Im Convinced

Im Convinced… that you could do a better job branding yourself. Im not talking about some buzzword Im talking about how you communicate your value proposition.  How others perceive you.  How others talk about you. When an opportunity comes up, do others think of you and your strengths and skills?  Or are you not even a thought? Ive been talking about branding for 10+ years.  Its not going anywhere.  In the olden days it used to be called reputation (and, reputation management). Lets get smarter about the messaging were giving.  If you want help, leave a comment with your brand (statement, tagline, etc.) and well beat it up with you Im Convinced… that you could do a better job branding yourself. Im not talking about some buzzword Im talking about how you communicate your value proposition.  How others perceive you.  How others talk about you. When an opportunity comes up, do others think of you and your strengths and skills?  Or are you not even a thought? Ive been talking about branding for 10+ years.  Its not going anywhere.  In the olden days it used to be called reputation (and, reputation management). Lets get smarter about the messaging were giving.  If you want help, leave a comment with your brand (statement, tagline, etc.) and well beat it up with you

How to Write a Resume to Be a Prep Cook

How to Write a Resume to Be a Prep CookTo write a resume, one must have a clear understanding of what it means. To tell what you are good at and what skills you have is to properly classify yourself. First of all, you should know that all resumes are essentially the same, as far as style and format is concerned. It's actually more confusing than that.Once you have a clear understanding of what your resume is supposed to be, you should have a better idea of what a resume consists of. This includes your skills, your education, your achievements, your professional responsibilities, and any other information that might be relevant. While each individual can be classified a little differently, the above points should be generally applied to personal resumes.So how can you learn how to write a resume to be a prep cook? The first thing to do is look at your friends' and family members' resumes. This is probably the easiest way to find out how others go about preparing their resumes. And the n take what you've learned and apply it to your own resume.Use various professionals and acquaintances as examples for what to include. Read and study their resume as if you were going through it yourself. Remember that all resumes are essentially the same, and this means you can easily apply what you learn from these samples to your own resume.Since you should already know that a resume is essentially the same, you should also know that you can personalize your resume to be a prep cook. Why? If you're going to be preparing the food for a big event, such as a graduation or an interview, or even a big birthday party, you'll want to make sure that you look presentable and even professional. You should be able to convey that you can handle the job with a great deal of competence.Also, the higher up you move up the corporate ladder the more it will be a good idea to include some resume writing tips. Everyone on that level is probably already considered a great candidate anyway, but it d oesn't hurt to impress them with your abilities to do their job. And while it is a good idea to display your past work experience, you should still be able to use it in the professional format, but leave out any fluff that would go along with it.What are the important resume writing tips to writing a resume to be a prep cook? There is no limit on the things you can include in a resume and no limit on the things you can leave out. Just take the time to do it right, and you'll do fine.In conclusion, learning how to write a resume for yourself is important, but how can you learn how to do it correctly? What tips can you use? Hopefully this article has given you a basic idea on how to do it.

8 Easy Tips for Networking to Get a Job

8 Easy Tips for Networking to Get a Job Networking to get a job should never feel like stressful, hard work. Yes, you can spend all day on the top websites to find jobs and feel like you have accomplished something. But networking to get a job takes a lot more than just applying online.We offer these easy job networking tips below to help you.1. Attend Meetups With People in Your IndustryEven with all the tools to stay connected these days, one of the most powerful job networking tips is still meeting people in your industry face to face. The website Meetup.com has been around for more than 15 years because face to face networking simply works.All you have to do to start networking to get a job is “go where your people go to talk business”. For example, if you are an engineer, you would love to go to NY’s Tech Meetup. Founded in 2004, it has had more than 56,000 attendees, from startups to VC’s and more.2. Start Sharing What You Know BestWhat makes the Internet so great is that the act of reaching out to share know ledge is a great way for people to discover what you know. If you are diligent about it, you may unwittingly become a thought leader in your industry. The act of helping others by sharing your knowledge is a great way to “pay it forward”. What makes this a powerful job networking tip is that companies and people are seeing your generous and intelligent side while also seeing your written communication skills.3. Reach out to Complete Strangers Online in Your IndustryInstead of hanging around on the top websites to find a job, why not reach out to people on LinkedIn who are discussing topics you care about. These days, we pretty much have accepted that people will contact us when they have something in common or need something (like a job). Networking to get a job requires not being shy about what you want or need. If you can reach out to complete strangers in your industry and help them, by all means, do it. A general job networking tip required here is, “Don’t be afraid to a sk for help”.4. Start Connecting With More Co-WorkersYou work with them every day, so take the time to begin networking. Find out what they know, what interests them, and who they know. You and your co-workers are in the same company for a reason. Find out more from your co-workers about their network and how they all think. Perhaps, you have things in common you can do after work.This is a job networking tip that has been around for decades. For example, inviting co-workers to play golf with you on a Saturday (circa 1980’s and 1990’s). In the 21st century, you can connect and network with more co-workers with technology that makes it much more affordable. Try working with them on projects or hobbies outside of work.5. Connect With Former Co-WorkersOne of the biggest reasons you should never burn bridges at a job is because your former co-workers will always be part of your network. In today’s global workforce, the top websites to find jobs offer positions to be applied for around the world. While networking to get a job see if you can come across a position your former co-workers know something about. Just recently, a former co-worker reached out to me from South America. He was interviewing for a job in the United States and wanted more info about living in Texas. I was able to help him both as a reference and for relocation advice.6. Take Business Courses and Join GroupsLast year, I was hanging out on the so-called top websites to find jobs. Then, I realized one day I was spending time in two Facebook groups where people discussed two industries I wanted to be a part of. One was for community managers and the other was for a business course on “gamification”. In the processes of networking to get a job, I stayed in touch with these groups and the people in them. I was a regular contributor and took a business course offered in one group.Then, one day people started posting job notices in the Facebook groups. I had success landing interviews and meeting possible future co-workers. They were more willing to consider me because I took an interest in what they were needing and doing. There is no reason you cannot do the same. The moral of this job networking tip is to remember: Today’s business world of networking to get a job, as it was in the past, is all “give and give...and then take”.7. Stay in TouchPopping your head into an online group or Meetup is a start. But it takes more than making an appearance to truly consider it networking to find a job. Stay in touch with all of the people you are meeting. Networking to get a job is a hustle and you need to do it to gain traction.8. Reply to Everyone Who Contacts YouIf you feel you have no time to reply to everyone, expect them to show you the same courtesy. Sure, once you gain traction, this job networking tip becomes more difficult. Just remember this simple universal truth: “Busy at work is better than not busy at no work.” Reply to your network simply because you want them to do that for you and opportunities will arise!

How to Recruit Gen Z Through Employer Branding

How to Recruit Gen Z Through Employer Branding Marketers are changing their focus from Gen Y (aka Millennials) to Gen Zâ€"anyone born around 1995 or later. In addition to marketers, recruiting professionals are also shifting towards Gen Z, all those college students who are about to graduate in the next five years. But how to recruit Gen Z? Even more, how can employers market their brand to effectively recruit Gen Z? Karen Paginton, specialist in recruiting Gen Z in the UK, reveals some very helpful talking points. During a recent conversation with Karen Paginton, she shared those talking points to me. As a millennial, I’m only one generation away from Gen Z, so I can relate to them a little more than my Gen X predecessors. No on has the golden ticket, but Paginton, whos recruited for KPMG and BP, offered to me her top three pieces of advice for recruiting from Gen Z. She advised employers to: Know your market Utilize authentic storytelling Be innovative and utilize tech effectively My primary takeaway from the conversation? Employers need to move from a generalized approach to a personalized approach to recruiting those in Gen Z. Q:  What’s the greatest challenge in recruiting college students right now? Karen Paginton: “It’s about trying to connect with the best candidates early. As an organization you really need to move your activity from a generalized approach to a much more personalized approach. So it’s really about talent spotting and connecting with the best talent. “Pushing content out through authentic storytelling and really building a talent pool of strong candidates that you can connect with and start to have a conversation with that will lead you to hiring that very strong talent. Q: How do you authentically tell your company story? KP: “It’s blogs; it’s social media. It’s about allowing the students to see themselves in the organization. So definitely use Instagram. Particularly for Gen Z, they use it all the time; it’s the way that they communicate. It’s where their important conversations exist. “If you’re an intern, you’re posting pictures of yourself being with a client, networking with other interns, perhaps going to a dinner or at a learning event â€"I think those things really resonate and really help that content to feel real.” Q: How do you differentiate between Gen Y and Gen Z? KP: “Gen Z is anybody born around 2000. Those people who will be coming up to just finishing school, hitting the workforce in the next five years. Gen Y are those people who are already in the workforceâ€" anybody under 35. I think there’s a difference between the way those people think and the way they interact with organizations and their experience. “There’s been more research about Gen Z being more about that balanced approach and much more about wanting to engage with communities, authenticity with the brand, and about giving back, money is less important than career development and community engagement. Q: What are your top three pieces of advice for recruiting college students for entry level positions? KP: “The first thing I would say is know your market. Where are the people that you want to recruit. You have to be very targeted; you can’t just say I’m going to XYZ university and you can’t use the same approach at all those universities. You have to make it personalized. That’s difficult when you might be recruiting a lot of people, but I truly believe that’s what makes a successful entry level talent strategy. “The other is authentic storytelling. Know who your role models are; identify your social media champions; use a blended approach. Really think about the messages you’re trying to get across and what you’re saying and how that will resonate with the audience you are trying to reach. Gen z uses social media as a means of social validation and inclusion but want to differentiate themselves professionally. “I suppose, lastly, it would be be bold and innovative and embrace new tech to help you engage with the right candidates and provide an outstanding candidate experience. Using social networks such as Bright Networks (in the UK) or utilising apps that are just starting to make an impact in this space are going to make a difference and will be the future of student recruiting.” Q: When you’re reaching out to college students, what’s the next step after you have initial contact? KP: “Email them, invite them to come to an on campus event, on on campus dinner,  connect them with a senior leader in the organization, where they could start to have a conversation, and start to build that relationship. We might drive them to an event such as a skills session and provide some coaching. “One of the issues that organisations are starting to face is that people don’t react very well to emails. One way messaging gets taken out in the noise of social media and is ineffective. Students  don’t necessarily want to interact with an email from an employer. Pushing content out via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and face-to-face through the use of alumni and student brand ambassadors is more effective. “In the UK there have been some new products coming onto the market, particularly in the last few months. There’s been a job matching app, which is about connecting employers and students, and that’s really about gamification and content around games to connect students and employers. I think that’s really exciting and I think that resonates well with Gen Z.” A last word “Student recruiting’s been done the same way for 20 years. The people that we’re recruiting are changing. They’re interacting in a very, very different way. They want a personalized, authentic candidate experience. They want to engage with an organisation and its values and see themselves reflected in the talent pool of an organisation. “Something has to change. It’s been done the same way for a very long time data enables organizations to  know more about their audience, technology is changingâ€"you have to embrace that, because that’s what this audience embraces. If you don’t do that, you’re going to be kind of left behind and you will not be able to hire the right talent for your organisation to drive innovation and profitability.” Heres one practical takeaway that companies can implement when branding themselves specifically to Gen Z: Find stories of employees in your company (start with one), and tell those stories in an authentic way. How? Don’t leave out some of the “bad” parts; tell the good parts of the story and the parts that show a little dirt too. Gen Z wants to know you’re real; it builds trust. Then, tell those stories through a blog, a tweet, and even an Instagram pic. If you’re curious about social storying in particular, check out how Humans of New York tells stories through pictures and words; they’ve nailed it. Instead of a city to brand, youve got a company to brand, so get going and build momentum toward recruiting the next generation by speaking their language. [Top Image Credit:  Shutterstock]

Writing a Professional Office Skills Resume

Writing a Professional Office Skills ResumeIf you are looking for the best possible resume to make you stand out from the rest of the applicants, then you must include the professional skills resume. This is the main reason why this particular job category attracts such a lot of applicants. If you are still wondering how to write this particular resume, then read on and find out.In writing a resume, it is always a good idea to start with an introduction. A good introduction is necessary if you want to impress the hiring manager. You can use bullet points that give the reader an overview of your work experience. Make sure that the highlight your most important accomplishments in a particular field.Skills and responsibilities are necessary in this particular resume type. With this, the applicant can present the best possible description of his or her work history. And you should also make sure that your work history is updated and correct. Good thing about this resume type is that you can use it over again as long as you keep up with the latest trends.Skills are essential in the eyes of the employer. What's more, you should also note that the skills you have acquired are directly related to the kind of work you do in your current position. You should also make sure that the job duties you perform are not only beneficial to your own position, but also to other departments in the company. As an example, a certain trade firm will have different needs when it comes to office personnel.It is important to write your resume in a professional yet in a presentable manner. You can also ensure that you meet all the company requirements before writing your resume. By doing so, you can be sure that the resume will have a good chance of getting accepted by the employer.In addition, you should also ensure that you include in your resume any new skills you may have acquired recently. Not only will this help you in your application, but you will also be able to impress the hiring manager and get a better job. Moreover, the hiring manager will also appreciate you for taking the initiative in seeking for a job.If you are looking for a job in your current field, you should try to be flexible with the wording of your resume. Remember that a shorter resume may get rejected while a longer one will get a faster approval. However, a shorter resume does not necessarily mean a poor resume. And the employer may have an impression of you by how you present yourself.Your resume can be perfect and very well written, but without having an outline of a job or the main details of your skill set, it will not get accepted. Therefore, make sure that you know exactly what kind of information you need to include in your resume. The chances of being hired will increase with a well-written resume.

Is Telecommuting Good or Bad for Your Career - Career Pivot

Is Telecommuting Good or Bad for Your Career - Career Pivot Telecommuting and Your Career Recently, the Austin Business Journal had a poll about telecommuting called Would You Be A Good Telecommuter? This a hot topic, as we now have Los Angeles-like traffic in Austin. The question about telecommuting is not whether it would be good for you, but whether it would be good for your career? I want to address two types of telecommuting: working in a remote city versus working from home to avoid the commute. Telecommuting in a Remote City With advances in technology, it is now possible to work from just about anywhere. This has great advantages: You are no longer restricted to working for companies located within your city Greater variety of opportunities This also has a number of disadvantages: Team â€" When you are remote and, specifically, remote geographically, it is more difficult to develop relationships with your team. I have a client who manages multiple remote development teams, and he uses Google Hangouts to interact with them. This is still a challenge for him. Cross-Functional Teams â€" When you are not in the office, it is easy to be out of sight and out of mind. This is specifically true when you are trying to develop working relationships with people outside of your direct management chain. Relationships are key to your career success. When you work in a remote city, you will really have to work to develop those key relationships. Telecommuting Locally Many of us have been given the option to work from home. Is this a good idea? It depends. Is there a culture of telecommuting in the organization? If so, is there a pattern? Do many employees work from home on Friday? Are there specific times of the week, like Wednesday morning, when employees work from home? Listen to the most recent episode Whatever that pattern might be, follow that pattern. You want to telecommute whenever others telecommute. You want to be in the office when everyone else is in the office. Why come into the office when most others are gone? I have one client who came into the office on days when others were telecommuting and she said it was like walking into a graveyardâ€"really quiet! Pick your times to be in the office when there is a high need for collaboration. Be strategic. Resource Actions or Reduction in Force Whenever there is a Resource Action or Reduction in Force or Redundancy, or whatever other names you have for a layoff, the easiest employees to eliminate are the remote employees. Often, management does not need to see these employees face to face to tell them their positions have been eliminated. I have seen this done over the phone and even by e-mail. Yes, I have known employees who were laid off via e-mail! If you telecommute, you need to put some extra effort into developing key relationships. If you live locally, pick the times to work from home. Conclusion What relationships do you need to cultivate, and will telecommuting detract from those relationships? In my honest opinion, there is a lot to be lost by telecommuting in bad times…and a lot to be gained in good times. It should be noted that Flexjobs.com just released their list of Top 100 Companies with Remote Jobs in 2015. Do you telecommute? Is it a good or bad situation? Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

8 Qualities You Should Have if You Want to Be a Great Trust Attorney

8 Qualities You Should Have if You Want to Be a Great Trust Attorney Ever wonder what it takes to be a truly great trust attorney? The truth is that this requires more than a great education. And it even requires more than great passion on behalf of your clients. There are actually eight key qualities that define the greatest trust attorneys in the world. And by mastering these qualities, you will be more successful than ever before. Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover these secrets! 1. Honesty In popular culture, lawyers are often portrayed as untrustworthy. In the real world, being honest and trustworthy is one of the most important qualities. Clients look to lawyers as problem solvers, and its tempting to always tell those clients what they want to hear. However, there may be times when you have to break some bad news to even the very best clients. As a trust attorney, you need to be honest and upfront about client expectations and the likelihood of certain outcomes. In the long run, clients will respect your honesty and realize that they can trust what you have to say on various matters. 2. Cost-Effectiveness Another lawyer stereotype is that they are very expensive. This is why clients are especially responsive to a trust attorney who is genuinely cost-effective. That doesnt mean pricing yourself out of business. Instead, you should focus on the kinds of solutions for your clients that save them as much money as possible. This approach helps clients to look at your services as a kind of investment. In short, they are quite happy to pay for your services upfront when they can see the tangible benefits of your services in the coming years. This is why the best trust attorneys are innovators. 3. Special Experience Its easier said than done, but the best trust attorneys are the ones with a good amount of experience under their belt. And this pays off for both attorney and client in a number of exciting ways. First, experience will help you discover unique solutions to client problems you may otherwise have never imagined. Eventually, your legal toolbox will be filled to the brim with dynamic solutions. Second, experience means that clients are talking about you. Your business will only grow as interested clients discover things like online reviews, social media feedback, and old-fashioned word of mouth. 4. Highly Responsive Heres an open secret in the legal world: you are only as good as your clients think you are. For instance, you might be the busiest and most devoted trust attorney in history. However, if clients cannot easily reach you, they will become convinced you are ignoring them. Be sure to always call clients back as soon as you can and respond quickly to their e-mails. And set up digital reminders to follow up with your clients every week, even when there is not much new to report. At the end of the day, clients are paying you for your time. And respecting their own time makes them think they are getting their moneys worth. 5. A People Person Weve talked a lot about the importance of being honest and trustworthy. On a related note, a good trust attorney must also be a people person. Your profession will involve asking clients to open up about things that will make them feel vulnerable and even frightened. Along with your legal duties, it is your responsibility to help such clients feel reassured about the decisions they are making. While not a requirement, it helps if you have a very extroverted personality. Such attorneys essentially feed off the energy of new interactions, and this energy can help overpower the fears and concerns of nervous clients. 6. Tax Expertise Earlier, we discussed the importance of developing an overall body of experience. However, its also important to get as much tax experience and expertise as you possibly can. For trust attorneys, clients are typically balancing a variety of plans such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and stock incentives. And all of these plans are tied intimately to various federal and state laws affecting individual taxes. By understanding the ins and outs of how tax laws work, you can provide the best possible service for your clients. Furthermore, you will be able to provide those clients with a variety of options that helps them discover the estate planning that works best for them and their families. 7. Business Experience For many clients, estate planning does not exist within a vacuum. Instead, they are planning their trusts alongside planning their family business affairs. These clients are going to need a trust attorney that has a great deal of business experience. For instance, you should know how their role within a company will affect both business governance and private estate planning. Such experience is doubly important because no two family-owned businesses are exactly the same. And even if two similar businesseshave similar estate planning goals, the best way to accomplish those goals may be very different. 8. Solid Resources John Donne once wrote that no man is an island unto himself. As it turns out, Donne could have been writing about trust attorneys in particular! No matter how much training and experience you have, you wont be able to do everything and know everything on your own. That is why you need to have a solid support system of resources in place. This may include the resources that come with joining a firm. Alternately, it may be experienced colleagues that you can trust for answers and advice. Ultimately, this is why creative networking is so important earlier in your career. The larger your network grows, the more resources you can draw on to help your clients. A Good Trust Attorney: The Bottom Line Now you know what qualities make for a good trust attorney. But do you know how else to take charge of your career? Mike McRitchie specializes in helping with everything from boring resumes to LinkedIn marketing. To see how he can take your career to the next level, check out his services today!

How to Make Your Executive LinkedIn Profile Stand Out

How to Make Your Executive LinkedIn Profile Stand Out Utilizing LinkedIn to its fullest extent is important for professionals at any level. Whether you’re looking for a new job actively or if you simply want to boost your brand, seeking assistance from a LinkedIn profile writing service is never a bad idea. Most executives today have a LinkedIn profile, but not all of them know how to optimize it to make it stand out among the rest. You have to be careful with what you include and how you present yourself online, as you would on your resume or anywhere else. Here are some great tips on how to make your executive LinkedIn profile stand out. Align Your LinkedIn Profile With Your Online Brand Any recruiter, hiring manager or even a colleague will look at your LinkedIn profile as well as any other social media outlets, blogs or websites to get an idea of your brand. If you aren’t sure what your online brand currently is, now is a good time to search for your name in a search engine and look at the results. A good LinkedIn profile writing service will help match the contents of your profile to your online brand so there are no discrepancies. This alignment is critical in how you are perceived to other executives, employers or recruiters. Fill Out Your Profile Page Completely Having a LinkedIn profile isn’t enough today. Be sure to fill out every section as much as possible and keep it updated. It’s especially important to focus on the summary section, as this is the first thing people will see when they visit your profile. This section is a great opportunity to summarize your brand in just a couple sentences, and it could be the difference between someone viewing the rest of your profile or moving on to someone else. Join Groups and Be Active When you join LinkedIn groups, those groups will be displayed on your profile page. It may be tempting to join dozens of groups, but it’s actually a better strategy to only stick with a handful and be more active in those. The more active you are, the more people will look at your LinkedIn profile. As such, it may be best to work with a LinkedIn profile writing service before you get too active to be sure yours stands out when people view it. At Professional Resume Services, we pride ourselves on being more than just a team of professional executive resume writers. We enjoy helping professionals with various aspects of their job search, including developing their LinkedIn and overall online presence. Never hesitate to reach out to us for assistance with a job search, developing your online brand or for resume writing.