My Number One Resume Problem

My Number One Resume Problem I was recently asked if resume writers were worth it, or if they would just give you a 1-2 page document that you could come up with on your own.  Let me share an experience with you. After I got laid off, over the phone, I was asked to stay one more week to transition the new guy back as president.  There wasnt much transitioning to do, since he had been the president about 18 months earlier, so we just had a few meetings here and there.  Plus, we were like two bulls in a china closet, or however the saying goes.   I spent much of my time getting ready for my job search.  I looked, and looked, and looked some more for my resume.  Not sure why I did that, wasting a few hours looking for something that was at least six years outdated.  But is was like some old security blanket I was looking for.  I finally gave in and downloaded a template from the internet that I could use to start over. After hours of tinkering around on this very, very short document I sent it to a few trusted friends. These were all people who were qualified to tell me if my resume was good or not.  Hiring managers, experienced professionals and executives, and even an HR professional from one of my last companies. They all said it looked GREAT!  And it did look great.  It was shiny, squeaky clean, free from grammar and spelling errors. And, it was IMPRESSIVE!  You should have seen the titles: General Manager CIO/VP IT Manager Programmer Okay, the last one isnt the most impressive, but hey, I thought I was hot stuff to have those first few titles on the resume.  Since I moved from a small town (Pocatello, ID) to a larger city (Salt Lake City), and I was hoping to go from a small IT company to a larger company in Salt Lake, people would be able to figure out I wasnt the General Manager of GE, or American Express, or eBay, or something like that.  I had a big title at a small company.  And that was the problem. Why? Because I was applying to jobs with the following titles: Business Analyst Project Manager Product Manager (this was my dream position) When HR and recruiters saw my resume, they had to ask: Whats a VP/General Manager doing applying for a Business Analyst job???   And I got put in the garbage pile.  My success rate (number of interviews secured /  number of resumes sent) was really, really pitiful.  Like, 2%. A resume writer would have interviewed me, tried to understand who I was and what I was looking for, and changed the resume so that my past job titles WOULD NOT have hindered my ability to get an interview. Months and months and months went by, with no income. I forfeited thousands of dollars of income  Just a few hundred dollars, invested in a resume writer, could have changed that. Is a professional resume writer worth it?  I believe so.  A good resume writer will deliver MORE than just a one or two page document. Click here to see resume writers who have partnered with JibberJobber.     This post is brought to you by executive resume writer and career consultant Louise Kursmark. One of the leading career experts in the U.S., Louise has written 20 books about resume writing, interviewing, and executive search strategies. In her private practice, Louise works directly with senior executives to craft powerful marketing messages and methods for swift transition to the next exciting opportunity. Her passion is helping people “tell their story” in a way that is compelling, memorable, and relevant.  Louise Kursmark is a JibberJobber Career Expert Partner. My Number One Resume Problem I was recently asked if resume writers were worth it, or if they would just give you a 1-2 page document that you could come up with on your own.  Let me share an experience with you. After I got laid off, over the phone, I was asked to stay one more week to transition the new guy back as president.  There wasnt much transitioning to do, since he had been the president about 18 months earlier, so we just had a few meetings here and there.  Plus, we were like two bulls in a china closet, or however the saying goes.   I spent much of my time getting ready for my job search.  I looked, and looked, and looked some more for my resume.  Not sure why I did that, wasting a few hours looking for something that was at least six years outdated.  But is was like some old security blanket I was looking for.  I finally gave in and downloaded a template from the internet that I could use to start over. After hours of tinkering around on this very, very short document I sent it to a few trusted friends. These were all people who were qualified to tell me if my resume was good or not.  Hiring managers, experienced professionals and executives, and even an HR professional from one of my last companies. They all said it looked GREAT!  And it did look great.  It was shiny, squeaky clean, free from grammar and spelling errors. And, it was IMPRESSIVE!  You should have seen the titles: General Manager CIO/VP IT Manager Programmer Okay, the last one isnt the most impressive, but hey, I thought I was hot stuff to have those first few titles on the resume.  Since I moved from a small town (Pocatello, ID) to a larger city (Salt Lake City), and I was hoping to go from a small IT company to a larger company in Salt Lake, people would be able to figure out I wasnt the General Manager of GE, or American Express, or eBay, or something like that.  I had a big title at a small company.  And that was the problem. Why? Because I was applying to jobs with the following titles: Business Analyst Project Manager Product Manager (this was my dream position) When HR and recruiters saw my resume, they had to ask: Whats a VP/General Manager doing applying for a Business Analyst job???   And I got put in the garbage pile.  My success rate (number of interviews secured /  number of resumes sent) was really, really pitiful.  Like, 2%. A resume writer would have interviewed me, tried to understand who I was and what I was looking for, and changed the resume so that my past job titles WOULD NOT have hindered my ability to get an interview. Months and months and months went by, with no income. I forfeited thousands of dollars of income  Just a few hundred dollars, invested in a resume writer, could have changed that. Is a professional resume writer worth it?  I believe so.  A good resume writer will deliver MORE than just a one or two page document. Click here to see resume writers who have partnered with JibberJobber.     This post is brought to you by executive resume writer and career consultant Louise Kursmark. One of the leading career experts in the U.S., Louise has written 20 books about resume writing, interviewing, and executive search strategies. In her private practice, Louise works directly with senior executives to craft powerful marketing messages and methods for swift transition to the next exciting opportunity. Her passion is helping people “tell their story” in a way that is compelling, memorable, and relevant.  Louise Kursmark is a JibberJobber Career Expert Partner.

3 Ways to Fix Perfectionism - Classy Career Girl

3 Ways to Fix Perfectionism Believing  you have to be perfect  is a barrier to your goals and life fulfillment. In fact, perfectionism  will instead set you up for failure since youll spend your days chasing something that doesn’t exist. Having a perfectionist mindset has repercussions, and it can especially hinder your success in the workforce. Here are 3 ways perfectionism can hinder your success at work and the fix to overcome them: 1. Perfectionism Decreases Confidence Highlighting all of the times that you almost completed a project “perfectly” isn’t as confidence boosting as “I nailed it!” Your perceptions and self-talk play a huge role in the level of confidence you have and maintain on a day-to-day basis. Often, a perfectionist will complete a project and right before it is about to be completed, he or she will tweak it again and again. Nothing is good enough. When the time limit of a task has been met, a perfectionist will find that multiple people compliment them on their work, but they don’t feel that it was “their best.” When you don’t take the time to absorb your successes, you are missing an opportunity to build your confidence. Confidence is what you need to get  to the next level of your career. Confidence will allow you to take healthy risks on more meaningful projects, and it will allow you to speak up in meetings, interviews and leadership roles. The Fix: During projects, talk nicely to yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Then, get back on track. When projects are completed, before jumping on the next list of to-do’s, celebrate your successes. You can celebrate by sharing your success with others who compliment you, with loved ones outside of work, or even in your journal quietly to yourself. In fact, I encourage clients to keep a journal of their successes so they can reflect on how much they have achieved year after year. [RELATED: Affirmations to Repeat Daily] 2. Perfectionism Burns Bridges In the workforce, you may find that you don’t often delegate tasks because “Tom doesn’t do it as well as I do,” or “It’ll just be quicker if I do it.” People notice this behavior. When you give off the perception that only you do things well, you show a certain side of yourself that many people (co-workers and bosses) may not like. Also, your support lines at work may not want to assist you when you actually end up needing them because they will fear that if they don’t do a task as “perfectly as you,” it will upset you. They will either avoid you altogether or refuse when you ask for help. The Fix: Believe in your team. They may have some very creative or insightful ways of doing something that you never thought of. An open mind may generate new doors for you and your team with production, efficiency, and bonding. Also, seek support and outside resources. As perfectionists, we get in a habit of portraying that we can do everything and do it well. The truth is, this is exhausting and not always true. Instead, begin creating a new reputation today of someone who isn’t too prideful or perfect to ask for help. 3. Perfectionism Keeps Too Much On Your Plate A perfectionist often holds the rest of the world accountable to being perfect, too. Before we know it, as we hoard all the tasks because “no one does it like me” we find ourselves with a bunch of to-dos on our plate. These tasks are often tedious, minuscule or not necessary to our goals and bigger dreams. Unfortunately, if you want to add something major to your agenda that would make you shine, you can’t put that on your plate because it is consumed with a bunch of smaller roles. Should a perfectionist finally succumb to delegating out the smaller tasks, they end up turning into the ever-hated micromanager! The Fix: Create a list of your goals, direction, and dreams in your career. What tasks are currently on your plate that significantly align with that bigger goal? Reflect on what you can delegate out and do that ASAP. Now, assess what roles or projects you should add on to your plate to shine, build credibility or demonstrate leadership. Remember not to leap into the micromanager role with what you end up choosing to delegate out. Instead, set checkpoint dates to discuss progress and goals. What strategies have you used to get over perfectionism?

My Personal Branding Story Part 2 Discovering Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

My Personal Branding Story Part 2 â€" Discovering Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This is the second of ten posts where we follow Marcos Salazar’s personal branding journey, as he uses the concepts and four-step process outlined in Me 2.0 for his own career. Sometimes all it takes is a small and seemingly inconsequential event to make a major impact that springs you into action. In my first post, I described how a simple compliment from a friend actually resulted in her giving me The Personal Branding Kiss of Death. It was this passing comment that made me realize I had let my brand of being an expert on the psychology of life after college, Gen-Y, and young professional issues fall by the wayside because I had focused so much on opening up my new clothing business. Something needed to change and as I reflected more about how I hadnt maintained my brand over the past year, I started to see an additional problem â€" I had never fully integrated all my talents, passions, and work experiences into a unified personal brand. It is this type of honest self-reflection that is extremely important in discovering things about yourself and your current situation that will help you in the development of your personal brand. In this post, I will begin utilizing the first of four steps Discover Your Brand outlined in Dan’s book Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success for getting a better sense of who I am, what I want, and where I want to go to help me in creating my own personal brand. Investing in personal discovery Personal branding is not just about finding a niche, become an expert, and marketing yourself to others. While these are part of any personal branding journey, on a more fundamental level personal branding is a form of psychological evolution that you go through as you begin developing a deeper relationship with yourself. By getting to know who you are, what is important to you, and where you want to go, you put yourself on a path towards creating a stronger sense of self, which in turn will eventually lead to a much stronger personal brand. Personality discovery assessment Below are my answers to the relevant questions listed in the Personal Discover Assessment tool in Me 2.0. When doing this exercise, I suggest you not to censor yourself in any way. Instead, let the words flow out in order to get honest answers to these questions. 1. What are my five favorite activities? Finding creative solutions to difficult problems, writing about topics from a psychological perspective, providing knowledge that people can use to become more successful, developing businesses models that are self-sustaining, helping people discover what they are passionate about so they can use that information to create a better life 2. What are the top five personality attributes I’d use to describe myself? Confident, adaptable in the face of constant changing, innovative, open to new experiences, self-disciplined 3.What are the top five personality attributes that others use to describe me? Creative, natural leader, insightful, problem-solver, good communicator 4. What are the key elements of a successful career in your opinion? Being able to spend the majority of my time doing something I love. Being able to make a living off of the things I love doing. While being financially independent is an important element, I see it as a means to a much larger end that allows me to spend more time helping others, both through my work and my volunteering activities. While this is quite hard to measure, another key element would be the social impact my work has both locally and globally. Now that I have gotten a better sense of who I am, it is time to think more about the type of brand I would like to create. Brand discovery assessment 1. What would you like to accomplish with your brand? To have a lasting impact on the lives of young professionals by become a psychological resource for them to better their professional, social, and personal lives. 2. Who is your target audience? Young professionals specifically Generation Y, and Millennials 3. What brand elements do you think your target audience would respond to favorably? Authenticity, empathy, original content that cannot be found elsewhere, and a genuine understanding of the issues that young professionals face in the 21st century 4. What brand elements do you think your target audience would respond to poorly? Not providing anything of value, recycled content, content that readers cannot relate to or utilize in their everyday their lives Next step â€" integration Exercises such as these are just the beginning of creating a personal brand. In fact, this discovery process is a life-long process and should be a life long goal. In doing this exercise I have learned more about who I am and what type of brand I would like to project out into the world. Now in the next I will this self-knowledge to begin integrating my various talents and work experiences to come up with a unified personal brand. Question: Did you find this exercise useful? Are there other exercises you have used and/or recommend? Author: Marcos Salazar is the author of The Turbulent Twenties Survival Guide, which focuses on the psychology of life after college and what graduates go through as the make the transition from school to the working world. He writes a psychology and career blog for young professionals at www.marcossalazar.com. You can connect with him on Twitter @marcossalazar.

Tell People Youre Job Hunting Without Seeming Desperate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Tell People Youre Job Hunting Without Seeming Desperate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Youre on the search for a new job, and you know the best path to your next one is to reach out to your network to see if they can help. But how can you tell people youre looking for a new job or a career change without seeming desperate? Here are a few dos and donts to follow. DO set up informational interviews with people in the field you want to work in. These can be with friends and associates, but try to expand beyond that group. Ask those friends and associates who they know, and if they can recommend anyone else to meet. DO ask them for an introduction between you and the other person. This will establish some credibility on your part, because your friend or associate is vouching for you. DONT just email that person out of the blue, and say my good friend Steve told me to call you, especially if 1) Steve is not your good friend, and 2) Steve never told you to call. The last thing you need is for the other person to call Steve, who will reveal your lie. DONT ask the informational interviewee for a job. Thats not why youre there. Youre there to gather information, not to circumvent their companys candidate hiring process. Youll be seen as shady and manipulative if you pull that stunt. If they have an unpublished opening and they decide to hire you, thats different. But dont be sneaky and underhanded. DO make social media connections with hiring managers and the people youre likely to work for. Weve gone on and on about this before on this blog. Hopefully youve been listening. DONT blanket everyone in your address book with a generic email. For one thing, you dont have that kind of relationship with all of them. At best, your email will be a minor annoyance. At worst, you could throw a wrench into your job search machine, especially if you accidentally wrote to your current boss or a tattletale coworker. DO email people on an individual basis. Write each person one at a time and explain what youre looking for. This will help you tailor your message and be more specific about what youre looking for and how they can help. DO call up companies and ask them if theyre hiring for a particular role. A friend who works at an HR trade association says this strategy works way more often than youd think, and hes surprised more people arent doing it. Find out whos in charge of the department youd like to work for, call and introduce yourself, then ask if you can send a copy of your résumé. DONT worry that that last piece of advice contradicts #3. It doesnt. Its one thing to call someone out of the blue inquiring about a job, its a completely different thing to lie to someone about why you want to meet with them. Your job search, just like the rest of your career networking, is about the personal touch. Its not about automating and making your life easier. Its carrying water, a bucket at a time. This is your career were talking about, not the launch of a 7-page ebook. Treat it seriously and work hard at it. Follow these steps until youre done. If you havent found a job yet, youre not done. Author: Erik Deckers  is the owner of  Professional Blog Service, a newspaper humor columnist, and the co-author of  Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself  and  No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, and  The Owned Media Doctrine.

How To Make Money As A Writer On Upwork - CareerMetis.com

How To Make Money As A Writer On Upwork Are you trying to get started as a writer on Upwork but are confused about where to start?The concept of submitting proposals to clients to actually get paid for your writing may seem intimidating. And it can be confusing to figure out where to start. If you are wondering how to make money onlineas a writer, Upwork is a great place to startThe Basics: evalevalIf you’re new to Upwork, it’s a good idea to understand how it works.It’s simple: real people with verified payment methods post jobs on the site. It is then up to real freelancers who have had their identities verified to bid, or make proposals to complete the jobs that match their skills.Upwork collects a percentage of the fee the client pays to cover the cost of running the site. Freelancers can collect money earned on the site through Paypal, a wire transfer, or direct deposit into a bank account.How To Get Started:The first step in getting started on Upwork is setting up an account.To do this, you will be required to enter some information about yourself, explain your educational background, and discuss your skill. Your experience will also be asked to create a profile.evalIf you are new to freelancing, the most challenging part of this process may be setting your hourly rate. You will be able to change your hourly rate whenever you feel it is necessary, so just put something there as a placeholder for right now if you are not sure what your writing is worth yet.Upwork wants to make sure that you are really who you are say you are, so it may take some time for your profile to become public.Creating A Profile: Perfecting your profile is a great way to make the time go by faster when you are waiting for your profile to be approve. This is something that will help you attract clients, so it is worth putting some time into making it great.evalUpwork will require you to upload a photograph of yourself, and they have some specific requirements that it must fit to keep the website legitimate and profes sional.Consider using a photo of yourself that portrays you dressed and groomed as though you are on your way to work at an office job. Another aspect of your profile is your description of yourself.Don’t be afraid to showcase your own, specific skills in this. Trust that there are clients out there looking for writers with your background.As a writer, keep in mind that this is an example of your writing that clients will see when you make proposals. Make it as engaging as possible and triple check it for typographical errors.Other aspects of your profile are optional. If you want to, you can link to social media accounts. You can also upload some writing samples. Keep in mind that having a 100% complete profile can not only attract clients, but there are some perks that you can earn from Upwork for this.One last thing to enhance your profile are Upwork’s skills tests. These are free tests on subjects like English grammar and usage. If you do well on them, you can display them on your profile. If not, they can be hidden.Finding JobsOnce your profile is set and Upwork has verified your identity, you will be able to start making proposals. There are all different types of jobs on website, so you want to set up a saved search for your style of writing jobs on the site.It will be tempting to apply for all of the writing jobs, but each time you do this, it will cost you “connects.”evalEvery writer on Upwork gets 60 connects a month, unless they purchase more or subscribe to the premium program. Most job proposals cost 2 points, so you want to be selective about the jobs you apply for.To find jobs that fit your skills, you may want to start by looking at entry level jobs. Look for subjects that interest you. It is a good idea to apply for a variety of jobs. It may take several tries before you hear from any potential clients. Rarely, you may get a rejection message from jobs you don’t get, but more often you will not hear anything.When you are shopping fo r jobs, it helps to know how to read the job posting page. They all start with a description. Look for friendly, professional language and clear instructions in the description, because this indicates that the client know how to communicate to get what they want.Also, look at how many people have applied to the job. Upwork shows you a general range, like “10-20” which gives you an idea of how many people have applied for the job.Some jobs pay by the hour, while others are “fixed price.” At first, try both kinds. Most writers seem to do a mix of the two.evalevalWriting A ProposalYou’ve found a job that looks interesting. Now it’s time to write a proposal.You start by negotiating a price. This is worth spending some time. Figure out how long it will take you to do the work and decide how much you want to be paid. There are a few ways to do this. Sometimes, Upwork will suggest a price.If not, you can search for writers on the site who have similar skills to yours and use th eir hourly rates as a guide. For fixed price jobs, the price is probably not negotiable unless the client requests a bid in the job posting.Upwork will make you estimate how long this job will take. Sometimes the client will explain what the deadline is, so use that as a guide. If not, be generous with yourself with time. Clients like getting work early.Next, you will need to write a cover letter.Write a new one for every job.Keep them short and to the point to suit the job description. Look at the job requirements, and match them to your skills. Explain how your skills and experience will help you do a good job for the client. Your background information is on your profile, which the client will see, so there is no need to copy and paste this information for each proposal.At the bottom of the job proposal is an opportunity to attach a sample. It’s a good idea to attach at least one sample for each job. If you have samples that match the job, that is even better.How To Write A Sam pleWhen you first get started on Upwork, you may have some downtime as you wait to hear back from jobs. This is a great opportunity to work on a few writing samples.Consider looking at the jobs you are interested in, and write a sample based on what the clients are looking for.For example, if you see a job posting for a 500 article about dog collars, go ahead and research that and compose that article. This way, when similar job postings come up, you will have a sample to post with your proposal.Don’t, however, give away free work. This is a common scam on Upwork.Have a few standard samples to send out. If a client gives you directions and wants you to write something for them, make sure they have set up a contract with you and will pay you for it. Otherwise, they are getting their work done for free and will not be obligated to pay you for their time.Inform Yourself About The SiteThere are a number of guides in the Upwork Support Centers to help you get started. Read all of them. Get familiar with the guidelines so you know what to expect. There is helpful information there that can help you get hired and keep you from getting booted off the site and/or scammed.Also, take a look at the forums. They contain a wealth of information from successful people on Upwork. Read through threads that interest you. You will learn things you would not have thought you needed to know.Don’t be afraid to ask questions there, as well. Most of the contributors don’t bite, and you will find honest answers and feedback there.Earn Fantastic Feedback Once you start getting jobs, keep in mind that clients will rate your work after you submit. Communicate with them so you understand what they need. Make sure you follow their directions. Try to submit work a little bit early and let them know you are open to feedback if they want any changes.If you work hard and use your connects wisely, you should be able to start earning money pretty quickly on Upwork.Sources:How to Make Money Writing: 16 Tips for Finding Gigs Through Upwork5 Simple Tips For Being Successful on UpworkGet Started- Upwork

Are You Ready To Be A Manager - Pathfinder Careers

Are You Ready To Be A Manager - Pathfinder Careers Are You Ready To Be A Manager? We all want to trend upwards in our careers. There’s the better pay, more responsibility and increased recognition, and the opportunity to raise your career profile by tacking on the coveted ‘manager’ title. But along with that elevated status, there comes increased responsibility. That also means doing some of the more odious things that managers do, like conducting staff performance reviews, firing someone when needed, resolving interoffice personality conflicts, and the tedium of keeping the company ship sailing smoothly by constantly checking on everything else. All this can take you away from the work that you love to do or excel in doing. Then, there’s the “Peter Principle.” Haven’t heard of this one? It references the point in your career where you are promoted to your own highest level of incompetence. Sound familiar with any former bosses that you’ve had? They might have been a superstar in sales, then got the pat on the back and  a promotion. But do they have any managerial skills? Do they address workplace conflict in a productive way? Can they actually lead the organization? A lot of times, the answer is no. So, the truth of the matter is that sometimes, people are better served staying at the level where they excel and in the types of tasks where they find enjoyment in their work. This is a great blog post in on the NW Jobs Web site that my sister spotted and sent my way to share with Pathfinder blog readers, which really outlines the pros and cons of moving up the career ladder. Take a look, and tell me what you think! http://blog.nwjobs.com/careercenter/management_material_do_you_have_what_it_takes_to_be_a_boss.html

Law School Resume Template - A Must For Students

Law School Resume Template - A Must For StudentsThe Law School Resume Template is a must for any prospective student that desires to apply for a law school. A great resume will help you to stand out among the competition in the world of law school applicants. Not only will it help you to get noticed, but it will also enable you to get in with the top candidates as well.Unfortunately, most law school applications don't offer any form of 'practice test' or sample resumes. While it is definitely helpful to be able to show what you can do, having a specific sample is preferable. It allows you to see just how your application looks when it's applied to actual interview questions. One way to do this is by hiring a Law School Resume Template.Law School Resume Templates is easy to use and they are free! There are literally hundreds of different templates on the market. You simply pick a template that you think matches your qualifications and then paste your information into the template. No more drafting the same thing over again.Some of the best online law school applications will provide you with pre-formatted legal resumes and cover letters as well. These will be compatible with the Law School Resume Template. Not only will this save you time, but it will help your chances to get that first call for an interview.The reason why law school applications use resume templates is because it helps to cut down on the amount of paper used. Not only is this wasteful, but it is also a health hazard. You don't want to keep laying out multiple copies of the same thing, so use a template to cut down on your paper consumption.You may have heard that you should try to stick to one format when you are writing your resume andlaw school applications. This is completely false. There are a number of options available, and they do vary from applicant to applicant. It is completely your choice on how you want to present yourself.When using a resume template, it is important to write the b ody of your application on a separate sheet of paper. This is because you will not want to have to print out all of your information twice. If you want to save time, it is better to use a page of a template and copy and paste what you need instead of wasting your time on each section of your application.Making use of a Law School Resume Template is a great way to streamline your law school applications. As long as you stick to the format and follow all of the instructions properly, your application will be less work to write and you will be on your way to being interviewed. Make sure you take advantage of a Law School Resume Template today.