Career Management IS NOT a Numbers Game

Career Management IS NOT a Numbers Game Its a numbers game. Thats what they said about the job search. Then you would hear stories about people who said they sent resumes to 1,000 companies, even 2,000 companies, and they heard nothing. If its a numbers game then that person only needs to send a few hundred more, right? Theres a logical argument that the job search is a numbers game. I personally dont believe that, but I can see how the argument makes sense. Kind of. But the title of my post is that career management is not a numbers game. Dont think of networking as numbers think if it as building relationships. Dont think of your personal brand as a statement, but how others perceive (or talk about) you. If you think of your career management in terms of quantity over quality, youll have a lot more work to do. This is a long play, for sure.  Do it right. Career Management IS NOT a Numbers Game Its a numbers game. Thats what they said about the job search. Then you would hear stories about people who said they sent resumes to 1,000 companies, even 2,000 companies, and they heard nothing. If its a numbers game then that person only needs to send a few hundred more, right? Theres a logical argument that the job search is a numbers game. I personally dont believe that, but I can see how the argument makes sense. Kind of. But the title of my post is that career management is not a numbers game. Dont think of networking as numbers think if it as building relationships. Dont think of your personal brand as a statement, but how others perceive (or talk about) you. If you think of your career management in terms of quantity over quality, youll have a lot more work to do. This is a long play, for sure.  Do it right.

Resume Writing and Formatting Tips

Resume Writing and Formatting TipsIf you are writing a resume, then it is time to take a look at the resume writing and formatting tips that can help you write a better and more professional looking resume. Even if you have all of the right credentials, you need to follow a few important things in order to make sure that your resume looks professional looking. Unfortunately, many people do not follow these basic rules when they are filling out their resume. This is something that can be avoided if you are serious about getting a job.Remember that there are no rules when you are writing a resume, only good practices that you should follow. For example, you should always create a paper form when you are creating a resume. You should always keep it to a minimum. If you try to put a bunch of information on a paper form, your resume will look unprofessional.Start with a clean and professional looking resume. If you can make your resume professional looking, then your chances of getting a job are much better. Your resume should look professional. If you don't, then you are wasting your time and not getting anywhere. Don't let this happen to you.Always use a template for your resume. When you are doing your resume writing and formatting, it is always easier to use a template than to create your own. Also, you will find that it is easier to know what you are looking for in a certain section of your resume when you use a template. It will also help you to be able to get a better job interview.Format your resume as much as possible. If you are too lazy to format your resume, then you might as well just give up. Keep your resume short and simple. Your interviewer does not want to read a long and boring resume, so it is best to keep your resume short and to the point.Make sure that your name is easily readable. The name of your company should be legible, yet not confusing. Your company should stand out in the resume. It should be easy to read. If you are using some kind of formatting or lettering, make sure that it is understandable and legible as well.Give your employer a reason to hire you by highlighting your good skills and traits. While your resume is there to get you an interview, it should also give them a reason to hire you. Be sure to highlight your skills and abilities that will make you a valuable employee.Remember that when you are trying to get a job, your resume is your first impression. Your resume is what gets the employer to call you for an interview. This is something that you can control and should be a very important part of your resume writing and formatting tips.

Doc Browns Guide to Taking Your Resume Back to The Future

Doc Browns Guide to Taking Your Resume Back to The Future Great Scott! Creative resumes have been getting a lot of buzz lately.   Technology has sped up so quickly, every individual now has incredible power to invent, create, and produce. Suddenly, a dull paper resume doesnt feel like its enough. It used to be, old guys like me were the ones pioneering change and the future, but now, young folk are creating all kinds of interesting new things, including resumes. The old calculated approach to resume writing is shattering and a generation of kids, that grew up in the tech boom, are fighting to stand out. In fact, even my friends at the universities are announcing that we need help understanding How to Craft the Perfect Modern Resume. Check out their calculations below! Courtesy of  Colorado Technical University Do You Know What This Means? As my friend Marty would say, This is some heavy stuff! So, I decided to take a trip and explore what the future has done with this advice. Here is what Ive found! 1. Erica Swallows Infographic Resume Destination number one took me to Erica Swallows resume. There is no need to question Ericas success. As an editor for Mashable and a history working for The New York Times and Saatchi and Saatchi, she has obviously made a name for herself in media. It might be worthwhile seeing how one in her position prefers to market her skills. Her resume has over 8,000 views on slideshare.net alone. 2.   Turns Out, Theres an App for That! My next stop took me to a resume in a style I had never seen before. Sahas Katta, an aspiring tech evangelist shook up the old way of doing resumes with a mock phone app over on his site, SahasKata.com. The buzz created by his mobile resume generated over 30,000 visits. 3.   8bit Retro Resume I have to admit, this third stop made me question whether I had set the flux capacitor in the right direction. I thought I was heading back in time, but quickly realized that this was Zefs way of creating an interactive resume harkening back to my retro roots. Zef Narkiewicz wanted to get into design work after college so he created this 8 bit resume on his site. He did an excellent job of making it interactive and social friendly. If you go to his site today, you will see the results of his work. He is now happily employed at LBi. 4.   Google Please Hire M.E. Matt seems to have found a time machine of his own with that completely ridiculous western style mustache, but his unique style of marketing his talents ended up paying off. Matthew Epstein sought out on his own quest of landing a dream job at Google. So he created the site Googlepleasehire.me which took Googles design and featured a video of Matthew wearing said   mustache as he laid out a story as to why Google should hire him. The site is filled with many other interactive elements that show more about him, how to request an interview, see his resume, and more. In the end he didnt land a job at Google.   But, he did get an interviewthey just decided not to move forward. Shortly after, he received an amazing job offer at Sigfig and his video went on to see over half a million hits. You can find his story here. Oh and by the way, think Matt must have been crazy to present himself, mustache and all to Google? Well, Google has a sense of humor too. The infamous mustache will live on in their Hangouts. 5.   The QR Resume My last visit, took me to Victor Petit. Mr. Petit scored an internship quickly after making this combo video/qr code resume. His words give us better insight into why he took this approach. “I realized during my previous job search that getting an interview at a communication agency is the hardest part of the process,” says Petit. “I tried to create a CV that would enable me to express myself vocally as soon as they read the paper version. The combination of a sheet of paper and a QR code felt like the best way to reach that goal.” Well done Victor! (free-extras) If My Calculations Are Correct After examining these extremely successful examples, I have calculated the new fundamentals resumes will start to reflect in the future. 1.   The Futures Resumes are Social. Resumes no longer will be between you and the employer.   They will need to carry a social element as wellat least psychologically. What I mean by this is, resumes of the future need a Wow moment.   Something that impresses its viewer enough to think, this person really stood out. My mother used to say the proof is in the pudding, but in the future, the proof is in the social media. Post your website, infographic, video, or other resume of the future online and see what happens. Its hard to ignore the results folk are getting from these new forms of resume writing. 2.   Interactive and Brought to Life by the Viewer In the past, it used to be that we read resumes.   In the future you will play resumes. Do you know what this means?!?! Let me get some help from my friends at Google to demonstrate. Doc Brown:   Hello Google. How many resumes do you get in a week? Google: OhHi Doctor Emmett.   According to our latest calculations we receive roughly   20,000 resumes a week, or two every minute. Doc Brown:   Great Scott Google!   Thats a ton of resumes! So friends, what I mean is, today we send out standard, word doc resumes.   Easy to email, upload, and submit. Which is part of the problem. Its so easy to share these lifeless documents that HR departments around the world get flooded with thousands of junk cvs every day. Now, what about a resume thats a bit more creative, interactive,   infographic, or inventive? Something you can actually play with, click, watch, or see come alive? Do you think it might get a fair bit more attention than its lifeless ancestor? Let me tell you.   It works! It really works!!! 3.   Style Matters In the FutureMore Than Ever Objective, Skills, Work History, Education. These are, and still will be, crucial parts of every resume past or future, but the way this information is displayed can make all the difference whether your resume gets viewed or not. Did you know some fonts are scientifically proven to be easier to read on a screen?   Have you ever considered how spacing can make a difference, or how indentations can cause the eye to wander? Style is like paving a road for your DeLorean time machine.   It builds a runway for the viewer, allowing them to hit all the major points on your resume and reach that 88mph time travel speed. (free-extras) 4.   Resumes Will Tell Stories One of the purposes technology seeks to fulfill is to cut out boredom and send it away for another day. Yet how often are we excited, entertained, or thrilled by a resume? Theyre pretty boring, right? Well, a common pattern of the resumes from the future are their story telling abilities. They dont read like a list of adjectives, skills, or achievements, but more like a story. Where did I come from, what did I accomplish, where am I headed? These are all questions a professional time traveler asks himself, and will be common themes of the resumes of the future as well. Where We Are Going, We Dont Need Need Roads! My trusty time machine used to be limited by how much road we had in order to get it to 88mph.   So I made some modifications, and now the DeLorean hovers. Resumes will be the same way. Dont be afraid to let go of the road. Dont let your boundaries be defined by what fits on a page, what Word lets you do, or anything else for that matter. I know, it feels safe, you can trust it. Are you guaranteed to find fame, glory, and a job? Perhaps. Did my first attempts at inventing work out? No. No. No! It took hitting my head on a bathroom sink and working 30 years to get the flux capacitor just right. Im merely showing you whats being done in the resumes of the future so you can consider the advantages for yourself. Until next time, Doctor Emmett Brown P.S. I am off to more adventures and may be back at another time.   For now, my scribe Bryce Christiansen will handle all comments and feedback.

Job Search Secrets Of Successful Job Seekers - VocationVillage

Job Search Secrets Of Successful Job Seekers - VocationVillage Some people seem to know job search secrets that enable them to land jobs even when the economy isnt booming. Ive watched job seeker behavior for 20+ years. Want to know what successful job seekers do well? Heres a checklist:  Choose a focused career goal before you launch your job search. Trying to implement a job search campaign without a clear goal is like trying to pack for a vacation without knowing where you are going. When articulating your career goal, dont be afraid to close doors. Instead of saying, I could do marketing or tech support or writing or sales or whatever your company has open, say something focused like, Im a marketing professional with 5 years of successful experience creating product marketing strategies and increasing market share. Im looking for an opportunity to continue to use my marketing expertise in the health care sector. Build a network of colleagues before you need job search assistance. Then you can draw upon your connections from a foundation of t rust and shared history instead of waiting until you feel desperate to start the process.  Develop  error-free personal marketing  materials. Perfectionism is usually a bad thing but it is required when you are creating a resume and cover letter. Ask a friend to review your materials because a second set of eyes will catch things you miss. Customize your personal marketing materials for every job for which you apply. Avoid a one size fits all resume that is probably wrong for every job opening just because it hasnt been tailored sufficiently. Create a positive online presence utilizing social media and blogging. The best case scenario is that hiring managers can find something good about you if they Google you. Second best is being invisible online. Worst case is that a hiring manager will find damaging information about you. If there is anything negative about you online, use reputation management tools to bury it. Find effective ways to manage your job search stress so that your a nxiety doesnt become paralyzing or prevent you from making a good impression during job interviews. Be prepared for the interview question, Please tell us about yourself. I tell job hunters to pretend that this question is really, Why should we hire you? Reframing it in this way helps you to focus your response in a way that is more concise and persuasive. Recognize that the interview process continues through the entire recruitment process, not just during the times when you are participating in interviews. This includes all the follow up that may drag on for longer than you would like. If you seem pushy or rude or frustrated during this time, you can be ruled out because of it. Treat everyone well, even a hiring manager who delivers the bad news that you were a finalist but did not land the job. You never know what situations will arise where a connection made during a recruitment process will evolve into a future opportunity, but this can only work if no bridges have been burned. If you dont get a job but you are the runner up, definitely stay in touch with the hiring manager! Persist even when you feel like giving up. Everything can change in 24 hours when you uncover a new opportunity. Ask for professional help if you feel stuck. I help job searchers in two ways: (1) My Ask A Career Coach column; and (2) Private job search assistance via career coaching, counseling, and consulting services. Also, most communities offer free or low cost job search assistance through community organizations such as nonprofit employment centers, libraries, and churches.Are any of your friends looking for a new job? Please use the buttons below to share.

Types of Writing Resume Skills

Types of Writing Resume SkillsThe types of writing resume skills that most often are necessary for those who are employed for a living include: presentation, explaining, story telling and persuasive. Additionally, one must be able to present their work to a hiring committee; something that is not always as easy as it sounds in reality. In addition, some do have to maintain documentation, which in a way includes being a document reader.Making a resume is a real challenge, but it's something that you should have the motivation to overcome. It takes all of the possible personality types that can help you in this endeavor. Consider that when writing a resume you're going to need skills like being able to summarize, use charts, graphs, pictures, and even voice over, among other things.When you are writing a resume you want to be sure that you include all of the basic facts and information on your company, and the position that you hold. You must include a description of each accomplishmen t that you have had while working for the company. In addition, a writing resume is going to need to be able to include an overview of the responsibilities that you will have while working for the company. They include the responsibilities that involve reading resumes, researching leads, designing a marketing campaign, creating web pages, coordinating with other employees, handling office administrative tasks, etc.Writing a resume for a job description that does not contain these basics is going to require more advanced skills. While it's true that there are many graduates that may have this type of skill, it is not always an option for every person to know how to write a resume. For example, if the employment position for which you are applying has a specialized skill set that's not an option.The types of writing resume skills are found in all parts of the resume. These include the format, style, and all of the information that is needed. You will also need to make sure that the ty pe of paper that you have is large enough for the resume to be easily read on the paper. Therefore, you must be sure that the size of the paper that you have is the same size as what is listed on the resume.An important part of the resume is how the information can be presented in a professional look and feel. In addition, the professional look and feel of the resume must be appropriate for the job and position that you are applying for. This means that you must know what job position you are applying for, or what the job title that you are applying for is, and know the requirements to create the resume in accordance with the job requirement that you are applying for.Types of writing resume skills also include knowing what information is important and how to organize that information in the right way. You should know that there are different types of resume formats that you can use, including the chronological resume and the functional resume. Each of these has their own uses, and t he skills to effectively create the format that you prefer.As you can see, the types of writing resume skills are not that hard to learn. It is something that is learned through experience, and it takes all of the skills that you have acquired throughout your life. To learn the types of writing resume skills, the first thing that you must do is find a quality mentor that can show you what to do and what not to do.

Glassdoor Reveals the Best Places to Work in 2017, Employees Choice Awards - CareerEnlightenment.com

30. NVIDIANVIDIA’s invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI â€" the next era of computing â€" with the GPU acting as the brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can perceive and understand the world. Today, NVIDIA is increasingly known as “the AI computing company.”31. Keller WilliamsWhen you join Keller Williams, you join a diverse team of more than 200 passionate professionals who are redefining the global real estate industry. They support and innovate on behalf of over 140,000 Keller Williams real estate professionals worldwide.32. GenentechJoining Genentech means being part of a tradition of inquiry that will change the world. It means embracing our failures as much as our successes. It requires a willingness to look beyond the edge of whats possible. And a focus on doing the day-to-day work that makes great science happen.33. Trader JoesWhen it comes to grocery chains, Trader Joes isnt your average Joe. The company has 460 stores in 41- states and about 38,000 employees dubbed “Crew Members”. The Crew Members are hard-working, fun peopleâ€"people with a passion for food, learning, and creating an outstanding experience for their customers.34. Costco WholesaleCostco Wholesale is the largest wholesale club operator in the US. The company operates more than 590 membership warehouse stores serving some 64 million cardholders in 40 US states and Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK, primarily under the Costco Wholesale name.35. AirbnbFounded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world â€" online or from a mobile phone.36. AppleApple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, the Mac and Apple Watch. Apple’s three software platforms â€" iOS, OS X and watchOS â€" provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.37. MicrosoftMicrosoft is the ideal place for people who have passion for their work and the desire to make an impactâ€"in their careers, in the community and on the world. Microsoft is a unique company; and not just within the tech industry. Here, smart people thrive on their own terms and push their intelligence to its limit. The variety of job opportunities and career advancement at Microsoft is incredible and empowers you to constantly challenge yourself and chart your own course.38. lululemonFounded in Vancouver BC in 1998, the first lulu lemon store shared its retail space with a yoga studio. Theyve been growing ever since, and our technical yoga clothes and apparel can now be found in locations across Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. .39. FedEx FreightFor overnight shipments that wont fit in an envelope, theres FedEx Freight. The company, a subsidiary of delivery giant FedEx, provides less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services throughout the US, Canada, and international points.40. SpaceXSpaceX assembled an exceptional team of scrappy innovators committed to our mission. Helping achieve these goals will be one of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors of your career. You can expect to work alongside some of the brightest individuals and get exposure to leading-edge technology, while playing a direct role in shaping the future of humankind. They seek talented individuals with a pioneering spirit and a curiosity to seek what’s beyond the stars.41. BASF CorporationBASF Corporatio n, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $20.6 billion in 2014.42. Texas InstrumentsAs one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies with over 31,000 employees in more than 35 countries, Texas Instruments has been leading innovation for more than 80 years.43. Raising CanesFrom one restaurant to one of the hottest success stories in the restaurant business Raising Canes continues to experience amazing growth! Our success has been built upon a foundation of great people and we have a phenomenal opportunity for more great people to join in our amazing journey.44. Mayo ClinicMayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit medical group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy that the needs of the patient come first.45. IKEAHow Swede it is. One of the worlds top furniture retailers, IKEA sells Scandinavian-style home furnishings and other housewares in about 330 stores in some 40 countries. To cut transportation costs, IKEA uses flat packaging; customers assemble the products at home. The company designs its own furniture, which is made by about 1,075 suppliers in some 55 countries.46. Aegis LivingÁegis Living is a national leader in assisted living and memory care, providing the finest in senior lifestyle and living options available, “We’re the people who make life better” emphasizes health, quality of life, well-being and community.47. E. J. Gallo WineryFrom our humble beginnings, the hallmark of EJ Gallo Winery has been an unwavering commitment to quality. By taking the utmost care through each and every step of the grape growing and winemaking process, they are able to consistently deliver world-class wines, spirits, and other alcoholic beverages for every occasion. Today we are recognized as one of the leading global producers of these products, both in the art of grape growing and wine and spirits making and also in the distribution and marketing of these products in more than 90 countries around the globe.48. QuikTripQuikTrip provides a quick fix for those on the go. QuikTrip (QT) owns and operates more than 580 gasoline/convenience stores in 10 states, mostly in the central US. QTs 15-plus travel centers offer scales, food, fuel, showers, and other services for truckers. The firms FleetMaster program offers commercial trucking companies detailed reports showing drivers product purchases, amounts spent, and odometer readings.49. GenslerGensler is a global architecture and design firm grounded in the belief that design strategy optimizes business performance and human potential. Our 5,000 practitioners networked across 46 offices use global perspective and local presence to innovate at every scale. Whether we are refreshing a retailer’s brand, planning a new urban d istrict, or designing a super tall building, we strive to make the everyday places people occupy more inspiring, more resilient, and more impactful.50. Wegmans Food MarketsWegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a private corporation founded in 1916, with this commitment to its customers and people: Every Day You Get Our Best. This philosophy has enabled Wegmans to grow from a single produce cart to one of the most talked-about supermarkets in the industry.

Job Search Never Ends

Job Search Never Ends For the many job seekers who have recently landed a jobCONGRATULATIONS- it isnt over though. The economy is unstable still. Employer loyalty is dead. You never want to be caught flat footed again. In order for you to feel like you have control over your career, you need to constantly keep your eyes open for you next great gig! I realize most of you do not want to hear this, nor will you probably read this. Denial is dangerous and hope is not a strategy. One of the most sought-after job qualities is security. I am afraid to tell you this, butmost jobs no longer offer this benefit. However, you can take control by implementing some or all of these suggestions. Monitor Job Postings on Job Boards The easiest method of monitoring job postings to create alerts via the job boards. Do this. However, before you invest time applying for that job, contact someone you know inside the company and ask for an update on the status of the job. Keep In Contact with People You Met While you were active in your job search, you undoubtedly met many new people. Set up a system to keep in contact with the most influential folks.   You can invite key people for coffee to catch up, shoot them an email, invite them to an event, forward them an interesting article or book review, congratulate them on their success or their companys success. Look for ways to keep in touch and do this regularly. Does it take time? Absolutely. But keeping your network alive is crucial in developing career insurance. Hopefully you added them to LinkedIn because this can make it easier to implement your system. Remember, not everyone uses LinkedIn regularly or is as competent as you are in using it. It may not be a primary source for their communication. Dont forget to include: The people you interviewed with who turned you down Recruiters Past colleagues Whatever you do, continue to network! Join a Professional Association Now that you are employed, you have more money. Invest in yourself and your professional development by joining a professional association in your field. Your new employer may even offer to cover that membership. Let them know you are joining and ask if they may be willing to pay for your membership. (You will never know unless you ask.) Be sure to put your request in terms that would benefit your employer such as: it will provide good PR for the company, youll be able to bring back new ideas and information, youll understand what the competition is doing, etc. Take a class or workshop Remember when you were searching for a job and you felt your skills may not have been up-to-date? Dont let that happen again. Either pay for it yourself or ask your company to reimburse you. Again, if you are asking your employer to pay, you will have to share what the benefits are to them! And remember to build your network while you are attending! Community Involvement With the pressure to find a job off, you know have time to focus on giving back to your community (local or global). Become involved in some group as a volunteer or perhaps a board member. Investing your spare time should be done with great thought. Make sure that the organization is one which you are proud to support and makes you feel good! Dont forget about your college or university. They need your help too. Host an alumni event, offer to mentor new graduates, or offer to help out with an event. Build Your Personal Reputation Update your LinkedIn profile and other social network profiles with your new information. Begin tracking your accomplishments from day one in your new job and look for ways you can record these accomplishments. When you receive an email from a manager, client or colleague, thanking you for a job well-done, print it and save it in a personal file and bring this home with you! You may even want to ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn.   Look for opportunities to represent your employer in the community. Public speaking may not be your thing, but perhaps contributing to an industry newsletter would be more up your alley. Attend professional conferences and/or trade shows. Get your name out there. Go above and beyond what is expected every day. Remember, it is unlikely your next job will last forever. You want to be faced with options when you least need them and there is no greater ego-boost than an unexpected job offer. Taking some of these steps will help you hit the ground running faster next time!