LinkedIn Certification for Career Professionals

LinkedIn Certification for Career Professionals I am excited to announce Im starting a LinkedIn Certification for career professionals (resume writers, coaches, counselors, college career centers, outplacement people, etc.). The first certification program starts next Friday, January 28, and goes for 6 weeks. Ive wanted to do this for a long time but the sun, moon and stars have finally aligned and this is going to be done right (as opposed to me throwing something together without knowing what Im doing).  Ive partnered with Susan Whitcomb of The Academies to put this program together and deliver it in the most professional way possible. I have designed, and will be teaching, the 6 week course and it will be offered by The Academies, which as offered a number of other certifications and trainings for career coaches. If you are a career coach, resume writer, etc., learn more about this LinkedIn Certification here. LinkedIn Certification for Career Professionals I am excited to announce Im starting a LinkedIn Certification for career professionals (resume writers, coaches, counselors, college career centers, outplacement people, etc.). The first certification program starts next Friday, January 28, and goes for 6 weeks. Ive wanted to do this for a long time but the sun, moon and stars have finally aligned and this is going to be done right (as opposed to me throwing something together without knowing what Im doing).  Ive partnered with Susan Whitcomb of The Academies to put this program together and deliver it in the most professional way possible. I have designed, and will be teaching, the 6 week course and it will be offered by The Academies, which as offered a number of other certifications and trainings for career coaches. If you are a career coach, resume writer, etc., learn more about this LinkedIn Certification here.

How to Write a Freelance Writing Resume

How to Write a Freelance Writing ResumeSo you want to learn how to write a freelance writing resume? It can be tough if you don't know where to begin. Here are some things you should consider when writing your own professional resume.First, make sure that you are not writing your resume in the first place because of your real job experience. If you have been in a bad situation, look for a good example. Take notes so that you don't repeat the mistakes that caused you to be laid off. If you don't know how to write a freelance writing resume, start there.Next, once you do understand how to write a freelance writing resume, make sure that it reflects your true talents. It doesn't matter if you don't feel qualified, at least make sure that you state your strengths. This will help show employers why they should hire you. If you aren't sure what to put down, look online and see examples of resumes. You can get ideas here and there by talking to friends who work in a similar field.Keep it br ief, but not too short, as this is a good time to get to the meat of your statement. Be sure to offer your qualifications and achievements that relate to the job. Avoid mentioning any former employers or positions that you had previously held. This may be a violation of your non-disclosure agreement.Want to know what to put down? Look at your dream job, think about the responsibilities involved and write it all out. Just make sure you state these duties even if you don't have all of them yet.Get samples of professional resumes and head over to your local library. Find some sample pages and start looking at them to see how they write. There are plenty of ways to achieve the professional appearance, so try as many as you can.The more interesting you are to prospective employers, the better your chances are of getting hired, so make sure that you are able to express your own style and personality. If you aren't sure how to express yourself, start with an online message board or forum w here people can freely discuss their experiences. Your accomplishments can be written into the forum and this is also a great way to get first hand ideas from others.Hopefully you found this article on how to write a freelance writing resume helpful. It's important to focus on the positives and avoid any negative comments. Making sure that you are professional and that you truly care about the company you are applying for can go a long way towards making a good impression.

How to Attract Big Talent Out of Smaller Cities

How to Attract Big Talent Out of Smaller Cities Step into Manchester, London or Birmingham, and chances are you’ll notice a whole host of industries setting up shop, both opening new branches or arriving brand new on the scene. And its not just smack bang in the big cities; even the smaller towns are getting the attention of entrepreneurs everywhere. So what do you do if you want to be based off the grid, but still want access to the skills and talent that are drawn to big cities?   Not to worry, office furniture suppliers DBI Furniture Solutions has the lowdown on boosting your recruitment and attracting those hotshots. 1. Perks over salary Did you know that 80% of people would actually prefer to have additional benefits rather than a pay rise? Use that to your advantage, and offer them something that others can’t. This is the perfect solution if your pockets aren’t as deep you’d like them to be, and there’s always something you can offer… Working from home Extra holiday, or even unlimited holidays? Help with childcare Company retreats Team bonding days Free parking Free (or subsidized) gym memberships Free drinks and snacks Out of ideas? If you really want to get someone on board why not ask them what would entice them your way? 2. Focus on company culture Just like perks, the importance of company culture has grown massively over the past few years. To stop people hopping from job to job, the company culture has got to be perfect, so don’t overlook it. Focus on creating a great vibe in your office. Here are a few ideas… Avoid the ‘us and them’ mindset. Remove hierarchies and work on establishing a more equal playing field for all. Transparency is key. Whether it’s good news or bad news, make sure it’s communicated out to the wider team as soon as possible. Leading on from that, encourage strong and clear communication at all times. We can’t stress this enough; don’t micro-manage. Not only is it annoying and useless, but it also breeds an air of mistrust. Employee autonomy and managing own responsibilities is a far better route to go down. Encourage passion. Are your employees doing projects that they love? Not sure? Ask them! Then help steer more of these things their way and watch their enthusiasm explode. 3. Get on board with remote working Flexible working is so key and such a big issue nowadays that we believe it deserves an in-depth look on its own. As companies come under more and more pressure to encourage a healthy work-life balance, what can you do to make sure your staff spends some good quality time at home so they can be productive in the workplace. One of the best options is flexi-time, which is where people are allowed to start their working day earlier but also leave earlier. And vice versa for starting later. This can make a world of difference when people have to think about difficult commutes and childcare commitments. The second one is remote working. If you love a candidate but they’d struggle to get into your office every day of the week, then why not extend the opportunity of telecommuting for a portion of the week? Technology really has done wonders for the modern office. 4. Encourage referrals Did you know that a study by the Harvard Business Review found “customers obtained through referrals are both more loyal and more valuable than other customers.” By getting your employees involved in your recruitment process, you’ll have access to a whole wider pool of candidates that you would have never even thought of. Sometimes it really is as easy as who you know! About the author: Nick Pollitt, is the Managing Director at DBI Furniture Solutions.

How to Customize Your LinkedIn URL

How to Customize Your LinkedIn URL It is extremely important that you customize your URL when using LinkedIn.It could mean the difference between “getting found” or “getting ignored.”Why is customizing a LinkedIn URL so important?We explain in this quick helpful post for job seekers using LinkedIn.Why do you need to customize your URL on LinkedIn?Consider the following reasons for customizing your LinkedIn URL:1. Linkedin Gives You an Automatic URLThe URL that LinkedIn gives you usually looks something like this:https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-name-04756b96/If you have a name that'scommon among LinkedIn’s 500 million profiles, you should change your URL to tell others they have found the right person.2. No One Can Remember a URL That Ends in “a0394fh89”If your LinkedIn URL is hard to remember, it makes finding you more difficult.As much as possible, create a URL that contains LinkedIn and your name only.If someone goes to look for you on LinkedIn by typing in your name after the “linkedin.com/in/” URL , it is much easier to do if it is just your name.3. Hey, It Just Looks Better!Seriously, would you rather have this URL:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlowell/Or would you rather have a LinkedIn URL ending in a bunch of numbers?It looks better to have only your name, plus it tells others that you pay attention to details of your social media footprint.How to Customize Your Linkedin URL1. Go to your LinkedIn profile page.Your profile page shows your LinkedIn URL in the browser.2. Next, find the “Edit public profile URL” section. This is on the top right of your LinkedIn profile.It is right underneath the “Me” section. See below:3. Click the “Edit public profile URL” section.This opens up a new page.In the upper right section, you'll see an option to change your URL.You will have to click on the small blue pencil to start. See below:4. Rewrite your LinkedIn URL.After you click the blue pencil, an option will open, allowing you to rewrite the LinkedIn URL.See below:5. After you rewrite the URL, click save. Voila, your LinkedIn URL is changed!The new link is much more user-friendly for those trying to find you.Tip About Changing YourLinkedin URLYou will find that some URLs are no longer available on LinkedIn.This is usually when someone has the same name as you, but they were quicker to snag your LinkedIn URL. If this happens, contact the person with that LinkedIn profile URL.See if they are willing to change it.If they say no, try a LinkedIn URL that includes a middle name orinitial.Another option is to add a number to the end of the URL, after your name.My ExampleThere are two “Steven Lowell” profiles on LinkedIn.One is for a public speaker and the other is me.I had connected with the other profile and worked out in messaging who would use what LinkedIn URL. At the same time, I discovered someone quite interesting to network with and that is never a bad thing!https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlowell/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelowell/D o you see the difference? Customize your URL on LinkedIn and who knows what might happen.Having another person’s name may even work in your favor!

Resume Awards - Showing That You Care Enough About the Job to Show Off Your Awards

Resume Awards - Showing That You Care Enough About the Job to Show Off Your AwardsResume awards are very common in the job world and require a lot of consideration. You need to consider what the award really means, what it is a sign of, and if it should be on your resume or not. It is important to consider the meanings of awards on your resume because they will impact your performance in the job and possibly when you are interviewing for other jobs as well.A resume award is a piece of jewelry that indicates an exceptional performance by the candidate. The ceremony can be related to whether or not the candidate is part of a company's award program. It could also be a piece of jewelry given to the person who has made the most contributions to the team. It may be given to the person who made the most profit with the least amount of effort, the most number of technical contributions, and the most number of job accomplishments within a specific time frame.The reason these and other such a ccolades are so important is that there is a correlation between awards and resumes. Just like a resume needs to be professional and polished, an employee needs to have proof of previous awards to show employers that they are indeed top performers. If the applicant has a perfect resume without any awards on it, the employer is unable to differentiate the employee from another less professional candidate. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but employers will get very defensive about their requirements for job applicants. What this means is that an employee with no awards or an outstanding resume needs to put the awards on the resume.Having resume awards placed on the resume is a simple process that can be used for both external and internal communication purposes. It is also a method for employers to differentiate their candidates from those who only care about money. The resume award needs to be professional and must look well done. All work must be properly documented to make the process easier. A little research into how a resume award is formatted and the reason for its presence on the resume will show employers why they need to seeit on the resume.When a candidate requests resume awards, it is important that the applicant actually produces the award in question. The award does not need to be an actual piece of jewelry but it must have a nice look about it. It also needs to be well thought out and accurately related to the job that the candidate has applied for.Once the applicant provides a resume award that looks professional and well presented, it is time to write down the real reason for the award. There needs to be some level of detail behind the reason why the applicant would want to give this particular type of product to the employer. Employers will sometimes go through with interviewing candidates who have very little to do with a particular company's award program. The resume award is used as a way to show that an applicant cares enough about the job that they deserve to be recognized for it.The best way to use resume awards is to show the employer that you care enough about the job that you want to be considered for it. It is possible to get awards just for working hard, but being awarded for being a good and valued member of the team can prove to the employer that the candidate is serious about getting the job. The employer may end up awarding the applicant with a plaque or a business card to show that they appreciate the effort the candidate has made to get the position.When looking for resume awards, keep in mind that the application is the key to the results. Make sure that the application contains the correct information and the resume must be professional and clean and well written. Employers will look at the applicant's resume and notice that the person has given thought to how to present themselves on the resume and the award is simply another part of the process.

7 Steps to Developing Good Habits CareerMetis.com

7 Steps to Developing Good Habits â€" CareerMetis.com Productivity is something that would bring positive things to your life. If this area is not your biggest strength, but you want to do better and turn this weakness into an asset, there’s something that you can do.You need to make it part of your lifestyle so it would become part of your day-to-day life. Making this a habit would make you successful in achieving your goal, as well as in other areas related to it.People have the ability to learn something by continuously doing it. Once you get used to your typical routine, you may feel vulnerable or less confident if you stop doing it. The problem is that not everything that we have been doing for a long time are good habits.evalThis is why â€" as difficult as it might be â€" changes must be made in order to get the result that you are after, like increasing your productivity. With your dedication and hard work, you can develop good habits that could make this happen.We want to help you achieve your goal of changing the bad things t hat you are used to doing for a long time. That’s why we came up with this infographic showing you seven steps on how you can develop good habits.Check out our infographic here to learn moreReprinted with Permission â€" Startbloggingonline.com

Learn Job Search Skills Like Any Other Skill

Learn Job Search Skills Like Any Other Skill Candidates,  Accept  Help Like  a  Pro   A fellow career coach and I were  recently  comparing notes.    Most of our conversation was about the joy and gratitude we feel with every conversation and  every time we can  assist  someone.   However, we also  have  some common  challenges: Why do the most capable and process-driven professionals  forget â€" or ignore  â€"  those great skills when they are orchestrating their own job search?   From planning, time-management,  multi-tasking, follow-up,  and attention-to-detail  â€" those are skills they use every day. Job search is a system, a step-by-step, rigorous process  and so  many candidates  just  don’t want to do the hard work  needed  to earn the job they aspire to. Networking and follow-up on job applications is woefully lacking. Just clicking “connect” on LinkedIn is not networking! And blaming  hiring  companies that  don’t  respond  to applications  is  way  easier than admitting,  â€œMan, I need to learn how to do this!” Here are three real situations I experienced. (The names have been changed  for privacy.) Situation  One: On LinkedIn,  I saw that a recent connection noted in his summary that  he  was  looking for a role in sales.  I  also  noticed  he was a Veteran.  Since his LinkedIn profile  was very weak, I wanted to help him out. So  I wrote,  â€œHello,  Roger, and thank you for connecting.?If you are job-seeking,  I am a sales leader and Veteran job search coach.?  Can I  help?? Regards, Dana.” His response,  â€œI am always looking for new opportunities if the money’s right.” Situation Two:   At a job fair,  where I  was a  volunteer, I met Joe, a 55+ year old who had  been unemployed for  more than a  year. He learned I used to work for Microsoft, so he sought out my help. He said, “I want to get a job at Microsoft.” Okay, Joe, tell me more. “I worked for Microsoft 15 years ago, but my boss sucked.” To hide my concern about his negativity, I changed gears and  asked,  â€œWhat kind of job are you looking for, Joe?” “Something in credit and collections.” Great!  Have you been to Microsoft’s career website to see if there are any  open positions  that you want? “No, I want to send you my  résumé,  so you can send it in for me.” I said that it doesn’t work like that and  that he needed to apply  to specific positions. Again, I changed gears and  asked if he had other companies he is targeting, too. He reached his hand out to shake my hand and  said,  â€œThank you, but this is not  the kind of help I am looking for.” Situation Three:   At a  recent  hiring event, I set up a table  offering  to review résumés for free.  Not only did I review their  résumés, but I gave them new templates  and a link to download the digital version  of the template  in Word. At the end of every  résumé  review, I invited them to send me their new  résumés  for more feedback. Out of 49 men and women I talked to that night,  two  connected with me on LinkedIn,  and  six  downloaded the new template. The event was 30 days ago.  No  résumés  yet… Here are my wishes (and advice) for these candidates and anyone else starting or in the middle of their own job search: 1 Be a learner:   Consider this  â€"  in  high school, college,  and as an employee, the majority of us never learned the proper steps of a job search. And if  we  did, everything has changed. If you want to learn a new sport  or skill, what would you do?   Read a book, watch videos, take lessons,  and practice, right?  Take those same steps  for  a successful  job search. 2 Be a “poster child.”  When offered help, take it and  follow through with excellence.  Nine out of 10 people who receive offers of help do nothing with it. Why? Is it too much work? Isn’t  the follow through worth it to achieve your goal?   Or is your goal really just not that important to you? 3 Take accountability. Catch yourself when you say,“Companies are not getting back to me,” or “I’m waiting to hear back,” or “I’m doing all I can do,  and nothing is happening.”   How about  saying instead,  â€œMaybe  I need to change my game,” or “I need to learn how to find people to connect with at the companies I’m applying to,” or “I need to learn how to conduct a job search much better”? Then  refer back to Rule #1. Join Dana  Manciagli’s  Job Search Master Class ®  now  and get the most comprehensive job search system available! #JSMC #careeradvice  #jobsearch  #helpishere  #hiringprocess  @DanaManciagli

3 career lessons from the soccer field -

3 career lessons from the soccer field - Have you ever watched small kids play soccer? It can be a real trip! (Pun intended.) While watching a game last weekend, I thought of 3 lessons job seekers can learn Do you know which way you should be kicking? In the game I watched, there is no goalie in the box. So, sometimes it is tough for the kids to remember which way they should be kicking. (This is complicated by the fact that they switch sides during the game.) Every once in a while, a kid scores a goal for the OTHER team. OoopsBut, 9 of 10 times, the kid is so excited to have scored a goal, it doesnt matter! A lot of job seekers are like this. They dont keep track of what direction they are going, where they want to kick and which goal is their target. The big difference between job seekers and 4-year olds on the soccer field it is no joke to score for the other team. Think about this what can you do to be sure you are moving in the right direction for your job hunt? Are there better ways to track your research and information that you have gathered? If you are not organized, all of your hard work may go to waste. Do you go, go, go and then stop? I cant tell you how many times I saw even the best players (a relative term when it comes to 4-year olds on the soccer field) take the ball down the field go, go, go and then, just as it seemed a goal was inevitable come to an abrupt STOP. On the sidelines, parents had their hands on their headsWHY STOP? Keep going! Take it in!, they shouted. But, it was too late. Stopping allowed another player to take the ball off in the opposite direction. Opportunity wasted. Im sure you can envision how this relates to job seekers. Everything is in forward motion, going great. Then, maybe an unexpected obstacle or maybe just nerves forces a stop just enough to allow things to turn around and put an end to an opportunity. How can you make sure that you dont allow (or cause) an abrupt end to your positive, forward motion? Being prepared helps. Why waste all that energy you expended landing an interview if you are not going to give it your all? You need to take the ball into the goal not stop just as you are planning to boot it in. Think about this when you are in the midst of your search. What can you do to keep moving? Maybe it is networking more (or better). Using social networking tools to expand your loose network? Coming up with a better, more succinct pitch for you and your skills. A better resume one that helps you open doors AND helps you identify what you have to offer? Obviously, there are a lot of ways to help you stay in forward motionTake advantage now, before you bring the ball to a stop. Dont take the ball from your own teammate Kids are so focused on getting the ball, they have a tendency to steal it from their own teammates! This is another wasted opportunity, as someones forward motion comes to an abrupt stop at the hands (um feet) of a teammate who should be helping. Does this happen to you in the job search? People who should be helping you are inadvertently throwing roadblocks in the way? This happens when well-meaning friends or family members think they have something to add to your job search, advice about your resume, or stop to offer information that turns out to hurt more than help? Or, maybe you are facing stressed out family members who are less than supportive of some of the techniques you may be trying to fuel your job hunt. (These are the people who think you should be staying home applying for jobs online all day long and get annoyed when you explain that isnt the best approach.) Picture these folks as the kid who takes the ball from his own teammate. The soccer player just needs a little educating, some practice and some self-control. Similarly, your friend who isnt helping you needs you to explain how he or she can help you succeed. Take the time to do the educating. Share an article about job hunting that proves your point or explains your methodology. Most importantly, though be sure you are doing everything right. If you are the player kicking the ball in the wrong direction, you shouldnt be surprised when a team member takes it from you! photo by burienundressed