When I first graduated from business school, I leveraged our school's alumni network to seek advice on securing my first job. One successful businessperson I spoke to advised that starting a blog would be one of the best things I could do to advance in my career. Looking back, I completely agree with this advice. Building a blog is one of the best tools for getting started and advancing in your career field. If you don't have a personal blog yet, I hope to provide some concrete reasons in this article on why you must start one today. 1. Personal Branding The idea of the personal brand that was coined by Tom Peters in 1997 has been greatly accelerated by the Internet which connects everyone and provides a platform for easy self publishing of content that can be broadcast to a large audience for free. By producing great content on your blog, you will establish an online presence that will strengthen your personal brand. For example, Dan Schawbel created a blog called The Personal … [Read more...] about 5 Ways a Personal Blog Can Boost Your Career
Things to Leave Off a Resume
Most people get so wrapped up in what they should be putting on their resume that they don’t think about the things that should be left off. This is similar to preparing for an interview. You may have answers thought out that you have recited in your head, but they may be turning an employer off. Things that you think are hot buttons are not necessarily what employers are looking for. Updating Your Resume It is always a good time to update your resume. Most people wait until they are in a position that demands applying for a new job to even think about making changes. Unfortunately, when you are in a situation like this, you will likely spruce up a few words, add new experience and that’s about it, because you are in a hurry to get it out there. Ideally, you will take the time to update your resume on a regular basis. Look for Missing Skills – You may find that by looking over your resume, you will notice that something is missing. This could be a skill that you neglected to add, … [Read more...] about Things to Leave Off a Resume
Why Asking for Help Helps Your Career
Most people are under the impression that asking for help will make them look incompetent, or hurt their career in some way, but this is absolutely false. Of course, if you are constantly asking for help because you are lazy or lacking time management skills, this is a different story. However, if you are asking for help because you want to learn, or come up with solutions or improvements, requesting help will likely make you look like quite a valuable employee. When to Ask for Help If you are trying to impress your boss, you need to know when you should and should not ask for help. After all, it would be pretty embarrassing to have that new hire showing you how to change the toner in the copy machine. Your questions need to be appropriate, and timing is everything. Project Details – If you are not sure of project details, always ask for help. It shows that you are eager to make sure every aspect of the project is handled properly. However, if your boss took the time … [Read more...] about Why Asking for Help Helps Your Career
How to Shine on LinkedIn
As a professional, if you are not making use of LinkedIn, you are missing out. This is a powerful platform with more than 120 million members. If you just read that and instantly felt left out, that’s a perfectly natural reaction. It’s frustrating to know that millions of others may be getting a head while you are stuck in a rut, all because you are not making use of your resources. The good news is that whether you are just now joining LinkedIn or if you simply haven’t used the platform to its full potential, you can change this quite quickly. First Things First The most important thing you will do is take the time to fill in your profile as thoroughly as you possibly can. By doing this, you increase your visibility and provide the site with the information that it needs to make appropriate recommendations to you. This is also why being honest is crucial. This is a platform that will truly benefit your professional career, if you are honest about everything. Even if you are not … [Read more...] about How to Shine on LinkedIn
Don’t Hoard Vacation Days!
There are many people who still think that hoarding their vacation days is the best way to go. So, if this sounds like you, rest-assured tha you are not alone in your thinking. Unfortunately, just because a lot of people are doing it, does not make it right. It is estimated that billions of dollars are forfeited every year in vacation time because employees either quit or lose their time, they wait until the last minute when they can’t use them because others are on vacation, or they are scared of job security so they do take them. This just isn’t right. Plan Ahead One of the most important things you can do to avoid burnout and keep yourself healthy, is plan ahead for vacation. When you wait until the last minute, there is a good chance that you may not be able to take the time. If you plan on hoarding all your time to take over the holiday, you better hope you are not fighting everyone else for the same time off. There is nothing worse than forfeiting time because you waited too … [Read more...] about Don’t Hoard Vacation Days!
How to Sell Yourself and Land Your Dream Job
Whether you call it networking, schmoozing or just being personable, it all boils down to one thing when you’re applying for job: You have to sell yourself. And surprisingly, it’s not that different than selling any other product of service. You have to know what you’re selling, be confident that it can help the person, and know how to talk about it without coming across as bragging. In fact, applying for a job is one of the first opportunities that you’ll have to brush up on your selling skills because more likely than not, when you have that job, you’re going to have to sell something at one point or another. Now is the perfect time to hone your selling skills, and here are five steps you can use to land your dream job and get practice for your future career. Network This can’t be stressed enough. Looking good on paper is only going to get you so far. You have to know people. Use any contacts that you’ve made throughout school or previous jobs to be your extra eyes and ears in the … [Read more...] about How to Sell Yourself and Land Your Dream Job
5 Recommended Books for Building a Professional Network
We hear it all the time, and for good reason: networking is the most important tool you’ll ever use. The short story is that, at its core, business is about people talking to people. Sure, technology has removed the need to get up close and personal for a growing percentage of today’s business transactions, but it’s still about relationships and establishing contact. One of the best ways to make lasting connections in any industry is to engage in networking. The term “networking” covers a lot of ground, from business retreats to industry conventions, but there’s no need to pigeonhole it. It is, however, important to do it. And, with that in mind we take a look at five books that can help you grow your professional network. 1. The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career LinkedIn is a pioneering tool in the world of networking that combines the draw of social media with the utility of a professional networking hub. Cofounder Reid Hoffman … [Read more...] about 5 Recommended Books for Building a Professional Network
How Outdoor Activities Benefit Your Career Success
With the buzz created around outdoor activities, many people without thinking, may conclude that it is another high end product or perhaps has some special requirements. But these are not always the truth. Simple outdoor activities like climbing a mountain, riding a bike, hiking, walking, swimming and many others, are not only fun but provide untold additional benefits for our physical health, emotional health and balance, intellectual performance and of course, a healthy social lifestyle.Benefits of Outdoor Activities Physical Health and Balance: Experts have proven that effective outdoor activities, like hiking, canoeing and numerous other physical activities promote healthy heart performance and provide muscular fitness. Emotional Balance: Adequate participation in outdoor recreational activities has been identified as the major source for improved self-esteem, stress reduction, confidence, creativity stimulation, spiritual growth, and a balanced sense of … [Read more...] about How Outdoor Activities Benefit Your Career Success
5 Career Lessons From Jersey Shore
You either love the Jersey Shore or you hate it. Its critics say that the show provides nothing of value, just senseless partying, hooking up, and drama. Its fans say that that’s why it so addicting! Furthermore, who would have thought that the show can be the basis for 5 valuable career lessons? Brand Yourself Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino is known for his six pack abs and his large, yet funny, ego. DJ Pauly D is never shown DJing on the show. Regardless, his stereotypical guido looks and likability have made him one of the most sought after DJs in the US. Career Lesson: Differentiate your resume and in your interviews by focusing on numbers and results. What do you have that very few of your competition have? It may not be a bulging biceps, but it may be impressive sales. Have Fun Each cast member of the Jersey Shore gets paid $100,000 per episode to have 2 month long vacations, while the average American gets 14 days of vacation per year, or less. Career Lesson: The … [Read more...] about 5 Career Lessons From Jersey Shore
Top 8 Healthcare Occupations Offering On-The-Job Training
Perhaps your ambitions do not include heading off to college after high school. After all, a bachelor's degree simply isn’t for everyone. Or perhaps you have thought about attending college, but it just isn’t in the cards for you for one reason or another. But now what do you do to earn a living? Simply put, you need to find a career that will train you on-the-job, but you don’t want to this career to entail working at the local hamburger stand. You want a reputable career that you can take pride in. And thankfully, not all good careers require years of further schooling. You may have wondered about your prospects in the world of healthcare. After all, medicine is becoming more and more advanced every day. Sure, careers in healthcare can be prestigious and offer long-term job security, but not many people have the time, finances, or educational background needed in order to enter medical school. But what you may not know is that there are many entry-level healthcare positions out … [Read more...] about Top 8 Healthcare Occupations Offering On-The-Job Training