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Shawn Robinson, the Peak Performance Coach, gives a Quote of the Day. “This is one of those quotes that I have invested some time so that I have memorized it.” – he says.
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When you get to work, you will realize that you are in a dog-eat-dog world. The ideals you may have about jobs and promotions may not be the same as realities.
However, that should not leave you disheartened. Rather, you have to focus on two things: promoting and motivating yourself.
The Process
The truth is, there is no specific step-by-step guide on how to start marketing and motivating yourself to pursue your goals. However, there are certain implied rules that you may have to follow if you want to ensure that your strategies will work. These rules include the following:
1. Determine your strengths and promotional reasons.
Which areas are you good at? What is your level of education and skill? Most of all, how are your strengths different from others? The key here is to find your talents and qualities that will make you stand out among the rest.
Keep in mind that quantity does not matter. You can have a gazillion list, which may not really do you good since they are also strengths of the competition.
After you have determined your strengths, you then have to think about the main reason why you are promoting yourself in the first place. Do you want to land a job? Would you like to get promoted? Would you like to increase your credibility in the industry you are in? Knowing the reason allows you to craft the best self-promotional methods.
2. Identify your marketing methods.
When you already know your strengths, identify the ways on how you can promote them to your colleagues and, most of all, to the company you are currently or planning to work in.
Thanks to technology, you can utilize various social media tools available in the World Wide Web: social networking and HR websites, blogs, micro-blogging platforms — the list is endless.
Unless you have all the time in your hands, though, you will never be able to make full use of all of them. Thus, determine the tools that will bring you a lot closer to your goal. For instance, if you’re a website designer, the best promotional material will be your own website, where you can upload your designs and showcase your portfolio.
3. Motivate yourself to perform the marketing methods.
This can be considered as one of the hardest parts in self-promotion because it needs a long-term commitment.
Fortunately, there are many ways on how you can keep yourself motivated to achieve your goals for self-promotion and stick to the plans you’ve made.
For one, ensure that both the objectives and the marketing methods you have determined can be achieved and tracked. Yes, you need to know which of the strategies worked and which ones do not, or else, you may end up spending more time and money on the latter.
Arrange the objectives and marketing ploys in different milestones. This will ease out the burden accompanying self-promotion, make progress-monitoring more convenient, and get things easily done because you don’t multi-task.
One of the best motivators is reward. Don’t forget to provide yourself an incentive every time you accomplish a milestone. It can be as trivial as a massage in a well-known spa to something grand like a party or a travel to your dream destination.
Most of all, keep in mind that unless you start taking the first step today, you will never reach anything. The beginning will always be the hardest. However, if you set your sights on the goals you have just listed, you can surely proceed to that one big leap.
Check Vitaver & Associates Hot Jobs section to find the latest employment opportunities.
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Of all the new social media tools, Twitter’s real-time nature has made it more challenging to adapt to standard media channels, including the use of Twitter in the online job market. Google, for example, is just starting to develop ways to include Twitter postings in its searches and page rankings. At the same time, the popular social media tool has pushed the creative envelope and is making the job market more dynamic and interesting.
New Twitter tools are appearing weekly and it is worth keeping up. TwitJobSearch is a job search tool that sits on your desktop. An advanced search function allows you to narrow your job search criteria. Do not wait long for this real-time job search trend to catch on. TwitJobSearch boasts over 300,000 new jobs in the last 30 days.
Take the opportunity to master some Twitter job search strategies from the many Twitter job search experts offering up their how-tos online. As soon as I am done writing this blog, I am going to go back to JobMob’s 20 Tips to Twitter Job Search Success to master some very useful tools and techniques, such as how to simulcast through other social media and target industry-specific feeds and people to follow. And do you know how to follow who your followers are following? Twubble will do the job.
Check Vitaver & Associates Hot Jobs section to find the latest employment opportunities.
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In this episode, Master Career Strategist Ron Nash shares some of his headhunting trade secrets which are powerful and to the point. This system includes the book, “How to Find Your Dream Job, Even in a Recession”, Audio and Video to coach job seekers through the challenging process of finding a job, especially during a down economy. This course and it’s lessons will last a lifetime!
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Now that we are slowly recovering from the recession it may seem like an odd time to look at recession-proof jobs. Of course, it is always a good time to consider a career that provides job security in up and down markets.
Over 500,000 hits pop up for “recession proof jobs” on Google. The best way to research recession-proof jobs is to rely on the data from past recessions. Once you have chosen an industry, you should also look at how economic and business cycles affect employment in that industry.
Let’s see if Forbes magazine’s list holds up to the hard data. On January 25, Forbes came out with its list of recession-proof jobs. Its top five are registered nurse, retail – sales, accountant, occupational therapist and financial advisor. This list has merit when compared to the last three recessions when jobs were secure in healthcare, education, legal, IT, accounting and sales and marketing sectors.
Financial services, however, has taken a beating in past recessions. And I happen to know a few moonlighting financial advisors. Evidently, more people are more actively managing their financial assets in good markets and bad. While many companies invest in sales and marketing in a down market, retail sales follow seasonal trends.
The Forbes survey considered which positions had the most job openings during the most recent market downturn, 2007-2008. Clearly, we should place more weight on the most recent recession to account for changing market dynamics. Take advantage of all of the data available and target your research — recession-proof jobs in IT, for college graduates, overseas, and so forth.
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I am sure you have heard about it, but do you really know what it is? This post will take a quick look at what personal branding is, but we have to start with the origin which is the brand.
What is a brand?
A brand is the unique experience that people remember about a product or service. We are surrounded by products and services every day, some of them are very similar – try distinguishing Coke from Pepsi in a blind test. The reason marketers make use of brands for their product is so they can differentiate the brand from the competition. The goal is to position it as a premium brand so that consumers believe they are enjoying an exclusive product. We all know that adjectives like premium and exclusive are associated with higher cost, that’s what pays for the entire branding exercise.
What is a personal brand?
A personal brand is the unique promise of value of a person. Simply put, it’s who you are and what you do – nobody else can be or do the exact same thing. Just like a product, a person can brand themselves to stand apart from the competition. In this day and age, consumers have no problem finding a dentist, plumber or realtor – they find lots of them online and they take their time to shop around. Skills and knowledge have become ubiquitous and commoditized and the value of personal branding becomes more important now than ever. The person that has taken their time to build an excellent brand for themselves will not only be more visible but should also be able to charge premium rates for their work – a very enviable position to be in.
What is personal branding?
This is the process of uncovering/creating, building and promoting your brand to your target audience and the greater world. This starts with looking at your current situation; how is your brand positioned, how is it unique and is it reaching out to the right people. The next step is to craft a personal branding statement, bios and an elevator pitch that reflects your unique promise of value and speaks to the reader/listener. After that, it’s time to build a presence online as it is the quickest and most cost effective way to bring your brand out to market. When your social media and own site or blog are in place, it’s all about promoting and working on increasing that loyal fan base. The branding process can take anything from a few weeks to a couple of months, but the ongoing promotion in terms of blogging and other activities will be carry on forever.
Call to action
There is no time like the present to start your personal branding journey. Most people only think about their brand when they really need it (e.g. looking for a new job), this will probably be 12 months too late. Building and promoting a strong brand takes time and effort but it’s probably the best investment you can ever make. You may change industries, move out of the country, take a long sabbatical – but your name and brand will always be with you so make it a good one.
Check Vitaver & Associates Hot Jobs section to find the latest employment opportunities.
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Career Counselor and U.S. News Contributing Editor Marty Nemko offers advice on how to ask for a better job in this dismal economy.
When applying for a job, it is important to consider not only the financial prospects but also the career development opportunities that a company can offer. Career development has been among the major thrusts of organizations, as indicated by several human resource surveys. Over the years, employees have given much attention to obtaining a promising career path. The challenge is to identify what specific career development activities employees interested in, and to determine how to maximize these activities to fully boost a worker’s skill.
Career development is not only a corporate responsibility, but also a duty of every employee. While companies have programs dedicated to developing the skills of their workers, employees are equally expected to initiate efforts towards improving their proficiency. The question is: how can ordinary workers maximize career development opportunities? Consider the following steps:
Step 1: Self Assessment
The first step towards career development is to reasonably assess your knowledge, skills, interest, experience, and capability. By having a thorough and level-headed evaluation of your professional qualifications, it will be easier for you to identify what you need and want for your career.
Step 2: Goal Setting
The next step entails setting your career development goals. There are various career development programs that target the improvement of your technical, communication, and managerial skills. Identify what skill you need or want to work on first. Also determine what skills, interests, and experiences you would want to have. Set specific short-term and long-term goals.
When setting a personal goal, it also helps if you evaluate your goals relative to the goals of the company. If you are planning on staying with your current employer for more years, align your goals with the mission and vision of the company. As you contribute to the company’s growth, you also increase your chances of getting promoted to a more challenging position with better financial, professional, and personal rewards.
Step 3: Career Development Planning
After setting your short term and long term goals, craft a specific career development plan. Identify your learning objectives. These objectives should help in determining what type of training and exposure you need. Consult the results of your self assessment. Ask recommendations from your supervisors regarding skills and career development programs for you to focus on. Study different models of career development programs. This will help you choose the best program for your needs. There are programs focused on the development of management and leadership skills, corporate social responsibility initiatives, or personal management skills. Remember that you are drafting a plan, thus you must leave room for later modifications.
Step 4: Plan Implementation
Finally, implement your career development plan upon the approval of the company. Consider budget and manpower availability. The successful planning and implementation of your chosen career development program should ensure continuous opportunities for growth.
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Setting your desired salary possesses a challenge of laying down your market value. The salary range that you dictate must consider other significant factors such as the existing salary range of similar functions in other companies, industry performance, your professional competence and experience, to name a few. How can you turn a salary negotiation to your favour? Consider the following 3 Factors to Succeed in Salary Negotiations:
Factor 1: Salary Range
What salary are you seeking? Set the salary range that you desire for your service. To determine a reasonable salary range, identify your market value. Research on standard salary ranges for this job. Compare different functions and salary schemes of similar positions in the industry. During interviews, set a broad range of reasonable salary figures. This allows an ample room for negotiation.
There are many strategies that can help you identify the ideal salary range. Expand your network and establish fruitful relationships with recruiters and executives of your field. These professionals can give you plenty of information about salary, work requirements, and other details to help you assess a realistic market value of yourself.
Factor 2: Salary History
During the initial hiring process, almost all companies start with questions related to the salary history of applicants. Asking these questions early on give employers a clear idea if your indicated salary-range fits their fixed wage scheme.
As an applicant, you must be open to this requirement. If the company should request this information, you must be willing to honestly disclose your salary history.
Applicants must be cautious in disclosing their salary history. There is always the risk of suggesting an underestimated salary range or overestimated salary expectation. Companies can always use this information to their advantage by setting a compensation figure that is far below what the company would have offered.
Factor 3: Professional Competencies
Salary negotiations consider financial factors, as well as the professional needs of the company, and competence of the applicant. Other than setting your salary based on your market value, make sure to evaluate your skills and experience to boost your worth. Capture the interest of the company by highlighting your potential as a worker. During the interview, try to divert the subject from salary to job qualifications. Show genuine interest in the company, and stress on the improvements that you can contribute to its growth.
Generally, if the company is impressed with your qualifications, they will provide you with an attractive compensation package even without discussing your salary history. Consider career development opportunities that the company will provide you. More than financial compensation, your employer must ensure your professional growth. An excellent salary, plus a well-deserved job development package can equal to a promising career path.
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Getting started with your new job entails preparation to help you survive the first few months. But more than surviving, you can actually make a memorable mark to establish your credibility early on in your career. Here are some helpful tips.
Get fully geared and ready
Take some time to research your new employer. Learn about the company’s products and services, the culture of the organization, as well as the company’s mission and vision. Getting well acquainted with the company will guide your performance, especially as a rookie. Research on the industry background of the company including its competitors and market trends.
Power dress to success
If you want to be an executive, you must look like one. Visualize a professional-looking wardrobe for your first weeks of work. Choose clothes that are conservative and appropriate. Check ahead of time which clothes need to be repaired, dry-cleaned, tailored, or replaced. This will save you from being stressed when deciding what dress to wear the next day.
Review your job responsibilities
On your first day of work, be prepared to start rendering what is stated in your job description. Review the details of your contract. Make sure to know the general and specific areas of your work. Have an initial plan of how you will go about these tasks on your first week. Some companies may not provide you with a detailed guide of your work. It is important for you to come prepared to hit the ground running.
Integrate into the team
Establish a good rapport with your co-workers on the first day of work. Wear a genuine smile and look around for familiar faces. These people can be valuable allies as you adjust to your new work place. Introduce yourself and remember names and faces for future reference. Try to blend with your immediate colleagues, and adjust as necessary. Remember that in any work place, you would have to make the sacrifices to fit in and not the other way around.
Set a 30-day work performance goal
Once you get the “feel” of your new work and environment, establish short term objectives of what you can contribute to the company. To do this, get to know the key performance indicators or KPI observed by the company. These standards define the goals of the organization to ensure quality employee performance. When used effectively, these indicators are instrumental in driving the company forward. Based on these indicators, your work output must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, and Time Related. You can use these indicators as strategic guides in your first 90 days in the company. Take advantage of these first few months by impressing your superiors. This, in turn, will give you a favourable evaluation.
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Once you get to the final stages of a hiring process, the employer will want to have a chat with people that can give you a professional reference. They may give them a call or might even want to speak to the referees in person in case they have particular questions about your experience and character.
The job market is sluggish at the moment and there is lots of competition for every position out there. Having great references is another string to your bow, and it might be what tips the balance in your favor.
How do we go about obtaining these references? Here are a few tips that have worked for other job seekers:
Be selective
Don’t just put any old colleague down as a referee. If the employer has a slightest doubt about any of your experiences, you can expect the referee to be grilled on this point. Therefore, you will need to know what they are likely to say when questioned about your tenure with them. Pick thick skinned referees that can withstand a barrage of questions and turn the answers into favorable endorsements. In case you don’t have any true fans at your previous employer, you could opt for referees outside of work that know you well enough.
Give heads up
You have to ask for permission and make sure your referees are ready to receive a phone call from your potential new employer at any time. The referee should be made aware what the questions are likely to be about and the duration of the call. You could even help scheduling calls between the employer and your referees in case they are busy bees.
Keep them informed
To be sure your referees and you are singing from the same hymn sheet, you can send your entire application pack, complete with cover letter, resume, bio and any other bits. This will give them a chance to catch up on your latest experiences and what type of position you are going for. The better informed they are, the better reference they are likely to give you.
Maintain your network
Now that you have caught up with old work mates and they have done you a favor, it’s an excellent opportunity for you to catch up over lunch. People like doing favors for others and they like to receive favors in return, this is what networking is all about. Use the reference as a way to see what they are up to and how you could potentially help them in the future.
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With today’s intense competition for esteemed corporate positions, it is no wonder why many companies opt for more creative methods of hiring potential employees. Other than the classic formal interview, companies conduct informal interviews to job applicants. But why do companies use this casual hiring technique? More importantly, how can an applicant maximize informal interviews to gain the company’s favour towards his employment? Read on for some valuable explanations and tips.
Informal Interviews: Getting to the bottom line of your application
Informal interviews are being used in professional settings. Informal personal interviews involve a face-to-face discussion of basic and special issues related to personal and professional goals, job requirement and expectations, and other more casual subjects. This is a relaxed type of interview that almost always leads to a second or follow up interview. Companies have varied reasons in conducting informal interviews when hiring candidates with potential. In informal interviews, companies aim to know more of the applicant’s social skills and communicative competence, as this interview can reveal a person’s ability to take charge and carry on a sensible conversation.
Pros of Informal Interviews
Informal interviews can be beneficial to both employers and applicants. Having an informal setting breaks the intimidating atmosphere of most job interviews. Interviewers can create a more welcoming and stress-free environment that eases the interviewee. Comfortable interviewees tend to be more honest and calm when answering questions. An informal interview also allows employers to see the interviewee from many angles. The interviewee can talk about other interests, creating a better image of himself.
Cons of Informal Interviews
Informal interviews, however, may not be sufficient to gauge the professional competence of the applicant. The interviewee, on the other hand, faces the challenge of making a skilled impression in spite of the questions.
Tips to Ace Informal Interviews
Turn an informal interview to your advantage. Interviewees can get a better edge and make the best come out during this interview type. Don’t be afraid to assert yourself and take the lead of the conversation.
Show genuine interest by asking relevant questions. Learn more about the industry from the perspective of the interviewee. This is useful for you to have an idea of the expectations and requirements of the job you are applying for.
However, be attentive to what the interviewer is saying. Keep the flow of conversation by staying sharp and focused. Later, make references to significant things that the interviewer mentioned.
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Unpaid internships are back in the news. An acquaintance of mine just landed his dream internship in a Boston venture capital firm. The catch is he not only accepted an unpaid internship but also offered to pay for his own travel expenses during the course of his internship.
The number of unpaid internships has grown, and so too have opinions on whether the free summer help is a good thing. Unfortunately, some naysayers have come out quite negatively in the press.
Unpaid internships are a win-win proposition in a tight economy. There is no longer a stigma over not paying the summer help. In fact, in a tight job market, business schools are encouraging companies to help out students this summer and provide training. With fewer interns able to find jobs, the free training is important. Otherwise, when the economy picks up, companies will find it harder to find qualified job candidates. So why not train them now for when the economy rebounds?
Unpaid interns can be bolder in their job search strategies.
Ask for more informational interviews. You are in the driver’s seat. Find out what the company has to offer you in exchange for your free labor.
Do not forget the perks. Companies should be creative in thinking up alternative ways to reward their summer help. Lunch once a week with an associate, or even higher up, would be an attractive offer.
Do not forget the written reference letter. Many interns go in and out during summer holidays. Ask for a written reference. When you need to use the reference, send your reference a copy of the letter to remind her of all your great attributes – and of who you are.
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The Michigan Department of Consumer Protection is reporting an increase in identity theft from online job seekers. Given the large amount of personal information that is provided in resumes, it is not surprising that job seekers are being targeted.
The Identity Theft Resource Center provides helpful guidance on how to protect your identity online. Here are a few highlights:
What Not to Put on Your Resume
Screening Contacts
You should call the human resource department and verify the name and legitimacy of the contact if you are receiving the following red flags:
Avoid companies if:
There are many more good tips on how to protect your identity online at the Identity Theft Center.
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