The Lazy Careerist

The Lazy Careerist I think back to my time before being self-employed, and ponder on what I did for my career. On the one hand, I did all the right stuff to build the content of my resume (titles, schooling, etc.). On the other hand, I did the bare minimum. I assumed.   And I was lazy. I think I was normal. Im not saying that normal means people who dont do what they *should* rather, Im saying I see a lot of people who dont do what they ought to do. Bare minimum vs. doing all the right things. The problem was I spent my time working for my employer, assuming the employer would take care of me. We all know how that works out. Can I implore you to take yourself out of lazy, or assuming, mode, with regard to your career? I guess its okay to be lazy and assuming with regarding to career management, as long as you got a job, but when that job ends (for a variety of reasons), you will regret it, and it can set you back months (and months and months). The Lazy Careerist I think back to my time before being self-employed, and ponder on what I did for my career. On the one hand, I did all the right stuff to build the content of my resume (titles, schooling, etc.). On the other hand, I did the bare minimum. I assumed.   And I was lazy. I think I was normal. Im not saying that normal means people who dont do what they *should* rather, Im saying I see a lot of people who dont do what they ought to do. Bare minimum vs. doing all the right things. The problem was I spent my time working for my employer, assuming the employer would take care of me. We all know how that works out. Can I implore you to take yourself out of lazy, or assuming, mode, with regard to your career? I guess its okay to be lazy and assuming with regarding to career management, as long as you got a job, but when that job ends (for a variety of reasons), you will regret it, and it can set you back months (and months and months).

Writing a Resume For a New Hiring Process

Writing a Resume For a New Hiring ProcessWriting a resume, especially one for a new employee can be a difficult task. Many of us dread submitting it because we do not know what to write and even more if we don't really know how to put together one. In this article, I'm going to share with you a way to write a resume that gets you noticed by your new employer.Most people employ various techniques to try and prepare their resumes. This is probably because most people don't have to make any mistakes when writing one. It's true. Nothing could be simpler than your resume. You simply provide an overview of your work history, academic background, and experience.Since so many people rush through their resumes, the first time they get around to putting it together and writing their cover letter, they usually make it less professional and seem less professional. So what should you be doing?First of all, be as detailed as possible about your particular skills and qualifications. It doesn't have to be a long piece, but it does need to cover what you do and why you would be the best candidate for the job. If you don't know much about the position you're applying for, talk to your friends who have been hired in the past and ask them about the hiring process. Ask them what they did to get hired.The second step to writing a great resume is to write in an efficient manner. Don't give yourself too much to work with. Keep it concise so that your reader will have a lot of information to digest quickly.Don't hesitate to add some extra things on top of your skills. Write about your interests or hobbies so that you can bring something new to the table. Use these bullet points to guide your resume:Finally, don't forget to use your unique skill as a benefit to your employer. If you are able to do a lot of tasks or operate outside of your usual scope of work, you can point out to the hiring manager that you can do this because you are a self-starter and tough worker.When writing a resum e, think of it as a conversational tool. Use the skills you have, and combine them with the skills of others, to speak to your potential employer.

Audacity As A Job Hunting Skill - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Audacity As A Job Hunting Skill - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In the movie 300, there is a scene where the doomed leader of the Spartans finds out that that they are vastly outnumbered by the invading Persians. The Persian archers are so many he is told that when they fire their volley, the Persian arrows will blot out the sun.   Hearing that, the Spartan warrior doesnt quail or advise the army to flee.   Instead he throws back his shoulders and says Good.   Then we shall fight in the shade. I remember reading that sentence in the original Greek in Herodotus Histories and thinking Wow. That is audacity.   To look at overwhelming odds and then to throw your shoulders back and take them on   thats audacity. Today, the word audacity has negative connotations in English.   Its most often used when were upset with someone and cant believe they did something. He had the audacity to suggest it was all my fault.   The Merrim Websiter dictionary defines it as intrepid boldness and being bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints. How did audacity become a bad thing?   It didnt used to be.   In fact, audacity came from the Latin verb audere, which means to dare.   The ancient world celebrated boldness, from the doomed Spartans at  the Battle of Thermopylae, to Cleopatra, to the Viking explorers to Hua Mulan.   Daring people took on odds that were against them, and while they didnt always succeed, they did make an impact. But today, sticking your neck out is frowned upon in many ways.   Wait to get noticed, people say.   Pay your dues.   Dont take on too much.   Dont rock the boat.   The cautions are everywhere. And in an uncertain economy, being cautious seems like a good plan.   This is the time to do exactly what youre supposed to do to get a good job, right?   Its not the time to be taking risks. Except that doesnt work anymore. The time for audacity The US economy is struggling. 50% of Gen Y college graduates are unemployed or underemployed.  The whole study hard, go to college and youll get a good job employment paradigm is broken.   Job openings regularly receive 50+ applicants, and many applicant report having to go to 5+  interviews with the same company just to be considered. This is a time when doing what youre supposed to do isnt going to work.   Employers arent looking for the good, interchangeable employees, theyre looking for the people who stand out. In other words, your competition for jobs has blotted out the sun.   Now you must  fight for your future in the shade. This is the time to have audacity.   Its the time to go after big goals to actively chase your dream job instead of competing with tons of others for that basic entry level job.   Its the time to start your own business.   Its the time to stop being shy about promoting yourself, and to go out there to create your personal brand. When Virgil wrote of Aeneas founding Rome, he wrote Audentes fortuna iuvat (Fortune favors the bold.)   Todays job market also demands that you have audacity.   Wheres yours? Author: Katie Konrath blogs about creativity, innovation and “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at www.getfreshminds.com.   She works for leading innovation company, Ideas To Go.

Why McDonalds Employees Are Lovin It

Why McDonalds Employees Are Lovin It With its famous golden arches and instantly recognisable Im lovin it slogan, the McDonalds brand is one of the largest and most recognisable corporations in the world. McDonalds is the worlds second largest private employer (behind Walmart) and has 1.9 million employees in branches and offices around the world. Because the brand is such a large one, McDonalds invest a large amount of time into the HR and company culture of the fast-food chain, and continually introduce initiatives to improve it for their employees. They have won a multitude of impressive awards for their approaches to HR and company culture. So what ways have the burger brand been boosting their HR profile? Lets take a look They cultivate pride: Over the years, McDonalds employees have taken a bit of a rap due to the nature of the company they work for. Jobs at McDonalds had an attached stigma or negative connotation which McDonalds recognise and actively try to reduce. They work hard on cultivating a sense of pride among staff, and use opportunities such as providing its employees the opportunity to work at cool events it sponsors, such as the London Olympics where it sent 2,000 of its staff. They provide equal opportunities: Something that McDonalds are very well known for is creating equal opportunities for everyone.They have made a point to attract and retain a very diverse group of people, and they make sure this is done by providing managers with diversity training and workshops. Thee workshops allow managers to learn how to bring the best out of everybody no matter their physical wellness or levels of health. They provide opportunities: If youve never heard of The Hamburger Universitywhere have you been?! The training campus has been called the Harvard of the food industry and apparently, the school only has a 1%  acceptance  rate. Sounds exclusive! More than  275,000 franchisees and managers have graced the halls of the training campus and each has received an actual degree in Hamburgerology . I think this really shows off the tone of the company. They care about their employees but can still have a bit of fun. In a new HR employee engagement programme, McDonalds invested £35 million into training for its staff, which shows they really want to invest and retain the  best  talent. They treat employees as individuals: Due to the nature of the restaurant and the huge numbers of staff they employ, it could be easy for McDonalds to refer to colleagues as a mass of people or a number, instead of actual human beings. Due to this reason, McDonalds introduced the Meet our people campaign, which aimed to show-off the breadth of employees as talented individuals from all walks of life. This campaign was actually the first McDonalds campaign that had zero  negative feedback. Not only did this show customers that each employee is a real person, it also helped show workers that they were appreciated. They promote  gender equality: McDonalds are doing great things for the promotion of equality for females in the workplace. The number of female executives on its board has risen from 10% 2007  to 27% in 2010. They also have a  Womens Leadership Development Programme and a womens leadership network and coaching/mentoring scheme to champion female talent in the company. Its fantastic to see a large corporation promoting gender equality. Overall, it looks like McDonalds is a great place to work! What measures do you take to ensure your employees and happy and motivated in the workplace?

Reading and Writing Skills - How to Present Yourself In A Clear and Concise Manner

Reading and Writing Skills - How to Present Yourself In A Clear and Concise MannerThe resume is very important but a strong one can be as important as a strong living. It is not enough to just have a beautiful resume but it must be easy to read and legible for future employers. Making sure your resume is legible is the first step to get noticed.Strong reading and writing skills are in the same order as strong character is to a successful person. The writing and reading skills is what separates a good resume from a bad one. It is a way to get you noticed and to grab the attention of the employers. A resume should be crisp, clear and concise.When a resume is clear and concise it is an indication of strong character. These are often done with the help of bullet points, which focus on key points. This saves a lot of time as the interviewer can easily get the message. A good idea is to use bullet points that go in reverse order as well. It will take a lot of space to say every point.If yo u have been lucky enough to acquire a career through your achievements then use a colourful and attractive font. You want your prospective employer to be enticed and interested. Using a fancy font will draw the eyes to your name.Another common mistake made by many is to use too much information. Remember that the body and the heading should not overwhelm the reader. It should not go too far as well and allow the reader to slowly move forward to get a feel of your resume.If you have been studying at college or university, then make sure that you include all your degrees including those that you may have already earned. You can add the numbers or abbreviations for the subject. Otherwise it would be unprofessional to have listed a degree with a personal abbreviation or number.Remember that if you are hired then you are hired. You should do the work for your prospective employer without any hesitation. Remember that he or she has already made a list of suitable candidates, therefore it is just to present yourself in the best possible manner.Good reading and writing skills and a clear and concise resume are the foundation for the job interview. With these skills you will be able to get noticed and your prospects will be greatly increased.

Winning Interviews The Secret Sauce You Need To Know

Winning Interviews The Secret “Sauce” You Need To Know Winning Interviews: The Secret “Sauce” You Need To Know On the job hunt and want to know the secret to winning interviews?   Don’t just go in only with a copy of the résumé you used in application and your references. You need more tools than that. What it takes to get really noticed is innovation and differentiating yourself from the competition to be on the side of winning interviews. Sometimes, this can require being gutsy, and always require a good sensitivity to the appropriateness of your tactics. But when you pull out the stops and create a truly positive and memorable interview experience, employers remember that and more importantly, they remember you.  And that is the secret sauce to winning interviews. This can be directly tied to your personal brand and further demonstrate how much you can help differentiate the employer from their competitors as well. Here are some ideas that could prime your pump as part of your strategy for winning interviews: Create a target employer binder. Not that I advocate for cutting down more trees but if you walk into an interview with a binder that has the company’s logo inserted into the clear sleeve, (and the interior that has printouts of information about the company), this is a great attention getting move. They are going to wonder, “What is in there, and how did they get that?” Visual aids. Unexpected visual aids can have a huge impact. Long ago, I applied at a job with Travel Oregon as a tourism development manager. Oregon is a big state, and I thought about the fact that I needed to show how much I have traveled around to show my knowledge of the different communities. My visual aid when they asked the question about how much I knew about Oregon? I pulled out an Oregon highway map that had every single road that I had been on in yellow highlighter. That blew them away. Infographic handouts tell stories. Create a graphic representation of your ideas, and have them available as handouts which are “leave-behinds” for employers to mull over long after you have left the interview room. Present your own research. Recently, a former client of mine sent out a Survey Monkey questionnaire to his entire network asking questions about the target company. Based on the responses, he is planning on walking into the interview with real-time data about the employer that will provide insights that underscore his ideas on how he could help them. Own list of in-depth questions. Take your list of interview questions to ask the employer to the next level… through your own due diligence, take a deeper dive on the company to really find out their challenges or opportunities. Dig into news reports, stock reports, or any other data that can help you ask meaningful questions about the company’s story. Develop a prototype. Don’t give away the store with your idea, but if you can provide some glimmer of the ideas that could help take the company to the next interview, you could leave the employer absolutely hungry for more. Identify a major gap. Be willing to ask the company: “Have you ever considered X?” Truth is, they may not have. Or, at the very least, they would be impressed that you saw it too. Provide a solution by demonstrating knowledge of pain points. Consider what keeps the employer up at night. What can you do to solve those issues and help them achieve their goals? Read voraciously about the employer. The more you know and can feel comfortable discussing with a potential employer shows your resourcefulness and intelligence. Planning for the subconscious. I have heard from people who have done things as simple as using a pen with the target company’s logo during the interview to even wearing interview attire colors that are aligned to the company’s brand and logo. But the real secret to success to interviews is being able to draw a straight line between what you offer and what the employer needs, and use stories to underscore your ability to do so. Never forget the impact of powerful storytelling on winning interviews.

What Do You Want to Be Known For

What Do You Want to Be Known For We all have a reputation. People recognize our strengths inside and outside of the workplace.   But it is truly up to us to manage our reputation and it is never too early to start. How does one begin to define what you want to be known for?   It starts by asking those tough to answer questions. What are you great at doing? Some examples might include: Solving complex problems as they relate to managing the financial operations of a company Researching solutions for how to promote and market the business Leading and inspiring people to get the job done while not afraid of getting your hands dirty Who needs to know this?   Internally and externally? It is up to you to make sure that the right people inside your organization and outside know this about you.   Internally, do you have a way to communicate this to those above you? There are many ways to do this and it all starts with knowing what you want to communicate.   Externally, how will you prove your value and reputation?   Aaah and this is the true focus of this post. The internet is powerful and there are many tools today to help distribute your message.   So lets assess where you are today with your online presence and where you want to be in 3-6 months from now. Taking it Online With what frequency do you participate online?   Casual can mean once a year or once a month, generally with out regularity.   Consistent could be once a week or once a day, but you can be relied upon to be there. When you are online, do you just watch, lurk, listen or do you participate, respond, reply, comment?   Theres nothing wrong with watching from the sidelines to get started and figure out the rules of the game and figure out whos who, but, if you dont play, you miss out on the fun. Do you want to be creating your own content or do you want to share others?   Or do you want to do both? Will you focus on a niche or very specific reader/industry/area or will you be broader in the scope of the content you share? Evaluate where you are now and where you want to be in 3 months.   If you want a more formal measurement of where you are now, go to Klout. This is free (for now) and it measures your overall online influence based on your activity online (primarily Twitter and Facebook).   Ive adapted the image below based on their measurement criteria. This is the big picture stuff.   In future posts, Ill talk about these four elements in more detail.   Stay tuned. Does this make sense or does it sound like a bunch of hogwash?