Awesome New Years Career Resolutions Ideas for Job Seekers

Awesome New Year's Career Resolutions Ideas for Job Seekers 115 Pick career resolutions you can actually keep this year. Photo by Joshua Earle New Year's resolutions are often counterproductive You see January 1st coming, and you think, now's a great time for a fresh start. Now's the time I'm finally going to do that thing I've been meaning to do all of last year! (And the year before that, and the year before that…) Plus, everyone else is also in on this resolutions thing, and they're going to ask you about yours at the upcoming New Year's Eve party. You better have an answer ready, right? You choose a resolution that sounds great like “losing 20 pounds” or “paying off all my debt”, something that will require you to make big, tough changes to your lifestyle, because if you're going to shoot, may as well shoot for the moon… eval You take a few stabs at it, but it's not easy â€" it wasn't supposed to be â€" and life intervenes, and then you start hitting the same obstacles you've hit in the past. The resolution gets set aside, time goes by… and all of a sudden, it's December and time to make New Year's resolutions all over again. eval Don't pay for over-reaching by getting frustrated and depressed. Instead, first aim low so you can build momentum. Baby steps don't sound as sexy, but people will admire you more when they see you actually kept your easier-to-keep resolutions, and you'll feel a lot better about yourself. Your new-found confidence will let you aim higher moving forward, this year or next. The Best Article on New Year's Career Resolutions for Job Seekers I'm not big on New Year's resolutions for myself. If I want to make a change â€" there's always something to improve â€" I try to get started on it asap. The time of year makes no difference. But many people do care. I get that. And it usually is more fun to do something that others are doing too, and to talk about it over dinner and drinks at a party. So I took a look around to see what kinds of career resolutions other experts are blogging about, such as the authors of the Top Job Search Articles of 2019. The best article I could find anywhere is by my friend and recruiter Jeff Lipschultz, who built a list of New Year's Resolutions for Job Seekers. Let's take a look what you can pick and choose from. Did you have a job search-related New Year's resolution last year? Yes No View Results 16 Career resolutions that don't suck 1. I promise not to apply for positions I am definitely not qualified for. This seems like an easy resolution to keep, because it's about doing less work. But you know how easy it is to just keep applying to as many jobs as possible, especially when you feel like your job search isn't moving forward quickly enough. That temptation is hard to resist. The reality is that one of the main reasons you're not getting interview invites is because you're simply not a good fit for the position. Save yourself a lot of headaches by targeting companies early. 2. I will work on building relationships with my recruiter by helping him/her as much as they help me. I'm not surprised Jeff, being a recruiter, would recommend this. Many job seekers have a hate/hate relationship with recruiters until they're actually helped by one, at which point the recruiter becomes the greatest person ever, and then the job seeker completely forgets about them until their next job search. So thinks the recruiter. But you probably don't have “a recruiter.” There are just recruiters, at job fairs, at companies, maybe at conferences… and besides, how could *you* help *them*? The irony is recruiters might just need you more than you need them. A recruiter might place you in a new job you'll have for a few years, but they're always on the lookout for new clients with openings to fill, and new candidates to fill those openings with. Resolve to connect with a few local recruiters in your space, and keep in touch like Jeff says. Help them and they'll help you when you need it. 3. I will meet (on the phone or in person) three new people a week who can help me with my job search. It's too easy to lurk behind a computer screen for days on end sifting through job boards, like I did in my 10-month job search back in 2002. Meeting new people every week opens you up to new leads, new opportunities and new ideas. Piggyback on the previous career resolution by including recruiters in your list. 4. I will learn to leverage Social Media as a vehicle for communicating about myself, and not just as a distraction for hours chatting with new friends. Where do the experts and influencers in your industry hang out on social media? Pick the influencers' most popular social network and then start growing a presence on it where you discuss advice, hot topics, industry news and whatever else the influencers discuss. Share your expertise as much as possible and people will notice. 5. I will not assume a person cannot help me find a job. They may know a great contact I need to meet. You never know where your next job will come from. And you never will, if you keep your job search to yourself. Talk to neighbors, parents at your kids' school, taxi drivers. Cast your net as wide as possible, as I said in 37 Ways to Meet People Who Can Refer You to Jobs. 6. I will set up informal discussions with decision-makers/hiring managers even if they are not hiring right now. They may be hiring soon. Busy people need a reason to make time in their schedule, and they're not going to invite you into their office if they suspect you just want to ask for a job. Instead, line up information interviews by looking for people who would be interested in hearing your expertise. For example, I once coached a job seeker to meet the vice-president of a large company over drinks. He was curious about her experience with a certain technology his company was considering, and she as a foreigner wanted to learn about the local industry. You could also aim to meet someone on the sidelines of a local conference or networking event for even as little as 15 minutes. 7. I will consider that my resume may not be as good as it could be and seek advice. Employed or not, get second opinions about your resume. (A good excuse is to ask them to proofread it). In particular, aim for people in your industry and best yet, people at companies you'd like to work for i.e. people whose resumes have gotten them jobs at companies you'd like to work for. There are many experts who provide free resume reviews too. 8. I will acknowledge that I may not be an interviewing pro. Especially if I’ve interviewed a lot and have not landed a job. I will seek professional advice. Here are 50 Career Coaches Who Give Free Consults On Every Topic You Need, including interviewing. 9. I will consider my job search to be a full time job and will dedicate the appropriate amount of time for it. And prioritize it ahead of TV and computer games. Job search is a full-time job, but that doesn't mean you should spend 8 hours a day sending in job applications. Schedule your time with a calendar, just like you would at work, to cover all your job search-related activities: company research, networking, applying, interview preparation, going to interviews, followups, etc. 10. I will build a plan for my job hunt by outlining resources to research and key people to contact. I will create a schedule, too. Milestones and goals are important. This dovetails with the previous resolution, but keep it simple. Don't overthink your plan. Your job search doesn't need to be months on end, but you really can make your life easier by thinking ahead and trying to do things in the right order. Such as researching companies early on, and not at the last minute before you need to decide on a job offer. Planning with goals are how to keep your career resolutions: 11. When I get discouraged, I will share my concerns with a few trusted friends who can offer good advice (instead of giving up hope). Having a support group is so underrated for job seekers, where your lost self-confidence is such a common problem. Make sure you have a few people who will be honest but encouraging. There will be more obstacles in your job search, and not just the ones that make New Year's resolutions hard to keep. 12. If unemployed, I will volunteer. I will make good use of my time by meeting new people and creating substance for a discussion on “what I’ve been up to recently.” I will make a difference when many can use my assistance. Volunteering with your expertise is a great way to “stay on top of industry trends, and find out early which companies are about to start hiring” as I said in 61 Hidden Job Market Secrets Without Using Social Media. It will also keep your confidence up, and keep you sharp if you can practice your skills regularly. Other volunteers or contributors may even be able to refer you to your next employer. 13. Read. Learn. Teach. I will educate myself or others on a subject-matter than is pertinent to my profession. Take advantage of the fact that many employees are under-trained and unable to keep their skills current due to their workload, and that includes employed job seekers. Spend up to half your full-time job search by improving your skills and building new ones that will make you a more valuable candidate and open you to new roles and possibilities that are currently in demand. Then, show off your new and improved skills. 14. I will consider exercise to be a good stress-reliever and pick a program I will enjoy (not necessarily bring the fastest results). I'll give you 10 Mighty Reasons to Exercise During Your Daily Job Search. And then I'll give you 10 more. 15. I will think about what I liked and disliked in previous jobs and develop the ultimate job description. I will use this to give my search focus and meaning. You're impatient. You want to start working in a great job asap, and end the job search uncertainly already, whether you started looking yesterday or 3 months ago. Too often, being impatient leads to short cuts or just missed steps, like properly choosing your focus as Jeff suggests. A focused job search is better in every way, and the more focused, the easier it is to judge when something will take you off track. And finally- 16. I will consider new industries and career paths, but I will research the likelihood of being able to make that switch easily. With so many people hating their jobs and so many others like you almost wishing they had a job to hate, a career change might be the ticket to make things better. All too often though, job seekers aim for new careers they're barely qualified for (if at all) but are then surprised when they get few-to-no interview invites (see resolution #1 above). Jeff hits the nail on the head when he cautions you to check the water temperature before you jump in the pool. You should be able to save yourself from a lot of suffering later. Question of the article What's your job search New Year's resolution for 2020? Which of Jeff's resolutions make the most sense for you? Tell us in the comments. What other bloggers are saying Four Simple Career Resolutions for 2020 2020 New Year's Resolutions for Your Career 4 New Year’s Resolutions for the Social-Impact Job Seeker 10 Great New Year’s Resolutions for Job Seekers Do you have a New Year resolution for a new career? Career Audit â€" End of the Year Job-Search Career Strategies

4 Tips for Balancing Studying and Your Career

4 Tips for Balancing Studying and Your Career Have you signed up with a distance learning institution to complete your college degree? Many people decide to avoid the financial trap of a student loan and instead find their way into the workforce. Many people also choose to study-part-time and work full-time, and its possible to do both provided that you are well prepared to handle the workload of your studying. Here are four tips for balancing studying and your career that you can use to plan your semester of part-time study before you start. If you adhere to the advice, then you should be able to achieve your goal of a degree, while keeping your boss happy. #1 Focus on Your Priorities Start with your priorities in every study session. What do you want to achieve with this study session? What is important and urgent and where do you need to be by the end of the session? Doing a quick audit of your past session and the forthcoming one will give you direction for the study period. #2 Why You Need to Plan Start your semester off right by planning every study session. Print out your calendar and mark down the time you will use to study your course material each day. Note your coursework and the due dates for your projects, essays, and term papers. Once you have an overview of the work you need to complete, plan your daily, weekly, and monthly study sessions. Make sure that you do not plan study sessions on important days such as the birthdays of your friends and family, or a wedding that you might have to attend. By efficiently allocating your time over the course of your semester, you will know where you are and what to accomplish at any point. #3 Study Effectively with the Pomodoro Principle The Pomodoro technique can be used to increase your productivity while you study. This principle works on a system of interval study periods with rest periods in between. Start your study session and focus on getting as much done as possible in twenty-five minutes. Set a timer, or use a time management app to alert you at the end of the twenty-five-minute period. When the alarm goes off, take a short five-minute break before returning to the next session. By using the Pomodoro technique, you keep your mind fresh and make the most of your focus and concentration before it begins to become distracted and inefficient. #4 Get Help with Term Papers Do you struggle with the English language? Writing is not for everyone, some people despise it and avoid it at all costs. This lack of writing ability can become problematic for new students as you will be required to turn in term papers, research, and essays during the semester. Save yourself the time and trouble of trying to write your essays. Hire a professional writing service to give you the term paper help that you need to turn in outstanding papers. You can use the time you save with the term paper to advance your studying in other areas and make your time management more efficient. Delegate the task to the professionals and get on with other priorities. The Final Word Time is the most valuable asset that we have available to us. What we do with our time determines our character.

Writing a Resume With No Relevant Experience - Classy Career Girl

Writing a Resume With No Relevant Experience Before everything else, read this to jumpstart your job application,  especially if you are still writing your resume. It is a competitive world out there especially when it comes to job hunting. Everybody seems to have a background and relevant experience that would make them appear perfect the job. But, do not let this discourage you from applying for your dream job. Its perfectly reasonable to have minimal to zero experience if youre a fresh graduate or entry-level applicant. Believe it or not, there are actually many things you can include in your resume to make you look qualified and in the best light possible. What to Put on Your Resume When You Have No Relevant Work Experience 1. Start With Your Educational  Background Its  understandable for fresh graduates and entry-level applicants to start with their educational background instead of professional experience.  But this doesnt mean you are at a disadvantage. There are still a lot of experiences and relevant skills you can include under this section. First, your educational background tells a lot about your intellectual capacity, which can later transform into actual skills. To put things into perspective, if you apply as a Brand Manager, a course in Marketing or related degree will give the impression that you already have the working tools to succeed in this particular field. You can even include your membership in school organizations. This gives the employers the impression that you have the ability to juggle academic and extra-curricular activities, making you a promising potential employee. Write down all the activities that you spearheaded or were a part of. Count the tasks assigned to you that are relevant to the position you want to apply for. In our sample, you can include raising funds by soliciting or partnering with companies. This gives them the impression that youre resourceful and able to negotiate with professionals even if you were only an undergraduate. You can also include both academic and non-academic projects youve worked on. These reflect both your intellectual and practical skills that may be relevant to the job position. 2. Follow It Up  With Other Relevant and Transferable Skills No one is entirely zero when it comes to having skills. Its a matter of being able to present these skills in a way that will impress potential employers by your ability to link  seemingly irrelevant skills to something of substance and material to the job you are applying for. You can acquire skills from just about any activity such as internships, summer jobs, and volunteer work. While the skills you acquire from volunteering or interning may not relate to the industry, there are a number of transferable skills you acquired. Transferable skills include leadership, research, ability to work independently and work with others. Remember that you do not have to confine yourself within the walls of your job description. After all, youre not expected to work solely on making feasibility studies on your product. Working  in a company involves administrative and incidental tasks which include computer skills, presentation skills, and working with a team. If you are still unable to come up with a good way to write your resume, you can always use professional services  like this to help build a good resume that will help you win the job. If you still dont know what to include in your resume, start by asking yourself what youre good at. Ask family and friends, they can enlighten you on some skills that you still dont know you have.  Try to always think outside the box. Think about whether you have people skills, organization skills, or problem-solving skills. These are skills that employers value because it shows how holistic a person is. Employers arent simply looking for someone who has marketing skills if they want a Brand Manager.  They want someone well-rounded and full of potential. After all, they want to maximize everyone they hire. 3. Couple Your Resume With a Strong Cover Letter While cover letters arent technically a part of your resume, they serve an important purpose of introducing yourself to employers. Strong cover letters make up for your lack of experience. You express your passions and life experiences that arent directly related to the industry  but still  put yourself in the best light possible that will spark the employer’s interest. You can present these in a manner that will connect it to the job youve applied for. As an example, you can express your interest in branding and present any item that makes it sellable. This way, the employers know that you are driven enough to learn more about the industry which compensates your lack of any professional experience. [RELATED: 13 Best-Kept Cover Letter Secrets] Try to be really specific in outlining these passions and life experiences by giving real-life examples in detail. If you can do this and create a strong cover letter, you might even end up as an asset, which will convince the employers to hire you or advance you in the application process. Looking for a job whilst competing with thousands of other job applicants is tough and a job in itself. But your lack of experience should not discourage you because, as already mentioned, no one starts at zero. Everybody always has a working knowledge or skill she/he can bank on when applying for a job. The trick is to present these working skills in a way that will compensate for the lack of professional skills. Additionally, employers today no longer settle for the conventional experience. Now  they look for applicants who do not only have the relevant educational and professional experience  but are also holistic and driven. Show them that you can make it in the industry. Youre truly interested in the position  and didnt apply  just because you needed someone to hire you. Dont cram your resume and spend time thinking about what you should include in it. Present these well, and youll look like the best applicant they will ever have.

3 Ways to Knock Out Negotiating With Men - Classy Career Girl

3 Ways to Knock Out Negotiating With Men Being the boss means that the men on your team will most likely be asking you for something or other. Men are more likely to negotiate than women to get what they want, so there will be a lot of opportunities for you to use your negotiating skills.  Many men do not want to lose to a woman, which makes negotiating with men even more difficult. Here are 3 Ways to Knock Out Negotiating With Men: 1. Never be scared to negotiate Many women are afraid of negotiating and avoid it at all costs. But men respect women more if they negotiate with them instead of just stepping back and giving them what they want without a fight. Dont be a pushover! According to Sara Laschever, co-author of Women Dont Ask,  The best tactic for women who feel nervous or uncomfortable about negotiating is to practice. Practice moving away from what you are worried about and into joint problem solving. Joint problem solving is when both parties are truly happy with the end result of the negotiation. That is really the best type of negotiation. If you practice, not only do you plan and rehearse things to move to the direction that you want it to go, but if in fact some of those things that you are afraid of happening in the negotiation do end up happening, then you wont be surprised. 2. Understand gender negotiating differences Women are more relational and collaborative in negotiations. Women will use small talk at the beginning of a negotiation to develop a relationship before they get down to business. Men, on the other hand, will get right down to business. Men want you to get to the point as quickly as possible and the small talk really doesnt accomplish that. Men can also be more competitive than women so they may be more focused on winning than a woman is. According to Lee E. Miller and Jessie Miller in their book, A Womans Guide to Successful Negotiating,Negotiating turn-ons for men are getting right down to business, letting him go first, finding out what he is interested in and showing that you can get the deal done. Negotiating turn-offs for men are whining, crying, engaging in too much small talk, challenging him head on or threatening him. 3.  Know all the factors involved   Think about his behavior and communication style from previous meetings and negotiations. Try to brainstorm his negotiation style and what he will want beforehand.  Dont worry about trying to please everyone. Be thorough, but also remember to be decisive and dont circle around the most important topic. Do your homework and preparation before you start negotiating. 4.  Establish credibility first At the beginning of the conversation, show that you have knowledge in the subject area. For example, if it is a salary negotiation, tell your male employee that you are aware of his achievements over the last year and list them. 5. Reach an agreement as quickly as possible. Try to reach an agreement as quickly as possible with a male employee.Make men feel comfortable. Gail Evans, author of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman, says: Give them the first question or request, which is usually a minor point. This allows him to relax and think it will be easy so he might drop his guard. He then feels he has to give you something in return. It is better to fight him on the fifth point rather than the first. In some cases, you may not be able to come to a mutual agreement that all are happy with. Some men just wont budge and you wont be able to convince them of your argument. Try to turn it into a win for both of you, if possible, in another way. Suggest something else that he might be happy with. Try to make a favorable agreement for all involved. What have you learned negotiating?

The risks of taking smart drugs - Debut university students

The risks of taking smart drugs - Debut university students This post was written by an external contributor. Olivia Church discusses why students and graduates should be aware about the side effects of smart drugs. Illustration credit goes to Cameron West. You can see more of his work on his website and Instagram.   Before I begin, check out this video of a teenager on ITV’s This Morning, who believed so-called ‘smart drugs’ would help curb her anxiety in the run up to her GCSE exams. It really goes to show if you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything. What are smart drugs and why are young people taking them? With one in four university students recorded as having problems with their  mental health, some young people are resorting to extreme measures for the sake of achieving academic success. With exams becoming increasingly difficult under new government reforms, many are attracted to the idea of smart drugs. Targeting neurotransmitters in the brain, they are thought to improve and extend cognitive performance and levels of productivity. These drugs are also characterised by taking advantage of reward-motivated chemicals dopamine and positive vibe hormone endorphins. Perhaps the most attractive feature surrounding smart drugs is their ability to improve a person’s planning and problem-solving abilities. In short, how they can make you more brainy in the face of exams. If we judge someone’s intelligence based on their capabilities to plan and problem-solve alone, then there is evidence to suggest these drugs do, in fact, work. Notice, however, that a person becomes cleverer and not happier. When success is at stake, these two rarely come hand in hand. What kind of drugs are out there? One conventional drug that someone may come across goes by the name of Ritalin. This drug is typically used to treat those with ADHD and narcolepsy. Another named Phylpiracetam is already a banned performance enhancer in the UK. Yet the drug that is most associated with students is Modafinil. Labelled ‘the world’s first safe smart drug’, Modafinil is another cognitive enhancing drug that is principally used to treat narcolepsy but is still easily available to anyone on the internet. While tests show that not all of the results with smart-drugs are conclusive, we still have to consider the individual factors that can contribute towards higher brain performance which can vary from person to person. This means that despite the apparent hype, there is no guarantee that any smart-drug taker is going to experience exactly what they hoped the drugs would set out to do. And it doesn’t seem any more promising when reading the wildly unreliable online reviews. It only adds more uncertainty to this kind of pharmaceuticals. Where are young people getting these drugs from? The internet is a thriving environment for the buying and selling of non-prescription drugs. Ordering drugs from the internet can run the risk of leading unwary customers down some dodgy and potentially dangerous routes. There are undoubtedly more red flags to come when you are asked to hand over personal details and banking information to businesses that don’t always indicate that they secure and trustworthy. Some companies even go to the lengths to package or label the drugs in a certain way to avoid detection from the law. So, who is to say that you are going to get exactly what you asked for? But what are the side effects? Ultimately, the long-term effects of smart drugs are still a mystery. And the idea of not knowing is the reason so many youngsters to turn to them in the first place! While drugs like Modafinil significantly increase concentration levels, the trouble comes when you want the effects to stop. People taking smart drugs on a regular basis over a long period of time can encounter high levels of overactivity. This can lead to a number of horrible side effects. These include sleep loss, loss of appetite, headaches, irritability and worsening of current mental health conditions. If any young smart drug taker is achieving, they are achieving exactly the opposite of what they thought the drugs would do for them. Why should we avoid them and how can we deal with exam stress? Our society places such a huge importance on success. Sometimes we forget to take a step back and treat the individual needs of the person before resorting to medical alternatives. The cult of smart drugs has become such a large-scale problem that a law has only just been introduced recently. The  Psychoactive Substances Act  2016 is a law in the United Kingdom aims to restrict the production, sale and supply of a new class of ‘psychoactive substances’  often referred to as legal highs. But there are so many other ways to boost concentration levels without resorting to drugs. You could have a chilled-out study sessions with your peers. Listen to a podcast, practice stress-relieving activities like breathing exercises or meditation. Even get that keyboard or set of bongo’s you’ve been meaning to play and have your own mini concert! The only real way of preparing for exams is through hard work and perseverance. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Marketing Your On-Line Presence

Marketing Your On-Line Presence Part of my personal mission is to share information.   Why?   Because I like finding information to share and I believe that once youve shared it, it can grow into something bigger and better. I shared an invitation to create a Google/YouTube Search Story on my   Career Sherpa Facebook page and on Twitter, Why create a Search Story?   Because it is a form of marketing and self promotion. And it forces you to examine your online presence.   Plusit may take you out of your comfort zone. Creating a   Search Story WAS simple, but no longer available. Here is what mine looks like. Bill Griffin used his to tell the story of how he landed his job.   You can watch it here. Mike Lally used it to create awareness of his presence on the web. Here is his link. I am pretty sure you all can get pretty creative.   Please, share your link either in a comment here or on my Career Sherpa Facebook page. Feel free to follow me on Twitter and/or like my Facebook page! I look forward to seeing your videos!

How to Put Together a Formal Resume

How to Put Together a Formal ResumeBefore you put together your formal resume, make sure to properly prepare for it. You should be aware of the basics. You should know how to properly format a resume and what to include on it. Here are some tips on how to do that.It is very important to understand how a formal resume works before you even start to write it. Formal resumes are used by most employers in order to assess your skills and what you can offer them. This is also the reason why it is such a crucial part of your job search. You need to be familiar with how to write a proper resume. This will help you get noticed when you are applying for a job.If you think about it, you are the only one who knows how long it takes to get through all the information that is in a resume. So, if you want to present your best work, you need to know how to write a resume so that it gets read. You should also be well informed about the types of fields and companies where you have worked, as this will help you make sure that the information that you have written on your resume is accurate.When you are ready to put together your formal resume, the first thing that you should do is to consider all the information that you have gathered during your job search. You should know the areas that you are applying for and what the position entails. This will help you understand how a resume will be written. This means that you need to write a complete description of the kind of position that you are applying for. This will make sure that the information on your resume is accurate.When you are putting together your objective section, it is very important to be specific. This means that you need to take the time to put down the information that you know and the skills that you want to improve. Remember that you will not have the time to finish the details once you are filling out your resume.When you are finished with the objective section, the next thing that you should put down is your ow n personal information. This will be for the benefit of your future employer. They will want to know everything about you. You will also need to highlight all of the skills that you possess. This is also where you will be able to emphasize any things that are noteworthy about you.The next section that you need to write on your resume is the summary. This is the section that summarizes all of the information that you have written. It will summarize the major aspects of your application and why you are a good candidate for the job.These are the basic tips on how to put together a formal resume. This will ensure that you have the perfect resume for you to go out and apply for a job. It will also ensure that your prospective employer will see exactly what you have done to make yourself a viable candidate for the job.