How to Set Perfect New Years Resolutions

How to Set Perfect New Year’s Resolutions Having done recruitment for a long time, I know that most of us have a think over the holidays and come up with revolutionary plans for January and the year ahead. Some of us follow through on these plans, some of us don’t. What are the factors that make for effective resolutions? Well, these are rules that work for me and people around me so I thought I’d share them well before you start getting to work on next years action plans. 1) Make them achievable: Don’t cheat yourself when making resolutions. If your goal was to quit smoking this year and the last 7 years, you are not very likely to kick the habit next year. If you set a goal that you won’t achieve, it will only have a demoralizing effect on your psyche and you are worse off. Be honest with yourself and set objectives that will challenge and stretch you but definitely are achievable with hard work. 2) Make them measurable: What gets measured, get done as the wise fellow said. Buying a house on stilts, travelling to Patagonia, auditioning for the X-Factor are all goals that you will know when you have achieved. Merely saying ‘learning old church Slavonic’ isn’t good enough, it has to be more detailed than that. Make it: ‘will take 50 lessons and pass exam level B and be able to order fine wine at a restaurant in Slavonia’. If you can come up with milestones or through goals, that’s even better as you can track your progress easier. 3) Write everything down: We already know that goals that are not written down are simply dreams, this goes for New Year’s Resolutions as well. Start working on a master list of what you want to achieve, break it down into categories and set estimated finished dates. These lists and deadlines will be hardwired into your brain and your unconscious will take you closer to your objectives every day. 4) Spread the word: You have to commit to your resolutions and by telling the world, i.e. your friends and family, you establish accountability. If you tell everyone you are running a marathon next year, they will pester you with questions for the next 12 months so you had better get out and train. 5) Support network: If you can, try to buddy up with someone else that has the same objective as it’s great to have peer support at hand. This could be friends or it could be other like minded folks online, at the gym, at your philately club etc. A support network is extremely useful when you ground to a halt or when you achieve a through goal and find yourself a bit lost for what to do next. People love to talk about their own exploits and how they got there so make use of others’ success. 6) Reward yourself: Remember to encourage your small wins with little rewards. These rewards will keep you going when you need it the most. Rewards can be anything from a cup of ginger tea to a weekend in the city of lights. Whatever rewards work for you, remember to hand them out when appropriate. 7) Flexibility: Remember that what seems like the perfect plan in December could all change once January kicks in. External factors will always move the goal posts and you have to factor these in. Just because your resolutions are an annual thing doesn’t mean you cannot change them as you go along, just like you would with any goals in life. Examples of resolutions: If you are stuck, why not do your bit for the environment and recycle other people’s most common resolutions? Here is a little list: Change jobs (very popular in January, fizzles out in February/March) Buy something big (a house, car, boat, dilapidated factory in Pennsylvania) Get fit (sign up for a gym, start cycling, taking the stairs at work) Get involved in your community (charities, local government, activism) Work on your personal brand (all the rage nowadays) Start writing again (manuscript, book, blog posts) Your turn: What are your resolutions for next year? Please share and inspire others! RELATED: How to Start the New Year with a New Job

You Can Make Your Resume Stand Out For Interviews

You Can Make Your Resume Stand Out For InterviewsAre you in search of information on how to make your resume more appealing so that you will be able to get more interviews by better resume writing tutorial? Let me explain a few of the secrets you can use to boost your chances of getting an interview for the job of your dreams.The job market is full of employers out there ready to take a chance on people. They see this as a safe way to employ people. Employers are likely to give you an interview and even hire you if you have the right qualifications.You need to know how to create a resume that will attract employers and let them know about your skills and qualifications. A common problem that many people have is that they are lacking information on how to improve their resume. They are not clear on what their best qualifications are or how to make their resume stand out from the crowd.In order to get more interviews by better resume writing tutorial, you need to be aware of the things that employers look for in resumes. This can include the things that you mention in your academic history and in your work experience. They are the ones who are going to read your resume to decide if you are qualified for the job of your dreams.Employers are going to be more attracted to certain types of resumes than others. If you are unsure of how to write a resume that is attractive, it is best to hire a professional resume writer. There are many people out there who are already good at this but you need to ensure that they are working for a legitimate company. You want to find a company that offers one-on-one help so that you are not in a situation where they are charging you for something that is free.In order to make a great resume, you should use information in your academic background and in your work experience to show your skill set. The information should be listed from the best qualifications to the most minor details. Remember that employers don't care how much experie nce you have.Instead, they want to know how much you have achieved as a student and what you did after college. If you want to make your resume stand out, the better quality your resume is, the more that you can expect to get an interview. Remember that many of the jobs that you apply for will require you to have a degree. They want to see how you can handle the pressure that comes with these situations.It is best to do some research on how to make your resume stand out so that you can increase your chances of getting an interview. You want to make sure that your resume is unique and specific so that it gets noticed by employers. Good resume writing can be the difference between getting an interview and getting the offer that you want.

Social Networking for Gen Y A Guide to Starting a Blog

Social Networking for Gen Y A Guide to Starting a Blog If you have ever thought about starting a blog, it is very important to make sure you do as much preparation as possible. Starting a blog has been one of the best things I have ever done.   I have learned that I love to write, connect, teach, help and learn.   If you are thinking about starting  a blog, here are  five things to think about with help from Alison Silberts great new book called  Boost Your Revenues By Turning People Away: How to sell more to your ideal client online. Make a long list of  great ideas that you will blog about.   You should have a common theme so  that every blog post should be connected in some way.   When I first started I had close to 50 post ideas so I knew that I had a topic that I was passionate about.   Make sure it is something you enjoy and you can see yourself writing about it for a LONG time! Think about your ideal visitor.   This will help you know who to write to.   Each time you write a post, you should think about writing it  directly to that person. Create a website name with short simple phrases to help your ideal visitor remember the name.   A website name can cost between $9.95-$45 US and can be purchased at companies such as godaddy or whois. Know the pros and cons of working with a website designer.   Some of the pros are that you can choose a unique design for your site and it is easier to fit your needs.   But, the downside is that  it can be very expensive and you can lose control of various areas of development.   (If you need a great designer, check out my designer at Strosgirls Designs). Plan out your writing schedule.   Will you post once a week or everyday?   Make sure that you have the time in your schedule and take it one day at a time. You never want to feel like you HAVE to blog but it should be something that you enjoy doing. For more information, make sure you check out this video by J.T. ODonnell about whether or not you should start a blog.   I love her advice to identify 4-6 key skill sets from your resume you want to leverage in your next job and plan to build blog posts to support each one.   What a great idea! Are you a young professional with a blog?   If so, leave a link! (photo credit: Mike Licht)

Tips for Grads on Building a Strong Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Tips for Grads on Building a Strong Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is one piece of advice youd give recent college grads about building a strong personal brand, even with limited work experience? 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, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Be Genuine There is no magic bullet to building a personal brand. I met with an entrepreneur recently who told me of his strategy for making sure people knew who he was and I found it off-putting. The right way to build your brand is to do great work, consistently, over a long period of time. Over deliver every time and people will know who you are. Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches 2. Build a Website Google yourself. Can you be found easily? A great way to start building your brand is by getting a professionally built personal website with a domain as close to your full name as possible. This way, you have more control over what people see when they Google you. Make all of your social sites point back to your personal site where you have full control over your image. Mark Cenicola, BannerView.com 3. Cultivate a Network Its important for recent grads to learn that networking is the foundation on which youll build a career and a booming personal life. Its important to cultivate the relationships you already have, make valuable connections for them, and be specific about how others whom you trust (and vice versa) can help connect you. Then be sure to stay in touch with those with whom you really connect! Darrah Brustein, Network Under 40 / Finance Whiz Kids 4. Pay it Forward What I have found most beneficial in building a personal brand is paying it forward in terms of helping others whenever you can, organizing events and gatherings of like-minded people, and contributing to the ecosystem. People tend to recognize that you are the kind of person who helps others, and the kind of person that has done great work, and become more willing to help you in return. Christopher Pruijsen, Sterio.me 5. Work on Personal Projects Sometimes recent grads had two majors and a minor with a really high GPA, but didn’t have any internships or personal projects. Theyre clearly smart and academically inclined, but didn’t show any propensity to apply their knowledge. I’m very excited when I see someone who has taken initiative and built something as a personal project or had a lot of internships. Luke Skurman, Niche.com 6. Demonstrate Consistency When you begin to build your personal brand, keep it strong, professional and consistent. Your colleagues will find you on many different platforms. Its important to be consistent. Also its okay to let loose a bit, but remember, there are people who could judge. Be sure to think about what you put out there. Parker Powers, Millionaire Network 7. Audit Your Search Results Check Google and Bing to see what comes up for your name. Thats where people will start when they look for you. What do those links look like? If they do not look good, or do not lead to you, create a presence. You can use Facebook, Linkedin, About.me, Wix, your own website, blogs, Tumblr, etc, to start creating a presence. Also, check your Google images! Alec Bowers, Abraxas Dynamics 8. Be Active Do a lot of outreach and calls yourself. Be as active as you possibly can and make sure when people think of your brand, they also think of you. How you carry yourself as a person will make or break you as an entrepreneur. People want to work with people that they not only like, but also who they trust. People who are organized and present themselves and their product well. Amanda Barbara, Pubslush 9. Write a Lot Start a blog and just start writing at least 100 words everyday. The future of the web, commerce and general business will be driven by digital marketing and communications. If you are able to display your beliefs and skills in the form of a well-written blog, youll have a leg up on everyone who isnt improving their content creation skills like you are. Logan Lenz, Endagon 10. Join a Community Become a part of your startup community. Get involved, reach out on social media and attend events. Getting your face seen, getting your name heard and shaking hands is more memorable than your LinkedIn profile. People want to work with people they know. Maren Hogan, Red Branch Media 11. Share Your Experiences When I was in college, I started setting up informational interviews and recording the audio. I posted the interviews as a podcast that I called The Creative Career. Before I knew it, I had 100,000 listeners and the podcast led me into my first job. You can start simple by setting up interviews and sharing your favorite quotes on LinkedIn or Twitter. Just get out there and start meeting people. Allie Siarto, Fare Oak 12. Focus on One Skill Focus on building up your experience in one area don’t spread yourself too thin. Do one thing, and do it exceptionally well. Be confident that you can do this well. Know how your skill set can contribute to the larger goal. Phil Dumontet, DASHED 13. Use Your Network A strong recommendation from someone in your network is worth 10 times more than a list of experiences. If someone is willing to stick their neck out and vouch for you to a colleague, that says a lot more than just a paper resume. Show rather than tell! Stephen Ufford, Trulioo 14. Become a Thought Leader Find ways to contribute content: Write articles for publications, offer to contribute expert content to blogs, start your own professional blog and share lots of content there. Follow and comment on LinkedIn groups, specifically on articles or subjects that help to position you as a thought leader. Consistency and frequency are key. Building a personal brand isnt just about a logo and website. Steven Le Vine, grapevine pr + consulting 15. Show Off Your Work I recommend a portfolio website that shows off your unique talents and skill sets. Are you a developer? Show off personal projects youve done that demonstrate what youre capable of. Are you a writer? Post pieces of your best work. Dont be afraid that its not good enough. We all start somewhere. Natalie MacNeil, She Takes on the World Featured Image

The Best Resume Writing Services in Las Vegas NV

The Best Resume Writing Services in Las Vegas NVIf you are looking for the best resume writing services in Las Vegas NV, there are many resources available to you. This article will briefly describe several of them and why you should consider using any of them over others. Using the right service can help you land the job of your dreams.Resume writing services are a great place to begin because they are inexpensive. You can use the services of one of these companies to create a custom resume that is customized just for you. If you don't have a lot of time or energy to do this yourself, you can benefit from using one of these companies. You will be able to complete a resume that makes your employer happy.Job seekers are in the market for a lot of things. An individual who has an excellent written resume can move up the ladder in a hurry. This is a skill that is in great demand and any job seeker can easily add their skills to the learning curve of the job market.Resume services in Las Vegas NV can be found in two places. The first place to look is online and the second place to look is in your local employment agency. If you would like to hire an employment agency to help you, you can contact the ones in your area.When it comes to using resume services in Las Vegas NV, some of the companies online offer free services while others charge a nominal fee. Be sure to ask about the fees and make sure that they match what you are being charged in your area. Some agencies charge a membership fee, which means you have to pay for a lifetime of resume services.Resume writing services in Las Vegas NV, is something that can make a big difference when you are trying to land the right job. They can show your resume to your future employer and see if they think you are worth hiring. It may not always end up working out, but you never know.There is no such thing as a free lunch, but there is no free resume either. If you need help and can afford to pay a fee, you should do so. Y ou will get what you pay for and when you pay for the service, you get the results you want.Resume writing services in Las Vegas NV can really make a difference in your job search. They can make your resume stand out from the rest and land you the job of your dreams. You will need to know what services to use and how to use them to your advantage.

How Are You Planning for Your 100-Year Life [Podcast] - Career Pivot

How Are You Planning for Your 100-Year Life [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode #127 â€" Marc Miller interviews author Andrew Scott on longevity and working later in life. Description: Andrew Scott is a Professor of Economics at the London Business School. His research, writing, and talks focus on the macro trends that shape the global environment, from technology, longevity, globalization, through to interest rates and exchange rates. His work on longevity emphasizes the positive impact of a longevity dividend. It isn’t just that there are more old people but that how we are aging is changing. Andrew’s 2016 book, The 100-Year Life, on this theme, became an award-winning global bestseller translated into 15 languages. He has been an advisor to a range of corporates and governments on a broad range of economic issues and an award-winning public speaker, combining, insight, clarity, humor, and a motivation to action for anyone who hears him. Key Takeaways: [1:31] Marc welcomes you to Episode 127 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Career Pivot brings you this podcast; CareerPivot.com is one of the very few websites dedicated to those of us in the second half of life and our careers. Take a moment to check out the blog and the other resources delivered to you, free of charge. [2:02] If you are enjoying this podcast, please share it with other like-minded souls. Subscribe on CareerPivot.com, iTunes, or any of the other apps that supply podcasts. Share it on social media or just tell your neighbors, and colleagues. The more people Marc reaches, the more people he can help. [2:22 Next week, Marc will interview Tami Forman, who is the executive director of Path Forward, a non-profit organization that creates mid-career returnship programs. (If that interview is delayed, Marc will read a chapter from the next edition of Repurpose Your Career.) [2:58] This week, Marc is speaking with Andrew Scott, co-author of The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity. Marc introduces Andrew with his bio. [4:09] Marc welcomes Andrew to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Now on to the podcast… Download Link | iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast| Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast [4:27] Marc reached out to Andrew after reading his article “Is 75 the New 65? How the Definition of Aging Is Changing,” on NextAvenue.org. Having interviewed authors Ashton Applewhite, Patti Temple Rocks, and Chris Farrell about ageism, Marc wanted to segue with Andrew into talking more about aging. [4:58] Andrew says we have made a mess about age. Aging brings to mind ‘end of life.’ Chronologically, everyone’s aging at exactly the same rate â€" one year, every year. [5:30] As a macroeconomist, Andrew looks at trends that shape the world. He noticed that, on average, we are living longer and healthier lives. Governments are worried about workers aging out of the workforce, causing problems for Social Security and pensions. [6:12] Andrew wonders how does the good news that we are living longer and healthier turn into the bad news that we will be a burden on society? There are two things happening. First, as the birth rate declines and people live for longer, the average citizen is older. Everyone focuses on that. [6:36] The exciting thing is that, on average, we are aging differently. In essence, we are younger for longer. A 78-year-old in the U.S. or the UK today has the same mortality rate as a 65-year-old from 40 years ago. We are in better health, but because we look just at chronological age, we don’t notice that. We need to look at biological age. [7:33] Marc turns 63 next month. Marc lives a very different life at 63 than his father lived at 63. Marc’s father had been forced to retire at 60. He lived for 15 more years, but it figuratively killed him. Marc will not let his life pass on. [8:12] Chronological age tells how many years since you were born. Mortality risk tells how many years until you die. The average American has never been older but we are also younger because our mortality rate is lower. We have a lot more years to go. [9:05] In the Twentieth Century, we created a life based on a 70-year life expectancy â€" a three-stage life of education, work, and retirement. That creates a sociological sense of age â€" what you should be doing at a certain age. That’s where corporate ageism comes from. [9:38] The average age of the Rolling Stones is seven or eight years older than the average age of the U.S. Supreme Court. We need to change our sociological norms. Andrew points to CareerPivot.com and NextAvenue.org as examples of experimenting with new rules for longer lives. [10:10] The New Yorker, in 1937, first publicly used the word, ‘teenager.’ It was a new concept. In the 1950s, it became established. Previously, one was considered an adult by around age 14. [10:54] For most of human history, people were not aware of the day or year they were born. They were “fit and healthy,” or “a grandfather,” or “a mother.” They didn’t know their chronological age. They had a more “real” sense of age. [11:26] Starting in the Nineteenth Century, governments started keeping accurate birth records. In the Twentieth Century, birthday celebrations and birthday parties began. The song, “Happy Birthday To You”, became popular in the ’30s. Once governments began tracking people by age, they started separating them by age, for school and work. [12:04] The greatest example of this age separation is retirement at age 65 when you are “old.” Because we are living longer, considering 65 to be old doesn’t work anymore. People age differently. There is a great diversity in how healthy and active people are over age 65. [12:43] Marc talks about 80-year-olds in the Ajijic Hiking Group, who easily beat him in hiking. These 80-year-olds look at life differently than Marc would have thought they do. It is a mindset. Many are retirees. Marc isn’t retiring, at least for the next 15 years. He just moved his business down to Ajijic. [13:41] The Twentieth-Century three-stage life worked for a 70-year lifespan. But we learned in the Twentieth Century that age is malleable. You can influence how you age and how long you will live. Diet, exercise, community, and relationships all make a difference. Having engagement and a sense of purpose helps you age better. [14:30] How do we create this new, longer life, when the three-stage life has us retiring at age 65? How are you engaging in the world and what is your sense of purpose? We are in a social experiment. We need to find how to use time in productive ways. [16:19] Anthropologists call an ambiguous threshold of transition a liminality. Teenage years are a liminality. The years around retirement are a new liminality. [17:04] In Andrew’s book, Jane graduates from college, marries Jorge, and they take turns reinventing themselves every 15 years. This is foreign to how Marc was raised, to have a 40-year career leading to retirement. [18:14] In a longer life, it is important to keep your options open. Reinvention comes by your choice or from circumstances given to you, like being laid off. Reinvention is one of the challenges of a longer life. Andrew tells 40-year-olds that they have more working years ahead of them than they have behind them. That shocks them. [19:22] In Arizona, on January 1, 1960, Del Webb, opened the first Sun City with five model homes and a strip mall. 10,000 cars drove in the first day. In those days, people of retirement age could expect to live 10 or 15 years. Today, in a married couple of 65, one of the spouses has a good chance of living to 100. What are they going to do? [20:20] The UK Pension was introduced in 1908. Since then, life expectancy has increased by 36 years. Andrew says it is crazy that the three-stage life has not been changed much in that time. We’re biologically aging better. Most of these extra years of life come in the second half of middle age. [21:03] For about the last hundred years, roughly every decade, life expectancy has increased by two or three years. That’s like adding six to eight hours to every day. With more time, we would structure our day differently. We have longer lives and we can structure them differently. The average age of first marriages has gone from 20 to 30. [22:14] The number of people working after age 70 has tripled in the United States over the last 20 years. A person in their 20s needs to think about working into their early 80s. There is time for experimentation and finding what you like and are good at. In your 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, you’re going to need to think more about investing. [24:07] Almost half of Marc’s online community is over 60; one-third are over 65. One of the common themes is they all want the freedom to keep on working, on their terms. Andrew notes that GenX and Millennials want flexible, meaningful, purposeful, autonomous work; so do workers over 60. We all want that. [25:09] At every age, preparing for your future self is important. That’s the key mindset perspective. “How do I make sure that I’m fit, healthy, engaged, and have my community and sense of purpose?” In a longer life, you need to be more forward-looking. [25:58] At 78, you have 13 more years of life than at 65, with the health that a 65-year-old of 40 years ago had. You are younger than your age. There are new options and new possibilities at every age. We work it out as we go along. [27:20] Marc recalls discussing with Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, that the older we get, the younger we feel, and the longer we want to live. Our view of old age keeps on moving further and further out. [27:42] Andrew notes the paradox of aging: younger people see the challenges of aging and think it sounds terrible but happiness often increases as people grow older. Andrew shares his explanation. [28:52] As people get very old and sense that they may be approaching their final decade, they do want to focus on the things that matter the most to them. For most, that will be in their 80s and 90s. [29:33] Marc contrasts the treatment of ages in the U.S. and in Mexico. There are so many multi-generational homes in Mexico, and it is very healthy. Inter-generational mixing is good. Our U.S. obsession with age led to labeling the generations, separating them further from each other. The generations don’t mix. [31:43] People are people. Labeling comes about due to a lack of inter-generational mixing. Inter-generational mixing will become more crucial as we all live longer. It is a great way of spreading knowledge and insight. It will help the young be more forward-looking and the old to be more youthful and innovative. [33:02] Marc recalls his presentation in March on the five generations in the workplace. Many of the audience had never networked with Millennials. One had volunteered in the Beto O’Rourke Senate campaign, where he learned a lot. [33:43] Andrew has a website, 100yearlife.com, that includes a free diagnostic to look at your finances, skills, knowledge, physical and mental health, and your relationships, as well as your ability to undergo change. A three-stage life did not encourage many transitions. The transitions were: college to work and work to retirement. [34:20] More than 20K people have taken the diagnostic. There was no real pattern by age. People are the same, whatever age they are. Only one pattern emerged. Men in their 50s had quite narrow (similar) social circles. To transition well, open yourself up to new people and new ideas and find new circumstances. [36:03] Put yourself into challenging and different situations where you are not as well-known. That’s how you grow, learn, and transition. [36:20] Contact Andrew and buy his book through 100yearlife.com or see his ongoing work on his personal website, AndrewScott.global. Also, reach Andrew on Twitter at @ProfAndrewScott or LinkedIn at Andrew Scott. Andrew shares resources with people around the world experimenting and learning from each other on how to live well longer. [37:02] Marc thanks Andrew and hopes you enjoyed this episode. Marc thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Andrew. What are you going to do with all those extra years? Marc has a plan; do you? [37:21] The Career Pivot Community website has become a valuable resource for more than 50 members who are participating in the Beta phase of this project. Marc is recruiting new members for the next cohort. [37:35] If you are interested in the endeavor and would like to be put on the waiting list, please go to CareerPivot.com/Community. When you sign up you’ll receive information about the community as it evolves. [37:50] Those who are in these initial cohorts set the direction of this endeavor. Right now they are forming writing groups. This is a paid membership community with group coaching and special content. More importantly, it’s a community where you can seek help. Go to CareerPivot.com/Community to learn more. [38:21] Marc invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn.com/in/mrmiller. Just include in the connection request that you heard Marc on this podcast. You can look for Career Pivot on Facebook, LinkedIn, or @CareerPivot on Twitter. [38:39] Please come back next week, when Marc will speak with Tami Forman, the executive director of Path Forward. [38:46] Marc thanks you for listening to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. [38:51] You will find the show notes for this episode at CareerPivot.com/episode-127. [38:59] Please hop over to CareerPivot.com and subscribe to get updates on this podcast and all the other happenings at Career Pivot. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, the Google Podcasts app, Podbean, the Overcast app, or the Spotify app. 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 ...

The Reason Your Resume Isnt Generating (The Right) Calls

The Reason Your Resume Isn’t Generating (The Right) Calls The Reason Your Resume Isn’t Generating (The Right) Calls One of the biggest differences between a resume or LinkedIn profile written by a professional and one that you write for yourself is that professional writers begin by developing a strategy. This strategy helps them decide what information will be included in your resume and how it will be presented. Perhaps the best way to illustrate what I mean by strategy is to provide an example that demonstrates a lack of strategy. Otherwise known as how most people create their career documents. Several years ago, I was a recruiter trying to fill a position in social media. I placed ads and spent hours on LinkedIn searching through profiles. I found a few people who looked like they might have potential. However, one person always stands out in my mind. Everything on her LinkedIn profile focused on social media. The only activities highlighted were related to social media. She even spent some of her free time working on social media projects. I contacted her and asked for her resume. Like her LinkedIn profile, her resume focused on her work in social media. I was excited to talk to her. During her interview, I asked her several questions about the work she was doing. Despite her friendly demeanor, I sensed a lack of enthusiasm. I finally came out and asked her if she was interested in social media. Her response, “not really.” It turns out she wanted to work in media planning. Obviously, she wasn’t right for my position. If I sensed a lack of enthusiasm so would our client. So why did her LinkedIn profile and resume scream social media? Easy, it was a lack of strategy. Her LinkedIn profile and resume didn’t focus on what she wanted to do. They focused on what she had done in the past. That’s one of the differences between an employment history and a marketing document. A marketing document does these three things. It focuses on the skills that will make you attractive to a recruiter or employer hiring for your target position. These should be strengths that you want to use going forward. If you’re in marketing, but you’re looking for a job in “digital” marketing concentrate on the abilities you have in that area. It highlights achievements that will be valuable in your target position. If you’re in sales, for example, seeking a role in business development, opening new markets, focus on accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to open new markets. It is formatted to grab the reader’s attention and immediately convey value. Design elements should be tailored to your target industry. While accents in red may be great for someone in sales or marketing, they’re probably inappropriate for someone in the financial industry. Putting together a winning resume and robust LinkedIn profile is more than listing your duties and responsibilities at each job. It’s even more than highlighting your achievements. Your resume and LinkedIn profile need to be career marketing documents. As with any successful marketing tools, they need to begin with a plan.

Treat Your Job Search Like an Air Traffic Controller - Hallie Crawford

Treat Your Job Search Like an Air Traffic Controller I was excited to be featured in this recent article on Higher Ed Jobs.com. To conduct an effective job search you need to be as organized as an air traffic controller. With so many job postings out there you need to set up alerts, document your activity and have easy access to information. Not knowing when you applied for a job, which position you applied for and to which company reflects very poorly on your ability to stay organized as a potential employee, said , certified career coach and founder of HallieCrawford.com. How you conduct your job search shows them how you would be if they hired you, and you want to look great. Read the rest of the article here. HallieCrawford.com was founded by certified career coach, speaker and author . Since 2002, the company’s team of certified career coaches have helped thousands of job seekers worldwide identify their ideal career path, navigate their career transition and achieve their career goals. Schedule a free consult with https://halliecrawford.com today to learn more about our services.