What mistakes do job seekers make Part 2 -

What mistakes do job seekers make Part 2 - Still looking for that job? Are you making these time wasting job-seeker mistakes? Social media is great for crowd sourcing information. Hannah Morgan (@CareerSherpa) and I are lucky to have an amazing network of friends and colleagues from the career coaching, recruiting and careers industries. We hope you will check out their other advice we are showcasing in honor of our upcoming eBook, You Need a Job: 5 Steps to Get One. This is part two of two posts I published this weekend with great information from our colleagues and Hannah has two unique posts filled with more information planned this weekend as well. I told you our colleagues had plenty to share about the subject!   Be sure to check out Hannahs post today. We hope you will learn something new from these responses to the question: What mistakes do job seekers make? Passive job seekers No job seeker can afford to sit back and hope for the best. If you are not driving your own career bus, who is driving it? Job seekers engage in passive searches that put way too much  emphasis  on resumes, cover letters and job boards. ~ Walter Akana, Threshold Consulting Online Info Both Hannah and I are big proponents of using social media and online tools.   Are you giving enough thought to your online presence when it comes to job search? Some job seekers are still failing to clean up their online presence most recruiters and hiring managers will do an online search on each job candidate. ~ Heather Huhman, Come Recommended Create a personal alias and a professional profile online. Use separate emails for both. Youll be glad you did when its time for a background check. ~ Jim Stroud Learn new things One thing that is a guarantee for job seekers â€" the job market, types of positions and the skills you need will continue to change and evolve. Are you keeping up? The job seeker doesnt take the time to learn new skills (e.g., social media) that could add to marketability while expanding their resources. ~ Walter Akana, Threshold Consulting Applying, resumes and interviewing It is amazing how much there is to do and think about before you are ready to think about your resume, job search materials and interview skills! Some tips from our colleagues: Job seekers are in a hurry and rush through writing their resume or having their resume written, which ultimately costs them more time (and money) because they chose speed over quality. ~ Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Career Trend Chris Havrilla, Havrilla, LLC, points out these job seeker errors: Not taking control of your resume (dont be generic, treat like a business proposal one size does not fit all) or interview process (making sure Recruiter/Interviewer walks away from the interview with the information they need not just the answers to the questions they ask). Applying for a job for which you are not qualified or for which you cannot add value. Not interviewing the company just letting them interview you. Too often, job seekers stay within what feels like a safe zone for their cover letter and other application materials. Remember that doing something unique and outside the box will help you stand out! ~ Alexis Grant Follow up You applied, so now it’s time to wait and see? Not if you actually want the job! Follow up is important! Applying online only, not following up with company, recruiter or hiring manager directly. ~ Chris Havrilla, Havrilla, LLC The process of applying online and waiting for a call does not work well in this job market. You have to proactively contact people in the organization. A personal connection goes a lot farther than a piece of data coming over the internet. ~ Harry Urschel, e-Executives Other Tips There’s so much more advice! (There is a lot to say our eBook has 29 chapters packed full of it!) Here are some additional, useful tips from our colleagues we didn’t want you to miss: Job seekers spend far too much time listening the media and the doom and gloom brigade. In fact, job seekers dont screw up enough. Resumes, networking and interviewing all improve by making MORE mistakes, not less. ~ Sital Ruparelia Job seekers frequently focus on the “one” thing they can’t do (some new technology) or don’t have (degree) or can’t control (age), using that one factor as a roadblock to a search. They forget the 1027 things they can do and what value they do bring. ~ Dawn Bugni, The Write Solution Do any of these answers make you squirm? Maybe you are the job seeker who isn’t quite as prepared as you should be? Maybe your resume isn’t quite right, or you aren’t following up? Our ebook, You Need a Job: 5 Steps to Get One, which we are so excited about launching TOMORROW, Monday, June 11th, will give you specific advice and information about how to address most of these and many other concerns that prevent job seekers from landing opportunities. It’s 29 chapters of “how to do’s” for job seekers who want to stop looking and start working in their new opportunities. Stay tuned â€" for those who buy the eBook first, we are offering some free bonuses. Keep your eye here tomorrow for details. If you want to read more ideas, dont miss yesterdays post about what not to do when you are looking for a job. Update: the ebook is available. If you want to learn how to find a job, learn more here. photo by  Alan Cleaver

How to Write a Resume in Syracuse, NY

How to Write a Resume in Syracuse, NYIf you want to work in New York or around the area, you might want to consider a career in resume writing. Many people have been writing resumes for years, and now many are starting to get into the business. To be competitive with all the other companies, they need your resume to look good, to be professional, and to include all the information you can. So let's take a look at how to write a resume.First of all, you need to consider going to your local job center and getting a resume from them. They can help you with your education, your work experience, and anything else that is needed. However, you may find that the resume can take a lot of time to complete, so consider this option only if you are an experienced writer. On top of that, you'll find that even if you are experienced, it can still take a lot of time.The next thing to consider is online services. They offer you all the latest materials, but you will have to work much faster and also pay much less. These companies specialize in designing a resume that makes it easy for you to sell yourself. Their resume writers are hired by companies to do the work, and they're not paid very much.Another way to get jobs in Syracuse, New York is to join a local job search. These kinds of jobs often require no formal training, and the way you think about it is that you are doing the job. Plus, you get the opportunity to meet many of the local professionals who are willing to help you in your job search.Now, for the final thing you should do. Since there are no major companies in Syracuse, you will have to focus on local businesses in the area. In addition to being a great place to start, these are also the people who you will most likely find the work, and they will probably be looking for your help.You should begin writing your resume at home, but you can find some services that offer you services that will help you take a look at different jobs in a short period of time. Many of these services will charge you, but they can save you a lot of time.As you can see, you can be successful at writing a resume if you take care of all the details. Whether you want to go to a job center or hire an online service, you need to do everything you can to make sure you get the job.

Retirement More Flexible Jobs Are On The Way

Retirement More Flexible Jobs Are On The Way More and more older workers are aiming for a phased retirementâ€"a flexible schedule that will allow them to stay on the job part-time before fully retiring. But policies to support such programs are failing to keep pace both in the U.S. and abroad, a new report finds. This threatens to push older workers into retirement before they would like, even as some employers struggle with a labor shortage. In developed nations, only 27% of workers age 55 and older say their employers will help them phase into retirement by shifting to part-time work, according to the report from the Aegon Center for Longevity and Retirement. Just 9% say their employer offers any type of job retraining, and half say their employer offers little or no information on how to prepare for retirement. The U.S. is no exception: Only 25% of those age 55 and older say their employers will help them phase into retirement, and just 4% say their employer offers meaningful job retraining, the report finds. This will prove to be a missed opportunity, Aegon concludes. As boomers age and leave the workforce certain industries like engineering and accounting will experience an acute labor shortage. Yet it does not have to be that way. Older workers are far more loyal to their employer than younger workers. Just 17% of workers age 55 and older are considering looking for a new job in the next 12 months, compared to 37% of those aged 25 to 34, the report found. Retraining programs and an effort to help workers phase into part-time work may be a better corporate investment than recruiting new workers. Yet employer offerings for older workers are still skimpy, according to Aegon: 24% offer phased retirement; 21% offer less demanding work; 19% offer a flexible schedule; 17% offer retiree healthcare; 14% offer retraining; 31% offer none of the above. Most employers not only fail to capitalize on loyalty by retaining their older workers, they are also missing out on opportunities to hire motivated older workers from other companies. Some 63% of those aged 55 to 64 say they want to stay at work to keep active and alert, and 39% say they enjoy their work. The numbers are even higher for those 65-plus. In comparison, only a third say they want to keep working out of financial need. The report places some blame on policymakers, who through pension and Social Security rules encourage workers and employers to think retirement starts between ages 65 to 67. Governments should hike the age for benefits and offer individuals greater inducements to delay taking them, Aegon concludes. The good news is that more employers are realizing the advantages of retaining experienced workers. In November 2014 the federal government launched a plan to let some workers 55 and up stay on half-time while getting half their benefits. That move may encourage other employers to follow, workplace experts say. There are other encouraging signs that the tide is turning for older workers. Recent employment data show that the unemployment rate for those over age 55 stands at just 4.1%, compared with 5.7% for the total population and a steep 18.8% for teens. Some companies are even making a special effort to woo experienced workers. If you’re interested in a phased retirement, talk to your boss. Even if there is no formal program at your company, you may be able to work out an arrangement that meets both your needs. And if your employer isn’t open to a flexible schedule, check out part-time work opportunities elsewhere. With the right planning, you can achieve a successful second act and even have some fun.

Take Responsibility for Your Career Success - Work It Daily

Take Responsibility for Your Career Success - Work It Daily Success Tweet: You’re in charge! Commit to taking personal responsibility for creating the successful life and career you want and deserve. The other day I saw a great quote from Margaret Thatcher... “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it.” Ole’ Iron Maggie really nailed it with this one. I like this quote because it gets at the essence of Tweet 21 of Success Tweets â€" committing to taking personal responsibility for your life and career. Commitment to taking personal responsibility is the second of the four pillars of my Career Success GPS System, and some of the most important career advice I offer my career success coach clients. You demonstrate your commitment to your career success â€" to yourself and to the world â€" by doing three things. First, take personal responsibility for your career success. Only you can make you a career success. You must be willing to do the things necessary to succeed. Second, set high goals â€" and then do whatever it takes to achieve them. Third, stuff happens; as you go through life you will encounter many problems and setbacks. You need to react positively to the negative stuff and move forward toward your goals, dreams and career success. Those days in which you have a lot to do, and you get it all done, are not only satisfying; they demonstrate your commitment to your career success; and they help strengthen that commitment. I’m writing this on a plane on Friday night. It’s about 8:00 in the evening. I’ve been up since 5:00 because I needed to finish an important project for one client before I spent the day working with another. I’ve had a full, but very satisfying, day. And, as Ms. Thatcher points out, one in which I feel a sense of supreme satisfaction. I’ve demonstrated to myself I’m willing to do the things necessary to succeed. I had a bout with the flu this winter. It left me feeling weak and tired. I spent all of a Monday afternoon and a good part of the following Tuesday morning in bed. It couldn’t be helped. I needed to get my strength back. By Tuesday afternoon, I was feeling physically better, but emotionally drained. I felt as if I hadn’t moved forward toward my goals. I didn’t get anything done for about 24 hours â€" and I hated it. Even though I was sick, I felt as if I had lounged around and done nothing for a day and a half. I agree not only with Maggie Thatcher, but with George Bernard Shaw, my favorite playwright… “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” I know I want my life to be a splendid torch that burns long and brightly. That’s why I choose to commit to taking personal responsibility for my life and career success. This career success coach, is here to tell you reveling in hard work is the best way to create the life and career success you want and deserve. The common sense career success coach point here is simple. Successful people commit to taking personal responsibility for the creating the successful life and career they want and deserve. They follow the advice in Tweet 21 in Success Tweets. They set high goals â€" and do whatever it takes to accomplish them. They react positively to the people and events in their lives â€" especially the negative people and events. They relish the days when they have a lot to do, and then go on and do it. They get great satisfaction from working hard and seeing the results of their labor. When was the last day when you were truly busy? How did you feel at the end of it? If you’re an achiever â€" someone who is committed to your life and career success â€" I bet you felt exhilarated and ready to go the next day. That’s how I felt after a very long day last Friday. Photo credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

Fairygodboss Of The Week Sonar Thekdi

Fairygodboss Of The Week Sonar Thekdi Sonar Thekdi, a VP of Engineering Business Operations at Cisco, is a true Fairygodboss whos always looking to expand her network. Shes passionate bedrngnis only about her work but also about people in general - which is one of the reasons she loves beratung young women interested in STEM careers. She leave us with some great advice about getting out of ur comfort zoneFairygodboss of the Week Sonar ThekdiVice President, Engineering Business Operations, Computing Systems Product Group - CiscoSan Francisco Bay Area, CAFGB Tell us a little about your career. How did you get to where you are now?ST I lost my dad when I was 3 years old - he was an accomplished engineer who I never got to know. I dont even remember him, but very early in my life, I decided that I would carry my fathers legacy forward by becoming an engineer. Raising us single-handedly my mother was very clear on the value of an education. She has dedicated her entire life to raising my sisters and me always teaching us to be strong, focused and hardworking. So it was very natural for me to get my degree in Computer engineering.Once I completed school, I went to work as a SW engineer writing BIOS firmware. It was exciting to have a real job, make real money and solve real world problems. But about a year into my job, I realized that I wasnt looking forward to Monday mornings with the same excitement as I had been year before, and that something was missing. I realized that my true passion lied in being around people, bringing people together and helping solve engineering problems, not by digging in deeper technically, but by understanding the nuances of how people think and react and work with each other.I changed my job to become a system engineer and then a system manager. Every job I have held since then has been engineering focused, solving real engineering problems and building great products, but also always focusing on the teams and the people that make the se things real. At Cisco, I have combined my education in engineering with my passion for people and technology in a series of roles in engineering program management, engineering operations and strategic planning with increasing responsibility to evolve into a business leader.FGB What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?ST Over my 16 year career at Cisco, I have worked in seven different business units, across a wide portfolio of products and for a very interesting and diverse set of senior leaders. I am proud of not only having successfully transitioned in and out of each role but also continuing to grow and expand my network every time. FGB What is a challenge that youve faced and overcome?ST Recently, we faced a quality challenge across our product portfolio that was negatively impacting the perception of our products in the field, and as a result the revenue as well. While quality is owned by multiple functions, it was clear that we needed one named leader who made it th eir mission to turn it around I took on that challenge, and working with my peers in Engineering, Supply Chain, Services and IT, I drove a massive year+ effort to evolve and modernize our development processes, tools and infrastructure, metrics and automation to successfully turn this around. FGB Who is YOUR Fairygodboss? Why?ST My current boss, Liz Centoni, is my Fairygodboss, because besides being wicked smart, articulate and funny, she always pushes me to develop new business skills. She gives me challenging projects that push me out of my comfort zone and she encourages me to not take no for an answer. Lastly, she gives me support and air cover when needed when I push the boundaries and look for new ways of doing things. She rocksFGB What do you do when youre not working?ST I love hanging out with my family, cooking, and reading. I am also passionate about mentoring those around me, especially young women thinking of pursuing careers in STEM.Lightning RoundFGB What is your favo rite movie?ST Gosh, listing just one is very hard. My favorites are The Pursuit of Happyness, Titanic, Bourne Series, Lord of the Rings trilogy FGB What book would you bring with you on a desert island?ST Any of Maeve Binchys heartwarming novels (Tara Road is a fave)FGB What is your shopping vice? What would you buy if you won the lottery?ST My shopping vice is traditional indian jewelry. I really dont believe in playing the lottery but if I somehow acquire a few hundred million dollars the thing that I would buy for myself would be a beach house.FGB What is the 1 career tip youd like to share with other women who want to have successful careers like you? ST I would say learn to be agile when it comes to your career. Accept and expect to fail early and often, until you figure out what youre passionate about and what youre really good at. Once you figure that out, there will be no stopping you. Get out of your comfort zone every day.FGB Why do you love where you work?ST I love the sm art, compassionate, committed and driven people that I work with every day. The work environment weve been able to create is fun, upbeat, high energy and that puts a smile on my face (on most days ) ).Fairygodboss is all about women helping other women. So each week, we celebrate a woman who makes a difference in other womens careers. Is there a woman who has made a difference in your career? Celebrate and thank her by nominating her here.

Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Options

Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Options The Demise of Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency Resume writing can be a challenging task. Writing a resume can be fraught with lots of small concerns when it has to do with etiquette. While everybody can write, not everyone is able to grow to be a writer. An independent writer should possess skills besides writing. Whatever They Told You About Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why So you need to be mindful in regards to the certification of the writers when employing an online resume service. There are times that you proceed through the site of a certain writing service and it seems just perfect. If you determine that your prior employer has merged with a different organization or has become the topic of an acquisition, list the present name initially, followed by the prior name in parentheses. The busines s is the one which will be your most trustworthy reference. The Ultimate Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked through an Agency Trick Since youre a freelancer, your clients do not supply you with a particular position. Dont be concerned if youve got an entry-level Freelance Writer resume. If youve completed a good deal of work for a freelancer, you dont need to list each individual client youve worked for. As an expert freelancer, you probably have an on-line portfolio or website you may share in your resume. There are many explanations as to why folks take temporary work or employment through an agency and its getting more and more common. There are a couple things you should do. When youre asking for work, the resume is not the one thing you want. Theres nobody way of locating a job. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Resume Writing and What Company to List If Worked Through an Agency If youre looking for work through third parties, including agencie s or independent human resource managers, they can request your CV to find you the very best fitting alternatives. If youre asking for a project, ensure that the requirements are listed too. If it comes to resumes, different types ought to be available. In a short-term contract agreement, youre working on behalf of the staffing agency, not the organization youre assigned to for the whole period of the contract. Listing your work by means of a staffing agency will help you in various ways. Real estate jobs are about closings. Many services provide affordable rates and discounts, and that means you get great value for the money there. If youve accomplished things in work role, its wasteful not to utilize it to your benefit to impress an employer. Its not sufficient to list out your responsibilities. You might have worked for an agency for two decades but held four distinct positions. Otherwise it is possible to describe clients more generic to present your upcoming employ er at least an idea. At the exact same time, let the customer get a glimpse of what you could do. Find out what the provider is searching for, then match your skills up. If youre targeting a particular company, then its far better center on the individual whod be your direct manager if at all possible. Keep in mind that if it has to do with listing contract work, for example, work is always oben liegend than ignoring it. Whatever format you choose to utilize for the temp jobs on your resume, make sure that you are consistent. A site will give clients the opportunity to evaluate your talent. Many will be pleased to assess the portfolio.

Workplace Screaming a Self-Defeating Effort

Workplace Screaming a Self-Defeating Effort To be pathological or nearly so, behavior doesnt have to be menacing or insane. Stupid, pointless and self-sabotaging behavior, such as screaming at employees, will do as close approximations, especially when the consequences for the individual or for otzu sichs are dire.Acting in a merely neurotically self-defeating way, especially when it is habitual, is sometimes enough, even if not necessary, for pathology. Screaming at an employee (or anybody else, for that matter) is a case in point. An irascible bosss (frequent) screaming at an employee in order to motivate her is an example of what can demonstrate both pathology and stupidity (which are, in virtue of being equally maladaptive, closely related, although, of course, not identical).The Three Legs of PathologyAlthough the term is used far too casually, and far too often without any clear definition ( even in psychiatric literature), pathological behavior can perhaps best be understood as behavior that isSelf-defeating, self-frustrating or self-destructive (e.g., pathological dieting to the point of emaciation or even death)Without any rationally predictable or predicted net benefit to anyone (e.g., pointless, needless, yet compulsive lying that is unmotivated by any anticipated rational gain, as opposed to the calculated and strategic lying of spies and ponzi-scheme operators)Unjustifiably and dangerously anti-social (e.g., sociopathic criminal behavior)When at least one of the above applies, a particular case of bro screaming may prima facie be viewed as pathological. Just as gambling and lying come in both pathological and non-pathological forms, office screaming per se can be non-pathological, depending on the specifics of the case, e.g., whether employees somehow positively respond to being screamed at. (This suggests that social pathology is best defined as an n-person rela tionship, not as a single-person trait. If the screaming works, its not pathological, even if scary or irritating.)What will make the screaming both stupid and pathological is the circumstance in which although repeated outbursts are intended to improve employee performance, they are very likely to impair it, making the screaming self-defeating. This is what will happen when (as is commonly the case) the employee can take flight (quit), fight back (even if only passive aggressively, e.g., by working mora carefully and therefore much more slowly), or feel so much fright or resentment as to be unable to concentrate on the job.Self-Defeating Brooms and BossesSuch self-defeating actions, like that of a badly frayed and disintegrating broom that mostly sweeps up its own broken and shed bristles, are forms of self-contradiction the means adopted preclude and subvert achieving the ends. Ones stated goals are contradicted by ones chosen means. The solution, like sweeping with a damaged broo m, perpetuates or exacerbates the problem.Its a bit like a goth teenagers trying to get her parents to love jarring dub-step and ear-splitting punk rock by turning up the volume the louder the message, the more deaf to it the target audience becomes. More achieves lessresult self-defeat. This frustrating outcome is especially likely when the dramatic medium (a megaphone-volume scream) dwarfs the basic message (Please work harder).The pathologically screaming boss is in the contradictory state and situation of seeking workplace harmony (in terms of smooth performance) by creating organizational, interpersonal and personal disharmony (the latter being his internal disharmony in the form of frustration and the shared perception of a conflict) by attempting to increase productivity by jeopardizing it and by trying be respected or feared while in fact triggering resentment, resistance or retreat.It is often said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting diff erent results. Although this definition has its flaws (e.g., bending metal over and over again and expecting it to split, far from being an insane notion, is perfectly intelligent), it is a useful diagnostic in some instances, including instances of office screaming.Smart ScreamingThe only circumstance in which screaming at an employee doesnt carry the risk of amounting to a huge self-defeat is when the employee cannot quit, cannot resist and is not so traumatized by it as to be unable to do her job. Such situations do existfor instance, the relationship between a waking and hungry screaming infant (employer) and its harried mother (employee).But given the odds against such successful screaming in other contexts, characterizing it as high-risk self-defeating behavior seems right. When it persists, despite being virtually guaranteed to fail, such screaming deserves to be labeled pathological, or at least really stupid.Using the three criteria given above to determine whether specific behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, etc., are pathological, labeling screaming as pathological seems warranted if the outbursts are self-defeating, demonstrably without benefit to anyone and/or unjustifiably anti-social (or unprofessional), with the co-existence of any dire consequences as a compounding factor.To the extent that the screamer is a boss or an infant who not only can get away with such high-decibel onslaughts, but can also get what (s)he wants, the screaming is not evidence of pathology. Instead, it is merely evidence of..being a baby.