How to Get promoted

How to Get promoted by Michael Cheary Think it’s time you got a promotion?Unfortunately, career progression is about more than simply building up your experience at a company. And knowing what else you need to cover â€" not to mention how to bring up the conversation â€" could make all the difference when it comes to influencing your manager’s decision.We’ve already highlighted some sure-fire ways to  guarantee career progression, but here’s a quick guide on how to get promoted (you know, just in case):Actually askFirstly, make sure you’ve clearly stated your aspirations to your employer.Start by setting up a meeting with your manager to talk about your career direction, and  outline how you see yourself moving forward, with an ideal timeframe in mind.If they know exactly what your goals are, they may be more inclined to move you up, should the opportunity arise. It also  allows you  to see if there are any opportunities for progression on the horizon, which could be the first step to getting your foot in the door.At the very least,  asking for more autonomy or a greater sense of responsibility will help signal your intentions to move forward.Because if you don’t ask, you don’t get… (Hey, sometimes the oldest clichés are the best).Back yourself upUnfortunately, asking isn’t always enough. You actually have to sell yourself.Roughly translated, that means quantifying your results. Start by taking note of any achievements you’ve made which helped the business reach their strategic goals, and place precedence on these when it comes to meeting with your manager.But don’t just talk about why you feel you deserve to be moved up â€" use results to prove how important you are to the overall success of the team. Not only will it help them see how indispensable you are to the business, it might even highlight some accomplishments they weren’t even aware of.Remember: Self-promotion doesn’t have to be all about you.Be yourself (only better)Experience isn’t the only thing that counts when it comes to promotions.Some of the positions you apply for might require additional skills or qualifications, some of which may be seen as essential â€" even for an internal applicant. So, instead of waiting for your employer to push you forward, take things into your own hands by getting certified on your own terms.If it’s a role you really want to do, the extra time spent studying will undoubtedly pay dividends. And even if you miss out on the job within your own company, you’ll have something extra to add to your CV if you decide to start looking elsewhere.Move sidewaysNot every promotion needs to be a direct step forward.Moving into a new position which is at the same level as yours (but potentially in a different team or with different responsibilities) might actually work out better in the long run. Especially if there’s someone blocking the path directly above you.And, even though you might not see the new role as a step up, it might come with additional benefits, such as a pay rise or more flexible hours. So not only will it leave you better off, it’ll also offer direct access to a more available position to move into from there.Pick up on mistakesNewsflash: You don’t have to agree with everything your boss says.In fact, the reason they’ve built a team around them is partly to surround themselves with individuals who have knowledge or skills beyond their own expertise. Asking questions not only demonstrates your own attributes, it also shows you’ve got a backbone.So stop taking no for an answer, and if you don’t agree with something â€" question it.Just make sure you can back yourself up. There’s a fine line between inquisitive and irritating…Admit to your own failuresPromotions aren’t just about your accomplishments â€" they also come down to accountability.Anyone can take the credit when everything’s running smoothly. But showing that you’re willing to take the blame for failure, and actively seek solutions, is an absolutely vital attribute for senior staff to possess.So if things do start going wrong, be honest and tell your manager. Then improve your own standing by letting them know how you’re going to resolve the issue.Because it’s better that they hear it directly from you, and know you’re on top of the situation, than finding out you’ve tried to cover it up from someone at the water cooler (insert other applicable social situation here).Don’t neglect your day-to-dayFinally, don’t forget about your day job.Big project pieces and new qualifications might seem like great ways to ensure career progression, and they will definitely help your cause â€" but they should never come at the cost of your day-to-day responsibilities.Remember: promotions are never a given. And if you’re struggling to keep your own responsibilities in check, you’ll have a hard time convincing your manager to place any more trust in you.Get the foundations right first. Then you can build on them.Feel like youre stuck in a position with no progression? View all available vacancies now.  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Career Development Life At Work

Make Sure You Avoid this Online Branding Fiasco - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Make Sure You Avoid this Online Branding Fiasco - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Earlier this week, I heard about an acquaintance who had misrepresented himself on LinkedIn.   He changed his profile to only show partial information about his work history.   Plus, he added a company profile for his new consulting business and grossly lied about his 2009 revenue and the number of employees he had.   All those changes were made because he desperately wants to find consulting clients to make money while looking for his next job and wanted to look established and successful. But a simple Google search reveals that hes lying on LinkedIn.   His own website proves that his LinkedIn profile is false! Shocked by this discovery, I decided to probe a little deeper and find what else Google could tell me about him.   And I struck gold.   On the first page of Google blog search for his name, a blog comment appeared.   Not just any comment either; hed written on a marriage counseling post saying that while he was still thin, his wife had gained a lot of weight and it has ruined their physical relationship.   And, just in case a casual Google searcher might be tempted to dismiss the comment as written by someone else with the same name, hed helpfully included the same professional photograph he uses on his website. Did I mention that the marriage counseling blog is syndicated by another blog and thus this persons TMI comment appeared twice on the first page of Google blog search results? Caught red handed Learning all this took me about two minutesand I didnt even have to compare his LinkedIn profile to his website.   Someone else had noticed the discrepancy in their weekly LinkedIn network update email (easy to notice because it was glaringly obvious) and told others about it.   Once I heard about it, I compared the info in about 1 minute, and then dashed over to Google. Luckily, Im not in a position where I would be hiring this person so it wasnt the end of the world for me to find out this information.   But, this is how it affected my perception of his personal brand.   Even though hes portrayed himself as someone who understands using the Internet to achieve business goals, he doesnt demonstrate an understanding of how easy the web makes it for people to verify information and learn about others.   He also obviously doesnt understand that what he writes on the Internet can embarrass people.   (How embarrassing for his wife if she stumbles across his comment about her!   How much worse if someone else tells her about it!) If I were looking to hire this person, and found all this out, I would definitely be taken aback.   I would wonder if hed told me things that werent true when we were interviewing, and Id worry that hed post sensitive information about my customers online.   No matter how much value he could bring to my company, I would view him as a risk and think twice about hiring him. Tough lessons learned There are basically four lessons I derived from this personal branding fiasco: Dont lie online.   Its way too easy to find out the truth. If you are dumb enough to lie, dont be so dumb that your own website shows that youre lying. Dont share uncomfortable personal information about yourself or family members online. If youre dumb enough to share uncomfortable personal information online, dont be dumb enough to use your full name and professional picture. When youre branding yourself online, or even just interacting online, youre broadcasting information to the world.   Everything you do and say can be accessed, and will become part of how your future employers view you.   Remember that at all times. Dont be the next cautionary tale.   I dont want to be writing about you. Author: Katie Konrath writes about creativity, innovation and “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped!” at www.getFreshMinds.com.

Money Traps to Avoid Over the Holidays

Money Traps to Avoid Over the Holidays The holidays are almost upon us, and with them comes good food, good cheer and more than a little overspending as we rush about trying to find the perfect gifts for everyone on our lists. You may be one of those holiday shoppers that maxes out your credit cards and spends all of next year paying off those gifts. To keep you from digging yourself into holiday shopping debt this year, we’ve gathered some of the best tips and tricks to protect you from those inevitable holiday money traps. Trap No. 1: Shopping on Black Friday We all wait with breathless anticipation for the release of those Black Friday flyers and the sales that they contain. For many people, taking advantage of those discounts is the best way to stretch their holiday dollar a little farther. Is it really the best savings option? It can be, but you have to do your research. While a good majority of the sales on Black Friday are actually good deals, nearly 20 percent of items marked for sale on Black Friday or Cyber Monday are actually more expensive than their normal sale price! A stand mixer â€" Normal price: $280. Black Friday sale Price: $350 Electric motocross bike â€" Normal price: $299. Black Friday sale price: $420 Those are only a couple of examples. There are plenty of great deals if you are shopping on a budget, but make sure you do a little research before you brave the crowds to make sure you are actually getting the best deal. Trap No. 2: Drinking What would the holidays be without a bit of spiked eggnog or a glass of champagne when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve? Drinking in moderation is OK, but there’s a fine line between moderation and excess and many of us toe that line, especially during the holidays. The CDC defines heavy drinking for adults as more than 8 drinks a week for women, and more than 15 drinks a week for men. Even if we ignore the detrimental physical effects of alcohol on your body, drinking in excess can have a detrimental effect on your wallet as well. If you do drink during the holiday season, try staying at home instead of going to a bar. This simple step can reduce the money you spend on alcohol by two-thirds or more, depending on what your poison of choice is. Trap No. 3: New Credit Cards Credit card companies know that the holiday season is when people spend the most money on credit during the year, and they try to cash in on that spending by offering holiday credit cards. Don’t fall into this trap. No matter how good the deal might look, you will eventually have to pay that money back, leaving you scrambling to factor that new credit card payment into a budget already badly stretched by the holiday season. Additionally, these credit cards may have high interest rates. They may promise you a 0 percent APR, but it only applies during the promotional period and defers interest rather than waiving it. Trap No. 4: Winging It This is by far one of the biggest and most costly money traps that we encounter during the holidays. Instead of setting up a budget or even just a set spending limit, we browse the stores and buy whatever catches our fancy. There are two easy ways to avoid this money trap: Make a list and check it twice. You’re not Santa so you don’t need to worry about who’s naughty or nice, but you should write a list of who you’re buying for, how much you’re willing to spend and a basic idea of what you want to buy. Set a budget! Once you have your list, set an overall spending limit and don’t exceed it. Don’t think you’ll just stay in that budget if you don’t write it down. Make a point of doing all of your prep work first and it’ll be easier to prevent overspending. Trap No. 5: Decking the Halls Everyone loves having a fully decked house for the holidays, with everything from lights to ornaments and everything in between. Stop right there! Don’t buy your holiday decorations before Dec. 25. It may seem a little counterintuitive, but hear us out before you totally disregard this trap. You can buy your holiday decorations for full price before Christmas day, or you can wait until Dec. 26 and get twice as much for the same price. Most retailers mark their entire holiday inventory down by 50 percent as soon as it hits midnight on Dec. 26, so keep a list of everything you want to stock up on for next year, and go shopping guilt-free the day after Christmas. Trap No. 6: Buying the Brand Sometimes this trap is unavoidable, especially if you have a small child that just has to have the latest “Frozen” toy, but if you can postpone your purchases for a little bit, you can save a lot of money. This is especially important for electronic purchases, because there are always new models hitting the market every few months. If a new tablet comes out just in time for the holiday season, you can bet the price will drop dramatically after the glitter has worn off and the wrapping paper has been crumpled up and thrown away. If you can wait you can save quite a bit of money, but this does tend to be one of the hardest money traps to avoid during the holiday season. Retailers and manufacturers specifically wait until the holiday shopping season is in full swing before they release their new devices. If you can avoid some of these common money traps, you may be able to reduce your holiday spending so you can start the New Year on the right foot instead of stressing about holiday debt.

4 Cool Careers - Unconventional

4 Cool Careers - Unconventional The American statesmen are saying that the recession is over. Technically, it is true. Media is also supporting the fact. The unemployment rate is very likely to be reduced in the coming few months. On paper, the job market is going to see a positive trend very soon. Unfortunately, technical figures or on-paper trends don’t always complement the reality. There are millions of Americans who are still jobless and looking for a suitable job to meet life’s most obvious financial requirements. The situation is even worse for recent college graduates who are desperately trying to give their career a head start. The present economy doesn’t allow them to do so and as a result, they fail to get the right job even after having adequate qualifications. When getting any kind of job is a challenge, getting the ‘right’ job is really far-fetched, at least for the time being. 4 Cool Careers Although there is no such ‘real’ positive sign in the job market, yet there are some jobs that are not considered to be conventional. Some of these jobs pay well while others provide immense job satisfaction and much fun. Here are 4 job ideas that fall outside of the traditional job parameters. 1. Bed Tester â€" Irrespective of your educational qualification, you can give this career a serious thought. At times we all love to blow off regular jobs and stay in bed for long hours.   What if you can turn such leisure activities into a serious money-making career? Yes, you can do it as a bed tester. As a professional bed tester, you need to bounce on the bed to test the level of comfort. Leading hotel chains often hire bed testers. The job pays well and doesn’t demand higher qualification. 2. Field Test Analyst â€" The business of recreational equipments is recession-proof. Companies that sell such equipments make millions of dollars every year and the profit-figure goes in north direction. The success of this business largely depends on the quality and workability of the products. An intimate knowledge of the items can be gained only through vigorous testing of the products prior to selling them. Companies like Recreational Equipment Inc. hire people to test the equipments before marketing them. 3. Gold Stacker â€" Gold repositories including Federal Reserve Bank of New York store gold bars in the form of trapezoids. Sometimes these bars need to be shifted and there the need of gold stackers comes into play. Gold stackers need to shift the 27-pound gold bars manually. However, gold stackers usually work in a team. 4. Waterslide Tester We all love to shoot down a waterslide in an amusement park, but if it doesn’t work properly we won’t get the maximum fun and enjoyment that we desire. A waterslide tester tests it for stress factors as well as aerodynamic factor. The job ensures good payout and sheer fun. Only physical fitness is demanded to perform the job. We often miss many career opportunities because we wait for so-called right job. If we can rise above our ego, we may find many jobs that not only provide good money, but also complete job satisfaction.

4 Cool Careers - Unconventional

4 Cool Careers - Unconventional The American statesmen are saying that the recession is over. Technically, it is true. Media is also supporting the fact. The unemployment rate is very likely to be reduced in the coming few months. On paper, the job market is going to see a positive trend very soon. Unfortunately, technical figures or on-paper trends don’t always complement the reality. There are millions of Americans who are still jobless and looking for a suitable job to meet life’s most obvious financial requirements. The situation is even worse for recent college graduates who are desperately trying to give their career a head start. The present economy doesn’t allow them to do so and as a result, they fail to get the right job even after having adequate qualifications. When getting any kind of job is a challenge, getting the ‘right’ job is really far-fetched, at least for the time being. 4 Cool Careers Although there is no such ‘real’ positive sign in the job market, yet there are some jobs that are not considered to be conventional. Some of these jobs pay well while others provide immense job satisfaction and much fun. Here are 4 job ideas that fall outside of the traditional job parameters. 1. Bed Tester â€" Irrespective of your educational qualification, you can give this career a serious thought. At times we all love to blow off regular jobs and stay in bed for long hours.   What if you can turn such leisure activities into a serious money-making career? Yes, you can do it as a bed tester. As a professional bed tester, you need to bounce on the bed to test the level of comfort. Leading hotel chains often hire bed testers. The job pays well and doesn’t demand higher qualification. 2. Field Test Analyst â€" The business of recreational equipments is recession-proof. Companies that sell such equipments make millions of dollars every year and the profit-figure goes in north direction. The success of this business largely depends on the quality and workability of the products. An intimate knowledge of the items can be gained only through vigorous testing of the products prior to selling them. Companies like Recreational Equipment Inc. hire people to test the equipments before marketing them. 3. Gold Stacker â€" Gold repositories including Federal Reserve Bank of New York store gold bars in the form of trapezoids. Sometimes these bars need to be shifted and there the need of gold stackers comes into play. Gold stackers need to shift the 27-pound gold bars manually. However, gold stackers usually work in a team. 4. Waterslide Tester We all love to shoot down a waterslide in an amusement park, but if it doesn’t work properly we won’t get the maximum fun and enjoyment that we desire. A waterslide tester tests it for stress factors as well as aerodynamic factor. The job ensures good payout and sheer fun. Only physical fitness is demanded to perform the job. We often miss many career opportunities because we wait for so-called right job. If we can rise above our ego, we may find many jobs that not only provide good money, but also complete job satisfaction.

Patti Temple Rocks Addresses Workplace Ageism [Podcast] - Career Pivot

Patti Temple Rocks Addresses Workplace Ageism [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode #124 â€" Marc Miller Interviews Patti Temple Rocks, author of I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace. Description: For over four decades, Patti Temple Rocks has held senior leadership positions in three distinct communication sectors: PR, advertising, and corporate/client side. She is an inspirational leader, innovative thinker, problem-solver, growth driver, brand steward, and an agent of change. Patti is passionate about fighting age discrimination and helping people understand how it harms individuals, businesses, and society, as a whole. You can learn more about this issue at Imnotdone.rocks. Listen in for ways you can have this conversation where you work and where you live. Key Takeaways: [1:09] Marc welcomes you to Episode 124 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Career Pivot brings you this podcast. CareerPivot.com is one of the very few websites dedicated to those of us in the second half of life and our careers. Take a moment to check out the blog and the other resources delivered to you, free of charge. [1:41] If you are enjoying this podcast, please share it with other like-minded souls. Subscribe on CareerPivot.com, iTunes, or any of the other apps that supply podcasts. Share it on social media or just tell your neighbors, and colleagues. [2:02] Next week will be Episode 125. Marc has categorized the episodes. Look for them on CareerPivot.com/podcast. Scroll past the player to find Show Notes by Category, including interviews, audiobook chapters, series, and more. [3:23] Let Marc know what you think about how they are organized. Feel free to email Marc at Podcast@CareerPivot.com [3:38] Next week, Marc will interview Paul Tasner. Marc found Paul through his TED Talk where he told his story of being laid off at the age of 64 and becoming an entrepreneur and formed Pulpworks. [4:01] This week, Marc interviews Patti Temple Rocks, the author of a great book on Ageism. Now on to the podcast… Download Link | iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast| Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast [5:46] Marc welcomes Patti to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Patti reveals some of her personal passions: traveling and experiencing local cultures. [6:28] Patti explains the inspiration to write her book. Her boss and mentor, the first women to reach the C-suite at this large corporation, was pushed to the sideline. Patti asked the CEO why, and he said she was “just tired.” Patti knew that wasn’t true, and she started noticing age discrimination from that point on. [8:45] Patti’s wanted to make sure that didn’t happen to her, and to prepare for the day when the workplace decided it was time for her to go do something else. [9:10] Patti found a lot of writings about creating a second career when you are not perceived as valuable in your first career. Patti wasn’t ready to go do something else. She still had a lot to offer and give. Patti realized there were others who felt the same. [9:55] Patti’s book focuses on a message for businesses: You’ve got to change because there is this huge population of us who are reaching the stereotypical retirement age and we’re not going to want to go. [10:37] Marc has noticed code words for ageism. One term used in his workplace was he “doesn’t have the energy.” Patti says “digital native” can exclude Boomers. [11:07] Chris Farrell in Unretirement: How Baby Boomers are Changing the Way We Think About Work, Community, and the Good Life, says that companies are going to need Boomers. Without companies changing their behaviors, there will still be ageism. [11:29] When Marc interviewed Ashton Applewhite she had said that Boomers need to change behaviors. Patti saw there was room for her book. [11:51] In Patti’s opinion, there were a lot of people willing to make assumptions without having conversations about what is in the best interest of the company and the employee. Talking about age is considered taboo. Talking about salary is forbidden. More transparency in business will uncover inequities. [13:16] People assume that when an employee reaches a certain age, they don’t want to travel or move, or they are not worth training. These untruths continue due to lack of conversation. [13:40] Ageism exists because we don’t talk about it. Patti remembers a time when there were no diversity and inclusion officers or strategies. Today, we are talking about racism and sexism in corporations and in society. Age does not have that protection. [15:31] We need to start noticing when workers in their 50s and 60s are being ushered out of organizations. Ask the question, “What’s going on in my organization?” We can make a change. Marc tells of a case of disguised ageism from his corporate history. [16:30] Patti gives an example of ageism from her own career. Our view of retirement changes as we approach the expected retirement age. [19:34] Marc will interview Andrew Scott in May. Andrew and his wife, Lynda Gratton, wrote The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity. Young adults are probably not going to retire until they’re 85. They just haven’t figured that out, yet. [20:29] Marc talks about Del Webb, who opened the first Sun City on January 1, 1960, with five model homes and a strip mall. 10,000 cars came through the first day. A lot of the people smoked. They were in their 60s and weren’t going to live for more than 10 years. Today a married couple of age 65 have a good chance that one will live to 100. [21:53] Patti talks about how Herman Miller has addressed ageism. They realized that if everybody who was eligible for retirement took it at the time of their eligibility, they would have serious labor shortage and knowledge-transfer problems. [22:47] Herman Miller also noticed that most people were retiring without giving much notice. Those people were also not really prepared for retirement. Herman Miller created a program of flex retirement that encouraged employees to work with their managers to plan for retirement in steps, as much as five years ahead of time. [24:13] There almost always was a solution that was in the best interests both of the company and the employee. A major benefit for Herman Miller was in being able to plan for orderly successions with the person whose job is being filled making some contributions to the discussions. This program was a win-win. [25:08] Companies need to realize that it’s in their best interests, from a labor standpoint, to keep their employees around longer. If we Boomers can get people talking about ageism, and treating it as a taboo subject, solutions will arise from that conversation. [26:13] Patti interviewed many people who had experienced ageism. One obvious conclusion is that older workers are not around because of their higher salaries. It’s up to all of us to continue to prove our value, no matter what our age, so that we earn our salary. In cost-cutting times, that may mean reduced hours or a lower-paying job. [27:51] 100% of the people Patti interviewed said that if their boss had offered the option to change roles and reduce compensation, they would surely have considered it and more than likely would have taken it. Most people aren’t in a position to completely retire in their 50s or early 60s, if for no other reason than the high cost of health insurance. [28:30] Nobody should take a pay cut for doing the exact same job but companies can find a way to reorganize someone’s job to use their strengths at a lower salary. [28:51] Marc is living in Mexico because of the high cost of health insurance in the U.S. Marc also notes that he never was offered at any job the option to do something different for less money. [29:20] One of the common themes in Marc’s online community is that everybody wants the freedom of when they want to work, what they want to work on, and how hard they want to work. It’s not as much about the pay. [29:43] Patti has seen through her career that everybody wants flexibility and freedom. It is especially important toward the end of a career. CVS offered a package to pharmacists and store managers to spend winters in Florida. This solved a training and staffing problem and worked out well for older workers. Flexibility is huge. [32:11] Patti’s hope is that, as a result of this conversation in society, we will all have more choices about our own end of careers. [33:46] Patti has the idea that the vast majority of people who don’t get employee reviews when they’re supposed to are over 40. It’s sort of decided for us at that age that we care less about career development. Patti says, let’s take control of the end of our careers, not just the beginning of our careers. [34:28] Marc doesn’t ever want to retire. He wants to work less at something he loves, on his terms. [34:46] Patti’s book, I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace, is available on Amazon. Patti’s website is Imnotdone.rocks and you can reach out to her there. Patti’s focus in her writings is to continue to raise awareness for this topic. People always thank her for bringing this up. Patti is not done talking about it! [35:41] Marc thanks Patti and hopes you enjoyed this episode. Ageism is not going away anytime soon. Marc recommends Patti’s book. Let him know what you think of it. [36:00] The Career Pivot Community website has become a valuable resource for 50 members who are participating in the Beta phase of this project. Marc is currently recruiting new members for the next cohort. [36:11] If you are interested in the endeavor and would like to be put on the waiting list, please go to CareerPivot.com/Community. When you sign up you’ll receive information about the community as it evolves. [36:27] Those who are in these initial cohorts set the direction of this endeavor. This is a paid membership community with group coaching and special content. More importantly, it’s a community where you can seek help. Go to CareerPivot.com/Community to learn more. [36:52] Marc invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn.com/in/mrmiller. Just include in the connection request that you heard Marc on this podcast. You can look for Career Pivot on Facebook, LinkedIn, or @CareerPivot on Twitter. [37:14] Please come back next week, when Marc will interview Paul Tasner, owner of Pulpworks. [37:20] Marc thanks you for listening to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. [37:25] You will find the show notes for this episode at CareerPivot.com/episode-124. [37:32] Please hop over to CareerPivot.com and subscribe to get updates on this podcast and all the other happenings at Career Pivot. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, the Google Podcasts app, Podbean, the Overcast app, or the Spotify app. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Tips for Finding a New Job While You Are Currently Employed - CareerAlley

Tips for Finding a New Job While You Are Currently Employed - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Be a yardstick of quality. Some people arent used to an environment where excellence is expected. Steve Jobs Author: Anna Mathieu, Marketing The current job market is not ideal and there is uncertainty; that said there are great career opportunities out there. If you are currently employed it is more difficult to conduct a job search, but it can be done smartly and respectfully. Here are some tips for a productive job search while currently employed, and moving on with grace: Confidentiality Job hunting while you are employed can be tricky. You dont want to burn bridges or be replaced before you have found your dream job. While in general the more people who know you are looking, the easier for people to find you, this is not an option when you need to keep your current employment. Conducting a job search confidentially means choosing the people you tell wisely. Typically you wouldnt include your co-workers, upper management, or company contacts in this secret. Working with a recruiter will protect your identity until mutual interest with a prospective employer is established. When you do have an interview, let the company know that your job search is confidential. Do It On Your Own Time Dime This is your job search, make sure you do this on your personal time and use your own resources. Make sure that you provide only personal the contact information on your resume or cover letter. For job search correspondence, use a personal email, or set up a new email, and use your own phone and personal computer. This is respectful of the work contract in which you are currently engaged, and will keep you out of any conflicts that could arise if your job search becomes known. Interviewing Just as the job searching should be done on your own time, ideally interviews should too. This is not always possible of course, so when you cant schedule a phone or onsite interview outside of work hours, use your paid time off. Rather than invent any reasons, simply use your personal time. And be careful if you going to work on the same days as your interview that you dont give yourself away by arriving dressed in a suit and tie that you never wear to work! Internet Job Hunting Privacy settings may include your name and contact information for example, and some offer the ability to block specific viewers such as your current company from viewing your resume. While the internet offers vast resources, be careful about what you broadcast on social media from Twitter to LinkedIn, your comments can be widely distributed and very difficult to retract. Review your photos and personal information as employers use social media too! Networking It is difficult to utilize networks when your job search is confidential, however you can strengthen relationships and communications in general which may open up some doors and offer insight into new opportunities. Moving On With Grace Stay invested in your current position and honor the work contract and trust that you have with your current employer while job searching. Until you have accepted an offer in writing, dont tell anyone about your job search or new job. Once the new position is confirmed, tell your boss first and follow the usual protocols of providing adequate notice (typically at least two weeks). Be graceful in your departure. The relationships you have built here are important, whether for continuing business relations in the same industry, obtaining recommendations in the future, or even future employment down the road with colleagues. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/career-management-articles/tips-for-finding-a-new-job-while-you-are-currently-employed-5291868.html About the Author Anna Mathieu, Marketing Communications Manager at Redfish Technology, Inc. Annas experience as a recruiter and as a seasoned sales marketing professional give her a winning perspective on communicating Redfishs specialized recruiting services. Her evangelization and branding continue to drive bottom line results. Redfish Technology, Inc. specializes High Tech and Green Energy talent acquisition. Originating in Silicon Valley in 1996, Redfish offers nationwide coverage. We serve as an employer human capital source and candidate career management resource. Join the LinkedIn group: Redfish Technology: Jobs in High Tech Green Energy. Good luck in your search.

Tips on What to Include Under Qualifications in Your Resume

Tips on What to Include Under Qualifications in Your ResumeA resume should be short and simple but it's the writing that can make or break your chances for getting an interview. While you don't want to sound as if you are stammering, it is absolutely vital that you include the information correctly. Here are some tips on what to include under qualifications in your resume.-What to do first when compiling your document, is to list all the necessary things that will help you get a job. Include the following information. It doesn't need to be in chronological order but keep them in order so that you can see the importance of each one.-Experience: This is always present and it never goes away. You may also want to add in any volunteer work you have done. Be honest, if the employer asks about volunteering you can say that you have not been active for a while. Another tip that can be helpful is to list the best skills you have learned through work experience. This will give an employer a g ood idea of what kind of worker you are.-Education: This has to be in the bottom of the document but can sometimes be hidden in the middle. When looking at your qualifications list and trying to remember if you have other qualifications such as volunteer work or other diplomas, take the time to write down all your degrees including that master's program. When checking your school, you will notice that it is a state college or university. Make sure you have all the education required.-Work experience: You can add this to what to include under qualifications. Most likely this will include time working at your current job but it could also include other jobs that involve your skill set. What you can do is be very detailed and write it down as if you were in front of a hiring manager. Do not be too vague because this will indicate that you don't really know what you are talking about.-Skills: You might be thinking that you do not have any skills. No matter, it does not mean that you hav e no skills. The point is that you have skills that other employers find valuable and would like to take advantage of.These are all things that can be considered necessary and when you check them off, you will have accomplished what you needed to get into a new position. It is important that you emphasize this in your document because this is how you will show them what they need to see.Writing a resume is a tedious process that can seem confusing but with a little practice you will soon be able to craft a professional looking document. The next time you have a chance to apply for a job, this is what you should focus on. Do not hesitate and put all the necessary details to what to include under qualifications.