Accelerate Your Job Search in the Summer Slowdown

Accelerate Your Job Search in the Summer SlowdownAccelerate Your Job Search in the Summer SlowdownSummer is upon us The price of gasoline has gone through the roof millions of children are unleashed from school and, guaranteed, job seekers are frustrated enough to put their job search on hold.As we find ways to survive the gas prices and summer schedule, so too must job seekers find ways to accelerate their search.While there is a general slowdown in hiring during the summer, the search process for exceptional talent is ongoing. In fact, decision makers continually evaluate talent in order to fill executive stttes as soon as the Labor Day holiday is over. Smart job seekers should do everything possible to position themselves for the demand for talent in September and October.Lets explore traditional and out-of-the-box search strategies to give you a competitive edge.The 3ft. RuleSummer is an extraordinary time to network, as the season is filled with festivals, barbecues, garage sale s, sports, and endless other activities. Guess what? Decision makers from every industry and functional area are participating in those activities. Nows the time to implement what I call The 3ft. Rule. Dont hesitate to talk to anyone who comes within three feet of you. If youre camping, its the people whove pitched tents around you. If youre at the beach, its the family swimming next to you. The list goes on. You can easily break the ice by talking about the activity you have in common. Then ask, By the way, what is your business? or, What do you do for a living? This kicks off networking that wouldnt have happened otherwise.Heres a great summertime success story. One of my clients was having a garage sale and there was an individual checking out the used refrigerator for sale. My client thought Okay, Im going to use The 3ft. Rule. After a brief discussion about the refrigerator, my client inquired as to what the man did for a living. He happened to be looking for a mechanical engin eer at his company, Mare Island. As youve probably guessed, my client was a mechanical engineer and landed the position in just three weeks.It never would have happened if he hadnt turned the conversation toward work. When you attend summer activities, dont just hang out with your friends. Seek out other participants and network away.Be VisibleIf youre not already actively listed on social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, what are you waiting for? Recruiters and executive decision makers use those sites on a regular basis to find talent. During the summer, recruiters and decision makers spend a great deal of time surfing online networking sites. They take their laptops with them on vacation, and browse for talent while lounging on the beach. Actively build your Internet presence so key decision makers can find you.Diversify your StrategiesUse multiple strategies to reach executive decision makers. Here are some rapid-fire ideasSpice up your resume with visuals. Highlight your performance with graphs, tables and charts. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Be sure to see my article on developing an executive portfolio in next months newsletter.Target specific executive decision makers, not just an employers HR department, with your resume or executive portfolio.While everyone is using email to contact decision makers, take a step back in time and use old fashioned snail mail. It works particularly with an executive portfolio.Make certain you attend local industry trade associations summer meetings. The lower turnout common at these meetings gives you the opportunity to spend more time with the decision makers who do attend.If you can secure summer interviews, they can be very productive. While the hiring decision might not be made until fall, the company pace frequently slows down and interviews can be more casual. Your potential boss might even be able to spend more time with you in the interview. Its a great time to build relations hips and sell yourself.The summer slowdown is very much like the slowdown during the November and December holidays. Despite the lack of hiring activity during those times, key decision makers are always on the lookout for peak performers. Hiring takes off like a rocket at the end of summer. The job seeker who has been pursuing opportunities during the slowdown will be first on the list when hiring accelerates in September.When summer draws to a close, if you have spent your summer wisely, maintaining a focused, intense job search, you will likely be starting a new opportunity.

5 Things You Might Not Have on Your Resume, But Should

5 Things You Might Not Have on Your Resume, But Should 5 Things You Might Not Have on Your Resume, But Should If youre trying to write an effective resume, here are five things you might not be including, but should add.1. A profile at the top of your resume. Profile sections or summaries have replaced objectives at the top of modern-day resumes. This is a quick list of the highlights of your strengths and experience, summing up in just a few sentences or bullet points who you are as a candidate and what you have to offer. A well-written profile or summary can provide an overall framing of your candidacy, setting the hiring manager up to see the rest of your resume through that lens.2. Accomplishments at each job. If youre like most people, your resume lists what you were responsible for at each job you held but doesnt explain what you actually achieved there. Rewriting your resume to focus on accomplishments will make it far mora effective, and more likely to catch a hiring manager s eye. That means getting rid of lines like managed website and replacing them with lines like increased Web traffic by 15 percent in six months i.e., something that explains how you performed, not just what your job was.3. Volunteer work. Too often, candidates dont mention their volunteer work on their resumes, even when its relevant to the jobs theyre applying for. If you believe that volunteer work doesnt count because you dont get paid for it, think again. Employers want to know about all the experience you have that might be relevant, whether you received pay for it or not. Hiring managers have plenty of stories of nearly rejecting a candidate for lack of experience before discovering that the person simply hadnt mentioned their relevant experience because it had been gained as a volunteer.4. Relevant hobbies and side projects. As with volunteering, too many people neglect to mention relevant experience that theyve gained through hobbies or side projects, mistakenly thinking t hat it doesnt count because its not real work or its just for fun. But to the contrary, it can help flesh out your skills and experience and can demonstrate a passion for the work that paid jobs cant always do. For instance, if youre applying for an IT position and you run an online software discussion group in your spare time, mention that. Or if youre applying for a teaching job and you review childrens books for your website, thats important to mention too. These types of details help paint a stronger picture of you as a candidate.5. Bullet points. Too many job candidates have resumes that are filled with large blocks of text. Hiring managers will only skim your resume initially, and big blocks of text are difficult to skim (not to mention, they often make employers eyes glaze over). An employer will absorb more information about you with a quick skim if your information is arranged in bullet points rather than paragraphs. And after all, thats your goal to have your information read and processed, not to cram as much in as possible.Alison Green writes the popular Ask a Manager blog, where she dispenses advice on career, job search, and management issues. Shes also the co-author of Managing to Change the World The Nonprofit Managers Guide to Getting Results, and former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management, hiring, firing, and employee development.

Business owners control of work-life balance is fine line

Business owners control of work-life balance is fine lineBusiness owners control of work-life balance is fine lineWe live in a society in which people are trying to do more each day. Both work and life are worthy competitors for time. Yet the complex demands of modern society have redefined the notion of work-life balance.Work-life balance has different meanings for different people and is often linked to individual preferences. We interviewed franchised and independent business owners in Australia to understand their work and life priorities.Although not always aware of it, fruchtwein people in small business reconcile competing work and life demands on an ad hoc basis. This is because a variety of reasons motivate small-business ownership.Most owners, however, want control. Being ones own boss, having the freedom to make decisions and determining ones own rewards are key determinants of control. All are important to business owners.Work and life prioritiesRemarkably, only six of th e 30 business owners we interviewed considered work-life balance important when establishing their businesses. Five who had families clearly stated that their desire and ability to allocate time to family drove their choice to be in business.Many owners were unable to articulate where their lives were out of balance, although they expressed concern about having to skip or compromise on family and social activities. They used terms such as time poor, burdened and frustrated to describe their feelings when juggling priorities.Some owners had not connected their state of frustration with their lack of opportunity to allocate time effectively.One saidGetting up to go to work because you want to. Knowing theres a light at the end of the tunnel, knowing youre in control of your own destiny I kid you not, it has been three years of hell.However, many owners admitted not having previously recognised this as a work-life balance issue.This suggests it is highly likely that work-life balance i s a concern for them although they saw it more in terms of excessive work demands rather than forgone opportunities to participate in other esteemed activities.The table below reports the fruchtwein common responses from business owners regarding their attitudes toward work-life balance and prioritising activities.Irrespective of how work, family or community are prioritised in a work-life balance model, interviewees reported a sense of imbalance when they lose control in setting and achieving their priorities.Interestingly, the factors the business owners identified as limiting their opportunity for work-life balance were also those that minimised their discretion when making choices, particularly in allocating their time.This harks back to the need to feel in control, which a business owner articulatedOK, if I was owning a franchise, for example probably I would have to open from 6am until 10pm whether I am busy or not. In my business here, I open from 8am to 5.30pm and there you are. Ive got my own right to shut the business whenever I want and Im there for my kids at home.Control over work versus control over lifeOwnership of a small business provided fruchtwein individuals with greater control over the work aspect of their lives. However, many interviewees felt overwhelmed by the multiplicity of roles or one that dominated others, thus limiting the opportunity to broaden their lives.Some also found it difficult to acknowledge that there are trade-offs. Clearly, there is a need to feel in control of their own lives in whichever role they play.Interviewees felt they were in control when the decisions they choose to make were based on what they wanted to achieve. This implies that work-life balance requires better consideration of the variety of roles at hand, the availability of the resources to make the preferred choices, and a better system to allocate preferences to those roles.Business owners need to understand what they want to achieve, how these obje ctives are prioritised and how to allocate energy to realise these priorities.Many policies designed to enhance work-life balance are employee-focused and do not apply to owners of, say, coffee shops or similar businesses. Access to flexible hours and work conditions, for example, does not apply to businesses with predetermined hours.The use of technology at home has also subliminally extended the workday for many. As such, if location determines work-life balance, then owning one of those small businesses will not improve work-life balance.The traditional notion of work-life balance might be inappropriate for small-business owners. The satisfaction they derive from operating their own business affects how they allocate time and work.In particular, some owners were happy working long hours as they were benefiting and they derived a sense of achievement from self-employment. They felt a sense of control and empowerment over decisions they made about their lives rather than being subj ect to external forces.The independents could only rely on family and staff. Franchisees could leverage a support structure provided by their franchisor. However, many cautioned that inappropriate support or non-delivery of promised support in the franchise system such as being required to attend meetings at the end of a long day often added to the pressure on franchisees.To sum up, business owners have full responsibility for business outcomes. As a result, they find it difficult to remove themselves from the daily operations and enjoy a sense of work-life balance unless they take control of their multiple roles and have reliable support to stand in their shoes.Park Thaichon, Lecturer and Cluster Leader, Relationship Marketing for Impact Research Cluster, Griffith University Sara Quach, Lecturer, Griffith University, and Scott Weaven, Professor and Head, Department of Marketing, Griffith UniversityThis article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original articl e.

Why summer is the best time to ask for a promotion

Why summer is the best time to ask for a versetzungWhy summer is the best time to ask for a promotionAs you are firing up the courage to ask for your promotion, consider the timing of your request. While some of us consider summer to be a time for vacation getaways and summer Fridays, this season may be the best time to hustle and move up in your career, according to a new report fromworkforce analytics company Visier.In its analysis of 3.5 million employees at nearly 80 U.S. companies, Vizier found that summer was the best time to ask for a promotion.When Visier analyzed promotions rates by seasonality, they found that for three years in a row, promotions were 3 to 3.5 percent more likely to occur in the summer, Ian Cook, Visiers Head of Workforce Solutions, told Ladders.Why summer promotions are more likely to happenThe rise of the summer promotion could be due to the tempo of the fiscal calendar. While other seasons of the work year focus external business growth, summer may be th e time to work on internal hiring.Promotions typically follow a performance review cycle, such as reviews in the winter, and raises and promotions locked in during the second quarter, Cook said. In the fall, companies tend to take stock of the year-to-date and complete a financial wrap-up. Theyre creating budgets, making targets, and planning for the upcoming year. Due to this cycle, internal promotions are not top-of-mind for employers. Alternatively, they are focused on how to best prepare the company for the future year.This is an unseen advantage of the summer slump. Your boss may have more time to pay attention to your professional development when they are not being pulled six ways in other directions to fulfill metrics.If youre a young Millennial, the odds of getting a promotion are in your favor, Visier found. Employees ages 25-30 got the most promotions out of any age group, which makes sense since they are in the building years of their career.There is also heartening news for those of us who have been told to bide our time and wait for that career boost to happen. The length of time an employee had been at the company did not necessarily correlate to increased odds of getting a promotion.People who have worked at a company for more than 15 years were the least likely group to receive a promotion, Cook said. The best time for promotion may be by your third year. Thats the time when the odds of a promotion are highest.

Give and Get LinkedIn RecommendationsFind Your Dream Job

Give and Get LinkedIn RecommendationsFind Your Dream JobGive and Get LinkedIn Recommendations- Find Your Dream JobNow that you have expanded your LinkedIn Network (Day 8), it is time to utilize that network to help with your job search. LinkedIn allows contacts to give and receive recommendations, which are then embedded into your LinkedIn profile. Recommendations from clients, colleagues, and supervisors affirming your skills and accomplishments will greatly enhance your profile. Hiring managers searching LinkedIn for job candidates will see these recommendations, which will serve as references in advance, and could help you land an interview. Select Five Contacts Today, your goal is to receive five recommendations from LinkedIn connections. However, to get these recommendations, you first have to give recommendations. Make a list of five of your LinkedIn connections from whom you would like to receive a recommendation. Select people who you believe would give you a favorable re commendation, and who you feel you could also recommend. Preferably, they should be people with whom you have worked. If you cannot think of five ideal people with whom you are already connected on LinkedIn, search LinkedIn for staff at your company or former companies. Give a Recommendation Write a LinkedIn recommendation for each of these five people. Again, make sure you select people for whom you feel you can write a positive recommendation, and whom you know think highly of you as well. Writing this recommendation will likely make each contact want to recommend you as well, out of a sense of gratitude. Request a Recommendation Once you have posted a recommendation on a persons LinkedIn page, send him or her a LinkedIn message explaining that you gave the contact a recommendation. Explain why you chose to give them a recommendation (summarize some of the positive qualities you outlined in the recommendation). Then ask if they might consider writing a recommendation for y ou. Hopefully, they will say yes, knowing that you wrote a recommendation for them. Manage Your Recommendations Once you receive a recommendation, you will get a notification via email and will be able to see the recommendation. If for any reason you do not want the recommendation on your profile, you can choose not to publish it. Exercise Patience Remember, your five connections may choose not to write you a recommendation in response. However, giving a recommendation is the best way to get a recommendation. If you do not receive a recommendation from these connections, consider giving recommendations to other people in your network, and asking them for recommendations in return. You can also simply ask for a recommendation via LinkedIns messaging system. Ask the contact if they feel confident recommending you and if they have the time to do so. This way, they have an out if they feel they cannot give you a recommendation for whatever reason. In your message, be sure to rem ind the person how you are connected (for example, I welches wondering if you would be kind enough to write me a LinkedIn recommendation due to our five years of working together on the XYZ sales team). By giving and requesting recommendations, you will enhance your LinkedIn profile, as well as your chances of standing out to a hiring manager.

What You Need to Know About Veterinary Assistant Resume

What You Need to Know About Veterinary Assistant Resume Veterinary Assistant Resume At this point you understand why customizing your resume is at least as vital as the reasons why you ought to customize your cover letter. At the base of the post, you will locate some suggestions for the work interview. Nevertheless, customizing your resume will turn out to be well worth it. When writing the financial resumes, its important to stick to the essential tips. All About Veterinary Assistant Resume Every dog and cat differs, and I would take additional attention to guarantee the critters were comfortable. After surgery, its the duty of the assistant to keep a close watch on the animals, to observe how well theyre recuperating. Below youll find a veterinary doctor resume sample that youre able to download and edit based on your requirements. Veterinary receptionists do the exact duties as regular front office workers with the distinction they dont only have to fulfill the human cus tomers in a skilled and positive fashion, but in addition diminish the strain of their pets, which are the real customers. Veterinary assistants utilize quite a few technical machinery in their day-to-day tasks, including taking and developing x-rays and cleaning and maintaining other equipment at work. Veterinarian assistants work with veterinarians to offer health services to animals. Whether there are any other veterinary assistant resume tips that youd love to share with the remainder of our readers, dont hesitate to post them in the comments area. Therefore, its critical to talk about the work related abilities at length. There are lots of opportunities to land a veterinary. Some animals might require a bit more strength in order to correctly restrain. Up in Arms About Veterinary Assistant Resume? Assistant resumes should underline the willingness of candidates to help people in any certain profile. Your resume ought to be in a position to highlight your expertise for a receptionist and your capacity to effectively carryout the job duties that will have the position you attempt to obtain. Customizing your resume is an excellent chance for you in order to grab the employers interest. Picking out the veterinary receptionist CV sample is a fantastic way to select the strain from the practice of applying for jobs. Its also vital that you adopt a resume format thats proper for veterinary receptionist applications. If you would like to apply as a receptionist, we can offer you with receptionist resume objectives which you may place in your professional profile. It is essential that you target your veterinary receptionist resume at the specific hirer that you want to convince. A very clear and well-written veterinary technician resume is crucial to landing the job that you desire. Veterinary assistants are active at work, and most tasks need physical skills. Besides that, a veterinary assistant wants a few more skills. At length, the present sala ry vet assistants enjoy is quite competitive with different fields requiring a similar amount of training and experience. The perfect candidate will be happy to learn new abilities and develop their talents as an assistant. An excellent receptionist in veterinary medicine must understand that theres a plethora of names for their position besides receptionist. If youre asking for a specific position, it is far better to create a work application which contains a continue objective towards the top of the extremely first page. The front office position demands stamina well past the normal administrative job. Employers might want to understand more about you and how you will fit in their team. Its possible to discover premium Quality Veterinary Assistant Resume Samples you might utilize to your personal use. The Professional Experience section is arguably among the most important sections. People will have the ability to follow what it is you are presenting much more easily.

Susan Markovic - Makeup Artist, Makeup Educator and Small Business Owner

Susan Markovic - Makeup Artist, Makeup Educator and Small Business Owner Susan Markovic Makeup Artist EducatorPosted September 14, 2017, by Jenny Sakr For the last 33 years, Susan has been creating beautiful faces on models, actresses, brides and more. Despite the early wake-up calls, she has a true passion for what she does and shares herbei love of makeup akrobatry with students of her academy, Makeup Mode. What did you study to become a makeup akrobat? Diploma of Makeup at 3 Arts Makeup Centre What did you want to be when you were younger? Like most young girls around me, I wanted to be a flight attendant when I welches young, during my last year of high school I really didnt know what I wanted to be, but then I thought about makeup artistry. During my makeup course I spent a lot of time doing work experience at the Australian Film School and really got interested in film making and continuity, and almost changed courses.Im glad I didnt What was your first job? After graduating from makeup school I freelanced at the different TV stations. When did you first know you wanted to become a makeup artist? At the end of high school, I thought I would give it a go. But it really became clear to me once I worked on my first photo shoot. Once you experience the exhilaration of being creative on a fashion shoot, you are hooked and there is no turning back Explain a typical day on the job No two days are the same so it makes answering this difficult I have my finger in so many pies, from my school, photo shoots and weddings. Lets focus on a typical weekend with weddings Starting 6 am, I would have travelled either somewhere in Sydney or all the way to Hunter Valley or the Southern Highlands. The average number of people I would work with is 6, and I usually provide my hairstylist for hair as well. This job may finish around 12noon, only to rush back to my studio to start back to back appointments for wedding trials and special occasions. Finish at 5 pm, clean my bru shes/sponges, pack my kit, ready for Sundays wedding and start all over again Whats the most interesting thats happened to you in your career? Ive had the privilege of working with some talented actors and models in my time. I remember being interviewed by Channel 7 about my view on Princess Kates wedding makeup, I was so honoured that they wanted my opinion But the best experience was working on a commercial with the one and only Hollywood starlet, Celeste Holmes. She won an Academy Award for Gentlemens Agreement and worked with Marilyn Monroe and Bette Davies on All About Eve. I was new in the industry and buzzing I didnt expect Celeste to teach me a thing or two about makeup I was about to apply blush on her cheeks, she grabbed my hand to stop me and pulled out her favourite red lipstick and asked that I apply this to her cheeks - it was the way all the Hollywood starlets did it I was nervous but had to obey. Celeste loved the results and I didnt have a heart attack Name the bes t and worst parts of being a makeup artist Best - get to be creative, work for myself and command my own work/life balance, and work with some fabulous creatives as well. Worst - many people expect freebies. They do not value our worth. People dont stop to think that we have to pay bills as well Whats the most important career tip someone has given you? Someone once mentioned, its the hand, not the brand, that creates beautiful looks. Of course products and tools are very important to our work, however with the advent of social media and pushing products like never before, you are throwing away your money if you dont know how to use them properly. What do you wish someone had told you before becoming a makeup artist? That you are a business entity. Its very difficult when 18 year olds do the full-time makeup courses and upon completion do not know what to do next. As a makeup artist, particularly a freelance artist, you are self-employed, you have to promote and push yourself to get out there. You need to wear many hats apart from the artists one..marketing, bookkeeper, PR, IT and social media manager etc. Where do people have to start to become a makeup artist? First, you need to decide what you would like to specialise in? If you would like to be a film/tv/special fx artist then you definitely need to look at the bigger schools offering Cert IV or Diploma in Makeup. If you would like to be a bridal or fashion makeup artist you do not need to spend as much time nor spend the money in a full-time course. Short courses like the one I offer is more than enough. Please realise that once a short course is completed, you are not ready to call yourself a makeup artist There is a process to deem youre competent. Firstly you will need to assist some of the countrys best artists. This may go on for about 1-2 years..sorry Not only do you learn so much from these artists on the job, but you will also be introduced to the leading photographers, models, stylists, hairstyli sts etc... this is called NETWORKING The opportunity will then arise to collaborate on test shoots with photographers, models and stylists. You will build a portfolio and then sell yourself to creative agencies etc. Please note that on many occasions opportunities will arise to work with some of the artists you assist. My best advice, be the best assistant you can possibly be. For advice on this I recommend you read is Deshawn Hatchers book Assisting Rules. What advice would you give to someone wanting to go out on their own and start a small business? You make your own luck What I mean by that is, hard work pays off. When you initially start your own business you will find you wear many hats. You will be the worker, bookkeeper, marketer, promoter etc. So you are constantly thinking of what you need to do next. The luxury of going home on a Friday and not thinking of work until Monday doesnt exist. When its your own, you are thinking/doing business 7 days a week. There will be s et backs, sometimes you will feel youre getting nowhere. Persevere Get advice, familiarise yourself with social media and how you can take advantage of this fabulous tool. Enrol in workshops that allow you to understand the internet, social media, SEO etc. The more you know the less likely you will be taken advantage of Although the above may sound like negatives, they arent, they are the realities. The benefits of starting your own business far outweigh the cons. Being your own boss is great. Over time I have created a perfect work/life balance without sacrificing a decent income. I love my job and can honestly say I wake up looking forward to going to work. No regrets Name a career highlight Definitely, has been opening my own school Makeup Mode Masterclass, now in its 5th year. Im so proud of my academy and am reaping the rewards. Many of my students, (both from my academy and from

Five Tips on How to Inspire your Employees in Challenging Times

Five Tips on How to Inspire your Employees in Challenging TimesFive Tips on How to Inspire your Employees in Challenging TimesFive Tips on How to Inspire your Employees in Challenging Times ShambaughAn effective manager understands that the power of words can transform overwhelmed, challenged employees into powerhouse kollektivs that are resilient, hopeful, and engaged. Leaders of every stripe and sector know that its not just the message you wish to communicate, but the way you do it. It can mean the difference between a committed, firing-on-all-pistons team, or one thats deflated and coasting along.Whether youre giving a keynote speech or sitting in a conference room, make your words count. Here are five ways to inspire your team to reach for achievement.1 Articulate Your VisionTelegraph a can do attitude rather than saying We will try, focus on We Will and We Are. Use a variety of metaphors, stories, symbols and even visual aids, to create a common ground of experience, interests, and dreams. Focus beyond shared values and identity to describe a shared future. Let people know you have the utmost confidence in them to succeed.2 Adapt your Style, but Dont Lose YourselfGood leaders know how to read a situation and adjust their style and communications accordingly. To do so its important to assess a situation or people before engaging in communications or negotiations. Step back and consider the context or situation you are dealing with. For example, if your normal style is a more dominant one and youre approaching someone who has more of a conscientious style or who is from a different culture, youll need to match that level of detail. Come into the conversation exploring all the possibilities be sure you have your facts straight with some proven examples.3 Speak from the HeartThe quickest way to inspire a group is to give of yourself. Express your own values, passions, and emotions when appropriate, which reflects your true self. Its also important to acknowle dge your audiences point of view. Let people know that you have heard them and understand where they are coming from. Its also vital to reference the history of working together, progress you have made and the common principles and goals you share. This will enable your listeners to feel comfortable and committed to your message.4 Communicate by Watching and ListeningMuch of our message is delivered via non-verbal communication our body language, our voices, the subtle cues that create the message. Youll also want to be aware of and respond to cues from your audience. Are they engaged, defensive, confused by what youre saying? Watch their body language, eye contact and any other non-verbal cues. Another way to communicate is to simply listen to your audience. Do so with empathy and compassion so that you can observe your audiences true feelings. Paraphrase and summarize what you heard. Repeat back to the person in your own words what you understand they are telling you.5 Tell It Li ke It Is Speaking the truth is a critical attribute for leaders to demonstrate, particularly during challenging or unfortunate times. Many studies site the number one quality of a leader as integrity and honesty. Consistency in both words and actions creates trust and honesty. Integrity means that, as a strong leader, you have the courage to stand up for a set of important principles and beliefs, even when the message is in conflict with what others what to hear. Always consider the consequences of not having the hard conversation which may ultimately make things more difficult. Be your own critic before you make your speech. Challenge your own assumptions make sure you are well prepared avoid painting a rosy picture or glossing over facts. Doing so will create a sense of uninformed optimism which can decrease the amount of trust and respect that others have of you as a leader.Author BioRebecca Shambaugh is the founder and CEO of Shambaugh Leadership in Washington, DC.She is the au thor of The Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton.

How to Handle an Informal Interview

How to Handle an Informal InterviewHow to Handle an Informal InterviewLike many workplaces, job interviews are transitioningtoamore casualfeel. Instead of a structured, formal interview in a conference room, many hiring managers now begin with a low-key, informal conversation. Hiring managers or recruiters mayinvite candidates out for a cup of coffee, for instance, and instead of calling it an interview, the conversation may be framed as an exploratory orinformational session. Informal interviews are particularly common when hiring managers are actively recruiting a candidate. For candidates, this more casual interview style can present a new set of challenges What should you wear?What should you bring?How should you behave? Learn why informal interviews are growing in popularity and how to ace the experience. Whyare Informal Interviews aGrowingTrend? One common reason an employer will opt for an informal interview is that theyre mucksmuschenstill formulating the exact structure of the job. By meeting with a wide variety of candidates, without a specific job description, employers can use what they learn from informal interviews to flesh out the exact responsibilities and expectations for the role. Alternatively, employers may go this route because funding is too tentative to begin formal interviewing.The company mayevenbe considering another role for the current job holder andthereforewant to explore alternative talent before moving forward with reassignment or firing. Inthecaseofexecutive recruiters, theymay simply be trying to source talent for future clients. Preparing for a Casual Interview Get ready for a conversation, coffee date, or any other casual interview in the same thorough way youdprepare for a more formal, traditional job interview. Conduct extensiveresearch on the organizationand its products and/or services, challenges, achievements, and competition.Be ready to discuss yourcareer pathand long-term goals and to itemize assets and streng ths that have helped you add value to various projects and roles.Be prepared to cite specific examples andto tell stories that demonstratethe actionsyouve taken and theresults youvegenerated.Just as you would at a formal interview, you should have ideas for how youd fit into the company and what positive role you could playthere. What to Wear Because this is an informational meeting, you dont need to dress inprofessional interview attireunless thats what you usually wear to work. Otherwise,business casualorstart-up casualattire, depending on your industry, is appropriate. Of course, even if your clothing is a bit more casual, you should still wear an outfit that is clean and thatwould be appropriate in the office of the company. That way, your appearance wont distract yourinterviewerfrom your qualifications. What to Bring Bring some extra copies of your resume yourbusiness card, if you have one and a portfolio with a pad and pen so thatyou can take notes. What to Ask the Recruiter One advantage of a less formal interview is that you can ask some questions early on to learn more about prospective opportunities since you may not have been given a formaljob description. Asking questions like, Can you tell me a bit more about why youve reached out to me? or Youve mentioned some potential changes in your operationscan you tell me more abouthow someone like me might fit into that picture? will help you to develop a clearer idea of which of your assets might best meet the employers needs. It will also help clarify foryouwhether you are interested in the job. On-the-Spot Offers In some cases, you may end up being offered a job on the spot or very shortly after yourmeeting. One job seeker, for example, progressed from getting a LinkedIn katechese about opportunities at a company to having a cup of coffee with a hiring manager to getting a job offer from the CEOthree days later. When the fit is right, interviewers are often eager to lock in a candidate. If the recruiter surprises you with a specific opportunity, be prepared to express your excitement and appreciation, but know that you can reserve the right to process that new information and get back to them in the near future. Dont feel compelled to make a decision about whether to pursue the job on the spot. Watch What You Say One danger of an informal meeting is the tendency to speak too freely. Even if recruiters seem down to earth or liketheyaretrying to sell you on a company, pleasenotethatthey will stilltake note of what you say or do and factor it into their assessment. Withthisinmind,never say anything negative about a colleague, former supervisor, or former employer. Keep things on a professional level even if the recruiter seems to have let his or her hair down. Its also a good idea to ask the recruiter to keep the meeting confidential sothat you dont jeopardize your current job. That should be understood, but its better to be sure that word of your meeting doesnt get back to your present employer. Information Gathering Some recruiters will use informal meetings to pick your brain about other potential candidates, especially if they sense that their opening is not appropriate for you. Gather as much information about the job as possible, but refrain from sharing any of your contactsnames until you clear it with them. Your contacts may have a reason that they dont want to affiliate with a particular recruiter or appear to be in job-hunt mode. Who Pays When youre invited to meet with a recruiter for a cup of coffee or a meal, they will pick up the tab. Theres no need to offer to pay. Do say thank you to the recruiter or hiring manager, though. Follow Up after the Meeting Ask the person you met for his or her business card sothat you have the information you need to follow up. Its important tofollow up after the meeting, especially if you sense that there will be viable opportunities available through the recruiter. Since a primary g oal for their meeting may have been to feel you out in terms of your interest level, make sure that your follow-upemail or letter clearly affirms your interest in exploring things further, if that is the case. If you have learned about a specific job or role that appeals to you, mention a few discrete strengths that might allow you to add value tothecompany. If the recruiter has hinted at any reservations or anyareas of your background that didnt quite fit, try to supplythemwith information that would counter those concerns. Even if you arent interested in the company, send a briefthank-you note. Also,invite the recruiter to connect with you on LinkedInif you arent already connected. A quick cup of coffee could turn into a future employment opportunity, even if the timing and job arent agoodfitright now. Key Takeaways Informal interviews are increasingly popular Even if its referred to as a casual coffee date, its wise to prepare beforehand just as you would for an interview.No need to wear a suit mora casual attire is acceptable, but make sure your outfit is clean and officeappropriate.Follow up afterward Even if the conversation is not going to lead to a more formal interview, its good networking practice to connect on LinkedIn andto send afollow-up email after the meeting.

Land the Interview With Our Accountant Resume Template for Word

Land the einstellungsgesprch With Our Accountant Resume Template for WordLand the Interview With Our Accountant Resume Template for WordIntroductionIn a fast Qualified accountant with 10 years of experience in payroll and accounts payable and receivableDetailMaster of Business Administration in Accounting 2009Long Island University, New York, NYBachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy 2008Baruch College The City University of New York, New York, NY