Resume Value

Resume Value Take a moment and ask yourself if your resume contains the dreaded and dreary words ‘responsible for’. You think it might? Ohhhh, say it isn’t so! What if I told you that the words ‘responsible for’ translate into ‘absolutely average at’ would you still use that statement in your major marketing document?  I highly doubt it.  Might as well write: ‘no value here’ because being ‘responsible for’ something (in a resume) doesn’t say much at all. What about the phrase “duties included”; does your resume say this? Please don’t tell me you pasted a copy of your job description(s) right into your resume!? The sad fact is, a majority of job seekers do dump generic job posting details directly into their resume, despite these adding no value. Think about it, employers aren’t interested in what was assigned to you; they want to be told how you demonstrated related skills to successful outcomes.  Past success translates into future success, so please revisit your resume and swap out generic statements with concrete examples of achievement and results. Ensure your resume is marketing you as a valuable commodity. Prevent yourself from coming across as completely average in your resume by avoiding copious focus on what you have been ‘responsible for. It is a given that you were required to get certain things done; that is the whole purpose of employment. Instead, take care to appropriately emphasize related skills in your resume, along with concrete examples of success and results! Speak to employers buying motivators and prove to them you will add value to their open position. If you are not sure how to set yourself apart on paper and you are not personally savvy at creating an impressive representation of your work history, employ the assistance of a professional resume strategist who can extract the unique worth of your skill sets and effectively communicate your key messages.

List of things I hate #3

List of things I hate #3 This is not an exhaustive list on the topic. In fact, it may be an inexhaustible topic. There are older lists of what I hate. So todays post is merely my most recent list. Which is notable because hatred is a process. Neurologists have proven that love and hate are closely related, and I have found its hard to hate a person unless I am also close to that person, and the same is true for a topic. In that vein, life is the process of expanding our love and our knowledge, and I suppose, our hate. So here are some things that I have recently reached the point of thinking so much about that I feel qualified to hate them: 1. Sarcasm The use of sarcasm is always inappropriate. Sarcasm reveals insecurity and cynicism both things that make a person unlikable. Sarcasm is always negative in meaning, and the tone is always disparaging. On top of that, people who use sarcasm think they are being funny, but this is a poor mans humor; because comedy is about timing. You say it, then theres a beat, and then people laugh. With sarcasm, you say it, theres a beat when someone realizes youve said something you dont mean, and a beat to process what you did mean. The timing is off. So comedians rarely use sarcasm because its not funny. And top performers dont use sarcasm because its mean. 2. Getting bids If something is so important to you that you are spending enough time on it to collect bids, then you shouldnt get bids. Because if its so important to you, give it to the person who will do the best job. And if you think you can swindle someone into giving you a deal, well, why do you think theyre so good if they dont even get market price for their work? If your project is important, find someone who has done it before, with someone who was great. And hire that person. You could get another bid, but the work would be different, right? And you should hire someone who does good work. And if everyone does the same work, then pricing cant be that varied its a commodity, priced the same across the board so you dont need bids. 3. Maternity leave Its not that I dont like the topic. I dont like that people think this is an area fraught with controversy. This is not a gray-area area. This is a right answer/wrong answer area. Dont tell people youre pregnant if youre not showing. Hide the bump as long as possible. This is your right. And you have this explicit right because everyone knows that even though its illegal, women are penalized when people hear they are pregnant. No one trusts theyre coming back after the baby, so the project flow goes dry or gets boring. Also, you do not need to know if you are coming back to work full time after the baby. Tell your employer you are. Change your mind later if you want. This is reasonable: no one could guess how they want to raise their kids until the kids are there. Take paid maternity leave no matter what. Its your right. And the fastest way to post-partum depression is to take no time off to recuperate. (I know from my own experience.) So even if you quit when maternity leave is over, take paid leave. The US makes women earn maternity leave. Youve earned it already. You dont need to work more after. 4. Pseudonyms Heres what I read in Car and Driver magazine: The most popular name for upscale strippers to use is Lexus. Do you know what this tells you? Pseudonyms are for strippers. If youre being your real self, doing things that bring you self-respect, why have a pseudonym? And if you dont want to claim what you are doing as your own work, ask yourself why you are doing it. Here is a post about how using a pseudonym made my life a mess. And heres a post about pseudonyms undermine your career, which is ironic since people are usually thinking they need a pseudonym to save their career. 5. Lack of hate My son came home from preschool and told me that using hate is against the rules. I told him that discerning people hate things, and I encouraged him to think of something he hates. (Bowser, a bad guy in Super Mario, for those who are curious.) Recognizing that we each love and we each hate is part of the process of knowing ourselves. Talking about it is part of the process of letting other people know us as well.

What Should Be on Your Resume?

What Should Be on Your Resume?The Pima County Library and Resume Writing Center are currently opening up in Tucson, Arizona. It was previously located in Cooneyville, California and was known as the Career Resource Center, until this year. This was a partnership between the Pima County Library and the Arizona State University's Career Center. The Center for Employment and Resource Initiatives was founded to help and educate job seekers on how to find employment, write a job-seeking resume, and interview with potential employers.If you are a student job seeker and are ready to get started, the program is run by Arizona State University and the Pima County Library. These two entities are working together to provide technical assistance for job seekers who are applying for internships, full-time and part-time employment, or current job openings. You can learn more about the program by visiting their websites.A number of individuals are using the information and services offered by the c enters to help them achieve success in the employment solutions they want. One such individual is Nicholas Hunter, who is currently working as a project manager at a Fortune 500 Company. His biggest challenge was that he did not know what to write in his resume. He is currently working on how to get the career information he needs to have a successful resume.The Pima County Library and Resume Writing Center also help people who are unemployed to prepare for interviews by teaching them how to write a well-researched resume. Writing a resume can be an intimidating task to some. However, many people find it very easy to write one if they know the steps to follow. So, how do you do it?Writing a resume is like writing any other document; you need to research the employer's industry to have a solid understanding of the company. Find out everything you can about the company to help yourself understand its history and identify its strengths and weaknesses. As you get familiar with the compa ny, you will also be able to more easily identify the things that make it distinct from other companies.The next step is to create your resume. This will include writing the sections that relate to the job that you want. By creating your resume, you will be able to get rid of the many distractions and activities that take place while writing a resume. Your resume is something that you will present to potential employers. Therefore, your resume must be written in a way that it is easy to read and understand.You must then attach your references that you have used for jobs. This includes previous employers. You can also list any certificates or diplomas that you have received. In addition, include your contact numbers so that you will be contacted by the potential employer.Finally, list your strong points in the section on your resume. This includes things such as the accomplishments you have achieved in your previous jobs. Try to write about things that demonstrate how qualified you a re for the position. Your resume will be more likely to be seen by the employer if you are able to provide the information that he or she is looking for.

168 Bernard Kassab Designeri.am - Jane Jackson Career

168 Bernard Kassab Designeri.am - Jane Jackson Career Bernard Kassab is a graphic designer, producer, app developer, animation specialist and entrepreneur. He has worked in the US and in Australia, both agency and client side, and brings a wealth of experience to assist his clients to achieve their business branding and marketing goals.In this episode, Bernard shares with us his career journey and his passion for excellence in design.   His philosophies on how to provide the greatest value by understanding his client’s motivations and goals demonstrate why he has been such a success in launching his own design business.Bernard has been working in the brand and design industry for over 10 years. He’s experienced a number of different business environments including corporate, agency before becoming the Founder of Designeri.am.With this diverse experience, he is able to identify obstacles within a business, leverage design-led thinking and create solid strategies to facilitate change and growth for a business across print, digital and social channels.Whether you’re a business that’s just launching, or if your business has become stagnant and now needs a lift, Bernard and his team at Designeri.am will identify new opportunities to position your business to connect with the right customer.  Solid processes, tools and structures have ensured many successful brand executions, with outcomes always surpassing client expectationsAlso, in this episode I mention two valuable resources for those looking to brand themselves more effectively to attract career opportunities:1. 3 Secrets to Personal Branding for Career Success is a FREE Masterclass that takes you through the essential elements to build your powerful personal brand.  www.janejacksoncoach.com/3secrets2. The Job Search Guide helps you, as a job seeker, to avoid the 7 deadly mistakes that job seekers make.  www.thecareersacademy.online/freejobsearchguideWhere to find Bernard:Website:   http://designeri.amTwitter: @designeriamnews

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.