Top Five Websites for Job Seekers #1 is LinkedIn

Top Five Websites for Job Seekers #1 is LinkedIn This is a week-long series going deeper into the Top Five Websites for Job Seekers (The JibberJobber List).  In this series Ill explain WHAT TO DO with each website/tool.  The list: #1: LinkedIn (today) #2 Indeed (tomorrow) #3 Idealist (Wednesday) #4 Google (Thursday) #5 JibberJobber (Friday) On this post you can see ALTERNATIVES for each of these tools, as well as why I chose these 5 tools. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST. LinkedIn is the #1 tool in your job search. No way around this one, if you are a professional, or want to be a professional.  You are going to use it in a transition, for your professional network, for finding new clients and customers, and learning about your competition. What should YOU, as a job seeker, do on LinkedIn?  A lot of things.  Or just a few things. It depends on who you are, your strategy, your industry, your level (exec or entry), your objectives, etc.    Here are five things that should apply to just about everyone: Increase you chances of others finding you. Optimize your LinkedIn Profile.  When Im asked what the #1 mistake most people make on LinkedIn is, it is that their Profiles are weak.  This is kind of the foundation to a solid LinkedIn strategy. Look for others. I am guessing the Advanced Search features are underutilized.  Why?  Maybe people are afraid of the next step, after they find someone: communicate with them!  Use the Advanced People Search to narrow down your search results (I did a search that went from about 1,400 hits to less than 70, because I made the search more precise).  Look for people in Groups, through Answers, etc.  Look for prospects, and then REACH OUT TO THEM. Brand yourself. Personal branding has been a hot topic for a few years.  Use LinkedIn to help communicate your brand.  Personal branding is about helping others know how to perceive you.  What you put on your LinkedIn Profile, and in Answers and Groups and in your Status will shape how other perceive you. Nurture relationships. People hate networking for a lot of reasons.  One reason is that it feels superficial.  Use LinkedIn to get away from that.  Use the tools in LinkedIn to help you communicate with your contacts youll be nurturing relationships, which is only good for your career and your job search. Two great tools to do that are Answers and Groups. Competitive intelligence research (or, look for opportunities). I am learning about a few industries I dont know much about.  Ive used Groups to learn about those industries and have been able to set up phone calls (like Informational Interviews).  This is fun and highly productive, as it prepares me to better meet needs in those industries, and helps evolve my business in the right direction without simple assumptions on my part. As you do something like this you will uncover new opportunities, and youll tap into people who are plugged in, putting you in the middle of the hidden job market. Ive written a lot about LinkedIn you can get years of tips, tricks and strategy on my LinkedIn blog: ImOnLinkedInNowWhat.com. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST. Top Five Websites for Job Seekers #1 is LinkedIn This is a week-long series going deeper into the Top Five Websites for Job Seekers (The JibberJobber List).  In this series Ill explain WHAT TO DO with each website/tool.  The list: #1: LinkedIn (today) #2 Indeed (tomorrow) #3 Idealist (Wednesday) #4 Google (Thursday) #5 JibberJobber (Friday) On this post you can see ALTERNATIVES for each of these tools, as well as why I chose these 5 tools. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST. LinkedIn is the #1 tool in your job search. No way around this one, if you are a professional, or want to be a professional.  You are going to use it in a transition, for your professional network, for finding new clients and customers, and learning about your competition. What should YOU, as a job seeker, do on LinkedIn?  A lot of things.  Or just a few things. It depends on who you are, your strategy, your industry, your level (exec or entry), your objectives, etc.    Here are five things that should apply to just about everyone: Increase you chances of others finding you. Optimize your LinkedIn Profile.  When Im asked what the #1 mistake most people make on LinkedIn is, it is that their Profiles are weak.  This is kind of the foundation to a solid LinkedIn strategy. Look for others. I am guessing the Advanced Search features are underutilized.  Why?  Maybe people are afraid of the next step, after they find someone: communicate with them!  Use the Advanced People Search to narrow down your search results (I did a search that went from about 1,400 hits to less than 70, because I made the search more precise).  Look for people in Groups, through Answers, etc.  Look for prospects, and then REACH OUT TO THEM. Brand yourself. Personal branding has been a hot topic for a few years.  Use LinkedIn to help communicate your brand.  Personal branding is about helping others know how to perceive you.  What you put on your LinkedIn Profile, and in Answers and Groups and in your Status will shape how other perceive you. Nurture relationships. People hate networking for a lot of reasons.  One reason is that it feels superficial.  Use LinkedIn to get away from that.  Use the tools in LinkedIn to help you communicate with your contacts youll be nurturing relationships, which is only good for your career and your job search. Two great tools to do that are Answers and Groups. Competitive intelligence research (or, look for opportunities). I am learning about a few industries I dont know much about.  Ive used Groups to learn about those industries and have been able to set up phone calls (like Informational Interviews).  This is fun and highly productive, as it prepares me to better meet needs in those industries, and helps evolve my business in the right direction without simple assumptions on my part. As you do something like this you will uncover new opportunities, and youll tap into people who are plugged in, putting you in the middle of the hidden job market. Ive written a lot about LinkedIn you can get years of tips, tricks and strategy on my LinkedIn blog: ImOnLinkedInNowWhat.com. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST. Top Five Websites for Job Seekers #1 is LinkedIn This is a week-long series going deeper into the Top Five Websites for Job Seekers (The JibberJobber List).  In this series Ill explain WHAT TO DO with each website/tool.  The list: #1: LinkedIn (today) #2 Indeed (tomorrow) #3 Idealist (Wednesday) #4 Google (Thursday) #5 JibberJobber (Friday) On this post you can see ALTERNATIVES for each of these tools, as well as why I chose these 5 tools. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST. LinkedIn is the #1 tool in your job search. No way around this one, if you are a professional, or want to be a professional.  You are going to use it in a transition, for your professional network, for finding new clients and customers, and learning about your competition. What should YOU, as a job seeker, do on LinkedIn?  A lot of things.  Or just a few things. It depends on who you are, your strategy, your industry, your level (exec or entry), your objectives, etc.    Here are five things that should apply to just about everyone: Increase you chances of others finding you. Optimize your LinkedIn Profile.  When Im asked what the #1 mistake most people make on LinkedIn is, it is that their Profiles are weak.  This is kind of the foundation to a solid LinkedIn strategy. Look for others. I am guessing the Advanced Search features are underutilized.  Why?  Maybe people are afraid of the next step, after they find someone: communicate with them!  Use the Advanced People Search to narrow down your search results (I did a search that went from about 1,400 hits to less than 70, because I made the search more precise).  Look for people in Groups, through Answers, etc.  Look for prospects, and then REACH OUT TO THEM. Brand yourself. Personal branding has been a hot topic for a few years.  Use LinkedIn to help communicate your brand.  Personal branding is about helping others know how to perceive you.  What you put on your LinkedIn Profile, and in Answers and Groups and in your Status will shape how other perceive you. Nurture relationships. People hate networking for a lot of reasons.  One reason is that it feels superficial.  Use LinkedIn to get away from that.  Use the tools in LinkedIn to help you communicate with your contacts youll be nurturing relationships, which is only good for your career and your job search. Two great tools to do that are Answers and Groups. Competitive intelligence research (or, look for opportunities). I am learning about a few industries I dont know much about.  Ive used Groups to learn about those industries and have been able to set up phone calls (like Informational Interviews).  This is fun and highly productive, as it prepares me to better meet needs in those industries, and helps evolve my business in the right direction without simple assumptions on my part. As you do something like this you will uncover new opportunities, and youll tap into people who are plugged in, putting you in the middle of the hidden job market. Ive written a lot about LinkedIn you can get years of tips, tricks and strategy on my LinkedIn blog: ImOnLinkedInNowWhat.com. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST WITH THE SHARE BUTTONS ON THE TOP RIGHT OF THE POST.

Creative Writing Resume Examples

Creative Writing Resume ExamplesIf you are having trouble choosing the right writer for your freelance writing project, a good place to start is with creative writing resume examples. While these can be used by most writers, they can help you spot the writing style that will help you land the job you really want.When people apply for jobs as writers, they often write to a standard template. This is because even the best writers get stuck in the rut of writing the same way over. When they learn to write creatively, their resume examples become their calling cards.It is important to remember that creative writing resume examples are different from the rest of the resume. While you are filling out the information that is provided on a traditional resume, your creative resume focuses on your skills, talents, and skills that you will bring to the company. There are some criteria that you should follow when you are creating your creative writing resume examples.First, you must remember tha t your purpose is to present yourself as an expert. People tend to prefer to work with writers who have made something out of their own talent and ability. They may be looking for more than what your skills or experience actually provide. They want to see a person that has something they want to tell them.Creative writing resume examples must also be written in a conversational style. This will allow you to engage the reader, which will increase your chances of getting hired. It is easy to slip into 'oral' style of writing when you do not feel confident about the information you are presenting. You can express yourself in sentences with voice, body, and even a tone that is very conversational.You can find these examples online in several formats. These will usually be in PDF format, but sometimes it is easier to use HTML. You will need to create the formatting on your own. The free ones are more than adequate, but some have more information and options. The professional writers will have the basic formatting on their templates.Keep your reader interested by keeping the letter brief. Try to keep it to the point instead of running out of things to say. Write in a conversational tone, instead of a formal one.Keep in mind that these writing resume examples are just suggestions. There are plenty of other formats to choose from. But the goal is to be unique and create your own unique skills, writing style, and resume samples.

4 Ways To Know You Chose The Right Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Ways To Know You Chose The Right Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Finding a career that you’re passionate about can be incredibly difficult. In the world today, there are twice as many disengaged, unhappy workers than there are people who love their jobs. There are so many factors that people worry about when looking for employment that they often lose sight of what truly matters. Some work their whole lives, and even excel at jobs that leave them unfulfilled. Doing what you love is often overstated, but many don’t think about it as much as they should. You may be wondering what ‘choosing the right career’ entails, and how you’re supposed to feel once you’re doing it. To help you, here are four ways to know you’ve chosen the right job: You Enjoy Coming In To Work Every company has that one employee who comes into the office every day with a smile and a  positive attitude. No matter what’s going on in their personal life, they see their job as a pleasant escape, rather than a burden. They’re happy to do whatever task is assigned to them, and they never seem to sulk. They love attending meetings, and are always the first to give their insights and opinions. In the rare case that they make a mistake, they’re eager to correct and learn from it. If this sounds like you, chances are you’re doing it right. Your mindset is the biggest influencer in whether or not you enjoy what you do. A negative attitude will get you nowhere in your career, so if you find yourself consistently in that mindset, maybe it’s time for a change. When you love your career, you have a desire to explore every opportunity, and master the skills required to do the job. People who don’t enjoy their jobs simply put in their time and look for happiness when they clock out. But when you love your career, it becomes a part of your life, and you’re able to find happiness in all aspects of your life. Finding fulfillment at work is important since that’s where most people spend the bulk of their time. You Enjoy Your Coworkers If you’re in a career you’re passionate about, then chances are the majority of the people you work with carry that same torch for the industry. Employee culture is one of the biggest drivers of successful companies. The chances of you being happy in a job where you don’t get along with coworkers is slim to none. An unharmonious balance among workers usually brings unwanted drama and misery, which can directly affect your feelings about the job. Unhealthy employee culture also doesn’t bode well for the overall productivity of your company, which can affect future opportunities for growth another factor of career happiness. If the bond between your coworkers is strong, you’re not only making your job more fun and fulfilling, but you’re also helping the company become more productive and profitable since there’s less tension and stress to hold you back. There’s also more incentive and encouragement to share your ideas. If everyone in your office feels comfortable giving their insight, it leads to more inventive and innovative ideas that can make your company (and your job) better. You Enjoy Getting Ahead Those who find no joy in their job coast through day-to-day putting in the minimum amount of work needed. They care only about keeping their job and the paycheck it provides, and they have an excuse for almost anything. Their apathy for the business not only affects their own work atmosphere, but the atmosphere of the workers around them as well. If you truly enjoy your job, you’ll naturally want to be the best you can at it. You’ll take every opportunity you can to get more experience, and you constantly stay on top of industry news and trends. A truly happy employee wants to make as big an impact as possible at their company, and their competitiveness won’t let them stop until they reach their fullest potential. If you enjoy getting ahead, and you prove it through hard work, the results are going to show. Not only will you feel more fulfilled in your career, but you could end up at the top of the company (or even own your own!) someday. If you have the passion and desire, while at the same time keeping your ego in check, you’ll reach a whole new level of appreciation and happiness in your job and life! You Don’t Need Money To Gauge Success The people who only care about how much money they’re making are often the ones who feel the least fulfilled in their careers. If you make a solid salary, but constantly find problems in other important facets of your job such as the actual work you’re doing, culture, and flexibility then you’ll quickly lose interest and lose sight of what really matters. Money is great and all, but if you’re truly happy in your job, you’ll find satisfaction in nearly everything. If you think about success in terms of gratification and fulfillment, your work will start to mean a lot more to you than simply a means to make a living; it will become a part of who you are and what makes you happy. Just look at comedian Don Rickles his career has surpassed 55 years and it’s still going strong! Once you find your passion, you’ll never want to retire, since you couldn’t imagine yourself doing anything else. Did you chose the right job? How did you know?

How Entrepreneurs Stay Ahead of The Competition

How Entrepreneurs Stay Ahead of The Competition Entrepreneurs are aware of the tense battle involved in finding success. You might be having a fantastic idea and a solid plan for your business, but if you have a wrong approach or lack of understanding of what your customers want, you might get derailed for months or even years. When this happens, a new perspective is necessary. This can come in the form of leadership courses or a mentorship with a role model. Below are some of the measures that todays entrepreneurs should take to stay on top of their business industry. Bring Your Product to Life Quickly  As an entrepreneur, you should be keen on details when solving problems. Bring your feature hastily to create room for reacting, learn, and repeat. Your priority as an entrepreneur should be getting your first 100 customers; this will ensure demand for the product you are creating. If you realize or come to the conclusion that the product isn’t appealing to the customers, you can proceed to the next venture for now. Stay Ahead with The Current Trends  It’s vital for entrepreneurs to keep an eye on the current trends in the marketplace. Technology is changing with a blink of an eye these days, and creating a product that is user-friendly to the customers can get you ahead of other businesspeople. It can even lead to your success in the business world. Give your customers something different that your competitors can’t.  Go Beyond Customer Expectations  To achieve success, I believe that you must go beyond customer expectations with the most exceptional customer service. Learn to continually communicate with your customers and treat your employees as if they are members of your family. You can also plan ways on how to get your company to be directly involved in community and charity events. Be innovative and a risk taker. It is all about the people. Like Michael Fishman said we are in the people business. Ask for Help  Let me reveal a little secret. Nobody establishes a successful business by doing it all alone. That’s right, nobody. Learn to ask for help when you are in a fix. The mentors and entrepreneurs that you see on the internet or in the Forbes magazine are regularly getting help from other people. They are busy looking for mentors, building advisory boards, and looking for ways to enlighten themselves some more. If you want to get ahead of other entrepreneurs, then you should learn to look for help from other successful people.  Be Consistent  Most entrepreneurs who get ahead in business are calm and collected individuals. They are strategic and methodical and don’t get stressed out easily. When you are a beginner in the business industry your attitude and how you solve the issues will determine how you respond to your business in the long run. The businessmen who get ahead of other entrepreneurs know that the is a solution to everything. You can also get some formal training from a quality source such as  Schulich business school and learn skills that will highly help you in acquiring knowledge that you might use in running your business. One of the most important realizations an aspiring entrepreneur can have is that managing a business will always be a learning experience. Always remember that a good business will continuously have to adapt to the challenges posed by the passage of time. . Main image credit.

Start a Resume Writing Business - 3 Easy Ways to Make Money With Your Resume Writing Business

Start a Resume Writing Business - 3 Easy Ways to Make Money With Your Resume Writing BusinessYou can start a resume writing business very easily and even profit from it. Yes, you can do it and this is without question the fastest way to make money online.There are many types of businesses that people are doing these days. Some of them have made huge profits while others have not yet realized their full potential. What you need to do is find out what the fastest ways to make money are for you.The first one is for someone who has a computer and has access to the internet. This is a work from home business that gets a lot of views, which is where a lot of money comes from. This is because people who go online to search for information want to be able to put what they find into a form that they can fill out in order to get the information they want. That is where the whole idea of this business came from.The second way is to run a job referral business. This will require you to learn how to be an intermediary between a company and an individual or family. This will also require you to know how to do some resume writing and what to write so that you can make money with it. The process works by having a business that lists jobs that people need, making recommendations to the job seeker and then selling them a job that is better than the one the person was looking for.This may sound simple, but many people have found themselves overwhelmed by the cost of these services. That is because they are not sure what to sell to get the best price for their time. You can of course use the recommendation of friends to recommend the services that they have had and you can always put up advertisements to bring in business if you want to.Once you have done your research and are ready to start a business, then youwill need to find a place to get started. There are many free online directories that can help you find a business to start with that you can use and in most cases make mon ey from. Of course you can still buy ads on the sites that you find but for many that is not a good enough answer.Your resume writing business should be all about finding the right people to advertise with and bringing them the service they want at the price they want. They will want to know that they can go online to get information and that they can get the help they need at the same time. So make sure that the service you offer is 100% reliable and that you offer everything that the company needs for their business.You will also need to make sure that your referrals are confident and that you can prove that you know what you are talking about. This will give your customers the feeling that you are someone they can trust. There are many places you can find information about starting a resume writing business online but the fact of the matter is that there are no guarantees.

Gen X and Y - Like Oil and Water - Career Pivot

Gen X and Y - Like Oil and Water - Career Pivot Gen X and Y â€" Do they get along? As a baby boomer, I would assume that an office full of employees from Gen X and Y would work together harmoniously. WOW, is that a bad assumption! Gen X and Y are cut from very different cloth. Gen X Gen X (born 1965-1982) were the children of the Silent Generation (born 1925-1945). I was talking with a client yesterday who told me that her parents divorced in her early teens. She said when she was in middle school it was common to hear from her friends that their parents were divorcing. Generation X were the first latchkey kids. Their parents divorced in record numbers. To a large extent, they raised themselves. Many went to work in their teens to help support themselves and their family. The generational echo effect is that Gen X has the lowest divorce rates. This is primarily because they have waited to get married. I currently know quite a few Gen Xers who are 40 and getting married for the first time. I spoke at a recruiting conference a few months ago, and I was talking about how Gen Xers wait to get married. A female Gen Xer offered up that she told her parents she was gay in order to get them off her back about getting married!! When these kids left home, many had to put themselves through college. They also entered the workforce starting in the mid-1980sâ€"about the time that companies were discontinuing jobs for life. The concept of loyalty to a company was disappearing. Gen Xers created the concept of “work-life balance.” Listen to the most recent episode Gen Y Let’s contrast this to Gen Y (born 1983-2000). They are the children of baby boomers. Until recently, baby boomers have had stable marriages. Gen Y grew up in relatively stable homes when compared to Gen X. As a baby boomer parent, we raised our child to build a college resume. We did not want him to work so that he could focus on his studies. Therefore, often their first work experience was in collegeâ€"and that may have been an unpaid internship. Gen Y entered the workforce when at the beginning of the worst recession since the great depression. Many stayed in college because they could not get a job. Therefore, this is rapidly becoming the most educated generation ever. It is also the most in debt generation ever due to student loans. Gen Y grew up in an age of organized sports where everyone got a blue ribbon or trophy. Some will tell you they grew up entitled. Gen Y has entered the workplace with a thud. We baby boomer parents encouraged our children to ask for what they want. Gen Y will ask for the promotion or pay raise. We wanted our children to study and not have to work. Gen Y is entering the workforce with less experience as an employee than any other generation. Today’s Workplace As Gen Y enters the workplace, they have either baby boomer or Gen X bosses. Over and over, I have seen the mix of a Gen X boss and Gen Y employee become toxic. These Gen X and Y grew up in very different environments. The challenge is both baby boomers and Gen X bosses look at Gen Y employees through their own lenses expecting them to be like them. They are not! When Gen Y employees enter the workforce, they need far more coaching to become employees than previous generations. They do not have work experience. If Gen Y employees do not get the experience they want in the workplace, they will leave and go somewhere else. Why? Because we raised them to ask for what they want! Do Gen X and Y get along? Not really. They do not mix well, just like oil and water! What is your experience? I want to hear your Gen X and Y story! Please read the rest of the Multi-Generational Workplace Series. 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 ...

Summary Sunday Fix These Things In Your Job Search

Summary Sunday Fix These Things In Your Job Search This weeks Summary Sunday is about what you can do better or differently as a job seeker. If your search isnt getting you the results you want (a job!), then the following posts about fixing your job search should help. Sundays are when I curate content from around the web I like and think is valuable   but you can always see new articles I share (mostly written by others) on Twitter.   You can follow me @careersherpa or, if you are not on Twitter, you can read articles written by people I follow in this web-based newspaper called The   Job Search Guide. 5 Reasons Why You Never Hear Back After Applying for a Job by Meghan M. Biro on Business Insider Meghan has identified the five things you could be doing wrong. Even better than that, she has outlined five solutions to improve your search. Research interesting companies on social media. Consider starting a blog in your area of interest or expertise. Get professional help with your resume. If at all possible, don’t wait until you’re out of work to find your next job. Network. Whats Your Emails Message by Harry Urschel on CareerRocketeer What does your email provider say about you? Huh? Youve never thought about this? You dont care? Maybe you should. Ask yourself the questions posed in this post and see if you are sending the right message! And just for giggles, I shared this photo with a friend the other day when we were having a conversation about this topic! How To Write a Letter of Interest on About.com (Alison Doyle) A letter of interest in very much like submitting a proposal for an opportunity that may not exist yet. Why waste your timebecause every day companies hire people to fix their unadvertised problems. You might just be their solution. Not only does this article include the why but it also explains how. It lays out what you need to put in each paragraph of the letter to catch the readers attention. PS: I love the idea of pitching yourself like this. Will it always work, no. Do you stand out? YES!

Resume Writing Help Online - Get That Resume Perfection You Need

Resume Writing Help Online - Get That Resume Perfection You NeedYou may think that writing your resume is something that you can do from the comfort of your own home. In fact, there are plenty of companies that will actually help you out by doing a lot of the work for you. Most companies and even agencies that offer resume writing help online also do some editing as well. If you think you are bad at reading resumes, this might not be the type of resume writing help you need.The reality is that most resumes are a very personal document. They are usually developed by you based on your experiences and knowledge of what you can offer to a potential employer. This means that when it comes to creating your resume, you need to do it in such a way that it showcases the specific things that you do or know that they want in a potential employee.For instance, if you use email as your form of communication, you probably use a ton of other applications such as VoIP and IM and all sorts of free an d paid applications. Yet, if you used an old fashioned Blackberry, there would not be too many applications of this type available. Likewise, if you used only a cell phone, there would be no other kind of application available. Therefore, while you might be tempted to take shortcuts in the resume, there are things that are crucial and absolutely vital that you cannot take shortcuts with.While this is one of the main reasons that most people use resume writing help online, there are other reasons as well. You might find that the person that you want to hire does not have a website, which is a huge problem. Using resume writing help online will allow you to create a very professional looking resume without having to go through a web site.Finally, you will want to make sure that you take a look at your documents. Make sure that they look professional and you like how they read. If you are not happy with them, you can then use resume writing help online to correct your errors and make s ure that your resume is perfect.The truth is that the resume you create can make or break the deal for you. While you want to make sure that you use the best quality materials, the last thing you want to do is blow your chance of getting hired. Having a professional looking resume written with resume writing help online will definitely take your career to the next level.Once you see the finished product, you will realize that you are truly capable of writing a resume. You will understand that you are the person that they are looking for, and you can make your dreams come true. Therefore, use resume writing help online and get a professional resume that is both beautiful and powerful.