Delivered JibberJobber: Career Management Tools on Steroids Your virtual assistant for managing your career Your virtual assistant for your job search Making the job of job-seeking easier securing stream(s) of income its not what you know but who knows you. Again, please dont vote here, in the comments. Click on over to the contest vote page and weigh in (voting closes Friday)! Thanks to the sponsors: JibberJobber, of course! Deb Dib Personal Branding Expert for Senior Executives Walter Akana Career and Life Strategist and Personal Branding Expert Megan Fitzgerald Expatriate Career and Personal Branding Expert Louri Russel Boilard Executive Resume Writer and Career Psychologist/Counselor Makini Harvey Career and Resume expert An anonymous corporate sponsor donating The Planet Earth DVD Set Mark Hovind Job Bait: The #1 Way to Land 6 and 7 Figure Jobs The Branding Contest Opens Today â€" Vote Now! Its finally here I can share the submissions Ive received! Thanks for your patience over the last few weeks theres lots to say but today Im just going to share the submissions. Please VOTE for your favorite(s) on the Survey Monkey Page, not on the comments section of this post. Without further ado: Career Management 2.0 Empowering tools for lifetime career control. When you outgrow managing your career with a spreadsheet. When you cant manage your career with a spreadsheet. Next-generation career management tools that cut through the clutter of career resources. Next-generation career management tools developed by a regular job seeker who was overwhelmed just like you. networking for smart job seekers The Missing Link Work Life Links Link Force Link to Last Manage Your Career, Organize Your Brain organize utilize strategize JibberJobber The portal to your career management. a career management center for you before, during and after a job search. connecting people with people, resources and the tools to survive in todays new world of work networking your way to your next job your competitive advantage in the job search your own personal CRM – a place where you can manage leads, contacts, accounts and opportunities to help you grow â€Å"You Inc†. JibberJobber Your online career journal Managing your career Journey Career Planning For LIFE Know Who You Know Managing Your Career Connections Helping You Get From Jobs To A Career Making a Career Out Of Your Connections Connecting To Your Career Contact Management For Career-Minded People (Or Those Who Want To Be) Turning Who You Know Into A Career How To Know Who You Know Career Planning Tools for Getting Ahead Career Power Tools Power Tools For Your Career (or career management) Manage your career. Manage your life. Get your act together and keep it there. Your life at your fingertips! At your fingertips your contacts, your career, your life. Central HQ for your career, your relationships, your life. Your Career Control Center One-stop central control for your career, your relationships, your life. Your Career, More Than a Job Get work. Dont make work. JibberJobber your source for job search management tools. Jason Alba The strip mall of relationships! Your internet pit stop to vroom your career Your virtual career coach JibberJobber: The toolset for managing your career. JibberJobber: all the career tools all of the time JibberJobber: targeting your career with tools to help JibberJobber: tools for the next action in your career JibberJobber: Career Management Mastered JibberJobber: The only career management toolset youll ever need JibberJobber: Career Management Tools Delivered JibberJobber: Career Management Tools on Steroids Your virtual assistant for managing your career Your virtual assistant for your job search Making the job of job-seeking easier securing stream(s) of income its not what you know but who knows you. Again, please dont vote here, in the comments. Click on over to the contest vote page and weigh in (voting closes Friday)! Thanks to the sponsors: JibberJobber, of course! Deb Dib Personal Branding Expert for Senior Executives Walter Akana Career and Life Strategist and Personal Branding Expert Megan Fitzgerald Expatriate Career and Personal Branding Expert Louri Russel Boilard Executive Resume Writer and Career Psychologist/Counselor Makini Harvey Career and Resume expert An anonymous corporate sponsor donating The Planet Earth DVD Set Mark Hovind Job Bait: The #1 Way to Land 6 and 7 Figure Jobs

Cash Is King In Small Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Cash Is King In Small Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In my last post titled Big Revenues for Small Businesses, we considered the need for an organized sales function to drive revenue growth and allow the owner/entrepreneur to gain back critical time for general management activities… and possibly work/life balance improvements. So, let’s assume you have your sales function well organized and revenues are ramping up nicely. This is good, right? Maybe, maybe not. The following are two recent real-world examples that provide some perspective. Sales Does Not Equal Cash I was conferring last week with an entrepreneur whose business is over five years old. He told me he was having difficulty making payroll. From my perspective, there were no obvious or immediate solutions to his challenge. At the end of our mutual analysis of his financial situation, the owner said this: “I just need to make some more sales to pull us out of this.” Unfortunately, the solution was not so simple. Why? Because the owner had been having problems with accounts receivable collections. Customers were paying late. So, sales would generate more receivables. Without an improvement in collections, more sales actually could have a detrimental effect by increasing expenses while reducing cash. A few weeks ago, I met with another entrepreneur who also had cash flow problems. His collections were not an issue. We examined his billing process, which was structure as a deposit to start work and progress payments as work was completed. We discussed specific billing modifications that would provide customer payments earlier in his projects as well as the upside and downside of making such modifications. He decided to change his billing policy, the net result being the advancement of 10% of his total revenue by 90 to 120 days. This will deliver a major improvement to his cash flow. The point of the preceding examples is that “more sales” is not necessarily the answer to cash flow problems. Back to Basics While all this may sound very basic, many first-time entrepreneurs don’t realize the financial perils of failing to manage collections and cash flow. It’s a classic oversight that  that revenue growth fuels cash problems unless  the owner thinks ahead, secures alternate sources of capitalization, and manages their collections properly. Even for businesses with customers who pay on time, many will see their cash shrink as they grow sales due to lags between expending resources and securing customer payments. Cash is king. Without it, employee payrolls and other obligations cannot be met. If you are a business owner or would be entrepreneur, I hope these comments have given you some food for thought.

Real Career Girls Beauty Guru, Ashley Chennel

Real Career Girls Beauty Guru, Ashley Chennel There are many women who want to get into the business of beauty, but it is not as easy as it looks. The beauty business is an aspirational one for many after all, it makes you look and feel beautiful, and it wouldnt hurt to get a career doing that. However, it is a tough one to get into. Take it from this Real Career Girl and beauty guru, Ashley Chennel. Ashley Chennel is and entrepreneur and beauty expert who has become a notable name in the beauty industry for her popular YouTube blog, Ashley Chennel Beauty. We got to talk to her about her career in beauty, and she also gave us some beauty tips! Win. Read our conversation below! How did your journey as Beauty guru start? I started filming beauty videos on YouTube shortly after I graduated broadcasting school. I felt it would be a good way to exercise my skills of being an on-camera personality. I love to be in front of the camera so I would film a video talking about a product I loved then I would watch it back to see what I looked like. Once my channel began to gain some popularity I created my blog to go along with my channel. I wanted my subscribers to be able to find me elsewhere besides my just on my beauty channel. People would ask questions that I may not have covered in a video so my blog was an extension of that and most of the time I would have the answers on my blog. What about your work would you consider that most gratifying or fulfilling? I love the fact that I get to help people. Young women write me letters and emails all the time saying that they were inspired by my story. That makes me feel really good because if I can do it I know someone else can! What would you say is the most important milestone of your company so far? I would say the most important milestone was being able to have my annual trunk show every year. I don’t just show off my hair, but I also get to meet my subscribers in person and talk with them. I love being able to interact with the people who watch my videos. Without them, none of this would be possible. How does a woman like you keep it all together?   Do you have a routine or trick to keep balance? I honestly just take life one day at a time. I am a woman of faith so I seriously give my day to God and that pretty much prepares me for whatever happens throughout the day. As long as everything is in his hands I know no matter what comes along I will be fine. That is my secret to getting through any day whether it’s bad or good. What motivates and inspires you? My siblings  motivate and inspire me. I am the oldest of five so I have always been like a second parent to them. My mom is a single mom so I help as much as I can. They mean so much to me so I try and set the best example possible. I know they look up to me so that is enough to me inspired. Who is your role model?   Famous or not? I don’t have a famous role model at all actually. My mom is my role model and she always has been. She is such a hard worker and she has always sacrificed to make sure we had the best of the best. It’s amazing me that she was able to do all of that by herself with five children. She truly is a hero! When you feel your absolute BEST, what are you wearing? I feel my absolute best when I am wearing sweat pants believe it or not. People would be really surprised to know that I actually am somewhat of a tomboy. I love to play in makeup and wear hair extensions, but I am most comfortable when I can be myself. I love lounging around the house relaxing in my most comfortable clothes and minimal makeup. I will say it is important to love yourself first. Love the skin your are in naturally and it won’t matter what you have on, you will always feel beautiful. Do you have a personal mantra or motto you live by? Yes, I always try and see the good out of every situation. My motto is Think positive. Bad days may come, but they do not last forever. This too shall pass! What is your favorite beauty trick for a professional/day to day look? My favorite beauty trick for a professional day would be a natural makeup look. I tend to wear a little foundation, a nice lip color, eyeliner,   mascara, and lashes. I feel if you are unsure of what to do with your makeup for an interview or professional day it’s always good to go with a natural makeup look. In my opinion less is always more. You don’t have to overdo it. Just enhance your natural features. You can even contour a little if you are good at it but still keep it simple. What is your one biggest beauty advice? Again I would say love the skin you are in. Makeup is a temporary fix. You can always cover things up on the outside, but when you are truly happy with who you are on the inside it will shine through any amount of makeup. Confidence is key! What career advice would you give to women who want to be in the business of beauty? I would say never give up! Yes, it’s a bit cliche but it is true. The beauty business is a tough business and there are tons of people doing it. The best way to be successful in my opinion is to not worry about what anyone else doing. Do your own thing. Stay true to who are and what you believe in. Your brand is everything and when you put 100% into it you’ll get it back. It just takes time  and it doesn’t happen overnight for some. Be patient, and if you fail once, get back up and try again.   Some of the most successful people have failed at least once in life. Just keep at it and you will be fine!

How To Make A Career Change Into Tech - VocationVillage

How To Make A Career Change Into Tech - VocationVillage Dear Dr. Civitelli:Can you advise me about how to make a career change into tech? I think I would working in something related to technology but I dont have any professional experience or education that is very relevant, and I dont have the money or time to go back to school full-time. I hate my current job so I would also like to make a career change sooner rather than later. I have always been attracted to technology and it is the only industry that sustains my interest. If I want to make a living doing something in tech, how do I make a career change without going broke or taking 10 years to land a job?Thank you, Future TechieDear Future Techie,To answer your question, I interviewed tech industry professionals and asked them: What are the best ways to develop tech skills if someone doesnt want to pursue a traditional college degree? What positions are easiest to land? What are the best ways to meet people in tech? What technologies are in demand?Their answers are below.One week ago today I accepted an offer for the role of Web Developer on the Microsoft Azure (ACOM) team starting August 20, 2018.A year and a half ago, February 2017, I got let go from my job as a waitress in Seattle.I decided I didnt want to be a waitress anymore.I heard about Code Fellows, a coding bootcamp in downtown Seattle, and I signed up for the Code 101 intro to HTML/CSS all day course. I loved it, I applied for a loan and a scholarship and started 201 Intro to Software Development in April. I graduated August 18, 2017 (almost exactly one year before my start date at Microsoft) with a Certificate in Advanced Full Stack Javascript. I became a Teaching Assistant at Code Fellows to give back to students the way my TAs gave back to me, while I put all my efforts towards finding a software development job.This past March two of my classmates and VERY close friends from Code Fellows started their own business, a dev shop working on software development contracts, and they offered me a position with them.In April, I interviewed for a Web Developer position for ACOM but never heard back, despite countless attempts to check in, so I let it go. Ive been working full-time for my friends dev shop startup learning new things every day and loving my job.Two weeks ago the PM at Microsoft that I interviewed with reached out to me on LinkedIn and asked if I was still interested in a position with them. Although Im incredibly happy in my current position, Im always open to new opportunities so I said yes.Last Friday they sent me an offer letter. This Monday we negotiated and I signed a contract (for triple what I made waitressing living paycheck to paycheck), full benefits, and unlimited PTO.My life will never be the same. My career is one I love and am passionate about. Every single day is a struggle; filled with new challenges and obstacles to overcome, and so rewarding. I have never been happier in my life.Ill be 29 this September and I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in Arabic Studies.It is NEVER too late to change your life, to start a new career, to do something meaningful that you love. I am living proof of that. Izzy Baer, Web Developer, Microsoft AzureThere are some core competencies one should possess when pursuing a  career in Information Technology. One doesnt need to be a master of  any of these. However, a basic understanding may make an interview  easier.Learn HTML Have a basic understanding of how to write web pages. With  data science being the current buzz, understanding HTML will give a  candidate access to some of the most plentiful sources of information: static web pages. Knowing how HTML works will allow that person to  extract that data from these pages and fuel a data science project.Install Linux and understand how it works Many  distributions are free and this is a way to not only understand an  operating system, but to learn a scripting language. A scripting  language is used to write the procedures and steps an operating system  will follow. These scripts can do anything. For instance, they can  access the web hitting every page within a website. The script could  the n pull specific pieces of data from the HTML on those pages. This skill essentially creates a source of information for a data  science initiative.Learn a computer language PHP is the easiest for a novice to learn  as it runs easily on the Linux Server you just built. Java is also an  option. For those serious about computer programming I recommend C++.  I consider it the Latin of modern programming languages. There are  plenty of resources online to learn these languages.Get a basic understanding of databases   All  the information is readily available online to build a MySQL database on  your newly built Linux server. You can even use PHP to access the  database and move data around. One could also use shell scripts to do  operations on the database.Read an eBook on network security fundamentals Again, you dont  need to master this unless you want to go into cyber security. However,  every IT professional should have a basic understanding of network  security.Having knowledge of the skills listed above should get your foot in the  door in many places. I recommend doing the following to build your  resume while job seeking:Join an Open Source project Search the web for an open source project  that uses the new skills you have learned. This will allow you to  understand how these technologies are utilized in a real development  project. Anything you create or do for the project is great resume  material.Build a website Build it on Linux using Apache Tomcat as an  application server. You can also run a MySQL database, and use PHP to  code an application on the website. Make it look professional, or have  a useful application running on it. If it looks great and works well,  then this is something else for your resume.Volunteer for a non-profit Donate your new IT skills to a non-profit.  This builds out your resume and may eventually turn into a paid  position. This option is great for people that require a little  direction, as one needs to be a bit of a s elf-starter for the other two  option. Dennis Restauro, tech professional with 15 years experience in Information Technology, technology writer for Grounded ReasonI am not a programmer but I changed my career from being a tour guide to working in public relations for a game development company, and my strategies are relevant to developers. To get started, I took a variety of free, non-credited but certificated courses. Coursera.org is my favorite but there are also good courses by MIT, Harvard, and Stanford. Being able to learn on your own is always going to make you a more attractive candidate than someone who relies on the education they had over five years ago. Tech companies especially want to understand how you maintain your relevance in an industry that’s constantly evolving â€" you have to show you can evolve with it.In interviews, it is important to be able to say why  you want to work for them. Understanding work culture is very important, especially in tech. Making headway and finding appropriate developer or digital-industry groups on Meetup.com is a great way to start. Im still a member of lots of groups.  I did research about the tech community and when I found a game (Beyond Flesh and Blood) I wanted to promote, it was helpful that I had geographic knowledge about the city where the game is developed: Manchester. Manchester is home to the most entrepreneurial tech businesses in the UK, and Manchester’s tech community really enjoys collaborating on design and software projects consistently. It’s also a small but relaxed city with a lot less pressure than London. I wanted to be a part of that and said so in my interview.Finally, the whole conversion took a long time. In my spare hours, I dedicated myself twice a week in the evenings to volunteering with media communities and charities that needed IT and PR assistance. It’s a big ask but if it is something you can afford to do with your time and your mind, do it. While everyone says you should have a short CV, I’ve found that a fully-filled, lengthy LinkedIn CV has been much more appropriate and helpful in securing many job interviews.I’m even getting job offers while in my current role! Jane McConnell, PR, Pixelbomb GamesThe best way to get yourself into the industry is to network. LinkedIn is a great platform to use by publishing your past work, your work experience, and your interests in the tech field. Connections on LinkedIn can provide  referrals and free advice within the industry to help you expand your network.Focus primarily on local tech groups and start ups rather than larger companies like Google because doing this will give you an advantage to learn in a hands on environment and grow your skills with the company and industry rather than just being thrown into the job with busy, in-demand customers.To find my job, I simply connected with people on LinkedIn within the industry I was interested in, and I published my work online and shared it on my professional social media accounts (always keep a professional account that you wouldnt be embarrassed to show employers).I can say firsthand, working at a tech company of about 20 employees, we hire exclusivel y online and accept referrals from our employees. We have unique interview questions, such as, Explain the Internet to someone who has never heard of it, and What is your favorite food and why? to find problem solving skills within their answers, but also get a feel for who they are and what their personality is like.WyckWyre hires for personality over skills. We can train anyone on the IT skills needed, but we cant train a personality to fit in with upbeat, fast-paced culture. Michelle Burke, Marketing Supervisor, WyckWyreOne of the best ways to develop technical skills without a college education is to earn an industry accredited certification. There are a wide variety of certifications available for all levels of knowledge and many vendor specific ones as well (Cisco, VMware, Citrix ect.) if you are looking to learn a specific technology. Certification is not only significantly cheaper than a college education but takes less time as well. Many of the most popular certifications have boot camp programs available that are around a week long. With all of the recent large scale data breaches (Home Depot, Target, Michaels ect.), the demand for security professionals is at an all time high.It is also helpful to get hands on experience, and the best way to do that is to work on personal projects. Labs are also essential for learning a new technology. Luckily, there are tons of free resources available on the web. For example, here is a collection of labs for C iscos Packet Tracer Program:http://resources.intenseschool.com/category/cisco/packet-tracer-labs/.In case you are unfamiliar with Packet Tracer, its a free network simulation program that allows students to experiment with network behavior and ask what if questions. Its a great way to get familiar with Cisco technology, even if youve never stepped foot in a server room or networking closet. Ryan Fahey, Marketing Manager,  InfoSec InstituteThe most important thing for tech professionals is hands on experience. In my department if we see certifications without experience, it is a NEGATIVE. But tech has a lot of layers and it depends on where a person is.If youre in engineering, you need to be careful. If you really love something and are comfortable with being a specialist in THAT THING, go to class. But if you prefer to be a generalist, dont do it. You will be pigeon-holed. If youre in project management, a PMP does matter. Get your Agile PMP and you can go anywhere. In business analysis, a CBAP will set you apart but your professional experience will be MUCH more important. In QA, we dont care about paper, we look for experience.But where certifications are a big deal is if you want to work for the company the certification is for. Microsoft cares. IBM cares. Oracle cares. It shows your commitment to THEM. Yeah, theyll train you but theyd rather see someone who is alre ady part of their world.Certifications can be a profit-making scam if the certification training program are saying you can use certifications in lieu of experience. If you want to invest in something, go volunteer at a place that needs you and where you can learn. Put in a network for an animal shelter. Write a mobile app for a food bank that lets people see what the pantries are running low on. During Hurricane Katrina we had volunteers setting up kiosks to search databases for loved ones and systems to track medical patients coming into a shelter clinic. That is valuable. Jennifer Renfro Brownson, Certified Business Analysis Professional, Certified Scrum Professional, BMC SoftwareMy company places a variety of candidates in IT positions. The best way to get experience in IT without a traditional college degree is to start out in a Help Desk position while developing skills through online education such as Codecademy, volunteering, and by visiting Meetup groups that focus on the area that candidates want to develop. Michelle Comer, Practice Area Leader, Spark Division, The Messina GroupThe best way to develop tech skills without a degree is to complete a project. Many tech workers started by tinkering at home in their spare time. Thanks to the internet, almost every technical skill can be learned online.Internships are a hugely useful opportunity for young people to spend time working for a firm. Many tech firms offer both unpaid and paid opportunities to people age 16+ to spend time with their developers, improve their skills, and even contribute to team projects.The easiest positions to land are those using the latest technologies that are short on applicants. Specializing in an up-and-coming technology will give you the best advantage: programmatic advertising, development for wearables and mobile apps, data science, Swift.To meet people in tech, use sites like Meetup.com. Also, there are hackathons and organized coding sessions taking part in every major city in the world. Wannabe developer s can get involved, improve their skills, and meet a network of employers and unemployed developers. Chris Muktar and Ed Mellett, Directors, WikiJobOnline learning makes it easier than ever to develop new professional skills. You can take any number of classes at your own pace and at low cost that will help you to make the leap from one field to another.People with computer programming skills are in especially high demand, and the best way to break into technology is to build something. Whether its a mobile app, blog, or other website, building something from start to finish helps you hone your skills, demonstrates initiative, and gives you a project to discuss during an interview. Tyler Cole, GM, SkillfeedDo you know someone who wants to make a career change into tech? Please share this article.

4 alternative ways to secure work experience to get that graduate job

4 alternative ways to secure work experience to get that graduate job This post was written by an external contributor. Jessica Carroll shares her top tips for securing some work experience when youre struggling to get your foot in the door Trying to get work experience can feel like a catch-22. Employers wont take you on to unless you have previous experience, but you cant get that experience unless employers take you on. And trying to apply for countless work experience placements while also meeting those university deadlines isnt easy. But in the current competitive job market, it’s never been more essential to bag some impressive experience. Employers are increasingly prioritising on-the-job experience over academic qualifications when hunting for the perfect candidate. But what do you do if you cant find a company willing to take you? It’s time to get inventive. Read on for our top tips on how to get yourself some valuable work experience. Think outside the box Want to work in law? Don’t just look for opportunities with the top firms in Canary Wharf. Similarly, don’t set your sights on a national paper if you want to work in the media. Although it is very possible to get experience in such high-profile establishments (and you certainly should always give it a go), these places will often not be interested until you have built up a CV of other experience. Start small and don’t turn your nose up at the lesser-known opportunities. Try the local paper in your nearest town, or offer to organise and write a newsletter for a local charity, for example. Also, try applying for opportunities that may not initially seem that relevant, but which open the door for you in a workplace in which more relevant opportunities are available. Once you’ve impressed someone in that company, they are much more likely to want to help you out and can give you access to (as well as a reference for) contacts who can find you your dream experience! Try friends or family Time and time again, I have noticed that my friends who managed to attain work experience, did so through the help of a family friend. Often, the easiest way to get your foot in the door is through the recommendation of someone already working in that workplace.   But I’m not talking about asking your mum if you can join her in work for a few days. Be inventive: ask your aunt, your long-lost cousin, your neighbour! Even if they don’t work in the area you want to go into, they may know someone who does. Push them and show how passionate or desperate  you are for this experience and they are likely to think harder about who they have links with! For me, my work experience came through a friend’s colleague’s mother. Often, opportunities come from the people you least expect! Email, email, email Don’t be put off if the company to which you want to apply doesn’t publicly advertise work experience.   Find an email address for the appropriate person and send them a polite email to ask about the possibility of gaining experience with them. Remember, this is the first means of communication that they have with you, and so make a good impression. Show initiative and make the effort to find out the name of the individual you are contacting; if possible avoid starting, “To whom it may concern” as this can come across lazy and impersonal! Don’t dismiss university-run opportunities Often, universities will run schemes to help students find work experience or internships. For example, they may pair you up with a charity to run a project, or offer volunteering opportunities in the local community.   Sometimes students are of the opinion that this doesn’t count as proper experience, or are not even aware that such schemes exist! However, these are often some of the best opportunities around and are great to bulk up your CV. Additionally, being run by the university, they usually are accompanied by guidance sessions, where advice on such things as interview prep or tailoring a cover letter are covered. These are skills that you can take anywhere and are sure to give you an edge in your future applications! Finding work experience is never easy and, despite these tips, it is unlikely that you’ll be accepted on your first application. The most important thing to remember is â€" despite how disheartening rejection can be â€" always keep trying. Don’t stop applying until you’ve bagged that placement! And, if you still feel you’re not getting anywhere, be proactive! Go find your careers advice centre and ask for help updating your CV or attend a careers workshop. You never know, it might just make that difference! Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Common Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs - CareerAlley

Common Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. A resume is the first opportunity that you get to show companies what a perfect fit you would be for their open position. Its your chance to sell yourself, show off your skills and experience, and make a good impression. This is why its so critical that you get yours right. You want your resume to stand out among hundreds of others, but its important that it does so for all the right reasons. With that in mind, here are six common resume mistakes you should avoid at all costs. Image by StockSnap from Pixabay 1. Overlooking Glaring Grammatical Errors A resume is one document that absolutely needs to be grammatically perfect. Any punctuation blunder, spelling error, or similar typo can be a disqualifier for hiring managers and employers, regardless of anything else in your resume. Thankfully, there is software out there that will check your grammar for you. You can ask a trusted friend to proofread the document for you too. A resume is the first opportunity that you get to show companies what a perfect fit you would be for their open position. Its your chance to sell yourself, show off your skills and experience, and make a good impression. Tweet This 2. Including Made-Up Information All of the information that you provide on your resume must be completely true. As tempting as it can be to exaggerate certain facts or tell a small lie here and there, this is a huge mistake. After all, these days, recruiters can verify many details with a few clicks or a short phone call. If youre caught lying it can land you in very hot water, both with a prospective and your current employer. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 3. Forgetting About Relevant Experience Some people get so caught up exaggerating their resume that they forget about the experience that they can actually add. If you worked a few jobs after school or completed a certificate of registration, you should write about it in the skills and experience section of the document. Even if these experiences arent directly relevant to the job, the soft skills you gained probably are. A resume is meant to show your work and education, not what you like to do on weekends, but all too often people include information about how they enjoy basket-weaving, swimming, or going to the movies. The justification most people use for including these things is that they think it will help to show they are a well rounded person. The only reason you would include hobbies or other interests on your resume is because it is professionally relevant. For example, you can you enjoy swimming if you are applying for a job as a physical trainer. It is best to either find a way to list relevant career interests under your experience or save it for the interview. 7 Things You Shouldnt Include on Your Resume 4. Using An Unattractive Format Hiring managers usually scan resumes for just a few seconds before deciding whether to move them to the next round or throw the document in the trash. If the format that you use for your resume is confusing or unattractive, then it can frustrate recruiters and leave you with the latter group. Because of this, you should stick to with a clear font and one or two colors alone. 5. Leaving Out Social Links Its no secret that many of todays recruiters check out prospects social media pages before deciding whether or not to offer them a job. Instead of just allowing this to happen, you should take full advantage of the platforms. Make sure that each of your pages showcases you in a professional manner and then provide links to these on your resume. 6. Neglecting To Make Changes When youre applying to lots of different jobs at the same time, it can be tempting to use a generic resume for everyone one of them. Unfortunately, this can keep your resume from being successful with any one of those jobs. Most companies review resumes electronically before a person sees them, which means that, if yours doesnt include important keywords, it may be overlooked. To craft a successful resume, be sure that you avoid making a mistake listed above. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to make a resume and cover letter that gets you hired. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Job Campaign Happy Talk - Hire Imaging

Job Campaign Happy Talk - Hire Imaging In your job campaign, think “happy talk”! One of my favorite movies is the 1949 musical, South Pacific, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein. As a child, I used to dance around the living room to all the songs. I knew them by heart. One of my favorites, “Happy Talk,” to this day inspires me. Though its words may sound a bit clichéd, there is a job campaign message. Happy talk during your careerâ€"whether exploring what that is, finding it or keeping itâ€"is quite simply, good advice. “Happy talk, keep talkin’ happy talk, Talk about things you’d like to do. You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, How you gonna have a dream come true?” Job Campaign: Happy Talk It has to happen Positive (happy) talk during your job campaign is one of the most productive things you can do. Once you have focused on and researched your targets, and created your resume and other career communications (pitches, etc.), the goal is to marketâ€"get the word out. Talking about your job campaign helps in three ways: It enables you to become at ease with selling yourself. Practice does make perfect. If coupled with asking for feedback, you have the bonus of refining your campaign. It helps open doors. This is the essence of networking. People really do want to help. It brings clarity. Is your message what you want it to be? Do you sound confident and excited in delivering it? If not, how might you refine your oral messaging? Job Campaign: Never underestimate the power of small talk The knack of small talk requires skills, but can be practiced and learned. Talk happily about what it is that you do. Then if you really listen to the people around you, you may be surprised at what you hear and learn. Skilled small talk is actually listening more than you talk! It’s being a good conversationalist. It’s a doorway to cultivating new relationships and for preserving established relationships. Mastering the art of small talk will make you more confident and professional in business and social situations. Job Campaign: Talk about your job search to many Talk about your job campaign in a positive way with anyone who will listen: a family member, friend, former colleague, neighborâ€"even your dog. Don’t sit quietly during your campaign. Don’t wait for an interview or formal networking event; get it out! Every day! Talk about what you want and offer. Talk about what this opportunity will do for you and employers. Talk happy while you are standing in line at the check-out counter; when you are having coffee at church; when you are enjoying your child’s soccer game. “Happy talk, keep talkin’ happy talk! Enjoy the video of “Happy Talk”! Photo: Mike Johnston