Suspend Job Search During Holidays No! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Suspend Job Search During Holidays No! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A  question I’m often asked by job seekers is whether or not they should continue a job search during the holiday season. The conventional wisdom seems to be that, during this time of the year, beginning with Thanksgiving Day and running through New Year’s Day, most hiring professionals are so pre-occupied with family celebrations and company/business festivities that it usually is just a waste of time to continue a job search. Don’t you believe it because it isn’t necessarily true! I liken this situation to the stock market. When is a good time to invest in the market? When everybody else is getting out of the market! The same can be true when it comes to a job search: The best time to ramp up  your  job search activity may be when most other job seekers are curtailing, or at least severely limiting,  their  job search activities. While it is certainly true that many hiring company employees take vacation during the holiday season, it is equally true that most of these employees tend to be gatekeepers and others in administrative positions. Typically, those men and women at the higher, executive levels tend to remain at the helm during the holiday season. And, just coincidentally, it is these very same men and women who are usually the hiring decision-makers! It is these same men and women who are  constantly  on the lookout for top-tier talent to add to their companies employee rolls. What can this situation mean for the tenacious, creative job seeker? Let me briefly relate the plot of a classic movie to illustrate this point. Kramer vs. Kramer: A Holiday Job Search on Steroids At least some of you may remember the classic movie  Kramer vs. Kramer  (1979), starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep as Ted and Joanna Kramer. On the same day Ted, a hard-charging Manhattan advertising executive, lands the biggest account of his career, Joanna informs him that she is leaving him and their young son. Forced to raise his son alone, Ted soon loses his job because all of his time and energy is, by necessity, focused on raising his son, not on doing his job. Joanna later returns and seeks custody of their son because she contends that Ted, after losing his high-paying job and forced to take a much lower-paying one, is financially unable to properly raise the child. One of the plot segments that has always stuck in my mind focuses on Ted’s frenzied job search, which occurred right in the midst of the holiday season. Everywhere he goes he is met with dismissal and/or rejection because everyone he encounters is in a festive mood, not a hiring mood. Out of frustration, Ted finally crashes a Christmas party at one of the large firms in the city and confronts a senior executive. “Hey, it’s the holidays,” the exasperated executive tells Ted. “Come back after the first of the year.” Hardly dissuaded, Ted continues pressing the executive and insists that he at least take a look at some of his work, samples of which he has with him. The executive is so impressed with Ted’s work that he hires him. Now, I am NOT suggesting that  you  start crashing hiring company parties during the holiday season while on  your  job search! However, it can pay you to take a cue from the tenacity and sheer gutsiness Ted demonstrated during his holiday job search. He knew he had something of significant value to offer an employer and was not going to be put off simply because it wasn’t the “right” time of the year to be searching for a new job. You shouldn’t be either! Most Businesses 365-Days-a-Year Operations Virtually all businesses today, regardless of the market segment or company size, are 365-days-a-year enterprises. And that’s particularly true when it comes to global market leaders. Most simply cannot afford to be anything but that, if they want to stay at the top of the heap (and they do!). That means most companies are continually on the lookout for top-notch talent. The fact that they may discover or encounter such talent during the holiday season quite often is nothing more than just coincidental. So, my advice to job seekers has always been, and continues to be, that they should indeed continue their job search activities during the holiday season. The entire process involved in searching for, and then landing, a new job in today’s still highly competitive job market can prove to be a lengthy one. Taking “time off” from the job search during the holiday season usually results in just one thing: Further increasing the time it can take to ultimately land a great new job. Do take the time to enjoy the holidays with family, friends and business associates, but also make sure you keep your head (and your hand!) in the game by continuing to do the “right” things during your job search, even though (according to some people) it may not be the “right” time to be looking for a new job. ____________________ Going on a job interview soon? Know someone who is?  Download Skips FREE  How to ACE the Job Interview!  publication by clicking  HERE. Learn how to interview the way Superstars do! Be sure to check out  Career Stalled?,  Skips latest book in the Headhunter Hiring Secrets Series of Career Development Management Publications. You can order your copy TODAY by clicking on this link:  Career Stalled? How to Get Your Career Back in HIGH Gear and Land the Job You DeserveYour DREAM Job! 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How a Top Federal Resume Writing Service Can Help You Get the Best Jobs

How a Top Federal Resume Writing Service Can Help You Get the Best JobsA top federal resume writing service would first and foremost focus on improving your chances of getting a good job. They would review your qualifications and your background, then put together a package that will not only make you more attractive to potential employers, but will also ensure that they know what you will be capable of doing. This is how a top resume writing service can help you get the job of your dreams.The military and national security positions are one of the most common jobs available in the federal government. Unfortunately, these positions are highly competitive. A top federal resume writing service should not only consider your candidacy for the position, but also your previous job experience, skills, education, skills, or training. It should cover all of these aspects in the resume.On top of that, a certain job may require that you go on furlough, meaning that you will work at a reduced sa lary and experience extended hours. Your top federal resume writing service will have these kind of requirements covered. If not, they should know about them and know how to make sure that your requirements are met.After identifying a good furlough program, the next thing a good federal resume writing service will do is add in your key strengths and key qualifications. This would include things like how well you handle organizational tasks, how you are organized, your technical abilities, and even your ability to organize information. You should be able to demonstrate these by examples in the resume.You should be very clear on what your goals are, because once you're writing a resume, your goals change. You need to be aware of these changes, and re-write your resume to reflect these changes. This will ensure that you get the kind of resume that will get you hired and get you on the way to getting that raise that you've been hoping for.A top federal resume writing service should incl ude a sample of a sample resume, so that you can see how it should look. You should be given a number of sample resumes, and you should be allowed to view these samples, so that you can see how they should be formatted. The sample should also have what is considered to be appropriate fonts and formatting.A top federal resume writing service should also make sure that their resumes are sent out on time. This would mean that you have received your resume two weeks before your due date. When this is done, your resume should be checked and double checked for accuracy, and should be used as soon as possible.In the end, a top federal resume writing service can make a tremendous difference. They can help you win the war of getting the best jobs. You need a resume writing service that will provide you with the skills and knowledge to help you land the best jobs.

FM MAGAZINE Surviving a Layoff - Jane Jackson Career

FM MAGAZINE Surviving a Layoff - Jane Jackson Career Interview on surviving a layoff or redundancy in FM Magazine. Read the original article hereNo finance professional wants to experience the sudden loss of a position, but the reality of the modern business landscape is that sometimes layoffs happen. Being laid off can be a traumatic blow, but quick action can help mitigate the fallout.Your success at lessening the impact of a layoff depends on being assertive and resourceful. The first steps you take after being laid off are some of the most crucial, but for many, the shock of dismissal can lead to emotional rather than logical decisions.“I think when you’re getting laid off, a lot of times, it’s like hearing that you have cancer,” said Scott Bishop, CPA/PFS, partner and executive vice-president with STA Wealth Management in Houston and a veteran financial planner who has writtenadvice on surviving a layoff.Here are four tips from experts on how to prevent your layoff from doing professional damage and using it as a chance t o discover new opportunities:Don’t panic.The main thing to remember is not to panic when it comes to surviving a layoff. Give yourself time to breathe and reassess your career. Are you going in the right direction? Where would you like to see yourself in the next two to five years?“Plan your networking and search for opportunities, so you’re not taking the first thing that comes up,” said Jane Jackson,career management coachbased in Sydney and author ofNavigating Career Crossroads. “If you panic, that’s what will happen, but if you do things sensibly and plan, you’re more inclined to make the right decisions going forward.”Another reason to stay calm is to avoid making tactical mistakes. Before signing any sort of severance package, you may want to have someone, possibly an employment lawyer, take a look at it.“The last thing you want is to take a severance package, start applying for jobs, and then three months later, find out you’re in the middle of a lawsuit w ith your prior employer because you violated a noncompete agreement that you didn’t realise you signed during the severance paperwork,” Bishop said.While you’re at it, make sure to confirm any residual pay or benefits from the company that you might be due, including unused paid time off, trailing fees and commissions, and outplacement assistance.Update your personal brand.If you’ve been working at the same job for a long time, you probably haven’t put together a CV in a while, and you may find the rules of the game have changed. Most jobs are applied to online now, and an applicant’s keywords and internet presence are more important than ever.When you craft your CV, it needs to be tailored for each application in order to get past the applicant tracking system, Jackson stressed. The keywords that you include in your CV are very important, because if you don’t tailor your CV and cover letter to the specific jobs to which you’re applying, you’re far less likely to g et a response, she said.To stand out, she said, you must build your personal brand on sites like LinkedIn. She recommended optimising your profile using the right search terms so you can be found, and sharing content about your area of expertise to attract more attention.“I would recommend publishing a video of you talking about something you’re passionate about because that will stay at the top of your LinkedIn profile,” she said. “You should also stay active by commenting and posting relevant articles in your area of expertise, because then you will turn up on the feeds of recruiters or hiring managers who are looking for people like you.”Work to be an expert in your area.When new US tax laws were enacted at the end of 2017, Bishop got to work learning about all the changes and how they were going to impact his clients. He put together webinars and wrote articles so his firm could be a thought leader in that area.“If your company has to cut 20% of the workforce to stay profitable, you don’t want to be part of that 20%,” he said. “You want to be one of the people who would be more painful for them to terminate than to keep on.”Being one of the most valuable people in the office makes it less likely that you will lose your job in the first place, but even if you are let go, attaining more expertise in your field will help attract new opportunities. Take advantage of any continuing professional development that you can in areas that are specifically beneficial to your business and create sharable content online that exhibits your expertise.Expand your network.For 75% to 80% of Jackson’s clients, networking is the way they secured their next role â€" far more than using an online job board.“When you expand your network, it’s important to think about whose sphere of influence you want to be in, and if you’re targeting certain industries or companies, how might you be able to facilitate an introduction?” Jackson said. “Have a chat w ith them, not for a job, but just to find out a little bit more about what’s going on within that business.”Similarly, attending industry events is a good way to expand your network. Make sure you bring business cards and have a prepared pitch so you know what to say when you meet someone. That said, Jackson recommended never saying you’re looking for a job, but rather telling people what your area of expertise is and what you’re passionate about.“Give people the chance to get to know you, like you, and trust you, so down the line, they may reach out to you because they like you and think you would fit the organisation,” she said.Bishop believes professionals should always be networking, and to be successful in surviving a layoff, networking is your new job.“As soon as you’re terminated, it’s your job is to do everything you can to get your name out there to find your next situation,” he said.Hannah Pitstick is a freelance writer based in the US.

What To Do After Your Interview - Jane Jackson Career

What To Do After Your Interview - Jane Jackson Career You walk out of the interview and think, “Whew! I’m glad that’s over!” What do you do next?The key to interview success is preparation, preparation, and preparation. And effective follow up. How many of you follow up after your interview? How many of you simply wait and hope after an interview?When I was working in recruitment, I was amazed at the number of people who failed to create an opportunity to continue to sell themselves effectively by providing a thank you email after their interviews. I expect they simply thought, ‘I did all I could do during the interview, now I can sit back and relax.’ No, no, no! There is more that can be done.Here are three simple steps to follow to ensure you leave the best possible impression after an interview and, potentially, tip the decision in your favour.1. Analyse the Interview   After each interview, write down what transpired. What went right, what went wrong, what was the main focus of the interviewer, what did he/she s eem most impressed with and how suitable you feel you are for the role with the information you gained during the interview process. Think what else can you do to put you a step above the competition and how can you convince them you are the best candidate for the role.2. Send a Thank You email  Take the extra step that many candidates don’t. Craft an effective thank you email to the interviewer as a follow up. Show them that you have the initiative to do something above and beyond the norm. This will demonstrate your attention to detail, provide an effective finishing touch to the interview and give you one more opportunity to sell your qualifications, relevant experience (according to your analysis of the interview.) This will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate your gratitude for being considered and leave a positive impression on the reader.This process of following up also applies at all stages of your job search process. If someone has given you a referral, pr ovided you their time for networking purposes, helped you in any way in the process then you must express your thanks. This can be in the form of a phone call, thank you email or written note â€" whatever is appropriate for the circumstances and works according to your personal style. It’s simple good manners.When to send a Thank You email? It should be sent as soon as possible after the interview.Why should you send a Thank You email? It provides you one more opportunity to create a positive impression.3. What if You are Turned Down for the Job?Don’t burn bridges. Send a thank you email. Let the employer know that you appreciate having been considered for the role and if, in the future, suitable positions arise, you would be delighted to be considered. This will keep channels of communication open â€" their preferred candidate might not make it through the probationary period, you could be their next choice!If you need more guidance, seek the assistance of a career coach w ho will be able to provide a systematic approach to the entire job search process, guide you through that process and keep you on track each step of the way.For more information contact Jane at jane@janejacksoncoach.com or visit www.janejacksoncoach.com

How to avoid job scams -

How to avoid job scams - If job searching wasn’t nerve-wracking enough for you, job scams add a scary layer to the process. So many job search and career advancement activities are now conducted online from researching companies to expanding your professional network on LinkedIn to finding open positions and scammers are taking full advantage. Finding a job can be a daunting task in itself, and now people face the added pressure of trying to avoid job scams while searching for the real thing. Thankfully, there are some fairly easy ways to stay safe and avoid job scams. Here are five tips. 1. Pay attention to red-flag behaviors. Job scammers do several things that real companies almost never do: Contact you through LinkedIn or your personal email to offer you a job you never applied for. Conduct job interviews through instant messenger programs like Yahoo! Messenger. Offer you the job quickly after a very brief interview. Ask you to make a decision on-the-spot to get you to act before you have time to think it through. Ask you for moneyusually for something like training materials or to start your direct deposit account. 2. Do your own screening to steer clear of scams. Did you know the most well-known job boards don’t pre-screen job listings before putting them out there for job seekers to find? Don’t assume that just because a job is listed on a popular site, it can’t be a scam. Instead, do your own research: check out the company to get a sense of their reputation online. Do a search for the company’s name and keywords like “scam” and “rip off” to see if other job seekers have posted warnings about the job or business. And give yourself some additional help by using job search websites that pre-screen listings. 3. Be prepared to spot the most common job search scams. While new scams are always being created, the most common job scam jobs include: data entry, stuffing envelopes, rebate or forms processing, wire transfers or money movement, shipping management, craft assembly and pyramid sales schemes. Another telling sigh: if a job listing uses excessive capitalization and punctuation, offers few details about the job or asks you for personal information such as banking and social security numbers, walk away. These “opportunities” are packaged to appeal to harried job seekers few hours, good pay, easy work and you can start immediately! But if it sounds too good to be true, it most definitely is. 4. Don’t let a big name company fool you. Let’s say you find a job being offered by G.E., Google, or another big brand. How do you know the company listed is really offering the job? Scammers are now using well-known company names to fool job seekers into applying for scam jobs. When you find job listings on outside sites, take a few extra minutes to visit the company’s main career website and check their own listings to see if the job is actually being offered by that company. If the job isn’t listed on the company’s website, you may have found a scam. 5. Do trust your instincts. Scammers prey on the vulnerability that most people feel when trying to find employment. Don’t let your excitement at the possibility of employment override a healthy sense of skepticism. Conducting a job search is exhilarating, exhausting, stressful, and full of emotions that make it easy for scammers to take advantage of hopeful job seekers who let their guard down. Trust your instincts, remember the most common red-flags, and always do your own research before applying to jobs, and you’ll be a successful, scam-free job seeker. Im delighted to introduce this monthly feature from FlexJobs. They provide cutting-edge information and resources for those interested in flexible work, and Im thrilled to be able to share expertise from their team via Keppie Careers. Brie Weiler Reynolds is the Director of Online Content at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing and flexible schedules. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com. photo by rvw

Charlotte NC Resume Writing Services

Charlotte NC Resume Writing ServicesThe Charlotte NC area is home to a host of wonderful places to have a vacation. It has two national parks, a beach, hiking trails, and scenic cities. All these things make the Charlotte NC area an enjoyable place to have an exciting time. However, it is also home to a multitude of nice places to work and retire.There are job openings that will require you to travel around for a few months to find your new job. It is usually very difficult to find a job that you are very excited about after just a short amount of time. Having a successful work history is the best kind of job you can ever have. And once you have worked in Charlotte NC, you will likely find many more interesting opportunities to work and retire in the area.There are a lot of good opportunities to retire in Charlotte NC. Because of the low cost of living in the area, many retirement communities are located within a short distance of the Charlotte NC area. Some retirement communities ev en have local jobs to provide extra income to those who are retired. You can find a retirement community near your city or county that is just a short drive from Charlotte NC.There are even many good retirement communities in and around the Raleigh NC area. The large numbers of retirement communities in these counties are the major reason for the lack of available retirement community jobs. You will also find retirement communities that are even closer to Charlotte NC.The employment opportunities for Charlotte NC also include day care, local and regional restaurants, and a host of other jobs that will help you find a fulfilling job. You will need to have some driving skills if you want to find some employment in the Charlotte NC area. You can easily visit a website online for some Charlotte NC employment opportunities. You can also find employment online using sites such as Craigslist.There are a great number of Charlotte NC jobs that will be just right for your skills. With jobs th at require a fair amount of traveling, you will be able to find employment that you are truly passionate about. You will be able to find a job that has a different level of challenges than the jobs that you are currently working.For the future, you will have to work hard to find a job that is a bit more challenging. However, this is a perfect opportunity to get a better job. You will have to work hard to find your own niche, but with enough research, you will be able to find a job that is fulfilling.

Where to Find Resume Writing & Career Advice Services near Me

Where to Find Resume Writing & Career Advice Services near Me During the time you're at it, you can wish to consider her cover letter writing services also. It is something which could summarize everything that the business should know about you. My purpose is to make an unbiased evaluation of a number of the top resume writing companies by checking out reviews from different clients and making a purchase to personally check the caliber of service they give. If you're looking for an in-person consultation assistance, they do not services that way. What's more, you can get assistance with the very best way to acquire the job offer and salary you have earned. Gleaning job search strategies from somebody who has worked at Monster may not be a terrible thing. Our resume writing service supplies you with an opportunity to have a cool job! Resume service trying to find a good one. Quite simply, it caters to the requirements of students and job applicants from several nations. A professionally written resume or CV supplies a whole lot more than simply listing your skills in a normal way. Each writer specializes in a particular area, to guarantee they are employing the correct key phrases that will attract employers and recruiters of a specific industry. The resume writers are usually contracted remote employees dispersed throughout the nation and might even get the job done internationally. If you are thinking about where to receive a professional resume or cover letter, then you've come to the proper spot. Resume quickly responded to my resume and made a great resume in a short while. Subscribe below and stay updated with the newest career the and tips. Simply take a look at the best resume writing services to look at. If you're still not content with its quality, we'll pay you back. The actual folks highly praise our essay help site. You can trust the very best essay help online.