Why Job Interviews Aren’t as Scary as You Think

Chances are, you’ll go on many job interviews throughout your career. If you’re about to embark on your first real interview after graduation, or if you’ve been out of the game for a while, it pays to brush up on the basics. 

There’s so much buildup when it comes to job interviews. It’s totally normal to feel nervous in advance. 

However, a job interview isn’t just an audition. It’s a chance to learn more about the job while showcasing your skills and experience. Your goal is to find out whether the job is right for you, which means listening and learning as much as possible. If the job is a fit, you’ll need to bring your A-Game, which often just means being yourself.

In the end, job interviews don’t have to be terrifying experiences. Here’s why.

It’s not like TV.

If you’ve watched any workplace movies or TV shows, you probably have a very specific image of what a job interview looks like. Perhaps you envision a long conference table filled with scary older people dressed in their best business apparel, and they’re grilling you within an inch of your life. Not only is this unlikely to happen in real life for an entry-level position, but a job interview can take so many forms.

For example, an interview might take place in the manager’s office, an open space at the company, via video, or even a coffee shop. The interview might involve one person or several people at once, or you might spend the day talking to various people one-on-one. You may be the only candidate, or the hiring managers might be interviewing a group. 

Typically, you’ll learn all these details in advance (and feel free to ask questions!). On the day of, you may be asked to wait in a waiting room before a receptionist ushers you into the interview space. However, even that experience isn’t necessarily guaranteed.

Many interviews are virtual.

These days, many interviews are over virtual platforms like Zoom. While virtual interviews have unique technical challenges, they eliminate the stress of commuting to the interview and making it on time. The job seeker has control over their own space, and in theory, you can be meditating right up until the interview starts. 

Hiring managers are in need.

It’s easy to feel, as a job seeker, like you have no power during an interview. However, hiring managers are also in need. Companies don’t hire people because they have extra money to throw around. They hire because they have a problem that needs solving. Usually, they want you to be a good candidate so that they don’t have to search anymore. So, in a way, they are on your side. 

Good hiring managers usually aren’t interested in putting you on the spot or making you feel bad. They simply want to know if you’re a good fit for the job. 

You’re doing the interviewing, too.

A job interview is reciprocal. You are being interviewed, but you are also interviewing the interviewer. It’s critical that you feel like the job is a good fit, and not just the other way around. 

You have the power to ask questions about the things you care about – such as work hours, pay, benefits, dress code, work culture, diversity, and more. The interviewees should be transparent and happy to oblige. Otherwise, you might be facing a red flag.

There’s a lot beyond your control.

Understand that no matter how thoroughly you prepare, no matter how much information you get from the HR person on the phone, you’re probably going to have to roll with some punches on the day of the interview.

Maybe the representative said that you’d be meeting with one person, and you’re actually seeing three people. Maybe you’ll have to move to a different floor or another location or change your approach when it becomes clear that the hiring manager isn’t buying what you’re selling.

Just remember that a job interview is, at its heart, a meeting between two or more people who might work together someday:

• You all have the same goal in mind: to see if you can have a happy and productive working relationship.
• You might get the job, or you might not – and either decision can take place for a myriad of mysterious reasons.

Instead of fretting about it, just try to be present. That ease and confidence will serve you during the interview itself.

Being yourself is your best bet.

Given how much is beyond your control, your best bet is to just let go and be yourself. While you certainly want to put your best foot forward during job interviews (be on time, present, professional, prepared, and enthusiastic), hiring managers aren’t looking for a phony personality. Hopefully it’s calming to know that you can, and should, be yourself throughout the interview process rather than someone else. 

Practice makes perfect.

The more you go on job interviews, the less scary and urgent they will seem. Over time, you will also feel more power to ask questions and say no.

Who knows, perhaps one day you will be conducting interviews, and you’ll look back and wonder why you felt nervous in those early days. But in the meantime, be kind to yourself and remember that if a job interview doesn’t go well, there’s always the next one. 

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/2AZvt22

Read More

How to Handle the New Job Jitters

Are you stressed about starting the new job for which you have just been hired? What’s the best way to deal with the stress around making this big career change? There are several ways you can prepare to make this new job as successful as possible.

Remember that almost everyone has had a first day at a new job and has been nervous about meeting new people, working in a new facility, and taking on a new role. Even though it’s exciting, this first day can also be stressful. There are ways to minimize the new-job jitters and get off to a flying start. Let’s explore them now.

Learn What You Need to Know

There are certain basic computer and mobile device skills that employers expect their employees to have. Be sure yours are current. If there are specific job skills you’ll need for the new role, take the time to review the job description to make sure you know everything that you need to.

Prepare for Your First Day

One of the best ways to reduce stress is to get organized. If you have a checklist of everything you need to do for the first day of work and you checkoff (digitally or on paper) each item as you accomplish the task, you’ll lower your stress level.

Here are some of the things you’ll need to keep in mind:

Figure out what to wear. What you wore to the job interview may not be what you’ll wear to work. If you’re not sure about the company’s dress code, check in with the hiring manager about the appropriate dress code. Have outfits ready for your first week of work so that you don’t have to decide what to wear at the last minute.

Arrange commuting logistics. Have a plan in place for how you’re going to get to work, how long it will take to get there, and a back-up plan in case of commuting or transportation issues. Do a trial run during rush hour, especially if you live in a busy city, so that you can give yourself plenty of time to get there. Plan on arriving a little early the first day.

Plan for childcare. If you need childcare, elder care, or pet care, line up your caregiver and have emergency back-up plans for care providers. This is especially important when you have children who won’t be able to attend daycare or school on days that they are ill.

Get plenty of rest. As you head toward your start date, try to get into a good sleeping pattern. The more rested and refreshed you are, the easier it will be for you to assimilate all of the information that’s going to be thrown at you.

Make a second list. Once you’ve figure out a detailed plan for what you need do to get out of the house, make another list. This one should include everything you need to do to start Day One of your new job. Review the list the evening before, so you’re ready to go in the morning.

Planning and organizing in advance will enable you to focus on your new job, instead ofon all the details of your work/life balancing act.

The First Day

Attend a new job orientation. If you haven’t attended orientation before starting the job, you may participate in a new employee orientation to familiarize yourself with the company and its policies and procedures.

Be prepared to introduce yourself. You’ll probably be given a tour of the office and introduced to your new co-workers on your first day. In an informal workplace, you may end up having to introduce yourself. Here’s how to introduce yourself at a new job and how to make the best impression on your colleagues.

Have questions ready to ask. There’s a lot you’ll want to learn about your new employer and your role. Some of the information will be provided to you, but you may have to ask questions to learn everything you needto know. This can especially be the case when you’re working at a small organization without formal policies and procedures. Don’t ask everything you want to know at once; just be aware of what you should know and what you want to know. If you make a list, it can be that much easier to ask follow-up questions later.

The First Week and Beyond

Learn about the organization. Read and learn as much as possible about the company as you can. Review the company website, employee policies, and the employee handbook, if there is one. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, ask. It’s always better to ask than it is to guess, especially when you’re new.

Take notes. It can be hard to remember who’s who and who does which job. It’s perfectly acceptable to jot down notes (and questions) as you are getting oriented in your new role.

Watch, listen, and learn. Some of the best things you can do when starting a new position are to watch, listen to, and learn from your managers and colleagues. Even if you’re the new boss, take the time to understand how the organization works, why things are done the way they are, and how your team works before you start implementing changes.

Have fun! Even though starting a new job can be stressful, it’s also exciting. Immerse yourself in the company culture and do your best to have fun and enjoy your working life.

Review Do’s and Don’ts

Before you head out for your first day, review these do’s and don’ts for starting a new job so that you can have a successful start to this phase of your career. Try not stress too much. You’ll fit right in and be part of the team much sooner than you might expect.

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/2Z2JOm1

Read More

Employable Computer Skills You Didn’t Know You Had

You may be surprised at the computer skills you have that can help you get hired. There are many skills that you may be using at work that can boost your resume, help you get an interview, and secure a job offer.

Some job seekers have next to no computer skills. And if you’re one of those people, review the basic computer and mobile skills you should have, and consider checking out the resources provided by your local unemployment office,  public library, or community college, or sign up for some online free classes or tutoring to improve your computer skills quickly and cost-effectively. The more skills you have, the easier it will be to get hired for your next new job.

It’s also important to note that it is not enough anymore to merely know how to use Microsoft Office programs. Employers may be looking for technology skills that are more unique, specific, and technical.

That being said, if you’ve worked with computers at any previous job (which you undoubtedly have), then you may have computer or software skills that you didn’t know you had. And if you know Microsoft Office, consider taking a couple hours to get certified. That certainly looks good on a resume.

But more than that, thousands of employees are working with software programs managing data, communicating virtually with team members, organizing schedules, and more. So if this is true for you, take a moment to remember the names of these programs, identify the category of software it represents, and then add it on your resume with pride.

Top Computer Skills Employers Look For

Here is a list of the top computer skills that most employers are looking for. It’s likely that you have more experience with these programs than you initially thought. This guide is rather long, so feel free to choose the category below to skip to it.

• Database, Spreadsheet, and Query Software
• Productivity Software
• Accounting Software
• Presentation Software
• Graphic Design Software
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) & Marketing Automation Software
• Social Media Management Software
• Content Management Systems (CMS) Software

1. Databases, Spreadsheets, and Queries

High-level business analysts, finance specialists, and database administrators naturally use database software programs and SQL languages on a regular basis, but if you’ve worked for one of these managers, chances are that you have extensive knowledge of these programs, as well.

Many quality assurance employees also work with database software. If you are recording data, pulling it later, comparing that data to other data, and/or presenting data to peers and superiors, you are using database software.

Advanced database management systems require SQL programming knowledge to use. And if you know SQL, that is a must to show off on your resume. However, many database programs do not require that you master, or even know SQL at all.

Perhaps the most common database software is Microsoft Office Excel. While most people use Excel merely to input data, it has amazing database and query potential. Even secretaries make frequent use of filters, pivot tables, and formulas. Knowing some of the “hidden” database powers within Excel are worth noting on your resume.

Here is a list of some of the most common database software programs that employers look for in resumes:

• MS Excel & Access (specifically functions, formulas, filters, queries, and pivot tables)
• MS SQL Server
• Oracle RDBMS
• MySQL
• FileMaker
• Amazon RDS
• Amazon SimpleDB
• Couchbase
• PhpMyAdmin
• DbVisualizer
• Informix
• Informix Dynamic Servers
• 4D
• Cloudera
• Hadoop HDFS
• Robomongo
• MariaDB
• Sequel PRO
• Toad
• SQL Developer
• OrientDB
• CouchDB
• Redis
• Neo4j
• MongoDB
• PostgreSQL
• SQLite
• ADABAS
• IBM DB2
• Teradata
• SAP Sybase ASE

2. Productivity Software

Most people consider Microsoft Office programs to be the main source of productivity software. On the one hand this is true, but technology has come a long way. There now exist hundreds of top-notch productivity software programs that serve more nuanced office needs.

Many offices need more by way of protecting and storing sensitive information entrusted them by their clients. Others want to eliminate waste, such as massive paper files or chasing down a client for a signature. Everything, it seems, is going digital.

More than anything else, email inboxes and calendars simply get overwhelmed as office members try to collaborate on tasks and events. Simple email providers have some features to help, but sometimes one productivity tool can solve several problems at once.

And as offices streamline their productivity, software serving these needs gets sleeker, easier to use, and more powerful.

Here are some of the top productivity software skills that you may have used in the past and employers are eager to use in their offices today:

• Google Suite (G Suite)
• me
• Calendly
• ScheduleOnce
• 10to8
• Slab
• Slack
• GitHub
• Trello
• Jilt
• Boomerang
• Plan
• Doodle
• Intercom
• Help Scout
• Teamwork Desk
• Taco
• Adobe Creative Suite
  • InCopy
  • Sign
  • Acrobat Pro
  • Creative Cloud Assets
• DocuSign
• Corel
  • WordPerfect Office
  • PDF Fusion
  • Document Writer
  • WinZip
• Zapier
• I Done This 2.0
• Airtable
• Streamtime
• Asana
• Followup
• me
• RescueTime
• SaneBox
• Toggl
• StayFocused
• Spacetime
• ai

3. Accounting Software

Have you ever performed data entry work pertaining to costs, expenses, taxes, etc.? If so, then you’ve used accounting software.

On occasion, some office assistants or bookkeepers track financials, budgets, and expenses on Microsoft Excel. And if that is the case for you, taking an hour to become acquainted with some mainstream accounting software will actually make your life a million times easier.

Accounting software has developed to the place where both high school graduates and finance experts with PhDs can use the same program easily. That being said, it is significant if you have experience using these programs. Just because they can be simple to learn and use doesn’t mean that most people are experienced with bookkeeping software.

While QuickBooks happens to be the most common and well-known accounting software, there are many that employers might look for in your resume:

• QuickBooks
• FinancialForce Accounting
• Bench
• Patriot Accounting
• Adaptive Insights
• Divvy
• Certify Travel & Expense
• Averiware
• FreeAgent
• CosmoLex
• Avalara
• Budget Maestro
• Fusebill Subscription Billing
• Xero
• Wave
• Zoho Books & Expense
• Deltek Costpoint
• Bench
• Quicken
• Billy
• Sage
• ZipBooks
• YNAB
• Gusto
• Account Ability
• Tipalti
• SAP S/4HANA
• Receipt Bank
• Manager
• Workday Financial Management
• GoSimpleBooks
• Forecast 5
• FreshBooks
• NetSuite ERP

4. Presentation Software

When most people think about presentation software, they usually only think about MS PowerPoint. It is unfortunate that many employees experienced in a myriad of presentation software forget to include that software on their resume.

For example, if you are leading an online seminar or meeting, you are likely using video conferencing software, such as GoToMeeting, Skype, or Google Hangouts. You are probably using your screen to demonstrate concepts to the team. These are skills that employers are looking for in a new hire.

Those working with presentations are increasingly incorporating audio, video, graphics, data, and more in their presentations. This takes a unique set of skills, both relating to quality training and public speaking. Thinking critically while officiating a meeting and managing multimedia is impressive and definitely worth showing off on your resume.

Here is a list of the most popular presentation software, some with which you might be familiar:

• Apply Keynote
• Visme
• ClearSlide
• FLowVella
• ly
• Camtasia Studio
• Haiku Deck
• CustomShow
• Preseria
• Ludus
• Slidebean
• Google Slides
• Zoho Show
• Articulate Presenter
• Emaze
• Slides
• Powtoon
• Prezi Next
• Canva
• Instant Demo
• me
• Skype for Business
• in
• GoToMeeting
• ezTalks
• TrueConf
• SimpleMind
• MindMup
• Coggle
• Stormboard
• MindMeister
• io
• Scapple
• Mindly
• LucidChart
• iMindMap
• XMind

5. Graphic Design

Graphic design is very broad, and only a select few artists actually fully embody the title “graphic designer.” As it happens, if you’ve ever edited photos, thrown together a small design for the company, or even modified page templates, you may have fairly extensive experience with graphic design software.

Employees working in a variety of marketing positions have frequently tried their hand at an Adobe program to “clean up” a graphic for an advertisement. Even assistants that are entrusted to maintain a company website learn how to use graphic design software.

Photographers that edit their photos likely have moderate to expert knowledge of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Those that design flyers for their boss often work with Quark or Adobe Illustrator. All of these programs are highly technical and worth noting on your resume.

By far the most popular graphic design software is Adobe, particularly Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. Chances are that if you are more familiar with a different platform, many of the technical knowledge would transfer quickly. You might try a few free tutorials by Adobe to solidify your graphic design skills before adding them to your resume.

Here is a list of the top graphic design software used by professionals:

• Adobe Creative Suite
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Dimension
  • Spark
  • Bridge
  • Sketch
  • Illustrator Draw
  • Capture
  • Comp
  • XD
  • Dreamweaver
  • Animate
  • Spark
  • Lightroom
• GIMP
• QuarkXpress
• net
• Sumopaint
• Corel
  • CorelDRAW
  • CorelCAD
  • Painter
  • Particle Shop
  • AfterShot
  • PhotoImpact
• Xara Xtreme
• ACDSee Photo Studio
• ACDSee Canvas
• Affinity Designer
• Vector
• Cyberlink
• Cinema 4D
• Inkscape
• SketchUp

6. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) & Marketing Automation Software

If you’ve ever worked in sales or any kind of client management role, chances are that you were working extensively with a CRM program.

CRM software keeps track of all details related to a client, from personal information to purchase history and more. While many CRMs require programming skills to customize for the company, most CRMs are setup and ready to use after only a few minutes of becoming familiar with “where things go.”

If you are taking information down during a cold call or follow-up, you would have recorded this information in your CRM to retrieve for later reference.

Many that use CRMs also take advantage of marketing automation software options. For example, sales staff often setup automatic emails or text messages through the CRM for each client. Some marketing automation software will even connect to your company’s social media profile, and authorized staff members can use these features to publicize noteworthy information to further brand the company.

While not all CRMs come with marketing automation software, all marketing automation software programs are able to function well as a CRM. A key skill in using marketing automation effectively is being able to employ “conditional logic” features for each client. As a client moves through the sales process, any action the client takes can be met with a preset message that you’ve setup ahead of time.

Perhaps you have experience with some or all of these software features. Either way, it is important to note your experience in your resume. Here are the top CRM and marketing automation software programs that are popular with employers:

• Salesforce
• HubSpot
  • CRM
  • Marketing Hub
  • Sales Hub
  • Service Hub
• Bpm’online
• Base CRM
• GetResponse
• Zoho CRM
• Pipedrive CRM
• Freshsales CRM
• Less Annoying CRM
• Apptivo CRM
• Insightly CRM
• Mail Chimp
• Infustionsoft
• Ontraport
• Mautic
• Drip
• SendinBlue
• io
• Marketo
• ClickFunnels

7. Social Media Management

Any number of employees might be tasked with launching or maintaining a company’s social media profiles. This is especially true of smaller businesses, where there are fewer than 10 employees and most of them wear multiple hats.

As it happens, the best social media “managers” are power users. A power user, as the name suggests, uses social media all the time. They get how it works, and they enjoy connecting and branding themselves over digital channels.

If this is true for you, you may be able to note this experience on your resume. However, it is ideal that you have managed social media on an enterprise level, rather than merely on an individual level. With today’s tendency to go overboard with thoughts and feeling over social media, businesses want to see that you know how to be thoughtful while you employ your technical expertise.

Closely resembling social media, but slightly different (and no less important for a company’s digital marketing) are directory listings. Many social media management skills transfer easily into managing directory listings.

Here are the social media channels and directories that employers most often want maintained:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Yelp
• Pinterest
• Foursquare
• Google My Business
• Yellow Pages
• Super Pages
• Manta
• HubSpot
• MapQuest
• com
• Apple Maps
• Bing
• Better Business Bureau
• Yahoo
• Merchant Circle
• Angies List
• com
• Yellow Book
• com
• Yext
• Moz Local

8. Content Management Systems (CMS)

More and more, administrative and virtual assistants are tasked with maintaining company websites and planning social media posts. As a result, even lower-level employers are picking up valuable skills in content management systems.

These systems often allow users to manage content on multiple virtual locations. For example, you can use the software to schedule a blog post, while also making sure that a quote from the post simultaneously goes to all the business social media pages.

Sometimes, marketing automation software also provides a content management system, along with a CRM. These all-encompassing software programs are vital to employers. Those that want to stay efficient and competitive look for these skills in new hires.

To help you identify which CMS programs you may be already familiar with, here is full list:

• Buffer
• SquareSpace
• HubSpot Marketing Hub
• Joomla
• Agility CMS
• it
• Pixpa
• WordPress
• Kentico CMS
• Textpattern
• Drupal
• Lucidpress
• Wix
• Dotclear
• Wedia
• Chamilo
• Alfresco
• Pulse CMS
• SEOToaster CRM
• Magento
• Highspot
• Solodev CMS
• Typo3
• Weebly
• Hippo CMS
• ImpressPages
• Serendipity
• Magnolia
• Bynder
• Contentful

Hopefully this guide will help you update your resume. Another way to use this guide is to focus on software you might want to learn. Most software companies offer free user training and demos, and being “up” on the top software in your industry only makes you more attractive to employers. It’s one of the best ways to upskill your career.

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/3fR60q4

Read More

How to Have a Successful First Day at Work

First impressions tend to stick. If you’re starting a new job, it’s wise to put your best foot forward so that you form a trusting connection with your manager and co-workers early on.

Remember that lots of eyes are usually on the new person. Here are tips for landing a solid first impression on your first day of work, and getting your new job off to a great start.

9 Tips for Your First Day at a New Job

1. Dress for your workplace

Choose an outfit that’s carefully calibrated to match the formality level you’ve observed during your interviews. When in doubt, wear an outfit similar to the ones you wore to the interviews. Opt for more formal, not less. There will be plenty of time to dress more casually later on. If you’re not sure what to wear, check with human resources (HR) or your manager.

2. Arrive on time (that means early)

Generally, your new boss or human resources contact will let you know when to arrive at the office for your first day, along with where to go. You may need to tackle paperwork before you can get started. Sometimes, your first day (or longer) will be spent on orientation.

Plan to arrive early, since being late on your first day is not a good idea. Be sure to bring all paperwork as requested. Also bring a pen and notebook so you can take notes as you sit in on meetings and gather information from HR. It’ll make you look prepared, which wins you extra first impression points.

3. Ask for a tour

Usually, your manager or an HR representative will show you around the workplace. But you can still ask a friendly co-worker if they have time to give you a quick tour of the essential areas. There’s nothing more awkward than not knowing where the bathroom is. 

It’s also helpful to ask about meeting room locations, the cafeteria, and the kitchen if there is one.

Get yourself situated early on so you can feel confident going about your day.

4. Be ready to introduce yourself

As much as possible, introduce yourself to people. If you’re standing near someone by the coffee maker or in the hallway, feel free to smile and say, “Hi, today’s my first day! My name is Janice, and I’ll be working with the marketing team. What do you work on?”

Make eye contact and smile when you shake hands with new co-workers. It’s best to have a confident, upbeat attitude. Jot down people’s names, job titles, responsibilities, and any other remarkable details about them. People appreciate it when you remember them.

You’ll want to embrace the most outgoing parts of your personality. Introverts, follow these strategies when you start a new job.

5. Have an intro prepped

As you meet people one-on-one, at a team-wide meeting, or a welcome lunch, you may be expected to say a few words about yourself. It can help to prepare beforehand. You probably won’t need to give a formal speech unless you’re at management or executive level, but it’s best not to fumble your way through your elevator pitch about yourself.

Talk about your work background and share a few personal details. Wrap up by saying how excited you are to work at the new company.

Here’s an example: “Hi, everyone. So great to meet you! Just a little bit of information about me, for those who didn’t sit in on interviews. I worked at ABC Company for the past five years. And prior to that, I was with XYZ company. In both roles, I was responsible for project managing big product launches. I live in Saratoga, with a big dog (ask me for pictures later!) and my family. I’m really thrilled to be joining the team here, and I can’t wait to get to know you all!”

6. Focus on the job

Throughout your first few days, your cell phone should stay silent. Avoid personal calls, and stay away from your personal email or recreational online browsing. It’s important to be attentive and focused on work. Use your break or lunch hour for texting, emailing, and browsing.

Sometimes that can be hard on the first day or two—you might not actually have work to do. See if you can spend time browsing the company’s website. Ask if there are any meetings you can sit in on or simple projects you can start.

Remember your workplace manners and keep it professional, especially when you’re starting a job and aren’t familiar with the company

culture.

7. Keep your area neat

Keep your area clean, especially on your first few days. Eat outside of the office or in the designated kitchen area, not at your desk. Hang up your coat neatly on a rack or on your chair. Don’t bring tons of outside stuff.

You may want to spend some time gathering necessary supplies and organizing them neatly at your desk. However, don’t worry about excessive decorating on the first day. You can do that gradually as you get more comfortable in the space.

8. Hold off on sharing game-changing ideas

You may find it tempting in these early days to suggest ways the company could operate better. Ideas are good, but sharing improvement strategies in the early days, or acting like a know-it-all, can be off-putting. 

There are likely many structures and behind-the-scenes dynamics that you don’t know about. Instead of making suggestions, consider asking why things are done the way they are. You can always share your suggestions when you’re more settled. It’s typically best to wait for at least a couple of weeks before sharing ideas about how to do things differently.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to share your value with your new employer as you become comfortable in your new role.

9.End the day on a positive note

Don’t be the first to leave the office, unless your manager dismisses you directly. Take advantage of quiet moments at the end of your day to write down impressions, questions, ideas for projects, and more. You may also want to take a few minutes to organize your work for the next day, so you can get off to a good start.

As you head out of work, say goodbye (and thank you) to the people you met that day.

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/2YZxKSD

Read More

9 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Account

LinkedIn is a critical resource for professionals and job seekers. Yet, many people neglect their profiles or treat LinkedIn as an afterthought. While the platform ranks high in consumer trust, it consistently ranks low in engagement behind Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and other social media platforms, according to Business Insider Intelligence.

“Most job seekers will be able to use LinkedIn as a fast resource to build a personal brand and get hired,” said Lucy Samuels, a communication coach and career brand strategist. “I recommend using it at least 10 minutes a day.”

Samuels told Career Tool Belt that while LinkedIn isn’t the only important platform, job-seekers ought to take it seriously and utilize its many features in order to land a job. 

Top Tips for Optimizing LinkedIn

Samuels is unaffiliated with LinkedIn, but she has spent years coaching clients on best practices on the LinkedIn platform and beyond. Here are some of her top tips.

1. Your “headline” and “about” sections are extremely critical.

When writing your LinkedIn profile, pay close attention to your “headline” and “about” sections. These sections are critical for searchability when a recruiter looks for employees via LinkedIn. 

The “headline” defaults to your job title, but Samuels recommended beefing it up. She pointed to her own LinkedIn, which lists her headline as a “communication confidence coach, certified resume writer, learning  and development facilitator.” It even includes the note “Helping you tell your professional stories + get hired.”

“You have 120 characters there,” Samuels said. “If your title is vague like ‘account executive,’ remember that other companies may be calling it something different. Things like ‘associate,’ ‘analyst’ – that’s your corporate title. It’s not functional. That headline might be bypassed.”

The “about” section is often neglected as well, said Samuels, but it allows for 2,000 characters and is a great place to include your personal messaging.

“You have them there at the top of your page. Give them a reason to keep going,” said Samuels. “Use a call to action, like ‘I’d love to connect!’ ‘Check out some of the projects I’ve built.’ ‘I’d love to connect if you’re looking to maximize your social media efforts.’ Tell people exactly what they should be doing next.” 

2. Optimize your URL for sharing.

Did you know that you can change your LinkedIn URL? Many people still use their default URL, which is often a jumble of numbers. By optimizing your URL, you can use your LinkedIn much like a Twitter handle or a portfolio website that you put on your business card. Samuels recommends sharing your LinkedIn profile often.

“Have your LinkedIn profile link at the ready whenever you’re networking,” Samuels said. “Customize your URL so that it’s easy to remember.”

LinkedIn provides a tutorial on changing your URL here.

3. Use a professional photo and change the background.

Use a professional headshot if you have one, Samuels recommended. If not, try to get a good photo of yourself from your chest up. 

“Employers should be able to recognize you. If they see you at a conference, they need to see your face later on LinkedIn,” said Samuels. “Use something professional and on-brand. It may not mean a three piece suit for everyone. It just has to reflect you.” 

Samuels also recommended changing the background, which, if not changed, is a generic graphic with dots and lines. 

“Create graphics that are on-brand for you, or select free stock photos,” Samuels said. “A data analyst might want sheets or data-oriented graphic. Some people are very well-rooted in their geographical location and will include a city skyline.” 

4. Tell stories.

When outlining your work experience, Samuels recommended telling stories about your career successes.

“Don’t just say ‘I’m good at managing projects.’ Tell us about a challenge that you had. It doesn’t have to be a problem, it just needs to be something that had to be handled,” said Samuels. “Talk about the problem you solved, the action you took to solve it and what happened.”

Samuels also recommended quantifying your successes wherever possible to add legitimacy to your claims.

“Clients want numbers. Don’t just say you managed people, say how many people. Don’t say you cut the budget. By what percentage?” said Samuels.

5. Don’t be afraid of strangers.

Samuels recommended hitting up strangers through LinkedIn’s messaging service. When you request a connection, LinkedIn also gives you a 300-character introduction space, which job-seekers should maximize.

“It is perfectly acceptable to talk to strangers, but not acceptable to send someone a connection request with no introduction,” said Samuels. “Find some sort of a link between you. Maybe it’s ‘I went to NYU and studied public affairs too, and I love how you were able to use your degree.’ It’s not always ‘connect so you can hire me.’ That’s not usually the first step. Usually you have a conversation with someone, and often they don’t have hiring power.” 

Samuels recommended following not only people, but also companies that interest you. 

6. Update often, but use caution.

Make sure that your profile information is up-to-date. However, Samuels recommended exercising some caution. For example, you may want to wait before updating your profile after getting a new job, just in case it doesn’t work out.

“There’s no hard rule here. It’s a personal preference,” said Samuels. “You can decide whether you want to update right away, or say ‘after two weeks I’m good,’ or ‘I have to be on the job for a month before I advertise it on LinkedIn.”  

Also, you may want to head to your LinkedIn Privacy settings and manage who sees your updates. You don’t want to inundate your connections with every update, like your profile pictures and work anniversaries.

7. Yes, endorsements and recommendations matter.

Endorsements on LinkedIn are ways for members to co-sign for one another. You can list 50 skills on your profile, and other members will “endorse” those skills. It’s more than just a little validation – the more endorsements you have, the higher you rank in a recruiter’s search. Recommendations, which are full-on testimonials, are worth even more in the LinkedIn search universe. 

If you’re looking to beef up your recommendations and endorsements, Samuels recommended giving them to others.

8. Understand every feature.

Many features on LinkedIn are overlooked, even though they can be valuable networking tools, according to Samuels. Here are some functions you may not know about. 

Job alerts: You can set up job alerts on LinkedIn. Simply input what you’re looking for and your notification preferences, and LinkedIn will do a lot of job-seeking groundwork for you. You can also note in your profile that you’re looking for a job, and the classification will only be seen by job recruiters.

Hashtag follow: You can follow hashtags almost like you follow people on LinkedIn. This will enable you to keep track of trends and opportunities that aren’t necessarily in your network.

News feed: Just like Facebook, LinkedIn has a news feed. Samuels recommended reading your feed, liking, sharing and commenting as a means of networking. “When you engage, people say ‘oh, who is that person?’ They see your name, photo and headline.”

Featured: Featured is a new category in every LinkedIn profile where individuals can display particular work that you’re proud of, such as an article or web project. It’s somewhat like a portfolio function, in addition to their signature job experience listing.

Video: If video is part of your brand strategy, you can upload native videos to LinkedIn. The videos auto-play in peoples’ feeds, making it easy to grab peoples’ attention.

9. Make sure your voice is genuine.

Samuels strongly recommended editing your profile thoroughly, not only for typos and poor grammar (which is a given), but also for authenticity.

“Proofread your LinkedIn profile yourself and read it aloud,” Samuels said. “Make sure it sounds like you. Your ‘about’ section should have a more conversational tone. Then have someone else read it and tell you what they think. Sometimes we can’t proofread our own work.”

Halley Bondy is not directly affiliated with LinkedIn.

 

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/2YlpZat

Read More

Are You Prepared to Change Careers?

If you’re fully settled in your career, looking back at the journey it took to get to where you are can be incredibly rewarding. For some, the journey was a quick one: you found the perfect career path almost immediately, and never looked back.

For others, the path was a little more tumultuous, and it took quite a few highs and lows to find the perfect place for you. For others still, what looked like the perfect career lost its luster a little way down the road, and you were faced with a choice to make about the perfect path to be on.  

It’s Never Too Late to Make a Change

If you find yourself in the latter category, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone in feeling this way—in fact, 71% of the American workforce is looking to switch up their job according to a recent study.

It’s becoming more and more normalized to try on a few different careers to see which is the best fit for you. In a time where the average person changes job up to 12 times throughout the course of their career, it’s more than acceptable to hop from job to job and get as much diversified experience as you can. 

When to to Consider Career Options

However, what isn’t acceptable is feeling like you’re trapped in a job or career that isn’t the best fit for you. No matter if you feel underappreciated, overworked, or just plain stuck, changing careers could get you out of that rut you’ve felt stuck in. While there may be no scientifically- proven “right” time to make a career change, there are surefire signs felt by employees across the board that signal it’s time to look into a different career path. 

The easiest sign to recognize is stress or burnout. “Burnout” is defined as being “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.” Considering that this was recently recognized by the World Health Organization as a serious workplace hazard, it’s important to take stock of how you’re feeling at work.

It’s no secret that a little bit of stress is actually a good thing; it shows you care about your job and assignments. If you’re feeling consistently stressed out, are perpetually unhappy at work, or if you dread going into the office every morning, it may be time to look at a different career path.

Though important, burnout and stress aren’t the only signs it’s time to look at a different career. Being challenged and feeling motivated at your job is incredibly important, and it could be a problem if you aren’t feeling either of those. Similarly, if you feel like you’ve stopped growing and learning, recognize that you may have plateaued in your current position, or have a strong desire to be doing something else, it could be time to consider doing something different.

It could even be something as simple as not aligning with the company’s goals and values. Either way, you should be in a position that makes you feel valued, respected, and important. If you aren’t, it might be time to look into your other options.

Tips for a Seamless Transition

Though the thought of changing careers may be scary, you don’t have to go it alone. This flowchart provided by Turbo Intuit will help guide you through the tough decision of whether or not it’s time for you to change careers, along with tips on making the transition to a new career as easy as possible.

While changing careers is a big leap to take, just keep in mind how worth it will be for you (and your career!) when you’re happily settled in your new field.

Guest Author Emily Borst is a content creator who helps Turbo Intuit create helpful and compelling stories worth sharing. Her background in digital marketing and creative writing has led her to cover unique topics ranging from business to lifestyle. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, crafting, and eating her way through Austin, Texas. To learn more, connect with Emily on LinkedIn.

Graphic Courtesy Intuit Turbo

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/3eoWk5O

Read More

Top Apps for Earning Extra Cash

Do you want to earn extra money? Whether you’re looking for a quick, easy way to make a few extra dollars or you’d like to market your skills to boost your income, you can use an app to find gigs and jobs, apply online, and get hired.

Many workers have built entire careers on gigging apps. Others use them as sporadic side hustles. Whatever you’re looking for, most gigging apps feature flexible hours and on-demand work.

Some apps require specific skills sets. For others, you simply need to have the time available to complete the task. With many of them, you can start work right away, and you’ll often be paid as soon as you complete the job.

Shopping and delivery services

One of the easiest ways to make extra money is to provide delivery services via apps. With some apps, like Shipt, the app worker will do the shopping and delivering. For others, like FoodKick, you’ll pick up and deliver orders. Some services will pay right away. For example, Uber drivers can sign up for Instant Pay and get paid up to five times a day. 

• Amazon Flex
• Caviar
• CitizenShipper
• DoorDash
• Deliv
• Doorman
• Drizly
• FoodKick
• FreshDirect
• Grubhub
• Instacart 
• LaserShip
• Minibar
• PostMates
• Rinse
• Roadie
• Saucey
• Shipt
• UberEats
• Waitr (in limited cities)

Ride-share driver gigs

If you own a reliable car and appropriate insurance, ride-share driving is a great way to make extra money in your spare time. Driving jobs have an online application process that includes a background check, so be prepared to wait for approval to get started.

• Lyft
• Hitch
• Uber
• Wingz
• Zimride

Caregiving gigs

If you’re interested in caregiving, for either humans or pets, you can sign up to provide care services when you’re available.

• Au Pair Legend
• Bambino Sitters
• Care.com
• HouseCarers
• Kango
• Pawshake (in limited countries)
• PetBacker
• Rover
• SeekingSitters
• Sitter
• SitterCity
• SittingAround
• UrbanSitter
• Wag!

Building, repairing and moving gigs

If you have a talent for repairing things, assembling furniture, or moving large boxes, you can use an app to find jobs at your convenience. Once you are approved, you’ll be able to select tasks that fit your schedule.

• Bellhop
• Billy
• Dolly
• Handy (also for domestic house workers)
• HomeAdvisor
• Houzz
• Thumbtack
• Unpakt

Quick gigs that pay fast

You probably won’t get rich from using these apps, but you can make money quickly. How much you’ll earn depends on the job, and you’ll be paid quickly after you complete the task.

BlueCrew: BlueCrew provides flexible W-2 employment for hourly workers in a broad range of industries, such as warehousing, logistics, e-commerce, events, delivery, and hospitality.

EasyShift: Sign up to complete simple and fast jobs at local stores, such as taking pictures and checking promotions. You’ll receive payment via PayPal within 48 hours.

Gigwalk: Gigwalk posts jobs that take as little as a few minutes or as long as several hours. Gigs include checking product displays or product availability in retail stores. The app has a GPS feature to find, complete and report on jobs. Payment is remitted via PayPal upon completion of the gig.

TaskRabbit: Taskers do small jobs like cleaning, delivery, shopping, organizing, and running errands. After the job is done, you’ll submit an invoice to get paid via direct deposit. Note: there is a $25 registration fee. 

Wonolo: Wonoloers work on immediate local, hourly or daily jobs. Receive notifications of new jobs, then  click to accept. Payments are processed by Stripe, and typically take three to five days from when the job was approved. 

More gig apps for blue-collar work

Check out our list of the best blue-collar on-demand job apps available.

Top gig apps for professional services

Skilled freelancers can use apps to find jobs and market their professional services. If you’ve got the right skill set, you can take on side gigs or make freelancing your full-time job.

As with most app-based gigs, the work schedule is typically flexible. Some sites, like Upwork, offer general opportunities for gig workers while others, such as Crowdflower, focus on specific niches.

• Angie’s List allows clients to find professionals for any household task, from contracting to electrical engineering to remodeling.
• Appen is a service that provides crowdsourced jobs in artificial intelligence and data management. Their app includes one-off gigs as well as long-term projects.
• editorr is an on-demand service that hires online editors with an academic or professional background in English, journalism, copywriting, creative writing or similar field.
• Fiverr is a platform where freelancers can market their creative services in more than 200 categories. Freelancers post the services they provide and set a price for the gigs, which begin at $5.
• Havenly is an app where professional interior designers can connect with clients online. Designers can be paid on commission, through incentives and per-project. Havenly said its top designers make up to $7,500 per month.
• Jijatjo provides flexible options for hospitality workers, matching you with opportunities that work for your schedule. Jijatjo offers competitive hourly rates, and pay is almost immediate (within a few hours) after you finish a shift.
• Thumbtack, like Angie’s List, offers professionals a way to find jobs doing almost anything. Pros post their business, and customers reach out.
• Tutor.com is an internet-based tutoring service. Professors, teachers, professionals with industry expertise provide online tutoring services.
• Upwork is a platform for a wide array of freelancers to find jobs and projects, connect with clients and get hired quickly.
• VIPKid is an English tutoring platform for experienced teachers only. Teachers earn between $7 and $9 for a 25-minute class.
• Wyzant provides one-on-one tutoring services for school and university students. There are more than 12,000 subject areas and a stringent vetting process for applicants.

What You’ll Need to Get Started

You’ll need a smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer to get started on your app gig journey. Most apps have both iOS and Android versions. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play. 

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/3fCtWNU

Read More

Best Tips to Upskill Your Career

Does your career seem stuck? Are you not moving as fast as you’d like up the career ladder? Are you lacking the skills you need to move forward at work? Two things matter most for you as you consider what steps to take in order to upskill your career:

The first is that technology is developing at an alarming rate. That does not mean that it is going too fast for you to keep up, but it does mean that you may need to hustle to catch up before you can keep up. The jobs many trained for are gone, and many industries are in decline. But the new technology is creating new employment needs and new job opportunities. As well, there are many jobs that robots can’t take over.

The second is that in a world of fast-paced technology, soft skills are almost more important than hard skills. Artificial intelligence, for example, manages so many of humanity’s repetitive tasks. But as it happens, the development of AI is naturally forcing both engineers and users to better understand one another’s (and their own) hidden needs.

Additionally, technology is changing how teams and team members interact. More and more companies are outsourcing to freelancers or hiring remote team members. Emotional intelligence, collaboration, and communication are more critical to the world economy than they’ve ever been.

How to Upskill Your Soft and Hard Skills to Enhance Your Career

You will need to take ownership of your own professional growth for development in both hard and soft skills, but in many cases, it’s not hard to upskill your career on your own. Here are some ways you can do that.

How to Nurture Your Soft Skills

Don’t expect the average employer to initiate training for you on the skills necessary to keep your job or to advance. Instead, take charge of your career and work on enhancing your skill set on your own.

Show Initiative: Take the initiative and approach your employer to ask for more responsibility. If you do this, you may be told that there are gaps in your experience or job performance. That is perfect, because now you can ask your manager specifically what you can do to improve. Make it known that you are available to take on more responsibility and ask for feedback on your performance.

If your manager is unresponsive or unwilling to give you more responsibility, then approach your peers. See if they need help, and offer to assist.

Gain Leadership Skills: If you work for a large company, chances are that they provide internal and external training opportunities to you for free. The purpose of this is to grow more leaders within the company.

Become familiar with “project manager” courses, such as Six Sigma certification. Many companies relish having personnel that are Six Sigma certified. Project management is frequently a role desperately needed in every industry, as these managers have the skills to oversee team members from different departments.

Participate in Teamwork and Get a Mentor: Whenever possible, cross train with peers that have the skills and experience you long for. If you’ve built good relationships with coworkers, approach the ones you admire and ask them if you can learn from them.

Sometimes, the person you most admire is a superior. Consider asking them to be your professional mentor. Before you ask them outright, buy them coffee. Approach them regularly with thoughtful questions. This will allow you to see if they seem interested in mentoring someone.

While you do want there to be chemistry, don’t let it feel like dating. You need to feel professionally challenged in your interactions with a potential mentor.

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Developing emotional intelligence can often feel more like “being spiritual” rather than creating a new skillset. That is because EQ is all about nurturing a deeper awareness for the emotions in yourself, and by consequence intuiting the deeper needs of yourself and other humans around you.

For some, this means getting a therapist and practicing new habits such as mindfulness meditation and yoga. For others, it means reading and creating margin for yourself to think deeply about your emotions throughout the day.

To get started, PositivePsychology.com has in-depth information to learn more about emotional intelligence and how it is assessed, along with a list of of downloadable PDFs and reliable tools you can use to increase your emotional intelligence.

Think Creatively: Schmidt and Rosenberg wrote How Google Works as a tribute to their personal journey of organizational development and culture at Google.

They coined the term “smart creative” to describe the kind of person that fuels the healthiest environment of creativity and innovation (two buzzwords that every boss loves to hear). Much of the content in the book is unique (even odd), but the underlying principles are groundbreaking.

In this day and age, it doesn’t work to “crack the whip” and expect a healthy culture. Management has become the science of curating the right environment where smart creatives want to spend their time. You should know how to nurture the right environment for those that work with you and below you.

Work on Stress Tolerance and Management: Learn how to detect burnout in yourself and in others. Contrary to popular opinion, burnout is not merely long work hours. The truth is, human beings will spend inordinate amounts of time doing the things they love without ever feeling burnout.

In addition, there are more and more employers that have done their homework on what burnout is and how to avoid it. Seek those career and growth opportunities that value team development over “results at any cost.”

How to Upskill Your Hard Skills

Also be prepared to work on your hard skills throughout your career. Industries change, jobs change, and those changes can happen quickly. Even if you have a degree, don’t expect your college education to fully train you on the skills required to build a great career.

Stay involved in your industry and those industries auxiliary to your line of work. Set goals, know the terms for hard skills in your industry, and position yourself for career success.

Sign Up for Low-Cost Educational Opportunities

Look for Free or Low-Cost Training: For example, you should check out Career One Stop for free, government-sponsored training in your area. You might also visit your local community college for free seminars relevant to your industry.

Consider Getting Certified: Check out certificate program for in-demand jobs and for blue-collar jobs. Many of them can equip you for a new career with a smaller investment and much faster than a four-year college degree. In addition, Microsoft Office certification can be a valuable addition to your resume and skill set.

Take Free Online Courses. In this digital age, some of the best training is simple to access online. Consider using Coursera, Udemy, and iTunes U for cheap or free courses relevant to your industry. If your basic computer skills and software skills aren’t up to speed, there are quick and easy ways to upgrade them.

Set Learning Goals

As you gather some of the free and low-cost training available, you should build a curriculum (learning schedule) for yourself. Look for books that can supplement classes and tutorials. Take notes on a word document and save them for future reference.

Hold yourself accountable. Your sense of accomplishment will energize you to go far in developing new, relevant skills.

As you complete goals in your training, publish your educational achievements on your LinkedIn profile. Use LinkedIn’s hard and soft skills list to expand your profile and resume.

Spend Time Networking

Career networking is anything that you do to connect with peers in your industry. If you are still learning, don’t be afraid to ask “dumb” questions. You will find that many professionals are eager to help new talent.

Consider participating in local networking groups and optional work events. Use social sites like Meetup to connect with other professionals in your area.

Explore Vocational Training

There is likely vocational training for the job you are in or the job you hope to get. For example, this site lists 24 well-paying careers that have certification programs for relatively low-cost. The benefits of vocational training are two-fold:

1. These programs are run by formal schools but for shorter periods and lower tuition
2. It is more practical, hands-on experience. Sometimes you can even build a good portfolio to improve your chances for advancement or hiring.

Get Formal Education

You may need formal education to move your career forward. But, before investing in a college degree – or a second one if you’ve already graduated, consider the many pitfalls in higher education. This study by Gallup notes that “only 35% of college students say they are prepared for a job, and over half of recent graduates are unemployed or underemployed… Meanwhile, as of 2017, 44 million Americans carry $1.3 trillion in student loan debt.”

Know for certain that your job merits the cost of a college degree and will return your financial investment before making the commitment of time and money.

Freelance Your New Skills

Experts predict that full-time freelancers will jump from 10%-30% of the job market in the next year. Technology, in short, has opened the door to full-time freelancing, where studies show that over 20% of American freelancers are already making six-figure incomes and the gig economy continues to expand at a fast pace.

While you are still learning, you may want to put your new skills to good use and tap into the freelance marketplace. People that hire freelancers are often willing to work with rookies in the field. It can help you gain experience for the job you want.

Or who knows? You may rock in the freelancing world and decide to stay there. Often, freelancing on the side leads to lucrative careers in full-time freelancing.

•  
• 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/2MQSwyh

Read More