Happy January 13th! Guess whats special about today

Happy January 13th! Guess whats special about today Today, three years ago, was the last day at the company that laid me off.   It was Friday the 13th, 2006. I found out on Monday that I was going to be terminated.   I got a severance, nothing near what many get but the company thought it was pretty generous. I was asked to stay on during the week to transition the new guy in, who I had actually replaced just 18 months earlier.   It’s an awkward experience to transition somebody in, especially if they already know pretty much everything about the products, clients, finances, etc.   The guy was a 40% owner, and had been very actively involved even after he left the company 18 months earlier. Mostly I spent the first two or three days looking for my last resume, which was about six years old.   It was nowhere to be found, so I went online and downloaded a few templates to use.   Finally I decided to use my dad’s resume which he had paid to have done.   It was fancy with a lot of impressive words on it (this proved to be a mistake in an interview I had later). I also called to find out about unemployment, which I learned I should apply for right away, but it wouldn’t pay out until my severance ran out.   I was sure I’d have another job by then.   I half-heartedly applied for unemployment.   Yeah, it was a humiliating thing to do.   I had spent too much time and money building my resume to have to go to the government for piddly help. I spent time calling my university to find out the exact dates I graduated (I have an undergrad and a graduate degree from the same school), and what the exact names of the degrees where.   I didn’t want to get in trouble for resume fraud, which was a hot topic in the news at the time. I was anxious to get my resume polished so I could do the most effective thing possible: post it on job boards.   I was sure once it went on job boards the calls would come in.   This would be my (failed) silver-bullet strategy. I was scared, relieved, excited, embarrassed, hopeful and anxious.   Probably a few more emotions, too. Looking back now, I should have been grateful for getting laid-off.   Even now, three years later, I’m not quite ready to go back and thank the people who kicked me in the teeth, er, laid me off. Maybe next year. Happy January 13th! Guess whats special about today Today, three years ago, was the last day at the company that laid me off.   It was Friday the 13th, 2006. I found out on Monday that I was going to be terminated.   I got a severance, nothing near what many get but the company thought it was pretty generous. I was asked to stay on during the week to transition the new guy in, who I had actually replaced just 18 months earlier.   It’s an awkward experience to transition somebody in, especially if they already know pretty much everything about the products, clients, finances, etc.   The guy was a 40% owner, and had been very actively involved even after he left the company 18 months earlier. Mostly I spent the first two or three days looking for my last resume, which was about six years old.   It was nowhere to be found, so I went online and downloaded a few templates to use.   Finally I decided to use my dad’s resume which he had paid to have done.   It was fancy with a lot of impressive words on it (this proved to be a mistake in an interview I had later). I also called to find out about unemployment, which I learned I should apply for right away, but it wouldn’t pay out until my severance ran out.   I was sure I’d have another job by then.   I half-heartedly applied for unemployment.   Yeah, it was a humiliating thing to do.   I had spent too much time and money building my resume to have to go to the government for piddly help. I spent time calling my university to find out the exact dates I graduated (I have an undergrad and a graduate degree from the same school), and what the exact names of the degrees where.   I didn’t want to get in trouble for resume fraud, which was a hot topic in the news at the time. I was anxious to get my resume polished so I could do the most effective thing possible: post it on job boards.   I was sure once it went on job boards the calls would come in.   This would be my (failed) silver-bullet strategy. I was scared, relieved, excited, embarrassed, hopeful and anxious.   Probably a few more emotions, too. Looking back now, I should have been grateful for getting laid-off.   Even now, three years later, I’m not quite ready to go back and thank the people who kicked me in the teeth, er, laid me off. Maybe next year. Happy January 13th! Guess whats special about today Today, three years ago, was the last day at the company that laid me off.   It was Friday the 13th, 2006. I found out on Monday that I was going to be terminated.   I got a severance, nothing near what many get but the company thought it was pretty generous. I was asked to stay on during the week to transition the new guy in, who I had actually replaced just 18 months earlier.   It’s an awkward experience to transition somebody in, especially if they already know pretty much everything about the products, clients, finances, etc.   The guy was a 40% owner, and had been very actively involved even after he left the company 18 months earlier. Mostly I spent the first two or three days looking for my last resume, which was about six years old.   It was nowhere to be found, so I went online and downloaded a few templates to use.   Finally I decided to use my dad’s resume which he had paid to have done.   It was fancy with a lot of impressive words on it (this proved to be a mistake in an interview I had later). I also called to find out about unemployment, which I learned I should apply for right away, but it wouldn’t pay out until my severance ran out.   I was sure I’d have another job by then.   I half-heartedly applied for unemployment.   Yeah, it was a humiliating thing to do.   I had spent too much time and money building my resume to have to go to the government for piddly help. I spent time calling my university to find out the exact dates I graduated (I have an undergrad and a graduate degree from the same school), and what the exact names of the degrees where.   I didn’t want to get in trouble for resume fraud, which was a hot topic in the news at the time. I was anxious to get my resume polished so I could do the most effective thing possible: post it on job boards.   I was sure once it went on job boards the calls would come in.   This would be my (failed) silver-bullet strategy. I was scared, relieved, excited, embarrassed, hopeful and anxious.   Probably a few more emotions, too. Looking back now, I should have been grateful for getting laid-off.   Even now, three years later, I’m not quite ready to go back and thank the people who kicked me in the teeth, er, laid me off. Maybe next year.

Writing a Solid IT Cybersecurity Resume

Writing a Solid IT Cybersecurity ResumeWriting a solid IT cybersecurity resume is something that you will want to do if you are currently employed in this field. Because people will want to know what sort of things you have worked on, and what sort of things you have completed, when hiring managers get to see just how much you have accomplished. You should try to make sure that your resume covers as many of the important details as possible.Writing a solid cybersecurity resume should cover everything from your time spent working on the project to the application that you submitted to the client. You should also include information about the company that you worked for, and about any other companies that you worked with before you began working for them. If you were part of a team that worked on the project, then you should include information about your team.The next area to include on your cybersecurity resume is your skills that you possess. You will want to make sure that these ar e developed and maintained over time. For example, you will want to be able to provide information on the projects that you were involved in. This will help employers see how well you maintain skills over time, and how quickly you can learn new ones.You should also show off all of the new software applications that you have worked on, and give examples of how these software applications helped you in your career. You should also be willing to talk about any certifications that you have received, and how these certifications have impacted your career. By showing how well you can develop applications, and even providing proof of the projects that you have worked on, you will be helping potential employers to see that you are both dedicated and hardworking.There are plenty of resources that can help you with a cybersecurity resume. These resources will help you create the resume that you need to land a new job, and you will be able to find the information that you need, whenever you ne ed it. Finding the information that you need in order to apply for jobs can be a difficult task, but you will be able to find resources that can help you with the steps that you need to take in order to create a well-written resume.One thing that you should remember when you are looking at the documents that you need for your IT cybersecurity resume is that you will be required to supply some basic information. This information will be used by your potential employer to find out more about you, and to determine if you would be a good fit for their company. It is very important that you check the boxes on the document and make sure that you provide the information that you need to in order to ensure that you get the job that you need.Writing a solid IT cybersecurity resume is a fairly easy process, and you should be able to make the changes that you need without too much trouble. You will want to check with the resources that you are using, to see if there are additional resources th at you can use. When you use the information that you get from the resources that you are using, you will be able to quickly and easily create a solid IT cybersecurity resume.As a consultant and a researcher, you will want to provide valuable information to employers as well as potential clients who are looking for IT consulting and IT security experts. These people will be looking for the professionals that they can trust, and these professionals will be looking for the people that they can trust. The bottom line is that the more people that you can get to trust you, the better chance that you will be successful in your IT consulting and IT security career.

Personal Branding Interview Allen Adamson - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Allen Adamson - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Allen P. Adamson, who   is the author of BrandDigital: Simple Ways Top Brands Succeed in the Digital World and the managing director of Landor Associates. In this interview Allen shares his wisdom of years of experience in the branding world, including a thorough explaination of the difference between advertising and public relations, the three most important branding rules, mistakes hes seen brands make, and much more. Does advertising or public relations have the leading edge in the online arena? Before answering this question, let me clarify the major difference between advertising and public relations. Advertising: While both are meant to build awareness of a product, a service, or even a person, marketers pay a fee for advertising in a specific media channel and have direct control of the ad content they’re paying for. Public Relations: Public relations, on the other hand, is the skillful practice of getting the public or the media, or both, to pick up news about a product, service, or person, as a way of having it spread organically â€" and, for free to others who might find the topic of interest. Obviously, the key to PR success is to have the news passed along as intended, without negative spin. Given that digital technology has turbo-charged the ways and means that information can be shared â€" spread organically I’d have to say that public relations has an edge over advertising in the online marketing arena. Because of sites like Twitter and Facebook, as a result of blogs and industry review sites, the ability for the public to spread the word has accelerated dramatically. Good marketers understand this and are using digital technology to their benefit and for the benefit of their customers. For example, the Ford Motor Company has been using a PR initiative with great success as part of the U. S. launch strategy for its 20 Ford Fiesta. It has taken 0 of its award-winning Euro-spec Fiestas and made them available to 0 key digital influencers from a variety of places across the web. These folks are sending their feedback to Ford and also posting their thoughts on a number of social media sites. Ford will use the input to create a car that meets the needs of the American driver, and they’ll get this input while the car is still in production. The initiative is driving efficiencies in operating costs and marketing costs. While PR content is susceptible to negative spin, as can be easily witnessed in YouTube videos or on review sites for products, smart marketers use this transparency as a way to see what needs fixing â€" and they can address it more quickly than in the past. Having said this, while PR is currently ahead in the online race, I think that advertising will catch up as channels of technology evolve and online tracking and analysis of ads becomes more actionable; more so as devices like the Amazon Kindle become more popular than traditional print media. What are the 3 most important rules for building a successful brand? The three most important rules for building a successful brand sound easy in concept, but they’re pretty challenging when it comes to actual execution. The ability to abide by these rules is what separates the winners from the losers. Every successful brand is built on a promise to do something meaningfully different from its competition which it communicates in a way that’s simple to understand and easy to remember; it’s a “sticky” idea. For example, Southwest’s brand is built on giving people the freedom to “move about the country” because its fares are low and its policies as hassle-free as an airlines’ can be. Relevantly different from what its competitors promise; simple to understand and remember. Everyone responsible for delivering the brand experience (which means everyone in the company) must understand what their brand’s promise represents in the minds of consumers; they must internalize it and be able to act on it intuitively (another reason a brand idea must be simple and sticky). The ability for every company employee to “be the brand” is paramount to success. The consumer’s experience with the brand must be consistent and convincingly proprietary across all points of touch, be it product functionality, customer service, packaging, web presence or advertising. In other words, all expressions of the brand idea must be harmonious and eloquent in effect to make a positive and lasting impression with consumers. Will a brand be able to survive the next decade without an online presence (company, product or individual)? Forget the next decade. Brands can’t survive today without an online presence. The Internet has become the most important point of touch a brand has with a consumer, and it’s generally the first point. Tell me about a new product, and I’ll Google it. Tell me you paid less for a ticket on one airline versus another and I’ll compare and contrast next time I fly. Tell me you saw a great review of a movie and I’ll read it. Tell me about a YouTube video spoofing a company’s CEO and I’ll watch it. More often than not, when consumers form an association with a brand, it starts with the online experience. And this online starting point is only going to continue to grow as a factor. As more and more people go mobile with their digital devices, as more and more technology becomes mobile, the importance of the online brand presence will become even more critical. Ensure it’s a good one. Even if you know all about social media.   How can you use it to get ahead in your current marketing job? Even if you know all about social media, how can you use it to hone your marketing? Easy. The strongest marketers I know use social media as highly sensitive eyes and ears; to magnify what consumers are doing, and to amplify what they’re talking about to each other. Looking and listening are among the most important things a company can do to ensure its brand offers something consumers want and need. Social media sites are rife with what’s happening now and how people are reacting to it. Tuning in gives marketers the opportunity to be totally in touch with what’s going on and to become immediately aware of opportunities for their brands. With so much talk out there, marketers who use social media to become astute listeners are using it to its greatest advantage. Author, Thomas Friedman, told me that because of digital technology, “we’re all developing dogs’ eyes and ears.” The best marketers know it, and use their highly developed senses to sniff out what matters most to their brands, and to the people who use them. You deal with a lot of brands on a regular basis.   What common mistakes do you see again and again when it comes to their current branding routines? The most common mistakes I see companies make relative to branding are, more or less, aligned with the three most important rules of branding. First, a company’s promise might be wishy-washy, offer up nothing substantially different than its competitions’, or nothing that is relevant to me, or that it can articulate simply and clearly. For example, it’s hard to determine any good reason I should fly most airlines. Southwest, on the other hand, makes its promise clear, as does the Virgin brand, which leads me to believe it will be a cool experience (which it is). Second, many companies don’t ensure that its employees understand the promise being made to consumers. They don’t take the time, or make the appropriate effort, to instill the meaning of the brand experience in those who will be delivering it, from the engineers or product developers to the customer service reps, or the store personnel. They don’t get that a brand is a collection of voices and points of touch that must hang together as one. This, of course, leads to the third mistake. Third, the brand promise isn’t delivered consistently and eloquently from point to point. Consumers may have a wonderful brand experience online, but when they get to the store, or interact with someone on the phone, the brand promise falls apart. The best-in-class class brands ensure that every interaction is part of a whole, that every interaction dependably reinforces what the company wants people to think about its brand. Allen P. Adamson is the author of BrandDigital: Simple Ways Top Brands Succeed in the Digital World and BrandSimple: How the Best Brands Keep it Simple and Succeed.   He is managing director of the New York office of Landor Associates, a WPP company, and one of the world’s leading strategic brand consulting and design firms, with 24 offices in 18 countries.   Allen has worked with some of the world’s leading organizations, overseeing branding efforts for clients such as Diageo, GE, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Procter Gamble, Sephora and Verizon. Allen has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business Network and on NBC’s Today show. He is often quoted in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age, USA Today and Brandweek. Allen lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Webinar How to make your 20s count

Webinar How to make your 20s count This webinar will show you how to make the most of your 20s so that you can set yourself up for an engaged, fulfilling life.  It includes four days of of video sessions and email-based course materials.  You can purchase this workshop  for anytime, on-demand access. The cost is $195. Get access now. The most important thing to do in your 20s is figure out where you fit. Find your place in the world, pick your friends and family. You will make 85% of the major decisions in your life by age 35. And your earning in the first ten years of your life has exponential impact on your earning throughout the rest of your life. So act like your 20s matter, because if you act like they dont matter, then they wont matter. To make the most of your 20s you need to make mistakes, because mistakes show that youre moving forward and trying new things. But its important to make intentional mistakes.  This means that you need to have goals, and plans, and when they dont work out, you make new goals, and new plans. This four-day webinar will show you how to do that: Day one: Figure out where you fit in the work world. Understand your personality. Personality type is so important when youre choosing your career that all Fortune 500 companies use personality type testing to make sure employees are in the right job. I will show you how to understand your personality in a way that many people dont understand until later in their career. If you understand your type, youll understand which jobs youll be great at and which jobs will be fulfilling. Create a short-list of job types that will be right for you. Its overwhelming to feel like you can do anything. But the truth is that each of us will be rock stars at only a few things. Once you identify your strengths the list of jobs you will like becomes much more clear. And thats the list that will effectively guide all your decisions for most of your life. Part of living with intention in your twenties is having a clear vision for the type of life that will feel best to you. I will show you how to find that life early on, so you can guide yourself to it. Pick your location. Location is important at this time in your life. It determines lifestyle, the range of companies available to you, and even who you marry.  Understanding how location impacts your happiness levels and your career potential will enable you to confidently narrow the list of locations where you apply for jobs. Day two: Get a job even though you have no experience.   Learn the secret language of resumes.  Most people in their twenties have way better experience than they show on their resume. The language of resumes is one that makes any job sound important. Ill show you how to use this language  so youll not only have a better resume, but youll also have more self-confidence in what youre worth to employers. Turn a tiny network into a job. You probably feel like you dont have a network. But you actually only need one or two well-employed people to help you get a job. Ill show you how to leverage your network by giving very clear directions about what you want the person to do for you. Skip entry-level jobs to make your job hunt easier.  Often entry-level jobs are harder to get than jobs that require a few years experience. Ill show you how to skip entry-level jobs by writing a resume that looks like youve already done that work. If youre applying to jobs that fit your personality type, then youve already done a lot of that work in your life. You just need to convey that on your resume. Day three: What to do if you dont get a job. Spot-check yourself.  Usually there is a particular reason that you are not getting a job. Ill tell you how to know if its your resume, your interview skills, or the jobs youre going after. But the good news is that its never all three. So you can fix that one spot, and then go at it again, with better results. Write your resume backwards. If you dont have a job its probably because you are missing that zinger at the top of your resume that says youre a perfect fit. The way you get that is to write the resume first. Figure out what your resume would need to say to get the job. Then make up jobs for yourself  to create that resume. Ill show you how to work backwards creating the resume that will get you the job, and, at the same time, you will be building an employment history by doing real and relevant work. Start a company. The point of a company is not always to make money. Often, starting a company gives you the experience you need to get the job you want. Ill show you how to start a company overnight and have that company transform your resume. At the same time, youll be blown away by how much you can accomplish on your way to landing a job. Use your elevator pitch. Every time someone says So what are you doing now? its a time to advertise yourself as a great employee. The answer you give is the way that you enable people to help you get the job you want. Ill show you how to craft the perfect answer so you convey yourself as excited and going places and full of possibilities. Day four: QA Ask me anything about your job hunt. Everyone can learn from each other in this last session when we focus on specific issues you have encountered and how to overcome them. The cost is $195.   Get access now.

Where Can You Find Examples of Writing Professional Resume Examples?

Where Can You Find Examples of Writing Professional Resume Examples?If you are interested in learning how to write a professional resume, there are many resources that you can find online. The first step of course is to learn the basics of what goes into one. There are several ways to do this, and choosing the one that you think will be best for you will depend on a number of factors.One thing that you must consider when looking for samples is how the writer can help you get the most out of the information that you have provided. It may seem like common sense, but it will be necessary to see if the writer can provide examples that you can use. This is especially true if the writer is providing examples that will not be readily available to you on your own.It is also important to consider the 'rules' that are associated with the application of the 'rules' of writing professional resume examples. As an example, you should not rewrite the section of the resume that pertains to experienc e in order to add a positive reference to your skill set. Of course, it would be incorrect to say that such examples are not written in a format that will be understandable by readers.In writing professional resume examples, you should make sure that the examples are easy to understand and follow. Any good examples of this will come from a professional source. If the author has written several similar examples, it will be easy to see how the writer can guide the reader through the writing process. The use of examples will give the person who is looking at the examples a basic understanding of how to produce them.While it may seem silly to look for professional resume examples online, it is important to find sources that are legitimate. A lot of people tend to believe that information that they find on the internet is always fraudulent. However, you need to make sure that any example that you come across is well-written and legitimate.If the original source is not a credible one, you will have to rely on another resource to help you get the message across. It is recommended that you use the examples that are available at some point in order to see if you are satisfied with the way they are worded. It is also important to keep in mind that you should not become so absorbed in the ideas presented by the examples that you forget that the 'rules' of writing resume examples must be followed.When it comes to choosing the best examples of professional resume examples, the information that you need to know comes from someone who is knowledgeable about your field. This person can tell you whether or not the examples that you have chosen are unique. If the writer has a new or unique idea, you will have a better chance of finding the information you need on the internet.Although it may seem as though there are too many sources to choose from when it comes to writing professional resume examples, it is important to choose the ones that will benefit you the most. Remember, the information that you are seeking will most likely be difficult to find on your own. A well-written example will be helpful to you, so you should seek these resources when you want to learn how to write a professional resume.

12 feelings you will have during Freshers Week - Debut

12 feelings you will have during Freshers Week - Debut Full disclosure, its been five years since I set foot on university campus for my first ever Freshers Week. I look back on it now as a working adult with rose-tinted glasses, but when I think about it, when I  really try to remember, the honest truth becomes clear. Freshers Week isnt always a happy time. In fact, youll likely go through a roller-coaster of emotions. Our job as certified grown-upsâ„¢ is to tell you the feelings you will have during Freshers Week are valid. In fact, they are totally, 100%, completely OK to feel. 1. Its OK to succumb to homesickness The idea in most freshers heads is that uni = freedom, especially from family. But sometimes its OK to crave your old bedroom, or being able to lie on the sofa youve known all your life, or having a cup of tea with your mum. The secret? Everybodys homesick at some point during Freshers Week. Ev-er-y-bo-dy. 2. Its OK to be tempted by doing naughty things Hey. We get it. Being 18 is hugely exciting, and things can go from WKDs to triple sambuca shots real quick. Uni is as good of a time as any to explore your boundaries. But always do so responsibly, and in moderation with people that you can trust. 3. Its OK to feel sick and run down Were only human with terrible immune systems, after all. If youve caught the Freshers Flu prematurely, listen to your body and sit a couple of nights out. There will be more nights out in your three years at uni, so push thoughts of FOMO aside for some much needed Lemsip. 4. Its OK to not want to go out every night Peer pressure is a very real thing at uni. If you manage to escape the, come on, dont be boring pleas of your flatmates, youd be a very lucky one indeed. Dont force yourself to a have a night out you didnt want just because someone told you to. Take a night off, Skype your home best friend. Youll be recharged for the next night, definitely. 5. Its OK to feel overwhelmed Sooooo manyyyyyy thingsssssss happenningggggggg. Freshers Week gets a bit mental, and its normal to feel like you might go into total meltdown. Breathe. Drink some water. Maybe write your thoughts down its good to do a brain dump sometimes. 6. Its OK to feel loneliness in a crowd of people Feeling disconnected in a large group of people raving to Sigala is totally normal. Uni can sometimes feel like a forced social experiment, and that if you dont fit in,  youve failed. You really havent. Finding your tribe will come eventually, so maybe take the time to learn how to be your own best friend. 7. Its OK if you dont get on with your flatmates As much as we want life to look like an episode of  Friends,  life isnt a sitcom with a live audience and a laugh track. Personalities clash, especially when theres limited fridge space involved. If things between your flatmates dont improve, spend time out of halls by joining societies, perhaps. 8. Its OK to doubt your choice of uni You cant know a place by visiting it for a few hours during a busy open day. If youre looking around campus wondering whether spending the next three years there was the right decision, take a breath. Try exploring a new area of campus with a new found friend, and give yourself a bit of time to adjust. 9. Its OK to feel insecure or unhappy about your appearance Heres the thing everyone feels this way. Not a single person the history of the universe has been 100% OK with how they look. What matters is how you react to it. Of course, stay fit and healthy, but how you want to approach your feelings towards your body is completely up to you. There is no such bloody thing as having the perfect beach body or the ideal figure. Screw that. Your definition of body positivity is your own. 10. Its OK to be scared of the future The fear of the unknown is the most common fear there is. Who knows if youll still like your course in three years? Who knows if youll be friends with that amazing person you met at the Freshers Ball? Who knows how youll change? Nobody knows, but youll be wasting your time if you get bogged down in the future. Thats why they call it the present its a gift. 11. Its OK to be disappointed in Freshers Week All of that buildup and none of the payoff? Its perfectly normal to be disappointed with the inevitable high expectations you have for what everyone calls the best week of your life. Dont you worry. Youve got three whole years ahead of you where youll be bound to have amazing, memorable times you can cherish forever. 12. Its OK to want to do your Freshers Week  your own way A friend of mine started uni this week, and she was adamant that she wouldnt go clubbing. Not once. Instead, she found some Fresher movie nights, and a quiet nook in her new local pub to read. You do you boo, and tackle freshers the way you want to. Have a fantastic week, and a great term ahead guys. You deserve it. Feature Image ©  Summit Entertainment Follow Brenda on Twitter @brendaisarebel Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Look to Others for Ideas

Look to Others for Ideas If we had all the answers to all the questions, where would the fun be? Life was meant tochallenge, excite, sadden, frustrate and perhaps all at the same time. When times are uncertain or we lack clarity or even ideas, it is only natural to ask for advice from those we trust. This comes easier to some than others. Asking for help makes us feel vulnerable. Asking for advice shows wisdom. Think of the people you know who you trust and value. If you asked them for advice or suggestions, might they have some words for you? They have lived through experiences different from yours. They have viewed it through a different lens. This offers wonderful perspective. I had coffee with two women yesterday. Each were asking for advice and I gladly and freely gave my thoughts. They both expressed surprise at my suggestions because they had never thought in quite the same way I did. We have filters that sometimes prevent usfrom seeing some options, that is why weshould look to others fortheir unique perspectives.We may not always agree but having options is better than feelinghopeless or helpless. The Wall Street Journal has asked several job seekers to blog about their job search.You canread about each persons experience and perhaps learn something that might help you. Heresthe link.

How a Team Meeting could help you Progress in your Career IM HIRED

How a Team Meeting could help you Progress in your Career When you think the meeting is over and someone asks another question When you think the meeting is over and someone asks another question We have all left a team meeting thinking why couldn’t that have been sent in an email? Some offices have a culture of meetings for the sake of meetings. The problem being is it’s easy to tune out when you’re roped into the tenth meeting of the week. However, if you’re looking to progress in your career, those seemingly useless meetings could be your ticket to standing out. So stop doodling or considering what you’re going to eat for lunch and instead focus on getting noticed. Put yourself forward Developing in your career is all about putting yourself forward for additional responsibility and new opportunities. Team meetings are great chance to make people aware you’re open to supporting others or getting involved in an upcoming project. Whilst most people might sit back when the boss asks for volunteers, be the person with your hand in the air. Show you’re eager to impress by putting yourself forward for a new challenge. Listen to Others Active listening is essential for effective communication. You may think that putting all your ideas on the table is the right way to go, but don’t railroad the meeting. Talking over others or not giving them the ability to contribute is simply rude. A team player will encourage others in the team to speak up, not overwhelming those who are less confident. Be part of the discussion Bouncing off ideas with colleagues is one of the main benefits of a team meeting. You may be struggling to find the solution to that tricky problem, so why not open it up to the group for suggestions. This practise works both ways, when others are facing setbacks help them by offering any recommendations. Build on ideas as a team and notice how concepts can snowball into a more advanced final products. Introduce new Ideas Bringing new ideas or ways of working to the forefront may seem like a scary prospect. Companies are always looking for ways to improve their performance or efficiency and a team meeting can be forum to get your opinions raised. Whilst all your ideas may not be taken forward, remember no idea is a bad idea. Think outside the box and present initiatives that could benefit your organisation or team. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Be Prepared Team meetings might be a second thought but put some effort into your pre-meeting preparations and get organised. If you are given an agenda, ensure you have completed any ground work. Consider writing any notes for new ideas or suggestions as a prompt for the meeting. Don’t be the person who is left out the loop. If you’re not sure what the meeting is about, ask the question instead of being caught off guard.