Should I Start A Blog

Should I Start A Blog As a job seeker, having a blog is a great way to develop a reputation, share expertise and build brand awareness. It isn’t enough today to be really goodâ€"people have to know about you.   Traditional advertising is redefining itself with the use of social media.   One of the best ways to find jobs is through word-of-mouth referrals. Having a blog with useful information which is “share-able” and makes it easier for people to refer you.   So what are you waiting for? I recently met with a woman who was going to be re-launching her private practice in social work.   She had lots of basic questions about blogging, many around the issues of security and privacy.   Understandable, given her line of work.   I tried to help her understand that she will have as much control as she needs. The other obstacle she threw out was that she wasn’t   sure what her brand would be.   I encouraged her to start the blog and see what started to evolve.   Yes, it is important to be true to your brand, I can’t stress that enough, but sometimes we can over-think the process.   If she is truly an expert in the field, there should be no shortage of content to write about. As I see it, there is a new business model evolving out of free sharing   (when done with integrity and not the “used car salesman” approach). Here’s the quick checklist  of how to start a blog.  (It is not all-inclusive, but maybe enough to get started on the technical aspects of blogging.) Secure a domain name  This domain name should be your name. Look for highly ranted domain registrars. Find a hosting company. While you may have bought your domain from a registrar, you can host it through many other providers. Choose a blogging platform.  WordPress is the most popular. Honestly, you don’t need to know programming or be really technical.  Wordpress allows you to easily click a button and customize the way you want your blog to look.   Take a look at some popular layouts/designs here   WordPress theme. Set up Social media buttons for following:   Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook   (you’ll want to set up accounts on all these sites if you don’t already have them) Add blog to search engines: Google, Bing and Yahoo. Research other blogs related to your field, check out Alltop, SmartBrief, or your favorite aggregator. Set a blogging schedule (post regularly) Make sure topics are on-brand or relate to your area of expertise Get a good headshot Consider adding video Host a podcast and add links to your blog post. Specific Must Read Posts: How To Start A Blog by Darren Rowse | ProBlogger How To Start A Blog In Any Niche With No Technical Experience And (Almost) No Money  by Jeff Bullas 5 Steps for Planning the Direction of Your Blog by Problogger Get ideas from great bloggers   Reading articles others have written about your topic or any topic for that matter, can inspire you and help you find your writing voice!

Affirmations with an exclamation! - Hallie Crawford

Affirmations with an exclamation! This was also printed in H2O magazine, but I wanted to share it with you because I really liked it. It was written by one of my associate career coaches Terry Wynne… Do you want to have more control of your current job, job search, future career, next interview, or other circumstances in your life?   Try using affirmations. Affirmations are statements of what you want for yourself.   These statements are in the present tense without the use of the words, “no” or “not.”   Some examples are: I have a career I love. My boss, my co-workers and I respect each other and each other’s ideas. I make a salary large enough to meet all of my needs. The reason you avoid using “no” or “not” is because your mind believes what you tell it, but your mind  doesnt  comprehend a negative request; it only comprehends what to do, much like a computer.   If you put in “no” or “not,” your mind will delete these words and give you what you don’t want.   Instead of “I am not a good interviewee,” a better affirmation is “I interview well and describe my qualifications expertly.” Likewise, using the present tense is important so that you mind implements what you tell it right now. Using “I will” or “I must” only results in your mind delaying your request because “will” or “must” is an affirmation for your mind to delay your request until the future.     Instead of “I will not find a job,” use “I find job opportunities that are interesting to me.”     Again, think of your computer â€" it does what you tell it to do, when you tell it to do it so use present tense. The best way to use affirmations is to put your desires in writing, and read them at least three or more times a day.   Place your affirmations where you can see them consistently on your mirror, your computer, in your wallet, and on your night stand. Even if you don’t believe your affirmations initially, pretend to believe them and in time, you will.   Afterall, affirmations are a way to change an existing situation into the way you want the situation to exist. Affirmations are powerful because you become what you think. Don’t believe affirmations work?   Ask people who use them to tell you their experiences.   Then you’ll quickly understand why you need to put your affirmations in writing â€" so you can remember your requests, recognize when your request becomes reality, be grateful, and create your next affirmations.   What a way to give yourself a feeling of hope, belief, and control! -Reprinted with permission from H20 Magazine Terry Wynne Certified Career Coach P.S.  Are you in the ideal career for you?  Find out if you’re in the right career with our  Ideal Career Quiz.

Freelance Resume Writing Jobs Online - How to Make a Great Resume Online

Freelance Resume Writing Jobs Online - How to Make a Great Resume OnlineYou may have heard the term freelance resume writing jobs. This is the quickest way to find great job opportunities and this is where you can find the best part of writing your own resume online. You just need to know the basics about what writing your own resume involves and then you can get started right away.The first thing that you need to know about your resume is that it should be different from every other resume. You do not want to copy every resume that you see online. In fact, there are many websites that offer free resume templates. These will allow you to start out with your own unique look, which is very important. These templates make it easy for you to type out a resume, but you want to keep your own style.Writing a good resume takes time. Most people do not write resumes in a few weeks, but in months and years. Some people might even write multiple resumes at the same time, depending on their curr ent position. You don't want to rush your resume, but you do want to keep your writing style consistent.You should look at a few templates before you begin to write your own resume. These will help you get ideas and help you come up with a professional looking resume. Many times you will need to change some parts of your resume, so do not worry about it. Just change the template if necessary. This way you can make your resume stand out in the crowd.You should also consider using a basic resume that you can change when you go back and edit the details. After all, you will be changing it multiple times over the course of your career. Don't worry about making your own work style or your own unique style.Freelance resume writing jobs online will help you hone your skills. It will give you the opportunity to market yourself and will help you to be noticed when you apply for more jobs. This is a great way to show that you are capable of performing certain jobs, and this is why you need to take advantage of these opportunities. Whether you decide to work for an employer or you choose to use your own ideas and make your own resume online, you should always remember that a great resume is the first step in your job search.Your resume should include a great deal of details about your education, experience, skills, and experiences. Most resumes will focus on your education, although you can also mention previous jobs. Make sure that you are able to present yourself in the best possible light.

The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship - Is it Worth It

The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship - Is it Worth It The Benefits Of An Unpaid Internship The unpaid internship is a source of constant debate in the professional world. On one hand, these positions can allow young professionals to gain experience in industries where a paid gig just isn’t feasible. On the other hand, they can be easily exploited by greedy companies looking for free labor. The usefulness of an internship has more to do with your goals and the nature of the position than whether or not it’s paid. No internship is created equally. An unpaid position could easily yield countless benefits where a paid one just nets you a paycheck. The trick is figuring out which you’ve signed up for before it’s too late. I’ve worked both paid and unpaid internships. My experiences have been largely positive, but not without their drawbacks. Here’s what I learned through each, and what you need to look out for. My unpaid internships In college I majored in journalism, an industry struggling to sustain profits and create jobs. I knew that if I wanted to secure a gig after college, I had to rack up internships during the summer. What I didn’t realize is that most of the media internship opportunities were unpaid. I got lucky my first summer and found an internship at my hometown newspaper that paid a $1,000 stipend, which I immediately put toward my tuition. Since I was living at home, I didn’t have any other expenses to worry about. I left that summer with a new item on my resume, dozens of clips and a new understanding of journalism. The next summer, I signed up for a university-sponsored, six-week study abroad and internship program in London. The program placed students with a newspaper, magazine, or PR firm where they would work three days a week. Not only was this an unpaid internship, but I would have to pay thousands of dollars for housing, transportation, and groceries. My parents paid for part of the cost, but I was on the hook for the rest. The whole experience cost me a significant amount, but it’s more than paid for itself as an item on my resume. Potential employers have always perked up at seeing that I worked in London. Two years later, I had the opportunity for another unpaid internship, this time for a local magazine in Indianapolis. While I already had lots of newspaper experience, I had none at a magazine, which are harder to break into. I took the gig, working 20 hours a week at the publication and 10 hours a week at a call center to make ends meet. This unpaid internship gave me great local contacts, and I still freelance for that publication. It helped that they were flexible and worked around my other job, so I could earn money and get valuable experience. Pros of unpaid internships Unpaid internships remain a viable option for employers because for many students, it’s the only chance to get work experience before they graduate. Paid internships are rare in fields like journalism, entertainment, art, and fashion. Getting an internship is the only inroad for many students without a personal tie to the industry. Expectations are often looser for unpaid internships, so they can be a great way to get experience without the stress of a paid position. Most employers are wary about driving unpaid interns too hard and running afoul of labor laws. A friend of mine had an unpaid internship at a national magazine in New York City. She was a journalism student, like I was, and took the gig realizing it would be huge for her career. But because it was unpaid, she had to live like a poor college student. I didn’t realize what it was like until she published a story talking about how she lived in a hostel in Brooklyn and spent $40 a week on groceries. But a few months later, she landed her first real job at another national magazine. Without that hard summer, she might not have gotten her next gig. Thinking about her story always reminds me of the power of internships, paid or unpaid. Meeting the right people at the right time can lead to the greatest opportunities. Even in our social media-obsessed society, face-to-face contact is key for making real connections. Cons of unpaid internships The obvious con to unpaid internships is that, well, they’re unpaid. That’s not so bad if you can live at home or if you only work part-time. But if you have no savings and your folks can’t help you out, you might have to take out a credit card or loans to finance your internship (which we dont recommend). Research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that people who had unpaid internships on their resume received average starting salaries of $34,375 compared to $53,521 for those who had paid summer jobs. Part of that could be attributed to the fact that industries with unpaid internships are generally lower-paying, but it’s an important consideration. If you have an interview, don’t mention that your internship was unpaid or an employer may use it against you in negotiations. An interesting aspect of unpaid internships is that many require you to receive school credit in exchange for work. When I interned at a magazine in Indianapolis, I had to tell them I was getting at least three credit hours. Otherwise, I learned, they could be violating labor laws. However, my student loans didn’t cover summer classes and paying $2,400 for three credit hours was not in my budget. A fellow intern told me the magazine never asked for proof that you were taking those credit hours. “Just lie,” she told me. So that’s what I did. I completed the summer without HR ever finding out. If you find an unpaid internship that also requires you to take a class, see if you can get it covered by your college. Paying someone to work for free is a crappy deal, and should be avoided at all costs. Summary Most of us just cant afford unpaid internships. But, those who can afford to live on their own, or at home for a summer can gain an incredibly valuable experience that may land you a job in the future. Read more How Not To Suck at Applying For A Job Finding A Short-Term Rental Anywhere

2 Key Ways To Focus Your Job Hunt Message - Work It Daily

2 Key Ways To Focus Your Job Hunt Message - Work It Daily After years of very high unemployment, things appear to be turning around. But how can you focus your job hunt message to ensure you're one of the next 100,000 people to be hired? Your job as a job hunter is to make it easy for people to understand how you can add value to the company that hires you. Everything about your resume, networking, and interviewing should be designed to strategically further this fundamental message. How To Focus Your Job Hunt Message Here are two of the most common examples of off-track messaging and how to fix them: Situation #1 You are between 45-65 years old, and your cover letter begins like this: “… I’ve got 25 years of experience doing XXX in YYY industry.” You get rejected, and fear that it is due to age discrimination. In reality, that might be the case, but by the way you project your own case you give the underlying message that you are an older worker. Remember you aren’t selling decades of experience. Rather, you are selling the knowledge, skills, and abilities which you happened to attain during your years of experience. The Fix: Lead with something like, “In my most recent position as XXX, I provided value for my company by…” Then give a brief story that conveys a situation, how you took control of it/dealt with it, and the glowing results that you accomplished. Sell the story of your experience â€" not the length of it. Situation #2 Point after point in your resume begins with the words, “Responsible for…” or something else that describes your prior job description. Such language fails to give any positive message. It doesn’t say anything about what you actually did, how you think, how you interact with others, or the results you produced. Worse, you simply position yourself as one of countless others who have had similar roles and responsibilities. The Fix: Make each point in your resume is about something you actually did, and briefly tell the story providing three basic elements: a) The situation or problem; b) your actions; and c) the success/results you achieved. Wherever possible quantify your results in terms of increased sales, decreased costs, reduced liability, potential savings, or increased productivity. Example Sales people have the ultimate quantifiable results. The numbers speak for themselves, but they speak even louder when you tell a story about how you achieved your numbers like this: Uncovered and exploited opportunities to increase revenue from new and existing accounts, and rekindled dormant relationships, resulting in year-to-year sales increases of 16-18%. Of course, not everyone has a job whose results are measured in dollars. Still, you can tell a story and give a “soft” result like this: Achieved customer satisfaction for engineers involved with new product development by organizing seminars on emerging technologies. Remember this: You have the ability to fashion the impression people will have of you. The words you chose can tell important stories, and convey purposeful messages. One of my greatest joys as a career coach is working with my clients to frame the messaging that builds the case for them to be hired. What’s your story? What’s your message? Related Posts 5 Ways To Instantly Improve Your Job Search Results 7 Common Job Hunting Mistakes Students Make Job Seekers: 5 Smart Steps On Twitter Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

12 Clichés That Undermine Your Credibility on a Resume

12 Clichs That Undermine Your Credibility on a Resume Weve all heard clichs about the job search, like, Opportunity doesnt knock twice, and Good things come to those who wait. These ideas can help us understand the process and relate to each other better. Their familiarity makes it clear were not alonejob searching (and rejection) is an experience everyone shares, even if youre exceptionally qualified.But these platitudes have also become so overused, they reif hollow today. They might even make you cringe.Its easy to point out empty expressions when they come from other people, but its more challenging to identify those problems in our own writing. Most people continue to use stale language on their LinkedIn profile and resume, for example.These documents contribute to a hiring managers first impression of you as a job candidate. And if they binnenbinnensee the same aber sichering repeated, it can be hard to stand out from hundreds of other applicants. At the end of the day, clichs are just fluffwe include them because we think recruiters want to see buzzwords. But that couldnt be further from the truth.Keywords arent enough to get you hired.Most recruiters and hiring managers are looking for proven examples of the results youve produced. Inflated descriptions wont mean anything if you cant support the language with evidence.Here are some of the most over-usedand, therefore, unremarkableexpressions we see on LinkedIn and resumes.12 Clichs to Avoid on Your Resume and LinkedIn1. Detail-OrientedA well-organized resume with no spelling errors and clear descriptions will demonstrate that youre detail-oriented. You dont need to point this out explicitly in the writingits best to use that space to cover information thats more relevant to the position.2. Team-PlayerShow that you can work on a team by giving examples of how youve collaborated in the past. You can also use active verbs, like mentor or cooperate, which are more engaging and convey personal agency.3. Resu lts-DrivenIf youre working, the hiring manager will assume you achieve results for your current employer. This message will produce a bigger impact if you can demonstrate through key performance indicators (KPIs) what results youve achieved.4. Self-MotivatedInstead of relying on a self-assigned label, use your work summary to speak to the independent work that youve initiated on behalf of the company. Describing your affiliations with professional organizations also shows that youre motivated to improve your skills beyond your immediate work environment.5. Go-GetterThis term is too broad. Instead of using one word to encompass an idea thats central to your career growth, describe when you took charge or led a project. A concrete example shows initiative.6. HardworkingThis is another sentiment thats more meaningful if you include an example. Prove that you work hard with the results and achievements that you list on your resume.7. Responsible ForEach bullet point on a resume needs to be robust and start with a verb. Responsible for is a passive description and makes the sentiment fall flat. Instead, choose a more specific and compelling action, like transform, secure, develop, launch, reconcile, or capitalize.8. SeasonedThis word sounds like a euphemism for overqualified. Age discrimination is rampant, and job seekers should avoid any terminology that could imply their age.9. SuccessfullyYou can usually cut a vague adverb by choosing a more specific verb or adding more details that point to specific KPIs. Hiring managers like to see measurable outcomes listed in your job history.10. Think Outside the BoxThis phrase might accurately describe your mindsetbut its so familiar, it loses all of its impact. Less commonly used words like conceptualize speak to your creativity. Using more succinct wording will also make the sentence easier to follow.11. InnovativeWhat did you innovate? Youre better served by giving an example than hoping a hiring manager will take your word for it.12. Proven Track Record/Proven AbilityIts best to avoid the word provenit doesnt actually provide, well proof Instead, try substituting it with information about your concrete deliverables.Bonus Microsoft arbeitszimmer SuiteThis final point isnt a clichbut its still overused and doesnt belong in a resume or LinkedIn profile. Microsoft Office is the industry standard, which means its not considered a skill. Hiring managers assume every qualified candidate will know how to use this software. Delete this item and instead use the space to discuss skills that are unique to the position you want to fill.For most people, resume writing doesnt come easily. If you want to hone your employee branding and stand apart from other candidates, work with a talented Career Coach from Ivy Exec. Theyll help you capitalize on your skills and make a powerful first impression. Amber Crow--This story originally appearedon Ivy Exec. Amber Crow is a Career Advisor for Ivy Exec with three years o f experience. She is focused on promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace through her website TheQueerCareerBlog.com.

The Chronicles of Resume Writing Laboratory

The Chronicles of Resume Writing Laboratory The War Against Resume Writing Laboratory Scroll down one fold and youre going to observe an ideal research assistant resume sample. Resumes are just a page in length (if you dont own a sortiment of years of experience in a special field), and space is at a premium. One means is to place your education section at the base of your resume. The experience section should consist of info about your work experience and ought to start with the most recent one. Define a lab reports to enhance communication is a critical portion of papers. Writing the ideal research assistant resume objective or summary can be challenging. Providing best diagnostic lab report is an excellent laboratory. As a Chemistry Lab Technician, you will have to have the ability to aid with all projects and make sure that the lab is always safe. Writing an effective resume is quite crucial for getting your preferred job. Before writing a resume make a list of all o f the requirements for the specific job you are trying to find. If you wish to find out more about writing resumes that get bewerberinterviews, go to a site such as Top Career Resumes where you will discover several articles and suggestions. Resume making is most likely one of the most overlooked parts of a work hunting strategy. Might effort beneath the medical technologist otherwise any senior. Therefore, the valuable ideas and information mentioned would certainly enable you to draft an interview winning chemical engineer resume and boost your probability of getting work. The interview is the initial step in every work attaining process where your resume plays a crucial role. Resume journalists that have a place with resume-guaranteeing associations have a tendency toward remain exceptional in resume viability. Including an objectives section at the commencement of your resume provides a succinct introduction to the intention behind the resume, highlighting your career obj ectives and the sort of job you are searching for. Since you can see, to be able to construct a fantastic objective statement, you must have a certain objective in mind. The skills required vary based on the field youre applying for. Business writing is a substantial portion of producing a little company offer document. Across turn, your company meeting with expertise need to be wonderful if youd like to develop one definite recruiting supervisor which will help give you any position. If your resume doesnt have an expert appeal, it doesnt tischset you apart from the competition. Starting an online resume business is in fact easy and quick. The True Meaning of Resume Writing Laboratory The primary reason behind writing a cover letter is to grab the interest of a work employer at the exact first glance. Your objective statement is the very first thing theyll see and read, since its the very first thing on the webpage. A good resume objective can assist you in a positive mea ns to compose the remainder of your resume. There is no explanation as to why your resume must seem amateurish. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Writing Laboratory Your customer care analyst job description plays a crucial role in making you geta job prospect. You have to formulate a very clear statement what you want from the job and the organization youre applying to. A work targeted resume set you apart from the competition and make you an ideal option for the work position. Furthermore, you can look for laboratory technician jobs on Monster.