Ten Blogs for Job Search, Personal Branding and Career Help

Ten Blogs for Job Search, Personal Branding and Career Help Meg Guiseppi wrote a blog post with 10 blogs she recommends, although she says these are not necessarily her favorites but she keeps coming back to them. The JibberJobber Blog is on the list, as well as my LinkedIn blog. Thats cool.  But what was really cool was this line: There are actually 12 in my list. Two of my favorite writers run two sites. I had to go through her list again and found that yeehaw!  Im one of her two favorite writers (in very good company with Susan Joyce). Ive read all of the blogs she listed.  They are all excellent suggestions, if you are looking for inspiring reading. Here is the list. Thanks Meg, for the list, and for including me Ten Blogs for Job Search, Personal Branding and Career Help Meg Guiseppi wrote a blog post with 10 blogs she recommends, although she says these are not necessarily her favorites but she keeps coming back to them. The JibberJobber Blog is on the list, as well as my LinkedIn blog. Thats cool.  But what was really cool was this line: There are actually 12 in my list. Two of my favorite writers run two sites. I had to go through her list again and found that yeehaw!  Im one of her two favorite writers (in very good company with Susan Joyce). Ive read all of the blogs she listed.  They are all excellent suggestions, if you are looking for inspiring reading. Here is the list. Thanks Meg, for the list, and for including me

Using Resume Writing in Third Person to Write Your Resume

Using Resume Writing in Third Person to Write Your ResumeIn order to be a competent writer in the field of resume writing, you need to know the basics of resume writing in third person. While the position of a writer is one that does not have much of any direct influence on a person's life, it is still important for people who want to become one to learn the fundamentals. This way, they can reap the benefits of being able to write a resume from an expert perspective without making mistakes that could make them appear incompetent to their prospective employers.Of course, with all the information and experience that you're learning, you're going to come across a time when you are asked to write something that is different from the normal standard. This means that you'll need to be able to get a bit more creative with the way that you talk about yourself and what you can do for your employer. And as you read this, you'll find that the most successful candidates aren't just the ones who know how to cut out words like 'we'our' in order to show the reader more of themselves, but they are also the ones who know how to explain themselves and how to touch upon relevant points of knowledge and expertise that they possess.Resume writing in third person will help you make this happen. It doesn't matter if you are doing an academic resume or a professional one, you can make your work much easier by including some of the following tricks into your resume. As long as you do them right, they will make your resume stand out in a very positive light among the others.A skill that is extremely useful when it comes to writing resumes is doing research on subjects and gaining a general feel for a skilled career. When it comes to education, do some background research on the subject. Even if you don't go in with the idea of what you're studying right off the bat, you can learn more about the field and the skills needed for the job by researching what these careers will involve. Doing this on a more abstract level can allow you to expand upon these ideas by explaining yourself more effectively and fully.Having a feeling for what makes people tick is also crucial in terms of writing a resume. Sure, you can get a general feel for a person's personality by reading their life story, but you can do a better job of developing a picture of them by spending time interacting with them. Chances are that you've spoken to them many times over the years and know their work habits and general values. This kind of personal touch allows you to write a resume that sounds very genuine.You can also make sure that you build up a person's personality through the written word. Take time to discover about a person's hobbies and interests. One way to do this is to ask friends and family for recommendations. By spending time with these people, you can gain a bit of insight into a person's personality by observing their behaviors and expressions.Another important aspect of being able to write a resume in third person is having enough information about yourself to adequately put your experiences into words. While you can make full use of the educational perspective that you're learning, your experience as a person should also be included in your resume. List all of the important things that you accomplished during the course of your employment. This is especially helpful if you are still working within the same company that you are currently employed by, since the former supervisor will have information that is relevant to your candidacy.Being able to write a resume in the third person is a very important part of the job. It will allow you to give a clear, concise overview of your talents and skills and lay the groundwork for connecting with the potential employer. Once you get past the first draft of your resume, take your time to refine your skills so that you can present yourself in the best possible light.

The New Graduate Advantage

The New Graduate Advantage As a new graduate competing in the job market against more experienced workers, it’s easy to become intimidated, especially in this economy.   After all, what can you possible offer against years of experience in the field and impressive skill sets?   The answer is easy, if you have the confidence to market yourself.   Your youth and fresh approach to the job can become assets if you know how to position them.   Here are three strengths you should always mention. Your youth and energy.   As a new graduate in your first real job, your energy and enthusiasm will be a tremendous asset.   Presumably, you have a passion for your field, and have been preparing four years (or more) for your first big chance.   Play up the fact that you’re very excited about this opportunity. Basking in the glow of your first job, you should be able to work circles around other staff members, and your enthusiasm will be a pleasure to observe.   Volunteer to take on time-consuming projects and work extra hours, allowing workers with family commitments to take much needed breaks.   This is an ideal time in your career to establish yourself as a hard worker who will do whatever it takes to get the job done.   Your flexibility. Brand new to the field, you have no pre-conceived ideas of how things should be done.   Many employers worry that young workers expect too much too quickly â€" that they’re not willing to start at the bottom and earn promotions.   In addition to being flexible about your schedule, emphasize the fact that you’re here to learn. Sometimes more experienced workers want to dictate how things will be done, or have trouble breaking old habits. Your approach to work as an opportunity to watch and learn from experts will be refreshing.   In the interview, speak about wanting to spend your first few months on the job learning the right way to do things.   You will be starting with a fresh slate, and have no bad habits to un-learn.   Indeed, you can position your untutored approach to the job as a service â€" looking at processes for the first time with fresh eyes.   It’s a great way to help streamline procedures and eliminate outdated steps that no longer add value. Many young people have a technology advantage as well.   If you’re like most young graduates, you’ve grown up with the Internet and mastered computer skills in grade school.   If you’re employed in a field where technology changes often, you’ll have the skills to master new systems easily.   Emphasize your comfort with technology and how wiling you are to share your knowledge. Your company may have some workers that are very skilled on the job but who are hesitant to jump in and embrace new software.   Offer to work with team members that can trade their industry knowledge for your software troubleshooting expertise. Your connection to the community.   As a young person, you represent a group that is of great value to your employer.   If young people are targeted by your company as customers, your connection to the way they think and make decisions can be extremely helpful.   If young people have not traditionally been targeted as customers or employees, offer to help create a plan for outreach.     If you become a star performer, your company will want to look for other employees that share your skills and enthusiasm.   You can offer to reach out to campus organizations and sororities or fraternities to find other qualified graduates.   You’ll also be able to help tell the story of what kinds of great jobs your company can offer young graduates. In a few years, your resume will be able to compete in the market on its own.   For the first year, playing to your strengths as a novice will help you stand out from the crowd.

Signs You Should Accept the Job Offer

Signs You Should Accept the Job Offer Many business blogs offer you advice on why you should NOT accept a job offer. So, today for a change we will explain the signs you should accept a job offer unrelated to salary. Some jobs may be works-in-progress in the short-term. But in the long-term, it will prove to be a wiser career decision.Here are some signs you should accept the job offer.1. You Are Such a Fit for the Culture It Feels Like You Found a New FamilyStress plays a big role in career longevity. Studies have repeatedly shown that being in an unfit work culture leads to stress, which over time affects productivity, career growth, and brain health.If you find a work culture that feels a bit like you have discovered long-lost family, this may be a great job that you can grow your career and be productive with. Motivating factors in a job such as acknowledgment can inspire you to keep growing and learning.The more you find yourself to be a culture fit, the more you will find it easier to assume new job tasks and learn new skills. One day, if you have to leave this perfect culture fit, you will have connections and skills that last a lifetime.2. Opportunities for Career GrowthThe reality of some companies is that they only hire for the position and you will never grow beyond that. Accepting a job at a company where you can go no further than the job you had accepted will be short-lived.Worse, you may leave the job a few years later no better off than you were before. Your career growth stalled because you learned nothing new to help you grow.Jobs that offer opportunities for growth give you the ability to plan for the future. You may accept a job as an Analyst knowing very well that one day you can advance to Vice President or beyond. Should you ever have to leave, your skills and career growth will be impressive for all companies.3. Professional and Respectful StaffThere is just something about a staff that is professional and respectful that makes work feel great. From the hiring process to the regular workday, being able to go to work and communicate with a professional and respectful staff makes being productive easier. It makes your career feel like it is going somewhere.Most of all, you learn from people who help you become a greater leader. Seamless hiring practices, having the resources to do your job, and drama-free environments offer much in the way of education for running a company or being a boss.The reality is...company troubles start from the very top and trickle down. If the staff you meet never shows signs of discontent for their jobs, or the hiring process is actually enjoyable, this is a sign you should stick around.4. Getting to Do Things You Had Never Done BeforeSome jobs come with built-in perks you find out about during the interview process. If you had always wanted to traveland during the interview, you find out the job includes traveling to interesting places, this may be a great fit for you.Your work could involve dealing with high profile people or learning sensitive information that makes you “valuable” for future jobs. In the past, you had never done these types of things but that is what intrigues you about the work.Life and your career can be an adventure. If you see a new chance to live and love your job, this may be a sign you should take the job.But What About Salary?Salary by itself is not a strong enough reason to take a job. Why?If you hate the job, it will affect performance and your ability to communicate You may make a great salary in the interim, but your career will suffer in the long-term Taking jobs just for the money with high stress affects your health Poor health can affect your career and may eventually cut it shortThe last thing you want to do is get caught up in a job that pays well and slowly deteriorates your health and prevents you from enjoying your career!

Tips For Writing a Resume and Cover Letter

Tips For Writing a Resume and Cover LetterThe first step to writing a resume and cover letter is to select the type of job you want. There are some companies that only require one type of cover letter and resume while others will accept multiple documents depending on the company requirements. So make sure that you have a well-defined list of criteria when writing a resume.When it comes to resume writing, there are a lot of things that can be included in it. It is a mandatory document that must be sent to every prospective employer. Writing a resume has become a skill to many people because of the fact that many times a person will land a job and will not know how to write a resume. As a result, they will then feel that they do not have anything to offer the company. If you are a novice, then it is important that you learn the basics of writing a resume.One of the most useful tips for writing a resume is to put your achievements as well as knowledge to use. A person will have to incl ude all their achievements, personal as well as professional. These may include: your degree, awards or certificates, awards won by you and your professional work experience. They should also put how long they worked for the company as well as their compensation and benefits. They should also include any certifications they might have had that may prove that they are worthy of a job.The next basic tips for writing a resume and cover letter are to make sure that it is accurate. You need to be sure that the information given in the resume is what you actually did. If there is some discrepancy in the information then you will want to correct it. This includes the right dates, how much you earned and the dates of your employment.The most important tip for writing a resume is to include a letter of recommendation from your former supervisor or manager. This may be the same person that hired you, a previous employer or anyone else that you can find. By including this letter, you will allo w the company to verify that you are really worth hiring. It is important that they know that you are someone who they can trust to work for them.In addition to using the tips for writing a resume and cover letter for resumes, there are also other tips that you can follow. Always include a contact number. You may want to place your cell phone number on the letter so that the employer will have a means of contacting you if they are in a position to hire you. Many times, an employer will hire somebody when they first interview somebody. For this reason, they will want to ensure that they will always know who the person is and when they may contact them.Make sure that the cover letter is in the same tone as the resume. When you do this, you will ensure that the both are going to go over with the interviewer. This means that you want to be well written and professional. However, you do not want to over do it by having a poem, a child's rhyme or anything else that may be embarrassing. Th e last thing you want to do is be perceived as being unprofessional because of your cover letter.As with the tips for writing a resume and cover letter, you also want to include the same information in your resume and cover letter. This will ensure that you make the best impression on the employer.

How Helicopter Parents Can Help Kids Job Prospects

How Helicopter Parents Can Help Kids Job Prospects I just finished reading the CNN article,  How Helicopter Parents Can Ruin Kids Job Prospects. While its always an entertaining read to learn about a few parents whose desire to help their kids succeed is a bit misguided, I think the article misses an important opportunity to show how parents can help launch their kids careers without being overbearing, inappropriate, or just plain weird. Calling an employer to ask why your child didnt get a job or promotion is wrong; but helping your child gain the right introductions to people who may be able to help them in their search is smart and also good parenting.Most people land their jobs through their network. They reach out to others and leverage the relationships they have to gain new introductions that can bring them one step closer to a hiring manager. Most recent grads have limited networks, but their parents often have large ones. While its the childs responsibility to land and keep the job, there is nothing wrong with a parent faci litating the process. Job search, anyones job search, takes a village. Why should the rules be any different for our kids?I meet many frustrated parents who wanted their kids to go it alone during their college years and just get any job during the summer. And so the  kids end up with summer jobs during their college years that lack relevance to their future career goals and limit their ability to build a strong network. After four years of jobs as camp counselors, lifeguards, and store clerks they have little to show on their resume other than a degree and possibly a strong GPA. But this isnt enough. A better strategy would have been to leverage connections to help the student get meaningful internships to help shape the students experience and build a close circle of mentors and advocates. By building a strong pipeline of professionals while still in school, your child can increase the likelihood of securing meaningful employment upon graduation. The time to start building these relationships is during your childs senior year of high school or freshman year of college, not after they graduate.Im not suggesting that unrelated jobs are meaningless, and they may even be necessary if you need your child to be more financially independent during his college years. As a matter of fact, I think that every college student should have at least one crappy job during college to teach responsibility, humility, and gratitude for all they have. But if they can work one of these jobs during the school year and concentrate on more strategic internships in the summer, they may have a leg up over their peers with no relevant work experience.If you are going to spend $200K for your kids four year education, doesnt it make sense to help your child put their new degree to good use? This isnt helicopter parenting, it is simply parenting.Teach your kids how to give and receive job search help early. It will facilitate a life-long comfort and acceptance of the importance of networ king that will prove valuable throughout their careers.

Alternative Avenues To Take With a Law Degree - CareerAlley

Alternative Avenues To Take With a Law Degree - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Deciding to study law is difficult enough without having to contemplate the subsequent professional avenues. Many embark upon this journey with enthusiasm and have found that through studying their interest in simply practising law has been dampened. A law degree is an area of study that can be used to pursue a number of professional ventures. There is also the issue of disillusionment once a law career has begun. Long hours, difficult cases and clients and emotional hardship can really take their toll. Alternatives are available so lawyers dont have to feel like their chosen area of study was a waste of time. Below is a list of alternative avenues to take with a law degree. Litigation Support Such positions require strong legal knowledge, organisation and pro-activeness. You will be a support network for the lawyer allowing them to glean new information, collate strong arguments, evidence and defence. *Hybrid Paralegal *Document Coder *Litigation Support Analyst *Litigation Support Specialist *Project Manager Courtroom Perhaps you have shied away from practising law in the capacity of a lawyer but there are alternative mediums that follow the same measure. *Judge *Magistrate *Law Clerk *Courtroom Deputy *Prothonotary *Mediator *Court Reporter Legal Consulting Enlist your legal skills for consultancy for legal firms and large businesses. Knowledge on legislation, law procedures and rights can be used to obtain lucrative positions of legal consulting. The banking and finance industries as a result of recent insider trading scandals and the GFC have stimulated more contact with legal professionals to assess and guide on lending and investment practices. *Jury Consultant *Trial Consultant *Computer Forensics Professional *Legal Marketing Consultant *Banking Securities Consultant *Legal Investigator *Accident Reconstructionist *Bank Risk Management *Legal Medical Consultants Legal Publishing The skills of note taking, keeping records and preparing cases will be invaluable in the area of legal publishing. Strong writing and editing skills will be required in the bourgeoning area of legal publishing that specifically caters to legal professionals. *Legal Publisher *Legal Writer *Legal Web Manager *Legal Editor Politics The political scene invests millions of dollars on consultants to guide their policy making choices. Legal precedence is a huge catalyst in this. A person with strong legal knowledge is a strong voice in politics and their negotiation skills are invaluable in securing motions and bill initiatives. It is also an excellent opportunity for disillusioned lawyers to change things from the very inside. *Attorney General *District Attorney *Legislator *Legislative Staffer *Legal Analyst *Lobbyist Intellectual Property In the rapidly advancing and growing world of today there is increasing investment in securing rights over ones intellectual property. It is a traditional profession that has waxed and waned over the years, but has now found steady growth in its demand. A career in intellectual property would be interesting and rewarding. *Patent Attorney *Patent Agent *Patent Clerk Education For some the allure of the educational institution is too much to shake off and so they stay. Professional education or academic administration is a valuable path to take as you are able to shape and guide new legal minds and influence the practice of future legal professionals. *College Professor, lecturer *Paralegal Schools *Dispute Resolutions *Mediators *Law School Dean *Legal Researcher *Legal Career Counsellor Obviously, there are numerous options in various professional environments for anyone who holds a law degree. Whichever path you decide to take it should reflect your interests and professional aspirations. At the end of the day, only the satisfaction of success will unmistakably tell you that your choice was right. Author Bio: Victor Daily is an experienced writer and career advisor. This article is aimed at showing various different paths a law degree holder can take to fulfil his professional ambitions. It was inspired by his work with Smiths Lawyers. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook