For many people, the entire job interview process can feel like blind dating: Do you like them? Do they like you? Is there a future? And just like with dating, even if that first meeting went well, it’s totally possible to screw it up if you follow up in the wrong way.
With job interviews, there’s a well-known way to make a good impression: Send a thank you note. And a surefire way to sour a good thing is to annoy the hiring manager by checking in too frequently or too aggressively. But there are still many things in the process that can be confusing: What exactly should your thank you note say? How long should you wait before checking in? What if you get another job offer?
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:
We tackle all of these questions and more in this week’s episode of Secrets of the Most Productive People. In the meantime, here are three quick tips on how to make a good impression after a job interview.
1. Send a thank you note. Sending a short message thanking the hiring manager for your time is only going to benefit you and doesn’t need to take more than five minutes. Make sure to keep it short, but highlight something from the interview that showed you were paying attentionand that you’re excited to work for the company. This could be something like, “After discussing about how company X approached Y, I’m even more excited about the opportunity to use my skills and experience to help the company achieve Z.”
2. Be judicious in your follow-up. Keep your follow-up short, and know when to cut your losses. If you email twice and nobody responds, it’s probably best to move on.
3. Don’t burn bridges. Sometimes a company tells you that they are going to let you know their decision by a certain date, only to fall short. Now, there’s nothing wrong with following up and inquiring, but keep your tone cordial and understanding. No one likes an overly demanding candidate, and having that kind of demeanor will only hurt you.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/man-at-couch-with-laptop.jpg350525First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-07 13:41:222020-09-30 20:44:18#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch -How to Follow Up after a #JobInterview without being Annoying.
We spend the vast majority of our waking hours at work. Given just how much time, energy and effort we expend in our jobs, it’s reasonable to want to hold one that offers us a sense of purpose and meaning.
You should strive to pursue a job or career that offers the chance to be challenged. Pursue work that is meaningful, intellectually challenging and spiritually rewarding. Find a job that enables you to help others, promotes positive change and serves a higher purpose. You want to ensure that your work is aligned with your core values and principles and could possibly make the world a better place.
I understand that these are lofty, aspirational goals. It is rare to find work that offers a sense of purpose. In fact, it’s more likely that your job won’t offer intrinsic, meaningful rewards. You may enjoy the fact that your job is associated with a social status that people find impressive or that it helps you earn a nice living, but somehow, you still feel that something is missing.
If you feel that there is a lack of purpose in your career, you can choose to make a change.
This change does not require you to seek out an entirely new role at a different company, especially given the current job climate. Although the U.S. has record-high employment, thetrends that we are seeing play out in hiring now are not conducive to favorable outcomes for prospective job seekers. In fact, badly mistreating job seekers has become commonplace.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:
Instead of taking grave risks by walking away from your current employer, you can simply make waves by crafting your job to find optimal meaningfulness—the degree of significance an employee believes their work possesses. Job crafting is the process of redefining and reimagining your job design—tasks and relationships assigned to one person in an organization—to foster job satisfaction and bolster employee engagement and performance. As you aim to redefine your purpose within the company, you should focus on your motives, strengths and passions to help you get there. What energizes you? What exhausts you? To add personal touches to your work, visualize your job, lay out its components and reframe them to better suit you.
You can start your journey with small incremental changes that add up over time. Here is what you should do now to start.
1. Recognize that, with any job, there will be monotonous unglamorous tasks. Even the CEO has to deal with canceled flights, late Ubers and surly underlings.
2. Accept that there will always be a certain percentage of responsibilities that may not change and focus on the things that you do have the power to change.
3. Ask to speak with your boss to discuss your goal of job crafting, with respect to your responsibilities.
4. Work with your manager to create new responsibilities that provide you with purpose and meaning. Take proactive steps to redesign elements of what you do at work. For example:
If you are an accountant, you could suggest starting a unit that caters to charitable organizations.
If you are an attorney, you could request to do pro bono work to help immigrants.
If you are a stock broker, you could offer discounted advice to parents with college-bound students.
5. Offer to mentor junior staffers, or seek out a manager-level role to unlock your untapped potential.
6. Ask to attend meet-ups for people who are unemployed or seeking work, as you could offer career advice—or maybe you have a job for them.
7. Change your mindset regarding your responsibilities. If you are a janitor at a hospital, for example, try and see yourself in playing a role in curing people’s illnesses.
8. Delegate certain responsibilities that don’t fit your skill set and rob you of your enthusiasm, and ask for assignments that you feel are a better match.
9. If you are at a desk all day long and desire interaction with others, ask about opportunities to get out in front of clients.
10. If you feel overloaded with small tasks that take you away from the more important matters you enjoy, request to shift this work to a more junior-level staffer. You may have mastered your job and require more challenging assignments.
Companies stand to gain a lot by enabling job crafting within an organization. Employees are empowered by being awarded the reins to steer their own careers. Job crafting ensures employee retention and will elevate even the weakest of links by molding tasks to their strengths and passions.
Employees who execute job crafting often end up more engaged and fulfilled in their work lives, achieve higher levels of performance in their companies and obtain unrivaled personal gratification.
You will be viewed in a positive light—seen as engaged, re-energized, loyal and dedicated. Your boss will respect your desire to pursue new meaningful work. In a hot job market, management will welcome a person who desires to stay with the company and improve themselves. You could serve as an example for others to follow, thereby making additional employees feel empowered and dedicated to the company.
Ready for the next challenge? Tune in on August 7 for Day 8.
I am a CEO, founder, and executive recruiter at one of the oldest and largest global search firms in my area of expertise, and have personally placed thousands of profes…
Forbes.com | August 6, 2019
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/square-peg.jpg5741148First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-06 15:24:532020-09-30 20:44:18#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -If Your Work Lacks Purpose, Make It More Meaningful Through #JobCrafting .
When you sit down to job hunt, one of the first questions baby boomers ask me is what website I should go too? It would be great if everything was neatly in one site and that was all you had to check.
Fortune 500 companies list their jobs on their website, and some companies only place listings for a few positions on other commercial sites, typically if they are seeking hard to find tech personnel. Many colleges and universities only use their website for advertising their jobs. Want a government job? Most city, state, and federal jobs are listed on the actual city or the state’s website. Federal jobs are found on the government’s website: https://www.usajobs.gov/
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
How sophisticated are your search abilities? Are you aware that you can find a job using Google? You know you can search and look at companies and organizations by finding their websites but did you realize that Google now has a job search function? Susan Joyce, CEO and job-hunt.org Editor, spoke with me saying that Google Jobs was something many people have never heard of. She explained how this works and why Google is a great tool to add and use in your job search. It is very comprehensive in that Google searches companies and job boards to compile a list for the job title you are seeking. For baby boomers, this can be a great time-saver, especially if you are working and can only devote a few hours a week to your job search. Let’s take a closer look at how this new tool works.
How to use Google Jobs
Joyce explained that in the Google search bar, type in the job title you seek plus the word “jobs” and put the phrase in quotes. For example, “Project Manager Jobs”
Google automatically searched through the Internet and made me a list of project manager jobs located near my home in a Seattle suburb. I then changed the settings to be broader by adding Seattle, typing “Project Manager Jobs Seattle.” Wow, a fantastic array of jobs popped up from all kinds of sites and for so many different organizations. There were listings from Ladders, Zip Recruiter, Career Builder, LinkedIn, Military.com, Glassdoor, and Monster, to name a few of the significant sites. They are all in one easy location using Google.
“It appears that Google’s lists are not working with Indeed.com so you’ll still want to go to Indeed as a part of your job search” noted Joyce. “Using Google Jobs as part of your job search strategy does give you so many more opportunities you might miss.”
You’ll see the Navigation Bar offering these choices:
Category – Title – Location – Date posted – Type – Company type – Employer
Underneath that line, you’ll see the industries that the jobs are from. You can select one or two or eliminate jobs in fields you have no experience in or don’t want to work in. You can also control how recent the job listings are. Just click on “date posted” and pick ALL, or past day, or past 3 days, or past week or past month. I’d suggest you look at the more recent listings first, then go back one month.
Joyce noted that when you aren’t sure of exactly the word to use in a phrase, replace that word with an asterisk ( * ) with spaces on both sides of it. When Google sees the asterisk, Google will replace the asterisk with a word it thinks you might need.
For example, perhaps you want an entry level job or assistant job, but you aren’t yet sure which job title you want. You could type this query into Google to have Google show you your options. For example:
“entry level * job” – This search would find many different entry level jobs
“assistant * job” – This would find many different assistant jobs, including assistant cook, assistant bookkeeper, assistant manager, etc.
It’s important to note that Google will search on a phrase when you enclose the phrase inside quotation marks, as above. Always use the quotation marks when looking for jobs on Google.
Try using Google Maps
“Here is one of my secrets that most people overlook,” says Joyce. “The majority of people focus only on large employers missing so many other employers. If you use Google Maps, you can find smaller employers who might need you.” Looking for targeted employers close to home can be advantageous to many baby boomers.
To use this feature, go to Maps.Google.com. I typed in “Accountants near me” and was able to see various employers. If you click on the red button on the actual map or the listing on the left side of the screen, additional information on the company pops up. There was a picture of the office and some critical information that as go down the list does have their website, phone number, and business hours listed. You can then go to their website or even cold call to learn if they are hiring.
Google is a terrific tool and can now help you find more opportunities to land the perfect job.
I am a career counselor that helps clients land jobs. I offer Resume Writing, LinkedIn Profile Writing, and Interview Coaching services. I’ve appeared on Oprah,DrPh…
Forbes.com | August 6, 2019
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/finger-pointing-up-in-box.jpeg350467First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-06 12:43:322020-09-30 20:44:19#CareerAdvice : #JobSearchTips -How To Use Google’s New #JobSearch Feature To Land A Job
One of the best career advice tips I have to offer you has nothing to do with your job. You can have the best job in the world and earn a small fortune, but if you don’t do this one thing, you will not find long-term success.
The secret is that it’s all about what you do with the money you earn. The most common mistake people make is when they spend $3 for each $1 earned. This was drilled into me by my dad—who was a first-generation American and teacher in Brooklyn—when I was a little kid. At the time, it didn’t make any sense to me because I was a kid. What the heck did I know about money? He always said to live far below your means, save and invest as much as can, and in the long run, you’ll have a tidy sum to rely on. “Money begets more money” was his mantra. So, basically, my tip is really ripping off of my dad’s tip. Since he’s long passed away, my dad won’t know I’m stealing his line, but he’d really appreciate me retelling this in Forbes, if he was still around.
I’ve always followed his advice religiously—primarily out of guilt and not wanting to hear his constant lectures on this topic—and saved enough money to retire today (if I’d like to), which is a wonderful luxury. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the majority of Americans.
We live in a time when credit is cheap and it’s super easy to lease luxury automobiles and purchase whatever we like online with our credit cards. Social media pressures us to live up to the lives of Instagram influencers, compete with so-called friends on Facebook and keep up and surpass our neighbors by having the most toys.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
The Wall Street Journal recently ran an in-depth piece detailing how “The rising costs associated with maintaining a middle-class lifestyle are pushing American middle-class families further in debt.” The article cites that wage growth has not kept up with the meteoric increases in buying a home, paying for college tuition and dealing with medical expenses. Over the last 30 years, the average family income rose 14%, while the house prices skyrocketed 290%, health-related expenditures rose about 276% and the average tuition at public, four-year colleges rocketed up 549%.
Instead of being frugal because of these large expenditures, people are doubling down with their expenses and financing purchases with their credit cards and home refinancing. Previous generations, without the anchors of hefty mortgages, high real estate taxes and enormous tuition debt, bought things outright with cash to save on interest and penalty costs. The middle class today is left with little-or-no money to invest in the stock market or save in the bank for the future.
The average American is falling deeper into debt to maintain their lifestyle and keep up appearances. The ease of getting credit makes it easy to buy or lease anything you’d like and it’s put on your tab. The problem is that the tab keeps getting larger, homes more expensive and college costs insanely higher. It’s like a Ponzi scheme, in which we are buying stuff now with the hopes that it could be paid off in the future. We’re playing one big game of chicken. Can you eventually come up with the money in the future to pay back everything you owe or will some exogenous event, such as losing your job or a family member getting a serious medical issue, throw your finances into a tailspin and teeter on the brink of bankruptcy?
I encounter this type of scenario on a regular basis as an executive recruiter. A recently downsized professional will tell me that he needs to quickly find another job and will be flexible with his compensation requirements. New laws prohibit me from asking, but they’ll either tell me or I can infer from our conversation, which usually goes something like this:
Candidate: I need to find a job right away!
Me: What are you looking for—with respect to compensation?
Candidate: I’m wide open.
Me: Can you please clarify?
Candidate: Yes, I really need to get back to work, as I have a lot of expenses to pay!
Me: Can you give me a ballpark idea of what you’d like to make?
Candidate: I was earning about $250k all in, and I’m open.
Me: So, if I have something in the range of about $200k, would that be okay?
Candidate (angrily): No! That’s way too low!
Me: Hmm, when you say open, it’s not actually that open. Maybe more like $225k?
Candidate (really angry): No! I need 250k or maybe 240k. I have a big monthly nut.
The applicant will then recite a laundry list of expenses, such as their mortgage, real estate taxes, leased luxury cars, clothing allowance, travel, nannies, dining out, utility bills, saving for retirement and children’s college tuition funds and tutors, trainers and athletic gear for the kids. This is all with after-tax money. If you live in a high-tax-rate state, like New York or New Jersey, that $250k is gross pay and you’ll likely net a little more than half of that after all the taxes are taken out.
My advice—stolen from my dad—is to avoid this problem by starting early. Don’t pick a college with a high tuition cost, while majoring in a subject that won’t enable you to earn a living that could afford you the chance to pay it back, have a family and buy a home. Defer gratification and live modestly way below your means, so you can save as much money as you can. Warren Buffett, the grandfatherly multibillionaire, famously said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” Buffett has also stated, “Do not save what is left after spending; instead, spend what is left after saving.”
I hope this sage, common-sense, advice from a couple of wise folks from an older generation, can serve us well and help plan for a successful, financially secure future.
I am a CEO, founder, and executive recruiter at one of the oldest and largest global search firms in my area of expertise, and have personally placed thousands of profes…
Forbes.com | August 5, 2019
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/free-woman-thinking.jpg49127360First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-05 20:40:272020-09-30 20:44:19#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -You May Have A Well-Paying Job, But If You Don’t Do This One Thing, You’ll Never Be Rich.
The job search process can be stressful. As a career coach, alleviating that stress makes my heart joyful. Over the years, I’ve taken note and measured the ways mid-career professionals turn their job search around.
A day can feel like an eternity when you’re job searching, but if you implement these ways to get to the next level in your career, you will be likely to land your desired job soon.
Get a new LinkedIn image
Someone recently reached out to me on LinkedIn asking how to get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. I told them they’ve got to look like someone worth a busy professional’s time. People judge based on our appearance, and if you’ve got a LinkedIn photo that doesn’t look professional, how do you expect people to see you as a professional? JDP, a risk specialist firm, analyzed 2,000 LinkedIn photos across 11 industries and they found the following industries to have the best LinkedIn photos: HR and recruiting, marketing, advertising and PR, sales, business development and real estate professionals. If you’re not in one of those industries, then it may be time to reexamine your professional image. To make your profile image stand out, JDP recommends considering the lighting, framing, resolution, your attire and facial expression.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
Data is your friend in the job search process because it takes out the guesswork. The LinkedIn workforce reports are a great source of labor market information. You can find data for your geographical area and see the top skill shortages. Once you come across a skill that you can prove you have, mention it throughout your résumé and LinkedIn profile. Politicians use the rule of three to get their point across; do the same. The more you weave in your unique value proposition, the more it will be remembered and the easier it will be to buy into the story you’re sharing.
Manage what enables you to act
Although you’re ready to move on from your current job, if you start to think about and focus too much on getting a new job, you may have less energy for your current employer. In a previous Forbesarticle, I mentioned why energy is a new buzzword in the career coaching industry. Your energy, or lack thereof, affects your attitude, productivity and focus. Prioritize your sleep,because it’s one of the best ways to manage your energy.
Check what you’re selling
An employer is “buying” your skills. If they can’t see or understand what you bring, they won’t hire you. These accomplishments enhance your value: generating revenue, saving money, boosting productivity, building clientele, improving processes, increasing profits, building new relationships and expanding stakeholders. What you’re “selling” ought to match the job description, and if you’re really serious about cutting your job search time down, then you’ve got to go beyond the job description and get exclusive insights on what’s wanted.
Make sure your job title makes sense
The title VP is common in the financial industry, but it means different things to different organizations. You want your title to make sense to an outsider. They may not try to guess what you do, and quite frankly, why should they? I often put an explanation or a secondary title in parenthesis if a job title isn’t clear or if it doesn’t do justice to what someone has done in their role. Integrity is incredibly important, and an incorrect or an added word can completely change the meaning. Therefore, if your job search is confidential and you can’t run it by a manager, it’s wise to ask an expert career coach.
Allocate your time appropriately
I believe in energy management over time management, but time management is important too. The following is the time management strategy I use with job search clients:
Professional development tasks and keeping up to date with industry trends – 10%
Actively networking online and offline – 40%
Researching companies via social media, company websites, published articles, etc. – 15%
Applying for jobs via online job boards – 15%
Self-care, motivational and mindset activities – 20%
Bear in mind this looks slightly different for everyone based on your professional circumstances and goals. The aspect that frequently stays the same is the need to network. Although applying for a job online makes you feel productive, it’s not the best or fastest way to find employment.
Create an interview preparation cheat sheet
If you feel like your job search has not gone as planned because of interviews, then create a cheat sheet. Interviews can be daunting, because they are often the deciding factor. Employers want to see, feel and hear your enthusiasm in an interview. To create a simple interview cheat sheet, write down three things that make you likable, a good fit for the company culture and three results that you’ve achieved in the past five years which make you a good fit for the role.
Now, it’s time for action. Go turn your job search around!
I fell in love with the coaching industry at age 23 after working in Japan and South Korea. I help you achieve your career goals by drawing on my award-winning coaching …
Forbes.com | December 2, 2019
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/new-job-office-interview-waiting-10.jpg359480First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-05 15:53:212020-09-30 20:44:19#CareerAdvice : How To Turn A Failed #JobSearch Around Fast. Great REad!
But just because it feels like a full-time job doesn’t mean it must also take the time of one.
“It’s important for job candidates to conserve mental and emotional energy so that they’re better able to communicate their strengths, skills and unique value proposition with confidence,” says Macken. “Taking an approach that prioritizes discernment and efficiency can not only save candidates time, but position them for what can be a long … process of finding a new job.”
With these expert-approved tips and tricks, you can seriously cut down on the time it takes to identify and apply for the right job for you, so that you can start working on it stat.
1. Partner With a Staffing Recruiter
Staffing firm recruiters sometimes get a bad rap, but “a high-quality recruiter, one who understands your niche, can save you an incredible amount of time by sourcing appropriate jobs for your skillset and getting your name in front of a hiring manager,” says Rich Franklin, founder and president of KBC Staffing. Ready to work with one? Here are 14 reputable staffing agencies to check out.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:
While it takes time to initially set up, creating a place to track your job search will save you hours throughout the job search process, Macken says. “Pick your favorite document type to lay out your job search process, log positions you’ve applied for and link to your resumes and cover letters,” she instructs. “Having one place where your job search documents and process steps are located can provide a critical sense of momentum and accomplishment, and creates an easy way to track the status of your applications. It will help you avoid wasting time accidentally applying for the same job twice, and allows you to quickly reference your previous cover letters so you can quickly reuse relevant content.”
3. Utilize Mobile Tools
Your smartphone can do many things, but did you know it’s one of the best time-saving job-search tools too? And it’s at your fingertips. “You can email, fill out job applications that have mobile sites, keep your resume up to date, do video interviews — using video apps like Skype and Zoom — and fill out job assessments” on your phone, says Mark Anthony Dyson, career consultant and founder of the podcast The Voice of Job Seekers. And what’s more, “networking is made easier through mobile, and most people no longer need a laptop to connect with key individuals who refer or introduce them to hiring managers,” he says.
Glassdoor’s app helps you search and save jobs from your phone, too — you can find it here.
4. List Your Core Skills
Before you begin the job search, “write out examples that illustrate your proficiency in the core skills you have to offer — data analysis, project management, volunteering, etc.,” says Macken. This saves time because “when these skills are listed in a job description, you can quickly incorporate [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”][them] into your cover letter without having to start from scratch.”
5. Flaunt Your Accomplishments
“Going to networking events can be time-consuming when you’re working a couple of jobs,” points out Dyson. But you can still socialize without shaking hands. “Showing proof on the internet is a way for you to show your competency and tech savviness,” explains Dyson. “A website or blog is a place where you can direct the conversation to your skills and abilities.” He also suggests setting up a LinkedIn profile. “Your profile becomes a magnet [to recruiters] when you are regularly engaging in conversations, adding value through articles and updates and [using] the video and writing tools to show your knowledge and personality.”
“Job seekers who create [targeted] lists of companies rather than applying to scores of jobs on job boards save so much more time,” Dyson insists. Why? “By targeting companies, you can get more specific in finding people to refer you, know and understand company culture and help you prepare for compensation negotiations and more.” You can connect with the right professionals by searching company websites and social networks, Dyson suggests.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/free-Man-on-Laptop-looking-for-job.jpeg350524First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-05 13:11:062020-09-30 20:44:20#CareerAdvice : 6 Hacks to Save Time During Your #JobSearch .
Throughout your career, you will participate in many, many job interviews. In all of these interviews, there are a few questions you will hear time and time again. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why should we hire you? Even though these questions are incredibly cliché, there’s a reason so many interviewers rely on them.
Your answers to the cliché questions say a lot about you. They can make or break your chance at landing the job. It’s essential to prepare original answers for the cliché questions you know you’ll hear at your next job interview. The strongest answers are unique and will give you a leg up in the competition.
Here are seven of the most cliché interview questions and how to answer them with originality:
Employers will often begin the interview with this one. Because it’s so vague, this answer truly needs to be prepared ahead of time. You can answer using your elevator speech. Talk briefly about three areas of your career: job history, most impressive accomplishments, and relevant goals. Your interviewer already has your resume, so rather than memorizing your background, you need to expand on what makes you different and emphasize your passion. Remember to keep it concise.
2. Why do you want to work here?
This question is designed to show hiring managers if you’ve done your researchbefore the interview. You should enter the interview knowing plenty of background information about the company, recent news surrounding the company and industry, and specific details about the position. Understand the company culture and mission. Use what you learn to highlight the detailed reasons you want the job and why your background makes you a perfect fit for the company.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:
Your strengths and weaknesses tend to be paired together by interviewers, so it’s important to have answers for both. When it comes to your strengths, you need to tailor your answers to the job description. In addition to a laundry list of responsibilities, job descriptions will often list soft skills required for the role. If you have these qualities, list them as your greatest strengths in the interview. It’s not enough, however, to just say your biggest strength is your ability to communicate. You need to show them why by telling a story that showcases a time when you used your skills to accomplish a goal.
On the flip side comes your weaknesses. This one is tough because it’s extremely easy to give a cliché answer. Avoid giving a strength disguised as a weakness like, “I’m a perfectionist.” Interviewers know this is a cop-out. Instead, choose a real weakness and put a positive spin on it. Talk about the fact that you realize it’s a problem, and discuss the ways you’re working to improve. For example, “I tend to rush through tasks because I want to get them done quickly, but I am learning to step back and put a bit more emphasis on quality than speed. I’ve started to become both efficient and effective.”
5. Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
Your answer to this question should demonstrate your desire to commit to the job and grow within the company. Talk about how you want to learn everything you can and expand your skills to benefit the company. Mention your desire to move up in the company over time. Explain that you want this job to be the start of a long career with the company.
When interviewers ask this (or similar questions about teamwork, leadership, etc.), they are looking for you to describe specific examples of your experience. Describe a time when you faced conflict in the workplace. Explain the situation, how you handled it, and what were the results. Don’t forget to tell the story from start to finish to show how you accomplished your goal.
7. Why should we hire you?
This question might be one of the last things you’re asked in an interview. Like #1, it’s pretty vague so it’s important to have an answer prepared. Talk about your best skills and accomplishments that show why you, and you alone, are the perfect person for the position. Use specific details from the job description and emphasize why you are capable of doing them best. If you’re not asked this question, you might be asked, “Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?” Use the same principles to answer this question. End your interview by proving why you’re the only person for the job.
Even though all of these questions are fairly cliché, you can use them to truly shine in your interview. The fact that they’re so cliché is an opportunity. Expect to be asked these questions and answer them with stories tailored to make you the best candidate.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Interview.jpg600904First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-02 15:46:592020-09-30 20:44:20#CareerAdvice – #JobInterview – How To Give Original Answers To 7 Cliché #InterviewQuestions . Great Two(2) Min Read!
If you could only think of “human with face,” or “professional needs job,” you’ve come to the right place. Learning how to write a bio is not easy; defining yourself in a few words even less so. But never fear—you can do it! Taking a few minutes to think about what you’re about isn’t just a great writing exercise, it’s a clarifying moment of personal development.
Here are a few ways you can get started on your professional, website, LinkedIn, or short bio.
What to Include in a Short Bio
When most people think of online bios, they probably can readily name a few common short bio examples first. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest all have space for a short description of who you are and what you do. And you should make the most of the 1-2 lines you’re afforded here. Keep your social media bios short, sweet, and only filled with the most important things a stranger should know about you, such as:
Your name
Your current role
Your ultimate goal
Your biggest achievement
What to Include in a Professional Bio
Professional sites like LinkedIn, AngelList, or a speaker bio on an event site all have space for a bio or summary section. For each of these, you’ll probably want to write a mid-length description of both your current role, professional aspirations, and biggest achievements. Professional bios allow you to go into a bit more detail than short social media bios, especially on LinkedIn. It’s generally a good idea to include:
Your name
Your current role or professional tagline
Your company or personal brand
Your goals and aspirations
Your 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements
One quirky fact about you (if it’s appropriate to the site)
What to Include in a Bio at Work
Writing a bio for your company’s website, HR system, or Slack instance? Be sure to give your coworkers a sense of both your professional expertise—and your personality!
You should include anything you’d include in a professional bio in a bio for your company, but don’t be afraid to personalize it with a few personal details. Have a hobby you love? A favorite book? A professional hero you look up to? Add them to give your coworkers a sense of who you are before they work with you.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:
The “About” section of any personal website can be a slog. A drain. A hassle. You’ve already created a whole website about yourself, so it can be difficult to muster the strength to write that final description of who you are and what you’re about.
But never fear! Your website bio doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs context on who you are and what you’ve done. This is an open, larger space, so you have room to list a few accomplishments and give context on why they’re important. You can also add a short paragraph about who you are outside of your nine-to-five. For this type of bio, you may also want to include a contact form or email, to help prospective clients, employers, or collaborators get in touch. If you do, be sure to include a clear call-to-action for your reader to contact you.
An Easy Bio Template
Even after you understand different types of bios, it can be difficult to get started. The words may not be flowing, you might not fully understand how your professional bio will be used, or you might just be stuck. Never fear! Here’s a bio recipe you can use across most sites.
Your first and last name: Start by writing your name. That wasn’t so hard!
Your company or brand: If you have a consulting firm, a brand you use for your side hustle, or a company you currently work at, list that next.
Your current function: What do you do for work? You can either list your current title or a short, descriptive phrase about your role here.
Your north star: People reading your bio will also want to get a sense of who you are. Listing your overall goal, values, or a statement that describes your ethos will help them get to know you, even in short bios.
Your top three accomplishments: Especially in professional bios, you’ll need a few accomplishments to show off what you’ve done in your career. Choose the top two or three large milestones from your career (no more), and put them next.
Your cute closer (optional): This may not be necessary in a shorter bio for Twitter or Instagram. But for a website or similarly professional bio, you may want to add a sentence describing who you are outside of work.
Your contact info (optional): Depending on the site, you may also want to include an email, contact form, or another easy way for readers to reach you. List this information at the end of your bio.
Short and Professional Bio Examples
The Short Bio Heavyweight: Janet Mock’s Twitter
Janet’s Twitter bio describes both her primary role on Pose as well as her book and podcast projects. It also lists her contact info and professional website, in case her followers would like to contact her.
The Polished Professional Bio: Yuriy Timen’s LinkedIn
LinkedIn summaries can read like either a list of accomplishments or a list of professional interests. Yuriy’s is neither. Instead, he explains his professional goals and lists his major accomplishment—building Grammarly’s user base.
4 Quick Tips on Writing About Yourself
Even with all of this information on how to write a bio, it might still be difficult to write about yourself. Even for the most confident person, self-promotion can be exhausting. But never fear! There are a few ways you can keep your “about me” writing on point—without pulling your hair out.
Tip #1: Don’t Overthink It
Bios are usually formulaic—and that’s okay! For most professional bios, LinkedIn summaries, and speaker bios at events, you won’t need to stray from the norm too much to stand out. Even adding an adjective that shows your personality or an unusual accomplishment can make your bio different from the crowd. You don’t need to create the next Between The World And Me to write a killer bio.
Tip #2: Remember Your Worth
Writing a bio on a site like Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn can be daunting because there are already so many fantastic bios (and people!) out there. But don’t fall prey to bio comparison! Your story is only yours to tell, and it has value. Focus on staying authentic to your truth, and don’t worry about others’.
Bios can be repetitive, sometimes even tedious. So if you find a structure you like and think sounds unique, borrow it! You should never copy a person’s bio—after all, it’s their story, not yours—but you can mimic the structure if you’re feeling stuck.
Tip #4: Get Writing Help
You’re not alone in your quest to create a bio that stands out. Grammarly is here to help you choose powerful adjectives, clean up hedging language, and make your LinkedIn stand out.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Man-at-Computer-sending-Email.jpg7201280First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-01 20:38:452020-09-30 20:44:21#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -How to Write an #OnlineBio . Which Three Words Would you Use to Explain your Personality to a Stranger?
Whether because of mergers, downsizing, or organizational shifts, each year, countless workers inevitably find themselves losing their jobs through no fault of their own. It happens to the most seasoned and dedicated among us, and that’s perhaps the scariest thing about getting laid off — no one is immune.
That said, there are certain steps you can take to minimize your chances of getting laid off, and reduce your anxiety along the way.
1. Have a unique skill
Though soft skills — those that apply to virtually any position — are always a good thing to work on, at the end of the day, you’re probably not going to get to keep your job in a round of layoffs by virtue of your solid time-management ability alone. That’s why it pays to work on honing one particular skill you know your company absolutely needs. If you’re an IT professional, maybe it’s a complex software that’s needed to keep the workflow going. If you’re a designer, maybe it’s that cutting-edge graphics program that’s been giving your company its competitive edge. No matter what skill you’re best suited to focus on, if you set yourself apart as the one person who’s an expert in that arena, your company might hesitate to give you the boot.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
Maybe you’re the best copy director your company has ever seen. But if your knowledge base is limited to effective sales pitches, and you’re not well-versed in market research, finances, or analytics, then you might still find yourself out of a job if your company is forced to slash positions. On the other hand, if you make an effort to educate yourself on all aspects of the business, your company will have a much harder time letting you go.
How do you get there? Sit in on other teams’ meetings, and ask to collaborate with various groups on recurring projects. The more exposure you get to different areas of your company and how they work, the more your management team might end up fighting to keep you.
3. Keep up with your business associates
It’s no secret that networking has been proved to help countless searchers land jobs, but many people find themselves networking defensively — that is, they only start reconnecting with contacts once they’re out of a job and need help. But if you make a point to stay in solid touch with your associates regularly, you’ll protect yourself in the face of layoffs in two ways.
First, if you network extensively within your company, you’ll have more people around to speak highly of you, which might spare you from getting the ax. Second, if you have associates you contact regularly, you won’t come across as taking advantage by reaching out for help if you are indeed let go. Or to put it another way, it’s a lot easier to ask a favor of someone you’re in touch with regularly than to sneak up as a blast from the past wanting assistance.
Having more money in the bank won’t do a thing to help you avoid losing your job. What it will do, however, is buy you some peace of mind that if you are let go, you won’t have to immediately resort to credit card debt just to keep up with your finances. Having that stress removed might, in turn, help you focus better at work, thus reducing your chances of landing on the chopping block. Plus, if you are laid off, you’ll be less pressured into taking the first job you find because you’re desperate for money.
Though layoffs are sometimes inevitable, there are things you can do to lower your odds when your company is going through them. If anything, working on the above suggestions will give you someplace to focus your energy so you’re not utterly fixated on the thought of losing your job.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/free-man-thinking.jpg24563680First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-08-01 13:29:452020-09-30 20:44:21#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – 4 Ways to Protect Yourself From a #Layoff …Great Two(2) Min REad!
The new world of work is unstable in ways that previous generations could not have imagined. In fact, the structures have changed so significantly that the landscape is barely recognizable. So the adages that used to make sense — keep your head down, focus on excelling at what you do, work your way up the ranks — often don’t apply.
Today, to build a successful career, you need to always be looking for work.
To understand why, let’s start with the big picture. More and more businesses have entered the “gig economy.” While that term, for many people, conjures up images of Uber and Instacart, these types of platform-based businesses are only a small fraction of the overall gig economy.
Increasingly, all sorts of businesses are hiring temporary or contingent workers rather than traditional full-time employees with benefits. NPR reports that one out of every five jobs is held by a freelancer, and that within a decade, contractors and freelancers could make up half the workforce.
Like this Article? Share It !You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:
They often lack benefits. They’re also often the first to be laid off when an economic downturn comes along, and in most cases they cannot collect unemployment.
Meanwhile, even people who have full-time jobs with benefits are often scraping by. A recent Bankrate survey found that 45% of workers have a “side hustle,” including 43% of full time workers. The most common reason is that they need the money to get by.
Meanwhile, in another survey, 78% of workers reported that they are living paycheck to paycheck.
As co-founder of Steady, a startup assisting people in creating a stable monthly income, I hear from users all the time who share stories of their struggles. Some are young workers who aren’t making enough to live and pay down their massive college loans. Others have been in the workforce for decades, and always thought they’d have a job until retirement — only to find that their jobs are being replaced by contractors or, in some cases, automation.
They come from a wide range of industries and report that their hours are cut back, their side hustle isn’t paying as much as it did, or they’re suddenly in danger of being laid off. Some are from high levels of a corporate hierarchy. In fact, a LinkedIn analysis found that traditional employees have lost their lock on managerial roles in an organization. Contractors now “work in higher seniority roles a year sooner than peers in non-contract roles on average.”
Stability is becoming a relic of the past. The deck is stacked against workers. And while we do need new laws and policies to help give people some guarantees and improve their pay, the most important step individuals can take to protect themselves from the tumultuousness of this reality is to always be looking for new, better opportunities.
For starters, get your profile up on any and all jobs boards that include the kinds of positions you may be interested in. Keep updating your profile with your latest achievements, accolades, and recommendations. Do the same with your resume. (Check out “the anatomy of a perfect resume” for ideas.)
Set up notifications for all the relevant jobs boards as well. Take five minutes each day to look at what positions have just been loaded up. It helps to move quickly if one interests you, and it’s also a matter of educating yourself. The more you look at the kinds of positions opening up at different companies, the clearer a picture you’ll get of the job market.
Perhaps most importantly, take the time to consider and analyze your skill set. Many people don’t realize the full scope of their skills, or how well those skills can transfer from one field to another. (See how an opera singer discovered that his skills could help make him a great sales leader.) Berkeley offers tools to help you determine yours.
Once you’ve done this, look into how other people with skills similar to yours have progressed in their careers. LinkedIn can be very helpful for this. Look at the skills of people in your network, and ask them about their career progressions.
And if there are any “dream jobs” that interest you, reach out to people who currently have those jobs and ask them how they got there. Often, you’ll find that people are happy to give advice.
You owe it to yourself to always chase a better professional situation — more hours, more security, better benefits, and higher pay. By taking a step in that direction every day, you’ll be on your way.
Author: Adam Roseman is co-founder and CEO of Steady, an Atlanta-based startup that assists workers and job seekers in creating a stable monthly income and a more solid financial future.
GlassDoor.com | July 28, 2019
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/man-looking-outside-from-building.jpg267400First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2019-07-31 21:11:142020-09-30 20:44:22#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -Why You Should Always Be Looking for Work. Best Advice You’ll REad!
