5 Ways of Building Your Resume With Little or No Job Experience Building Your Future Now

5 Ways of Building Your Resume With Little or No Job Experience Building Your Future Now Typically this situation happens to students who are fresh out of high school or college/university. Although having a good education is important companies crave that their candidates have some good work experience. Realistically, the kind of experience that companies are looking for is either rare or non-existent especially from a graduating student. So what can you do to beef up your experience-thin resume? Here are 5 ways you can: Volunteer This is one of the best things to do when your resume needs to get a boast. Although volunteering tends to be more of a personal matter, finding an opportunity is still a great way to build upon existing skills and learn more about non-for-profits and charities. Also in some instances it is harder to find a volunteer position then a job! Internship Getting an internship in the field of your choosing is an excellent resume builder. It’s also sometimes difficult to getting one. That’s why you have to be a little creative. Seek out smaller companies that may need your expertise and convince them how bringing you on will be a benefit to them. It also won’t hurt to say you are working for free! But remember getting an internship means that you must get a solid learning experience from the company. Get a part time job In most cases taking any part time job is the best way to break into the working world. Even if it isn’t the best position, just getting a start some where doing menial tasks is better then wasting your time doing nothing. Be sure to keep on applying even when you have a part time job. Write for a local newspaper We all get those free papers wrapped with a stack of grocery store and retail flyers. But that bundle of newsprint can mean a great opportunity for you to start building your experience. Call the newspaper up and find out if they need a writer. Be sure to think of some ideas you can pitch to them if they want to here more of what you can offer them. Don’t turn down any writing assignment. Keep on writing, communicating and learning! It will sharpen your interview skills, help you generate ideas, and of course your writing will get much better in the process. Start blogging Don’t hesitate on this one. Visit WordPress.com. Set up an account and start blogging for free! I recommend buying a domain name which looks a bit more professional as opposed to the WordPress name in your URL. Write about what you know or something you are passionate about. Even if it isn’t industry related, you are showing your knowledge and sharpening your writing skills.

Where Should I Post My Resume - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Where Should I Post My Resume - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career People in transition or those who contemplate making a job change should not start dispersing their résumés all over the place before those résumés are up to snuff. I know that people in transition are very eager to get back in the game, to restore their (temporarily) lost identity, and to restart the flow of income, but the biggest mistake they make at this point is to start blasting weak credentials. Once your résumé hits cyberspace, you never know where it’s going to end up. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that before you post a résumé, it be a solid and strong one. Next, the question is where to post it? Generally there are three types of job boards. The big and popular job boards such as Indeed.com, Monster, and com are musts. While there may be overlaps among them, you never know which one is used by which recruiter or which potential employer. Those in the six-figure-income range can also post their résumés on such job search sites as The Ladders.com and The value of these sites is hotly debated among their users. Some job seekers were greatly helped by them, while others considered it a waste. There are several other, specialized sites such as com, and HigherEdJobs, which should be used as appropriate. A question I’m being frequently asked is how many job boards to use. My answer is that five to eight are suitable. Posting on job boards is laborious when setting them up for the first time. After doing so, it’s important to visit the sites dailyâ€"yes, dailyand make a small change such as adding or deleting a line and then saving the change. Doing that makes your résumé appear to be fresh. Recruiters have many fresh résumés to choose from, so why should they bother looking at older ones whose owners may have found already employment elsewhere? The push and the pull Now that you’ve pushed your résumé out into cyberspace, you should pull in openings that have been posted. Several job search sites do that for you. They’re known by the term aggregators. Indeed.com is one of the most popular ones, and there are others such as Simply Hired. The aggregators are very user-friendly, and as a job seeker, you should set up a number of job alerts, as they are called, to reach your in-box daily. In fact, you should have several of them based on different keywords you’ve used and the distance from your ZIP code that you’re willing to commute to a job. The disadvantage of these types of sites is that there will be many duplicates. It takes a few trials and errors before hitting it right.   Alison Doyle has written a comprehensive article on this subject titles Top 10 Best Job Websites. Good hunting!

Opinions Matter and Are to Be Welcomed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Opinions Matter and Are to Be Welcomed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career We have all been a party to sensitive discussions both personal and in the corporate environment. We know that if we do say what’s on our mind, the other person will take offense. So, although we have the urge to blurt out our opinions we tend to hold back. Most of us are taught that diplomacy rules. However, on another level, the perspective we hold inside would actually provide value. The decision of whether to speak or keep quiet becomes a balancing act. There are times when we do speak up due to frustration, and with the ‘Oh Well’ frame of mind plus our fingers crossed for an okay outcome. Think about the typical dialogue between employees and management in the sales arena. Most often managers are so focused on revenue numbers that they forget that those who report to them are often sensitive human beings. Those who don’t have the right numbers in their forecast will soon be put on the less than desirable list and then depart due to ill treatment. Hiring, departure, and hiring once again cost  the company far more money than if a sale faded away. The logic just isn’t there. However, if the Manager were to ask, “How may another team member or I assist you?” the situation would vastly improve. It is far more likely that the person would be inclined to stay and try his best. With proper encouragement, it is also likely that making quota will be in the forecast. As an employer or one who conducts sales meetings, building the relationships and obtaining the perspective of others first lays the groundwork for more in-depth discussions.  Mentally review your recent conversations and consider if you were generous with your time to fully understand everything being said. Did you ask for clarification where needed? Were you inclusive and respectful of everyone in the meeting? Although opinions varied from yours, did you embrace those too? Unfortunately, most people are so focused on the sale they forget they are dealing with other sensitive human beings. Once again, being professionally personal makes all the difference. As the relationship is built so is confidence in your ability to provide the solutions that are sought. Embracing varying ideas from everyone is the magic for expanding sales due to being provided with hidden insights with which you weren’t initially privy. As the conversation progresses, the potential sale becomes far more robust. In the end, higher numbers and sales recognition become your reward. By incorporating these suggestions, a highly admired personal brand will be built. Sales Tips Let nasty remarks slide. Always use diplomacy. In team environments offer help. As a manager, provide coaching and other assistance as needed. The best strategy in sales is an inquiring mind. Ask appropriate questions until you can no longer think of more. Work toward consensus when more than one other person is involved. As you hear tough questions, answer directly and without hesitation. Answer everything honestly, with confidence and in a friendly tone. Ask if there are remaining questions. Celebrate Success! Following these guidelines will lead you to the Smooth Sale!

Personal Branding Interview #2 Sally Hogshead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview #2 Sally Hogshead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Sally Hogshead, who is a speaker, author, and brand innovation consultant. This is a follow-up to my previous interview with Sally back in January 2009. Her latest book is called FASCINATE: Your 7 Triggers of Persuasion and Captivation. In this interview, Sally talks about her new book, analyzes my triggers of fascination, and then finishes by applying the ideas in her book to personal branding. How did you come up with the idea behind FASCINATE, and what is an F Score Test? Our attention spans used to be about 20 minutes long. But now, thanks to this crazy-distracted-overcaffeinated-wired world we’re all in, the average attention span has become slightly shorter. How much shorter? Nine seconds. That’s about the time it took you to read so far. (But stick with me!) Nine seconds is the attention span as a goldfish. In this nine second world, we need to rethink our personal brandsâ€"how we attract business, how we close sales, how we write resumes, how we build loyalty. Is your personal brand persuasive enough to keep customers from swimming away to your competition on the other side of the goldfish bowl? I wrote FASCINATE to explore and explain how persuasion works in this environment. Why are we so strongly influenced by certain people and companies, but not by others? Why do we vote for certain people, and promote certain employees, and forget others (or worse, ignore them entirely)? I spent three years studying   neurobiology, psychology, anthropology and a bunch of other “-ologies.” Along the way, I learned some pretty surprising truths about why we pay attention to certain type of messages, companies, and people. The F Score personality test reveals exactly which triggers you’re already using to persuade and captivate. Whether you realize it or not, whether you intend to or not, you’re using fascination triggers to influence people around you. It might seem like only a rare few possess the ability to magnetically attract attention. But in fact, anyone activate these instinctive triggers, and captivate beyond the nine-second mark. What are the 7 fascination triggers? Here are the 7 universal triggers: Power, Trust, Mystique, Vice, Alarm, Lust, and Prestige. By activating the right combination of triggers, anyone can become more fascinating. Once you learn the how the brain respond to these seven triggers, you can more clearly define and hone your own brand. The 7 triggers steer our decision-making every day: from the magazines you read, to the career you choose; from the company you join, to the person you marry. Whether you realize it or not, you’re already using the seven triggers. The question is, are you using the right triggers, in the right way, to get your desired result? That’s what the F Score will show you. I took the test and it says that my primary fascination is PRESTIGE. Do you think this is accurate? What does it mean for my personal brand? Well, I happen to know you personally, so I have an advantage in applying this trigger to you… and yes, absolutely, you’re a Prestige connoisseur! People with this primary trigger tend to be sophisticated and discerning in their tastes, goal-oriented at work, and motivated to achieve at the highest levels. They’re not necessarily focused on overt displays of wealth, but on respect. Respect can come through many forms: earning an MBA diploma, or driving a specialized Toyota Prius, or winning at the latest version of Guitar Hero. Prestigious corporate brands (such as Porsche and Cartier) are more valuable, and so are prestigious personal brands (such as yours). Brands that apply the Prestige trigger can charge higher prices; those with the Power trigger can command greater control. My secondary trigger is POWER. What does this combination mean? Personalities that use the Power trigger are quite comfortable in positions of authority. They dislike blindly following orders, and define the rules on their terms. In terms of your own brand, Dan, this is reflected in how your messages carry great influence and weight. You’re a leader, no question. The combination of Prestige + Power is coveted for its ability to earn respect, while still commanding control. Dan, you use your triggers to teach us how to create greater value in our personal brands, and accumulate more control over where, when, and how we work. My dormant trigger is TRUST. What does this say about my personality and how I do business? A “dormant” trigger is the one that you’re least likely to use to sway opinion. Now, Dan, I happen to know that you’re an extremely trustworthy person, so this isn’t to say you’re not trusted. Rather, that you’re not predictable or redundant. People who score low on the Trust trigger dislike being a slave to the rules. They tend to be entrepreneurial, passionate, and intuitive. They’re not stuck to one plan, and can see many possibilities for success. (Oh, and Trust is also my dormant trigger.) How can I leverage these triggers to be more successful in business and in life? Prestige has an element of scarcity and exclusivity, yet by increasing its use, you’ll gain even bigger audiences. Hone your Power trigger for even greater respect. And selectively apply the Trust trigger for more loyal advocates. What other triggers am I missing? Every trigger offers a different type of response. Lust trigger, for instance, invites people closer. It evokes warmth and emotion. Want to make others curious? Mystique creates intrigue. It attracts others through unanswered questions. Alarm adds a sense of urgency. It’s a red hot button, threatening with negative consequences. The Alarm trigger persuades us to do things we might otherwise dislike: going on a diet, working through the weekend, or paying taxes. Vice tempts to tweak the traditional norms, or even rebel against authority. All forms of creativity and innovation come from Vice. Can you apply this methodology to a celebrity, a company, and a product brand? Let’s use Prestige, since that’s your own primary trigger. Prestige is often expressed through emblems. These emblems can be expensive or humble, but all share some degree of exclusivity. Bake-off champions show off blue ribbons. Mary Kay’s top employees drive pink Cadillacs. Children collect autographs from Mickey and Minnie at Disney. Girl Scouts wear merit badges on uniforms. Proud fathers of newborns have hospital bands. Scholars frame Phi Beta Kappa keys. These badges incentivize people to stay a step ahead of everyone else within a group By developing symbols of value, groups can strengthen participation and commitment. Prestigious groups monitor access to remain sought-after, rare, and valuable. Insider brands usually control how many people get access to the brand; otherwise, over-saturation cheapens status and destroys value. Otherwise, subculture brands head directly to the strip mall. I’ll apply this to a clothing brandâ€" one that I’m guessing you don’t have in your closet… Ed Hardy. (You know, like those glam-rock shirts with glittering rhinestones and iconic tattoo skulls, tigers, and red rose designs.) In 2004, the Ed Hardy tattoo inspired brand launched onto the edgy rock scene. It was ultra-hip. But by 2009, line extension included (get ready): Ed Hardyâ€"branded drinking water, candy,vodka and wine, coffee beans, disposable dinnerware, Koozies, Band-Aids, air fresheners, hand sanitizers, Smart Cars, hookahs, as well as a skull-adorned collection of diapers, sippy cups, and pacifiers. Yeah, um, sorry, the brand is dead. Gone. Say buh-bye. The lesson? If your brand relies on Prestige to fascinate, then don’t show up in the strip mall. (Yet somehow, I think the Dan Schawbel brand will be sticking closer to the Armani boutiques.) - Sally Hogshead is a speaker, author, and brand innovation consultant, helping companies develop messages that persuade and captivate. Clients past and present include Nike, MINI Cooper, Aflac, Cole Haan, Target, Coca-Cola and Godiva. Sally’s work and insights have been profiled by  The New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS and MSNBC. She’s been described by the press as “intrepid” and an “advertising mastermind.” Reality TV show  Making It Big named her “Advertising’s Icon” who has “changed the face of North American advertising.” In 2009, she was interviewed twice on NBC’s Today Show. A sought-after speaker, Sally leads keynotes for companies such as Starbucks and Microsoft, as well as innovation sessions around the world. She is the author of RADICAL CAREERING: 0 Truths to Jumpstart Your Job, Your Career, and Your Life, and her latest book called FASCINATE: Your 7 Triggers of Persuasion and Captivation.

Resume Writing Guide: A Step-By-Step Workbook For Writing a Winning Resume

Resume Writing Guide: A Step-By-Step Workbook For Writing a Winning ResumeThe resume writing guide: A step-by-step workbook for writing a winning resume can come in handy if you are struggling to find the right answers to questions like these. First of all, what does the term 'writing a winning resume' mean? Can you really write a winning resume?If you know what the goal is for the writing project, the objectives statement, then it will make the task of crafting a winning resume much easier. The challenge lies in gathering and organizing all of the information necessary to form a comprehensive resume that is an accurate reflection of your skills and experience. This does not mean you need to get buried in a mountain of applications to begin with. It is the information you gather from this initial search that will define who you are and what you can do.In order to come up with a good resume, you need to have a solid grasp of the common human error that makes one job applicant fall sho rt of expectations. Since so many people are humans, mistakes are going to happen. People make errors in spelling, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, or typing.If you decide to take on the task of writing a winning resume yourself, then it is imperative that you hire a professional resume writer. They can give you the ideas for the application essay, the job description, the skills and experience statement, and the objective statement. Your resume writing guide: A step-by-step workbook for writing a winning resume is ideal for the writing process.If you know how to write, but not how to format the resume, then you may be better off hiring a professional. They can format your resume with the proper spacing and font choices, and they know which key terms to use. The resume writing guide: A step-by-step workbook for writing a winning resume can help you get the job done. You will need to take the time to spend some time on it before you begin your career search.After all, gettin g started in the world of writing is just the first step. You need to sit down and look at your resume from every angle you can think of. Do you need to make any improvements? If you are having trouble coming up with what to say, you can find tips for writing resumes online.Resume writing has never been easier than it is today. There are literally hundreds of websites that are dedicated to helping you write a winning resume. Some of these sites even offer sample samples for free.It can be difficult to write a resume, but the more you learn about the process, the easier it will become. You will feel better prepared to take on the world of professional writing when you follow the resume writing guide: A step-by-step workbook for writing a winning resume.

Use Referral Marketing In Your Job Search

Use Referral Marketing In Your Job Search I am constantly running across articles offering networking advice for the networking adverse, and running into job seekers who just dont get it or say networking doesnt work. Id like to offer some modern-day suggestions for ways to improve your comfort level and success networking! It is in the power of referrals.   Referral Marketing Works Im using a fancy termso what is referral marketing? It is promoting products or services to new customers through  word of mouth  referrals. Why do you think small business owners network? Why would they waste their time if it didnt? Networking is a form of referral marketing. It relies on someone saying good things about you to the right people. And when you do this right, you dont have to ask for a referral because people will want to refer you! As you noticed, I said you have to do it right. What Product or Service Have You Recently Raved About? I want you to think about a product or service you recently told your friends, family or colleagues about. (Do you hear the  Jeopardy! music?) What was it about this product or service you loved? Why did you tell someone about it? Did they ask for your recommendation or did you offer it unsolicited? How many times had you used the product or had exposure to the service? Who Are Your Fans? Who are the people you have worked with and for that loved your work? Let me say, that if you are doing mediocre work and have a lackadaisical  attitude, this may not be an easy question to answer. Get Your Reputation to Go Viral The more people who hear about the great, amazing, unique work you do and your can-do style, the better, right? So how does this happen? Make your message share-able and memorable so people can easy pass it along. Kamikasi Networking Wont Work You cant dive bomb tons of people without following up and expect them to want to help. You have to establish or re-establish trust. Rather than going in for the kill and asking them to refer you, you have to reacquaint them with your skills by reminding them of the projects you worked on together. Or when you meet someone new, if they have no knowledge of who you are, how can they refer you? They cant trust you yet. You have to establish a relationship first and that usually takes more than just a single encounter. 12 Ways To Update How You Network Yep, we can all learn a lot from really great sales and marketing professionals.  I spell out 12 ways to update how you network. There are fresh new ideas in this post that may make you want to network- or maybe not! I hope you will at least check it out!

10 Types Of People Youll Meet While Networking For A Job

10 Types Of People Youll Meet While Networking For A Job Mobilizing your network during a job search is a lot of work with many ups and downs. People don’t always react to your requests for guidance and information as you’d like them to, and many report learning who their friends really are during a search.After coaching hundreds of job search clients, I’ve seen pretty much every networking  interaction possible. Sometimes the people you most expect to help you don’t, and total strangers are incredibly open and giving. The earlier you identify the different types of people you come into contact with while networking, the faster you will be able to reframe how they can help you, and course correct in order to get the most mileage out of your contacts.Here are the 10 most likely people you will meet along the way.Rescheduling Ralph. This contact commits to a meeting, but then reschedules several times because he’s overwhelmed by other responsibilities. When dealing with this type, suggest meeting  at an event you know he will be at tending; perhaps grabbing a few minutes at a conference you will both be attending, or offering to stop by his office 15 minutes before his first appointment.Complaining Chrissy. Your efforts to network are usually thwarted by her complaints about her own situation. Unfortunately, this can happen when you network with colleagues at a company where you were recently downsized, or when you are talking to someone in an industry experiencing contraction. Try to be empathic and offer some sort of advice to help. Then steer the conversation toward how your contact can help you.MIA Mary. You call, you email, you send a message via LinkedIn, but hear nothing. When you encounter this situation, reach out to others who know the contact to see if you can find out why she hasn’t been responsive or to ask if they would be willing to reach out to her on your behalf. If you still hear nothing, move on. It may be that this person isn’t willing to help.Guarded Gwen. She is reluctant to give up a ny names of contacts because she is protective of her network and very concerned with their opinion of her. Or perhaps she doesn’t know you well enough to feel she can share this information or vouch for your skills. Remind her that you recognize her contacts don’t necessarily know of any open jobs. Stress that you are just trying to meet people who can share valuable information about an industry, job function, or company to help validate your search targets. By lowering the expectation, you may be able to convince her that an introduction carries no risk.  Useless Uma. She often says something like, “I don’t know how I can help you; all my contacts are in industry X and you are looking for people in industry Y.” Remind her that you are not only interested in what her contacts do, but who they know in other industries and can introduce you to.Specific Sally. This contact only wants to help if you can tell her specifically who you want an introduction to.  Try to reframe t he “ask” by saying something like, “I’m not limiting myself to a specific contact; I’m interested in meeting anyone in the healthcare industry with a VP title or above in marketing.”Lead You On Larry. He claims he knows several people and is willing to make introductions. But when you follow up with him you hear nothing. Try one or two additional outreaches. If that doesn’t work, seek out others with similar profiles who may be more receptive to your request.Bottleneck Barry. He is willing to make an introduction but doesn’t want to reveal the name of the person he is referring you to. He conveniently says, “I will mention you to our department head and if there’s an interest, he will contact you directly.” Thank the contact but counter: “Thank you. I know you are busy and I don’t want to keep calling you to follow up. Would you mind giving me the name of your contact so I can follow up with him directly?”Post Online Polly. This contact immediately refers you to the company’s online job posting portal. They genuinely think they are helping you. Educate them by saying, “Thank you, but in my experience HR departments are inundated with candidates; I’m trying to get in front of the hiring manager so I can have a meaningful conversation about the value I can add.”Pass-Along Paul. He’s the guy who says, “Give me your resume and I will send it to our  HR department.” He thinks he is helping and following company protocol. But unless HR is hiring for someone with your exact skill set right now, the chances of them responding are low. Tell your contact that in your experience HR is generally a gatekeeper and you are trying to get in front of a decision maker.Part of your networking strategy will be to educate your contacts on how they can help you. But you will also meet people who get it right on the first try and provide invaluable leads. And ultimately, you will meet Jackpot Jimmy who actually has an open job and wants to f ill it with you. He exists, but you have to meet all these others first before you get to him.Remember, a job search is a marathon, not a sprint. You will go down many paths that lead to nothing and meet many people who won’t be able to help you land that next job. But only by exploring all paths can you find the gems in your network who can help you get to the finish line faster.(This article was originally published on Forbes.)