One complaint that's often heard in reference to Gen Y employees is that they have a sense of entitlement, which their older coworkers find annoying. According to an article in Fosters Daily Democrat, Want to Work Well? Leave Your Attitude at the Door, UNH Professor Finds in New Research, the sense of entitlement among younger workers is growing, but it can be managed.

Some of the characteristics of people with a sense of entitlement - also known as narcissists - are a tendency to take credit for work they didn't do, to blame others when things go wrong, to cause problems at work and to express dissatisfaction with their jobs, explains Paul Harvey, assistant professor of management at the University of New Hampshire.

Coworkers can protect themselves from losing credit for their hard work by documenting all of their accomplishments. Supervisors, also should document what each employee does and make it clear who is responsible for what tasks. To prevent other problems, supervisors can "remove as much ambiguity from situations as possible so that employees are less apt to form biased judgments," Harvey advises.

Having a sense of entitlement, though more prevalent among Gen Y, didn't begin and end with them. Any employee, from any generation, could exhibit the characteristics of a narcissist. One way for hiring managers to screen job seekers is by asking, "Do you feel you are generally superior to your coworkers/classmates/etc., and if so, why?" Candidates who respond that they do feel they are generally superior to others but have trouble articulating why they feel that way could have a sense of entitlement. Entitlement perceptions "are often based on an unfounded sense of superiority and deservingness," the article explains.

Working with people who have a sense of entitlement can be difficult, but there are ways for coworkers to protect themselves and for supervisors to prevent misconceptions and make their workplaces more pleasant.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2009 at 9:24 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Job searching became harder when the recession caused the job market to become flooded with millions of candidates. Still, there are jobs available, so if a job seeker has been actively looking for employment for serveral months without getting either interviews or job offers, Tara Weiss, in her article, The Top Things to Do When You Can't Get a Job, says it's possible there's something wrong in his job search methods that need to be fixed.

First, of course, is the resume. Job seekers must have resumes that are accurate, compelling and error free. Having a section on the resume that lists personal interests might make a candidate stand out to hiring managers by giving them something to talk about during the interview, besides the job and the company. Using keywords from the job description is also helpful.

Resumes with results statements like "Managed a team of three employees who interacted with clients and had a 100% client retention rate over two years," instead of merely stating job responsibilities will catch employers' attention, too. Whether hiring managers read them or not, resumes should be accompanied by cover letters that are also impeccable, compelling, use keywords lifted from the job description and that show the employer why the candidate is the best person for the job.

Weiss cautions job seekers to only apply for jobs that match their qualifications and recommends using sites like LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with employees at the companies where they want to work, creating a valuable networking contact. Once the resume has been conquered, it's time for a job seeker to master the art of interviewing.

If interviews don't result in job offers, Weiss says it might be because of poor interviewing skills. Dressing properly, is the first step. A suit for men and a skirt or slacks with a nice blouse for women suggested. Being on time, having a firm handshake, good eye contact, and knowing as much as possible about the company and the desired position will also help a candidate make a good impression. Practicing for an upcoming interview with a friend or family member can help a candidate respond calmly and confidently.

Thanking the interviewer with a nice note or email afterward will keep the job seeker foremost in the interviewer's mind. And it's okay, Weiss says, for a job seeker who wasn't offered the job to call the interviewer and ask what he could have done differently. The feedback could be useful and surprising.

Volunteering, doing freelance work or taking a class to learn a new skill will not only help candidates to stay busy while they're waiting to get a new job, it will also give them something extra to talk about with hiring managers during interviews.

The competition to get a job is tougher, but job seekers who really want to stand out and get the interviews and job offers they desire can do so with meticulous preparation throughout their job search processes.

Weiss advises volunteering, doing freelance work or taking a class to learn a new skill while unemployed.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2009 at 8:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's tough for couples to pay their mortgage bills when one spouse loses a job. But when both spouses are out of work at the same time? It becomes a challenge to pay even the smallest utility bill.

Unfortunately, this situation isn't rare. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, both husband and wife were jobless at the same time in 124,000 families last year. That's up from the 87,000 families who faced the same challenge in 2006.

The Wall Street Journal recently wrote an interesting story about this, focusing on the Heup family in Slinger, Wis. Julie Heup, a structural engineer, and Mark Heup, a supply chain manager, were both laid off from their jobs within a three-month period.

This situation comes with obvious disadvantages, most of them financial. But you might be surprised to know that there are some positives when both spouses are looking for work at the same time. The Heups have discovered this.

The Wall Street Journal story points out that unemployed spouses can actually work together to help each other find work.

Couples featured in the story, including the Heups, are critiquing each other's resumes and holding mock interviews with each other, all to brush up on their job hunting skills.

Other couples featured in the Wall Street Journal story are scheduling regular date nights with each other during which they are not allowed to talk about their job searches. This is important: When both spouses are searching for jobs at the same time, it's easy for couples to talk only about their frustrations. Everyone needs a break from that.

With unemployment continuing to rise, we'll see even more spouses who are both out of work at the same time. It's important, then, for spouses in this situation to work together. This is the time when spouses need to lean on each other for support.

Article by Dan R. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2009 at 7:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I recently blogged about things that I like more in my 30s than I did in my 20s.

Looking back on my "younger years," I can also see many differences in my attitude towards work. One of the big shifts is how much time I spend thinking about work when I'm not at work.

Over the years I have been able to re-train myself to eliminate work thoughts when I'm off the clock. I have found that this has improved my home life, reduced the feeling of dreading Mondays, and led to a better career experience overall.

I'd love to outline a laundry list of how-to tips, but, quite frankly, it comes down to a simple action: STOP. Continue reading ...

Article by Andrew G.R. and courtesy of jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2009 at 7:34 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

What are you doing right now? What was your game plan for today? How are you doing so far? Putting a game plan and executing it is a winning habit that will take us where we want to go in our personal and professional lives. This post may motivate some to go out and change some behaviors...tomorrow. If we are really serious about changing how we go about our day, why not start now?

Do you know anyone whose whole life seems incomplete? They have tons of unfinished business going on. They always use words like some day. Their life is in perpetual crisis. They never seem to get anything done on time. (If this is you, it's going to be OK.) They want to take action but it always seems to be starting the next day.

When we identify behavior that is keeping us from achieving success, it's important to stop that behavior as soon as possible. Here are some steps to utilize to help you with this, Four Easy Steps To Change Thoughts-Feelings-Behavior. I would also recommend meditation as well to help you with the thought control that the 4 easy steps talks about.

If there are some things that need to be changed, will it start now? What are you waiting for with regards to changing of behavior? How can you more positively impact those around you by getting the important things done in your day consistently?

Brandon Allen is a business and vision coach with The Business Blueprint. Brandon focuses on helping businesses get clear on their vision, mission, core values and leadership. Brandon is the author of the small business blog Build Your Soul Purpose ( www.buildyoursoulpurpose.com).

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 25, 2009 at 7:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The current job market could most charitably be described as rotten.

Employers and job seekers alike are scared. They're uncertain of the future and worried about what to do next.

You, too?

If so, here's an idea: Why not try something different in your job search?

Specifically, why not try the following two counter-intuitive ways to find a job by putting a new twist on old networking ideas ...

1) Network by Disqualifying People

Here's a referral tactic I just learned from a smart, successful financial services professional who ranks in the top 5% of his industry in the UK -- so pay attention to this technique, which is easily adaptable to your job search.

My colleague, whom we'll call Steve, gets referrals from busy, affluent clients by asking them who might be the WRONG person to call. Let me explain ...

Before having a referral meeting, Steve does his homework. He writes up a list of 10-20 people he thinks his client may know. Then he asks, "I'm thinking of contacting the people on this list with information about my services. Is there anyone on this list I should avoid? What do you think?"

This unexpected tactic -- everyone expects to be asked to provide leads, not disqualify them -- disarms people and gets them talking. "Well, this guy is a jerk and this guy is wrong for you. But you forgot to include Bill Smith and Sue Jones. And I know Frank Williams really well -- call him and tell him I referred you," etc.

Steve says this referral script works like a charm to generate new business, even in the current recession.

Now. How to adapt this idea to your job search?

Before meeting a networking contact, do your homework. Find out names of people you know they know, along with people they might know. When you meet your contact, ask: "I'm planning on contacting these people for information about the companies they work for. Is there anyone on this list I should avoid? What do you think?"

Then, go down the list of people one name at a time -

You: "What do you think of Sally Smith at ABC, Inc."?
Networking contact: "She's a good person to talk to."
You: "How about Cindy Brown and Amalgamated International?" Networking contact: "I don't know her."
You: "Oh, really? Who do you know who works at Amalgamated?"
Networking contact: "Nobody."
You: "How about one of their vendors, like XYZ, or clients, like Z Company?"
Networking contact: "Well, I know Joe Peterson at Z Company -- you can call him and mention my name. He should be able to reach Cindy."

And so on, down your list of 10-20 names, until you have qualified and expanded it. You will soon have a valuable collection of names at almost any company you want to work for. And it starts when you ask people this counter-intuitive networking question, adapted from the financial services industry: "Is there anyone on this list I should avoid?"

2) Stop Networking and Start Being Useful

Here's another contrarian networking idea: Stop thinking about networking and start trying to be useful to other people. That's the advice of Dan Sullivan, founder of The Strategic Coach, a focusing program for entrepreneurs worldwide.

According to Sullivan, if you can bring confidence and clarity to people in your network by researching their needs and then offering something useful -- in the form of product news, information about their customers, contacts, expertise, etc. -- people will make time to talk to you. Because you will be seen as an oasis in today's desert of bad economic news.

And, according to my experience counseling job seekers since 1996, people who make time to talk to you today will remember you with favor the next time potential job leads cross their desk.

One thing is certain: If you keep doing what you've been doing in your job search, you'll keep getting what you've been getting. And if you're not getting calls from employers, why not try these "strange" networking methods for just one week and see where they lead you?

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on FiredUp Careers.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 3:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by JIST Publishing

When the economy sputters, the job opportunities available to young people tend to narrow. Despite this, the federal government, the nation's largest employer, now offers more internship and employment opportunities than ever for students and recent college graduates.

"Some of the internships lead directly into good federal jobs, while the acceptance of other job offers sometimes results in the government paying up to $60,000 toward your college loans," say Janet Ruck and Karol Taylor, co-authors of the recently released Guide to America's Federal Jobs, Fourth Edition. Continue reading ...

Article by, Selena Dehne and courtesy of JIST Publishing

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 12:49 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by JIST Publishing

Like any tool, a career portfolio is only as good as how it's used.

For many job seekers, assembling their work samples into a collection is easy. Actually using it during the interview process is where many fall short. Too often, job seekers zip through the discussion of their portfolio contents or neglect to address them all.

The truth is, job seekers can't count on employers to draw the right conclusions or even look at the portfolio once the interview is finished. Therefore, it's imperative that job seekers know how to reference their portfolios throughout the interview to maximize their use and support the job seekers' claims. Continue reading ...

Article by, Selena Dehne and courtesy of JIST Publishing

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 12:43 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The presence of bullies and jerks in the workplace is not much of a concern for most companies. However, having too many of such people around and not actively avoiding a culture that fosters bullies, is not good practice. In fact it can have quite an impact on company performance and the bottom-line. This is because bullying can (among other things) have an effect on morale, health, productivity, idea generation and employee turnover.

Here are some findings from a study by the Workplace Bullying Institute in America:

• 37% of workers have been bullied
• Most bullies are bosses (72%)
• Most Targets (57%) are women
• 62% of employers ignore the problem
• 45% of Targets suffer stress-related health problems (debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, clinical depression)
• 40% of bullied individuals never tell their employers

For organisations, the message is clear - seek out workplace bullies and correct their behaviour or fire them. Don't avoid taking action, especially if you feel that the employee is a good performer. The overall contribution he/she has could in fact be negative, when you take into account the effects of bullying.

For individuals, given that majority of bullying is done by bosses, the first and most important step is to realise that you are being bullied. Many people either ignore the problem or think that they just have a bad boss and thats how bosses are. According to Dr. Gary Nami, Founder of the Workplace Bullying Institute, these are some signs to look out for:

You attempt the obviously impossible task of doing a new job without training or time to learn new skills but that work is never good enough for the boss

Surprise meetings are called by your boss with no results other than further humiliation

Everything your tormenter does to you is arbitrary and capricious, working a personal agenda that undermines the employer's legitimate business interests

Others at work have been told to stop working, talking or socializing with you

You constantly feel agitated and anxious, experiencing a sense of doom, waiting for bad things to happen

No matter what you do, you are never left alone to do your job without interference

People feel justified screaming or yelling at you in front of others, but you are punished if you scream back
HR tells you that your harassment isn't illegal, that you have to "work it out between yourselves"

You finally, firmly confront your tormentor to stop the abusive conduct, you are accused of harassment

You are shocked when accused of incompetence despite a history of objective excellence, typically by someone who cannot do your job

Everyone -- co-workers, senior bosses, HR -- agrees (in person and orally) that your tormentor is a jerk, but there is nothing they will do about it (and deny saying what they said later when asked to support you)

Your request to transfer to an open position under another boss is mysteriously denied

Post by Amit Puri, Managing Consultant at Sandbox Advisors. He has over 10 years of business, career services and HR related experience, with companies such as Bain & Co, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. Sandbox Advisors is based in Singapore and provides career management and HR consulting services in Asia.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Daily Biz Solutions.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 10:39 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

The new iPhone 3GS recent launch saw two impacts - Apple dropping the price of it's 'older' model and more significantly Palm's share price dropping by 7%!

It seem's like never a week goes by without another new phone hitting the market - I heard that the lifespan for a smartphone before it becomes 'obselete' and overtaken by a faster, sleeker, more buttons and gadgets phone is about 3 months.

Is the same happening for you in your career?

Dan Pink in his book A Whole New Mind said that if your job can be done faster by a machine or cheaper somewhere else then you need to differentiate yourself right now.

This is particularly relevant now in a tight job market and where competition to remain useful and employed is becoming key. Even if the economy is showing some signs of recovery you will see it's impact for months to come - the commercial real estate bubble has not burst yet!

So if you are employed how can you have an impact at work so that your value rises?

1. Make sure you get involved in the projects at work that are going to have an impact on the future success of the company and have some senior management sponsors.

2. Look to raise your profile by attending meetings that are not directly your area, but you have interaction with those teams. If you are in finance go to a marketing meeting and if you are in marketing get along to operations or logistics - step out of your bubble and perhaps comfort zone.

3. Keep your boss up to date with what you are working on and keep track of the measures of success - what is the direct impact you are having on the business - make sure you know and then make sure others do too.

If you are currently unemployed how can you impact the competition and get hired?

1. Construct a 'brag' sheet that speaks to your top 5 strengths and how you have used each one of those in a specific situation with a measurable result. Use that as your intro career marketing document - not the boring resume - stand out, be different, get noticed.

2. Be very clear about what value you bring to an organization. They do not care what you want (if you have objective still on your resume GET IT OFF NOW!). What can you do for them? Again this needs to be as measurable and relevant as possible - there are too many others out there with similar skills, experience and education - it's not enough anymore.

3. Go where the competition is not going. Get in front of the senior managers who work with the peole that might hire you. If you are in finance do not go to all the finance networking meetings - all your competitors are doing that - get to the marketing networking meeting.

Article by, Paul Copcutt and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 10:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

During 2002, I was a recruiter within London's financial district.

It was the aftermath of 9/11 and the bursting of the Dot.com bubble and so, just like the current market, it was a time of widespread job cuts and hiring freezes - so being a financial services recruiter (with earnings were linked to revenues) was not one of the most comfortable places to be.

But despite the tough market, the commercial reality was that we just had to get on with it and find opportunities - it meant working harder, longer and making more calls and dealing with more rejections in order to stand still and survive. It was tiring, frustrating and quite often demoralising.

Faced with a constant barrage of bad news and a lack of opportunities, I decided in the summer of 2002 that I'd try something different. So I made a list of my 20 warmest clients - typically senior business leaders or HR leaders and invited them out for a coffee to 'just catch up.'

I figured that, rather than just making calls to new clients, I should be spending time maintaining relationships with existing clients who'd given me business during a boom market. And anyway, I love hanging out in coffee shops or hotel lounges (well actually anywhere with comfortable sofas!) so it would be a welcome break from making those soul-destroying calls in search of new business and job opportunities.

At one of these "coffee meetings," I met with the Financial Controller of a European Investment Bank. We had known each other 2 years. The first year we had a telephone relationship where I tried to convince him to meet me, the second year a business relationship where he gave us business after finally agreeing to meet me.

As we sat down with our cappuccinos, he seemed a little stand-offish and within 2 minutes of some small talk, the conversation continued like this:

Client: "Sital, I'm really not sure why you wanted to meet - I haven't any vacancies and have no budget to recruit. You're better off spending time with other clients who may have business, aren't you?"

Sital: "John, when we first met a year ago, I told you that one of our key differentiators was that we built long-term relationships with clients - we're not into just filling some quick vacancies with you and having a transactional relationship. So regardless of whether you're recruiting or not, I'm trying to fulfil that commitment to you by maintaining our relationship.

So at the moment I'm meeting with key clients with a view to doing 2 things:

1. Give you our perspective on the current market place so that you're better informed on what's happening externally. Which hopefully helps you in handling conversations internally around talent management, pay reviews and bonus discussions.

2. Secondly, it's to listen and learn about what is happening in your business, so when the market does pick up, we are better placed to help you achieve some of the things you've got planned much quicker

And the reason I'm treating you to a £5 cappuccino (approx $8 - which is what it usually cost for 2 Starbucks coffees) is that just like your sales teams, we no longer have the budgets to take clients to swanky bars or posh restaurants in the current climate. But it's not about how much we spend on clients, it's about the relationship - right?"

I kind of made up my little speech on the spot, but I meant every word of it.

Client: "You're one of the most forward-thinking recruiters I've met. You know, all the people who've been calling me the last few years when we were growing our team have stopped calling because we've got no business. They all used to talk about long-term relationships, but now they seem to have disappeared."

What followed was a great discussion, where I learned more about the challenges he was facing, offered some informal advice - and indeed got into a conversation to help him clarify his needs for his next hire - a position he'd just had some vague ideas about so far.

I was the first to learn about it as I'd taken the time to engage and help him.

As a result of the discussion we got more business, more referrals and more good will from this client - and I got it without even asking. I got it because I went into the discussion with the intention of helping the client and cementing our relationship rather than trying to get something specific.

So regardless of whether your you're a job searcher, career changer, someone starting up as a independent consultant or someone looking to succeed in your existing job, there are lessons here for us all. That in a tough market when everyone is holding back and thinking about themselves, you create opportunities by reaching out and being generous in helping others.

Here are 7 steps to creating more opportunities by being generous:

1. Write a list of your 20 warmest contacts

These may include both professional and personal contacts. Ensure you select people who you feel you've the closest relationships with rather than those you think would be 'useful contacts'

2. Contact them and set up a time for a coffee just to "catch up"

- If some of your contacts are in another city or country, then have a "virtual coffee" to catch up

- And it doesn't have to be coffee of course - meet for breakfast, lunch or drinks if that suits you better

3. Then over the next few weeks meet each of these individuals

- Some of you may want to spread this out over 3 or 4 weeks

- Others may prefer to meet 2 people a week for 10 weeks - do whatever works for you and your schedule

4. When you meet, focus on the other person (not you, not your job search, not your issues)

- Take a genuine interest in what's happening in their lives and careers. What are they working on? What are their current challenges? What are their goals?

- Ask open questions (how, what, why, when) and listen with genuine interest

5. Focus on how you can help them

- Ask "how can I help?"

- Be generous with ideas, resources, tips or contacts of yours that may be useful to them

- Do all this without an agenda - this is not a transactional conversation, as in "I've helped you, now you help me"

- Just give without wanting something back (after all, these are your warmest contacts, so why shouldn't you give?)

6. Follow up without fail

- Within 48 hours send a follow-up email to thank them for meeting up

- If you promised to send information during your discussion - a weblink, an article or an introduction to one of your contacts - then do it without being prompted

- If the other person offered to introduce you to someone or said they'd send you something, gently and politely remind them to do that

7. Write your next list of 20 contacts

- And repeat these 6 steps above once again

When you do this, a few things will happen:

You will strengthen your relationships with your warm contacts

- And we all know that strong relationships strengthen your career prospects

You will walk away with ideas

- The people closest to us want to help - but we're all busy and have our own issues to deal with, so haven't the time to think about others. Spending time with people one to one, gives them a chance to focus on you and volunteer ideas that nay help you

Your warmest contacts will have you at the front of their minds

- These people are like unpaid recruiters - they can connect you with other people and recommend you, but only if they remember you amongst their to-do list

Opportunities will come back to you

When you get out there and give, opportunities will come back to you, often from unexpected sources and, like a boomerang, from somewhere else

You'll feel better

If you're out of work or stuck in a rut, you'll feel much better about yourself and your situation. Getting out and meeting people you know is so much nicer than sitting around sending emails, making calls and waiting to be rejected

You'll get a sense of purpose and achievement

At Christmas time, parents often teach their kids that it's not all about getting presents; that real satisfaction and success come from contributing and giving, not from simply receiving. The very same principle applies to you and your career.

During the summer of 2002, getting out and having my "£5 Cappuccino Meetings" with my warmest clients started out as one of my 'coping strategies' for dealing with a tough market and all the negativity around. It kept me sane on the days I'd be thinking "when is this market going to improve?" or "why me?"

But getting out, meeting close clients, learning about their businesses and seeing how I could help them, instead of sitting at my desk making endless calls to random people, actually created the opportunities that I was searching for. And often, they'd come (like that boomerang) from other places - from people I hadn't met for coffee.

I created opportunity out of generosity. And so can you...

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 10:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I would consider myself an ambassador for the "numbers game" on social networks. Authorities like Seth Godin object to going after numbers, while people such as Guy Kawasaki think that it's all about numbers (especially on Twitter). I'm split in the middle right now, but I want to take time today to explain why numbers are so important, despite the controversy. In fact, I strongly believe that a lot of "influencers" are telling you not to go for numbers because, in fact, they are going for numbers themselves. In this way, they have more leverage than you do.

To me, the lust for numbers dates back to high school. I wouldn't consider myself popular in high school, yet I had a strong base of friends in middle school. During my last year of middle school, my city created a brand new school and divided our class, leaving my friendships split between both schools, which in effect damaged them. Then, in high school, I was lost and didn't have much self-esteem. Everyone was trying to get into the "popular group," and I didn't think I fit in. It was all about having a lot of friends, so you had enough social proof to go to select parties, etc. If you weren't popular, you weren't included. If you're reading this, you probably fell into one of these categories.

Our society is obsessed with numbers. Numbers are standard metrics for measurements of popularity. One example was when Aston Kutcher raced CNN to a million followers on Twitter. Another one was when CNN brough Gary Vaynerchuk in to be on TV, and they promoted him as having a few hundred thousand followers on Twitter. A lot of people are talking about how Vin Diesel has millions of Facebook fans. Are you seeing the trend here?

Numbers matter in these situations

• Corporate recruitment: If you have the same experience as someone else, but they have 5,000 more contacts and 3 additional recommendations on LinkedIn, they will get the interview over you. The more connected you are, the more productive you are in the workplace and the easier it is for you to market on behalf of your company and recruit other people.
• Advertising: If you want to make money, then numbers are critical to your sponsorship packages and to your potential advertisers. You will always get asked how far your reach is and if you only have 300 subscribers, you might get fifty cents a month. By having more subscribers, you can charge more.
• Book deals: I guarantee that if you have 100,000 followers on Twitter instead of 100 followers, your book advance will be $50,000 more. Publishers are crazy about authors having marketing platforms because all they do is publish it, not sell it.
• Social proof: If you go to a blog that only has twenty subscribers, you probably won't subscribe because there is no proof that the content is good, aside from the content itself. We are an A.D.D. society, so we need quick evidence before we take time to read something in full. The larger your audience, the easier it is to build on that community.
• Promise of value: If you want to interview successful people or celebrities, you won't be able to unless you can show a promise of value. They don't have much time, but will help you if you can prove that your content reaches a large group of people. Networking is the key to personal branding, so if you don't work to boost your numbers, you won't be able to network will the "big timers."

Numbers add up on FriendFeed

In my opinion, FriendFeed (a social aggregation and sharing service) just changed the numbers game forever. I believe that the Feedburner.com number for blog owners is the key to everything. It's more important than your Twitter following, your LinkedIn contacts and your Facebook friends. The reason is simply because it measures the stickyness of your brand and the reader loyalty. If you have thousands of readers, then more people will subscribe and you will be able to get more perks as a blogger and money from advertisers.

FriendFeed just announced that the number of friends you have count towards this Feedburner.com number. This is a major deal! Basically, what this does is build your perception/brand as a blogger, as long as you invest time in developing your FriendFeed follower base. For instance, Louis Gray, who had almost 10,000 followers on FriendFeed, now has over 14,000 blog subscribers. In effect, this helps build Louis's brand and anyone else who invested their time in FriendFeed. If you aren't on FriendFeed, then claim FriendFeed.com/yourname right now and start participating.

On another note, if Louis or someone else on FriendFeed were to add your blog feed URL to their account, your numbers would increase as well. For corporate accounts, such as FriendFeed.com/EMCCorp, all corporate bloggers will gain this benefit (Disclaimer: I work at EMC).

The downfall of a number-driven world

The problem with the numbers game is that having a large number doesn't mean that people are engaged. Since both Twitter and FriendFeed call for "information dumping," your tweets and messages on FriendFeed aren't always read (hat tip to @stu). When it comes to blogs, there is a good chance one of your readers will read your entire post, when they might not have even seen it on FriendFeed.

Therefore, FriendFeed subscribers aren't as valuable as blog or email subscribers, yet they carry the same number weight.

The truth about how to get numbers

So now you're wondering how you can build up your subscriber base so that you too can be successful. Here are some strategies that I've been using:

1. Follow people: On Twitter, I recommend that you find other people in your industry who provide similar value and follow all of their followers, up to 1,000 per day. For Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and FriendFeed, I recommend that you import all contacts on these social networks, as well as your email and instant messaging contacts.
2. Promote: Get custom URL's for your social networks and cross-promote them when necessary. Put the URL in your presentations and other marketing collateral, as well as your email signature and blog or website. If you write a guest post for a blog, then include your Twitter name in your bio with a link.
3. Build community: By being an active member of communities online, people will get to know you, and your reward is that they will help promote your brand to others. You should seek to become known for providing certain resources to your community, so people go to you first.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 10:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke with Steve Miller, who is a marketing consultant, speaker and blogger. In this interview, Steve talks about what social media tools he uses for personal branding, his opinion on Twitter and it's future, strategies Gen-Y should use to stand out and more.

Which social media tools do you rely on to build your personal brand?

Just social media? The primary tools I use, in order of importance, are blogging, video sharing (YouTube, Viddler, etc.), and Twitter. I am mildly active on LinkedIn and Facebook.

I am basically a strategic marketing guy. The problem is there are about six million of us out there begging to get hired. In order to separate myself from that crowd, I decided many years ago to regularly communicate with my target market via tools like newsletters, articles, speeches, audio, and video. My goal with these was to share my "voice" and my "thinking" to the exact right people as much as possible. As you say, Dan, I was building my own "personal brand."

The advent of social media was like a gift from heaven. Here was an opportunity to go beyond the traditional one-way communication to an interactive dialogue with my market. I started my blog, Two Hat Marketing, in September 2006 as a replacement for my printed newsletter. I've eventually added videos and now Twitter, which gives me a great Mix. Each is different, but the combination really allows me to show off my personality and opinions.

Do you think twitter is a fad that is losing steam, or will it be bigger than Facebook?

I don't think it's an either/or situation. I just see them both as arrows in my quiver. For years, we marketers have relied on tools like direct mail, advertising, telemarketing, teleconferencing, trade shows, newsletters, and promotions to build our brands. Then the Internet hit and all of a sudden we're given a myriad of new choices - text-based email, html-based email, websites, landing pages, blogs, webinars, podcasts, and now social media. They're just more arrows for my quiver. As a marketer it's my job to find out which ones (old and new) create the best combination for communicating with my prospects and clients.

Will Twitter lose steam? Probably. We saw MySpace's growth hockey stick up a short time ago. Then Facebook came charging into the picture with a slightly different model. It blew by MySpace and became the media darling.

The media gets bored easily, so when something unique came along (Twitter) and a few well-known celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, it hit the flash point. The question went beyond, "What are doing right now," to "How many followers can you get?" Now spamming is pretty normal.

I think we'll see most of the easily-bored celebrities drop out soon and, I hope, we'll figure out a way to control the spammers. But Twitter is a terrific tool. I really like the way it makes me think concisely and forces me to say something interesting or valuable. My followers tell me if I'm accomplishing that.

I don't think Twitter is the final stop, either. Something new will come along that goes a step farther. It always does.

What strategies should Gen-Y use to build their personal brand and market themselves through twitter, facebook and other sites?

Here's where I get to talk about on of my strategic marketing foundational concepts. I'm an advocate that the purpose of marketing is to be on the mind of the prospect when the prospect is ready to buy. This simple statement actually says a lot. What does this have to do with personal branding? Everything.

First, you must be very clear about who your prospect is. If you're answer is, "Everybody needs my product/service!" then my advice is don't quit your day job. Find your niche. Second, the reason you will be on their mind is because you've shared something with them that resonates. It joins the conversation going on in their mind and also clicks as being different than every other option available.

The one thing we cannot control is timing. WHEN is the prospect going to be ready to buy? We don't know. But what we can do is be top of mind when that moment comes. I often ask my audiences, "When a lightning bolt strikes your prospect on the head and he goes, 'Aha, I NEED that product/service!" does he think of you FIRST? Does he think of you SECOND? Does he think of you AT ALL?"

Social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook allow you to share yourself. You can tell stories. You can write OpEd pieces. You can talk about how you've solved problems for other clients. You can survey your prospects and learn what's keeping them up a night. You can get happy clients to spread the word about what a fantastic consultant/speaker/suppliers you are. All of these help build your brand, or even better, your myth.

Tell us what's new, what's next, and what's important.

What time is it? Seems like something new comes out every day now. I'm not privy to any brand new tools at the moment, but I will share something I feel is really important.

Obviously, your readers are concerned about their personal brands. As I mentioned above, I work hard to position myself as far away from my competition as possible. It's not enough to be a little bit different, or faster, or better. I firmly believe you've got to position yourself as delivering something that no one else can deliver. You've got to work hard to OWN a position in the prospect's mind that stands ALONE. In addition, that position must be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to copy.

Clearly, this is difficult to do, but you must work hard to get there. I would also say that while you might be able to develop a particular product or service that is hard to copy. But the reality is, technology today is making easier and easier to copy. Most of the time, the way you separate yourself is through intangible differences. In my case, there are several obvious intangibles that make me different. For example, I have a set of Rules that all clients must comply with.

You might argue these are easy to copy. They are not. I took ownership of this type of positioning many years ago and have made them a focal point in communications with my market. If anybody tries to copy them (and some people have), the market instantly knows they stole it from me. In every case so far, my competition has eventually dropped the imitation. I could go on with other examples, but I hope you get the point. Don't just look for ways to make your product or service better than the competition. Look for intangible ways to be perceived in the prospects' minds HOW and WHY you are different.

Is your work always "serious fun"? How do you achieve that?

The stock answer is, "Of course it's always serious fun!" But that would be a lie. It's mostly fun. You can't get away from the crap you don't like. All you can do is minimize it. My philosophy is that I built this business for ME. If I'm not having fun most of the time, then what's the point?

The rule here is: I take my clients and their problems very serious, but I don't take myself serious. However, one of the things my clients learn about me is it's really difficult for me to be serious for a long time. As a result, regardless of the situation or who the client is, eventually I go off track. I'm very irreverent and operate a no-spin zone.

Not everybody understands or accepts this attitude, which is fine. I only want to work with people who don't mind someone who wants to kill their sacred cows. This makes it fun for me and, in the end, better for my clients. You may also notice, this is an important part of my personal branding.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 10:01 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The last thing any internship or entry-level job seeker wants to do is send out a resume that has typos. Even one could make or break a candidate's chances of landing a great job. Right? Well, maybe not, according to Lance Haun in his article, The HR Guy is Over Your Spelling Mistakes. Though he admits that he, too, was among the many HR professionals who would voice his displeasure over typos in a resume, he has since gotten over being so picky and he advises his colleagues to do the same.

He concedes that writers, editors and PR people should absolutely have irreproachable resumes because proofreading is a huge part of their jobs. He then goes on to point out that "99% of the time, we are not hiring writers. We are hiring mechanics or sales people or biologists or veterinarians or police officers. It is our job, the HR or recruiting pro, to see past these surface difficiencies and figure out what these people are truly talented at. Even if that means suffering through a couple there/their/they're or then/than or insure/ensure/assure. Poor us, right?"

Haun defends his colleagues (and himself) for using typos as a way to screen candidates because it's hard to know whether someone is a good fit until he actually begins to work and interact with his new coworkers. So they - the HR professionals - err on the side of caution and eliminate candidates who have typos on their resumes or who trip up during their interviews. The danger of this practice, Haun says, is that someone who made a mistake on his resume might actually be perfect for the job and the company, while the candidate with the perfect resume is better suited for something else, somewhere else. "[I]t takes much more courage to stand up for a candidate that misses the mark on spelling but may be brilliant at their job," he admits, "than a candidate that looks great on paper but is as vanilla as a sundae without the toppings."

In Haun's opinion, hiring someone who is a top performer is more important than worrying over spelling errors, which aren't always caught by spell check. And he puts his colleagues on notice, telling them that he will overlook the spelling errors that drive them nuts and hire - right out from under them - the best and brightest candidates for the company or companies he represents.

It should be noted that Haun speaks only for himself and it's recommended that, whether or not an internship or entry-level job seeker is a writing major or professional, it's a good idea to do everything possible to ensure that his resume is error free.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 7:34 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Some educators have expressed an appreciation for the irony of experienced instructors who have had to learn about social media later in their careers teaching it to younger students who have grown up in an Internet environment. Despite what may seem to be somewhat of a disadvantage, the experienced teacher brings life lessons and the ability to guide students in a positive direction no matter the topic being taught. The following tips, tools, and resources can assist any teacher with the basics about social media and ways to share that information with students.

Tips and Resources for Educators

From tips on combating fear of social media to tools and articles to help guide you, these resources will get you off to a good start. Continue reading ...

Article courtesy of Teachingdegree.org

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 24, 2009 at 6:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

This article is a continuation of the article titled 'The art of critical thinking - An introduction'.

These ideas represent just a few of the many ways in which disciplined thinkers actively apply theory of mind - to the mind - by the mind, in order to think better. In these examples, we focus on the significance of thinking clearly, sticking to the point (thinking with relevance), questioning deeply, and striving to be more reasonable. For each example, we provide a brief overview of the idea and its importance in thinking, along with strategies for applying it in life. It is important that you understand these as a sampling of all the possible ways in which the mind can work to discipline itself to think at a higher level of quality and function better in the world.

Clarify Your Thinking

Our own thinking usually seems clear to us, even when it is not. But vague, ambiguous, muddled, deceptive, or misleading thinking are significant problems in human life. If we are to develop as thinkers, we must learn the art of clarifying thinking, of pinning it down, spelling it out, and giving it a specific meaning.

Strategies for clarifying thinking:

• State one point at a time
• Elaborate on what you mean
• Give examples that connect your thoughts to life experiences
• Use analogies and metaphors to help people connect your ideas to a variety of things

they already understand (for example, critical thinking is like an onion. There are many layers to it. Just when you think you have it basically figured out, you realize there is another layer, and then another, and another and on and on)

Here is One Format You Can Use:

• I think . . . (state your main point)
• In other words . . . (elaborate your main point)
• For example . . . (give an example of your main point)
• To give you an analogy . . . (give an illustration of your main point)

To Clarify Other People's Thinking, consider asking the following:

• Can you restate your point in other words? I didn't understand you.
• Can you give an example?
• Let me tell you what I understand you to be saying. Did I understand you correctly?

Stick to the Point

When thinking is relevant, it is focused on the main task at hand. It selects what is germane, pertinent, and related. It is on the alert for everything that connects to the issue. It sets aside what is immaterial, inappropriate, extraneous, and beside the point. What is relevant directly bears upon (helps solve) the problem you are trying to solve. When thinking drifts away from what is relevant, it needs to be brought back to what truly makes a difference. Undisciplined thinking is often guided by associations (this reminds me of that, that reminds me of this other thing) rather than what is logically connected ("If a and b are true, then c must also be true").

Ask these questions to make sure thinking is focused on what is relevant:

• Am I focused on the main problem or task?
• How is this connected? How is that?
• Does my information directly relate to the problem or task?
• Where do I need to focus my attention?
• Are we being diverted to unrelated matters?
• Am I failing to consider relevant viewpoints?
• How is your point relevant to the issue we are addressing?
• What facts are actually going to help us answer the question? What considerations should be set aside?
• Does this truly bear on the question? How does it connect?

Question Questions

Most people are not skilled questioners. Most accept the world as it is presented to them. And when they do question, their questions are often superficial or "loaded." Their questions do not help them solve their problems or make better decisions. Good thinkers routinely ask questions in order to understand and effectively deal with the world around them. They question the status quo. They know that things are often different from the way they are presented. Their questions penetrate images, masks, fronts, and propaganda. Their questions make real problems explicit and discipline their thinking through those problems. If you become a student of questions, you can learn to ask powerful questions that lead to a deeper and more fulfilling life. Your questions become more basic, essential, and deep.

Strategies for formulating more powerful questions:

• Whenever you don't understand something, ask a question of clarification.
• Whenever you are dealing with a complex problem, formulate the question you are trying to answer in several different ways (being as precise as you can) until you hit upon the way that best addresses the problem.
• Whenever you plan to discuss an important issue or problem, write out in advance the most significant questions you think need to be addressed in the discussion. Be ready to change the main question, but once made clear, help those in the discussion stick to the question, making sure the dialogue builds toward an answer that makes sense.

Be Reasonable

Be on the lookout for reasonable and unreasonable behaviors -- yours and others. Notice when you are unwilling to listen to the views of others, when you simply see yourself as right and others as wrong. Ask yourself at those moments whether their views might have any merit. See if you can break through your defensiveness to hear what they are saying. Notice unreasonableness in others. Identify times when people use language that makes them appear reasonable, though their behaviour proves them to be otherwise. Try to figure out why you, or others, are being unreasonable. Might you have a vested interested in not being open-minded? Might they?

One of the hallmarks of a critical thinker is the disposition to change one's mind when given good reason to change. Good thinkers want to change their thinking when they discover better thinking. They can be moved by reason. Yet, comparatively few people are reasonable. Few are willing to change their minds once set. Few are willing to suspend their beliefs to fully hear the views of those with which they disagree. How would you rate yourself?

Realize That You are Being Close-Minded If You:

a. are unwilling to listen to someone's reasons
b. are irritated by the reasons people give you
c. become defensive during a discussion

After you catch yourself being close-minded, analyze what was going on in your mind by completing these statements:

a. I realize I was being close-minded in this situation because . .
b. The thinking I was trying to hold onto is . . .
c. Thinking that is potentially better is . . .
d. This thinking is better because . . .

Guest Post by Amit Puri is the Managing Consultant, at Sandbox Advisors. He has over 10 years of business, career services and HR related experience, with companies such as Bain & Co, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. Sandbox Advisors is based in Singapore and provides career management and HR consulting services in Asia.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Daily Biz Solutions.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 3:13 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

"Accountability breeds response-ability," according to author and productivity guru, Stephen R. Covey. Yet, one of the most prevalent and dangerous accountability shifting techniques still in place with business today is what's been coined as "The Blame Game."

The Blame Game is sneaky. It is played on conference calls, in one on one's with our managers, in staff meetings. It can be subtle, an effective distracter from the real issues before us, the real challenges and problems we're trying to solve.

Most importantly, it also can destroy our credibility long-term, and certainly damage - sometimes irreparably - the relationships we have with clients, customers and colleagues alike.

What is the Blame Game, you ask? The Blame Game is when we fail, when we don't deliver on expectations, and instead of really stepping up and investing our energy into solving the problem, we get mired down into pulling reports, finding data, building the case that it was all (insert name here)'s fault.

In the back of your mind, some of you may be thinking: 'Wait a minute, it's not blaming if it's REALLY someone else's fault. It wasn't my fault I missed the service level agreement this month, I mean who could have predicted half my team would end up sick. Or that the client was going to run that ad campaign without giving us enough notice.'

However, if you're thinking this, you have unwittingly fallen into the sticky trap of The Blame Game. Do you think your client really cares what the reason is for you missing the performance metric? Probably not. Let's face it - our jobs are to get the job done. To get results. To deliver on what we've committed to our customers and our clients. That is the implicit contract of business and their clients and/or customers.

Of course, that's not to say that results must be accomplished at the cost of everything else. Obviously, the solution would not be to threaten your sick employees on fear of job loss to come to work. That would be equally disastrous, for other reasons!

Stopping the Blame Game means taking a good, honest, hard look at where you have missed the mark. When did you not meet expectations? And, did you offer up an excuse, a finger point of blame to something "outside of your control" instead of investing your energy to find a solution to accomplish what you needed?

Did you ask for help? Did you brainstorm with colleagues on alternative solutions? Did you call the client immediately and see if perhaps they could add insight into the situation that you had perhaps not considered? Did you roll-up your sleeve and go to the front-line, setting an example and helping firsthand?

Sadly, despite all of this, sure - there will be times that even with our best efforts, we will fail. We can even do all the right things and STILL miss the mark. And when this happens, our biggest responsibility is to try and not let it happen again. We have to own the solution, own the future, and take full accountability without shifting the blame away from ourselves.

You may not be able to control everything in a situation, but chances are you can control a lot more than you think. Use those levers to drive your performance, capitalize on the relationships you have (strengthened by working together in crisis, and not attacking each other in blaming), get creative, and set yourself apart as a team builder who gets the job done.

Because while you might get away with playing the Blame Game once or twice, in time it will catch up to you. Your client, your boss, or your company will start to lose faith in your ability to accomplish the work. You have to deliver on your part of the work contract - with the results. You have to do what you said you could do, and excuses - as real as they may seem to be - aren't going to cut it.

Article by Channon C. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 2:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Article provided by Brand-Yourself.com

Every day, people's lives are drastically changing because of their online brand. Some of these changes are heart warming success stories - others, not so much. Tatsuya Nakagawa, CEO of Atomica Creative Group, was right on when he said, "Donald Trump may have gone out and trademarked the term 'You're Fired', but he is going to have a hard time competing with Facebook."

Here's the story of one women who lost her job after 8 years because of an "inappropriate photo" (see below) she posted on her personal blog. The photo really isn't all that scandalous, in fact, I would say around 70% of Facebook profile photos would easily beat her out on the scandalous scale. The photo was, however, enough to get her fired, and stories like this are becoming more and more plentiful. So watch your online presence closely, because if you don't, your employer (or potential employer) sure will.

Here is Ellen Simonetti's story:

"My name is Ellen Simonetti, but I am better known to Web surfers as the Queen of Sky.

I had been a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines for almost eight years when I started my blog, or online diary, in January of this year. I entitled it "Diary of a Flight Attendant."

On Saturday, Sept. 25, I came home to flashing messages on my answering machine.

'Ellen, I need you to call me back. It's about your trip tomorrow,' repeated the urgent-sounding voice on the tape.

The voice was that of a Delta Air Lines in-flight supervisor. I immediately dialed the number on the messages, thinking perhaps my Rome flight the next day had been canceled. What the supervisor told me, however, left me shocked and sick to my stomach. The reason I started my blog in the first place was as a form of therapy.

'You won't be able to fly your trip tomorrow...it's about some pictures on the Web.'"

Is Booting an Employee Based on Their Personal Life Illegal?

Many people throw their hands up in he air in desperation, crying, "isn't snooping social profiles a restriction of free speech, isn't it discrimination to not hire someone based on what you find about their personal life?" The bad news is that in many cases, there is no legal means of redress if you've been fired because of online content. Whether it be blogging, Facebook, or Twitter: it's essentially fair game for employers because it's so hard to bring a case against them.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation states on its post How to Blog Safely that, "while your right to free speech is protected by the First Amendment, this protection does not shield you from the consequences of what you say. The First Amendment protects speech from being censored by the government; it does not regulate what private parties (such as most employers) do. In states with 'at will' employment laws like California, employers can fire you at any time, for any reason. And no state has laws that specifically protect bloggers from discrimination, on the job or otherwise."

In fact, some employers are even FORCING employees to hand over their digital dirt. For instance, if you want to work for the city of Bozeman in Montana, you better be ready to provide log-in information and passwords for social networks you're on.

The application form states, "Please list any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc."

That's some pretty controversial, scary stuff. Welcome to the new age of the web. The good news is, people who recognize this shift can utilize the internet to get hired and market themselves.

Stay tuned for our next post later this week highlighting some people on the other side of spectrum who have actually been sought out by employers because of their personal brand online.

Article by, Evan Watson and courtesy of Brand-Yourself.com for actionable tips to put you in a position of power in the job market

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 1:39 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When considering the cost of a resume service, consider first what you have gone through to get where you are. Assuming you have a college degree, then you have spent tens of thousands of dollars on your education so why would you skimp now. Though you may be extremely good at what you do, you may not be able to adequately write a resume that expresses your strengths in a way that employers want to see them. This is nothing to be ashamed of as few can put in words what a professional resume service can.

Knowing how much a resume service should cost is really a matter of what you are expecting from that resume service. Resume services can range from very little money to huge amounts and each resume service will offer a variety of services for you to choose from. While price is important, you should not go with the cheapest resume service you can find as they will undoubtedly do a sub-par job and thus cost you potential interviews. Here is a look at what should be considered when contemplating the cost of a resume service:

• Capabilities: A good resume service should not only be able to write you an amazing resume, but it should also provide you with a cover letter and personal statements. Make sure that the resume service you decide to go with has all of these things online and plenty of samples for you to look at before you give them any money.
• Personal Touches: With any resume service you are paying for, you should have direct access to the person who is actually writing your resume for you both by telephone and by e-mail. It is after all your resume and having direct contact with an actual person allows you to give the most amount of feedback possible to ensure your resume comes out the best it can.
• Ease of use: make sure that the resume service you go with has easy to use interactive worksheets for you to fill out about yourself. If you go with a resume service that has a jumbled and confusing worksheet, then chances are that is exactly how your resume will turn out.

Now that you know what to look for, exactly how much should your resume service cost you? The prices for resume service will of course vary from company to company and it is a very competitive business. This is to your advantage. There are some resume services that have prices starting at just over $100 and there are others that will charge you up to $700. When it comes down to your choice, you have to make sure that all your concerns are addressed and that you will be happy with the services provided by the resume service company. Once you are comfortable with what is offered, find some more resume service companies with the same services being offered and then do your comparative shopping. Whatever you do, never go with the cheapest resume service you can find that offers you the world, because if it looks too good to be true, that is probably because it is.

Whether you are fresh out of college or just looking for a new beginning, your resume is the tool that will market you to all your potential future employers. You owe it to yourself to do your homework and ensure that if you cannot write your resume adequately that you seek the help of a resume service and find one that fits both your needs and your cost budget as well. With the proper resume service in your corner, you will land more interviews and ultimately your dream job.

Read reviews and compare prices of the best resume services.

Posted by Jason K on June 23, 2009 at 12:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Years ago I had a job that was seriously driving me crazy. I awoke each weekday morning already disappointed about having to spend 8 hours (make that 10 hours on most days) doing work that I didn't have an interest in, or that I felt was a waste of my valuable time. I felt sluggish in my office while I trudged through work that I found tedious and unchallenging, and depressed by the time I got home, where I drowned my frustrations in a glass of wine (or two, depending on the day). What was causing me to feel this way, and in fact, what leads lots of people to feel unsatisfied and frustrated at work? (That's the subject of a later article, so stay tuned). The question to answer here is, how do you prevent yourself from going completely batty at work?

In my case, my main problem was that I felt like I was losing my mind in a job I didn't like, and was desperate for all the help I could get to help me survive it. I wish I had known then what I know now. What I've learned over the years, through my own experiences and by observing and helping others, are some sure-fire ways to keep your sanity at work, and maximize productivity at the same time.

1 - Organize Your Time and Value Every Minute

The first way to keep your sanity at work is to try organizing the time in your workday so that every minute counts. Sometimes I am woefully ashamed to admit that I have kept my daily tasks and to-do lists organized in a daily journal since I was a freshman in high school. However, I am proud to say that organizing my time and planning out my tasks for the day in this way has helped me to stay productive throughout my professional life, and I highly recommend it.

Sometimes just having a plan, whether you execute it perfectly or not, can alleviate the stress that you might be feeling at the beginning of a work day. It keeps you focused, and helps you prioritize the things in your head that need to get done. So when Sally next door pops her head into your office and drops a bombshell corporate announcement that you know will require some action on your part, you already have a mental image of what you had planned for the day, or week, and how this new task might fit in.

2 - Identify your Optimum Work Style

Another thing that will help you keep your cool at work is to determine if you work best by multi-tasking or by focusing on one thing at a time. Knowing your work style and how it impacts your productivity is something that each of us has to learn, hopefully early, in our professional lives. Some people work best when they can focus on one task or project at a time, and get flustered and ornery when they're interrupted or asked to stop and focus on something else. Others happily grind away at several projects at once, working on each a little at a time, and get bored if there's not enough variety in their work day. Figure out what works best for you, and then try to organize each day so that you can work in a way that's less likely to get you all flustered. If you feel yourself moving in the opposite direction, then take a step back and refocus yourself to stay on a productivity track that matches your work style.

3 - Relax and Reward Yourself

Speaking of taking a step back and refocusing, there's nothing like a good old-fashioned break to help you transition from one project to the next, almost as a mini-award for a job well done. I'm not talking about the long-ago popular fifteen minute morning and afternoon breaks from days of workplace yore, but other types of breaks that you can tailor according to your personal interests. By taking small breaks that help you regenerate your mind in between finishing one task or project and starting the next one, you will do wonders for your psyche and your productivity. Some of the ways you can do this:

1) spend a couple minutes surfing the internet - check out CNN or Bloomberg to find out what's going on in the world, or read the latest company newsletter to catch up on new hires or who got promoted; 2) phone or email a friend, and catch up with a brief chat about plans for Friday night; 3) take a walk around your office and visit a co-worker to complement their support on a project you worked on together, or take a walk outside and breathe in some fresh air; 4) take a few minutes doing a mini-meditation somewhere quiet, and then get a refill of green tea or ice water. Whatever you do, ignore the conventional wisdom that says it's a no-no to engage in 'non-work' activities at work.

Make sure that you're not abusing company policy or engaging in activities that take more than a few minutes to complete. But if doing any of these things, within reason, each day helps you boost your productivity and feel more calm and in control of your day and your time, go for it. A workday without time to reflect and re-engage is for drones and computers. A carefully planned day with time to take stock of what you've accomplished and what lies ahead, is for smart professionals that have learned how to make every minute count.

4 - Talk it Out

The fourth way to keep your sanity at work is to communicate, communicate, and communicate. Have a quick laugh with the co-worker who's always got a joke up his sleeve. Walk around the office to see your boss or a co-worker you respect, and lightheartedly tell him or her that you're stressed and need a 5-minute mental health break. Without complaining, honestly share your frustrations and maybe even ask for advice. Everyone has work frustrations, and sometimes the most unexpected sympathizers can be your best supporters when times get tough.

5 - Call it a Day

Finally, when the day has passed beyond the point of being bearable and you feel like you just can't take it anymore, go home. Don't leave so early that you appear wimpy, but when it gets to be a reasonable hour, just leave. Leave the office and all of your frustrations there. The moment you exit the building, accept that the day is done and tomorrow you can try again. Sometimes we all need to remind ourselves that there is a limit to how much can be done in one day, and then the mind needs to rest.

Years after I left that job I swore was driving me crazy, I found that if I could muster the strength to remind myself every now and then how good I was, how truly capable of success I was when I maximized the use of my time, then soon I learned to close my eyes, breathe in deeply, and let the insanity drift away (until tomorrow).

Melanie Haniph is an HR professional who has worked in several organizations throughout the US and Europe during her career, and continues to practice HR. She writes articles that provide no-nonsense, commonsense advice about achieving job success and managing top-flight career growth.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 10:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Bringing perspective to a drawing or painting is all about the vanishing point, with lines that would be parallel in real life drawn to intersect at the same point on the horizon.

Taking a similar approach to concerns you may have about your career won't necessarily make them disappear, but it will help you see these issues in a new way.

Here are 4 tips to help you do just that:

1. Look up, preferably at night. Depending on your geographic location, you could also look at the mountains or listen to the ocean. The important thing is to remind yourself of the vastness of nature. Your problems can't help but seem smaller as a result.
2. Remember there's solidarity in numbers. Unemployment numbers are higher than they've been for some time, and the shaky economy is forcing even more to adjust their career plans. Awareness of others' misfortunes won't alter your circumstance, but it should remind you that you're not alone.
3. Remember your near and dear ones. Hopefully you already see yourself as more than the sum total of the bullet points on your resume. Let go of your concerns for a while and connect with your friends and family.
4. Articulate your values. Putting anything in perspective is all about defining the context. When it comes to creating the context for your career, nothing less than a clear understanding of what's most important to you will do. Try making a list of what really matters to you. When you see how many things other than work make that list, your concerns will start vanishing in the distance.

What techniques have worked for you?

Article by, Danielle D. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 10:49 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Last week, I was almost finished getting ready to go out with friends when I had a moment of pure horror. Not the kind from scary movies, the kind of horror that only occurs when you look in the mirror 10 minutes before a friend is supposed to pick you up and realize your hair is purple.

Earlier that day, I'd had a brilliant idea in the shower and dashed out (with purple conditioner in hair) to write it down before rinsing. That (apparently) was a BAD idea.

So, with a friend due to arrive at any moment, I sprinted back to the shower and desperately tried to undo the catastrophe on my head. I only made one stop on the way: to send out a quick tweet about it.

Why did I do that? Not because I document every second of my life on Twitter (I don't). I did it because accidentally dying my hair purple is pretty darn ridiculous and I thought someone would probably get a kick out of it. (And they did!)

Be real - be you

So many people out there try to be so perfect online. They keep their online profiles clean of any potentially-incriminating details and go over everything 500 times before they hit publish. They airbrush their online persona and keep up the professional veneer at all times.I can understand that. With so much potentially at stake, you want your online presence to be as travel-brochure-perfect as possible. No dirty pools or cloudy skies, right?

Except no one actually is perfect. We all have bad hair days and failures. We all say the wrong thing at times, and create chaos. Everyone knows that perfection is a myth.

Now, I'm not telling you to go wild and hang your dirty laundry all over your website or Facebook profile. We don't need to see the picture of you chugging beer at a college frat party without your clothes on. And it's not a good idea to completely eliminate the censure from your writings. You still do have to have respect for your personal brand.

But you should admit you're human online. Don't be afraid to put up pictures of yourself out with friends or drenched in sweat after finishing your 1st (or 43rd) triathlon. Talk about your disappointments and celebrate your successes. And definitely laugh at yourself when you do something incredibly ridiculous - such as accidentally coloring your hair purple.

Sharing more is authentic

This won't destroy your personal brand. In my experiences, sharing more of yourself will actually help it!

From all I post online, I get the best responses when I let people in. They laugh when I accidentally dye my hair, or get confused ordering pizza in a strange land and end up with hot peppers instead of pepperoni. They cheer with me when something great happens, and lend support when I'm having a hard time.

People like what I write... but they love my stories and the glimpses I give them into my life. It's those personal touches that really draw them into my blog, and get to remember me. And from what I've seen with other bloggers who incorporate their lives into their professional blogging, it works for them too.

When you let people in, you don't necessarily have to share the stupid things you do. Especially if you don't invoke Murphy's Law as much as I do. But do share what makes you human. Give your blog some elements of your personality, let people see some more casual photos and let them know that you're human.

Do this because when people actually hire, they don't work with your finely-airbrushed resume. They work with you.

So let them know what they can expect.

Katie Konrath writes about creativity, innovation and "ideas so fresh... they should be slapped!" at www.getFreshMinds.com.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 9:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Robin Wauters, who is best known as a TechCrunch writer based in Europe. In this interview, Robin talks to us about his annual social media conference, other projects that he's working on, how social media is different in various countries, and his thought on personal branding.

You organize an annual conference called Plugg, which beings social media innovators from all over Europe together. What kinds of things have you learned from past conferences?

This is the second year I've organized Plugg, which I started sort of on a whim after I noticed European web conference organizers tend to invite a lot of U.S.-based entrepreneurs and pundits - which is fine, of course, but it speaks volumes about our tendency to play down our own achievements and role models. I wanted to show Europeans that this continent effectively has a number of advantages over regions like Silicon Valley, India and China (the traditional hotbeds for technology upstarts) and that we can build great companies here too, although we face a number of challenges that need to be discussed thoroughly so we can all learn from it.

On a related note, I've been amazed by the quality of startups who submit their profile for a chance to compete in our pitching competition. When you scratch the surface, there's a lot of innovation happening in Europe that most observers aren't even aware of. I'm hoping Plugg changes that, even if in just a small way.

Can you tell us about some of the other projects you work on, like Oxynade and Talking Heads?

Oxynade is an international, venture capital backed startup based in Ghent that interested me from the very first moment I caught wind of it (it was co-founded by an ex-colleague of mine). I kinda got involved in the starting phase and became a small shareholder while at the same time helping the company get off the ground in terms of marketing, PR and general strategy. The company basically makes it possible to aggregate hyper-local event information from across Europe and matches this with a robust online ticketing solution, which makes the startup both a content player (selling calendar event information to media groups) and a technology / service provider (making it possible for event organizers to spread the word about their events and sell more tickets via the web).

As for Talking Heads, there's not a lot to say about the company yet. It's a conversational marketing agency based in and focused on Belgium. We're the first company of our kind here in Belgium, and even though we've only started a couple of months ago, we see a tremendous amount of interest in social media from companies, government, non-profit organizations and individuals alike. Talking Heads basically helps them get started and guides them along the way to a more conversational marketing approach made possible by new technologies and social networking services.

As editor at TechCrunch, you probably have access to and review all kinds of social networking sites. Which ones do you think are the best or most important? Are there any that we should know about?

The ones you hear most about today are the ones that matter. It's that simple. I don't think there are going to be any newcomers who are going to become a threat to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn in their respective fields any time soon. Of course, I do remember what happened to Friendster and I'm always curious about new social networks, particularly when they target niches. I think there's still a lot more ground that can be covered in the field of lifestreaming, although again I think the dominant social networks will figure out a way to best cater for those looking for that type of service, leaving little breathing room for upcoming community sites.

How is social media used differently in Europe than in the US?

Quite frankly, I don't think there's that much difference. That said, I think it's wrong to look at Europe as a whole when it comes to the way we use social media. For example, if you'd compare the way Scandinavians - both commercial entities and persons - deal with social media compared to people from Spain, Italy or Greece, you'll notice differences based on their respective cultures. That said, in general people just tend to do the same thing online anywhere in the world: share thoughts, photos, videos and news, and plan offline social activities with friends and family.

With the growth of web 2.0, do you see a growth in importance of using personal branding to stand out from the crowd?

What's Web 2.0?

Perhaps surprisingly, I was never a big believer in personal branding until I witnessed first-hand what doors can open when you manage to market yourself effectively on the web. I started blogging because I saw a friend land a great job because of his blog, actually, and that kind of opened my eyes at the time. That said, as with everything, if you want to stand out from the crowd you have to have an ability that makes you stand out from the crowd. No amount of personal branding will make you more interesting if you're not an interesting person, and people are not stupid. Let your actions, the services you launch, the products you create, etc. speak for themselves and look at personal branding as an extra (unless of course that's the centerpiece of your business).

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 9:46 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

To continue earning during these tough economic times, freelance writers have to be versatile and creative - just like regular job seekers. One way to show versatility is by retooling previously published print articles so that they're appropriate for the Internet.

John K. Borchardt, in his article for The Writer magazine, Rewrite Print Articles for the Web, explains how freelance writers can increase their earning potential by understanding how to write for the Internet.

Borchardt's first piece of advice pertains to understanding how people read when they're online. They tend to scan articles, looking for salient points that will tell them quickly whether or not a particular article will satisfy their needs. Keywords and bold section headings will help them to do that.

Next, he advises keeping the articles short, between 300-700 words, because "readers often have shorter attention spans with Web articles than print pieces."

Updating sources and adding links will make old articles current and relevant to new readers.

Formatting is also important when converting print articles for the Web. Borchardt recommends putting the main message of the article on the first page because readers tend to lose patience when they have to look for it.

Section heads should be easy to understand, especially when articles are "several screens in length."

Besides adding links to related pages, writers can also add photos and other graphics, video and audio to their articles to make them more appealing to Internet readers. Having plenty of white space keeps the pages looking open and bright and inviting.

Finally, Borchardt cautions writers to first make sure that they own the copyrights to the articles they want to adapt for the Web.

Maintaining a steady income as a freelance writer has become much tougher now that the economy is in a downturn, but a little bit of creative adaptation can make old articles new again ... and marketable for the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 23, 2009 at 7:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The financial crisis that began in 2008 continues to unfold in unprecedented ways, thereby presenting business leaders with incredible challenges. How does one manage in such a crisis-laden environment? Here are "Ten Things To Do" based on my 40+ years in business.

#1 -- Get the truth out on the table. You need to begin with an open, honest, candid assessment of the facts. Sometimes the truth can be ugly, but you're not in a position to deal with it until you get it out on the table. Making unrealistic assumptions only will prompt inaction, with things getting worse before they get better. Get out in front of the problem.

#2 -- Establish standards for the new reality. When markets collapse, you can't be sure how far they will fall, but you can establish an expectation for how your company will perform relative to whatever happens. At Saatchi & Saatchi, even though our revenue may be down year to year, we expect to outperform the market by 50%. This sets a high standard for our people. We also recognize that there will be margin pressures, but we expect to "draw the line" at X%", in order to preserve our financial profile for the future. This implies tight management of costs at the same time we aim to outperform the market.

#3 -- Think long term; Act short term. Downturns in the economy present the opportunity for far-sighted companies to go for share of market. Inevitably, some of your competitors will pull back when times get tough. Take advantage of this to position your enterprise to gain when the inevitable market rebound takes place.

#4 -- Communicate, communicate, communicate. This is the time to increase the frequency of your internal communications and heighten your personal presence in front of the organization. People are understandably nervous and sometimes scared during uncertain times. Now is the opportunity to rally the troops and give them reassurance that your company will be out in front in dealing with what needs to be done.

#5 -- Get "All hands on deck." Tough times call for extraordinary efforts on the part of every employee. You can't get the job done alone. Now is the time to enlist every person in doing whatever must be done to ensure survival and prosperity. Outhustling your competition is the surest path to gaining share of market.

#6 -- Get out with customers. Heightening your interaction with customers will keep you tuned in to their needs and give you constant feedback regarding where the environment is headed. Meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations are the two sure pathways to success.

#7 -- Stay true to what made you great in the first place. Most high performing companies got that way for a reason. Now is not the time to lose sight of this. Toyota has achieved success in the U.S. car market through innovation and continuous improvement. Despite the current downtrend in auto sales, they are innovating by introducing the Venza, and putting into the marketplace the third generation improvement for the Prius. These are the kind of actions that will keep them out in front.

#8 -- Reframe value for the new environment. Marketers should reassess their messages for relevance in the current economic conditions. Tide always has been the best laundry detergent, but in this environment, it doesn't hurt to remind consumers that its color integrity feature keeps new clothes looking new longer. For Olay it's relevant to mention that the cost of Olay pales in comparison to more invasive or surgical procedures.

#9 -- Add/Reduce; Create/Eliminate. Despite the economy, it's likely that your company needs to add some new positions and create some new capabilities in order to meet the demands of the marketplace. You should press ahead in these areas, but you need to have the organization simultaneously thinking about how it reduces and eliminates things as well. Tough times force trade-offs.

#10 -- Set tight priorities. Now, more than ever, is the time to set tight priorities. Decide what is core, and what is non-core, and focus your time and attention on the critical few things that will make a difference.

Tough times can bring out the best in organizations and prompt actions that will position your company for future success. Follow these ten things and you will do well.

Bob Seelert, author of Start with the Answer: And Other Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders, is Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, a leading global ideas and advertising company. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he has been CEO of five companies, has built brands and businesses, been a party to two mega-mergers, and enacted numerous turnarounds. He has served on boards of directors of companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. He lives in New Canaan, Connecticut.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 10:45 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Maybe you've seen the T-shirts which read "I'm retired. Having fun is my job." Unfortunately, if you're between jobs and diligent about looking for work, it can feel like exactly the opposite. The downside of understanding that looking for a job is a job is that it can seem almost impossible to give yourself some time off. Further, online job boards can make it particularly difficult to step away from the rat race of the unemployed, but you should make sure you do just that from time to time. Actually, being riveted to online job postings should be taken as a clue that you are not undertaking your job search properly. It puts you in the passenger's seat as opposed to the driver's seat.

First of all, it's not a good idea to wear yourself to a frazzle pursuing lead after lead. Unemployment itself is stressful, and you need to take care of yourself to make a successful transition to a new job. Also, who knows how long your job search will last in this economy? How long can you go on without pacing yourself? Secondly, if you're applying for every job in sight, you're most likely applying for some for which you are not suited for. And that's just a waste of everybody's time. Just as people with demanding jobs need to make sure they take time off to rest and regenerate, so do those whose job is looking for work. Remember that you can achieve so much more with a fresh mind. A fresh mind will also allow you to reflect on what you're doing right or wrong and adjust accordingly.

Whether you're working or at home looking for work, use the same time management skills busy professionals employ to keep yourself focused:

1. Set priorities - Only pursue jobs you really want or that you have a chance of landing.
2. Focus your energy - Set yourself targets and go after them, as opposed to the latest online posting.
3. Delegate - Use your personal and professional networks to find new opportunities.

Article by, Danielle D. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 10:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

We spend a lot of time here on the Personal Branding Blog talking about the importance of a strong personal brand to the brand holder. You get known more widely, you get hired more quickly, you get paid more, etc. But what about the flip side? What about the benefits to the buyer, the customer, or the hiring manager?

A few months ago I was interviewed for a magazine article on personal branding when the writer asked if I knew a resume expert who could provide tips for a sidebar in the story. I didn't even have to think twice about it. Before she even finished her sentence, I said, "I know the perfect person: Barbara Safani."

Barbara's name is THE name I think of when I hear the phrase "resume expert." In addition to running a coaching firm called Career Solvers, she's written a book on resumes and has won national awards for resume writing. Frankly, I didn't even know there were such distinctions, but she is one of the best in the country in this area.

This morning I woke up with the beginnings of a sore throat, and said, "Time for a trip to the drug store for some Airborne." While there is some controversy over whether this herbal supplement can actually fight the common cold, I know that it's worked well for me in the past so I reach for it at the very first sign.

Branding with benefits

If you've ever been reluctant to develop your personal brand, fearing that you'd be seen as a braggart or egomaniac, think about the benefits from your customers' point of view.

When they can reach for a solution to their problems right away without having to spend hours researching all the options and taking a risk that whatever they choose won't work, it's actually a huge value to them. Their problems get solved quickly and they can go on with their lives.

In fact, you're actually doing a disservice to your potential customers and colleagues by not becoming more widely known for the solutions you provide.

Lay it all out

So how can you do a more effective job of clearly laying out the benefits of your personal brand so that you become the go-to remedy for folks in your target market faced with a particular challenge?

1) Hone in on what you're the best at. Not just what you can do, but what you can do really well and be one of the best in your field in. Will you be able to help out in related areas once you start working? Yes, probably. But with a mushy, indistinctive value proposition that makes you sound just like everybody else in your field, you won't even get in the door.

2) Stake your claim in a specific market. People want to know that you can relate to them, that you know their specific challenges and have solutions to help them. While it might be scary to think that you're cutting off markets, that's probably not going to happen at all. For example, even if you say that your audience is women under 35, you will get asked from time to time if you work with women over 35 or with men. You might capture some folks from adjacent markets on an ad hoc basis, but in the meantime, you'll capture a greater share of your ideal market than if you had just gone out with a broad message.

3) Be accessible. Let's face it, we live in an era where convenience is king and whatever we want, we want now. We also live in an era of information overload where the only way to cope is to retain very little in our heads (gotta love speed dial and autofill, right?). So if you're not making regular appearances in your market either in person at networking events, or online on social media sites, you'll be easily forgotten. But if you're able to stay on people's radar screens, and have an easy way for them to find you right when they think of you, you'll be rewarded.

A strong personal brand isn't just for your benefit. When you think of all the people you could help if only they knew about you, it's almost selfish not to invest the time and effort into getting your brand more finely honed and more widely known.

Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 9:32 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

OK, college grads, here it is: the real deal about finding work in this economy.

Let's start with the obvious: more than anyone else in three generations, you got macro-screwed with the economy. But you are not only screwed, you are also human... and that means you are resilient as all hell.

The human spirit does not die, and does not wilt, in the face of long term adversity.

Like lupine flowers after a forest fire, the human spirit blooms when challenged. You are going to bloom. In direct defiance of your struggles, you are going to keep driving forward until you bloom bright as all hell, even if it kills you. Why? Because you are human, you are resilient, and you have... no... other... option.

So get ready, this is going to sting. It's also what you need to get yourself ready for a work life you never expected.

10 Things That You Need to Know to Land an Entry Level Job

1. I'm not hiring a resume. I'm hiring a person.

The resume is a proxy. A sketch. A thumbnail. A cheap representation meant to give someone just enough of a taste of you to want to experience the whole person. YouTube creates thumbnails automatically. Do you care? Of course not. But guess what would happen if YouTube let people design their own thumbnails. Let me help you: people would freak out. They'd spend hours on those little boxes. They'd recalibrate their videos to ensure awesome thumbnails, most likely by including a gratuitous shot of a hot, bikini-clad woman and then selecting that frame for the thumb. And how much additional value would you and I get from that? Zero. None. Zip. All it would do is create noise and confusion: all the thumbs would look the same--"Oh, look, there's another pic of Marisa Miller... with the headline 'BBQ hijinx.' WTH?" So when it comes to your resume, stop freaking out. Figure out what it needs to say, make it say it, and move on.
Continue reading ...

Guest post by Jason Seiden, our partner in Found Your Career. You can find more from him at JasonSeiden.com.

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 8:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Last week I told you about Sramana Mitra's book Entrepreneur Journeys and how it was loaded with cool companies that would be awesome to work for. One of those companies is HotChalk, an educational startup that provides online learning management systems for free. They enable teachers to bring their classrooms online in minutes without having to worry about administration approval or staying within a budget. HotChalk isn't just tailored to teachers though; HotChalk also focuses on pleasing students, parents, school administrators, and tech coordinators. The simplicity of the whole thing has enabled HotChalk to gain a ton of marketshare--they have over 7 million monthly unique visitors and more than 375,000 teachers using the service. That's what "free" will do for you.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 8:31 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

So much of media relations today is focused on "new" or "social" media, but The Rosen Group still recognizes the importance of "traditional" media. A full-service public relations firm with more than two decades experience building awareness for its clients, The Rosen Group has locations in New York City and Washington, DC. While The Rosen Group is a relatively small firm of 25 staff members, their client list is rather impressive, including PC Magazine, the American Wind Energy Association, Weight Watchers and many more.

Read the full article

Guest post by Heather R. Huhman. Heather is the media relations manager at a national health care professional association and entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com.

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 8:27 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

It's impossible to underestimate just how important it is for managers to have a solid understanding of the nature of management. Whether you've been working as a supervisor for a while or if you're relatively new to having managerial responsibilities, it's essential to step back and look at what the foundations of supervision really are.

Functions of Management

There is a big difference between working as a line level employee and functioning as a supervisor. As an employee, it's necessary to focus on effectively performing tasks specific to your job, typically under the direction of a supervisor. Once you become the supervisor, you are responsible for planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the work of your department or team. Referred to as the four functions of management, these tasks are common to management jobs in every type of organization.

Essential Managerial Skills

Working as a manager requires technical, human, and conceptual skills. Many new managers are promoted into their first supervisory jobs because they have outstanding technical skills. They know how to do the job better than others, so they're put in a position where they are responsible for supervising the work of others who are performing the same, or similar, tasks.

While technical skills are important, especially for line level managers, they aren't sufficient for long term success. While technical skill often plays a role in helping people get promoted into entry level management jobs, it's the human skills and conceptual skills that separate so-so supervisors from great leaders who have the ability to earn the respect of their employees and continue to move up within their organizations. Successful managers must have strong interpersonal communication skills and have the ability to make strategic decisions based on a "big picture" view of the company.

Managerial Job Responsibilities

Effective managers recognize and are willing to perform the responsibilities specific to supervisory jobs, including decision making, training employees, performance coaching, motivating employees, and providing discipline when necessary. In many organizations, managers are also responsible for hiring and firing decisions. Managers must know what and when to delegate, and they must strike a balance between being too "hands-off" and engaging in too much micromanagement.

Risk Management Responsibilities

Supervisors are also responsible for performing important risk management functions for their organizations. Managers must be aware of the legal environment in which their company operates, including legislation related to hiring and employment practices, safety, industry specific regulations, and more.

Becoming a Better Manager

Many skills are necessary to function as an effective supervisor and leader in any organization, and those entrusted with these responsibilities must continually strive to improve their skills. By working on your own understanding of the foundations of supervision and striving to become the best example of a leader, you'll become the type of manager who can encourage employees to achieve their potential and position your organization for long term success.

Mary G. White, M.A., SPHR is the Training Coordinator for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions, where she specializes in human resources, management, and marketing training. She teaches open enrollment classes for MTI, provides on-site corporate training, and frequently speaks at conferences and association meetings. She is also the author of 101 Successful PR Campaign Tips in the LifeTips book series. MTI provides a variety of consulting services, including IT Training, certification testing, resume writing HR & PR consulting, custom database development and website solutions. For free career and business development tips, see DailyCareerConnection and DailyBizSolutions.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on FiredUp Careers.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 8:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

We've referred to "hidden jobs" as those that are not advertised. These unadvertised job openings are out there, but the mystery for so many job seekers is just where to find them. What you need to remember is this: that employers tend to hire people they know or who have been referred to them.

Always remember that it is people who hire people! This is why we continually push the point that in order to get noticed, you need to find the person who is doing the hiring-not submitting your resume to a company's database via the job boards or a company's web site.

So how do you become "known" to these people behind the jobs? We previously mentioned trade shows here, but there are SO MANY other ways to find hiring managers and develop or expand your professional network.

Creative Research is the Key

For example, company directories, professional organizations, alumni associations, job-search clubs, small business or industry associations, and even hobby clubs, are excellent sources for contacts. In many cases, membership in some of the organizations is free.

Also, if you haven't already, set up a Google news alert by company or industry. You will literally be sent an email as news happens. Some handy uses of Google Alerts include keeping current on a competitor or industry, as well as organizational changes being made at public companies.

The PR Newswire has an RSS feed that you can set up to be alerted to press releases by industry . Some smaller companies or start-ups may use the free PR services, so give them a look as well.

What type of information will a press release give you? Things like product announcements, organizational changes, or even company direction, are some of the topics covered in press releases. And, a press release always has a contact name at the bottom. This person may be a good place to start when discreetly contacting an individual and asking for additional information...or for advice on how to obtain work in that industry. Many people, once they get to know you, may be willing to shepherd you through the application maze and break down the HR wall.

Do This / Not That

DO NOT: contact human resources (unless, of course, you're applying for a job in that area); typically, HR is not as well-versed in an opportunity; recruiters tend to look for keywords on a resume to determine a match for a position.

DO: connect with the person you believe will make the hiring decision or can give you the most information about a position. If nothing else, try to get in front of this person for an 'informational interview' (never mention the job itself) about opportunities in a company that are of interest to you or how you believe you can contribute to the company's success.

Lorraine Russo from the Underground Job Network (http://undergroundjobnetwork.com).

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Sandbox Advisors.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 8:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The recession is taking the same toll on freelance writers as it is on everyone else. Still, just as there are jobs to be had for traditional candidates, so are there plenty of opportunities available to freelancers, especially if they are flexible and open minded.

In her article for The Writer magazine, Make an Extra $1,000 a Month, Mridu Khullar recommends some opportunities that are not widely known.

Write for online sites that provide news and other information. Sites like Orato.com, Mahalo.com and The Women's International Perspective (www.thewip.net) welcome queries from freelance writers.

Khullar warns that lesser known online publications tend to pay less than more main stream ones, but they have a reputation for publishing quickly, paying promptly and requiring few or no edits.

Add value to your stories. Learn how to add extras like audio, video aor graphics to articles to make them more appealing. Khullar suggest volunteering for a local radio or television station to learn how to edit audio and video or taking a graphic design class to learn how to format articles. Learning new media skills can make a freelance writer more attractive to editors.

Check out new media projects. Khullar means new as in startups like Spot.Us and Global Post. Because they're new, there's some added risk involved, but if they succeed, the writers who were with them early on would be in a position to benefit.

Pitch the online editions and editors of the nationals. While some publications have become solely online, most have both print and online versions, and there is often a different editor for each. Khullar recommends pitching the online editors; online newspapers and news magazines could pay a writer as much as $150 or more per day.

Write the blogs of the nationals. Many online magazines and newspapers use freelance writers to provide content for their blogs. While it's possible to earn as much as $1,200 a month, writers should be aware that there's a wide variety of rates and that some publications pay per post. The pay per post rate can range from $5 59 $300.

Apply for grants, fellowships and other opportunities. Khullar recommends looking into non-profits to find grant money for writing. Because many non-profits lack a strong Internet presence, she advises going to the library to research them.

Although freelance writers are feeling the pinch the same as regular job seekers, there are still many interesting, paying gigs to be had.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 22, 2009 at 7:32 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

The story is always the same: you know you should back up your computer, but you put it off because it's a hassle. Where are those discs? Which ones have I used before? What software do I use to do the back up? Where did I even put the disc from my last backup?

It's estimated that one in every ten hard drives fail each year. Most people know that viruses can wipe out your hard drive, but there's also the possibility of theft or damage. If you do have current backups of your data - where is that disc? It's often stored in the same location as your computer, so if a natural disaster were to strike, you are out of luck. If you try to retrieve data from your hard drive it can come with a hefty price - thousands of dollars, and sometimes that data is gone forever. Gone are all your documents, pictures, and music.

Online backup services make backing up your computer simple and effortless. These services are highly recommended by the same professionals that you would pay thousands of dollars to retrieve lost data. With online backup services a copy of your data is stored in a secure, remote location. This means in the event of a disaster, say your house burns down, your data is still safe and secure.

With online backup services, your files, music, and pictures will be automatically backed up at intervals that you choose. Some services even automatically back up any new files that are created or added to your computer. You never have to think about backing up your computer again. No equipment, software, or storage devices are needed. Plus, you can access or add more files to your account from any computer. If you are on vacation and want to backup pictures to free up space on your camera's memory card - you can do that from any computer!

There are several companies offering online backup services. One of the most widely known services is Mozy - which offers 2GB of storage free. Other companies offer very affordable rates (typically about $5 a month) for online storage. Some companies just have a flat fee for unlimited storage.

All companies will securely store your data in a secure location, but there are differences among the companies. Good services won't noticeably slow down your PC - at least after the initial upload. You can also look for companies that encrypt your data before, during, and after it's been sent to industrial strength servers.

One of the key things is the ease of use in the set up, selection of what files and folders you want backed up, and most importantly - getting your files back if you lose them. Most companies offer a free trial period. Use that time to evaluate the ease of the service and go through the process of retrieving data to see what it's like.

You can compare various remote online backup services and read customer reviews at RemoteOnlineBackup.net.

Posted by Jason K on June 20, 2009 at 10:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Beware of scam artists who are exploiting those who are struggling to land a job in these turbulent times. They are stealing identities and collecting fees by offering to land jobs that don't exist.

With other venues for turning a fast illegal buck drying up, these criminals are mining the job market.

Surely, there is a special seat reserved in hell for those scumbags who prey on people who are suffering because of they are out of work.

Consumer advocates advise specific steps to take when replying to job ads online to keep from being victimized.

"Put as little personal information (such as your Social Security number, your age, driver's license, banking information) as possible on your online resume," says Kayce Ataiyero, columnist for The Chicago Tribune. Use a P.O. Box instead of your home address; open a separate e-mail account.

Don't respond to unsolicited e-mails or form letters touting ideal jobs and overnight career success.

Check out the potential employer's history. Call the organization to verify its existence and the legitimacy of the offer. The Better Business Bureau is a good source for information. Avoid ads that ask for personal information not usually called for in legitimate job offers.

Back away in a hurry from those asking for an upfront payment for training or background checks and other services before a face-to-face job interview. Have you ever encountered a legitimate employer who did that? Don't pay for help in getting a government job.

Don't be scammed by guarantees of employment and salaries that are just too good to be legitimate. Be wary of offerings for jobs overseas.

Run up the red flag when you see misspelled words and grammatical errors. Same goes for cock-eyed language. Printed signature indicate a mass mailing.

Career Tip <http://www.commonsenseatwork.com> : "The bottom line: don't let eagerness or desperation to get a job cloud your judgment," advise Ms. Ataiyero. "Scrutinize the ad and investigate the company to help prevent" a rip-off.

Your first and best line of defense against scammers is your own common sense. If their enticements seem to be too good to be true, they probably are.

Article by, Ramon Greenwood, a career counselor with common sense advice on how to achieve your career goals. To subscribe to Ramon Greenwood's free semi-monthly newsletter and blog, go to Common Sense at Work Ramon's take-it-to-the bank advice comes from a world of experience, including serving as Senior Vice President of American Express, an entrepreneur, professional director, career coach and author.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 10:03 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

As I've mentioned in previous posts, job fairs should be one of the key activities / resources you are using in your job search. The benefits are: many employers in one place, the opportunity to give your "elevator speech" to a fair number of potential employers, the opportunity to give a good impression which could lead to an interview. Generally, only companies that are hiring show up at job fairs, what better opportunity will you have.

Besides the usual (dress appropriately, have plenty of copies of resumes, practice your "elevator speech", etc.), you MUST GET THERE EARLY. Even in the best of times these events are well attended. In today's environment an amazing number of people show up at these events. How early should you get there? I've heard that some of these events are "full" by 7am (and that's just the line to get in). The choice is yours (and dependent on when the fair opens), but I would not get there later than 7am.

Local Job Fairs and Career Events - This link lists upcoming job fairs and career events (it is not exhaustive). Clicking on a link will provide additional information about the event. This site also allows free registration, but I don't know if you get notification of upcoming events. While the site shows events through December 2009, there may be events that will be listed at a later date. So it makes sense to check the site every so often.
2009 Job Fair Series - This site, offered by EmploymentGuide.com, provides a very large list of job fairs and it appears to be nationwide. There are also virtual job fairs, which is an interesting concept and saves you the worry of having to travel someplace and get there early (although you will want to be on the site early).
Nationalcareerfairs.com - This site, according to the text on their main page, has over 300 fairs in 72 cities. You can use their search engine (just type in your city, state or zip code) or search by city. You can register on the site to see the employer list and leverage their calendar to see an easy to use graphical view of upcoming job fairs.
Monster Job Fairs - Monster has a dedicated job fair site as well. The main page allows a search based on Zip Code and there are over 302 job fairs in 77 cities (very close to the National Career Fairs stats). Below the "search for fairs by zip" is a section which covers Job Fair Tips and Resources and at the bottom of the page there is a listing by region. Searching by zip code returns fairs near you. In this case, this site returned a job fair in my area that was not listed on Nationalcareerfairs.com
TargetedJobFairs -This site, run by Dice.com, is another resource for job fairs. The main page is very busy, with several tabs at the top. The two tabs that are of interest for this topic are Career Fair Types and Upcoming Career Fairs. You can search for career fairs near you either by using a map of the US (left hand side of the page) or by selecting your region from a drop down box. You can sign up to get notification of upcoming job fairs.

Good luck in you search.

Article by, Career Alley

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on The Savvy JobSeeker.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 9:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

One jobseeker asked: I have been to several interviews and am waiting to hear back. I like the idea of taking a break and also want to wait and see what happens with this first group of companies. I have other companies I could start researching, but I don't want to spread myself too thin. How do I know when to keep pushing for more leads or focus on the ones I've started?

Short answer: Never

One of my coaching clients should have wrapped up her search months ago. But with budgets tightening, the job that she seemed poised to get may not be filled after all. This happened now in her search. The first time, she had other companies in play but slowed down the pace on those leads and then had to rebuild. Now she knows to keep searches going simultaneously even when one seems promising. When the second imminent offer fell through, she barely missed a beat. Welcome to the age of the 24/7 job search.

In investing, you shouldn't try to time the market because you may pull out on the handful of days when the market makes its big returns. Similarly, in the job search, persistent and regular action is critical to getting in front of the right opportunities at the right time. If you put yourself out there day in and day out, you are more likely to be front and center when that ideal job opens up. In today's volatile hiring market, right place and right time could be anywhere, anytime, hence the 24/7 job search.

If interviews are going well, don't stop looking elsewhere. The budget may disappear, another candidate may appear, the chemistry may be off with a key decision-maker that only gets involved at the end of the interview process. Even if the offer does come through and you do accept it, the other interviews will serve as building blocks for your network, data points for your negotiations, and springboards for your next search.

After all, in the era of 24/7 job search, your next search starts as soon as you finish this one. I don't mean that you send out resumes and schedule job interviews on or before your first day of the new job or even shortly thereafter. But I do mean that you don't ever stop managing your career -- keeping an updated resume, maintaining your network, being aware of opportunities (even if that means referring other people instead of yourself). Work your job but also work your career. There is a difference: the person who works a job has things happen to them; and the person who works a career is ready at a moment's notice to deal with an unexpected restructuring, layoff, or golden opportunity elsewhere.

The 24/7 job search isn't bad, then, because it means that you take control over your career. It takes work and a shift in mindset, but once you do it and experience the power of having choices, you will never go back to the way things were. Besides, given this tight market, I'm not sure anyone can be successful with the old job searches techniques.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart (www.sixfigurestart.com), a career coaching firm that specializes in working with Gen Y young professionals. Formerly in corporate HR and retained search, Caroline most recently headed campus recruiting for Time Inc and has also recruited for Accenture, Citibank, Disney ABC, and others.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Sandbox Advisors.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 8:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Are you a victim of this unprecedented economy, with record high unemployment rates? Are you currently working in a position that does not offer the professional and personal growth you were promised when you on-boarded? Do you feel like it's time to begin seeking a new employment opportunity, so that your career goals remain on track? If you answered yes to any or all of the questions posed, it may be time for you to consider partnering with a Career Agent.

What exactly is a Career Agent, and how do you connect with the best in the field? Simply described, a Career Agent is a Recruiting Specialist who focuses only on working with clients and job candidates in your industry. For example, if you are involved in Executive Nurse Management, you would want to seek out a Recruiter who targets matching medical facilities with people in your field of expertise. While there are generalists who recruit and place professionals across all industries and professions, it is important to work specifically with the Career Agent who is going to be able to present you with multiple opportunities, and provide you with the coaching and support that will exponentially increase your chances of receiving job offers.

Why would any professional choose to work with a Recruiting Specialist, versus simply performing a job search on their own? Browsing the web, reviewing help wanted ads, networking, creating and revising resumes, writing personalized cover letters, submitting applications, interview preparation, setting up interviews, following up with hiring managers, offer negotiations, and going through a resignation all are very time-consuming tasks associated with the job search process. While it is very possible to handle an employment search at the entry-level, it becomes more cumbersome from mid-level positions through executive management. Working with a Career Agent ensures that your best interests are addressed throughout the process, and enables you to consistently have a higher overall earning potential.

Here are some basic tips for finding and working with a Recruiting Specialist:

• Social networking websites like LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to locate Recruiters in your field.
• Call the Recruiter directly, to discuss how they can assist you. Just like in any industry, some Recruiters are better than others, and this is often apparent when you discuss your prospective business relationship.
• Understand that in most cases, the Career Agent or Recruiter is paid by the employer when they successfully place you in a job. In essence, they are representing you at no charge. If a Recruiter tells you they want money up front from you - continue comparison shopping.
• Your Recruiter should be available when you need them, during business hours. When you leave a message, you should expect to receive a call-back within a reasonable amount of time.
• Any good Recruiter will ask you to provide them with a list of companies you want them to target on your behalf. This is one of the ways you have access to unadvertised jobs through a Career Agent.

The Recruiting Specialist you work with should be communicating with you on a regular basis. Their goal is to represent you, not only for the particular job change you are currently involved with, but over the course of your professional life.

Working with a Recruiter who specializes in your field can greatly increase your chances of receiving the quality job offers you are seeking. While it's possible to accomplish finding a new employment opportunity on your own, this can be a time consuming task that may not provide the desired results. Seeking out a Recruiting Specialist ensures your career is kept on track, and that you have the personal and professional representation necessary to remain competitive in today's job market. Keep your competitive edge over the course of your professional life - partner with a Career Agent today.

Christina Archer is the Director of Recruiting with AgentHR, in the Columbus, Ohio office. Christina specializes in the contract, temp to hire, and direct hire of healthcare professionals at hospitals and healthcare facilities across the United States. Christina is the group manager of "The R.N. Network" on LinkedIn, and offers job seekers unique tools, articles, and resources on her blog. (I-Careersearch.com) Whether you are a hiring manager looking for a long-term recruiting strategy that will save you time and money, or a job candidate who is looking for the professional representation necessary to remain competitive in today's employment market, visit Christina's website for more information, at http://www.agenthr.com/carcher.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Sandbox Advisors .

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 7:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ready for a career switch? In an uncertain job market, it's a good idea to consider all your career options -- and workers in Washington State are doing just that. According to the Workplace Confidence Survey released in April by Everest College, 57 percent of respondents said they would change careers if nothing stood in their way. And about 65 percent reported suffering from work-related stress about potential pay and job loss.

If you've got career-switching on the brain, set yourself apart from the competition by employing these six sure-fire career strategies.

1. Take a career aptitude test.

When you sit around thinking about what you'd like to do and what you're good at, you may end up going in circles - especially if you're having trouble seeing past the stress of your current career. That's where professional services come in handy. Career aptitude tests can help you discover your interests and skills and match them to a specific career field. And you don't have to go far to access these resources. Some of the most popular career tests are available online for free or a small fee.

2. Position yourself as an industry expert.

Once you've solidified a career direction, spend time researching the field. Find out what a career in the industry entails, stay abreast of the latest news in the field, and set up informational interviews with professionals in the industry. In short, make yourself as knowledgeable about the industry as possible so that, when hiring decisions are made, you will have distinguished yourself as someone in the know.

3. Showcase your strengths.

Use the knowledge gained from your research to determine your areas of strength pertaining to the field. The transferable skills you discovered during your initial career assessment will comprise a major part of your personal marketing campaign. When you can demonstrate specific ways that your personality and experience fit a job description, you will capture the attention and interest of any hiring manager.

4. Wipe out your weaknesses.

Your research may also uncover areas in which you are lacking skills or experience. Fill those gaps by taking a class, pursuing certification, or brainstorming creative ways to beef up your skills. Not only will you get yourself up to speed for the career you seek, you'll also demonstrate proactiveness and dedication -- desirable traits in any industry.

5. Infiltrate the industry.

After you've learned everything you can about the field from the outside, it's time to get an inside look at daily operations in the industry. This is something you can do even while working at your current job. Find out about part-time work in the industry, or even opportunities to volunteer. The rewards may not be financial at first, but you will reap benefits in the form of relevant work experience, career confidence, and strong industry contacts.

6. Be like Gumby.

When you're finding your way into a new career, flexibility is the watchword. In order to make a successful career switch, you may need to accept an entry-level position and a lower salary than what you've grown accustomed to. You may even need to relocate or commit to traveling a certain percent of the time. Analyze yourself and your current situation - if you can realistically (and cheerfully) make some concessions, you may find yourself first in line for the career of your dreams.

Article by, Robyn Tellefsen and courtesy of CollegeSurfing Insider.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 7:33 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The dropping rate of degree completion is a growing problem, not just at 4-year colleges but at community colleges as well. According to a Futureworks paper sponsored by the Lumina Foundation, the rates of 2 and 4-year college completion have declined from the mid-1980s; two-year college completion rates have declined from about 44% to 39%.

A couple of weeks ago I attended an interesting forum, "From the Work Station to Graduation: paths to college success for Washington's working adults" sponsored by the Seattle King County Workforce Education Collaborative and Port Jobs.

My primary interest in attending was to learn more about strategies to help students complete their programs.

There was an emphasis on what "best practices" public colleges can learn from private ones - a topic sure to provoke emotions and reactions, and it did - in a productive way.

I heard students need:

• consistent, practical career and academic guidance and follow up from schools (a.k.a. "success coaches")
• flexible, predictable course schedules so people can enter and leave programs easily in a temporary life crisis (child care issues, divorce, etc.)
• short term, clear academic paths to careers (certification or degree to do _____ job)
• more training on soft skills (behavior, communication)

Career services plays a big role in helping students plan out their coursework, and yet either students don't take advantage of what's offered or career centers have insufficient funding or personnel to do their work. Or they're sometimes related.

You can't blame students for not going to Career Services if there is very little help or the help given is inconvenient, confusing or unattractively presented. By the same token, you can't blame counselors for not being able to help students who give them the brush off or ignore them. Ultimately students need to take initiative and control over their own future.

I don't begin to have all the answers to the degree completion problem. But what I do know is that there is a scientifically proven way to increase degree completion rates using Holland's Theory of Vocational Choice.

This Journal of Vocational Behavior study is just one of several recently published articles in national peer-reviewed journals that shows the impact of "interest/major congruence" - or a little more simplistic way of saying it, "personality/major match." By helping people choose a college major or training program early that matches their Holland personality type(s), you improve students' college success.

And now Career Key offers an affordable way to offer it to students choosing a career cluster, pathway or field and those choosing a college major or training program.

We've matched The Career Key test results to Career Clusters and Pathways and 1,500+ college majors and training programs in a way that can be adapted for any college or institution trying to guide students in the right direction. We'll be releasing it to the public in a few weeks and updating the "choose a college major" link above.

If you want to learn more, please contact me. This is a topic I love to discuss!

Article by, Juliet Wehr Jones, J.D. and courtesy of Career Key, striving to help all people make the best career choices, worldwide.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 7:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I'll never forget my first After Action Review meeting. We were all huddled up in the 'War Room', a large project launch had been recently completed, and I'll be honest...I figured the next hour would be painful. It didn't help that the meeting invite had listed the subject as 'Post Mortem'. After all, anything with a subject line of 'After Death' that invited all of my colleagues who'd I'd been working with over the past couple of weeks couldn't be good. (It was only later in my career that I learned the much less violent sounding term 'After Action Review' or 'AAR', and readily adopted this instead!)

What happened over the next hour surprised me. Instead of the verbal bloodbath I'd been expecting, we all participated in something entirely different. Something that I believe is the most powerful type of performance discussion we have in the workplace today. Done right, an AAR meeting gives specific insight into our performance without the subsequent pressures that often accompany 'performance discussions' in the workplace. There is no talk of incentives, raises, disciplinary actions, contract losses or repercussions to distract us from the situation - only an honest, timely conversation about a specific project or task.

As my career progressed, I always remembered that meeting as something powerful, honest, and productive - not to mention free! I even started incorporating this concept of team AAR meetings into 1:1 meetings with my direct reports and manager. The professional insights I've gained over the course of my career from AAR meetings are numerous and invaluable.

So, what makes a great AAR? Here are few tips:

• Set clear ground rules and expectations for the meeting. Explain that finger pointing or blame finding is not the purpose. The purpose must be an objective look at what went well, what didn't, and what could be done in the future to replicate successes and avoid repeat mistakes.
• Include all the key stakeholders. This doesn't mean invite all forty people who had anything to do with a project. It does mean invite those who were directly and deeply involved with the work. It also means you invite the person who was the most demanding, the most difficult to work with, the one who called you at even the most minor of issues. An AAR is a high-level perspective meeting to look back on something in its entirety. You might be pleasantly surprised at the perception and feedback received in this type of context.
• Write down what you hear and save it for future reference. Maybe you won't look at it again until performance appraisal time. Or perhaps not until the next project launch. Or maybe you'll post it in your cubicle and look at it every day. Regardless, keeping it available to review is critical for quick reminders of past performance and future improvement opportunities.

Improving performance and getting results are almost universally at the top of every company's goals - not to mention our own. Yet with all of the pressure we're under to perform, and all of the time and energy we spend trying out every possible new thing to gain an additional edge, sometimes we have to do the opposite of what business seems to demand. We have to stop rushing forward and actually slow down, sit back and look at what was accomplished previously in order to achieve more in the future.

Article by, Channon C. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 19, 2009 at 7:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I read an interesting article in Forbes.com recently. Called CEO's Say: How I Hire, it talks about the importance of culture fit. The article supports my opinion that hiring is like making a Rubik's cube of decisions:

• Does the candidate have the required job-related skills?
• How about the soft skills? Communication? Problem-Solving? Teamwork?
• And do they understand the importance of a good work ethic? Will they show up on time? Or will they show up at all? And be dressed appropriately? Etc.?
• Finally, will they fit into our corporate culture? Companies with a strong corporate culture can chew new employees up and spit them out in short order if the culture fit isn't there.

Making a good culture decision is extremely difficult. So depending on the size of your organization, using the CEO to be that 'culture-fit' judge makes sense. If your company is large, counting on the CEO for that decision might delay hiring, but find someone who knows and lives the culture to be the judge.

You won't regret it!

Article by Melanie Holmes, Vice President of World of Work Solutions for Manpower, and courtesy of Manpower's Contemporary Working blog. Melanie shares Manpower's extensive knowledge while building strategic partnerships with government, universities and other leadership organizations across the country. She is also responsible for social responsibility at Manpower, which includes diversity, volunteerism, community involvement, community relations, philanthropy and workforce development.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2009 at 2:28 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Last week, I wrote a blog post called "6 Reasons You Shouldn't Brand Yourself as a Social Media Expert" and it quickly became the most popular post I've ever written on this blog (since October, 2006), with over 400 retweets and almost 60 comments. There were a few people who disagreed with my statements and those that gave me credit for my observations. I wrote the post because I'm perceived as a social media expert at my day job and I believe that title will evolve over the coming years, as we are all pulled into this brave new world and our positions become ubiquitous.

I received a few emails, that will remain anonymous, of individuals who frown at the term "expert." I, on the other hand, think that it's one of the most important aspects of personal branding. In fact, if you aren't an expert, your perceived value diminishes, you won't get as many opportunities and it will be hard to position yourself for success.

Your biggest challenge

The title of this post may sound scary, especially to those who don't feel they are experts in their fields quite yet.

Your biggest challenge in life: Finding your passion and connecting it to your expertise, while establishing a support system (something I'll cover in a forthcoming post).

The problem is that most people have no idea what they want to do with their lives, so they can't establish a plan to get from where they are to where they want to be. You might fit this bill and if you do, it's time to start thinking really hard about what your strengths are and what you enjoy.

Please take a minute right now and ask yourself "what am I an expert in"? Then ask yourself "how many other people in my industry can claim this same expertise"? Finally, I want you to ask yourself "what specific part of that expertise can I focus on (what niche)"? By going through this exercise, you can have a better understanding of how you want to be positioned in the marketplace.

Don't brand yourself as an expert if you aren't one

An expert is someone who has achieved measurable results by performing a service or an act.

Just because you're talented, doesn't mean your an expert. Just because you can do a somersault, doesn't mean that you're a gymnast. When I first started out, I branded myself as a Gen-Y spokesman for personal branding, until I became my own success story and transitioned my personal branding statement to include "expert" instead of "spokesman." When third parties consider you an expert by giving you an endorsement, you can claim that expertise. For instance, the New York Times considers me to be a "personal branding guru."

When you're first starting out you can use cool buzzwords such as "enthusiast," "evangelist," "spokesperson," "strategist," etc, without coming off as unauthentic. If you brand yourself as an expert and can't deliver on that promise, your brand will be devalued and people will be turned off.

Scott Bradley, one of my good friends, will be going over this more tomorrow in a guest post.

5 benefits that experts receive

One goal you should have in the next few years is to become an expert in your desired field. If you don't, I think your future will be in danger because the world admires experts, companies hire experts and experts get more attention and compensation (leadership is important too). If you brand yourself as an expert, authentically, and people endorse you, then Google will recognize you as the top expert in your field. In the below picture of the Google search results for "personal branding expert," you'll notice BusinessWeek's endorsement of my work, followed by my blog. I also have the next four results as well. This is a powerful branding idea for all of you!

• Media: The media uses Google to locate "expert sources." Not only do they type in keywords that reflect the story they are trying to develop, but they will also search for an expert that they can quote, making their story more complete and credible. If you position yourself relative to your expertise, and word hard, then you will rank high and get attention.
• Customers/clients: People all over the world are using Google to locate someone to solve their personal or professional needs. They are typing in terms, such as "expert" and "consultant" in order to find people just like you.
• Job offers: Hiring managers and recruiters, who are paid by companies to find skilled individuals, are using search engines and keywords in order to discover talent. The term "expert" is one of the keywords they use to help make filtering easy.
• Authority: By ranking #1 for a specific field of expertise, it shows authority. Since perception is reality, the world will view you as the top expert and go-to-person.
• Confidence: When you're an expert, you start feeling better about yourself. If you were to present to a group, you wouldn't be as nervous and you certainly wouldn't back down from people challenging you.

Why you need to be an expert to survive the future

I recently read a report in USA Today that states "26% of people are free agents." I, on the other hand, believe that we are all free agents, yet by working for a company, we feel that we aren't. Have you ever signed an employment contract for life? No, I didn't think so. In this new world of work, you're only as good as your reputation, which is your previous behavior and performance that you're judged upon. It's a project driven world and the biggest projects are given to the best experts, followed by the most compensation. In the future, the workplace will be so dispersed and reconfigured, that it will force you to be an expert, in order for your services to be valuable to the company. It's also great career protection to be called upon for your expertise.

Advice: Work as hard as you can to become the expert you want the world to see you as.

What are you an expert in?

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2009 at 10:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

1. Winning too much: The need to win at all costs and in all situations -- when it matters, when it doesn't, and when it's totally beside the point.

2. Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.

3. Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them.

4. Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.

5. Starting with "No," "But," or "However": The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, "I'm right. You're wrong."

6. Telling the world how smart we are: The need to show people we're smarter than they think we are.

7. Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool.

8. Negativity, or "Let me explain why that won't work": The need to share our negative thoughts even when we weren't asked.

9. Withholding information: The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others.

10. Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward.

11. Claiming credit that we don't deserve: The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success.

12. Making excuses: The need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it.

13. Clinging to the past: The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past; a subset of blaming everyone else.

14. Playing favorites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.

15. Refusing to express regret: The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit we're wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others.

16. Not listening: The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues.

17. Failing to express gratitude: The most basic form of bad manners.

18. Punishing the messenger: The misguided need to attack the innocent who are usually only trying to help us.

19. Passing the buck: The need to blame everyone but ourselves.

20. An excessive need to be "me": Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they're who we are.

Marshall Goldsmith is corporate America's preeminent executive coach and the author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful! (Published by Hyperion. January 2007; $23.95US/$29.95CAN; 978-1-4013-0130-9) Goldsmith is one of a select few consultants who have been asked to work with more than eighty CEOs in the world's top corporations. He has helped implement leadership development processes that have impacted more than one million people. His Ph.D. is from UCLA and he is on the faculty of the executive education programs at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. The American Management Association recently named Marshall one of fifty great thinkers and business leaders who have impacted the field of management, and BusinessWeek listed him as one of the influential practitioners in the history of leadership development. In 2006, Alliant International University renamed their schools of business and organizational psychology the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management.

For information, please visit www.marshallgoldsmith.com.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2009 at 10:28 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Any time a person finds himself distracted at work, either because of personal matters or worrisome professional matters, he runs the risk of missing out on key pieces of information that someone else is giving him. Wandering attention is just one of the things Joe Takash brings up in his article, The Four Sins of Bad Listeners. Takash's advice could really come in handy for anyone about to go on an interview for an entry level job or internship.

Topping Takash's list of bad listening sins is interrupting. No one likes to be interrupted, but sometimes people go on and on for so long without a break that the listener feels he just has to break in and ask his question or make his comment. Takash warns that the message sent by interrupting is: "I really am not interested in paying attention to what you have to say which is why I'm not allowing you to finish your sentence and telling you what I think instead."

Finishing the speaker's sentence is the second no-no on Takash's list. This sin, says Takash, is worse than interrupting because instead of cutting the speaker off, the listener is actually speaking for hiim - something that Takash says most people find annoying.

Third on the list of listening offenses is lying or faking it when not paying attention. Takash warns that the people know when someone isn't listening, even if they don't confront the person about it, so it's better to be honest and have the person repeat whatever he was saying.

Finally, rehearsing a personal agenda while someone else is speaking. Thinking about how to ask for a raise while the boss is talking about something else, is a bad idea. Takash recommends rehearsing the pitch in advance, then letting it go until an opening to speak presents itself.

It's probably true that most people have committed one or more of these offenses at least during their careers, but Takash cautions against letting bad listening to become a habit. "Be vigilant for poor listening," he advises. "That means questioning yourself regularly whether you're listening with your whole being."

Great advice for college students embarking on interviews for internships and recent graduates preparing for entry level job interviews.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2009 at 10:28 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most people want to feel valued, appreciated and respected at work. There are countless sad stories that can attest to how miserable it can get on the job when someone feels undervalued or unappreciated. We all want our boss and co-workers to know how good we are at what we do. So how do you get all that without making it look like you're trying too hard or feel like you're a brown-noser? Especially in tough economic times like these, how do you make a name for yourself and get ahead at work?

Ask people this question and they will offer up vague quips, some filled with buzzwords, like, "Just be technically stronger that the people around you," or "Be in the right place at the right time," or even "Network. Network. Network. It ain't what you know, it's who you know." While these solutions for getting ahead all have a truthful element to them, and can't be ignored in what is an increasingly competitive job market, they don't provide much actionable advice, especially for those who are new to their profession, their job, or both.

The following is a no-nonsense, practical approach to getting ahead at work. These steps can be helpful to those who are seasoned pros or just starting their career, for those who are very connected in their industry or those who can barely remember the way from their cubicle to the executive lunchroom (and don't know if they'd be allowed in, even if they could find their way!).

"Half of the Job Is Just Showing Up"

How to showcase your strengths and value-add in the workplace? The first thing is to be there. Be there in the morning, in the evening, and on Friday afternoons before a big holiday, when everyone else has left the office at lunchtime. Don't deprive yourself of a vacation when you need it, and don't work yourself to the point of diminishing returns, but do a little extra when others might not. Somehow, somewhere, someone will notice.

"My Girl Friday"

Be the one that your boss knows he or she can rely on to execute and get things done. Anyone who has ever been a manager knows how valuable it is to have an employee who can ask the right questions, cut through the fluff, and make things happen. You want to be this person for your boss. If your boss can't stand calling in to the Paris office and having to deal with his counterpart there, offer to take the next conference call for him. Your manager often gets flustered having to claw through legal contracts? Get a head start on the contracts and come prepared for the next meeting ready to lead him through it. Most people tend not to forget when someone helps them with something they find tedious or difficult and most good managers will reward and maybe even promote employees who consistently go out of their way to help them.

"Party Like It's 1999 (Well, Maybe Not That Hard...)"

Third, and this may sound ridiculous to some, socialize. Try not to miss social events where your co-workers, boss or boss's boss will be there. Some people say that the work they do in the office should be the only thing that matters, but the rest of us know how important it is to make a connection with the people you work with, in and outside of the office. This is often where people let their guards down and show you who they truly are. Not only can you show your co-workers who you are when you let your "hair down," but you can get to know them better as well. People who get ahead at work are those who can show that they are genuine, real persons, and capable of swigging a beer or downing a glass of Chardonnay every now and then.

"Lead with Action"

Fourth, be a leader. It's OK to joke around at work and even occasionally share in water-cooler banter, but when things start to get too silly, or the joking goes to a place where you'd be embarrassed to have your division manager or CEO overhear, then stop. Just walk away and go back to work. Show that you can walk away when it's time to get back to reality and that you won't follow the crowd. Also, lead in the ideas that you have. Make suggestions to your manager about a process or project that could be improved and volunteer to do the legwork. Leaders get ahead at work. Followers do to, but arguably not as fast.

"Keep Your Couth"

Finally, try to never lose your professional composure at work. Maintain composure in your attitude, communication style and the way you present yourself. If the dress code is business casual at work, don't push it to the 'is this casual, or is this business casual?' level; instead, dress just a notch below traditional business formal. If you get pulled into a high-level meeting without notice, you'll be prepared. If not, then you'll just look good and what can be bad about that?

Professional composure is also about how you treat others. When the inevitable happens and a co-worker questions your analysis in a meeting or appears to be trying to make you look bad, don't lose your cool and say all the things you've heard other people say about him or her. Instead, be gracious and offer to 'help' him or her understand your argument, analysis, or whatever, right then and there, or at another time if a more in-depth discussion is called for. In this instance, like all the others, someone, somewhere will notice your professionalism.

Melanie Haniph is an HR professional who has worked in several organizations throughout the US and Europe during her career, and continues to practice HR. She writes articles that provide no-nonsense, commonsense advice about achieving job success and managing top-flight career growth.

Article courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on June 17, 2009 at 10:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)