We live in a technological age with easy access to data. This might seem snoopy but getting information to help make career choices is far easier than ever. Accessing information in advance prepares you for a great cover letter, if required, and certainly for the interview.
Now organizing this data is more than scribbles on post its everywhere. Looking into a few companies, starting with their websites is a better way to centralize the search process. Take a look at their job openings, pay close attention to the lingo of the industry and see if other companies work in a similar manner. Pick companies that offer products and services familiar to you so that you can concentrate upon their presentation first.
Here are some great websites to help the process:
http://www.myplan.com - a great planning site full of resources
http://www.glassdoor.com- how to get comparative salary info within a company
http://www.jigsaw.com-how to get business contacts
http://www.socialmention.com-how to get the latest from social media sites
http://www.crunchbase.com-how to get great technology based company info
Now for your elevator speech, or how to advertise yourself to an employer quickly and effectively. This is a real skill and one that takes some thinking, accurate language and practice. Visit quintcareers.com for excellent advice on how to craft an effective speech without sounding either breathless or stilted.
Some situations may call for information to be faxed, yes it still happens. For those of you not willing to invest in a fax machine, try Hello Fax, you may be able to get your resume faxed for free right from your computer, saving you time and money.
For readers still confused by the possibilities of LinkedIn, try http://learn.linkedin.com/students for a great tutorial. Many LinkedIn users are glad to offer advice to job seekers, indeed, we have all been there.
Good luck!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Motivation is more than chocolates…
What makes you get up in the morning? Obligations to others, bills to pay, a chance to start a new day or is it taking that and more than the usual jolt of coffee to get the juices flowing?
Sometimes we all just want a break, a chance to take a day off and just have choices back again, instead of a grind that does not always have a net result. Typically, Americans work longer hours than their counterparts in Europe with fewer, shorter vacations. Without that release, caffeine, little sleep and a diet rich in sodium, fats and daily stress fuel our energy. We become less patient with ourselves and certainly with each other, leading to increased conflict with work peers and supervisors. We have heard the expression, It’s not just the job, it is the people that I work with that make me crazy”.
Now is a good time to unlock the motivation inside, if the daffodils can get through a snowstorm so can you. Motivation comes from seeing opportunity, albeit in strange places, often outside the daily grind.
Now, where to start, most folks begin with meeting new people and new places. Try speaking to one new person each day, practice new ways of introducing yourself and how you might engage in a conversation instead of just talking. Start small; perhaps finding a new route to work, even taking the bus is a good chance to look around. You will find that small changes renew the spirit and are source of energy. Remember, you are investigating options, not everyone likes pistachio ice cream at first either. No commitments, just a waking up to the slightly different is tonic enough.
Take a look at local sources of information, events that you might not have even considered attending previously. Many are free and are a good source of information as they provide a contrast to what you already know about yourself. Try one then two, and build from there. You will be surprised at the variety and abundance in Newport.
Now while your motivation is getting a refresher course, we need to see what opportunities are out there. Declare a moratorium on bad news, especially that you cannot control, try to stay positive and view with a bit of optimism. Not easy, but if we are trying out new habits, this is marked for inclusion.
Hop on the web for inspiration as well, seeing opportunity at your fingertips is a powerful motivator as well. Websites such as glassdoor.com give nice salary comparisons across industries, helping job seekers to look before they leap. O*net My Next Move helps in the planning process and just asking questions of locals gives a great “in” to what seems to be happening. Find information related to “A Day in the Life of ‘ to give first hand details of different jobs and pay close attention to career videos giving a sense of the workplace.
Motivation continues while on the job; always use one experience to gain the next. See what background other employees have, what do they wish they had done differently. Make sure that you have the skills today for a transfer tomorrow, as tomorrow will determine the rest of the week. Remember motivation comes from inside and from the outside and chocolate usually helps. Every career counselor has a box!
Sometimes we all just want a break, a chance to take a day off and just have choices back again, instead of a grind that does not always have a net result. Typically, Americans work longer hours than their counterparts in Europe with fewer, shorter vacations. Without that release, caffeine, little sleep and a diet rich in sodium, fats and daily stress fuel our energy. We become less patient with ourselves and certainly with each other, leading to increased conflict with work peers and supervisors. We have heard the expression, It’s not just the job, it is the people that I work with that make me crazy”.
Now is a good time to unlock the motivation inside, if the daffodils can get through a snowstorm so can you. Motivation comes from seeing opportunity, albeit in strange places, often outside the daily grind.
Now, where to start, most folks begin with meeting new people and new places. Try speaking to one new person each day, practice new ways of introducing yourself and how you might engage in a conversation instead of just talking. Start small; perhaps finding a new route to work, even taking the bus is a good chance to look around. You will find that small changes renew the spirit and are source of energy. Remember, you are investigating options, not everyone likes pistachio ice cream at first either. No commitments, just a waking up to the slightly different is tonic enough.
Take a look at local sources of information, events that you might not have even considered attending previously. Many are free and are a good source of information as they provide a contrast to what you already know about yourself. Try one then two, and build from there. You will be surprised at the variety and abundance in Newport.
Now while your motivation is getting a refresher course, we need to see what opportunities are out there. Declare a moratorium on bad news, especially that you cannot control, try to stay positive and view with a bit of optimism. Not easy, but if we are trying out new habits, this is marked for inclusion.
Hop on the web for inspiration as well, seeing opportunity at your fingertips is a powerful motivator as well. Websites such as glassdoor.com give nice salary comparisons across industries, helping job seekers to look before they leap. O*net My Next Move helps in the planning process and just asking questions of locals gives a great “in” to what seems to be happening. Find information related to “A Day in the Life of ‘ to give first hand details of different jobs and pay close attention to career videos giving a sense of the workplace.
Motivation continues while on the job; always use one experience to gain the next. See what background other employees have, what do they wish they had done differently. Make sure that you have the skills today for a transfer tomorrow, as tomorrow will determine the rest of the week. Remember motivation comes from inside and from the outside and chocolate usually helps. Every career counselor has a box!
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