Ive Got Some Splaining To Do

Ive Got Some Splaining To Do My last post was on the 6th.  Not too good for a guy who has said he has blogged every day since we launched. Where have I been the last 13 days? Well, we (my wife and I) decided to move.  Sell our house and move to another house.  There is a bit of crazy, a bit of urgency, and surprisingly, a whole lot of peace. Were actually moving in with my in-laws, who are also selling their house.  This year they have needed a bit more care than they have before, which means my wife has been with them and I havent worked as much as I would have liked.  Living together will change that, and Ill be able to focus more on work. I know that living with family is unconventional, but hey Im an entrepreneur. Since when do we do things the conventional way? Anyway, since we decided to put our house on the market now instead of maybe next July, Ive been working from about 6am to 11pm getting the house ready for people to look at it. This mean finishing the finish work (doors/baseboard, etc.) in the basement, putting in carpet in the basement, painting 5 (kind of 6) rooms, and attacking about 100 small to medium jobs around the house.  It also meant getting boxes and packing tape an filling my garage with boxes filled with stuff we normally use in our daily lives so that my house is more appealing to people who walk through. All of this is stuff our realtor encouraged us to do.  Show more floor and more wall space. That means pack, dejunk, patch and paint holes and then the house will appeal to others. This very quick decision and weeks of work was not something I was planning on. But it consumed me. Luckily I have a team that has carried the ball for JibberJobber all projects were working on have continued to make progress.  We have enough systems in place where the progress of the company doesnt depend on my being here every minute, which is nice. So theres my splaining. If you have reached out to me and have not gotten a response, now you know why. More importantly, let me draw this back to you. When you got laid off, where you planning for it? Had you prepared for it? We took 12 years of living in this house, and raising a family (which means beating up the house a bit), and tried to fix all of that in 2 weeks. That was what I did with my career. I took years and years of work in my career, or, better said, neglecting my career management, and tried to fix what I had neglected in just a few weeks of my job search. I didnt know what I was doing, I decided to do it alone, and I failed miserably. To the point of depression. I worked about 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, but instead of working on the right things, the right way, I spun my wheels mostly looking for jobs on job boards, and applying online. What a misuse of my time. When we decided to put our house on the market, we got a realtor, and he recommended a handyman to help with our huge list. The handyman even did things that I could have tried my hand at but to have him work on his list while I worked on my list was awesome. Not only did we get more done, I didnt have to learn the what and how that he had learned over many years. A job that took me two hours to do was something he was able to do in literally two minutes. The correlation here is that the realtor is like a coach, who has been down this path before, and knows what I should do and how I should do it.  The coach is also the handyman, or knows who the right handymen are, and can get me the help I need (or can outsource) so that I can focus on the things that only I could or should do.  Like, figure out what exactly to pack, and what I need to leave unpacked. I tried a DIY job search with me and my spreadsheet. It was a long, depressing mess.  If finding a job even The Job,  is your goal, you really should get the right help, which will allow you to focus on the right things while you outsource the things that you really shouldnt spend time on. Ive Got Some Splaining To Do My last post was on the 6th.  Not too good for a guy who has said he has blogged every day since we launched. Where have I been the last 13 days? Well, we (my wife and I) decided to move.  Sell our house and move to another house.  There is a bit of crazy, a bit of urgency, and surprisingly, a whole lot of peace. Were actually moving in with my in-laws, who are also selling their house.  This year they have needed a bit more care than they have before, which means my wife has been with them and I havent worked as much as I would have liked.  Living together will change that, and Ill be able to focus more on work. I know that living with family is unconventional, but hey Im an entrepreneur. Since when do we do things the conventional way? Anyway, since we decided to put our house on the market now instead of maybe next July, Ive been working from about 6am to 11pm getting the house ready for people to look at it. This mean finishing the finish work (doors/baseboard, etc.) in the basement, putting in carpet in the basement, painting 5 (kind of 6) rooms, and attacking about 100 small to medium jobs around the house.  It also meant getting boxes and packing tape an filling my garage with boxes filled with stuff we normally use in our daily lives so that my house is more appealing to people who walk through. All of this is stuff our realtor encouraged us to do.  Show more floor and more wall space. That means pack, dejunk, patch and paint holes and then the house will appeal to others. This very quick decision and weeks of work was not something I was planning on. But it consumed me. Luckily I have a team that has carried the ball for JibberJobber all projects were working on have continued to make progress.  We have enough systems in place where the progress of the company doesnt depend on my being here every minute, which is nice. So theres my splaining. If you have reached out to me and have not gotten a response, now you know why. More importantly, let me draw this back to you. When you got laid off, where you planning for it? Had you prepared for it? We took 12 years of living in this house, and raising a family (which means beating up the house a bit), and tried to fix all of that in 2 weeks. That was what I did with my career. I took years and years of work in my career, or, better said, neglecting my career management, and tried to fix what I had neglected in just a few weeks of my job search. I didnt know what I was doing, I decided to do it alone, and I failed miserably. To the point of depression. I worked about 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, but instead of working on the right things, the right way, I spun my wheels mostly looking for jobs on job boards, and applying online. What a misuse of my time. When we decided to put our house on the market, we got a realtor, and he recommended a handyman to help with our huge list. The handyman even did things that I could have tried my hand at but to have him work on his list while I worked on my list was awesome. Not only did we get more done, I didnt have to learn the what and how that he had learned over many years. A job that took me two hours to do was something he was able to do in literally two minutes. The correlation here is that the realtor is like a coach, who has been down this path before, and knows what I should do and how I should do it.  The coach is also the handyman, or knows who the right handymen are, and can get me the help I need (or can outsource) so that I can focus on the things that only I could or should do.  Like, figure out what exactly to pack, and what I need to leave unpacked. I tried a DIY job search with me and my spreadsheet. It was a long, depressing mess.  If finding a job even The Job,  is your goal, you really should get the right help, which will allow you to focus on the right things while you outsource the things that you really shouldnt spend time on.

Will Your Business Survive Over Time - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Will Your Business Survive Over Time - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In January 2015, my business will turn 17 years old.  That’s not a record. Many businesses have been around for over 100 years. But my business is web-based, and in Internet years, 17 is a long time. In fact, my website is older than Google. Over those 17 years, I’ve had a lot of ups and way too many downs. And yet, the site is still chugging along. I’ve met many other entrepreneurs who’ve found success over the long haul, and many others who have come and gone. What’s the difference between businesses that stick and those that don’t? Here are my thoughts on that. Successful, long-term entrepreneurs are: 1.  Committed. In some ways, their business is like a marriage, in which they still with it in sickness and health. When you’re committed, you learn from the bad and are able to enjoy the good times when they come back around. 2. Adapt to consumer needs and expectations. When I started my business, digital products were non-existent in small businesses (because of the expense),  social media hadn’t been developed,  and content management systems had yet to become mainstream methods of building an online presences. Today,  consumers want more, cheaper and faster and we have the technology to do that. Along with digital content and engaged business owners, consumers expect top-notch customer support, whether they’ve complained through a Tweet, email or by phone. 3. Market, market, market. Many newbie business owners have difficulty developing a consistent marketing plan. Part of the challenge is not knowing who and where the market is. For some, it’s fitting marketing tasks into a busy business schedule. But haphazard, intermittent and unfocused marketing is a recipe for disaster. Entrepreneurs must know who and where the market is, what will entice it by, and find ways to engage with it every day. 4. Protect their brand. Today, one Tweet can send a business spiraling downward. Fortunately,  social media and tools such as Google Alerts, can help you stay on top of what people are saying about your business, so you can fix problems and protect your brand. 5.   Stay informed. Many of the opportunities and resources that are available now, weren’t around when I started my website. If I didn’t stay informed about these options, my site would be obsolete. Success in business requires keeping up with trends, new technologies and systems, and resources. One of the reasons that Apple and Amazon have blown old traditional businesses out of the water is that those old business didn’t adapt to the new digital world as quickly as they should have. 6. Connect with others. Businesses don’t exist in a vacuum. Networking remains one of the top ways to generate new business, launch new projects and stay relevant in your market. 7. Invest and plan for the future.   Lack of capital and vision is a major reason many businesses fail. Part of your business success strategy should be to invest funds back into your company and have a plan for where you want your business to go. 8. Have fun.  All successful business owners have their differences, but one thing they all have in common is a passion for what they do. The minute you lose the love for your business, is probably the minute you should sell it.

What is a Key Holder What Do They Do - Algrim.co

What is a Key Holder What Do They Do - Algrim.co A Key Holder is a professional who is part of a retail establishment who holds keys to the building. A Key Holder is usually a job title that is in addition to another job title. For example, if you are “Assistant Manager” within a retail setting, you might be awarded “Key Holder” in addition to that role. Your responsibilities as a Key Holder is to be available in instances where other employees are locked out of an establishment or to help assist with the opening and closing duties of regular business. Do Key Holders Get Paid More? Key Holders generally get additional responsibility along with their job. Mostly ensuring that they have the keys available to them during the normal business hours. But additional compensation is normally determined on behalf of the business. And it may not be the case where you receive an additional salary or hourly wages by being a Key Holder. Duties of a Key Holder Below are the general duties of a Key Holder, which should give you an idea of what a business may expect from you in the event you are awarded this job title. Assist in the pre-opening or closing duties of a retail establishment and follow all closing or opening protocols. Help to arrange any sales floor needs before the store opens or before the store closes. Ensure that all closing duties are accounted for and that store protocols are being updated based on customer responses. Be available by phone if additional keys are required outside of the supervisor or store management sets. Communicate expectations and timing with all supervisors and staff members so that keys can be accounted for. Respond to customers during the opening and during closing who may have special requests. There aren’t specific requirements that you have to have in order to be a Key Holder. If you have previous retail management experience, that may assist in helping you receive this job title if you want it. Though, employees who have previous management experience are going to be asked to be a Key Holder by default. How Do I Become a Key Holder If you want to receive this job title, the best way to do so is by asking your management team for the responsibility. The person you should speak with would be your Assistant Manager, Store Manager, District Manager, or General Manager. Whichever professional you feel like you have a better relationship with is the one we would advise you to go to. From there, simply ask for this responsibility and state the reasons that support you being responsible for it. Key Holder Resources Key Holder Job Description Related Hiring Resources Key Holder Job Description Sample

10 Career lessons from Buddy the Elf University of Manchester Careers Blog

10 Career lessons from Buddy the Elf University of Manchester Careers Blog For me Christmas movies fall into 3 categories â€" the classics (A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life Miracle on 34th Street), family faves (Elf, Home Alone The Grinch) and the Channel 5s (I can’t think of any off the top of my head which says a lot).   However I also feel that one film and in particular one character could fall into the genre of careers advice. The film is Elf and the character the one and only Buddy! Perhaps not he most down to earth person to listen to but Buddy really has some useful tips for any recent graduates……  â€˜I thought maybe we could make gingerbread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating and maybe even hold hands’ Buddy had a detailed (fun filled) plan for the day spent with his father.   When job hunting it’s a good idea to do the same. It might not sound as fun but having a plan for the week can help keep you on track.   What applications are you planning on working on? What closing dates are coming up? Prioritise what’s most urgent but also allow yourself some down time. ‘Santa! I know him!’ Met employers at any of our events or career fairs this semester? When making applications don’t forget to mention your conversation and who you spoke to. It might not be as big a name drop as Santa but will make you application more memorable. Not attended events this semester? Don’t panic find out about our events for 2nd semester on CareersLink.  â€˜Who the heck are you?’ Even Buddy realises the importance of tailoring. Firstly employers want to know who the heck you are and why you are right for the job.  The job description provided tells you what they are looking for in a candidate â€" In your CV you must outline how you meet their criteria by talking about the relevant skills/ experiences that you have. Similarly in your Covering Letter you need to demonstrate you know who they heck the employer is. Remember generic letters not work, mistakes can happen and EY really won’t be impressed to hear why you’re so interested in working for PwC (Believe it or not I’ve seen examples like this in the past!) ‘You did it! Congratulations! World’s best cup of coffee! Great job everybody â€" It’s great to be here.’ Everyone likes a compliment â€" even employers!  In your Covering Letter you need to explain what first attracted you to apply to this employer â€" Why do you want to work for them? What makes them different? Why this organisation and not another in the sector? ‘It’s just nice to meet another human who shares my affinity for elf culture’ If you are still struggling to explaining you motivation for applying I suggest trying to get a feel for the culture of the organisation. To do this search employer websites to find out about the ethos and values they holdâ€" Do they align with your own? Why are these things important to you? ‘You sit on a throne of lies’   This one is pretty straightforward and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you You need to be truthful in any application you make / interview you attend. Just as the ‘fake’ Santa in the film was eventually found out by Buddy employers will eventually find out the truth â€" it’s not worth it!  â€˜I just like to smile. Smiling is my favorite’ Demonstrating the right body language in an interview is just as important as the answers you give to questions.   Keep a neutral / friendly facial expression (no furrowed brows!), maintain eye contact when appropriate (but don’t state), avoid unnecessary hand gestures (same goes for folded arms) and speak at a natural pace (unlike me who tends to forget to breathe when nervous). Our presentation skills guide has some useful tips on how to do these things. Having a telephone interview? You need to get your enthusiasm and passion for the role across through voice production alone â€" Some people find that walking whilst on the phone instead of just sitting can help with this. ‘Buddy the Elf… What’s your favorite colour?’ At the end of an interview employers will usually ask if you have any questions so have some prepared in advance. Try to be more original than Buddy though ask questions not answered on recruitment websites and that demonstrate your interest in the organisation/ job role. Do you want to know more about the team that you might be working in? About possible training development opportunities? What about longer term career opportunities with them?  â€˜I passed through the 7 levels of the Candy Cane Forest, through the Sea of Swirly- Twirly Gumdrops then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel’ Searching for a graduate job is never straightforward but just as Buddy did on his trip to New York you need to stick it out and keep going â€" it’ll get easier and eventually you’ll get there! Merry Christmas a Happy New Year from everyone here at the Careers Service Remember the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! All Careers advice Graduate

Tips For Writing A Resume For Teacher Recommendations

Tips For Writing A Resume For Teacher RecommendationsWhen it comes to writing a resume for teacher recommendations, there are a number of tips you should follow. These tips should go hand in hand when creating your resume and when reviewing the recommendation letters you have received. Your resume should be able to capture the information that the resume writer has and also be very positive in tone. The best way to create a great resume for teacher recommendations is to follow these easy steps.Teachers are hard to come by. It is hard to find someone who is willing to give you a recommendation. After all, they are hard to find. There are many reasons why this may be the case. First, most people will not submit a resume if they do not receive any response from a potential employer.Next, many teachers do not like to talk about themselves or their talents on a resume. For many teachers, their resume is all about them, their teaching skills, and how much they love teaching. If the resume is all about them, you will receive nothing but negative responses from potential employers.If you are in this situation, you can submit a sample resume and get the job offer. The resume is the first thing that will be seen by the hiring manager. If your resume is well written and detailed, it will land you a good job and a recommendation.Of course, when writing a resume for teacher recommendations, you need to be very brief. No more than a page or two of information should be included. Your resume is the first thing that an employer will see so you do not want to spend a lot of time and money writing it. Even though your resume will probably be read by many, you do not want to spend too much time and effort putting it together.When reviewing a resume, you want to get the writer's information across in the resume. However, you also want to get a sense of the writer's personality. This personality will be reflected in the way the writer uses words when writing a resume for teacher re commendations.Writing a resume for teacher recommendations is much different than writing a resume for employment. Employers will want to know about your specific teaching style, your experience with a certain subject matter, and the things that make you stand out from the other applicants. By following the tips above, you will be able to write a very positive letter that will impress the hiring manager.Writing a resume for teacher recommendations is different than writing a resume for employment. It is important to have a personal touch to your resume. By incorporating personal details, such as hobbies, goals, etc., you will be able to create a resume that will impress both the hiring manager and potential employers. The best tip for writing a resume for teacher recommendations is to follow the steps above to ensure that you have written a resume that is positive in tone and very impressive.

My boss is evil (and 10 other career excuses)

My boss is evil (and 10 other career excuses) My Boss is Evil and 10 Other Career Excuses Why do so many hard-working employees suddenly turn evil â€" horns, pitchfork and all â€" the day they become a manager? Oh, I know: Because calling the boss evil is the go-to explanation for your career dissatisfaction. You and I know that it’s way easier to bash the boss than to take personal accountability for your career. Plenty of employees hate their jobs, but instead of acting they pout. To make the situation even more toxic, they whine about it with their co-workers, blaming others and projecting their disengagement. The boss becomes evil when he or she sees your negative behavior or hears about it from others. The boss starts pressuring you for more engagement and productivity, and you retreat further. Here come the horns (from your perspective). Pop Quiz: Have you used any of these excuses lately? (Okay, if you haven’t, maybe you’ve heard a friend use them?) I work hard and my boss doesn’t recognize my effort. I have no work-life balance thanks to this company (and my boss). Other people are getting promoted, and I’m always passed up. I don’t have any time to work on my career because I’m working so hard in the office. If I network, job search, or look at other opportunities, my boss will think I’m disloyal. I should be promoted since I’ve been around forever. My company is not giving me challenging opportunities to grow. My company has me pigeon-holed in one type of job and I’ll never get out. Management is a bunch of yahoos â€" they don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t believe in (or understand) the company’s strategic direction. I’ve been there, done that â€" I’ve uttered every excuse in the book. During my 30-year sales and marketing career, I’ve been extremely lucky â€" except for one brief year, when I was completely miserable. Even when I had a great boss, when I wasn’t feeling good about my career, I slipped into boss-blaming or company-blaming. Realistically: It was easier than facing the harsh reality that I needed to do something. The options? Plan A: Choose to do something to moderate my work style in order to alter the perceptions holding me back from career change and growth. Plan B: Develop a plan to move on with my career, mitigate my risks, and avoid jumping into another “stuck” role. Plan C: There is no plan C, because remaining miserable isn’t an option. The good news is that both options A and B can be very rewarding. However, whether you’re changing your work style or your entire career path, both take time, both can be frustrating, and there are no shortcuts. For option A to work, you need to embrace any negative feedback and make difficult course-corrections. On the other hand, option B requires careful planning, a desire to compete for a new position, and the willingness to learn the latest job search techniques. Either one can pack a blow to the ego. Catch yourself the next time you abdicate your career growth to anybody else â€" nobody cares about your career more than you do. What choice will you make? Option A or Option B?

Tap into Your Confidence and Ace the Job Interview

Tap into Your Confidence and Ace the Job Interview In past blog posts, I have written about ways to prepare for job interviews. My advice included researching the company, asking the right questions, and practicing your replies. Mental preparation is just as important, particularly, preparing your confidence level. There are 3 important areas to focus on building your confidence ahead of and during a job interview: You Earned the Job Interview Be confident in yourself and your abilities to do well in this job. You have made it to the interview stage. Your experiences on your resume got you to the phone screen. Your answers in the phone screen were solid and landed you to this first face-to-face interview. Clearly, the recruiter/hiring manager believes that your past experiences and achievements have prepared you for this position. You need to believe it too! Be confident in your ability to excel at this job. How to  Have a Great Interview Be confident in your ability to do well in the job interview. You have researched the company, you have prepared for many of the questions and you have practiced. Believe in your ability to answer any question asked. You know your stuff. You are ready. You are Ready for Anything Be confident that you can handle challenges in the interview. For example, what if you were told you would have a series of 1-on-1 interviews and, instead, you walk into a conference room with 7 people staring at you? This isn’t what you expected, but take a deep breath and be ready to handle this challenge. Remember, in your past work experiences, you have been presented with challenges that you were able to handle with flying colors. In fact, when your confidence in your ability to handle challenges is low, think back to the challenges you have overcome in life. This is just another one of those challenges you need to overcome. When preparing my clients for an interview, the words I say most often are, “an interview is a conversation not an interrogation.” Be confident in your ability to have a conversation with the hiring manager, your peers, the vice president â€" whomever is in the room. Yes, this is easier said than done, but you have worked so hard for this moment. Remember all your hard work, muster up your confidence and walk into that room and let the best you shine! How do you prepare mentally for an interview? When does your confidence need a boost during an interview? Feel free to share in the comments section below. To learn more about our services and how we can help you to be prepared for your interview contact our career coaches.