6 Reasons You Might Need a Job Search Coach Now

6 Reasons You Might Need a Job Search Coach Now 13 A job search coach can help you secure a better job while also giving you the intangible benefit of gaining control over your job search. Those are just some of the reasons why you might need a job search coach. This is a guest post by Job Search Coach Rita Ashley of jobsearchdebugged.com and is part 2 in a 3-part series on coaching and the job search. If you'd also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines. Hiring a career coach or a job search coach is a huge step. It is also a financial decision which is off-putting to many would-be coaching clients who fail to recognize the monetary value of securing a better job, reaching it faster and gaining the intangible benefit of control over their search. What can a job search coach do for you? Use this guide to determine how your job search and career could be accelerated by a job search coach.eval 1) Jumpstart your career While the most compelling reason to hire a job search coach or career coach is to help you, many people find a coach an invaluable asset when they are ready for the promotion from Director to Vice President; the largest leap in any career. Why? Because while a director is a tactician, a vice president is a strategist and it is strategy that drives the corporate mission. A vice president is an officer of the company and thereby legally responsible for decisions and comments. Most companies take hiring or promoting new vice presidents very seriously. If you want that promotion or want to become a vice president with a new employer, you need a job search coach.eval 2) Organize your job search Are you often overwhelmed at where to start your job search each day? Organization and implementation are the stalwart twins of your search. Do you have a plan or to-do list for each day? Do you know who to call and what to say? Are you getting return email and phone calls? Do you know the most productive way to follow up? 3) Solve job search problems If there is some issue related to your job search that has become an obstacle, a job search coach can help you position the issue for a cleaner and easier search. Is your age getting in the way of your job search? Are you a minority or LGBT individual finding discrimination walls? Do you have a damaged reference or gap in work history? Are you relocating to a new geographic area and don't know where to start? 4) Help you break out of an unsuccessful job search Looking for a job for more than three months without a single offer is a good indicator that you could use a job search coach. Tempting as it is to blame the tight job market, people are getting hired. Why not you? Do people follow up with questions once you deliver your elevator pitch? Is your network introducing you to people who know where the jobs are? Do you get interviews? Do you answer the “tell me about yourself” question with a marketing pitch? 5) Find new job leads If you are having trouble locating the hidden job market, have exhausted your resources and no longer know where to look for leads, a job search coach or a career coach can point you in new directions. Do you know who to ask for job leads? Do you get introductions and referrals? When people say they “will think about it”, do they contact you with ideas? Is your network stalled and you don't know how to reach out to others? 6) Improve your job search skills Ultimately, the most compelling reason to hire a career coach or job search coach is to refine your job search technique and up your game. Do you want to expedite the time it takes to hear, “you're hired!” Do you want to improve the pool of job opportunities available to you? Do you want better control over your job search to illuminate some of the stress? Do you want someone to watch your back who can see what you cannot see? Conclusion If you identify with any of the reasons above and feel you need a coach, then you probably do. Now all you need to do is find the right one. Continue reading the other articles in our series on coaching and the job search: 5 Types of Coaches That Can Help Your Job Search 6 Reasons You Might Need a Job Search Coach Now 7 Rules To Find the Right Job Search Coach for You About the author Rita Ashley is a technology recruiting veteran who has worked closely with investors, executives and hiring authorities to staff senior technology positions in Seattle. In her current role as a Job Search Coach she is passionate about helping executives and technology professionals get the promotions they are after and the jobs they want. Ms. Ashley's book Job Search Debugged offers unique advice and tips based on her recruiting career working closely with hiring authorities.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Can Your Still Be Friends When You Become the Boss

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Can Your Still Be Friends When You Become the Boss One thing that makes life bearable at work is being able to work with people you really like, people whom you consider friends.Then comes the day when your boss tells you that youve been named the manager over the people who have seen you tipsy on strawberry margaritas. These are the people you count on to tell you there is spinach stuck in your teeth before a meeting and give you a heads up when the office bore is headed your way.And now youre supposed to boss them around?Your first thought may be that you can make this work. After all, the people who are really your friends will stay your friends even if your title changes, right?Well, in a wordno.While they may initially tell you theyre thrilled you got the job, the reality is they may be less than joyous the first time you offer performance feedback or gasp! criticize something they do. All this can set off feelings of jealousy, betrayal, bitterness and lots of snark around ... (read the rest here)

The Daily Routines of Highly Successful People

The Daily Routines of Highly Successful People ‘Routine’ The word can bring to mind negative connotations of a forced environment or ‘stuck in a rut’ behaviour. However that doesn’t have to be the case… Having a set routine can be highly beneficial to you and your career, allowing you a regular schedule which keeps you happy, healthy and focused on the work at hand. Lots of successful individuals have very specific routines that they swear by. We’re going to look at tips from some of these individuals and see how we can apply them to our own everyday working routines. Have a Plan of Action: Jack Dorsey (Twitter founder) plans out each day of his weekly routine in advance. Here is an example of one of his weekly plans: Monday: Management and running the company Tuesday: Product Wednesday: Marketing and communications, growth Thursday: Developers and partnerships Friday: Company culture and recruiting Having a clear plan for the week ahead allows you to know exactly what you are doing each day, to focus on specific tasks and set clear goals for yourself. Prepare For the Day Ahead: Eva Chen (Editor of Lucky Magazine) wakes up every day by first checking her twitter and favourite websites to see what has been going on. Seeing what has been happening whilst you were asleep can always be useful for the day ahead as you never know how it could fit into your work. Steve Jobs started every morning by asking himself If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? Though he may not have been the easiest person to work with by all accounts, he was a highly driven and motivated individual who got things done and was hugely successful. Asking yourself a question such as this can allow you to think about whether your routine is working for you and if you are achieving everything you wish to from your job. You don’t ever have to settle for ‘good enough’, strive to be the best you can be, doing work that really matters to you. Reenergise with Breaks: Evan Williams (Twitter, Medium, Blogger) tries to go to the gym in late morning or late afternoon to take a break from work. This allows him to reenergise for the work ahead. According to the Mayo Clinic ‘physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.’ A happier and relaxed body is sure to be helpful during a stressful day right? If exercising isn’t really your thing, then reading a book or going for a walk is sure to allow your mind a rest from work related activities, which means you are ready to resume at full pace on your return. What Have You Accomplished? Benjamin Franklin used to end every day by asking ‘What good did I do today?’  Spend some time thinking about what you have accomplished during the day. This could be something you have done that you are pleased with or perhaps a situation that you could have handled better. This allows you some time to think your day through  and work through problems that may not have even realised were an issue at the time. As it is always important to congratulate yourself for things you have achieved or done well that day, as it gives you a well-earned sense of accomplishment and ends the day on a positive note. Plan for Tomorrow: Spend a bit of time at the end of your day planning for the following day. Kenneth Chenault (CEO of American Express) always ends each day by writing down three things he wants to achieve the next day. This allows you to set a clear target of what you want to complete when you start the following and avoids any stress or timewasting trying to figure out what you are going to do that day. The Evening is For You: The evening is the time to relax with your family, exercise or work on personal projects. If you want to feel refreshed and motivated for the following day of work it is important to have some down time to yourself away from the hustle and bustle of work. Michael Woodward Ph. D (organisational psychologist and author) says “The last thing you need is to be lying in bed thinking about an email you just read from that overzealous boss who spends all their waking hours coming up with random requests driven by little more than a momentary impulse.” You need to enjoy your time away from work so that you can enjoy your time at work. The evening is an important time to release that stress from the day, forget about the issues and problems, and prepare yourself for the coming day. We all have our own little idiosyncrasies and day to day patterns which make us who we are; such is the beauty of life. However not all of them are healthy behaviours and sometimes can actually be quite damaging. By looking at these successful individuals and the best tips they have to offer we can all hopefully learn a thing or two, making our working life a healthier and happier experience. RELATED: 5 Weird Habits of Successful People Author:  Mark Porter, Marketing Manager at Signatrol.

Forget email bankruptcy; try Getting Things Done bankruptcy

Forget email bankruptcy; try Getting Things Done bankruptcy I used to write a lot about productivity, until I started reading blogs and discovered David Allens world of Getting Things Done. I discovered that some of the most popular blogs are about productivity, and my blog audience is full of productivity gurus. They gave me a lot of recommendations to improve my productivity ignorance, and each person mentioned the book Getting Things Done. This was a little after the time that my blog started taking off, which meant three things: I was changing my job from a columnist to a blogger, I was writing five columns a week instead of two, and my email load went up about 500%. For a few months I was sleeping four hours a night. Crazy, right? In fact, many readers who caught me emailing at both 2am and 7am commented that maybe I needed to take a break. Especially after I posted about how important sleep is. So I tried Getting Things Done (GTD). I went whole hog: In less than a week I changed my whole to-do list and whole filing system. I was the Queen of Outlook, with more folders to choose from than Imelda has shoes. I had a A list a B list and a C list. I also had a spreadsheet of links that I had collected over six months as a blogger. I had links filed by topic and could sort my topics and links in ten different ways to come up with quirky, linky columns that addressed questions readers had sent to me which were also searchable. I was also adhering to the GTD holy grail of the empty inbox. But the empty inbox, I confess, made me crazy. I found myself deleting emails in the name of that cause, and not because I had actually dealt with them. Also, I was filling in my Outlook calendar religiously, by moving emails directly into my schedule. But I was not looking at my calendar religiously. So I often missed meetings. I was getting things done. Sort of. I was probably annoying a lot of people along the way. And then the worst thing that could happen for a GTD-er happened to me. My hard drive crashed and I didnt have Outlook backed up. Please, do not send me smug details about your great backup system. Of course I know how to back things up. Everyone who didnt back their stuff up knows how to back their stuff up. Its like telling someone who eats French fries that your system of eating salad is healthier. DUH!!!!!! At first I panicked and imagined that the email of my lifetime was somehow locked in that Outlook view that will never come back. But then things got sort of cushy. For one thing, my B and C list totally went away because people reminded me about stuff on my A list, but no one said a word about the other stuff and I couldnt remember most of it. Have you ever read about the joys of declaring email bankruptcy? Well I think my situation was like inadvertently declaring GTD bankruptcy, and it was marvelous. I slept well. I opened up a gmail account, and I had an empty email box all the time maybe because I also had no record of email addresses, so my outbound mail slowed down significantly. So, this week, my hard drive came back. I looked at my old to do list and I laughed. I did not need to save all that stuff. I needed to get some perspective. And GTD bankruptcy gives you just that: Perspective. And getting a clear picture of ones work is really what GTD is all about, right?

How to Use Resume Writing Forums to Find the Top Resume Writing Jobs

How to Use Resume Writing Forums to Find the Top Resume Writing JobsResume writing forums are a great place to find advice, tips and other resources for your job search. By joining a few of these sites you will be able to connect with other professionals who can help you with the steps involved in making a good first impression and landing that first job interview. You can also find people to talk to about resume writing, resume services and much more. So how do you go about finding them?The first thing you need to do is figure out which forums are dedicated to specific site. There are sites that have forums for every type of industry imaginable. Some are specifically for job hunters, while others focus on recruiting services. There are many different sites on the Internet so you will want to find one that will suit your needs and your goals.The next step is to register with the forum. Some require registration fees while others allow free membership. It really just depends on what t ype of business the forum belongs to. Once you've done that, then it's time to start looking around.Be aware that some sites might not be as professional as others. Make sure you read the forum rules and be sure to abide by them. If you notice something isn't quite right then you don't want to stick around. There is nothing worse than doing something that gets you thrown out of a good forum. Also make sure you read the information posted in the forum before you post anything.You don't want to take the first resume writing jobs you see and waste your time. You'll want to get some experience first before you start posting your resumes online. So keep looking around until you find some good candidates for your company.Before you start to post your resumes on any resume writing forums, be sure to check out the resumes that have already been posted. Some of these may actually be better than the ones you'll see on forums because you'll know the people who are posting there already have th e experience you do. This will give you an advantage.You don't have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to write a resume. There are plenty of free resume writing software programs you can get your hands on. Plus there are many books written on the topic that can help you become more proficient at the craft. By learning from someone else's mistakes you'll learn to be more efficient and get a better first impression.You can find resume writing forums by simply doing a search on the Internet. Simply visit the sites and become a member and you're all set to start your job search.

What to Wear to a Company Holiday Party Style Faux Pas to Avoid - Cubicle Chic

What to Wear to a Company Holiday Party Style Faux Pas to Avoid - Cubicle Chic What to Wear to a Company Holiday Party Style Faux Pas to Avoid Corporate Style, Holiday Party, How To Wear, Office Style, Outfits December 5, 2017 3 CommentsOutfit details: Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie //  Choker: MadewellGuys, It’s December!! Where did the last 11 months go in 2017!? With Thanksgiving just in our rear-view window, Christmas is hovering around the corner. Which means you’ve been getting invitations for Christmas parties from friends and families! But not all holiday parties are created equal, and especially not the Company/Employer-hosted kind. The age-old “what to wear” question takes on an entirely different meaning and so much more is at stake if you were to wear the wrong thing. Still thinking about what to wear to your company holiday party this coming weekend or the next? I got you covered!Outfit details:  Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie //  Choker: MadewellProduct details:Outfit details:  Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie //  Choker: Madewell  Product details:  Outfit details:  Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie //  Choker: MadewellOutfit details:  Outfit details:  Dress: Eliza J // Heels: Louise et Cie //  Choker: MadewellEliza J is My Go-To Brand for All Special Occasion DressesLet me just preface this by saying this is not sponsored in any way shape or form! If you’ve been following me for a while you know how many times I’ve blogged about their dresses. It’s A Cubicle Chic tradition! I blogged about it in 2015, 2016, and this Christmas is no exception!I have a few outfit ideas to share with you this week.  In particular, this Eliza J  floral lace dress has these cute flare sleeves and is INCREDIBLY FLATTERING. If you are looking for a dress that will cover a food baby bump, this is it!!You can find this exact Eliza J fit and flare dress from a variety of sources â€" compare contrast before you buy. Some of them are actually discounted right now!! br / Eliza Eliza J dresses are almost always form-fitting enough and still flattering no matter your figure. If you like the style above but aren’t into this color or the sleeves, here are a bunch other choices that are pretty similar, ALSO made by Eliza J!br / So now that we got the outfit selection out of the way, let’s talk other fashion-related etiquette for the event. I’m calling these faux-pas because  I’ve seen them happened in the handful of company hosted holiday party myself. Some are embarrassing while others are downright tragic.Avoid Cotton Dresses unless You’re a Boho GoddessThere may be a very flattering and company party appropriate cotton dress out there, I just personally have never seen one. The problem with cotton dresses is that they wrinkle easily, don’t normally flatter you (at least not the party dresses), and usually make you look very casual. Casual is the codeword for sloppy at a company holiday party. So avoid it at all costs.Got a Big Butt and Want to Flaunt it? Don’t.This is simply not the right occasion. I know you work out. I know you’re ver y proud of it. Heck, I wish I had your butt. But no. If you want to be respected for your professional competency, don’t let the impression of your nice butt tamper with people’s image of you. They say men are visual animals… I say people are visual animals. Especially when it comes to a woman’s figure. I think the line needs to be drawn at what do you want people to remember you of.This is potentially a controversial stance to take on this topic. If you disagree with me, what are your thoughts?Pick the right color of dress for YOUThis is a tough one. Everyone’s complexion is different, so there is not a one-color-fits-all solution here. There are general principles out there like warm skin tone is complimented by warm colors and cool skin tone is complimented by cool colors. Also, there are simply psychological associations that we unconsciously form when seeing different colors. Honestly, if I was ever to give ONE fashion advice to everyone who wants to know out there, i t’s find the right color that compliments you. For me, I stick with feminine colors (white, gray, blush/light pink) and for the right occasion, I will rock bold colors like royal blue, dark green, or bright red. This is a general rule of thumb but I think everyone should have colors they always stick with!That’s a wrap! I have another outfit coming your way later this week so stay tuned. In the mean time, if you want to find inspiration on what to wear to a company holiday party, here are all the other posts I’ve done over the years:2015: Outfit featuring Dailylook faux-fur and jumpsuit2015: Outfit featuring Eliza J two pieces dress  2015: Outfit featuring Dailylook Juliette Dress2016: Outfit featuring Morning Lavender Dress2016: Outfit featuring Maison Jules  Let me know which dress you picked to wear to your company holiday party!All photography by Natalie Alvarado  @ Stylenfuse

Personal marketing plans for job seekers - Sterling Career Concepts

Personal marketing plans for job seekers Personal marketing plans for job seekers Many job seekers make the mistake of investing all their time and energy seeking out open positions on the job boards and then trying to make their skill set match the job specification.The reality is that only a small percentage of job seekers find their jobs through the boards. A better strategy is to research companies that you have an interest in and market yourself to the decision makers in these companies whether or not there is an open position. Your goal is to get your foot in the door and create a relationship where none existed before. To create your ownmarketing plan, analyze the following criteria: What types of positions are you suited for? What industries do you wish to target or which industries will derive the most value from your skill set? What cities and states are you willing to work in? What size company do you want to work for? Once you determine your search parameters, you can research specific companies that fall into your designated categories. For example, if you are an advertising professional in Chicago, you can researchagencies that have a significant presence in that city. Search engines, local newspapers, business magazines, and even the yellow pages can provide valuable information regarding companies that meet your search criteria. By incorporating a marketing plan into your search methodology, you can increase your chances of meeting people in a position to hire and potentially decrease the amount of time you spend in search. Free online tool for locating employers:America’s Career InfoNet Employer Locator http://www.acinet.org/acinet/employerlocator/employerlocator.asp?nodeid=18