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Your #Career : Use this One-Paragraph #CoverLetter to land your next #JobInterview …Most #Recruiters just Skim Cover Letters, so Here’s How to Craft a Short and Effective One that Can be Read in 60 Seconds or Less.

May 23, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Cover letters are dead, or so we’ve been told. Many recruiters and hiring managers don’t even bother to read them, opting to skim resumes instead. But however their influence might be waning, plenty of people who are faced with making hiring decisions still rely on cover letters in order to size up candidates and determine who might be worth calling in for an interview.

So how can you make your cover letter as effective as possible? Make it short. Emily Liou, career happiness coach at CultiVitae, says you can probably boil your full-page cover letter down to a single paragraph (or two), without rehashing your resume. Here’s how.

WHAT TO CUT

That formulaic opening line. “A big mistake I see candidates make,” Liou says, “is they start off very cookie cutter with the, “It’s with the utmost enthusiasm that I apply for this position. I am a great fit because . . . I bring years of . . .’” Not only do these openers waste precious space (and the hiring manager’s time), they instantly make candidates blend into the pack, when the whole point is to stand out.

All those basic “job skills” that aren’t really skills.“It seems as if everyone is detail-oriented, has strong communication skills, and is a fast learner,” Liou points out. Those descriptors have no place in a short, compelling cover letter. Chances are if it’s a meaningless buzzword on your resume or LinkedIn, it’s just as useless in your cover letter, too.

A chronological recap of your entire work experience. Don’t feel obligated to squeeze in a mention of every job you’ve ever held in the order you held them–it won’t do you or recruiters any favors. “Your resume is going to be reviewed first,” Liou says. “If the recruiter sees potential in your background, then they will read your cover letter.” So write your cover letter based on the premise that the reader is already familiar with the general outlines of your career trajectory.

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WHAT TO INCLUDE

One great thing you’d be able to do the week you start. “When writing a cover letter, it’s really important to get into the mind of your reader,” Liou explains. “The job description’s summary and main responsibilities often highlight what this successful candidate will be doing on a daily basis. Try to picture the role and ask yourself, ‘Why would I be able to immediately contribute to their team?’ In other words, be sure to highlight what specifically about your entire background and experiences sets you apart from other candidates.” Focus on productive, positive actions you’ll be able to take right away based on your current skills.

Tell a story. It can even be about them, not you. “Aim to capture their attention by telling them what about their product, service, or mission really drew you to apply for this role out of all the other similar positions out there,” Liou advises. Otherwise get autobiographical and offer an anecdote, she says. “If you have an interesting story or way you learned about the company, share this! People connect with stories and it will make your application memorable and unique.”

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Can you fit all this into a single paragraph? Liou says it’s possible. She sketches it out like this, using a hypothetical job opening at Netflix by way of example (in her words):

Sentence 1: Strong opener that captures their attention: “Confession: I recently binged two full seasons of Narcos last weekend.”
Sentence 2: Explain why the company’s mission, product, service, etc. resonate with you so much: “As a film and TV enthusiast with a Netflix membership since 2013, I’m impressed with the user interface and features that are continuously released.”
Sentence 3: Share why you’re so passionate to see the company grow in the role: “I believe Netflix has disrupted the entire entertainment business, and I would appreciate an opportunity to provide bold recommendations backed with data in the data analyst opening.”

The next three to five sentences, Liou continues, “would then immediately dive into background and why you’re a match.” In her example, this is where you’d explain how you’d be able to start contributing to the organization right away–since you’ve already offered an anecdote in your first sentence.

You could hit “return” twice and start a new paragraph before sharing that, but you’ll still be left with a lean, clean cover letter that’s compelling to read. Which, of course, is exactly the point.

FastCompany.com | May 23, 2018 | Rich Bellis

Your #Career : How #Women Can Build Their #ProfessionalNetworks … #Networking is Tougher for Women for Several Reasons, but There are Ways to Make it Work.

May 21, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Networking is crucial for advancing a career, building relationships and getting knowledgeable about a range of subjects. And women have a much tougher time of it than men.

It comes down to numbers, my research shows. There are so few women in positions of power that it is difficult for women to find sponsors to make introductions and referrals, and models of effective leadership are geared toward men. And because of that, women begin to believe not only that the cards are stacked against them but also that there is something wrong with networking itself.

Bonding problems

Of course, it can be daunting for both men and women to reach out to people who are more senior and outside their immediate area. But women’s difficulties with workplace networking go beyond that. People form and maintain relationships easily and spontaneously with others like them, decades of research shows. When an organization’s senior ranks and an industry’s power players are mostly male, the “likes attract” principle means that women often have to work harder to build relationships with decision makers and influential stakeholders.

At the same time, there are few other women around for women to build professional relationships with. The result? Women are consistently excluded from male-dominated social gatherings, which let businesspeople talk shop and bounce ideas in an informal atmosphere that builds camaraderie and trust.

Compounding the problem is that men and women tend to favor different leisure and extracurricular pursuits. So men find it much easier to mix play and work in the first place, with pursuits such as golf, while women often struggle to combine the two spheres of life.

In my research, I ask people to list all the contacts they consult for work matters, as well as the friends they hang out with outside of work. Men often have some people on both lists—they’ll play squash or go to dinner with some of those work contacts. Women, in contrast, are more likely to have two separate lists. This difference is most pronounced for women who have children, when outside-of-work relationships tend to become more driven by school activities and family.

All of which means it takes longer for women to achieve influence. It also increases the likelihood that women will have unfavorable views about networking. The more we differ from key stakeholders, and the more we have to go out of our way to interact informally with them, the more likely we’ll view networking as disingenuous and calculating. So women begin to see networking as being about selfish gain and using people.

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Breaking barriers

Aspiring women leaders can start taking charge of their network with three tactics.

Be a bridge. The best way for women to expand their professional relationships is by making connections across the diverse circles that make up their network.

For example, one marketing executive for a large manufacturing firm found herself attending events in which ideas were presented on which she knew could help her colleagues. She started writing up what she was seeing in a LinkedIn blog, and that raised her visibility in the company. When she met the author of a new book on agile working, she knew his methodology could potentially transform her firm’s operations. So she introduced him to a manager she had gotten to know through the LinkedIn column. Five years later, the methodology was in place across the organization—and she landed a promotion.

Limited Access

Women are less likely than men to say they have substantive interaction with a senior leader at least monthly, and the difference grows as they move up the career ladder.

*Vice president and above

Source: LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Co. Women in the Workplace 2017 survey of 70,000 men and women

Do it your way. Effective networking usually involves investing time in extracurricular activities. But many women balk at what seems to be limited choice among things they are not very interested in, such as playing golf or attending sporting events. I have seen many savvy networkers, however, leverage a personal interest into something more strategic in the workplace.

Take, for instance, one investment banker who was passionate about the theater. Frustrated that she kept missing plays she wanted to see, she made her passion part of her business development. Four times a year, her secretary booked tickets, organized an informal buffet dinner at a restaurant near the theater and invited her clients, prospective clients and other key people she wanted to get to know better. The stage became a backdrop for developing her own business and facilitating connections among people in her networks.

Join a women’s professional network. Because women’s informal networks tend to have separate work and social spheres, it can be harder for women to achieve their potential. Joining a women’s network, such as the Wing, is a great way to bring the two spheres together. A women’s network can be a supportive setting for women to compare notes and reinforce one another’s learning. One website founder from New Zealand told me, “Coming here, there is a sense of comfort; you can fully relax.”

Ultimately, it is women’s misconceptions about networking that hold them back. If you believe you will never be any good at it or that you are wasting time, if there is a voice in your head telling you it is self-serving and political, you won’t commit to breaking your usual routine.

The only way to debunk such limiting assumptions is for women to try it and learn from their own experience that networking is one of the most valuable ways to invest their time.

Ms. Ibarra is the Charles Handy professor of organizational behavior at the London Business School. She can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

Appeared in the May 21, 2018, print edition as ‘What Women Need to Do to Network.’

Your #Career : This is What it Took for Me to Quit a Job I Hated…This Writer had been Putting Off Leaving a Job She Didn’t Like. But One Particular Moment Compelled her to Take Action.

May 21, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It was my birthday. I’d come into the office earlier than usual to get a jump start on my workload so that I would be able to sneak out on time to meet a group of people for a celebratory dinner.

No one at the office knew it was my birthday, and that was perfectly fine. See, I didn’t exactly have the best relationship with my boss or colleagues. I worked for a small hedge fund where the atmosphere was perpetually tense and intense. Nobody really seemed to like one another, and because my goal was to earn a paycheck rather than make friends, that wasn’t bothersome to me. What irked me, however, was the fact that everyone at the office treated me like dirt even though I had a solid work ethic and generally went well above and beyond the call of duty to make other people more money.

In other words, I wasn’t expecting special treatment for it being my birthday. I just wanted the day to go smoothly (“smoothly” being a relative term at an office where fistfights weren’t unusual and foul language was the go-to means of communication).

It didn’t, though. And that’s why I decided that day to quit.

REACHING MY BREAKING POINT

What’s funny is that nothing particularly disturbing happened that day. Sure, people yelled at me, but that was par for the course. Rather, there were two related incidents that helped me realize I was done.

The first was when a colleague asked me to jump on a 6:00 p.m. conference call in his place because he had to leave unexpectedly. I politely explained that I had plans after work and had to leave by 5:30 myself–something I rarely did, but also something I was by no means obligated to clear with him or my boss. Rather than accept my answer and pursue an alternate solution, he proceeded to berate me for wanting to have a social life. Fine.

The next episode happened just moments later. I had finished up my work for the day and was gathering my belongings when another coworker looked up at the clock, saw what time it was, and asked, in the snidest tone possible, “Half day today?”

I left on time. I went to dinner reeling over the two incidents while my friends tried to distract me with just about every other topic imaginable. And the next day, I composed my resignation letter.

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KNOWING WHEN IT’S TIME TO QUIT

The funny thing is that I really should’ve resigned from that job years before I did. The environment was toxic, and while the work itself was interesting, it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my career. The only reason I stayed so long was that the pay was fantastic, and I was hesitant to give it up. But what made me finally throw in the towel was the fact that as I sat there at dinner that night, I couldn’t stop fuming over the events that had just transpired.

Then I realized that I’d been doing the same thing for months– letting an unpleasant work experience spill over into my personal life and mess with my general well-being. I could no longer let that happen, and so I resigned.

Of course, I did so respectfully. I gave my firm a month’s notice, which I was able to do in the absence of having another job lined up. In my official letter, I thanked my boss for taking me on and teaching me a lot, which he actually did. And I made sure to wrap up all major items I was working on before my last day to not leave anyone particularly in the lurch.

I also made sure I was prepared financially to kiss my paycheck goodbye. For months, I’d been adding to my emergency fund to allow myself the option to quit. I also looked into my health insurance options in advance, since I knew I’d need to secure coverage of my own. And I’m grateful I did those things, because they bought me the option to leave when I’d truly had enough.

NO ONE DESERVES TO BE MISERABLE AT WORK

Why am I sharing this story now? It’s simple: I still have many friends who are utterly miserable at their jobs.

Now obviously, not working isn’t an option, since we all have bills to pay. But it pains me to see so many people I know unhappy day in, day out. So if there’s one takeaway here, it’s this: I was dissatisfied at my job long before I quit, but what drove me over the edge was realizing that I couldn’t shake those bad feelings from work even after leaving the office. That wasn’t acceptable to me, and it shouldn’t be acceptable to anyone.

If you’ve been unhappy with your job to the point where it’s impacted your overall well-being, it’s time to start planning your escape. I’m not saying quit on a whim, because frankly, you should really have a backup plan. Rather, I’m suggesting you figure out what it’ll take to allow you to quit your job, whether it’s more savings and/or a series of leads, and find a way to escape that bad situation. And who knows? It just might end up being the best thing you ever do for your career.

FastCompany.com | May 21, 2018 | BY MAURIE BACKMAN—THE MOTLEY FOOL 4 MINUTE READ

#Leadership : These are the Most Important Minutes of Any #Meeting …Look for These Moments in your #Meetings and then Try Shape Future Meetings to have More of Them.

May 20, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Few people like meetings, and that’s probably because they’re increasingly overtaking the workday. Over the past 50 years meetings have grown from less than 10 hours a week to nearly 23 hours, not including impromptu gatherings, Harvard Business Review reports. That’s more than half of our workweek.

“Meetings may seem too frustrating and too numerous, but they continue because they’re the center for getting work done and building relationships,” says Chris Battles, senior vice president and general manager of communications and collaboration for LogMeIn, provider of collaboration software including the meeting platform GoToMeeting. “Real-time, face-to-face interaction, even at distance, unlocks insight, and that’s powerful.”

The reason meetings get a bad reputation is because their powerful moments are often allowed to slip away, says Battles. “We may have too many things to address or time constraints due to scheduling meetings back to back,” he says. “This results in the ‘gold’ being lost.”

You can reenergize your meetings by learning to recognize the most important minutes and by setting up a system that creates more of them.

LOOK FOR VERBAL AND NONVERBAL CUES

Identify critical points in your meetings by paying attention to the language of the participants. “We’ve all been in meetings where we’re bored senseless, checking our phone and completely disengaged,” says Battles. “You can tell when a spot in the meeting hits home when people suddenly become physically present and emotionally present.”

Watch for people who start taking notes or lean in. Another sign is when people begin to contribute. They’re not just paying attention; they’re adding their own insights.

“It’s those ‘Yes, and…’ conversations,” says Battles. “It’s the part of the meeting when people are open to the information and how relates to them. It’s when they talk about how the information personally impacts their world.”

When these moments happen, don’t smother them. Instead, let them come to fruition. “When people perk up around topic, engage them and get their perspective,” he says. “Pull the person into the meeting by asking questions and drawing them into a conversation.”

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MAKE SURE TO CREATE A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

Fostering important meeting moments requires paying attention to your culture. If your meetings simply present content and don’t allow engagement, it will be difficult to get those magic moments where interaction and discussion are going. Create a culture of collaboration by allowing time for questions and regularly calling on attendees for input.

“Attendees need to be free to speak up and pull others in to engage,” says Battles. “This requires that your meetings are considered a safety zone and employees trust that the norm is that they can contribute.”

HAVE A FLEXIBLE AGENDA

Often meetings follow the agenda too closely; it’s written for a reason, but it doesn’t have to be set in stone, says Battles. “When you have six things to cover, it’s tempting to close discussions too fast to get onto the next topic,” he says. “When you see momentum and energy building around one thing, stay with it, and get back to the others later.”

Override the agenda by being present and aware of what’s happening in your meeting, instead of just letting the meeting happen. “Meetings are meant to create discussion with real time interaction,” says Battles. “If not, an email would have been sufficient.”

CAPTURE THE “GOLD”

When attendees are engaged, capture the content was most interesting. Was it a topic, idea, or certain speaker? Take notes, but make sure to record actions.

“When you get to an animated state, identify next steps,” says Battles. “Do this before you move on to take advantage of the energy.”

From executive to staff meetings to team huddles, looking for those golden minutes creates a different perspective for the organizer and makes meetings at your company not so unbearable.

“Our days are often one meeting after another,” says Battles. “In each one, though, look for the great moment to take with you. Track those and use them to help participants engage with your content later.”

FastCompany.com | May 16, 2018 | BY STEPHANIE VOZZA 3 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : This Is How to Build Your #ProfessionalNetwork From Your Phone…So Today we’re Sharing our Essential Tips for How to #Network from your Phone Like a Pro, Plus the Best Apps for Making Awesome Connections.

May 19, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You don’t have to be an introvert to dread networking events. Initiating conversations with total strangers can feel a bit like going on a blind date — the results could be magical, or painfully awkward.

Though networking in person doesn’t have to be a nightmare, it can still be difficult to fit into your busy schedule.

Online networking via your smartphone has the distinct advantage of happening whenever and wherever is convenient for you. And it can also ensure there’s a mutual desire to connect.

So today we’re sharing our essential tips for how to network from your phone like a pro, plus the best apps for making awesome connections.

How to Perfect Your LinkedIn Hustle

Love it or hate it, LinkedIn is the behemoth in the online professional networking sphere and is a powerful tool for job hunting, recruiting and making new connections.

If you’re serious about landing opportunities on LinkedIn, you’ll want to check out these on-point articles for how to get started:

But regardless of what strategies you employ to get noticed, the simplest thing you can do to impress recruiters is to always write with good grammar.

We obviously take grammar pretty seriously around here, but we’re not the only ones. Language and writing are changing rapidly in the digital age, but in the realm of business (and academia), traditional grammar rules are still king.

Employers consider good grammar skills an accurate indicator of competence, credibility and professionalism. Even simple errors like confusing “there” and “their” or “its” and “it’s” can be enough to deter potential employers.

So be sure to thoroughly proofread your LinkedIn profile, and every message you write, before you hit “send” or “post.” You can also double-check your grammar with our new mobile keyboard for iPhone and Android (yes, Grammarly is finally available on mobile!).

Remember, you only get to make one first impression, so make sure it’s a positive one!

3 Networking Apps for Making Awesome Connections

While it’s important to engage with LinkedIn, it’s not the only resource available for building your professional network. Take your mobile networking game to the next level with these apps:

1. Shapr

Ready to swipe right? Shapr is basically Tindr for professional networking.

One of the primary advantages of Shapr over LinkedIn is that it encourages you to forge a connection in person, rather than starting a correspondence that may drag on unproductively (or fizzle out quickly).

After downloading the app you can set up your profile in seconds by linking it to your LinkedIn account. Every day you’ll get a selection of around a dozen profiles that match up with your interests and geographical location. You can choose to “Pass” or “Meet.”

Providing a limited number of profiles to choose from ensures you’ll only spend a few minutes on the app each day, instead of falling into the trap of endless browsing.

Responses are completely anonymous, so you won’t know who’s interested in meeting unless you’ve both selected “Meet” on each other’s profiles, in which case you’ll be notified that you have a match.

Once you’re matched, you can coordinate to meet up in person for coffee and begin your discussions for world domination.

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2. Bumble Bizz

Already on Bumble? Bumble Bizz is the popular dating app’s new networking mode.

Shapr and Bumble Bizz are similar in style but have some key differences. Shapr uses an algorithm to deliver your daily selection of profiles, while with Bumble Bizz you’re in the driver’s seat of deciding which profiles are of interest.

However, this does mean there is a vast number of profiles for you to browse, so be careful you don’t spend more time on the app than you do meeting up with people in person.

Bumble Bizz is also likely to have more women users than Shapr, due to the high percentage of women who already use Bumble in dating mode. This is a clear advantage for professional women who are looking to connect with other driven women in their area.

3. Let’s Lunch

If you’d love to network but are struggling to find the time due to your crazy schedule, Let’s Lunch connects you with people who not only have similar interests but similar schedules.

Forget the stress of cramming networking events into your busy evenings, now you can meet amazing people during your lunch hour when you were going to be eating lunch anyway!

Let’s Lunch has also expanded from just one-on-one lunches to lunch opportunities at innovative startups and companies who are looking to hire.

GlassDoor.com | May 18, 2018 | Posted by Joanna Cutrara, Grammarly

Your #Career : Hit the Ground Running- Your Guide to Surviving the First Months of #Unemployment …It can take on Average Six Weeks to Eight Months to Find a #NewJob . Here’s the Best Way to Spend that #JobHunting Time.

May 18, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

At some point in your career, it’s likely you’ll face unemployment: whether it takes you awhile to find a job after graduation or you are the victim of a round of corporate layoffs. Workplace expert Amy Cooper Hakim says today’s global marketplace makes many positions disposable. “Organizations aren’t as committed to their employees, and employees aren’t as committed to their organizations. As such, long-standing tenure within organizations is much less common,” she says.

Bottom line? The busier you keep yourself during this period–from applying and side-hustling to keeping a go-get-’em mindset–the more likely you’ll pull out of the unemployment bracket and into your new office.

So when you’re out high and dry–and anxiously eyeing your savings account–what’s the best approach to job searching? Career branding expert Wendi Weiner says recent data suggest it takes at least six weeks–and up to eight months–to earn an offer letter, making what you do during this idle time vital. Marrying a sharp focus with tenacious hustling and a picky attitude is the best way to approach your career pursuits as you set a three-month goal for yourself. Here’s your expert-approved guide through the process:

WEEK ONE

Though you could be struggling with nerves, the first seven days also mean mornings sleeping in and catching up on the latest Netflix obsession. Hakim says not to give yourself too much of a hard time over this sluggish session, since it can actually do wonders for your psyche: “Allow yourself the chance to mourn your old job and to make peace with the change. This clarity of mind can help you to determine next steps, career wise, too,” she says.

You shouldn’t be completely unproductive though. “Research companies of interest and create a spreadsheet,” Weiner says. “Begin to research who are the key players at the companies, the positions available, and the target positions you are seeking.”

Don’t have the appetite to start networking in person yet? You can still set yourself up for future elbow-rubbing by updating all of your career documents and profiles, Weiner adds. From your LinkedIn profile to your resume and cover letter template, this will make the application process that much more seamless once you’re ready to put yourself out there. Don’t forget about recommendations, either—now is the time to reconnect with a former boss, a trusted mentor, or a colleague who will happily sing your praises, Hakim reminds.

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ONE MONTH IN

Check yourself: By now you should have at least secured a few in-person interviews, attended networking lunches or functions, and sent out plenty of job applications. If you’re not getting yourself out there, you’re falling behind, according to the experts. Nearly 70% of all jobs are won via networking. This is the time when you should be shouting from the rooftops that you’re competitive, desired, and available for the right opportunity. “Your goal is to be noticed and recognized as a thought leader. Ask connections to introduce you to key players in your field. Ask others if they know of a job or of a person who might be able to help. Without being pushy or presumptuous, we get what we need when we ask for it,” Hakim explains.

Don’t forget to take copious notes about your experiences, whether face-to-face or digitally. This helps you concentrate on progress and pave the way for your next follow-up or interaction. “Have a column for notes/feedback so that you aren’t duplicating your efforts. You don’t want to haphazardly contact the same person or same company twice with that first email communication,” Weiner warns. “You also want to chart when you are receiving/sending responses to companies so that you are being proactive.”

SIX WEEKS IN

If you’ve been following your homework diligently, Weiner predicts you’re in the middle of second and third rounds of interviews, with an offer formulating on the horizon. Even if you think you’re this close to securing a job, it’s important as ever to remain active. You want to ensure your network continues to sprout, just in case you’re passed over for an opportunity you think you have in the bag. “Consider attending networking events, professional conferences, and events in your industry and niche so that you are building a strong network of connectivity with others,” she says.

During this time, you might start to lose your steam–especially if receive a few rejections–so don’t forget to prioritize your health, too. Weiner says job seekers should commit to one healthy habit a day–from healthy meals and exercise to soaking up vitamin D outside and creating a budget–to keep a positive attitude. After all, showing up cranky to an interview won’t bode well for your chances.

TWO MONTHS IN

Are you still showering daily? How much coffee are you drinking? How about booze? When unemployed folk reach the two-month mark, it’s normal–and expected–to feel frustrated with the process. As tough as it is to push through your growing insecurity in your abilities, Weiner says your tenacity will win in the long run.

To help you get through the many rejection levels and ghosters, she suggests setting up a daily schedule to keep your mind occupied–instead of spiraling. “Spend a few hours in the morning researching jobs, and spend the afternoon reaching out to the major contacts at those jobs. Continue being proactive, but also stick to a schedule. If you are staring at your computer all day waiting for the phone to ring, you will find yourself continuing to stress. Head to the gym for a daily workout, or go to the park,” she says.

Another effective way to boost your morale, according to Monster.com career expert Vicki Salemi, is to reach out to trusted colleagues or friends who have also faced unemployment for an extended period. Use their experience to compare notes, find holes you might be missing, and, of course, remind you of how super-talented and stellar you are.

AFTER THREE MONTHS

Sure, months fly by quickly when you’re busy pulling late-nighters for a new client or waking up early to catch a business-class red-eye to London–but when you’re unemployed? Each day feels endless and deafening. Twelve weeks into unemployment and you’re understandably fed up. Instead of accepting defeat, challenge yourself to approach your job search with strategy–and flexibility.

Hakim says many people have too narrow of a pool in the beginning: Are there other geographical areas you’re open to? Roles that might also work for your skill set? A lateral move instead of one that propels you upwards? Have you already forgotten about professionals you connected with in month one? What are they up to now? What advice do they have for you? These questions might not be the easiest to stomach or process, but they could mean the difference between a “yes” and a “no.”

Salemi adds that a critical eye toward your progress could also prove beneficial, since you might have grown a tad lazier as time has passed. And perhaps too rose-colored about the “perfect job” instead of one that could serve its purpose for now. “Have you been landing phone interviews, but not office interviews? Are you thinking broadly enough–maybe there’s a company that has an awesome part-time opportunity that can, in due time, be parlayed into a full-time one? Think outside the box in ways you can earn money, contribute your valuable skill set to an organization, and stay busy,” she says.

Bottom line? The busier you keep yourself during this period–from applying and side-hustling to keeping a go-get-’em mindset–the more likely you’ll pull out of the unemployment bracket and into your new office.

FastCompany.com | May 18, 2018 | BY LINDSAY TIGAR 6 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : How To Elevate Yourself When Your #JobSearch And #Life Are Dragging You Down…When you are #Interviewing , it is Easy to Become Discouraged and Feel Defeated and Dejected. It’s Not just You; Everyone Experiences Rejection in the Process.

May 17, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Here are some motivational thoughts to keep you positive and energized when your job search—and life for that matter—is looking bleak and hopeless.

Treat each day as a new beginning. Don’t get caught up with all the failures from the past. Forget about prior indiscretions, feuds, animosities or something a family member said to you 13 years ago that you forgot what it even was, but you still won’t talk with them. This is history. History is over. You are not that person any longer. You are the person living in the here and now.

There are no “what ifs” only “what’s next.” So, you made the wrong choice over which college to attend and chose the wrong major. You didn’t have a mentor or get the big break. We have to move on and forget about the “what ifs.” It is a new start. There are so many successful people who have made it big later in life. They learned from their mistakes and then catapulted their careers. Some people made all the so-called “right choices,” did well at first and now are just flatlining. Your life and career are long-term marathons and not sprints.

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Be the person you always wanted to be. It’s never too late to become that person. Don’t live to solely impress others or live out someone’s dreams. Even if you fail, it will be on your own term—as your own person. You don’t want to look back when you are 90-years-old and say you should have done x, y, or z. Do the hard work now to make the 90-year-old you happy and proud.

Follow the career choice that is right for you. Acquiescing to a job or profession because you think it will make your parents happy and get them off your back or to impress your friends is not a long-term recipe for success. You will end up being miserable. As an executive recruiter, I can’t begin to tell you how many lawyers I have spoken to that made their career decisions for the reasons mentioned and are now terribly miserable. Find a career path that aligns with your values and suits your skills, temperament and abilities. Also, make sure you can make a living.

Complaining is a waste of the short, precious time that we have. Life is unfair; it’s short and brutal. We die at the end of our movie. Usually, it ends quite badly. Since we all know this, why trouble yourself with complaining and whining? It doesn’t help. It actually makes you feel worse and bothers anyone who listens to you. Accept what you can’t change and spend the time you’ve allotted to complaining toward modifying what you can actually change.

Don’t sit around waiting for something to happen. Act. Make something happen. Be assertive and active. You’ll sleep when you’re dead. Make your own breaks in this world. Create your own opportunities. You can’t wait for opportunities to drop into your life. Nobody cares if you fail and nobody will hand you a life; you need build it yourself.

Figure out what you want to do with your life and career. Then, work on how to actually make it happen. Spend at least as much time considering your career as you do watching football or binge-watching stupid television shows.

Stop sleepwalking through life. Appreciate what you have. Work toward what you want.

Take time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. It could be your spouse, children, friends, a nice spring day or a puppy. Live in the moment. Don’t spend all your time either obsessing over the past or worried about the future. Enjoy, appreciate and savor the here and now.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Mostly everything is small stuff. Save the worrying for when a loved one has terminal cancer or an unfair, irreversible health situation. Only then do you deserve the right to worry and complain.

Hold yourself to the highest standard that you set for yourself and do what you know is the right thing to do—even if no one is watching.
Don’t put your life on hold for anything or anyone.
Set goals that you want to achieve. Every day, work your butt off toward achieving your goals. Just moving the ball a little down the field is helpful. Work toward getting 1 % better every day.

Carefully consider and evaluate what you’re doing on a daily basis. Expend your time and energy wisely on meaningful endeavors. Don’t be afraid to quit things when you realize that you have mistakenly headed in a direction that does not align with your vision for yourself and your principles. Don’t do things for the sake of doing them. Shut off your autopilot and take the steering wheel. Do the things you love because life is too precious to spend it doing anything else. If you don’t enjoy something, then don’t do it.

Discover your passion in work and life. If possible, make your passion a career or business.

Listen when people talk to you. It may surprise you to know that there are some really smart people out there that you can learn from. You already know what you know, maybe you will learn from the janitor, your annoying coworker, the nosy neighbor or the CEO.

Remain open to constructive criticism, but don’t take it personally or let it hinder you. Implement the advice if and when it fits within your goals and objectives.

Stay positive because… why not? It’s just as easy as being negative, but is healthier and makes you and everyone else around you feel better.

Don’t badmouth other people or gossip; it’s a waste of time and energy.

Be honest with people or, at very least, don’t lie to them.

Be empathetic, understanding, caring and compassionate. You never really know what someone else is going through or had to endure.

Believe in yourself and your abilities. If you don’t have faith and confidence in yourself, why should anyone else? Treat yourself as you would your best friend. You wouldn’t excessively criticize, chastise, fault-find your best buddy and expect him or her to remain friends with you. Act kindly toward yourself. Have mercy on yourself when you fail, screw-up, and understanding when you do dumb things. This will help build up confidence and happiness, which ultimately leads to success.

It’s too much work to hold grudges and stay angry at people. Forgive those who may have done you wrong in the past. You are better off with more friends and less enemies.

Let go of material attachments. Don’t measure yourself or fixate on social status, fame, wealth or vapid accumulation of shiny objects. Enjoy your possessions, but don’t allow them to own you or let the pursuit of material things consume you. Someone else will inevitably inherit them all or they will be sold to pay off inheritance taxes when you die.

Save as much money as you can, as early in life as possible. By accumulating a nice nest egg, you can then make career and life choices based on your principles—and not because you have to pay the rent and utility bills.

Extricate yourself from toxic relationships. Walk away from negative, dishonest, disingenuous, phony, disrespectful, hurtful and time-wasting people. Spend time with others who are supportive, loving, caring and enable you to succeed. Find friends and colleagues compatible with your principles, who are also positive, successful, strong achievers and growth-oriented. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

Treat the janitor like the CEO. Try to build genuine, authentic connections with people around you including strangers, friends, family and colleagues. Try to make deeper and more meaningful connections with people.

Do a kind deed once a day. Help others in need or people when they least expect it—without reason.

Constantly review and evaluate your life to make sure you are on the correct path. Set aside time for daily or weekly introspection and review sessions to assess how your pursuit of goals is going. Review your purpose and principles. It is okay if they change as you grow personally and professionally and mature in age.

Fight back against procrastination, as it is a time-sucking enemy of your plans.

Keep learning, reading and improving your mind.

Stay away from comparing yourself to others. It will only make you jealous and disappointed. Only compare yourself to the person you were yesterday.

Try new things. Get yourself out there. Stop sticking to routines and comfort zones.

Don’t settle. Reach to become the best at what you do. Stretch yourself. For example, what are you doing right now? Is it improving your life? Is it possible to do something more productive?

Set big, scary goals. Explore your limits and blow right past them. Keep an open mind for new opportunities and embrace different ideas rather than fear them. Don’t box yourself in mentally or emotionally.

Find mentors and life coaches who care about you and can help you with your journey. Ask them for honest feedback and constructive criticism to help you become the person you aspire to be.

Pay it forward by mentoring others and help them live their best lives too.

If I am wrong about any—or all—of this, at least you can tell yourself that you tried and took some effort to improve your life and career.

Forbes.com | May 17, 2018 | Jack Kelly , CONTRIBUTOR

#Leadership : ‘I Lost It’: The #Boss Who Banned Phones, and What Came Next… #Employers Limit Cellphone use to Regain Attentiveness. Workers use Watches and Laptops Instead.

May 17, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Two thousand six hundred seventeen times a day. That is how often the average person taps, pokes, pinches or swipes their personal phone.

It all adds up to about 2 hours and 25 minutes, according to a study by mobile app research firm Dscout Inc. And a good chunk of that time comes during work hours.

Jason Brown had had enough of it. Two years ago, the chief executive of Brown, Parker & DeMarinis Advertising paused for a moment to look across the meeting room as he delivered a presentation. The majority of those gathered were fiddling with their phones.

“I lost it,” says Mr. Brown.

In his anger, he issued a companywide edict:“Don’t show up at a meeting with me with your phone. If someone shows up with their phone, it’ll be their last meeting.”

Many managers are conflicted about how—or even whether—to limit smartphone use in the workplace. Smartphones enable people to get work done remotely, stay on top of rapid business developments and keep up with clients and colleagues. But the devices are also the leading productivity killers in the workplace, according to a 2016 survey of more than 2,000 executives and human-resource managers conducted by CareerBuilder, an HR software and services company.

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There is also some evidence that productivity suffers in the mere presence of smartphones. When workers in a recent study by the University of Texas and University of California had their personal phones placed on their desks—untouched—their cognitive performance was lower than when their devices were in another location, such as in a handbag or the pocket of a coat hanging near their workspace.

“I firmly believe that multitasking is a myth,” says Bill Hoopes, an IT project manager at L3 TechnologiesInc.

Mr. Hoopes put his convictions into practice at group gatherings when he took over a team of about 25 people at the aerospace defense company three years ago. “Every time someone’s phone went off, they had to stand for the rest of the meeting,” he says. Before long, he asked the group to leave their phones at their desks when two or more people got together.

Over time, he says, he has noticed not only an improvement in the quality of conversation and ideas in meetings, but also that his people seem to show more respect and appreciation for one another’s work.

Mat Ishbia, CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, banned technology from meetings about two years ago and recently asked that his executive team and other managers not check their phones as they walk to and from meetings.

“Don’t act like we’re too important to say hello,” he says he told them. “Make eye contact with people.”

Mr. Ishbia is now piloting another solution to phone addiction. A group of about 250 workers are part of an experiment in which they refrain from all personal phone use at their desks. If they want to use their devices they must go to a common area designated for phone use and socializing. Forty-five days into the trial run, workers are checking their phones a lot less, he said.

Bryan Lee, a product manager at enterprise software company Docker Inc., suspected that his daily phone use was a problem, so last month he installed an app called Moment on his iPhone that tracks the total amount of daily time he spent on his phone. His first measurement revealed four hours in a day. Since early April, he’s reduced that to roughly an hour.

At work, Mr. Lee persuaded his team of eight to download the app and post their daily phone hours on a whiteboard. The team member with the lowest time gets bragging rights.

“We’re thinking of having a trophy we can pass around—or maybe just shaming the loser,” he says.

Handheld devices can be a valuable source of information during office gatherings. Shane Wooten, CEO of enterprise video platform company Vidplat LLC, recently surprised a group of corporate clients with a request that they leave their electronic devices outside. “They didn’t like it,” he says.

Since January, Mr. Wooten has limited personal devices at meetings with his employees and faced some resistance. Workers argue their phones are vital for staying in touch with a sick child or researching information relevant to the meeting.

“I told them we’re not in middle school,” he says. “I’m not collecting phones in a bucket. Just don’t have it out faceup on the table.”

Google Inc. announced last week that the next version of its operating system for Android phones will include a feature that is meant to help people who feel tethered to their devices. It will let users see how much time they spend on their phones, show which apps they use the most and display how often the phone gets unlocked.

Software may be the key, because not all workplace solutions work. The no-phones-at-meetings rule at Mr. Brown’s ad agency lasted about two months, because it wasn’t all that effective.

Instead of phones, staffers wore smartwatches to meetings or brought their laptops, which were just as distracting, he says, adding that workers said they were worried about missing calls and emails from clients.

Now, he tells his 40 employees not to attend meetings unless they really have to be there and strongly advises they fully engage.

Mr. Brown missed his phone too and likened the experience to outlawing alcohol during the Prohibition era: “A theoretical state that almost no one wants to live in, including those making the rules,” he says.

Write to John Simons at John.Simons@wsj.com

WSJ.com | May 17, 2018 | John Simons

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Your #Career : This Common Mind-Set is Killing your #JobSearch …Are you Considering a #CareerChange ? We Feel for You! The Right Attitude can Go a Long Way.

May 16, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It can be tough to realize that the role or field you’ve dedicated years of your life to isn’t working out. So tough that you start wondering how you’ll ever make a change and maybe even develop the discouraging sense that you can’t make the change yourself–that if you’re going to have any chance at all, it’s up to someone else to give you a lucky break.

If you find yourself feeling insecure about your prospects for a new job and starting to think you need a hiring manager or recruiter to “take a chance on you,” it’s time to check your attitude. Wanting a lucky break might seem like an innocent enough idea, but in reality, it does a great disservice to you, your prospective employer, and your job hunt. Here’s why:

WHERE DOES THIS IDEA COME FROM?

The origin of this idea could be that grandparent’s story we’ve all heard about showing up in the office and being so persistent that, despite a lack of work experience and a naive approach to business, they got the job. Another source might be the despair that comes with a career change–we doubt ourselves, our decisions and our ability to do something new, so we put the pressure on someone else to make it happen.

WHY IS THIS IDEA UNHEALTHY?

First, this attitude dismisses all of your skills and qualifications and removes your power from the situation. Instead of being a smart, talented candidate, you’re acting as if you’re unqualified, desperate, and in need of a favor. Not only is that a damaging way to think about your own career, but–outside of a lot of pressure from mutual connections–no hiring managerin their right mind would consider you a front-runner for the job.

Second, and most important to your case, this attitude kicks off a professional relationship by expecting someone else to put their necks on the line for you. It sets up hiring managers as cruel gatekeepers to your dreams who just need to have mercy on you; and if they don’t, it’s not your fault–they’re just mean.

In reality, hiring managers are honest people trying to do their jobs. When they read your resume, they’re thinking, “Does it make sense for me to hire this person for this job?” and, “Am I reasonably certain they can perform this job with the regular amount of training?” If the answer isn’t an obvious yes, they could get in trouble for hiring you, and it could have serious consequences for them!

Wherever we get the idea that “we just need someone to give us a chance,” it’s important to understand that job-hunting has changed over the past 10 years. It’s no longer difficult for employers to find candidates with bachelor’s degrees and industry intern experience, so they rarely need to resort to hiring an unknown entity or sit poring over a resume trying to figure out how your skills can work for them.

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WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT INSTEAD?

Remove the idea of getting a lucky break or a once-in-a-lifetime chance from your mind. Turn your attention towards things that you actually have control over: a compelling cover letter that explains the passion and careful thought behind your career change and a resume highlighting the transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job you want. Make it your goal to show hiring managers and recruiters that they aren’t taking a chance on you; they’re making a hiring decision that will bring new insights, skills and talents to the role they’re looking to fill.

When you find yourself standing at the beginning of a career change journey, it’s natural to feel intimidated. But keep in mind that you’re not alone. While this might be your first career change, others have gone before you and made the leap with great success and still more have made significant pivots in their career that add up to big changes, too. Surround yourself with a support network, tap into the resources here on Glassdoor, and take a chance on yourself!

BY SARAH GREESONBACH | GLASSDOOR | May 16, 2018 | 3 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : 10 Tricky #InterviewQuestions & How to Answer #LikeABoss …Here are a Few of the Toughest Interview Questions ,and Advice for Blowing Them Out Of the Water.

May 16, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s the question that none of us want to be asked: “Why were you fired?”

You’re on the edge of your seat, heart pounding, beginning to sweat. You have only a few seconds before you need to formulate a response. How can you give an answer that both honestly explains the situation and still makes you look good?

To find out how to answer tricky questions like this one, and more, we sat down with Kerry Hannon, seasoned career expert and author of Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness.

“We know job interviews are incredibly nerve-wracking. You have total strangers grilling you, and they’re scary, and it can be intimidating,” says Hannon. “But you’ve got to have some chutzpah,” she adds.

Take a reflective, rather than a reactionary tone, Hannon advises. “Pause before you respond. Even repeat back the questions. Buy yourself some time to gather your response. Don’t just jump off with an answer… And then come out with a confident and calm response.”

Here are a few of the toughest interview questions, and Hannon’s advice for blowing them out of the water.

1. Why were you fired?

Getting fired is way more common than we might think, and that can be a comfort. “The most important thing to focus on is that for your own sanity. Realize that almost everybody has been fired at some point from a job. The interviewer has probably been down this road themselves,” says Hannon. She adds that this question might trigger an emotional reaction in you, even if you prepare for it, so it’s important to be careful, honest and brief. “Position that situation as a positive learning experience,” advises Hannon. She recommends talking about how your expectations for the job were different than what the reality of the job was.

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2. Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person.

Once upon a time, Hannon says she had a very difficult boss, so it’s easy for her to relate to this question. “It was really challenging working with this individual, but what it taught me was empathy, because it made me think about what were his challenges right now.” Maybe he himself was working for a difficult boss, or was having his own struggles with the job, Hannon says. Instead of making a knee-jerk reaction and complaining, this is a time for introspection.

“You might say in your interview, it really taught me to take the time to find out what my boss was going through… and understand why we had this communication issue,” she counsels.

3. Why did you choose your profession?

Questions like this one aim to prompt you to show your passion and drive for your career — a time to give a full background of why you love what you do. “This is the time where you can tell your story. Interviewers love this. It gives them a peek into who you are, what kind of person you are, what kind of communicator you are, what sort of drive and motivation you have,” she says.

4. Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years?

This is a tricky question because it can force you to reveal that you don’t plan on having a long-term career with the employer in question. Hannon advises against revealing this, and instead speaking more generally about the type of work environment you would like to see yourself in. “What I like to say is, ‘I imagine I’m going to be working alongside really smart, positive, enthusiastic people, who will encourage me, and who I’m learning new things from, and that I’m being creative,” she says. Additionally, speaking about the specifics of what type of job title and specific responsibilities you want isn’t always the best approach. “Rather, make it a really collaborative answer about [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”][what] kind of work environment you hope you’re in and why,” Hannon adds.

5. What’s wrong with your past/current employer?

Hannon advises against going into detail on these questions — especially if those details are negative. “Be generic as possible, and stay away from real specifics here,” she counsels. “Negative things are never somewhere you want to go in an interview.”

6. Tell me about the worst manager you ever had.

This question is not about throwing your old manager under the bus, but rather reflecting on what you learned from working with them. The phrase “my worst boss taught me…” is one Hannon mentions as being a good way to frame a difficult experience you had with a manager. “It’s all about taking the high road and being gracious in many ways,” she says.

7. What’s the worst job you ever had?

Again, the blame game is never a good interview strategy. Hannon recommends saying something like: “the job wasn’t quite right because there was a lack of opportunity that I thought might have been there, but didn’t see.” Neither is blaming the “bad job” on your former manager, coworkers and company, or yourself. “Refocus and reframe it, but try to move on as quickly as you can,” adds Hannon.

8. What attributes do you have that will support you in this role?

Hannon recommends answering this question in the context of why you have enthusiasm for your broader career. In talking about what about the job excites you, explain how you’ve specifically worked towards being good at it. “If there’s a profession you really love, you can just really fire up and say … that’s why I developed x, y, and z skills. That gives you the chance to zoom, to show your excitement, energy and passion,” she says.

9. Why did you leave your last job?

If you’ve left your last job and are looking for a new one, chances are it wasn’t quite satisfactory. But there’s no need to talk about the negatives of the job or the company. “It’s always reframing it into what you learned from that experience, not why it was a bad thing,” says Hannon. “Don’t blame them, and don’t blame yourself, just say it wasn’t a good fit,” she continues.

10. Do you have any questions for me?

“You need to be asking them tough questions,” says Hannon. It is through these questions that you can figure out whether or not the company is a good fit for you. In addition, the questions you ask can be a means to show that you have thoughtfully researched the company. Don’t ask questions that you can find the answers to on their website, but questions that show a deeper level of thinking, like “What is your long-term vision for the company,” “what are the biggest challenges your team is facing” or “what does it take to be successful here?”

GlassDoor.com | May 16, 2018 | Posted by Lillian Childress

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