Your 2024 Job Hunt Checklist and Professional Improvement

 

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Finding a job during the COVID-19 crisis (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

 

Guillaume Moubeche

 

Millions of people worldwide have been laid off due to the COVID-19 crisis. Nevertheless, a lot of companies are still hiring and we wanted to help all job seekers out there to find their new dream job. ❤️

 

Why do you need this guide?   READ ON...... Do it NOW.

 

 

 

 

A professional Career test, created with the help of Psychologists and Neuroscientists.

 
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Top 10 jobs to match your personality

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Your 2024 Job Hunt Checklist

 

Job hunting has changed dramatically in the past five years. Resumes have gone virtual. Networking happens on Facebook, and companies text job openings to prospective employees' cellphones.

 

 

If you're unemployed and looking, or working but want to know what else is out there, give yourself an edge by using the latest job-hunting strategies and tools.

Here's a checklist of things to do before starting a job search in the New Year:



 

1. Revamp your Resume.



Research jobs that are in demand, then play up experience you have that dovetails with those trends.

Use job-specific keywords to push your resume to the top of recruiters' search results. Stick to career highlights, but be prepared to provide details in an interview.

It might not sound important, but pay attention to your resume's design.

Don't cram in too much -- the easier your resume is on the eyes, the more likely a recruiter will read it.    [Related: 12 Steps to a Smart Resume]

 

2.  Join online networks, starting with LinkedIn.

 

Social networks are some of the first places recruiters go when they have jobs to fill, and if you're not there, they won't know about you.

If you only have time or energy for one, start with LinkedIn.

Fill in your entire profile, but avoid over-used business phrases such as the ones on this list of top 10 buzzwords that LinkedIn released this week. Add a recent photo.

Ask previous employers or companies you've worked with as a contractor for recommendations.

List programming or other work-related skills in your profile so your name pops up in when companies use the new LinkedIn Skills search tool to find potential employees.

 

3. Create a business card.

 

Besides your name, a card should include a professional-sounding email address and phone number.

Change the outgoing voicemail message on your home phone to something appropriate for business, or list your cell number instead.

If you have a website related to your profession, but the URL on your card; otherwise, include a link to your LinkedIn profile.

When you're going to a job fair or interview, take more cards than you think you'll need so you don't run out -- or hand out virtual cards (see No. 7 below).

 

4. Find a job chat on Twitter.

 

Use these virtual conversations to find companies that are hiring or network with recruiters and fellow job seekers.

Twitter chats happen in real-time, with members using a hashtag associated with a particular discussion to ask a question and follow what others are saying.

Job chats include #jobhuntchat (Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern), #careerchat (Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Eastern) and #HireFriday or #HFChat (Fridays at noon Eastern).

 

5.  Research companies before approaching them.

 

Job boards have made submitting a resume so easy, employers are inundated.

If you're applying for jobs online, do your homework on a company first to make sure it's a good match.

Then, include a cover letter that reflects your knowledge of the business and why you'd make a good addition to the team.

 

6.  Find an in.

 

Even in the age of social networking, the old adage that it's who you know still holds true. Once you've identified a potential employer, review your contacts online and off for friends or acquaintances who work there or have in the past.

Ask them for advice or an introduction.

Join a LinkedIn Group for your industry or profession, and reach out to group members who might be able to introduce you to a hiring manager.

 

It starts by getting off the wall and standing tall on your feet.

person in blue denim jeans and black and white sneakers

 

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The New Rules for Finding Your Next Job in 2024.

Candidates have more leverage. Conversations have shifted toward flexible hours and locations. How to ace your interview at this moment.

Rachel Feintzeig -Columnist, The Wall Street Journal

Workers are quitting in record numbers. Salaries are up, and flexibility is in. The rules for getting your next job have changed.

Leverage has shifted to candidates as employers struggle to find the talent they need, recruiters and management researchers say. Hiring processes now include more frank discussions about remote work, balancing job duties with family, and staving off burnout.

 

Job Hunting in the Pandemic: Don't Overshare

Yet knowing how much to share with a hiring manager remains tricky. And in an era of virtual recruiting, it’s harder to figure out what a company is really like, and whether a boss is toxic—before you make a leap.

“It used to be when you went to interview at a company you could actually observe people at work,” says Greg Selker, a Cleveland-based recruiter. “Now you’re interviewing over Zoom.”


 

Here are the new rules for job-hunting now.

 

It’s Personal

You have kids or an elderly parent who needs help.

Should you talk about your personal situation—and talk about working an altered schedule—while interviewing?

Not at first, career experts say.

“Biases do seep in,” says Tejal Wagadia, a recruiter for a technology company who lives in Tempe, Ariz.

Disclosing personal information, she says, from whether you’re married to what you do on the weekends, could inadvertently give someone a reason to not give you a job.

“If it’s not relevant to the job you’re going to be doing, why give them additional information that could potentially negatively impact you?” Ms. Wagadia advises.

 

Still, Covid-19 has normalized once-unusual work arrangements and brought work structure forward in interviews, says Carol Fishman Cohen, the chief executive of iRelaunch, which helps companies with return-to-work programs.

She says you no longer have to wait until an offer to bring up flexibility.

“Employers are not going to be surprised by it, because it’s what everyone is talking about,” she adds.

Ask questions about how the company has evolved its approach to work during the pandemic.

Based on the response, you might not have to ask for a specific accommodation to get the flexibility you need, Ms. Cohen says.

If you do have to make an ask, don’t offer up too many details of your personal situation, and do stress how you’ve been successful in your current role while tending to other parts of your life, too.

 

Get Paid

Want a big raise?

Now’s your chance.

Candidates are requesting 20% to 30% more for the tech and corporate roles Ms. Wagadia recruits for, compared with what she would have offered in 2019, she says.

 

Ms. Wagadia says she can’t meet every request, but she doesn’t flinch when candidates throw out big numbers.

She recommends using a site like salary.com to explore the going rate for your skillset and role. Then, set a range that’s $10,000 to $15,000 lower and higher than that number.

Explain that your research indicates that that’s what the market commands for your experience.

It’s perfectly acceptable to have the salary conversation early in the interview process, Ms. Wagadia says. In fact, she prefers it.

 

Negotiation experts advise against being the first one to throw out a number.

Instead, ask the recruiter what their budget is for the role.

And remember that some states and cities outlaw interviewers from asking about candidates’ salary histories.

Disclosing your current pay could box you into a smaller salary bump.

 

Burnout Ahead

The last thing you want is to take a new job that’s worse than your old one.

No hiring manager is going to blurt out, “We’re all miserable here.” (And if they do, run.) Learn to read the clues.

First, get a sense of attrition at the company, says Jennifer Moss, author of the book, “The Burnout Epidemic.”

A raft of departures is a red flag, both because of the factors driving staff to say goodbye and because “it’s putting a huge strain on the employees who are left behind,” Ms. Moss says.

If you feel like there is a desperation to hire you—the process is moving shockingly fast and interviewers mention that the team is currently lean—chances are you will be slammed with work as soon as you join.

 

Other phrases that can indicate you’ll be picking up the team’s slack, according to Ms. Moss: “Our employees wear a lot of hats.

We like to hustle.”

 

Observe your interviewers closely: Do they all seem exhausted?

Does talking about their job energize them, or seem laborious?

Do they sell the company, or seem a little cynical?

“If that person isn’t excited about their work, it’s hard to think you would be,” Ms. Moss says.

How a boss approaches an interview is often how they approach managing employees, says Mr. Selker, the recruiter.

Are they giving you their full attention, or are their eyes darting to another screen?

Is it a conversation, or are they just grilling you the whole time, without opening up the opportunity for you to ask questions?

If the latter, you’re likely looking at a workplace with a top-down management style.

 
Vaccine Status

Every recruiter I’ve spoken with since last fall has the same view: There’s no need to put your vaccine status on your résumé. It’s entirely appropriate to ask questions if you’ll be in an office, Mr. Selker says. Do they have a vaccine or masking policy? What protocols help to make sure folks are safe on-site?

If the recruiter says the company mandates vaccines, you can then share your vaccination status, Mr. Selker adds.

 

Remote Future

It’s hard to fault employers for shifting return-to-the-office plans—after all, the virus is morphing, too. But job seekers still want to know whether they’re joining a company that’s committed to flexibility for the long haul or will require them to turn up in an office every day.

 

If the organization is still considering its long-term remote-work stance, leaders should be able to explain how they’re thinking it through, including which criteria would push them toward allowing remote or hybrid work indefinitely—or not.

If executives stay tight-lipped, leaving it at “we’re remote right now,” brace for a full return, says Paul Argenti, a professor of corporate communication at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.

 

“As soon as they can, they’re going to drag you back to the office,” he says.

Another hint: if the company is transitioning to hoteling, where workers reserve desks on an as-needed basis, that likely indicates more flexibility.

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The Only Difference Between Successful & Unsuccessful People

A simple definition of success is truly ‘one size fits all'.

Ayodeji Awosika

I know one undeniable fact about you. I know a fact about you that you can’t dispute no matter how hard you try.

 

Regardless of who you are, what you look like, where you’re from, or what you do, I’m certain about one thing. It’s because of this reason that I’m able to make a clear cut definition of who’s successful and who isn’t.

 

So what am I talking about?

 

Ok, here’s the one thing I know about you without question.

No matter what, you will always be you.

 

Move to a new city? You’ll still be you. Get a new job? You’ll still be you. Find a new partner? Still you. Search for a magical life purpose (or don’t)? Still you.

 

Why does this matter?

I’ll explain.

 

The Simplest Way to Understand Success

 

“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.” — Bob Dylan

 

You come equipped with certain tastes, talents, and predilections. Although you can increase your motivation and change your behaviors, you more or less have an innate level of natural ambition. You have a worldview and belief systems that shape the way you view the world.

 

Because of all the above, you have a definition of success that makes sense to you.

 

If you reach and exceed it, you’re successful.

If you don’t, you’re not.

But how do you know what you really want?

How do you know which dreams are really yours?

Is there a way to figure out whether or not your definition of success is accurate so that you can reach it and be happy?

 

Yes and no.

 

You’ll never know exactly, but you kinda know. You pretty much know. And here’s what’s most important, you know enough to know when you’re selling yourself short. I’d rather you overshoot, realize the success you achieved wasn’t quite what you’d thought it’d be, and scale back than to never get close to your true potential.

 

And the most important tell of all…

 

When you go about your day, are you doing things you want to do or not? Even if you don’t know exactly what your dream life might look like, avoiding things you hate or don’t want to do is a much better litmus test.

 

If you don’t feel like you want to be doing what you’re doing, shouldn’t that be enough of a sign? Shouldn’t that be enough motivation?

 

That’s no easy answer either. You have obligations, real ones, and you don’t always have time and freedom to play this little success game. You have to live your real life. I get it.

 

This is why I always talk about carving little bits and time to work instead of overhauling your life. You can get where you want to go in little chunks. And the “point of arrival” is different depending on who you are.

 

For one person, opening up a bakery in their town fits the bill. For another, anything less than millions in the bank and an ostentatious lifestyle won’t suffice.

 

Some people genuinely do just want to live a simple life — have a decent job they don’t hate, have a family, and enjoy their time on the planet without getting all obsessed with this “success” nonsense.

But how many people genuinely feel this way?

 

How do you feel?

 

Out of the entire pool of people who say they just want a simple life, a fraction of them actually means it. Maybe they don’t want world domination, but they want something more. Something different.

Maybe you don’t want to become a master of the universe, but I’d bet you have some unrealized dreams you want to accomplish.

 

Is the Idea of Success Overblown?

 

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” — Helen Keller

 

I remember overhearing a conversation my, at the time, grandmother-in-law was having on the phone. She’s in her 80’s — enough time to have decided whether or not her own life was a success.

 

She said something along the lines of, “Oh, well, ya’ know, I guess I’d say I had a pretty good life. I got to spend time with the people I love […].” The tone of her voice struck me. You can almost hear the one in a phrase like “Oh, well, ya’ know,” can’t you?

 

Personally, I’ve never wanted to look back at my life and say, “Oh, well, ya’ know,” about anything. I want it to be more like “Holy crap I can’t believe I pulled this off.”

 

I want my life to be a grand adventure. And this could be my bias talking, but I’m pretty sure you do, too.

 

Don’t you?

 

What’s the truth here, really? What’s the truth for you? Honestly, I’m curious. Sometimes I do think I’m wrong about all of this. That’s why I leave it up to you.

 

If you were being 1,000 percent honest with yourself, how much of your own “grand adventure” have you left on the table?

 

Do you personally need to have one?

 

Think about how you’ve spent the past year, the past decade, hell, maybe the past few decades. Do you have to use rationalizations to make yourself feel good about what happened? Are you content or are you lying to yourself?

 

Only you know the answer.

 

I understand that big dreams aren’t meant for everyone. I get that many self-improvement writers make too big a deal about living the perfect life, being rich, traveling the world, being perfectly optimized, having maximum work and play, etc.

 

Your life probably isn’t bad. Most people’s lives aren’t bad.

 

But as much as I try to bounce back and forth between accepting other people’s choices and wishing they pushed themselves to do more, I always come back to the same feeling.

 

I just don’t see how living a lukewarm life makes sense in the context of only having one life.

 

 

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9 words you should never say in an interview

Your resume made it to the top of the pile and that laundry list of achievements and job titles is impressive. You’re another step closer to landing your dream job, and now it’s time to wow your interviewer…

 

Make sure that the words you use are words you know and that they are used properly! Sometimes, people will use words that they think make them appear smart or relatable, but unfortunately, they use them in the wrong context and that can sometimes be detrimental in an interview.

 

To stay on track and sound put together, use the STAR method before your interview to prepare for any behavioral interview questions the hiring manager throws your way.

 
 

We spoke to executives and HR experts to get their take on the expressions they loathe hearing in an interview. Avoid these words and phrases to ensure your first impression accurately reflects your hireability and passion for the job.

 

“I don’t know…”

“When asked why you want to work for a specific company, never say you don’t know!” says Stacy Caprio, Founder of Growth Marketing, “You should always have at least one fun fact, trivia, culture comment or any comment specific to the place you are interviewing for you can cite as a reason you want to work there.” Think about it: the interviewer not only wants to see what you would be able to do the job but also that you would be a good fit and that you want to be at that specific company, not just any old office.

 

“I hate…”

Hate is a strong word with a very negative connotation. By saying you hated a task, team, boss, policy or former company you run the risk of appearing hot-headed, unprofessional and confrontational. “You can also look blameful,” says Sean Dowling, Partner and Manager of Recruiting Strategy for WinterWyman’s Technology group, “Try to find a word that’s as powerful and always back up your statement with what you did to make the situation or experience better.”

 

“Oh, sh*t.”

“One of the main things to know is that swear words are, of course, not appropriate,” says Debora Rowland, VP of HR at CareerArc, “It can show a lack of respect and sensitivity to the situation.” Using slang words in an interview can also be a negative as it is too informal and likely not appropriate.

 

“Did you see what Trump said today?”

In today’s political environment, it is far better to stay away from controversial topics. “Words such as Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal can color an interview unless the role being applied to is for a political group of some kind or requires specific experience in that realm,” says Rowland, “Staying away from controversial topics and subsequently words would strongly be encouraged.”

 

“I’ll do anything you ask.”

While this sentence could indicate a candidate who is willing to pitch in and be a good team member, it can also be seen as someone who is desperate to become employed, explains Andy Thiede, HR Consultant at KardasLarson, LLC. While this is a sentence to avoid in an interview, there are other ways to say it. For example, the applicant might say, “I’m known as someone who is willing to do any task in order to get the job done.”

 

“How much does this job pay?”

According to Thiede, the timing is important on this one. It’s certainly acceptable to ask about compensation if the interviewer doesn’t mention it first, but it’s a question that should not be asked in the very initial discussion.

 

“What are the benefits?”

Similar to the question on pay, the timing of this question is key. “Don’t ask this question in the initial interview, unless it’s very clear that the meeting is going so well that there is indication a job offer might be tendered on the spot,” says Thiede.

 

“I’ve been to hell and back.”

While it goes without saying that you’re ready to move on from your current position, whether for professional or personal reasons, it’s best to remain tightlipped about exactly why you’re leaving or talk poorly about your former employer or circumstances. “I’ll never forget those words, uttered by a candidate in an interview after she described her personal issues as an explanation of why there was a gap in employment since her last job!” says Thiede.

 

“That is a great question!”

Avoid filler words. When a candidate follows up and each question you ask starts with “Great question” or “um”. Take a second to pause and think instead of filling the silence. “You will come across more confident if you take those pauses,” explains Ben Christensen, Co-founder and Head of People and Talent at Handshake.

 

“I have a rare gift/quality.”
“Let your work and experience speak for itself, says Christensen. Focusing on the job and using words that relate to the role applied is a smart tactic to start. Using some of the wording in the job description as you speak about your experience and skills shows that you’ve paid attention and done your research without coming off as pompous.

 

 

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8 Resume Do's and Don'ts

An article from Indeed.
 

Resumes typically provide the first impression of your qualifications to a prospective employer. There are several guidelines to follow when writing your resume that will make it clear, organized and comprehensive.

 

In this article, we discuss what to do and what not to do on your resume to increase your chances of securing an interview.

 

Resume writing tips

Every resume should include your contact information, describe your professional experience, outline your education and highlight your skills. Here are some do’s and don’ts to consider when writing your resume:

 

1. Relevant experience

 

Do: List your specific experience, skills, and accomplishments that are directly or closely related to the job you’re applying for. Include previous positions that had similar or related responsibilities or those that allowed you to practice relevant skills. If you took professional courses or earned any certifications, including those, as well as any transferable skills.

 

Don’t: Mention experiences not relevant to the position you are applying to. For example, you may have experience using certain scheduling software. Only list it on a resume for a position that also uses that same software. You can consider revising the experience to be more universal, such as “Experienced in multi-calendar management using scheduling software.”

Read more: Listing Professional Experience on Your Resume

 

2. Education

 

Do: Include education relevant to the job. If the position is entry-level, use your associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree. For some entry-level positions, or if you have limited work experience, you can also include your high school diploma or GED. You can also consider listing any related classes you took, such as industry-specific courses like marketing or finance, general education courses like English and writing or technical courses in computer programming.

 

Don’t: Include your GPA. Some employers may request this information, but may just prefer to know your highest level of education is, what and where you studied and when you completed each level of education.

Read more: How to List Education on a Resume

 

3. Personal information

 

Do: Include personal information such as your name, phone number, email address, and for some positions, home address. Review the job listing to identify any additional personal information to include.

 

Don’t: Include information irrelevant to the job search or is not specifically requested by the employer. Some positions, typically in countries other than the U.S., may request a headshot. Family details, such as marital status and number of children are not often required, though an employer may request that information during the initial hiring process and onboarding.

Related: Should You Put Your Address on Your Resume

 

4. Job listings and qualification standards

 

Do: Apply to jobs you are fully or closely qualified for. You can seek positions that require additional training if you’re open to learning new skills. Consider using job descriptions like a checklist. Compare it to your qualifications and see how closely you match the job’s requirements.

 

Don’t: Apply for jobs you do not meet most of the requirements for. Some employers may train the right candidate and often mention that in their listing. When reviewing job listings, confirm you have the minimum level of education, training, and skills listed.

Related: 6 Universal Rules for Resume Writing

 

5. Vocabulary

 

Do: Use simple and direct statements with easy-to-understand terms when describing your experience and skills. You can try statements like, “Collaborated with a team of designers to create targeted advertisements” or “Lead a team of finance managers to educate clients on investment strategies.” Direct statements like these define what your role was in your past job.

 

Don’t: Use cliches or idioms, such as phrases like “team player,” “hard worker” or “detail-oriented” unless they are keywords from the job description. Consider also avoiding too much industry-specific language or jargon. Sometimes, the person reading your resume may be unfamiliar with certain terms if they work in human resources or are doing an initial read-through before passing candidates to the hiring manager.

Read more: Resume Power Words

 

6. Applicant tracking systems.

 

Do: Optimize your resume’s content and structure to successfully pass through an applicant tracking system (ATS). Some companies receive large quantities of applications, so they use an ATS to filter out unqualified candidates. This system goes through each resume and looks for relevant phrases and keywords, often those used in the job description. Resumes are then automatically scored and the passing resumes are sent to the hiring manager to review.

When writing your resume, be sure to use similar phrases and keywords used in the job listing to ensure your qualifications properly reflect the expectations of the role you’re applying to. You can also use simple formatting and easy-to-read structure to ensure the ATS grades your resume on its content.

 

Don’t: Use a complicated template or neglect the keywords in the job description. Both steps are important in ensuring your resume has the highest chance of success.

 

7. Length

 

Do: Write a concise resume that is one to two pages long. The most effective resumes are short and to the point. Hiring managers and recruiters may review hundreds of resumes for each open position, so a short resume ensures they can read it quickly.

 

Don’t: Go over two pages unless specified. Some positions or industries may require a longer, more in-depth resume, but most prefer one or two pages. You may have had dozens of previous jobs, but they might not all have applied to the job you are applying for.

Read more: Q&A: How Long Should a Resume Be?

 

8. Proofreading

 

Do: Review your resume before submitting it. Proofread your resume and use a spell checker. Consider writing your resume and going back the next day to review it again. Also, ask a friend or colleague to read it and identify any areas for improvement.

 

Don’t: Rush to submit a resume that hasn’t been reviewed. Some ATSs look for grammatical and spelling errors, so be sure to complete this step to ensure the highest ATS grade.

 

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Keep growing with expert career advice.

Whether you're writing your resume, preparing for an interview, or discussing salary, we have tips (and tricks) to help you along the way.

 

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31 Quotes to Motivate Your Job Search

author photo
By , FlexJobs Staff Writer
 

For good or ill, your thoughts are powerful motivators. Thinking upbeat positive thoughts can have an inspiring effect on your job search. Likewise, a steady drumbeat of negativity can drag you down. As a job seeker, take matters into your own hands with quotes to motivate your search and keep you powering forward.

 

We’ve rounded up some of the best words of motivation and inspiration for your job search, from thought leaders like CEOs, artists, business pioneers, historical figures, athletes, writers, and military leaders.

Below, you’ll find 31 fantastic quotes—a month’s worth—that are pithy, funny, thoughtful, wry, and offer inspiration for your hunt for flexible work. Try a quote a day to keep your job search fired up and on track!

 

Here are 31 quotes to motivate your job search:

 

1. “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” —H.G. Wells 

2. “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” —Maya Angelou

3. “I am convinced that most people can achieve their dreams and beyond if they have the determination to keep trying.” —Howard Schultz

4. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” —Thomas Edison

5. “Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” —Mary Anne Radmacher

6. “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” —Babe Ruth

7. “A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.” —Helen Keller

8. “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” —Steve Jobs

9. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” —Nelson Mandela

10. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.” —George Eliot

11. “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” —A.A. Milne (from Winnie the Pooh)

12. “Fail often so you can succeed sooner.” —Tom Kelley

13. “Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” —George S. Patton

14. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” —Muhammad Ali

15. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill

16. “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.” —Anne Lamott

17. “Do something for somebody every day for which you do not get paid.” —Albert Schweitzer

18. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” —Dolly Parton

19. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe

20. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” —Mark Twain

21. “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” —Dalai Lama

22. “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers

23. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” —Confucius

24. “When things go wrong, don’t go with them.” —Elvis Presley

25. “When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you couldn’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that’s just the place and time that the tide’ll turn.” —Harriet Beecher Stowe

26. “A large oak tree is just a little nut that refused to give up.” —David McGee

27. “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” —Wayne Gretzky

28. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” —Milton Berle

29. “I will not let anyone scare me out of my full potential.” —Nicki Minaj

30. “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt

31. “Remember that guy that gave up? Neither does anyone else.” —Unknown

 

 

How to Find a Job in a Bad Economy

 

It’s no secret that America is suffering from a difficult economy in which millions of people are either unemployed or underemployed, meaning they are overqualified for the job they have and not meeting their earning potential.

If you are one of these people and looking for a new or better job, you are most likely searching for jobs online, either on company websites, job boards, or website job finder services. One job finder service said that 57.2 million people look for jobs online on a regular basis.

If you are one of them, you can increase your odds of being hired by following a few guidelines.


Quality Over Quantity...........read more....

 

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Instant Fill-in-the-blank Bio Templates for Over 150 Positions

 

 

6 Tips for Writing a Professional Bio

 

Wondering how to write a bio? Our bio templates make it easy to write a professional bio in the right style and format.

Get a fill-in-the-blank bio template specifically written for your type of job.

 

Here are our top six tips for writing your bio.

 

1. Keep it short
I’ve heard a short bio referred to by a variety of terms: biography, about me, work bio, personal profile, business bio, life story, bio resume, and my autobiography, to name just a few.

While there’s no right or wrong term, it may help you to remember the difference between bio and biography.

 

Bio = short. Biography = long.

 

Don’t write a biography when a bio will suffice. Normally it's best to limit your bio to three or four sentences. If it's too long people won't read it. When writing a personal profile or "about me" for your website, you can make it a little longer if you wish.
  

2. Briefly highlight your main achievements
The purpose of writing a bio is to demonstrate your professional credibility.

Unlike a resume (which should include your complete career history), a work bio only needs to cover the "high points" of your career.

Here's another way to think about it: your professional bio is a little advertisement for you or your business.

Wouldn’t you agree that the best advertisements are memorable because they highlight key features with very few words?
  

3. Let your personality show
Since your professional bio is an advertisement for you, make it reflect the real you.

If you're a down-to-earth person, use unpretentious language.

If you have a particular passion, let the reader know.

If you love to joke around, include some humor when you write a work bio (but be careful, humor can be tricky).

Should you include personal information such as hobbies, family status, and pets?

This is optional.

Some people say that personal information is not relevant in a work bio because it has nothing to do with the job.

That may be true, but I find that most readers like getting a sense of who you are outside of your professional role.


4. Tailor your bio to the reader
Wondering how to write a bio that gets you a certain result, such as a scholarship, appointment, business deal, or job?

Write a bio about you but for the reader. Ideally, your professional bio will address these four reader questions:

1) who you are...
2) your expertise and how it addresses...
3) their problem or goal, and how they can...
4) contact you
  

5. Make it easy to read
When you write a bio, break the information into short paragraphs (no more than three sentences in each paragraph).

Studies show that when people are faced with a large block of text (especially on a computer screen), they just skim over it quickly.

By making your paragraphs nice and short, you'll increase the likelihood that people will actually read your bio.

  
6. Write a bio in the third person
What this means is to write a bio as though someone else is talking about you.

Instead of writing "I am" and "I graduated", you write "Jane Smith is" and "She graduated".

Use your full name (first and last) the first time.

After that, it's up to you whether to refer to yourself by your full name, just your first name, or just your last name.

 

Is writing a short bio starting to sound confusing?

If so, refer to our many bio templates for guidance.

Our writing services are specifically directed at how to write a bio in the correct style and format.

 

See All Bio Templates

 

7.  Go mobile.

 

Smartphones have become job hunters' go-to virtual assistants.

Use your phone to scan mobile versions of popular job boards or get automated text messages when new jobs open up at companies you want to work for.

Download job-hunting apps, including Bump, which lets you exchange business cards or contact information by "bumping" phones together, Job Interview Prep flashcards to quiz yourself on possible interview questions, and Google Maps Mobile to avoid traffic jams that could make you late for an interview.

 

8.  Start a blog.

 

Create a blog on some aspect of the field you work in to show a potential employer you're up to speed on industry trends and comfortable using newer technologies.

Keeping a blog also can be helpful when making a midlife transition, as career changers in an annual blogging challenge that I host have discovered.

You can easily set up a free, professional-looking blog through websites such as WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr.

 

9.  Consider nonprofits.

 

Forty-two percent of 3,000 nonprofits surveyed by Idealist.org earlier this year expected to hire more staff in 2011.

Midlife professionals can apply what they learned in their first careers to encore jobs at nonprofits, according to careers experts.

Here are 10 Top Sites for Nonprofit Jobs.

 

10.  Track job-hunting expenses.

 

The IRS makes it challenging for job hunters to write off expenses, but it pays to try, so you can keep money in your pocket and out of Uncle Sam's.

You're eligible if you're looking for a job in your current industry, file the longer 1040 form, use Schedule A to itemize deductions, and have job-hunting and other miscellaneous expenses on Schedule A that amount to more than 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.

You can't write off buying a new suit for an interview, but you can deduct for mileage if you drive there.

 

Read more:

Cool Comebacks for Tricky Interview Questions

Job Seacrh Checklist - PDF Workbook

Job hunting checklist for recent college graduate

Job-Search Checklist

The #1 Career Mistake Capable People Make

Three Pieces of Career Advice That Changed My Life

The Perfect Job Interview in 8 Simple Steps

What Young Women in Business Need to Know

Twenty Five (Unusual Ways) to Make Money Now

 

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Peter W. Murphy

Communication Skills Power Blog

 

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert and the author of several very well received books on personal development.

This blog is his online home for articles about communicating with confidence and letting your true personality shine.

 

His popular online training course is available at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com

 

Examples:

 

Post Categories

 

And so much more free information.....visit his BLOG..............

 

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Anxiety, Depression and the Job Search

Career Advice

From Marc Cenedella
 

Don't let the "dog days of summer" fool you… HR folks, hiring managers, and recruiters are trying to hire professionals like you to fill their open positions.

Make the most of your competition making it easy!

Read more



Anxiety, Depression and the Job Search

Job seekers navigating unemployment and an extended job search can find themselves in a bit of a Catch-22.

Worn down by frustration and stress, many find themselves spiraling into depression, which will ultimately manifest itself in job-search performance — sleepless nights, lack of motivation, diminished interview skills, and a bad attitude — and can make it even hard to gain employment.

Staying mentally healthy on the job search is vital if you are to operate at your peak.

 

Based on the advice of psychologists and mental health experts, the stories below identify precisely what layoff survivors are likely to experience and solutions to combat the stress and anxiety that can lead to depression.

 

Read these four stories to help you stay healthy during your job search:

Your Layoff, Your Brain: How to Get Out of Your Own Way

 

In small doses, anxiety is necessary to fuel drive achievement. But in a prolonged job search, the effects of stress can work against you. Here are some practical insights to gain control of your body’s fight-or-flight mechanisms.

 

Stop Job Loss from Stealing Your Confidence and Your Identity

For seasoned professionals, the loss of a job can shake their sense of self. Here are some psychological insights for keeping things in perspective.

 

Staying Healthy Through Troubled Times

Being let go of

a job is difficult under any circumstances, but in today's economy, it can be even more stressful. Mental-health experts and people who have been through the job hunt themselves offer the following advice for maintaining your emotional and physical health during what can be a prolonged job search.

Job Search Anxiety: Warning Signs

The loss of a job hits both your pocketbook and your very identity. Negative feelings are only natural, but look out for these red flags indicating that outside support should be sought.

Read more from the archive on
Work Life Balance





How to find a job, including where to find job listings, networking, using a headhunter, and more advice on where and how to find a job. 

 

What can you do when you have to find a job fast? It's not easy, but there are steps you can take to expedite your job search. Spending some time to get your job search in order, keeping it organized, focused, and on the fast track will help you find a job faster than if you don't have a plan in place.

 

Online Job Search
Online job search resources, including job search sites, job search engines, networking sites, resume posting, and ways to make sure you are using all the online job search resources available.

 

Job Listings
Job listings, job banks, job sites, employment opportunities listed by location and career field, and other resources to help find a job.


Want to find a job, but don't know where to start? Confused? Overwhelmed? Too much information? Here are some tips on how to get going.

 

Job Search Engines
Use a job search engine to search all the top job sites, company sites, and online newspapers. There are a variety of job search engine sites that will search all the job sites to capture new job postings.

 

Help Wanted Ads
Are you using the help wanted classified ads when you look for jobs? If not, you should be. Local and regional employers don't always post on major jobs sites like Monster.

Instead, they will advertise in their local newsletter to avoid being overwhelmed with applicants and, in many cases, because they are not interested in paying relocation costs.

 

Job Banks
Search online job banks by keyword, location, career field including job search engines where you can search many databases in one step.

 

Jobs by Career Field
A comprehensive list of job listings sorted by career field including arts, communications, business, education, not-for-profit, legal, science and technology, and more.

 

Jobs by Location
Staying or home or relocating?

Here are jobs where you want to be.

 

Job Fairs
Live and virtual Career Fairs.

 

Networking
Networking can sound intimidating and a little bit scary, but, it doesn't have to be and it really does work.

 

Using Headhunters, Search Firms and Employment Agencies
Who's who in the world of employment recruiting, when to use a headhunter, and how to select a recruiter who will work effectively for you.

 



5 Free Courses Every Content Creator Should Take

Level up your soft and hard skills; level up your earnings

Woman sipping tea as she does a free online course to upgrade her content creation skills
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

I’ll be honest: After taking the free courses in this post, I started cringing at my past content.

It was as though someone had given me glasses, and I’d just realized trees weren’t just a blur of greens and browns but a beautiful tapestry of leaves and branches.

 

True, you can learn everything a free course can teach through trial and error, but it can be time-consuming and painful.

As I always tell my intermediate-advanced English students, the reason we go over the basics of grammar again is that I want to bring awareness to how the perfect phrase looks like.

Though that won’t make them use flawless English immediately, at least they’ll understand why they’re wrong.

 

When we learn the proper way to do something, we become our own auditors. And after enough practice, excellence becomes automatic.

Likewise, though I’ve yet to make automatic many of the teachings of the following five courses, the invaluable knowledge they’ve provided has helped me level up my hard and soft skills.

From idea generation to stress management, they cover most of the core aspects of what a great content creator should excel at.

Hopefully, they’ll also help you up to your game and increase your earnings.

 

1. Cracking the Creativity Code: Discovering Ideas

We’ve often heard that content creators should write ten ideas every day to strengthen their creativity muscles.

This advice, though, can be extremely hard to follow at the start of our journeys.

Without knowing how to tap into our creativity, searching for new ideas can feel like going to our new home’s bathroom without the lights on.

This Coursera course (which can be taken for free), then, is like your phone’s flashlight.

It’ll help you find the bathroom the first few times. After that, you’ll probably find your way out of muscle memory.

 

Created by two innovation professors who are also entrepreneurs, Cracking the Creativity Code: Discovering Ideas explains proven tools and frameworks for finding new ideas, such as the “Zoom in, Zoom out, Zoom in” method.

 

Though it was designed for entrepreneurs who want to build the next big thing, content creators will benefit as well.

So if you’re just starting out or want to increase the quality of your ten ideas per day, give this course a shot.

 

2. Viral Marketing and How To Craft Contagious Content

Once you can consistently come up with good ideas, the next content creator hurdle appears: How can you increase the odds of creating something with virality potential?

 

For this, check out Coursera’s course, Viral Marketing and How To Craft Contagious Content.

Created by Wharton, it explains how you can tell whether an idea is sticky (it has virality potential) and how to increase its stickiness by following six science-backed success factors.

 

Moreover, the course also offers proven methods to increase your influence, how to generate word-of-mouth, and how to use social networks to increase your odds of virality.

 

All content creators dream of having at least one viral hit. Though luck and timing play a big role in this, applying the learnings of this course will increase your odds.

 

3. Writing Stories About Ourselves

Have you ever wondered why almost every Ted talk starts with a story?

 

The answer is simple: One of the six success factors of viral content (as seen in the previous course) is the use of emotional stories.

When we create a memorable experience for the viewer, listener, or reader, we make our ideas sticky.

 

To have any chance at success as content creators, then, we must be powerful storytellers.

 

This is why Coursera’s course, Writing Stories About Ourselves, is so useful.

Though it’s designed for memoir authors, content creators will also come out stronger after learning the tips and tricks that make our stories stand out from the crowd.

 

Successful creators often offer the same advice: Start your post with a personal story that illustrates your idea.

Though it isn’t obligatory (I didn’t start this post that way since it’s more educational), when done right, it can make the difference between an average and an outstanding piece of content.

 

Here are two examples of posts I wrote using these course’s tips: At 86 Years Old, My Great-Grandmother Found Herself With a Newborn Baby, and The Time To Chase Your Dreams Is Now.

 

Though I of course wouldn’t call them masterpieces (I still have a long way to go), they’re way better than what I could write before.

Likewise, if you want to strengthen your storytelling skills to up the stickiness of your ideas, check out this course.

 

4. Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend Is Wrong

Being a content creator comes with a huge responsibility.

Whether we like it or not, our words have power.

 

Even if we’re a nobody, if we write about how someone should spend 40 days in the desert fasting to cure cancer while linking to a random study, someone in the audience is bound to believe us.

Yikes!

As content creators, we must ensure that our sources are robust and that we know how to correctly interpret the information found in research studies.

Not doing so is wrong on an ethical level — but also on a personal level.

As soon as someone knowledgeable spots the inconsistencies in your content, poof, you’re out of the game.

 

That’s why Yale’s course, Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend Is Wrong, should be taken by everyone who loves to create scientifically-based content.

 

5. Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty and Stress

Most content creators can agree that the worst sides of this line of work are the constant rejection and the uncertainty.

When someone criticizes our art, it can feel like a personal attack.

And not knowing how much money we’ll earn the next month — or if we’ll even make ends meet — can make us sleep-deprived.

 

This is why Yale’s Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty and Stress is a powerful tool for any content creator. Heck, for every worker out there.

 

Though aimed at teachers during the pandemic, the emotional intelligence tools the course provides can be life-changing.

If you feel like you need help managing the downsides of content creation, check this one out.

 

Accelerate Your Content Creation Journey

If you create something every day, if you strive to become a little bit better with every piece of content you put out into the world, you’ll inevitably master the wisdom the above-mentioned courses offer.

But why take 10x or 100x more time learning what you can do in a few hours for free?

 

Thanks to these courses, I’ve found fresh ideas to write about, improved my storytelling skills, had a few viral hits (thank you, Lady Luck!), helped lots of people with simplified medical research, and not died out of stress — and all of that for free.

 

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