Video Three Steps to Narrowing Down Your Job Search Goal

Video Three Steps to Narrowing Down Your Job Search Goal Each of you must have a clear and concise job search goal. You need a brief description of what you are hunting for. But how do you even begin thinking about it? Step 1: Draw a dart board. Think about and write specifically what is in the center. The center or bulls eye represents your ideal next career position(s). Geographic location desired (other cities you are willing to consider, too) Functional area (marketing, accounting, outside sales, operations) Industries you prefer Companies within the industries Size or type of company (small, medium, large, etc.) Titles you are qualified for (senior sales, account management). Note: Do not get hung up on titles such as VP, Director, and Manager, as they vary so much company to company. Step 2: List more flexible goals in the second circle on the dart board. What would you do if you couldnt find anything in your bulls eye? Expand to alternatives that you are qualified for and have interest in. This can mean relocation to another city, a job in a different business from the one you expected, other jobs that need your skills, or deciding to change careers entirely. Reminder: these are not 3-5-year career goals, so stay focused on what you can do NOW. Step 3: List what things are OFF the dart board. In other words, you would NOT accept something in: Geographies you will not move to, or maybe relocation is not an option Salary minimum you will not go below Work-life balance considerations, like commute distances you wont accept Functions you really dont want to perform day-to-day

12 Ways to Sharpen Your Listening Skills at Work

12 Ways to Sharpen Your Listening Skills at Work Meetings â€" if they’re not a waste of time, they’re just plain boring. Unless the presentation is TED-worthy, you likely find yourself daydreaming, checking social media, or drifting off to sleep in the back of the room. While its definitely hard to survive meetings, the information being discussed is still important for you to absorb. Much of your work depends on what is said inside the meeting room. In order to retain all this information, you must become an active listener â€" mentally and verbally confirming what the speaker has said and processing it in your own way. Its easy to be an active listener, but it takes practice. Here are 12 ways to hone those listening skills. Look at the Agenda Beforehand Writer Michael Hyatt says, Agendas should always be circulated in advance of the meeting, so that people know what to expect and how to prepare. If youre lucky enough to receive a crisp, organized agenda before the meeting, dont just toss it aside. Make sure you give it at least a quick look before entering. Relax! You wont be able to listen if your mind is racing a mile a minute. You could be thinking about something as trivial as whats for lunch, or panicking about a deadline, but those things should be put aside in the meeting space. Clear your head, turn off your smartphone, and prepare to focus on only the speaker. Pay Attention You learned all the way back in high school that spacing out was never a good idea. That carries over into the working world, too. If your thoughts drift during the meeting, youre not going to remember anything â€" and that could come back to hurt you later. Theres a simple fix for this: Keep yourself as aware as possible. Look at whoever is speaking so you wont be tempted to glance at your computer or the doodles on your paper. Be aware of the way your body reacts to what is said in the meeting, mentally and physically. This can help you put your opinion into the discussion, whether it be an idea or a question. Use Body Language How would you feel if you were giving a presentation and looked up from your notes to find blank stares, slumping postures and dead silence? Meetings shouldnt be zombie conventions. This works both ways. When youre the one listening, you need to let the presenter know. Body language works wonders. Nodding lets the presenter know that you understand what theyre saying. An open posture â€" sitting up straight, arms uncrossed, head turned toward the speaker â€" shows youre open to communicate. Also, dont look so glum. Its a meeting, not the end of the world. Smile! Nothing is worse for a presenter than talking to a bunch of frowns. Leave Judgments Aside No matter how much we try to respect others, sometimes it’s hard to see them positively. Whether its the co-worker who always hogs the copy machine or the one who chews their pencils like a wood chipper, peoples mannerisms and habits can make others irritable. Everyone is guilty of these thoughts, but its best not to let them influence your actions or interactions. Interrupting, sneaking comments or any other rude behavior wont win you any brownie points at work. Instead, you should Keep Your Mind Open Make an attempt to be impartial and put yourself in the speakers shoes. Even if you dont agree with their ideas, looking at a situation from their point of view might make you realize something new. Conflict-Resolution and Prevention Specialist Mary Rafferty offers this suggestion: Rather than seeing yourself as a fixer/problem-solver, see your role as one of providing parties with space and empathy to help them move forward in how they are thinking Ask yourself what you can learn as the person is speaking. Not only will this further your engagement in the meeting, but theres a good chance youll get some important takeaways. Check for Ideas, Not Words Anyone can just sit there and take in words, but most of the time they just go in one ear and out the other. Its hard to piece together what was said at the meeting if you were processing words and not ideas. Concentration is key when it comes to linking bits and pieces of information together into logical connections, but it’s key to being a good listener. Take Notes Its a well-known fact that writing things down helps you remember them. A study by Vaiva Kalnikaito Steve Whittaker of The University of Sheffield revealed that taking high-quality but brief notes is better for memory than large masses of notes. Thats why we bring shopping lists to the supermarket and write short memos on the fridge. It’s also how we survived our schooling. The same goes for meetings. Just make sure you dont get distracted if you choose to take them electronically. Involve Yourself in the Conversation Active listening involves questioning and fact-checking the speaker. This shows youre paying attention to what theyre saying, and that youre curious and open to their ideas. Dont be afraid to say whats on your mind. You can turn a boring old meeting into a highly involved conversation with just one question. This still doesnt mean you should interrupt the speaker or talk over them, though. Remember that patience you learned as a kid. Give Appropriate Feedback When youre an active listener, youre putting yourself in a position of respect and understanding. Putting down or attacking a speaker in your feedback will make all that listening go to waste. Nancy Sommers of the Harvard Graduate School of Education said feedback works best when it is an open collaboration between two people who treat each other as scholars. While she was referring to the relationship between teachers and students, this philosophy can apply to the workplace, as well. Its important to be honest in a response, but to do so in an appropriate manner. If you have opinions to assert, make sure you do so respectfully. The Golden Rule applies here! Summarize What Was Said When the meeting has finished, take a few minutes to wrap up all the important points that were covered. You may leave the meeting thinking youll remember everything, but youre sadly mistaken. (See the last tip for proof.) While the ideas are fresh in your mind, get them down on paper. Youll be glad you did. In case youre uncertain about your summary Confirm With a Group If you missed something, your colleagues can come to your aid. Hopefully they were taking notes too â€" but this doesnt give you an excuse to zone out! Ask a co-worker or a group of co-workers to stay behind after the meeting to summarize and review takeaways. Figure out the key points of the meeting and determine where to go from there. You can even follow-up with the speaker with a summary of the key points and action points to get the discussion going. By implementing these small techniques, youll be an expert listener in no time. Have any more suggestions for listening skills? Questions or comments about active listening? Share in the comments!

Executive Drafts - Pflugerville TX

Executive Drafts - Pflugerville TXExecutive Drafts - Pflugerville TX is a Texas based executive resume and cover letter writing service. Executive Drafts provides professional writer, candidates, and companies with a variety of tools and resources to assist in the search and review of resumes and cover letters. They have created a simple and effective way to streamline resume reviewing and create a strong portfolio of resumes to present to a corporate hiring manager.Executive Drafts brings to your door their website, where you can easily submit your resume, make changes, and share them online. Executive Drafts offers many different ways to manage and track your resume and cover letter submissions. This type of submission software is used to create a seamless experience for submitting your resume.Other features include a company's resume builder that will allow you to customize your resume from a variety of options including industry specific information, and keywords, as well as how your resume should read. This allows you to personalize your resume by changing formatting, changing punctuation, and using bold, italics, underlining, and highlighting to suit your individual preferences. Executive Drafts also provides free resume reviews to help you find the best looking resume for you. You can also upload a resume before it goes live.The US mail is just one of many delivery options available with Executive Drafts. It will allow you to use your resume online through your company's website. This way your resume goes out to thousands of potential employers who are not restricted to online submission. With over 300,000 professionals using this service, you are sure to get the attention you deserve.You can also send your resume or company's application electronically. Send your resume electronically via email, fax, postal mail, or even drop shipper delivery services. Executive Drafts will scan your resume and send it to them with a customized message to help your resu me stand out from the crowd.The more professional you look and sound, the more likely you are to get a call back from that potential employer. It's important that you know what you have to say in your resume so that you can sound more professional and confident about your resume and cover letter, then you have nothing but a boring resume sitting in your mailbox.From the beginning to the end, Executive Drafts will help you find the best resume and cover letter, keeping the focus on your unique resume that speaks for you and gives your employer something he can see and remember. This is a good way to create a resume and cover letter that is perfect for an employer.

4 Credit Mistakes That Can Derail Your Startup

4 Credit Mistakes That Can Derail Your Startup When Collin Slattery, 26, needed cash to grow his New York City-based digital marketing firm Taikun at the end of 2014, he turned to an alternative lender to borrow about $10,000. Even though the fees amounted to a 44% annual percentage rate, Slattery chose the loan because he had seen how hard it was for more established small businesses to win a traditional bank loan. After taking out a second loan for about $2,000 in March, his firm still owes money to the lender. He hopes to make the last payment this month. In the meantime he has trained himself to ignore marketing that entice, “You’ve got $15,000 waiting for you now” or promise him a $300 a gift card if he borrows more. “It’s very hard to get a positive return on that money when it’s so expensive to take,” says Slattery, who adds that his firm should generate $250,000 to $500,000 in revenue this year. Meanwhile, he juggles his loan payments with cutting paychecks to his one full-time and one-part time employee and a crew of contractorsâ€"all while paying himself just $30,000 a year. Many entrepreneurs have similar regrets about early decisions they make about using credit in their startups. It’s not surprising, given how much there is to learn when one is starting a new business and how many roles a CEO has to juggle. That said, it pays to get a crash course. Many newbie credit mistakes can put you out of business and make it hard to get additional credit. According to the 2013 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, produced by Babson College and other universities, challenges obtaining financing were one of the top reasons businesses in the U.S. fail. Here are some credit mistakes that can lead you off course and tips on how to avoid them. Fuzzy math. Not knowing exactly where you stand financially can lead to late payments that damage your credit score. If you’re great at running your businessâ€"whether you take care of pets or sell clothingâ€"but a sloppy bookkeeper, hire a pro to keep you on track. Besides helping you avoid problems like missing payroll or failing to pay the proper taxes, running a tight financial ship will make it easier to secure credit when you need it. “It is pretty clear at the time we make a loan who has gotten themselves organized,” says Hunter Stunzi, co-founder and president of SnapCap, a lender based in Charleston, S.C. that works with many small firms. “When we’re on the phone with them, they can rattle off where they are spending money and why.” Using credit as a crutch. If you aren’t bringing in enough revenue to cover your overhead after an initial startup period, don’t assume borrowing is the answer. You may need to tweak your product, service or business model. “Credit is supposed to be your fallback plan, not your lifeline,” says attorney Andrew Sherman, a partner at Jones Day in Washington, D.C., who advises businesses of all sizes. “I see a lot of small companies overusing or abusing their lines of credit at time they really should be financing through their revenue. They either don’t have the revenue or they are misusing their credit line. No one has walked them through when to be hitting the line of credit and when not to.” Not sure? Ask your accountant how much money a business with your revenue and cash flow can safely borrowâ€"and under what circumstances. When in doubt, do a reality check. Ask yourself, “Why I am I drawing on this credit and what is the likelihood I’ll be able to repay it quickly?” suggests Sherman. Maxing out credit cards. Even if you don’t borrow a large amount of money on your credit cards, it’s possible to hurt your credit score if you utilize too much of your credit all at once. Ask Brandon Baker, co-owner and head chef of Loveletter Cake Shop in New York City, which makes special-occasion cakes. Baker, who has already started several businesses, knew it was a good idea to limit the amount he borrowed to launch the now 2-year-old business. He put the $7,000 he needed for costs such as a commercialâ€"size mixer on a credit card with a $10,000 limit. Baker was unhappy to discover that utilizing this much of his available credit lowered his credit score. He quickly found a solution: Applying for two other cards and taking advantage of zero-interest balance-transfer offers to spread the $7,000 he borrowed among them. That resulted in lower utilization of his available credit and no cards that were near the max. “It ended up working on all fronts,” says Baker. “The APR was lower on the second card, and the other card has 6% cash back at supermarkets, which is great for us.” He also restored his good credit. Trusting clients and vendors too readily. It’s tempting to hope for the best when conducting transactions with new business contacts, but that can result in big financial losses. You’re better off protecting yourself through practices such as requiring deposits and payments midway through big projectsâ€"and negotiating deals where you pay for major purchases once you are satisfied with them. Emile Maroun still recalls paying up front for more than $300,000 for seeds for his tahini company, Sunshine International Foods in Methuen, Mass. in 1999â€"and then receiving the wrong ones. He couldn’t use them, and the vendor, based overseas, would not rectify the situation. “It cost me $60,000 for lawyers,” he says. “They could do nothing.” Maroun now sticks to domestic vendors he knows. Fortunately, it’s gotten easier to find the seeds he needs in the U.S. “We have everything here,” he says. “Why go elsewhere?” Read Next: 5 Creative Ways to Fund Your Small Business

5 Tips For A Safe Online Job Search - Work It Daily

5 Tips For A Safe Online Job Search - Work It Daily Think you're safe conducting a safe job search online? Think again. Conducting a job search using the Internet has definitely transformed how job seekers contact hiring companies. The availability of copying and pasting a text version resume into a form at a company’s website (or uploading a Word file) has laid the foundation for an easier and more convenient job search process. No longer does a job seeker need to spend hours with the traditional method of printing and mailing his resume to countless recipients. With the Internet’s convenience, a breeding ground for scam artists continues to grow each year as well. Identity thefts increased to an overwhelming 10 million cases in 2008 and another 11 million more for 2009. Many of these cases are the result of phishing â€" so not surprisingly, the employment industry is under attack as well. The FTC reports approximately 12% of total fraud involves employment fraud. Phishing is an attempt to extract personal information through what appears to be authentic e-mails. If you are job searching, an e-mail from a seemingly interested recruiter, for example, may not raise a red flag with you. You may think the contact person and company listed are legitimate. Yet, looks can be deceiving. Knowing what to look for and how to spot fraud (or potential for abuse) can be the best deterrent to ensuring you have a safe experience, while conducting your job search. Be Leery Of Submission Invitations Scammers and spammers follow much the same patterns. Mass e-mails are sent to an enormous list of recipients. Not everyone on the “hit list” is searching for a new job; however, only a small number of people need to be convinced or tricked into believing the e-mail is authentic in order for the scam to be deemed successful. Receiving an e-mail from a recruiter who states, “We saw your resume on the Internet, and we find your skill set to be perfect for one of our clients. Please complete our online application through the below link.” Should this happen to you, ponder a series of questions: Did you send your resume to this recruiter? If not, how did the company learn about you (legitimate e-mails should tell you)? Just mentioning, “Saw your resume on the Internet,” is vague. Upon further examination, do the company and the company rep appear reputable? Visit the company’s website (caution: type the web address into your browser, avoid clicking the link in the e-mail). If you’re still unable to determine the validity of the request, call the company. Verify everything; sender’s name, e-mail address, and so on. Still avoid clicking the link in the e-mail... it’s just a good habit to start! Always proceed with suspicion when you receive any cold-contact e-mail from someone. Avoid Responding To Requests For Personal Information Let’s say you receive an e-mail from what appears to be a well-known job bank. The e-mail states your account needs your contact and payment information to be updated in order for service renewal. You click on the link and you’re taken to a page that looks, feels, and “smells” right. You then proceed by submitting the requested information. The link appeared safe, but you were taken to a site designed to defraud you. Make Sure The Webpage Is Encrypted When using a paid resume submission service, or any other service for that matter, ensure the private information you provide is encrypted upon hitting submit. Encryption, in short, ensures the private information you submit online is kept safe. When at your browser, you can recognize an encrypted form when the root URL starts with “https:” instead of “http:” or you see the padlock present in the bottom right corner of your screen. Purchasing from companies having added security measures in place can ensure your private information avoids the hands of ill-willed people. Learn more about encryption by reading Jeff Tyson’s article titled, “How Encryption Works,” at www.howstuffworks.com. Read And Understand The Privacy Policy Of Sites You Patron The Better Business Bureau possesses a strict policy for members who do business online. A privacy statement for example must be displayed on member’s website, no exceptions. High business practices are a necessity for maintaining the trust of online buyers; and the BBB understands the critical importance of trust among consumers. A privacy statement outlines what type of customer information is collected and how it’s used. Information transferred or sold could be basic, like name and e-mail address, or far more in-depth like name, address, social security number, and phone number. No matter how basic or detailed the information, the company must have the logistics spelled out in their privacy policy, so you can make the decision whether to patron the site in the first place. Tell... Because So Few Others Do Reports show a staggering 80% of online fraud goes unreported. If the proper authorities aren’t aware of the magnitude of fraud that actually exists on the Internet, then getting the much-needed funds to battle the problem will take more time. The Internet Fraud Complaint Center has an online complaint feature for individuals to report phishing attacks. The IFCC report process requires basic information, including information on the perpetrator and type of fraud. For phishing schemes, forward the fraudulent e-mail to the legitimate company in addition to filing a formal complaint with IFCC. Phishing is smearing the good names of countless companies, and notifying the company about the scam can also help the fight. Bringing affected companies on board early will provide a multi-prong approach to this epidemic. The lesson job seekers should learn is to avoid giving your information out freely. Whether you’re at the end of a phishing attack or the job application requires more information than you’re willing to provide, proceed with caution. Much like you’ll analyze job opportunities; intensely examine each person who receives your personal information. With safe online practices, you’ll get the best return from your job search efforts â€" instead of spending hours filing a police report and calling credit bureaus and credit card companies. Related Posts: When To Turn Down A Job Offer Risks And Rewards Of Taking A Job You Don’t Want Why No One Is Calling You After You’ve Applied To Over 100 Jobs Online Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

The Girl Scouts Just Laid Down New Rules For the Holidays And People Arent Happy

The Girl Scouts Just Laid Down New Rules For the Holidays And People Arent Happy Just in time for the holidays, the internet is engaged in a less-than-cheerful debate about a recent Girl Scouts statement.In a statement titled Reminder She Doesnt Owe Anyone a Hug. Not Even at the Holidays, the Girls Scouts advocate that parents respect their childrens bodily autonomy and avoid forcing them to make physical contact with relatives.In the statement, Girl Scouts developmental psychologist Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald says The notion of consent may seem very grown-up and like something that doesnt pertain to children, but the lessons girls learn when theyre young about setting physical boundaries and expecting them to be respected last a lifetime, and can influence how she feels about herbeiself and her body as she gets older. Plus, sadly, we know that some adults prey on children, and teaching your daughter about consent early on can help her understand her rights, know when lines are b eing crossed, and when to go to you for help.While many parents on Twitter applauded the scouts for helping kids set healthy boundaries...Others worry the organization went too far. Most critics worry the statement is equating innocent affection and predatory acts of invasion, or discouraging healthy familial relationships.This might be a heated debate, but I think theres one thing we can all agree Girl Scouts cookies are bomb.Do miss out on articles like these. --Una Dabiero is an editorial associate at Fairygodboss. She likes pop culture, reading things that make her think, and hearing womens stories. Dont follow her on social media (please), but do follow her on the FGBcommunity.

All About Teachers Resume

All About Teachers Resume Resume writing Objective is a vital section in any sort of resume. Resume writing objective is a significant portion of the resume, without it resume wont leave its effect on the recruiter. Checking out suitable examples about how to compose a resume is the ideal method to obtain the understanding of how to put one together. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Previous employment information is listed towards the bottom in order for the reader has the chance to concentrate on the positive qualities. The Candidate should send relevant information which could help determine the employer. Resume is the very first breakdown of the candidates profile by the corporation. Once youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary the usage of action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. The Lost Secret of Teachers Resume If youre l ooking for a new job, it may be advisable to put money into the services of certified resume writers to make an attention-grabbing resume for you. If you would like to be successful in receiving a job interview, there are particular steps you need to do when creating your resume. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. At present, New York City teachers obtain their union cards their very first day at work. There are many fresh graduates around who want to come across a wonderful job, thus it is important they get a number of the totally free blank resume samples so they can have the ability to know how their resumes should look like. Think twice of words that youre likely to utilize in your CV carefully. Resume Introduction Earlier resumes werent thought to be very critical since they are today. If youre searching to customize professional, pre-formatted resumes, have a look at our absolutely free downloadable templates. Using resume samples can be extremely beneficial. When youre writing somebodys name for a reference, make certain that you own a word before that. Employing the most suitable video resume maker site can provide you the edge you must stand out when looking for employment. There are lots of places where it is possible to find resume templates and examples and tons of sites with resume samples.