How I Became The LinkedIn Expert (and Update On LinkedIn for the Job Search)

How I Became The LinkedIn Expert (and Update On LinkedIn for the Job Search) Have you registered for the free LinkedIn Webinar on Wednesday?   Im almost done figuring out what the agenda will be more information here.   It will not be a full-blown presentation on LinkedIn, rather Ill just pull out some things that Ive been thinking about.   If you want full-blown, register for the Experts Connection webinar on March 25th.Also, LinkedIn for Job Seekers, a webinar/DVD focused on helping people figure out LinkedIn in a job search, is getting REALLY close if you pre-order it youll save about $15.   You can order it here. When I talk about personal branding I talk about having expertise.   Being a subject matter expert (SME).   The groups I talk to usually have significant SME, because they are usually professionals with years of experience. One thing I havent talked about yet, but it has been on my mind, is how to attain guru, or expert, level.   My favorite way, and the way I think lends the most credibility, is to have someone else say you are the expert! For me this happened once I had my LinkedIn book published, about 18 months ago. Writing a book for expertise is a two-edged sword, because any ol expert can do it pretty quickly and easily, which means any non-expert full of fluff can do it quickly and easily also. But think about it how much credibility is there when YOU call YOURSELF an expert, vs. when SOMEONE ELSE calls YOU and expert? So then the question is, what can you DO (in addition to, or aside from, writing a book) to have people call you an expert?   Ive got lots of ideas what are yours? How I Became The LinkedIn Expert (and Update On LinkedIn for the Job Search) Have you registered for the free LinkedIn Webinar on Wednesday?   Im almost done figuring out what the agenda will be more information here.   It will not be a full-blown presentation on LinkedIn, rather Ill just pull out some things that Ive been thinking about.   If you want full-blown, register for the Experts Connection webinar on March 25th.Also, LinkedIn for Job Seekers, a webinar/DVD focused on helping people figure out LinkedIn in a job search, is getting REALLY close if you pre-order it youll save about $15.   You can order it here. When I talk about personal branding I talk about having expertise.   Being a subject matter expert (SME).   The groups I talk to usually have significant SME, because they are usually professionals with years of experience. One thing I havent talked about yet, but it has been on my mind, is how to attain guru, or expert, level.   My favorite way, and the way I think lends the most credibility, is to have someone else say you are the expert! For me this happened once I had my LinkedIn book published, about 18 months ago. Writing a book for expertise is a two-edged sword, because any ol expert can do it pretty quickly and easily, which means any non-expert full of fluff can do it quickly and easily also. But think about it how much credibility is there when YOU call YOURSELF an expert, vs. when SOMEONE ELSE calls YOU and expert? So then the question is, what can you DO (in addition to, or aside from, writing a book) to have people call you an expert?   Ive got lots of ideas what are yours?

A Recap of UW Writing Center Resume Paper Software

A Recap of UW Writing Center Resume Paper SoftwareAfter searching for UW Writing Center resume paper samples on the internet, I was curious about the reviews I had read regarding them. What I found was a lot of people saying that they had received this help for their resume but that the few that they did receive were either filled with garbage or at least flawed in some way.The writers who sent in their resumes, mostly college students, had to take the sample and then find another student to write for them. They were told how to format the document and that it would look so much better when compared to the samples. This was just not true.When they submitted their resume, they discovered that it looked different and was really not what they wanted in a resume. It would be nice if there were some sample resumes that would have been more helpful but as a result of what I found on the internet, those were the most helpful.A couple of folks have written blogs that told me about the Wiscon sin Writing Center and what a great resource they are for people looking for help writing a resume. Apparently, they are actually using these writers to do the work for them.Apparently, the former owners of the UW Writing Center were recently sentenced to prison for money laundering. It is hard to believe that they could still be running a business after doing that.However, even though there is an outstanding chance that they could be putting up for sale, I find it hard to believe that they are no longer in business. They are still offering some excellent services for people.There are sites that claim that they will send you a resume that is built for the UW Writing Center paper writing software. If this is true, you would think that they would no longerbe for sale.UW Writing Center resumes, even when it comes to samples, can be just as good as what you can do for yourself. In the end, the only way you will know is by trying and by checking out their site.

Calgary Resume Writer Nominated for Prestigious Award

Calgary Resume Writer Nominated for Prestigious Award Career Directors International  Local   resume writer nominated for prestigious TORI   award (August 29, 2012 â€" Melbourne, FL.) â€" Career Directors International (CDI) is pleased to announce the nominees of the 2012 TORI Awards, also known as the Toast of the Resume Industry. Local writer Adrienne Tom (CPRW, CEIP) and owner of Career Impressions has been nominated in the category of Best New Graduate Resume for the top award. CDI’s President Laura DeCarlo, proudly states, “While winning a TORI Award represents the pinnacle of resume writing expertise within the industry, nomination for a TORI is one of the most prestigious honours a resume writer can achieve. Being recognized as one of the best by your peers is an accolade that very few get to savour. We are proud to introduce the TORI Awards to the resume writing and careers industry, because it highlights the work of members in our industry that so often get overlooked.” Professional resume writers submitted entries for the TORI Awards in June, and a panel of the industry’s top writers were selected to judge the submissions. Up to six entries have been nominated in each category. The winning resumes and cover letters will be announced in October. Career Directors International is raising the bar and setting new standards for Resume writers and career coaches worldwide. With more than 500 members, the organization provides continuing education, testing, and coaching for professional Resume writers and career coaches. Adrienne Tom, the founder and Director of Career Impressions, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Employment Interview Professional (CEIP) with a Bachelor of Arts in English. As the principal writer at Career Impressions she was the very first CPRW in Calgary, Alberta, and is one of only three individuals in Alberta with the CEIP certification. In addition to her recent TORI Award nomination, Adrienne was the recipient of the Best Executive Resume Award of Excellence from the Career Professionals of Canada in 2011. # # #

How to Prepare for a Skype Interview 9 Tips and Strategies - Career Sidekick

How to Prepare for a Skype Interview 9 Tips and Strategies - Career Sidekick How to Prepare for a Skype Interview: 9 Tips and Strategies Interview Preparation / https://www.edenscott.com/blog More and more employers are using Skype interviews and other video interviews during their screening process.They may use a Skype interview in place of a phone interview, or after the phone interview before bringing you on-site.And while youll face a lot of the same questions theyll ask in any interview, there are some important steps you should take to prepare. In this article, Ill walk you through how to prepare for a Skype interview to make sure youre ready to impress them.Preparing for a Skype Interview1. Test Your TechnologyThe first thing to do when preparing for a Skype or video interview is make sure youre comfortable and ready to use your technology (computer, mic, webcam, etc.)Its not going to go over well if you hop on a Skype call and the interviewer cant hear you because your mic is muted.So make sure to test everything out before your Skype or video interview to make sure youre comfortable with the technology and the settings are correct. You can do a test run with a friend or family member to be sure. If there are any technical issues, you want to know that before the interview.Other things to consider from the technical perspective when preparing for a Skype interview:Camera Position: Position your computer in such a way that you can look directly into the webcam because you don’t want to be looking up or looking down during the interview.Surroundings: Remember your surroundings. When you’re being interviewed, you don’t want the interviewee to see clutter or other people walking about. You need to be the star of the interview; don’t allow yourself or your interviewer to become distracted.Lighting: Position a light right behind your laptop or tablet. This will illuminate your face. Because the light could make your face appear shiny, however, you should think about applying a bit of powder to cut down on any unwanted glare.2. Print the Job Description and Your ResumeThis next step in how to prepare for a S kype interview is something most job seekers skip, but its a viatl part of preparing.Print out a hard copy of your resume, along with the job posting or description. This is something I recommend for phone interviews as well as video interviews.That way, you can refer to the job description when answering interview questions. For example, if they ask, why are you applying for this position? youll be ready to name a few things that caught your interest on the job description.Other common Skype/video interview questions where having the job description in front of you would be helpful:Why do you want this job?Why should we hire you?And heres a question where having your own resume in front of you will be helpful in an interview:Tell me about yourself?If you want more questions to practice, here are 8 of the most common video interview questions and answers.3. Choose a Location thats Distraction-FreeThe last thing you want during your Skype interview or video interview is to have a fam ily member or pet come running across the screen.So find a quiet, distraction-free room where you can shut the door and have relative silence, and nothing moving in the background.If you are conducting this from home where family members will be present, consider hanging a “do not disturb” sign or at least warning all to stay clear of you during the Skype call!Be sure to silence notifications on your devices your conversation does not get interrupted by beeps and pings, too4. Choose Your Wardrobe WiselyDress from top to bottom as you would for an in-person interview. Sweatpants with a shirt and tie won’t cut it.Even though it is likely the person at the other end will only see your top half, it’s better to be ready for the unexpected when preparing for a Skype interview, and you may feel more prepared when you look the part.Additionally, it’s wise to keep your clothing color choice in mind. I recommend avoiding white and black wardrobe choices as they don’t always look a s great on camera (this is why news anchors tend to wear colors like blue, grey, charcoal, etc.)5. Research the CompanyBefore the interview, research the company and make sure you know how large they are (100 employees? 10,000 employees?), what they sell or how they make money, when they were founded, who their competitors are, etc.This may seem like a lot but it should only take 10-15 minutes on the company website and can make a huge difference in the quality of answers you give and your confidence level in the interview.If you follow the advice above before your next Skype or video interview, youll be more prepared and have a much greater chance of success.6. Practice Your Body LanguageBe aware of your body language when you’re doing your Skype or video interview. Previous research by Albert Mehrabian shows that body language counts for a lot during communication.Specifically, he finds that 55% of communication is done through body language, 35% is done through tone, and 7% is done through words. So while what you say is important, how you say it and your body language count just as much. Here are some body language tips to follow:Avoid crossing your arms during the interview since this can be taken to mean that you’re nervous or defensive and unreceptive to what the interviewer is saying.Make eye contact to show you are paying attention and nod as appropriate. But don’t do either of these things too much as they could be distracting.Avoid fidgeting since this can make it look like you’re not paying attentionor are overly nervous.Smile. You’re more likely to make a good impression if you smile than if you don’t. Smiling also helps you talk with more energy.Sit forward in your chair since it will make it look like you’re paying attention and are interested. By the way, slouching can convey that you’re bored or disinterested so avoid it.7. Know Who Youll Be Speaking WithYoure going to be a lot more confident in your video interview or Skype interview if you know some general info about the person whos going to be calling you.So find out their name (ask the person who scheduled your interview if you dont already know), and look them on LinkedIn.Are they an HR person? Or do they have more of a technical background? This can give you clues about the type of questions you can expect. For example, a Software Development Manager is going to be able to grill you a lot more on the technical details than an HR Director.Make sure youre doing this research when preparing for a Skype interview. Youll be more confident on the video call and better prepared for their questions.8. Practice Delivering Your AnswersIn the lead up to your Skype or video interview, you’ll want to get as much practice as you can. Find a friend or acquaintance and conduct a mock interview.Practice your composure, body posture, tone, delivery, and other things that can help your cause. As well as practicing with other people, you should also practice on yo ur own so that you can work on your delivery and confidence.9. Manage your TimeSkype and video interviews are usually shorter than in-person interviews â€" however, depending on the interviewer, can take as little as 15 minutes and as long as an hour. My recommendation? Ask how much time to allot and add 15 minutes to your schedule â€" just in case.You dont want to be planning on sharing some important highlights of your background at the end of the conversation only to find time runs out.So as part of preparing for your Skype interview, write yourself a note or find some way to remind yourself to ask how much time is allotted for the video call.You could also email the employer (write to whoever scheduled this interview for you) and ask how long its scheduled for. They should be able to tell you.Of course, your Skype interview can go a bit longer or shorter than planned. But by asking how long the Skype interview is scheduled for, youll at least know the target amount of time.More Resources for How to Prepare for Your Skype/Video Interview:If you follow the advice above when preparing for your Skype or video interview, youll be more confident and have a much greater chance of success.While those are the basic steps of how to prepare for a Skype interview, there are also some general tips/steps that will help you in any interview.So if you want more help, these three articles will help you even more:Job interview preparation checklistTop 13 interview mistakes: Why people fail interviewsJob interview tips from a Recruiter: How to pass an interview

Afraid of Feedback Find How It Serves You Best - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Afraid of Feedback Find How It Serves You Best - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you are a corporate professional, notice the feeling you are having when you read the word “Feedback”. “I have some feedback for you” often creates the same or worse reaction as “we have a problem”! A quick web search brought this definition of feedback: Comments in the form of opinions and reactions to something, intended to provide useful information for future decisions and development. Based on my experience, the more common connotation of feedback is: It is unpleasant, negative and often brings a defensive behavior. Now that I am not part of the corporate system and I don’t have the luxury of getting the unsolicited feedback regularly, I thought I wouldnt care about it. But surprisingly enough I now do care much more. This morning when I was asking for some feedback from a recent workshop participant, I realized, nowadays I invite feedback rather than avoiding it. So what is the reason for such a shift? There are the few points came into my mind: 1. It is SOLICITED by ME I am the one initiating the feedback conversation. As part of my bigger intention of making my workshop more effective I came up with the idea of collecting feedback. 2. It is DESIGNED by ME I consciously ask the feedback invoking questions based on what data I want to gather. Example: What they liked most? What could be done differently? I am conscious about what I want from this. If someone gives feedback about the room/timing I convey that to the organizers instead of defending it. 3. The SOONER the BETTER it is I take every opportunity to collect the feedback sooner so the context is still fresh. 4. I LISTEN to my INNER CRITIC My inner critic often is quick enough to tell me when I don’t do very well. I am not too surprised about any possible negative feedback and I proactively ask for it. That way I am not solely dependent on my inner critic who can be real tough sometimes:). How to manage my EGO When I ask someone for a feedback I essentially make myself vulnerable. It feels personal when I hear less than a cheer kind of feedback. It is never easy; keeping an eye on the bigger purpose motivates to overcome that. Having a caring friend or spouse always helps to heal the initial cuts and bruises (if any). Bottom line Feedback is supposed to help us to be better at what we really want to do/achieve. It is merely a helping mechanism and can never replace our main driving force or the intention. The most common pitfall I see is: We start with the performance review feedback and make it the center of our focus rather than helping, it often brings more disappointments in the end! Author: Sharmin Banu   is a development partner for high performers who wants to have more Growth, Purpose and Joy for their work and lives. On top of her coach training, a deep eastern cultural background and a 12-year of high tech corporate experience give her a unique position of learning what blocks people to move up in their career path and what helps them to excel. She is very passionate about helping professionals so they can honor their core selves and leverage those to thrive and succeed in the high paced corporate culture and have more fulfillment from their lives. Sharmin’s clientele   is mostly high-tech professionals in the mid-level in their career. Sharmin and her husband have a young daughter and lives in Kirkland WA. Sharmin loves to stay in touch with her friends and the extended family.

Dinosaurs, Boomers and Owning a Smartphone [Survey] - Career Pivot

Dinosaurs, Boomers and Owning a Smartphone [Survey] - Career Pivot Dinosaurs, Boomers and Owning a Smartphone In April 2015, Pew Research Center published a report called U.S. Smartphone Use in 2015. Given the massive changes in the job market by SMAC (Social Mobile Analytics Cloud), I checked out the report to see how baby boomers are adopting smart phones. My conclusion is that weâ€"baby boomersâ€"will become dinosaurs if we do not pick up our pace of change. A little over half of us from 50-64 years of age have a smartphone. I fall into that age group. Only about a quarter of those over 65 years of age have a smartphone. That includes people outside of the baby boomer generation (over 70 years old) but you get the picture. Smartphone Ownership One obvious reason that baby boomers do not own a smartphone is cost. When I ask people in my job club about smartphones and using social media, I inevitably hear, “I can’t afford it.” My claim is that you cannot afford to not have a smartphone. I have a client who recently purchased a 2-year-old Motorola Android smartphone for $100. His data plan is $50-75 month. You do not need a huge or unlimited data plan. You do not have to have the latest devices. I sure do not have the latest! I have a two-year-old iPhone 5, which I will replace in a couple of years. I look at this like buying a car. I would much prefer to buy a year or two old car and keep it till I need a newer model. Being skilled at navigating smartphone apps will be a job requirement in the future. If you cannot navigate a smartphone like a 20-something, you will be deemed a dinosaur. World of Mobile Apps If you are performing a job search, having a smartphone is critical to make and receive both phone calls and texts. Having a smartphone adds the following capabilities: Listen to the most recent episode Internet Browser â€" This is the most basic function of the smartphone, but it is often the most critical. I can Google search a business and the phone number will pop up. I can click to dial immediately. E-Mail â€" This is invaluable in your job search. I have my phone set to utilize both company and personal e-mail accounts. Calendar â€" I can access my Google calendar via the Google Calendar app. Maps â€" This is invaluable if you want to be able to easily find a location for an interview or networking event. LinkedIn â€" You have access to any of your network’s LinkedIn profiles in the palm of your hand. Twitter â€" You need to learn how to use Twitter. If I want to reach a recruiter quickly, I tweet them. Think of it like texting, except that I do not need to know their phone number. Weather and Traffic â€" I get traffic and weather alerts from a local television station app. This has proven to be very helpful when traffic or weather is bad. Audio â€" I do not listen to music on my iPhone. I do, however, listen to books and podcasts. This has caused my learning to skyrocket. I used to read maybe two business books a year. Now, I listen to 15-20 books a year. I listen to 10-15 podcasts a week (look for a post on the podcasts I listen to in a couple of weeks). Finance â€" I use mobile apps from my credit union, financial adviser, credit card company, and PayPal. I can deposit checks directly from my iPhone. Skype â€" I have met with clients using Skype from my iPhone. The video is absolutely stunning. Do not be surprised that you will likely be asked to interview with a recruiter via Skype. Camera â€" It is great to have a camera with you at all times. Besides shots of friends and nature, you might get pictures of receipts, products that you want to purchase later, or screenshots on someone’s computer. From a personal perspective, there are several smartphone apps that I adore: YMCA â€" My YMCA has an app that has a barcode. This allows me to enter the facility and alerts me to closures. In the last year, this has proven to be invaluable because of severe weather. I walk about two miles to get the Y. News Apps â€" I have multiple news apps on my iPhone. This includes CNN, CNN Money, Yahoo Finance, and KVUE news. Games â€" The only game I play on my iPhone is Solitaire. I am a heavy smartphone user. I run much of my business from my smartphone. Smartphone Survey I’ve told you how I use my smartphone. Now, I would like you to take a short 3 question survey on smartphone use. Even if you do not have a smartphone, please take the survey. The survey is now closed. Check out this and all of the rest of the survey results here. If you subscribe to this blog, you will get a notification when the survey results are available. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Every Business Needs A Safety Net. Have You Built Yours

Every Business Needs A Safety Net. Have You Built Yours Small businesses all over the world are some of the highest at risk. Beginning as a very simple idea that rapidly grows into something successful is the aim for most small to medium businesses, but many forget how important it is to protect their business as much as possible. The more successful you are, the more vulnerable you are, which is a very unfortunate truth! Being prepared to defend your business as best you can the bigger you get should be something that you include in your business plan. It’s not just the technological and financial threats that loom ahead for your business, it’s the threats to your reputation that you have to watch out for. As long as you are armed well and prepared, you can manage any hits to your business with a calm exterior and grace. Financial Threats A small business often doesn’t have or make as much money as a large business, but it’s not always about cash. Trust and estate planning is so important for your business future, because you need to take care of your assets. Entrusting your assets to the right company to manage for you can keep them safe and sound from being stolen. Lawsuits are a huge financial threat for your business, so you should ensure that your staff are conducting themselves in a manner befitting of your company when online on social media. They should also receive training on how to speak to customers, so that no lawsuits can be filed against your business. Technological Threats Cybercrime is a big deal, and if you’re not investing in the strongest firewalls and the right security programmes for your business, you are going to be bringing any threats on yourself. Small businesses are a favourite target of hackers, because they often aren’t as secure as the larger corporations. If you’re not taking care of your data security right now, then you need to shut down operations until you can protect your data, your customers data and avoid having your lax security being exploited. Your staff that work remotely should also be briefed on how to access a VPN instead of using public internet connections. The more you prepare everyone, the more secure your business tech can be. Reputation Threats It’s not like the school playground, with all the ‘he says/she says’, but you still need to maintain a good image. Your staff should be careful with how their social media is used, and you should ensure that you have a PR professional on your staffing so that if there are any scandals, you can manage them correctly. If you don’t want to hire one full time, you can hire one on a case by case basis to work with you if things go wrong. You need to have a strong brand that can withstand threats to your good name, so keep your business squeaky clean to avoid the rumour mill being spun. There’s nothing good about losing face in a business.

The Search for a Social Media Maven - When I Grow Up

The Search for a Social Media Maven - When I Grow Up Exciting news today! We are looking for a super savvy, entry-level social media maven someone who can manage all the nitty gritty details of blog posts, tweets, and more. Right now: Youve gotta have fantastic technical skills, an eye for errors, the ability to stick to deadlines and an inherent need to double (or quadruple) check your work before you hit Publish or Schedule. Were lookin for a left-brainer who knows their way around all my homes on The Interwebs (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, AWeber, and WordPress, mostly). In the future: You can have the opportunity to be write sound bites, learn -and implement social media strategy, and/or be my Client Communicator when someone has an admin-like need or question. (Honestly, with where I plan on driving this biz, there is ample opportunity to be a valuable part of the team in a high-level position, whether its a communications, strategy, and/or project management role. As you can imagine, Im all about where your strengths and passions are and seeing where that intersects with my needs down the road). The details:  Ill need you 10ish hours a week to start, and up to 20 hours each week once we know this is a good fit. Ill be able to start you off at $10/hour while we get to know and train you with opportunities for a raise to $12/hr after 30ish days. Wed love a start the week of  July 8th, but that can be flexible.  Im based in NYC, but you dont have to be your direct manager, my Virtual Wizard Arwyn, is on Pacific time that works super fine. While wed still encourage those outside of the US/Canada to apply, wed still be looking for some overlap to occur between the time zone were aware for youre awake for. If this sounds like you, hooray! Fill out the form below and submit it to us no later than Friday, June 28th. Well be contacting you to set up an interview if we think youre the right fit. If you dont hear from us, please dont take it personally. As much as we would love to meet you all, were looking for someone with a specific set of skills that will grow with the When I Grow Up team! Questions? Email Arwyn at arwyn@whenigrowupcoach.com. Cant wait to meet you!