Job Seekers You Pitch, You Lose (if it sounds like a pitch)

Job Seekers You Pitch, You Lose (if it sounds like a pitch) 30 Second commercials stink because they sound like a pitch. I recently got an email from someone in the career space, who has a background in PR.  The email was long enough that I almost had to scroll to read the whole thing. If you ask a PR professor, Im guessing they would say it was perfect.  It had everything I would need. If you ask a human being (like me), Id say it was a complete failure. I dont know what to do with it.  Im not interested, at all, in the content.  The email should have been personal, and started a relationship with me (since were in the same space).  But it was a PITCH. You know what editors and writers do with pitches? Many times, they delete them. Even though PR pros are supposed to write them the right way, I cant image a cold-call pitch is better than a relationship (or, a warm introduction). But they still PITCH, before the relationship. Why do we, as job seekers, PITCH? Please, reevaluate the language you are using when you reach out to people.  Focus less on your fancy words and slick phrases and think about what they might actually hear. Better yet, focus on establishing the foundation of a relationship before you get right to business.  And no matter what happens with this pitch, dont let their reaction get in the way of a long-term professional relationship. This is totally inline with the annual theme: 2012 THEME: Job Search is 99% Communication Job Seekers You Pitch, You Lose (if it sounds like a pitch) 30 Second commercials stink because they sound like a pitch. I recently got an email from someone in the career space, who has a background in PR.  The email was long enough that I almost had to scroll to read the whole thing. If you ask a PR professor, Im guessing they would say it was perfect.  It had everything I would need. If you ask a human being (like me), Id say it was a complete failure. I dont know what to do with it.  Im not interested, at all, in the content.  The email should have been personal, and started a relationship with me (since were in the same space).  But it was a PITCH. You know what editors and writers do with pitches? Many times, they delete them. Even though PR pros are supposed to write them the right way, I cant image a cold-call pitch is better than a relationship (or, a warm introduction). But they still PITCH, before the relationship. Why do we, as job seekers, PITCH? Please, reevaluate the language you are using when you reach out to people.  Focus less on your fancy words and slick phrases and think about what they might actually hear. Better yet, focus on establishing the foundation of a relationship before you get right to business.  And no matter what happens with this pitch, dont let their reaction get in the way of a long-term professional relationship. This is totally inline with the annual theme: 2012 THEME: Job Search is 99% Communication Job Seekers You Pitch, You Lose (if it sounds like a pitch) 30 Second commercials stink because they sound like a pitch. I recently got an email from someone in the career space, who has a background in PR.  The email was long enough that I almost had to scroll to read the whole thing. If you ask a PR professor, Im guessing they would say it was perfect.  It had everything I would need. If you ask a human being (like me), Id say it was a complete failure. I dont know what to do with it.  Im not interested, at all, in the content.  The email should have been personal, and started a relationship with me (since were in the same space).  But it was a PITCH. You know what editors and writers do with pitches? Many times, they delete them. Even though PR pros are supposed to write them the right way, I cant image a cold-call pitch is better than a relationship (or, a warm introduction). But they still PITCH, before the relationship. Why do we, as job seekers, PITCH? Please, reevaluate the language you are using when you reach out to people.  Focus less on your fancy words and slick phrases and think about what they might actually hear. Better yet, focus on establishing the foundation of a relationship before you get right to business.  And no matter what happens with this pitch, dont let their reaction get in the way of a long-term professional relationship. This is totally inline with the annual theme: 2012 THEME: Job Search is 99% Communication

Resume and Cover Letter Examples - Time Well Spent

Resume and Cover Letter Examples - Time Well SpentDo you know the difference between the resume and cover letter? Do you know what they are used for? The simple answer is yes, you know the difference but you don't know how they are used or where you can find resume and cover letter examples. You might think it's too simple to use and that you need a lot of work to write one but you don't have to hire a ghostwriter to do this for you.Instead of paying thousands of dollars to a ghostwriter, why not save yourself some money and use a cover letter and resume examples you find on the internet? Once you have a few samples you will find it very easy to create a great looking resume and cover letter that will get you the job you want.Resume and cover letter examples are the best way to learn how to make the most of your time and effort when writing your resume. You will be surprised by the amount of people that overlook these important documents. They assume that because they look like stand ard resume templates that they will not sell. They are not selling themselves, they are selling a product.Resume and cover letter examples are the best way to get an idea of how the person you are writing for will read your document. Some people will read resumes for different positions all the time. They don't care if they are applying for a position at their own company or at a competitor's company. The important thing is they want someone that will be an asset to their company.If you have a few samples you will be able to see that the person you are trying to sell is more likely to buy from you if you offer them something unique than they will from a resume template that has the same information as every other resume on the market. You want them to see something different from your resume and cover letter examples, you want them to remember your name and what you have to offer them.This is why it is so important to pick your resume and cover letter examples carefully. It's very e asy to spend more money on your resume templates when you begin but you will realize that these covers are usually of poor quality. You should not use these samples for your purpose.When you go to apply for a job at different companies you want to be sure you are not spending more time than you have to on the application. You want to get your foot in the door. If you are going to spend a little extra money on your resume and cover letter examples you want to spend a little extra time doing it right.After you have learned how to write a great resume and cover letter using resume and cover letter examples, you are ready to take your career to the next level. If you are going to learn more about how to apply for jobs correctly, you need to learn how to use the internet. This is the quickest and easiest way to find resume and cover letter examples so you don't have to spend money on a ghostwriter.

10 Job Search Behaviors to Avoid - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

10 Job Search Behaviors to Avoid - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Job search is hard work; it’s stressful and riddled with anxiety. Do not exacerbate it by letting highly charged emotions drive bad behavior when you’re looking for a new job. Reign in your anxiety: Manage it with exercise; a few hours spent with understanding and light-hearted friends; attendance at emotionally soothing venues; engagement in empowering job search strategy sessions; and such. By doing so, you can avoid the following examples of bad job search behavior (and you may even find a little joy along the way): 1. Lying on your resume. While a resume is a marketing piece and you do not have to disclose every detail and date of your career ‘history,’ you still mustn’t lie. For example, do not fudge dates or titles and do not exaggerate on sales and profit achievements. 2. Providing references without permission. If you are going to list a name of someone who can verify your credentials, tout your value and sing your praises, then ASK them for their consent to be a  reference first. When your former colleague, boss or other business contact receives an unexpected phone call or email from a recruiter or human resource professional on your behalf, this sends immediate signals that you have not exercised proper professionalism and respect. Making an assumption that they will vouch for you is no excuse for lack of courtesy. 3. Scheduling an informational interview and then canceling at the last minute. Whomever you scheduled the  informational interview with was willing to give you their valuable time and expertise and probably carved out time from an already busy schedule. If you cancel at the last minute, you prove to them that you do not value them or their time. 4. Scheduling and engaging in an informational interview and then never sending a proper follow-up thank you note. Sending a thank you note shows you respect and appreciate the fact that the person you met with took time out of his or her busy schedule to speak with you. See #3. 5. Scheduling a job interview, showing up late, and then making up a lame excuse as to why you were delayed. 6. Scheduling an interview with a recruiter and then showing up in jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt, because it’s only the recruiter. Wrong! Recruiters are interviewing you, too, with as muchâ€"or even MOREâ€"scrutiny than the hiring decision maker. Be on your best behavior with the recruiter. They are your bridge to the hiring manager. 7. Blasting everyone in your database with your resume with a plea regarding how you got the shaft at your job, are down and out and looking for new work. Instead, provide value to your network, actively give of your time, energy and expertise, and as you are doing so, be equipped with conversation points that articulate the specific opportunities and connections you are looking for. You may be surprised that by giving, you will get. 8. Complaining on Social Media (especially Facebook and Twitter) that you are frustrated with your job search, are mad at the world and that you were treated unfairly, once again. 9. Requesting free or paid advice and support with your job search and then disagreeing with any suggestions you receive and/or getting cantankerous because it’s hard work to find work. 10. Displaying constant consternation. Suddenly, your world has stopped spinning, and you are filled with anxiety. Not only is it your job to find a new job, but in the process, you must also find a way to dispel of anxiety, or else that new job will elude you. Anxiety often is a leading driver of poor behavior, which turns off potential hiring managers. Take this challenging period and use it as an opportunity to improve and grow. You may even learn that by ‘faking it until you make it,’ you will actually start feeling better. Sometimes a forced smile and feigned good-nature converts to real optimism and hope. And this perceived happiness attracts other people who may have the opportunity to connect you toâ€"or even hire you inâ€"your next great gig! Author: Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter is a Glassdoor career and workplace expert, chief career writer and partner with CareerTrend, and is one of only 28 Master Resume Writers (MRW) globally. An intuitive researcher, she helps professionals unearth compelling career story details to help best present their unique experience, skillset and interests in resumes and other career positioning documents as well as through social media profiles. In addition to being interviewed for television and radio stories, Jacqui has written for the Career Management Alliance Connection monthly newsletter and blog, ExecuNet’s Career Smart Advisor, The Kansas City Star, The Business Journal and The Wall Street Journal. In addition, she and her husband, “Sailor Rob,” host a lively careers-focused blog. Jacqui also is a power Twitter user listed on several Best People to Follow” lists for job seekers.

The Best Beach Reads for Your Summer Vacation

The Best Beach Reads for Your Summer Vacation One of the best parts of summer is kicking back on a warm beach with a good book. As the warm weather moves in, we’re picking up these brand new titlesâ€"the perfect books to get lost in during your summer vacation.  1.  The Summer of New Beginnings  by Bette Lee Crosby  In Bette Lee Crosby’s latest novel, all the Briggs sisters need is a fresh start. Meghan has always been the responsible sibling and upon her father’s death, she must return to her hometown to save his failing business. As Meghan focuses on work and tries to avoid making connections with anyone or anything, her sister Tracy finds herself adjusting to life as a newly single mother. As the two encounter challenges and the potential for new relationships, they’ll find that their new beginning is right around the corner. This women’s fiction novel is full of romance, the power of friendship and the bond of sisters.  2.  Noir  by Christopher Moore  If you love entertaining reads to flip through on the beach,  Noir  should be at the top of your summer reading list. With a cast of kooky characters and an outrageous story set in San Francisco in 1947, this humorous read follows Sammy Tiffin, bartender by day, businessman by night, on an epic journey. Sammy has just met a woman he thinks he could fall in love with but before he can make his move, he’ll have to deal with the strange mishaps occuring in the city. This love story turned fantasy novel pairs great with your beach towel and a retro pair of sunglasses.  3.  Our Little Secret  by Roz Nay This international bestseller from Roz Nay takes readers into a dark interrogation room where one woman will do everything she can to prove her innocence. Saskia Parker has disappeared and her husband’s previous lover, Angela,  has been taken in as a suspect. Unaware of what  hashappened,  Angela must dig deep into herformer relationship  as the lead detective tries coerce a confession out of her. But Angela knows that there’s something much more sinister going on between the couple and that the police are looking in all the wrong places. Can she uncover the truth or will she be blamed for a crime she didn’t commit? 4.  The Perfect Couple  by Elin Hilderbrand  The latest release from  New York Times  bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand covers both a glamorous wedding and a mysterious murder. Shortly before the start of the wedding festivities, a body is found in the small beach town, making everyone involved in the wedding a suspect. As the investigation continues, it becomes clear to everyone that no family is perfect but is someone in the Otis-Winbury wedding party really to blame for such a horrendous act? This enticing new read will have you entranced until the final page.  5.  The Subway Girls  by Susie Orman Schnall  Susie Orman Schnall’s new novel spans 70 years and the lives of two unforgettable women. In 1949, Charlotte is finding that her life has taken an unexpected turn but she’s determined to get it back on track by entering the Miss Subways beauty contest. Fast-forward to 2018 and advertising executive Olivia has found herself caught up in the history of Miss Subways for her most recent campaign. As both get involved with the iconic beauty contest, they’ll come across life-changing friendships, betrayal and even love. This novel is perfect for fans of both historical and contemporary fiction.          6.  How to Walk Away  by Katherine Center  Katherine Center’s latest release is an uplifting story about finding the light after a tragic accident. Margaret Jacobsen once had the perfect life but now all she can think about is what could have been as she sits in the hospital, facing a difficult future. Dealing with plenty of family drama in addition to her recent accident, Margaret finds hope in Ian, her physical therapist. Taking comfort in this new man, she will learn that life brings important people into your life when you least expect it.How to Walk Away  is the perfect read for fans of Emily Giffin.  7.  The Ensemble  by Aja Gabel  The music industry has never been an easy world to break into and no one knows that better than the members of the Van Ness Quartet. Jana, Brit, Daniel and Henry are all unique in their own ways but have been brought together by their love of music. In Aja Gabel’s debut novel, these four friends experience the difficulties of fame and the rocky road to success. This story of friendship and secrets is one of Celeste Ng’s new favorite reads and a fantastic read for a warm day at the beach.  8.  When You Knew  by Jamie Beck  Gentry Cabot never felt like she completely fit in with her family but in Jamie Beck’s new novel, she’ll learn the true importance of family. When a one-night stand ends up in unexpected motherhood, Gentry has to prepare herself to raise a child and reconcile the past with her family. But before she can rebuild familial bonds, she finds that she needs help raising her son at home. Hiring humanitarian worker Ian as a nanny, she quickly finds herself drawn to him and him to her but when the baby’s biological father returns, Gentry and Ian will find their easy arrangement has been quickly disturbed.  9.  Fail Until You Don’t: Fight Grind Repeat  by Bobby Bones  If you’re looking for a bit of a summer pick-me-up, this new release will remind you of what it takes to reach your dreams. Bobby Bones is about as successful as it gets in the country music world but his fame hasn’t come easily. In this memoir, Bobby recounts his successes, mistakes and failures in addition to stories from famous friends of his who have also fought their way to the top. This light-hearted read will have you laughing from beginning to end and remind you to never give up on your dreams.  10.  Girl With a Gun: An Annie Oakley Mystery  by Kari Bovee  If you’re a fan of Annie Oakley and all of her sleuthing and bravery,  Girl With a Gun  will be the perfect addition to your beach bag. Annie Oakley may only be 15 years old but she knows exactly what she wants out of life. When Annie is offered a spot in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, she finally has her answer to saving the family farm but when two innocent people are found dead and her horse is stolen, Annie begins to believe that all these incidents have something to do with her and she has to be the one to solve the case. A mystery and western novel wrapped up into one, this debut novel is perfect for fans of  Westworld.          11.  The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma’s Table  by Rick Bragg  Best-selling author Rick Bragg brings together family anecdotes, his love for food and a touching memoir in  The Best Cook in the World.  Rick Bragg’s mother never owned a cookbook but always found a way to bring her family together over a home cooked meal. Telling the story of how his mother came to be a tremendous cook, Bragg dives into his family’s extensive history, accompanied by memories from his own childhood. This sweet Southern release is sure to warm your heart this summer.  12.  All We Ever Wanted  by Emily Giffin New York Times  bestselling author Emily Giffin is back with a new women’s fiction novel this June. Nina Browning has been blessed with a beautiful family and successful life while single father Tom Volpe struggles to keep his own family on track. But when Tom’s daughter gets a scholarship to an elite private school, he begins to think things are looking up. Just when things seem to be back on track for Tom, one indecent photograph of his daughter will create a dramatic divide between the community and bring everything Nina thought she knew about her life into question.

Best it Resume Writing Services

Best it Resume Writing ServicesWhile the competition is tough for small and mid-sized businesses, one thing that they can count on is the presence of some of the best it resume writing services. With the help of these companies, you can make sure that your resume is written properly, so that you will be able to land that dream job.But what exactly does it mean to be among the best it resume writing services? The best of these services will provide a list of examples that you can use. If they don't have these examples, then you are in the wrong place.If you happen to be looking for it, you will not need to trawl through dozens of resumes in search of the best it services because you can simply go to their website and find out the services that they offer. This will help you narrow down your search.Remember that these companies know exactly what you need. These are companies that understand the process of hiring and you can be rest assured that they will give you great service. You can use the examples given by these companies as your reference while you are still doing the due diligence.These examples will help you out when you are reading the resume of the person you are interested in. It will also help you out when you are thinking about your own resume.If you are not aware of what you should include in your resume, these examples will help you out when you are trying to do it yourself. With this, you can get more jobs that require a proper resume without having to pay a lot of money.These best it resume writing services are available around the clock and most of them offer their services for free. This is very beneficial, since there are many things that you want to accomplish while you are still in the job hunt.If you don't have time to look for the best it resume writing services, then the internet is your friend. However, it is recommended that you do take a look at the samples given by the company.

How to Build Trust with Your Boss

How to Build Trust with Your Boss If you want to have bigger and better opportunities in your career, it's crucial to have a good working relationship with your boss. And having a strong relationship depends on building trust. Trust that you're going to get the job done, trust that you're going to be supportive, and trust that you are going to represent the team well, internally and externally. While trust is definitely a two-way street, let's focus on the part that you can control: how well you are building trust with your boss. If you want to have bigger, better opportunities in your career, it's crucial to have a good working relationship with your boss. Three Strategies for Building Trust with Your Boss In my experience, there are three ways that you can build trust and they're interrelated. 1. Good Contracting Upfront This is about how you set expectations at the start of your relationship. As an example of what good contracting upfront does NOT look like, when I was very junior in my career my new boss gave me an assignment to put together a one-pager on each client to help us prepare for our meetings the next week. I did a ton of work and created these highly detailed one-pagers. I proudly handed them in to my boss and his reaction was, Whoa, that's way too much detail. I wanted a quick-and-dirty brief. And frankly I would've preferred to have it a day or two ago. This was definitely not the way I wanted to start my career! Good contracting upfront involves making sure you understand the task or project you’ve been asked to do. Here are three questions that have served me well in my career: What does success look like? What standard of excellence are we shooting for? What's the timeline? Are there milestones? It’s so important to ask these questions and gain clarity on what’s expected of you. Knowing what results you're shooting for will give you the awareness to negotiate for more time or resources if you need them. Knowing what “done” looks like will prevent you from going over the top and wasting time like I did. And knowing your project timeline and milestones gives you a helpful framework for updating your boss on what's going on. Which leads us to the second trust-building strategy. 2. Operational Transparency Operational transparency is a concept from Ryan W. Buell, UPS Foundation Associate Professor of Service Management at the Harvard Business School. In our context, it’s about making your progress, and potentially your process, visible to your boss as you go. Think about restaurants where you can see the kitchen and the chefs working from your table. Studies have shown that when the diner sees the effort, they value the experience more. And when the chefs see the impact they're having, they feel more appreciated and are more likely to go the extra mile. It’s a win-win. Think about how you can create the same effect in your work situation. Operational transparency could show up as giving progress updates to your boss as you complete each milestone. Or you could be a bit more creative with your updates and perhaps even involve your boss by saying something like: We're about to finish phase one, and if you have additional thoughts that you'd like us to incorporate, please let me know before the weekend so that we can make that happen. Remember that giving a progress update does not mean sharing all the gory details. Share the amount that will make your boss feel comfortable that they can trust you. Operational transparency will help your boss understand and appreciate the value you're delivering. It can also help them trust that you’re going to get your job done, which is especially helpful if your boss is a micromanager or if you’re working remotely. Now, onto the third strategy. 3. Moments of Delight This is about surprising your boss in a positive way. For maximum effect, only do this occasionally because if you do it all the time then it will become your new “normal”. As an example of how creating moments of delight builds trust, consider the case of Oberoi Hotels, a luxury hotel group in India. They implemented a policy where they give their staff members a small budget that they can spend whenever they see an opportunity to delight a guest. The hotel staff can go ahead and execute right then and there as they see fit. And this policy has resulted in the hotel consistently receiving very high ratings. In your case, creating these moments of delight means tailoring these experiences to your boss (or bosses!) and what counts as great in their eyes. It might be that you show extra creativity or finish something way before the deadline. Or you may look to solve a problem or take care of something that your boss doesn't like to do, so that when they say, Oh no, now we’ve got to do X, you can say, It’s already done! You might also consider how to make your boss look good in front of their boss. Or you could bring something you learned elsewhere into your current work and surprise your boss with a new perspective or new strategies. Creating moments of delight for your boss makes you memorable for great reasons. It can turn your boss into your “raving fan” and it helps you showcase your unique strengths. Building Trust is Worth the Effort When it comes to your relationship with your boss, having their trust is essential. It’s what can make the difference between achieving the success you deserve versus stagnating in your career. The thing is, building trust is an ongoing endeavor that takes time, effort and multiple touchpoints. Like any worthwhile relationship, you have to work at it. But while it takes a great deal of effort to build, trust can be destroyed in just moments. That’s why it pays to focus and make sure that you continue to build trust with your boss on an ongoing basis. It’s really worth the effort. Which of these three strategies will most move the needle for you in building trust with your boss? Leave me a comment and let me know. I'd love to hear from you.

The proven path to happiness - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

The proven path to happiness - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Positive psychology can make you happier and this article by Martin Seligman et al proves it (pdf). With diagrams! The paper studies a number of very simple actions (eg. writing down three positive things each day) and shows that they work very well. Martin Seligman is the author of the excellent book Learned Optimism (read my review here) and the founder of the positive psychology movement which is based on the idea that psychology should focus more on what makes people happy, rather than focusing solely on curing mental illness. Makes sense to me :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related