47 Ways Execs Mess Up Their Job Search (by Lisa Rangel)

47 Ways Execs Mess Up Their Job Search (by Lisa Rangel) Check out this cool post by Lisa Rangel, owner of Chameleon Resumes: 47 Ways Intelligent Executives Might Be Sabotaging Their Job Search One thing I love about resume professionals is they get a great perspective on the job market, what is working, what job seekers are doing wrong or right, etc.  In this post Lisa gives you a checklist.  Print it off and go through it what are you doing on this list that you shouldnt be doing? Here are just some of the ones I was violating: 2. Expect corporate recruiters to know for which job they would be best suited, despite not giving clear direction or focus.  I did not understand the recruiter/candidate roles, and expected recruiters to do the job search for me.  They had my resume what more would they need to see how awesome I was, and know what job I should be placed in?3. Hope to do a career change by only applying to job boards or trying to use third party recruiters to advance the search. Im, I wouldnt say it was HOPE.  It was flat a flat out misunderstanding of how jobs are found.  I plead ignorance (which didnt help me get a paycheck again!) 11. Talk down their accomplishments when selling themselves on an interview. Seriously.  You have my resume do I really have to tell you how awesome I am, even after you read it?  Oh wait, I should have had great stories?  Dang, this is harder than I thought it would be 16. Assume they are bulletproof at their current job. I was.  Well, except for that one issue of someone else politicking for my job I was too busy trying to make the company successful and fix a heapload of problems to politic for my job.  And then I got let go, because I didnt play their game. 34. Approach the entire job search process with a sense of entitlement, depressive-state or an overall poor attitude. Check, check and check. 43. Follow an unhealthy lifestyle that can affect their physical energy and mental well-being. Job searches are an athletic event, in my opinion, and job seekers need to be in good shape! One of my bigger regrets was pretty much planting myself on the lazy boy all day long, with a laptop.  Should have taken advantage of the unstructured time and exercised in a way that I didnt when I had a job. It took years to reverse the effects of non-movement for a few months. 47. Lose hope. I found it later, but the loss of hope led to depression and a bad attitude, both of which affected my networking. Okay so I almost have 47 things that I violated on that list.  How are you doing? Thanks for the fun read, Lisa! 47 Ways Execs Mess Up Their Job Search (by Lisa Rangel) Check out this cool post by Lisa Rangel, owner of Chameleon Resumes: 47 Ways Intelligent Executives Might Be Sabotaging Their Job Search One thing I love about resume professionals is they get a great perspective on the job market, what is working, what job seekers are doing wrong or right, etc.  In this post Lisa gives you a checklist.  Print it off and go through it what are you doing on this list that you shouldnt be doing? Here are just some of the ones I was violating: 2. Expect corporate recruiters to know for which job they would be best suited, despite not giving clear direction or focus.  I did not understand the recruiter/candidate roles, and expected recruiters to do the job search for me.  They had my resume what more would they need to see how awesome I was, and know what job I should be placed in?3. Hope to do a career change by only applying to job boards or trying to use third party recruiters to advance the search. Im, I wouldnt say it was HOPE.  It was flat a flat out misunderstanding of how jobs are found.  I plead ignorance (which didnt help me get a paycheck again!) 11. Talk down their accomplishments when selling themselves on an interview. Seriously.  You have my resume do I really have to tell you how awesome I am, even after you read it?  Oh wait, I should have had great stories?  Dang, this is harder than I thought it would be 16. Assume they are bulletproof at their current job. I was.  Well, except for that one issue of someone else politicking for my job I was too busy trying to make the company successful and fix a heapload of problems to politic for my job.  And then I got let go, because I didnt play their game. 34. Approach the entire job search process with a sense of entitlement, depressive-state or an overall poor attitude. Check, check and check. 43. Follow an unhealthy lifestyle that can affect their physical energy and mental well-being. Job searches are an athletic event, in my opinion, and job seekers need to be in good shape! One of my bigger regrets was pretty much planting myself on the lazy boy all day long, with a laptop.  Should have taken advantage of the unstructured time and exercised in a way that I didnt when I had a job. It took years to reverse the effects of non-movement for a few months. 47. Lose hope. I found it later, but the loss of hope led to depression and a bad attitude, both of which affected my networking. Okay so I almost have 47 things that I violated on that list.  How are you doing? Thanks for the fun read, Lisa!

Need Help Writing a Resume? Come to a Workshop

Need Help Writing a Resume? Come to a WorkshopAre you a professional looking for a well-written resume that will help you get the job? If you are then you will be pleased to know that there is a special resume writing workshop in St. Louis that can teach you the basics of how to write a professional resume. If you can master this skill, you can greatly increase your chances of getting the job you want.Many people are aware that the best way to get an interview is to create a formal resume. This is true, but it also needs to be well written. There are so many things that can go wrong with a badly written resume.A typical resume doesn't give the most accurate information about you. For example, if you list your educational background, you need to have a list of courses you have taken, not the number of classes you took. The first thing a prospective employer will see is your actual resume, and the first thing he or she will see on your resume is the information about yourself.You must be aware that the information that goes into your resume is your most important selling point. That means if you don't get this information right, you could be wasting the potential of your resume. What is most important for you to know is that it isn't rocket science. You need to know how to put all the information into a resume that will make you stand out from the competition.So, the first step is to write your resume without a checklist of all the courses you have taken, but with a general idea of what you have done in school. Then, write the basics of your education including your college or university. Make sure you can accurately describe your major, and you should be able to give examples of any work you have done in your field.Now, if you went to college in English, for example, you will want to describe in detail the coursework you took in English literature. Give examples of how you use the English language in your writing. You also should be able to provide the major wor ks of the poets you have read, and the authors of books you have read.Remember, your goal when writing your resume is to get as much information as possible about your course work, and any other skills that you have. Your resume is your guide to success at your new job. The more information you include about yourself, the better your chances of getting the job you are looking for.If you would like to learn more about the resume writing workshop in St. Louis, contact them to schedule a consultation. They can show you how to put together your resume properly and how to structure your personal statements. When you are ready to apply for your first job, you will be amazed by how easy it is to put your skills and education into a resume that will showcase your talents and experience to the highest potential.

10 Things Every Recruiter Should Check for on a Candidates CV

10 Things Every Recruiter Should Check for on a Candidates CV As a recruiter you want to give the candidate you are representing the best opportunity to stand out from the crowd and their CV is the first opportunity they have to sell themselves. Ensure  that the CV which you send to your client is clear, concise and highlights the relevant experience effectively. Follow these easy steps to ensure that they have that punch on the nose CV which really  gets them noticed! 1. Candidate frontsheet I would recommend having a unified candidate front sheet template. The kind of things this should include on it are: name, location, relevant experience, notice period, education and other relevant notes.  Most importantly, ensure that you talk to your candidate about the role and ask them what similar things they have done. From this you will be able to tailor the relevant experience section so it is specific to their application (theres nothing worse than a regurgitation of a candidates key skills, it will only make you look sloppy)! 2. Personal statement A strong CV should include a short (ideally between 30 â€" 60 words) personal statement which they have clearly crafted themselves. Make sure that they have outlined their abilities, achievements and career motivations and that they havent just used a standard template which includes a bunch of soft skills (everyone can claim to have these, get them to concentrate on what is truly makes them unique). 3. Always start the work history with the most recent role The  most recent role is going to be the most interesting experience for any potential employer (its unlikely that the candidates  part time work experience around their  college studies 10 years ago is going to be  of any interest) so make sure that this part of the candidates CV is the most in depth. Candidates should always explain how they have added value in the roles they have held, not just what they were responsible for doing and list personal achievements. Make sure that they describe the feature, the advantage of it and link back the benefit. For example (I used C++ instead of C to code, which  supported the design for object-oriented programming and meant we could develop the product faster, and also made the  program run faster). 4. Keywords Does the person have the specific experience for the role the client is hiring for? By this, I dont mean that they have included every keyword on their  resume, be vigilant to ensure that the important keywords contained in the main body of their experience are represented in the  work history. Failure to address this might look like the candidate has just copied and pasted the key words in the job specification but has no real experience in this area. 5. Gaps Make certain that if there are any gaps in a candidates experience that theres a sufficient explanation. Its the absence of an explanation that sometimes will make an employer wonder and jump to negative conclusions. Make sure that the candidate also includes any side projects/courses which they undertook during this gap of employment. It will help to prove that they are proactive and werent just sat at home twiddling their thumbs! It can also be a great way to show that they have a genuine interest in the industry if they have been working on industry related projects. 6. Too much info   Make sure you speak to your candidate about any potential TMI  (too much information) moments.  Many employers try  to avoid any type of discrimination, so often seeing that stuff on a resume can be uncomfortable and by that stuff, I mean, Im glad a candidate is happily married with two children  (really I am) but it doesnt  pertain to their ability to do the job! Please also make sure they take their photo off their  resume. If the employer wants to see what the candidate looks like they can just stalk them  on LinkedIn! 7. Online footprint Whilst this isnt essential, if a candidate has an online footprint, make sure that theyve included it in their  resume, (especially if its relevant to their industry). This includes personal domains, Quora profiles, Twitter handles, GitHub contributions, Dribble accounts, or anything a candidate has chosen to list. A good, relevant side project or creative account can help a candidate stand out and it shows that they  have passion for the  industry. 8. Location and logistics Include the travel time for the candidate here (especially if they are local), it shows that both you and the candidate have considered this (theres also nothing worse than a candidate calling the day before their due to attend an interview and pulling out because they didnt realise it was a tricky route). If the candidate lives further away and is looking at relocating make sure that you specify this and any further relevant details (for example, if the candidate is relocating to the area because of their partner or family ties), this will make more sense for the employer. 9. Grammar Bad spelling and grammar is sloppy and easy to avoid, its a recruiters job to check for these mistakes and to ensure that they have clearly presented their experience. Make sure that the candidate has picked a voice,  a tense, and that theyve stuck with it. I suggest third person and past tense. If I were you, Id make sure they eliminate pronouns (e.g. My, I, She, He) from their resume altogether. 10. Length Theres nothing worse than seeing a CV which, at first glance looks like it could be interesting, turning the page and realising that theyve sent you their full autobiography, it  means that you and no doubt the employer will completely lose emphasis (and concentration) when it comes to reading relevant experience. Any more than 3 pages and I usually completely disengage with the content.  A common mistake is that candidate will use the same CV and just add their newer roles at the top, make sure you speak to them about condensing job roles  further back in their career. Final thoughts Most of these points are a matter of common sense but they require  being vigilant every time you send out a candidates CV. Sometimes (and Im sure weve all been there), recruiters are so keen to get the CV out the door that proper consideration isnt given over making them stand out, an extra half an hour speaking to and consulting (yes recruitment CONSULTANTS) will really make the difference. You will look professional to your client and also gain credibility with a candidate who believes you are genuinely trying your best to give them the best opportunity at getting the job!

Why Businesses Need To Use Video Marketing

Why Businesses Need To Use Video Marketing Video marketing is getting more and more prominence with each passing year as compared to other forms of marketing. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of all internet traffic will soon be video. This means that any business that aims at growing its base will make a point of hiring a corporate video production service, and include video in their marketing strategy. Whether you are a big business or a startup, video content is guaranteed to open doors of opportunities for you. unfortunately, many companies still fail to understand the power of video as a marketing tool. This article highlights 10 reasons why every big business should embrace video marketing as a means of growing their business, increasing conversions, and reducing bounce rates. Better Search Engine Optimization Using video in your marketing strategy gives you more options for optimizing for search engines as compared to using text. They have a built-in feedback loop that lets you measure different factors like the click-through rate, number of times watched, drop-off points, and more, something that cannot be done with text-based content. In fact, it is estimated that your chances of appearing on the first page of Google’s search results are 53 times higher if you have video. It is also much easier to rank a video than it is doing the same for other content types. Video will therefore give you an upper hand against competitors that do not use it in their marketing efforts. Furthermore, when compared to articles, videos are more shareable. Engages Users Better It is a known fact that visual content engages viewers more than text-based content, and that is also true for video. You are going to get up to 10 times more user engagement in the form of embedding, sharing, and commenting if you use video to pass information to your customers.Studies have also shown that a whopping 80% of people will remember what video ads and posts they saw online in a given day, but will most probably forget what they read. You therefore stand a higher chance making a bigger impact when using video to engage your users on social networking sites and in your blog posts too. Has Higher Retention Rates One of the biggest challenges of any business is finding a way of increasing their retention rates, and reduce bounce rates. But with more than 65% of viewers watching more than three quarters of a video posted online, it becomes quite obvious that video is the way to go if you have an important message that you want to get across to your customers. Higher Email Click-Through Rates 60% of email marketers have reported experiencing higher conversions when using video in their email marketing strategies. Sometimes, this has been a 200-300% increase. We are confident that any marketing manager would love to see such an increase in user engagement. The videos you use for email marketing do not need to be long or complicated. They can be as plain and simple as can be, but the impact it has on your viewers could be more than you expect. Gives Your Brand More Credibility In today’s world, using creative catchy descriptions for the products and services you offer may still not cut it. Users prefer seeing a real person explaining the features and benefits a product offers, and video is definitely the way to go. You should however, make sure that the presenters are passionate, professional, and at ease when standing in front of a camera, as it is this confidence and zeal that draws people to your brand. It Is A Great Educational Tool for Customers Pushing for higher conversions or more sales all the time is not the way to go if you want to achieve your business goals. Sometimes, offering random but relevant information within your niche on topics that interest your clients could be just what you need to do the trick. And using videos for this is going to give you leverage in terms of SEO, engagement, and also paint you as an authority in your industry. A good idea of what you could do includes creating how-to videos that go in deeper into your client’s topics of interest. Works for All Demographics Most online marketing strategies usually targets a specific demographic. For example, what works for teenagers and the youth will not work for the middle aged or elderly, and vice versa. You will also need to target different platforms depending on who your audience is: snapchat would work better for younger generations, while Pinterest is better suited for the middle aged. Video on the other hand, can be used to target people from all demographicsâ€"everyone, from the youngest to the oldest users love video. You are therefore guaranteed a wider audience when using video for your marketing efforts as compared to any other form of marketing strategy. Brings in More Sales While the internet opens you up to a wider global market, making a sale online is still as difficult as it has ever been. You will still need a very strong marketing planâ€"and video should be included in this strategyâ€"if you are to expect any success in this regard. A study by Video Brewery estimated that half of all people who viewed a video about a certain product of service went on to buy. If this is anything to go by, the impact of using video in your marketing efforts is definitely worth the investment.The main importance of video for business increased profits and customers. The benefits that video brings to the table for any business or individual with an online presence are immense and worth noting. The world is quickly embracing video, and the infrastructure is already present to support this transition. Everything from product descriptions, landing pages, articles blog posts, webinars, and social media content are becoming more and more visual rather than text based. This coupled with the ever-shrinking attention spans of internet users, gives video content prominence over text.

Guidelines For Writing a Resume Objective

Guidelines For Writing a Resume ObjectiveWhen it comes to writing a resume objective, a person should be careful about following the guidelines for writing a resume objective. There are many benefits and disadvantages to writing a resume objective that people should consider before writing them. A resume objective serves as a summary of the education, experience, and skills that a person possesses that makes them an ideal candidate for the job they are applying for.For example, if a person's resume only says that the person is an excellent writer, but does not mention any accomplishments or achievements beyond writing, then the person will not get the interview. This is because a person with no accomplishment will not be given the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments. As a result, it is important to follow the guidelines for writing a resume objective to emphasize that a person has completed previous projects or other tasks that indicate accomplishments.The purpose of a resu me objective is to provide the prospective employer with a brief summary of a person's education, experience, and skills. In order to do this, a person should use bullet points to display the accomplishment the person has shown during their employment in previous jobs. Although a person can have no accomplishments, bullet points are used to represent accomplishments that demonstrate a person's ability to perform the job duties. It is important to remember that the objective does not have to be lengthy, but should still be concise.The guidelines for writing a resume objective is to place the most important accomplishments first and then include accomplishments and successes that demonstrate a person's ability to perform the job duties. The job duties are outlined in a section at the beginning of the resume objective. It is important to make sure that the work description for the job being applied for is brief and to the point.Example resumes are also helpful in making sure that the r esume objective is accurate. A person should always include their former jobs, employers, and specific details such as their titles. The guidelines for writing a resume objective are to include the details that a person needs to share.A resume objective should also contain a list of past projects that are relevant to the job that the person is applying for. Projects that relate to the job a person applied for should be included. Examples of projects that are relevant to the job include; market research projects, writing sample books, marketing analysis and research, project management, web and design projects, and consulting projects.It is also very important to include the dates when the projects were completed and to make use of the project timeline to show when the projects were completed. A person should list each project's title, headline, date, and a brief explanation of how the project was accomplished. Any clarifications that are needed should be highlighted in the objective .If a person wishes to emphasize an aspect of their educational background that is beneficial, then a resume objective can include a list of related courses that a person has taken and the grades received in those courses. The guidelines for writing a resume objective should contain the details that a person needs to give the employer a good picture of the person. The resume objective should be concise and should show a person's willingness to learn and do the job duties that are necessary for the job they are applying for. As a result, the objective is a great way to market oneself.

Free Resume Templates - What Is the Best Method For Using Them?

Free Resume Templates - What Is the Best Method For Using Them?There are many free resume templates available for people to use these days. You may want to use them, but be careful in how you apply the template to your resume. There are a few guidelines you can follow to ensure that the template will apply to your resume.It's world wide! This is an important point to remember when applying the template to your resume. It will make it easy for you to get it to apply properly for your job position.Be wary of making changes to the template and applying them to your resume. Many times you may not realize that some of the changes you made to the template could effect how it applies to your resume.Your free resume templates should be in bold and be readable at least on a computer screen. If you are going to have to write this for a paper version, be sure that you have an eye for handwriting. If you have any experience as a copywriter or as someone who knows how to write, you may want to co nsider taking a bit of time to make sure that you have handwriting that is perfect. Remember, the process is very stressful for you, so make sure that you do not miss any spaces between words or missing letters.It is also a good idea to review the sample document with the template on the cover page before you decide to use it for your resume. Often times, when the template is very plain, it does not show you the best way to organize your information.If you find that a free resume templates that you are looking at looks very similar to other resumes that you have had, you may want to consider checking them out first. If you have any idea of what the lettering or placement of paragraphs in the template may be similar to other examples, you may want to take a second look at that template and see if there are areas that need a tweak.Always be honest with yourself when you are doing your research. You may find that using a free resume template will give you a better chance at getting a j ob if you really take the time to look for the right fit. Make sure that you spend time doing your homework to make sure that you are getting a decent job reference from your free resume template.Remember, when it comes to free resume templates, your best option is to get one that is comprehensive and that is formatted well. You also want to make sure that you apply it correctly so that it will truly apply to your future resume.

Motivation Monday Capture The Right Image

Motivation Monday Capture The Right Image Not too long ago, someone told me I needed a better photo for my Twitter bio/avatar. I asked why and the response included something along the lines that my photo didnt quite capture my spunk. Well, I still havent done this. But it did get me thinking. How can a photo capture spunk or any other trait for that matter. Michael Cavotta is doing just that. Two of my colleagues recently had new head shots taken by Michael and according to Laura Labovich, Michael takes an ingenious approach to head shotshe incorporates your words (the words that you feel define you) into your pictures. What youll find on Cavottas Facebook page are three words the person wants to convey as well as the photo. He also includes a little back history about the person he shoots too. This is great for additional branding! So if you havent given much thought to your headshot, maybe it is time that you did. Ive seen some really horrible shots recently and your professional image is just too important to overlook or destroy because you used a bad photo. And maybe this post will give you something to think about. See the 5 Kick-Ass Women This Mom Dressed Her Daughter As Instead of A Disney Princess.  Thanks to Stacy Zapar for sharing this. Photographer and mother Jaime Moore searched high and low for creative inspiration to take photos of her 5-year-old daughter Emma but found most of the ideas were how to dress your little girl like a Disney princess. It got her thinking about some real women for her daughter to look up to, whether that be a pilot, a doctor, or even an astronaut. If you head on over to my Facebook page (Career Sherpa) you can share your head shot and Ill be sharing some good examples I come across too! Have a great week and go get that new head shot taken! Motivation Monday Capture The Right Image Does your headshot capture the right image? Here are some ideas to help you. Not too long ago, someone told me I needed a better photo for my Twitter bio/avatar. I asked why and the response included something along the lines that my photo didnt quite capture my spunk. Well, I still havent quite done this. But it did get me thinking. How can a photo capture spunk or any other trait for that matter? Michael Cavotta is doing just that. Two of my colleagues recently had new headshots taken by Michael and according to Laura Labovich, Michael takes an ingenious approach to headshotshe incorporates your words (the words that you feel define you) into your pictures. What youll find on Cavottas Facebook page are three words the person wants to convey as well as the photo. He also includes a little back history about the person he shoots too. You dont necessarily need to hire a professional photographer. However, using one can improve your results. Bonus: When any site includes your name and information about you, it is great for building branding awareness and SEO! Headshot tips Ive seen some really horrible shots recently and your professional image is just too important to overlook or destroy because you used a bad photo. So if you havent given much thought to your headshot, maybe it is time that you did. Todays headshots tend to be close just your neck and head. Smile and look at the camera The photo should be only of you. Dont crop someone else out. Choose your background carefully. You dont want to get lost. Wear appropriate clothing Use Photofeeler to evaluate your headshot. Its a free service. Photofeeler uses sophisticated algorithms, artificial intelligence, and battle-tested engineering that accounts for every contingency in order to boost the reliability of every human opinion we gather. The Power of Photos And maybe this post will give you something to think about. See the 5 Kick-Ass Women This Mom Dressed Her Daughter As Instead of A Disney Princess. Photographer and mother Jaime Moore searched high and low for creative inspiration to take photos of her 5-year-old daughter Emma but found most of the ideas were how to dress your little girl like a Disney princess. It got her thinking about some real women for her daughter to look up to, whether that be a pilot, a doctor, or even an astronaut. Amelia Earhart Jaime C. Moore Upworthy Have a great week and go get that new headshot taken!

How Journaling Can Help You Overcome Career Obstacles - Hallie Crawford

How Journaling Can Help You Overcome Career Obstacles If you’re like most people, the last time you wrote in a diary or journal was probably many years ago â€" if ever. But, have you ever considered using journaling as a technique to help you overcome obstacles in your career? returns to LJNRadio to discuss how something as simple and straightforward as journaling can be an effective method for diminishing professional challenges and boosting your career. Listen now, as , Certified Career Coach and Jenna Connour talk on this lively radio program full of career tips and career advice! Employment Notebook explores various topics of interest to those seeking new employment and employed individuals. Expertise and real-life experiences are shared to help employees and managers achieve success in the workplace. Topical subjects are discussed as well. Anything goes on this show! How Journaling Can Help You Overcome Career Obstacles Learn from Hallie, certified career coach, how journaling about your career obstacles, specifically negative thinking, can help you overcome them. In this excerpt from a recent presentation regarding the Imposter Syndrome, she talks about the trends she sees in her clients working to manage their negative thoughts. Learn more about the Imposter Syndrome and tools to overcome it. Watch this video now: Schedule a free consult with HallieCrawford.com today