Branding and Stereotypes

Branding and Stereotypes Wow, its been almost a month since Ive blogged anything here! Ive been in Europe for the last two weeks (and blogging about it at JasonAlba.com/blog).  I spoke in Belgium at a huge IT conference, speaking about personal branding.  While there, I saw this online: By now Ive been to two of those countries (UK and France), and soon will be in Italy.  I dont know if those are really true weve had some excellent food in England! But the point is, stereotypes! Stereotypes dont have to be true to ring true, or to be powerful or persuasive. You have to figure out what stereotypes you are stuck with, or should fight, and then create a strategy to fight them! Branding and Stereotypes Wow, its been almost a month since Ive blogged anything here! Ive been in Europe for the last two weeks (and blogging about it at JasonAlba.com/blog).  I spoke in Belgium at a huge IT conference, speaking about personal branding.  While there, I saw this online: By now Ive been to two of those countries (UK and France), and soon will be in Italy.  I dont know if those are really true weve had some excellent food in England! But the point is, stereotypes! Stereotypes dont have to be true to ring true, or to be powerful or persuasive. You have to figure out what stereotypes you are stuck with, or should fight, and then create a strategy to fight them!

How to Write a Good Resume That Will Get You Hired

How to Write a Good Resume That Will Get You HiredThere are plenty of opportunities to get a resume review from various places, but if you have not yet heard of them you might be surprised at the number of people who have been using them. A resume review is when a recruiter or employer looks at your resume and tells you whether or not they want to interview you. This is often the first step of the hiring process and it can be the most effective way to determine if you will get the job.When I was a recruiter, I used to use a job applicant tracking system (AIS) for all my recruiters to use. I would keep track of which of our hires were still needed and wanted. We would then follow up with the applicants by phone and send them a resume sample or follow up with an email. We would also keep track of what the next steps would be if they still did not call us back.In addition to it, we had a resume review every year with all the job applicants. Some of them would qualify for an interview th at year, and other would not. If they did not call us back, we would try again the following year or even a few years later.It is very important that you do not use your resume as a crutch to hide behind and that you know how to write a good resume. I know many people who have been working hard on their resumes and never get a single interview after four years of trying.While this may sound funny to you, you cannot help but laugh at someone who takes an entire four years just to get to the first call back. Even if you have a great resume, it doesn't mean you will get the job because some employers will look at your resume as though it were paper, and some are lazy and will ask for information online.While you are waiting for that call, you should also get organized and have everything you need. Get a simple folder for your resumes, or a board to keep track of your successes and failures. You will soon find out what works for you and what does not work for you.While the benefit of us ing the resume review service is very important, the reality is that there are a lot of factors that can go into a potential employer deciding whether or not to call you back. You need to have your resume in front of them, whether it is on a piece of paper or on the computer, you should be doing something to make them want to look at it.Don't give up! If you keep your eyes open and use the resume review service, your odds of getting the job will increase.

Networking for Introverts

Networking for Introverts If you’re an introvert, you probably get nervous every time you walk into a room full of strangers. Add the pressure of networking with potential business contacts and it won’t be long before you’re suffering from sweaty palms, a dry mouth and a churning stomach. Networking for introverts can be terrifying! But it doesn’t have to be like this. By planning ahead and working with your personality, you can transform your next networking event into a positive experience. Here’s how. Make connections Well before the date of your event, check out the attendee list and take a look at as many Facebook pages, LinkedIn profiles and Twitter feeds as you can.  Next, pick a few people you like the sound of and make an effort to engage with them via the social media. You might find that there’s also a Twitter hashtag for your event, so use this to your advantage. Making connections beforehand will give you a head start when it comes to conversation and you’ll be able to find attendees more easily once you’ve seen their profile pictures. Know your value At some point during your event, you’ll get an opportunity to talk about yourself. To make the most of this, it’s best to come up with a succinct summary of your abilities and accomplishments. Aimed at sparking interest and making you memorable, this should be no more than 60 seconds long. To come up with your summary, start by making notes about your work experience, your skills, your career objectives and your best achievements. Create a couple of informal paragraphs that include all the important details and add a sentence or two about the problems your product or service could solve. Reading your summary out loud will help you remember its contents under pressure, so allow time for plenty of practice! Arm yourself with questions While deep and meaningful questions aren’t really appropriate when it comes to networking, you should always plan a handful of light conversation starters. Stuck for ideas? Why not ask people how their journey was, what they think of the venue or why they’re interested in the event? It’s also worth considering your own responses to similar questions. Arrive early Turn up to your event at the last minute and you’ll find that groups have already formed, so we recommend getting to the venue early. This way, you’ll be able to join a table of just one or two and form a small group of your own. Alternatively, sitting at the bar while you order a drink can be a good way to meet other attendees. When you get the chance, simply introduce yourself with a smile and a warm handshake. Listen carefully If you’re an introvert, you’re probably a good listener too. Thankfully, most people love talking about themselves, enabling you to identify whether you can solve any of the work related issues they’re facing. Think you can help the person you’re listening to? Mention the service or product you offer, ask if you can exchange business cards and follow up by sending them a polite reminder email a day or two after the event. Networking as an introvert is all about playing to your strengths. Follow our top tips and there’s every chance that you’ll come away from your next event with a handful of high quality connections. And you might even enjoy yourself. This post was authored by   Anna Whitehouse for Inspiring Interns.    which specialises in finding candidates their perfect  internship.  To browse our  graduate jobs London  listings, visit our website.

9 Ways to Make Your Customers Happy - Classy Career Girl

9 Ways to Make Your Customers Happy If you feel like business today could do with a new approach, you can give your economics a boost by changing the way you work with your customers. Wise entrepreneurs are starting to understand the often forgotten concept that customers are human beings, and that transactions form part of a (hopefully ongoing) relationship. Like any relationship, neglect it for too long and you risk alienating the other party. You may not even realize it until it’s too late. Only 4% of customers will let you know when they’re unhappy with your service. The rest you can consider lost. This lost business costs U.S. businesses a whopping $83 billion each year. But it isn’t just about the business you’re losing â€" it’s the opportunities as well. Cultivate an open dialogue with your customers that is about more than just selling. Youll create the chance to discover unpredictable new insights into what you do and how you do it. Asking for feedback is a great opportunity to discover where you’ve gone wrong and where to go next. A chance comment may influence your next product line or inspire a new service that your customer base really desires, but which you hadn’t previously considered. [RELATED: 4 Things You Need To Do Right Now  To Attract More Clients] There is no single technique that can get you to this place. Rather, it is about creating a culture of openness and encouraging the flow of information to go both ways. That means ensuring you have accessible ways for your customers to contact you. Prompt them to let you know how they feel, and communicate regularly about your own experiences â€" ideas, encounters, successes and even mistakes, to remind them that you, too, are human. For some specifics on how to go about this, check out Headway Capital’s new infographic. It contains nine simple ways to rejuvenate that business-customer relationship  and strengthen your opportunities going forward. 9 Ways to Make Your Customers Happy

Resume Writing CS Career Questions - Resume Mistakes

Resume Writing CS Career Questions - Resume MistakesWhen writing resume CS career questions, it is important to be specific about the exact position for which you are applying. Job seekers must understand that any job seeking, whether they are on a job or looking for a job, can be difficult and the right resume will help a resume writer to improve their chances of success.It is also critical to take the right steps when writing a resume for a potential employer. One way to do this is to consult a professional resume writer. A professionally written resume is also an easier process than one that was not written by someone who is an expert in this field.Many people, however, prefer to do the job themselves, and doing the job themselves can help a resume writer avoid common mistakes. One mistake that most writers make is to misspell a word when writing the resume.An experienced professional resume writer knows that misspelled words can leave a potential employer unsure of the resume's c redibility. Some professional resume writers have even worked with major corporations and learned how to hide these mistakes so that the resume still looks professional. Of course, there are many professionals who will even spell mistakes for free or for a small fee, and this can also improve the overall appearance of the resume.The next mistake that most job seekers make when writing resume CS career questions is to leave a section blank. This is often done when the applicant is hiring a person to proofread the resume for accuracy. If the person hired to proofread does not review the resume at all, then the applicant should leave a section blank, although it may be necessary to cut the information that is too long out of the resume.When writing resume CS career questions, there are many things that can be overlooked. For example, an applicant may not realize that the word 'also' should be used when addressing previous jobs in general. An inexperienced writer may slip up and leave s omething out that should be included.When writing resume CS career questions, be sure to be as specific as possible. It is very easy to leave out information or to use misspelled words when creating a resume that is vague.When a person is applying for a job, they should not feel pressured to write a perfect resume. The resume can still be flawless if a person is not in a hurry to complete it in a specific amount of time.

How to balance work and play this summer - Debut

How to balance work and play this summer - Debut This post was written by an external contributor.  Millie Pritchard shows how you can strike the right balance between work and play over the summer season.   Ahh, the summer holidays. You’ve battled deadlines, wrangled with essays, been at odds with exams… and, somehow, it’s all over. There is a large chunk of time between the end of term and September â€" a chunk of time which can be overwhelming. It’s easy to fall into the extremity of not really doing much with your summer and feeling unprepared in comparison to your peers when September comes knocking. Or, on the other hand, not feeling the benefits of properly relaxing and recuperating by neglecting breaks as you plunge into preparing for next year or future employment. So, how do you manage to do both without completely stressing yourself out? Plan, plan, plan… Ground-breaking, right? I know, summer is the perfect time to get some work experience in, but only focusing on the work side of things will hinder what, above all, ‘summer’ has been all about through your education… having a well-deserved break. Fill your free time with things that you wont be able to do when school/college/university starts up again. Planning enables you to find a median, a balance between the two: work and play. Balance is all the rage nowadays. You may have seen all those meditation apps and ‘mindfulness’ mantras that litter your Instagram feed? Its all about keeping your mind clear enough to keep your life on track.  Its not  completely neglecting the things which are stressful, but rather simply not letting them take over. Worked Hard? Play harder! ALWAYS start with play. Plan out your fun things for the summer â€" you do deserve a break, after all! Make a list of all the things that you would like to do that are events or travel related. Holiday with your mates? Literature festivals? Beach days? Write it all down, they can be as specific or vague as you like. By planning this way first, you will give yourself things to look forward to in between planning all your employability tasks. Next, make a second list of the things you would like to do just for yourself. This can include picking up a hobby, or learning a new skill you’ve always wanted to try out, such as a new language. This stuff is great as you don’t necessarily have to squeeze it into your schedule of fun, as they’re more on-going processes rather than singular events. Getting Prepared Finally think about everything you would like to do over the summer that would benefit your educational or career endeavours, and be as specific as possible. Write down the most important things for you to get done. For example, reading specific books, or trying to get work experience in a particular field. By the time you’ve written your list out, you probably start to realise that actually â€" the amount of work you want to get done is manageable.   But remember, do not compromise your schedule of fun for any of these things! Overall, make time for the things you truly care about. But, never neglect yourself in regard to giving yourself a break. You are free of exams and deadlines for the first time in months â€" make the most of it. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

A crucial question - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

A crucial question - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Heres a crucial question for you: All things considered, what is the net impact your job has on you? Ever considered?this? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Networking tips how to expand your network -

Networking tips how to expand your network - Its gotten to the point where job seeker can be a synonym for discouraged. This is where networking tips come in! How are you supposed to overcome the competition to land an appropriate job? Especially if its been a long time since youve had to look for a position, you have a lot of obstacles to overcome. You know its futile to sit around and bemoan how tough it is to land a job; its up to you to act: stretch your network. Networking tips: how to stretch and expand your network Your first order of business is to network effectively and efficiently. Consider the following tips to make sure your networking is working: Solidify your pitch. If you cant tell someone what youre good at in 15 seconds or less, youre setting yourself up to fail. Before you do another thing, write down three skills you want people to know about you and list some matching accomplishments. Write down the answer to the question, What do you do? in 35 words or less. Memorize it so you will be ready to introduce yourself professionally and succinctly next time you have the chance. Make a concerted effort to grow your network. Get out of the house and find places to practice your pitch and introduce yourself. Attend in-person events to meet new people, both at professional and social gatherings. Consider attending events without friends or family members so youll be more likely to meet new contacts. Dont ask for a job. Everyone says that you need to tell everyone you are looking for a job, but thats not your best bet. Youve been there: a job seeker approaches and asks for opportunities. Even if you did know of a position, youd probably wait to pass along the information until you were sure your new contact was worthy of risking your professional reputation. Instead of telling everyone youre a job seeker, make a point to get to know people you meet personally and be generous with your expertise. Do not ask for a job or an opportunity; have conversations that lead to follow-up meetings so youll have more chances to make good impressions that do lead to referrals. Be a good listener. Youll be surprised by how many new contacts you will impress when you listen well. Most people tend to talk a lot when they meet someone, so when you ask a lot of questions and appear very interested (whether or not you are interested), youll make an impression and possibly win a new friend who may be willing to make an introduction for you. Be helpful. Its one thing to meet a lot of people, its another to focus on what you can do for the new people you meet. Especially if youre a frustrated job seeker, its easy to forget that you have a lot of skills and ideas to share. You may have suggestions or ideas to help your new contacts. Think first about what you can do for other people, and youll be more likely to attract generous networking contacts to you. One way to be helpful is to investigate local professional organizations and learn about opportunities to get involved with their leaders. These groups are always looking for skilled volunteers, and theyll welcome you with open arms. Be generous with your time and it will be a win-win: theyll get help with work they need done and youll use your professional skills to impress more people who will be willing to help you in return. Follow up. How many times have you met potential contacts who may help you, but you avoided requesting a meeting because it was awkward to ask? Every time you let a new networking contact vanish into the ether, you lose opportunities youll never know about. How can you avoid this? Have in-depth conversations when you meet new people. For example, ask about their summer vacation or holiday plans, find out about their hobbies and talk about their favorite sports teams. Then, youll have good reasons to keep in touch by sending an article that may interest them or congratulating them on their teams big win. When you create reasons to keep in touch, its less awkward to ask for an in-person meeting. Get referred. All of this networking has a great potential payoff. CareerXroads, a consulting practice, conducts annual studies about how organizations source and hire employees. Their most recent study showed that nearly half of all companies make at least 1 hire for every 5 referrals they get. If youre not putting yourself in positions to be referred, you could miss out on this key job search strategy. photo by DavidSpinks