Thom Singer on the Job Search

Thom Singer on the Job Search Thom Singer has a great post with his job search advice.   Thom is not a job search or career coach, but he is a networking expert (he has multiple books on networking) and a really keen networker who actually meets people and tries to nurture relationships (not common amongst networking authors, Ive found). Thom has four points that he calls four common job hunting mistakes.   Here they are (in red) with MY commentary (in black) read his full post for Thoms no-nonsense thoughts.   Of course, hes spot on. 1. Pride Kills Opportunities. Never be afraid to reach out to your network. If you have properly invested in establishing real mutually beneficial relationships with others, they will be there to help you in your hour of need. When I sat down with a job counselor, after I finally admitted I couldnt do this job search on my own (it was about a month into my job search), he asked who do you know?   I had mentally disqualified everyone (family cant help, friends cant help, past coworkers cant help, I cant reach out to past clients, etc.) and said no one. I was so wrong to think that but I was also too scared/proud to approach those people.   Humility will go a long ways in your job search, and pride will allow you to see all of the fake barriers that prevent you from moving forward.   Read Thoms comments on this point. 2. Blindly sending resumes does not work. No matter how good you are, a blind inquiry will most likely not produce interviews. Getting your resume (or LinkedIn Profile, or business card, or whatever) is going to be a lot more effective if you have someone hand it to the hiring manager or decision-maker as opposed to a cold email.   There is one tactic Im exploring that might produce different results, and that is having a targeted resume distribution sent out to recruiters and HR who are in your space more on that later. I was amazed that I sent out dozens and dozens and dozens of recruiters and got NO response.   Its like my email was directed to the BLACK HOLE. Then I came to understand that recruiters can get hundreds of resumes a day what set mine apart from all of the others?   NOTHING. Network your way into the job! 3. A bad attitude will keep you unemployed. How you think about your own situation will have an impact on your success. SImilar to #1, of course your attitude will have a huge, significant impact on your success.   Have a bad attitude?   No one you network with will want to introduce you to the person you need to talk to.   They dont want to risk their relationship capital by sending someone so negative and hurt to their contact. The perfect post to read with regard to your attitude is also one of my favorites: I Smell Blood is where I share a time when I had a bad attitude and an HR exec called me on it.   Favorite line?   HR can smell blood from a mile away! 4. Dont just focus on yourself. Help others. Even when you are having a tough time, finding ways to helps others can make you feel good and bring good karma. I stopped focusing on myself after I had read Keith Ferrazzis Never Eat Alone. Know what? Thats when my job search got FUN. Seriously.   The stress started melting away as I focused more on helping others, and feeling the rewards from that type of service.   Try it its almost magical. Thanks Thom, for your four points! Thom Singer on the Job Search Thom Singer has a great post with his job search advice.   Thom is not a job search or career coach, but he is a networking expert (he has multiple books on networking) and a really keen networker who actually meets people and tries to nurture relationships (not common amongst networking authors, Ive found). Thom has four points that he calls four common job hunting mistakes.   Here they are (in red) with MY commentary (in black) read his full post for Thoms no-nonsense thoughts.   Of course, hes spot on. 1. Pride Kills Opportunities. Never be afraid to reach out to your network. If you have properly invested in establishing real mutually beneficial relationships with others, they will be there to help you in your hour of need. When I sat down with a job counselor, after I finally admitted I couldnt do this job search on my own (it was about a month into my job search), he asked who do you know?   I had mentally disqualified everyone (family cant help, friends cant help, past coworkers cant help, I cant reach out to past clients, etc.) and said no one. I was so wrong to think that but I was also too scared/proud to approach those people.   Humility will go a long ways in your job search, and pride will allow you to see all of the fake barriers that prevent you from moving forward.   Read Thoms comments on this point. 2. Blindly sending resumes does not work. No matter how good you are, a blind inquiry will most likely not produce interviews. Getting your resume (or LinkedIn Profile, or business card, or whatever) is going to be a lot more effective if you have someone hand it to the hiring manager or decision-maker as opposed to a cold email.   There is one tactic Im exploring that might produce different results, and that is having a targeted resume distribution sent out to recruiters and HR who are in your space more on that later. I was amazed that I sent out dozens and dozens and dozens of recruiters and got NO response.   Its like my email was directed to the BLACK HOLE. Then I came to understand that recruiters can get hundreds of resumes a day what set mine apart from all of the others?   NOTHING. Network your way into the job! 3. A bad attitude will keep you unemployed. How you think about your own situation will have an impact on your success. SImilar to #1, of course your attitude will have a huge, significant impact on your success.   Have a bad attitude?   No one you network with will want to introduce you to the person you need to talk to.   They dont want to risk their relationship capital by sending someone so negative and hurt to their contact. The perfect post to read with regard to your attitude is also one of my favorites: I Smell Blood is where I share a time when I had a bad attitude and an HR exec called me on it.   Favorite line?   HR can smell blood from a mile away! 4. Dont just focus on yourself. Help others. Even when you are having a tough time, finding ways to helps others can make you feel good and bring good karma. I stopped focusing on myself after I had read Keith Ferrazzis Never Eat Alone. Know what? Thats when my job search got FUN. Seriously.   The stress started melting away as I focused more on helping others, and feeling the rewards from that type of service.   Try it its almost magical. Thanks Thom, for your four points! Thom Singer on the Job Search Thom Singer has a great post with his job search advice.   Thom is not a job search or career coach, but he is a networking expert (he has multiple books on networking) and a really keen networker who actually meets people and tries to nurture relationships (not common amongst networking authors, Ive found). Thom has four points that he calls four common job hunting mistakes.   Here they are (in red) with MY commentary (in black) read his full post for Thoms no-nonsense thoughts.   Of course, hes spot on. 1. Pride Kills Opportunities. Never be afraid to reach out to your network. If you have properly invested in establishing real mutually beneficial relationships with others, they will be there to help you in your hour of need. When I sat down with a job counselor, after I finally admitted I couldnt do this job search on my own (it was about a month into my job search), he asked who do you know?   I had mentally disqualified everyone (family cant help, friends cant help, past coworkers cant help, I cant reach out to past clients, etc.) and said no one. I was so wrong to think that but I was also too scared/proud to approach those people.   Humility will go a long ways in your job search, and pride will allow you to see all of the fake barriers that prevent you from moving forward.   Read Thoms comments on this point. 2. Blindly sending resumes does not work. No matter how good you are, a blind inquiry will most likely not produce interviews. Getting your resume (or LinkedIn Profile, or business card, or whatever) is going to be a lot more effective if you have someone hand it to the hiring manager or decision-maker as opposed to a cold email.   There is one tactic Im exploring that might produce different results, and that is having a targeted resume distribution sent out to recruiters and HR who are in your space more on that later. I was amazed that I sent out dozens and dozens and dozens of recruiters and got NO response.   Its like my email was directed to the BLACK HOLE. Then I came to understand that recruiters can get hundreds of resumes a day what set mine apart from all of the others?   NOTHING. Network your way into the job! 3. A bad attitude will keep you unemployed. How you think about your own situation will have an impact on your success. SImilar to #1, of course your attitude will have a huge, significant impact on your success.   Have a bad attitude?   No one you network with will want to introduce you to the person you need to talk to.   They dont want to risk their relationship capital by sending someone so negative and hurt to their contact. The perfect post to read with regard to your attitude is also one of my favorites: I Smell Blood is where I share a time when I had a bad attitude and an HR exec called me on it.   Favorite line?   HR can smell blood from a mile away! 4. Dont just focus on yourself. Help others. Even when you are having a tough time, finding ways to helps others can make you feel good and bring good karma. I stopped focusing on myself after I had read Keith Ferrazzis Never Eat Alone. Know what? Thats when my job search got FUN. Seriously.   The stress started melting away as I focused more on helping others, and feeling the rewards from that type of service.   Try it its almost magical. Thanks Thom, for your four points!

Resume Writing Services - What Are Their Benefits?

Resume Writing Services - What Are Their Benefits?Even if you have a decent resume, it can be your resume that gets you a callback from the corporate recruiter or prospect or vice versa. You are a great employee to a company but the one thing you need is to make your resume stand out among the others. That is where your resume writing services will come in.Resume writing services are not limited to the creation of resume only. This outsourcing company can also help you to write a CV, cover letter, follow up letters, etc. Even if you don't want to create a resume, hiring a service provider will take care of the creation and formatting of them.You can try out all the techniques and guidelines you learn about in school of resume writing to get your own copy written by a resume writing company. The writers can use different styles of wording to grab your attention. However, you have to keep in mind that there are certain rules that should be followed. If you do not follow the guidelines, the writer might have to edit or redo your resume.Companies such as these can also do a matching of what your resume says with your personality. After a few rounds of correspondence, you will come to realize that your resume is saying more than you initially thought. In other words, if your resume speaks volumes about you, the hiring company will be in a position to decide whether to accept your resume. The process is the same whether you hire a company that creates resumes or not.Hiring a company to submit your resume to a company is a good idea. However, you can also do this yourself and you can find services online as well. Just be sure that the resume writing company is a professional one so that you do not end up having some errors in your resume that could lead to a rejection. Make sure that the resume that you write for the hiring company reflects your qualities. You cannot look down on your employer. It will take time to build a relationship with him or her. If your resume doesn't present your qualifications in a way that gives the hiring company a reason to hire you, it would defeat the purpose of creating a resume.If you have any references that you have in the past employers, get a copy from them. Always keep in mind that you always have to be yourself. Do not make it appear that you are hiding something. Your resume writing service will help you in this aspect and they will be able to get you the best job you deserve.The main thing about hiring a service is that you will not have to think too much. Just follow the directions and you will see your name getting called in a lot. Make sure that you keep this in mind as you decide to hire a company.

Noisy Neighbors How to Soundproof Your Apartment

Noisy Neighbors How to Soundproof Your Apartment Paper-thin walls are not an ideal setting for maintaining privacy in your apartment, so let’s be honest â€" you’ve heard some things you wish you hadn’t. But unless you want to make a huge investment (or try to convince your landlord it’s a good idea), you probably won’t be able to completely soundproof your humble abode. However, there are some helpful DIY techniques you can try out for yourself that will help absorb some of the sound created in your living space. Understanding Sound First, it’s important to understand what exactly it is you’re trying to block or mitigate.    Sound is made up of audible waves that move through the water, air and glass. The frequency and vibration of the noise source affects the way a sound is heard by our ears, and the “level of loudness” â€" that is, the part we actually hear â€" is measured in decibels. For example, a household generally measures about 50 decibels, whereas a loud rock concert is up towards the 110-decibel mark. So, if you’re living in an apartment complex, the normal average of 50 decibels in a single-family home will be multiplied by the number of residents living in your building, resulting in higher noise levels. Urban areas are naturally louder environments, but you can help block some of this sound with some easy tips and tricks. Begin by Measuring the Sound Levels in Your Apartment You can’t know if you’ve succeeded in reducing the sound in your home unless you first measure what the initial levels are. One of the easiest ways to do that is to download mobile apps. The iOS app store just saw the release of a new app called Decibel 10th, which turns your iPhone into a professional sound meter. You can either take these readings to your landlord to encourage some serious overhauls.  Or,  you can use them to identify the areas that could use some DIY soundproofing. Do You Need Soundproofing or Sound Absorption? Soundproofing and sound absorption are not quite the same thing. When you soundproof an area, it means you’re creating an environment where there is no noise entering or leaving the space. Specific rooms are designed with soundproofing in mind, and include features like special insulation or carpeting. In spaces like recording studios, materials are generally applied to walls, floors and ceilings. Sound absorption, on the other hand, helps reduce the sounds in a room, rather than blocking noise from the inside and outside entirely. Different sounds absorbers can come in the form of acoustic tiles or foam, which catch the sound waves that are moving and bouncing off the walls and ceiling. Try out DIY Techniques for Soundproofing You can look into materials made specifically for sound reduction, which can be industrial-grade or used underneath tiles or hardwood, or even applied over doors and windows. For materials that are exposed, you can dress them up to match your home’s décor by simply covering them in fabric, or you can get creative with object placement. You can even take your pick of materials according to their soundproofing capabilities. (This is another reason why measuring the decibel levels in your home is so important.) Blocking noise through windows, for example, can be as simple (and expensive) as upgrading to tripled-paned glass. For smaller budgets, you can simply purchase drapes or window treatments designed with a thickness to insulate and help block sound. Checking and fixing seals around your windows will also help with noise reduction. Ceilings and walls can be tackled by the simple additions of carpet and rugs to the floor, adding hanging fabric or quilts to the walls.  Even filling the space with new furniture, likes bookshelves, will help reduce and contain the noise. Problems coming from overhead may need to be addressed by your landlord or the neighbors living above you, which could involve fixing the floor or the joists. More DIY Tips for Sound Absorption in Your Home If you’ve done all you can to reduce the noise coming into your home, there are some other DIYs you can consider to help lower your own decibel levels. One is to concentrate on the types of materials that you use, like foam, felt or cotton. These are all sound-absorbent, and can play double-duty in both soundproofing and sound reduction when applied directly to your walls or ceiling. You can also be more conscious of the types of furniture you buy. Or,  place the same sound-absorbing material directly on your bookcases, dressers and doors. Keep in mind that sound has a higher decibel level in an empty room.  The waves will bounce off hard surfaces, thereby increasing their strength. Adding more soft surfaces like the furniture, curtains and fabric are easy ways to both block and reduce sound. For other more extensive renovations where sound reduction is desired, you may need to speak with either your landlord or your neighbors. Image credits Main    Soundproofing

Amazing Tricks You Can Use To Improve Your Memory Right Now

Amazing Tricks You Can Use To Improve Your Memory Right Now Have you ever been stressed out because you knew the thing you were trying to remember was on the tip of your tongue? Memory loss is something we usually associate with the older generation, but in reality it affects us all every day. Sometimes forgetfulness can have a big impact on your life. You grow as a person when you learn new things, so in an ideal world youd be able to retain anything important to you. One way you can turn things upside down is by using a few tricks to improve your memory. Take a look at some of the better ones today and youll never misplace your car keys again. Get Plenty Of Beauty Sleep Go to bed late every night and youll end up feeling foggy in the morning. Not only will you forget your dreams when you wake up, but youll lose track of half the day. The reason why lots of sleep boosts your memory is actually pretty scientific. When youre in a deep sleep throughout the night your mind will carry out a special memory-enhancing activity, which has been proven in a study. Here are a few key points to remember: Sleep in a completely dark room Go to bed at the same time nightly Dont drink coffee in the evening Turn off your laptop an hour before bed Pair A Memory With Something This is how some unique people can memorise multiple decks of cards at the same time. Theyll look through each deck and pair a specific card with something else. It could be the name of a celebrity or a country. You actually do this too without realising it. If you hear a certain song playing it will take you back to a particular time in your life. If you want to remember things in the future try to associate them with something to help trigger the memory. Start Using Brain Training Apps Even though the brain isnt a muscle it can still be trained like one. When youre training your memory it will get stronger like a big set of biceps. In the past this would be done completing crossword puzzles and playing chess, but were not living in the olden days any more. Now youve got access to some fantastic brain training apps you can play on your smartphone when youre not working or sitting in class. Write Everything Down On Paper Weve just talked about throwing old school methods out the window thanks to new technology, but now were going to do the exact opposite. If you want to remember something so its ingrained inside your mind dont type it into your phone. You can repeat it to yourself dozens of times, but unless its to remember an important name youll get bored quickly. Start to write something down on paper if you want it to pop into your head at a later date. There is something very special about the act of putting pen to paper. Try To Reduce Your Stress Stress is one of those things you could write a book about when it comes to memory loss, but its easy to understand if you think about how its affected you. Think back to a time where someone asked you a tough question. Under normal circumstances you might have got it right, but during times where you were fighting against the clock I bet your brain froze. Learning how to breathe properly is the first thing you should look at before making big changes to your life. Focus On What Is Important They say we can only remember around 7 things in our short-term memory, and although different numbers are thrown around theyre relatively close. If you used common sense you would assume it was only possible to store a certain number of things in our long-term memory too. Why do people try to remember things they dont even care about? If something isnt important to you forget its ever crossed your mind. Youll then be able to focus all of your energy on everything you dont want to forget. Its Much Easier Than You Think The funny thing is youll likely forget most of the tricks weve talked about today, so now would be a good time to choose a few. Begin to practice them regularly and youll see success. It doesnt take too long to improve your memory if youre determined enough. Image credits. Main.  Sleep.  Notes.  

How to Update Your Resume

How to Update Your ResumeIf you are thinking about how to update your resume for the first time, you may be wondering exactly what needs to be done. Although you may not be aware of it, your resume has been in use for quite some time. It is therefore important that you make sure that your resume reflects current information and that your skills, qualifications, and experiences are up to date.Resume writing is a skill that requires constant practice. The most important step in getting ready to update your resume is to remember to revise your previous resume. If you have never updated your resume before, you may find that it can take some time to go back and read it again. This is because you will need to look over the various sections that appear on your resume.Before beginning to update your previous resume, you should consider all of the parts that will appear on your new one. You will have sections such as Skills, Education, Professional Experience, Professional Associations, and P ersonal Attributes. Your Skills section should contain the skill that you are best suited for. You should also look at your professional experience so that you can clearly list your number of years of experience. If you are unsure of these details, contact an employment service provider.Next, consider your Education section. This section includes your undergraduate and postgraduate studies. If you have taken a postgraduate course or are currently enrolled in one, you should be able to include this on your new resume. In addition, you should also include information about any work-related training that you have received. Once again, if you are unsure of the details, contact an employment service provider.The Professional Associations' section contains your professional affiliations. These may include your membership with professional organizations such as the International Association of Personnel Management, the American Society for Human Resource Management, or theAmerican Academy of Personnel Management. Your Professional Experience section should include information about your work history. You should also include information about positions you held, and any awards or recognition that you may have received.Finally, you will want to consider your Personal Attributes section. This includes your Work Experience, Character, Resume Skills, and Learning Styles. Your Work Experience will be listed under Experience and will include everything from working part-time in a coffee shop to working in the government.It is important to review the sections of your resume and determine which specific areas you may need to update. For example, you may need to add information about your Professional Associations and Professional Skills. However, if you already have information about these areas, it is possible that you may only need to update the specific career information that is listed on your resume. This means that if you do not have any details regarding your Professio nal Associations or Professional Skills, you can leave them on your previous resume.To learn more about how to update your resume, contact an employment service provider today. In addition to learning how to update your resume, employment services professionals will help you find a new job by taking the time to meet with you. This means that your entire resume can be reviewed to ensure that all of the relevant information is included.

How to Create a Sample Software Engineer Resume

How to Create a Sample Software Engineer ResumeA sample software engineer resume should not be the first thing you look at when creating your resume. It is important to understand that the sample software engineer resume you are using is not the best you can use. There are many other sample resumes out there that are much better than this. Let's discuss why it is important to use a different sample resume.A quality resume is not written by an amateur. That means that it will focus on your skills and education. While you can get away with using an impressive cover letter and sample software engineer resume, what will show your true potential is if you include your accomplishments and skills in your software engineering resume. That means you must write about your skills and education, but you also have to create a new resume with each job that you apply for.When you start with your software engineer resume, the only way you can succeed is if you think outside of the box. You need to b e creative when it comes to writing your resume. Instead of focusing on your past experiences, learn about the people who are interviewing you and why they are hiring you.An example of this is writing a software engineer resume that uses technology that they use in their company. This is a powerful trick because you show potential employers that you understand the role they play in the development of the software. All you need to do is highlight your experience and tell them about the things you learned along the way. Finally, remind them about the importance of the position you are applying for, and your goals for the future.You may have already been through graduate school, and while you did well, you were still not hired by the company. You are still looking for your first job. This is when you put your skills and education to work. Your resume should include references from former employers that you know will hire you.Keep in mind that when you are reading your resume, you will be able to see if you are applying yourself. This includes how well you organize your information. In fact, when it comes to coding, the sample software engineer resume you are using may be less than ideal. Once you are familiar with the basics of coding, you can learn how to properly use those skills to create a unique resume.Even though you may have read software engineer resumes before, you will want to make sure that you review a sample software engineer resume. While there are several types of resumes out there, there are few that will work for all applicants. That is why it is important to know that a sample software engineer resume may not be the one for you. Instead, you should take the time to develop your own unique resume that is geared towards your skills and abilities. It will help to know that by learning about programming languages, you will find that the software engineers that are trying to hire are looking for someone that has the skills to code.Remember that there are many different ways to create a software engineer resume. The best way to come up with one that shows you are interested in the job you are applying for is to learn about how you would work in the industry. Then, find a resume sample that shows you what you can include in your own resume. Make sure you put your skills and education into a unique resume that shows potential employers that you are not just another programmer.

104 Jane Copeland - Building Online Empires - Jane Jackson Career

104 Jane Copeland - Building Online Empires - Jane Jackson Career Jane Copeland is passionate about building online empires for her clients.  Jane is also a next generation marketing strategist, publisher of  CopingwithJane.com, author of the book  Boardroom to Baby  and the secret weapon behind hundreds of successful online businesses.  I was delighted when Jane agreed to come on my podcast to chat about her business and share her valuable advice on how to build an online business successfully.Jane’s obsession with internet marketing and her teachings have helped many people across the globe to stand out from the crowd and redefine their version of success.Her work is specifically focused on helping women in serviced based business to find more clients, put their offers together, sell over the phone, and put together sales funnels (through Facebook advertising) and become “web celebs”.   Her program 6 Figure Funnels is an online program augmented with a fabulous private Facebook page where she supports her clients through the entire proce ss of building effective sales funnels for their services and products.Jane’s own empire includes an online business education platform and community for women, the Business Made Beautiful Academy as well as sold-out online marketing programs, an award-winning blog and events.Where to find Jane Copeland:  Websites:www.copingwithjane.com  www.businessmadebeautiful.comTwitter: @copingwithjane

Tax information for your job hunt -

Tax information for your job hunt - Did you know you can deduct some expenses associated with a job hunt from your taxes? There are some exceptions. You cannot deduct expenses if this is your first job hunt (for example, if you have just graduated from college and have never worked before) and you cannot deduct expenses if you are planning to change careers. Since I am not a tax advisor, I thought it would be useful to direct you to the IRSs website. Be sure to consult an expert regarding how this information may pertain to you, as this blog is not intended to provide tax advice. For example, you may download the IRSs publication: Tax impact of job loss for answers to the following questions and more: Can I deduct any of the expenses that I have from looking for a new job? What types of expenses can I include? What about travel costs for interviews or job hunting? Can I deduct the moving costs I paid to move to my new job? My chances of finding a new job will be better if I take a few college courses. Can I deduct any of my tuition? IRSs publication 529 (page 5) answers other questions (this link is to the document for preparing 2008 returns): Can you deduct employment and outplacement agency fees you pay in looking for a new job in your present occupation? What expenses for preparing and send a resume can you deduct? What about travel and transportation expenses? It is so important to be smart about your money, especially when you are looking for a job. Dont miss an opportunity to use deductions that may be available to you just because you did not know you were eligible. Make it your business to learn the rules and to consult a professional for help. If you need help actually looking for a job, THAT I DO provide expert advice about! Learn more about how I can help you with your job search. photo by brianjmatis