Interview Tips Creating Your Online Portfolio - Sterling Career Concepts

Interview Tips Creating Your Online Portfolio Interview Tips: Creating Your Online Portfolio “Show, don’t tell” is a tired phrase that many creative writing teachers harp on. The phrase, however, rings true in writing as well as with job interviews. If you can master “the show” during your interview, you will stand out and, hopefully, land the job. The best way to show a potential employer what you can accomplish is to produce an online portfolio. It’s not as hard as it sounds and you don’t need to be an artist. An online portfolio might not be the best tool for everyone, but it certainly won’t hurt your career â€" just don’t include any controversial material. It doesn’t take a tech savvy person to know what is appropriate. Use a little common sense and get a second opinion from a trusted source. Portfolio Basics After choosing a site, think about the content you want to include in your portfolio. This process will be much easier for creative types (writers, artists, photographer) as they have a body of work to display. For everybody else, the portfolio will be more like a personal website, something your employer finds when they do their pre-interview online search. Online Portfolio Sites Numerous sites specialize in online portfolios, and prices vary. Also consider website builders that can be customized. Here are a few sites to help start your search: Portfolio Box is geared towards creative people. There are two plans to choose from: free and Pro. The Pro account, which allows users create unlimited pages and to upload as many as 1,000 photos, costs $6.90 per month. Carbon Made has been around for 10 years and hosts 950,000 portfolios. It is an easy to use platform with three plans to choose from: Okay ($6/month), Whoo! ($12/month) and Laser Whale ($24/month). Coroflot, established in 1997, is one of the oldest portfolio sites on the web. It is really more of a community for design professionals rather than a portfolio builder. Coroflot also hosts a job board. The site is free. Wix, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, is one of the easiest platforms out there. Plans range from free to $24.89 per month. Ads are displayed on the free and Connect Domain ($4.08/month) plans. If that is an issue, and it should be if this is your professional profile, you will want to upgrade to one of the better plans. Google recently de-indexed Wix websites, which is something you’ll want to investigate before signing up. Square Space, which launched 11 years ago, is, like Wix, extremely easy to use. They offer plenty of templates to choose from, too. The personal plan is $8 per month. Bring the Tech Don’t assume the interviewer is going to have tech available for you to use. Plus, showing that you are technologically self-sufficient may get you bonus points. Here is the scene: you are at a job interview and it is time to show your online portfolio. You reach in your briefcase and pull out a Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, which is a business grade tablet/laptop combo. Then, pull up your portfolio (it should be bookmarked or already ready to go) and show why you are the best candidate. In this competitive job market, this just might be the edge you need.

How to Write a Creative Professional Resume

How to Write a Creative Professional ResumeWhen you are considering how to get your next job, there is something that you must realize that many people are not aware of. This is the fact that most companies do not require that you have a professional resume, at least not in the traditional sense. That means that you do not need to spend time and money on a resume and cover letter. The truth is that all you really need to do is write your own creative professional resume.You may think that you have a lot of work experience. You might even have some recent awards or promotions. It does not matter. The only thing that you must remember is that you must be able to effectively present yourself in a way that impresses your interviewer.The best thing that you can do to create a creative professional resume is to write one in which you are able to explain your strengths and weaknesses. If you are able to make the case for why you should be considered for the job you are applying for, you wil l be more likely to be hired. As long as you show that you are an asset to the company, they will be more likely to hire you. Your potential employer may even be impressed enough to make you a part of their team.Another way to make your creative professional resume stand out is to use a unique color scheme. There are so many great colors and patterns to choose from, that there is no reason to stick with the same colors that you have used in the past. This gives you the opportunity to really personalize your resume to fit your personality. Having a different color scheme will also help you make a good first impression on the person who is reading it.Last but not least, when creating your creative professional resume, consider which industries you would be a good fit for. Do not take the word 'industry' literally. A few examples include: creative writing, computer programming, accounting, graphic arts, or health care. The more you know about the industries that you are interested in, the easier it will be for you to find companies that have openings.When creating your creative professional resume, you are also going to want to think about what kind of things you like to do. Since you will not be traveling for a long period of time, consider what hobbies and interests you have. Perhaps you enjoy cooking and baking. You may also be interested in writing.Whatever you decide to include on your creative professional resume, make sure that you don't overdo it. Just because you love writing does not mean that you will be hired.

Office Gift Giving Guide for the Holidays

Office Gift Giving Guide for the Holidays Wondering whether you need to get the boss a holiday gift this year? Or how to navigate your office’s Secret Santa? We’ve got answers to all your office holiday gift-giving dilemmas. First and foremost, though, know that holiday gifts at work are very much a case of “know your office.” Something that’s the norm in one office might be out of sync with the culture in another. So before you take any advice, even from us, think about what you know about your office, your coworkers, and your boss. That caveat aside, here’s our advice on some of the most common office gift-giving quandaries that come up at this time of year. Am I expected to get my boss a gift for the holidays? According to etiquette rules, no. Gifts in a workplace should flow downward, not upward; gifts from bosses to employees are fine, but employees shouldn’t give gifts to those above them. Without this rule, people might feel obligated to purchase gifts when they don’t want to or can’t afford to, and managers should never benefit from the power dynamic in that way. That said, there are offices where everyone tends to gift upwards, and if you work in one of those, you’ll need to decide whether you’re willing to be the person who bucks the trend. In that case, a good compromise might be a card and some homemade treats. What if I’m being pressured to contribute to a group gift and I can’t afford it or don’t want to? It’s reasonable to say, “Unfortunately my budget won’t allow me to chip in.” Sometimes, though, it’s easier to just chip in $5 and be done with it. However, if your team is planning something extravagant, it’s worth speaking up. I once heard from a reader whose whole office was being pressured to fund a ski vacation for the CEO and his whole family. Be the one to put the brakes on something like that and you’ll likely earn the gratitude of lots of other coworkers. Do I have to participate in the office Secret Santa? And what’s a good gift if I do? Again, know your office. In some offices, Secret Santa and other gift exchanges are opt-in, while in others you’d be seen as the Grinch if you didn’t participate. But it’s okay to go simple. Food or gift cards, especially to a coffee shop or nearby restaurant that the recipient frequents, are good choices. Bottles of wine are often appreciated and are easily re-gifted if they’re not the recipient’s taste … but be sure not to give it to a recovering alcoholic, a Muslim, or someone else known not to drink. As a general rule, stay away from gifts intended to be put on the recipient’s body â€" such as perfume, lotion, clothes, or jewelry â€" which aren’t appropriate for work because they’re too personal. I’m a manager. Should I get my employees gifts? In general, no, managers don’t need to get their staff gifts. But if it’s the norm in your office for managers to do something for their staff, you’d want to factor that into your decision. However, this is another time when bringing in baked goods for people to share can be a good solution. What if a coworker gives me a gift and I didn’t get them anything? It’s fine to simply give a sincere and gracious “thank you.” Most offices have a mix of gift-givers and non-gift givers. But if you’re going to feel awkward about not reciprocating, it’s easy to follow up with something small like a gift card for the local coffee shop or cookies. As the blogger behind Ask a Manager, Alison Green functions as the Dear Abby of the workplace, answering readers’ questions daily on career, job search, and management issues. She’s the former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management.

Compliance Auditing Job Market Heats Up - Your Career Intel

Compliance Auditing Job Market Heats Up - Your Career IntelLast September, Wells Fargo made headlines when mora than 5300 employees were fired for creating over 2 million phony accounts. Six months later, Wells Fargo continues to struggle in the aftermath of its sales scandal. The bank reported in late January that credit card applications were down 43 percent in Q4 2016 compared with 2015, and that new checking account openings had fallen by 40 percent.The scandals ramifications are being felt in mora places than just Wells Fargos bottom line. Increased regulatory scrutiny has financial institutions across the U.S. shoring up their risk, compliance and internal audit functions.As a Managing Partner focused on Accounting and Finance recruitment, Ive seen first-hand the growing demand for specialized auditing and compliance talent and the growing challenge businesses are facing when it comes to filling these roles. In an effort to land sought-after talent, companies are upping their compensation packages with everything from bigger bonuses to promises of better work-life balance.Job candidates with strong auditing and analysis backgrounds can position themselves for success by doing the followingHighlight the right skills, certifications and experience. Companies are looking to hire accountants with at least three years of specialized experience. Certifications like Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and proficiency in Service Organization Controls (SOCs) are essential. Im based in Las Vegas and many of my clients are in the gaming industry. While some are looking to hire auditors and analysts who are experienced in gaming, others are open to hiring public accountants who have a diversified client base. Regardless of your background as a potential hire, be sure your resume clearly explains how your skills and certifications have been beneficial for strengthening auditing and compliance at your current employer.Be willing to relocate.Geographic location can impact the number of available job opportunities as well as the caliber of talent. A willingness to relocate could help you land a higher paying position than whats currently available in your home city. Here in Las Vegas, for example, the majority of top talent is already employed. Consequently, when companies want to source talent locally, they need to be more aggressive with their offer packages and try to lure talent away from the competition. Depending on your location, the opposite might be true there could be more available talent than companies looking to hire. By understanding these marketplace dynamics, you can focus your job search on cities where demand is high but available talent is low.Know the marketplace.Todays auditing and compliance job market moves fast. Since the available talent pool is limited, companies are making offers quickly. This also means that the time between submitting an initial application and receiving an bewerbungsinterview request has been significant ly compressed. Be prepared to bring your A game to the interview from the moment you submit your resume. If multiple candidates are being considered, the company may even skip extra interview rounds in favor of making an immediate offer to their favorite candidate. Make a stellar impression in the first round and you could be a lock for the offerDo you have questions about the accounting job market? Email me at LLaytonlucasgroup.com to learn more.

5 Signs Consulting is the Right Career for You

5 Signs Consulting is the Right Career for You So if I could imparte any advice, its this If you have a checklist, good for you. Structured ambition can sometimes be motivating. But also, feel free to let it go.Actress Mindy Kaling shared that sentiment with the Dartmouth graduating class of 2018. Along with other useful advice, like be your own cheerleader and have insane confidence in yourself, she gave the graduates a generous gift the permission to let go of any preconceived notions about what their life path should be. Whether that means letting go of expectations around your career or your personal life, her message was powerful.Mindys speech got me thinking what would my owncareer in consulting look like if I had not given myself that same permission? What if I had not looked beyond my own preconceived notions of how things were supposed to go?Many people miss out because they think there is a set, one-way-only path to consulting. But in my career, I have found that the skills required as a fundraising consultant are quite portable in nature.I consider my career path perfect. Not perfect like I made six-figures upon graduating or flew up the corporate ladder. I mean perfect in that each job I had seemed like an impeccably placed stepping stone in my path forward. I was fortunate to know that I wanted to work in the nonprofit sector very early on. I was intrigued by fundraising, since it kind of runs in my family, so I set my sights on development and jumped in. From a therapeutic humor nonprofit to a business school to a membership organization in the healthcare field, I collected experience and perspective quickly. I benefitted from structure, mentorship and professional development at certain times, and freedom to experiment and be creative at other times. More than anything, I learned.Two and a half years into my last job and days away from turning 30 I felt ready for a new adventure. I had brought strategy to that organization by establishing a dev elopment program and celebrated success as we nearly tripled philanthropic revenue. But I looked around and wondered now what?I had been curious about consulting, and decided to look into it. Maybe you already have your own visions of what a fundraising consultant looks like. Most people picture someone later in their career, perhaps making a last stop before retirement. A former Vice President of Development or Chief Development bro maybe five times over. Many believe a consultant in our field is someone who is getting on the exit ramp.Well, that wasnt me at all. I realized consulting didnt have to be that exit ramp and for me, I knew it would be an on ramp to an incredibly rewarding career. And nearly eight years later, I wouldnt change a thing.So, what was it that made me ready for consulting and could mean youre ready for consulting, too? These five qualities1. You like a challenge.When I felt like I had done or learned all I could, I was ready for the next project. When you wo rk in house, that next project is usually at another organization. Within consulting, its with the next client.2. You dont want to pick a corner.As my career progressed, I knew I would have to pick a side of the house major gifts? Annual giving? Prospect research? But I liked them all and frankly, I thought I was pretty good at them all. Consulting meant advising on all of them.3. You like variety.Beyond focusing on certain areas of development, some professionals find a sector and stick to it. I found a thrill in shifting from a nonprofit focused on bringing humor to cancer patients to a top-notch NYC business school. Appreciating variety serves a consultant well.4. Type A, anyone?This is the one I joke about, but it has been my most valuable tool. I am organized and a better leader than follower. I dont mind taking charge in order to chart the course. Clients appreciate that.5. Youre empathetic.While I am confident in my opinions, skills and work, I am humble and empathetic enoug h to partner with clients in an authentic way. I connect with people easily. And over the years, people have told me that I missed my calling in two professional areas being a therapist and being a teacher. There is a bit of both in consulting.During my time as a consultant, I have been a part of dozens of campaigns and partnered with organizations across the country and across all sectors. Breaking another stereotype, I have returned to my own bed (at an appropriate time) most nights with travel not being a large part of my role. I have delivered and sold service, coached college presidents and brand-new fundraisers. Ive celebrated, supported, counseled, and guided. You experience the industry and seemingly learn at warp speed in the consulting world.Working as a development professional at any organization can be valuable, rewarding, and, for some, the perfect fit. If some of my top five consulting qualities resonate with you, I challenge you to stop counting the years until you a re supposed to move into consulting. The timing is up to you.The average turnover in development has held steady around 18 months. People job hop. But it doesnt have to be lateral. The move to consulting can be an on ramp for you, too. You get to decide when to take your skills and knowledge and go.--Allison K. White is Executive Vice President at Graham-Pelton Consulting, a leading global fundraising and nonprofit management firm.

The I Stick at Writing Resume Diaries

The I Stick at Writing Resume Diaries So once youre considering how to compose a resume, dont forget that you need to be selling your abilities and accomplishments, not only listing your work history and your old responsibilities. Since you might not have lots of experience, its important to include information thats related to your intended job like coursework, projects, extracurricular activities, or volunteer work. Of course you believe you have a good deal of relevant experience and accomplishments you want to share with the selection committee. Even if your work experience is ideal, a subpar resume could sink your odds of getting a work interview. What Is So Fascinating About I Stick at Writing Resume? Consider it, rather, as a perspektive to showcase the incredible things youve done in your career and an opportunity to initiate a conversation with a possible employer. When it has to do with the work hunt, you have to sell yourself as the very best candidate for the fun ction. For those who have publications or work samples that are connected to your job search, look at putting together one of your own. Dont curb the desire to stick out from the competition, your resume is a means to win. I Stick at Writing Resume - Overview An overview of qualifications isnt your summary statement. A great resume format is simple to scan. Well it is all dependent on whether the job posting instructions specify a specific format. There is an assortment of steps involved with sending a resume via email. Its also wise to touch on the skills you possess, but you wish to speak about how you will use them. When youre done Get rid of all of the skills you simply have a simple grasp of. Aside from this, you will also have to have excellent written and verbal English communication abilities. Youll also have to have excellent written and verbal English communication abilities. You have to make it exquisitely clear in the summary that you have what it requires to find the business done. There are a lot of basic kinds of resumes used to make an application for job openings. For instance, if youre asking for a job as an administrative assistant, you dont will need to discuss the way your job for a babysitter helped improve your childcare skills, but you might share the way the experience helped you cultivate time management abilities and the capacity to juggle several tasks simultaneously. The job, the market, and the institution proved not the perfect fit for me.

The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Education Examples

The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Education Examples Where to Find Resume Education Examples There are assorted types of objectives. You are able to create new sections, add in unusual info, or produce creative strategies to present your qualifications. Meta descriptions permit you to influence the way your web pages are described and displayed in search success. When youre taking reference from the samples, you have to search for the sample that supplies you with best presented details of former jobs, education and current skills. Resume Education Examples Options In order to acquire a great job you must communicate to the employer that you are prepared, willing, and equipped to do the job. Youre going to want to tailor your resume to the work description. Dont forget that your resume is your very first line of defense in the event of landing your final job. You might be requested to explain why youre interested in doing the job. The Basic Principles of Resume Educ ation Examples You Can Learn From Beginning Immediately What began as a very simple research project become a journey through history. Some business colleges will have three questions in which you have to write a number of essays as a way to answer each question thats asked. Science does not have any truth, no genuine empirical evidence. Mentioning an extensive collection of hobbies and individual interests on resume might be an issue as the man or woman may come out to be very distributive. Possessing quirky and distinctive hobbies and individual interests on resume is an incredible means to collect attention Therefore, its best that you abflug by developing a list of hobbies on resume you will list. No matter what type of industry youre aiming to land work in, you want to personalize your list of skills for the position. Preparation Research the business you will be interviewing with. List any publications youve authored, or even co-authored beneath your Education sectio n, or in case youve got several, make a new section named Publications. Got an in depth comprehension of business functionality and took the duty of preparing the Functionality Test Plan that was used by testing team when doing their testing practice. Be sure to concentrate on your project management abilities. Your employer would typically ask you for a duplicate of the license when you get an offer theres no need to extend the license number within the resume. An effective cover letter is important to creating a thriving private lending transaction. You will need to supply information regarding the state where you received the license along with date as soon as the license came into effect. Resume examples free of charge can help you in a step-by-step process on easy procedures to compose your resume. The ideal order of placement is dependent on what it is youre attempting to emphasize. Though theres a whole lot of information which may be included in the summary statement , the best ones are extremely selective in their content, and are concentrated on the requirements of the position. All you need to do is write in the credits you did figure out how to get. Instead, youve got two options. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Resume Education Examples Is Wrong The prospective candidates could possibly be called if nobody in the very first group creates a favorable impression. Irrespective of your actual objectives, employers will be impressed to find you have aspirations, an urge to succeed in new jobs and a plan of action to receive there. Despite the fact that you might just be starting out, employers are almost always interested in your long-term objectives. Most employers are really choosy on the topic of the selection of staff for a work opening. Having thus place the employer in a pleasant mindset, your letter must now proceed to earn a true impression. A nicely written resume is one thats not overly overwhelming within the opinion of employers. Bear in mind that just about all employers proper now will choose candidates for a work emptiness based mostly on what is on their resumes. The New Fuss About Resume Education Examples Its vital to understand how to list your education on a resume at each stage. You are able to place your education section before or following your experience section. If youve just graduated, think about placing your education section prior to your experience section. If youre a seasoned professional, set your professional work history section prior to your education. Also, when you have a degree in a different field, you can demonstrate that you took courses related to your professional field also. If youre all set to attain your career objectives, an outstanding resume can allow you to get there. You may not have direct experience, but you need transferable skills which can help you secure work in education. If youve got little to no work experience, a coursework descripti on can demonstrate you have the wisdom and skills needed for the job via your education. A cover letter is very important. If you dont look impressive on paper, you arent going to be contacted for an interview. Do not go over one page and it ought to be fairly succinct and fairly tight in regard to the text. Resumes arrive in various forms and formats.