Writing About Yourself in the Resume

Writing About Yourself in the ResumeOne of the reasons why many job seekers are confused about what to write in the resume is because they sometimes overlook to include their writing about themselves in the resume. It's really essential that they consider this point very carefully because it is crucial for them to make a good impression on the company, the recruiters, and the interviewers. The writing about oneself in the resume will become even more important if the company screens or interviews the candidates at the next round of employment.The first thing that you need to be sure of is that you are not self-absorbed. It would do you no good to include a number of personal accomplishments which you might have created only on your own without putting any effort in. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you do not portray a written statement of how hard you worked when it is actually already clear that you didn't put much effort into it. This kind of writing is not something that s hould be included in the resume.Second, do not include your writing about yourself in the resume when you really didn't accomplish anything great in your job or when there were really not that many accomplishments. This kind of attitude does not look professional and it doesn't give a good impression at all. It is best to tell the interviewer that you have experienced a great deal in your career and that you just enjoyed doing a lot of things but you did not gain much success in your career.Third, do not start talking about your past work history in the resume. Instead, do something different like talking about your passion in the job and how it led you to try a new job or that you wanted to change the company because it is what you really want to do. This way, you can show the potential employer that you are sincere about what you are doing and that you don't mind talking about it in your writing about yourself in the resume.Fourth, do not exaggerate the things that you did achieve . On the other hand, do not omit some things that you did not achieve in your career. On the contrary, you can write down about the achievements that you did not obtain in your career in the resume so that the interviewer will have a very accurate picture of your career.Fifth, do not talk about your past life or your personal history in the resume. If you really don't have anything significant to say in this context, don't speak about it. It would be better to leave it alone and to describe your achievements instead.Sixth, do not talk about past life if you really did not experience it. This is because this kind of writing can make the interviewer think that you are an attention seeking person who likes to put different things in your resume because you want to make your career. If you really want to leave a good impression with the potential employer, you shouldn't talk about anything that you had in your past life in the resume.Do not forget these things when you are creating your self-written resume. You don't want to disappoint the potential employer because you made a bad impression because of your writing about yourself in the resume.

Repurpose Your Career - 5 Steps to Your Next Career Pivot - Career Pivot

Repurpose Your Career - 5 Steps to Your Next Career Pivot - Career Pivot Your Next Career Pivot Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Gen Xer, or Millennial, retirement like your parents had is no longer a possibility for most. Just about everyone will have to go through career changesâ€"career pivotsâ€"sometime in their life. It’s time to learn how to repurpose your career. Let me lay out five steps for you to follow that will help you repurpose your career and make a successful career change. Step 1 â€"Know thyself. Take time to understand your core needs, like autonomy, creativity, and your own definition of a good team. Reflect back on your career when you were the happiest. Use my Career Reflection Worksheet to guide you through seven areas of job satisfaction. Many of you have morphed into altered versions of yourselves in order to fit comfortably in corporate America. You may not really know yourself anymore. I use the Birkman Method ® assessment to dissect your personality and find those areas where you are no longer in line with your authentic self. Most of us who have worked over 20 years have done this to ourselves! (More: Career Reflection â€" A Twice a Year Duty ) Step 2 â€"Build your tribe. Who can you count on for help and support during this transition? Who is going to lift your spirits when you slip and fall? Your next career move will almost always come through a relationship! Strategically build relationships within industries and at companies that can help you make your next career pivot. Build a team around you…and keep in touch with them! (More: Strategic Networking â€" Building Your Tribe ) Step 3 â€"Act on facts, not assumptions. We often think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but when we get there, we find out it’s AstroTurf. In 2003, I left the high tech industry to teach high school math. I made two flawed assumptions: Listen to the most recent episode As an engineer who had taught adults all over the world for 20 years, I assumed that school districts would want me to teach math. They did not! They did not want any guy over 40 years of age (likely because we don’t do what we are told)! I would be able to get reasonable health insurance for my wife, son, and myself from the school district. NOPE! My out-of-pocket expenses were double my COBRA payment. I stayed with COBRA until I could find another alternative. You need to turn off assumptions and really research new opportunities. (More: Assumptions â€" Be Careful when making a Career Pivot) Step 4 â€"Learn how to network strategically. By using social media tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you can target individuals who you need to meet and develop relationships. Sometimes your best connections will come from people who do not know you from work. When I was looking for a teaching position, my best connector was my chiropractor. She knew a lot of people outside of my normal sphere of contacts. If you have children, your children’s friends’ parents can be a gold mine of connections. When making a career pivot, you will want to be creative in finding new connections. (More: Networking Strategically to Your Next Position) Step 5 â€"Learn to ask for help. Yes, I am a guy. I do not like asking for directions. But you’re heading into new territory and no one succeeds at a career pivot without others’ help. Set aside your claims to status and your pride in order to reach for something new where you may now be the rookie. This is hard at first, but it gets easier. When I went off to teach high school math, I was a total novice. I needed to suck it up, admit that I did not know what I was doing, and ask for help. I found a teacher across the hall who would share her lesson plans with me. For an entire year, I stayed two days behind her teaching schedule. If you follow these five steps, you will have a good chance of being successful when you repurpose your career. (More: The Key to a Successful Career Shift: Asking for Help Special Announcement As part of the 100 Days on Jobs for Career Changers, FlexJobs.com and Career Pivot are excited to host a webinar on “5 Steps to Repurpose Your Career.” If you’re wondering how to transition your ideas for a career change into action, this webinar will be a great resource! For more information and how to register Click Here! This post originally was published on FlexJobs.com. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Epic buffalo prank at Zappos - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Epic buffalo prank at Zappos - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog We visited Zappos in Las Vegas last week and saw this epic prank video :) Ever done something like that in your workplace? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Why This Post Isnt About BlogHer

Why This Post Isnt About BlogHer Sun Will Come Out folded card by Everything Little Miss This post was supposed to be about BlogHer. I promised. And Im sorry if you were looking forward to it. I scheduled it into my calendar today, but (a) ran out of time and (b) couldnt wrap my head around it. Right now, I should be making dinner. But I couldnt bring myself to BlogHer or dinner without sitting down and getting this out here, in the open, to you, to me. Long story short? I surrender. I put up my hands. I give up the cape. I wave the white flag. (Insert all other similar analogies here) As it turns out, Im not Superwoman, and it has to be OK right now. I have clients to coach and Spring to co-host and an e-course to launch (in October, we think! stay tuned!) and I. Just. Cant. Do. Everything. Thats not true. I could. I could choose this to keep working this way. That would also be making the choice to be constantly tired, and mostly cranky, and considering a lunch break of more than 30 minutes a rare luxury. And I absolutely, positively go against that choice. Remember when, about 6 weeks ago, I talked all about what was in my head what was making my brain explode how I was totally overwhelmed? After I wrote it I was able to own it, but yet I find myself here. Again. Thank all that is holy that I started working with Thekla again on time management, and really discovering what needs to happen in my business, at this level. Im so, so, so (so! so! so!) very thankful that my client load is at a maximum and the consultation calls continue to roll in, but now comes the part thats even tougher than getting the clients: managing it all. Managing it to my limits, my needs, my energy level,   my expectations what I put on my plate. And the big realization here is that, well, I dont really know what that is. I might think I know, but I dont. And why dont I know? Because Im new here. Its only been 144 days since Ive been a full-time coach, and what I thought I could handle isnt the reality. I am, however, taking notice, am getting a sense now as to how many client sessions I want to conduct each day (3 maximum), and how late is too late for me to coach (9p Eastern), and that I need a Partner in Crime to manage my nudging and billing, which is taking way too much brain power now that Im juggling (heading to spreadsheet, counting, counting, counting) 47 clients. Wait, did I just say 47 clients?! I totally did. Wow. Whoa. And other W words. Yes, Wonderful, too. I honestly didnt realize that, but between my group session clients and my private clients, I have 47 on the current roster. No wonder Im logging about 60-70 hours/week. Ah. And thank the good lord,   Ive already cut off working with new clients til after Labor Day, but maybe I need to extend that date out, too. I promise Ill keep figuring this out, and cluing you guys in, and bringing you along for the ride. The most wonderful piece of all this is knowing that you guys are here for me, supporting me, cheering me on, showing up whether I blog twice a week or two dozen times a week (right?). And dont even think that Ill be neglecting this space at all I love it too, too much. ************************************************************************************************************* Delicious Discount: Get a $25 discount for any $250 purchase from    Tara Sroka all the way through Aug 31st. Affiliate Awesomeness: Khristian A. Howell’s Confessions of a First Timer (get your mind out of the gutter!) is the perfect read for any trade show exhibitor virgin. Get my cult leader Danielle LaPorte’s Digital Firestarter Sessions in your own home, on your own time. Also, Molly Hoyne’s Pay-What-You-Can-Afford Joy Equation is your 30 day guide to Living on Purpose.

Tips For Writing a Cover Letter to Complement Resume

Tips For Writing a Cover Letter to Complement ResumeWriting a cover letter to accompany resume is a practice that you should do in the right way. A good letter or cover letter for an ideal job is your best and the only way to build your resume in its right place. In this process, it is very important to convey your personality to the reader. Here are some tips for you:A cover letter must contain an overview of your personal skills and achievements. This can be done with a few sentences. The first sentence can include some personal and professional experience that you can show the reader. The next paragraph may contain your qualifications, accomplishments and skill. Next to that should contain some details about yourself that can be useful to the reader.The next step for you to take is to introduce your audience. An impressive cover letter for resume will include your contact information such as email address and cell phone numbers. The details must be precise enough to reach the audi ence easily. One must be able to have a few lines where you can ask a specific question. Here is some advice for you to write it.Another important part of writing a cover letter for resume is to find out whether the company has a position where you can apply. This can be done by checking the company's website. Try to find out whether you can be put in the application form or not. Here are some more tips to write it.Another step for you to take is to write a summary of the position you can be offered a good job in. It should include your detailed experience and skills. It should be in a formal and readable manner so that it can be understood by the reader.The third step is to write a letter to the potential employer. This letter should explain how you have met him and how you can help him further his business. The letter should explain your skills, experiences and qualifications in a correct manner so that the reader can know more about your capabilities.A good and effective cover le tter for resume should not be too formal. A lot of times, the reader will just skim your letter and choose the next best one. You should not hesitate to let them know about you and what you can offer them.

How to Ask for a Raise

How to Ask for a Raise A few years ago, you might have been grateful just to have a paycheckâ€"even if it wasn’t as fat as you deserved. Today, you finally have the upper hand again when it comes to asking for a raise. You can thank the rapid improvement in the job market in the last year for that. Unemployment is expected to drop to 5.4% by the end of this year, and 57% of companies say they are worried about retaining workers, up from 20% in 2010, according to PayScale.com’s Compensation Best Practices Report. That’s putting pressure on employers to boost compensation: 82% plan to increase salaries for current employees this year, up from 73% last year, according to CareerBuilder’s latest jobs forecast. “Workers should be feeling pretty good about their chances for getting a raise this year,” says CareerBuilder’s Mary Lorenz. Music to your ears, right? The average worker should see a salary bump of 3%, according to estimations from Mercer’s 2014/2015 U.S. Compensation Planning Executive Survey. But those who are top performers or have in-demand expertise could see their paychecks rise even more. The average boost for the most valued employees will top 5%, according to Mercer. To go from a so-so raise to a big bump up, here’s what you need to do: Get on Your Boss’s Calendar Don’t wait until performance-review time, typically in the spring, to ask for a raise. Not only will you have more competition from coworkers then, but budgets will already have been decidedâ€"which will make it harder for your supervisor to get you more cash even if he or she believes in your cause. Assuming you and your company have had a good yearâ€"the latter also being a mustâ€"schedule a meeting with your supervisor ASAP before your window for the year closes. Sure, even the most confident of workers may find it intimidating to call a meeting with the boss and ask for more money. But the odds are good that your boldness will pay off: A recent PayScale survey found that 44% of people who asked for a raise received what they asked for, and 31% more still got a raise, just less than they requested. Collect Some Evidence In the meantime, to help make your case, gather accolades from the past year. Pull together emails of praise from higher ups, ask happy customers or clients to write testimonials for your work, and make a list of your major accomplishments, quantifying them as much as possible. Bottom-line-focused supervisors will especially want to hear about how you’ve boosted revenue or cut costs. Put a Number On Yourself “It’s important to go in with a number in mind,” says CareerBuilder’s Lorenz. “You should know your value and be able to go in with an idea of what you think you deserve and be ready to explain why.” Your ask should be based around what others are getting, since you’ll shut down the conversation fast if you request a boost that’s out of the ballpark. Start by seeing where your salary falls compared to others in similar jobs with the same skill set and years of experience, using sites such as PayScale.com and Glassdoor.com. Keep in mind that top performers may earn 10% to 15% more than these averages. Put your findings in perspective by determining what’s realistic at your company. If you have a manager you’re close with, a higher up mentor, or a friend in HR, ask for insight on salary ranges for people at your level or on how much the company is budgeting for raises this year on average. If you’re a top performer and can prove it, you should feel comfortable asking for more than the average. Make Your Ask You’ve got your proof and your number, so you’re ready, right? Not quite. Ideally, you’ll want to do a run through of the conversation with someone, since practice will make you more comfortable when you’re in the moment. You might start the conversation something like this: “Hey Jane, my department had a really great year in 2014, and I was hoping to get your feedback, talk about ideas going forward, and discuss my compensation.” Then, dig into your successes. Since your boss may not realize all that you’ve accomplished, you should make him or her aware by pointing out a few key highlights from the “to-done” list you made. You could say, “I don’t know if you’re in the loop on everything I’ve accomplished this year, so I just wanted to point out of few of my biggest successes…” Bring up the testimonials where relevant. Talk not only about your achievements but also about what you are going to tackle next. Your boss is more likely to reward you if you’ve got a plan for what you will do for the company, not just what you did. Have a Plan B The best outcome is a permanent boost in your salary. But if that’s not possible, ask for a bonus. One-time rewards, including spot bonuses and project completion bonuses, are on the rise as more companies worry about retaining employees, the WorldatWork Survey of Bonus Programs and Practices 2014 found. Spot bonuses typically range from $2,500 to $5,000. Be aware that income taxes can lop off up to 40% of the bonus, so ask if your company will “gross up” the reward so you actually get the whole amount. Be Ready to Jump You’re not always going to get what you want. If budgets are tight or layoffs are looming, your manager’s hands may be tied. So you may have to leave to get that raise. But the good news for you is that even in good times, the biggest pay jumps come when you switch to a new job. Job switchers simply have more leverage when negotiating salary, especially since the number of employees voluntarily quitting is at its highest since April 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ quits rate measure. That leaves employers with a lot of empty positions to fill, and they are showing their eagerness to put bodies in these slots: The average wage growth for job changers rose from 4.3% at the start of 2013 to 4.5% at the end of 2014, according to a report by the Kansas City Federal Reserve. So whether you stay or go, the chances are good that you’ll make more money in 2015. Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. More on financial resolutions: 7 Super Simple Ways to Simplify Your Finances in 2015 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Better Credit 5 Career Questions That Will Make You More Successful in 2015 Forget Feel-Good Resolutions! Just Do These 3 Retirement Tasks in 2015

5 LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get You the Job

5 LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get You the Job It’s not a question of whether the hiring manager will look you up on LinkedIn; it is a question of when. If you’re job searching, you have no excuse not to make the absolute best of your online presence. And be proactive. You never know when a potential employer is going to check your profile. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0'); }); Make sure you’re ready to make your best possible first impression. That means no spelling or grammatical mistakes. It also means making sure you’ve taken the following 5 steps.1. You need a summaryIt’s perhaps the most daunting part of the profile, but it’s unfortunately a must. Don’t let your profile look amateur or incomplete. Suck it up and summarize. The upside is you’ll be able to set a tone and shape how your potential employer reads the rest of your materials.2. Maximize the space you haveUse as many of those 2,000 characters as you can. Any space leftover is space wasted unless you squ eeze in a few more important keywords. Beef up your Headline, Specialties section, Job Titles, and Summary with as many hard-hitting keywords as you can.3.  Tell a story with your profileMake yourself the candidate they want to root for. Everybody likes a story, after all. Turn yourself into the most compelling and likeable candidate you can with the tools available to you. Provide much needed context to your bulleted experience list. Endear yourself to hiring managers with tales of how you overcame a challenge, or worked with a team to solve a problem. Be a politician on the stump and watch the votes pour in.4. Make it easy on the eyesTry to avoid huge blocks of text, especially in your summary. Recognize that recruiters are very busy and often don’t have more than a few minutesâ€"even secondsâ€"to spend poring over your materials. Make the information flow in easily identifiable chunks with subheadings and titles and small paragraphs that are easy to digest. They’ll take in mo re information without feeling taxed. More points for you!5. Be out in the openNever make a prospective employer search for your contact info. Make sure it’s prominent and accessible in every place you have a presence, and on every document you send. If they want to reach out to chat with you over the phoneâ€"or better yet, set up an interviewâ€"you don’t want them clicking around trying to find your email address.