Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever)

Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search?

What is Required of a Government Resume?

What is Required of a Government Resume?Writing a government resume is a critical component of becoming a part of the workforce in the federal government. Any member of the public with the proper qualifications and experience who apply for a position as a government employee must submit their resume for review. Most applicants will be turned down unless they have accomplished some amount of writing a government resume.The importance of creating a resume is a given, but many government workers do not realize how essential it is to also incorporate their skills into their cover letter. In the event that you do, your chances of being hired are much greater. Many employees take a resume, fill in the details and send it in with no other added efforts. If you choose to include your skills in your cover letter, you will be able to show that you have applied the appropriate skills to a particular position.Your resume is the first contact the employer has with you and it should contain a stro ng statement that clearly describes what you are seeking. You may include certain skills or experiences that you feel would be useful, but you do not want to advertise too early that you're looking for a position with a specific department. When you're submitting a resume to an employer, they will quickly realize that you only work for them now. They want to know if they can hire you or not.If you want to include your skills and experience in your cover letter, you should begin by listing the skills that you possess. Then follow this up with the specific experience you have had with that particular skill. Examples of these skills are Human Resources, Government Relations, IT, Project Management, Finance, and the list goes on. Make sure that each line of your resume and your cover letter clearly shows that you possess the specific skills needed for the position. Do not list your skills for specific positions that have no duties, just as do not include your skills that fit in the Huma n Resources department, at Project Management, and the finance section of your resume, but if your skills fit in all of these departments then include it.Always include a brief explanation of your skills and experience in your cover letter. If you don't have a great deal of experience working with IT, say so in your cover letter and in your resume. By including examples of your skills in different sections of your resume, you will create a good impression that you are familiar with the necessary skills.It is best to have a variety of examples of your skills in your resume and cover letter. A true professional should have a variety of examples. If you know you will need Human Resources, spend a little time preparing a cover letter that clearly states your knowledge of human resources. Perhaps you will include Human Resources examples as well as IT, and finance examples. Having a variety of examples will make you stand out from the crowd of individuals applying for the same position.M any government workers find themselves being asked to apply for jobs that they simply are not qualified for. Such employees are sometimes offered a position, then told it was not appropriate for them because they didn't fulfill certain requirements. By listing your skills in your resume and in your cover letter, you can help the employer to distinguish between the resumes of qualified candidates and those who may be working against their best interests. By providing the employer with examples of your skills, you are showing them why you are more qualified to fill the position than someone who has no skills.Again, writing a government resume is a critical part of becoming a part of the workforce in the federal government. You should always be prepared to write a resume that shows what you are capable of doing, in what position, and in what type of job. This will get you the interview and ensure that you will be hired for the position.

Dont Let Anyone Complicate Your Career For You #NCW2015

Dont Let Anyone Complicate Your Career For You #NCW2015 This post is part of the series we are doing for National Careers Week 2015. Career Geek is the official blog partner of National Careers Week 2015. Visit NCW site. See all posts for NCW2015 on Career Geek. I like National Careers Week, because it brings out the best from people who want to help with career guidance. And thats how it should be. I see far too many resources springing up with quizzes, questions, personality tests, etc. And they are useful, but at the end of the day, your career is your career and no one should overcomplicate it. You can read 10,000 articles about what you should do to have a good career but let me tell you, nothing can be achieved without hard work and passion for what you do. No one is born perfect, so dont think you cannot do something great. Because you CAN! Practise something enough times and you will be an expert at it. If that means pulling the rope on an oil and gas offshore field, then so be it. Be proud of whatever you decide to do. Tip: Find a mentor from the National Careers Week network National Careers Week allows people like me to reach out and speak to you. And thats what you should look out for even after the week. Find someone you can speak to and see if they can mentor you. In fact, if you are on Twitter, simply shout out to any of the National Careers Week ambassadors to ask if theyd be open to mentoring you. (p.s. use the hashtag #NCW2015 and someone else may pitch in to mentor you as well!) And if you think no one would mentor you, you havent heard the story of accidental mentorship yet ?? The image below will give you the story of how mentorship could be a game changer. A magnificent (and hilarious) example of Accidental Mentorship JP Barlow on how to smash it! (hat tip: Alessandra Albano) So go out there and remember dont let anyone complicate your career! During this National Careers Week, find a mentor who you can speak to and who can advise you on some resources you can access to further your career development. If you are stuck with anything, tweet or email me a question on @career_geek or faizan[at]careergeekblgo[dot]com. 0

Anatomy of an Effective Social Media Hiring Strategy

Anatomy of an Effective Social Media Hiring Strategy Smart companies know that one of the best ways to connect with candidates is to go where they are: on social networks. However, just being present on these networks isn’t enough. Companies need to optimise their social media presence and their brand reputation with prospective employees. This means you need to engage candidates with content and conversations that matter on a consistent and ongoing basis. Here are some steps to make your social hiring strategy more effective: Identify which social channels you should be on Some brands think they have to be on every social channel available, but this is not true. Do some research to discover where your ideal candidates are hanging out and how they currently engage online. What seems to capture their professional interest? What are they sharing? What do they like? What issues are they concerned about? You need to focus on the channels that will best leverage your company’s brand presence and your resources. Create a human face for your brand Use consistent company branding across all of your social channels to create a seamless experience for candidates. Establish one voice, tone and even common language that everyone who posts will use. Include bios of recruiters and photos or videos to make it more personable. Write in a way like humans talk, not like businesses write. By: cbcompany Establish rules of engagement Social media consumes time and resources, so companies need to establish expectations and guidelines for everyone on the team through the implementation of a Social Media Use Policy. This includes deciding who will post, when, how often, and what type of content at what times. Free tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer will help to set up and schedule posts across various networks. Be sure to establish turn-around times and a plan for handling complaints, offensive material, and specific questions for recruiters vs hiring managers. Focus on real-time interactions You’ll want to automate posts for time management, but a good portion of your online interaction should be real-time responses and conversations with your audience. Response time is critical, as time-to-respond is a measurement of trust in social communities. Most candidates expect a response within 24 hours or less; so the faster, the better. If you can’t fully respond, provide an initial response indicating when you can to help keep trust intact. Offer more value than just job postings What can you provide candidates that will set you up as a go-to resource for more than just job postings? By offering resume advice, interview tips, career development insights, industry news, as well as the inside track to what it’s like to work at your company, you provide value that many competitors do not. Clearly show your culture, post videos from employees, and highlight your helpfulness by demonstrating you are a company that cares about each employee’s success. You want to stand out when it comes down to a candidate choosing between your company or a competitor, so give them something they can’t pass up: the feeling of being valued. Use analytics to continually improve Lastly, it’s important to build and track analytics to determine what content people respond to, and the overall value of your social campaigns. Statistics like hires, followers, page likes, shares, and what type of posts get a response all help you tailor your communication toward improvement. Social networks offer analytics for company pages that can help you track the numbers that matter to you. Social media is a great way to converse with, weed out, and discover the talent you need to keep your company on a competitive edge. With attention to detail and a thoughtful plan, you can make your social media candidate experience one that sets you apart and makes you an employer of choice. Author: Erin Bazinet

Understanding the Purpose of Your Career Coaching Resume

Understanding the Purpose of Your Career Coaching ResumeCareer coaching resume writing Portland is a way for you to capitalize on your communication skills. If you want to put some value in this career coaching course then you need to develop communication skills, organizational skills and management skills. One should know how to convey what he or she wants to the audience without sounding boring or monotonous.Some of the key factors to consider while writing a coaching resume are to write about yourself. You can include all the relevant information about your past achievements and qualities. You can write about yourself and put that information in chronological order. Make sure that you have the right chronological order because people will not remember your previous achievements and you cannot forget those achievements later on.The second most common mistake made by many is to put in some achievements that may be not applicable to the position you are applying for. These achieveme nts are not meant to measure your ability to meet the requirements of the job. It should be either previous work experience membership in a community college or any work experience which has relevance to the position.It is essential to know the right time to start your coaching career. This way you are able to know when is the right time to get in touch with a recruiter to speak with them face to face. This way you can really gauge the performance of the recruiter. If they have done well then it means they have a good reputation among the organizations which recruit.The time frame when prospective employers to contact you also matters a lot. If they send you an email asking for the resume within 30 days then it means they have already made up their mind. If you send them your coach coaching resume within a month of them contacting you then it means that you are doing something right. You need to follow this type of order and make sure that you do not miss the right time.Your coachin g resume should be really professional and composed of professional and engaging language. You need to show your professionalism through proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. The speech should be conversational and smooth. You need to let the audience feel comfortable because they might not like to receive an email from someone who does not appear to be professional.If you have done your share of coaching for a particular role then make sure that your career coaching resume is not limited to one single service. If you have given coaching to athletes then make sure that your coaching resume is not limited to basketball coaching. People might misunderstand your coaching experience if you use it for one service and not for other services. If you have experience in more than one field, then make sure that you make it known.When you use your coaching resume for your career advancement, you need to be able to do two things. Firstly you need to be able to connect with the potential emp loyer and secondly you need to make them aware of your coaching credentials. While communicating with the employer, you need to avoid clichés and excess formalities. The potential employer wants someone who is a pleasure to communicate with.

Mailbag - Teachers, Resumes, and Competing Against Internal Candidates [Podcast] - Career Pivot

Mailbag - Teachers, Resumes, and Competing Against Internal Candidates [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode 34 â€" Marc and Elizabeth answer some of your career questions about teachers transitioning, resumes, and competing against internal candidates! Description: In this episode, Marc answers questions with his trusty sidekick, Elizabeth Rabaey. You can learn about her career pivots in Episode 020. Listen in for ideas on exploring the job market, transitioning from teaching, the relevance of resumes, and tips for competing against internal candidates! Key Takeaways: [2:14] Elizabeth shares her story, and how Marc has helped guide her to her latest pivot, which has worked out well. Elizabeth invites listeners to listen to Episode 20, and connect with her on LinkedIn to share experiences. [3:25] Q1: I am 57 and have recently retired from teaching H.S. science. I am seeking a freelance, travel freelance, or consulting job. I love to write, but not for a corporation. I love to travel and compare educational systems to create learning activities. I tried to start an early-learning school, but did not get enough students. Can you help me? Download Link |iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast|Podbean|TuneIn|Overcast [4:22] A1: Marc talks about teaching H.S. math. He said teachers live a very isolated life, and are disconnected from the world. Marc wants this former teacher to explore. Travel blogging is one choice. Marc challenges him to focus on exactly what his writing emphasis will be. Marc can share resources for travel blogging if you contact him. [6:35] Marc says to do homework, and find the opportunities. Teachers sometimes suffer from ‘MSU,’ because they don’t have the background. By the way, there is a huge cohort of teachers about to retire. Marc says it will take a lot of exploration for teachers to choose a direction and follow it. It won’t be easy. [7:16] Q2: I am looking for a resume writer. I have seen prices from $200 to $5,000. Man! Why such a difference? Am I wasting money if I’m paying ‘crazy expensive?’ What do you think? [7:40] A2: The resume is not nearly as important as it used to be. It is a good idea for new graduates, spend a little for help with your resume. For high income executives, it might make sense to spend $5,000 for a resume. For most in the second half of life, the resume is not what gets us the job; it’s the personal connections. Marc suggests a book. [8:44] The huge range of resume costs reflects the amount of work needed for it. If you’ve got a decent resume to start, you can do it yourself, or get someone to clean it up. If you have no resume, it’s probably worth spending $500 to $1,000 with a decent resume writer. Marc offers low-end and a high-end suggestions for resume writers. [12:17] Elizabeth wonders about switching career fields. Marc advises job shifters to reframe their experience for the particular job they are pursuing. He recommends Jobscan.co as a reframing resource. Also, the Modernize Your Resume book. But making a transition requires working your network connections, more than your resume. [14:31] Marc talks about a client who has recruiters reaching out to her through her LinkedIn profile, regardless of her resume. If you get past the recruiter, you are fine. [15:24] Q3: I am interviewing for a position where I know I am up against three internal candidates. Do you have any advice for how to compete for a position when the competition are coming from the inside of the company? [15:40] A3: Understand that when you are going up against internal candidates, you are going to lose a significant portion of the time. The hiring manager will make the safe choice. They know what they are getting. Marc says, go for it. Why are they interviewing you against these internal candidates? That’s what you’ve got to find out. [17:17] What is the real problem? If they have three internal candidate, and one external candidate, they are looking to the external candidate for some reason. They may be looking for different ideas. Look on LinkedIn and find out as much about that department and their recent hiring, as you can. Have they been hiring externally? [18:10] Marc gives the example of Nation Instruments, who hire mainly college graduates, who either stay, 7-10 years, or their entire career. They rarely hire externally. Marc says: go for it, be aggressive, ask good questions, find out why they are looking at an external candidate, and don’t get your hopes way up. Marc cites Jim Camp. [20:18] You have nothing to lose. Really do your homework, and ask great questions. “If I poke you here, does it hurt?” What you’re trying to do is get them to spill the beans, as Jim Camp says in his negotiating book, Start With No. Then you have a way to position yourself. When you don’t get a job, always get on LinkedIn afterwards and see who did. [22:03] Next episode will be with Richard Eisenberg, Managing Editor of Next Avenue, talking about the origins of Next Avenue, and where it’s going. Mentioned in This Episode: Careerpivot.com Contact Marc, and ask questions at: Careerpivot.com/contact-me Episode 020 Elizabeth Rabaey Elizabeth Rabaey on LInkedIn The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast Modernize Your Resume: Get Noticed … Get Hired, by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark Xavier Cano, The Resume WhizTM Resumes That Stand Out!: Tips for College Students and Recent Grads for Writing a Superior Resume and Securing an Interview, by L. Xavier Cano Chameleon Resumes by Lisa Rangel Jobscan.co National Instruments Start with NO…The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don’t Want You to Know, by Jim Camp Next Avenue CareerPivot.com Episode34 Take a moment â€" go to iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Give this podcast a review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

How to Embrace Change

How to Embrace Change Are you one of the many people out there who struggle to come to terms with changes in life? It’s something that can certainly be pretty difficult if you’re not used to handling changes, but it’s something that can be more beneficial than you think. In a perfect world, you’d just roll with the changes, but sometimes it takes a little more effort than that. You need to make sure that you understand the benefits of embracing change, and we’re going to look at that in more depth now. Flexible People Are Valuable If you can show the world that you’re the kind of person that can deal with changes and be flexible in life, you will always be more in demand by employers. If you are sure that this is something that could benefit you, you should run with it. People who are flexible tend to go further and grab new opportunities, so why not go for it? Things Are Going to Change Around You, So You Should Change Too In the world of technology, things are always changing in big ways. You need to be able to keep up with changes if you want to stay on course in your career. There are people out there that can help you, such as a SuiteCRM Developer when you’re trying to run your website. But it also pays off to learn about the changes that are impacting you in your line of work. Customization Improves Results in Many Areas When you customize and change things in your life, you can make things better and more progressive. You will go further and make more of each situation in your life if you make those minor tweaks and changes along this way. This is a kind of change too, and it’s something that’s easy to embrace as well, so make the most of this.   When Things Change, You Learn New Things Too You can learn a lot of new things when you embrace changes in life. No one knows everything, and you could benefit from lots of things that you’re currently completely oblivious to. It’s your task to make sure that you’re constantly expanding your horizons and embracing changes so that you can learn more and become a more well-rounded person. You’ll Find Out About Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths and weaknesses are things we all have, so if you want to know more about what yours are, you should embrace change. When you find yourself thrown into situations that you’re not really comfortable with, you’ll be forced to think on your feet, and that’s when your true strengths and weaknesses come to the fore. Change is something that you really need to come to terms with, even if you don’t really want to. But don’t take a completely negative approach to all of this because change can be a really good thing too. It could end up benefit you in the long run, so next time you’re confronted by change, embrace it.

Take These Steps To Map Your Career Path - Hallie Crawford

Take These Steps To Map Your Career Path recently wrote an article for US News 3 Steps to Mapping Your Career Path. In the article she explains an exercise that will help you determine who you are, where youre going and how youll get there. You are your greatest asset, and as an extension of that, your job is one of your best assets, too. Like any asset, your career is something you must take care of and nurture so that it keeps its worth over the long haul. When you treat your job like an asset â€" one you will give to, but also one that you want to work for you in return â€" you will be better able to make the right decisions about your career in the long term. In order for your career to be an asset, it must be fulfilling to you and provide the rewards you want â€" financial and otherwise. And in return, you must remain challenged and marketable to continue to be successful. How can you make sure your career is truly an asset, and treat it as such? Making a strategic career plan is a critical first step. Read the rest of the article here.