How to Tailor your Resume in order to get more Interviews Building Your Future Now

How to Tailor your Resume in order to get more Interviews Building Your Future Now Writing a generic resume and cover letter and blasting it out to hundreds of companies may seem like great, time-saving trick to get a job, however it seldom works. Analyze the Job posting The key is to building a resume and cover letter around the specific job posting you are applying for. For example, if you happen to find a web designer job posting on Indeed that you would like to apply for analyze the it thoroughly. Pick it apart by taking out any keywords and phrases and using them in your resume. Pay attention to what skills and experience they are looking forthis will eliminate any unnecessary information on your resume. Check the Company Site Be sure to check out the companys website. Read about their culture and the way they do things. What is their motto? What do employees and clients have to say about the company? What is their history? These are all great points to think about when crafting your resume to suit the needs of the company you want to work for! Keywords! As mentioned before, it is important that you intergrate keyword words and phases found in the job description into your resume. Did you know that roughly 70% of resumes arent ever seen by a human? Thats because many resumes are put through a ATS (Automated Tracking System) which scans resumes for keywords in relation to the job position. That is why you must tailor your resume to each job you apply for. Get the Interview Remember the whole point of writing a resume is to get you an interview. Writing a generic resume might get you an interview or two if youre lucky, but it wont help you in the long run. This time-saving trick will end up costing you many new and exciting opportunities. If you want the interview write a resume/cover letter that showcases why you are the best candidate for the job using keywords and using no filler. Get at least two people that know you well but arent afraid to be critical of your work to review your resume. If can get a professional to review your resume thats even better. At the end of the day, the resume you are writing can make or break your career so write one that will help you eventually get the job! Image: Vee Rasantinithi

Big announcement Im starting a company!

Big announcement Im starting a company! Before I tell you about my company, I want to tell you that ever since I started spending eight hours a day on my blog which was about two months after I started blogging I have always thought of the blog as a business. People would marvel that I could spend so much time on something that is making no money, but I always knew that I was building something bigger. I just didnt know what it was. So while Ive been blogging this whole time, Ive been studying business models, and watching other people turn blogs into businesses and media conglomerates, and Ive been thinking about what I can do with my blog. In October I will officially launch the site Brazen Careerist, at the URL brazencareerist.com. BUT WAIT! Dont click there! Because Im in arbitration with the guy who is squatting on it, and its already killing me how much money hes making from running ads on the domain. Fortunately my lawyer swears to me that the URL is rightfully mine. Brazen Careerist will be a network of bloggers talking about the intersection of work and life, and it will be a resource for young people who understand that they are in the drivers seat when it comes to employment. What does being in the drivers seat mean? It means first that you are responsible for your own career your personal growth, your personal brand, and your personal fulfillment. But it also means that you understand that you are in the drivers seat when it comes to employers; companies need to cater to employees if they want to get the good ones. To get things rolling, the first thing I did was join forces with Employee Evolution. Its a great community blog for young people talking about work, and their traffic is growing quickly. To create this partnership I had to negotiate with Ryan Healy, who has a guest column on this blog titled Twentysomething. Background: I met Ryan online when he asked me to check out his blog, Employee Evolution. He had only posted twice, but I loved both posts, and I hated thinking that such great posts about my topic area were not on my blog, so I invited him to guest blog. He has been doing that for about six months, instigating ire among many commenters. But I love his posts. Well, I love most of them. Some of them I have thought were sort of stupid, but I didnt say anything, and often those turned out to be really popular. I liked that I could trust him to know what would be a good post. One of his posts made me want to kill him. It was when he wrote that his Baby Boomer dad was talking with him about how companies need to teach Baby Boomers how to pass the torch to Generation Y. LIKE THERE ARE NO GEN-XERS IN CORPORATE AMERICA???!??! But it is actually true that the Baby Boomers and Millennials think Gen-X does not exist. So I liked that Ryan is able to capture that situation; now I have somewhere to link to when I want to bitch about it. I quickly realized that his posts were very popular and his blog was growing very quickly. I thought of paying him per post, but I didnt think that would actually matter to him. I mean, Ryan had a good job at a brand-name company and his boss loved him. I remembered when I had a big job and I wrote weekly columns for Business 2.0 magazine; the money was so un-motivating to me that I often forgot to send an invoice. I thought about what did motivate me personal growth, the excitement of learning about what I can do, and learning how publishing works. I knew I had to do this for Ryan. And this is the ultimate question for corporate America. Right? How to retain Generation Y when their primary motivator is not money. I focused on being a really good mentor to him and helping him open doors. But I couldnt figure out what doors to help him open until I knew what he wanted. So I tried stuff. Like I told him I could help him get a book deal, and he said, I dont really see what doing a book will get me. He had a point. Im the first person to say dont do a book unless you have a plan for leveraging it to do something else in your career. After a while, I realized that he wanted to start a company. This was great news to me because I wanted to start a company too, but I needed to find the right people to do it with. A lot of people come to me with company ideas some want me to join them, some want to buy Brazen Careerist lots of ideas, none of them right for me. After all, Ive got two young kids. So I cant relocate to New York City (yes, someone offered, just ten months after I left New York City) and I cant keep crazy startup hours because I want to be with my kids. Ryan and his partner, Ryan Paugh, seemed great for me. There is a reason that Silicon Valley is full of startups run by twentysomething guys. Sure, there is the technology issue that more guys take computer science courses so more guys start technology companies. But its more than that. Guys in their twenties dont have kids they dont even hear the tick of a biological clock and they have the ability to focus almost solely on work. In fact, Ryan told me that he had a fling with a 26-year-old, but it made him uncomfortable because every woman over 25 is just looking to get married. So Ryan and Ryan are moving to Madison to do the company, which should be very fun. But if you think generation Ys sense of entitlement is bad at your office when you are trying to get work out of them, you should see what their sense of entitlement looks like when youre negotiating equity. Ryan Healy and I negotiated for two months. During that time he was in Business Week one week, the New York Times the next week. Once he put me on hold to take a call form 60 Minutes. It was crazy. He is twenty-three and had only been blogging six months, working less than a year, and he was quoted everywhere as an expert. The final crushing blow was when the Wall Street Journal interviewed both of us about tips for young grads, and then quoted us both saying basically the same thing: Get a mentor. Hilarious, right? Since I started out as his mentor? But, like any good mentee, he started catching up to me very quickly. So by the time I was negotiating equity with Ryan, he was asking for 50% of the company. Every night we went back and forth about equity, and what things will look like, and what he will do, and we sort of had a sort of agreement. And then he went back on stuff I thought we agreed on, and also stuff I thought was moronic to even question me on. So I said, You know what? Go get some advice from an adult. Go ask someone with some experience, because this is totally ridiculous and Im right. I was so pissed off that I had to pull the car over to the side of the road in order to properly leverage my angry voice. He said, I can go ask someone now, but eventually you have to let me make my own decisions. We cant work with each other if you dont trust me to make my own decisions. It was a turning point. Because he was, in that moment, so much wiser than I was. I knew I was right about the business issue, but he was right about the interpersonal issue. I have told very few people about the company because I wanted to know it was really going ahead before there was online chatter. The few friends I did tell are people who dont read blogs. They would ask four or five times, How old is he?!? They were incredulous. I tried to explain that my audience is young people so I need to go into business with young people. I do not choose my friends for their knowledge of generational issues at work. So my discussion of the importance of working with people in other generations fell on deaf ears. Eventually each friend, trying to make sense of things, asked if Ryan and I are hooking up. When I was in my twenties, I started a company with a guy who was much older than I was. Men asked him all the time if we were a couple. And, at the time, I thought it was an incredibly ridiculous assumption. But now that Im the one who is older, and people are still asking the question, I am comforted by what appears to be nice gender equality when it comes to trashy assumptions about startups. So now theres a new company, and Ill be blogging about it here. Im not sure what itll be like, but I have an idea of whats to come: When I signed up for Facebook, and Recruiting Animal created my Facebook page, Ryan was the one who noticed that I had no idea how to actually use Facebook, so he gave me a tutorial. He used his page as an example, and then, after I made sure that you cant tell how many times someone looks at your Facebook page, I spent three nights checking out all 300 photos he had of himself and his friends. Finally, after I couldnt take it anymore, I sent him an email about how he needs to take down some photos. I know: This after I published a post about how the photos dont matter. He said the photos are fine. I said, What about the one of you straddling that girls face? Ryan: Thats not me. Its my friend. Penelope: Well other people might think its you. Ryan: They wont. And no one cares. Penelope: I cared. Ryan: Its because youre so old. Its not that big a deal. They have clothes on. I told him he should take down the photo. I dont know if he did. And thats the beauty of our relationship: I tell him my Gen -X perspective, he tells me his Gen-Y perspective, and then we each see what we can get away with.

Summer Projects Produce Results - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Summer Projects Produce Results - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What has been on your mind, recently? Have you been thinking about writing a book, earning an advanced degree or looking to advance your career? If the hectic winter schedule got in the way, then the good news is summer months are here allowing us to slow down a bit affording us time to focus on what we would truly like to do. Tackle the bigger ones Over the course of my career, the slower months consistently proved to be the best time to tackle bigger projects that will make a difference in the outcome of your year. Additionally, I have become a big believer in listening to my intuition. As we allow ourselves to relax, our thoughts come forward with new ideas to move business forward. We must listen to the passion inside of us to follow-through on what our hearts are telling us to make the most of the summer months. How about you? Take a moment to reconsider what has been on your mind. Should you have a list of several items, take the time to prioritize the order of importance. Next prioritize the easy versus the more challenging ideas. For this step consider the learning curve, implementation and all help that may be required. Are there monetary issues to be considered too? You may need to re-prioritize once you consider all of the pros and cons of each of your potential projects. Win small, win fast I always advise you undertake the easiest projects first to get them achieved quickly. In turn, this will motivate you to take on the more difficult tasks. However, if you know full well that one particular idea resonates with you more than all the rest, then that is the one that you should pursue first. Get the help you need to bring it to life and create a project that draws attention to your business. Learn, experiment, assess The end result of continually setting goals in this manner and achieving one by one is that your clientele begins watching you in amazement. My own experience began 8 years ago. Within the first year, I was asked, “How is your business advancing at lightning speed? Just today I was asked by a person much younger than I, “What kind of vitamins are you on?” These questions convey part of my brand in that I know how to get things done and people can count on me to help them move forward too. As a trainer, this is very important. And the projects themselves complement one another so that my brand becomes obvious to everyone. List the rewards you expect to see from the completion of the project. Are the rewards motivating enough to get you started? Expand your list of possibilities and reward. The next step is implementing your decision. Marketing your project begins at the moment of decision. Begin telling everyone about your project to generate interest and elevate your enthusiasm to see it through to completion. Celebration is awaiting your call! For months, the idea of a third book has been brewing in the back of my mind. With updated marketing techniques through social media and video, my first two books continue to sell well. My new story will tie the threads of those books together with the new and shed new insight on business strategies for todays world. My goal is to have the book completed by end of summer. Your new projects and communicating the work together serve to build your brand and many a Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results” and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”. She provides team sales training, private coaching, and Inspirational keynotes for conferences to standing ovations. Elinor is available for consultation. Visit www.smoothsale.net / Call (800) 704-1499 today.

The Professional Student How To Earn While You Learn - Classy Career Girl

The Professional Student â€" How To Earn While You Learn College life isnt easy. Students have to juggle exams, homework, presentations, essays, and life outside the classroom. Its especially difficult for students that study abroad or away from their hometown. The cost of living is growing exponentially and you just wont make it without a job. But how do you make a living and still manage to do well in college? This article will show you three ways to make a living and study at the same time without losing your sanity. The Professional Student â€" How To Earn While You Learn 1. Freelance Writing If you are looking for a way to spend your time doing what you like, and you like to write, then think about freelance writing as an option. Even if youre not an English major, you could probably try your hand at freelance writing! College students nowadays have a higher reading and writing comprehension level than the average adult (which is around 8th grade). There are a lot of online writing agencies that are looking for talented writers. This option is useful for several reasons: Time you decide your working hours and the amount of work that you want to do. Space you can work at home, so there is no need to think about the traffic and making it on time. This means that you can attend all the classes and work while youre on a break or at home. Money Theres a lot of money in the freelance industry. It all depends on your dedication and your talent, of course. 2. Working in The Service Industry This one is the most popular job choice among students. Its easy to get a job as a waiter or a bartender since most places are already looking for students (especially posh coffee shops). Service jobs dont pay that much (probably about minimum wage), but the tips are always there to make things better. Plus, at places like Starbucks, you have a good chance of getting promoted to a shift manager and receiving a raise. One of the major perks of this job is that the hours are often flexible, so you can always ask someone to cover your shift when you need to attend a class or study. [RELATED: 5 Money Saving Tools for College Students] 3. Online Tutoring Students in pretty much any major can do online tutoring as a way to make a living while they go to school. Tutoring agencies offer students opportunities to earn some money doing what theyre good at. All you need to do is pass a couple of tests to make sure that you have what it takes for the job. Another plus is that one of the most effective ways to retain information (a.k.a. studying) is to teach it! This job also leaves you with enough time to study and have some fun. You make your own choices: you decide how much work youll take, so you are the master of your time. Your office is anywhere in front of a computer, which is great. The money is not that bad, and if you prove to be good you can make even more money. All in all, this type of job is a perfect choice if you want to have a balanced work-study ratio. Its important for students to be economically independent and create a working habit. More than that, working while studying is a great way to put some experience on your resume. The most important thing is to find a job that fits your capabilities and doesnt take too much of your time. This way you will do your job easily and have time for college.

Resume Writing Advice on LinkedIn

Resume Writing Advice on LinkedInIn this article we will discuss resume writing advice on LinkedIn. It is a networking site for professional to professional connections and is a great place to start your job search. It is also a great way to market yourself to employers.LinkedIn was founded by LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, who is currently the CTO of Hisense, a company that specializes in making online business classes and lectures available over the Internet. LinkedIn is also recognized as the social media network with the most number of members. This has attracted thousands of professionals to use the site.It's resume writing advice on LinkedIn will also include using the site to find information on all types of professionals. You can learn about the latest trends in technology, business tips, advice on marketing your services, technical support tips, and even virtual career help. The advantages to using this site to find information are many.While some people think that LinkedIn is on ly for career minded people, it is not. Anyone from a nurse to a master plumber can use LinkedIn to find information. If you want to improve your chances of getting hired, you need to know what potential employers are looking for. And with LinkedIn, you will find what you are looking for.Also, you will have a good chance of connecting with people who work in the same field you do. Not only will you have a chance of improving your chances of getting hired, but you will be able to build strong professional relationships that can be a big help when it comes time to finding the right job.It's resume writing advice on LinkedIn will also include using the site to connect with other professionals who are located near you. It's not the same as 'work at home' professionals, but it does apply to some degree. You want to meet new people so that you can learn more about their hobbies, their passions, and anything else that you can use to make yourself an interesting person.To learn more about b uilding a helpful network, you should join LinkedIn Groups. Groups offer great help in networking with like minded people who share your interests. You will also be exposed to other professional's profiles that are listed within the group.Your resume writing advice on LinkedIn should help you find a good website to help you out in your job search. Whether you are searching for a job as a teacher, or a plumber, this site can be a great resource.

Scare yourself happy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Scare yourself happy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I love this video. The fear before and the triumph after. Thats happiness right there. When was the last time you did something scary at work? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Future of Work

The Future of Work The future can be scary or it can be exciting.   Its all about how you look at it and how you prepare for it.   In this episode youll hear from Alexandra Levit, author of the recently released Humanity Works: Merging Technology and People for the Workforce of the Future.   We discuss important career topics such as:Will all jobs be done by machines?What uniquely human skills will be essential to productive human/machine collaboration?What is learning agility why is it key to success in the future?What are the future trends for work structures and work arrangements?Why will it be important to develop our skills as free agents?Frank Tyger said it well, The future depends on many things but mainly it depends on you.   Listen in and learn what you can do now to take action and manage your career successfully to be ready for machines or any other change that comes down the pike in the present or future of work.Bonus career tip included: Feel like a Jack or Jane of all trades? Learn how t o manage your career effectively if you have too many interests to pick just one.Check out this episode!