Slow is Fast, Even in the Job Search #ScaryConcept

Slow is Fast, Even in the Job Search #ScaryConcept By the time I went to Bamboo last February (almost two years ago!) I had spent the last 12 years as an entrepreneur. Two ways I describe being an entrepreneur: You eat what you kill. This means that if you dont make a sale, you dont eat. Very, very different than drawing a paycheck. The eat what you kill mentally creates a sense of urgency that you dont usually see walking down corporate hallways where people have salaries, insurance, benefits, and some semblance of security. Unemployed. My friend Marc says that every day he wakes up unemployed, and has to go find work. Hes been an entrepreneur forever. I think this is a really healthy way of looking at it (hes in the services business). Again, sense of urgency mindset. I then went into a bureaucratic organization. Not to bash on Bamboo every organization has bureaucracy. But I went from hurry hurry hurry to slow down, slow down, it will be okay. I remember watching the sales floor HUSTLE, always busy, and see their stats posted (and rising) on monitors throughout the day. I could just sit there and watch for hours (although I never did). I thought that a lot of the slow down mentality was funded by those hustlers on the floor. And in the ecosystem of a healthy company, that makes a lot of sense. Have people who are bringing in new business while you have strategists steering the ship and people carrying out plans in the background. Two seemingly disjointed operations happening at the same time, both of which have a profound impact on the other. It was beautiful, really. But to the point of this post. I went from entrepreneur mindset to hearing almost daily slow is fast, fast is slow. This, they said, came from Special Forces, and it meant to slow down, do things right, and you wouldnt have to spend time cleaning up messes later. You could make better progress over time by going slow and purposeful than if you just throw a bunch of spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks. But from my previous 12 years it was really frustrating to go slow. When I created the Job Search Program I chose six weeks as the length of the self-guided coaching course. Im still not sure what to call it (maybe thats why I said program) but six weeks feels awful slow to me (as a job seeker). Who wants to sit around for six weeks until stuff happens? Granted, if you are doing the program you should start to see results in week one or two. Traction, conversations, introductions, referrals, etc. You are likely not going to notice that YOU are getting BETTER at these conversations but that will happen, too. Slowly. I would argue that spending time doing your job search strategically, and doing the right things at the right times, is better than spending two to ten hours on job boards frantically applying for whatever you think might work for you. Heres the message I want you to walk away with: the results you might see (or not see) probably feel excruciatingly painful. Too slow. But trust the process, trust the system (as long as they are principled) and work the system. Results should come. My job search was slow but my system was completely flawed. Get the right system, work it, and you should see results. Need a system? Check out the Job Search Program. It uses informational interviews + accountability + follow-up to help you have the right conversations with the right people. Slow is Fast, Even in the Job Search #ScaryConcept By the time I went to Bamboo last February (almost two years ago!) I had spent the last 12 years as an entrepreneur. Two ways I describe being an entrepreneur: You eat what you kill. This means that if you dont make a sale, you dont eat. Very, very different than drawing a paycheck. The eat what you kill mentally creates a sense of urgency that you dont usually see walking down corporate hallways where people have salaries, insurance, benefits, and some semblance of security. Unemployed. My friend Marc says that every day he wakes up unemployed, and has to go find work. Hes been an entrepreneur forever. I think this is a really healthy way of looking at it (hes in the services business). Again, sense of urgency mindset. I then went into a bureaucratic organization. Not to bash on Bamboo every organization has bureaucracy. But I went from hurry hurry hurry to slow down, slow down, it will be okay. I remember watching the sales floor HUSTLE, always busy, and see their stats posted (and rising) on monitors throughout the day. I could just sit there and watch for hours (although I never did). I thought that a lot of the slow down mentality was funded by those hustlers on the floor. And in the ecosystem of a healthy company, that makes a lot of sense. Have people who are bringing in new business while you have strategists steering the ship and people carrying out plans in the background. Two seemingly disjointed operations happening at the same time, both of which have a profound impact on the other. It was beautiful, really. But to the point of this post. I went from entrepreneur mindset to hearing almost daily slow is fast, fast is slow. This, they said, came from Special Forces, and it meant to slow down, do things right, and you wouldnt have to spend time cleaning up messes later. You could make better progress over time by going slow and purposeful than if you just throw a bunch of spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks. But from my previous 12 years it was really frustrating to go slow. When I created the Job Search Program I chose six weeks as the length of the self-guided coaching course. Im still not sure what to call it (maybe thats why I said program) but six weeks feels awful slow to me (as a job seeker). Who wants to sit around for six weeks until stuff happens? Granted, if you are doing the program you should start to see results in week one or two. Traction, conversations, introductions, referrals, etc. You are likely not going to notice that YOU are getting BETTER at these conversations but that will happen, too. Slowly. I would argue that spending time doing your job search strategically, and doing the right things at the right times, is better than spending two to ten hours on job boards frantically applying for whatever you think might work for you. Heres the message I want you to walk away with: the results you might see (or not see) probably feel excruciatingly painful. Too slow. But trust the process, trust the system (as long as they are principled) and work the system. Results should come. My job search was slow but my system was completely flawed. Get the right system, work it, and you should see results. Need a system? Check out the Job Search Program. It uses informational interviews + accountability + follow-up to help you have the right conversations with the right people.

The Importance of a Resume Objective

The Importance of a Resume ObjectiveWhen applying for the position of administrative assistant, a resume objective is an important item that should be included. It should include the duties, qualifications and the experience that are needed to fill the position. In addition, the resume objective should include the anticipated start date. The resume objective should not be just a basic description of what the applicant has done before in the past job.The routine is very stressful especially when you are running an organization and there is a very difficult job to do. A resume objective is a helpful way to relate a summary about the applicant's job responsibilities. They can be used in a multi-page resume or as a separate document.A resume objective is a good way to get your resume noticed. It does not necessarily have to be complete. A resume objective is a great way to catch the attention of the reader, and the recruiter.There are several things that you can include in your resume ob jective. It should include the duties, qualifications and experience that are needed to fill the job. The objective should include the expected start date. When you need a sample resume objective, you can go to resumes.com to get one.If the position is for a person to person customer service, a resume objective for service also describes the services that can be provided by the applicant. There should be contact information, and an email address. These are just some of the details that are included in a resume objective.You can write a short overview about yourself. It is just a matter of providing the information needed to summarize the qualities and skills that can be applied for the job. If you have a skill in customer service, a resume objective for customer service should focus on customer service skills. As a result, you can provide information about how you can provide excellent customer service, as well as how you will handle customer complaints.When you choose to include a resume objective, it is important to make sure that the information that you are including is accurate. The information should be a summary of the job responsibilities that are needed to fill the job. Be sure to check for spelling and grammatical errors, but avoid a long resume that contains too much detail.Remember, the resume objective is just a tool. If you find the right keywords to promote your resume, your objective should get your resume noticed by the employer.

Personal Branding Interview Zack Whittaker - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Zack Whittaker - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Zack Whittaker, who is the youngest in the ZDNet network with his iGeneration blog.   In this interview, Zach examines the Gen-Y stereotype about technology, names some pieces of technology that have changed our lives, gives us a glimpse into personal branding in the UK and more. What is your take on the millennial stereotype that we are all tech experts? In some respects we all are. Growing up in a small rural village in the north of England where the coal mines closed, the economy was shot to oblivion and morale was the lowest itd ever been (since the week before: British joke). Most of my then school friends left education with nothing except chlamydia and a sense of having no purpose in the wider world, saying, Im no good at anything. Everyones good at something, it just takes time finding the skill. Technology has surrounded this generation since birth so we are accustomed to using it. The processes we make when writing documents or saving to the web these are transferable to other objects, service and technologies. We can pick up a new phone and know how to use it through transferable skills we wouldnt have ordinarily learned in a different sociology. We may not be experts, but were certainly keeping up with societies expectations, whether we mean to or not. What three pieces of technology do you think have changed our lives over the past year? Theres a saying; if you say drugs are bad and are awful, youve never taken them. I apply the same logic with the BlackBerry. Its a drug; a mind consuming, time depriving device which had the chance, most people would be buried with once they finally slide majestically off this mortal coil. For those who havent signed away their lives to the device, consider yourself saved otherwise the BlackBerry is number 1. The Internet is an obvious one throw that one in as number 2 (and you can tell these are in no specific order as one couldnt survive without the other), and number 3 would be something as simple as the computer mouse, of which without this, modern computing would have been firmly stuck in the 1980s. How has media changed your life and opened up opportunities for you? Rockstars have underwear thrown at them on stage. Similarly, I often have underwear faxed to me by deranged fans who for some reason fantasize about me as theyre tweeting. Im the youngest in not only the ZDNet network, but the CBS Interactive network. Its a bit daunting, to say the least. Day in day out I know I have a massive audience and a lot of people reading, understanding, complaining and the rest of it, but I never forget who my audience is people like me, next-generation students. Ive spoken to Ballmer, Zuckerberg, even briefly Jobs but social media is still a phenomenon to me, in that I speak to random people on Twitter every day and probably love it more. I like variety it keeps life, and the job very interesting. Do you have a role model? Thankfully no, because through the truth of Tuckers Law, in the end everybody will let you down and in the long run, you can only 100% trust yourself. But dont get me wrong; the need for support and moral guidance is imperative to my work and the sociology of my life.  Mary Jo Foley brought be into the media world, and has been a pillar of support, knowledge, honesty not to mention a scratching post for anger, frustration and contempt for others. For some people call her the Evil Queen of Microsoft, they clearly havent met me yet. But anyone from my best friend to the master of my university college, my boss and my boss boss Christ, even my Dad. I never turn away advice or a greater sense of understanding; I just sometimes to choose not to take heed of it. Can you give us a glimpse of what the social media and personal branding landscape looks like in the UK? Students need to recognize their online identities. These identities can define a person online as well as offline. My colleague, Jen Leggio, is known as @mediaphyter in the online and offline world. She has this brand and uses it brilliantly to promote herself and her work, causes and personality. As the online world becomes more integrated with the offline and the two mesh together like some tripped-up Venn diagram of confusion, the need to maintain a personal brand of your own through social media is imperative. All it takes is an event like the Hudson River place crash and a camera phone and your established identity is necessary to bring copyrights, media coverage and even remuneration back to that one single person. Zack Whittaker is the youngest in the ZDNet network with his iGeneration blog.   His insight into the next-generation is unique and first-hand, sharing his knowledge of the here and now but more so whats next and how to get there.   Zack started playing with computers before he could even tie his shoelaces; although that skill wasn’t discovered until he was 10. Amongst many things, he is a good-for-nothing, pink sock wearing, British student at the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK working towards a BA (Hons) Criminology and Social Policy. In between studying, drinking, and occasionally sleeping, he works with researchers studying neurological illnesses like Tourette’s syndrome (of which he suffers from), gives talks and lectures on disabilities, and throws in a little child protection and family safety work now and then. He grew up in “Robin Hood Country” in Nottinghamshire, UK for the best part of his life, but still heads there on occasion to see his ever-supporting and loving family, godchildren and his friends.     Follow him on Twitter @zachwhittaker.

Financial Real Talk Getting To Grips With Debt

Financial Real Talk Getting To Grips With Debt Many of us have times in life where spending gets out of control, and we find ourselves in debt. There may be periods when you’re not earning as much as usual. Or you may have been living beyond your means for too long. Whatever your financial situation, it always pays to keep tabs on your accounts. If you’re in the red, the sooner you act, the better. If debt is getting you down, these tips may help. Getting to grips with debt: facing up to reality Are you an ostrich that buries its head in the sand? Do you spend without thinking about the consequences? Is it days, or even weeks, since you checked your balance? Do you ignore statements? If so, it’s time to tackle reality. If you’re in debt, you need to get a sense of what’s going on in your accounts, and how much you owe. It’s not a pleasant task, and there may be unexpected surprises on the horizon. But you need to be realistic. Open those statements and check your balances online. Work out how much you owe in total. Write down a list of figures next to the names of people and companies you owe. Jot down interest rates next to those figures. This will enable you to establish the best order to pay back outstanding debts. Working out a budget If you’re in debt, it’s time to make changes. The first step you can take is drawing up a budget. Work out what you earn, and what you can save. This sum can be put towards paying back loans, credit cards or individuals you owe. For the next few months, paying off debts should be your priority. This may mean that you have to cut back on socializing, and buying non-essential items like more clothes. Paying off urgent debts Have you got final reminders flying through the mailbox? Are people calling you demanding money? If it’s got to this stage, you need to take urgent action. If you don’t pay outstanding bills after reminders, you may be liable for legal action. Your credit score will also be affected. There are various options you can consider if you find yourself in this scenario. If you have savings, you can use them to cover your debts. You may have been putting money aside for a house or car. But this is more important. If you don’t have enough money to cover the bills or mortgage payments, seek expert advice. See a financial adviser or visit pages like Reduce My Debts. It is sometimes possible to take out a debt consolidation loan. This is a loan, which is used to cover existing debts. It can be used to pay all kinds of debts, including credit and store cards and rent arrears. Once you’ve done this, you start paying back the loan. Effectively, you’ll still be in debt. But you won’t have anyone chasing you for money, and you’ll just have one repayment to make each month. Another option is a debt settlement. This is a process, which can last up to four years. It enables you to pay back a portion of your debts to the companies you owe. This is a solution that is often recommended to people who have fallen into debt as a result of unexpected circumstances. For example, if you’ve been injured in an accident and had to give up work. Planning for the future Once you’ve dealt with debts, the last thing you want is to find yourself in a similar situation in the future. Start from scratch with a new budget, and a fresh approach to spending and saving. Try and set aside a sum each month, and keep an eye on your finances. Check your balance at least once a week, and make sure you know how much you’ve spent on credit and store cards. If you put something on a card that charges interest, try and clear it as soon as possible. When it comes to your finances, it’s essential to be realistic. If you’re in trouble, the longer you bury your head in the sand, the worse the situation will get. Even small debts can spiral out of control, giving you anxiety and sleepless nights. Your credit score will also be affected by missing payments, which has implications for your future. Get to grips with debt, and keep track of your finances. There may be a rocky road ahead, but the sooner you get help, the better. Image Credits Main   Cards        Calculator   Notice    Bank

Tips For Writing Resume Writing

Tips For Writing Resume WritingTo be a good professional you need to be adept at resume writing and you should follow a few tips in order to better your chances of success. One of the best actions you can take to improve your writing is to use action verbs throughout your essay. We are all familiar with action verbs. Examples include 'learned', 'written', 'ran', 'moved', 'worked', 'learned', 'wrote', 'initiated', 'learned', 'designed', 'wrote', 'made', 'planned', 'manipulated', 'cultivated', 'designed', 'intended', 'entered', 'written', 'helped', 'completed', 'managed', 'adapted', 'thought', 'and so on.When used appropriately, action verbs can greatly help your resume. Action verbs often create and enhance the impact of sentences as they encourage readers to put into their mind what it is that is written in the first place. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind when using action verbs in your resume. The most important tip I can give you is to keep your sentences sh ort and easy to understand. There is nothing worse than reading a lengthy, complicated sentence with no comprehension.Too many people write their resumes too long and the words on the page make no sense to the reader. Some of the tips you need to use when writing a resume will revolve around giving your readers just enough information without trying to tell them all there is to know about you. One of the best ways to do this is to avoid putting too much information on your resume and instead concentrate on one aspect at a time. Try to figure out what it is you need to know before you read the whole document.Another tip that will help you write an effective resume is to use action verbs that can get you excited about your career. For example, 'Learn' is a great action verb and it's powerful. When you use the word 'learn' you are telling your reader that you are a person who wants to learn. That is what you want them to think and when they feel that they are being talked to by a knowl edgeable person, they will be more likely to put into their minds the ideas you are providing. The more they are in your head the more likely they are to be understood.One of the most important action verbs 'Think'. When you use the word 'think' you are telling the reader that you are a person who has great ideas and can be turned into reality. This is exactly the type of person you want to be when it comes to working for your dream job.Remember, action verbs don't have to be complex or long. In fact, they can be very short. This means that you don't have to list all of your educational accomplishments. You can easily highlight the things you did that helped your career along such as 'wrote eight articles for my writing career' instead of listing every single thing you did in your life that could possibly help you.Lastly, when writing action verbs, remember to write each of your accomplishments using both your first and last name. This will make it easy for your reader to put into t heir minds what you are writing about. Instead of writing, 'Wrote ten articles for my writing career', you can write, 'Wrote seven articles for my writing career with my first name'. It's a lot easier to read and remember that than it is to add all of the different titles for titles that you were credited for.Action verbs can be used in a variety of ways, but as with any other writing tool, use them wisely. They can truly help your resume and when used properly, can enhance the impact of your written words. The right words can do wonders for your resume.

Freelancing Freedom! The Facts - CareerMetis.com

Freelancing Freedom! The Facts It seems that the trend of making your own work is the preferred option for many of us nowadays. And with good cause, the amount of people heading into self-employment or entrepreneurial endeavors are higher than ever before, and the trend will just continue the more people are becoming more dissatisfied with their jobs, or start to look at what else is out there.Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comThe younger generations see the potential of becoming an entrepreneur more than those aged over 40 because being schooled on the internet has made them realize the potential audience they can grab. There are so many different types of people to market a product to, and there are so many unusual careers available to people that there is no need to try and fit into a box anymore.And with the options available via technology and the internet,the sky is the limit, and this is why we are more inclined to make our own work rather than work for someone else. And when we begin on this path to starting our own business or venture into entrepreneurship, you will learn a lot. And I mean A LOT. About yourself, but also about how business works.evalSo many people are skipping their degrees to begin their own companies, without any knowledge about business! This is where people will do the real learning, and this is why running your own company will teach you everything you need to know about the business world…1. You will learn how to handle money differently to how you handle your ownevalYou will get to the point where you build your company so much that you cannot sustain it by yourself anymore. You will need to outsource to other freelancers to get the odd task done, or you will have to take the plunge and hire a member of staff to work with you.The first time you hire a member of staff means they will undoubtedly have many queries about that dreaded three-letter word…pay! Their life is in your hands in this respect, and respect is the thing you need to give them in every part of your daily dealings.You will need to learn the processes of paying employees for their work, whether it is via a PAYE system or it is via PayPal, the importance of paying people when you say you will is a big trust exercise.And when your company is so small that there are only three of you working together, you cannot afford to lose that trust because if they grow dissatisfied with how you run the company, and especially if you defer payments, all you will see is their dust cloud.And with business expenses and making sure that your staff gets paid when a client hasn’t paid you yet, it is a very common concern. So don’t be that person who doesn’t pay their staff!2. You will either be liked or hatedThis can make or break a person, but it is a necessary evil because you will learn about your managerial style, and as a result, you will learn a lot about how yourself and how you can be perceived.evalA part of leading a team is to apply the squeezers from time to time, and motivatin g them, as well as being their leader, friend, confidante and problem-solver.You will realize, from making many mistakes, how to put across a leadership style that ticks all the boxes. And once you have spent months trying different styles, from the friendly style to the stern boss, you will hit upon a type that is right for you.You will also realize that you can’tplease everyone! Being comfortable in your own skin is so important to leading a business, that you have no time to worry about how people perceive you. Those little thoughts are just wasted energy, and if left to fester, they will completely unravel you or lead to decision fatigue.The same goes for meeting clients new and old. The way you conduct yourself in important meetings will have a bearing on a new and lucrative contract. Look at the leaders you admire to get some inspiration on how to dress, how to talk, or how to get across a more confident demeanor. Elon Musk didn’t come out of the gate fully-formed! Nobody did. It’s all about learning how to be the best you.3. Help is there, even if you think there isn’tevalNetworking is a powerful skill to learn because as soon as you figure it out, you have years of experience at your disposal. Not from you, but the people who have been there before. Utilizing the well of information is an essential trait to embody.The old expression of Always Be Closing has been replaced by Always Be Learning, and you should be! The more information you can find from someone that was in your position will stop you avoiding those pitfalls.Even when it comes to financial help for the self-employed, there are little nuggets like the Uniform Tax Rebate, which reimburses you for uniform use or if you use tools as part of your business. In fact, there is so much help out there for people, it’s just not that well communicated.You never know what information is there until you have spoken to someone who has been there before you, which is why constant research and ke eping your ear to the ground becomes part of your drive to improve the business.4. It is hard, but it is brilliantThey say you can’t put a price on freedom. But if you look at where you came from, after so many years of not feeling like you’re getting anywhere in life, and you come out the other side, running a business you feel strongly about, and you cannot sleep at night because you’re either so excited or anxious (both will happen), you will realize that what you have done is the greatest journey you will ever take.Never underestimate the devious lows, but also the amazing highs that come with running a company. You will not just learn everything about the business world, but you will learn exactly who you are.

Rent OR Buy Which Office Solution Is Right For You

Rent OR Buy Which Office Solution Is Right For You Being in the position as an entrepreneur to move from your home office to a new one is a good place to be. It means that your business is expanding in a way that you can control. It means that you are earning enough recognition to require staff and space to make your business bigger. It means that you have the profitability to make yourself bigger as a company and it can show that you’ve arrived. There are two options for you when you want to move out of your home office into a public one, and those are whether you choose to rent a space or buy a building and own your office. There are pros and cons to each of these office solutions, and it’s going to take some careful planning to decide what is right for you. Below, we’re going to explore the pros and cons of each option to help you to make a more informed decision. Renting Pros: You get to choose a location that is right for your budget and central. Renting can give you a chance to get the location with the best footfall, as most office leases have been bought up in prime spots. When you choose to rent an office, you end up with more cash. There’s less money as a down payment and you can use the capital for business growth. You are not the one responsible for the maintenance of the building, which adds costs to your budget that you may not have considered before. Your rent includes it! Cons: Your biggest con is the fact that at any point, the landlord could sell up and you could find yourself without an office space anymore. Without paying into a property of your own, you aren’t building any kind of equity for your business future. Buying Pros: Buying allows you the chance to make upgrades and changes. You can call Capitol Glass today and make changes to the windows and doors as you please. This gives you the chance to do more with your office and look better to the public as you want. Extra income is a big push to buying an office, as if there is extra space in the building you can hire it out to other companies. The tax deductions on your mortgage interest can put more cash in your pocket over time â€" everyone loves a good tax deduction! Cons: The upfront cost can be pretty high; after all, you’re making a very large purchase. This can take a huge chunk of your business budget that you have to try to balance. There is a distinct lack of flexibility when it comes to buying your office. If you grow even further, you may have to purchase property again, which is a big upheaval. There are good and bad things to both buying and renting, and it’s up to you to weight up all the options before you make a solid choice. How lucky you are, to be in such a position.

What job seekers can learn from employers -

What job seekers can learn from employers - At the Society for Human Resource Management, Atlanta conference, I made a point to attend several sessions addressing social media. These sessions were directed to recruiters and human resource professionals responsible for attracting top talent to their organizations. Job seekers can learn a lot from the conversations.Jenny DeVaughn, Director, Social Strategy of Bernard Hodes Group, spoke to a standing room only crowd about integrating social media into recruiting strategies. (Jenny blogs at SocialPrecision.com.) She noted the number of millions of users engaging on social media tools and pointed out that 90% will not leave their mobile phones at home.   Clearly, social media is where we are, and its where hiring is going to be as well. Jenny advised hiring managers to share the best part of their employer brand online, including videos of employees and other information that demonstrates why potential employees would want to join the organization. She mentioned that it is important to share discreet job activity, which includes letting the public know what events (such as volunteer work) the organization supports, details about successful employees and other good news about the organization. Jenny also reminded employers not to conduct informal background checks on candidates via social media channels this is good news for job seekers, although it is still important to be cautious about posting information online. Jenny also reminded us that its important for employers and job seekers to know that employer forums such as Indeed.coms are unofficial sources of information (although they appear to be condoned by the organization). It was fascinating to me to hear employers ask the exact same questions about social media that job seekers ask: How to maintain privacy, who to connect with on LinkedIn, how to share the best story with the public, what to do when there is something negative reported online. Job seekers grappling with these issues should recognize that everyone is still working out how to make the most of social media. Were in a transition mode employers are looking ahead and focusing on social media, but there is no one answer for how to do it. Its the same story for job seekers. All of this advice is fine, but you need help actually find a job? Check out THE CAREER SUMMIT for lots of great career advice. The topics include everything from how to think about finding a job you love, to what has changed in search, demystifying the recruiting process, online career management, interviewing and (last but not least) strategies and tips for your resume, social media profile and job search. Read more HERE or visit the site HERE to learn more.