LinkedIn Decreases Value for Users Again

LinkedIn Decreases Value for Users… Again Chris Russell shared new rules for messaging other members of LinkedIn Groups on this blog post: Linkedin Sets New Limits on Messaging Group Members Basically, you now are limited to messaging only 15 times to other members of all (not each) LinkedIn Groups you are a member of. Ive never messaged more than 15 people in a month, but I know job seekers who are very good at reaching out to people and this hampers their networking.  Read more at the link above. LinkedIn Decreases Value for Users… Again Chris Russell shared new rules for messaging other members of LinkedIn Groups on this blog post: Linkedin Sets New Limits on Messaging Group Members Basically, you now are limited to messaging only 15 times to other members of all (not each) LinkedIn Groups you are a member of. Ive never messaged more than 15 people in a month, but I know job seekers who are very good at reaching out to people and this hampers their networking.  Read more at the link above.

Roll With The Punches

Roll With The Punches Chances are, when you first started at your career, you read an employee policy or handbook and signed it saying you would abide by the rules. If you’re a student, you likely received a syllabus for your course chock full of due-dates, milestones, and guidelines. Professional athletes have a playbook, coordinated strategies to synchronize as a team and win. The Dilemma Situation: So let’s pretend for a minute that the new hire has read the handbook cover to cover and develops a blueprint for how to implement their initiatives on their docket, that student read the syllabus and is heading to the library to start researching for their thesis, and that the quarterback just watched last weeks game tape and noticed that there was a second wide-receiver open and heads onto the practice field to demo this new route. What can happen? Everything can go exactly as the professional, student, and quarterback outlined with zero surprises. Or, realistically, new, unexpected events happen. Punches. Curve balls. And some of the punches and curve balls really hurt and if we aren’t strong mentally, emotionally, we feel stuck in a rut, in a funky, fuzzy place where we don’t feel like ourselves. My Take On This? I was once at risk for having an anonymous sense of self when I had signed up for my ad agency indoor soccer league. A super fast and tall guy form the other team had the ball and was racing towards the goal. I sprinted alongside him and was about to steal the ball but he stopped and made a quick cut back towards midfield. I turned to keep up with him and SNAP SNAP SNAP. It sounded like someone cracking their knuckles right outside of your ear. My scream sounded like an actor in a movie when they see their loved one killed in front of them, nothing could possibly sound worse.   As soon as I made the sound I was embarrassed at how loud and horror-movie like it sounded. After seeing a doctor the next day, and an MRI a few days later, the results were in: I had torn my ACL, a complete tear, you  know, just like the NFL players. Enter Pollyanna, wearing rosy colored, glasses carrying a glass half full of water and psyllum husks (tastes like a corn field…my health nut friend recommended to help with digestion…never mind!) the point is that when things “happen” to us we react. Fight or flight. Sink or swim. I had the reconstructive surgery, wore obnoxiously bright neon outfits to physical therapy, and a year later ran a handful of 10Ks that impressed my surgeon with her own handiwork. Obviously this is an extreme example! I am not, after all, an NFL player (or playing sports on that awful indoor turf that makes the orthopods shudder ever again) but this universe is full of surprises! Perhaps a more Realistic Reference This morning a friend wanted to introduce me to a friend at the gym. I had no makeup, surely smelled like I had ran a few miles and then lifted some serious lbs. (I had), and my hair was in a Wimbledon-esque pony-tail braid. Not exactly the first impression I would choose to meet someone. So, like the Beyoncé diva that I am, I refused to meet this friend of a friend â€" I look bare! â€" My hair should be down, blown out, and sassed just-so! I will be delayed in finishing my stretches! Alright, I’ll stop the charade.  As it turns out, I did not refuse. “HI! It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’ve heard so many great things about you from my friend!” Just like that, I made a new  friend. Blueprints, Strategies, Playbooks are important. So is being receptive to new events and reacting in an empowered way to things that just happen. Being nimble in this organic, non-static world helps us continue forward with positive momentum. Helps us roll with the punches. Helps us adjust our hands on the bat to knock the curve ball out of the park, even when we were expecting the fastball. Do you take pride in a situation where you threw the rulebook out of the window and just rolled with the punches? Share it with us in the comments below or tweet us @mscareergirl! Columnist Archive Image Credits:  Runner Photo Credit  Curve Ball Photo Credit

Successful Brands Reap Rewards - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Successful Brands Reap Rewards - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The traditional signs of a successful brand will be the welcomed repeat business, referrals and testimonials. These are driven by trust, attention paid to customer service and delivering far beyond expectations. Consistency is key You may translate these techniques easily to social media. Become seen as the expert on the social media sites you visit. Respond to the people and groups with whom you feel synergy. Consistency in everything you do including words, actions and deeds is a requirement. 1. Add personal comments on Facebook 2. Reply to people who write or comment about your activities 3. Promote others whose activities you admire 4. Retweet quotes that inspire you on Twitter 5. On Twitter, provide mostly helpful tips without links to attract followers 6. Accept invitations to connect only with those who you feel a synergy 7. Provide testimonials for those you admire 8. When asked for feedback, reply honestly but diplomatically 9. Commit to continued education in areas that will improve business All of the above tips will help to get you noticed and build trust in the services you provide. A recommended site to track how well you are doing ~ www.klout.com It will give you an in-depth view of how you are perceived on social media. You may find it worthwhile to use as a gauge for further building of your brand. On a local level, have you analyzed the groups where you network in person? Are they bringing an ROI to make up for the time and money spent? I was just asked to speak at an event that did not sound as if it would further my reputation as a well-received speaker or business leader. In fact, it may damage what I have already built. I know better than to let ego get in the way and so I declined the speaking “opportunity”. Instead, I focus on, and recommend you do the same, my ideal targeted audience. Newer entrepreneurs need to do some soul searching to understand with whom they have the best synergy and are most likely to develop business. Speaking in their language Whether new or seasoned, you need to study how your prospects and clients prefer to conduct business, their vocabulary and hear their expression of goals and desires. When you speak to your clientele’s interests, you have a far greater chance of securing business and receiving repeat business, referrals and testimonials. When prospects and clients observe you launching new services on a higher playing field they take notice. Your delivery must be impeccable and this is where the education becomes a necessity. Executed well this strategy becomes an incredible public relations campaign noting your expertise. Entrepreneurship is definitely for those willing to take calculated risks, admit they do not know everything but who are determined to keep on learning, and those who work for continual improvement When you are able to put all of the elements together of marketing, business development and sales together effectively you develop the belief you will succeed, the vision for how that success will look, and the plan to make it happen. May 4-7 my colleagues and I will be providing a (Business Retreat) where all of these skill sets will be taught. It is set in the No CA wine country to sync your mind, body and spirit. This is the definition of a successful brand that reaps rewards and one enjoying the 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 highly acclaimed keynotes for conferences.

Five Easy Steps for a Successful Bridesmaid Planning

Five Easy Steps for a Successful Bridesmaid Planning Well, your dream man popped the question and you said yes! Amidst the butterflies, you totally forgot about the chaos of planning a wedding. From caterers, decorations to the guest list and dress shopping, it seems like the entire burden has befallen you. And on your special day, you should take nothing less than absolute perfection. So we’re here to help you muddle through one big chunk of responsibility, i.e. bridesmaids and bridesmaid dresses. Read through these steps which will make the bridesmaid planning pretty easy. Creation of the Dream Team: It all begins with finding your cavalry of bridesmaids. Best friends aside, when you’re picking from your buddies from childhood then keep the drama queens away. Carefully select the ones who love you unconditionally and will be able to handle your bride-turned-demon mode. This step is important as it will determine how easy or troublesome the upcoming days will be. Certain friends are so well organized that may even take the burden off of your shoulders. Meet-Up: Creation of a dream team must be followed by a meet up with your girls. Here, the brainstorming begins. Your inputs are of paramount importance. However, your bridesmaids must be participative too. So your objectives combined with their ideas may give birth to a fruitful planning session. From plans about bridesmaid dresses to the color of the bouquets, it all must be discussed here. Take the Help of Technology: There is no need for you to actually break a sweat when trying to create the attires for your bridesmaids. The advent of technology has blessed us all and with a flick of the wrist, you can try at home. How amazing is that? This is every bride’s dream come through. One of such easy shopping portals is JJ’s House. From pastels to Goths, this place stores it all. You can even get many inspirational pictures from the internet to help you envision your bridesmaid dresses. Fittings and Selections: This is important and requires full attention and cooperation from your bridesmaids. As this is about your bridesmaid dresses,you need the dresses to flaunt the figure of every single bridesmaid. For this to happen, you need to have different styles of dresses. These dresses can belong from the same family of colors, however, having a uniform like homogeneous style is not recommended. Instead, explore the various different necks and shoulders. You may get some dresses with slits or a halter-neck. Accessories and Makeup: Sorting this step makes sure that your bridesmaids are not overpowering you. As well as they’re not being the background noise. The right kind of hairdo and makeup can transform the entire look. It also depends upon the theme of their dresses as well the theme of the wedding. For instance, a Hawaiian wedding calls for a glowing beach look, while a night wedding could definitely use something sultry yet subtle. You can take inspirations from JJ’s house as well. Wrapping-Up: Take a breather and relax. It’s true that planning for your own wedding calls for a lot of stressful nights. However, do not forget to have fun at your wedding. Besides, you marry only once (hopefully).

What It Takes To Have A Successful Career In Childcare - CareerMetis.com

What It Takes To Have A Successful Career In Childcare So you’ve made the noble decision to join a career which will help to influence the young minds of today that will grow up into the future citizens of tomorrow You will need to have patience; if you have a short temper and fly off the handle easily, then childcare is not the right career for you. You need to be able to keep a calm demeanor in stressful and tense situations; there will always be times where students act out or engage in conflict with fellow pupils, so to diffuse the situation, you can’t get riled up by things.You’ll also need to have the patience to keep repeating what you’ve already said a dozen times. Children often learn through repetition, and it can take a while for things to sink in, so you shouldn’t be easily irritated by regularly reminding them of what you’ve already explained If you want to take on a role in teaching and education, you will need the relevant qualifications from college or university. However, you shouldn’t worry too much about your age or what stage of life you’re at. There are mature students who decide to take on a new role and venture into teaching at a later date, so it’s always worth looking into what options you have in regards to getting the right college education.It’s also a smart idea to find a role as a classroom assistant, as you’ll be getting paid as you train, and receiving valuable hands-on experience in the meantime Toddlers, kids, and teens are equally amazing as they are exhausting; so if you’re considering a career in caring for them, you’ll need to have the physical and mental stamina to keep going with high enthusiasm. Develop your ability to switch off when you get home and mentally look after yourself.Situations, involving those you look after, are bound to arise, and can often be difficult or upsetting. You need to be able to remain professional and disconnect from the circumstances when you arrive home.Remember that for every bad situation, there’ll be plenty more re warding ones and you should get home at the end of the day feeling the good kind of tired. Looking after and teaching minors is no easy task, but you know that by now, and you’re ready to take on the challenge!Photo Credit â€" Pexels.com

Job Hunting In the Digital Age Reputation, Resumes Video Interviews - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Job Hunting In the Digital Age Reputation, Resumes Video Interviews Whether we like it or not, we all have to make a living. Job hunting is one of those harsh realities of life that just cannot be avoided. Now, everyone will tell how to prepare for a job. Know Your Resume By Heart: The problem with the resume is that it is necessary but everybody knows it. So, everybody finds out how to make a good resume nowadays. It does not make you stand out. However, if you do not do it, you will stand out in a negative manner. So, you need to put some serious thought behind it. Do remember that the resume is not only for the recruiter to glance through and shortlist people for interview. Once you appear in the interview, they will ask questions based on the resume to learn more about your qualification and experience. So, you need to be very clear about every point you write and prepare to explain and defend the same. Also, do not include exaggerated details because eventually you won’t be able to defend them at a face to face interview. Develop Other Online Properties: In the digital age, you also need to go beyond the resume. You will have to create an entire online presence because the recruiter can always Google your name and try to see what other information is available. If you already have some achievement that made news, they will find it and will be impressed. Even otherwise, you should make sure that your own online channels such as social network accounts and blogs are in good shape. Keep your private information private, I.e. make sure that they are visible only to your friends and family while other more important aspects should be readily visible to whoever is searching it. You can also consider uploading a video introduction of yourself in YouTube so that people can have an idea about your whole personality. Collection Information about the Employer: In this day and age, any information can be found online. If your potential employers are finding out about you, you can do the same too. Spend some time to research about your potential employer. This will help you understand what they prefer and enable you to prepare your answers accordingly. Moreover, recruiters prefer candidates who are informed and knowledgeable. They would like the fact that you know enough about the history of the organization you are applying for. Keep Networking: Furthermore, in the digital era it pays to network. Get to know people and keep in touch with them because you never know when they would come handy. For instance, you might have made good rapport with some professionals during your internship. Keep in touch with them via LinkedIn and someday someone might help you get a job. However, do note that you have to be subtle and smart in it. DO not just go and ask for help straightaway. Be smart and build an impression. If you are still looking for a more detailed approach, you can follow this infographic and try to follow the steps mentioned.

Writing an Objective For a Business Analyst on a Resume

Writing an Objective For a Business Analyst on a ResumeWriting an objective for a business analyst on a resume is a vital task to take care of. An objective is the introduction or summary of a business person's job accomplishments and qualifications, with which the reader can evaluate the skills and knowledge and skills of a potential candidate.Writing an objective for a job analyst is not easy. The same objective can be written in many different ways. It can be written in bold and colored letters. It can be written using words that will get noticed quickly such as: most successful, outstanding achievements, exceptional accomplishments, most outstanding job performance, outstanding personnel, most productive employee, outstanding business performance, outstanding financial performance, and much more.It can also be written using more descriptive words that will be highlighted in your resume. For example, a job analyst who writes in bold and colored letters that his or her career is su ccessful, with examples of success would highlight those achievements in your resume. A business analyst who writes in bold and colored letters that he or she possesses excellent customer service skills would make sure that he or she would be noted in your resume.While there are a lot of tips on how to write an objective for a business analyst on a resume, it can still be a challenge to write an objective. Many of these tips on how to write an objective can help you write a great objective but you need to think about what you really want the reader to think when they look at your resume.An objective for a business analyst will be more successful if it focuses on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. You want the reader to think that you have some kind of special talent that they should consider. This will ensure that your resume will stand out from the others.The first step to creating a true objective for a business analyst is to consider your strengths and weaknesses. Determ ine what skills you possess and talents you have that are required in your current position. Write these down so that you will know what areas you need to improve upon.Writing an objective for a business analyst on a resume can be quite difficult especially if you do not have an idea of what it should say. There are many tips on how to write an objective for a business analyst on a resume. You can take a look at these tips to find your own unique way to write an objective for a business analyst on a resume.