#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – This is Why it’s Important to #Network within your Company… #Networking with your Colleagues Improves your #Productivity and can Give you a Leg Up on #InternalJobOpenings .

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Surveys show that nearly 85% of employees have found or obtained their job via networking. Additionally, it’s estimated that referrals are associated with a 2.6% to 6.6% higher chance of an accepted job offer. However, all of these statistics are referencing external networking.

External networking refers to broadening your network of industry professionals and other individuals for mutually beneficial purposes, including searching for a job or looking for a referral.

Internal networking refers to reaching out and connecting with colleagues within your organization, even if your job doesn’t require you to do so.

WHAT IS INTERNAL NETWORKING? WHY IS INTERNAL NETWORKING SO IMPORTANT?

Company culture has become increasingly important in the workplace, and part of that is having a strong team of employees who are comfortable collaborating and working between departments and disciplines. When you continually network with other employees within your company, you’re building relationships, establishing rapport, and cultivating a mutual trust and respect that will enable higher productivity and a better overall work experience.

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INTERNAL NETWORKING COULD GIVE YOU A LEG UP ON JOB OPENINGS

Networking with others in your organization can provide exclusive knowledge on job opportunities before they are public knowledge. If you work for a great company that you want to grow with, knowing about internal positions as early as possible could be a key factor in your career development. Building interdepartmental relationships will help you with that.

INTERNAL NETWORKING CAN HELP YOU WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO MAKE A CAREER SHIFT

When you’re trying to make a career shift, often one of the hardest parts is catering your resume to your new field of work. If you don’t have related work experience on your resume, it can be very difficult for a hiring manager or recruiter to see how you’d be a good fit for the position you’re applying to. This is where internal networking comes in.

If you’re trying to develop more experience in a different area of business, network with other employees in that department. Reach out and make it known that you’re interested in learning more about what they do. Conduct informational interviews or even ask to shadow or take on a small role in a project they might be working on. Even if it is a small role, getting exposure to a different sector of your company will give you more related experience to integrate into your resume.

SIMPLE WAYS TO NETWORK INTERNALLY

This first internal networking trick sounds simple because it is. Say hi to people in the halls and introduce yourself. It could be as casual as “Hey, I always see you around and wanted to actually introduce myself. My name is x. What’s your name?”

This will open up the conversation so you can ask what department they’re in and establish rapport. From there, you can gradually build a stronger bond and point out that you’d love to grab coffee and chat about projects in your respective departments.

Once you’ve opened up a dialogue with your colleagues, pay attention to little details they share with you. If someone mentions that their child was sick, make it a point to ask how the child is feeling in the following days. If someone also mentions a big project or meeting, ask how it’s going. Paying attention to little details shows others that you care, that you pick up on a lot of information, and makes people feel heard. This will help you network internally and will help build your reputation in a positive light.

Often when people think about networking, external networking comes to mind, but internal networking can be extremely beneficial. The stronger your inter-office relationships are, the more success you’ll have with collaboration. This will benefit you in your current role, and can also be a big help when you’re up for a promotion or looking to make a lateral move to a different area of work.

FastCompany.com | November 1, 2018 | BY MICHELLE LANDO—GLASSDOOR3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #JobInterviewing – All #InterviewQuestions are Trying to Figure Out One of these Three Things …. Decoding the motivation behind an interview question will help you figure out how you should answer it.

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Going on a job interview is really about answering a series of questions. While many of the questions revolve around what you’ve done and what you can do, some questions are designed to operate on another level, says James Pyle, coauthor of Control the Conversation: How to Charm, Deflect, and Defend Your Position Through Any Line of Questioning.

1. BELONGING QUESTIONS

Most questions will have one of three main types of motivation, and each one requires a different response, says Pyle, a former U.S. Army human intelligence training instructor who taught Department of Defense interrogators and debriefers how to ask questions.

The first motivation is to form a connection; the interviewer wants to see if you’re compatible. Pyle says this usually is done with four types of questions.

The first is a non-pertinent question not related to the task at hand. It’s often considered an icebreaker, and it includes chatting over a common interest, such as the weather or travel. When possible, Pyle suggests using this type of question to segue to a work-related topic. For example, if you’re asked, “Is it still raining outside?” You might answer, “No, and that gave me a chance to spend time walking around your campus. How long have you been at this location?”

The second type is one that involves quid pro quo. The asker lets you in on a “secret,” hoping you’ll open up and share something sensitive, too. “This is the type of technique that spies and interrogators use,” says Pyle. “Do not respond in kind if the information is sensitive or personal. Control slips away from you quickly if you reveal something private or confidential.”

Another way an interviewer checks for belonging is by asking for your opinion rather than fact. Pyle cautions against offering an extreme opinion, which can make you vulnerable.

And the fourth type of belonging question is about the choices you’ve made. This question starts with “why,” and is used to get you to explain your decision-making process. For example, “Why did you go to the University of Colorado?” You can reveal important information about your logic, agenda, or concerns, but Pyle says be careful not to divulge details that aren’t related to the goal of the meeting, which could derail the conversation.

2. ESTEEM QUESTIONS

The second type of motivation is finding out how your presence and contributions could build the interviewer’s self-esteem. This is often done by asking you about your accomplishment and shortcomings—the, “What are your strengths?” or “What are your weaknesses?” question. Your answer helps the interviewer determine if hiring you will make them look good, says Pyle.

Esteem questions are a way to determine trust, but don’t embellish too much in an attempt to sell yourself. “Exaggerating accomplishments, bypassing shortcomings, overpromising results—these are traps people create for themselves,” says Pyle. “They raise suspicions and have the opposite effect of what was intended.”

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3. SELF-ACTUALIZATION QUESTIONS

The final motivation behind questions is when someone is looking for legacy or affiliation. If you’re asked, “Who inspires you?” or “Who has been your greatest teacher?” the interviewer wants to know that you’re headed in the same direction with the same goals.

Answering this question can involve research or asking questions in response to get more information. “Get clarity on how the person defines legacy,” says Pyle. “And what kind of people he wants to be associated with.”

Self-actualization isn’t as common a motivation as the other two. While you don’t want to pretend to be someone you’re not, sharing similar goals and responding in a way that demonstrates your connection can be valuable.

FastCompany.com | October 31, 2018 | BY STEPHANIE VOZZA3 MINUTE READ

#Leadership : #EmploymentLaw – Supreme Court to Weigh Workers’ Right to Sue Their #Employers …Conservative Majority’s Rulings in Three Cases could move more Disputes into Arbitration, Limit Class Actions

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Employers are still trying to figure out how to keep their workers from suing them, as three cases currently before the Supreme Court test the limits of firms’ ability to move disputes into arbitration and out of court and the public eye.

With conservative justices in the majority, the court handed employers a victory earlier this year with a 5-4 decision affirming employers’ right to require workers to resolve complaints through arbitration and to bar workers from banding together in class actions challenging pay practices, discrimination and other alleged labor violations.

But the area of arbitration in the workplace remains fraught with uncertainty, as the new cases show, and the court is seeking to clear up some of the ambiguity. Two of the cases are scheduled to be argued before the court on Monday.

“These are issues that remain of importance to the big business community,” said Kalpana Kotagal, a plaintiff-side lawyer with Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, a law firm that has represented workers in high-profile class action cases.

Advocates for sexual-harassment victims say that arbitration—which is generally a confidential proceeding, with little or no public paper trail—allows harassers and their employers to avoid public accountability and keep claims and settlements secret. Disputes are heard by arbitrators, often retired lawyers or judges, who are appointed by both sides in the conflict.

Employers often prefer arbitration, saying it is a faster and less expensive process than litigation. Worker advocates say that the process makes it harder to address systemic abuses such as pay discrimination because allegations can’t be consolidated into a single class-action lawsuit. Studies by Cornell University professor Alexander Colvin have found that arbitrations favor employers more often than litigation does, and result in lower awards for employees.

In arbitration, “employers get better results and lower chances of really large damage awards” to plaintiffs, said Mr. Colvin, now interim dean at Cornell’s ILR School. “One of the biggest motivating factors for employers is avoiding big jury awards.”

RELATED

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has weighed in, filing briefs in support of businesses hoping to move more of their disputes into arbitration. In general, the court under Chief Justice John Roberts has been friendly to this position.

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Workers may yet find allies in state courts. This month, the highest court in Kentucky made it illegal for employers to require workers to sign mandatory arbitration clauses as a condition of employment. The decision could be overturned if it is challenged and lands in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, legal experts say.

The three cases before the court hinge on largely technical questions, such as whether a carve-out in the 1925 Federal Arbitration Act—to exempt transportation workers from mandatory arbitration agreements—applies equally to employees and independent contractors, and whether arbitrators or courts should make final decisions about whether a dispute should go into arbitration.

In the transportation case, which was argued before the court earlier this month before Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed, a truck driver named Dominic Oliveira filed a class-action lawsuit against New Prime Inc., the company he worked for as an independent contractor, for unpaid wages. New Prime argued that Mr. Oliveira was required to arbitrate his dispute. Mr. Oliveira said he was exempt from arbitration because of the transportation-worker carve-out.

New Prime asked the Supreme Court to decide whether the exemption applies to independent contractors, and whether such threshold issues—determining whether an arbitration clause is enforceable—should be decided by a court or an arbitrator. As with the content of lawsuits themselves, parties who want to have their cases heard in court prefer these preliminary decisions be made in court.

“These questions have a really big impact on employers because an arbitrator is more likely to determine that a case needs to be arbitrated,” said Katherine Sandberg, a management-side employment lawyer at Fisher & Phillips LLP.

Based on the oral arguments, observers expect the court to rule for the driver in this case, saying that a close reading of the FAA’s exemption for transportation workers includes independent contractors.

In one of the other cases, Lamps Plus Inc. v. Varela, the court will examine whether class-wide arbitrations are prohibited, even if an arbitration clause didn’t specifically bar class actions. If decided in favor of Lamps Plus, the case could lead to new curbs on class actions.

The final case, Henry Schein Inc. v. Archer and White Sales Inc., doesn’t concern an employment relationship; instead, it involves a dispute between manufacturers and a distributor. Like the New Prime case, though, it delves into the question of whether a court or an arbitrator determines preliminary questions, such as whether an arbitration clause should be enforced at all.

Legal experts say they expect to see the Supreme Court take up additional arbitration cases in the future. “The role arbitration plays in our legal system and our economy has grown so much that there will be a series of issues for the court to look at even after this year,” said Paul Bland, executive director of Public Justice, the watchdog organization that represents Mr. Oliveira in the New Prime case.

Write to Lauren Weber at lauren.weber@wsj.com

 

WSJ.com | October 23, 2018 | Lauren Weber

#CareerAdvice : How to Save Your Job if You Might Be #Fired .

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Getting hit with a bad performance review or a warning from HR catches many people off guard, but according to career experts, there are telltale signs that your job could be in trouble that most people ignore, whether they consciously choose to or not.

For example, maybe you see your responsibilities being handed over to other employees. “If you find your once full plate is becoming increasingly empty, this could be a red flag,” says Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level.

Another sign: you’re no longer first to know information or you aren’t getting invited to those important meetings. And the most telling one of all: a bad review.

But just because the writing is on the wall doesn’t mean you can’t come back from a bad situation at work. Whether you receive a poor performance review or just suspect your boss is getting annoyed with you, knowing the signs you could be fired is key to preventing it from happening.

“If you’ve been put under performance review or feel like you may potentially lose your job this should be a warning that you take quite seriously,” says Joel Garfinkle, author of Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level.  “However all hope is not lost. Taking the initiative to improve your performance is a great first step.”

Be Proactive to Save Your Job

Once you are aware your job could be in trouble taking proactive steps to improve your performance is the best way to stay employed.

“So few people who get fired for performance reasons even bother trying to do what has been asked of them. Instead they focus on the unfairness factor,” says Suzanne Lucas, operator of the Evil HR Lady blog.

Sure, you may be hurt and in defensive mode, but communication with your bossis imperative at this point. Request a meeting with your supervisor and find out what steps you can take to make improvements.

After the meeting, come up with a plan of action and give your boss a timeline in which you will achieve those goals. Ask for a follow-up review to ensure you are doing what is necessary. Remember to be humble and take what your boss is saying to heart, even if you don’t think it makes sense.

How to Create a Post-Performance Review Hustle Plan

“Do what your manager is asking you to do,” says Lucas. “It doesn’t matter if your manager is dumb or doesn’t understand — if you do what she’s asking you to do, your chances of saving your job drastically increase.”

If having a discussion with your supervisor is out of the question, another strategy is to look at the people in your department that your boss likes or is happy with. Do they come in early and stay late? Do they respond immediately to any request the boss has? “Emulate the successful,” says Lucas.

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Prevent Landing on the Layoff List

When a potential firing is due to performance, a lot of what happens is in your control. But when it comes to layoffs, often times you have little say over who will be let go. Still, career experts say there are some steps you can take to hopefully prevent you from landing on that list.

According to Lucas, cross training is one way to make yourself more valuable in a company. You may be the best accountant the company has, but if that entire department is being shut down, it won’t matter. But if you are also good at finance, you may find yourself being moved into that department.

Why You Need to Start Skill Stacking

If you hear layoffs could be coming, Lucas says to figure out what areas of the company are profitable and try to get transferred there.

“Laying off employees is one of the hardest things an organization has to do,” adds Garfinkle. “When layoffs occur, responsibilities from terminated employees have to be passed on to those that remain. For this reason, the best strategy to employ to make sure you’re not one of those that are let go is to demonstrate your effectiveness as an employee.”

 

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#CareerAdvice : #JobRecruiter – How to Talk to A #Recruiter …About a Third of Jobs are Filled Through #Recruiters, #Retained or #Contingent

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About a third of jobs are filled through recruiters, retained or contingent.  So when a recruiter calls, it’s important to know how to respond in the best way as recruiters are usually working on more than one job at a time. They are building a database for the future, and if you help them, most will remember. I believe what goes around comes around, and these conversations could prove to be very important. 

So, how do you talk to a recruiter?

1. Accommodate Their Schedule as Best You Can

If a recruiter catches you and you have the time to talk, take the call. If you don’t have time, or are in an awkward spot, ask them to name times that best work for them (or ask them to send you an email with times). Then, try the best you can to accommodate their schedule. While lots of people like to think they aren’t busy, they are, and you could lose their attention if you are too busy to talk to them within a reasonable timeframe.

5 Keys to Impressing a Recruiter

2. Probe a Little

Try to learn as much as you can from recruiters so that you can, in turn, give them what they need. Find out the answer to two questions in particular: “What is the ideal candidate for this job?” and “What is the hardest part about filling this job?” You can find the answers after you have heard the job spec, and get to the heart of what they are searching for. From those two questions, you should be able to play back what you already have and what you still need to be the perfect candidate for them. Being the perfect candidate means filling the requirements and also being a convenient candidate for them.

 

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3. Make Your Story Easy to Repeat

Having a structured, easy and ready-to-re-tell story about you is important.  Remember, their job is to go back and sell you to the hiring manager, and if they have a compelling and easy to re-tell story, then they are going to feel more confident in taking your story forward to others. Just because a recruiter pitches a candidate, doesn’t mean the hiring manager is going to say, “Yes”. Giving the recruiter something they can repeat easily and readily is important. The best thing to happen after they get off the phone with you is that they are excited to tell the hiring manager, “There’s someone you just have to talk to.”

Stop Rambling! How to Tell a Concise, Compelling Career Story in an Interview

4. Be Generous

Offer not only time and calendar flexibility, but also offer to help them build a profile on you. For example, you could offer to repackage your resume, send them a few additional portfolio pieces, share references or go above and beyond to write a personalized cover letter that explains why you’re so excited about the job and why you’d be a perfect fit. And then, keep the name, number, email, date and notes on what you talked to this recruiter about. Being able to reference previous conversations will score you big points, and if this particular job doesn’t pan out, your courtesy and thoughtfulness might help open the door for future opportunities.

 

GlassDoor.com | October 24, 2018 | Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : This is How to Bring Up your Nightmare Boss During a #JobInterview … #InterviewingQuestion to You- If I Were to Ask your Former Boss to Describe you, What Would they Say? Yes, you Can Be Honest, but Within Reason.

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If I were to ask your former boss to describe you, what would they say?

Every inch of your being wants to exclaim loudly what a nutjob your horrible boss was, but you need to figure out a way to talk positivelyabout your bad experience. Come off as too critical, and recruiters won’t want to move forward with your application.

So don’t go into a job interview without thinking about how you’ll talk about your terrible boss. Having a clear plan of how you’ll answer this inevitable question can help you make the right impression in your interview.

Here are some ways to strategically talk about your bad boss:

1. BE HONEST (WITHIN REASON)

When asked about a bad employer, you should be honest, but not go overboard. Having only positive experiences with employers is not realistic, and there’s nothing wrong with talking about it in an objective, non-emotional way.

For instance, Liz got along with her boss almost all the time. However, she did not like how work schedules were chosen. In an interview, Liz could talk about how much she loved her last job and employer but didn’t care for the short notice given when her upcoming work schedule came out. This shows that she can talk about a problem in a respectful way, rather than complaining about how her boss ruined her life.

 

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2. AVOID GIVING UNNECESSARY INFORMATION

Sara’s situation was a little different. She really did not get along with her boss. After working at her last job for more than two years, Sara was passed over for a promotion. The job was given to Jeff. He only worked at the company for six months before becoming Sara’s manager.

Sara thought she was more qualified for the job than Jeff. But she should avoid mentioning the flaws she saw in Jeff and being passed over for the position. That could make her look bitter and immature. Instead, she should focus on the fact that she wanted to find a new challengeelsewhere.

3. TURN THE NEGATIVE INTO A POSITIVE

If every cloud has a silver lining, every bad job experience has taught you a valuable lesson. For example, Liz’s complaint about work schedules is legitimate. Finding out when you’re required to work for the coming week so late makes it difficult to schedule your life outside of work.

Liz did manage to become a pro at utilizing her limited free time. In her interview, Liz could say, “It was challenging not having a consistent schedule at work, but it allowed me to learn how to better manage my time. I’ve learned how to prioritize the tasks in my life that I need to accomplish instead of becoming overwhelmed. ”

4. REMEMBER WHAT YOU ENJOYED

It’s unlikely you hated everything about your job. The biggest reason Sara decided to pursue a new job was she felt she was not valued at work. However, she loved her actual job.

In addition to providing as little information as possible about a bad former boss, Sara should talk positively about what she enjoyed doing at her job. By turning the focus back on what she was accomplishing and away from the negatives, Sara will look like an employee who is focused on her work and not on unproductive problems.

5. SAY WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR INSTEAD

A big reason people look for a new job is they want something different. The driving force behind starting your job search could include being unhappy with your employer, but rarely are people only looking for the exact same job with a new boss.

Both Liz and Sara should consider what they hope to get out of a new job. Mentioning a desire for more responsibility, a structured schedule or a better opportunity for advancement are all ways to mention negative problems from their last job but show they’re looking for solutions.

While it might feel good to tell anyone who will listen just how much you hated your boss, it’s not going to get you a job. Showing that you’re able to address a negative situation while remaining positive will help make the best impression in your interview.

 

FastCompany.com | October 24, 2018 | BY HEATHER HUHMAN—GLASSDOOR 3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : Got Kids? – 3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Trying to Choose Your #CollegeMajor … College Freshman? Must Read. Choosing a Major is a Big Decision — Probably One of the Biggest Ones you’ll Make in your First Couple of Years in College.

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At this point in the academic year, college freshmen are largely settling into their routines. The initial flurry of activity that comes with living independently for the first time, establishing study routines and, let’s be honest, partying, begins to slow down, and students start to think more seriously about what they want to get out of their next four years. And the question at the top of many students’ minds is, “What should I major in?”

Often, the best way to answer that question is with another question — or rather, a series of questions. If you’re struggling to decide what you should study, ask yourself the following:

1. What majors do different jobs require?

College typically lasts only about four years — but your career will last you a lifetime. So when considering a particular field of study, it’s important to think about what kind of job opportunities it opens up after graduation.

One Glassdoor study took a look at the most common jobs for college students, and the different majors associated with each. Here were the top five:

1. Sales Associate

  • Top Majors: Business, English, Political Science

2. Research Assistant

  • Top Majors: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

3. Teaching Assistant

  • Top Majors: Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

4. Intern

  • Top Majors: Psychology, Finance, Economics

5. Administrative Assistant

  • Top Majors: Business, Psychology, Communications

See Full List 

You can also search keywords like “entry-level” or “college graduate” on Glassdoor to reveal tens of thousands of jobs, many of which list desired or required majors right in the description. For example, the listing for this Management Development Program position at Geico states that the company is looking for a “Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business or a related field.”

You’ll likely find that certain majors like Computer Science will lead directly to specialized titles (such as Software Engineer, App Developer, Data Scientist, etc.) while more general majors like English or Psychology have less of a direct career path, and can lead to a variety of job opportunities (such as Sales Representative, Marketing Coordinator and Customer Service Manager).

5 Things You Need to Do to Land a Great Job Out of College

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2. What pay do different majors offer?

I’m a firm believer that salary shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when deciding on a college major, but it’s certainly worth thinking about. After all, you need to be able to earn enough to cover your basic costs (and ideally, a little bit more).

Hopefully, the exercise in the first section of this article helped you identify a few different job titles that correspond with the majors you’re interested in. If so, you can search salaries for those jobs on Glassdoor. For example, a salary search for Public Relations Coordinator — a great career option for those studying Communications — reveals that the average base pay is $60,474.

Glassdoor also conducted research into what different majors tend to pay — here were the five most lucrative we identified:

1. Computer Science

  • Median Base Salary: $70,000

2. Electrical Engineering

  • Median Base Salary: $68,438

3. Mechanical Engineering

  • Median Base Salary: $68,000

4. Chemical Engineering

  • Median Base Salary: $65,000

5. Industrial Engineering

  • Median Base Salary: $64,381

See Full List 

As you can see, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors dominated the list, but other majors such as Nursing, Economics, Architecture and Business also made the cut.

I Have My STEM Degree — Now What?

3. What am I passionate about?

Call it sappy, but as somebody who majored in more creative fields (English and Spanish for the win!), I really believe that people should study what they’re interested in. If you find yourself particularly drawn to a certain field — be it photography, data science, anthropology or anything else — there’s no better time than college to explore it.

Even if you decide not to major in it, you can always pursue your passion as a minor, or just take a few classes in it. Otherwise, you might regret not learning more about what interests you while you had the chance. You don’t necessarily stop learning once you enter the working world, but you usually don’t have easy access to formal classes and expert professors on nearly every topic imaginable, like you do in college.

Not quite sure what you’re passionate about? Don’t worry — there’s nothing wrong with that! Taking a wide variety of classes that satisfy your general education requirements can help you figure out what you like and what you don’t. You can also meet with your academic advisor to brainstorm a few ideas.

Choosing a major is a big decision — probably one of the biggest ones you’ll make in your first couple of years in college. But even though making big decisions can be stressful, you shouldn’t worry too much. As long as you ask yourself the right questions and do your research, you’ll be able to find the college major that’s right for you. Remember: there’s no one single path to success!

 

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#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – 6 #Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs…Resumes, after all, are your First Chance to Show a Company What a Perfect Fit you Are for a Position — but if Done Incorrectly, they Could also Be your Last.

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“You only get one shot — do not miss your chance to blow.” Eminem may have been referring to rap battles when he dropped this lyric back in 2002, but he just as easily could have been talking about resumes and the job search. Resumes, after all, are your first chance to show a company what a perfect fit you are for a position — but if done incorrectly, they could also be your last. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to get them right the first time. Otherwise, all the time you spend filling out applications is essentially for naught.

But for every resume mistake, there’s a remedy. We’ve rounded up a few of the most common resume errors that prevent you from moving onto the next round, as well as solutions for how to fix them. It may take some time to tweak, but the payoff is worth it.

1. Telling Instead of Showing

It’s an age-old adage in writing: show, don’t tell. When job seekers simply state how great they are without providing any evidence, they lose credibility in recruiters’ eyes. One common way job seekers do this is by “using buzzwords (strategic, specialized, leadership, experienced, passionate, focused, creative, enthusiastic),” shares career coach Jeanne Patti.

The Fix: “Instead of using these words, demonstrate how you use that skill. It’s a powerful way to share your experiences and what makes you stand out without boring the person on the other end,” says Patti. One common approach is the STAR method — provide the situation, task, action and result of different initiatives you have been involved in, making sure to include specific information like metrics as relevant.

How to Write a Resume

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2. Including an Objective

If your college career counselor ever told you to put an objective like “Find an entry-level position in marketing” at the top of your resume, we’re giving you full permission to disregard them. “[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][One of the biggest mistakes] that I often see in a resume is an objective in lieu of a professional summary. Objectives should notbe used in a resume,” says Wendi Weiner, resume writer & career transition coach.

The Fix: Don’t just say you want a job — show recruiters why they should hire you for the job with a professional summary. “Your professional summary should resonate who you are as a professional and the high-caliber skill sets you have to offer,” explains Weiner. “Think of a professional summary as an introduction to the novel about yourself. It should allure the reader and entice him/her with information that will make him/her want to continue on reading to learn more.”

3. Not Customizing Your Resume

When you’re applying to multiple jobs, it’s tempting to use a generic, cookie-cutter resume and blast it out everywhere you’re applying to. But that strategy may end up preventing your resume from getting in a recruiter’s hands at all. “Most resumes are reviewed electronically before a human sees them,” Patti says, and if your resume doesn’t have the keywords specified in the job description, it will likely be overlooked by the software.

The Fix: It may be a pain to create a customized resume for each company, but if you’re truly interested in a position, it’s worth it. “Tailoring each submittal with keywords from the job posting is critical to pass the electronic screening,” Patti says.

4. Focusing on Job Functions Over Results

If your resume reads like the original job description you saw when you applied, it’s time to spice it up. “Most people focus too much on their job tasks/functions to ensure [that] the keywords are in the resume, and fail to devote time to strategically marketing their best skill sets and career wins,” Weiner says.

The Fix: Instead of talking about the day-to-day, describe the big picture impact you had. “The more effective thing to do is to have a separate core skills sectionand focus your work experience section on results, major contributions and key projects you have worked on at various companies/organizations,” Weiner says. “It is the number one way to distinguish yourself among the hundreds of applicants applying for jobs.”

5. Leaving Out Social Media Links

“Many people aren’t using the presence of social media to their advantage and use their resume as a stand-alone document,” Patti says. But in a constantly connected world where being transparent and informed is critical at every stage of the hiring process, it only makes sense to add links to your professional social media profiles.

The Fix: Give another layer of depth to your resume by linking to relevant, professional social media links. Patti recommends that job seekers “remove your physical address and add your LinkedIn URL. By linking to your updated profile, you will immediately gain credibility through your recommendations and endorsements of your skills and show insight into your personal brand and value,” Patti adds.

Use Social Media to Build a Personal Brand and Stand Out from the Crowd

6. Poor Writing

When it comes to your resume, your experience and career accomplishmentsare the most important, but how you present that information comes in at a close second. “The way you express yourself on your resume (and in any form of communication) impacts the way others perceive you,” says Angela Copeland, Career Coach. Spelling mistakes, clichés and complex, industry-specific jargon will all count against you.

The Fix: “First, ensure your resume is grammatically correct. Then, be sure that it is worded in a professional manner with a somewhat formal tone. Last, ensure your resume is understandable to someone, even if they don’t work in your industry,” Copeland says. “The easiest way to improve your choice of words is to read your resume out loud to yourself. This can catch many of the potential issues before anyone else sees it. Then, ask a friend or family member who works in another industry to read it. If they find your resume to be confusing, consider updating the wording, so that it’s more clear.”

 

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 [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

#CareerAdvice : Got a #JobInterview ? Make Sure you Bring these 8 Things… You’ve Done your Research, and you’re Prepared. Now Follow this Checklist.

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When you’re preparing for a job interview, many things go through your mind. Most of them involve what you need to say and the questions you’ll need to answer.

But don’t forget–there are also a handful of physical items you’ll want to bring along. Wondering what to bring to an interview? Use this as your checklist:

Odds are, you wouldn’t leave the house without it anyway, but make sure to bring your phone with you so you can enter the directions to your interview location, especially if you’ve never been there before. If you don’t have a smartphone capable of GPS navigation, print out directions. The worst thing you can do is get lost, which will make you late, which will likely prevent you from moving forward in the interview process. On your phone’s notepad app, or on the directions you’ve printed out, write out the name and contact information of your interviewer(s). This way, if something does go wrong on your way to the interview, you can let them know. This will also help ensure that you don’t forget your interviewer’s name–a major faux pas.

2. IDENTIFICATION

It’s not quite as common nowadays, but you never know if you’ll be asked for identification, so it’s worth bringing anyway. When in doubt, ask the person who set up your interview in advance–better safe than sorry!

 

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3. BUSINESS CARD

As a job seeker, business cards are great for networking and interviewing. Your business card should include your name, job title, email, phone number and any other contact information you think is important. Give your card to your interviewer, or anyone else you talk to about the job.

4. NOTEPAD AND PEN

You may be used to taking notes on your laptop or phone, but in interviews, it definitely looks better if you have paper and a pen handy to jot down notes like people to contact, addresses or anything else mentioned in the interview that you want to remember later. Being prepared with your own supplies to capture important information that your interviewer provides you with is a surefire way to make you look proactive and thoughtful.

5. RESUME

Print out a few copies of the most updated version of your resume. You should also have extra copies in case you need to reference it during the interview–or if extra interviewers show up.

6. REFERENCES

Bring an updated list of your references. Your interviewer may or may not ask for these, but again, it’s best to be over-prepared. The list should have at least three professional references, along with how they know you and how to contact them.

7. A PORTFOLIO

Depending on the kind of job you’re after, it might be valuable to bring a portfolio of your past work. This can be a folder, binder or even a website shown on your tablet. Your portfolio should be organized in a way that makes it easy to reference during your interview. The contents of your portfolio will depend on your profession, but there should be quality examples of your work and accomplishments.

8. QUESTIONS

At the end of every interview, you will be asked if you have any questions. Have a list of questions ready to go so you’re prepared. These questions can be about the rest of the hiring process, company culture or anything else you’re interested in, but remember: You want to your questions to be specific and reflect the fact that you’ve done research, so your interviewer can see your true interest in the position.

When thinking about what to bring an interview, a lot of things come to mind, but the eight above are the most essential. While they might seem simple, it’s important not to forget them–they really might make a difference on the day of your interview.

 

FastCompany.com | October 22, 2018 | BY ANISA PURBASARI HORTON   3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch -This is the Easiest Way to Make your #LinkedInProfile Stand Out…One Small Tweak can Make a Big Difference.

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Whenever I deliver my LinkedIn workshop, I get a lot of pushback on the following point: How to write your headline on the social network.

A LinkedIn headline is the line directly under your name–on your profile page, in the sidebar of people similar to you, and what people see in search results when they type your name. It’s the thing that people view the most after your name and headshot.

But most people don’t exploit this opportunity. Instead, they fall back on LinkedIn’s default settings–which copy and paste your job title and employer into this critical field.

A JOB TITLE TELLS YOU NOTHING

My “official” title is president of the Jonathan Rick Group. But if I’d put that on my LinkedIn headline, most people will probably look at it and have no idea what that means.

Sure, the word “president” may be impressive, but it doesn’t give you any clue about what the job involves or what I can do for you. As much as I’d love to flatter myself, it’s unlikely that a prospective client would see the headline, “JRG president,” and instantly think, “This guy can solve all my digital marketing needs!”

I’d go so far as to say that the same thing would apply to my previous jobs, such as “senior strategist at Rock Creek Strategic Marketing,” and “senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton.” You may have heard of Booz Allen, but unless you’re a senior consultant at Booz Allen, you probably have no idea what my responsibilities looked like.

There’s a simple solution to this–customize your headline. Instead of meekly recording your title and company, try following the tried-and-true strategy of describing what you do and who you help. This is your elevator pitch in 120 characters.

Here are a few examples:

  • I help trade associations raise mountains of money.
  • I help Fortune 500 CEOs and tech entrepreneurs navigate and influence Washington, D.C.
  • Whatever the subject, I’ll make your message UBER: Understood, Believed, Enjoyed, and Remembered.

Earlier, I said that some folks rebel at the idea of a personalized headline. Let’s review their four strongest objections.

1. “MOST PEOPLE DON’T CUSTOMIZE THEIR HEADLINE”

This is true–but it’s because most people don’t know any better, just like they might not know the difference between a hashtag and a handle.

 

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2. “A CUSTOM HEADLINE TYPICALLY MEANS THE HEADLINER IS UNEMPLOYED”

Yes, plenty of people position themselves as consultants when in fact, they aspire to be consultants. An image I recently saw on Twitter captures the point poetically.

Don’t let that put you off, though. Let’s not let these self-proclaimed influencers/evangelists/whisperers ruin a good thing. After all, puffery tends to dissolve upon impact: Spend a few seconds scrolling through someone’s profile, and it’ll be clear whether they’re living up to their title, or whether they’re lying about it.

3. “THEY’RE TOO FLOWERY”

I’ve also heard plenty of people claiming that while a custom headline may be a good idea, in theory, people use it in off-putting ways. In short, they think that these made-up banners are too flowery or pretentious–and often both.

Again, I sympathize with this viewpoint. But just because someone else’s headline is fluffy doesn’t mean your headline needs to be. I’ve long railed against what I call the “laundry listers” (who can’t decide who they are, so they throw in everything) and the “keyword stuffers” (who use jargon instead of English to seduce the algorithms).

Here are some examples of a straightforward and not flowery headline:

  • Public policy advocate for the greater protection of our civil liberties
  • Licensed mental health social worker, treating trichotillomania and OCD
  • CPA, with 20 years of experience, specializing in real estate

To me, these lines sound far more intriguing and substantive than an unclear job title at a company people might or might not have heard of.

4. “I WORKED HARD TO GET HERE”

This objection seems to be one that people are extremely passionate about. If the first thing someone learns about me is that that I work at, say, the White House, he’s more likely to browse through my profile than if he sees I work at the White Group.

People argue that if they spend their days at a prestigious place, they shouldn’t obscure this accomplishment. After all, it takes talent to land at Goldman Sachs or Google, and isn’t LinkedIn all about showcasing that?

There are two issues here–one technical and one philosophical. Both revolve around prioritization.

The thing is, a custom headline doesn’t replace your title and company. The latter still very much forms part of your profile, at the top of your “experience” section. They’re just not the first thing people see.

When you value the institution over the individual, you also convey your insecurity. This mind-set suggests that you tie your professional identity to the company you work for, and that where you work is more important than what you do.

Instead of yoking yourself to your employer, cultivate your own identity. Recognize that your worth doesn’t require external validation. Your business card doesn’t bind you. It’s great to say, “I went to Harvard,” and that’s definitely something you should be proud of. But don’t let it define you. You’re much more valuable than that.

Author: Jonathan Rick is the president of the Jonathan Rick Group, a consultancy that helps people overhaul and optimize their LinkedIn profile. Follow him on Twitter at @jrick, where he tweets about the latest tricks in professional branding.

 

FastCompany.com | October 21, 2018