3 Reasons Why Creating a Blog is Great for Your Job Search

3 Reasons Why Creating a Blog is Great for Your Job SearchDeveloping and maintaining an zugnglich presence is becoming more important as employers rely on online background checks to research candidates. This is why its a good idea to create your own blog. Blogs are a great technique for building your brand and enhancing your job search as a whole. But if youre unsure that it will work for you, here are three reasons to place it on your list of considerations1. You Have the Opportunity to Grow and Share Your ExpertiseAs your wealth of knowledge in your field grows, its great to share it with others. By creating a blog, you have the opportunity to do this on a large scale. Even better is that, as you share, you get to research the topic, which helps you learn even more. And you get to receive input from others who know even more than you, helping you to continue to broaden your horizons.2. You Get the Opportunity to Network With OthersNetworking is not just a plus when conducting a jo b search it is oftentimes a necessity. This is why blogging is so beneficial. As you take time to write on industry-related topics and draw an audience, you get to interact with others in your field. This gives you the opportunity to build your arsenal of professional connections so that, in the future, you may be able to swap opportunities that can be helpful for everyone.3. Building Your Resume Becomes EasierOftentimes, it can be difficult to find various aspects of our professional lives that are impressive enough to add to our resumes. But by starting an industry-related blog, you not only have plus-rechnenal information to include, you actually get to show that you are so dedicated to the field that you are willing to discuss it outside of the traditional work environment.Keep in mind that its a good idea to include the actual link to your blogin addition to its namewhen adding it to your resume. This will help the employer easily locate your Web site.Its easy for people to thi nk that blogging is not beneficial to a job search because so many people can start their own without having a professional background. But there are many blogs being written by well-respected professionalsso why not try it too? You might be surprised by how well it enhances your job search efforts.For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow us on Twitter GreatResume or visit our blog.

How to Manage My Email Inbox

How to Manage My Email Inbox Email we love it, and we cant stand it.Emailis an amazing tool that helps us get so much done, but its also overwhelming to deal with. Moreover, nothing not theSlackapp, text messaging, or iphones has removed us of the responsibility or burden of having to deal with an overflowing mailbox. Since most of us have no choice, here are 13 things you should consider doing about your schmelzglasles inbox folder to improve your productivity at work1. Respond right away to any email katechese that takes you less than two minutes to deal with.According to Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology (and yes, thats an actual thing and theres a whole book written about it), if something takes you less than two minutes, you should do it immediately. Otherwise, it should go on your to-do list. The full methodology is too complex to go into, but the basic idea here is that it takes mental energy and time to categorize things and prioritize them on your to-do list. So, ther es no point in adding something if you can simply just deal with it immediately (even if its not particularly important).2. Write emails that take less than two minutes.It follows that if you respond to something in two minutes regardless of its importance, you shouldnt generally respond in a lengthy way. But this goes for responses as well as anfangsbuchstabe email messages. Drop the formalities, unnecessary introductions and endings in correspondance with friends, family and even close colleagues. And they will get used to what at first blush may appear to be a terse and abrupt style. You can always explain that you write everything on your iphone if that helps you smooth over the initial shock.3. Religiously unsubscribe to newsletters and updates, or move those emails to filtered/spam inboxes.Clutter takes time to deal with, and you have enough other emails filling yourMicrosoftOutlook inbox folder. Thats why its important to do the occasional clean-out of the junk emails and spa m that youre simply skipping past. You can even create a rule of thumb for yourself if youre a bit of a delete-adverse packrat. Its similar to the rule about throwing out a piece of clothing from your clothing if you cant remember the last time you wore it, throw it out. Same goes for email lists. If you cant remember the last time you read it, delete it4. Check your email folder only at pre-selected times (or when youre in line for coffee).Resist the temptation to sit in front of your email account at work and watch alerts come in. Research shows that dopamine goes up in response to seeing a new text message or email come in, which creates a compulsive urge to check it. Resist, and you will actually be controlling the way you spend your time rather than letting your email account do it for you.5. Even if you have to check email first thing in the morning, dont respond until your pre-set time.If youre simply checking for emergencies (because youre a doctor, PR crisis manager, or s imply someone with ademanding boss), then fine. But dont just start clicking away and responding to emails without thinking about what you really want to accomplish in the morning, and whether that email time is eating into those priorities. Be conscious of your email behavior and know that typically most matters can wait a few hours.6. Create folders for emails based on sender or topic.This is as straightforward as it sounds, and it will help reduce the number of email temptations you have that lead you to read and respond at times that arent best suited to you. In other words, use your folder settings to your advantage7. Respond to lengthy emails that will require a long response by asking to talk to the sender.Many times people send longer emails than they need to. However, in those situations where a long email is actually merited, you can discourage future unnecessarily lengthy emails or forestalling the time to write an appropriately nuanced, detailed response by simply asking to talk to the reader. Even better, just send out a calendar invite for a 15-minute call with the subject matter noting its in response to their email.8. Respond to requests for calls by asking the sender to email you their questions.Sometimes requests for calls can eat up time, and email is better because you can control when you answer. This can be a great strategy where you dont know the person well and dont want to risk being rude on the phone if the person is taking up too much of your time.9. Sort emails by subject line rather than in reverse chronological order.The default settings in our inbox are just that default. That doesnt mean its well suited to productivity or your goals. Change them accordingly if you need to.10. Immediately assign a priority flag/code to emails if you are not going to respond immediately.To-do lists shouldnt be random, and neither should the way you respond to email messages. Prioritization is important to productivity.11. Respond to all emails yo u receive at one pre-set time during the day or night.Someone we admire takes his least productive time (i.e. nights) and responds to emails from the day then. It takes a lot of self-discipline to ignore emails for a full day, but if your reasoning is similar to his which is that emails are the least important thing in his day and therefore should get his least best time in terms of energy then it can be a very smart move.12. Dont respond to anything youre CCed on if there are more than X number of recipients of the note.This may sound obvious, but if you dont need to reply (which is in all likely the case, if youre simply CCed among 10+ people), then dont reply. In the best case scenario, responding only crowds someone elses mail inbox. In the worst case scenario, youre only inviting yetmoreunwanted email messages to deal with.13. Never (or almost never) click Reply-All.If you need further explanation for why, then see list eintrag 12. Nobody likes getting more incoming email tha n is strictly necessary (Even if theyve been armed with great tips about winning back control over their email.)Do you have any strategies for dealing with an avalanche of email? If so, share your advice and opinions with other women in our community.

Storytelling to Empower Employees - Spark Hire

Storytelling to Empower Employees - Spark HireIn a fast-moving world, replete with phrases like employee engagement, corporate culture, and otzu sich alliterations, how can any of it be condensed down to something actionable? What can you do with and for your employees to help them feel like they want to work for you instead of simply needing to?Within some of the recent buzz about building your brand or sharing your company message is a call to return to the basic human art of storytelling. Many business and marketing experts are claiming that the best way to grab customers and clients and keep them in your grasp is to tell a compelling and relatable narrative, whether it be about your product or the company itself.On the popular blog Fistful of Talent, Marisa Keegan brings this idea back home to the workplace, back to the first battleground, in her article Expose Yourself All the Cool Kids are Doing It. Corporate stories, she says, should be used to rally the troops to the message a company is trying to emit to the world. Before the customers can be won over, the employees should be won over with the same message This storytelling/bragging/legacy writing has given employees, customers, and their national audience a way to form an emotional connection to the history and future of the company. That connection creates loyalty, passion, and engagement.A companys story is more than how they began, but should include where the company is going, and how its leaders see the company getting there. When these ideas are shared with employees, its easier then to see their role in the grand scheme and it fosters a culture of understanding. Helping employees understand the mission is like giving them a small bit of the company to own heres how you fit into the puzzle, so this is the bit of the company you need to make shine. Now go forth Employees can bring this message to people outside the company, who may be kompetenzprofil new hires or potential customers.Every compan ys mission, brand, values, and culture are unique, and sharing it out to the rest of the companyisntalways a simple thing to do. For many, their story is not easily captured or its difficult to share fully. If your company is passionate about sharing their story, maybe its time to put someone on the job full time. Task someone with collecting the story and condensing it to something sharable then share it whenever there is opportunity. Good times to share the story are during on-boarding or employee training, at one on ones with current employees, or at company-wide meetings and events. Celebrate milestones at work such as commemorating when the company first reached a certain level of growth, when they added customer number X, or the week the company was founded. Every moment you take to share the story will stick with employees and hopefully begin to build a workplace full of employees who believe in, trust, and stick up for the story and mission of the company.Have you perfected the art of company storytelling to rally your troops? Let us know in the commentsIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byvancouverfilmschool

Want to read more books without losing comprehension Learn to resist regression

Want to read more books without losing comprehension Learn to resist regressionWant to read more books without losing comprehension Learn to resist regressionReading is not a human ability hardwired into our brains.Its a skill that takes practice. But rapid reading is not a difficult skill to learn, says Peter Kump, author ofBreakthrough Rapid Reading.Reading can transform your health, wealth, and productivity.Comprehension has always been more important than just reading.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWithout comprehension, reading is a wasted effort.You read because you want to learn something new, improve a specific skill or enjoy a great narrative or novel.Comprehension is the core of reading any material. Its also the reason many people spend a lot of time on a single book.The one habit that may be hindering your progress when you choose to read is regression. But you can eliminate your reading inefficiencies and increase your reading speed while improving retention.Regression (backtracking)One of the biggest obstacles to speed reading is regression.Its the habit of re-reading something you have already read in buchung to be sure you really understood the message you read.When regression is compulsive, the habit can be harder to break.When you regress like this, you lose the flow and structure of the text, and your overall understanding of the subject can decrease. Be very conscious of regression, and dont allow yourself to re-read material unless you absolutely have to,saysApril Troester, PhD.Lack of confidence in your reading skills can cause regression.If you dont trust yourself to have fully understood what youve just read, you will regress all the time.For many readers, this can happen over and over and over again.Instead of improving their reading habits, many people use this habit to refocus when they feel they are being distracted.In as much as you think regression is helping you, it actually slows you down more than you think.Regression probably wastes about a third of every hour you spend reading.Its like taking two steps forward with your eyes and one step back, and for many people, a lot more than one step back.Sometimes - but not very often - regression necessary, especially if you are reading about a technical subject and want to understand better.Or when the author is not engaging better and you have to figure out the message yourself.But more often than not, people regress because its a habit theyve developed over time.If you are aiming to read faster and get the most important ideas in any book you pick up, you have to quit the habit of going back to chapters youve already read.Instead of revisiting pages, what you could do is to focus better, remove distractions and aim to read a particular number of pages every time you start reading again.Improve your concentration habit, and you wont have to regress so ma ny times before you actually schliff that book.When your brain develops the habit of re-reading at any time, it relaxes and does not concentrate properly because it knows it will go back at some point.It stops you from immersing yourself deeply in any book.When that happens, you wont fully grasp all the ideas in the book.How to quit regressingThe simplest approach to stop re-reading over and over again is to choose books or topics you deeply care about.Reading a book should be an experience that provides you joy and value, not something to labor through,saysPatrick Allen of Lifehacker.If reading takes more effort and its a struggle, youre going to want to do less of it.Before you even start reading any book, ask yourself if you are curious enough about the topic to give it your full attention or concentration.Passive readers hardly finish any book because they are not curious enough.They read because they have time to spend instead of investing in a topic.Get curious before you even start reading.What do you look for in any book you choose? Let that be your guide and you will focus better when you read.Schedule you reading and stick to your allocated time.Get curious before you even start reading.What do you look for in any book you choose? Let that be your guide and you will focus better when you read.Schedule you reading and stick to your allocated time.Example, you can set aside half an hour of your time to read your favorite book without distraction.Start by eliminating all the distractions that may prevent you from reading (social media, email notifications, news notifications, background music, etc.).You could disable all notifications on your phone.You will be more focused when its only you and book you are reading.Aim to concentrate the whole half an hour.Dont hurry the process.Just enjoy the book and the ideas the author is conveying during that time.To retain the information better, you can take notes after every reading sprint.Use the 50/50 principl eto retain better and remember the core ideas of any book. You wont have to regress if you are not distracted.To reduce the number of times you backtrack, Troesterrecommendsyou ansturm a pointer (a finger, a pen, or the cursor) along the line as you read.Your eyes will follow the tip of your pointer, helping you avoid skipping back. The speed at which you read using this method will largely depend on the speed at which you move the pointer, she says.Its important to note that you dont have to finish every book to fully embrace better reading habits.I tend to have at least 5 books in my active pile of books Im currently reading, but I try not to regress to make real progress as I focus on comprehending the ideas in each book.Closing thoughtsRegression seriously slows your reading speed.The good news is, you can easily replace it with a better habit, but it takes concentration and practice.Start slow and aim to make progress instead of trying to change the habit as soon as possible, e specially if your brain is already used to re-reading all the time.Quitting regression can increase your reading speed and help you read more books every months or year.As you invest more time reading, it will get easier and you know what habits are helping you read more books.This article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

4 Common Resume Red Flags and How to Fix Them

4 Common Resume Red Flags and How to Fix Them 4 Common Resume Red Flags and How to Fix Them If your job search hasnt been going too well, it may be because your resume contains some of these red flags. This is why its vital that you look over your resume thoroughly to identify and address any possible red flags. Doing so could turn your arduous job search into an absolute breeze or at least make things easier on you.Here are fourclassic red flags to look for on your resume, along with some tips on how to address them1. Being UnemployedThere is considerable bias against unemployed applicants, according to research from The Pew Charitable Trusts.This bias grows worse the longer one is unemployed Those who have been unemployed for six months or longer haveto send out, on average, 3.5 times as many resumes as the short-term unemployed before they receivean interview invite.Employers dont really have any just cause for this bias, but the fact remains that being unemployed is seen as a red flag for many companies.What canyou do about it?First, never apologize forbeing unemployed. Unemployment is simply a fact of life especially in todays economy. Dont feed the interviewers bias by painting your unemployment in a negative light. Just focus on the positives. Where possible, show that you have successfully gotten interviews and received good feedback. This will put many employers at ease, as it will show them that other organizations thing well enough of you to give you a shot. Third-party validation will enhance your credibility in the eyes of most any interviewer.Second, be sure tooutline any new skills you have learned while unemployed especially skills that areimmediatelyrelevant to the job at hand. Doing so will show employers that, contrary to their biases, being unemployed has actually helped youimprove.2. Unexplained Gaps in ResumesUnexplained gaps in a resume make employers feel like youre hiding something.Combat this by actually explaining the gaps. Dont justpresent the gaps on your resume outline exactly what you were doing while you were out of work.Were you studying, volunteering, taking a sabbatical, looking for work, looking after a sick loved one, or raising children? These pursuits canall addgreater value to a resume than an unexplained gap. For example, if you were raising children, you probably picked up a variety of transferable management and coordination skills. Emphasize these on your resume3. Multiple Short Tenures (A.K.A., a History of Job Hopping)Employers are slowly beginning to understand thatjob hopping is the new normal. These days, the lifelong job has been largely replaced by shorter tenures, and employers simply have to accept this fact.Nevertheless,some employers are stuck in their old ways, and they continue to view short tenures with suspicion. To combat this suspicion, show employers that you are a responsiblejob hopper. Prove to employers that you have always honored and completed all contracts and proje cts before leaving a company. Show employers, too, that you always provide the proper notice you dont just up and leaveIts also worth showing employers that you have a history of performing well in each job, no matter how short your time there was. You can do this by listing your achievements in each role on your resume. You should also try to get as many LinkedIn recommendations as possible, which will demonstrate to employers that you left your previous roles on good terms.Employers should know that, for you, job hopping is a deliberate part of your career strategy, and that you deliver great value to every employer you work with, regardless of your length of time with each company.4.A Template ResumeIts fairly easy to spot a generic resume that has not been tailored to a specific job opening. If youre simply firing off template resumes to every opening you come across, employers will pick up on that fact and many of them will instantly dismiss you because of it.Make sure you wr ite a tailored deckblatt letter and resume for each and every application. Emphasizeyourskills and qualities that are most relevant to this position and company.-There are plenty of reasons that a resume might be rejected and, often, resumes are rejected for very good reasons. Sometimes, you just arent the right person for the job.That being said, its never a bad idea to tighten up your resume by addressing these red flags. Doing so will greatly improve your chances of landing an interview and maybe even the role itself.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

How To Subtly Network At A Holiday Party

How To Subtly Network At A Holiday PartyHow To Subtly Network At A Holiday PartyThe holiday season is the perfect time to network for your next job. Its the best time to reconnect with old colleagues and meet new connections that can lead to job leads. The trick to networking during the holidays is to leave your job search agenda at the door, and just enjoy yourself. Here are some ways to use the plethora of social gatherings to your advantage in your job hunt.Motivate yourself to attend the party.You might have a million other things youd rather do than go to a holiday party, but the face-to-face interaction can propel your job search ahead. Were lucky to have technology like email and LinkedIn to reconnect with former colleagues, but its definitely easier to connect in person. It is also easier to build a relationship with a new acquaintance in person versus reaching out to them on social media or a cold email. Guests also tend to be be more relaxed at a holiday party that at a nor mal networking event. Attend a class or workshop instead. If youre really dreading holiday parties, at least put yourself out there by attending a class or workshop related to your industry. Youll learn a new skill, and meet people who might have connections to people in need of someone with your skill set. Attending a class or workshop might be ideal for people who arent as outgoing because there isnt any pressure to mingle with others, while at holiday parties the main purpose is to socialize. The lightened pressure to network, can make it easier for you to make valuable connections. Plant seeds and reap benefits later.Networking at a holiday party is for planting seeds, and following up later to reap the benefits. Use the event as a jumping board for a later meet-up or informational interview. At the holiday party, just enjoy the conversation and let it organically lead to how youre looking for your next career move. A tactful way to let someone know youre interested in a post-pa rty meet-up is, Id love to learn more. We should grab coffee or lunch soon to discuss. Make sure to exchange contact information, and gracefully move on to another guest. Throw your own get-together.Planning your own holiday happy hour will ensure that youre in control of the guest list and the entire feel of the party. Make sure to include invitees on your guest list from the same industry or job function as well as inviting any colleague you would like to know better. Encourage invitees to bring along another guest, and promote talk between strangers by introducing everyone. Soon, you will be the buzz of the party and you can use your new connections to find new job leads in the new year.

How imaginary deadlines can boost productivity

How imaginary deadlines can boost productivityHow imaginary deadlines can boost productivityDo you tend to procrastinate and cut your timing too close to your deadlines? Whether youre a job seeker, employee, freelancer, or entrepreneur, youre likely used to working toward deadlines that are set by a hiring manager, employer, or client. But sometimes waiting to start a project based on when it is actually due can cause you to procrastinate.If this is the case, you might benefit from a different approach to time management creating imaginary deadlines. An imaginary or internal deadline is simply an intermediary step you can use toPut power back into your hands about your work processGive yourself a sense of having more time to reach your goalsHelp you reach your due dates with less last-minute stressPower a productivity boost by building in a cushion for your momentumBy setting an internal deadline that you work toward independent of your real deadline imposed by a boss or client, you can kickstart your creative juices and avoid 11th-hour scrambling to complete your deliverables. Follow the steps below to learn how to effectively set imaginary deadlines no matter what your line of work is.Work backwardsSetting an imaginary deadline isnt rocket science- it just takes commitment and a calendar. Theres no magic formula for selecting an internal deadline the key is to pick a date thats far enough ahead of your drop-dead deadline to give you a comfortable cushion for any unexpected challenges that may arise.A good rule of thumb in setting your internal deadline when you have an actual deadline of two weeks is to work backwards one week from your real deadline and see what happens. Pretend as you work that you really, honestly, no-matter-what must get everything completed not in two weeks, but in a single week. If it ends up difficult or impossible to complete the full workload in that time, at least you will be a week ahead of where you would have been if youd waited to start later in the process- and youll still have a week left for completion.Harness the energy of just startingAnyone who struggles to get out the door to exercise- but ultimately triumphs in this task- knows the power of beginning. Once you take that first step to walk, run, or bike down the road, momentum kicks in and you wonder what took so long to get you started. When it comes to working out, getting out the door is half the battle. So too with your work projects- once you make that anfangsbuchstabe move to commence the task, one action leads to the next.Before you know it, youve created energy that develops a life of its own, leading you to do what needs to be completed next and powering your productivity. By setting an imaginary deadline, you enable yourself to benefit earlier from the power of getting started, and you give yourself a longer runway to get more done once youve cleared that first hurdle.Make it easier for yourselfIf just getting started is easier said than d one for you, then you may need to do a few things on the front end to grease the wheels for this to happen. Just as runners can improve their chances of actually getting out the door for their morning run by selecting their workout clothes and shoes the night before, you as a worker can kickstart your motivation and creative juices with some preparation.Gather all of the materials youll need for the project before you start working in earnest on it, whether thats requesting files from a client, asking your supervisor for initial guidance on a preliminary question, or simply organizing your thoughts around what needs to be done. By starting to sort out these items in advance of the real work beginning, youll be familiarizing yourself with the task, making it much easier to dive in when youre ready.Job seekers give up cram preparationSearching for work brings its own set of sometimes difficult time pressures, so imaginary deadlines can really help you organize your job search. For exa mple, if you have an interview scheduled in a weeks time and your usual style is to use cram preparation the night before, researching the company and practicing your responses to potential hiring-team questions, why not push up your process by three days and get things done ahead of your usual schedule? That way, youll have more time during the week to rehearse your answers if needed, and you can use the night before the interview to rest up and review logistics for arriving at your meeting on time.You may be thinking, But I always manage to reach my actual deadlines even if Im panicked before I do it Even if you ultimately meet your cut-off date by pulling an all-nighter and submitting your project under the wire moments before its due, powered by a rush of adrenaline, this isnt a healthy way to work long-term, and can cause you to feel resentful and burnt out over time- a clear productivity killer. Using the tactic of imaginary-deadline setting can help you reach the finish line in a way thats much more graceful, sustainable, and ultimately productive.This article was originally published on FlexJobs.com.