Archive for May, 2012
Business + Creativity = Career Success
Thursday, May 24th, 2012
FastCompany just came out with their 2012 list of the 100 Most Creative People In Business. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like these two concepts have much to do with each other. Isn’t creativity limited to things like art and music? Sure, it’s easy to see how an entertainer like Ceelo Green (#5) could blend the two – his creative output IS his business. But, people like him and comedian/actor Aziz Ansari (#87) probably aren’t looking to advance their careers through the traditional routes of submitting resumes and conducting interviews.
Still, there are lessons here for the non-famous professionals. Creativity can be about problem-solving and innovating. Constantly asking yourself, “What can I do better? What can I do differently?” Not only will this turn into accomplishment-based success stories for your resume and interview responses, it’ll help you keep your job fresh and exciting.
This business creativity can usually be seen in two ways – problem-solving and innovation. If there’s a long-standing concern in your division, see if you can look at it from a new angle. Or, if you observe trends that your company can capitalize on, propose the opportunity to someone within your company. Even if these ideas don’t come to fruition, you’ll be seen as a creative thinker, leader, and go-getter. Plus, eventually, you’ll hit on something that WILL be implemented.
For example: An office manager knows his job like the back of his hand after five years. He decides to take another look at the budget, even though he comes out ahead each quarter. After analyzing how much supplies are purchased versus how many are used, he realizes they don’t need to have much inventory on site. He then develops a notification system so he can order products as needed – cutting annual supply costs 10%.
Challenge: Pick one area of focus (either at work or as part of your job search efforts) and brainstorm ideas for improvement. If on the job, keep track of anything that comes as a result, and add it to your resume!
To read the FastCompany list of 100 Most Creative People in Business 2012, visit: http://tinyurl.com/cro8hew
Tags: business creativity, career advancement, career management, job promotions
Posted in Uncategorized |
28 Ways To Beat The Job Board Blues
Monday, May 21st, 2012
Job boards got you down? You see the same old postings, week after week. You’re perfectly qualified, you’ve submitted your resume numerous times, and yet you can’t seem get anyone to even acknowledge you exist! Frustrating doesn’t begin to describe it. Trust me, I know, I’ve been there! That’s why I teamed up with Charlotte, a dual-certified resume writer and career coach, to create the 28 Stealth Job Search Strategies teleseminar. In just one hour we’ll show you how to:
- Accomplish 20% of your job search in UNDER an hour
- Create an online presence that screams SUCCESS
- Get MORE job leads from your personal network
- Land a phone screen with cover letters that WORK
- Uncover jobs BEFORE they’re advertised
- INCREASE your visibility in the job market
What’s more, many of these very same stealth strategies can also help get you promoted! The teleseminar is just $47. That’s less than most networking events around town. Plus you get three free bonus gifts. Don’t waste another day using the same tired job search strategies that are getting you down – buy 28 Stealth Job Search Strategies and start changing your future today!
Posted in Uncategorized |
Where Should I Put “Education” On My Resume?
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
There isn’t a single answer, but there are a few guidelines depending on where you’re at in your career. As a rule of thumb, work experience overtakes education after a few years. An exception to this is if you’re changing careers and your educational experience is more relevant than your professional background. Though the placement of education on a resume should be decided on a case-by-case basis, the information below will help you choose what makes sense for you:
Near the top: After the heading and summary/profile, the education section is the first thing the reader will see. Recent college graduates and people with less than two years work experience will lead with this section in most cases.
Near the bottom: At the very bottom, or above volunteer work, additional qualifications, etc, the education section is one of the last pieces a reader will see. If the job seeker’s education is unrelated to their career goals, they’ve been in the workforce for awhile, or they don’t have a degree (yet have other types of professional education), it usually makes sense to have this section near the end.
As far as other sections – volunteer experience, professional membership, language abilities, etc. – you’ll want to make sure the reader sees the most relevant information first. In general, this means ordering the sections on your resume from those that are most in line with your career goals to the least.
Tags: Educational History, Professional Experience, Recent College Graduates, Resume Education Section, Resume Order, Resume Strategies
Posted in Resumes |
How Do You Battle The Job Search Blues?
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
This morning I had a little difficulty getting my get-up-and-go to get going! So I spent a few minutes scanning the Lollapalooza music festival line-up, and then I checked out the roster for the Chicago Blues Festival. These are two of my very favorite summer events and I look forward to them much like a child anticipates a family trip to Disneyland. Just thinking about all that live music puts a smile on my face. Then I found myself cranking up the iTunes and before too long, my get-up-and-go was going full throttle. Music always makes my heart sing and when I’m feeling a bit blue, sometimes listening to the blues really does cheer me up!
What do you do when you’re mojo just won’t go? We’ve started a list of ways job seekers can cheer up on the cheap, but we’d love to hear your ideas too – won’t you chime in?
Posted in Inspiration |
