10 Silly Signs You're About to be Fired - Career blog - Position Ignition - taking you to the next step in your career

This is just for fun, so don't think you're actually going to be fired if any of these happen to you-you're probably just really unpopular.

1) In the latest team/office/department photo, the photographer tells you to stand well away from your colleagues so you can be easily photoshopped out later on.

2) When you ask your boss for advice on what holiday to book this year, she advises a Round-the-World Trip.

3) Your boss turns into a soap opera character-you can tell he wants to tell you something but he  just. can't. spit. it. out.

4) This year's Christmas Party has already been booked and it's going to be at an Italian restaurant. Even though the social secretary knows you're allergic to olive oil.

5) Your colleagues are already talking about you in the past tense.

6) Your boss starts talking up the virtues of daytime TV whenever you're in earshot.

7) Someone leaves directions to get to the Job Centre on your desk.

8) Colleagues actually start taking cases from your caseload on the sly instead of you having to slip them into their 'to-do piles' on the sly.

9) Your boss starts  buying you lunch every day and telling you to 'save your money'.

10) You walk into your office one day and sit down at your desk when you suddenly notice that Lord Alan Sugar is sitting directly opposite you with his finger in mid-air...

And now for the 'seriously though' bit. Seriously though, if you sense that you're about to be dismissed or made redundant, talk to your boss. It's not about begging to keep your job or dumping the company before it dumps you-it's about communication. Talking things through may give you and your boss a chance to jointly find an alternative to you leaving the company altogether, or it may help you in starting to come to terms with-and planning for-the inevitable. It may even turn out that your fears are unfounded. Of course, if you sense that you're about to be fired and you just don't care or you're even happy about it, then that might be a sign that you're ready for things to change anyway. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean leaving the organisation, even though that may of course be a valid option. It may just mean that you're ready for your role or your hours to be altered. Again, talking things through is the key. Don't just wait in either fear or impatience for the finger to be pointed at you-keep the lines of communication open at all times!

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Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Movin' On Up: Things Your Mom Didn’t Tell You About the Work World

Think back to when you were in elementary school and got jitters on the first day back from summer vacation. Maybe it was your mom or another loved one who helped calm your nerves. They probably gave you advice like, “Don’t worry, just be yourself and everyone’s going to love you.” Now, fast forward to today and your working career. Does that advice still apply? To help you gain some perspective and clarity during those times when you need it, here is some advice your mom didn’t tell you about being in the workplace.

Not everyone’s going to love you. In the workplace, everyone has different personalities. Not everyone is always going to want to be your best friend, and that’s OK. You’re going to run into people you don’t get along with. But, be nice and polite with everyone you work with and focus on being a good employee who produces great work.

Be responsible for yourself. In the working world, you are responsible for you. No one else is going to baby you. You have to pick up after yourself and keep your workstation clean and organized. Also, your manager will provide you with direction on your projects, but getting them done is up to you. And, you need to prioritize what’s important as a worker and manage your time wisely to get your work completed on time. Check out these tips on organization and prioritizing. And, remember that It’s OK to talk with your co-workers, but keep the chatting to a minimum so you can be productive throughout the day.

Don’t just do the best you can. Workplaces today are competitive and many are looking for employees who are willing to go the extra mile on projects. Your mom might have been fine with you getting a C on a project or in a class when you were in school, but employers are looking for A+ effort when it comes to work. 

There’s no nap time or recess at work. Gone are the days when you got to take a nap at noon or go outside and climb around on the monkey bars to work off some energy. Your employer pays you to be productive throughout your work day, so make sure you get enough rest prior to coming to work. Set a time each night to be in bed and a time each morning to wake up. When you’re rested, you will have more energy, allowing you to cross more off your to-do list.

Life’s not fair. In your working career, you will probably run into events that aren’t fair, but in some situations, you won’t be able to do anything about them besides just accept them. Titles, raises, salaries – these are a few things in the workplace that sometimes seem unfair. Instead of dwelling on things you don’t have, look for the positive in what you do have. Continue working hard and don’t let “unfair” things slow down your progress or cloud your vision.

Everyone has those days when they wish they could have mom or someone else there to lend some advice when it’s needed. Instead, keep these tips close by for the next time you feel you need a reality check.

via blog.expresspersonnel.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Resume Objective: Nobody Cares - Careers Articles

By Barbara Safani

A visitor to AOL's sister site Emurse recently asked this question: "I'm trying to provide a good objective that will work for all job titles in the clerical area. What should I do?"

The quick answer to the question is forget the objective. Here's why.

1. Objectives tell the reader what you want, not what the employer wants. And let's face it, the employer doesn't really care what you want. Hiring authorities scan resumes to determine if the applicant has the competencies and achievements to create success in their work environment. Your objective in the process is meaningless to them.

Objectives rarely say anything valuable. Most objectives I see read something like this: Objective: Seeking a position where I can use my clerical skills to help the business run smoothly and efficiently. Duh! If a company is hiring for a clerical position, they already know why. They don't need you to reiterate the obvious.

Objectives are a waste of space. Brevity is important on a resume. You have limited space and limited time to make an impression on a hiring manager. The objective statement wastes space on the resume that could be used for communicating more compelling information about your candidacy.

Objectives date you. You may have included an objective on the last resume you wrote -- 20 years ago. Resume styles have changed over the years. You need to change with them.

So now that I've bashed the resume objective, you may be wondering what you are supposed to put in place of the objective. I recommend creating a professional summary at the top of the resume and here's why.

1. A professional summary summarizes the key points of the resume. It is the snapshot of the applicant and the accomplishments that make them a good fit for the job. Before you buy a book, don't you read the overview on the book jacket? Hiring authorities want the summary before they read the resume as well.

A professional summary allows applicants to match their skill sets to the requirements listed in the job posting. A great way to show a hiring manager that you are perfect for their position is to mirror their job requirements at the top of the resume. This strategy is sure to catch their attention and encourage them to read on.

A professional summary looks -- well -- more professional. Seasoned professionals with 10-plus years of experience don't gain credibility from using a resume objective. The summary is a much more sophisticated way to present your skills.

If you want to learn more about creating powerful resume summaries, be sure to check out Resume Magic, Happy About My Resume, or Resumes for Dummies or download 15 Items for Your Resume "To-Do" List for free.

via jobs.aol.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Does This Resume Make Me Look Fat? - Careers Articles

By Barbara Safani

Most job seekers I meet have some sort of "special circumstance" or blemish on their resume that they feel makes them unattractive to a hiring manager. For some, it's accounting for the dot-com they worked for that went bust after nine months or the year they took off from work to care for an aging parent or newborn. For others it's that "what the heck was I thinking when I took that job" faux pas or the "my boss was a raging lunatic and I had to get out fast" scenario.

Since almost everyone has at least one of these "special circumstances," they really aren't that special -- they are a part of life and part of most people's career journey. When crafting a compelling resume, the trick is to tell the story of your career path in a way that focuses on your best assets and makes you shine.

• Get FREE résumé help >>

When we purchase clothing, we make decisions on what to buy based on what we think will best complement our greatest assets. We don't say, "My thighs are huge, so let me find a pair of pants that accentuates that."

But most of the resumes that job seekers write for themselves seem to do just that. They often scream "look at my mistakes" or yell "I know it's hard to figure out why I took this job, but here it is." They give equal blocks of information about each of the positions they have held regardless of the importance each position has to their target audience or the relevance of that position to their overall career strategy. When information is questionable or missing, employers come to their own conclusions about what really happened. And this bias could cost you the interview.

It doesn't have to be that way. I advocate for full disclosure on a resume -- listing all positions and explaining moves and leaves of absence when appropriate. It is perfectly acceptable to explain that you left a position to care for a family member (yes, right on the resume) or to explain that your position was terminated due to a layoff, company closing, etc. And while you wouldn't explain the "my boss was evil" scenario on a resume, there are ways to focus on your contributions in the position and call less attention to the short tenure.

We have one body and we make decisions every day on how to dress it in an effort to put our best foot forward. Doesn't it make sense to take your career story and dress it well to put your best foot forward in your job search?

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Posted via email from AndyWergedal

5 Best Ways to Use Twitter for Your Job Search! | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

Twitter can be a tremendous, fast moving tool in your Job Search Toolbox. Here are 5 ways to get the most out of it.

1. Follow and read job search experts. The amount of excellent ideas, tips, leads, news, informative articles, and best practices going by all day long is amazing. Use Twellow’s directory for Employment > Career > Job Search to find excellent people to follow. You’ll find outstanding advice that applies to your situation… guaranteed.

2. Search for posted positions. Use Twitter’s search function to look for #jobs, or TwitterJobSearch to find a wealth of open positions that aren’t necessarily posted on job boards or company sites. Also search #splits for positions that recruiters use to split open searches with other recruiters. New positions are posted with excellent companies, large and small, every minute of every day. Get them in real time, early, and often.

3. Follow and read people in your field or industry. Industry chatter is incredible. News items, rumors, and trends get discussed daily. You can become much better versed in your field by ‘listening’. It can provide you with new and valuable information that can make you a better candidate in the interview process. Use Twellow to find appropriate people to follow.

4. Engage! Get in conversations with people. Ask questions, offer help, ReTweet (re-post) good information you see. Make sure to proofread everything you Tweet, and keep everything professional. Offering opinions about politics (unless you’re looking for a job in politics), or talking about your weekend at the bar will alienate half the people you want to connect to. Don’t sound discouraged or be a spreader of bad news. Keep your conversations focused on your area of expertise, or job search topics, and keep them positive.

5. Connect with people at your target companies. Many companies have an official presence on Twitter and post positions. There are also obviously many people on Twitter on their own that work at companies you many have an interest in. Professionally, ask questions, ask for referrals, offer information, and seek advice.

The reputation you build on Twitter, just like the image you create on any other site will either help or hurt your chances of finding the right position. Be positive, be professional, be helpful, be inquisitive, be engaging, be honest, and have fun!

Consistency is important. If you only Tweet once or twice per day, it won’t be enough for anyone to get to know you. Manage your time carefully, but do spend some time to build credibility and relationships. There are few places online where you can find so much information and develop so many contacts 24/7!

Use Twitter for your job search… it’s unlike anything else!

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Author:

Harry Urschel has over 20 years experience as a technology recruiter in Minnesota. He currently operates as e-Executives, writes a blog for Job Seekers called The Wise Job Search, and can be found on Twitter as @eExecutives.

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Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Personal Branding Tips & Career Advice by Career Expert Deborah Shane : CAREEREALISM

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Deborah Shane

The hot buzz now is creating your personal brand and how to stand out mostly in the social world. Because our challenge is through the web, computer, and the written word  it requires a different approach than meeting in person.

So, you are invited to a business party or event. You walk in and pretty much everyone is dressed in some form of black, blue, gray, brown, or beige. Then your eyes catch someone wearing a royal blue, cherry red, banana yellow, lavender something. Your eyes naturally go to that vivid color. Same with how people are communicating. Most people are standing a few feet from each other speaking to each other with the mouth moving but little else energy or emotion. One person you notice has a crowd around them and is using their hands, smiling, animated, having fun and engaging others to have fun and participate  too. Their energy is stimulating others energy.

We all have the potential to be this and do this.

Your Personal Brand, Personal Branding, Unique Selling Principle, Brand Essence is really all the same name and description for who you already are. Our given genetic DNA personalities give us everything we need to tap into this.

Our “persona” is both internal and external. For some it comes easier than others.

Some of the things we can do to develop this internal and external persona is:

• Develop a professional appearance and image
• Develop a positive mindset and attitude
• Discover your communication style
• Nurture and manage relationships
• Mentor others
• Advocate and support others
• Volunteer and give back

I love this post from Seth Godin’s blog, Finding Your Brand Essence. It really resonated with me.

“Clothes don’t make the man, the man makes the man. Clothes (and the brand) just amplify that.”

How are you discovering and creating your internal and external persona?

Did you enjoy this article? You can read more articles by this expert here. Better yet, you could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail!

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CAREEREALISM Expert, Deborah Shane delivers business education and professional skill development specializing in women in business, those in career transition, sales and personal and social brand strategy and integration. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.

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Posted via email from AndyWergedal

TheWiseJobSearch: You won’t hire me because I’m unemployed? REALLY???

CNN.com posted an article titled “In the job hunt, the stigma of being laid off is hard to erase”. In it, Stephanie Chen, writes:

“As if securing work in a jobless recovery isn't tricky enough, being labeled unemployed brings additional obstacles.”

I was privileged to be interviewed by Stephanie for this article and quoted briefly:

“Many companies will consider hiring jobless applicants, said Harry Urschel, an independent recruiter at e-Executives for more than two decades. He thinks many employers have become more understanding because job cuts are so widespread.”

While I can attest to the fact that there are some companies that do look more critically at candidates that are unemployed, I can also say…

That there are many others that view this time in the market as an opportunity to pick talent that might otherwise be hard to attract.

Can being unemployed be an obstacle? Certainly. Just as being “too old” can be an obstacle, being “too young”, having had too many jobs, having worked at one job too long, being a minority, not being a minority, being over-qualified, being under-qualified, being under-educated, being over-educated… and on and on. Depending on the organization, and the individual looking at your background, any of those factors may be an issue… or none of them might be. Regardless of professional background, or personal circumstances, anyone can find external reasons they are not getting the calls and job offers they are hoping for. My experience tells me that people are usually not selected for jobs for different reasons than they think. It’s usually easier to believe a bias than the reality of the situation.

Your objective in pursuing any opportunity is to show you are the best person for the job… despite any perceived shortcomings. As I’ve written about before… “For every person that says they can’t get a job because of a particular challenge, there is someone else with the same situation that did get a job.” It may take some additional thought, persistence, or creative approach, however, virtually any objection can be overcome when handled appropriately. Everyone can find some reason that is hindering their job hunt if they look hard enough. Don’t focus on why you may not be considered, focus on the unique value you bring to the potential employer!

In this market, when employers are receiving dozens, or hundreds of applicants for every opening, it’s not good enough to submit an application online, or send an email, and wait for a call. That’s all the vast majority of applicants do, and it does nothing to distinguish you from all the others. Even if you’re a “perfect” fit, it’s difficult for your resume to be noticed among the sea of others. Taking extra initiative to find a contact at the organization, proactively call and reach out in additional ways is the only way to stand out from the crowd.

If you’re not getting calls from your applications, it’s likely that it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re unemployed, or “too old”, or under-qualified, or anything else. It’s more likely that you are just getting lost in the crowd.

Apply some more effort to get noticed and you will make far greater progress in your job hunt!

Posted by Harry Urschel

via thewisejobsearch.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal