Pink Tennis Shoes and Resumes

Pink Tennis Shoes and Resumes By Jacqui Barrett-PoindexterI recently bought a pair of (hot-pink) Nike tennis shoes. I researched, consulted with the sports store pros and tried on several pairs to ensure a confident purchasing decision.On the heels of a focused 12-month exercise and fitness journey that has reinforced the value of strong, capable footwear, I needed to ensure a thoughtful investment. This decision would impact my five-day-per-week workout regimen involving 50-minute sessions lunging, jumping and bending where my feet took on the brunt of pressure. This was an investment in future health.Similarly, when careerists decide to invest in a new resume and career portfolio, they should understand and research the value of hiring a strong, capable writing strategist who will design muscular stories that will sustain them during an active, often rigorous job search. The resume is the foundation for a healthy future career and shortchanging on that critical communications content will weaken future initiati ves.After narrowing down my purchase between two pairs of Nikes, I strove to convince myself that the navy blue pair were a better fit. In reality, the brighter, hot-pink shoes were more amenable to comfort and long-lasting, enduring support. I based this on feel as well as listeningreally hearingwhat my fitness professional was telling me.With one eyebrow raised,  I succumbed to the brighter duo. It didnt take long for me to embrace my new colorful feet; in fact, they have added a bit of a bounce to my step and attitude, and I actually prefer these more animated shoes to my prior, boring set. [Side note, as Im writing this post, my friend and resume writer, Julie Walravens post that emphasizes the value of color in resumes floated by. Youll want to check it out, HERE.]Similarly, careerists, when vetting out a resume partner, consider fit first and foremost. What, or who, will serve your foundational needs? Step outside the box of traditional beliefs as to what your resume should l ook like, the content should sound like, the length should be like, and succumb to what is presented to you as the optimal solution to your burning career needs.  Step outside of your frame and allow yourself to feel a bit vulnerable.Now, after I introduced my new, hot-pink shoes to my work-out, doubts crept in. They didnt feel the same as my last pair. My feet hurt. They were slipping off of my heels during critical movements and lunges. I adjusted the lacing; I tried different socks; I complained to my husband. But I didnt want to give them up. Something told meintuition, I guessthat these were my new workout partners, and to continue adjusting and adapting.Careerist, does this sound familiar? Have you hired a professional resume writer only to later squirm at the results, doubting your decision? The verbiage is too colorful (e.g., Captained vs. Directed); its not how I would speak about myself; its too long; it hurts to think about using this. I want my old, comfortable resume b ack, even though it was worn out and no longer performing.So, a couple of more weeks passed, and I still was unclear if my new shoes would break in and become a permanent fitness fixture. Discovering better ways to lace them up; finding  an overlooked hole in the top of the shoes that would help bolster the fit; and simply allowing time to soften the structure up a bit and mold the tennies around my feet and toes made me a believer. Patience was key in allowing my shoes time to meld with my feet and body and their new, active role.I love my new, invigorating shoes now, and I am well on my way to shaving off more inches as I build new muscle. Letting go of control, stepping outside of my comfort zone and building my momentum with the best tools available are integral to my future fitness success. It also required patience, and giving my new shoes time to perform.Likewise, careerist, if you want to steer your career forward, you must consider a more contemporary, rejuvenating route t o get to your destination. Invest in what fits your future, not what is dragging down your present. Then, apply patience, giving your new, disruptive marketing vehicles opportunity to perform. Instead of lulling the reader to sleep with the same old, cardboard, plain-vanilla message, mobilize your goals by trustingand displaying confidence ina fresh, value-focused message that energizes the reader!To read how others have invested themselves into my revitalizing professional process and their record of results, click HERE.  My team and I are available to help this be your year of career transformation!

How To Increase Your Visibility Networking Quietly - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Increase Your Visibility Networking Quietly - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You’re not ready to go public with your job search, but you want to cultivate higher visibility in your industry and grow your connections to key decision-makers. Before you go pasting on nametags three times a week, take a couple of lesson in stealth networking. Then consider how your career moves will look to your current boss, and what you’ll say if she asks you why you’ve been so active on the professional meeting circuit lately. “You don’t want to look sneaky,” said Susan Joyce, publisher of the site Job-Hunt.org. Neither do you want to end up fired for active job hunting â€" and that does happen occasionally. (Unless they have an employment contract or a union contract, most workers can be fired at will for any reason or no reason.) “Just do good networking in support of your job” and your employer, Joyce said. The more the networking can be an outgrowth or an add-on to your job, the more it seems natural and easy to manage. You’ll need other strategies though to stay in stealth mode, including these: Create careful replies to key questions. Plan good answers for coworkers and people you meet at networking events when they ask: So why are you looking for a new job? Or what’s behind all that schmoozing? If you work in a field that is in flux, you could say something like: “Given the uncertainty in this industry, it’s wise to keep your eyes open for possible Plan B opportunities.” Or “I’m not actively looking, just looking to build my circle of connections.” Or you could craft a sentence or two that indicates how much you appreciate your current assignment or boss, but you’re concerned both could be about to change dramatically.   Once you’ve come up with a couple of statements and practiced them and polished them so they are clear, professional and positive, you will never be ambushed by a nosy co-worker who asks why you’re suddenly so interested in professional association meetings or what kind of job you’re seeking.   If they’ve guessed that you are active ly seeking a job at a company, ask them to keep it to themselves. Create a job search group.  In her book Wishcraft, Barbara Sher calls them success teams. They’re a group, usually six to eight people, who are collaborating to achieve similar goals, or sometimes quite different ones. Joyce suggests creating one for people who are all starting to seek new jobs. Then be sure to meet on off hours and not use any company resources for your group. Volunteer to go to chamber meetings. This works especially well at a smaller company. It will help your employer become better known, and possibly bring in new business and it will “raise your own personal visibility” too, said Joyce. This is a good assignment to request even if you’re not in sales, as long as you can genuinely promote your employer. Develop a second business card. In the Boston area they’re called networking cards and they omit your employer’s name or address and give your personal email and contact information instead, Joyce said. “Sometimes it’s more appropriate to give that out,” she said. And sometimes, you may give out your work card and your professional networking card to the same person. Create a research project.   In a post on Yellow Brick Road, career transitions coach Darrell Gurney suggests this stealth networking approach: Come up with an aspect of your industry that you want to delve into; then arrange meetings with leaders to learn from them. Ask some questions about their experiences, then go into “some carefully prepared questions on a very granular level.” This creates relationships and referrals, which could lead to work. Stay on your own laptop and time. Do not use your professional email address or work time to set up coffee dates or send thank you notes. Your employer may monitor your email, your web usage and even voicemail messages left for you, Joyce said. Carefully raise your personal visibility. Join a professional association committee. Develop a strong LinkedIn profile and start using other social media sites too.   But do this slowly, and gradually so it doesn’t raise questions, Joyce said. And watch what you post on LinkedIn.   Sometimes even asking questions about job search or possible openings in a job search group can be spotted by someone else at your employer. The key is to be low-key and professional in your networking, and also make sure you’re working first for your current employer and exceeding expectations there. If your boss wouldn’t give you an excellent recommendation and your coworkers are bellyaching about your absences, all the networking and brand-building in the world will not compensate. Author: Vickie Elmer regularly contributes articles on careers and small business to the Washington Post. She has collected a slew of journalism awards, large and small. Her career and workplace articles also have appeared in Fortune, Parents, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, the Financial Times, the Chicago Tribune, Newsday and many more. She blogs and tweets under the moniker WorkingKind.

The Three Most Awesome and Horrible People on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Three Most Awesome and Horrible People on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Not all social media users are created equal. While some people attract desired social media connections in droves, others repel even before a contact accepts a connection/friend request. Three Most Awesome People on Social Media The Entertainer The Entertainer consistently puts a smile of the face of her connections and followers. Her posts may or may not consist of much substance, but they get plenty of views and stand out from the noise. Entertainer posts may include jokes, funny video snippets or inspiring items. This social media connection has the ability to start hilarious or highly intriguing conversations on their posts. The Informer You visit The Informer’s profile whenever you want to keep up with current events, learn industry trends or other useful information. Informers are content curators and act as an information filter, saving their connections time. The Influencer The Influencer is typically a combination of The Entertainer and The Informer. This person posts useful information and knows how to engage an audience and drive action. Influencers don’t simply share useful posts, they add their own spin, give practical applications and generally shorten the learning curve for their audience. Three Most Horrible People on Social Media The Bad Clown This person thinks of himself as The Entertainer, but in reality posts things that many would deem inappropriate like game requests, crass comments and snarky statements about people who do not share his beliefs. Warning: When using humor online, there is a very thin line between being The Entertainer and The Bad Clown. Be cautious of what you post to ensure you do not damage your personal brand. The Misinformer The Misinformer want to scare everyone into action, help us live a healthier life, or ignite our rage against an injustice. However, unfortunately, this person doesn’t realize that The Onion is satire, has no idea what Snopes.com is, and never googles an article before sharing it, no matter how suspicious or outrageous the claims may be. Over time, this person loses all credibility, but never realizes it. If someone points out that a post is false, The Misinformer keeps it up because it “could” be true or it is similar to another real event. Incognito While it may or may not bother you to have an Incognito in your social media circles, they’re still one of the worst people on social media because Incognito is not making use of valuable opportunities to build relationships. If this person feels especially active, she may “like” a post. Otherwise, she simply lurks. There are no pictures of herself on her profiles and she creates no posts. She’s just taking up space and completely ignoring the purpose of social media. Which social media personality are you?

The Perfect Tips to Get An Ideal Job

The Perfect Tips to Get An Ideal Job There it is â€" there’s that deflating feeling as another rejection email pings your inbox. You’ve applied to over a 100 jobs, watched what feels like a billion hours of afternoon telly, reworked your CV in countless ways, but still no one wants to hire you. Is this becoming nothing more than a fool’s errand? Indeed, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never get the job you want, and keeping yourself motivated can be a difficult feat if you’re receiving an endless screed of rejections every other day. But there are a ton of ways that you can improve your prospects, so clamber off that settee, take a deep breath and see if these tips will help you gain your dream position. Get an agency involved If you’re sitting alone all day, desperately trying to think of a new angle to find a job, then you’ll probably hit a brick wall at some point. It’s pretty difficult to come up with new options when you feel like you’re never going to come up trumps again. That’s where you get an employment agency involved. Agencies, Michael Page being a perfect example, will take your CV, find you a good match for the employment opportunity you deserve. More than this, a decent agency will provide loads of tips and interview techniques to bolster your chances of employment. Make your hobbies count Everyone has a favourite hobby or pastime, but if you love nothing more than sitting in your pants, eating Tangy Cheese Doritos and ploughing through box sets of Game of Thrones, you probably won’t want to share it with any potential employers. Try to find a few hobbies that are relevant to the job you’re looking for or, otherwise, make you look like an active and industrious individual. That way, you can slip a few of these hobbies into your interview to make you look like the go-getting sort who isn’t on a 24-hour cycle of laziness. Get a list of contacts You’ve got the right websites sorted, an agency to help you and a barrelful of hobbies to push your positive attributes on an employer. But have you got a friend on the inside to help you out? By building up a list of contacts in your businesses of choice, you’ll increase the likelihood of making it into your dream industry. With the advances in social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, collecting a decent list of contacts has been made easier than ever before. More than this, these people could potentially post job opportunities on their sites before anyone else can get their hands on them, putting you ahead of the queue. So, reach out to these industry bright sparks and you might just find yourself consigning your afternoon TV viewing habits to a past better forgotten.

How to Get Through a Workday on No Sleep CareerMetis.com

How to Get Through a Workday on No Sleep Even though the benefits of solid 8 hours of sleep per night have been proven by, like, a million studies, there are days when we can’t get any sleep at all, no matter how hard we try.And the worst thing is, we still have to deal with our life, work, and everything else, which could be quite challenging even after just one sleepless night.evalThankfully, the tips below have got you covered. Try some of them, and you will make it through even the roughest workday.1) Sit by the WindowevalIf you have your office desk located by the window, your problem is almost solved.Natural sunlight is the most powerful circadian rhythm regulator, so getting exposed to it will make you more alert. It can alsolower the chances of getting stress-induced insomniathe next night.Another reason to sit near the window is that you can open it and get some fresh air. Studies prove that high levels of carbon dioxide can be linked to drowsinessdue to hypoxia, and may even lead to fainting in some cases. If yo ur workplace isn’t properly ventilated, your drowsiness caused by a bad night can get worse. So,letting more fresh air in will help you stay more concentrated and focused during the day.You can take a walk at the lunch break for the same effect. Along with exposing yourself to the sun and fresh air, mild physical activity can also make you feel more energetic.2) Resist Over-Processed FoodsHaving no sleep at night means that your body hasn’t had time to properly absorb nutrients and replenish energy levels. And the brain â€" the organ that takes the biggest share of glucose among all â€" will suffer the most.Have you ever noticed any cravings for deep-fried foods or sugary dessertsafter a night of poor sleep? That’s the way your brain tells you it needs energy. Sweet foods are an excellent source of fast carbohydrates, and deep-fried fat meals are perceived as the most filling option.evalTop it with the fact that sleep deprivation elevates the levels of ghrelin, our hunger horm one, and you will see where all the urges to visit the vending machine or get a Big Mac for lunch root from.Bottom line?If you didn’t manage to get good sleep, prepare your lunch meal at home and pack it with you. Opt for such foods as lean meat, fatty fish, veggies, and whole-grain bread or porridge, all processes as little as possible. Alternatively, you can try to find some time to meal prep on weekends so that you’ll always have your lunch-to-go. This will also save you a few bucks on lunch at the restaurants near the office.3) Manage StressEven a single night without sleep can wreak havoc on your hormonal system. The first negative consequence of insufficient sleep is the elevated level of cortisol, your stress hormone.evalBecause, you know, a lack of sleep is a huge stress for your system.Now, cortisol overload has a lot of unpleasant symptoms, including:racing heart;elevated blood pressure;difficulty paying attention;focusing on bad thoughts.Actually, the impulsive eating behavior mentioned earlier is also linked to the increased cortisol levels.So, if you need to make it through the day, having a few proven ways to wind downin your pocket won’t hurt. A 5-minute guided meditation session or deep controlled breathing exercises typically work best and areeasy enough to perform right at your desk. If there’s a gym in your office, you could use that too. A simple short workout during the lunch break can do wonders, really.And don’t forget to take some time to relax after working hours. The inability to switch off the thoughts about work can result in anxiety-driven insomnia, which can become chronic and result in more nights without sleep.Thankfully, there are many science-backed techniques to switch off your brain after workand help it relax. You can choose the one to your liking or come up with your own soothing method; the goal here is to stick to it daily.4) Revise Your BedNow, if your wandering around the office like a zombie after a night wi thout sleep is becoming a regular thing, maybe your bed is to blame,literally.Here’s what you need to check to find out if it’s your case:Is your mattress old? Beds older than 7 years 5) Plan Out Your Schedule If you’re sleep-deprived, you hardly have enough power to work at your usual pace. But you’d a better hurry, and here’s why.Even your sleep-deprived brain has some sort of productivity window you can stay more or less focused within. Some sleep experts suggest that it opens up about an hour after awakening and closes a couple of hours after, giving you enough time to get the most important things done. After that, you can take on tasks that don’t require your full dedication and work through them at a slower pace.If there’s anything you can delegate to your subordinate or kindly ask your co-worker to do for you, do that. However, be careful with determining which tasks can be delegated and which have the top priority.6) Use Caffeine StrategicallyCaffeinated bever ages are the easiest way to get through the working day after a sleepless night.But make sure that you consume them wisely.evalThe invigorating effect of caffeine lies in its ability to bind with the adenosine receptorsin your brain. Adenosine is one of the main inhibitory neurotransmitters and its job is to induce sleepiness. After sleep, the levels of adenosine drop and you feel energetic. With caffeine, though, you only feel energetic while it inhibits adenosine.Here’s how you can make the most of your caffeine boost:Split your intake into small doses. It’s better to drink a small cup of americano every 3-4 hours than a Grande Flat White with double espresso at once. With small servings, you can maintain a stable level of caffeine in your blood and hence, be consistently alert.Do not drink coffee past 4 p.m. The thing is, even though caffeine reaches its peak concentration after 1-2 hours after ingestion, it has about 6 hours of half-life, meaning that six hours after you dri nk your last cup, you’ll still have half of that caffeine in your system. So, if you’re a late-night coffee drinker, be no more.Avoid additives. Syrups and whipped cream are good-tasting additives, but they can have some unwanted calories, making your blood sugar levels pop up, which results in even more pronounced sleepiness.Finally, if your work requires you to make big decisions or involves a ton of strategic thinking, it’s better to press pause until you get your portion of healthy sleep. The thing is, being sleep-deprived, you will hardly come up with any reasonable solutions. In fact, your ideas might even harm the company.So, work at a relaxed pace and postpone the important stuff until you return to your normal functioning. And what’s most important â€" do not let sleep deprivation become a regular part of your life. It’s detrimental not only for your career but for your health overall.