The Truth About Body Language

The Truth About Body Language Body language is important in all aspects of life and work. Whether you are meeting someone new or trying to create a good first impression for an interview, body language says a lot about a person, their personality and what they stand for. The way you stand, the way you carry yourself and even your facial expressions all count for something when it comes to analysing body language. This presentation by  Cem Tozar explains what certain types of body language means and how you should change in order to be aware of what your body is saying to others. Myths and facts: 93% of our communication is non verbal. Myth: You cant look into another persons eyes and lie you actually can. Myth: A smile means happiness  a smile can mean a variety of things. Myth: Crossed arms means resistance people may just prefer to stand in this way. Myth: Covering your face means deception there is in fact no correlation. How we can use our body: Good posture is not just for models, so stand straight, be powerful and be confident. Use your eyes and decide distance carefully. Shake hands sincerely. Your hands talk and are messages, so be aware of their movements. The power of 3: Posture, eyes and hands. What not to do: Stop playing with your hands and fingers. Your face is part of your body language so make sure you control it. RELATED:  How to Outsmart Your Interviewer with Body Language The Art of Body Language from Cem Tozar

Writing a Resume in Present Tense Benefits You in Your Job Search

Writing a Resume in Present Tense Benefits You in Your Job SearchThere are many benefits to writing a resume in present tense. In fact, writing a resume in present tense allows you to highlight all of the relevant skills and experience that you possess today.Because you have not worked for any organization before, you have no idea what their past job duties were like. While these past job duties can give you an idea of what their previous employees were like, they do not necessarily tell you what your future employees will be like. Writing a resume in present tense is essential for ensuring that you are able to put forth all of the necessary years of work experience, education, and training that you possess in your new position.Many people feel as though they would struggle to write a resume in present tense because they do not know how to properly format it. The first thing that you need to do is actually take a look at your current job duties and decide which sections you want to i nclude. You can always leave out the irrelevant information, but this is not something that you want to do because there are some situations where you will need to include it. After you have decided which sections of your resume to include, then you can move on to formatting the rest of the document.Because writing a resume in present tense is a relatively new technique, there are some methods that can help you produce resumes that are written in present tense. The most important thing that you need to know is that you need to change the order of the headings to match the rest of the document. Do not simply do this because you are formatting the resume, but instead do this so that you can get the right perspective about the other sections of the document.When you are writing a resume in present tense, you want to be sure that you focus on what your future employees will be doing. Take the time to explain what they will be doing so that you can explain exactly what their job responsi bilities will be. By outlining what each person will be doing, you will ensure that your potential future employees know exactly what they are going to be doing with their life.The next benefit to writing a resume in present tense is that you will be able to add in any dates and names that are pertinent to your experience. For example, if you are currently employed by a company and you worked in the same position for four years, you want to be sure that you include this in your resume. By including the name of the company as well as the date that you began working for them, you will have an easier time getting your resume noticed when it is presented in a future interview.Finally, writing a resume in present tense will also make it much easier for you to put together a document that has all of the necessary information that will be required for the employment application. If you are currently employed, then you will want to include the name of the employer that you currently work fo r, the job description that you hold in your current position, and the name of the company that you will be applying for. By including all of the appropriate information on your resume, you will be able to help your future employer find all of the information that they need about you.By taking the time to write a resume in present tense, you will be able to find yourself being interviewed more often because you are making an effort to impress the future employers that are looking to hire. This is definitely a major benefit to writing a resume in present tense. Be sure to include this information in your resume and it will help you get that job interview that you have been hoping for.

The Graduate Recruitment Fair is only a month away! University of Manchester Careers Blog

The Graduate Recruitment Fair is only a month away! University of Manchester Careers Blog Calling all students looking for graduate level jobs or postgraduate level study courses a date for your diary after exams DATES: Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th June 2013 TIME: 10.30am â€" 4.00pm VENUE: The Armitage Centre, Fallowfield, Manchester. This event is not to be missed if you are looking for a graduate job or postgraduate course starting as soon as possible. It’s open to anyone â€" not just graduates of The University of Manchester, and it  doesnt  matter if you graduated in 2013, 2012 or earlier. There will be hundreds of graduate jobs being promoted (permanent, temporary and voluntary) plus postgraduate course places. There will be both local and national vacancies in a variety of sectors. The event will see over 160 exhibitors attend over the two days with different exhibitors each day, so wed advise you come along to both days to meet them all. You can check the lists of exhibitors online for each day in advance too: Wednesday 12th June and Thursday13th June FREE ENTRY. Further information and register in advance to attend FREE FAIR GUIDE. Available to collect on the day at the fair. FREE COACH FROM PICCADILLY TRAIN STATION. Details of free coach and directions to the venue. Applications  Advice and talks given on “Successful Application Forms”, “Interview Technique”, “Assessment Centres”. This is the only time our Careers Consultants are able to offer advice to non-Manchester students! We will be running ‘Prepare for the Graduate Fair’ sessions beforehand as part of the Summer Careers Event programme.: Thursday 6th June 1.00-1.30pm,  But you can also check out the tips on the website. We look forward to seeing you there All Graduate Undergraduate

How Many LinkedIn Connections One Needs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How Many LinkedIn Connections One Needs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I’m a huge proponent of increasing the number of connections on LinkedIn. I voice that strong opinion every time I make a public presentation on a relevant subject or speak with anyone looking for advice on finding a job. At times, I find opponents to the concept, but mostly only up until I give them the logic behind my reasoning. Admittedly, I can’t convert everyone. Some people are very emotional about the subject, and perhaps that’s their only reason; my own argument is logical. In LinkedIn lingo, we talk about first-, second-, and third-level connections. Sociologists have been wrestling with the subject of such connections, or ties, as they call it, many years before the LinkedIn era. They differentiate between strong ties and weak ties. For our purpose, first-level connections are considered strong ties; the rest are weak ties. Sociologists such as Mark Granovetter of Stanford University, Ofer Sharone of MIT, and Sandra Smith of the University of California, Berkeley have done work in this area. Through their extensive research, they’ve proved that a weak tie is more prone to be of assistance to someone looking for work than a strong tie is. The logical explanation is that if you recommend someone who ultimately doesn’t get the job, it reflects badly on you as the person making the recommendation. By making a recommendation, you’re spending your own reputation capital in the form of social and, at times, political currency. This does not hold true†"or at least not to the same extentâ€"if the connection is a weak tie. In addition, if you know someone wellâ€"that is, via a strong tieâ€"it is very likely that you’re also familiar with the person’s weaknesses and you might feel bad about not being 100 percent honest if you recommend the person. And two more valid arguments surfaced from the sociologists’ research: (1) that the strong-tie connections mingle in the same social and work circles and all of them are exposed to similar information, whereas (2) the weak-tie connections mingle in different circles. I hope I’ve clarified my point for the need to increase the number of your first-level connections on LinkedIn. Why? Because you cannot get to second- and third-level connectionsâ€"which might be the connections you really want (based on these studies)â€"unless you have sufficient first-level connections. Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many LIONs (LinkedIn Open Networkers, which are people who accept all invitations) on LinkedIn? One reason is that those LIONs understand the need for weak connections; another reason is that people by nature are competitive and want to outdo others, or who knows why? Do you? Please share your opinion.

10 LinkedIn Headline Tips Proven to Improve Job Seekers Profile Views

10 LinkedIn Headline Tips Proven to Improve Job Seekers Profile Views Are you a job seeker? If so, its good to know that after recruiters look at your photo, your LinkedIn headline is the next item they scan in their search results. Because of this, a well-crafted, professional headline plays a critical role in convincing a recruiter to click through to your full profile to learn more about you. Screw your headline up and they might never get to know you. Read on to learn about best and worst LinkedIn headline practices and to see effective and ineffective LinkedIn headline examples for job seekers:1. Optimize Your Most Important KeywordThe first word in your LinkedIn headline gets big SEO juice from LinkedIn’s algorithm. Thus, it’s critical that you start your headline with your most important keyword. Many members don’t understand this, so if you do it, you will get powerful SEO.It matters because if you don’t come up high in search results, then you won’t get the chance to convince a recruiter to click through to your profile. Game over.2. Add Click Bait to Your HeadlineOnce you’ve got your top keyword(s) at the front of your headline, add some click bait. Again, most people fail to do this. What makes you an exciting prospective hire? Whats in it for them?Recruiters look at ten results per page. Be sure to say something about yourself that makes your profile a more promising read than their nine other choices.Like this:3. Customize Your LinkedIn HeadlineWhat if I told you that 70% of LinkedIn members use the default headline (Current Job Title and Current Employer)? It might be more than 70%. I got 70% when I ran some test counts.That, however, is great news for you. If you use steps 1 and 2 above, you can move ahead of over 350 million other members in getting your profile found and viewed.4. Use Correct SpellingProofread your headline. Nothing says, “Don’t click through,” to a recruiter more than misspelled words. I lied. Misspelled names are worse. Ask Bbob.5. Capitalize AppropriatelyAgain, proofread your headline. Weird capitalizations make recruiters worry that the person wears stripes with plaid. Would you click through to this profile?6. Avoid Mysterious AcronymsIt’s OK to say, “Corporate Counsel, IBM,” followed by some irresistible click bait.It’s not OK to say, “Corporate Counsel, CDR.” Because CDR isnt a recognizable brand, that acronym implies that the writer doesn’t think about their audience when they communicate. That’s a bad signal for someone to send via their LinkedIn headline.7. Optimize Available SpaceWhat do you think of this headline?I modified the example so it wouldn’t be searchable, but it’s close to a headline I saw this week. I would condense Legal Professional to “Attorney.” It’s a succinct, searchable keyword that leaves room for click bait.8. Show More Than Your DegreeI see many LinkedIn headlines that only show the member’s degree. That misses the opportunity to feature other keywords and click bait. Sad.9. Show More Than Your J ob TitleI see many LinkedIn headlines that only show the member’s job title. See number 8 above.10. Banish the Word “Experienced” from Your LinkedIn HeadlineI want to find candidates who can say something more compelling about themselves than, “Experienced.”Sharing is CaringDo you have any best or worst practice LinkedIn headline examples for job seekers? If so, I hope you will share them in the Comments below.Check Your LinkedIn HeadlineCheck your headline against the ten-point list above. Check your headline against your competition.Remember how often we make mistakes in the rush of daily life. Slow down for this. You want a professional LinkedIn headline, not one that proves a lack of professionalism.I offer these ideas to help you show up in search results, make a fantastic first impression, and get recruiter clicks that might lead to your next career opportunity.Let’s Connect on LinkedInPlease don’t hesitate to invite me to connect on LinkedInhere:Donna Svei, Exec utive Resume Writer.The more I know about my readers, the better I can make my blog.***I write executive resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Save time. Look good. Get hired. Contact mehere. Learn more about how to hire a resume writerhere.***Featured on Career Sherpa Image:Fotolia/gustavofrazao Updated June 2017 2015 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Today, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. LinkedIn â€" Profile Details (4 Posts) LinkedIn â€" SEO (6 Posts)

Choosing the Best Resume Writer - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Choosing the Best Resume Writer Alina Dizik recently wrote quite a  provocative article for the Wall Street Journal, Hiring a Résumé Writer? Ask These Questions First, that triggered over 25 comments. Some came from people I know â€" my colleagues in the careers industry â€" and some came from people attacking professional resume writers in general, questioning the validity of professional credentialing, and demeaning them for defending our profession in their comments. Some of the disparaging comments align with what I said in a post last year over at my Executive Resume Branding blogsite, The Truth About Professional Executive Resume Writers. We get a lot of bad press. Lately, I’m seeing a growing number of blog posts and articles warning that professional resume writers are swindlers and resume writing credentials mean nothing. They lambaste us in general and place an arbitrary cap on what you should pay for a resume. They are distrustful of resume writers and perhaps with good reason. So much misinformation about what we do (or don’t do) is floating around out there by people who make sweeping generalizations about us as a group but don’t really know what we do. For the most part,  Ms. Diziks  suggestions are reasonable, I take exception  to some: Its a bit much to expect resume writers to come up with (and spend time fictionalizing all identifying information on) specific resume samples at whim for potential clients to assess, beyond those samples we provide on our websites. Previous experience as an executive recruiter or human resources manager is not necessarily an asset, and certainly doesnt guarantee a top-notch resume writer and final product. The National Résumé Writers Association (NRWA) is  not one  of two main trade associations for résumé writers.  There are at least 3 others. I list the  4  main associations  in my post at Executive Resume Branding, and discuss some of the reasons why collaborating with the best resume writers is a valuable experience. Related posts: How to Write An Irresistible C-level Executive Brand Resume in 10 Steps 4 Executive Job Search First Steps, Before You Write Your Resume Why Is It So Hard to Write My Own C-level Career Brand Biography? 10 Brand-Diluting Phrases That Can Ruin Your Executive Resume What NOT To Put in Your C-level Executive Resume 00 0

How to Avoid Burnout

How to Avoid Burnout Do you pride yourself on being a hard worker? Do you try to do your best at every task you take on every day? Being a hard worker is an honorable trait and it’s a necessary part of achieving goals and advancing your career. But every strength has a downside when it’s taken to extremes. Hard workers with high standards can’t help pushing themselves to produce excellent results. But eventually it’s very possible you’ll hit a limit and experience burnout. After all, you’re human… and even machines need a break! Burning yourself out is all too easy to do when you’re dedicated, driven, determined and demanding. The problem is that it hurts your health, your relationships and your career. 3 Steps to Avoid Burnout If you’re feeling burned out or like you’re on your way there, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take steps to avoid or get yourself out from exhaustion and overwhelm. Consider the following three steps. 1. Recognize Your Patterns I’ve found that certain patterns of thinking and behavior are more likely to lead to burnout, which is why some of us (raising my hand here) are more likely to burnout than others. Do any of these thoughts and beliefs ring true for you? Hard work pays off, no matter what you’re working on Success requires intense effort Have a sense of urgency Do your very best work on every task Get it to 100% no matter how long it takes If you want it done properly, do it yourself Keep improving it Keep working until you finish The thing about beliefs like these is that they have probably served you incredibly well for much of your life and career. They’re how you’ve gotten ahead, achieved goals, closed deals, and gained wins, promotions and recognition. But at some point, the approach of redoubling your efforts and bearing down on problems until you wrestle them to the ground may stop working for you. And it can even come close to being your downfall. So now is a good time to get in touch with what your patterns and tendencies are and see which ones might get you in trouble if you take them to extremes. Get in touch with your patterns and tendencies and see which ones might get you in trouble if you take them to extremes. 2. Pay Attention to Wake-Up Calls Once you get in touch with your patterns and tendencies, you’ll find it easier to notice the early signs that point to future burnout. In my experience, they usually show up in your health (mental and physical), feeling of well-being (or lack of it) and relationships. Think of these as “wake-up calls”. They tend to start as “whispers” so you might not recognize them for what they are, like having trouble sleeping or constantly replaying things in your mind. But then they get progressively louder â€" it’s your body looking out for you â€" until at some point, it becomes impossible for you to continue in the same old way you’ve always done things. Often, it takes a serious wake-up call to acknowledge that you might be working too hard and about to burn yourself out. It could be something like an accident that happens because you were tired and distracted, a panic attack over a seemingly simple thing or becoming paranoid that everyone’s out to get you. The best thing for you, your career and the people around you is to heed those early “whispers” because you’ll stay on track and have a better life. The second-best thing is to pay attention to whatever wake-up call you’re getting right now and use it to motivate yourself to make a change. Pay attention to whatever wake-up call you’re getting right now and use it to motivate yourself to make a change. 3. Change Your Approach It can be challenging to make a change, especially a fundamental one like changing your beliefs and the way you approach work. Even if it’s obvious you need to make a change, you’ll probably be tempted to adopt a temporary fix. Like rest for a couple hours (or even a day) but then dive right back in as soon as you feel better. But band-aids like this only put off the fundamental shift you need to make to transform your future possibilities from burnout to a better life. So don’t wait. The sooner you transform your approach, the more enjoyable and successful your life and career will be. Recently, I was faced with a wake-up call â€" fortunately the “whisper” kind. Given my past experience (a longer story for another day), I figured I had better take it seriously and not rely on a quick fix. So I committed to changing my approach to work with the goal of finding a healthier, more sustainable way forward. It’s the only way I can achieve my vision for my business while honoring my relationships and personal well-being. Here’s what I did to make the transformation from the burnout route to a sustainable one. Could it work for you too? Old Way, New Way I sat down and made two lists. On the left side of the page, I wrote down my “Old Way” of doing things and on the right side, the “New Way” I’ll replace it with. You could also call them “Old Beliefs” and “New Beliefs” if you prefer. Both sides of the ledger are important. On the left side, you’re acknowledging the way you’re currently approaching work and life. That’s the first step to any change. On the right side, you’re identifying the new approach you want to take so you know what to do and say to yourself when your old patterns crop up. And they will. Making the linkage from the Old Way to the New Way is key to the transformation you want to make. My Transformation My “Old Way” of thinking and behaving was essentially my set of patterns and tendencies. My “New Way” is how I am retraining myself to think and what I want to value. Old Way: Hard work pays off, no matter what you’re working on.New Way: Focus on what’s essential, don’t worry about the rest. Old Way: Success requires intense effort.New Way: Find the ease in what you do. Old Way: Have a sense of urgency.New Way: Everything in its time and place. Old Way: Do my very best work on every task.New Way: Identify what’s “good enough” for each task. Old Way: Get it to 100% no matter how long it takes.New Way: Do my 80% quickly â€" stay away from the point of diminishing returns. Old Way: If you want it done properly, do it yourself.New Way: Put together a good brief, create a template, allow others to display their genius. Old Way: Keep improving it.New Way: Get to done and move on. Old Way: Keep working until you finish.New Way: Take breaks, step away at impasses, share with others, come back refreshed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or over-worked, focus on what’s essential and don’t worry about the rest. What changes do you need to make to avoid burnout? So how about you? Are there any “wake-up calls” you need to listen to? Is it time to make a change in your approach to work and life? Remember that “what got you here won’t get you there”. And when it’s time to make a change, pull out a clean sheet of paper (or the digital equivalent) and write down your Old Way or Old Belief and the new one you’re going to replace it with. Keep this list close to you â€" where you can see it every day and remind yourself. When you can keep morphing yourself to do what’s needed at the next level, that’s the real success formula. What’s the Old Way you most want to change in order to get to the next level of your greatness, and what’s the New Way you can replace it with? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Job-hunting tips for new college grads - Hallie Crawford

Job-hunting tips for new college grads I wanted to respond to a few of the points from this article on MarketWatch.com, “Job-hunting tips for new college grads”. The author touches on some questions I often get asked by my clients who are job searching, so the issues addressed I find very relevant. Heres my take on some of the questions she addresses: Should you follow a boyfriend/girlfriend to a new city if you don’t have a job? I dont think this is a good idea. It depends on so many factors for the individual of course. I would suggest first finding a job if possible before moving anywhere. By moving to be with a partner, youre really banking on/counting on that relationship, and what if it doesnt work out? If you decide that moving to the new city will provide you with more job opportunities, you may want to consider the move but make a plan for yourself and with your partner. How will you each pay your bills? Make sure youre not solely relying on them. Decide how long you will give the move to get a job for yourself before you re-consider and broaden your search. Start networking well before you make the move to find a job when you get there as soon as possible. The key is to become as independent as possible as quickly as possible so you are focusing on YOUR goals and your career-not just moving for someone elses. Is it a good idea to take an unpaid internship and for how long? This very much depends on your situation. If youre a recent college grad who has little to no work experience and your parents can help you, or you have some way to support yourself short term, an internship (although unpaid) can give you the experience you need to get your foot in the door of your industry. However, dont choose this unless you have some way to remain financially stable. Can you get a part-time job on the side that pays your bills? Is the internship really something thats highly regarded as THE way to get into your industry? Evaluate your options, and I would only suggest staying in an unpaid internship for 3-4 months max. At minimum, you should ask the employer up front how quickly it could take to turn into a paid opportunity. Does it make economic sense to acquire a graduate degree? It can, if getting a graduate degree is the best way to get into your chosen field. If you know what you want to do, and graduate school is the fastest or most effective way to get there, I would consider it. Be sure to consider all these major points: How much does it cost? How long will it take to pay off? Will that degree move you towards your goals? For example, to be a business consultant, my client Karen decided she needed to go back to school to get her MBA after researching and talking to people in the field. She realized that almost the only way to become a consultant in the field she wanted to be in was to get an MBA. Then she would financially be able to pay off her loans after she graduated. It made very good sense for her to get her MBA, because it would allow her to achieve her long term career goal in the fastest way possible. Plus she wouldnt sink from paying back the loans after school. If you are a new college grad who needs help with your job search, contact us for a complimentary consultation. Certified Career Coach