Did You Really Think THAT LinkedIn Picture Was a Good Idea

Did You Really Think THAT LinkedIn Picture Was a Good Idea We all know that first impressions count. In the recruitment business it is so important and in the world of social media platforms that first impression can cost you dearly if you get it wrong. There are many horror stories of people posting mad things to Facebook etc, but historically most have been more conservative with LinkedIn. Sadly, that trend seems to be changing, and there are more and more posts appearing with things  like motivational quotes, cartoons, religious posts, general funnies, and other things not quite right for the platform. If we don’t like what we see on our feed from that person we can easily hide their posts. They then lose the traction they were hoping for, and us as an audience. Shame for them, and silly really. Be found at the right time One of the keys to using LinkedIn successfully, is to be easily found. Be found for the things we want to be found for, and when someone does find us, let them see the very best impression of us possible. After all, we want them to contact us, don’t we? Of course there is a lot that goes into being found on LinkedIn, but once you are found, what impression do you give off? One of the most obvious and simple things to get right is your profile photo. I’ve been doing some work for a client recently, helping them to improve their employees LinkedIn profiles and along the way, have been updating my resources. This includes finding example profile pictures to help them understand the right kind of photos to use, and the kind  you should steer clear from. OMG really? Along the way I have seen some great stuff, and I’ve also seen some shockers. I mean seriously, do you really think a photo of you in a very revealing ball dress, taken in a hotel bathroom was a good idea? You pole-dancing? Walking your dog? A wedding shot? Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa? And amazingly, there have been far worse, too. And before you ask, yes these are real examples and were all from professional people; not escorts, pole dancers, dog walkers, wedding planners and travel reps â€" Im talking about professional (or not so professional) recruiters! Studies on the subject show that your profile is 40% more likely to be viewed if you have a photo, and that the right photo helps to humanise you, warm the reader to you personally, and start the know, like and trust process off in the right way. Getting it right The right photo does wonders for you and your reputation. The goal is to help the reader want to find out more and show you how you want to be seen. How you want to be seen is very much about the right business impression, not a photo where you think you look nice! So, here are a few simple dos and don’ts for showing a great profile photo: Do have a close up (a headshot) Don’t show your partner or kids No Facebook-type photos It needs to be you (recently) No cartoons or avatars No company logos No selfies Worst of all â€" DONT LEAVE IT BLANK! Please check out your photo again and decide if it shows you in the way you want to be seen. And if you are in any doubt, show a trusted Colleague, your mother, father, sister, brother or your boss â€" they will be very honest with you! And, if you are still in any doubt, a headshot photographer will do a great job for you, if your budget stretches to using one (they are not as pricey as you might think). But if not, then a nice close up of you, dressed appropriately against a neutral background can be taken with any smart phone these days and will work very well indeed. About the author: James Nathan runs the James Nathan experience; the Business Development, Sales and Service Excellence Expert for Professional Recruiters.

When Done Is Better Than Perfect - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

When Done Is Better Than Perfect - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There are some times when you have to accept that you will be unable to do your best work. I know this sounds awful, but it isnt, its a matter of prioritization. You cannot be successful and be perfect. You have to sometimes accept that good and done are better than reaching for perfection and taking far too long than a project deserves. As an example, I recently created a video for one of my companies, InformedIM. I really wanted the video to be absolutely perfect, but Im completely aware that I have client work on my plate that needs to be the priority. So it is, I saved myself from being less than perfect or worse, late, on my client work by having a video thats less than perfect. Its good, but its not my version of perfect. Youll note that I said my version of perfect. Thats just it, we all have much higher standards of ourselves than we do of others. There are times when you have to choose which level you will attain on a task, your perfection or others good. When is done better than perfect? Heres a fun exercise to figure out which projects should get your perfection and which should get others good: Open up a blank Excel worksheet and list your weeks tasks in Column A. Assign a value to each task from 1-10 of how important each task is in Column B (my clients are always a 10 in importance). In Column C, type in how long, as a best guess, it will take to complete the task to your vision of perfection. For Column D, type in how long, as a best guess, it will take to complete the task to the level of good. Now add up columns C and D. For most people, this is an eye opening exercise. If you do everything to perfection, youll be in the fast lane headed towards burnout. Eyes opened? Now lets continue the excercise- Sort your Excel spreadsheet by Column B (how important each task is) from largest to smallest. Copy Column D to a new Column E, this will become your real time availability for perfection. Set up Column E to show its sum in real time. (The Excel function is =SUM(E1:E??) where ?? is the last row) Starting at the top of your sheet, individually replace the values in Column E (Real Time Availability) with Column C (Perfection) until youve reached a feasible amount of time to fit into your week. Youve just chosen which tasks can be completed to perfection this week and which will have to be good and done. After a few weeks of practice youll be able to ditch the Excel sheet and get better at prioritizing your tasks on your own. Best of luck! Author: Nick Inglis is the Founder/CEO of LeftGen Information Management Group (InformedIM, SolveIM, ClearIM AgentIM), an expert on enterprise software, and is the author of the AIIM SharePoint Governance Toolkit. Nick has worked with companies as diverse as Ernst Young, Shell and Canon. Nick is a keynote speaker on the topics of SharePoint, Information Management and Collaborative Technologies.

Behavioral Building Blocks For A Credible Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Behavioral Building Blocks For A Credible Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Remember that first day at work after college, when you eventually got up the courage to go forage for a cup of coffee? You found the coffee machine, and there stuck on the wall was a handwritten sign reading: YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T WORK HERE PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF You thought to yourself, “Pick up after myself? Gee, I gotta learn a whole new way of behaving,” and so you start to observe the defining behaviors of the most successful professionals around you, developing the behaviors, skills and values that common sense shouts will help you succeed in your career. Transferable skills There is an acknowledged slate of these transferable skills, learned behaviors and professional values (call them what you will) that are integral to success in every job, at every level, in every profession anywhere in the world.   They include: Technical. You are a life long student of the technical skills required, and in demand, for your job. Without the essential skills of your profession, you have nothing to brand. Communication. All the ways you send and receive messages (see Win Or Lose, You Choose) Critical Thinking. Your ability to identify, prevent and solve the problems inherent in your work. Time Management Organization. Some people are task oriented, some goal oriented, the latter get ahead. Motivation. You make a difference with your presence, you are always part of the solution, you don’t sit on the sidelines waiting for others to step up. Integrity. You always do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Determination. You honor the responsibilities and deliverables inherent in your job. You don’t back off with the rest when the poop hits the paddle wheel, you step up. Systems Procedures. You respect and play by the rules because they are there for valid reasons. If you don’t understand the reasoning, you find out. Productivity. You meet all the deliverables of your job. These transferable skills, behaviors, values, combine to define you as the one of the few who really get things done, and done the right way. Creativity. You harness your ever-expanding professional frame of reference to your natural ingenuity for fresh perspectives. Teamwork. Before you lead others, you must make decisions for yourself and your activities that are in harmony with the greater good of the team. Integrate the 11 other skills/behaviors and by becoming a consummate team player you will be acknowledged as a natural leader. Leadership. The first and last responsibility of a leader, and especially a leader as manager, is to help the team function, but we always gets the credit. You have to be a team player before you can hope to build the loyalty and trust necessary for high performance. Then once anointed into management, you must deliver for two teams: your reports and the management team to which you now belong. To Do List For Success: 1. Make each of these behavioral building blocks part of your personal development program, because they underlie your long-term survival and success. 2. Become today what you dream of being tomorrow. Make each one a conscious part of who you are and how you behave. 3. Skill development starts with an awareness of the need. If you need to work on a skill, and we all do, then watch, listen and learn. Good and bad lessons surround you everyday and you can learn from both. 4. That you reflect these values in your work will almost immediately start to set you apart from the herd. These are the building blocks of success, adopt them and you will become known and respected as a consummate professional; which is another way of saying that you have successfully established a valid professional brand. Author: Martin Yate (CPC) is the author of Knock em Dead The Ultimate Job Search Guide, a NY Times bestseller updated annually for 24 years.   He’s been in career management   for 34 years: Silicon Valley Headhunter and VP with the seminal and feared Executek, Director of HR for Bell Industries Computer Memory Division, Director of Training and Development for Dunhill . Martin believes that change is your future, branding is critical, but no one has ever taught you how to navigate this stuff.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Office Politics Cant Be Ignored

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Office Politics Can't Be Ignored As the race heats up for the presidential nomination, its a good time to remember that politics isn't confined to just those running for office. In fact, some of the most sophisticated politicking takes place in the workplace.Who hasnt been on the receiving end of some on-the-job political maneuvering that would put even the most savvy national campaign strategist to shame? What workplace hasnt seen people choose up sides, putting their support behind certain people while working to undermine others?For those in the professional political arena, this is part of the game and they readily admit they love the rough and tumble stuff. But for those who want to just do their jobs, this is a nasty side of business they could do without.Still, its naïve and unwise to ignore office politics that have been a part of the work life since man first earned a wage. The key is to understand that you can and must understand on-the-job politics in order to not only survive, but thrive, in the workp lace.Here are some things to think about:1. Hating it wont make it go away. In a perfect cubicle world, office politics would cease to exist. Forget it. You have a better chance of the Easter Bunny being named CEO. The sooner you accept its part of life, the sooner youll understand that you can deal with it and not sell your soul to the devil.2. Know your code. While you may detest some of the smarmier aspects of politics in the workplace, it doesnt mean you have to sink to that level in order to participate. You dont have to lie, cheat, steal or cause physical harm but you can listen, learn, be professional and ethical.3. Seek win-win solutions. Politics in the workplace often get rough when someone is going to come up with the short end of the stick. If you become known for creating situations where everyone gets something they want, then youre less likely to be blindsided by dirty politics. This may mean you give a little, or you negotiate with someone else to bring about a posi tive solution for a third person, but in the end, everyone feels theyve gotten a fair shake.4. Dont gossip. Some people equate gossiping with office politics, and thats a big mistake. Gossiping is dishing dirty on another person in order to put down or minimize him or her in some way. Office politics, on the other hand, means understanding the relationships among the people in your workplace, and how they connect to what youre doing and want to accomplish.5. Dont hold a grudge. If someone plays hardball and actually sets out to do you professional harm, then youve learned an important lesson that you need to be careful with this person in the future and not provide another opportunity to hurt you. That doesnt mean you shut down communications. In fact, it means that you stay even more in tune with this person to avoid a repeat performance. What if someone accidentally harms you and seems genuinely sorry? Then you hold to your code of conduct and accept the apology and go on to behav e with professionalism. Remember that if you hold a grudge, then it bars you from learning from the experience and moving on.del.icio.us

Writing Resume and Cover Letters to Land the Best Teaching Jobs

Writing Resume and Cover Letters to Land the Best Teaching JobsIf you are seeking a job as a writer, you might want to consider the possibility of applying for a writing resume teaching position. Resumes and cover letters go a long way toward determining whether a potential employer will hire you or not. A writer who knows how to write a resume and a cover letter may find that they get more interviews.Teaching positions often pay more than the job that they are actually holding. As a new teacher, you will be the first one to introduce yourself to your students, but your potential employer is already aware of the amount of work that you will be expected to do. If you can prove to them that you can provide them with excellent service, they will hire you.Teaching is very demanding. You will be expected to teach subjects such as English, math, science, social studies, and other subjects. Without your ability to write a great cover letter, your potential employer will be less likely to hi re you and it may not be the resume that you are looking for.Teaching positions will also require a lot of classroom experience. Most of your potential employer's requirements will focus on your ability to teach. You must be able to write a strong letter of introduction and resume.Your teaching history is a very important part of your resume and is going to give you excellent references. Your teaching experience will give you the opportunity to tell the employer about the benefits that you have given the students in the past and the success that you have had with them. However, you will need to demonstrate that you know how to teach with your specific skills.It is very important to emphasize that your cover letter is yours alone. While you have your writing samples to show that you are an excellent writer, you need to explain your specific teaching experience so that your potential employer can determine if you will be a good fit for the position. Cover letters must be concise, and any content that you use in your cover letter must be appropriate for the position.If you know how to write a resume and a cover letter, you should be able to submit your resume and cover letter to numerous positions as you develop your teaching career. While it is not required, it would be a good idea to send one or two of these letters to an experienced writing candidate before you consider teaching. This will give you the opportunity to get references from them.If you have been teaching for some time, now is the time to consider applying for a writing resume teaching position. Teaching is a demanding position and there is plenty of work involved in this. You should be prepared for this job as you would any other, and it is not difficult to prepare a quality cover letter.

Happiness in achievement - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happiness in achievement - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog My friend Annette (who is the CEO of ?rstiderne) sent me these inspiring words: Happiness lies in the joy of achievement, the thrill of creative effort. The human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, to triumph to be happy. Happiness does not come from doing easy work. It comes from the afterglow of satisfaction after the achievement of a difficult task that demands your best. Your personal growth itself contains the seed of happiness. You cannot pursue happiness by itself. There is no happiness except in the realization that you have accomplished something. Happiness thrives in activity. Its a running river, not a stagnant pond. I agree completely. Achievement feels great. We all like to get results, make a difference, contribute value and do work we can be proud of. My only quibble with this is that achievement is not the only source of happiness at work. I believe there are two things that make us happy at work and getting results is one of them. See if you can guess what the other thing is :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How My Intern Got The Job And Created A Blueprint For All To Follow

How My Intern Got The Job And Created A Blueprint For All To Follow 53 Flares 53 Flares People are typically looking for a blueprint when searching for advice.  And not just for job search advice, but for anything. People want to view a model that they can follow and make their own. Just tossing in our snazzy Bad Rhino logo I recently (this week) hired an intern for my new Social Media Company, Bad Rhino.  Our hired intern, Jamie, has consistently impressed me since day 1, which was back in March of this year.  Maybe it wasnt by complete design, but the series of events that Jamie followed and carried out has created a Job Search Blueprint for others to follow. This strategy wont always work for each job search situation, but I do believe there is a strong chance you can put your best brain forward to make it happen.  Here is Jamies Blueprint: 1. He used social media to get on my radar In March, I spoke at my undergraduate Alma Mater, Cabrini College, about the job search.  In the months before my presentation, I tried to connect with current students, but I didnt have time to send many targeted messages.  However, one of the students, Jamie, continued to show interest and engage with me, mostly through Twitter.  His excitement completely put him on my radar.  Heres one of the Tweets from Jamie: I didnt disqualify him for the major typo of the schools name! How To Use This In Your Own Search Engage with a company or person you find interesting.  Send tweets, LinkedIn requests, comment on their blogs, join Facebook pages/groups and engage/comment, and just be heard.  Maybe not right away, but theyll eventually have you on their radar. 2. He introduced himself before I began speaking As I was setting up for my presentation, Jamie walked right up to me and introduced himself.  That sounds so easy, but its not that simple for everyone.  I think our conversation went like this: Jamie: Hey Rich!? Me: Hey, hows it going? Jamie: Good!  Just wanted to introduce myself, my name is Jamie.  Weve bee talking a bit through Social Media. Rich: Yes, I remember!  Whats up?  Thanks for coming out! As you can see, the conversation wasnt very long, but it helped solidify the connection that was started online. How To Use This In Your Own Search When you know the company or person youre interested in will be at an event, make sure you introduce yourself.  Maybe its a networking event, or conference, or a job fair.  Find out who from the company will be there, and then go ahead and introduce yourself. 3. He remained in touch Even after the event, Jamie would RT my stuff, or like something on Facebook that Id post.  This all led to me looking further into his skill set and interests, which were social media related.  I couldnt reach out to him yet, but I knew Id eventually need an intern.  Then finally in august, I reached out and sent Jamie the link to our job posting. The job came to him. How To Use This In Your Own Search Maybe this is obvious, but continue to reach out, ask questions, and engage.  Its OK to even throw in a, Is your company hiring? message every now and then.  Your continued interest in them or the company will be valuable to you. 4.  Jamie was himself during interviews For the phone screen, I was first impressed that he suggested I call a land line, just an overall smart move.  I could tell that Jamie wasnt going to kiss my ass, or try too hard to say what I wanted to hear.  When I asked about his passions, he didnt jump to say anything related to social media.  I liked that.  His answer was food, television, and movies.  His skills and obvious passion in social media were already noted, so I liked that he was able to give me some personality. On the in person interview, Jamie displayed a ton of confidence when speaking to Marty (the other Co-Founder) and I.  Again, he wasnt afraid to show his personality and opinion, and even said that he, enjoys pissing people off when blogging.  AgainI like that. We were pretty much sold on hiring Jamie, and we didnt even care that he was 10 minutes late to the interview.  I probably wont let him forget thatever. How To Use This In Your Own Search Be yourself and show some personality and confidence in your interviews.  Feel free to bring up some other true passions, just make sure that youve already expressed your passion in the skill or line of work that youre interviewing for.  Oh, and if youre a true fit, being late or using words like pissing probably wont ruin your chances. 5. Jamie had the skills and knowledge that we needed In the end, Jamies knowledge and skill in social media made us feel very confident that he could perform the job.  Could he have got the job if he just performed steps 4 and 5 like most people experience?  Probably, but he would have had to find the job online (a hard task), apply, and then hope we open the resume and feel he matches what were looking for. How To Use This In Your Own Search This part is on the job seeker to show they have the required experience and knowledge that matches the requirements of the company.  This part is obviously the hardest, and if you dont have a connection, its much more difficult.  Check out my Job Seeker Services if youd like focused help. COTJs Final Words Your job search stars wont always align like they did for Jamie.  Dont let it frustrate you.  Continue to engage and build connections.  Someone will eventually see you, and then hopefully youre on their long term radar. Just try not to be late like Jamie.