Emergency Job Search Tips during the Govt Shutdown

Emergency Job Search Tips during the Govt Shutdown Here is a great post by Kathy Troutman titled Emergency Job Search Tips from Kathryn Troutman. The first is to keep your resume up to date.  Great tip. The second is to have a LinkedIn Profile (and have it up to date).  Great tip. The third is to create a private industry resume ready (her audience is mostly those who want a federal job).  Great tip. The fourth is to keep up with current job descriptions. Excellent tip, and one reason why we put the ZipRecruiter feature in JibberJobber. The fifth is to simulate a job search.  Great tip. Look folks, dont sit around waiting for solutions.  If you are tired of being a pawn in political games perhaps it is time to look for a job in gasp private industry. I know a lot of people go to govt jobs because of the safety/security but Ive seen how that goes.  Im not saying to move away from a government job but I am saying to prepare, and Kathys five points are great. Emergency Job Search Tips during the Govt Shutdown Here is a great post by Kathy Troutman titled Emergency Job Search Tips from Kathryn Troutman. The first is to keep your resume up to date.  Great tip. The second is to have a LinkedIn Profile (and have it up to date).  Great tip. The third is to create a private industry resume ready (her audience is mostly those who want a federal job).  Great tip. The fourth is to keep up with current job descriptions. Excellent tip, and one reason why we put the ZipRecruiter feature in JibberJobber. The fifth is to simulate a job search.  Great tip. Look folks, dont sit around waiting for solutions.  If you are tired of being a pawn in political games perhaps it is time to look for a job in gasp private industry. I know a lot of people go to govt jobs because of the safety/security but Ive seen how that goes.  Im not saying to move away from a government job but I am saying to prepare, and Kathys five points are great.

List Writing As a Skill on Resume

List Writing As a Skill on ResumeIt can be very easy to overlook writing as a skill on resume. If you are employed and take it upon yourself to write your resume then you may be doing it right. However, if you are self-employed or even part-time working at a job and you do not have the time or resources to write your own resume, then this is not the best way to show that you are the person you claim to be. Here are some tips for writing your resume that will help you make sure that you have the skills that a company needs.First, you should always be on time. A resume is not a sales letter so don't use any sales pitch in the resume as this will be counterproductive to your objective. Include your contact information like email, telephone, and your website.Another common mistake that people make is to put up too much information. You have to know what the company does so don't go crazy with all of the details. Just include basic information about the position that you are applying for. Lastly, include a few samples of your work from previous jobs if you are able to give a couple. The resume writing as a skill on resume can show that you can do some work but more importantly, you can show that you are skilled at writing resumes. Don't overdo it.Now, how do you practice writing your resume? You can write your resume in between projects, over the Internet, or by hand. Writing your resume over the Internet, by hand, or by computer is a very common mistake.Once you have a few samples of resumes, you will begin to get them down pat. This will make it easier to read and easier to write. Make a habit to have your resume written before you head off to your interview. Show up with a fresh resume.Finally, practice all of your skills. Review your resume and make sure that you have listed all of the skills that you are going to need for the job. Doing these things will make it easier to get the job you want.The best way to be able to list writing as a skill on resume is to lis t all of your skills and then see how long it takes you to write your resume. It is best to start listing skills on your resume on day one and then review it every couple of weeks and review it once a month. Start with the basics and slowly build up.

Five Tips for Improving Your Attitude - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Five Tips for Improving Your Attitude - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Are you happy with your boss, your income, your career progression to date, your opportunities for advancement, your choice of profession, your industrys outlook and your employers culture? If so, then you probably dont need to read this. If you are not happy with any of these, however, I want to help you. Consider this. Most of us have  been encouraged to get a good education and become knowledgeable in our professions. Many  have spent thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of hours earning credentials and gaining professional expertise. While these (may) have been good investments in your career and your future, how much of that time did you invest  in thoughtfully developing and improving your attitude? If your answer is Not much, then please keep reading! I suggest in the first chapter of my career book that Attitude is important in landing a job, keeping a job, and being proactively prepared to change jobs. Beyond this, I also believe your attitude is an important contributor to having a satisfying career and happy life. If you would like more career satisfaction and happiness, then it will definitely be worth your time to try one or more of these five tips for improving your attitude:  1. Select a point in time during your work day and monitor your thoughts for ten to twenty minutes. Categorize each thought you have as positive or negative. Avoid cheating by labeling thoughts as neutral. Keep score and see how you do.  Make a game out of rephrasing your negative thoughts into positive ones. 2. With your physician’s agreement, start a consistent exercise program that is appropriate for your current health condition. Get your endorphins flowing! They naturally make you feel better and that contributes to a more positive disposition. 3. Notice the types of media you consume and consider eliminating as many negative inputs as possible. Examples would be most television news programs, movies that are violent or lack uplifting story lines, and publications that focus on whats wrong with the world. Reducing negative inputs and replacing them with positive ones is likely to help support a better mood. 4. Pay attention to the people with whom you associate. Are they predominantly happy and positive or not? Increasing your time spent with positive people and reducing or eliminating the negatives will definitely be beneficial. 5. Last, but certainly not least, seek out a capable life coach or (if you are more serious about this quest) psychologist. My wife is a psychologist and virtually every person I have sent her way in the past eight years has benefitted. Your attitude is always showing. You project it in every interaction with your boss, your peers, your subordinates, your friends and your family. They may not notice in all cases and they may not tell you even when they notice something that is unflattering. However,  you are putting it out there all the time like CNN or Fox News. I believe you deserve the best career possible, not just some mundane job that pays the rent and puts food on the table. Dont you? You have the power to improve your career results and your attitude can be one of your biggest contributors to your success.  Try some of my tips this week and let me know what you think.

Negotiate as if Your Life Depended on It

Negotiate as if Your Life Depended on It Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'rNPF8EmiTIJGw6wfjAzLGw',sig:'lEFDzPo7bD_AetY9pNKZlChHA1y_--EqTRENPZWVoyw=',w:'509px',h:'339px',items:'685632084',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); You negotiate all the time at work. You negotiate deadlines, contract terms, assignments and pay raises. In your personal life, you negotiate the price of a new car, the per hour rate of your babysitter, and your 8-year-old’s bedtime. Negotiation can be stressful, but it’s seldom a life or death situation. If you’d like to be a more confident negotiator, I recommend a book by an author whose bad day on the job could get someone killed. Chris Voss is the author (with writer Tahl Raz) of Never Split the Difference; Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It. Voss has 24 years of FBI experience and was formerly the FBI’s Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator.  He now runs a practice that trains individuals, corporations and law enforcement professionals to negotiate more effectively and more confidently. He helps them achieve his definition of negotiation, which is “communication with results.” Fear holds us back from asking for what we want in business. Fear of losing the job offer, fear of making our boss upset when we ask for a raise, fear of being made fun of or told unkind (possibly even true) things like “your work isn’t worth that much.” Voss believes if you can learn skills that make it more likely youll succeed, you’ll be able to think of negotiation as just another process. You can let go of  the negative emotions holding you back from achieving your goals. We usually believe that we’re logical during negotiation, that we have clear objectives and clear reasons for what we want. The theory of homo economicus, or  economic man, is the concept portraying humans as consistently  rational  and self-interested agents who usually pursue their ends optimally. Rational actors will take actions that provide the most benefit to themselves. This was the prevailing theory of negotiation for years, based on the 1981 bestselling book by Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes. But this economic theory has been debunked over the years, replaced by evidence that we make emotional decisions and then figure out ways to rationalize them. The good reasons for what we do often come after we’ve done something our lizard brain pushed us toward. Voss writes: “Though the intensity may differ from person to person, you can be sure that everyone you meet is driven by two primal urges: the need to feel safe and secure, and the need to feel in control. If you satisfy those drives, you’re in the door.” Another basic concept in Voss’ negotiation guide is listening â€" something he says almost no one does well. We’re either reacting emotionally to what the other party has said or busy thinking up our next response. If you can learn to quiet your own mind, be present, and really hear the other person, you can make much quicker progress toward your goal. Voss again: “Psychotherapy research shows that when individuals feel listened to, they tend to listen to themselves more carefully and to openly evaluate and clarify their own thoughts and feelings . In addition , they tend to become less defensive and oppositional and more willing to listen to other points of view, which gets them to the calm and logical place where they can be good Getting to Yes problem solvers.” We’ll look at a couple of proven negotiating techniques in future posts.

Writing a Resume Title - A Must Do Before Applying

Writing a Resume Title - A Must Do Before ApplyingWriting a resume title is an important part of the entire process. If you do not get the proper attention then your resume will not stand out and instead will end up just being tossed in the trash where it belongs.The resume is a vital part of the application process. It lays out what your skills and qualifications are and what you have accomplished thus far. It also gives potential employers a glimpse of who you are as a person and this is a big step in the hiring process for many employers.So, what is the best way to write a resume title? First, understand that there are many different styles. Using one style will not help you stand out. There are many different approaches that can be used when writing a resume title.Writing a resume is a creative process that can take many different forms. To avoid appearing awkward, try to use adjectives to describe yourself and your experiences. You do not want to sound too confident or too asser tive.Describing what you have accomplished in the past may be a little bit more direct than describing the 'state factors' or your knowledge. However, you want to make sure that you are giving the reader enough information to give them a good idea of what you can offer. However, you should be cautious about overstating your abilities.Another thing that should be included in the resume title is any experience related to your potential position. This should be at the very bottom of the resume because people will skim through the resume in search of a job and if the information that you include here seems like fluff or irrelevant to your position, the employer will likely ignore it and not bother to look further.Recruiters love to see resumes that are well written. They want to see how clearly you describe your goals and skills and these will help your resume stand out. When your resume is well written, you are putting your best foot forward and preparing yourself for the interview.Whe n you are finished writing your resume, be sure to highlight it with a marker so that you can easily go back and revise it if necessary. Then you should scan through it and make sure that all of the information is correct. Lastly, you can add a cover letter to compliment your resume and remind the employer of what you can do for the company.

Job Search for the New Graduate Books To Check Out

Job Search for the New Graduate Books To Check Out Do you have someone you know who just graduated from college? Here are three new graduate books to check out. Have you thought about how you will find your first job? Maybe you are the parent of a child on the verge of graduating. In either case, I want to showcase three books designed to specifically help the new graduate. Resume Writing Made Fun Easy Yes, this looks simple and fun! But dont let the crayons fool you! The Resume Coloring Book  is packed with very strategic tips and ideas to get your resume and cover letter noticed. Lea generously sent me a copy to check out and honestly, I loved how it walks you through the steps of building a great resume. The color-coded sections make the process easy to follow and is great for the visual learner! Her process and tips will help any student step out of the box of boring, hum-drum resumes and cover letters! This would make a great gift for a high school senior or even a college graduate! Heres what you get: 6 simple colored blocks that will get you a confidence-building resume! A  3-sentence formula  for a great professional summary that keeps your reader engaged. How to develop one sentence to make your core competencies jump off the page. How to  find and use keywords  that will magnetize employers! A simple  3-step formula for writing resume sentences  that you’ll feel proud to put on your resume. How to customize your resume  so that it speaks directly to the employer you want to attract! No more list of “tasks” on your resume! How to  showcase your experience  with strong, quantitative evidence instead. Figure out where exactly to put your  education credentials Plus More Valuable Personal Marketing Tools Templates for your cover letter, so that it has the look and feel of your newly beautified resume. (P.S. It won’t hurt your head to  write it, either!) Matching template for your  Professional References, so they’re ready to leave when you really want the job, and when the employer is ready to check you out! Template for your  Interview Leave Behind, which shows the employer how exactly you are a perfect match for the talent they need and helps you close the deal! Go ahead, order one today! (affiliate link, which means if you buy a copy, Lea sends me a percentage of the book sale) Martin Yates Has A Deal You Dont Want To Miss You can get a copy of the Kindle version of  Knock Em Dead Secrets Strategies for First-Time Job Seekers. (A little self-promotional disclaimer: I contributed to this book!) Its perfect for college students, recent graduates, emerging professionals and anyone who wants to get their career started on the right foot. (affiliate link) My Unemployed Life by Carlos Gil Carlos story is real and sadly, too common. But he turned his job search around and shares his story to help inspire and motivate others! To see what Carlos recommends for job seekers today, you can read his post 10 Tips to Help You Find a Job In 2014. If you are interested in learning from his experience and how he dug his way out, check out this page and if you want, support his work and get a copy of his book. What I Know Job search is not intuitive. It is much more difficult than most people imagine. Dont let lack of knowledge slow down a job search. Lets help educate every new job seeker by investing in one of these new graduate books!

Forget the Thank You Letter, Lose the Job

Forget the Thank You Letter, Lose the Job According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 22 percent of the 2,800 employers surveyed said they were less likely to hire a candidate who neglects to send a thank you letter. Of that 22 percent, 86 percent said it showed a lack of follow through and an additional 56 percent said that it sends the message that the candidate isnt really interested in the job. Since you never how much of a factor the thank you letter may play in the hiring managers decision, its always best to send one. Here are some tips for crafting a thank you note that scores points with the hiring manager and keeps you on their radar.A thank you letter creates an opportunity to reconnect with employers.Chances are you are one of many candidates being interviewed for an open position. Writing a follow up letter allows you to build a relationship with the interviewer and develop rapport. By expressing your gratitude for the interview and recapping the highlights of the meeting, you revisit the reasons you believe the re is an appropriate fit between you and the organization.Following up keeps your candidacy “top of mind”.Often candidates make the mistake of putting too much control in the interviewer’s hands. They believe that if they are the best candidate, the interviewer will remember them and keep them in the loop regarding the selection process. But this is often not the case. It’s critical that candidates remind prospective employers of their interest in a position and the thank you letter is the perfect vehicle for communicating this.Written correspondence allows you to sell your strengths again.While part of the reason for the thank you letter is to express gratitude for the meeting, the document serves a much more strategic purpose. It provides an opportunity for the candidate to repackage their skills and accomplishments into another format and market their value added to the employer.The document enables you to address points you neglected to discuss during the interview.Many candidates report that after they leave the interview they think of all the other things they could have said during the meeting. Rather than labeling this a liability, turn it into an asset by discussing these points in the thank you letter and remind the reader of your ability to produce similar results for their organization.A letter helps develop rapport and increases employer’s comfort level with your candidacy.A good strategy is to recap a part of the conversation where you and the interviewer shared similar views on a job-related topic. The thank you letter can also be a forum for demonstrating your consultative problem solving skills. By addressing current issues the employer is facing and proposing solutions, you are contributing to the company’s success even before you are on board.Thank you letters continue to be an important component of a successful job search campaign. But the focus has shifted from a simple courtesy and show of appreciation to a targeted self-mark eting tool. By creating letters that validate your candidacy, build rapport, and remind the reader of your value added, you can significantly influence potential employers and increase your chances for subsequent interviews.