Be the Ultimate Job Search Resource Finder Building Your Future Now

Be the Ultimate Job Search Resource Finder Building Your Future Now The first week of your job search is critical in assembling resources for your job search. One of the most important things to do is utilizing Google search to check out whats out there in respect to resources that will aid in your job search. Dont worry about not being too specific or even being a bit disorganizedthis process is simply culling information. You can review and organize your resources as you continue your job search. Start on Google Get things started by googling job search tips. Google will give you the most relevant search results. It will more than likely give you results that are related to your geographic area. You can also try out other search strings to find out what results you can get. Career Resource Centres As already discussed in earlier articles, your local career resource centre has many great resources to aid in your job search. They have books, magazine, special reference books, seminars, workshops, internal job boards, career coaches, job developers, events and access to special career websites. It is an amazing place to get some great information on both your job search and career direction. Be sure to find out all the useful resources they have! Social Media Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest are 3 great social media resources for any or all job seekers. Many non-profit organizations that help with job search etc are found there. You will also find a lot of amazing information on LinkedIn as well as connecting with many job seekers and professionals. Check out Blogs There are some very help blogs when it comes to delivering great info on career development and job search. Try finding them via Google search. Image: Geralt

8 Mistakes Leaders Make on Their LinkedIn Profiles

8 Mistakes Leaders Make on Their LinkedIn Profiles When was the last time you were contacted by a recruiter because they found you on  LinkedIn?  If your answer is “never”, or “more than 6 months ago”, it’s likely your LinkedIn strategy  (or lack thereof) is hurting your job search. At the senior manager and executive level, recruiters and headhunters actively search  for top talent, relying less on advertising and more on their own elbow grease to  generate a pool of appropriate candidates. More than once, I’ve found that the candidates I sourced myself were of a higher calibre  than those who passively submitted their resume, and so as a recruiter, I tended to  allocate my time accordingly; I would spend the most hours on ‘active search,’ using  internal databases and tools like Boolean searches, LinkedIn, and other social media to  identify and reach out to top prospects. If recruiters aren’t contacting you, it’s likely because your  digital presence isn’t working  for you, with LinkedIn forming a significant piece of that puzzle. Here are 8 clues your  LinkedIn profile may be ruining your job search, and how to rethink it. 1. Your LinkedIn profile IS your resume. Other than not having a LinkedIn profile, this is probably the biggest mistake I see job  seekers make.  I completely understand the temptation: you’ve just spent hours crafting the perfect resume, why not parlay it into an online presence  with a simple copy and paste, right? Wrong. It’s important to resist this temptation for a few reasons. To start with, your LinkedIn  profile and your resume have different audiences, with both groups requiring carefully  tailored, but different, messages. Beyond that, however, you’re missing a valuable opportunity to let your personality  shine through. LinkedIn is less formal than a resume, and it’s perfectly appropriate â€"  desirable even â€" to offer more insight into who you are and what makes you unique. Treat your LinkedIn profile like the mission critical piece of marketing content it is, and  make the effort to get it right. 2. Your LinkedIn job history doesn’t match your resume. Back when I was recruiting, this was always a huge red flag.  When a candidate’s LinkedIn profile didn’t align with their resume, I at the very least  wondered why, and I’d occasionally brush the candidate off entirely because I didn’t  have time to figure out the real story. I was a fairly patient recruiter and was often willing to dig a little deeper than most of  my colleagues. When I got to talking to candidates, I realised it was often because  they’d taken a non-traditional career path, such as contract work, consulting, or  freelancing, and simply didn’t know how to group experience to deliver an effective  message that worked for both their resume and LinkedIn. While your details may be mismatched for innocent reasons, consider what sort of  unspoken message it can send a lack of attention to detail, laziness, or outright  dishonesty â€" and you realise how important it is to clean up both your resume and  LinkedIn profile to ensure the job titles, companies, and dates of tenure match.  If you’re unsure how to effectively group jobs or contracts so as to truthfully and  effectively communicate your experience, consult a personal branding agency with  recruitment and marketing specialists on their team. They’ll be able to take a big picture  view, and will help you effectively define and communicate your key value add. 3. Your headline is full of throwaways. Your headline is the hardest working part of LinkedIn, and provides huge value in only  100 characters. Your goal with the headline is twofold: Ensure that you show up in recruiters’ search results by using appropriate keywords,  and entice recruiters to click on your profile by ensuring that your headline stands out. Start by putting yourself in the recruiters’ shoes. Consider the keywords they’re using to  search for candidates.  Let’s say that you’re looking to step into a VP, Finance role for a consumer brand. Do  you think the recruiter is using throwaway terms like “high performing” or  â€œprofessional” in their search? Of course not: they’re using job titles and industry terms,  and perhaps key skills and qualifications. Compare the two headlines, below. Which do you think is more likely to come up high in  the search results? High performing finance professional with extensive leadership experience. MBA-trained Chartered Accountant VP Finance I 10+ years FMCG turnaround  experience. With the headline, every word matters. Use highly searchable terms and avoid clichés at  all cost. 4. You’re afraid to be awesome. In my experience, managers and executives tend play it a little too safe when it comes  to LinkedIn profiles and this is a mistake.  Think about the types of people you like to work with, and how you yourself behave at  work. I’m guessing you thought of people who are vibrant, funny, warm, empathetic, and  inspirational. Now ask yourself: is your LinkedIn profile portraying those qualities? For some reason, job seekers seem to freeze up when their fingers hit the keyboard,  opting for “safe” descriptions of themselves that are, frankly, really boring. Recruiters  read hundreds of snooze-inducing LinkedIn profiles each month: don’t add to their  boredom. If you’re one of those people who lights up the room, don’t write a vanilla LinkedIn  profile. Add interest by including personal details and insights about the type of  professional you are: Write in the first person, using “I” language. Third person is too formal and stiff,  and doesn’t come across as particularly likeable. Include clues about who you are and why you do what you do, such as your  professional mantra or an anecdote that proved to be formative in your career. Let people know what you’re like to work with. Do you have a relaxed, open  door management style? Are you known for keeping things fun during high-  pressure moments? 5. Your LinkedIn profile is not scannable. A lot of the LinkedIn advice I’ve read suggests you familiarise yourself with LinkedIn’s  word and character limits, and use all the allotted space to tell your story. From a recruiter’s point-of-view, this is terrible advice. Recruitment is a high-volume,  high-pressure role, and most recruiters are extroverted, sales-oriented types who are  always pressed for time. The truth of it is, recruiters aren’t going to spend their time digging through your  LinkedIn profile for the details that matter to them. They’re going to take 30 seconds to  scan it, and then either click the “back” button on their browser, or pick up the phone to  actually talk to you. Write for a limited attention span, and go for quality, not quantity. Follow the rules of writing for the web, which means short, snappy paragraphs  and sentences that aren’t too long or dense. Mix up your profile with keywords, like job titles and industries, that the  recruiters’ eyes are naturally scanning for, and more ‘personality’ driven content  (Tip # 4) to keep it interesting. Make your role descriptions easy to scan, by including both paragraphs and bullet  points that describe mandates, accountabilities and a few accomplishments with  facts and figures, which tend to naturally draw the eye. 6. TMI (Too Much Information). Once your LinkedIn profile is published, keep in mind that anyone can access it. How  would your boss feel about what you’ve written? What about your clients, team,  shareholders, or any other stakeholder groups with which you regularly interact? While it should be obvious you need to avoid revealing competitive or proprietary  information on LinkedIn, I’ve seen candidates over share details that, frankly, made me  question their integrity and professionalism. When in doubt, leave it out, and make sure you steer clear of sensitive information,  such as: Employee performance issues, such as putting a member of your team on a  development plan. Solving problems created by a predecessor or someone else in the company. Contentious relationships or organisational culture issues. Current commercial initiatives, such as potential JVs, redundancy programs, or  expansion into a new market. Specific budget and revenue figures. 7. You haven’t put in the effort. As a professional brand builder and executive resume writer, I spend a lot of time  crafting perfect LinkedIn profiles for my clients. After years as both a HR manager,  recruiter and a resume writer, I can tell you that creating engaging, searchable and click-worthy LinkedIn profiles takes time. On average, my team and I spend at least 15 hours on the entire process of setting a  strategy and then writing a resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile.  If you blasted through the process, writing your LinkedIn profile in an evening, you  probably did it wrong, and that mistake is likely costing you in your job search. Take the time to define your key value and marketing ‘key messages’ before you  start writing, and think of examples and accomplishments to support these  messages. Write your draft, and then step away from the computer for a day (or at least a  few hours) before going back in to edit for key words, spelling and grammar, and  content. Get the opinion of a trusted friend who knows you professionally and personally  to provide feedback. 8. You’re not active on LinkedIn. This may seem obvious, but given the fast-paced nature of most managers’ and  executives’ lives, it bears repeating: once you’ve invested the time and effort into  creating an effective LinkedIn profile, you need to actually use it. Add your contact information, such as an email address or phone number, in  your profile to make it easy for recruiters to contact you, and make it a habit to  check your LinkedIn Inbox at the beginning or end of each business day so as to  not miss opportunities. Join groups for your industry and function to increase your networks’ reach, and  make it more likely you’ll show up in recruiters’ keyword searches. Consider writing and publishing blog posts about your function, industry, or  general professional topics, such as leadership, to your LinkedIn profile. ‘Recent  posts’ show up with your name in search results, and the listings with this  feature really do pop against the other results, making it hard to resist clicking  through. Author:  Irene McConnell  runs  Arielle Careers, Australia’s #1 executive personal  branding agency. They specialize in crafting executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles  and digital career assets.

Tips from the Top!

Tips from the Top! There’s no doubt that becoming a success can be a struggle. As we strive for bigger and better things, it can be useful to hear nuggets of wisdom from those that have made it to the top! With that in mind, I’ve put together a collection of quotes from those that have made success their middle name! Success Starts with Hard Work!   “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vidal Sassoon   From humble beginnings, Vidal Sassoon has become a house hold name. Sassoon learnt at an early age that there was no ‘free ride’ and that the road to success was one paved with the perspiration of hard work. With that foundation of hard graft, he sculpted a very successful hairstyling and products empire. Described as a rock star, an artist, and a craftsman who changed the world with a pair of scissors”, Vidal Sassoon has certainly made his mark! Be Ready for What Might Be the Next Big Thing! “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” Sir Richard Branson Founder and chairman of the Virgin Group, which incorporates over 400 companies, Richard Branson is a man with his fingers in many pies. In the fast-paced world of business, opportunities can be plentiful and according to Branson, you’ve got to be ready to move with an idea before someone else does. Being ready to take action and having the right attitude to make things happen is crucial not only in business but in all walks of life. Are you ready? Innovate to Be a Leader “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs Co-founder of both Apple Inc. and Pixar animation studios, Steve Jobs was no stranger to success. His advice about innovation is crucial if you want to become the shepherd rather than part of the flock of sheep. This doesn’t mean you have to re-invent the wheel, but, being open to new ideas and exploring new ways of doing things, helps you to stay ahead of the curve! To Be a Great Leader, Empower Those Around You “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” Bill Gates Business magnate, philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates has spent a lot of time at the top of his game, consistently ranking as one of the wealthiest people in the world. So what’s his secret? According to him, it’s not all down to his talents. It’s equally down to the people around him. In work, it’s very difficult to do it all on your own. Having a good team is crucial and if you can empower them, you stand a much stronger chance of success. Are you ready to empower those around you to be the best they can be? Whether at the beginning of your career, struggling to make it, or at the top of your game, these words of wisdom still ring true! Are there any top tips or quotes that you’d like to share? If so, please get involved in the discussion below!   7

How To Create The Story Of Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Create The Story Of Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Composing the story of your personal brand is much like the story of a product or service’s brand â€" the goal is to reach your audience on an emotional level. In my opinion, the pros of the digital age greatly outweigh the cons, but the simplicity of creating your own brand online calls for a lot of untrustworthy and lackadaisical sources. Therefore, it is your job to connect with your viewers on a much deeper level by telling a story that they connect with. If you take at least one piece of this article along with you, be sure to develop your story on a foundation of truth. According to an informative article from Biz Builder Magazine, over 7,000 consumers of the newest generation were asked what they value most about a brand in a study conducted by McCann Worldgroup. The group of participants collectively respected authenticity above all else. Furthermore, they are drawn to “brands of substance” that exude a meaningful story. They crave “brands of substance” that are wrapped in a meaningful story. These findings apply to your personal brand, as well. You may be thinking, where do I start? When writing your story for your own personal brand, remember it is you who is the living story. The beginning stages of developing your story should start with introspection. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Describe the path you took to get to the place you are today? What inspired you to fall into your current career? What values do you hold close to you and your offerings? How is your product or service different than others? How can you set yourself apart and succeed in your industry? In a normal social setting outside of work, how do you respond to the question, “What do you do for a living?” If you could have a room full of handpicked customers, consumers, clients, audience members, who would they be? Once you have determined how you perceive yourself and what you have to offer, you should begin thinking of the wording of your brand’s story. The words that come up over and over again in your story are your cues. Cueing helps to keep things consistent. Lucky for you, these key words in your story are the keywords in SEO. Think of the key words you would use to describe yourself in your “About Me” section. These words or phrases relate to your niche and allow your viewers to decide whether or not you are of value to them. Finally, it is extremely important to include the consumers in your storytelling approach. Laurence Vincent, Director of The Brand Studio, places an emphasis on the consumer as he stated, “Curiously, I do believe that brands tell stories. I just think most people who talk about brand storytelling don’t know what it means. The simple fact is that story is how consumers connect brands to their lives.” You have to begin to draw a parallel between your own self-concept and how others perceive you. One effective way of incorporating your consumers, clients, or target audience, is to listen to their conversation on social media. Discover some of the following: What are they saying about you and your brand? What are their wants and needs in your area of expertise? What role can your brand play in their lives? What are their feelings toward your competitors? Telling a compelling story of your personal brand is the difference between a trusted source and a source overlooked. By discovering your own story, you can begin reaching your audience on deeper, more meaningful level. Have you thought about the story of your personal brand? How do you differentiate yourself from others in your industry?   Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

How to Use Your Work Experience on Your Resume

How to Use Your Work Experience on Your ResumeWhen you are preparing a resume for someone, one of the most important things to include is their work experience. You should be able to list it under education or on a separate page.It is actually a good idea to break your resume up into different sections to allow you to concentrate on different areas. For example, if you want to emphasize that you have a great deal of experience as a secretary, you can include a section under that heading. You can also add an 'Educational Experience' section that lists all of the degrees that you have earned, or even a 'Professional' section that lists each of your awards and honors that are related to the job.However, it is also a good option to separate your work experience from the educational information. It is one thing to list a person's schooling in the career section. However, you don't want to do this if you are listing a person's work experience, because you will never know how many years the y have worked for you. Therefore, you should simply list them under their title, like 'administrative assistant'office manager.'In addition to this, you should also include their professional section in the same fashion. If they have worked for a small business, you should mention that as well. You do not want to use the word 'employee' because it could be misinterpreted as meaning 'employer.' Of course, if you mention that you were the administrative assistant for a previous employer, this is correct.The fact of the matter is that you must have your work experience on the resume as a way to highlight your qualifications. It is probably a good idea to write it right after your education in the curriculum section. This makes it very easy to find when you go through the different sections.After you have written out your work experience, you need to make sure that you include this information in the section entitled Education. You need to tell the hiring manager exactly what your educa tional history is. This is the only section that is required in a resume, but sometimes it is neglected by people. It is essential that you include this section, so that they can compare your experience to the knowledge they are looking for.When you are looking for a position that has a graduate degree required, you are going to have to put the research, writing, and organizational skills on the resume. Of course, you also need to list the experience that you have gotten from working on a college campus, such as teaching seminars, conducting research papers, and participating in conferences. You can also include any other volunteer work that you have done that shows how you can help in the professional world.Although there are many different ways to include your work experience, including the education section is the most effective. This is so they can see your educational background and be able to easily look over your past employment. As long as you put it all together, your resum e should be very readable and you should be able to get hired fairly quickly.

The Perfect Spring Color in My Work Blazer - Cubicle Chic

The Perfect Spring Color in My Work Blazer - Cubicle Chic The Perfect Spring Color in My Work Blazer Office fashion, Outfits May 13, 2016 0 CommentsBlack, white, nudes, gray, and monochromatic color combination is typical for women’s workwear collection because they’re season-less. But once in a while, I give into the temptation of something that’s a bit funky, a bit different, and a bit..dare I say, colorful!This blazer I bought from Nordstrom, and it’s the brand Halogen, which is Nordstrom’s own creation. I love the fit, the color, and length, and the material. It’s really the perfect piece!P.S. Scroll to the bottom to find out about the Poshmark Party I’m hosting on 5/24, and the specific items I’m looking to feature in this party, themed VACATION VIBES!I also recently became addicted to looking and admittedly, shopping,  at Rebecca Taylor pieces on OffFifth.com because they’re just SO nicely made!    And OffFifth offers sweet discounts on these amazing and versatile pieces making the temptations even stronger. You should really check it out! Rebecca Taylor $ 310 Get Sale Alert Halogen $ 98 Get Sale Alert Topshop $ 80 Get Sale Alert Kara $ 525 Get Sale Alert Fossil $ 168 Get Sale Alert PSSSST: I am hosting a Poshmark Party on the app on Tuesday 5/24/2016 at 7PM PST! Elle, blogger at The Gray Asparagus, Lisa at HelloImFabulous on Instagram, and I are teaming up to host this awesome Vacation Vibes Poshmark party on Tuesday 5/24. We each have a different sub-theme, i.e. our own take on the Vacation Vibes theme. Mine is “European Escape” since I just came back from a business trip in Germany (did you see my Instagram documentation of the beautiful Munich trip?). I would love to be tagged on items such as comfortable but stylish travel clothes, floppy hats, comfortable shoes i.e. SNEAKERS!Find me on Poshmark here @CubicleChic!

How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection Test (IST) - How 2 Become

How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection Test (IST) - How 2 Become The PSNI Online Initial Selection Test (IST) is a series of assessments used to filter the best candidates early in the Northern Ireland Police Service recruitment process, and therefore it is important to understand them fully. So, let’s take a look at how to pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection Test.What is the PSNI Online Initial Selection Test? â€" Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestThe PSNI is a series of exercises designed to filter out the weakest candidates who make it through the application process. The PSNI receives thousands of applicants every year. So, it would be impossible every candidate to go to the assessment stage. Therefore, the IST is a pre-screening process.The Initial Selection Test (IST) will consist of three sub tests, all of which will be held under timed conditions. So, the tests will examine the following skills:Word meanings, logic and grammatical nuances;Interpretation of language;Verbal and numerical data reasoning.It is important to prepar e as comprehensively as you possibly can for the IST. So, start preparing as early as possible. Ideally this should be immediately after you have finished filling in the initial application form. Therefore, the more preparation you do, the more confident you will feel, and this will reflect in your results. For many people, nerves can damage their chances of success, and therefore you need to do your utmost to reduce these nerves.Tips for How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestHere are some tips for increasing your chances of passing the PSNI online initial selection test:Read newspapers. Using a pen and paper, read through an article and write down a list of definitive facts that have been established by the article. This will help you when it comes to the second part of the test. You could also try to spot any mistakes that have been missed by the editors. Alternatively, there are plenty of proof reading, spelling and grammar exercises you can find online.Practice puzzl es and crosswords. These will help you to start thinking logically about puzzles and word problems.Study data from tables, charts and graphs. This is a really important exercise, as it will help you to see the way in which you should approach the actual numerical questions. This is the area where the majority of candidates struggle, and therefore it is essential that you prepare to succeed where others fail.Reading Comprehension â€" How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestIn this test you will be required to read through a passage, and identify a number of mistakes. These mistakes will be in the form of incorrect spelling, and words that have been used in the wrong context. So, you will be expected to read through the passage and underline the incorrect words. It is very important when taking this test that you:Underline the correct number of words as specified by the question, even if you can spot more mistakes;Underline only single words, not phrases or sentences;Only un derline the words, do not try to correct them.With this in mind, take a look at the example passage below. Identify eight mistakes in the passage, in under 3 minutes. We’ve provided the answers below, so you can identify any errors that you missed.‘Every Monday I pop round to my auntys house. She has recently remaried, and lives with her new husbond. There house is semi-detached, and contains all sorts of interesting ornaments. They live next door to a man who owns a german dog. The dog is always barking through the gate when I arrive, so I find it quite inmitidating. So, my aunty normally cooks me a hot dinner of sausage, beans and mash. This is one of my favourite meal, and therefore I always look foward to Monday evenings.’Reading Comprehension â€" Answers â€" How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection Test1. ‘auntys’Explanation â€" The word ‘auntys’ should have an apostrophe beforethe s, to indicate that the house belongs to her.2. ‘remaried’Explanation â€" The word ‘remaried’ should be spelt ‘remarried’.3. ‘husbond’Explanation â€" The word ‘husbond’ should be spelt ‘husband’.4. ‘There’Explanation â€" The word ‘there’ should be spelt ‘their’ since the housebelongs to two or more people.5. ‘german’Explanation-The word ‘german’ should be spelt with a capital letter,‘German’.6. ‘inmitidating’Explanation â€" The word ‘inmitidating’ should be spelt ‘intimidating’.7. ‘meal’Explanation â€" The word ‘meal’ should be spelt ‘meals’.8. ‘foward’Explanation â€" The word ‘foward’ should be spelt ‘forward’.Verbal Reasoning â€" How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestIn this test you will be given 4 separate passages, with a set number of statements after each. So, you will have to identify and then indicate on the answer sheet, whether you believe each statement to be TRUE, FALSE or UNKNOWN. So, the guidelines for each category are listed below:TRUE: In order fo r a statement to qualify as true, the statement should be definitively made within the passage, or should be qualified by evidence taken from the passage that cannot be challenged.FALSE: In order for a statement to qualify as false, the statement should be something that is not made in the passage, and therefore should be something that can be challenged by reading the passage.UNKNOWN: In order for a statement to qualify as unknown, there should be insufficient information in the passage to ascertain whether it is true or false.Data Interpretation â€" How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestIn this test, you will be given a data sheet, and therefore a series of questions based around the information contained within it. So, you will need to demonstrate your numerical ability and skills in data interpretation in order to find the correct answer.The questions will all be multiple-choice, and could vary from larger more complex data sheets, to smaller more straightforward she ets.Conclusion â€" How to Pass the PSNI Online Initial Selection TestThese are the three main tests that you need to need to perform well in if you want to pass the PSNI online initial selection test. So, for more guidance on becoming a police officer in Northern Ireland, check out our guide: How to Become a PSNI Police Officer. This entry was posted in Police. Bookmark the permalink. Jacob Senior Train Driver Recruitment Tips: How To Ace The Application FormPass the Police Selection Process â€" Top 5 Tips