Four Simple Steps To Getting A Job (I Hate These Lists)

Four Simple Steps To Getting A Job (I Hate These Lists) I saw this on AOL Jobs: The Simple Truth About Finding A Job The article says that leads come from four places: Your Network, Through directly contacting target employers, Answering ads (aka, job postings), and Through external recruiters and agencies. I think that nicely sums it up.  What I dont like about the graphic on that page is that it doesnt show where you should spend your time. In the Ask The Expert video with Nick Corcodilos, Nick talks about how to work with recruiters, and how to think about them as a job search tool or resource.  What he teaches you is totally different than what I did in my search (which was to rely on them for a lot of hope and results). In my job search I spent more than 90% of my time in my job search on job boards but I was told only 14% of jobs where found through boards.  Nick said about 1.3% of jobs were found through Monster.  Do you see a problem here?  Even if I were to spend an equitable 25% (giving each of the four strategies listed above equal time and effort, I would have been spending way too much time in those areas). Without thinking too much about it, Im not sure what else to put on the list of things to do in your job search (at this high level), but I do know you cant spend an equal amount of time on them.  Instead of 4 equal boxes, perhaps it should look more like this: Note how SMALL the brown (job board) box is. The green box is also small, although it is wide.  I didnt know how else to represent the idea that for some people, working with recruiters (especially how Nick teaches you how to do it) can work, but you have to do it right/well. The almost-thirty recruiters I had developed relationships with did nothing more than file me away. They werent working on openings that I could fill, so I was irrelevant to them.  But I didnt understand that for months, and I spent way too much time chasing them. So, there you go the same four strategies, but the key is to know how much time and effort to spend on any of them! Four Simple Steps To Getting A Job (I Hate These Lists) I saw this on AOL Jobs: The Simple Truth About Finding A Job The article says that leads come from four places: Your Network, Through directly contacting target employers, Answering ads (aka, job postings), and Through external recruiters and agencies. I think that nicely sums it up.  What I dont like about the graphic on that page is that it doesnt show where you should spend your time. In the Ask The Expert video with Nick Corcodilos, Nick talks about how to work with recruiters, and how to think about them as a job search tool or resource.  What he teaches you is totally different than what I did in my search (which was to rely on them for a lot of hope and results). In my job search I spent more than 90% of my time in my job search on job boards but I was told only 14% of jobs where found through boards.  Nick said about 1.3% of jobs were found through Monster.  Do you see a problem here?  Even if I were to spend an equitable 25% (giving each of the four strategies listed above equal time and effort, I would have been spending way too much time in those areas). Without thinking too much about it, Im not sure what else to put on the list of things to do in your job search (at this high level), but I do know you cant spend an equal amount of time on them.  Instead of 4 equal boxes, perhaps it should look more like this: Note how SMALL the brown (job board) box is. The green box is also small, although it is wide.  I didnt know how else to represent the idea that for some people, working with recruiters (especially how Nick teaches you how to do it) can work, but you have to do it right/well. The almost-thirty recruiters I had developed relationships with did nothing more than file me away. They werent working on openings that I could fill, so I was irrelevant to them.  But I didnt understand that for months, and I spent way too much time chasing them. So, there you go the same four strategies, but the key is to know how much time and effort to spend on any of them! Four Simple Steps To Getting A Job (I Hate These Lists) I saw this on AOL Jobs: The Simple Truth About Finding A Job The article says that leads come from four places: Your Network, Through directly contacting target employers, Answering ads (aka, job postings), and Through external recruiters and agencies. I think that nicely sums it up.  What I dont like about the graphic on that page is that it doesnt show where you should spend your time. In the Ask The Expert video with Nick Corcodilos, Nick talks about how to work with recruiters, and how to think about them as a job search tool or resource.  What he teaches you is totally different than what I did in my search (which was to rely on them for a lot of hope and results). In my job search I spent more than 90% of my time in my job search on job boards but I was told only 14% of jobs where found through boards.  Nick said about 1.3% of jobs were found through Monster.  Do you see a problem here?  Even if I were to spend an equitable 25% (giving each of the four strategies listed above equal time and effort, I would have been spending way too much time in those areas). Without thinking too much about it, Im not sure what else to put on the list of things to do in your job search (at this high level), but I do know you cant spend an equal amount of time on them.  Instead of 4 equal boxes, perhaps it should look more like this: Note how SMALL the brown (job board) box is. The green box is also small, although it is wide.  I didnt know how else to represent the idea that for some people, working with recruiters (especially how Nick teaches you how to do it) can work, but you have to do it right/well. The almost-thirty recruiters I had developed relationships with did nothing more than file me away. They werent working on openings that I could fill, so I was irrelevant to them.  But I didnt understand that for months, and I spent way too much time chasing them. So, there you go the same four strategies, but the key is to know how much time and effort to spend on any of them!

Personal Branding Interview Glen Allsopp - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Glen Allsopp - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Glen Allsopp, who built his first website at the age of 15. He currently blogs at ViperChill.com. In this interview, Glen talks about how he became successful at an early age, how he was able to leave a job that he wasnt passionate about, his personal branding strategy, and more. Youve been quite successful at a very young age are people often surprised by that? How do you respond to their questioning? Always. As I travel a lot and meet new people, the first thing they tend to ask me is What do you study? As I dropped out of college two years ago, I cant really answer that one. Someone once told me that whenever people ask what you do, answer in a positive statement of how you help others. For example, instead of saying Im a programmer you could say I build software that helps people be more productive. My response to the what do you do? question is usually I help people get paid to do what they love. This is not how I make my income, but its how I spend the majority of my time. Some people simply dont believe I reached my current position by working hard, and instead assume I have wealthy parents (I dont) or I got lucky (I really didnt). I dont look to get anything from people, so Im fine even if they make inaccurate assumptions. I just focus on my own goals and let whatever happens, happen. You said back in 2007 you were in a job that you hated and taking courses you didnt love, so you up and left. What was the impetus for that trip? Why South Africa? Ive always had a passion for building websites that help people, and built my first very successful site back when I was 16. Just a few months after launch, we had grew the site to ,000 members and we were even featured in the book, DJing for Dummies. Building sites and making money online was the reason I got out of bed in the morning, so I spent as much time doing it as I could. Of course, this impacted my college work and I was actually told I couldnt continue on the second year of my course because my attendance for the first year had been too low (around 48%). Im not proud of that, but I was doing big things outside of college that I cared about far more. After being tempted by the typical path of society, I put my internet projects on the site for a year while I focused on my college work. I ended up with an A in Law and some other good grades, but I didnt enjoy college and still had another year to go. It was during the summer after this second year that I revived some of my websites and started making a name for myself in the SEO and Social Media space online. I was headhunted by a company in South Africa who wanted me to work with them on some of their biggest clients such as Nissan, Land Rover and Hewlett Packard. After discussions with my family and an awkward phone call to my dad Dad, Im moving to Cape Town, I decided to accept the offer. I didnt know one single person in the country (not even my employer) so quitting college and leaving my job was a massive risk. Not once in my life have I ever regretted following my passions, and this time was no different. I arrived in South Africa a few weeks later, and had the best time of my life both socially and with work. How did your friends and family respond when you left? What about now have they come to terms with the new Glen? To be honest, not many people believed I was leaving. At least not at first. Living in Newcastle in England, while working in a clothes store, and then telling people Im moving to South Africa is quite unexpected. My parents knew I was having a lot of success online but I dont think they knew just quite how well things were going. Thankfully, I have the most awesome parents in the world and they fully supported my decision. As a side-note to the parents reading this: if your child (or young adult son) is really passionate about something and wants to go for it, please give them all of the support you can. Even if they make mistakes, theyll learn so much along the way. I think theyre still very surprised at how well things are going for me. I actually received a text message from my Dad yesterday as he heard people talking about me on the radio as he was driving to work. I think that might have freaked him out a little bit ;). Everyone is really supportive as always though and I couldnt ask for anything more. How do you think your personal branding strategy has contributed to your success? My personal brand has been the critical piece in most of my web projects. When I started a DJ website, it was about me sharing my mixes with fellow members. When I ran a personal development blog, it was about sharing my life stories and the lessons Ive learned on my journey. Now, with my internet marketing blog, its about sharing what works for me, so others can replicate my success. If Im honest, I never thought about actually having a personal branding strategy. However, after looking back on what really impacted my success, I can see how critical my own personal brand has been to my success. My achievements and my brand have been totally in sync. At the time, I didnt realise I had been implementing a branding strategy that has helped me. Looking back though, I can see there are a number of things I do which have helped: Being Real: This is actually very easy, but a lot of people make it hard. Being real is just being yourself, but I know a lot of people struggle to bring it out depending on who they are around or because they dont know how to transition that from the offline world into the online environment. Ive been open about my success and failures along the way, and I think people resonate with that. Having a Story: Everybody has a story, but I shared and made mine clear from the start. I went from failing in college and working in a clothes store to now making a 5-figure monthly income online and travelling the world. People like knowing its possible for them to turn their situation around and live how they want to live. Remaining Consistent: With everything I do, I give it my all. If I dont like a 2,000 word article Ive just wrote, Im happy to delay publishing to improve it or delete it all together. Its so important to set a standard for yourself and then stick to it. If you keep that standard high, then being consistent is going to help you a lot. I was also consistent in the images I use around the web and my writing style. This way, people can easily see if something is me, even if there is no name attached. These three things have massively helped me to get to where I am today. What do you say to other teens and adults who are unhappy with their situation? Does everyone need a trip to South Africa, or are there little things we can do in our lives every day? Dont feel like you have to do what other people expect of you or want you to do. Your friends and family may unconsciously hold you back from doing things outside of the norm because they dont want to see you make mistakes or struggle. Hopefully you realise that life is about recognising the hard times to appreciate the good, and making mistakes to learn the lessons that present themselves. Some people say I was lucky to be able to move to South Africa because I have no responsibilities (i.e. children), but me moving to South Africa is not the point. Its about recognising this is the only life we are probably going to live and if you dont follow your passions now, youre going to keep putting them off for life. Life is too short to make excuses and stay small. South Africa was somewhere that I felt If you dont feel like you have enough time in the day, jot down what you do tomorrow. Write down all of your work related tasks. If your results are anything like when I did this, youll find that you are wasting a lot of time in your average day and there are hours you can get back with a little bit of organisation. - Glen Allsopp built his first website at the age of 15 and be 16, one of his websites was featured in a book called Djing for Dummies. At 17, he was making thousands of dollars per month offering internet marketing services and by 18, he became a Social Media Manager for brands such as Nissan, Land Rover and Hewlett Packard. At age 19, he quit his job to work on his own websites and projects, and at 20 he sold the th biggest personal development blog in the world for a mid-five-figure fee. Right now hes traveling the globe making a five-figure monthly income from his affiliate websites. Glen blogs at ViperChill.com.

Top 10 Rules for Having a Strong Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Top 10 Rules for Having a Strong Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Sometimes on Twitter (@DanSchawbel) I get into rants when ideas or thoughts come into my head.   The other night, I tweeted a list of ten rules.   I didnt even bother saying what they pertain to, but from the tweets it was apparent that they had to do with how to be successful.   From my viewpoint, they were completely focused on how to become a strong personal brand.   If you actually follow all ten, you too will be a personal branding expert. Aside from breaking down the top ten rules below, I sincerely think a lot of success is about confidence in yourself, which translates into a positive attitude and then success is the output.   If you dont have the go-getter attitude, then your body language and verbal cues will lack influence.   People that are successful have an internal feeling of pride and confidence that appears that way on the outside.   Its pretty obvious when you spot someone like this and Im sure you have as well.   Without further ado Top 10 Rules for Having a Strong Personal Brand Rule #1: Never give up! This one is self-explanatory.   If you give up, you wont make it far in life.   Youll also let your competition more successful and youll feel like a quitter and lose respect from your peers.   Before you start a major project or a company or even a blog, decide whether the concept is something youre A) passionate about   B) have expertise in   C) have either the financing or the support system to back you up.   Not having A, B or C, is a reason to take a step back from executing on your plan. People who are truly passionate about something tend not to give up and see things through.   On the other hand, those that lack that enthusiasm will end up wondering why they even started in the first place. Rule #2: Believe in yourself so other people can believe in you. The best way to get other people excited about working with you or being part of your community is to feel the emotion that you want them to feel.   You can tell when someone lacks confidence and people cant fake it either. Rule #3: Know yourself so other people can get to know you. This rule is taken directly from Chapter 5 of Me 2.0, which is also the first step in the personal branding process called Discover.   By discovering your brand and narrowing down your interests, strengths and aspirations, youre able to better communicate who you are and what value you can contribute to other people.   Not taking the time to get to know yourself better will lead to awkward conversations and the inability to stand out. Rule #4: Your greatest and most unique asset is your personality, so use it! Its really easy to cover up your personality and mimic someone elses.   Im sure there has been a point in your life where youve gone incognito during a social event because you didnt want to be judged harshly by other people (you wanted to fit in).   When you go on a first date, you cover up your identity because youre afraid of putting yourself out there and taking a chance.   The girl or guy might be turned off on date one when you tell them you put mayonnaise on your steak.   This is why a lot of relationships and marriages fail actually.   People wait till theyre comfortable with you to reveal their true brand colors.   I think theres a massive opportunity in putting yourself out there immediately.   Your brand personality is your ultimate differentiator because it cant be copied and it can filter out your friends from everybody else pretty quickly. Rule #5: By copying someone else you are selling yourself short. Lets say your friend started a blog on the Red Sox and it became so successful that the actual players started reading and commenting on it.   You decide to copy the exact idea and then dont see the same results.   People get sick of the twenty million marketing blogs out there and the thousands of companies with the same ideas, audience and business models.   When you break away from the pack, you can form your own pack and get a greater degree of notoriety and respect (for yourself). Rule #6: Be consistent in everything you do if you want to build your brand. Dont tell me that your website looks different than your business cards and that your LinkedIn profile appears different than your paper resume.   Start analyzing your actions taken both offline and online and think about how to make them more consistent so people say oh thats something ____ does.   The more people can identify with certain habits, clothing, tag lines, colors, etc, the more your name will get out there through word-of-mouth. Rule #7: You need three things to be successful: Passion, Expertise and a Support System. Ive blogged about this before because its one of the frameworks I like to communicate to the masses.   Passion allows you to never give up (Rule #1), expertise allows you to fulfill job requirements or client needs and a support system is the only way you can progress in your career.   Youre probably thinking, but theres got to be more to being successful.   The truth is that there isnt because everything else works itself out when you have these three elements locked down. Rule #8: Take a stand on a topic because no one is interested in neutral. Having opinions on topics is very important in a world where there are already a billion resources like the Encyclopedia and Wikipedia.   The only way to really get people talking is to be red or green and not yellow (like traffic lights).   When youre neutral, then people will pass over you and not care because they think youre either afraid to take a stand or you just dont care enough.   The people that get the most attention are those that cite their own views on a topic and dont back down. Rule #9: You get out what you put in, so work as hard as you can and youll see amazing results. Working for eight hours a day is only going to get you eight hours of (possible) results.   Doing the bare minimum of anything isnt a great way to brand yourself either.   The world praises over achievers, who invest a lot of time in delivering value.   The social media world forces all of us to work even harder because there is so many more opportunities out there.   Companies arent just hiring social media specialists for fun.   Know your limits as well. Rule #10: Imagine your future and then take each day to build it! Take a good look at yourself.   No really, you should.   Think about where you currently are (financially, career, family, relationships, etc) and where you want to be in five, ten, fifteen years.   If you do one thing each day to get to your long-term goals, youll end up reaching them.   Sometimes this means setting aside an hour each night to do one thing that will help you move to the next.   Neglecting short term work wont help you achieve long term results.

Race matters too; but saying that is hard

Race matters too; but saying that is hard In response to my post about how to choose where to live, Ayann wrote a comment saying that race is a factor as well. Shes right. And the truth is that my husband and I talked about race constantly during our decision making process because he is Latino and, therefore, so are my kids. My husband has spent his life living in Los Angeles and New York City. I had to push very hard for him to move to Madison, Wisc., where the Latino population is less than 5%. My husbands hesitancy to move to an all-white neighborhood is understandable. His family is almost all first-generation immigrants, and the discrimination I have seen them face is incredible. I would have never believed how ubiquitous it was until I had seen it myself. I have written about how research shows that my children will face discrimination in the workplace because of their Latino last name. But I want to believe that theyll be fine in Madison that somehow goodness will prevail and people will not discriminate. City ranker Richard Florida has a race index, sort of. He counts the gay population as a guideline for tolerance for new ideas and diversity of ideas. Madison did not score incredibly well on this index. Madison is no San Francisco, to be sure. But its not Confederate flag-flying either. Madison, like most of us, is somewhere in between. One of the quirks of my marriage is that my husband routinely points out to me how I say racist things. I dont even notice it until he shows me. But I am pretty sure that most people are saying racist things, even if they dont mean to. I must be uncomfortable talking about this because I wrote a whole piece on my decision making process and didnt mention race once. One of the best things we can do to squash racism is to believe in ourselves and in our neighbors that we can beat it. Im doing that as I move to Madison. Another thing that helps fight racism is talking about it. Thats something we can do right here.

Careers in App Development

Careers in App Development Photo Credit -Simplilearn.comMobile app development is a burgeoning industry, and its growth shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. As a result, many intelligent and ambitious people find themselves drawn to the field.If you’re interested in a career in app development, you probably have some questions: What type of careers are available? Do I need to go to school for this? How much money would I earn?The following guide will give you a better idea of what you can expect, should you decide to pursue this opportunity.Career OpportunitiesevalThere are several career options for those looking to work in the app development industry, one of which is working at digital media agencies or firms. When major companies and organizations want to release an app, they often outsource the project to professional app developers. You could join one of these companies and get the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects for multiple clients.However, some companies and organizations f ind it’s better to have in-house app developers. Working for a single, consistent client represents another potential job opportunity. This might be preferable to you if you enjoy focusing on one major project intensely and continuing to improve it, instead of moving on from one unrelated project to the next.Depending on your talent and resources, you could also be a freelance app developer. Unless you have established connections in the industry, your initial clients won’t bring a high return, but as you build a reputation, you’ll attract better-paying jobs.EducationAttending one of the best colleges in the country for app development will not only provide you with a quality education in your chosen field, but also can provide the opportunity to network with people who can help you land a dream job after graduating.Attending a major university isn’t the only way to break into the business. In the software development field, results matter more than the name of the school yo u went to. Luckily, there are plenty of resources availableâ€"ranging from books to online coursesâ€"to anyone interested in learning app development. Stanford even made their popular course on the subject available through iTunes U.Another good way to stand out is by acquiring important certifications, including CompTIA Mobile App Security+, OCA The amount you can expect to make depends on a variety of factors, including occupational experience, where you choose to live, which type of company you choose to work for, etc. Currently, the best city to move to if you want to maximize your earnings in this industry is San Jose, California, where the average developer makes $147,220 a year.OutlookNow is possibly one of the best times ever to seek a career in mobile app development. Some experts anticipate that by 2020, 300,000 new jobs will have been added to the industry. As mobile and digital technologies continue to improve, it’s clear that the demand for talented and ambitious deve lopers will increase.A career in app development isn’t merely attractive to someone who likes to work with computers. Developing an app requires creative thinking, a love for problem-solving, and a commitment to doing work you can be proud of. If that sounds like you, you may have found the right industry to jumpstart your career.

Gargoyles, Trollocs and Job Interviews - CareerAlley

Gargoyles, Trollocs and Job Interviews - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. A strange title on the surface, unless youve had a job interview from hell (doesnt really matter if you were the receiver or the giver in this case). Weve all had our moments, and Ive been both the receiver and the giver of interviews from hell (although I did not initially plan them that way, but who does?). Anyway, I remember this one interview I went on for a job that was at a major company and the role was the perfect role for me. I first met with the person who was the manager of the role (lets call her the manager) and was then asked to interview with the two people I was replacing (this should have been the first warning sign). The next round of interviews was in another building a mile or so away, so the manager gave me cab fare and sent me on my way. The next person I met was the more junior of the two and started out by telling me that she had the job from hell, she hated everyone in the department (including the Manager) and would be glad to move on. In the middle of the i nterview this women gets a call from her husband (which she, of course, takes) and all I hear is her husband cursing in a loud voice on the other end of the phone (another warning sign). I moved on to my next interview (this womans manager) where I tried to validate if this was really the job from hell. Besides the fact that this woman spoke so softly I could barely hear her (Im sure my breathing was louder), she could not answer my questions about the job. About 10 minutes into this interview I looked at my watch and said Sorry, I really have to go now. Bye. Better to cut the nightmare short than to see it to its logical conclusion. I would love to hear your stories as well. So, whats is the moral of this story? Most interviews are what we make of them. When we are the interviewee we are expected to control the interview and when we are the interviewer we are expected to control the interview (sounds like a conflict to me). While (hopefully) interviews from hell are few and far between, it is up to you as the interviewee to be prepared and ace the interview. My Worst Interview This article is from CareerAlley and details one of my worst interviews. It is definitely worth a read and there is a list of job interview warning signs. There are all types of interviews these days, with telephone interviews as one of the more popular and typical types of first round interviews. Whatever you may face, it pays to be prepared. Not only on researching the company, but also looking up your interviewers on LinkedIn if possible. How to Ace your Telephone Interview As mentioned above, telephone interviews have become more popular over the last few years and have almost become a standard first interview before the in person interview. The skills required for a telephone interview certainly overlap with the in person interview, but there are a number of things you may need to do differently. This article provides important points on the What, When and How of telephone interviews. There are advantages to a telephone interview, you can have materials available that would not be possible in an in person interview. This article covers what to have and what to do. Okay, what about those dreaded questions? You know, the ones you know they will ask but never have the right answer. One of my all time favorites (to ask, but not to be asked) is Where do you need to improve? or What is your greatest weakness?. This one get to you too? Read on. Your Greatest Weakness is Your Strength This article is from timsstrategy.com and does a great job of covering the weakness question. Tim covers the why is it asked angle as well as how to respond (although you will need to make this specific to you. Tim also includes an example. But dont stop there, take a look at all of the other great advice and resources on this site. Okay, covered most of the topic, but I do feel obligated to cover at least one more what not to do and how to prepare for your interview. So here goes. Top 10 Interview Blunders About.com offers some advice on what you shouldnt do on an interview. Some seem fairly basic and some are a matter of taste (as in dress appropriately you would be surprised as to what some people think this means). Overall, these are things you should know so it is definitely worth a read. In some cases, such as dont talk too much, you may not actually know you are talking too much (and you are probably not likely to get this feedback). What makes it even more difficult is the next piece of advice which is dont talk enough. I have a job interview, now what? One of my favorites (okay, so what if I wrote it?). One of my early posts on how to prepare for an interview. If youve been job hunting for a period of time, you know that interviews can be few and far between. This article provides a number of tips, supported by a few links to provide more information. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by

How Can You Use These Sample Resume Templates?

How Can You Use These Sample Resume Templates?The process of creating a resume or any other form of job application is never an easy one. That is why there are so many templates, as well as sample resumes, available. You can use these to develop your own resume by using what you have read here. Do keep in mind that these are just samples, but they can be extremely helpful to you.One of the most useful elements of these samples is that you can refer back to them for guidance as you go along. When you have finished working on your resume, all you need to do is print out the sample and follow the directions on the template. It is possible to utilize each sample completely, but if you are new to resume writing, or would like to refresh your memory, it would be best to look at each sample multiple times.The sample resumes available online contains sample cover letters, as well as sample academic transcripts. They also include sample test scores and portfolio samples, as well as sample job descriptions.One thing to keep in mind when choosing a resume template is that they may not be 100% up to date. They may contain errors and omissions. In addition, you may not be able to get everything that you need with these samples. So even though they may help, the actual resume may be lacking something.However, if you follow the directions carefully, and use the sample resumes, you should have no problem getting the correct information from the samples. You will probably find that they have a section that has specific instructions, such as how much of a sample you should send, what tests you should use, etc. Any error that you run into should be immediately corrected before you begin.You can easily find these samples on professional websites. You will see links to them at the bottom of the page. Most will have other samples to download, as well. There are also printable versions for school and personal use.So whether you are just starting out on your career or need to get the resume of a previous employer, this is a simple solution. You can use these samples to start, then go through your resume while writing your own.