Personal Branding Interview Laura Rowley - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Laura Rowley - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Laura Rowley, who is a columnist for Yahoo!Finance, and author of Money Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life. Recently, Laura wrote an article for Yahoo!Finance about unique job search tactics that work. In our interview below, Laura talks about job search desperation, lists some creative job hunting techniques that will help you stand out, and more. Laura, is it possible to come off too desperate when job searching? Absolutely. Gimmicks can backfire. The number one goal in this economy is to look confident. You want to project a professional image among the people you want to hire you, and showing how you can add value and solve problems. What are some creative job hunting techniques to help you stand out, without appearing desperate? Send a cover letter and one-page resume in an invitation-sized envelope. A hiring manager may be more likely to open it. One Detroit woman got the attention of a radio ad sales manager with this method, and ultimately landed the job. Also try raising your profile with an “extreme networking” and a “chain mail” approach: A former Chrysler engineer with two decades of experience used this tactic to land his new gig. He wrote a succinct letter about his qualifications and the kind of job he sought, and sent it to 20 people he was friendly with who might be in a position to help. He asked them to forward the letter if they knew of somebody who might in a position to help trying to grow exponentially the number of people who knew he was looking for a job. He found people were happy to help, and landed a job six weeks later. The classic approach is to demonstrate the value you could add to the company: One candidate wrote a full business plan for one of the firm’s products with his resume submission. Another created a full graphics portfolio on the company’s brand. What is the craziest thing youve heard a job seeker do that actually resulted in a job? After sending out 8,000 resumes with no response, toy company executive Paul Nawrocki walked the streets of Manhattan in 2008 wearing a sandwich board that said “Almost Homeless” and handing out his resume. A career coach who saw the media coverage of Nawrocki offered her services probono, which helped boost his efforts. He ultimately found a job this year through old-fashioned networking, but claims that tales of the sandwich board helped. Should your job search technique match the industry and position youre targeting? Yes. Consider Alex Brownstein, the 29-year-old advertising copyrighter who got a job by targeting the names of a few creative directors he wanted to hire him, and paying $6 for a Google Ad that would appear when those individuals Googled themselves. It read: “Hey, Googling yourself is a lot of fun. Hiring me is fun, too and linked back to his website. It worked because he’s in a creative field. More aggressive approaches tend to work well for people in sales. But those are probably not the right strategies for someone in finance. Is the traditional job search dead (newspaper ads, job boards, career fairs)? That’s true in some respects, but it’s also still true that the best way to find a job is through other people. You can’t get better results by using social media to micro-target potential employers. For instance, let’s say you want a specific job in engineering. You can do a Zoom Info resume search for the vice president of engineering at the companies you are targeting and also find former employees at the firm. (Zoom Info is offering new users eight weeks of free access to all 65 million people in its database.)   Call former employees with this pitch: “This is unusual, but I know you used to work at XYZ Company, and I’m looking for a job there. May I ask you a few questions about this department?” That information can be used to create a targeted letter, focusing on the successes you have had in the past dealing with similar challenges or issues. (Obviously, don’t suggest the company has problems or mention your source. You might say, “Many firms in the industry have faced ____ issues, which I managed successfully at my last firm by doing x, y and z.”) Lastly, leave a trail of “digital crumbs” so employers can find you. Get on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, or set up your own Web site or blog. Post articles or commentary on a LinkedIn group frequented by potential employers. Get your name and face out there in a professional capacity. Laura Rowley is a journalist and author specializing in personal finance and values. She writes a weekly column called Money and Happiness for Yahoo!Finance, which receives 42 million unique visitors a month, and a blog at www.moneyandhappiness.com. Both are based on her book, Money Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life, which shows readers how to manage money according to their values. Rowley is an adjunct professor of religious studies at Seton Hall University, where she teaches Contemporary Moral Values. Rowley has been interviewed by The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox Network, NPR and dozens of other broadcast programs and print and online media. She is a former reporter/producer for CNN Business News in New York, reporting on air for Your Money and Business Unusual. She is the former money columnist for Self magazine, and her freelance writing has appeared in The New York Times, Parents and other publications. Rowley is also the author of two other business bo oks, On Target: How the World’s Hottest Retailer Hit a Bull’s-eye, which has been translated into Japanese and Chinese; and CB Richard Ellis: 100 Years.

Resume Writing For Janitors - Some Tips to Ace Your Job Search

Resume Writing For Janitors - Some Tips to Ace Your Job SearchResume writing for janitors is a very difficult, but it is also a very rewarding job to do. A lot of people, just like you, are wondering about the tips and strategies that they can use to ace this particular type of writing.The first thing that you have to do is to take a look at your skills and talents as a potential employer. These are going to be the basis for your resume. By knowing what you can do, you will know what kind of things you need to write in your resume. You can't just send out a resume that has bullet points on it because then you will not be able to present yourself as a janitor.There are some things that you need to put in your resume. One of them is that you have to make sure that you mention all the types of work that you did. Although you are an average worker, your employers may still require you to be able to do other types of work as well.Another thing that you have to do is to be honest with your employer about all the things that you accomplished. This is to ensure that you are not being judged for your past mistakes. It may come off as a little uncomfortable to tell your employer that you were fired from your previous job because of some things that happened. However, it would be a huge mistake for you to tell him or her that you quit before things got worse.After you know all the things that you should include in your resume, the next thing that you have to do is to write a list of all the companies where you have worked. You need to list the job description of the jobs that you have done. You can include the dates and the times that you were doing the job so that your employer can have a better idea about the kind of work that you do.Another important thing that you need to include in your resume is the number of years that you have been a janitor. You need to include this so that your employer can see that you have been in the business for quite some time. You can even state that you are a professional janitor by putting this down on your resume.Another thing that you need to include in your resume is your recommendation from your former boss or another person who may know about this type of business. You can even include pictures of you with your supervisor and your clients. All these things will help to bring your resume up to date.In conclusion, resume writing for janitors is not as hard as you think. There are some tricks that you can use to make your resume stand out among the others and thus land that perfect job.

How to Cope with Employee Burnout at Work %

How to Cope with Employee Burnout at Work â€" % Source â€" Pexels.comHave you ever wondered why most employees that have been doing well for years start to underperform all of a sudden? It could be as a result of burnout.Employee burnout is an issue organizations irrespective of size must take seriously. It can make a once productive employeeunproductive. And this would reflect in the wallet of the organization.Employee burnout is something one cannot eradicate in a work environment, but you can avoid it in most circumstances.evalFactors that lead to employee burnout must be determined, and ways employees and managers can prevent it from happening should also be considered by the organization. Let’s take a look at each one of them.What is Employee Burnout?Employee burnout is a serious problem in the workplace. It is predominant in organizations where employees face tighter deadlines and busy schedules and strikes when they are exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally.Employee burnout can also occur when an organization is facing several internal problems. It can affect both the morale, productivity, and focus of the employee. Once the work environment becomes unfriendly, employee burnout will not only result, but the team spirit will be destroyed.On one hand, employees can also create this problem for themselves. They create unrealistic goals which if not achieved leads to increased pressure, tension and mental breakdown if not addressed as soon as possible.Such scenarios often result in employee burnout and reduced-productivity.In fact, the employee in question may even decide to quit the job at the end of the day, which will result in additional cost on the part of the company to recruit and train a new candidate.Why does Employee Burnout Emerge?Humans are not machines. Even machines break down when subjected to too much stress or made to work constantly for an extended period. Burnout could be as a result of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion.evalWhen employees are made to pass through stres s repeatedly, burnout can result.An employee could be in a situation where he has no choice but to meet a deadline and may work the same way for months, non-stop.Working under such conditions can lead to burnout. It can also lead to a reduction in productivity or make the person in question fall sick.Working consecutively for long hours can result in employee burnout. It will get to a point where the brain and the entire system will not have any other option than to shut down completely.evalAn employee could break down in this type of condition. And it might cause the company financial losses and loss of productive time.In a nutshell, over-laboring employees can cause burnout. You will discover in some organizations that a single employee would be made to handle tasks meant for three persons.Again, another reason employee burnout occurs is as a result of the increase in demand placed by customers. Employees working in firms with a large customer-base often face a lot of stress in th e discharge of their duties.Technology, on the other hand, is ever-changing, which means more software to learn. Employees need to learn how to use them to meet the needs of customers and increase productivity.What to do to Avoid Employee Burnout?Sadly, employee burnout and stress is still one of the biggest challenges in the workplace. Most companies are taking the right step to avoid this situation because they know how detrimental it can be to their businesses and the general health of the employee in question.The big question for those yet to take a stand is â€" how can employee burnout be avoided in the workplace?Here are simple tips to achieve it.1) Know Your LimitsevalIt is important not to exceed your limit. Do not overwork yourself to a point that you start feeling sick. In most occasions, employees are the ones creating these problems. They procrastinate, and in an attempt to meet the tight deadline, you will find them overworking themselves up.Someone who has not lifted 1 00 pounds of weight before will get into trouble if he does that. Even though that’s his target, there is no harm in starting small.evalStart working on your tasks on time and rest when you feel tired. Learn to finish up a day or two before the deadline.Working under such pressure can lead to burnout. You might also make costly mistakes which might cause more tension and threat to your job.2) Don’t Create Unrealistic ExpectationsOne of the things that can lead to burnout is having too many unrealistic targets. So start creating goals you can achieve without over laboring, and make plans for any obstacle you may encounter on the way.Critical thinking and evaluation of the plan are crucial. Include how you intend to achieve your targeted goals too. But, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve your target.What Shall You Do if You Already Have Employee Burnout?There are steps you can take to remedy the situation if you have employee burnout. Don’t wait for your employer or the person above you to fix things.evalStart on your own. Here is what you should do to help yourself.1) Relax YourselfThose who are perfectionists are prone to burnouts. They are never satisfied until they achieve what is on their mind. But, you need to learn to let go and relax. Once you discover that you are already experiencing burnout, try to relax a bit.2) Learn to Say NoThe last thing someone that has burnout wants is stress. So you must learn to reject tasks at this point to clear your head.3) Take Your Mind Off That TaskevalMost employees with burnouts claim to be relaxing but have their minds fixed on tasks at hand. But if you really want to get rid of burnouts that shouldn’t be the case.Communicate with colleagues and family members to free your mind. You can even spend more time with your family or people who will not bring up office issues to the discussion.What Can the Employer Do to Help his Employees to Cope with Employee Burnout?There are many things an employer can do to help an employee to cope with burnout.They are simple to implement and could help bring out the best in your employees.1) Make the Workplace Less StressfulAmazon’s newly built office is a good example. The multi-million dollar office was created to make employees happy, motivated and relaxed at work. It is not easy managing a growing e-commerce business.Employees are the ones feeling the pressure the most. If the environment is not conducive, employee burnout might result. It could cripple the activity of the company, and reduce productivity too.2) Find Out What Causes Stress to Your EmployeesThere are many ways an employer can make the workplace less stressful. He or she can discuss one-on-one with the affected employee to know what causes stress. And be open-minded during the discussion, and give your employees room to speak freely.Most of the stress employee faces in the workplace are related to their workload, fear of job security, and the person they are working wit h. But you can restore their motivation back to the job by talking to them.ConclusionEmployee burnout can cause the company great losses in revenue, and productive time. An employee who has a burnout will be unable to give his best. He/she might also develop severe health problems which can make him unable to work for days.Employers need to take the issue of employee burnout seriously. They need to implement strategies that will make employees avoid burnout and increase productivity.

Tips for Better Professional Communication

Tips for Better Professional Communication One of the most underrated aspects of modern business is the importance of communication. When you’re a professional and you want to connect with people and have your ideas listened to, you have to be able to communicate well. Otherwise, people won’t even listen to what you’re saying or the message won’t be delivered to them effectively in the first place. Here are some tips that’ll help you get better at this very important aspect of business professionalism. Keep Moving With the Times Like all forms of workplace technology, communication tech is always updating and improving, and you need to make sure that your business always moves with the times in that respect. If you’re left using technology that belongs in a bygone era, you’re only going to make the task of your employees and yourself more complicated than it needs to be in the arena of communication. That’s never how it should be. Encourage Feedback Getting feedback is really important in the world of business. Whether it’s young employees asking for feedback so that they can improve and get better at their jobs all the time or customers offering feedback after buying from your company. It’s something that should always be encouraged across the board, and don’t forget that. It’s an important form of professional communication. Know Your Audience and Communicate Accordingly Different companies can have wildly different audiences, and that’s why there’s no one single way to communicate with customers. Your audience will be quite specific to your company, so it will be up to you find out how they want to be communicated with. This might ultimately come down to trial and error, and there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. But it’s your job to find out what the right kind of communication looks like for your audience. Secure Your Emails Communicating with people is something that you have to do carefully and securely these days. There are people who might want to intercept your emails in order to access sensitive information or personal data. You can use fax servers that offer this security if you want to. But whatever you do, don’t ignore the issue of security altogether because you’ll probably live to regret that. Listen as Much as You Talk Talking is very easy, but what’s a little more difficult is listening carefully and taking on board what you hear. If you don’t listen to what your colleagues and customers are saying to you, things are going to go badly wrong for you. You should always be open to listening to other perspectives and experiences so that you can do the best for the company going forward. It’s always positive to be thinking about how you communicate with customers and colleagues in a professional context, especially if you run a business. You want to make sure that people get the right message and feel connected to your business in the right kind of way. It’s the only way to assure enduring success.

Tough (Question) Tuesday What Big Dream have you given up on - When I Grow Up

Tough (Question) Tuesday What Big Dream have you given up on - When I Grow Up Dream Big by Bridget McKenna Art Last week, we talked about our Big Dreams, and I loved hearing those scary/exciting ideas that were holding in our hearts/guts. But this week, I wanna talk/hear about the Big Dreams weve left behind. Not to brand us as failures or quitters, though not even close. Instead, I wanna honor those dreams. Thank them for guiding us, shaping us, giving us something to reach for, chase, and conquer and make us into the people (wife/father/friend/coach/entrepreneur/Creative whatever hats you currently wear can go in between these slashes) we are today. The first thing that pops into my mind of a Big Dream Im not longer pursuing is as some of you who know me well-ish can attest making a career out of musical theater. Even Bigger Dreams are wrapped into that, like being on Broadway and winning a Tony. And since the age of 12, I let go of the dream of ever playing Annie (thats some serious sadness there) and, around age 16, of being The Next Debbie Gibson. I asked my tweeple what Big Dream theyve given up on. Heres what they had to say: Your turn! I wanna read all about it (and honor them!) in the comments. What Big Dream have you given up on?

Difference Between CV and Resume

Difference Between CV and ResumeThe first difference between CV and resume is the format. CV is paper resume while resume is electronic. CV should be in digital format, as this is more memorable and professional.CV is mainly written in chronological order. It starts with your name, followed by your place of employment, occupation, work experience, date of birth, contact details, etc. Finally, you can put some about yourself to enhance your cover letter. CV also includes all the recommendations or qualifications that you have. CV is mostly written in chronological order.Resume is basically written in chronological order as well. It starts with your name, ends with a job description, occupation, education, etc.The job description should be brief and to the point. It will serve as a summary of the work that you are doing, your qualification and past job. You may mention that you have a diploma if it is appropriate.Sample job descriptions are easily available online. In resume, you shoul d include your contact details, skills and expertise, education, etc. You should mention any specific experience that you have, and at least an approximate time of departure. Also, make sure that you mention your date of birth, name, and signature.Resume is made in chronological order as well. It starts with your name, ends with a job description, occupation, education, etc.Resume has higher print values. CV is usually printed out on plain paper, while resume is most often printed on glossy cover. CV is mostly printed out on plain paper, while resume is most often printed on glossy cover.CV is generally printed out on plain paper, while resume is most often printed on glossy cover.

Soft Skills and Hard Skills Understanding the Difference (Examples)

Soft Skills and Hard Skills Understanding the Difference (Examples) Spread the loveAs important as it is for you to include skills in your resume, it’s even more important to include the right type of skills. Unfortunately, many applicants fail to understand what employers need to see in their resumes. As a result, they often end up including only their hard technical skills. For best results, however, you need to include both soft skills and hard skills. But to do that effectively, you need to understand the difference between these two skill types.Defining the Difference Between Soft Skills and Hard SkillsThe easiest way to think about soft skills and hard skills is to focus on how they are acquired and used. By that metric, hard skills can be easily defined as skills that you acquire from training or education. They include all the most common technical skills that can be formally acquired, as well as on-the-job skills learned through direct hands-on experience.We wrote a good post here on skills to include on your resume.  Soft skills, on the o ther hand, are not so easy to measure. These skills tend to define how you deal with others, which is why they are often called “people skills.” Of course, that also makes them more difficult to describe in a resume. Obviously, anyone can say that they have a soft skill like great communication ability.However, saying it doesn’t make it true, unlike a hard skill like computer programming that you can usually demonstrate by citing a degree or certification.Examples of Soft Skills and Hard SkillsTo get a better idea of the difference between soft skills and hard skills, consider these examples:Soft skills can include a wide variety of interpersonal skills, as well as character attributes.Examples of soft skills:Great communication abilityProblem-solvingSound work ethicTime-management skillsAdaptabilityPersuasionLeadershipTeamworkHard skills are more concrete, verifiable skills.Examples of Hard skills:They include skills like:Machine operationTechnical skillsWriting abilityForeig n language proficiencyand any other technical skill that is backed by verifiable educational credentials or past work experience.Do Employers Want to See Both Soft Skills and Hard Skills?Now, here’s where it gets fun.As fate would have it, most employers are interested in candidates with both soft skills and hard skills.That means that you need to include examples of both in your resume.You should however focus more on hard skills. (Do not list soft skills directly on your resume More on that below)Employers first want to see that you have the hard skills required for the position.#1 Closely examine the job posting and identify the needed skills and experience#2 Make sure you include them on your resume. A core competencies or skill section allows you to easily tailor your skills for each position.  For example:Also, remember that most companies today use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to automatically screen your resume. These systems automatically screen your resume to se e if youre a good match for the position.Make sure that you use a standard resume format so that the ATS could easily read the resume. You should also include keywords (hard skills) that are relevant to the position.ATS Resume Test  You can see how your resume performs in an actual ATS scan with our Free Resume Review:Free Resume ReviewBe Cautious When Listing Soft Skills On Your Resume!Hiring managers cringe when they see soft skills like team player or results driven(We wrote a good post here on the top 15 resume buzzwords to avoid).Soft skills should be communicated indirectly through your work experience. You were a team player? Great, mention an achievement in your work experience that shows you were a team player.You can list a one or two soft skills but focus on highlighting hard skills required for the job.In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to leverage every advantage you have. The good news is that your soft skills and hard skills can help to shape a resu me that truly showcases your potential value to an employer. Used properly, they can energize your resume and land you more interviews and that great job you deserve. Soft Skills and Hard Skills Understanding the Difference (Examples) Spread the loveAs important as it is for you to include skills in your resume, it’s even more important to include the right type of skills. Unfortunately, many applicants fail to understand what employers need to see in their resumes. As a result, they often end up including only their hard technical skills. For best results, however, you need to include both soft skills and hard skills. But to do that effectively, you need to understand the difference between these two skill types.Defining the Difference Between Soft Skills and Hard SkillsThe easiest way to think about soft skills and hard skills is to focus on how they are acquired and used. By that metric, hard skills can be easily defined as skills that you acquire from training or education. They include all the most common technical skills that can be formally acquired, as well as on-the-job skills learned through direct hands-on experience.We wrote a good post here on skills to include on your resume.  Soft skills, on the o ther hand, are not so easy to measure. These skills tend to define how you deal with others, which is why they are often called “people skills.” Of course, that also makes them more difficult to describe in a resume. Obviously, anyone can say that they have a soft skill like great communication ability.However, saying it doesn’t make it true, unlike a hard skill like computer programming that you can usually demonstrate by citing a degree or certification.Examples of Soft Skills and Hard SkillsTo get a better idea of the difference between soft skills and hard skills, consider these examples:Soft skills can include a wide variety of interpersonal skills, as well as character attributes.Examples of soft skills:Great communication abilityProblem-solvingSound work ethicTime-management skillsAdaptabilityPersuasionLeadershipTeamworkHard skills are more concrete, verifiable skills.Examples of Hard skills:They include skills like:Machine operationTechnical skillsWriting abilityForeig n language proficiencyand any other technical skill that is backed by verifiable educational credentials or past work experience.Do Employers Want to See Both Soft Skills and Hard Skills?Now, here’s where it gets fun.As fate would have it, most employers are interested in candidates with both soft skills and hard skills.That means that you need to include examples of both in your resume.You should however focus more on hard skills. (Do not list soft skills directly on your resume More on that below)Employers first want to see that you have the hard skills required for the position.#1 Closely examine the job posting and identify the needed skills and experience#2 Make sure you include them on your resume. A core competencies or skill section allows you to easily tailor your skills for each position.  For example:Also, remember that most companies today use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to automatically screen your resume. These systems automatically screen your resume to se e if youre a good match for the position.Make sure that you use a standard resume format so that the ATS could easily read the resume. You should also include keywords (hard skills) that are relevant to the position.ATS Resume Test  You can see how your resume performs in an actual ATS scan with our Free Resume Review:Free Resume ReviewBe Cautious When Listing Soft Skills On Your Resume!Hiring managers cringe when they see soft skills like team player or results driven(We wrote a good post here on the top 15 resume buzzwords to avoid).Soft skills should be communicated indirectly through your work experience. You were a team player? Great, mention an achievement in your work experience that shows you were a team player.You can list a one or two soft skills but focus on highlighting hard skills required for the job.In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to leverage every advantage you have. The good news is that your soft skills and hard skills can help to shape a resu me that truly showcases your potential value to an employer. Used properly, they can energize your resume and land you more interviews and that great job you deserve.