6 Steps to Staying on Track When Job Hunting

6 Steps to Staying on Track When Job Hunting Do you find it difficult to stay on track when job hunting? It can be tough sometimes. Follow our 6 steps to help make it better: 1)  Try to stay objective: By: Lotus Carroll You’ve been job hunting for a while now, and it feels like pushing a boulder up-hill. The economy is awful, no-ones hiring, if they are it’s for terrible hours and pay. The situation seems bleak. But try to remember that everything is subjective. Situations by themselves cannot be inherently good or bad. ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ are adjectives that we bring to situation via our perceptions. “Nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”  as Shakespeare put it. Don’t let the “bad” feelings overwhelm your senses. Try to step outside of yourself: think about the advice you would give your best friend if they came to you in the same situation you’re in. And try and follow it for yourself. 2)  Control your emotions and keep an even keel: Go ahead and feel your emotions, bottling them up is unhealthy. But so is associating a situation with these emotions in the same way we associate ‘good’ and ‘bad’ situations. The best way to do this is to defeat emotions with logic in the form of questions and statements as follows: Statement: I’m really struggling to find work. Question: Did you expect that to happen when you left university/your last job? Yes. Have you explored every possible avenue yet? Not necessarily. So there is still opportunity out there, right? How could that be so bad? Although doing this will not necessarily change the situation, taking a step back and looking at things rationally will allow your emotions to settle. Try having these types of conversations with yourself when you feel overwhelmed and see how long these extreme emotions hold up. 3)  Revert to the present moment: The future is such a massive concept that often it can be incredibly overwhelming. At the end of the day, the present moment is all we really have. Endeavour to take the trouble you’re dealing with in the present and use it as an opportunity to focus on the present. A way of doing this is to focus on one small thing you can do today to move you closer to your dreams. This can be as small as reading a newspaper article to as big as starting a blog. Just one thing a day will take you step by step in the right direction, instead of staying paralysed by the enormity of your task. The problem isn’t where will I be in ten years’ time, its where can I go and what can I do right now? There are many other ways to pull yourself into the present: strenuous exercise, a walk in the park, meditation, getting a dog â€" they’re a constant reminder of how pleasant the present is. 4)  Steady your nerves: There are always people out there looking to get at you. To intimidate you, to rattle you, pressure you into making decisions. It could be scaremongering journalists reporting on the doom-inspiring job market, your parents pressuring you (against their best intentions), the expectations of your friends and the comparisons you put on yourself. Everyone wants you thinking and acting on their terms, not yours. The question is, are you going to let them? Nerve is a matter of acceptance:  Well, I guess it’s on me then. I don’t have the luxury of being shaken up by this or replaying close calls in my head. I am too busy and this is too important.  Every time someone gets in your face about your job hunt, just remember that you are in complete control, and no-one else. 5)  Ignore the limitations of your peers: FedEx, Walt Disney Company, Revlon, Hewlett-Packard, UPS, United Airline, Microsoft. Impressive, established and successful companies that all got their start in a depression or economic crisis. The founders of these companies were not scared off by the failings of their peers and neither should you be. So if other graduates around you are bemoaning their fortunes, just know that they don’t have to be yours also. Focus on yourself and no-one else. 6)  Amor  Fati: The ancient Roman idea of  amor  fati  â€" loving everything that happens will stand you in good stead as you move forward in your job hunt. Take a lesson from Thomas Edison, who saw his entire life’s work burn to the ground before his very eyes. Instead of getting angry or upset, he turned to his son and said “Go get your mother and all her friends… They’ll never see a fire like this again.” Instead of indulging himself in woe, Edison kept a level head and took advantage of the situation and built up his business again to be almost $200 million more profitable. You can do the same with the challenges in your life by discarding your expectations of how things  should  happen, embrace what is  really  happening and accept that there are certain things â€" especially the bad things â€" that are  out of our control. We don’t get to choose what happens to us, but we can always choose how we feel about it and how we react to it. The goal is not to look on the bright side of e verything, but to embrace the good and bad of everything:  I feel great about this situation because if it happen, then it was meant to happen, and I am glad that it did when it did. I am meant to make the best of this. Author: Ryan Holiday is a media strategist, best-selling author and ex-Head of Marketing for American Apparel.

How To Prepare Yourself For The Best Job Opportunity Ever -

How To Prepare Yourself For The Best Job Opportunity Ever - Your dream job has an opening, they’re taking applications, and you couldn’t think of a better role for yourself it’s like this job was made for you! It’s incredibly exciting when we find that perfect role, and nerve racking when we realise how much we really want it! Now it becomes very important for us to make a great impression and ace that job interview. Below I’ve outlined some valuable job interview tips on how to go above and beyond the competition, so that you have the best chance of landing that dream role. The preparation phase is everything! Before the interview happens is actually where you’ll be putting the most time and effort in. The interview itself generally won’t be very long. Sometimes it flies by so fast and we walk away wondering what we even said! To avoid any on-the-spot muddling of your answers or confusion of what you really wanted to say, prepare yourself. Research Get to know the company well. If it’s a dream role, you may already have an idea of this particular business, though still do some thorough searching to see what recent news there is about the company, and anything else you can familiarize yourself with before you walk in. The same goes for the industry you’ll be working in, know the recent events and any special news that could be helpful to bring up in the interview. Get Clear Inside Yourself Be prepared to tell the interview why you want the job. Go into what is interesting about it, what it would offer you in our career development or journey, and what abilities that this job needs that you feel you have. Also become clear on your own ‘selling points’- all of the experience, skills and talents you have that would offer this role value. Try to differentiate yourself from people who are being interviewed by writing down what makes you ‘different’. Having examples is also an added bonus ‘I am great at ‘X’, as an example, in my last role I created ‘Y’). Plan for Reservations No, not celebratory dinner reservations after you’ve landed the job but that’s something to look forward to! Rather, this is about anticipating any concerns the interviewer may bring up about your experience, abilities or situation regarding the role. In your prep time, consider why they may not choose you. From here, think up ways that you can counter or acknowledge the concerns in case they do come up. For example ‘I know I don’t have much experience in ‘this’ area, though I feel confident in my ability to learn hands-on.’ Start Off Strong To be sure that you make a great first impression, prepare yourself so that you walk in with confident and clear energy. How to do this will mean different things for different people some people interact more confidently after a coffee, some will have more energy after a morning workout, some like to visualise or meditate before meetings and interviews. The point here is to be conscious of how you walk into the space, and the energy your are creating. It’s more than just walking into a room, or just any average meeting. After The Interview A bonus tip for after your interview, in that waiting stage of finding out whether you got the job, is to write a thank you email after the interview. This is a really valuable action to take to stay on the interviewers radar and to express your gratitude and interest one final time. This guest post was authored by Natalie Fisher Natalie Fisher is an HR Professional who loves her job! Shes sat in on over 100 interviews to date and has been helping people nail their interviews since 2014. Download her    Free Guide Called How to nail an interview you’re unqualified for (even if you suck at interviewing).

5 Tips to a Better Work-Life Balance

5 Tips to a Better Work-Life Balance With what feels like an ongoing struggle with achieving the ideal work-life balance, recent research shows that two-thirds of British employees  are not happy with their work-life balance. Sure, it’s not easy to achieve, but the work-life balance isn’t a myth. As the workplace becomes increasingly competitive and the financial stresses of living in the city are on the rise, more of the population are finding themselves putting in extra hours at work. Which eats into what should be (much-needed) downtime. According to a recent survey commissioned by outsourcing platform Airtasker, given the chance of getting help with our daily tasks, reading came up as top chosen pastime with a majority 18% of Brits wanting more time to read, whilst watching TV came second (15%) and a pamper session (14%) came in third. Airtasker has come up with 5 tips to give your well-being a boost whilst keeping up with your career: 1. Know when to say no This one is a little tougher for some. If you’re the kind of person that finds it hard to say no to your boss or teammates when they ask for help, you’ll find your plate overflowing more often than not. There’s no need to respond straight away when someone asks you for help with a task. Tell them you’ll get back to them and take a moment to check whether you have time to do it. If not, they won’t be offended if you say no. Remember, it’s better to do a few things well rather than burning the candle at both ends trying to get too much done. 2. Leave work at work Our smartphones have somehow made us more productive  and less productive at the same time. Despite all the distractions they offer, they also give us a chance to do our work from pretty much anywhere. This isn’t necessarily a good thing though. You really shouldn’t be looking at work emails at 11.30p.m. A good way to switch your mind off when leaving work is to write a to-do list for the following day. Then shut down and do your best to leave any work stresses in the office. 3. Learn how to work ‘smart’ In an age of useless email threads and meetings about meetings, you must master your focus and learn how to work smarter. It’s easy to unconsciously waste time while at the office, leaving work piled up for you at the end of the day. Prioritization is the number one thing to master if you want to be efficient and productive in your work hours. This links back to the first point about being able to say no. Don’t be afraid to decline meeting invites if your presence isn’t necessary. Set deadlines for each step in each task and stick to them. Block out time in your diary or move to a quiet area to get a presentation done if you need to. Outsource smaller tasks that you feel are a waste of your time. If you’re able to eliminate the ‘faff’ and cut out the noise, you’ll find yourself getting a lot more done in a lot less time. 4. Plot in your work and personal time According to a  recent study, quality ‘me-time’ can actually make you a better employee. And of course, it’s also great for your well-being. So, how do you make sure you’re getting it? Try this: plot self-care time into your diary and give it as much importance as you do your career. Have a clear divide between your work hours and your personal hours, and don’t let either intrude into each other. If you’re on the work-obsessed side, think of it this way â€" if you focus on your personal well-being, you’ll be a more engaged employee and perform better at work. It’s a win-win. 5. Listen to your mind and body A poor work-life balance takes a toll on your physical health, not just your mental well-being. Exercise is oh-so-important to de-stress both your body and mind; thanks to the wonderful endorphins it releases. Try and get a half hour every day â€" even a simple walk can reduce stress and re-energize you. Similarly, meditation and other types of relaxing activities pre or post-work can help you disengage from stressful thoughts about work. Even if it’s just for a bit. About the author:  Airtasker is a community marketplace that connects people and businesses with members of the local community who are able to complete tasks to earn more.  The global Airtasker community is made up of approx. 2 million people, 1 million verified reviews and A$100 million in Tasker earnings annually.

Is Multi-Level Marketing A Legitimate Career Opportunity

Is Multi-Level Marketing A Legitimate Career Opportunity In recent years the way we manage life’s expenses has changed and working 9-5 is no longer an expected way to pay your bills. And whilst many of us still grind the Monday-Friday traditional hours, there’s an abundance of new, home-based opportunities which present chances for an additional income and a much more flexible way in which to work. These opportunities can be particularly attractive to stay at home parents who still want to earn an income.   Or to individuals who might need to supplement their income or want to enjoy a more flexible way of paying the mortgage or planning for retirement and young people looking for a different lifestyle to that of their parents, seeking to reject the idea of a corporate career in favour of funding travel experiences or further education. Being in charge of your own schedule is incredibly appealing, which is why more and more of us are seeking out these flexible roles. Multi-level Marketing Questions Starting your own business can be extremely rewarding but not without a small risk.   One reason why so many people turn to multi-level marketing is to become their own boss and be in charge of their own time, with the added support of an established brand. So what questions might be asked of this particular career choice? Are there any financial tie-ins? Am I in control of my own pay cheque as well as how my business is run? And why are there still murmurs of scepticism associated with multi-level marketing? Well the predominant answer to this last question is simply misinformation. There are many reasons why some succeed with multi-level marketing, and others find it a little trickier. Building your own successful network takes time and effort, just as any job does! If you’re expecting overnight success then this might not be the right career path for you. But if you’re prepared to focus time and energy on creating a business that will boost your well-being, your working life and your bank balance then multi-level marketing could well be the answer for you. There are many positives for heading into a multi-level marketing career. Flexible Working Hours One of the most attractive aspects of multi-level marketing is the flexibility of being your own boss. You decide your working hours and whether you want this to be a side venture for some extra cash or a legitimate career option. Some of our Lifeplus associates have fulfilled their wildest dreams because they put in the extra hours to turn their nutritional supplements business into a booming success. Others are content to view their business as a part time, or supplementary, opportunity to pay for their next holiday or boost their pension pot. Whatever the reasoning, you can still enjoy a more flexible way of earning money. No Start-up Costs Starting your own business is simple. You don’t need to invest in products or equipment. There are no risks, no fees, no clauses and no requirements to buy stock to sell on to others. There really is no catch! At Lifeplus we want to make it as easy as possible for anyone to embark on a referral marketing journey with us. Low Risk Factor Multi-level marketing offers an opportunity to start your own business and be your own boss with minimal risk. There’s no need to invest money just simply your time, your experience and an eagerness to succeed. We don’t set targets or apply any pressure. With no tie-ins you can take a break if you need to, but you might not receive an income when you do. It’s definitely a viable solution to creating your own business and unleashing your entrepreneurial spirit without any heavy financial risk involved! Unlimited Earning Potential There is no limit to what you can earn as a multi-level marketing associate. It depends on your own goals and ambitions. Will you eventually pursue this as a full time career? Is this a part time or additional job to boost your income? Whichever it may be, your earning potential is in your hands. An abundance of Resources When you become an associate with Lifeplus, you unlock a treasure trove of useful resources including marketing materials, a personal website, top tips and even an app to track your business! We have everything ready and waiting for you. You simply opt for the tools you require. It’s as easy as that. It’s important that all of our associates feel supported on their journey, so be assured that we’re with you every step of the way. So what helps to become a successful multi-level marketer? Belief in the products Our associates are all regular consumers of our products. If you love what we do and recommend us to others you can become an associate too. This authentic approach means our associates are trusted for their genuine love for our brand, our products and our ethos. So success comes from being a regular consumer and from sharing knowledge which helps others to succeed too. A willingness to learn and share new skills An open mind to learning can be a catalyst for success. If you’re willing to put in some extra hours to learn new skills then you too could become a successful entrepreneur and take your business to the next level. But knowledge is only powerful when shared with others. It’s why we value sharing the skills that are helping you to effectively boost your business with others. Being self-motivated Being your own boss is a joy. It can be, sometimes, lonely and difficult too. That is why we really appreciate our Lifeplus community.   And   we encourage associates to support each other by continually sharing their knowledge and experiences. It may take time to adjust to being self-motivated but if you’re able to push yourself then you too can achieve success. How does it work? Lifeplus is a referral system so people who earn an income from us do so by being sponsored. In that way we ensure they have support and guidance and get shown the ropes from another person in a friendly and non-pressured way. Sponsors are rewarded for helping others to succeed in their businesses. If you’re interested in multi-level marketing associate opportunities contact the friendly Lifeplus team for a chat.

Resume Writing - How to Write a Resume Without Any Experience

Resume Writing - How to Write a Resume Without Any ExperienceHave you been having trouble writing a resume that is ready to send to a job interview? Have you tried to write your resume several times and none of them look professional enough to send out to a company you are trying to get a job with? While this is an obvious problem, you may also be thinking 'I am just out of college and need some help writing my resume'.One way to address the problem of writing a resume without any experience is to prepare a resume of your own. This can also be done while you are still in college and you can study up on some of the basics needed to prepare a resume for college. Here are some tips to help you on how to write a resume without any experience.When you are writing your resume, it can be a good idea to focus on your skills and abilities and not on any particular past job. Keep your resume simple, but professional looking. To show your ability and skills, start off by listing down your highe st level of education. Start with elementary school, work your way through high school and work your way through college. List down all of your educational degrees, if possible.There are a lot of schools that will ask for a college job while you are still in college. If you are lucky enough to get one, make sure you list down what you did in college. Maybe some of your professors will even give you a C average. To help you write a resume without any experience, keep your list organized.Another way to show how much you have improved your education is to list down some of your college internship. Include how many internships you had. Remember that in order to get a job interview, you must have a resume that tells a great story about yourself. At the bottom of your resume, include a list of your internships. You might even want to write a couple of sentences about the experience you had.If you know anyone who has recently gotten a job, make sure they give you their resume. Some compani es won't hire someone unless they have a resume to send to them, so don't hesitate to ask them for their resume. If your old college friend tells you that it is not worth it, just don't follow up on the job offer. Some people think that if they got a job without doing a lot of work, then they have nothing to show for their college experience.In addition to your resume, it is also a good idea to include some details about yourself. Since this is your first time applying for a job, you want to make sure that you come across as professional and confident. Include your hobbies, skills, education, etc.No matter how much or little experience you have, it is always important to remember that a resume is just a part of your college life. It is a chance to show employers that you have learned how to organize your time management skills.

Recruiters Versus Career Coaches - Hire Imaging

Recruiters Versus Career Coaches - Hire Imaging Top 10 List to Get It Straight Many people looking for a job have only a vague or mistaken understanding of how recruiters and career coaches work. Here is some food for thought to help you clarify and manage expectations around the differences. What is the difference between recruiters and career coaches? The career coach works for the individual job hunter while recruiters work for companies. Career coaches and recruiters work for two distinctly different sets of clients. Career coaches help their individual clients to find jobs while recruiters help their client companies find employees to fill open positions. Okay. Then do recruiters place people in jobs? No, and this is a second ironic misconception. Recruiters dont care about finding jobs for people. They make their living by filling open positions with the most qualified people they can find. There is no reason for them to be interested in the average out-of-work professional. Often the most qualified people are not even looking for a job, but are successfully employed at other companies. And even when the recruiter finds the ideal candidate, he/she can only recommend the person to the company. Recruiters present qualified candidates to companies, and sometimes conduct preliminary screening interviews. Career coaches work with people on career exploration, resumes and marketing documents, networking, interviewing and other aspects of the job search to help them market and present themselves as effectively as possible to both recruiters and to the potential employers who are hiring directly. Can recruiters do career coaching? Some are able to help people they want to present to a company to beef up their resume and to interview intelligently. But recruiters are not experts at how to obtain a job. This means that career consultants and recruiters are not in competition and can often work together for the clients benefit. How do recruiters work? There are two kinds of recruitersretainer and contingency. Retainer firms have an exclusive contract on their assignments and are usually paid a portion of their fee at the beginning of their search and the balance at the end of their assignment, whether or not they fill the position. Contingency recruiters seldom have an exclusive assignment on a position and compete with other contingency firms. They are paid only when they fill the position. Retained recruiters are often called executive recruiters. A major difference is that retained recruiters usually deal with positions that pay $100K or more, while contingency firms handle positions around $50K and up. In addition, there are employment agencies that work with people in the $25K to $50K range. Okay. What are executive recruiters? Headhunters? Executive recruiters are the same as retainer recruiters, though some contingency recruiters will advertise themselves by that name. Headhunter is an accepted slang term for executive recruiter. It is like calling a psychologist a shrink. The higher your salary (generally $75K and up), the more useful a recruiter might be. Are there people who should not use recruiters? Yes, people who have been out of work for a while, and career changers. These people will simply not be served well in general. Why dont recruiters respond to emails or phone calls? Its not worth their time. In this present economy, an executive recruiter may be working to fill 50 positions at any one time. To do so he/she spends most of her time speaking with people he/she already knows to be qualified for one of the positions or can recommend other qualified people. A headhunter can easily get hundreds of resumes a day. The chances that an unsolicited resume will present qualifications exactly matching one of the current open positions a headhunter is working with is exceedingly unlikely. So these resumes are fed to a database that already holds one or two million resumes. For even the largest search firms, the number of positions filled out of the databases is 1% or less. This dramatizes why it is that recruiters rarely look at the resumes which cascade into their offices. Okay. Should I as a job seeker, forget about using recruiters? Not necessarily. However, you should have a track record of successes and be willing to do some legwork. First, conduct research to identify firms and recruiters who specialize in your industry or profession. People who are job searching often have their best chance of success with small boutique firms that have only ten or fifteen recruiters. Second, visit the firms Website and proceed only when you are virtually a perfect fit for one of the positions that need filling. Third, first send your resume and then follow-up with a phone call. Fourth, Do all this with low expectations and as only one part of a comprehensive job search strategy. How do I get to know recruiters? If you are connected with a recruiter, cultivate that relationship as much as possible. Treat recruiters with the same respect you would a company human resource representative or a hiring manager. If you behave unprofessionally with a recruiter sending unsolicited documents, misrepresenting your background, being nonresponsive and timely to calls you will lose credibility with that recruiter. And word travels! Whats the overall theme here? Certainly consider recruiters as part of your job search strategy. However, dont have unrealistic expectations of your work with them. Recruiters are not in business to find you a job. Do not rely on recruiters to the exclusion of other job search methods, especially networking, networking, and networking! And dont take rejection personally; it plain and simple isnt personal. Instead, explore whether there are things you could be doing (and not be doing) to tap into using a recruiter as a spoke in your job search wheel.

5 Ways to Make Your Resume More Impressive - CareerAlley

5 Ways to Make Your Resume More Impressive - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. There are approximately 100 candidates for every 1 job opening. In other words, there is a really stiff competition brewing between all job seekers. Now, when 100 candidates are sending their resume for the same job you are targeting, how to ensure that your resume is shortlisted to receive the elusive interview call? Here are our quick and actionable tips. 1. To Use or not to Use Professional Resume Making Help It is possible that you are ready to shell out few thousands to get that perfect resume because (a) you dont have any knowledge on resume development and (b) your English language skills are limited While seeking professional help is perfectly alright but think a bit differently. Isnt it possible that 90 out of 100 candidates are also submitting tailor-made resumes? If they are, isnt it possible that your resume and few other resumes have the same presentation pattern with different information? If it is possible, then what chances are there for the interviewer to shortlist you? It doesnt sound promising enough. Therefore, if you go after professional resume making help, ensure that the final resume is creative and different, and not just copy pasted into a fixed resume template. 2. Add Comprehensive Job Responsibility Positions According to a study in India job market has become more varied that ever. If you are person of the new technological age and dealing with new kind of job responsibilities, make sure to write about them in the resume clearly. Not clear? Lets say you are applying to a 50-year old company as an IT manager. Obviously, technology is a 21st century phenomenon and it might so happen that the HR manager is new to these recruiting positions. Therefore, adding 5 years experience as an IT manager wont help your cause. You need to elaborate the position in a precise manner. You dont need to follow this closely in you are applying to any start-up or any youth company because they are already primed towards new employable positions. 3. Fathers Name | Religion | Marital Status In many countries, employers do not even bother about knowing your marital status, the number of kids you have, your parents name and other personal details. Why? The knowledge is not needed for company productivity. These details are for employee personal file and can be skipped from adding in the resume. However, things are a bit different in India. Employers believing in the traditionalist mode of recruitment would love to see these details but a 21st century establishment would rather prefer you used the space for something more noteworthy. Moreover, adding just the fathers name reeks of gender bias. Recruitment based on religion is clearly a regressive attitude and you should stay away from such companies. Lastly, your marital status is of your concern only. Therefore, use your discretion and try to avoid adding these mundane details. Instead, focus more on professional credibility. 4. From Current to the First A silly mistake most candidates make is in adding the employment details. You should always start with the current company and move back and not the other way. To make it easier, keep adding the dates in brackets. You can follow the given template: 5. Dont Shy Away from Experimentation Technology has opened doors for creativity and companies are seeking creative individuals to add to their team. Making a creative resume is one such way to create a favorable impression. Who says resume should be always on paper? You could send a YouTube video. You can send an Infographic. You can send a PDF file. You can also send a cartoon caricature. Or, if you still find paper trustworthy, print the resume in some other color rather than the staid white one. How about a resume printed on blue paper? Conclusion Your resume is the first point of contact between you and the employer. It is your chance to create a favorable first impression even without your presence. Treat the resume as a weapon, a tool to get hired. The more you polish the tool, you have better chances. Authors Bio The author Diksha is a media consultant and an avid writer with one years of experience in social media. she has written lots of useful articles on various medical and engineering courses ,art, MBA, media etc. You can find her on Linkedin and Google+ This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif