[POLL] How Long Have You Been Job Searching

[POLL] How Long Have You Been Job Searching 5 Just hearing the word “long” used to grate on me, when I'd hear this question as a job seeker. Vote now: How long have you been job searching? More than a year (35%, 68 Votes) 6-12 months (22%, 43 Votes) Just started this past month (16%, 30 Votes) 1-3 months (15%, 28 Votes) 3-6 months (12%, 23 Votes) Started: March 14, 2010 @ 10:00 amTotal Voters: 194 What many job seekers don't realize When I ask job seekers how long it's been since their job search began, a typical reply is “too long.” Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes people will say “well, I just started looking…” but almost NO ONE ever says “for the position I'm looking for, in today's market, in this city, it takes 4-6 months on the average to find a new job. I've been looking for 3 months, so it's still early…”eval After I resigned from my job at Amazon in the summer of 2001, I thought it would take 1 month to find a new job. And that was just after I'd moved back to Jerusalem and had no idea how much (lack of) demand there was for my skillset there at the time. I was so clueless. I thought employers would be impressed by my Amazon achievements and I'd have my pick of offers. Really.evaleval Why did I think it would only take me just 1 month? Because my previous job had taken about that long to find. Having been my first full-time career job, I didn't know any better. Now I know better… but that's a topic for an upcoming article. How did you estimate how long your current job search should take? If you liked this article, you'll enjoy [POLL RESULTS AND ANALYSIS] Which Social Media Network Are You Using MOST in Your Job Search?.

Free Resume Writing - Is It Right For You?

Free Resume Writing - Is It Right For You?Free resume writing Houston TX - is it right for you? If you want to find out if it is worth the expense, read on.There are different people in the world, each with their own personality, interests and aspirations. They may have different ideas about what they want their life to be like. When they find themselves trying to search for jobs, it may seem that they are wasting their time and energy searching for the perfect job.Fortunately, there are ways to find a good job. But unfortunately, not all jobs are created equal. It is possible that you could land a great job by taking the time to learn the skills that are needed in order to land a good job.This is where free resume writing comes in. What better way is there to get the best chance of landing a job then to find free job sites that are filled with resume samples and that can give you information on getting a job? Well, if you don't want to spend money and time on finding these sites, th en what is the alternative?The alternative is to actually go out and pay for some free resume writing in Houston TX. You may not realize this, but many employers can actually make use of free resume writing in order to get an accurate idea of what kind of person you are. You may not even know this, but many businesses actually put a lot of time and effort to determine what they need in order to hire the best employees possible.It's a good thing that these companies understand how important it is to get good employees as they are willing to put in the effort to find them. Since they are trying to save money, they will provide you with free resume writing in Houston TX for no charge.You can start by filling out one of the many free resume sample, as well as sending your resume off to a number of potential employers. If you have had a little bit of experience with the work force market, then it may be easier for you to fill out one of the free resume sample forms.From there, you should sit down and determine which job is the perfect fit for you. Then, you will want to call up each employer to let them know that you are interested in the position. Remember, free resume writing in Houston TX is a great way to get yourself noticed and to land the job of your dreams.

Alternative careers spotlight series Bloodwise

Alternative careers spotlight series Bloodwise Warwick sociology graduate Graciella continues her series of articles to raise awareness of opportunities in the voluntary and charitable sectors. This week she spoke to another Warwick graduate who joined Asthma UK after graduation and who is now working for  Bloodwise, a leading blood cancer charity. About Bloodwise Formerly known as Leukaemia Lymphoma Research, Bloodwise is the UK’s leading blood cancer research charity. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Britain and the third biggest cause of cancer-related deaths. Bloodwise funds leading research, provides accessible information to those affected, and campaigns for better treatments. What might a Bloodwise employee look like? You will be the type of person who is self-motivated, resilient, and enthusiastic. You are passionate about making a difference and enjoy inventing new ideas to share with your team. You are organised and conscientious, finding thoughtful ways to thank those who support your campaigns. I am part of the Sports Events Team which manages both third-party and major events, including runs, cycles, triathlons and treks. For example, I look after the London Marathon, the Great North Run, and Ride London. My role requires me to organise events from start to finish: recruiting participants, reviewing marketing strategies, supporting fundraising, sending out communications, and organising event-day logistics. A typical day I usually begin by reading and replying to emails from supporters; you get lots of fundraising queries and event-day questions, but also general updates on how fundraising and training is going! A huge part of my role is stewardship. I manage five different events at different points during the year, so keeping track of supporters on their stewardship journeys is really important. This week, I sent ‘thank you’ letters to our Royal Parks Half-Marathon runners and 80 (handwritten!) Christmas cards for our London Marathon team. We also started recruiting for the 2019 Great North Run.  Every week, our team has a stand-up (a meeting) where we update the big whiteboard behind us with all our events. This helps us identify how many participants are signed up, how much income we received and any upcoming priorities.   Alongside my day job Working at a charity means that there are a lot of great opportunities to volunteer, whether this be at other Sports events or our annual Christmas Carol Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.   The benefits Accredited Qualification: First-aid training Opportunities: Attend conferences and roundtable discussions, meet and learn from other charities across the sector. Development: Weekly 1-2-1s with a manager to talk about personal development and opportunities to get involved in other projects. Rewarding:  Working in charity allows you to speak to amazing people who are passionate about your cause. Your job is so worthwhile because you see the impact your charity makes! Great work-life balance: Charity workers might not get paid as much as employees in other sectors, but I cannot emphasise how nice having a healthy work-life balance is as a graduate. You have your whole life to stay late or work ridiculous hours. Don’t be fooled though â€" the charity sector can still be competitive!   How is performance managed and assessed?   Although I am not on a graduate scheme, I am still assessed. I have been in my role since September so am still in a probationary period made up of a 3-month review and a 6-month review â€" after which my probation should end (hopefully!). What advice would you give to anyone thinking of going straight into a role? After finishing my degree at Warwick I worked at Asthma UK as a Community and Events Fundraising Assistant for fifteen months. It was a great entry-level role which allowed me, for example,   to manage income-lines for fundraisers, maintain fundraising accounts on social media, support with sports events and coordinate our annual Carol Concert. I learnt so much about different aspects of the charity and this shows that you do not need to do a graduate scheme to get variation and breadth of experience. I also developed my confidence; I was quite nervous about public speaking when I started but given the opportunity to deliver lots of presentations (both external and internal), I’ve grown more comfortable doing it. I decided against graduate schemes for two reasons. The first was because there are simply not as many graduate schemes for the charity sector and I was rejected from those that I applied to. The second was that I wasn’t entirely sure which sector I wanted to work in. After six months, I realised I’d enjoy coordinating sports events and since I wasn’t on a grad scheme, I had the flexibility to move. It is also important to remember that an entry-level job might not happen as far in advance as grad schemes (which generally recruit in winter of final-year). I was offered my role at Asthma UK in April and started in July â€" so don’t panic! My main piece of advice to those looking to work in the charity sector is to get experience while you are still at university. With a community like Warwick, this is really easy. You have opportunities with local charities (e.g. Guide Dogs, Leamington Winter Support), Warwick RAG, and Warwick Volunteers. Not only does this help you with your CV, but it also helps you to identify which cause you’d like to support. Many charity internships are unpaid, but most charities offer flexible volunteering opportunities! Interested in exploring charity-related opportunities? Here are some resources to get you started: For  charity related roles Warwick Volunteers  is free to join! Asthma UK

Attracting High Performers

Attracting High Performers Research around high performers in business, and what attracts then retains high performers in a business has greatly identified a shift in what was, to what is now an environment that can support high performers. Globally some of our best organizational development researchers are all talking about how this shift is influential in how organizations can recruit and have a culture that can sustain high performance. Firstly, who is a high performer? There is a great deal of demographic information from yesteryear that links high performance to gender and social expectations. AI was utilized to try and pre-determine high performers from their career background, however, the reality is, that high performers are individuals that cannot be identified from normalized data analytics. A high performer can be anyone. Generally, you will be able to see a high performer (unless their manager is a blocker) from their late 20s to their late 30s. They are individuals who operate at a pace within an organization. They have a high degree of emotional intelligence, empathy and can trigger performance in others that are around them. How do you identify a high performer? With a crystal ball. No, really. High performers are not individuals that perform to the routine. You cannot identify a high performer by trying to put them into a standardized box. Look for their career history and see if they are a purple squirrel. A high performer will be self-motivated, empathetic and driven. They will want to align an organization to their life, their needs and their goals. They will ask questions around flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Not because they want to take advantage of these things, but they want to be able to continue to perform in all aspects of their lives whilst not being restricted to the traditional norms of a 9 â€" 5 work environment. They will expect to be paid at the level that they are worth (and they will understand this) but it will not be the motivator that keeps them within a business. They may not need to understand the specifics of all of the activities they will undertake as they will be innovative and creative enough to allow them to learn at a pace that gets the job done. What are high performers looking for? Mentioned above, a high performer is looking for an environment that will allow them to continue to be a high performer. They won’t want to be stifled by hierarchy, bureaucracy or politics. But if they are playing in this space, they will be creative and innovative in how they work within it (until they find the right opportunity to step out of it). They may not want to necessary lead others, but they want to be a driver and motivator of others. They will seek to be in a role that challenges their interests, builds their capabilities, provides them learning (and they will seek this out within and outside of an organization’s structure) and they will want to network. They will seek out a mentor, they will look for someone to aspire to be like, and they will look for others that they can access to learn from and understand things that they identify that they want to know about. High performers will excel in the human skills, the ones that automation can’t duplicate. They will seek out these roles because they know that they can contribute and gain meaning from the work activities that they undertake. What is important for a high performer? Room to be creative â€" a high performer will need to know they are trusted to be creative. That they will have the authority and autonomy in their roles to do this and be respected for looking for options. They may come back to an original option, but the creativity will build innovation within an organization, and that is what will motivate them. Less controlled â€" they want to have a family and a career, and not work in an environment that requires them to prioritize one over the other. They will surround themselves with people that are also high performers which means that they may have a partner that also is in a high performing career and they want to share in the parenting and life duties that predominantly use to be left to a full time “homemaker” role. This is an important new area of focus for organizations in understanding how to support a high performer across all aspects of their life. Supported in learning â€" lifelong learning is a key future of work skill, but a high performer will want to be supported in this. A key difference, however, is that they do not always rely on their organization to actually provide this. High performers seek out learning to suit their own current priorities and needs but will seek an environment that provides them time to achieve this. Respected â€" a high performer will not excel in an organization that blocks their performance. They generally don’t always want to stand on ceremony and be rewarded in a very outward way, but they would need to work for a leader that is not seen as a blocker, or someone that does not provide the visibility of their skills and capabilities within an organization. So if as an organization you are wanting to look at how you are recruiting and retaining high performers, the challenge will be looking at how you build a culture and work environment that can support these base needs. Trust in their capabilities, respect for their commitment and expertise, and understanding of their life needs are all key to becoming an organization that attracts high performers.

Creativity and Resume Templates

Creativity and Resume TemplatesCreative resume templates are great tools to help you avoid the pitfalls that are often present in other methods of creating your own resume. The right template will ensure that your resume is unique and easily identifiable, while still creating an excellent first impression on potential employers. Here are some things to look for when selecting a creative resume template.The resume template you choose should make it easy to customize it to match your style. There are many tools available to help you create a resume, but none of them are quite as versatile as the template. You will have so many different options and can modify it according to your needs. It is important to take the time to consider how much flexibility you really need.A resume template that includes a professional photo of you will be very useful, especially if you want to get employers to see more than just your name. Many employers will prefer to see a photo of the person in question rather than their first and last name. It is important to use a photo that you feel will represent you well. Avoid using stock photos or images that will not clearly show off your face.A resume template that has a well-written and informative description of your job duties and accomplishments will make it easier for your potential employer to read. Your description should also include your history, education, skills, and work experience. The more facts and details you include in your resume, the better it will look on your part. It will be far easier for your potential employer to remember what you did and who you were when they get the completed resume.A resume template that offers a variety of formatting options will allow you to create an excellent-looking resume that is professional and accurate. Some job descriptions will not allow for a standard word-processor format. Others require an advanced graphics program. These choices should be made clear during the resume creation pro cess.A resume template that allows you to include a cover letter at the end of your document will be appreciated by any employer. Any resume you send out should be accompanied by a short cover letter. Your employer will appreciate the fact that you took the time to write a personal note to let them know you care about their business.A resume template that includes industry related keywords will allow you to get an edge on the competition. Since your resume will go into a system that has already been optimized for those particular keywords, it will not take long for you to build a listing of jobs that match your qualifications. Using a search engine like Google's and setting a proper search engine parameter will help you find the jobs that are perfect for you. Your resume will only take a few seconds to appear on their site, and most employers will hire you the minute they see your resume.A resume template can help make the job hunting process much easier. If you are going to get a r esume publishing, you want to make sure that it is professionally formatted and will stand out. An experienced writer with a great sense of detail and creativity will help you create a resume that will make your resume stand out among others. Take the time to search out a good creative resume template, and you will be on your way to landing a new job.

Business Etiquette and Body Language Blunders - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Business Etiquette and Body Language Blunders Your resume is done, and your cover letter will have employers begging you to work for them. That’s how prepared you are for your next career move. Or are you? Will your actions empress as much as your words?   It’s not your CV that will eventually get you the job. It’s you. Your habits, body language and manner with people. If your business etiquette creates any doubt about your capability or character, you’ll never get the corner office you’re dreaming of. Not even your first salary. One hand gesture can show whether you’re confident or not. Avoiding someone’s eyes while you speak shows disrespect and weakness. Will you hire someone if you seem aloof or weak? Then why should anyone hire you?   Does this sound harsh? That’s what it takes to survive in business today. While you’re perfecting your CV and searching the job market, learn about the right body language too from this infographic by Swiss Canadian Capital. It can help you get the job youve always wanted. Courtesy of: Swiss Canadian Capital

Tips to Get the Job That You Really Want - Sterling Career Concepts

Tips to Get the Job That You Really Want Tips to Get the Job That You Really Want According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a little less than 6  percent of Americans are unemployed. Add to that the 53 million freelancers, contractors, and consultants that are looking for their next gig and you have a lot of people job-seeking and interviewing. To get a competitive advantage in the process, look to what science has to say on the subject. Search for the Right Job Researchers have been studying how the advent of the Internet has changed the way we search for jobs. Many people use job search engines like CareerBuilder and Monster and create a notification so that the job information comes to them directly. It is not the search that is the hard part but the criteria that becomes the issue. When job seekers become desperate, the inclination is to search any job that pays money. Ultimately, this is a waste of time because the intelligent employer will see through the desperation. They dont want someone who will bolt the moment they get the gig they want. Instead, focus only on jobs that you want and are qualified to do. Resist the temptation to apply to everything. Use down time to learn and hone your skills. Get Your Paperwork in Order Technology has altered the way that employers acquire talent. Applications for career level jobs are handled through automated online portals. The practical implication of this for a job seeker is there are more documents that you may submit with the application. Though your resume  is still central, automated systems now allow you to submit a cover letter, letters of recommendation, certifications, and attach writing or portfolio clips if applicable. Get all of your documentation together before you start your job search. It is not in your best interest to waste time pulling together this information when others are already applying for the job you want. Be proactive. Interview Priming Psychologists have a lot to say on the job interviewing process. Researchers in the field have found that priming for power increases positive outcomes in interviews. Priming is an unconscious process associated with perception. When researchers asked candidates to recall either a time when they had power or one when they were powerless, the ones with power stories did better on interviews. Before the interview, prime yourself with thoughts of events when you were on top of the world. Handle Your Digital Self Online reputation has become a reality of employment. Employers check LinkedIn and Facebook before they bring anyone in for an interview. If you have a website, make sure its clear, easy to navigate, and appropriate. Clean up your digital reputation before you start to apply for jobs. Cyber security firm LifeLock warns that people steal identities in order to get a job, which can ruin your chances. When an employer looks for you online, you want them to see a person they want to hire. It may be true that someone stole your credit cards or posted something horrible on Facebook with your name attached. It may also be true that it was not your fault but you do not want any of this to come up during an interview. Google yourself and fix anything that may look bad to an employer. Laurie at Sterling Career Concepts, LLC can help you tackle any of these challenges with ease with a package of job search coaching or interview prep sessions. Contact her today at laurie@sterlingcareerconcepts.com to get started.