Messages

1

Cover Letter / Cover Letter Templates that actually draw the attention

« on: August 22, 2020, 05:06:28 PM »

Impress your future employer with a visually appealing cover letter that stands out,
rather than another boring, black and white Word Document.

Go through the following handy to-dos:

• Put together an easy-to-read cover letter with the minimalist template. You can keep a similar length for your cover letter, or go a little shorter and simply increase the text size to take up more of the page.
• If you want to go with a single personal brand color, you can create an accent using a pop of color versus the remaining black and white color scheme.
• Two-column cover letter template is a creative way to share your information with any potential employer. Go against the grain of one-column letters and create a newspaper-esque look and feel in your cover letter.
• Highlighting your contact details within a shape or bubble that’s a different color than the rest of your cover letter will help them to stand out so the hiring manager isn’t having to search for your email address or social media profiles.
• Highlight your job title or industry right underneath your name within your cover letter so that the hiring manager knows exactly what you’re applying for, right off the bat. Companies occasionally hire for multiple positions at once, so making this clear can be a big help.
• Include a virtual signature within your cover letter by using a script font to sign your name at the end.

You can see and download the super six templates given below:

                   

                   

Source: My CV Store

2

Career Grooming / Find your career that match your skills

« on: August 20, 2020, 04:47:00 PM »

Sometimes people take any job without thinking about if they like the job. They learn that there are some tasks they like to do. And there are other tasks they don't like to do.

Finding a job that has tasks that are interesting to you will make the job more enjoyable, and you will be more motivated to keep that job. You'll also do a better job and are more likely to be promoted.

Interests are what you like to do at work. You can choose a career based on your interests.

Benefits of Matching Your Interests

Here are reasons to pick a job that matches your interests:

• You will be happier doing a job you like (matches your interests) than one you dislike.
• Not everything you enjoy doing will provide you with a good income. It is important to balance what you enjoy, what you are good at (your skills), and what jobs are available.
• You may not enjoy every part of your job, but you should enjoy most of it.

Discover Your Interests
An interest assessment asks you questions about your hobbies and what you like to do. It matches your interests to job options to give you a list of careers that you might like.

Take this short assessment

• Click the squares next to the activities that you like to do. If you don't like to do an activity, leave the square blank.
• When you have looked at the whole list, click "Go" at the bottom of the page.
• The next page will show how many responses you had in each of the six interest types. Most people have two or three types that are higher than the rest. The two or three types with your biggest numbers are the interest areas best fit you. Write down those two or three types. This is your interest code.
• Look at the career clusters that match each of your interest code letters.

The interest code uses the following words to describe the six interest groups:

R = Realistic people are DOERS. Realistic people like to work with their hands, either with plants and animals or tools. They like to fix things.
I = Investigative people are THINKERS. Investigative people like to analyze data and solve problems. They usually prefer to work independently.
A = Artistic people are CREATORS. Artistic people often enjoy making things or performing in front of other people. They like flexibility in their lives.
S = Social people are HELPERS. Social people like to work with other people, often on teams. They enjoy counseling or caring for others.
E = Enterprising people are PERSUADERS. Enterprising people like to start projects and make decisions. They often enjoy selling things or managing other people.
C = Conventional people are ORGANIZERS. Conventional people like structured jobs. They enjoy working with numbers and instructions. They often organize data and write reports.

This interest assessment can help you understand which careers might best fit you. An interest assessment will give you a broad list of career options that match your interests. Click here to take the Interest Assessment and match your interest code to career clusters.

Now it is time to find your career match your skills

Source: What Are Your Interests?

3

Career Grooming / How To Turn Your Biggest Weaknesses Into Powerful Strengths

« on: August 20, 2020, 03:48:55 PM »

Today, it’s not about the question do you have or not have weaknesses. It is more about do you recognize them and what you are doing to decrease their effect on your business success. You can always work on your strengths and eliminate weaknesses through delegating tasks.

Often, your weaknesses aren’t visible to you. But, they are visible for your company that will start struggling. So, your business struggle because of you as a reason. Because of that, here I want to share four things you can do when you want to turn your biggest weaknesses into strengths.

1. Create Your Most Important Strengths and Weaknesses List
Before you start working on turning your weaknesses into strengths, you need to know some things. First is what can be an entrepreneurial weakness and second, what can be an entrepreneurial strength. As you probably already think there are many things that can be weakness or strength. But, here I would like to cover an example list of most important strengths and weaknesses related to your entrepreneurial career.

Self-discipline
If you are disciplined person, motivated to do things you set to do, not procrastinate and control your personal behavior then you are a self-disciplined person. In this situation, your self-discipline can be your strength. But if your behavior is not such as described above, then your self-discipline can be your weakness.

Problem-solving
If you are an analytical person with exceptional ability to identify and define problems, able to analyze them, find causes and right solutions and implementing best solutions then problem-solving is your strength. Otherwise, problem-solving can be your weakness.

Teamwork
If you want to work in teams and you can easily communicate with team members, encourage, listen, and respect them, give a significant contribution to the achievement of team goals, teamwork is your strength. Otherwise, teamwork can be your weakness.

Taking Initiatives
If you are a person who continuously has ideas to do something to improve your company and take all necessary steps to make it possible, then taking the initiative is your entrepreneurial strength. Otherwise, taking the initiative can be your weakness.
 
Persistence and patience
As an entrepreneur, you probably already know that the results will not come today, but you will need to be persistent and patient. So, these two characteristics can be your strengths or weakness.

2. Recognize and Learn About Your Weaknesses
The most significant question here is how you can recognize what your most essential weaknesses and strengths are. When it comes to your entrepreneurial activities, you will always want to do something. This something often is the accomplishment of your goals. Because of that, when I want to recognize the biggest weakness of an entrepreneur, my starting point is their goal accomplishment.

Here are some questions that can lead you through this discovery process of your weaknesses and strengths:

• What have I accomplished related to my goals in the last several years? Why accomplished what I want to accomplish?
• What are strengths that allow me to achieve my goals? How can I use them in the future?
• What are my most significant weaknesses that don’t allow my business to succeed?
• What are the strengths I need and still don’t have to help my business succeed on the market?
• How do other people respond to such weaknesses? Can I use some of their strategies?
• What can be my unique strategy to beat my most significant weaknesses as an entrepreneur?

3. Write Entrepreneur’s Journal Each Day
One strategy that can help you in recognizing and turning your weaknesses into strengths is to use entrepreneur’s journal. It is your daily diary that will help you to learn about yourself, your mistakes and failures. In such a way, you will become a stronger entrepreneur.

Entrepreneur’s journal is something where you will spend 30 minutes daily to write about your daily experiences and successes from one side and your most significant struggles and failures from another side. Simply give a chance to daily journal, and you will see the progress on your entrepreneurial journey.

4. Accept That You Have Weaknesses and Work Hard on Implementation of Your Strategies to Turn Your Weaknesses Into Strengths
Now, when you already have the list of weaknesses that prevent you from accomplishing your goals, the most important thing you need to ensure is that you accept that everything on the list is your weakness.

Source: How To Turn Your Biggest Weaknesses Into Powerful Strengths

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Job Satisfaction & Skills / Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills

« on: August 20, 2020, 02:01:30 AM »

Cases for Hard Skills:

• If you are applying for a software developer, some of the best hard skills are the ability to use one or more development language such as Java, C++, Smalltalk, PHP, .NET,  and etc. Examples of a software developer soft skills are the ability to work successfully in a team, good communication skills, etc.
• If you are a project manager, you can list in your CV hard skills such as expert knowledge of project management methodologies as the Waterfall or Agile, business analysis knowledge, certifications as PMP. Hard skills are important for working with different types of PM software such as Project Management Tools, Risk Management Tools, Workflow Management Software, and Gantt Chart Software.

Important soft skills of a project manager are leadership skills, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, decision-making and etc.For bakers, important hard skills are the ability to work with operating kitchen equipment and to have specific knowledge of different cook methods. Important soft skills: attention to detail, flexibility, adaptability, willingness to learn.


Cases for Soft Skills

• A doctor is required to have an extensive repertoire of hard skills, especially the ability to diagnose and prescribe treatments for an array of ailments. But a doctor who does not have the soft skills of emotional intelligence, trustworthiness and approachability is not likely to be very highly regarded by their patients.
• A salesperson, who may have an unrivaled and exhaustive knowledge of their market, will find it difficult to close a deal and retain their clients if they lack the soft skills of interpersonal skills and negotiation.
• A customer services professional with amazing organisational skills will only do well if they are also able to interact professionally with customers, and have empathy and listening skills.

Try This Quiz

Source: Soft Skills Vs Hard Skills

5

Career Planning / Flowchart to Find Your Career Personality Type

« on: August 17, 2020, 03:36:48 PM »

How can you choose the career that's right for you, without having any practical experience on the job? In the 1950's, psychologist John Holland set out to answer this question. He determined that all careers can be categorized as one of 6 main types—and conveniently, all people can be categorized as well.

By asking you practical questions about the types of tasks you enjoy doing (both on the job and off) the Holland Code system is able to provide you with a match between your interests and the careers you would enjoy doing.

• Most people are one of six personality types: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional.
• People with the same personality types work well together and reward behavior that supports that personality type.
• There are six types of work environments: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional.
• People seek environments that match their skills and abilities and express their values and attitudes.
• People who work in environments that match their personality type are more likely to be successful and satisfied.
• Your workplace (or institute) has an effect on how you act or work and on how comfortable you are in that environment.

So how do you know your Holland Code career type, and thus, which careers will suit you? Use this Flowchart to figure it out! At the least, it gives you a starting point to think about your likes, dislikes, and what kind of work might be best suited for you.

Besides, try this Career Personality Profiler and enjoy sailing towards your career.

Source: This Flowchart Helps You Find Your Career Personality Type

6

CV writing Skills / Top 10 designs to tailor your CV

« on: August 04, 2020, 03:58:13 PM »

Out of thousands of competitive CVs, your CV should be drawn to the attention of recruiter at first glance. Meanwhile, you must keep in mind that your uniqueness should not exclude the standards.

Just keep in mind that following key elements should not be left out:

• Name and Contact
• Experience
• Skills

In the latest era, the layouts of CV has been changed a lot. In fact, the recruiters want to be impressed within 8-10 remarkable seconds by just starring at your CV. That's why CV's size has been concise now. Nowadays one paged CV gets a lot of attention more than the one with multiple pages.

Here are the top 10 latest layout to build your CV on:

               

               

           


               

         

7

Career Advice / HOW TO ACHIEVE CAREER CLARITY

« on: April 08, 2020, 06:18:24 PM »

Career change is about finding fulfillment for you. Don’t hide behind someone else’s dreams

Rachel Montanez, Career Coach | Forbes Columnist

There has to be a little space for creativity! Understanding what you value, how you see the world and how you see yourself in the world are vital steps to gaining clarity with your next career move. These are three common career theories that can also help you achieve career clarity.

Super’s Career Theory

According to Super, career exploration typically occurs in the following stages:

• Exploration (14-24 years old)
• Establishment (25-44 years old)

Super then went on to adopt his theory later believing in an age-independent, task-centered view of stages.

Exploratory tasks include: trying things out through classes, employment experiences, volunteering, hobbies and skill development. When you are in the establishment stage, you may go through various tasks such as adapting to the company culture and performing job duties to your best ability, forming good work attitudes and habits and building positive co-worker relationships.

The exploration and establishment stages help us get clear on professional strengths and work preferences. Work preferences include things like your communication style, preferred leadership style, learning preferences, productivity style and work-life harmony preferences. The more you understand yourself the easier it is to find career clarity and share your value with employers.

Activities for you based on this theory:

• Write down three personal work attitudes or habits that are important to you?
• Write down two tasks you’ve done that aren’t related to what you do in your career. What makes these tasks fulfilling?
• Think about up to three life experiences that were particularly enjoyable for you. A few themes will likely emerge.

John Holland’s Theory

In John Holland’s theory, careers are determined a good fit if there’s an overlap between the six personality types and an environment that will let us express our attitudes and values while doing meaningful work.

The six personality types and some of their respective jobs:

• Realistic - engineer, computer technologist
• Investigative - science, research, medical and health occupations, dentist, doctor
• Artistic - writer, advertiser, fashion designer
• Social - teacher, social worker
• Enterprising - lawyer, executive or manager
• Conventional - secretary, bank clerk, accountant

Activities for you based on this theory:

You are unique and your personality is too. Your personality type may not ‘fit into’ one of the most used personality tests. Write down five words that describe your personality. Sometimes our personalities are different at work compared to familiar social settings. Do the exercise for both? It would be interesting to hear how closely your words match.

The Krumboltz Theory

Genetics and stereotypes can limit you from chasing some careers and make you more prone to pursue others. This theory also suggests that environmental conditions, events and learning experiences have an extremely significant influence on career choice. “Planned happenstance” is also a part of the Krumboltz theory. The term means that one can gain experiences by reacting to actions or consequences, observing others as they do so or by associative experiences. When you associate positive or negative feelings with people or events, you create associative experiences. Sometimes we avoid making a certain career move because of the people around us that may judge or belittle us.

Think about the following:

Do you need to modify your environment by surrounding yourself with people that accept you for who you are and what you want to do in life?
Have you created any associative experiences that may be getting in the way of your career clarity?

At the end, digging deep is fun, isn’t it? Trust your gut though along with reason and get help if you want a unique, proven method that combines the best ways to find career clarity.


Source: Super’s Career Development Theory, Holland Codes, Krumboltz Learning Theory

8

Employability Skills / Career Skills List

« on: April 07, 2020, 06:56:42 PM »

Source: Business Infographics

9

Career Advice / Does Your Personality Match Your Career?

« on: April 07, 2020, 06:26:13 PM »

Although you can succeed in a line of work that does not necessarily mesh with your personality, your personality type can make certain career paths more enjoyable and rewarding for you.

So if you’ve always dreamed of becoming a doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher, that’s great, and you should follow your dreams wherever they may lead. But also remember that real contentment and fulfillment in your career requires considering three different yet interrelated things:

– Your job
– Work environment
– Personality type

The reason for this is that your satisfaction on the job will only reach its pique level when your career lines up nicely with your personal preferences and value system. So after getting a good education and, of course, paying for it all, you owe it to yourself to find the right job for you.

In order to help you decide if your personality type matches your career, this article will look at some benefits of making the right choice, will focus on six personality types, and will provide a number of tests that’ll help you find suitable career types.

Benefits of Matching Personality and Career
As a millennial who is likely either on the verge of beginning a career or in the early stages of a career, there are definitely some benefits of finding work that suits your personality. They include:

Focused Set of Options: When you understand the relationship between your personality and your career choice, you’ll be able to whittle down your shortlist of possible jobs accordingly. As well, you’ll also figure out the sort of workplace environment would be more suited to you. If you’ve already entered the workforce, you can determine whether or not your job is a keeper.

Know Yourself: Having an idea of your personality type will help you to understand your strengths and weaknesses, and when you know this you’ll be positioned to know which jobs you would be a shoo-in for and which ones you should pass on. Remember that there isn’t a soul who does not have some shortcomings. When you know yours, you can figure out how to overcome them.

6 Personality Types
When it comes to personality types, there are lots of different lists. One of them is the John Holland theory, which stipulates that there are half a dozen personality types, namely realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional.

Realistic: This sort of person likes working with animals, machines, and tools, but he or she typically steers clear of social activities like teaching and instructing others.

Investigative: This sort of person appreciates resolving mathematics and science problems, but he or she also does not like things pertaining to supervising, selling, or persuading others.

Artistic: This type of individual enjoys helping others in ways that include instructing, providing care, and giving information. That said, such a person steers clear of handling machines, animals, or equipment to accomplish a goal.

Social: This sort of person likes opportunities to assist people via teaching, offering first aid, or providing information. Even so, such an individual also tends to avoid handling animals, machines, or equipment to accomplish an objective.

Enterprising: A person with this personality enjoys supervising, convincing people, and selling things. However, such a person eschews activities that necessitate careful observation as well as analytical thinking.

Conventional: A person with this personality type appreciates working with numbers and machines. Such a person likes to stay away from ambiguous activities that lack structure.

Knowing these sorts of personality types will help you to decide which one or ones reflect who you are, which can help to guide you down the right career path. The career/personality test associated with the John Holland theory is available here.

Personality / Career Tests
There are lots of online tests that you can take at your leisure to figure out what sorts of careers your personality particularly suits you for. What follows is a sampling of what’s available.

Jung Typology Test: This is a test that requires yes or no responses to a number of statements that are designed to unearth your personality type. When you’re done, you’ll get a list of possible careers for someone with your personality type.

SimilarMinds: When you take this career test, you’ll first have to input your present or hoped for career before taking the actual test. You’ll be presented with numerous statements and will need to demonstrate the extent to which you agree or disagree with them. When the test is completed, you will be provided with a list of potential career paths.

The sky’s the limit as a 20 something millennial, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be all the more content and fulfilled if you ensure that your personality type matches your career. So take the time needed to do some self-exploration and to take a personality/career test to find out what sorts of careers can potentially bring you the most contentment and fulfillment.

Source: Does Your Personality Match Your Career?

10

Career Advice / How to highlight transferable skills in a resume or cover letter

« on: April 06, 2020, 08:21:48 PM »

If you're currently considering a career change, you're probably finding that the gap between where you are and where you want to be feels more like a gaping chasm. And you're no doubt wondering how on earth you're going to prove to an employer that you're a good fit for a role you're under-qualified for (at least on paper).


Fortunately, there's a way to shrink that gap: by drawing recruiters' attention to your transferable skills. These are strengths and abilities honed in previous jobs that can also be applied to other (distinct) positions - skills like time management, problem-solving and research.

To make these softer competencies work for you, it's important that you build a resume and cover letter that clearly calls them out. In other words, you need to do the work of making the connections between your background and the job at hand for hiring managers.

Here's how to put together a job application that'll support a successful career jump.

Identify your relevant transferable skills
For every position you apply for, first carefully consider which of your transferable skills are most worth highlighting. Start by examining the job description and picking out required competencies listed there that you feel confident you possess. Ask yourself, -Which of the skills that I developed in job/industry A will be useful in job/industry - Think about strengths you've gained from side gigs and hobbies too - these are equally valuable.

Use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to your advantage
When choosing words to describe your transferable skills, bear in mind that the ATSs that many companies use to screen resumes rely heavily on keywords. If you match your wording to the language used in the job ad precisely, you improve your chances of being identified as a match and potentially landing an interview.

Consider how best to demonstrate your skills
It's all well and good to say you're an analytical thinker or team player, but you need to convince employers of this claim. How? By quantifying your transferable skills and illustrating how you've applied them previously. Think about past accomplishments and objectives you met in former roles, and express these in numbers as proof that you can do what you say you can. The idea is to impress employers enough to shift attention away from your inadequate employment record.

Give your transferable skills a leading role in your resume
There are a number of ways you can draw attention to transferable skills in your resume. Pick the route that feels right for you.

Change up your resume format

One way to make sure your relevant strengths are noticed is to create a combination resume, which first lists your key transferable skills, backed by accomplishments, and only then details your work history in reverse chronological order. Alternatively, you could opt for a non-chronological functional resume, which sorts competencies into categories, with examples, achievements, and experience listed as bullet points below each header. It's a good way to keep the focus off your career path, but be warned- the absence of specific details might frustrate recruiters.

Separate out your relevant skills and experience

If you're concerned your transferable skills might get lost on your resume, then give them their own sub-section. Divide -Key Skills' into -Related Skills and Other Skills' and, similarly, split up -Work Experience into Related Experience and Additional Experience.

Start with an objective statement

Instead of a summary statement, kick off your resume with an objective statement that explicitly addresses the fact that you're changing careers and highlights how your skills will travel well into this new industry. A statement like this should positively impact the lens through which recruiters read the rest of your resume. While the resume objective statement is for the most part dead, the one time it's okay to is in a career shift situation.

Shift the focus of your cover letter

Good news is, if you're battling to communicate how well your skills translate in your resume, you have another chance to do so in your cover letter. Just remember the following:

Concentrate on the skills you do have

It may feel necessary to acknowledge your lack of industry experience in your cover letter, but rather than focusing on the negatives, use this precious space to highlight the value you can bring. Show how confident you are about your ability to do the job by getting straight to those invaluable transferable skills of yours.

Use a format that gives prominence to your transferable skills

While most candidates will opt for a more traditional letter format that outlines their work history, if you're changing careers, it makes more sense to structure the letter around your relevant abilities. Pick three or four key transferable skills you possess and organize the body of your cover letter around them - you could even dedicate a paragraph to each and call them out with bolded subheadings.

Source: 4 SKILLS TO HIGHLIGHT WHEN YOU'RE SWITCHING YOUR CAREER

11

Career Advice / SOMETHINGS IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE

« on: April 06, 2020, 08:15:01 PM »

If you're in your twenties, you should be excited and challenged at work! Your twenties are a time to learn new things, be challenged and feel excited in your day-to-day. It's so easy to get caught up in a stuffy cubicle (the worst)! Here is the coolest list of jobs for 20 somethings so you can brainstorm an exciting career, that actually makes you want to get out of bed in the morning. Who knew that was possible?!

Jobs At Fast Paced StartUps

Working at a big corporation won't give you access to the people at the top to learn from. At a startup, you'll be required to wear more hats, be a bigger part of the team, and see more aspects of the business. This is great for people in their twenties that might want to be an entrepreneur one day.

If you want to work at a startup, there are a few places you'll want to check, including LinkedIn and Angel's List. My one tip: make sure to check out any company on Crunchbase before joining. Startups all have the dream of making it big, while not everyone does - so you truly want to make sure that you are joining one with a great trajectory. If a company is on that path, there will likely be press about it, so make sure to do your research!

Flight Attendant

Being a flight attendant is an awesome way to see the world. If you like to travel, this is the job for you! Being in your twenties often means you have no commitments back home. You might not have a family or a significant other yet - which means you can travel anywhere on the fly.

I have heard that it takes a while to climb up the ladder in the aviation world. At first, you may not be flying the exact routes you want to fly! I always hear flight attendants get a night or two in an amazing place while waiting for your next flight to leave!

Account Executive in Sales

If you have a Bachelor's degree and love people, sales might be a great path for you! The sales career path is one that requires hard work and a huge hustle. If you are committed - you can end up making a lot of money at a really young age. Every company has a sales department, and it just varies by the company on what you'll do.

Some require travel, some require cold calling, but all require you to be bold and numbers oriented. Sales is an amazing job for twenty-somethings because it allows you to do well for yourself at a young age while working your way up a corporate ladder.

If you're looking for a sales job, first decide what you want to sell. A physical product, software, or ads are just a few of your options! Then look for roles like Sales Coordinator and Sales Development representative - those are all entry-level points you can get started in!

Media or Marketing Coordinator

If you love being creative and understanding businesses, media or marketing might be a great fit for you. Media and marketing jobs are filled with young professionals who are creative and business savvy. Every company has a media and marketing department to promote their company. Often the jobs are totally available to those with just a few years of experience. In a media or marketing job, you'll be focusing on company promotion, bringing in business (whether it's leads or sales!), all at a healthy cost for the company.

I love marketing because it allows you to truly be creative while flexing your analytical and business skills. If your looking for an entry evel marketing job, look for "marketing coordinator" or "media planner" roles.

Social Media Manager

If you love social media (who doesn't love Instagram!?), you may want to consider a social media manager or community manager job! A social media or community manager is in charge of growing a company's fan-base through the internet. Whether it's planning posts, creating content or interacting with customers, a social media manager job is a great way to get a ton of experience and potentially make a ton of impact for a company.

It's no secret that social media is a thing of the future and is not going away - if I had a guess, truly great community manager's that can grow a tribe will be in high demand as this becomes more and more important for companies. And honestly, for anyone who grew up with social media, this is the perfect job for millennial!

Music Producer

If you love going to concerts and listening to music, getting a job in the music industry may be for you. There are tons of jobs (and free music perks) at companies like Spotify, and the major festivals (like Coachella!), but you can also work directly with artists. There are so many representation companies or producing companies where you are really able to learn the ins and outs of the music industry.

Because podcasts are becoming such a big thing, you could also work in the audio field by working for a podcast company (like Podcast One or Dear Media) to get a ton of audio experience there!

Web or Software Developer

For those that are great with computers and anything tech, being a developer is a high demand field that pays extremely well! Every company usually needs a software and web developer and good ones are hard to find. If you've never developed before, no worries - you can easily take a class nearby your hometown and learn the skills you need to know.

I've heard when starting out in the development field you want to start at a smaller company. Once you've proved yourself and gotten real-world experience - you can find an amazing job at a bigger company (if that's what you want)!

Public Relations Specialist

PR jobs focus on promoting and maintaining the image of a company. In a public relations job, you might be sending press releases to news outlets, or putting out fires on Twitter.

This is a great industry for young people for a few reasons. There's a ton of opportunity for someone with less experience, you have the opportunity to learn skills you'll need for the rest of your career.

If you're looking for PR jobs, look under the titles like PR specialist, PR associate or PR manager and you should be able to find something there. Don't forget to submit a cover letter when applying for these jobs - you'll be writing a lot so the company will want to see your skills shine!

Customer Success Manager

Most startups have a newer type of job called a Customer Success Manager! Any company that deals with customers (and high volumes of them) likely have someone in charge of ensuring everyone has a great experience. From coming up with customer processes to writing back if someone is unhappy, this is a great paying job and also allows work-life balance.

Dental Hygienist

If your interested in pursuing a career in the world of health care, or looking for a career path of helping people, medical may be the place for you! Dental Hygienists actually do a ton of work (think about who cleans your teeth!) and is a great way to get experience in this field. That being said, I am personally so squeamish so I'm not sure I could do this job!

Finally here are some tips for your job preparation:

• Create an amazing resume: When applying to any job, you want to cater your resume to the job description itself. Follow these tips to learn how to create an amazing resume, and I've included the resume template that I personally use when applying for jobs!
• Reach out directly to your future place of work: This is my SECRET SAUCE for getting a new job! Essentially it requires reaching out to your future company. I've included the email templates I use as well!
• Ace your job interview: You have to be ready to crush your job interview so a company will know how amazing you are!
  

Good luck with job hunting - you will ace the process.

Source: IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR CAREER

12

Cover Letter / Prospects of Cover letter in view of an highly experienced hiring manager

« on: March 19, 2020, 05:56:37 PM »

[PHOTO: FLICKR]

SARA MCCORD is a freelance writer and editor, who most frequently covers the career beat. For nearly three years, she was an editor at The Muse, and she's regularly contributed career advice to Mashable. Her advice has been published across the web (Forbes, Newsweek, Fast Company,TIME, Inc., Business Insider, CNBC and more). Ms. Mccord has experience managing programs; recruiting, interviewing, and referring job applicants; building strategic partnerships; advising executive directors; and supporting a national network of volunteers.

In an article in the muse she explains what makes her eyes glaze over and what grabs her attention when she screens cover letters. Based on her experience in human resource she transparently points out some specifics about the texts what usually job seekers include in their cover letter.

1. THE BASICS
What she clears out in this section is, if you were truly excited about the idea of working for this company, you’d surely take the time to tailor your greeting. This is the very main part where as a job seeker you you can show that you have definitely done your company research.

The generic word like "Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern" must be avoided. Rather you should go for the direct name with Mr. or Ms. If you do not know or guess the name, mention the designation but make sure that it be as specific as possible like "Senior Analyst Hiring Manager” or “Research Manager Search Committee”.

In case of thanking at the very beginning, Ms. Mccord said,

You don’t need to thank the hiring manager “so incredibly much” for reading your application–that’s his job.

2. THE OPENING SENTENCE
Job seekers frequently struggle with how to begin a cover letter. This often results in a feeble introduction lacking punch and failing to grab the reader's interest. It leads to weak opening. So replace “I am writing to apply for [job] at [company],” to the following ones:

I’ve wanted to work in education ever since
my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Dorchester, helped me discover a love of reading.

My approach to management is simple: I strive to be the kind of leader I’d want to work for.

In my three years at [prior company], I increased our average quarterly sales by [percentage].

Mentioning these suggestions she indulges to write whatever comes to mind in a blank doc. Some words may be embarrassing or lame, but this efforts gradually make you to find out the most engaging intros for your cover letter.

3. THE EXAMPLES
If you put some strong words in your writings, it may show your writing skill but how would you show some other skills those are not related to writing. It is tough but would you just name some skills for that? This is not to make someone read your letter, it makes them feel that you truly have that skill as well.

All you have to give a precise example against your skills. It must not be a autobiography. You have to know when and where to stop.

To enlighten the case, Ms. Mccord mentioned two-line excerpt from her own-written cover:

If I’m in a conference room and the video isn’t working, I’m not the sort to simply call IT and wait.
I’ll also (gracefully) crawl under the table, and check that everything is properly plugged in.

Although, it is a bit kind of casual but also highlight your soft skills well. It says that you are a problem solver, not the man who waits for the technicians. In fact, it is a lot better that saying, “I’m a take-charge problem solver.” Besides, the “gracefully” refers to the seriousness; even in a job application.

Avoiding cover letter mistakes can be challenging this days. Even though you’re writing about you, it can be hard to sound confident without sounding arrogant. Keep in mind that your cover letter has one and only goal: to get the job interview. So take time to match your qualifications carefully to the job requirements prior to write.

Source: I Review Hundreds Of Cover Letters–Here’s What I Instantly Reject

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Winning Interview Techniques / Here's what to do with your hands during a job interview

« on: March 19, 2020, 05:49:44 PM »

In a job interview, every little thing matters — from your ability to make eye contact to the color of your suit. So you’ll want to pay extra close attention to what you do with your hands while you’re sitting across from your interviewer.
Below, we’ve outlined which hand gestures will help you ingratiate yourself and which can be downright detrimental to your success.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/137008013644406955/?utm_campaign=popular_pins&e_t=71f1662ad389420a8e45d6766c530842&utm_content=137008013644406955&utm_source=31&utm_term=14&utm_medium=2012

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Employability Skills / 18 Ways To Be More Positive At Work [Infographic]

« on: March 19, 2020, 05:47:40 PM »

Did you know that positivity is heavily contagious? It is a proven fact that if you are more positive, people around you will become positive as well. However, sometimes it can be hard to keep the positivity close at hand and ready when you need it if you feel that no matter what you’re doing nothing seems to be going your way.

Positivity does not grow on trees it is something that will have to come from within you and from your own experiences. For example, if we look at most successful people, they usually come from hardship and a difficult upbringing. So how is it that these people managed to stay positive even though life gave them lemons? Positivity is something that comes from within something that you have to nourish and constantly add to. It’s not easy to stay positive when everything seems to be falling apart, but that is why you will succeed if you never let go of that positivity.

When it comes to productivity, then positivity has everything to do with it. Super creative people are usually more positive than most. I am sure their creativity has something to do with a chemical infusion just because they are more positive. However, it is by will that they remain positive. This all might sound like a whole lot of mumbo jumbo, but the fact is that there are several studies that prove that positive people usually succeed in what they undertake.

So just how can we get more positive at work? According to an infographic called 18 Ways To Be More Positive At Work, (presented by  cmd), we can absorb a few pointers that might just help us find a more positive path throughout our work day. There are a few typos in this infographic, but it serves its purpose really well and if you stay positive (no pun intended) you will make it through the infographic without tearing your hair out.

It’s a really simple infographic so I am not going to go into what each tip says or means. I think you are perfectly capable of finding that out yourself. However, I am going to say that with a little bit more positivity in your life, half the battles are already won.

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273453008598768079/?utm_campaign=popular_pins&e_t=71f1662ad389420a8e45d6766c530842&utm_content=273453008598768079&utm_source=31&utm_term=13&utm_medium=2012

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Employability Skills / 5 TED Talks That Will Inspire Your Productivity

« on: March 19, 2020, 05:45:34 PM »

TED talks. I’m a huge fan. No doubt, you’ve already noticed that.It seems there’s a TED talk to cover every topic you can imagine – a few you probably can’t. The one’s I like most are the talks that inspire you to push through your own BS and inspire you to become more productive, more focused on your goals and inspired to achieve everything you’ve always dreamed of for yourself. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, or jaded with your lot, watch these TED talks and not only will you have a chuckle or two, you’ll feel inspired to go out there and become your best self.

TED Talks for Inspiring Productivity

Arianna Huffington – How to Succeed? Get More Sleep
This one is very close to my heart. I’ve struggled with sleep issues for a number of years now. Not specifically because I’ve chosen to prioritise other activities over getting a good night’s sleep but due to stress.
In this talk, Arianna also shares her own experience of what happens when you let sleep drop to the bottom of your priority list.
Arianna has written an excellent book on sleep; “The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time which I highly recommend if you also struggle to get a solid night’s sleep.

https://www.ted.com/talks/arianna_huffington_how_to_succeed_get_more_sleep

Jason Fried – Why Work Doesn’t Happen at Work
Jason’s talk echoed my own experiences working in an open plan office. If you’ve ever worked in an office environment, I guarantee you’ll recognise each and every situation he describes.
Distractions are real productivity suckers outside the office, too. As Jason say’s, “You cannot ask somebody to be creative in 15 minutes and really think about a problem.”
If distractions are getting in the way of you achieving your goals, check out Jason’s TED talk.

https://www.ted.com/talks/jason_fried_why_work_doesn_t_happen_at_work

Shawn Achor – The Happy Secret to Better Work
Even if your life is perfect, you need to watch Shawn’s TED talk – it’s hilarious. Shawn’s rapid-fire delivery is more like that of a stand-up comedian than an accomplished psychologist.
Shawn’s talk has had over 14 million views and is one of the most popular TED talks of all time.
Watch it and you’ll see why.

https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work

Angela Lee Duckworth – Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Grit. It’s one of those words that sounds like it means. According to researcher and psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth, grit is ultimately what gets us to our goals. It is the ability to keep sight of the bigger picture, regardless of the obstacles thrown your way.
Grit, not intelligence or talent, is most likely to see you achieve what you want in life. If luck is preparation meeting opportunity, then grit is what ensures you do that preparation.

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance

Nigel Marsh – How to Make Work/Life Balance Work
“We have to be responsible for setting and enforcing the boundaries that we want in our lives.” –Nigel Marsh
Because, if we don’t, the world (or our boss) will set them for us.
Do you live to work or work to live? Which is more important to you; your life or your work? These are questions we don’t often take the time to ask ourselves. We just tend to go with the flow.
In this TED talk, Nigel shares his journey to a better work/life balance. He’s also written Fat, Forty, and Fired: One Man’s Frank, Funny, and Inspiring Account of Losing His Job and Finding His Life, which is definitely worth reading.

https://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/ATmuM7pE8u6s4JxrC1EKPsGbrElcPbKe2Cc-Bp7OjEE0tPLq1R6LuLo/