Friday, December 27, 2019

How to become a morning person (11 tricks to try today)

How to become a morning part (11 tricks to try today)How to become a morning person (11 tricks to try today)Weve all heard the statistics about how the most successful CEOs tend towake up around 5 a.m.If youre already a morning person, congratulations, I am so jealous.If you arent a natural born morning person, you might consider morning people to besmug overachievers.After all, by the time you hit snooze on your alarm for the seventh time, the morning person has probably exercised,read for an hour, made a delicious (balanced) breakfast andarrived to work early. According tostudies conducted by 23andMe, theres evidence that morning people have different genetic makeup than evening people, or those of us who tend to stay up late at night.However, regardless of your genetic makeup, there are fairlysimple ways to ease your body into being a morning body. Sincewomen are already mora likely to be early risers, were halfway there.Keep a regulated sleep scheduleThe first tip is likely the h ardest one to keep up- because the first step to becoming a morning person is to go to sleep andwake up at roughly the same time. Everyday.Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. Choose a bedtime where you normally feel tired. If you dont normally feel tired until well after 12 a.m., take a look at your food and caffeine consumption. Note that caffeine can cause sleep deprivation up to twelve hours after consumption. Remember that 3 p.m. coffee you couldnt live without?Unless you have young children acting as your alarm clock, you might have the urge to sleep in on a Saturday. Dont do it By switching up your sleep schedule, you are throwing your internal sleep clock off-kilter.By maintaining a sleep schedule, you are doing your body a huge favor. When your body gets used to waking and sleeping at specific times, your alarm clock becomes (almost) superfluous.Let the light wake youWe know you love your blackout curtains when youre Netflixing late into the night. But these same curtains are disrupting your bodys natural circadian rhythm into basically thinking its night, all the time.Stuck in the middle of a dark winter and need to rise before the lazy sun? Consider investing ina light-up alarm clock. No, its not going to blast you with a flashlight beam to your dome at exactly 605 a.m. Instead, it will gradually mimic the light of a sunrise. In addition, most light-up alarm clocks will also beep (first softly, then louder) to wake you with the combination of light and sound. Pretty cool.Exercise in the morningThis is advice I need to take into account myself. WhoopsChances are, you have exercised in the morning at some time in your life. It iskind ofthe greatest feeling ever. After your morning workout, you are invincible, filled with energy and ready to take anything head-on.However, it can be extremely difficult to make this happen, especially in the dark winter months. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Book a class at a local gy m and dont allow enough time to talk yourself out of it. Get up and goJust like any other routine, starting a morning exercise ritual will teach your body to crave it. In addition, your morning workouts are harder to interrupt. Evening exercise plans are more likely to be interrupted byunexpectedly long work days, dinner plans, or (lets face it) Netflix.Eat protein for breakfastAmericans get plenty of protein in their diets. But most of that protein intake takes place at dinner time.Eating protein in the morning has beenproven to keep you fuller, longer. Protein-heavy meals help to improve the levels of your appetite-regulating hormones. As a result, youll experience fewer cravings throughout the day, and you are less likely to overeat at dinner and cause stomach discomfort throughout the night.Eat a hearty lunchOnce you are hungry again, eat a good lunch. While dinner is often touted as the big meal of the day, its better for good sleep to have a bigger lunch and a lighter dinner. By re-assigning lunch as your big meal, youre giving your body ample time to digest and avoid bedtime heartburn or stomach problems. Go ahead, have that big lunchtime burrito.Dont take a napDang, that lunch was good. So good, in fact, that we should follow it up with a nice nap NoI know that youre tired and that naps are awesome, but try not to nap. If you find yourself nodding off, try to substitute a nap with a walk or a few jumping jacks.If youre at work and you find yourself nodding off, refer to this list ofproductive work to keep you busy. Save your sleepiness for a few hours from now, at which point you can have good, restful sleep.Avoid that afternoon coffeeCaffeine will stay in your system up to twelve () hours after ingestion. If you crave a hot cup in the afternoon, try a glass of hot water with some lemon as an alternative. If you have to get through a slew of afternoon meetings and you need caffeine, consider a cup of tea instead.Starting your evening routineNighttime a ctivities are crucial for the morning person.What you do the night before will drastically affect your morning routine. There is a huge difference between curling up with a good book at 8 p.m. and drinking sugary margaritas until 12 a.m. when you have to wake up at 7 a.m. either way.Be smart with your evening routine to make a better morning. Future you will love you for it.Replace screen time with booksPart of becoming a morning person is in actually gettinggood sleep. Instead of falling asleep to your requisite television show, consider picking up a trusty old book or one of those New Yorkers from the giant pile accumulating on your desk.Staring at screens before bed has been known tosabotage your sleep. Since most electronic screens emit a blue light, they actually disrupt your internal clock and circadian rhythm. This blue light tends to make the body more alert at night, making it harder to fall asleep and get good rest throughout the night.Put your screens away two hours befor e bed if possible. If you cannot live that long without your trusty phone (but, seriously, you can), make sure to set your phone to night mode on both youriOSandAndroidphones. If youre like me and youre addicted toASMRvideos, like cake frosting videos orsoap-cutting videos,its probably best to distance yourself from your phone hours before bedtime.But seriously,read books before bedtime. Fuel your dreams with adventures and imagination. There are farmore interesting (and less stressful) things happening at Hogwarts than on Facebook any night of the week.Prep your morning needs at nightWhat are you wearing to work tomorrow? What do you want for lunch? By prepping these aspects of your day the evening before, you free up your mind for the morning. Allow yourself to wake up ready to go by prepping whatever you can the night before.Check the weather and lay out your outfit. Know where your car keys are before you drift off to sleep. Having everything ready makes the morning effortless, freeing you up to do other things like exercise or make some fresh-squeezed orange juice. Lean into being a great morning person by taking care of business the night before.Sleep comfortablyYour phone is safely out of reach and all glowing screens have been turned off hours ago. Your lunch is packed, and your car keys are on the kitchen table next to your gym bag.All thats left to do is sleep.Make sure your bedroom is comfy and cozy so that you can doze off and wake up with, or before, your good pal sunshine. Goodnight (and good morning)This article was originally published on CareerContessa.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Resources

Resurces ResurcesResourcesQGP_wtom-box-left,QGP_mps-box-left,QGP_pjs-box-left,QGP_ghp-box-left floatleft width50%QGP_wtom-box-right,QGP_mps-box-right,QGP_pjs-box-right, QGP_ghp-box-right floatright width50%Thank you for visiting the Resources page. We offer learning materials in a number of formats to accommodate preferred learning styles and easy scheduling. View All Training Categories On-Demand ContentQuick Guides Videos Always online right here Just search for your product at the top of the page to access product training in both PDF and video formats.Recorded Webinars Watch a training session any time that works for you.Masters Challenge your team to earn their Masters Degree. Courses include self-paced video series and assessments. To access this training toolGo to monstermasters.exceedlms.comClick Sign up for a new accountEnter the following Registration Code mastersLive TrainingWeekly Webinars Learn the ins and outs of your solution and ask our product training experts questions. Just choose a scheduled class from the Course Library.Recruiter Customized Solution Training Live events for your recruiters tailored to your business get product training, recruiting tips, best practices and industry knowledge. Learn More.Latest Product ReleasesStudios Learn how you can record, edit and post videos to your job ads to give candidates a better view in your company and its opportunities. Learn MoreSearchMonster Streamline the way you search, review and connect with candidates with our best search tool yet. Learn MoreTake a look at all of the training categories we have for you Welcome to MonsterLearn how you can get the most out of your solutions, sign up for live trainings and check out all the resources that are just a click away. You can also use the search bar above to zero in on quick guides, how-to videos, and more.Learn More ProductsCheck out all the products in the lineup and access training on everything from set up to success.Learn More Job AdsFind out how to reach and engage the best candidates, wherever they are and learn how to build a better job ad.Learn More Searching for ResumesLearn how you can use our powerful search solutions to zero in on the best candidate for the job.Learn More TrainingCheck out all the training offerings we have available to you and your team.Learn More Account SettingsSee how you can manage your account preferences and access reports to stay on top of usage and more.Learn More HelpWere here for you. Access our help tools or get in contact with one of our customer service representatives.Learn More Quick GuidesA fast approach to getting to know your solutions, quick guides will get you up and running in no time.Learn More Back to top

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

9 Box Matrix for Succession Planning and Development

9 Box Matrix for Succession Planning and Development9 Box Matrix for Succession Planning and DevelopmentThe wertzuwachs and potential matrix are commonly referred to as the nine-box grid, nine-box matrix, or simply as the nine-box. The nine-box is one of the most widely used tools in succession planning and leadership development. It can be a valuable tool for anyone who works in talent management, or for any manager as a way to assess and differentiate a team or organization. How Does it Work? It is usually used to assess individuals on two dimensions their past wertmiger zuwachs and their future potential. The X-axis (horizontal line) of three boxes assesses wertmiger zuwachs, and the Y-axis of three boxes (vertical line) assesses leadership potential. A combination of Y and X axis makes up the box within the grid that each employee is placed in. 1A High wertmiger zuwachs/High Potential, 3C Low Performance/Low Potential, 2B medium performance/medium potential, etc. Picture t he old Hollywood Squares game show or the introduction to the Brady Bunch, with each character sitting in one of nine boxes. While an individual leader can use the nine-box to assess their own employees, it has real value is when a leadership team uses it as a part of a talent review to have a discussion about the entire organizations collective talent. Simple and Effective (95% of the Time) The beauty of the tool is in its simplicity and ease of use. With a little explanation and initial facilitation, managers usually can catch on quickly. It helps overcome many of the common pitfalls when it comes to talent assessment, including Overemphasis on current performanceOverreliance on a single opinionA lack of assessment criteria, or inconsistent criteria Leadership teams (often engineers or scientists) will often try to overcomplicate it, by adding more boxes, definitions for each box, and all kinds of bells and whistles. It hardly ever improves the process and often adds more comp lexity than value. Free and Not Proprietary Other than peoples time, or a paid facilitator, there is no cost to using the nine-box. There are other ways to assess potential formal instruments and assessment centers are great, yet they are also expensive. While many will criticize the lack of objectivity in using a nine-box to assess performance and potential, most organizations cant afford to send every manager through a $10,000 assessment center. A Catalyst for Robust Dialog Its not about filling out the grid its all about the discussion. Thats a critical point that beginner teams often lose sight of. Managers, in general, are not very skilled when it comes to assessing talent, and are very hesitant to discuss other managers employees, or hear feedback about their own. This tool helps managers have those conversations in a professional, productive way. Framework and Structure While candid and robust is a good thing, without a framework, these conversations can get mes sy and sidetracked. With skilled facilitation, the nine-box provides a framework and roadmap to discuss each individuals performance, potential, development needs, anddevelopment plans. Helps Calibrate Criteria and Expectations Its recommended that teams go into the talent review with a pre-determined, clear, consistent, definition of performance and potential. Sometimes those definitions dont exist. Even if they do, they are often just words on paper not grounded in reality. By using this tool, teams have a chance to discuss what performance and potentialmeans. In fact, for a lot of managers in the room, its the first time theyve heard their own bosses expectations, so youll see them discreetly jotting down notes and assessing themselves. Its More Accurate Than One Persons Opinion The accuracy of assessing performance and potential improves with multiple data points. Managers often have blind spots with their employees and are unaware of how they are perceived by others. Th ese discussions can help shine a light on superstars andpoor performers. Facilitates Shared Ownership and Teamwork It is a ground rule for any talent management meeting and discussion We all, as a team, are collectively are responsible for building a stronger organization. We need to be candid, listen to each other, and help develop each others employees.In a functional or segmented organization, talent development is often one of the few things a management team can actually work on together. Its a Diagnostic Tool for Development A talent review meeting uncovers both individual and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The nine-box serves as a needs assessment for development actions that need to be taken. Many organizations now use nine-box talent reviews to discuss and agree on individual development plans (IDPs) for each employee. The nine-box can be a very effective tool to facilitate a discussion around performance and potential. While its not perfect and has its in herent pitfalls, its advantages far outweigh its disadvantages. For specific instruction on how to use the nine-box in a talent review, seeHow to Use the Performance and Potential Nine-Box Matrix for Succession Planning and Development.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

The Ugly Secret of Sample Resumes Templates

The Ugly Secret of Sample Resumes Templates The Sample Resumes Templates Pitfall How quickly are you able to grasp the work and the overall culture of the organization and adapt to it is something which employers would absolutely want to gauge. Any obvious mistakes will damage your credibility. You need an open mind and commitment so you and your peers can encourage one another since you are all in the very same boat. Lots of people approach job interviews in the incorrect way and blow their odds for a single reason or another. A Secret Weapon for Sample Resumes Templates You arent able to transfer nor get a refund beyond that date. If candidates wish to create their resume themselves, there is an assortment of options they may look at. Another license is necessary so as to drive either variety of HGV type of transport. You may download the resume vorlage free of charge and can readily edit the template using Microsoft word. Details of Sample Resumes Templates Most empl oyers are interested in a mixture of ability, which youll be able to show on our assessments, and experience, which is the point where the CV comes in. Resume Samples are able to help you present your employment and education information the suitable way. Selecting the most suitable ones are able to save lives. The work field is a very competitive field where you must compete with various job applicants scores that are competing for the exact same position. There are a lot of categories in the subject of accounting jobs for the work applicant. If you are looking for a very simple but gorgeous design thats guaranteed to appeal to any hiring manager than you are in right location. In truth, it is but one of the effective methods to find hidden candidates especially when youre hiring for niche abilities. Generally speaking, writing ones resume is among the most dreaded facets of job hunting. If youre applying for work away from the city you reside in and are prepared to relocat e, indicate the exact same. The key features of an employment contract are the work portfolio of the worker and the way in which the employer is likely to make monetary reparation. The third goal is to help the superiors to have a suitable understanding for their subordinates. A business analyst ought to be current in the newest technology trends and the software packages launched recently, in order to be capable of providing a viable and advanced solution. A well written and professional resume is undoubtedly the most significant asset and an extremely strong advertising and marketing tool that professionals in the business have with them. You are going to learn in class how to consider the goal behind your promotion materials. Job performance appraisals are necessary in order to supply details about performance rankings. Before you begin, it will be worth your while to take a look at some sample resumes to receive a feeling of structure and language. Theres no specific len gth for a resume, and theres no standard to it. So you suddenly have a lot more fine-grained control over the various parts of your application. You may even attend live using your cell phone in the event you do not have accessibility to video. Show employers that youre updated and produce an excellent first impression by selecting the most suitable template. Imagine that youre seated and the interview is all about to start. Be certain that you know precisely where your interview is going to be held so that youll be there early enough to prepare yourself mentally and wont be running in at the last minute. Sample resumes highlight the order where the information needs to be laid down. The solution is yes in the event you need to. The majority of the Questions are rather simple, some are advanced. The majority of the Questions are absolutely simple, some are advanced. Triple-check your information is correct and updated. elend much on Wikipedia, but there are lots of places where it is possible to see them. The date once the contract is made is recorded on the very first page. Double check your dates, titles, and contact information are correct and ensure that the layout is aesthetically appealing and simple to read.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Best Training Options for Small Business Owners - Spark Hire

Best Training Options for Small Business Owners - Spark HireJob training is the single most important aspect of hiring employees to work for your business. Those who fail to allocate appropriate man hours to the job of training new associates do little more than compromise the stability of their operational infrastructure, inviting loss.Before examining different or new training vorkaufsrechts, a company needs to make sure they arent wasting their training efforts and funds on employees that are not right for the job or even the company. Properly vetting a candidate by doing thorough background checks, second or even third interviews, and following through with reference checks, will ensure that you are choosing the right candidates.Once you are confident you have assembled the right team for your new business, you can explore training methods. There are many options available to business owners with respect to job training, any and all of which can be implemented in a single trainin g module. Lets examine themOn Sitefruchtwein business owners and HR departments train their associates on site. Hands-on training is thought to be one of the best training options for small business owners, chiefly for the fact that success in the workplace relies upon practical rather than scholastic knowledge. The brain is conditioned to cause us to repeat our own behavior, rather than to emulate others, the speed and efficacy with which a given associate completes a task assigned him is in direct correlation with the frequency with which he performs it. Additionally, onsite training affords you the option of learning how best to communicate with your associate. Use trial and error to hone your approach to communication.Training DVDsTraining DVDs should be incorporated into your training modules, but should be regarded as supplementary only. There are two advantages to adding this type of approach. The first is that the associate can watch the DVDs unsupervised, affording you addi tional man hours to allocate to other priorities. The second is that they give associates an overview of the basic operations of the store. By extension, their brain will have been programmed to recognize the correct way to do thingsand flag itas you begin hands on training later. Individuals absorb information more quickly if they are given an overview of the material prior to receiving a comprehensive explanation of it.WebinarsYou may need or want to train associates remotely. For this type of training, the benefits of video webinars are as far reaching as your world wide web connection will allow. While no two individuals learn in the same way, studies have shown that individuals learn more quickly when they can empathize with their speaker, chiefly for the fact that human interaction causes a spike in brain waves that textual content cannot.The mystery ingredient is empathy. Video webinars allow the speaker to lend importance to certain aspects of his presentation using body lan guage, and changes in the volume, pitch and tone of his voice. Whenever the speaker uses one of these attributes, the brain is alerted tourgency, causing it to flag the material automatically. Any information presented thereafter is flagged by extension, processed by word association and stored for future use.Another benefit of video webinars is that even on site employees can access important information from any device with a connection to the internet, whether that is at home at two oclock in the morning, or over their coffee break at a quiet cafe up the street. This affords employees who wish to advance their careers the opportunity to study operations a nose above their pay grade, an intimate knowledge of operations to which they had not been introduced by any other means affording them a competitive edge.Ultimately, there are many training options that you can employ in your startup. Different options are more suited for certain situations than others. As you benchmark your in frastructure, consider the advantages that each option will afford you.About the AuthorDee Fletcher is a freelancer and ghost writer. She writes mostly about current trends or events in various industries, but also writes articles related to small business. She works from her home in Southern California and loves to visit the beach as often as she can.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

5 Things You Can Do in the Next Year to Get Promoted

5 Things You Can Do in the Next Year to Get Promoted5 Things You Can Do in the Next Year to Get Promoted 2019 is fast approaching. At this time, it might be a good idea to start reviewing your career goals for the next year to landsee where youre at. Did you meet your goals? If not, how far behind are you?As we get ready to enter into 2019, it might be a good idea to start mapping out measures you can take to give yourself a career boost in 2019. The following five actions will position you to have a mora successful career in 2019One of the most effective ways to position yourself for better career opportunities in 2019 is by attending relevant conferences and events in your industry. Many organizations make provisions for interested employees to attend industry conferences to represent them or simply as a way to educate them. If you have been shying away from these conferences in the past, youve been hurting your career prospects, says Dan Fox, founder of Boss Las er . By attending relevant conferences, you can massively increase your network (you suddenly know, and are known by, a lot of people who are relevant to your industry), you can build your skills and experience and you will also get exposed to more opportunities from a diverse group of people compared to if you were simply on your own. By attending conferences, you will also have up-to-date information about industry best practices, nachrichten and resources that can aid your career growth.Another way to give yourself a career boost in 2019 is by getting an advanced degree. If youre yet to obtain a Masters degree, it might be a good idea to start making plans for it now. This is because most jobs have provisions that allow you to experience an increase in compensation if you get an advanced degree. Some companies even require those in senior management and professional positions to possess an advanced degree. Having an advanced degree also increases your career prospects, because the number of entry-level jobs requiring advanced degrees like a Masters degree is increasing.An advanced degree can help you secure that elusive promotion youve always desired, says Ayodeji Onibalusi of Effective Inbound Marketing . A doctorate or masters degree would also boost your confidence and help you secure better job opportunities when you start looking for a new job.As we get ready to enter into 2019, one of the questions you should ask yourself is where you stand in terms of your relationships with your co-workers and your superiors . Do you have a good relationship with them, or do you believe its simply sufficient to focus on work and get things done and still move forward in corporate circles? If you dont have a good relationship with coworkers and superiors, it could come back to bite you. In fact, according to experts , it is very difficult, and almost impossible, to advance at work without a good relationship with co-workers and superiors. If youve not been get ting along well with some of your peers at work, it might be a good idea to start fixing things now .Many employees restrict their career growth by making little information publicly available about themselves - often unknowingly. A lot of employees have not updated their resume in years, and as a result their resume is not indicative of their current experience and skill set . Similarly, many employees have a LinkedIn profile, and other relevant career-related online profiles, with scant information about them. When you consider that many major organizations regularly scan LinkedIn and other relevant social media sites to determine which employees to hire, and that 92 percent of recruiters use social media to find high-quality candidates, it becomes instantly apparent how limiting not having an updated profile can be.It might be a good idea to create a schedule for updating your resume and relevant social media profiles to be indicative of your experience, says Jonathan Marsha ll of Middlesex County Criminal Law . This can be done every quarter, for example. You want to include every relevant information including awards, leadership capacities youve acted in and conferences youve attended, he says.If youre wondering if dressing has anything to do with your career prospects, well its time to sit tight and take note - because how you dress can literally affect your career prospects and opportunities. An OfficeTeam survey found that 80 percent of executives say that how an employee dresses will affect the employees chances of being promoted. Other studies have also found a link between dressing and perceived confidence as well as career opportunities. If you want to be taken more seriously, and do not want to be denied your rightful career opportunities, it might be a good idea to upgrade your wardrobe.Yasir Khan is a renowned online marketing consultant and has been in business since 2008. He owns Quantum SEO Labs and loves sharing tips on various aspects of marketing, conversions and real estate.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

5 Ground Rules for Workplace Friendships

5 Ground Rules for Workplace Friendships5 Ground Rules for Workplace FriendshipsDespite the direct link between social interaction and positive effects on our well being, the stigmas and concern traditionally surrounding personal relationships at work can make navigating friendships in the professional sphere a bit confusing. Although uncomfortable, this juxtaposition makes sense. Just as companies want to encourage productivity and success, they also rightly want to prevent inappropriate behavior. Harassment, favoritism, abuse of authority, and conflicts of interest are examples of downsides that can stem from close social rapport between coworkers. In an age where people are driven both by career and personal well being, striking a healthy balance in relationships at work has never been more essential. In fact, the one factor that leading scientists and psychologists agree on is that social relationships represent the most accurate predictor of overall happiness. Ground Rules fo r Workplace Friendships Workplace friendships pose challenges that private, social interactions do not experience. You have to strike a balance between your personal needs and the needs of the workplace for harmony and contribution. Here are five ground rules that give you guidance for handling workplace friendships. Manage Your Boundaries Although research shows that even minor chit-chat with coworkers can lead to significant gains in productivity, no one can afford to spend all day shooting the breeze. Its important to recognize when social interaction with friends turns into a distraction, ultimately derailing your ability to accomplish your goals. Setting aside time to connect during a break or lunch can help your schedule fall in line while at the same time nourishing your innate need for social interaction. If friendships cross hierarchies, its also important to recognize the optics of that relationship. You need to manage boundaries appropriately so as not to appear to b e leveraging relationships unfairly or creating an environment of favoritism. Leaders especially need to understand that overly familiar relationships can damage their credibility and actually undermine their long-term success. Include Non-Friends in Work Projects Its completely natural to want to collaborate with friends when youre working on any kind of team assignment. On the other hand, its also just as important to put heads together with other people outside of your immediate circle. This helps to avoid the same group think and open your imagination to approaches outside of your typical sphere of influence. Its okay - and even productive - to join forces with friends just make sure that youre including other colleagues, too. Avoid Office Gossip One of the main concerns employees worry about when it comes to witnessing a close relationship between other coworkers is hearsay. Your coworkers might wonder if you are talking behind peoples backs. Especially in the case of a manager-employee relationship, they worry that you are swapping tidbits you shouldnt share. Even if it just looks like you are spreading rumors or laughing at coworkers, for example, it can make people nervous and can negatively impact your credibility. If you sense a conversation with your friend starting to turn negative, try to keep things on track or suggest connecting outside of work hours. Treat Every Member of Your Team Equally The best way to avoid bias - or even perceived bias - is to intentionally treat each team member with equal care, consideration, and respect. Make sure you truly listen to coworkers, and not just friends, when they bring up ideas or share information. Its incredibly crucial to make each individual feel valued by giving them the attention they need. As a leader, you might also want to consider whether you should even have a close friend on your direct team. It might create an impression that will add additional barriers to the contributions and pro ductivity of the rest of the team. If you do have a close friend on your team, be careful to avoid any special treatment of that person so as to ensure equal airtime for all team members. Identify Your Relationship Needs It may seem foreign or unnecessary, but understanding what you need from the people in your organization can help clarify your own role and how you can thrive in it. Youll feel better prepared when a question comes up. Youll feel more secure knowing that you have a network of peoplewhom you can rely on for help with specific issues. You may even improve the quality of your own resource value when colleagues need help. Awareness of your needs gives way to insightful understanding, which in turn leads to effective action. At their core, organizations are simply a network of people. The better balanced the relationships between those people become, the better the organization functions. Workplace friendships can clearly be healthy and everyone in your organization is responsible for doing their part to ensure contentment remains high.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Find Out If Your Resume Is Ready to Beat the Dreaded Bots

Find Out If Your Resume Is Ready to Beat the Dreaded BotsFind Out If Your Resume Is Ready to Beat the Dreaded BotsJob Search Advice How to Beat the Applicant Tracking SystemLearn the ins and outs of the ATS for a bot-proof resume.Thank you to everyone who participated in our latest edition of OfficeHours, presented by TopResume This time, it was all about the bots why employers use them, what they do, and how you can avoid the most common mistakes that get your resume rejected before a philanthropisch ever sees it.Congrats to Hannah E., the first winner of our monthly resume makeover contest Each month, TopResume will give one lucky winner a free resume makeover. Click on the following link to enter to win a free resume makeover. And stay tuned to see Hannahs resume transformationBelow is a link to the video of our Live Chat and my responses to your resume-writing questions. For more career advice and information about upcoming events, please like us on Facebook and sign up for our f ree weekly newsletter.OfficeHours Live Chat Can Your Resume Beat the Bots?For more information on what an applicant tracking system (ATS) is and how you can write a resume that will pass the ATS test, check out our latest infographic, WTF is an ATS?Dont let the bots stop you from landing your dream job.Get an ATS-proof resume today.Q1 How can I keep my resume to only one page?If you spell out everything, how can you keep your resume to one page? I have 30 years of experience. Jeffery R.If you have seven or more years of experience, your resume can be more than one page. As a matter of fact, most professionals with an extensive career history keep a two-page resume. It will have no effect on how the ATS reads your resume and recruiters are used to it, so have no fear in using that second page so long as your level of experience calls for it.As you list your work experience, cut yourself off at the 15-year mark. Hiring managers care most about the work youve done in the last five yea rs, so if youre in your 20th year in the workforce, leave behind that internship from right after college. If you want, you can add a small Career Note or Career Summary section where you list the job titles and companies for those roles you held early in your career. For more information on resume length, take a look at this article on how long your resume should be.Q2 Can I use commas to separate skills on my resume?Im pursuing a role as a business analyst, and on my resume, I list both technical skills and management skills. Ive been separating my skills with commas instead of bullet points. Is that okay? Binoy T.Commas are a perfectly fine way to separate skills on a resume the ATS will still find them. Remember that your main goal is to highlight your best selling points, so whether you use commas or bullet points, just make sure that they are clear and easily seen.Q3 Do cover letters go through the ATS?Is it just the resume that goes through the ATS, or does the cover letter go through as well? Steph N.Whether or bedrngnis cover letters go through the ATS depends on the system and what company is using it. With that said, its not a bad idea to incorporate keywords into your cover letter. It cant hurt, right? You dont have to go crazy trying to optimize it though.Q4 How big should margins be on a resume?What about margins? Steph N.For a resume, your margins can be as small as 0.5 inches and as large as 1 inch all the way around. This flexibility is great for when you are trying to fit your resume onto just one or two pages whichever one is appropriate for where you are in your career. Click on the following link for more information about resume length.Q5 Is there a certain version of Word I should use when writing my resume?Does it matter what version of Word I use? 2010? 2016? Nikolaos B.fruchtwein versions of Word should be just fine for writing your resume. Beware of using one that is too old, as some sites may no longer be compatible with softw are from the 1990s. In general, saving your files in the .docx format is the safest way to go its the most transferable file type and will be compatible in almost every situation.On the topic of files, something many job seekers forget to consider is the file name of their resume. Employers see this, so take the opportunity to make a positive impression. Include your name, the job title, and the company for which you are applying. This will not only help you appear professional, it will also help a recruiter or employer keep track of your resume.Q6 How do I navigate a large employment gemeinsame agrarpolitik on my resume?What if I have a 10-year gap in work experience? Im looking to get back into my field from many years ago, and I have held jobs in other fields along the way. Jeannine J.A popular piece of advice for dealing with a large employment gap is to use a functional resume but I disagree. Instead, split your resume into two sections relevant work experience on the top an d other work experience below that. This way, the first thing employers see is your work experience that is important to the role you are applying for.If you are looking for other experience opportunities that can help you re-enter your field, there are some other actions you can take. Look into returnships, which are like internships but for professionals who are returning to the workforce after a hiatus. They are a great way to gain some recent experience that is relevant to your desired role. Skill-based volunteer (SBV) work, especially in a field that is related to yours, can also count as experience and fill an employment gap in your resume. Catchafireis an excellent site to help you find these opportunities.Q7 How can I tackle ageism in my job search?I have a lot of experience, but feel like I am being turned down because of my age. How can I knock down this wall of ageism? Jeffery R.This is a struggle many job seekers deal with, so you are not alone. Age discrimination is il legal under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, so if you are facing obvious discrimination, you can take legal action.Because of your years in the workforce, you probably have a large network. This is your greatest advantage in the job search, so use it Make it known that you are in job-search mode and reach out to your network for tips, recommendations, and most importantly, potential referrals. Having someone within a company to advocate on your behalf will help you get through the job-search red tape and significantly increase your chances of landing a job.I recently answered a similar question as part of our Ask Amanda series. Click here to see my full response.Q8 How will the ATS respond to an employment gap due to graduate school?I have a two-year gap in employment because I was pursuing a masters degree. How will the ATS read this? Binoy T.The ATS will not immediately throw out your resume because it sees a gap in employment. Plus, it will also recognize the dates of your education. To make it clear what you were up to, you can add a line that says something like Full-time student from (date) to (date) pursuing masters degree.But most importantly, show off that degree Its an accomplishment and you want it to be front and center on your resume. Include an advanced degree (like a masters) or certification to your name at the top of your resume to make sure recruiters see it.Q9 On my resume, how do I include the kind of role I am seeking if I havent yet held the role?If I am making a career change, can I include that I am Seeking ___ role so that I can include the job title on my resume? Steph N.The best way to go about this situation is this The title on your resume should be the role you are pursuing. During your job search, you want to market yourself in a way that shows employers that you belong in this kind of role. If you dont feel comfortable marketing yourself with a job you havent yet had, you can add a line before your professional summa ry like this Objective (Desired Job Title). From there, jump right into your professional summary to talk about the skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for that job title. By doing this, you can still state the kind of role you are after and not detract from your qualifications.For a sample of a career-change resume and additional advice, you can check out this article on the seven most important details to include on a resume when changing careers.RelatedOfficeHours How to Successfully Change CareersQ10 When dating work experience on my resume, should I include months or write only year to year?If I have just over a year of experience, should I include months andyears or just years when dating my work history? Jay A.You can include months with years or just years on your resume either one is acceptable. Simply choose whichever will showcase you in the best light. For example, if you held a job from January 2017December 2017, you may want to add the months to show that you were working for about the whole year. Alternatively, if you only held a certain job for six months, it would be wise to include only the year so that you dont draw attention to the short time you were in that role. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that you be consistent throughout your resume.Avoid making the top resume mistakes. Click on the following link to enter to win a free resume makeover.Recommended ReadingHow to Avoid the Top 10 Resume Mistakes That Make Recruiters CringeCareer Quiz Is Your Resume Ready to Beat the Bots?How to Proofread Your Resume Like a Pro