Sunday, May 31, 2020

4 Ways to Create a Company Culture That Boosts Productivity

4 Ways to Create a Company Culture That Boosts Productivity When you give a face to a company, you do more than pimp up your image on social mediaâ€"you raise morale and enthusiasm of your team and make them more likely to be productive in the workplace. Culture is an important aspect of a company that affects its internal functions. The use of words like “positive” and “fast-paced” by companies who want to attract millennials are all the hype in the corporate world these days. After all, millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce, according to a 2015 study. Why focus on building a company culture? In today’s world driven by social media, it’s more important for public entities like companies to have an identity. Having an identity is a powerful thing, and a company culture is part of a brand’s identity. When you give a face to a company, you do more than pimp up your image on social mediaâ€"you raise morale and enthusiasm of your team and make them more likely to be productive in the workplace. Here’s how you can create a company culture that boosts productivity: 1. Level up your office design Companies like Google are known for coming up with the coolest ideas for office facilities to stimulate the creative juice of their employees. It may seem crazy at first, but this move actually builds on  research, as about 75% of employees say their companies don’t have nice facilities for relaxation and recreation, which leads to unhappy workers and low levels of productivity. While you don’t necessarily have to copy Google, you can up your office architecture by paying attention to two things, the light and function. Research shows that 40% of people consider lighting to be the most important factor affecting their productivity at work. Thus, investing in functional lighting is a great way to increase your team’s productivity levels. 2. Encourage your team to take breaks Being productive and coming up with ideas is mentally draining, and your team is made up of human beings that need to recharge their creative juices every now and then. This is why it’s so important to establish and encourage (even demand) your team to take regular breaks in between their work to refresh the brain and prepare it to come up with the next big idea. Multiple studies argue how long is the optimal break duration that results in maximum productivity boost, but a study suggests that taking 9-minute breaks every 51 minutes of work increased productivity and lowered stress levels for employees. 3. Cultivate a “Growth Mindset” Taking on bigger roles and harder responsibilities is a must for employees to excel in their career. To do that, leaders need to promote the growth mindset, encourage making small mistakes, and of course, learning from them. In her research, author and Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck, highlights that people who have a “fixed mindset” are more prone to avoiding challenging tasks to avoid making mistakes and be treated as failures. Companies thrive on innovation, and for innovation to pursue, team leaders must cultivate the “growth mindset” among their team. This means that the culture openly accepts employees to make missteps along the way because they understand that these mistakes give them the learnings they need to grow and evolve. This doesn’t mean praising employees for their laziness. There is a fine line between experimenting to see which works and failing miserably, and it is a skill that you as a manager need to develop over time. 4. Treat transparency seriously If your employees don’t have the same level of enthusiasm and motivation to your company as you, ask yourself, “Do they have the same outlook of the company as you? Being transparent about what goes on in your company can have a positive effect on the performance of your team. When your employees feel trusted, they become more involved in their tasks and responsibilities, which makes them more enthusiastic about expending effort on their tasks. Once you open your company to the possibility of increased enthusiasm, your employees are more open to collaborating with one another, are more motivated to share the risks, and most importantly, the rewards of your team efforts. About the author:  Ron  Cullimore  is a deeply experienced customer service and recruitment professional at Manila Recruitment. His expertise covers client experience and engagement, service management, business development, offshoring and recruitment strategy for start-ups, SMEs, corporations and multinationals.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Writing a C Suite Resume - Things You Should Consider

Writing a C Suite Resume - Things You Should ConsiderWhen I first started to write my C suite resume, I was determined to be the best at it that I could be. However, I found myself having to face certain things that would make it so much easier. Here are some of the things I found out that you may be able to use to help you.You should write each section in different topics. Make sure that each section is written about something that you are interested in. However, when you do this, there is no reason why they can't relate to each other as well.Make sure that you use your strengths. Your strengths should always come first. Your weaknesses should always come last. Remember, we always start with what we are interested in the most, and then we move on to the things that are of interest to us.Find out what these areas are that interest you. Find the things that you like to do, the things that you enjoy doing, the people that you are fond of, the things that you have done before in the pas t.The next important thing to remember is that you should always end your resume by saying what you plan to do with your future. Be sure to say what you want to do with your life.All in all, writing a C suite resume is not very difficult if you put the above mentioned tips into consideration. You should be ready for your job interview when it comes around.The bottom line is that you should always use your strengths to write a C suite resume. You should also find out what your strengths are in order to match up these with the right things that are on your resume.Write a C suite resume today. It will help to make sure that you have an easier time during your interview.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Success is an Iceberg Reveal Whats Below the Surface in Your Job Search

Success is an Iceberg Reveal Whats Below the Surface in Your Job Search I was thinking about icebergs the other day. Perhaps because it was over 90 º, I had just completed 20,000 steps and would have killed for an Italian ice (which would have defeated the purpose of walking those 20,000 steps.) Italian ice became snow cone, that became iceberg, that led to icebergsâ€"what a great way to visualize a job search. Here’s an iceberg fact to start out. Typically, only one-tenth of the volume of an iceberg is above water. The shape and size of the underwater portion, the most critical thing to know about an iceberg, can be difficult to judge by looking at the portion above the surface. Well, that pretty much describes a job search. Your accomplishments, what employers see through your resumé, LinkedIn profile page and other marketing tools and social media, is about one tenth of who you are. What they don’t see is the most important part; who you really are, your authentic self. What’s below the surface? Think about it. The 90% of the iceberg that is below the surface, the things an employer can’t see are why you’re hired. You’re not hired because of your resumé. You’re hired because you let an employer see your skills, will and fit. In a successful job search: You know what you’re good at, and what you’re not good at and how that fits with the position and within the organization. You’re able to envision the needs of the organization and able to tailor your interview to speak directly to your value. You prove that you bring energy, drive and curiosity, to everything you do. Beautiful ice sculptures. I get I’m carrying the iceberg analogy a bit far; one more point. A few years back my family took a cruise to Alaska. Lots of oohs and aahs when seeing glaciers for the first time. Here’s another iceberg fact. As glaciers creep over land, meltwater fills the crevasses and later freezes. The combination of ice and air bubbles causes sunlight shining on the icebergs to refract, coloring the ice spectacular shades of blue, green, and white. Color may also indicate age; blue icebergs are old, and green ones contain algae and are young. Icebergs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some long and flat, others towering and massive. Really, they are beautiful and each unique. The point is, in your job search let an employer see what has driven your success by being personable, sharing information about yourself and turning the interview into a conversation. People hire people they like. Give honest and sincere answers. It’s great you can find answers to interview questions but the responses are generic at best. Develop responses that show who you are. Become genuinely interested in the interviewer, recruiter or hiring manager. Ask questions. Iceberg Strong. I can’t help myself. The last iceberg fact. Icebergs are about 10% as strong as concrete. This may not seem very hard, but its a lot harder than ice you make in your freezer. A ship (the employer) colliding with an iceberg (that’s you) almost certainly means disaster due to the enormous momentum involved and potentially massive contact region. The ice can literally generate hundreds of tons of force on a ships hull, causing it to buckle, dent, crumple, and even get you hired. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Shark Tank Boon or Bust for CEO Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Shark Tank Boon or Bust for CEO Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Shark Tank and similar reality TV shows: boon or bust for a CEOs brand? Why? The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons. 1. Boon: These Shows Inspire Entrepreneurs Most reality shows are there to help you escape. Watching them takes you to someone elses problems. Shows like Shark Tank are inspiring, showing people that if those ideas work out, maybe theirs will, too. Ill admit that show has inspired me because with one deal and your good idea, success will come. Entrepreneurship is the future, and we need to inspire people to start businesses! Kyle Clayton, Jackrabbit Janitorial 2. Both: It Depends on the Person These shows can give you great exposure to the pros and cons of things. Its all about you not them. Some of the people on Shark Tank have done a great job showing their entrepreneurial skills, and it is definitely a boon. Others could completely go the other way and actually really hurt their brands. Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com 3. Both: It Depends on the Performance of the CEO The goal of these TV shows is ratings, and if a CEO falls into the trap of being too arrogant or greedy, it will turn off investors. However, if a CEOs eyes light up when talking about the business and he has a proven track record of working hard and achieving goals with the business, then the CEO will get tons of offers either on the show or after it has aired. Derek Capo, Next Step China 4. Both: It Depends on the Business Dramatically increasing exposure to a business that has solid fundamentals and a proven and profitable idea can be like adding gasoline to a fire. However, if the business is fundamentally flawed (such as lacking the ability to scale or not understanding the market), then participating on a reality show can do more harm than good. Patrick Conley, Automation Heroes 5. Bust: Theres Always Drama Reality TV needs drama to pull in viewers, which means that such shows have an incentive to look for problems or otherwise cause drama. That can be a problem for entrepreneurs. If you cant provide a good story without letting the show focus on something thats actually wrong, its probably best to stay away. Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting 6. Bust: Its Not Worth It Did you know they take 5 percent of your company just to go on the show? 5 percent. It might be worth it if you are selling peanut butter or something. Jordan Fliegel, CoachUp, Inc. 7. Both: It Depends on How You Present Yourself It depends on how you present yourself. Stephan Aarstol went on Shark Tank as an unknown SEO expert that was the CEO of Tower Paddle Boards. Now, he has an investment from Mark Cuban and is viewed as an industry leader. John Hall, Influence Co.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Writing a Resume For a Costume Assistant in the Theater

Writing a Resume For a Costume Assistant in the TheaterWriting a resume for a costume assistant in the theater is no easy task. As a theater professional you should always keep in mind the essence of the resume and do not just slap it together. The resumes you see online or at your local job fairs are not the same as you will find when you actually sit down and write one. Just as your resume for an office job is different from one for a retail sales position, a resume for a costume assistant in the theater is also different.First of all, the resume should be a reflection of the skill sets you have. Don't be afraid to admit that your resume is missing certain elements such as a cover letter or examples of previous employment. Your resume is your public face and will set the tone for your interaction with your future employer. Never assume that a costume related job will look at your resume and say 'oh, I know this person.' This will not happen and can only lead to problems down the ro ad.One of the first things you should look at when you write a resume for a costume assistant in the theater is the cover letter. Your cover letter should start with an introduction that states something like: I am writing this resume for an employee that is in the costume world in New York City. These types of resumes are often referred to as 'nudge-nudge' resumes because of the fact that they stand out in the crowd by being different.You should always try to make the cover letter about you and not about selling your product. It is a good idea to mention the skills you have that could translate to a successful career in the costume world. Try to highlight those specialties that will really make your resume stand out from the rest of the others.Some of the things you should focus on when writing a resume for a costume assistant in the theater include but are not limited to: Charisma, Delivery, Unique Styles, and Being Ready to Take on the Best! The last of these is perhaps the most important but remember to keep it professional and to the point. Most importantly, keep your personality and enthusiasm intact and don't try to sound like you have been working on your resume all day.In the first paragraph of your resume, you should briefly introduce yourself as a professional in the field you are looking for. That is where your cover letter will come in. Do not forget to mention if you are looking for a part-time, full-time, or seasonal job and if so, how long you will be looking for one. Your resume will play a major role in getting you the job that you want.When looking at a resume do not focus on a year in the past, it is always a good idea to consider a year in the future. If your future job is open now, it might be an idea to look for a part-time job. On the other hand, if your job opening is a seasonal job then you can look into a full-time position instead.A resume for a costume assistant in the theater can be as detailed or as simple as you want. Just be su re to make a resume that your potential employer will read over again!

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Oxford University interview questions are as baffling as youd expect

Oxford University interview questions are as baffling as youd expect Finally, we have a glimpse into mysterious world of the admissions department at Oxford . But to be honest, were not even sure Hermione Granger would be able to answer these interview questions. The recently released Oxford University interview questions are an attempt to demystify the famously opaque  vetting process conducted by the no. 1 university in the world.    The institution interviews 10,000 young people for a small 3,500 places. The questions were released as an effort to widen access to Oxfords colleges. No matter what kind of educational background or opportunities you have had, the interview should be an opportunity to show off your interest and ability in your chosen subject, says Dr Samina Khan, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach. Curiously, these questions have been released merely four  days before the 15 October applications deadline for the 2017/2018 academic year. Not a lot of prep time, it seems, especially for state school students who may not be as well-versed in Oxford interview strategy. Nevertheless, Khan remains positive.  We know there are still misunderstandings about the Oxford interview, so we put as much information as possible out there to allow students to see the reality of the process. We now have mock interviews online, video diaries made by admissions tutors during the interview process, and lots of example questions to help students to familiarise themselves with what the process is â€" and isnt â€" about. Below are the sample interview questions released for 2016. Sample answers have been provided by  Oxford University interviewers. Subject: Modern Languages (French) Interviewer: Helen Swift, St Hilda’s College Q: What makes a novel or play political? Helen: This is the sort of question that could emerge from a students personal statement, where, in speaking about their engagement with literature and culture of the language they want to study, they state a keen interest in works (of whatever type they mention, such as a novel, play or film) that are political. We might start off by discussing the specific work that they cite (something that isn’t included in their A-level syllabus), so they have a chance to start off on something concrete and familiar, asking, for instance, in what ways?, why?, why might someone not enjoy it for the same reason?. We’d then look to test the extent of their intellectual curiosity and capacities for critical engagement by broadening the questioning out to be more conceptually orientated and invite them to make comparisons between things that theyve read/seen (in whatever language). So, in posing the overall question what makes this political? wed want the candidate to start thinking about what one means in applying the label: what aspects of a work does it evoke? Is it a judgment about content or style? Could it be seen in and of itself a value judgment? How useful is it as a label? What if we said that all art is, in fact, political? What about cases where an author denies that their work is political, but critics assert that it is â€" is it purely a question of subjective interpretation? And so on. The interviewers would provide prompt questions to help guide the discussion. A strong candidate would show ready willingness and very good ability to engage and develop their ideas in conversation. It would be perfectly fine for someone to change their mind in the course of the discussion or come up with a thought that contradicted something they’d said before â€"  we want people to think flexibly and be willing to consider different perspectives; ideally, they would recognise themselves that they were changing their viewpoint, and such awareness could indicate aptitude for sustained, careful reflection rather than a scattergun effect of lots of different points that arent developed or considered in a probing way. Undoubtedly, the candidate would need to take a moment to think in the middle of all that â€" we expect that ermmm, ah, oh, well, etc. will feature in someones responses! Subject: Medicine Interviewer: Chris Norbury, The Queens College Q. About 1 in 4 deaths in the UK is due to some form of cancer, yet in the Philippines the figure is only around 1 in 10. What factors might underlie this difference? Chris: This is a typically open question, with no single correct answer, which aims to stimulate the sort of discussion that might be encountered in a tutorial teaching session. The discussion could take any one of a number of directions, according to the candidates interests. Some candidates will ask useful clarifying questions, such as Where do these data come from, and how reliable are they?, or What is the average life expectancy in these parts of the world?. Some candidates will seize on the idea that various aspects of the typical lifestyle in the UK are inherently unhealthy, which can make for an interesting discussion in itself. Others, especially if they appreciate that life expectancy in the Philippines is substantially lower than in the UK, will realise that other causes of death are more common in the developing world, and that this is the major factor that gives rise to the difference alluded to in the question. This probes selection criteria including problem-solving, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, communication skills, ability to listen and compatibility with the tutorial format. Subject: PPE (and other philosophy courses) Interviewer: Ian Phillips, St Annes College Q: What exactly do you think is involved in blaming someone? Questions like this help draw out a candidate’s ability to think carefully and precisely about a familiar concept, evaluating proposals, coming up with counter-examples, disentangling considerations, and being creative in proposing alternative approaches. Obviously the notion of blame is an important one in moral theory but insofar as blame is an emotional attitude it also brings in issues in the philosophy of mind. Debates about the nature of blame are going on right now in philosophy so the question is also partly a prompt for doing some philosophy together â€"  which is exactly what we hope to achieve in a tutorial. With a question like this we’re not looking for a right answer but instead whether the candidate can be creative in coming up with examples and suggestions, and can think critically and carefully through their implications. So, for example, many candidates start out by suggesting that for A to blame B, A would have to think that B had done something wrong. Many might also make the point that B neednt actually have done anything wrong. We can use this opening suggestion to consider a simple theory of blame: blame is just thinking that someone has done something wrong. When this is put to candidates, most recognize that blame seems to involve more than this. This shows their capacity to evaluate a proposal, and well typically ask them to illustrate their verdict with a counter-example: a case where someone thinks someone has done something wrong but doesn’t blame them. Candidates will then be encouraged to offer and test out more sophisticated proposals about the nature of blame. Some might suggest that blame involves a more complex judgement than just that someone has done something wrong. Others instead might argue that real blame requires feelings of some kind on the part of the blamer: anger, or resentment, for example. And again we can put these proposals to the test by looking for counter-examples. Good interviews will often generate all kinds of interesting and revealing discussions that show a candidates ability for analytical thought: for example about self-blame, cases of blame where the blamer knew the blamed had done nothing wrong, and indeed cases of blaming something inanimate (such as a faulty printer or phone). Subject: Maths Interviewer: Rebecca Cotton-Barratt, Christ Church Q: Imagine a ladder leaning against a vertical wall with its feet on the ground. The middle rung of the ladder has been painted a different colour on the side, so that we can see it when we look at the ladder from the side on. What shape does that middle rung trace out as the ladder falls to the floor? Rebecca: This question tests whether you can do what mathematicians do, which is to abstract away all the unimportant information and use mathematics to represent what’s going on. Id initially ask the candidate what shape they think will be formed, and then ask them how they can test this hypothesis. They might initially try sketching the ladder at different stages â€" this is fine, but ultimately what we want is something that we can generalise and that is accurate (you cant be sure that your drawing is that accurate, particularly when youre making a sketch on a whiteboard and dont have a ruler). So eventually they will fall back on maths, and try to model the situation using equations. If they get stuck we would ask them what shape the ladder makes with the wall and floor, and theyll eventually spot that at each stage the ladder is forming a right-angled triangle. Some might then immediately leap to Pythagoras Theorem and use that to find the answer (which is that it forms a quarter circle centred on the point where the floor meets the wall). This is a fun question because the answer is typically the opposite of what they expect because they think about the shape the ladder makes when it falls (which is a series of tangents to a curve centred away from the wall and the floor). A nice extension is what happens when we look at a point 1/3 or 2/3 up the ladder. Subject: Experimental Psychology Interviewer: Kate Watkins, St Annes College Q: A large study appears to show that older siblings consistently score higher than younger siblings on IQ tests. Why would this be? Kate: This is a question that really asks students to think about lots of different aspects of psychology, and we guide students when discussing it to think about both scientific factors such as maternal age (mothers are older when younger siblings are born â€"  could that play a role?) and observational analysis about how birth order might affect behaviour and therefore performance on IQ tests. Its a great question because students begin from the point they are most comfortable with, and we gradually add more information to see how they respond: for example, noting that the pattern holds true even taking into account things like maternal age. This can lead them to think about what the dynamics of being an older sibling might be that produce such an effect â€"  they might suggest that having more undivided parental attention in the years before a sibling comes along makes a difference, for example. Then we introduce the further proviso that the effect isnt observable in only children â€"  there is something particular to being an older sibling that produces it. Eventually most students arrive at the conclusion that being an older sibling and having to teach a younger sibling certain skills and types of knowledge benefits their own cognitive skills (learning things twice, in effect). But there isnt really a right answer and we are always interested to hear new explanations that we haven’t heard before. What we are interested in is the kinds of reasoning students use and the questions they ask about the study â€"  what it takes into account, what it might not â€" that tells us about their suitability for the course. And of course it doesnt matter if you have a sibling or not â€" though depending on family dynamics, that can add an interesting twist to the conversation! Feature Image ©  Wikimedia Commons Download the Debut app and you could totally grab yourself a summer internship  way before anyone else. Follow Brenda on Twitter @brendaisarebel Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Build A Proactive Job Search Strategy

Build A Proactive Job Search Strategy You need a job search strategy that includes more than scouring the job boards. Build your plan and take action towards a proactive job search. A Proactive Job Search Strategy So youve finally mastered your pitch and your resume is done. Now its time to do the really hard work of putting all the pieces together and developing your job search strategy. But not just any job search strategy, a proactive job search. Your proactive job search strategy has lots of moving parts. You may even feel like there arent enough hours in the day to do everything you need to do. But with some planning and keeping your eye on the end result (getting conversations with people who can potentially hire you), youll be able to work your plan. Only A Small Number of New Hires Comes Through Job Boards Hiring managers prefer to hire people who are referred to them. Your chances of writing a resume that makes it through the ATS are slim. Plus theres a lot of competition. However, your odds of getting a conversation with HR or a hiring manager are quite good if you are referred. This is often referred to as the hidden job market. Its not really hidden. The job opening exist, they just havent been publicized. Being an early candidate gives you the advantage. 3 Lists You Absolutely Must Have In order for your plan to work, there are three lists you must make (and update). 25 STAR stories50 companies that could potentially hire you100 people you know well Your STAR stories will be used when you have conversations with people, when you have job interviews and are embedded on your resume. Identifying these stories ensures that you know your strengths and the value you offer. Your list of 50 companies will change. Its a starting point. As you learn more about these companies, some will be deleted from your list and new companies will appear. Consider these companies as potential leads. You know more than 100 people, but start with those you know well. And yes, you really need to record this list somewhere Word, Excel, notepad or whatever. Work Your Contacts Your list of 100 contacts is a mix of people you know and who know you. Begin with the safest, easiest conversations first. This will build your confidence. 1. Reach out to 5 contacts every day to touch base. Update them on your search and ask what they know about some of your target companies. DO NOT send a mass email to your contacts. Thats impersonal and will not generate results! 2. Add new referral names to your list Ask this simple question at the end of each conversation with your contacts and your list will continue to grow! Who else would you recommend I speak with? Work Your Target Company List Your target company list is just a list of companies that seem interesting or meet some of your criteria as a place you may want to work. 1. Invest time researching the company on LinkedIn. Identify your first and second degree connections who work there. Keep a list of all your first and second level connections inside target companies so you can contact them. These are people you will reach out to and ask questions. An informational meeting with insiders helps you understand the company better and whether you would be interested in working there. Company insiders can serve as referrals if there are openings inside your target companies. Reach out to insiders early and often. You want them to remember you when they learn about an opening. 2. Follow each target company on LinkedIn. 3. Set alerts on the corporate career page. Go to the career page for each target company and set alerts for jobs you are interested in. 4. Follow the company on social media. Follow the active company accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, especially those related to career news. 5. Watch for news about any of your target companies Monitor the news about your targets so you can share on social media and mention when you reach out to insiders. Attend Networking Events Always be on the lookout for networking events, conferences, industry presentations or any event where people from your target companies or desired industry will be meeting. Ask past colleagues what events they are attending or recommend you attend. These colleagues work in your industry so they may know of events or happenings. Also be on the lookout for events where employees from your target companies will be presenting or attending. Check Local and National Professional Associations Professional associations host professional development events, information sessions, and networking events. These events may be in person or virtual. Associations also often have private or semi-private job listings just for their members. Not only will you meet people from your industry, but you will also be upping your industry knowledge. Check the member directory to see if people from your target companies belong to professional associations you are interested in. You can also check the LinkedIn profiles of employees at target companies to see which associations or groups they belong to and use those organizations as a way to build relationships with employees you want to meet. Reconnect With Your College/University No matter when you graduated, check your schools alumni resources. They may offer networking events, a job board or have other services for alumni. Theres a special bond you share with each and every alumni from your school. Dont underestimate that connection. Also pay attention to alumni who may work in target companies. It doesnt matter what year they graduated/attended, you still share the school experience. Connect with Local Job Clubs In almost every city around the country, youll find job clubs. These are networking groups specifically designed for job seekers. Many who find themselves unemployed dont know about job clubs until they start asking around. These groups offer you a way to connect with other job seekers and help one another through rough times. They often have guest speakers. Investigate Staffing Agencies and Contract Houses If you are staying in the same field/industry/occupation, then third party recruiters may be a viable option. Staffing agencies or contract houses do not find you a job. They work for their clients. Their primary mission is to find qualified candidates for jobs companies have asked them to fill. Therefore, if you have the exact experience and skills they are looking for, they may be interested in you. Just make sure you are using every source to uncover hidden job opportunities! Schedule Your Time If you arent used to working unsupervised, then you may find the lack of structure and accountability challenging. Having a system to manage your time will help greatly! Try the suggestions in Structure Your Week During Job Search Proactive Means Youre In Control Rather than the feeling you are chasing jobs, a proactive job search gives you a sense of power and control. With each conversation you have, you are creating awareness of your skills and talents so that the right opportunities find you! Or at least you learn about them before they are posted on any job board. Be Findable Its extremely important that when someone, anyone, uses a search engine like Google to look you up, that you show up! And not just your name and address, but your LinkedIn profile, positive mentions in the news, awards, recognitionjust the good stuff! Learn more about being findable here: 15 Ways to Own Digital Terrain

Friday, May 8, 2020

So Youve Hit A Career Plateau- Now What Part 2 - Hallie Crawford

So You’ve Hit A Career Plateau- Now What Part 2 Hallie was honored to be featured in a recent Glassdoor article about getting out of a career plateau. As a follow up to this article, we wanted to share some additional tips with you. If you find that you are in a career plateau, talk to your mentor about informational interviews and new networking connections. If you find that your current place of employment no longer gives you fulfillment and you really need a career change, or if you just can’t seem to move up in your current organization, try scheduling informational interviews. These interviews could be with contacts in other organizations or career paths. Discuss with your mentor what careers or organizations might be a good fit for you. This will help you to make an informed decision about a new career path before you make the jump. To get out of your career plateau, you will need all the support you can get. Many business professionals have been in your shoes and are glad to share their tips and advice with others. Ask your mentor about possible networking possibilities for you. Your network can give you advice that can give you the extra push you need to get out of your career plateau.