[POLL] Have You Ever Dumbed Down Your Resume

[POLL] Have You Ever Dumbed Down Your Resume 29 This poll was inspired by a comment from a friend. Vote now: Have you ever dumbed down your resume? Yes (60%, 122 Votes) No (40%, 80 Votes) Started: June 27, 2013 @ 3:16 pmTotal Voters: 202 Does it make finding a job easier? A friend of mine contacted me recently to ask for advice about this job search. Among other things, I told him to send over his CV so I could give him some feedback. Once he did, I noticed something strange. He used to be the CEO of a small company but on the CV, he had put his job title as Marketing Manager. When I asked him why not include the CEO mention, which sounds impressive, he responded that “when people see that, they won't take me to be ‘just' a marketing manager” because a CEO position “is not what I am trying to get.”eval This reminded me of another story. Back in 2002 after the Dot Com Crash, I was on my first job search in Israel and not doing very well. I'd been looking for over 4 months at that point and hadn't had one interview yet.eval Attending a friend's birthday party, I met someone who was also looking for a programming job. He had about 8 years of experience, but he said that his CV only mentioned the past two years' of work because a few companies had told him he was overqualified, and getting desperate for a job, he was willing to ‘forget' 6 years to get an entry-level job again. I thought he was crazy but only having 2 years of experience myself at the time, it was hard to put myself in his shoes. So what about you: have you ever dumbed down your resume? If you haven't, would you or not? Tell us in the comments.

Is Fear Surrounding Money Preventing You From Succeeding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Is Fear Surrounding Money Preventing You From Succeeding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Price too high / too low / fair?” The same people suffer from the fear of asking for more money or saying no to a project that is monetarily unfair. This is true too for many job seekers at the end of the interviewing process who are fearful of asking more money than what is initially offered. They feel guilty asking for more as if they aren’t worthy. Yet they feel badly their bills aren’t being paid in a timely fashion and worry about their own well-being. My suggestion is to think about both sides of the sales equation. One side is purchasing while the other is the selling. Were all very comfortable purchasing and in fact many of us quite enjoy it! So let’s capture this act why is purchasing enjoyable? Do you make purchases on need, want or celebration? Are there certain types of salespeople you avoid? Have you consistently purchased from the same company every time you had a need for their service or product? In these three questions you will find the answers of how you need to sell your services to your prospects, clients, and hiring manager. They have the same needs, wants, and deep down desires, and at times will spend more when they are in a celebration mode or close to getting exactly what they want. What you need to do is learn the other party’s situation upfront as to why they are even considering you and your business, or you the job candidate. What caught their attention that brought them to you? Only then will you be able to define their needs and speak to them in terms of benefits of your service, talent, and working with you. We have all experienced over exuberant and/or unethical salespeople. But have you compiled a profile of the type of salespeople you enjoy buying from? This would be the model you should adapt to your personality. The analysis will provide insight and you will enjoy a much easier time selling. Recognize the reasons Now create a profile of the companies you continue to frequent for goods or services. They too have competitors, so why do you continue with the same? Once you recognize the reasons, you will be able to implement a workable plan of your own. Now that your mindset is focused on delivering the best customer service possible and building relationships with your clientele or hiring team, it is time for you to create packages to meet their needs, desires, and wish list. In the case of interviewing, your packages would be the desired salary plus negotiable items. You need to adjust each side of the equation as one is diminished or increased. Applying these concepts, you will come full circle developing your confidence, know how, and the ability to ask for the money you deserve. Your communication is a subliminal marketing message that you are a leader in your field and are worth the money â€" and business development depends upon it. Once you have the “it isn’t the money but the value delivered” philosophy mastered, you will be headed for a very lucrative and Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC believes building relationships before the sale and continuing long after is the only way to sell and build a dynamic business. Elinor’s book, “Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results,” in an International Best Seller. Her new book, HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself on Interviews, Career Press, based upon her own experience and years of community service proved profitable before it went into print.

Working Abroad - Where People Move and Why

Working Abroad - Where People Move and Why As the Western world takes ever so long to come out of recession and recover from high unemployment rates, the East, Asia and South America have much better prospects in growth and jobs. This has opened up the option of working abroad for more people than ever before. This infographic presents some statistics of working abroad where people move and why. Almost 55% of 18-25 year olds surveyed would consider moving abroad. 317

Taking A Career Leap Lessons From The Space Jumper - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Taking A Career Leap Lessons From The Space Jumper - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Lets face it: Taking a career leap can be a scary time. Youre jumping into the unknown whether thats a first job, career change, huge promotion, or new venture. But its good to know that getting to the edge isnt always a bad thing. Take Felix Baumgartner, for example. The Austrian daredevil has created a profession out of skydiving and  B.A.S.E. jumping. Though this may not be the right cup of tea for everyone, there had to be a day when  Baumgartner took that first career leap. On Oct. 14, Baumgartner had viewers worldwide glued to their televisions as he took a 24-mile-high skydive, breaking the speed of sound. Just to give some  perspective, this 4.2-minute jump took five years to plan, prepare, and execute. If youre thinking about taking a career leap, there are a few lessons you should take from Baumgartner: Set a goal, subgoals, and a deadline. Do you think Baumgartner decided out of the blue that he was going to break the sound barrier? Of course not. He took the time and patience required to define his goals and deadlines. If youre seeking out a huge promotion, for example, think about the timeline in which youd like this to happen. Do you want to be promoted by next year? Great. Now set subgoals that will help you get there. Planning and preparation matter. Again, it took five years to plan the space jump. Thats a long time! Baumgartners team tested space suits, escape concepts, and treatment protocols prior to the jump. If youre thinking of making a career change or seeking out the next big step, you likely wont get there using blind trial-and-error. Take some time to prepare yourself. Take a few webinar courses, spruce up your networking efforts, or finish the next big project at work. Find your passion. Baumgartner has a passion for skydiving, B.A.S.E jumping, and adrenaline rushes. So think about your passions before taking your career leap. Do your career goals truly align with your passions? Would they make you happy? Travel off the beaten path. Sometimes, to get where you want to go, you have to do things a little unexpected. Try something new and see where it takes you â€" it doesn’t necessarily have to be a space jump. Take a tip from a mentor. If you have your goals aligned and you did the preparation, but you’re still feeling a little lost in space, try utilizing a professional mentor. Baumgartner trained with Colonel Joe Kittinger (his mentor) prior to his leap. Kittinger held his own records and was able to help prepare Baumgartner. In the same way, you need someone who’s been down your road before to impart some wisdom, connections, and tips. Have a backup plan. Things might not go as expected. Baumgartner had a backup for his backup and a team of people waiting for any slip-up. You too should have a backup plan in case your career leap goes awry. Whether you’re planning a career move or seeking out a huge promotion, career leaps are an exciting time. But before you jump off the edge, take the time to prepare so you dont have to use that contingency plan. What other lessons did you learn from Felix Baumgartners space jump? Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

14 Decisive Tips for Shaping Your Career Path in the Right Direction CareerMetis.com

14 Decisive Tips for Shaping Your Career Path in the Right Direction Right from the beginning, right from childhood, all the investments made and training and coaching undertaken, all build up to one thing, steering your career in the right direction.But once you get there, it’s not the way you expected it to be. Even after studying so much, you are clueless as to which direction should you go to go to ensure a secure future. Industries open and shut down daily. What is in demand today may not be the same tomorrow.Why Should You Steer Your Career in Right Direction?Having a clear vision of your career direction and goals gives people a trigger to act on. This ignites the fire that helps them be determined and focused.This will help announce the market as to what do you want to be known for. What are you a master at?Whatever your plans are for the long run, they will only run if your path is the appropriate and relevant right from the beginning. It will act as a domino, each relevant step will trigger the next one. This is how you build, this is how you grow.Money, fame, influence, reach, and the ability to make a difference. This is only possible if all the factors around your career path are in the right place.evalSo how do you take it from there? Let’s dive into a few tips that may help you shape your career in the right career.The 14 tips in this article have been taken by looking into the lives of various people who have successfully chosen a career path that worked for them brilliantly and would recommend the same for others.1) Know Your Definition of Success:Everyone has a different definition of success. One person may aim to get a job, while others want to own his own business, some might want to publish their book, while some might want to be a successful stand-up comedian. Knowing what is yours is your first step towards your goal. This will help you decide all the further steps that make your career count.To kick-start things, make a list of things that you are good at, and another list of things that you have a f air amount of knowledge about. See what matches in them and then start looking for avenues that pay well for those things.Now you have your basic vision set and something you can build your careeron.2) Know How to Approach Your Goal:Once your destination is set, you now have to plot your way to reach it. For the career path you have, look for the demand available in the market. If you have experience and investment, you can have the liberty to start your own business. But if you don’t, look for companies and organizations that are thriving in the field you are interested in. Book an interview with them, and give your best shot.Make sure you have the right skills, if not, learn them, be an expert, don’t stop talking about it, and make sure everyone around you knows what you’re passionate about. This will set the course for all your other plans and decisions that you will make for your career.3) Research Well:evalNever jump into a sea without knowing what’s inside. And if you are pursuing an industry, make sure you know in and out about it. How did it begin? What are the current trends? How strong is the market now? Does it pay well? Where is the industry headed towards? Is there a scope for change? Know all the answers before making any big decisions.This will prevent you from regretting your choices mid-way and forcing you to change careers. Know what you’re signing up for and give your best to succeed.4) Know the Difference Between Passion and Profession:A clichéd saying, but turning your passion to work will make your journey a whole lo0t smoother. But compromises have to be made. Not every passion can be turned into an effective money-making career. So know the major differences.Find out in which sectors can you make it big with your passion, and if not, find a work that you can start liking relatively, and that won’t suck the life out of you.5) Make Your Own Decision:evalThe career is yours, the future is yours, so do not let anyone else make the decisions for you. Take a balanced and a well-thought decision, and not under pressure by parents, friends, or anyone trying to force their advice across.Even though they do not agree, and you feel positive about it, go for it, and prove it to them by reaching the top.6) Start Early:Starting something is the most difficult part to begin. Once a person begins, following up becomes easy. Timing is the key to success. A little delay will allow a lot of other people to take the opportunity and outrun you by just starting early.Yet another advantage of starting earlier than you intend to is that you have enough time to settle yourself and make familiar with the situations. This will help you experiment early, fail early, learn early, and still keep you with enough time to buck and succeed. So be the first one to voice it out, be the first one to start, and be the first one to conquer.7) Follow a Leader:To make you push yourself and get your daily dose of inspiration, recognize a few mentors and leaders that are marveling in your industry and follow their work and journey.This will encourage not only you but also a faith that you can make it big too. Apart from that, these leaders will have a ton of highly informative tips and tricks from your industry that they share with their followers that might be useful for you.Following your mentor will give you ideas on what to do next, and help you stay updated with all the latest happenings in the stream. This will be the fuel from when you get stuck and have no clue on what to do next.8) Grow and Learn New Skills:History is proof that people who have stayed in their comfort zone for a long time have been proved redundant after a certain point of time. People stay for years, but the industry is self-evolving. It changes itself according to the needs and demands of the industry. So if you are not updating yourself, you are not growing.evalFind out what the industry demands, what skills you can learn that will make you r elevant no matter what changes the field may bring.9) Make Stronger Connections:Being a silent worker may sound strong in terms of hard work, but to boost your career in all the ways possible, you need to build secure connections. Connections can start from colleagues, and co-workers and then can extend to top-level management as you grow.Attending business events in your industry is an excellent way to network. These networks will be a great help when you are planning to shift your job, start your own business, or looking to fund your one big idea.Networking can be done from all the stakeholders within the organization as well, by connecting with the customers, shareholders, investors, etc.10) Take Risks:It is a common notion that no individual in the right mind would take any risks when it comes to career. They would prefer to play safe and secure their future with a steady career choice that pays more.evalBut the future is unpredictable and so can be your career. A little risk th at you feel can be better for your career can go a long way and give you a life better than what you could’ve had. It can be job switching for a better paying job, or relocating, or going for something less paying, but creative, a little risk which you think is the right decision for you can go a long way.11) Be Consistent:Once you are on the course and see your plan working out, be consistent in it. Many people start things off with passion and enthusiasm, but with time, their grit and determination wear off, and they start to slow down. This affects their productivity which in turn poses a huge risk for their career.So once you have a clear plan of action, stick to it. Be there for your career whenever the situation demands, and be the best version of yourself. Failure is not when you do something wrong, it’s when you stop doing. So be consistent, no matter what.No matter if you’re an employee or the owner, make sure to go out there and give your 100% without any hint of reg ret. This way, you learn new skills, inspire people and do justice for the plan you were meant to take, right from the time you started schooling.12) Work ‘with’ and Not ‘against’:Take any industry and peep inside, it is filled with competitors. A monopoly in any major industry is a myth. In desperate measures, what people end up doing is follow their competitors closely and try to outdo them in every department. This results in nothing but an endless stream of strategy that just focuses on being better than the other and losing the focus on consumer satisfaction on the way.The best way to move forward is to find out the most relevant competitors and partner with then. Every person has his own set of strengths and influence, and instead of outdoing them, collaborate with them. Leverage each skill, combine the synergy, and grow together.13) Give A Little Extra:Find out what is that little extra that you can do apart from your day to day regular job. Many people try to make a living with their regular job and do a little extra in their free time away from the office by practicing things they love and are passionate about.This can be in the form of freelancing or just practicing things you always wanted to do. Here, money is not the most significant thing to look for, but instead, try turning your hobbies and passion into a money-making venture.14) Pass on the Knowledge:This is an effective way to constantly stay in touch with your skills and making sure you provide value to anyone around you looking for someone to guide.Coaching is something many successful people in their field have started to provide. This can be done for free, or in exchange for a certain value, based on the value you provide. This makes you an established name in the field and increases your relevancy and proficiency.The Negative Impacts of Being Indecisive:Not taking appropriate steps at the right time can cause more harm than you think. One minor step back can lead to a series of w rong decisions that you might not be prepared about. So here are a few negative impacts that may occur:Opportunities seized by someone else in the industry just because you were doubtful about taking a step. Be confident.Inability to earn well by choosing a career path that doesn’t match your skillset.Not being confident to approach situations and people.Lack of professionalismand under-usage of the best skills that you are known for.Stuck in a boring job that you bring your self-confidence down.Career goals are subjective. What works for one individual may not work for another. It’s all about doing what is best suited for you. To start is the key, and once that is done, do not look back. What is that one advice that you have for people who are confused about where or how to begin their career path?The very sense of knowing that the career path you have chosen is perfect for you gives you a peace of mind like nothing else. This will act as a fuel to your work engine.

How to Take a Stand While Maintaining Your Relationships

How to Take a Stand While Maintaining Your Relationships What’s the last time you wanted to take a stand on something? Maybe it was with your teenagers and putting your foot down about one of the rules of living under your roof. Or perhaps it was with your boss or colleagues about some work practices you object to. Or there were the suffragettes who fought for and won the vote for women in the 1920’s. Now that was taking a stand! However large or small the issue, it’s natural to get upset when something you believe in gets trampled. Even mad as hell. But what if it’s a hollow victory? The kind where even if you’re in the right, you may be unable to make a difference. Like throwing a pebble into the ocean. On the other hand, you don’t want to have something left undone and unsaid that gnaws away at you for the rest of your life when you could have stepped forward and taken a stand. So what do you do? Decide whether it’s worth it The first thing to do is to decide whether or not to make that stand. For me, the question is, “Is this something worth fighting for?” And my “worth it” equation includes how much it means to me, how much of a difference I can make, what the range of consequences might be, and whether I will experience regret later on. For my colleague who’s a COO, her question is “Am I prepared to die on this hill?” which is a more dramatic way to ask the same thing. However you phrase the question, the bottom line is that you have to make sure you truly and dispassionately believe this is the right position to take. That’s because you will be going against someone else’s grain and ruffling some feathers. And this will be associated with you for some time to come. Some things are obvious, like protesting something that will harm your loved ones. Others are a judgment call, like protesting when your colleagues bring out the cigars after dinner and you’re wearing a freshly dry cleaned outfit. In all cases, it’s important that you know what goal you are seeking to accomplish by taking a stand. If your goal is the equivalent of “mission impossible”, it’s best to know that at the outset rather than when it’s too late. How to make your stand Once you’ve decided it’s worth taking a stand, then I find the best way to do it is as follows. 1. Get the lay of the land It’s crucial to understand where your key stakeholders stand on the issue. That tells you where you will need to do some pre-work ahead of time and damage control after the fact. In fact, you will have done some of this thinking already to factor in whether you will be able to make a difference by taking your stand. But now it’s time to be more systematic in thinking it through. 2. Link to the common goal When you’re taking a stand, it’s most powerful when you can bring others along with you. That’s also how you create the best chance of making change and not ending up as the ineffective lone voice in the wilderness. By linking your position to a common goal for the organization, you can’t go wrong. In fact, it makes it highly likely that you are in the right. 3. Back it up with data Beyond linking your point to a common goal that everyone can rally around, it helps to have the facts and data to back up your position. This will appeal to those detail-oriented people who are only persuaded by analysis and logic. Plus, you will want to have done some of this work as part of deciding on taking your stand. 4. Create a compelling narrative Just because something makes sense in your own mind doesn’t mean it will instantly make sense to everyone else. You have to craft your case so it’s easy for others to “get” right away. That’s where the concept of creating a narrative or storyline comes in. And as you put together your narrative, it helps to keep your main stakeholders in mind so you can tailor your message in the most effective way. Putting together your case in the form of a storyline will help ensure that your rationale is clear in your own mind and that your logic is impeccable. It will also help you bring a greater level of emotional connection with your audience that trumps the data alone. Finally, it will make it easier for you to remember how to articulate your case in the best way when the time comes. Disagreeing Agreeably In the end, taking a stand is generally about disagreeing in a way that maximizes your chance of getting to a positive outcome while retaining your relationships, or at least allowing you to live to fight another day. Some would call this learning to “disagree agreeably”, a phrase used by Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People among other books. I have come to realize there are three particularly important principles to keep in mind to be successful in disagreeing yet maintaining respect. Don’t make it personal The first is one from my Chinese heritage. Using pinyin, the saying is duì  shì  bù duì  rén. Translated to English, it means that when you are criticizing or disagreeing, focus on the item or issue at hand, not the person. Or said another way, don't make it personal. Don't take things personally The second is the corollary: don’t take things personally, but rather keep an open mind. When you get too attached to a particular outcome, it clouds your ability to see things from someone else's viewpoint or even to recognize that there may be other valid ways to look at a situation. That, in turn, makes it harder to retain your composure and reduces your ability to be effective in persuading others. Show respect The third is treating the other person with respect. This includes respecting their basic human desire to be seen, heard and acknowledged. And it also means not goading or antagonizing them. When people feel respected, especially when there is a difference in point of view, they are less likely to escalate and retaliate. What about you? In life, there will be times when you must take a stand, and others when you will choose to do so having weighed the pros and cons. In either case, when you go about it in the right way, you can make your point while maximizing the chances of effecting change and maintaining respect. These are four steps that I’ve seen work: Get the lay of the land Link to the common goal Back it up with data Create a compelling narrative And above all, learn to disagree agreeably. Armed with these strategies, perhaps you will be able to take more stands in a way that preserves or even enhances your position. And that will help create a better world for all of us. So, what about you? How do you go about disagreeing agreeably? Leave a comment and let me know.

Make Sure That Your Resume Is As Good As The Resume Writing Service Near Me

Make Sure That Your Resume Is As Good As The Resume Writing Service Near MeSo you've found the right local resume writing service near me, and you're happy with the results, but what about the rest of your resume? How do you make sure that you are putting together a great cover letter?The first thing you want to do is find an online job site. Find the one with the best job posting and the one that offer the best pay. Of course, there's going to be other criteria, but this will get you started on the right track.Next, you'll want to find a local resume writing service near you. This is important, especially if the person that wrote the position you're applying for is local. They're probably not going to have someone else available. Finding a local company is great because you can interview them and see how they work, as well as seeing if you are going to get along with them.Once you've chosen a service, they will give you a copy of your application, along with an outline of how you sh ould structure your cover letter. It's always helpful to see exactly what you should say and how you should phrase it.Before you start, you will want to know the name of the company. You can find out this information from the local Chamber of Commerce or from the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau will even tell you the phone number of the company if you ask for it.If the company is listed on the Better Business Bureau website, go ahead and call them. If you want to make sure that you get a nice experience, try to get through to the receptionist at least 3 times before giving up. Also, if you have a friend or family member that is an account manager at the company, they maybe able to give you some information.Once you have the contact information of the local resume writing service near you, ask them to send you a sample of what you will be sending out in the mail. Keep in mind that they may send you a sample that has been edited to fit their particular needs, so don 't worry if they don't.When you send the samples, make sure that you follow the format of the cover letter. That way, they will send you back the proper template for your cover letter. After all, it's your first impression of the company, so you want to make sure that it's perfect.