Suck It Up and Sell Yourself

Suck It Up and Sell Yourself No one likes a bragger, and no one really  wants to be known as one.  In fact, its fairly natural for us  to shy away from  any limelight which will catapult us into cockiness  territory in the eyes of our peers. Especially at work, arrogant big shots  who shove their successes down the throats of others are less than inspiring, and create passive enemies pretty quickly. We know this, and this is why selling ourselves during an interview is  difficult. Overt self-promotion and self-praise dont mirror  the way we speak about ourselves in normal everyday life. A recent study by  LinkedIn  has revealed that, of the pool of professionals  from  18 countries surveyed, almost half do not feel comfortable talking about their achievements or  selling themselves in an interview. A similar number says  it feels  like bragging when they do.  Only 35% actually do feel comfortable outlining their achievements, and 52% generally  prefer to talk about the achievements of their colleagues than their own. Apparently  were actually more likely to publish  health updates and political views on social media,  than we are news of a professional  promotion! Bragging is very unattractive. Strive to be humble and modest. Megan Miller (@Megoooo_5) March 18, 2016 People respect  people who are outrageously successful, but maintain their modesty.  This video of Angelina Jolie accepting an award at the 2013 Governors Awards  has been doing the rounds on the internet AGAIN recently. People cant get enough, but why? Because Angelina has every reason to be the biggest bragger known to man, but time and time again, she chooses to be humble and show appreciation for the privileges she has had, that others havent. If only we could all strike a balance like this! While  giving up all  bragging rights is great in theory,  there will still be times when we have to sell ourselves. And, its amidst our job hunt that  were most likely to have to face these  fears! The  LinkedIn survey also reveals that 86% of  recruitment decision makers believe its important  for candidates to be able to express their achievements. Whether we like it or not, to get ahead in our careers and get our dream job, we need to  feel comfortable answering the following types of questions: What are your strengths? Why should we choose you over others? Why are you the right person for this role? What value can you add? Whats your best achievement to date? For some reason, writing diligent, enthusiastic and intelligent learner who is quick to grasp new concepts in a CV is so much easier  than actually saying those words about ourselves out loud to someone. Many of us go to town with our CVs, describe how great we are, win an interview and then shudder at the thought of having to sell ourselves in person.  Here are a few tips on how to approach these hard asks: 1.  Plan prepare Before you go to an interview, plan and practice marketing yourself. Be sure you actually pinpoint and understand your value as an employee, and what exactly it is you have to offer an employer. Work out clearly beforehand what your best attributes are and where you have seen the greatest success so far in your career.  Dont let yourself be caught off guard by questions about your strengths; and have to scramble for ways to sell yourself. Instead, do your preparation, understand youre going to have to say  all those things you wrote in your CV, and then  just  focus on the execution. 2. Be professional and business-like Forget getting embarrassed or making slightly self-deprecating comments when you have to sell yourself. Instead, view it  the same way you would selling a car. When selling anything, you have to clearly outline the benefits of the product. An interview is no different this time the product just happens to be you. So, youre best to take all  the emotion out of it. When youre talking, you can minimise  your use of  adjectives such as incredible, great, captivating, amazing, respected and high-achieving. These are all opinions  and can prompt  a if you dont say so yourself type of response.  Instead, go for cold hard facts! 3. Use examples results Have statistics at hand to back your achievement claims up. If you have increased revenue by 10% in 6 months, say it. Statistics  and statements based on clear evidence are easier to deliver. If your profession isnt really numbers-driven, try describing a scenario where you were able to change or improve something. For managers, detailing improvements to your own staff will highlight your capability as a leader, without you saying, Im a great leader! 4.  Let others do the talking It would be nice to bring your manager in with you, to sing your praise for you, but thats not realistic  for a number of reasons. The next best thing here is to paraphrase feedback and praise you have received from others, during appraisals or reviews. Talking about common themes that come up when people are analysing your work and approach takes the pressure off, because you are not saying YOU think you are amazing, rather relaying what others have told you. Starting sentences with Ive been told or It regularly comes up that helps you deliver the same message, in a less  gloating way. We cant just leave it there though; you have to  make sure you actually get to the interview stage. To do this, you should check you have a  convincing and professional online presence. Why? Because you WILL be searched by potential employers. According to the LinkedIn survey, a whopping  76% or participants believe  its hard to overcome a first impression, and 65% believe the one you make online is just as important as the one you make in person. So before you enter into your jobhunt, be sure to give your online presence a good going over too, and show your best bits! Image: Shutterstock

Ace Your Next Job Interview with these tips CareerMetis.com

Ace Your Next Job Interview with these tips You have passed the online psychometric tests, your resume stands out, you have completed the phone screening with HR, and now you get the news you have been waiting for “We would like you to come in for an interview to meet with the Hiring Manager”.Although things don’t always happen in the order as described above â€" an In-Person interview is often the moment which could either make or break you in the hiring process.evalEven though Technology has changed hiring : pre-screening, LinkedIn, Online Tests, Skype interview â€" the traditional face-to-face interview is still an important part of the process. And almost every job that is filled today â€" there is an in-person interview.Let’s look at some ideas that will help you to ace your next job interview, and eliminate your competition. Remember that you are competing with sometimes 100s of candidates for the same positionHow do I prepare for the interview?Here are my suggestions:1. Start with yourselfevalLearn your resume i nside out. Keep all information handy Here is a complied list of the Top interview questions.3. About the CompanyThe last thing you want to do is to come across as that bumpkin candidate who did not know anything about the company you are interviewing for. Learn what the company does, who their customers are, who their competitors are, what their products are,etc.4. About the InterviewerWith LinkedIn and Google, it is not hard to find out about the Hiring Manager. Most professionals have their work history on LinkedIn. This shows diligence on your part and the fact that you are willing to do your homework.5. About the IndustryevalHave some basic knowledge about the Industry. It always helps. This is the reason many employers prefer to hire candidates from the same industry Many times I have walked into interviews and they did not have a copy of my resume 2. Practice Body LanguageOnly 7% of your communication is verbal, everything else 93% is non-verbal â€" your posture, your tone, b ody language,etc.Practice proper handshakes and eye contact . These things do not come naturally to all of us (I still struggle with eye contact). That is why it is important to be practice and become comfortable with eye contact.3. Smile more often in the interview. This is difficult especially when you are under pressure in an interview. In Charisma Myth, the author talks about the impact smile has on others. A proper smile conveys warmth and indicates trust.4. BreathThe 2 second rule. Just because you have practiced rehearsed each possible interview questions, does not mean you need to spit those out as soon as they are asked. Be careful about coming across too memorized. Whenever you are asked a question , pause for 2 seconds, and answer. This shows them you are thinking about their questions.D) QuestioningThis is an important skill to learn â€" the art of proper questioning. Questioning builds trust, it helps you clarify; and it shows you are thoughtful.During the InterviewYou will be asked multiple questions by your interviewer. I recommend using questions to clarify what they are asking. Use this for the tough questions. Before you answer -clarify ; this is beneficial to you because you know exactly how to answer. This also indicates that you are a good listener.At the endAfter the interviewer has gone through all their questions â€" they will most likely give you an opportunity to ask questions. Use this moment to shine. Keep a list of good questions to ask. Most importantly â€" you also want to know everything about the role and the company. Make sure you get all the clarifications you need before you leave. Here is a sample of questions that I recommend asking at the end of the interview.What are some things I need to do to be really successful at this job?What are some of the key skills you are specifically looking for?What does your dream hire look like?What do you think the next 5 years looks like for the organization?What are some of the things that you personally like about the company?I was reading about happening in the industry. How do you think that will impact the company?What does the training program look like?Questions like these are important. It shows that you are serious about the job and the company. It also shows you are doing the research. Remember, you are also interviewing them.E) Ask for the SaleI am surprised to see many advice on the internet or even books, that ignores this important aspect. I am not sure about you but I don’t enjoy the anticipation after the interview. I don’t like to wait for weeks after an interview to know if they are interested or not.You have spent 60 minutes, delivered an exceptional interview (in your mind), and then you hope they will call you back. Why go through the nervous wait-time after an interview? Don’t you want to know whether you have a chance or not? I do.If you ask “Did I get the job?” â€" it will make them uncomfortable and even make them think that you are desperate.I recommend ending the interview with a question that is more subtle.“One last question before we leave, I am always looking for ways to improve myself my personal brand. You have had the opportunity to interview me and learn about me. I am interested in your feedback. Would you mind telling me what I did well, and what I can improve?”This is a subtle (and sneaky) way to gauge their interest. This is also less intrusive. People like to give feedback. They will tell you what you did well, and what you could improve.The way they answer this question will give you a clear idea whether you will proceed to the next step or not. If you are not the right candidate, it is better to know now â€" so you can move on.Always end the interview well, with gratitude for their time and the opportunity to interview.I hope the above tips were insightful. Many of the tips might be common advice you would have come across, some are unique. I have used all the above tips to help me wit h my Job Interviews.I encourage you to use them for your next job interview. I am curious to know how you did using these tips. I want to hear your feedback on how successful the interview was.All the best for your Job Interview!!!

A Successful Job Search Needs a Curious Mind - Jane Jackson Career

A Successful Job Search Needs a Curious Mind - Jane Jackson Career A Successful Job Search needs a Curious MindAs a career coach I work with individuals to identify their personal and career values, transferrable skills. We also discuss resume writing, cover letters, interview techniques and job search strategies.There are many books and articles available in the bookshops and on the Internet on how to find a job.     Why do so many people find the job search process so daunting and exhausting?There are many way to market yourself, however, there is nothing more invigorating and positively motivating in this process than when you maintain a curious mind.What happens when you don’t have a curious mind?   You assume that you know it all.   Are any of the following phrases familiar to you?  â€˜It’s been done before.’   There is nothing out there for me.’   ‘I’m not willing to give that a try as it won’t work.’   ‘I don’t want to talk to that person as he/she won’t be able to offer me anything‘.’Those are the comments from one with a closed mind.Negativity breeds easily with this mindset and makes the job search process that much harder.Just as an experiment, whatever stage you’re at in your career or job search, use the words, ‘How’ ‘Who’ and ‘What’ when approaching each stage of your career management or job search process.Think like a detective, be curious enough to gather new information and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you uncover.   When you are curious, your focus improves.   If you focus you will be more effective.   Here are 5 areas to curiously consider:1.         How can I conduct an effective job search?   What do I need to do?A number of my clients find the process of job hunting challenging and at times can put a dent in their ego.   You can’t control the process however you can control your reaction at each step of the way.If a series of interviews leads to nowhere, keep a curious mindset and ask yourself, ‘What did I learn from this experience?   What can I do differently to get a different outcome?’   What is your approach to networking and do you enjoy the process?   If not, take a different approach and ask yourself, ‘I wonder whom I’ll meet at the next meeting, networking opportunity or social event?   What can I learn about each person I meet?’Rather than focusing on networking to find a job for yourself, focus on networking to learn something new.   You may uncover something fascinating about the next person you meet or, through your curiosity to learn more about the other person, you may uncover a potential job lead.   If nothing else you may gain a new friend!2.         How does my behaviour affect my job search?   What will make me more effective and more productive?In the same way you can control your reactions to events, you can also control your behaviour for a more effective job search.   Once you identify the strategies you need to take (networking, target marketing, working with recruitment agents, using the online job boards) decide how many hours per day you will focus on each strategy.Ask yourself, ‘What and how much can I get done in 30 minutes or in 60 minutes?’   Set a timer and see how many phone calls you can make to reconnect with those in your industry and how many appointments you can set.   Or see how many recruiters you can reach for a discussion or how many tailored job applications can you make.   Or, perhaps, how much information you can gather on a specific target company.See how much gets done before the timer goes off.   Then give yourself a break and set the timer again.   You can control your productivity and it will be a lot more fun if you are curious to see how much you can get done during each set timeframe.3.          How can I make my cover letters for job applications more effective?When I was in recruitment I was amazed at the number of candidates who would send in generic cover letters.   My immediate impression was that those candidates were lazy, didn’t really care about the role and consequently not the ideal candidate for the job.Screeners are looking for candidates who are impressive in their resumes and also in their written communication.   The cover letter is the opportunity to demonstrate effective written communication.   Ask yourself, ‘How can I make my cover letter stand out?’In today’s economic climate, it’s an employers market and you face a lot of competition.   One way for recruiters to screen in potentially suitable candidates quickly is to see if their cover letter states the position the application relates to and their specific skill sets that relate to the role.Generic covers letters dont.   They are generic and therefore a waste of time to read.   What do you need to do to personalize your cover letters?   How effective can you make each and every one of your letters?4.         How can I make sure my resume is read and is impressive to my target audience?What is your target audience seeking?   Tailor you r resume to fit those requirements if you have the relevant skill sets.   There is no point stating what a ‘hard worker’ you are in your resume.The employer wants to know if you are qualified to perform a specific role, have the relevant experience and personal traits to enable you to get the results they require.   Ask yourself, ‘How can I make my resume stand out?’   If the reader has to scour your current resume page by page to find the relevant information, think how can you make the right skills, experience and qualifications stand out immediately?Analyse the job description for clues as to which key words will pop out at the reader.For help with your resumé, How to Write a Resumé is my online course that will help you create a resumé that generates results5.   What do I need to do to prepare for the interview process?The major fatal flaw for most candidates when interviewing is lack of preparation.Given that most candidates are provided with a certain amount of time before the interview, lack of preparation is unforgiveable and indicates a lack of interest in the role.   Ask yourself, ‘What are the skills I need to highlight during the interview to demonstrate my competence in this area?   What are my key relevant strengths that will impress the interviewer?   What examples do I have to demonstrate my capabilities and results orientation?’Think about what you can do and what examples you can give to prove your efficacy and professionalism.   Analyse your experience and behaviour, practice verbalizing your responses.Gain feedback from a trusted friend, preferably one who knows the way you work and act upon areas that need improvement.   How can you present your most competent, capable and professional image?By having an open, curious mind at all stages of the job search process you will find you maintain momentum and continually learn.   Use what you learn.If things don’t seem to be working, analyse what does work and what doesn’t, then brainstorm with your support group or with a career coach to uncover new ways to approach your marketing efforts.If youd like to book a coaching session to help you in your job search click here and choose a day and time to suit.

My 8 favorite pics from our conference on happiness at work (and 1 video) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

My 8 favorite pics from our conference on happiness at work (and 1 video) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Last week we had our first ever international conference with 200 participants from 19 countries and we had a BLAST. Here are my absolute favorite pics from the 2 days. Speaker Rowan Manahan channels Gene Kelly (and possibly Mary Poppins) Moderator Mikael Kamber, speaker Thomas Vibe and our Japanese attendee Hirokazu Kobayashi lead the audience in an energizing Japanese chant. Maria Grosz comes on stage to lead the?traditional post-lunch dance. Heres how that?went: The audience bows down to our final speaker (Tim Dorsett) chanting We are not worthy. Dont worry, there was a point to this :) Ending the conference with?confetti cannons :) The Woohoo inc team celebrates another successful conference with our moderator Mikael Kamber. Participants having a good time :) Group photo from the afterparty on Friday afternoon after the workshops. A great big thank you to our awesome photographer?Gareth Garvey. You can find plenty more pics from the conference right here.? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Guest post You can do something new for your job hunt -

Guest post You can do something new for your job hunt - This is a guest post from Jessica Lewis. Jessica is a job seeker who joined Twitter about a month ago with the intention of using it to help her drive her own career bus. She has been writing a Twitter-for-beginners series on her blog (which you should read!) You can find Jessica on Twitter @copytailor. If youre reading this post, youre obviously familiar with the concept of sharing information and opinions via blogs. And youre familiar with the concept of niche blogs, like this one. Remember back when blogs were a new concept? When they were generalized as boring ramblings from people enamored with themselves? No one I knew had a blog. I would have been embarrassed to write a blog back then because I would have been seen as enamored with myself. The general perception of blogs back then is not much different from the general perception of Twitter now. Its humorous when you realize Twitter is classified as microblogging! Whats wrong with the public perception is its making you miss out on great experiences and opportunities two things that, I know from experience, you likely are sorely lacking as a job seeker. If youre going to be a sheep, at least be one with a clue. Lets say you feel uncomfortable joining Twitter because you think youll be one of the sheep. The people you know perceive Twitter in a negative, time-wasting way. And no one you know is on Twitter. These people are all just staying within their comfort zone, doing what theyve always done, telling you they dont have time for the silliness of Twitter. Let me tell you something: You become a sheep anyway for following them. You have read about Twitter on Keppie Careers. I know from experience that you likely have been turning away from such praise for Twitter if you ignore it, itll go away and you can feel good that you kept doing what youve been doing and thinking, Oh, Im not falling for that one! One thing Ive learned in my job search: Do not keep doing something if its not working. It sounds like common sense, but with youre dealing with so many unknowns in a job search, its easy to fall back on old advice or latch onto one piece of advice you read online or do what other people do because its easier to follow than lead. You want to follow the herd youre familiar with. The problem is that herd isnt looking out for you. Stay tuned for more from Jessica tomorrow! Need help getting your job hunt going? Learn what I offer job seekers! photo by xotoko

The True Meaning of Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume

The True Meaning of Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume According to her, it's also the reason putting your information just in the header or footer isn't a good idea. Actually, there are particular jobs in which it's important to set a skill section at or close to the top of the resume. If you're uncertain how to phrase your skills, or in case you would like examples of objective statements, see some job websites for ideas. Read through it a couple of occasions and you'll probably spot three or four crucial skills mentioned many times throughout the document. Want to Know More About Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume? The capability to create a plan is one which shouldn't be brushed aside. Hard skills can be classified in various ways, based on your job title. If you wish to showcase your organization skills, acquiring a tightly structured resume certainly helps. Strong planning abili ties and organization are traits which are highly desired in an employee, particularly in the plan world. The Pain of Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume Your skills are an overview of what you could do for the prospective employer if you were offered the work at the moment. Thus when writing down your job skills take some time to strategize and find out the very best approach to organize them in your resume. Moreover, there are the more tangible skills you have to have in order to do the work effectively. Well, there are a number of soft and tough skills worth including in your health care assistant resume. What to Expect From Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume? Technical skills are either something you've got or you don't, but they're always something which you are able to learn. 3 First, you have to pick the best skills for your resume. In addition to the practical demand for developers in just about any organization, programming skills demonstrate advanced pro blem solving skills that may lead to a well-rounded professional. Review their About Us page and see whether your soft abilities or attributes are aligned with the business's core values. The True Meaning of Skills and Abilities to Put on a Resume Hard skills aren't skills that are tough to learn. Circus skills might also be listed. Soft abilities, on the flip side, aren't simple to quantify. They are the skills that apply to every job. Military soft skills will work as an extra bonus to the particular experience you will be in a position to list on your resume.

5 Questions To Ask BEFORE You Start Your Job Search - Work It Daily

5 Questions To Ask BEFORE You Start Your Job Search - Work It Daily After many anxious nights and frustrating days, you’ve finally made a decision: you need to find a new job. Over the last few months, you may have gone back and forth, thinking and rethinking, questioning if you should just stick it out or if you should find a new home for your talent. Related: Reactive Vs. Proactive Job Search Strategies The perfect time to start your job search is before you begin feeling a desperate need to get out of your current position. One of the worst times to start a job search is when you feel like your back is up against the wall. Deciding to search for a new job, regardless of the labor market, can be both exciting and frightening. There’s excitement in thinking about new possibilities for your career and work-life. But thinking about the time, energy, and potential rejection involved in the job search process can be overwhelming. For those who decide that finding a new job is well worth the challenges a job search will bring, a larger question looms: How can I be sure my next job will be any better than my last one? I’ve been there. I was initially excited about a new position in a new company, but I quickly became disenchanted with the job within the first year. We all expect somewhat of a lull after the honeymoon phase is over, but what happens when you find yourself in the same position again in your new job? You do all the work to change jobs but still end up with the same frustration, the same poor work environment, the same disgruntled colleagues, and the same dread every Monday morning. The first thing that comes to mind when we reach this place again is it's time to find a new job â€" and we start the process all over again. If you have found yourself in this situation, take stock and examine the one common denominator of all of your work experiences: you. Before you start your job search, get clear about what you really need to thrive instead of survive at work. Doing a better job defining exactly what you want doesn’t mean your ideal job will magically appear, but it will help you focus your job search on opportunities that have greater potential for long term career growth. Instead of applying to jobs based on title, salary, and location, try asking yourself these questions: Which values are most important to you right now? You may have chosen jobs based on money before, but maybe autonomy and growth are more important for you now. What experience or opportunity is missing in your current work? If your current tasks are not challenging you, the same job description in a different company won’t make a difference. What kind of opportunity will allow you to do your best work? The same job in a different industry could make a big difference in job satisfaction and growth potential. What kind of work environment, culture, and values do you want in your next employer? Use your network and online resources to get background information before you spend time applying to companies that may not be a good fit. What thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs about work do you need to let go of in order to attract different opportunities? Remember, you will attract what you give attention to. Are you holding onto a belief that work has to be hard? Or maybe you expect that managers are always out to find your flaws. In a sense your job search is similar to the process of looking for a new car. Very rarely does someone walk into a random sales room with no knowledge of the features, values, and, most importantly, the preferences they are looking for. The time spent in answering these questions before you start your search enables you to look in the right places and gives you a better chance to rule out opportunities that are not a good fit. So, get out your journal, notebook, or where ever you have decided to record your responses and get started. Happy searching! his post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts How To Job Search While You’re Still Employed 11 Job Search Commandments For College Grads 6 Steps for a Successful Job Search Photo credit: Shutterstock   Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!