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.

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.

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