Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Introducing Tours of Duty for the Business World

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Introducing Tours of Duty for the Business World According to Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and author of the bookThe Alliance:Managing Talent in the Networked Age, a tour of duty is an employee situation that involves working full-time in consecutive roles within an organization, working full-time in consecutive organizations for the purpose of upskilling, or taking breaks or dialing down from a full-time role in an organization. Within a single organization, a tour of duty typically lasts for a finite period of two to five years. Both manager and employee openly acknowledge that at the end of the tour, the employee may well leave the organization. “The new compact acknowledges the probable impermanence of the relationship yet seeks to build trust and investment anyway. Instead of entering into strict bonds of loyalty, both sides seek the mutual benefits of alliance,” commented Hoffman inHarvard Business Review. “As allies, employer and employee try to add value to each other. The employer says, ‘If you make us more valuable, we’ll make youmore valuable.’ The employee says, ‘If you help me grow and flourish, I’ll help the company grow and flourish.’” The best tours of duty involve the mastery of new skills, or entrepreneurial opportunities like building and launching a new product, reengineering an existing business process, or introducing an organizational innovation. Regardless, the notion of a compact is critical. The tour of duty agreement must be made between individual manager and employee and therefore cannot be legislated by HR. For more on tours of duty, check out the full post at the SilkRoad blog.

Writing About Work History in Resume Social Services

Writing About Work History in Resume Social ServicesIf you want to be able to share a more complete, interesting and fun history of yourself on your resume, then it is worthwhile considering including some extra information in your resume about your work history. These relevant areas are very important to include and could help to make the most of your employment history on your resume.One of the main reasons for including these additional details in your resume is to include work duties that are not directly related to your job responsibilities. This type of information can often be used to highlight more self-relevant aspects of your experience. For example, if you are an experienced writer, then the additional information could include how you prepared your own documents. If you worked as a librarian in a community college, then this could include information about the books that you purchased to prepare for your coursework.All of the information in this article can be included in your resume, but the best way to start with your writing about work history in resume social services is to consider all of the different types of positions that you may have held in the past. This will help you to list all of the jobs that you have held, their starting and ending dates, the job titles and descriptions, the duties and responsibilities that were assigned and any additional duties that were required in the course of those specific jobs.Once you have finished listing all of the different positions that you have held in the past, it is time to consider whether there is any additional information that you may have missed. For example, if you have held a position as a librarian for several years, you should consider including details about any books that you have purchased or written to prepare for your courses. If you have taken part in volunteer work, then this could include details about the schools and organisations that you have volunteered for.To provide additional information about your previous experiences, it is often helpful to include details about any training or professional qualifications that you may have had. This is important because these professional qualifications can often prove useful in helping to explain why you are a good fit for a particular job position. For example, if you had studied accounting and worked as a finance manager for a non-profit organisation, then the fact that you also have an accounting qualification would be useful to demonstrate to potential employers.When writing about work history in resume social services, it is often a good idea to write down the names of any professional qualifications and all other professional qualifications that you have held in the past. In order to keep things as straightforward as possible, you should try to list all of the professional qualifications that you hold, even if they do not relate directly to your present role.It is also important to note that you should choose t he appropriate name for each qualification, regardless of whether they relate to current employment or not. For example, if you are working as a public relations professional, then you should always write 'Public Relations Specialist' when you are preparing your resume. Similarly, if you worked as a property salesperson and sold ten houses in one day, then you should always use the term 'Tenants Agent' when you are preparing your resume.In summary, it is vital that you consider the different aspects of your career in order to include the right amounts of information about your job duties and responsibilities. You should also try to include the names of any qualifications that you have received and the names of any professional qualifications that you have held.

How to Achieve More - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Achieve More - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It never fails, when one important project is at hand, several more appear at the same time. The problem becomes how to keep your promise of finishing all of it in a timely manner. Soon the question becomes a quandary because there just doesn’t appear to be enough hours in the day. Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs Focus Create a document to have at your fingertips of what needs to be completed, in a prioritized list. Under each named project, list the components to be included so there will be no forgetting. Eliminating forgetfulness and the need to re-do eliminates extra time required. Baby-steps Stress will add hours by eating up the ability to focus. Reduce your stress by breaking each project up into manageable steps. For instance, if you were in need of proofreading a manuscript, decide how many pages or chapters you will be able to review effectively on a daily basis, or divide the number of chapters by the allotted days. Use a similar procedure for those projects of the highest importance to you. Interruptions Should peers request help with a project during your busiest time, politely explain your schedule. Let them know it is important to you to provide the best support you may, and for that reason, you will give every effort to their project after your deadline. It would be difficult to argue with this position. A cautionary step would be to note the promise on your calendar so that you may live up to it. Keeping promises is essential for retaining a strong personal brand and building business. New Ideas It seems the busier we are, we see an increase in the flow of new ideas. Record these so they too will be remembered after you complete the other projects. Meanwhile, you will have time to contemplate the better ideas and come to an understanding of how to proceed when time is your own again. Keep Moving It only takes once to wait for that long awaited goal to be achieved and celebrated and then… You realize nothing else is in your pipeline of urgency, inspiration or excitement. The exhilarating ride is completely gone, and if one isn’t careful almost a depressed like state will take over. As you begin to see you are closing in on the finish line, take time to think about those new ideas or what you enjoyed most on this current project. Don’t finish the trail but instead keep extending it. Knowing you have something to pursue keeps the energy moving in the right direction along with the motivation to keep pursuing. Repeat Fine-tune a system that works for you to continue moving forward. All of these pointers will magically increase time efficiencies and enable you to finish on time. Even better you will accomplish more in any given period. As you turn the system into an adhered to habit, others will be asking you for help and will lead to the Smooth Sale!

15 Ways Youre Sabotaging Yourself at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

15 Ways You’re Sabotaging Yourself at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You don’t want to be “that guy” (or “that girl”) at work. You know the one. They’re super nice and great to be around, but you definitely don’t want to be stuck working on a project with them. Somehow they’ve been here for years and haven’t gotten fired, despite how unprofessional they can be. However, you might be like them without even realizing it. Here are 15 ways you’re sabotaging yourself at work: You’re Always Late Being late has a much bigger impact than you might have expected. Yes, things come up. You might have car issues or an emergency you need to take care of. But those are only excusable once in a while. You might think no one notices you sneaking in five minutes late, but they definitely do. Restructure your morning routine to guarantee you’re getting there in plenty of time. You Let Technology Distract You You need to use your computer to get your work done. The internet, however, holds a plethora of things waiting to draw your attention away from what you need to get done. Your cell phone is also in your pocket or on your desk, filled with apps and people to text. Technology is a serious distraction in the workplace. Find ways to resist temptation, like leaving your cell phone in a drawer or another out-of-sight location if you don’t need it for work. You Complain Too Much Complaining can have a direct effect on your progress at work, and even in life. Dwelling on the negative hinders your progress and doesn’t let you be the best worker you can be. It also affects your workplace reputation and makes people less likely to want to associate with you because you complain constantly. Complaining shows you’re focusing your time more on criticizing the company rather than getting your work done. Take notice of how many negative comments come out of your mouth each day, and try and turn them into positive ones. It’s a hard habit to break, but it’s worth it. You Make Stupid Mistakes We’re all human, and sometimes mistakes do happen. However, a lazy mistake can lead to sloppy work, which makes you look like you don’t care. A fix may be as simple as proofreading and double-checking the work you do. If you’re rushed for a deadline, do your best to set aside a bit of time to do at least a quick once-over before you turn it in. A legitimate mistake is one thing, but a stupid one that could easily be fixed just makes you look incompetent. You Procrastinate Waiting until the last minute to rush a project doesn’t help anyone, so why do we do it? If you’re a perfectionist, you might need the pressure of a deadline to make you finish your work instead of going over it constantly. However, the procrastination habit needs to be broken. Set deadlines for yourself to make sure you have sections of your work done by certain times. Don’t overwhelm yourself at the last minute. You Don’t Ask for Help We want to think we can do everything on our own and don’t need to ask for help. We might see asking for help as a weakness, but it’s actually a strength. It shows you want to be better at what you do, and you want to make sure things are done right. It also shows you’re a collaborative person who can work with others. Being nervous about asking for help makes sense, but there are ways to overcome that and get the help you need so you can produce the best product possible. You Don’t Plan Well Without planning, it’s hard to keep track of the work that’s expected of you and when all of it is due. One way to get yourself organized is to get a calendar and write out all the deadlines you have. Then, break it down further into what you want to accomplish each day. No one wants to work with an unorganized person, so take steps to plan your work for maximum efficiency. Your employers will surely take notice. You’re Too Emotional If you’re crying every time something doesn’t go your way, co-workers and managers are going to see that as a problem. The same goes for if you yell and smash keyboards when you’re frustrated. Emotions are a part of being human, but you can’t let them control you, especially in a public setting like work. Its important to learn how to manage your emotions so you can be more pleasant to work with. People also won’t be worried they’re going to set you off every time they talk to you. You Don’t Pay Attention People expect you to listen when they’re talking. Company meetings and conference calls can be boring, but you’re responsible for knowing the information that’s discussed in them. Find a technique that helps you focus your attention when you’re in these meetings. You might find taking notes helps to keep your mind engaged in the discussion. An added bonus is those notes will also help you remember the information for when you’ll need it later. You Think You Aren’t Good Enough A lack of confidence is a turnoff for employers. If you’re new to the company or less experienced than your peers, it’s going to make you uneasy. But being timid and passive isn’t going to help you. There are steps you can take to boost your confidence and be more self-assured at work. One way is not backing down from a challenge. Embrace it and prove you’re willing to go out of your comfort zone to make sure something gets done. You Think You’re Too Good If you’re boasting about your work but not living up to your comments about yourself, people are just going to think they can’t rely on you. Overconfidence can lead to incompetence, and that’s the last reputation you want to get in the workplace. Instead of talking about how great your work is, focus on working hard and let the product speak for itself. You Gossip It’s easy to get sucked into the juicy workplace gossip that’s going around, but gossip can be really destructive to the work environment. If you’re going around spreading rumors, people aren’t going to trust you with anything, and they’ll likely avoid you. Productivity also drops when you’re more focused on getting details of Barb’s date last night than on doing your job. Choose your friends at work wisely and don’t share intimate personal details. Keep work and home separate as much as possible. You Try to Please Everyone Yes, teamwork is good â€" but there’s a limit. You can’t say yes to everything someone asks you to do. Making people happy and helping them out is a good thing, but you have to set some boundaries. Make sure you’re putting the work that you’re responsible for first. Then you can help the others if you have some extra time. Don’t be afraid to say no. You’re Terrible at Emailing Office email is a big part of communicating in the workplace. Make sure your email habits are appropriate and professional. You don’t want to send an email to your boss with a lot of text language and smiley faces in it. You also don’t want to take too long when someone really needs an answer. Review how you email and make sure it’s suitable for where you work. You Hate Your Job If you despise where you work, you aren’t going to be passionate and put the in the effort the company needs and expects from you. If you’re unhappy, it shows, and your negativity toward the place you work is going to seep into everything you do. If you feel these symptoms every day, it’s probably time to find a new job. Take a look at your work habits and see how many of these you find yourself doing, so you can take steps to change them. You might be surprised at what you find.

Where do you want to work Home or away University of Manchester Careers Blog

Where do you want to work Home or away University of Manchester Careers Blog Many of you are young(ish), free and mobile, able to travel wherever you want with no mortgage and family ties. So you might go anywhere after graduation, right?   Apparently not! Graduate employment data tells us that when looking for jobs after graduation, students are remarkably conservative in their behaviour. Typically choices are in this order Stay where you study Go back home Go to London, if there is no other choice Very few go abroad, even to Europe. It makes sense really You have built a network of friends, may have a significant other, and you feel reasonably comfortable that the transition from student to  employee will be easier somewhere you know. Going home may mean free accommodation and you may have family and friends to support you. Going to London is just inevitable for some jobs they just dont exist anywhere else in large quantities. So lets look at the options to see how they stack up Staying where you study If you studied in Manchester thats a pretty good option, its the UKs 2nd city after London and offers a really good range of opportunities. There are approx 2.5k graduate jobs in Manchester, BUT WAIT there are another 2.5k graduate jobs in the greater Manchester region (includes Salford, Trafford, Stockport etc) Some of you may never have left the comfortable surrounds of the city centre and the Oxford Road / Wilmslow  Road  corridor, you may worry that the suburbs and towns are dull or too far away to commute to and socialise from.   WRONG! Manchester has one of the best public transport networks in the UK and its cheaper than many other places too. Living out of the centre can be cheaper and can give you access to the countryside if thats  your thing.   Do a bit of exploring, take the bus, tram or train and find out what Altrincham or Rochdale or Wigan  have to offer. Or even just where they are! Find a job in Manchester start with MGIP The Manchester Graduate Internship Programme Map information on Wikipedia    Useful for helping you understand where places are. Find out more about the major industries in Manchester City region     Includes, advanced manufacturing, creative media and digital, energy and environment, life sciences and healthcare, ICT, finance professional services, business services etc. All the jobs are in london err, no actually they arent If you want to be a Surveyor, Engineer (all kinds, especially mechanical), Pharmacist, Doctor, Social worker, Nurse, Teacher or HE lecturer, then more than 80% of the jobs are outside London But the following  roles are concentrated in London:  Investment banker, Economist, Broker, Media researcher, PR professional, Management consultant. (There are some opportunities in Manchester and other big cities but not in such big numbers) Dont get me wrong London has a lot to offer, but dont assume that a move to London will get you the job you want unless you have done the research first. London is big no really big!   You think sitting on the 42 bus  for 40 minutes in rush hour is bad, your commute in London could be  a lot longer and more expensive! You may have to live a long way out or in a less desirable area to be able to afford a flat share or studio. So do the maths look at the salary and work out the cost of living. The Office of National statistics produce cost of living data by region Going home   free accommodation or is it? You may be lucky enough to return home to your parents, but that free accommodation could have hidden costs. You may be out of the loop in terms of what opportunities are available locally, dont assume your family will be up to date in the latest labour market information. Your family home may not be in the best location for commuting to where the jobs YOU want are.  Two buses a day in rural locations can be a little limiting! Your family may not take kindly to you sitting around all day, you could  find your job search becomes  the main topic of conversation. Believe me it gets dull fast! On the plus side Your family may have connections who know other connections, they may be able to help you find those hidden jobs. Being able to save up a bit of money may help you to finance a move when the right job comes along. How about pastures new? Could you move to a new place that you dont know?   Many of you took that leap of faith coming to University. Whatever you do it need not be forever.   Making a choice now does not close doors to other options later, in fact it could open up new opportunities you have never considered. Investigate Look at all jobs not limited by geographical location do you find any you have not seen before that you might be interested in? Find out about other cities, maybe you have friends who live there who can give you a tour or help you look for work. Check out our regional jobsearch links to get a flavour of a place and whats on offer Could you work overseas?   Investigate visas and skills shortages if you are looking outside Europe.   Consider language and working culture too, you may find you are more comfortable with some places than others. So im just saying dont rule places out because you dont know them, and dont assume other options will always be better or worse. The grass is not always greener sometimes its just a different shade! All Careers advice Graduate jobs Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted career planning careers Getting started international jobs job hunting job market jobs Options

7 Personal Branding Tools with the Greatest Impact - CareerMetis.com

7 Personal Branding Tools with the Greatest Impact Why do only certain people in your field rise to national prominence?In every professional field and industry, there are certain individuals who enjoy local and national prominence as experts. They’re the ones who attract all the media attention, are asked to deliver keynotes at major conferences, and seem to win the best clients. What is their secret sauce?evalHinge conducted a research project to understand these industry stars 1. Writing a book is an effective platform for demonstrating your expertise and building visibility. Chances are high that among the highest profile experts in your field, most have authored at least one book.2. Public speaking has a huge impact. The best-known experts speak often to prospective clients and industry peers, especially by addressing large groups at conferences and other industry events.eval3. Websites â€" both those of the individual’s firm and their own personal sites â€" rank high for impact. Not every Visible Expert has a personal websi te, though experts with the highest levels of visibility often do.4. Visible Experts tend to write often, producing blog posts, monthly columns, and articles.5. Because they publish educational â€" not promotional â€" content with consistency and frequency, they are able to derive a good amount of ROI from two techniques that are particularly challenging for many: email marketing and SEO.The Most Essential Personal Branding ToolsHere are the 7 most impactful tools you need as part of your personal branding strategy:1. Writing a bookevalWhether written by yourself or a ghostwriter, a book addressing your area of expertise is a critical credibility builder. The book can be published traditionally, and can deliver instant credibility.For more flexibility, you could choose to self-publish your book â€" meaning that you either set the price, or give it away for free.In either case, you also need to promote the book, since even name-brand publishers expect their authors to do the majority of the marketing.Writing a book can be a heavy lift, however, so don’t feel as if it needs to be at the top of your to-do list.2. Public speakingTalking about your area of expertise is another important platform for enhancing your reputation and personal brand. Listeners are predisposed to trust anyone addressing them from a podium, so just getting in front of them is half the battle.3. Being visible on a websiteIf you are member of a firm, your first area of focus should be your own bio page. It should present include enough credentials to convince visitors that you truly know your stuff. Here are a few possible elements you might include:Detailed personal bioPast and current speaking eventsSample speaking videosAreas of expertise and speaking topicsLinks to published thought leadershipEducation, Certifications, Affiliations4. Using a blog platformIf you want to be seen as an expert, you should be blogging. It’s one of the easiest ways to share your wisdom quickly and widely â €" and begin attracting a loyal following.For even greater impact, follow some basic search engine optimization Where your blog works by introducing you to hordes of new people, email marketing works by turning many of those first-time readers into loyal followers â€" and hopefully, raving fans.Include offers for valuable educational content In any case, SEO is your connection to people who are intensely interested in problems that you happen to solve … almost none of whom you would have meet otherwise.7. Having a media kitExperts are constantly asked for bios, credentials and photos, so you should always have a media kit ready for them. Even better, include the materials up on your website bio page, where interested parties can find them at any time. Then, whenever a last-minute request comes in, you’ll be ready with a response.Of course, this list is just the beginning. There are actually dozens of personal branding tools that can help you engage with your audience. For exampl e, webinars (which are just an alternate platform for public speaking), video and web analytics, and SlideShare, to name a few.When you see your personal branding strategy beginning to have an impact, you might want to try out some additional tools and techniques.Achieving the status of your industry’s go-to expert is not the result of chance or a lucky break â€" rather, it’s the result of systematic, focused marketing.I encourage you to begin using the strategies and tools described here … and good look on your ascent!

Brush Those Haters Off - Kathy Caprino

Brush Those Haters Off Hello! Hows your week going?   Great, I hope. Personally, Ive had a few hard knocks this week from several people who indicated theyd like to offer constructive feedback, but then proceeded to tear down and put down. Helpful or Hurtful? Its an interesting experience, to come open-hearted to someone to receive their feedback, thinking it will be a growing experience to hear their thoughts, only to discover that the input is not coming from a kind, compassionate  or caring place, or being offered as a means of help.   Know what I mean?   Have you experienced that lately too?   As a trained therapist, communicator and energy worker, I feel energy.   I feel a vast energetic difference between words that come from someone who has clear vision, whos done the inner work, and who is offering feedback from a caring,  service-oriented place, versus  input from one who hasnt done the hard work of examining herself and understanding her own fears, vulnerabilities or dark side.    Sure, there are times when we hear critical input and it hurts, but we know deep down that its well-intended and important to take in.   But in the cases where the giver is not intending to be helpful,  (and is just lashing out instead),  we should NOT take it in. Its vitally important to be able to differentiate.   After all, (as my new friend just shared), You dont have to catch every ball thats thrown at you. As hard as it is to be torn down, Im using it as fodder for growth.  Im taking the time to settle into it and feel what its teaching me.   Im looking at how I co-created the space for it.  Im  also continuing to build stronger boundaries, and remembering that not everyone is going to like us!   As You Spread Your Wings, You Bump into More Things Ive heard, and now believe, that the clearer we get about who we are and what were doing here, the more powerful and purposeful we are on that path, the more people will find us off-putting or threatening (and unlikable)!   Ive heard it said that if youre not offending anyone, youre not taking a strong enough stand!   Intriguing concept, and Im seeing a good deal of validity in it. As Ive been experiencing some challenging feedback that didnt feel as if it were coming from a pure place, perhaps you have too?   I hope not, but if so, please remember this:   Youre awesome, and youre working very diligently to come from a place of service and to help many, from your heart.   You are special, and its time to stop shying away from your specialness.   You have the right to share your uniqueness in a powerful way with others.    And if others bristle or lash out, dont dishonor yourself by beating yourself up that youve done something wrong.   Treat yourself with love and compassion (and find compassion in your heart for the hater).    But also find the courage (and take the time) to learn the important lessons you need to experience, all along the way.   Brush Those Haters Off!   If someone tears you down with cruelty or out of spite or jealously, brush the hater off and pick yourself up!    Dont be dragged down.   Certainly, find compassion and understanding in your heart, but remember that only you can understand and recognize your true path.   Keep true to yourself, and dont let the detractors knock you down. (Deep thanks go to my amazing virtual assistant Yoana Brecker, of Advantage Virtual Support for that sound and caring piece of advice!)   Have you been put down lately out of the blue?   What did it teach you?   Please SHARE.

How You Can Tweak Your Resume If Youre Entering a New Field

How You Can Tweak Your Resume If Youre Entering a New Field The top resume writing services can help you change careers. Change can be a scary thing, especially when the change directly affects your future. This is why so many people hesitate when it comes to shifting industries. Those in this process may be transitioning into a new industry with little to no experience or with only indirect experience from their previous jobs. If you’re in this situation, you may be wondering just how to approach this change. First of all, we would like to congratulate you on this important first step! Second, recreating your resume to match your transition to a new field is not the easiest task, but it is certainly doable. Let us show you how. Figure Out If There’s Any Way Your Previous and Current Industries Match Up This will take a bit of thought, but it’s worth it in the long run when it comes to making your resume easier to approach. There may be elements of your previous career that sync with your potential new one and can be described in such a way that will catch the interest of prospective employers in your new field. This tip should prove especially relevant to  professional  executive  resume  writers  with a long list of strong, eye-catching skills. Rewrite Your Resume Entirely Your current resume won’t be one size fits all. Your high involvement in your last field versus your smaller level of involvement in your current one will glare through unless you rework things properly. Take our last suggestion into account as you rewrite your resume to fit your new industry. Your skills likely still matter much more than you may think! Think about what the positions you’re applying for need and consider whether your skills still line up. Don’t Be Afraid to Name Drop If you’ve had the privilege of collaborating with high-ranking professionals during your time in your old industry, be sure to highlight this! Showing you are extremely qualified in one field and were able to perform well in another position will bode well in the eyes of recruiters in your new field. Summarize Yourself This will take utilization of all of the above tips we’ve mentioned. Make use of the impact you left upon your old industry and the skills you’ve developed within it and weave it into a descriptive paragraph that complements the current position you seek. This is a brilliant way to market yourself in any industry and lets employers know quickly and directly what you can offer to the industry and their company. We hope this brief list will help professional executive resume writers as they transition into a brand new industry. This isn’t the easiest change to make, but it should prove worthwhile. If you need any more help or advice, feel free to reach out to your local  executive  resume  writer  services. There are a large number of  top  resume  writing  services  that can  help you reorient your resume properly.