Originally posted on Journal of the Jobless:
Tuesday
One of the reasons that I was glad to leave my previous company was the blatant gender discrimination happening in the Asia branch.
Though the upper management never openly said it, they were very clear in all other ways of what they thought of a woman in a management position.
I was quite shocked at that attitude, especially in a multi national corporation and so I was really pissed off when I read this news today.
Coming on the heels of Emma Watsonâs speech in the UN, I have to say I applaud the student who stood up against this sort of sex education in school.
There has yet been any response from the school (how they could approve such materials to be taught ) and the christian organisation that taught this.
The stereotypes and the assumption made that most âgalsâ are emotional and fragile is also whatâŠ
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Originally posted on Find Your Passion. Land at the Top.:
If your manager, supervisor, or boss likes the way you perform, he or she has the power to recommend you for promotions and to reward you with bonuses or pay increases. On the other hand, they can pass you by, giving opportunities to others, and even plan your exit from the company if they feel you arenât a fit. Managing your boss is an important skill in the modern workplace for these reasons. The following tips will help you to maintain a positive working relationship with your supervisor and enhance your prospects for future career advancement.
Understand what they want. Do you really understand what your boss wants from you? Their own strengths and weaknesses may influence this. For example, if your supervisor is great at selling but poor at administration, he or she may expect you to sort the details of deals for them. Being able to anticipate whatâŠ
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Having to go through an interview is cause for enough anxiety for some people, but add to that a âstress interviewâ or âpressure interviewâ and the mind may blow. However, if you understand the strategy behind these types of interviews, you will know how to navigate through it successfully.
Related: What To Do When Your Interview Isnât Going Well
The stress or pressure interview typically involves being asked questions that at face value sound totally irrelevant or impossible to answer, or may put you in an uncomfortable situation. For instance, âWhat color crayon would you be?â or âWhat would you change about our company?â
These types of questions may be asked to get a read of your character. Do you handle stress well? Are you able to think on your feet? And, it may also offer insight to your character, like whether you are one who likes to shine, if you are decisive, and so on.
Questions may be asked to cover different aspects such as your:
No matter what question you come across, reflect on your work experience and character to come up with a response to suit you. Take every question asked openly as a challenge for you to demonstrate why you are the one for the job. There may be times where you may need a moment to think through it, and thatâs okay. Simply tell the interviewer you need a minute and then walk through what you are thinking. The interviewer wants to see how your mind works.
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Don Goodmanâs firm was rated as the #1 Resume Writing Service in 2013 & 2014. Don is a triple-certified, nationally recognized Expert Resume Writer, Career Management Coach and Job Search Strategist who has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Check out his Resume Writing Service. Get a Free Resume Evaluation or call him at 800.909.0109 for more information.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
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The post What You Need To Know About The ‘Stress Interviewâ Or ‘Pressure Interviewâ appeared first on CAREEREALISM.
This post is part of the Professional Independence Project series.
Are you sick and tired of depending on other people for your career success? GOOD! The only person in charge of your success is you. If youâre feeling trapped by a job you hate, a bad boss, insulting pay, or all of the above, itâs time you take ownership of your career.
Okay, great - but where do you start? Here are three things you can do to start taking control of your career today:
What are you known for? What are your best skills? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What are your best qualities?
Take 20 minutes to braindump everything you can think of that you do better than anyone else. Then, organize that list by skills, accomplishments, qualities, and so on. Recognizing and organizing this information will help you better brand yourself as a business-of-one and market yourself to employers.
If you want to take ownership of your career, you need to stop being reactive and start being proactive. Reactive activities include, but arenât limited to, the following: Waiting for your boss to give you a promotion, waiting for recruiters to reach out to you with new opportunities, or waiting for employers to email you back about your resume.
Notice that all of these âjob search activitiesâ started with the word âwaiting.â Newsflash: Waiting doesnât get results. Taking action does.
Instead, set up a meeting with your boss to discuss advancement opportunities, reach out to employees at your target companies and set up informational interviews, and follow up with the hiring staff after youâve submitted your resume.
#GetProactive
The old saying âItâs who you knowâ has never rung more true. Get by with a little help from your career friends! Focus your efforts on meeting new people within your industry and target companies. Start conversations and build relationships with them.
Even if youâre not ready to find a new job or change careers yet, having these people in the wings as references, mentors, and professional contacts will help you tremendously. They can provide tips and insight, act as a sounding board for ideas, and even hook you up with a job. Just make sure you help them out in return! Watch this video to learn more about this networking strategy.
Part of your new, proactive approach is to step out of your comfort zone. Many people hold themselves back solely because they are afraid of what people think. But remember, nothing will change if you donât!
Make an effort to put yourself out there and meet new people. Set up informational interviews with like-minded professionals, strike up conversation with someone at a conference, and attend in-person networking events.
But donât just limit yourself to in-person networking. Reach out to people through LinkedIn and meet people using virtual networking events such as Mingle, brought to you by CAREEREALISM and Brazen Careerist. Here are some great tips for better virtual networking strategies that will help you make, meet, and keep valuable professional connections!
Do you want to be a better networker? Check out our Mingle virtual networking events! Theyâre free, easy, and fun! To learn more about Mingle events, please click here. Click the button below to register for our next event.
Mingle is sponsored by Brazen Careerist. Learn more about Brazen Careerist and its virtual networking technology here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The post 4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career appeared first on CAREEREALISM.
I received a heart-wrenching email this morning.
Related: Is It Ever ‘Too Lateâ To Get Your Dream Job?
A middle-aged gentleman - letâs call him Brian to protect his privacy - wrote in to me sharing his story, and asking for adviceâŠ
Brian had served in the military for over a decade before being medically retired due to an accident.
He then went on to get his degree at film school so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker.
And thatâs where Brian ran into a problem.
See, since changing careers, heâs essentially starting out at the bottom of the ladder…
And he has to compete with all the early 20âs grads who are willing to break their back for a shot at making it.
Brian needs to take care of himself and his family - yet he also wants to get his dream job.
So, what to do?
Brian has searched and searched, yet he hasnât been able to find any position related to his dream job⊠so essentially what he needs to do is get his foot in the door.
He needs to find a way to make his dream happen.
(Note: thereâs a great resource at the bottom that gives you a few tangible ways to do this)
Because thereâs no turning back. Brian knows that life is too short to give anything but 100% in the pursuit of your dreams.
So he needs to use one of…
Since Brian wants to be a filmmaker, the more creative his approach to getting the job - the better.
Your industry may not be quite as liberal, but see if you can apply or modify these strategies to achieve your dreams:
For Brian, that could be using his filmmaking skills to create a short movie trailer showcasing his talent and desire to work for his dream company.
For you, making an impression could mean mailing in a unique package that showcases what you can uniquely offer and why they should hire you.
It could be a website, a short story, a video, or a physical package - it doesnât matter what you choose to do, as long as itâs unique and makes a great first impression.
Thatâll help you get your foot in the door.
Did you know that James Cameron got his big break by selling his script for The Terminator for just $1 while living in his car - on the condition that he could direct the movie?
Howâs that for taking the initiative and finding a creative solution?
Clearly this strategy works better for some industries than others, but Iâd challenge you to consider how you might be able to partner with a person or organization to achieve your dream…
And think big. James Cameron sure did - and today heâs directed two of the biggest box office hits of all time.
The last solution I came up with for Brian was to find funding for his dream himself.
With websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, itâs never been easier to find support and funding.
In fact, as of January, 2013, more than $100 million had been pledged to independent films through Kickstarter.
Since Brian is in the filmmaking business, these strategies are definitely on the creative side, and may not be suitable for your industry…
However, if youâre considering a change of career and want to get your dream job, thereâs a free video here with three tangible (and less creative) job seeking strategies you can check out.
Itâs a short video that I put together alongside my mentor - who helped me get my dream job - and it contains simple, proven strategies thatâll help you get to the next level in your career.
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Ryan Niessen is a keynote speaker and co-creator of The Gateway Method: a simple, proven way to gain inside access to the worldâs best employers and get your dream job. Connect with him on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
The post 3 Solid Strategies For Changing Careers appeared first on CAREEREALISM.
After sending out all of those letters and networking like crazy, you finally got the interview. You are prepared. You have your resume printed on good paper, and you have studied your background so you donât have to play the total recall game. The big day is coming - what do you wear? You know the company is a casual place to work. Do you dress up, down, or somewhere in between? Hereâs how to dress for the interview.
Related: The Doâs & Donâts Of Womenâs Business Attire
Since you are not yet an employee, the best thing to do is dress to impress. I understand that the company has a laid back atmosphere, and people can show up in jeans and flip flops. Thatâs fine - for those that are already employed there. You are TRYING to get employed, so you need to dress differently than the people that already work at the company. Donât let poor attire choices cost you the job. Here are some tips:
Wear slacks in a dark color and a button down shirt with a collar and tie. You should wear a jacket, too. The only caveat to this is that if the company is a start-up, extremely entrepreneurial, and the staff very young and hip, leave off the jacket. You donât want to come off as stodgy or un-cool in some way.
Part of what you are assessed on during the interview is fit, so dress is part of that. Otherwise, wear the jacket. You will look like you mean business. You will have plenty of time (and clothing, no doubt) from Hollister to get you going once you have your offer letter.
Wear a pant suit or skirt suit with an appropriate blouse or top. Do not wear anything that is sleeveless. You can also wear a dress. No open toe shoes please. Keep it professional.
Long hair? Tie it back to keep it neat.
Again, I would suggest something on the conservative side. Heels are fine; in fact, I prefer them, as long as they are not 4″ high. You want to be comfortable; but more importantly, you want to be able to walk.
Finally, I am all about nicely done nails as long as you donât look like Vampira. Keep them neat with a conservative color. If they can be considered for the Guinness World Book, how will you do any work? Everything counts. Believe me, you are being evaluated from a number of different perspectives.
All joking aside, personal appearance is very important during the interview process. Your outward presentation gives off signals. Make the most of yours by dressing to impress!
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
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With 20+ years as a strategic career advisor, Debra helps clients obtain highly desired interviews for competitive positions, including preparing results-oriented resumes, and providing guidance centered around interview preparation, salary negotiations, and overall career management. Visit her website at Careersdonewrite.com!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The post Fashionably Challenged? Hereâs How To Dress For The Interview appeared first on CAREEREALISM.
Ho humâŠ. Another day of job search (or maybe job search and work). If you feel this way, then chances are employers (and others!) will see you this way.
Related: 7 Ways Your Resume Is Boring Just Like Everyone Elseâs
How do you know if you are a boring job applicant? And can you really do anything about it? Read on:
Does your day sound like this? Wake up, make coffee, turn the computer on, apply for jobs, maybe eat something, return to the computer, watch TV, go to sleep, REPEAT. Working doesnât improve the routine, and itâs hard to get excited about doing this for long.
What To Do Instead: If you are having a hard time motivating yourself, then you are not doing what you need to be successful in your job search. Sure, there are going to be some lengthy applications or challenging resume tweaks, but in general, your job search should be about identifying opportunities and selling your skills to those providing them. If you canât sell yourself on going full-steam ahead, you sure arenât going to sell an employer on calling you for an interview! Look for the opportunities.
Often, clients indicate they canât even find jobs to apply for â they look every day and see the same ads week in and week out. If this is the case, you are looking in the wrong place!
What To Do Instead: First, these are evergreen jobs â either the employer is always looking because they are not a great employer, or they are always looking, but not for you. Instead, think about ways you can reach employers you want to work for. Second, try contacting employers directly, contacting friends, relatives, and mentors to see who they know whose hiring, look at print publications (trade journals, newspapers, job service, the library), and staffing agencies or recruiters.
BoooringâŠ. What are you going to talk about during networking opportunities? Before an interview? In response to a question about your interests?
What To Do Instead: Besides giving you something interesting to think and talk about, it is good to have something to look forward to. Engaging in learning or doing something you enjoy will also keep your mind stimulated and sharp. Taking a break from job search and/or work can also benefit you by providing you with a fresh outlook when you return to your desk.
Are you sending out the same cover letter to employer after employer? Have you looked at it until you are cross eyed? Chances are it might not get read by anyone, then. Or at least it wonât be as impactful as you need it to be.
What To Do Instead: Read some recent articles on what makes a good cover letter then start yours from scratch. If you can, ask for help from a professional (the little amount you spend will be well worth it!). At the very least, ask someone to review it for you and make suggestions about how to make it more engaging. Think about asking questions in your cover letter. For example, âI have always wondered.âŠâ Share a brief anecdote. Use anything that will make you stand out in a positive light.
Black print in times news roman font â nothing puts the reader to sleep more quickly. Have you had the same resume, essentially unchanged for a few months? Do you only change some words or phrases here or there?
What To Do Instead: Change things up with a different font â Verdana, Calibri, Cambria, donât go wild, but try highlighting your entire resume and changing the font. Introduce some color. Try dark blue headers or subheadings. Bold or italic or all caps can also make your resume pop. Use a text box to make key skills or other information stand out. Skim the internet for ideas: Type in âsample resume job titleâ and look at what comes back â donât get overwhelmed, just review for components you can borrow.
Sure, you may need to find a job ASAP â just to pay the bills. But, it is important to know what kind of job you would love so when you see it, you can make a career plan to get it.
What To Do Instead: If you know the jobs you are applying for now are a step toward your dream job, it will breathe new life into your job search. Keep your focus on the end goal â where you want to be, whether it is to get a job that is a stepping stone or if it is your dream job. This will energize your job search and employers WILL notice.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
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Mary Sherwood Sevinsky is a career and occupational consultant who is masters-prepared and certified. She is a business owner with nearly 20 years of experience in Corporate Management, Career Assessment & Counseling and in writing Career Articles and Educational Materials. She has worked as a corporate manager experienced in hiring, firing, and managing a staff of professionals with a multi-million dollar budget. Learn more about Mary and her services: www.life-works.info.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
The post Why Youâre A Boring Job Applicant (And What You Can Do About It) appeared first on CAREEREALISM.