Spring forward - The Progress Challenge -

Spring forward - The Progress Challenge - It seems appropriate, on the day that we spring forward on our clocks, to share some things that I enjoyed about another book by Dean Lindsay, The Progress Challenge. (Read my review of his book, Cracking the Networking Code HERE.) Lindsay notes, Change is inevitable, progress is a choice. In his trademark, high-energy style, Lindsay explains how to BE progress to choose progress. He explains the connections between how we think about what we do and doing it, and provides a blueprint for meeting this challenge. He begins the book by asking a question that I believe is relevant for job seekers What is motivational, and are you it? Have you thought about it? He suggests that each of us has the need and the opportunity to be motivated every day of our lives (p 29). He points out, Why else would others listen to us, utilize our services, hire us, be led by us? Right from the start, a key career message. How do you motivate others? What impact do you (or might you) have that will appeal to someone? Lindsay explains how to think about how to move forward and offers many suggestions to help even the most unmotivated candidate shake off the stress, anxiety and general malaise that may be preventing him or her from springing forward. One coping mechanism that I like? #5 Find and Create Humor (p. 138). How many times have you stopped to try to find a single iota of irony or laughter in a situation. If even things are so bad, laughing at it   (or thinking of crazy ways that it could be EVEN WORSE) can sometimes provide a little relief. Can you laugh at yourself? Is there any humor there? If not, maybe creating some would help? The author reminds his readers: Progress does not demand perfection, only persistence (p. 198). How perfectly true! I often remind myself that the Perfect is the enemy of the good if you stay paralyzed, waiting for perfection, its unlikely you will ever move ahead with your plans. Similarly, progress does not need to be perfect, it just needs to be moving, which requires consistent and frequent effort on your part. I enjoyed The Progress Challenge and am sure anyone (job seeker, salesperson, manager, leader, anyone with an eye on the future) will get a lot out of the, yes motivational book, quotes and action plans. Want to receive a free copy? Leave a comment about what motivates you, what is keeping you stuck what you think about any of this! I will choose a winner at random and Dean will send you a copy of his book! (He may even send out several!) Learn more about Dean Lindsay at his website: www.DeanLindsay.com or follow him on Twitter @DeanLindsay.

Resume Writing With Dollar Amounts and Job Titles

Resume Writing With Dollar Amounts and Job TitlesHave you ever been in the situation of having to write a resume with dollar amounts and job titles? Perhaps, you've already done this for a friend or relative that needs a little extra help getting the interview process rolling. Or, you need to write a resume for a friend or family member who has recently passed away and the last thing you want to do is spend time dealing with the grieving process if you can help it.While you might not think that you can spend a great deal of time editing and rewriting a resume, the truth is that mistakes are made on a regular basis. While there's nothing that you need to do to avoid mistakes, sometimes you can avoid them and save yourself from wasting your time. Here are some pointers that you can use in order to avoid making these types of mistakes.Resumes are often lengthy and should have your contact information on the front of the page. This means that all of the information that you need to inclu de should be at the top and not in the middle of the page. Often times, the result of making this mistake is that you don't even get to the beginning of the resume because you didn't get to the front of the page first.Once you've written the name of the person you're applying for, you should include the job title and the company that they are working for on the same page. However, you should only be including the job title on the first page of the resume and the company on the second page.The length of the resume that you create shouldn't be longer than a couple of hundred words. This is because you want to leave room for the employer to tell you what they want in a resume. If you're filling out a shorter resume that doesn't have the entire job description, you won't stand out as much as you would if you were to fill out a longer resume.It's helpful to have some research about the company that you're going to be applying for before you start to fill out the resume. When it comes to applying for jobs online, there's really no difference between a resume and an application. Therefore, you don't want to go out of your way to create a resume if you don't have to.By filling out this type of website or application, you're giving the company an opportunity to obtain your full name, email address, and possibly some other information in the future. Be sure to put all of this information on the first page of the resume that you create.

Queen Elizabeth Is Hiring a Live-In Housekeeper

Queen Elizabeth Is Hiring a Live-In Housekeeper On the job hunt? You might want to brush up on your domestic skills, because the Queen of England is hiring a live-in housekeeper. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is looking for a housekeeper to live and work at Buckingham Palace, according to a listing on the Royal Household’s website. The annual salary is just £16,755, or about $22,283. That might seem appallingly low, but it’s adjusted for the fact that accommodations on palace grounds come with the job. Working for the queen also comes with generous benefits. The housekeeper has 33 days of vacation, including bank holidays, and a 15% employer contribution pension program, with the option to increase or decrease payments. You’ll also get all your meals provided and access to palace recreational facilities. “This is no standard housekeeping role,” the job description states. Duties including cleaning and maintaining the interior of the palace. You’ll also be responsible for taking care of guests and providing support at special events. Think you’re up to the challenge? Previous experience in housekeeping or hospitality on your resume would be a plus â€" and would likely come in handy in your duties caring for “historic vases” and “irreplaceable paintings.” The position also emphasizes attention to detail, teamwork and time management skills. Read Next: Long Live the Queen (and Her Corgis): Elizabeth II By the Numbers If housekeeping isn’t your forte, there’s still possible to share a mailing address with Her Royal Highness. The royal family is also advertising positions for a groundsperson and a ticketing and sales assistant manager. If you’re interested in applying, fill out an application on the Royal Household website.

3 Quick Tips For Keyword Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile - Work It Daily

3 Quick Tips For Keyword Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile - Work It Daily LinkedIn can be a great tool for business networkingâ€"and even for getting hired and finding job leads. Unfortunately, as with all social networks, it can be easy to get lost in a sea of connections; that can make it hard for anyone who doesn't know your name to find your page or profile or to know what skills you possess and what area you work in. That is where keyword optimizing your LinkedIn profile comes into play. Related: 3 Places To Pack Your LinkedIn Profile With Keywords By using the right words and phrases, you make it easier for your name to come up in searches for people seeking your specific skills, qualifications, or position. Here are three quick tips for keyword optimizing your LinkedIn Profile: 1. Find The Right Keywords First Use online tools, such as Google's keyword search tools, to help you find the keywords most often searched for your desired job. The right keywords are going to equal more profile views, increasing your chances of being found by someone who thinks you are just right for a position with their company. Don't guess at what keywords might be well suited to the positionâ€"take the time to do your homework. 2. Use Your Keywords Without Stuffing Them While it can be tempting to use every keyword provided by Google in order to make sure that your profile comes up in search, this is a very unwise plan. Stuff too many keywords into your profile and it is going to be practically unreadable. Remember that it will be hiring managers, not computers and search engines, reading your profile; and write it in a way that conveys your brand and who you are as an employee. Use keywords wherever they are appropriate, but make sure they fit. When we create profiles for our clients we focus on 2-3 of the most targeted keywords specific to our client’s job search goals and we optimize their profile with those keywords. 3. Where To Use Keywords While knowing how to use keywords is important, you also need to know where to use them. Your LinkedIn profile has many different sections, all of which can lend themselves well to keyword optimization. Put your most important keywords in your headline, using them to create a description of yourself. You can work many keywords into your summary as well, though you want to be sure that you are creating a coherent description and not just stuffing relevant words. Keywords can certainly be placed in both past and current work experience, as well as both skills and interests. One of the most important places to include keywords is in your employment job titles. This section weighs heavily in LinkedIn’s search result rankings. By making sure you are using the right words in the right places, you can make sure you don't get lost in the crowd. Want advice on writing your resume? Check out this article on using metrics in your resume when you don’t have any or connect with me on Twitter here @GreatResume. Related Posts How To Keyword Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile QA Quick Tip: Include Keywords In Your LinkedIn Headline Optimizing Your Resume With Keywords   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

How Women Dress Business Casual Examples and Explanation

How Women Dress Business Casual Examples and Explanation What is Business Casual For Women?In general, business casual means slacks (pants that are not jeans) and a blouse or nice top (think no crops, t-shirts or cotton tank tops), a skirt or a dress. Popular combinations often include a nice blouse with a blazer and black slacks, or a 3/4 length collared blouse and a skirt or a dress thats about knee length or longer. Some offices allow jeans and polos as parte of business casual, and others have even looser definitions. It depends on your workplace norms.Business Casual TipsFor any recent graduate or professional whos about to start working and needs some ideas for what a business casual wardrobe looks like during the interview process, as well as the day-to-day, we have you covered.1. For your interview, dress up a bit mora than the average employee.As Oscar Wilde said, You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make your first impression one where the focus is ony ouand what you bring to the table, rather than your jewelry or the hemline of your skirt. When in doubt, theres never any harm in going for a knee-length skirt.If youreinterviewing for a jobat a place that you know takes a relaxed attitude, you should totenstill make sure your business casual looks smart. Classic combinations that never go wrong include a dress (with or without a cardigan, depending on the season), or black slacks with a nice, solid-colored top.Source Rostislav Sedlacek / Adobe StockDont underestimate the effect pretty blouses or dressy shirts can have to dress up the most mundane of slacks. But certain items probably dont fit the bill for business casual for women, e.g. polo shirts (even though they are collar shirts) with khakis, probably are a bit too informal.If you feel like putting on a blazer, thats acceptable especially given the range of womens blazers unterstellung days, but youll want to avoid a business suit for business casual interviews.What if youre i nterviewing in a mora aggressively casual environment like a startup? Lets put it this way even if the CEO is wearinghoodiesand jeans, doesnt mean that s/he thinks people should show up for interviews wearing that. Also, to some extent, there is a uniform for people in startups.Source Mavoimages / Adobe StockFairly or unfairly, male developers tend to get away with things like loose t-shirts and jeans and from what weve seen around startup offices, sometimes women are held to a higher standard. Look, that sucks, and we get it. But since you dont yet know what the dress code is where youre interviewingand you dont want to risk coming across assloppyjust move on and avoid jeans and a sweatshirt to be on the safe side.At certain startup interviews, jeans may actually be a totally appropriate and acceptable part of business casual attire. Whether jeans will work all depends on the rest of your ensemble. If jeans come paired with some jewelry, and a nice shirt with a blazer (and isnt rip ped or tie-dyed), you can pull it off and not worry too much, especially if its an office where everyone else is wearing them.2. Invest in some basics.Even if you love shopping, buying work clothessounds like, well, work. Imagine spending some of your hard-earned cash on something dull like black slacks that arent fun enough for a night out on the town, but dont look frumpy either. While we havent yet met anyone who particularly relishes trying on pants for the office, once you find your brand for basics and figure out your size, you (hopefully) will never have to think about it again.But how many of these basic items will you need? Nobody will notice whether your grey dress pants and your black slacks are the same brands trust us. Or if you have basically one go-to designer. If you hate pants and like dressing up, there are ample possibilities with business casual clothing. Go for a smart pencil skirt, flattering sweaters, and stylish jacket options.If youre not into fashion, youre in luck with business casual wear because ultimately, what matters is that you can throw on an assortment of tops to go with those slacks without worrying about fit or color coordination when youre too groggy to think straight or superstressed out about being late to work in the morning.Speaking of tops, what kinds are appropriate for business casual? Its almost easier to talk about what is a faux pas than what to wear. Cross off anything that includes sequins, rips, graphic designs, shows too much cleavage, is too tight, exposes your midriff, is backless or looks like a wife-beater tank. In short, dont look like youre going out to a bar on a Friday night.Youre staying on the safe side if you stick with neutral colors and are probably going to be fine with any schrift of button-down shirt, cardigan, sweater, turtleneck, dress (thats not too formal or tight or involves spaghetti straps), or tunic styles. What about T-shirts? It all depends on whether they are normal t-shirts (like t he kind you buy at a basketball game) or a dressy designer one. If in doubt, avoid it.3. Consider your hair and makeup.Theres a lot of conflicting information on this topic. What if youre inclined to be au naturel or conversely, always feel better wearing a full foundation and bright red lipstick? Just be conscious of your choice and think for a moment of how others may perceive it. The right answer for you may be that you dont care. Or that your makeup is your choice and has nothing to do with your work output. Or that you do want to tone things down / dress things up a bit more. Whatever you decide, all were saying is theres no harm in giving some consideration to something you may otherwise do as a matter of habit. 4. Shoes are a much bigger part of business casual than youd think.For borderline casual-business-casual outfits, your shoes can make a huge difference. Slim-cut jeans with a sweater? Wear them with some Chuck Taylors and flip flops and youll look pretty casual. But pa ir them with a pair of patent leather high heels? Suddenly, you look a lot more dressed up and looking smart casual. Take advantage of this dress-up-or-down shoe power and transform some of the more casual items in your closet into work-ready wear. Its one of the easiestbut least talked aboutways to dress up.5. Pay attention to social cues.We know, we know. Authenticity is all the rage. And for a reason. Who doesnt want to express themselves and be comfortable in theclothing of their choosing? Maybe you love hot pink and glittery colors but arent sure how to pull off these hues in the workplace. Its important to listen to your instincts, here. While were not trying to cramp your style, you may want to be more conscious of how your clothing may be impacting the perceptions people have of you.Even people who know you have perceptions of you that are in some way shaped by your choice of clothing. Your manager, colleagues,and even clients. In the end, as in so many complex topics, there s no right answer for how a business professional makes her wardrobe choices. By all means, stand out and be your own person, but know what youre getting into the pros and the cons if youre someone who wants to make a fashion statement rather than fit in with the crowd.6. Take dress code cues based on what your colleagues are wearing.Dress codes for work and definitions of business casual clothing can vary widely depending on the company and company culture. While your company may not have a formal, definitive dress code in play, pay attention to both dress codes for women and dress codes to men simply by observing what they seem to wear on a daily basis.What about casual Friday?Maybe your company has casual Friday at work, meaning theres a casual Friday dress policy in place that allows employees to dress more informally on Fridays. You may want to invest in casual Friday jeans thatdonthave a ton of holes in them. Always avoid inappropriate or overly revealing clothing and anyt hing that looks sloppy. Casual still means office attire.Examples of Business Casual by IndustryIndustryClothingCorporateBlazer, slacks, blouse, blazers, dresses (knee length or longer)StartupNice jeans or khakis, blouse, skirt, or dressCasual officeJeans or slacks, nice t-shirt or blouse, dress, skirtStep-by-Step Guide to Finding Business Casual Clothes for Work1. Taking into account your industry, the way coworkers dress, and your own aesthetic, make a list of items you will need for work. This might mean a few pairs of black slacks, a half-dozen blouses, undershirts and youre set. Or, you could consider a capsule wardrobe (Pinterest is great for inspiration), where you mix and match 30 or so total items for a variety of looks.2. For the budget-conscious Take a look at your closet. You might already have many of the items or be able to pair articles of clothing to make them work as outfits for the office. For example, if you work in a casual startup, pairing together some nice je ans with a basic top and jacket will work well. Also, remember that you can repeat a pair of basic slacks in one week if you switch up your top.3. Go shopping for the articles you still need. Department stores, shops that specialize in business casual like Banana Republic, Express, the Gap are a great bet. TJ Maxx and Marshalls are also good options for office fashion on a budget. And remember, you can extend your wardrobe by looking for items you can mix and match, not just complete outfits.4. Dont forget the shoes Look for versatile, classy flats and heels that could work with multiple outfits and styles. Zappos offers free returns for those who like shopping from the comfort of their couchFairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

What You Need to Know About Volunteer Work on Resume

What You Need to Know About Volunteer Work on Resume Employers want to understand what potential can be developed should they hire you. Theres no universal Resume. You may also apply for jobs directly on their site. Instead, you should tailor your resume for each and every job that you apply for. The Basics of Volunteer Work on Resume Developing a professional resume now will help better prepare you once it is time to submit an expert job application. Then you might elend be all set for direct client work yet. Your resume is intended to clearly show your experience related to the job which youre applying for. Your resume should be formatted in an easy, professional way. When seeking to land that first job, you will end up faced with the job of demonstrating that youve got the background to be successful despite your lack of job history. Theres not any way around it everyone messes up at work sooner or later. You ought to find specific job opening posted by a particular company that you would like to submit an application for. In any area, two men and women in the very same job will do things differently and ultimately wind up in a different position. Volunteering is also a fantastic way to receive your foot in the door with an organization for which you want to do the job. Volunteer resumes can be extremely different, but consider the subsequent volunteer resume examples to provide you with a baseline to become started. Volunteering is an excellent spot for skilled networking. Finally, it is simply a great way to give back to your community. A Secret Weapon for Volunteer Work on Resume Consequently, job seekers have to understand how to sell their abilities and qualifications with the helfende hand of their principal advertising and marketing document. If youre a college student or recent graduate trying to land your very first job, you can come across the sample below very beneficial. Your resume should highlight the most crucial abilit ies and experience thats pertinent to the positions youre targeting. Developing a resume when youre a first-time worker can be challenging.

4 Advantages to One Way Video Interviews - Spark Hire

4 Advantages to One Way Video Interviews - Spark HireIf youve ever had to hire a new employee, then you know how taxing and tedious it can be. Perhaps the most time-consuming part of the process is sifting through the mound of resumes you have in your inbox and deciding which candidates are the most qualified for this specific position. Contacting them and phone screening them takes up another chunk of your time- and this is all before you carve out areas of your work day to fit in einstellungsgesprchs with the most qualified candidates. Are you exhausted yet? Thankfully, there is a better way to hire and to find the best candidate for your job. By incorporating video technology and video interviews into your hiring process, you can shave off hours of time.In fact, thats exactly what pre-recorded video interviewsare designed to do. Not sure video interviews are for you? Take a look at these four advantages that one way video interviews offer to hiring managers and abflug streamlining your hiring process today.Save TimeTime is money, and your time is valuable. Its quite shocking to learn that on average it takes about 45 days to hire a new employee. Thats over a month When you have your own important work to tend to everyday, its mora than a pain in the neck to have to take part in a hiring process that takes that long. If you hire the traditional way, then you sift through resumes and pinpoint the candidates with the best skills and the best qualifications.Before you invite them to come into your office for an interview though, you will likely give them a call and screen them over the phone first to test them out. These phone screens take about 30 minutes on average per candidate. On top of that, sometimes you know the candidate isnt going to work within the first couple minutes but continue with the call anyways out of courtesy. When time is money, you cant afford to waste it. Switch up the equation and incorporate one way or asynchronous video interviews into the process instead of phone screens. You can conduct 10 one way video screens in the time it takes to complete one phone screen. See how much time you can save with that?No Scheduling ConflictsPeople are busy every day. Of course, candidates that are out of work are likely going to be available to talk whenever, but passive job seekers (job seekers that are currently employed) will experience more difficulty carving out a time to speak with you on the phone during normal office hours. When you add your busy schedule to the mix, planning a phone interview or screen can be extremely hectic and stressful. Noon doesnt work for me, but 2 p.m. does. Unfortunately, you have a meeting at 2 p.m. so youll have to wait until tomorrow.Sound familiar? Well, with one way video interviews, scheduling conflicts are obsolete. Thats because you, the employer, send your candidates a set of interview questions that you would like answered such as tell me about a time you made your deadline during an extremely hectic week. This gives you an idea of their skills and how they handled situations in the past. Once you send along your questions, the candidate has a set amount of time to get their answers to you. If they dont make the deadline, they dont make the cut. No scheduling conflicts and no mess. Just simple, easy screening.QuestionsSince were on the topic of questions, one way video interviews makes comparing candidates much easier. Since you are able to send your candidates a set of questions, the best thing is to send all of your candidates the same set of questions. That way, you can compare and contrast their answers to see which candidates are more qualified and best suited to fill this position. If they dont give you the answers you are looking for, then you can easily weed them out.On a phone interview, its much more difficult to remember what this candidate said in comparison to what that candidate said. With one way video interviews, you can easily compare answers an d revisit them whenever youd like. You cant recreate a phone conversation though, now can you?Receive Feedback From OthersOne of the best advantages to one way video interviews is that you can share your candidates video answers with others. If you would like a coworkers opinion on a candidates answer, you can easily bring it up and present their video answer to them. You cant do this with a phone conversation unless, of course you record it. With one way video interviews, you can gain insight and opinions from your coworkers and you can share them at any time. This makes the hiring process richer and chances are you will hire a much better candidate because of it.If these four advantages havent convinced you yet, and you would rather stick the time-consuming, more traditional way of hiring, then more power to you However, if you are ready to start hiring better, smarter and faster, then get on board with this new wave of interviewing and start making one way video interviews part o f your everyday screening process.