The Job Search Is Uncomfortable. Get Used To It.

The Job Search Is Uncomfortable. Get Used To It. Job seekers have to do a lot of things that are uncomfortable. From getting up early for an interview (after not sleeping well because of, well, the interview!) to dressing really nice (for an interview or a networking event), from parading yourself as someone who is unemployed to investing in new clothes when you dont have the money Theres always something that will be out of your comfort zone. And that, my friend, is the new normal. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. That will help you in your job search, as you onboard, and it will help you for the rest of your career. Uncomfortable is okay. The Job Search Is Uncomfortable. Get Used To It. Job seekers have to do a lot of things that are uncomfortable. From getting up early for an interview (after not sleeping well because of, well, the interview!) to dressing really nice (for an interview or a networking event), from parading yourself as someone who is unemployed to investing in new clothes when you dont have the money Theres always something that will be out of your comfort zone. And that, my friend, is the new normal. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. That will help you in your job search, as you onboard, and it will help you for the rest of your career. Uncomfortable is okay.

A CMOs Guide to Brand Management through Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A CMOs Guide to Brand Management through Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Here is my TheLadders.com column for this month: In 2005, Jeff Jarvis made every company think twice about customer service and brand management with his famous “DELL Hell” blog post. In his blog post he stated “I just got a new DELL laptop…the machine is a lemon and the service is a lie.” It is now 2008 and the conversation has been buried inside the social media playground, where citizen journalists carry a company’s reputation, more than any CMO, and customer service influences brand reputation more than ever. A recent survey by the Society for New Communications Research shows that almost 60% of participants view social media as a place to vent about customer support experiences. Although most CMOs would view this as a threat, the report also explains how 81% view blogs, online rating systems and discussion forums as places where customers gain a greater voice. With millions of blogs and thousands of social networks, a conversation that once existed behind a locked door, now opens with social media. Thirtyâ€"seven percent of the US adult population uses social networks and there will be $1.2 billion spent on advertising on social networks this year alone (eMarketer). Even podcasting shows potential, with an audience that is projected to increase to 65 million in 2012 (eMarketer). Corporate messaging has decentralized and is made available through various channels of communication such as Twitter, blogs and Facebook. CMOs have no choice but to listen and learn. Authenticity Matters “Every CMO should know that not every brand is a brand people want to socialize with. You need to understand the limitations and opportunities of your brand within the audiences mind and out in cyberspace,” says Laura Ries, President of Ries Ries Focusing Consultants. Brands that have real values, emotions and meaning will be revered by customers and therefore will be spoken about. CMOs should strive to manage their brands so that their audience pays attention and turn customers into brand champions. There are many new and exciting opportunities for CMOs in this web 2.0 world. John Moore, of BrandAutopsy.com fame, says, “Social Media helps small companies look bigger and helps big companies get smaller. Meaning, a small company can have a big presence online with customers through using social media. Conversely, a big company can get ‘smaller’ because social media connects companies to customers on a very personal level.” Social media places personal brands, that are tied to companies directly, in front of those who can impact their future. Some believe this is risky, but the smart CMOs will empower employees to carry forth the corporate message in an authentic manner. Tips for CMOs: Spend more time learning about social media before actually engaging. This can be done by subscribing to many popular blogs in your space, which you can find through Technorati, Google Blog Search or by asking your PR agency or contacts. Learn who your new stakeholders and influencers are and identify ambassadors in your company that could interact with them to start conversations. Become visible in the industry. Whether it’s you or your direct reports, attendance at new media conferences will provide insight and best practices. Take risks. There are very few real social media success stories in corporate America because companies are in experimentation mode. Whether it’s a viral video, a blog, a wiki or a discussion forum, companies are looking to see how others react to their tools and strategies. The Blog Council was formed to help companies, such as Coca Cola, share failures and successes. Command respect by being transparent. Companies that connect with customers the same way they do with The New York Times or BusinessWeek will have a rude awakening. If you take anything from reality TV, you know that people care about authenticity and not acting. You need to start treating bloggers like real people and not press release submission services. The people that will succeed will tell bloggers exactly who they are and what their intentions are immediately. Don’t be just another logo on a website. Just because you brand yourself visually doesn’t mean people will care about you. I think podcasting is one of the key tactics to really connect with your audience these days. Make your business come to life and have your employees tell their stories. People remember faces and stories more than anything. Realize that there is a shift in brand management control. Brands have been swallowed by the end user. Now they have the privilege to spread the word, with or without an editor. Outside of the web 2.0 bubble, social media is still relatively new. Enter at your own risk and always monitor your brand for feedback.

How to Rock a Business Suit According to Ms. Erin Carpenter

How to Rock a Business Suit According to Ms. Erin Carpenter Erin Carpenter answers this weeks fashion question! Hi Erin, My work dress code requires me to wear a suit every day. I love my suits but am getting a bit bored of the same old same old. What can I do to spice up my wardrobe and express my personality while still staying within the dress code? Do I need to buy new stuff? Michelle, 24 Chicago Hi Michelle, Ah, to work for an ad agency or a dot com, where the dress code calls for creative rather than conservative! Of course, the sartorial grass is always greener-Im sure account executives and web developers yearn for the consistency of a corporate uniform. (Well okay, maybe not.) But fear not! You dont have to stifle your individuality to pacify the bigwigs. Here are some ideas •Reference trends in your shoes and bag: You may be restricted in your attire choices, but options abound in the shoes and bag departments. Give a nod to Spring trends with nudes (bonus: nude pumps are total leg lengtheners), wedges, platforms, snakeskin, or studs (a tiny dab will do ‘ya at the office). Patent leather always adds interest. Or try a brightly colored pump in red, green or golden yellow. Bags afford you even more room to inject some personality and style. Animal skins, like snake, alligator and croc, will look very current this Spring and Summer, as will bright colors. Keep it office-appropriate by choosing a more conservative and structured shape, like a tote or bowler, and avoiding too much hardware and ornament. •Bring in color and pattern with tops: Have a little fun under that suit jacket by swapping out your basic button-up for a satin camisole (no lace or lingerie detail, please!), chiffon halter or ruffled blouse. This is an easy way to play with color. Grey suits look modern when paired with a pop of bright fuchsia, yellow or green. Tan suits provide the perfect canvas for turquoise, coral and navy. Incorporate subtle prints like stripes and flowersand dont be afraid to mix them with pinstripe suits!  A suitable wardrobe is essential to any woman looking to sport a large collection of suits, recommends the owners of Sliderobes of Sydney. •Play with accessories: Pieces like silver or gold earrings, chain link, beaded or pear necklaces and metal- or leather-strap watches provide the perfect finishing touchuse them to show your unique style. Steer clear of anything too dainty or fussy for the office, as well as anything too large (if you can fit your can of Diet Coke through your hoops, save them for after hours). JCrew and Banana Republic have fabulous selections of office-appropriate gems. Belts also pack a style punch. Try a wide style in the same color family as your suit, buckled at your waist over your blazer. Or leave your blouse untucked and belt at the waist, leaving your blazer open to show it off. Skinny belts can go over jackets as well, and offer another way to inject some color. Imagine a skinny yellow belt over your grey suit jacket and white blouse, contrasted with red patent leather pumps! •Read the fine print: If you can wear separates instead of a matching suit, do so a couple times a week to break up the monotony. There are tons of fun blazers out therepick up one in menswear style, linen or safari style to pair with your existing suit pants and skirts. Similarly, if you can wear a dress with a blazer instead of a skirt suit, try it! Its a very modern look, and it streamlines the processone less piece to choose means a few more minutes to hit the snooze button!

5 Simple Ways to Create a Productive Home Office - Classy Career Girl

5 Simple Ways to Create a Productive Home Office Working from home is something that many office-bound employees wistfully daydream about while stuck behind their corporate desks. No commute, coffee on demand, a pleasant stroll whenever you fancy, snacks on tap, pajamas all day, and not an irritating colleague in sight! But for those who actually make the switch, working from home turns out not to be all that. While youre free of annoying water cooler chitchat and depressing fluorescent lighting, finding the motivation to get down to business can be a real problem. From pets that want to play and fridges just begging to be raided to no-consequence lie-ins, its very easy for productivity to plummet when you work from home. A productive home-working lifestyle is by no means impossible, however. If you can find your own balance and structure, you may discover youre far more productive at home than in the workplace. Setting boundaries and structuring your workday is an important part of finding your home-working groove, but creating a focus-friendly space is also an effective way to boost your motivation. These helpful pointers will help you design a home office that inspires you to get working, helps you concentrate, enhances your comfort, and encourages creativity. 5 Simple Ways to Create a Productive Home Office 1. Keep On Top of Clutter Without office cleaners to clear up messes, many home workers fall prey to clutter. This can make home offices feel stressful and disorganized. You can seriously impair your productivityâ€"especially when an essential document becomes impossible to find! According to Pottery Barns home office productivity infographic, 69% of home workers who choose to tidy do so to maintain peace of mind. Make sure your office features plenty of convenient, well-organized storage space to cut down on clutter. 2. Make Yourself Comfortable Its virtually impossible to devote all of your attention to a task over a long period if youre not sitting comfortably. According to research, 1 in 10 home workers work using a laptop in bed.  This approach can invite serious sleep deprivation and spinal problems in the future. To maximize comfort and avoid long-term pain in your home office, invest in an office chair. One that provides firm back support is best. Investing in gadgets such as foot and wrist rests can help improve your posture if your workstation isnt perfect. [RELATED: How to Create a Stylish Office When You Work From Home] 3. Get Your Lighting Right We all know how tough it can be to work with eyes that feel heavy, itchy or dry. While getting enough sleep and taking regular screen breaks help, you may find that reconfiguring your office lighting makes all the difference. Too much glare on screens can cause  Computer Vision Syndrome or eye strain. Install curtains or blinds, angle your screen sideways to windows wherever possible, and trade in overhead lighting for softer floor and desk lights to keep your peepers feeling fresh. 4. Choose a Productive Palette Color can wield an unexpectedly significant impact on our perceptions and our moods. Picking the right color palette for your home office can make a big difference in daily drive, focus, and motivation. Steer away from rich, warm colors that create a cozy, sleepy vibe. Instead, opt for bright, bold, zingy shades like stark white, yellow, and lime green to help you feel more energized. 5. Embrace Nature It may sound bizarre, but having plants in your office has been shown to boost productivity.  This research from Exeter University revealed that employees became 15% more productive when their work environment incorporated houseplants. So what are you waiting for? Time to exercise that green thumb!

Writing Sample Resume For Part Time Work

Writing Sample Resume For Part Time WorkThere are various samples of a resume that you can choose from, and the first step in getting one is to write a basic one for a part time job. But, this should be no substitute for a perfect one. There are several tips that you can follow in order to ensure that your resume gets all the attention it deserves.When writing a sample resume for part time work, you should remember that this is not a résumé but a description of you and what you have done. Thus, there should be a professional quality in the style and content of your resume. This is because employers who are looking for certain skills, traits and talents will be influenced by the personal side of you. They will want to know more about you before they make a decision about hiring you.It is important to go beyond your skills and get into your achievements. If you are working as a secretary for a big company and you have written a good resume, they might think that you are too old for s uch a job and they would not want to hire you. Thus, a sample resume for part time work must highlight the most important part of you - your achievements. This will help your employer understand the way you can contribute to the company in various fields.You should also be clear about the type of job that you are applying for. The job should be clearly mentioned on the resume, as well as what type of skills and qualities are required of the candidate. Some resumes will list experience in some fields while others will only list work experience. Make sure that the resume states the exact job and then fill in the other fields with the information.The format of the resume is also very important. You can either stick to the bullet points or go with the flow and create a complex resume that contains detailed information about your career.You will need to be clear and concise so that your employers can easily grasp your point.It is important to make sure that the formatting of the resume m atches the type of job that you are applying for. In order to do this, you can always go to different online resume sites and check out the different formats and styles that they offer. Also, check out the samples that they provide for free so that you can compare these samples to one another. Be wary of the few free samples that are offered online as they usually have very poor formatting and they will not reflect your potential employers. In this case, you will need to pay the small fee that the online sample offer and you will get the right layout of your resume.Finally, before you begin writing a writing sample resume for part time work, you should consider the nature of the employer. An employer who wants to hire someone to work in the reception desk might require a very different resume than an employer who is looking for a secretary. Therefore, the formatting and style of the resume that you choose should be specific to the job that you are applying for.If you are using this to get the attention of an employer, then you should be sure that the style of the resume that you choose is appropriate for the job that you are applying for. Your resume should speak the language of the employer and be tailored to fit his or her requirements.

Is lack of resume strategy short changing your job search - Hire Imaging

Is lack of resume strategy short changing your job search - Hire Imaging I’ve been in the career industry for 30 years. That’s a long time; long enough to see snail-mailed paper evolve into predominantly Internet-based submissions under scrutiny by search engines, scanners and yes, humans. I became a career writer and coach because I love helping great folks find, get and keep work that fits them. I am a career writer, coach and strategist. Strategist. Strategy. It’s key in your job search campaign. And in your resume. Strategy = standing out Think about it. We work very hard in high school or college to learn skills, get good grades and earn accolades that separate us from the rest of the pack. We can then continue to climb the ladder. So, when it comes to resume writing, why would we want to blend in with a laundry list of experiences or a one-size-fits-all assembly of everything we have done or could possibly do, absent relevance to focus or value? If Target were the same as Sams Club, how would we differentiate between the two? Don’t you want a marketing document that helps the potential buyerâ€"the employer, distinguish you from your competition? Strategy = selling you What is resume strategy? It’s sitting down and thinking carefully about the message you want to convey. It’s so much more than history. Who’s your target market or audience? What do you want to do for them? If you don’t know, don’t write yet. When you know, shape a message that will sell. What does that target audience (employer) need? Feel their pain by learning as much about these target roles and organizations  as you can. What is your value relevant to that pain? Those needs? Those requirements? Nancy’s a sales whiz whose message is how much money she has made for past employers. Brian’s an IT executive who’s positioned himself as a change agent and trailblazer. Marge is an RN whose message conveys holistic, compassionate, skilled care. When thinking about your strategic messaging around value relevant to their pain, consider the following elements of your resume: What your headline says How your core message of brand and value is immediately communicated What evidence backs it up, i.e. metric-driven successes, skills, academics, paid or non-paid experience, testimonials, or other Strategy = setting the bar I recently served a second year as a judge with Career Directors International’s Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) awards, an international competition now in its 11th year. In prior years, I was a competitor, honored to win multiple awards in several resume categories. My last entry in 2010 was nominated for the New Graduate resume category, and includes strategy at the end. The career industry is always changing. Those resumes that win TORIs are those that are current with today’s best practices in formatting and writing content. Key to being considered for a TORI, is the strategy explanation provided by the writer. The TORI candidate must explain the whys of the whats in content and formatting. Did the client have a unique challenge? There are as many situations as there are individuals. The strategy is judged very closely. I also sit on CDI’s credentialing committee for resume writers. Part of the process is submission of samples WITH strategy as to the whats and whys of the writing. In an arena where resume writers are developing and sharpening their talents to sell their clients in a competitive, technology-driven world, strategy is a non-negotiable. Strategy = success Strategy is crucial to your resume and job-search campaign overall. If you’re using executive recruiters, your resume might be different than  one being uploaded to a job board. If you’re a seasoned CFO, your resume and search strategy will likely be different than a new marketing graduate looking for an agency job. How you strategize your campaign after layoff with a generous severance package will no doubt differ from one where you never saw it coming, have no package and just put your second child in college. A resume and search geared to the international market is going to be different from one within 60 miles of your hometown. It serves you well to have a well-thought-out strategy in your resume and other career communications; and in your search. Setting and following a strategy for your resume (and search) will ramp up your success. One of my career mentors, Jay Block, referenced the importance of taking a lesson from the advertising world. “The same commercial for Chevy trucks is used in Boston and New Orleans, with one important difference. A Boston accent sells more trucks in Beantown, and a southern   accent sells more trucks down South.” Strategy is a game changer. It will give employers a compelling reason to want you over Jane or Jim. Photo: stefan.erschwendner

Are You Struggling To Keep Up Heres What To Do

Are You Struggling To Keep Up Heres What To Do Photo by Mubariz Mehdizadeh on Unsplash It’s no secret that running a business takes a lot of work. And at first, you can often be okay with the long hours that you’re putting in. Your passion can push you, and when you know where you want to go, it’s often easy to stay on track. However, before long, it’s also just as easy to lose your way. And when you feel lost, you’ll know you need help, but you won’t always know where to turn. But the best thing to realize now is that, even if you are struggling to keep up right now, you can turn things around. In fact, a lot of the time, it’s actually easy to work out what it is that you need to do. So let’s break it down and help you to get back on track. 1) Get Back To Basics When you feel like you can’t cope with the pressure, or you’re losing a sense of what you’re doing this for, you need to strip everything back. Maybe you’ve overcomplicating everything for yourself? If that’s the case, then don’t worry, because you’ll easily feel back on track. One of the best things you can do here is just to go back to basics and redo your business plan. Step back and look at everything with fresh eyes. Then consider what you need to do to move forward. You’ll soon find your fire again to turn things around. 2) Hire Some Help Next, you’re going to want to work out whether or not you need some help. Because this could be the reason that you’re struggling. When you’re trying to do everything yourself, you will find it hard to stay ahead. So, make sure that you seek out a contractor to take on some of the workload or even hire your first employee. 3) Work With Experts From here, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re working with experts. And this is vital. Because if you aren’t getting the traction you need, you’ll want to ensure that you turn things around. To do that, working with experts like IntelligIS is what you need to do. Because when you have the right specialist support in place, from IT to marketing, your business will be able to push forward. 4) Make The Customer Your Focus If you’re not focusing on your customer with everything that you do, then this is going to be your problem. Remember, without your customers, you won’t have a business. So instead of worrying out the competition or doing what you think your business needs to do, go to the customer and cater to their needs instead and you will see a difference. 5) Shake Up Your Branding Finally, you may also need to go in a different direction with your branding. Maybe what you have now just doesn’t work for your target audience? When that’s the case, you may find that having a bit of a refresh helps you to get in a better frame of mind with what you need to do and gets your customers attention too.