The Care and Nurturing of Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Care and Nurturing of Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Creating a brand isn’t a set it and forget it proposition. Even after you’ve gotten a job or built a successful business, you need to nurture and protect your brand. A strong, positive brand shows you have character and competence, which can carry you far in business and work. But one little flub can ruin your personal brand, your business and your future work prospects. Here are some tips to keeping your personal brand growing and healthy: Be the best you can be. Several years ago, I bought an HP computer and after installing some software, I started to have trouble. Not only was I able to talk to a live support person, but she called me back several days later to make sure the fix worked. This experience has always stuck with me because so often when I need tech help, I can’t get live support, at least not without paying a hefty fee, and here HP was calling me to follow-up. More than anything, brand is about value. Providing stellar service or being a top-notch employee is the best way to maintain and expand your personal brand. Respond to issues in a timely, professional manner and don’t cut corners. Watch what you say and do. No one would question that Abercrombie Fitch caters to the young, hip and cool, but the company’s CEO Mike Jefferies, damaged the brand when he said the company targets “all-American” kids and that a lot of people don’t belong in their clothes, suggesting he didn’t want overweight or ugly people wearing his brand. The comment set off a firestorm of negative publicity, petitions and social media buzz that forced the company to make a public apology. Building a brand takes a great deal of time and effort that can be ruined in an instant with an insensitive or careless remark. Businesses are not the only ones at risk. Many employees have been fired for comments made on blogs and social media. And while you may be protected by freedom of speech from being arrested for sharing your beliefs, consumers and employers are not bound by that section of the Constitution. Unless you want to answer to upset customers or managers, take care in what you say, not just online, but in front of people who might share your comments with others. Monitor what others say about you. Remember the telephone game, in which you sat in a circle and a message would be passed from one person to the next? The fun of the game was in discovering how the message changed from the first person to the last. This type of phenomena can happen in business and work as well. Gossip and bad news spreads fast, and often it gets worse and more inaccurate with each retelling. The best way to prevent this is to pay attention to what others say about you. Online, this can be done through Google Alerts, which will send you notifications when your name and/or business name is mentioned. When you’ve discovered something negative is being said about you, strive to correct it or make it right. Don’t respond with anger or threats, which can inflame the issue and contribute your “bad reputation.” Instead, answer with truth and professionalism. Your brand is a living, breathing asset that needs your attention and protection. Keep your brand healthy and flourishing by providing the best service possible, being careful about what you say and do, and monitoring what others say about you. Author: Leslie Truex  is a career design expert who has been helping people find or create work that fits their lifestyle goals since 1998 through her  website Work-At-Home Success. She is the author of “The Work-At-Home Success Bible” and “Jobs Online: How To Find a Get Hired to a Work-At-Home Job”. She speaks regularly on career-related topics including telecommuting and home business.

Types of Writing Skills For Resume

Types of Writing Skills For ResumeThe key to your success is to understand the types of writing skills for resume you need to master. No matter how much experience you have in a particular field, if you're lacking a particular skill, you may be over-qualified for the job, but this will not be effective in landing you the job.There are many different types of writing skills for resume writing is only one of them. By learning the various techniques, you will make your resume stand out from the others. Here are some of the most important skills that you need to master in order to write your resume well.First off, you must know the different types of writing skills for resume. For example, the types include: the logic, the essay, the survey, the sample, the creative, the behavioral, the outline, the open, the technical, the diagraph and the narrative. Each of these is necessary for your resume to have the proper presentation.One of the most important skills to learn to develop when writi ng a resume is the art of organization. Remember that your resume is your first impression of yourself. When a person sees a well-organized resume, they will find it easier to give a second and even a third chance to you.Different writing styles can be used depending on the individual preferences. The key to achieving good writing skills for resume is knowing your own personal preferences. Knowing your own preferences will enable you to create a resume that you will be proud of.You must also learn the skills to structure your resume in such a way that it is easy to read. The first thing that you should do is learn to read it slowly. The next step is to read it quickly. All the while, remember to keep in mind what you want to say in your resume.Most resumes are divided into several different types of sections. If you are unsure of how to format your resume, you can hire a professional resume writer to help you. He or she will help you organize your resume in such a way that it is eas y to read.To learn the skills of writing skills for resume, you will need to research well and identify the type of writing style that will best meet your needs. When you identify your skills, it will be easier for you to learn how to write a resume in a manner that will impress a hiring manager.

Join The Gig Economy With A Side Hustle To Supplement Your Income

Join The Gig Economy With A Side Hustle To Supplement Your Income In today’s economy, more people are looking for ways to supplement their income with extra work. Known as the “side hustle”, working as an independent freelancer gives people the freedom to take on the additional work they want, when they want. Why freelance? Working in the gig economy allows a great deal of flexibility. People can choose when it’s a good time to work more and still make time for their personal life. Gig jobs also allow workers to market themselves and build up a portfolio of clients that, one day in the future, may give them the opportunity to make the move from traditional employment to full time gig work. Are you looking for a side hustle in the gig economy? Here’s how to make it a reality: What skills and services do you have to offer? In order to find extra work, you’ll need to have a skill or service that people are willing to hire you do to. Whether its photography, website development, or walking dogs, find a marketable skill that’s in demand. Establish a flexible work schedule You’ll need a work schedule that fits in with your current full or part time job. Because when you become a gig worker, you’ll essentially be working two jobs. Even though your side hustle is on your own terms, you’ll still have to find time for your freelance projects. Money matters With your traditional job, taxes will be automatically deducted from your pay. As a gig worker, you’ll be responsible for paying your own taxes. Be smart and learn all the tax rules so you know what to expect. Establish your rates Don’t fall into the trap of accepting whatever offer people give you for your services. Otherwise your side hustle won’t be worth your while. The whole point is to supplement your income, so come up with rates that a) pay you what you’re worth, and b) ensure that you’re actually getting ahead financially. Market your skills and services As a gig worker, you’ll need to market your skills and reach clients. Use online platforms for gig jobs, build a website and post your portfolio, and market yourself on social media. As more people look for ways to earn extra income, gig jobs are going to become more popular. Working independently for yourself is a great way to decide when you take on extra work and what type of work it is. To learn more about how to become part of the gig economy with a side hustle, startup insurance company, Embroker put together this comprehensive guide on navigating the gig economy.

Explaining Long-Term Unemployment to the Interviewer - CareerAlley

Explaining Long-Term Unemployment to the Interviewer - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. Muhammad Ali Post contributed by Amanda Keight on behalf of PaperStarter.com, a free resource for Outstanding Essay and Paper Topics, and The Importance of Being Earnest Thesis Statements Introduction Long-term unemployment affects every aspect of your life. Your finances take a hit, as does your self-confidence. Your family life might suffer, and you might feel hopeless. When you get the phone call to come in for a job interview, your excitement might be dampened by the inevitable interview question: Why are you unemployed? While newly unemployed individuals might be able to explain their brief hiatus from the workforce, long-term unemployment is more challenging to explain. However, that doesnt mean that long-term unemployment will keep you from landing a new job. Knowing how to tackle this difficult question can quell any of your interviewers concerns and, instead, show that you are the right candidate for the position. Interview Tips While your interviewer will certainly want to know about your professional experience, he or she will likely also touch on your extended unemployment. Be prepared to answer questions about your current employment situationpreparation will make you less nervous and, subsequently, more confident. First, have a prepared answer to explain your unemployment status. You dont want to stumble through your answer. Dont just blame the economytalk about employment, or lack thereof, in your industry. If, for example, you are a university professor but state schools have instituted a hiring freeze, your ability to find a job has diminished. Note that despite the difficult climate in your industry, you have been actively seeking employment and making the most of this time. Your knowledge of the job climate shows that you have stayed abreast of industry changes during your unemployment. When discussing your unemployment, your interviewer might ask why you left your last job. Again, a brief but direct answer is best. If you were laid off due to budget cuts or lack of work, say so. Mass layoffs are an unfortunate but all-too-common occurrence these days, so mentioning a layoff isnt always indicative of subpar work performance. Do not blame your former employer; just state the facts and move on to the next question. Unemployment does not mean that you spend all day sitting on the couch waiting for the phone to ring. Using this unexpected time off wisely can speak volumes about your potential to an interviewer. When discussing your unemployment during an interview, focus on the positive. Talk about how you have spent your time. If you are a teacher who volunteered as an after-school tutor, talk about how this experience has kept your teaching skills fresh. Any volunteer work will impress whether it relates to your industry or not. Taking a class or earning certification in your field shows your interviewer that you made the most of your time off of work, so be sure to mention it. Discuss other ways you have challenged yourself during your unemployment, whether you taught yourself a new software program, joined a professional organization to network within your field, or attended a conference to stay up-to-date on industry news. Finally, show your value to the interviewer. He or she might see you as a riskafter all, no one else has hired you. Rather than dwelling on your unemployment during the interview, use results-oriented language that discusses what you want to achieve as an employee. Focus on ways you can improve the organization. If you are interviewing for a sales job, for example, talk about your current contacts in the industry and how that can translate into increased sales. Show yourself as an experienced employee who is eager to jump back into the workforce. Enthusiasm and industry knowledge can go a long way in convincing an interviewer that you are ready to work and, more importantly, that hiring you will benefit the organization. Conclusion Long-term unemployment can be disheartening, but it does not mean you will never work again. Tackling interviews with knowledge, energy, and professionalism can convince your interviewer that you are the right person for the job. Rather than dwelling on your long-term unemployment, showcase the skills and knowledge you have developed during your time away from the workforce. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook

15 Rule

How to Be Healthier at Work Using the 5/15 Rule When people talk about how they’re living a good life, what they really mean is that they’ve found a way to juggle all of their responsibilities without feeling overrun. Living well means eating healthy foods, getting enough exercise, doing well at work and having a happy home life. When you work full-time, accomplishing all this every day can seem impossible, but it’s actually not. There’s an easy way to check off your physical activity and your work tasks at the same time â€" by using the 5/15 rule. If you haven’t heard of it already, it’s basically a guide to make sure you’re still active during the day even if you work at a desk. For every hour you work, take at least five minutes to walk â€" even if it’s just to the break room for some water. On your lunch break, walk for at least fifteen minutes. How Can You Get Started With the 5/15 Rule? This might sound easier said than done, but there are ways you can incorporate this rule into your workday. It’ll require you to think ahead a bit, but it’ll be worth it when you start noticing that you’re feeling better and accomplishing more at work. Take a look at these manageable ways to get your version of the 5/15 rule established: 1. Create a Walking Course If you don’t know where you’re going to go while you walk, you’ll probably be less motivated to get up and go. To avoid this problem, think about where you work and what a good walking course could be. If you work in a large space, this might mean walking a lap around the office. If you work somewhere that’s a bit smaller, consider walking up and down the hall outside your office a few times or even making a loop around the block. 2. Do Some Easy Exercises Maybe you’d like to get up and be more active during work but can’t spend five minutes walking away from your desk every hour. That’s okay! The goal of the 5/15 rule is to get your body moving, not necessarily just walking. If you want to try something other than walking, check out some ideas for easy ways to get active at your desk. You can even alter what you find to fit your work schedule, like doing squats in the bathroom stall instead of in your cubicle if you don’t want your officemates to see. If you put your mind to it, you’ll be able to get exercise in no matter what your daily work schedule looks like. 3. Make It a Group Activity One of the most challenging things about exercising, whether you do it during work or at a gym, is getting yourself to actually do it. That’s where a partner could help you. It’s been proven that exercising with a friend will help keep you on track. You’ll feel more obligated to get up and move if you have someone waiting on you, rather than finding excuses to put it off until later. Have a coworker or two join you on your hourly walks. Maybe even book a conference room if one is open and do some quick exercises together before heading back to your desks. Friends can be especially good to have by your side for those longer lunch walks, too. They’ll keep you motivated to meet those activity deadlines. 4. Don’t Let Yourself Slip Up The biggest challenge for anyone trying to get active is staying active. Even if you have a partner or two to help you enjoy your routines, it’s easy to lose the motivation that made you start. Work can get busier and more stressful, or you can feel like you accomplished your goal by being active for a couple days. Something you can do to help avoid falling into this trap is to make a motivation board. This could mean anything from having a motivational picture of your goal as your desktop background to cutting and pasting quotes and pictures to a board that you can hang in your cubicle or on a wall near your desk. Always remember why you got started with the 5/15 rule, and you’ll find that it’s easier to stick with. Make a Simple Change Without a Big Effort It’s a common struggle for people to forget just how important it is to be physically active every day. You work at a desk all day long, and then when you get off, you’re tired. All you want to do is sit down, have a nice dinner and then get in bed. While that may be your favorite way to relax, it could be hurting your body in the long run. Instead, stay active during the workday by figuring out how the 5/15 rule can fit into your schedule. You’ll quickly begin to feel better because you’re more active. Your mind will be more alert, so you can better focus on the work tasks at hand, and you won’t have any guilt when you end up going home in the evening to a nice, warm bed. Don’t waste any more time feeling guilty about how much of your life is spent sitting around. Get up and take a walk! Eat your lunch on the go or get a coworker to join you for a quick walk around the block. Just because you’re not used to doing it, doesn’t mean changing your daily routine is impossible. How do you plan on getting active and staying motivated to keep your new routine going? Comment with your ideas below and share to get your friends hooked on the 5/15 rule with you. While you’re here, subscribe for more content that will help you easily improve your life and meet your personal goals. Get everything you need to build a career you love by signing up for the newsletter.

How to Make a Resume in Denver

How to Make a Resume in DenverIt is a known fact that, in United States, is a good to have resume writing Denver as per the latest rules and regulations. The living environment of the city is good and most of the people who have originated from Denver love this country. In case you are an applicant or you are a potential applicant who is looking for a job, you can be assured that the job market is very interesting and quite rich with so many job opportunities and to be truly successful in it, you should have some idea about the job market in Denver. If you are positive that you are eligible for a job in Denver and have a valid idea about the job market, here are some guidelines that will help you fill your portfolio.The first thing that you should do is to sit down and write your resume and complete the necessary forms. Do not be surprised at the time or date, you will send the applications. All the forms will be prepared by Denver Personnel department. You will fill your document fo r Denver with the appropriate content, title, location, and the date of your expected participation in the next event.Complete the entire document and send it through the mail. You may send the copies of your resume or add your photo and add it to the material. But remember, you can save all your documents as PDF format so that you can print and check your work anytime you want.If you have high job prospects, you can try to write more than one document. All your job references will be waiting for you. This will be the time when you can see how many job prospects you have.The online submission of the document is the best possible way of submitting. By going online, you will not be required to spend the extra time and money for transferring. You can also fill in your resume on the internet and it will be published. This will help you toget positive reaction from the applicant.Fill in the following things in the final word, the cover letter. You should check if your letter is concise a nd interesting and be positive. Remember, your letter is your advertisement.If you have great job prospects, you can try to check with some job boards, which will help you find the best of job positions. You will be amazed at the thousands of job postings that you will see. You can also check the job market listing which is considered as a source of details.

Unanswered Problems With Writing a Killer Resume Objective Revealed

Unanswered Problems With Writing a Killer Resume Objective Revealed Quite simply, it is a snapshot of your professional accomplishments. An objective is a brief statement that clarifies your objectives. As always, whenever you're updating your resume, you run the danger of inserting errors. All accomplishments ought to be bulleted to ensure it is fast and easy for a hiring manager to scan. The 5-Minute Rule for Writing a Killer Resume Objective A favorite assumption that experiencing job satisfaction and a thriving career needs to be underpinned by a well-rounded suite of tangible advantages, no longer is true for a lot of us. Since you currently have a prior career, you will automatically have some abilities and experience that are important to gaining employment. It is not hard to change to suit the job you're considering applying for. To compose a thriving marketing resume, you must step back, consider the skills you use every single day on the job and apply them to you rself. By making certain that the data in your resume and cover letters map to every work description, you will dramatically raise the number of responses and interview requests you get. You need your resume to seem distinctive and memorable, but classy Word's default templates aren't going to cut the mustard. In order to make certain that the resume writing is direct and focused, it is suggested that you begin with the general categories. Generally, a resume won't guarantee that you will receive in the door of a prospective employer, but nevertheless, it will prevent you from entering if not well done. Below are provided such words that may increase the caliber of your objective statement and produce your resume stand out from the remainder of them. Notice how the example resumes are extremely specific when it has to do with technical skills. They are created to highlight the best side of a person. Your resume should be formatted in an easy, professional method.