Is there anything more to it

Is there anything more to it Today I logged on to my MSN Messenger account so I can chat with the whole world (I feel like I suffocate without this cool little communication outlet) and, as usual, check out the news and articles for the day. And, as usual, there was one from CareerBuilder.com on how to land a job. Hm, how can I phrase my thoughts on the content of this article (Im trying to be nicer, cleaner, etc.). ok, how about insulting? Maybe its just me, and Ive been in this mode since January, but most of this is just a summary of the obvious. Where is the beef (ok, sorry, that was too close to yesterdays post), er, meat?? What really are the 10 things that I should do to help me land that job? Heres my try, not in any particular order (I do like some of hers, but it certainly doesnt read like a top 10 list): Network. Have networked. Starting a long time ago. Ever hear of the book Dig Your Well BEFORE Youre Thirsty? This title sums it all up. Build your brand. Got a website? Got a blog make that, a professional blog? You dont have to have one, of course, but if you can create yourself as a Subject Matter Expert it may really make you stand out. Use JibberJobber. Of course I had to put that in, but hey, Im a believer. Ive heard too many stories and talked with too many people, where JibberJobber has made a real difference. Shift your paradigm. This includes understanding that you *may be* looking for a new job every 2.8 years. Understand who you are if you are selling something for a company you should know the ins-and-outs of the product. When I was in my job search it was a week or two before I realized that one job title that I should have been looking at was product manager. But I had been so busy doing my job that I never really understood that I was doing more product management than anything else and that is what I really enjoyed! Keep up on current employment trends. If you are going to be changing jobs with frequency (that is, more than every 40 years) shouldnt you understand the job search space? Id keep up with certain blogs (see my blogroll) to get daily rants and raves two of the best and most current are CM Russells and Georges job seeker blog, or Joel Cheesmans for overall industry stuff. Help others in their job search. I think that staying in a helping frame of mind is great, and understanding other peoples issues will help you keep up with tactics and techniques. Volunteer. It is a great way to get to know other people (aka network), to get known (aka network), and to perhaps find or develop other passions or skills. And service is always good, right? Have your own elevator speech ready. Whether you are employed or not, when you first meet someone, be able to concisely get their attention with a great me in 30 seconds or something like that. Of course you dont have to leave it at that, but impress them with your ability to communicate. This comes in handy every day for all kinds of folks. Ok go ahead and read Lauras article on msn.careerbuilder.com. Im not sure what the real link is (this might work) but it does have stuff to consider. Hm, hows that? I didnt get paid to write this, and actually just did it in a few minutes but I wish I would have heard this 8 months ago (before I got laid off), and it would have been more helpful than the MSN list of 10 things. Is there anything more to it Today I logged on to my MSN Messenger account so I can chat with the whole world (I feel like I suffocate without this cool little communication outlet) and, as usual, check out the news and articles for the day. And, as usual, there was one from CareerBuilder.com on how to land a job. Hm, how can I phrase my thoughts on the content of this article (Im trying to be nicer, cleaner, etc.). ok, how about insulting? Maybe its just me, and Ive been in this mode since January, but most of this is just a summary of the obvious. Where is the beef (ok, sorry, that was too close to yesterdays post), er, meat?? What really are the 10 things that I should do to help me land that job? Heres my try, not in any particular order (I do like some of hers, but it certainly doesnt read like a top 10 list): Network. Have networked. Starting a long time ago. Ever hear of the book Dig Your Well BEFORE Youre Thirsty? This title sums it all up. Build your brand. Got a website? Got a blog make that, a professional blog? You dont have to have one, of course, but if you can create yourself as a Subject Matter Expert it may really make you stand out. Use JibberJobber. Of course I had to put that in, but hey, Im a believer. Ive heard too many stories and talked with too many people, where JibberJobber has made a real difference. Shift your paradigm. This includes understanding that you *may be* looking for a new job every 2.8 years. Understand who you are if you are selling something for a company you should know the ins-and-outs of the product. When I was in my job search it was a week or two before I realized that one job title that I should have been looking at was product manager. But I had been so busy doing my job that I never really understood that I was doing more product management than anything else and that is what I really enjoyed! Keep up on current employment trends. If you are going to be changing jobs with frequency (that is, more than every 40 years) shouldnt you understand the job search space? Id keep up with certain blogs (see my blogroll) to get daily rants and raves two of the best and most current are CM Russells and Georges job seeker blog, or Joel Cheesmans for overall industry stuff. Help others in their job search. I think that staying in a helping frame of mind is great, and understanding other peoples issues will help you keep up with tactics and techniques. Volunteer. It is a great way to get to know other people (aka network), to get known (aka network), and to perhaps find or develop other passions or skills. And service is always good, right? Have your own elevator speech ready. Whether you are employed or not, when you first meet someone, be able to concisely get their attention with a great me in 30 seconds or something like that. Of course you dont have to leave it at that, but impress them with your ability to communicate. This comes in handy every day for all kinds of folks. Ok go ahead and read Lauras article on msn.careerbuilder.com. Im not sure what the real link is (this might work) but it does have stuff to consider. Hm, hows that? I didnt get paid to write this, and actually just did it in a few minutes but I wish I would have heard this 8 months ago (before I got laid off), and it would have been more helpful than the MSN list of 10 things.

Some Final Words on Maximizing Big Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Some Final Words on Maximizing Big Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career After my recent series here on Networking at Conferences, I received a number of questions from folks who wanted just a bit more guidance on specific aspects of making the most of their conference experience. So I thought I’d wrap up the series by answering some of the most popular and interesting questions in hopes that they can help others as well. Im so shy. How do I approach people and break the ice? First of all, remember that everyone at the conference is there to meet people, so if a fear of rejection is keeping you in your shell, put it aside. Everyone you try to talk to is going to be nice and on their best behavior. Start small. Introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you at the break out session or at lunch. Simply stick out your hand and say hello. Its that easy. Take the focus off of yourself by focusing on getting to know the other person. Ask questions about what brought her to the conference and what shes enjoyed about the day so far. I get tongue-tied when it comes to giving my elevator pitch. What do you recommend? Three words. Prepare, prepare, prepare. You know youre going to be saying it over and over again all day long, so why not take a bit of time BEFORE the conference to perfect it, rather than put pressure on yourself to deliver it spontaneously? That way, even when your brain is tired at the end of the day, you can still give your pitch flawlessly because its part of your subconscious (like saying your phone number). Work on both content AND delivery. You need to find the right combination of words to describe what you do and what youre looking for, and you need to put them together in a concise way. A good pitch shouldnt last more than 20 seconds tops, and it should sound smooth when you say it. Dont worry that your pitch might sound too canned if you practice it too much. What might sound over-rehearsed to you, will likely come across as confidence to the person youre talking to. People tell me I come across as too aggressive. How should I handle that? Part of successfully communicating with others in any arena is being able to adapt your style so you can build rapport.You might believe that if people dont like you for who you are, you dont want to do business with them anyway. While Donald Trump might be able to get away with that at this stage of his career, its crucial at the start of YOUR career to build as many allies as you can. Find out what folks mean when they say that youre too aggressive. Are you asking for too much? Are you asking for it too soon? Are you too focused on getting what you want, and not doing enough to learn about what the other person may want? Their answers will help you pin down what you might need to adjust in your style. Im looking for a job. Whats the best way to work the conference as a job seeker? Be crystal clear about what youre looking for. If you know exactly the kind of position you want and the kinds of companies, or even specific names of companies that you would like to work for, the easier it will be for people to reach into their Rolodexes to help you. Dont hand out your resume. First, it will probably get lost in the shuffle of papers that every conference attendee has to juggle and will probably throw away later. Second, sending material, whether it be a resume or marketing brochure, is a great excuse to follow up later. You might end the conversation by saying, Would you mind if I sent you my resume in case you come across something that might be a fit? If the companies youre interested in are exhibiting at the conference, stop at their booths to collect materials and ask questions. While youre unlikely to find someone there who will be in a position to hire you, you can get some excellent scoop on whats going on in terms of major initiatives and what its like to work there. Should you end up interviewing at the company later, youll have some great insights. Author: 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.

7 Habits That Will Kill Your Goals

7 Habits That Will Kill Your Goals So, how are your goals progressing? Like most of us, probably some are going well, and others just dont seem to have got airborne! Sound familiar? Also, if we are totally honest with ourselves, what has got in the way most of all is ourselves! And, if we want to have a real moment of self honesty wasnt last year and the year before somewhat similar? I know I like to blame the environment, the economic crisis, the weather, the been too busy for why all my goals are not being achieved. But, when I really and truthfully analyse it in the main the issue comes down to me. Achieving new and challenging goals includes breaking old habits that I have developed and nurtured over years. I did not intentionally nurture and develop them,  they just happened. But now, they are a part of who I am and how I behave and breaking old habits and shaping new ones is not easy. You see old habits are our default modus operandi we like them, they feel comfortable and are easy to live with! Those bad habits â€" in your personal and professional life â€" are deeply ingrained and are not going to go away just because you want them to. It will take discipline and perseverance. Whether you are a leader, a manager, senior executive, or stay at home Mom or Dad, it makes no difference â€" bad habits will always get in the way of achieving your goals and resolutions. Procrastination will always encourage us to fall into old habits the easy things, the comfortable things, the things I dont have to think too hard about! And, procrastination is the thief of our dreams and our goals! Please do not allow it to steal your life! You will know your own bad habits, but the following is a list that resonates with me and many of my clients! So, take on board these 7 habits you must eliminate â€" there are others but just get on top of these for the moment! 1) Making excuses â€" Just stop, and get on with it! 2) Multi-tasking â€" This (that is multi tasking!) has been lauded as something wonderful by others, but it is to be avoided at all costs. It just distracts you and you get nothing done as well as you can. https://twitter.com/SimsLogic/status/822503982069379073 3) Unclean desk â€" If your desk is messy, you are inefficient, so stop justifying it under the guise of “I know where everything is” It’s all a mess! 4) No exercising â€" When you get busy, this is one of the first things to go, but this is the same as No 1, it’s an excuse. Exercise helps you to get more done, not less! 5) Checking email An absolute killer! Schedule two occasions in the day to check your email, no more. Otherwise you are a slave to everyone else’s agenda! Are you on vacation? STOP CHECKING EMAIL! pic.twitter.com/WZbaaCbujD Tom Cooper (@brighthillgroup) July 27, 2016 6) Being dictated by your smartphone â€" It is a tool to make you more efficient, not the other way around! Don’t jump every time it beeps, rings or vibrates! 7) Stop complaining â€" If you are not happy about a situation, then do something about it! Stop whining about it â€" it sounds pathetic! What would be in your magnificent 7 bad habits? Share them with us. You see we can all learn form one another! Image: Shutterstock

Styling Tips for Different Hair Types

Styling Tips for Different Hair Types Styling Tips for Different Hair Types People spend a lot of time trying to figure out their skin type in an effort to personalize their skincare. So why not do the same for your hair? We all have the same hair structure, but rarely does two heads of hair look alike. There are many different hair types, most of which need personalized care to look its best. Keep reading for suggestions and insights on how to maintain your mane to get head-turning hair: Curly Mane Natural curls can be enviable or unruly. It’s one of the toughest textures to tame since hair grows and moves in all directions. To make matters more difficult, there are different types of curls. The type of curl you have can influence the cut, tools and products needed to make your hair manageable. Separation and frizz reduction are the top goals with a curly head of hair. Cream moisturizers are usually a good option for handling both issues. But the most influential factor is the cut. You have to select a stylist that knows how to shape a curly cut so it’s flattering and easy to maintain. If you have hair that’s difficult to manage on your own, look for an Ouidad certified salon in your area. Ouidad certified salons specialize in making different types of curly hair look fantastic using unique approaches. Instead of fighting your curls, they’ll look naturally and effortlessly fabulous. Coarse Hair Hair that is coarse can appear and feel rough, completely obliterating any resemblance to the silky, shiny strands you see on commercials. It’s also more likely to show signs of frizz no matter what the humidity level is. The issue lies in the outer layer of hair known as the cuticle and the innermost layer called the medulla. Healthy cuticles are smooth while unhealthy cuticles are rough. Scientists have discovered that some people have a third layer called the medulla at the center of hair strands. When you have the medulla layer, your hair is more likely to be coarse. Unfortunately, coarse hair needs a lot of management. You have to keep your hair healthy and smooth by doing simple things like patting hair dry rather than rubbing it with a towel. You also have to be careful not to brush too often or over do it with heat tools. Another issue could be low porosity. When hair cuticles don’t open up easily to allow moisturizing conditioner in it’s called low porosity. If your hair is low porosity it helps to use heat while deep conditioning to open up the cuticle layer. Thick Head of Hair Most people would kill to have a thick head of hair, especially older individuals who are likely to have noticed a little thinning. But little do they know this hair type can also come with downsides. Thick hair often means short hairstyles are out of the question unless helmet head is the look you’re going for. But growing luxuriously long locks can be difficult as well. A head of thick hair can be heavy to the point hair looks weighed down. The right cut is critical for people with thick hair. Thin Strands On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have people with thin hair. If your hair is thin it doesn’t mean you necessarily have less hair, but the diameter of each strand is small. The trick is to make the strands look a little thicker. There are two products to invest in when you have thin hair. The first is a good root volumizer. Usually, a mouse formula applied to the roots after washing works best. Hair fibers are a newer product that can be used to make the hair appear thicker. The cut you choose can also make a difference in how full your hair looks. It’s best to stick to medium length or shorter so hair is lighter and more buoyant. Dry Locks Does it seem like your hair never has enough moisture? If you have dry hair standard conditioner isn’t going to cut it. The problem is originating in the cortex (middle layer) of the strands. This layer determines the overall strength and elasticity of hair as well as how it retains moisture. If the hair cuticles are damaged and exposing the cortex the result could be dry locks. Work first on strengthening the cuticles of your hair. Reduce blow drying and heat styling to just once or twice a week. If you color your hair try to stretch out appointments as long as possible and use products for color-treated hair. It’s also important to get regular trims to get rid of split ends. Title Image Source

Key Tips on Writing an Effective Results-Driven Resume

Key Tips on Writing an Effective Results-Driven Resume Nowadays, the interviewers of the leading companies put maximum importance on the attractiveness of the resume or CV. They gain an idea about the interviewee from the resume.In many cases, the companies hire only shortlisted candidates for the interview. In such cases, the resume of an interviewee must be very attractive, professional and precise with all necessary information about the candidate.As suggested by leading CV help consultants CV Folks the CVs have changed over the period of time and one need to keep themselves updated with the latest trends to boost their chances of securing their dream job.evalIn this article, the key points are elaborately discussed in order to make an ordinary resume attractive and professional. Loopholes of ordinary resumeTraditional CV On the other hand, the pattern of the moderate professional web resume is universal. With this kind of resume, one can apply for any kind of job anywhere in the world.Eye catchingThe professional resume can be proved as very eye catching for the interviewers. The interviewers prefer precise, smart resume of the candidates with all necessary information about them.AccessibilityThe companies can access the professional web resume at any time in a day. If by following the right resume tips, a candidate makes the resume following the web professional pattern, then the possibility of acquiring job increases The HR department of a company first comes into contact with the resume and can interpret the personality of the candidate from the resume. Therefore, the resume can determine the future of a candidate. The entire resume should be crisp and precise.Highlighting the key skillsThe key skills of a candidate should be highlighted so that the company can find the candidate easily and hire for the interview as per their requirements. In this way, the candidates can also specify their specific regime of work and can avoid the multitasking in the future.Therefore, it is important to specify the key skill s for both the interviewers and the interviewees (Pozniak, 2016).Clarify the industryThe candidates should clarify the specific industry related to their academic qualification. In this way, much confusion can be skipped. It will also help the company to easily find the deserved candidate according to the industry. Otherwise, the candidate will face humiliation even after selected in the interview.Summary of the whole careerThe candidate must summarise the whole academic and professional career. The candidate can not skip any detail about the professional life. This will help the interviewer to have an overall idea about the ability of the candidate. This summary will help the candidate to determine a higher designation after being selected for the job (BBC News. 2016).ConclusionIn order to grab the best job in the professional field, one has to make the resume or CV look professional and smart. From the above-discussed topic, one can have a clear idea about the effectiveness of the professional resume and the loopholes of the ordinary resume.With the help of the discussed key points, one can make required changes in the ordinary resume and can secure a job according to the choice.

Summary Sunday Skills and Drills Roundup

Summary Sunday Skills and Drills Roundup Here we areanother Sunday, another roundup of excellent content to help you navigate the ever-changing career and job search world! These were some of the favorite posts I shared this week! Got Grit? Angela Lee Duckworth explains what determines success. Her research looks at success in school and business. Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success  Are You Hot or Not? What do the hottest skills look like? Heres a list of top skills that got people hired in 2013. You can read the full post (details) on  25 Hottest LinkedIn Member Skill Sets and How to Hire For Them 25 Hottest Skill Sets of 2013 on LinkedIn from LinkedIn Talent Solutions What Will You Do Next? So often, people ask me what the hot jobs are (or a more common inquiry is what jobs are stable?). For a list of the projected top jobs in 2014, check out this list on Forbes. The  Top Jobs for 2014 Holiday Job Search Tips There is certainly no shortage of tips on this topic right now! You can and should maximize your time during the holidays doing these things! 5 Ways to Advance Your Job Search During the Holidays  on Job-Hunt.org What did you enjoy most this week or even this year? What do you want to see more of in 2014? Im pondering some changes and your feedback would be helpful! I share a lot of content on social media, to see a summary you can follow me on Rebelmouse. Check it out here: If you like these posts, sign up and have them delivered directly to your email. When you do, youll receive my free tip sheet with over 20 ideas and tips to improve your LinkedIn profile! Never miss a post

Should You Follow Specific Formatting When Writing Your Resume?

Should You Follow Specific Formatting When Writing Your Resume?Should you follow specific formatting when writing your resume? There are several basic elements that you must include. The first is the job, and the second is your occupation.Some jobs are laid out with no need for specific formatting. The most important thing is that your resume should provide a clear picture of your experience and the job you are applying for. It is also necessary to include your education and professional training. You must state how long you have been in your current position and where you are currently working.In addition, when your resume asks you to describe your experience, provide a resume summary of the training, education, and professional service you have provided to your past employer. This is an easy way to show the organization that you are serious about your position and willing to work hard to satisfy the company.When you are formatting your resume, you should always use the default font s, colors, and other styles that come with your computer. Do not include spaces or other extra formatting. Remember that there is no point in asking the interviewer to read it. So be careful.If you are a lawyer, choose a format that highlights your past accomplishments, even if they do not come with a great summary. When you write your resume, it will make your employer see that you have clearly put your past in a positive light.By providing all this information to the organization's requirements, you can easily show that you have done a good job at your current position. If you do not complete a job description correctly, then your resume will never be used. Make sure you do it right the first time so your resume will be accepted. So if you follow the standards and guidelines, you will get an application filled out and filled with resumes, letters, and job applications. This will allow the company to find the best candidate for the job.