And Then There Were Holidays (Job Search Edition)

And Then There Were Holidays (Job Search Edition) Wow, I took a nice little break from blogging almost 2 weeks!   I kept meaning to write something but nothing was really gnawing at me I really enjoyed the holiday weekend last weekend and packed in a lot of family activities. This is the time of year when I hear job seekers say no one is responding no one is interviewing no one is hiring At the same time the career professionals are saying This is the right time to job search! Dont stop now! Do stuff! Dont give up! I totally get the no one is hiring thought. Really, its hard to get no response, peppered with a few Im out of the office until responses.   It is disheartening. Of course, it doesnt help that your financial situation is at a point where you cant enjoy a few weeks off. So what can you do during the holidays, when people are slow to respond?   Here are some ideas: Sharpen your own saw. Been hearing about books from your peers and colleagues?   Pick them up and read them. This is a great time to catch up on systems, process, language, and thinking that people in your sphere are talking about. Are there any certifications or courses you need to take?   I definitely recommend any of my 29 Pluralsight soft skills courses on things like management, leadership, communication, listening, mentoring, career management, etc. Work on your marketing material. I bet your resume and LinkedIn Profile could use some tender loving care. Read them from various perspectives a friend who used to proof a sales catalog would read each line backwards easier to catch mistakes, she said. Read them looking for inconsistent grammar (like periods on some bullet points but not on others, or missing upper-case letters), and read them for flow. Read them to see if the real message you want to get across is clear. Read them looking for vague messaging, etc. Practice your networking pitches and stories at gatherings. Hopefully youll be at this party or that dinner, meeting with people you dont usually meet with. Why not try any of your marketing pitches at those? Really, they should not be so stuffy and robotic that it is uncomfortable to share to close friends and family. You should be practicing these a lot, and these gatherings give you an opportunity to practice with a different audience. Do company research. You may have heard that you should look for opportunities, not jobs.   Now is a great time to read up on companies you would love to work at and current events in their industry. You can read up on their leadership and management teams, and learn about their competition. This is quiet-time stuff that takes time, and doesnt depend on the schedules of others. Renew relationships. You arent the only one with a light schedule some people will have their calendars quite free, and might be more available for lunches, brunches, or breakfasts than they have been.   This could be a great time to reach out to them and get some one-on-one time. Pay attention to your physical health. I know, I know its a hard time considering the ridiculous amount of yummy food but now is a great time to create physical habits that will pay dividends down the road. Yoga, walking, weights, sports, whatever is right for you, use some of your free time to take care of yourself. Im sure you can think of other constructive things to do when the world doesnt seem to have time for you.   My point is, taking time off from the job search is NOT the right tactic, even for the next few weeks when people arent around much. And Then There Were Holidays (Job Search Edition) Wow, I took a nice little break from blogging almost 2 weeks!   I kept meaning to write something but nothing was really gnawing at me I really enjoyed the holiday weekend last weekend and packed in a lot of family activities. This is the time of year when I hear job seekers say no one is responding no one is interviewing no one is hiring At the same time the career professionals are saying This is the right time to job search! Dont stop now! Do stuff! Dont give up! I totally get the no one is hiring thought. Really, its hard to get no response, peppered with a few Im out of the office until responses.   It is disheartening. Of course, it doesnt help that your financial situation is at a point where you cant enjoy a few weeks off. So what can you do during the holidays, when people are slow to respond?   Here are some ideas: Sharpen your own saw. Been hearing about books from your peers and colleagues?   Pick them up and read them. This is a great time to catch up on systems, process, language, and thinking that people in your sphere are talking about. Are there any certifications or courses you need to take?   I definitely recommend any of my 29 Pluralsight soft skills courses on things like management, leadership, communication, listening, mentoring, career management, etc. Work on your marketing material. I bet your resume and LinkedIn Profile could use some tender loving care. Read them from various perspectives a friend who used to proof a sales catalog would read each line backwards easier to catch mistakes, she said. Read them looking for inconsistent grammar (like periods on some bullet points but not on others, or missing upper-case letters), and read them for flow. Read them to see if the real message you want to get across is clear. Read them looking for vague messaging, etc. Practice your networking pitches and stories at gatherings. Hopefully youll be at this party or that dinner, meeting with people you dont usually meet with. Why not try any of your marketing pitches at those? Really, they should not be so stuffy and robotic that it is uncomfortable to share to close friends and family. You should be practicing these a lot, and these gatherings give you an opportunity to practice with a different audience. Do company research. You may have heard that you should look for opportunities, not jobs.   Now is a great time to read up on companies you would love to work at and current events in their industry. You can read up on their leadership and management teams, and learn about their competition. This is quiet-time stuff that takes time, and doesnt depend on the schedules of others. Renew relationships. You arent the only one with a light schedule some people will have their calendars quite free, and might be more available for lunches, brunches, or breakfasts than they have been.   This could be a great time to reach out to them and get some one-on-one time. Pay attention to your physical health. I know, I know its a hard time considering the ridiculous amount of yummy food but now is a great time to create physical habits that will pay dividends down the road. Yoga, walking, weights, sports, whatever is right for you, use some of your free time to take care of yourself. Im sure you can think of other constructive things to do when the world doesnt seem to have time for you.   My point is, taking time off from the job search is NOT the right tactic, even for the next few weeks when people arent around much.

4 Steps to Ace a Video Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Steps to Ace a Video Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Blame it on technology or cost cutting efforts but either way companies are increasingly using  video interviews  to weed out job candidates. For some companies it’s used in the beginning stages of the interview process while for others it’s all they’ve got. For job candidates it means they have to be tech savvy and comfortable seeing themselves on video if they want to make a lasting impression. When it comes to video interviews there are two types: real-time ones in which the job candidate answers live questions from the interviewer and pre-recorded ones where the job candidate is given a list of questions and is expected to give answers via a video recording. While some of the rules differ depending on the type of  interview, there are universal ways to ace the video interview. Here’s how. 1.  Practice and then practice more For many of us the thought of doing an interview via video stirs up all sorts of anxieties and insecurities, which is why career experts say you have to record yourself a bunch of times and watch your mock interviews once they are done. “In general, practicing makes a huge difference in how you come across in a job interview,” saysPamela Skillings, co-founder of job coaching firm Skillful Communications. “With a video interview, it’s even more important, especially if you’re not accustomed to the format.”  According to Skillings, practicing will make you feel comfortable on the day of the interview so you can concentrate on the  interview questions  being thrown your way.    â€If you are worrying about how to use the technology or how you look, it will only distract you,” she says. If the interviewer requests you use a specific type of technology to connect make sure to install it ahead of time and be comfortable using it well in advance of the interview. 2. Create the right lighting and background Regardless of if it’s a live video interview or a recorded one, you want to make sure the hiring manager sees you in the best light possible, which means you want your environment to be neat and void of any distractions like a blaring TV or a child running around in the background.  What’s more, Sandy Mazur, division president at  Spherion, the staffing company, says the background should be free of any posters or paintings that could distract the interviewer. “The lighting and the background are extremely important to an interview. If the lighting in the room is too dim, it will be hard for the other person to see you,” says Mazur. “Add light and test out different lighting scenarios to ensure that you’re illuminating the room.” Where you position the camera also matters. Skilling says to make sure your Webcam is set up so it’s just above your eye line. If you have a separate webcam put it above your monitor. If it’s built into your laptop, Skilling says to raise the laptop up a bit. “This shot-slightly-from-above angle is most flattering for everybody,” she says. 3. Dress professional from top to bottom Since it’s a video interview many people wrongly assume they can  dress professionally  from the top up and don a pair of jeans or PJs on the bottom. While you will be sitting down for the majority of the interview what if you have to get up to point at something? You don’t want the interviewer to think you aren’t taking the interview seriously or are too lazy to put on a pair of dress pants. “Dress and act as though you are headed to an in-person interview, because the same rules apply,” says Mazur. “Although the video interview may seem more relaxed because it’s done virtually, it is still a regular interview and you should treat it as such. Watch your posture and gestures and make sure that you are speaking clearly for the interviewer to understand what you’re saying.” Although it may seem strange doing it over video, but Skillings says you want to make sure your making eye contact during the interview. She says the best way to do that via a webcam is to position the window with the image of the person interviewing you as close to the webcam as you can. By doing that when you look at the interviewer you are also looking at the camera and will feel most like natural eye contact to the person on the other side, she says. 4. Be concise Whether you are doing a live video interview or a recorded one the last thing you want to do is drone on and on and bore your interviewers. That’s why, Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at  iCIMS, the maker of talent acquisition software, says job candidates have to be concise during the video interview. “Ever notice that advertisements are generally on the short side? Well- it is for good reason. Most people have limited attention spans, especially busy people, like job recruiters and hiring managers,” she says.  Vitale says to make sure you are providing answers that are long enough to get your points across but also keep the attention of the person interviewing you. “A good guideline for interviews is to make sure it is ping pong match of conversation between you and the interviewer,” she says Author: Donna Fuscaldo  is a freelance journalist hailing out of Long Island, New York. Donna writes for numerous online publications including FoxBusiness.com, Bankrate.com, AARP.com, Insurance.com and Houselogic.com. As a personal finance reporter for years, Donna provides invaluable advice on everything from saving money to landing that dream job. She also writes a weekly column for FoxBusiness.com focused on technology for small businesses. Previously, Donna was an equities reporter for Dow Jones Newswires and a special contributor to the Wall Street Journal. Through the Glassdoor Blog, Donna will provide tips on how to find a job and more importantly keep it.

How Should I Deal With Job Interview Nerves

How Should I Deal With Job Interview Nerves A job interview can make the most confident of us nervous, but there is no need to panic. A few simple techniques and good preparation can do wonders to greatly reduce your stress levels. You need to be confident and prepared in order to create a good first impression. Here are 10 ideas to appropriately deal with your nerves before or even after a job interview! 1. Prepare yourself Do your homework before you head to the interview. The more information  you know about your potential employer and yourself, the more confident you will feel. Think about some of the questions you are likely to be asked and prepare some good answers ahead of the day, so that you do not find yourself lost for words mid-interview. 2.  Be calm This may sound a bit like Im stating the obvious, but its not recommended that you on  go partying the night before your interview! Have a quiet evening in and if you feel like youve done enough preparation, use the time to watch your favourite TV show or read a book. Don’t drink too much as it might affect your sleep, the way you feel and your thought process the next day.   3. Plan your route Make sure that you know exactly where the interview is being held and how you are going to get there. Its also a good idea to plan an alternate route in case something unexpected happens on the regular route. Its recommended that you arrive early to show you are an effective time keeper and truly are interested in the opportunity.   4. Fuel up Not only your car but also yourself. Eat a good breakfast (or lunch), as feeling energised will help with confidence. Try to stay off anything that may give you nasty breath though and chew a piece of gum or brush your teeth after your meal, as you dont want your interviewer to remember you as the one with the stinky breath! 5. Take deep breaths Before you head into the interview, take a few deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose slowly and then breathe out slowly. This will allow you to take a few moments to yourself and calm yourself down quietly.   6. Be positive Imagine yourself acing the interview. When you do this, your body will release endorphins, and you will feel happy. Positivity is key!   7. Chill and relax Don’t arrive at the interview at the last minute. Give yourself some spare time to chill and relax. Get there early and spend some time at a coffee shop nearby, as this will give your brain a bit of down time or you could even fit in a bit of last minute prep work if itll help you feel more confident.   8. Know how to market yourself Know what your strengths and skills are and how you can apply them to the position you are being interviewed for, you’ll be able to market yourself better. Make sure that you are prepared and have a strategy in place. 9. Don’t dwell on it When you are done with the interview, don’t dwell on it. Don’t blame yourself on things that you could have done but didn’t. People tend to under perform a little when they are nervous, and most interviewees understand this. Therefore, don’t kick yourself for making silly little mistakes. 10. Ask for post-interview feedback You should ask for feedback on how you did on the job interview whether you land the job or not. Constructive feedback allows you to identify the areas that you need to improve, and by improving your interview skills, you will be better prepared for your next interview.

Managing generation Y (How to manage my brother)

Managing generation Y (How to manage my brother) I realized that managing Genertion Y requires a huge shift in thinking when I was giving career advice to my twenty-three year-old brother, Erik. He is a top recruit at a top investment-banking firm and he just got a promotion ahead of everyone else in his year. And hes looking for a job. He fought very hard to get that promotion. I told him I thought he owed it to the guy who promoted him to stay for a bit. Heres the email response I got: I dont feel loyalty to the senior people here. I dont think they are treating me well at all. I asked the head of my group if I could change groups to get more experience in what Im interested in and he said no. Ive just been put on a time consuming project where I wont learn anything and its going to last six months. I told the head of my group that I thought it was a bad project for my development, and his response was that hes the one who controls if I get promoted, and he wants me to do it. I also was put on this project in lieu of doing something Ive never done before, which would be very good for my development. At first I was shocked to read the email. I have been grateful for every promotion Ive ever received. But you know what? My brother is right. He doesnt owe the guy anything for giving him a promotion because my brother isnt getting interesting work right now. My brother is not unique to his generation. He is the norm. Especially for high performers. Heres a list of ways to effectively manage young twentysomethings so that they will do good work for you. As you read it, instead of thinking critically of the new generation, think about yourself. I have found that as I challenge my own assumptions with my brothers way of thinking, I see more possibilities for myself. 1. When you are interviewing young people, dont ask them why they left their last job. Or their last three jobs in three years. Who cares? Instead ask about their commitment to doing good work for you right now. Dont bother thinking youre hiring someone to stay at your company longer than you can keep the learning curve steep. 2. Manage a young worker every single day. But think of yourself as a coach. Check in. Help prioritize, teach tricks, steer their path. Independence is definitely not what young people are all about. They want mentoring, teamwork and responsibility. Just be sure to give them work that is challenging enough to them to warrant daily input from a coach. 3. Make the work meaningful. They want to know how their work fits into the big picture. How does it help the company? How does it help the team? And dont even think of delegating those projects that involve five hours pushing papers through a copy machine: Outsource to Kinkos. 4. Forget about nine to five. No one needs it. Figure out the hours you need to be able to definitely see this persons face. The rest of the hours are up to her. If you tell her you need to see her face nine to five, you better be sitting next to her the whole day, saying things that could never be emailed. 5. Learn to use IM. When a whole generation is addicted to it, you cant ignore it. Baby boomer lifestyle is not going to dominate the office forever. Make the switch now before you are too slow to keep up with conversation. 6. Dont ask young people to be patient. Why should they be patient? Who does that serve? As long as they deliver something to you every day, and they are not rude, leave them alone. Let them dream that they can achieve in one year what took you ten. Maybe they can. Dont take it personally.

6 ways to turn your bedroom into a study space

6 ways to turn your bedroom into a study space This post was written by a member of the Debut Contributor Network. Seren Morris gives us her tips on creating a makeshift study space and working from home. With the winter months fully upon us, getting out of bed is becoming a lot harder, never mind trekking to the library. Imagine if you could study from the comfort of your room?   There are so many pros of working from home that are often outweighed by the potential for distraction. These are a few tips to help turn your bedroom into a study space, while avoiding the temptation of getting back into bed Tidy up The first and most important step is to make sure your bedroom and desk are both clean and tidy. A clear space will allow you to concentrate on your work; and to not get distracted by those dishes that need taken to the kitchen or the clothes that need putting by. Set some time aside to clear and clean your workspace, it will make the actual studying a lot more pleasurable. Also, tidying up before studying could be a way to relax and clear your mind. Just be sure to not let tidying transform into procrastination. Concentrate! Desk job? Always work at your desk. While your bed might look cosy, it will make a nap far more tempting. Avoid your bed at all costs; no matter how warmly your duvet calls you over. Next, clear your desk of anything you don’t need. Set it up with only the necessities and you’re good to go. (Don’t get back into bed during your study breaks, either!) Technology and social media are not your friends Do not put something on Netflix as background noise, do not switch on the TV, and if you’re partial to checking Twitter every 5 minutes, put your phone out of sight. In fact, switch it off. Or, if you really lack the will power, there are browser extensions that ban certain websites for a set period of time. So, check Facebook one last time before placing a self-imposed ban over all social media platforms; I promise you won’t miss too much. Get dressed Just because you’re not leaving your house doesn’t mean you get to stay in your pyjamas   all day, (sorry!) Getting dressed will make you feel more awake and productive. Treat working at your desk at home as if it were a desk in the library. You wouldn’t turn up to campus in your slippers, right? Also, getting into your dressing gown will make getting back into bed that bit more tempting. Wear comfy clothes, but under no circumstances should you get back into your pjs! Leave the house first Whether it’s to get a coffee, or just a walk around the block, leaving your house is so important. It will break up the journey from bed to desk, reducing the temptation of a cheeky five more minute snooze. If you have already faced the world outside, you will feel a lot more awake and prepared to work. When you come back, treat your bedroom like an office; sit down and get studying! Utilise wall space Use your walls to hang work schedules, notes, quotes or all of the above. If you are a visual learner, you could hang up study notes and prompts to help you while you work. You could also decorate your room with posters and photos that inspire you, to keep you going through long studying periods. If you feel happy and comfortable in your surroundings, writing that 3,000 word essay will seem a lot more bearable. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Finding Contacts Within Your Target Companies

Finding Contacts Within Your Target Companies The best job search strategy is to develop a list of target companies (companies you would like to work for) and then find contacts inside those companies.   This sounds like a lot of work, but it will pay off. Stay with me. Most job seekers only look at job boards and apply online. But, most companies prefer to hire someone who is referred or an internal candidate. Just imagine if you took the time to find a contact inside the company and they refer you. There are too many people blasting their resumes at any job posting that looks remotely close. (But Im sure you dont do this, right?) To ensure your application doesnt end up in a black hole you must do more than just submit your resume and cross your fingers. (The solution is at the end of this article.) A target list forces you to identify companies who are likely to hire for a role youre interested in (it may not be posted yet). Your goal is to reach out and build connections inside the company BEFORE there is a job opening. This is proactive, rather than reactive. And this doesnt mean your job search will take longer. If you want to learn how to find companies to add to your target list, this is my   HOW TO create a target list post. If you are hesitant or doubtful about why this works, just read this New York Times article that explains the power of employee referrals. Referred candidates are twice as likely to land an interview as other applicants, according to a new study of one large company by three economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. For those who make it to the interview stage, the referred candidates had a 40 percent better chance of being hired than other applicants. Ready to increase your odds?   Heres what you need to do. List Companies and Contacts Before you do anything, make a list of everyone you know inside your target companies. These are the people you want to network with first. You need to be organized and if you dont have this information on one list, youre going to get lost. There will be a lot of companies where you dont know anyone. Were going to fix that. But you have to know what youve got to work with. Finding Names Within Target Companies Reach Out To People You Know (All of them) The best contacts are the ones that you have some connection with. These are either past colleagues, friends, family, neighbors. You have a direct relationship with these people and they are more likely to help you. In order to tap into your immediate network, you need to reach out to them and ask for the information you are missing. One by one, (not in an email blast please) reach out to each individual you know well and ask them who they know that works in the target companies you have listed. No name is a bad name. In other words, it doesnt matter what role the person holds. They work at the company and can provide insight. Your job is to follow up with every name given and request a short informational meeting to learn about the company (NEVER TO FIND A JOB!) Never turn down a contact. Its always best to have multiple contacts inside a company working on your behalf as an ally or informant! How To Use LinkedIn 1. Find and Follow Your Target Companies 2. Look for the strongest/best connection (someone you know well, or is in the department/area you want to work in). 3.  Get introduced to a 2nd-degree connection. If you dont have any 1st-degree connections, you probably have 2nd-degree connections, (people who know company insiders). This is what that looks like when you click on see all employees I have lots of 2nd-degree connections. I can either choose someone in who has a similar job title to the one I am looking for or reach out to someone who is a strong connection who knows someone at Google (theyll be more likely to introduce me). If you know multiple people who could introduce you, always pick the person you know best to ask for an introduction. And send them an email. Most people dont check LinkedIn messages or ignore them. 4. Check Groups and Education. I share 4 groups with the Product Marketing Manager. This is one more way I could interact with the person. Visit the groups and look for active conversations the person may be participating in. I could get on his/her radar that way too! When you share a group on LinkedIn, you can usually invite them to connect without sending an InMail (you would need a paid membership to send InMail.) Your Alumni Network You can reach out to your alumni office and ask to join their alumni network. These databases allow you to search for people. While the work information may not be as up to date as LinkedIn, the database will probably allow you to email the person you want to reach out to. LinkedIns See Alumni function allows you to search for alumni by company, city, job title and more! Ive described how to use it in The Easiest Way to Research and Find Alumni on LinkedIn Heres a screenshot of what youll see. No Connections, No Problem- Meet Them If you still come up empty-handed, there are some other workarounds. Use Social Networks Your mission is to find and follow people across social media platforms you use. Watch them, see what they are doing and share their good news (give to get!) Be on the lookout for Career Pages on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook Group pages where companies share information about their careers. Once you have established some dialogue, ask if you can contact them offline either via phone, Skype, or email. Some Reminders: Before you start following every profile, review each one and ask yourself why you would want to follow them and what you expect to learn from them. Human Resources and recruiters can make a good point of entry, but dont stop there. Find people who head up the department or division you want to work in too! Remember, HR, Recruiters and Hiring Managers All Have Different Roles. You may want to add employee and/or   works at in your search criteria to pare down the results if there are too many. Search for People on Twitter Go back to the persons LinkedIn profile and look at the Contact and Personal Info part of their profile. They may lead you to a personal website, Twitter account or some other site you can connect with them If you have a Twitter account, use the search bar at the top to search for the person you are interested in connecting with. Or you can try searching just Twitter bio information by using FollowerWonk. Search Facebook by Employer You used to be able to search for people who worked at companies within Facebook. That is no longer possible. But, you can use Google X-Ray search (outside of Facebook) to search for profiles. If I wanted to search Facebook for people with Google and Project Manager in their profile information, this is what it would look like: site:facebook.com/people + Google Project Manager This is very basic Boolean. You can use much more specific terms to search the precise parts of the profile information. But I wont be covering that here. What If You Find a Job Posting? There will be occasions when you find a great looking job posted somewhere. But, before you submit your resume, Take the bull by the horns and find someone inside the company to share what they know or better yet, ask them if they will present you as a candidate for the job. These three posts will help with the details and logic. Never Just Apply for a Job- Use the 2-Step Method Find the Back Door for a Job Posting Using LinkedIn Finding Inside Connections to Help with Your Job Search Dont Wait. It doesnt matter if you are a college student, dissatisfied with your job, or unemployed. Anyone can reach out to people and ask for an informational meeting. Ask people who do similar work for their advice. Learn more about how to ask for a meeting in  Informational Interviews Are Networking. Remember, the companies on your list do NOT need to have available jobs at this time. You want to think about what future opportunities you can be first in line for! A more proactive approach is to find people to meet with BEFORE there is a job posting. Good hiring managers will often meet with people even if they dont have any current openings. They do this because they are always scouting for good talent. Will they be willing to meet with you? You have to give them a reason to!

Getting Started With Resume Writing

Getting Started With Resume WritingThe first thing that you need to know about resume writing is that it is a specific type of writing that is specifically designed to help job seekers with an aim to land a job. Since the objective of the resume is to be received by a potential employer, so the skills that the applicant has to offer can be looked into and can help them land the job they have been applying for. All this being said, there are some things that a job seeker needs to know before they start writing a resume.When you are looking for employment and you do not know what you can provide to a potential employer, make sure that you get feedback from someone who already has a job. You can ask this person to read your resume and give you feedback about it so that you can improve on it.If you are new to writing a resume, you may want to learn some resume writing learning outcomes first. These can help you in knowing about the most important parts of the resume and make it easier fo r you to understand. This can help you write a resume that will increase your chances of landing a job.The second most important part of a resume is the contact information. This is one of the areas where there is a lot of room for improvement. Your contact information should be factual and accurate. You do not want to let anybody down or to take advantage of your employees and never do business with you.The third area that is important to the job seeker is the organization or company that the candidate is going to be applying for. Make sure that you let people know about this, and that you include it in your resume.Learning outcomes and other tips to help job seekers learn the ins and outs of resume writing are very helpful. You will learn how to customize your resume, including the title and the blurb. These aspects of the resume will help you land a job, and make sure that it meets the expectations of the hiring manager.Learning outcomes and tips are a great help for job seekers. You can now have all the knowledge that you need when it comes to writing a resume that will improve your chances of landing a job.