Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Resume While Employed

Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Resume While Employed It’s a competitive job market out there. When you apply for a job, no matter how qualified you are for the new position, it’s absolutely imperative that your resume stands out from the crowd. After all, it’s your resume that will get you noticed out of a stack of resumes on a future employer’s desk. But it’s not just what’s currently on your resume that counts. You want to make sure you are continually making your resume better by taking some steps to improve skills and your knowledge base. These things will take some time, but they will all be beneficial in the long run. If you are looking for a job, even if you are still employed, there are some simple steps you can take to improve your resume â€" and improve your chances of landing that new job. Add skills. If you are employed, you have a specific skill set that you can bring to a new job. But what if the job you want requires a different set of skills? Now is the perfect time to take some night classes, or earn some certifications, to help you gain new knowledge and skills. Head to the local community college and take a few classes that will help you get the kind of job you really want. Volunteer. Get involved in your community and volunteer for a cause you believe in. When you volunteer, not only are you helping the community where you live, but you are also adding more job experience to your resume. You could volunteer for a literacy program at the library, work with your city council to beautify the downtown area, or even adopt a highway. There are many opportunities available where you can make a difference. Go back to school. More education never hurts, especially when you are looking for a job. Go back to school and earn a bachelors or a masters degree that will help you in your career. Many employers will even help pay for tuition or give you a flexible schedule to go to classes. There are many night school programs available for business people looking to better their careers. Network. One of the best things you can do to get noticed in a job search is to network. Get to know other people in your job field who could help you land the job of your dreams. You can join networking groups that meet on a weekly or a monthly basis or you could even join networking groups online. Website such as LinkedIn are dedicated to helping working professionals make connections. Ask for projects at work. You might have enough on your plate already at the office, but try to find opportunities in other departments where you can make a contribution. You’ll feel good about pitching in with another area’s project, but you’ll also be widening your skill set by learning about another area of the company. And you never know, you may actually like the work that is done in another department. Line up solid references. While it is standard protocol to omit references from resumes nowadays, you want to be ready if a potential employer asks for references at an interview. Well before you start sending out resumes, ask three or four people if they will be a reference for you. At least two of the references should be professional (previous supervisors), and one or two can be academic or character references (former teachers or colleagues). Never ask close friends or family members to serve as references. Make sure that you prep your references beforehand by giving them a copy of your resume and briefing them on your most important accomplishments so they know what to say when a potential employer calls them. Hire a resume writer. Hiring a resume writer may seem like an unnecessary stepâ€"since it is not actually improving your experience or skill setâ€"but it is an excellent way to set your resume apart from the competition. A resume writer is skilled at formatting and will make your resume readable, scannable, and appealing to the eye. A good writer also knows the language and terminology to use to make your experience sound as professional and impressive as possible. It may cost you a hundreds dollars or so to have your resume completely revamped by a professional, but the cost will be well worth it when those interviews start coming your way. Look for simple ways to improve your skill set and knowledge base to help your resume grow. It won’t be long until you are on your way to a new and better job (or maybe even a promotion at your current place of employment). Related: How To Write Career Documents To Influence Your Reader. Allen Smith is an avid networker, marketer and basketball fan. He writes for Your Local Security, a trusted retailer for ADT Home Security.

How to Make Sure Your Employees Are Happy at Work

How to Make Sure Your Employees Are Happy at Work This  article from  WorldatWork  has some  unbelievable statistics about our current employment trends.   Can you believe that only 45% of workers are satisfied with their jobs (down from 60% twenty years ago)  with the  highest level of dissatisfaction  with those under age 25? What can we really do to make sure that our employees are happy at work? This has a huge impact on the generation gap in companies and the sharing of ideas.   Younger employees  are frustrated with  inefficiencies that are in place and how management doesnt want to make changes that could improve the organization. We know what technology can do to help improve processes and workload.    Companies can no longer be run using the processes and techniques that were used in the past. My experience: I  know what it is like to be  an young employee who is not happy at work.   I  had experience as a college grad being disappointed when I  started my first job as a government employee.   I had such high expectations of the job I would have and the challenges I would overcome.   I thought I could change the world.   I ended up working with no one my age and the generation gap was huge!   I wanted to make changes and make things run better but no one else wanted to hear my thoughts or ideas.   As you might expect, I quickly become very bored and left as soon as I found another job that would challenge me more. So, what can we do? The  perception  that young employees are only looking for high salaries is wrong.   I would argue that most recent college grads would be very happy at work if  they  have a  huge responsibility  to make an impact and  are given the opportunity to  learn.   Many times employees who  are put in charge to train  new employees dont know how to train and keep  them happy.   They are just told by their managers to train another person  how to do their job.   Who wants to train someone who you fear will  force you out of a job someday? For those of us that graduated from college in the early 2000s,  we thought we could start a job and if we didnt like it, we could just transfer to the next job that was eagerly awaiting us.   I had many different job offers and I thought that I would always have my pick.   Today this is no longer possible with  a 9.7% unemployment rate, as many as 350  applicants for every job vacancy and an average of 10 applicants interviewing for each vacancy.   Another recent study from WorldatWork, showed that more than 75% of university students said job security was more important to them than pay and benefits, likely as a result of the recession. Whether  employees  are not  happy at work because of pay, a distrust in leadership, stress or an increased workload, as managers we need to figure out what makes them happy and meet their expectations.    No matter how different we may be, if we listen to their ideas we can  improve our organizations. Here are suggestions to keep your employees happy at work: 1) Offer challenges or competitions 2) Give your employees even more responsibility 3) Provide ongoing development discussions 4) Show them where they are headed within the company and that their outlook is bright 5) Tell them when they are doing great work (and also provide feedback if needed) What other suggestions do you have to keep employees happy at work?

Company Leader or Boss The Attributes of Effective Leadership

Company Leader or Boss The Attributes of Effective Leadership Although there are several business leadership styles, they typically fall into two basic categories:   Leaders and bosses. Leaders generate a vision and roadmap for their employees that support the company’s goals, while bosses generally consider themselves supervisors or people managers. Most human resources professionals agree that employees are more likely to gravitate toward, or be inspired by,leaders who focus on the big picture and allow their staff to identify and execute the best strategies for fulfilling that vision. How do managers determine whether or not they are simply a boss or a true leader? And what can they do to make the transition? Bob McIntyre, a director of service operations with Insperity, offers a few insights and tips. Leaders trust their employees. Bosses tinker or micromanage. Company leaders provide employees with the right tools to get the job done and trust them to deliver while providing regular updates on projects, or alerts to address problems as they arise.   This leadership style allows team members to flourish and grow. In comparison, bosses are often considered micromanagers. They might delve deeply into their employees’ workloads regularly or perform work themselves that should have been delegated to others. This form of management can lead to distrust and cripple worker motivation. Leaders give their teams credit. Bosses take the credit themselves. Bosses often fail to identify the efforts of their teams or individual employees when a project is successfully completed. However, when there are issues or blunders, others are to blame. True leaders recognize that while they are ultimately responsible for successes and failures, most projects are a team effort and the individuals behind a major accomplishment deserve recognition. In addition to earning trust and respect, highlighting the success of others will help managers in their efforts to retain top talent. Leaders create a constructive learning environment. Bosses are reactive when providing feedback. Leaders offer constructive advice to team members when mistakes are made. They also help employees build problem-solving skills to aid them later in their careers.   They offer possible solutions to a problem, tackling the issues together with workers. Leaders offer this input in a private setting to help prevent employee embarrassment and frustration, which can impede learning. Bosses tend to worry less about feelings and react hastily to staff members when mistakes are made. Leaders listen to understand. Bosses listen to reply. Genuine leaders are always ready to receive information from their employees. They provide a sense of security by setting other tasks aside and making time to communicate with team members â€" preferably in-person.   Bosses look for gaps in discussions to interject their own opinions, sometimes without listening to, or absorbing other team member’s thoughts. Bosses also often fail to see the value of face-to-face communications and send an email when a more meaningful form of communication would likely be a better approach. Leaders are highly engaged and cultivate enthusiasm. Bosses can be aloof. Bosses who are easily distracted or appear aloof are often unable to inspire their teams. As a result, employee morale can decline.   In comparison, leaders who are engaged understand the importance of positive reinforcement and regular communication. They recognize how motivation drives positivity and seek to establish and maintain that kind of environment.  Leaders never stop learning. Bosses become content. Leaders understand it is never too late to learn something new and there is always a lesson to be learned in every situation. A good leader will not attempt to halt an employee’s personal growth or withhold information, unless absolutely necessary. Bosses often feel they have reached a level of success and expertise and are therefore less open to new ideas or learning opportunities. Check out the videos below for additional insights on effective leadership!

How To Update Your Spring Wardrobe Without Breaking the Bank

How To Update Your Spring Wardrobe Without Breaking the Bank Todays post is written by Christina Wallace, the co-founder and CEO of  Quincy, a new approach to work apparel for ambitious young women. Trained first as a classical pianist and cellist at Interlochen Arts Academy, then as a mathematician and theater director at  Emory University,  Christina is not your typical fashion entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter at  @cmwalla. Here is how to update your spring wardrobe   without breaking the bank. First, shop your closet to pull off these trends: Color: You already have it, now pair it in new ways to achieve spring’s bold looks. Color blocking is everywhere this season, followed closely by tone-on-tone (pairing neighboring shades from the color wheel rather than contrasting ones). To keep this trend from looking too costume-y, pick two pieces to stand out (think cobalt skinnies with a fuchsia cashmere sweater or a coral blouse with a burnt orange pencil skirt) and accessorize with neutrals. Midi-length skirts:  These skirts make a repeat appearance thanks to the Great Gatsby/1920s resurgence.   Didn’t try the midi trend last year? Grab a maxi skirt or dress that’s lingering in the back of your closet and take it to a tailor for a quick alteration.   The midi is more flattering on taller girls, yes, but petite women can pull it off with a wedge or espadrille. We love that the lady-like silhouette is simultaneously modest and sexy, and it’s perfect for any type of office. Leather is no longer relegated only to Fall and Winter, which makes it an even better investment on a per-wear basis.   This year it carries over into Spring/Summer. Leather jackets are a great counterpoint to pleated skirts, and leather accessories (whether bags, belts, or shoes) toughen up even the softest florals. Just make sure you take care of your leather pieces a little bit of polish can go a long way on shoes and belts, and don’t forget to waterproof your bag if you’re going to brave the spring showers! [Related Post:  What To Wear To Work: The Top 5 Most Trendy and Affordable Stores] Consider making a few investments in your spring wardrobe that can go a long way: Blazers made a strong showing on the runways this year, with everything from trousers to shorts to dresses. Add polish and a hint of structure with a fitted piece or size up and style as a boyfriend blazer with a belt and sleeves pushed up. They are the perfect outerwear during spring’s temperamental weather patterns and keep you comfortable indoors when summer hits and everyone blasts the air conditioners. Plus they transition perfectly through Fall and Winter. But our favorite reason to flock to blazers? They somehow make nearly any look “work-appropriate.” Skinny belts are your best friend for reviving last year’s dresses. Defined waists were big on the runways with the peplum making a repeat appearance from last fall. Get the same look by belting dresses over a blazer or cardigan. Keep them in the same color family to highlight the silhouette, or go with a bright, contrasting belt for a pop of color. Accessories are the best way to tap into the season’s trends without fully committing to what might be passing fads (think orange, leopard print, and tortoise shell). Check out the high-street shops like HM or Zara for inexpensive leopard print scarves, enamel bracelets in shades of tangerine and coral, and skinny belts in all hues. How are you updating your  spring wardrobe?

6 Telltale Signs Your Company is Trying to Make You Quit And What You Can Do About It - CareerMetis.com

6 Telltale Signs Your Company is Trying to Make You Quit â€" And What You Can Do About It Firing an employee involves a complicated process, a lot of paperwork, and a few awkward conversations. Companies can be cowards. Rather than taking a direct approach, some companies prefer to be passive aggressive. They don’t want to fire you â€" they want to motivate you to quit.When they’re trying to push you out of the workplace, higher-ups in your company will attempt to utilize tried and true methods of humane misery to make you want to leave. They want you to feel dissatisfied or tense and start looking for a better workplace. There are several ways to go about it, but most companies stick to a few basic maneuvers to get you out the door.evalIf you feel that you’re being pushed to quit by a superior, you need to recognize the signs and act accordingly.1. Your Responsibilities Have Been Cut BackevalIf you went from being very busy to not busy at all, and the people around you seem to be at least as swamped as they were before, this is a sign that the work is still there.I t’s currently going to other people who the company intends to keep on board Micromanagement is invasive and annoying. Some bosses don’t realize that they’re intrusive or annoying, and if you’ve always had a micro-manager, this isn’t a sign that something has changed.However, if you’ve recently been dealing with a micro-manager or your current boss has drastically changed the approach with which they handle you, the added pressure is likely purposeful.Increased intensity and discomfort in interactions that you can’t control is a pressure tactic.4. You’re Working From the BasementevalIf your office moves, if your tasks have become isolated, or if you’ve suddenly delegated a lonely, behind the scenes job, this is cause for concern. It’s almost like expulsion from a company’s culture. You’re losing your team and your sense of community, and it’s hard to be productive if you don’t know what everyone else is doing.These obstacles and barriers exist to make an employee’s job seem futile or insurmountably tricky. All in the hopes that they’ll seek a more comfortable position elsewhere.eval5. The Higher Ups Seem to be MissingBosses that aren’t great with confrontation or uncomfortable situations may entirely avoid an employee they’re attempting to oust. They may be mentally preparing to fire you by creating a cold and impartial distance.If the real aim is to get you to quit on your own, your boss may stop providing you with the help and resources you need to do your job appropriately.Your tools are slowly disappearing, you’re asking for help you aren’t getting, and they’re hoping you’ll give up.6. Your “New Job” Feels SuspiciousChanges in title or position that seemingly come out of nowhere are rarely a good thing. Promotions are a form of celebration and award. If you’ve been moved or switched out of the blue without much fanfare, consider what your new position entails.Are you a glorified paper sorter that sits in a windowless room all day? Is this drastically different from the work you were doing before?This is because they’ve moved you out of a promotional track job to move up someone else. They’ve chosen a new person, and they didn’t want to tell you.What You Can Do About ItevalIf you feel like they’re trying to force you out, your job isn’t worth fighting over. Maybe you weren’t a great fit for the company. Maybe they were undervaluing your contributions.Perhaps new management came in and decided to save money by plucking off the high salaried employees to make room for outsourcing and people who will work for less. Regardless, you need to be concerned for your future.Stay with your job so you can continue to collect income while you are looking for a new one, but don’t wait too long to jumpstart the search.If you’re being isolated or deliberately devalued, your employer probably wouldn’t care if you used up your vacation time to find a new position.Don’t take the first job you see â€" look into potential employers before you interview with them to ascertain that you would fit in. It doesn’t necessarily matter if it’s a lower paying job, as long as you’re happy. You don’t want to find yourself repeating this process in the future, so look for a position with long-term potential.evalOnce you’ve located a new job and accepted an offer of employment, formally quit or resign. You’ll create a seamless transition from one role into the other, and you won’t need to worry about income in the meantime.If you have the time and money, give yourself a week off between jobs to change your mindset and find some optimism for the future.Don’t get angry, don’t yell, and don’t plan a grand exit. It’s normal to feel hurt or to feel like you deserve better treatment from a company you work for. Most of the time, a company attempts to get people to quit because they haven’t done anything that would warrant firing them.That means you can still u se the employer as a reference. If they’re looking to get rid of you, the recommendation they give you will be at least neutral. They want someone else to take you on so you’ll leave the office.Learn SomethingConsider everything you learned working with the employer who wanted you to quit. Maybe you made some mistakes that lead to you finding yourself in that position.Perhaps you shouldn’t have taken that job because of irreconcilable philosophical differences with the company. Do not devalue yourself.Learn and move forward into a better position with a little more wisdom now than before.

8 Common Writing Errors That Make You Look Unprofessional (Infographic) - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

8 Common Writing Errors That Make You Look Unprofessional (Infographic) Whichever field you choose for your career, and whatever job you take up, writing would be involved in one form or the other. You may be a doctor, a marketing professional, a professor, an IT person, or an accountant you will have some kind of writing to do. You may have to write emails, reports, letters, or some kind of memos, and if your writing is full of typos and grammatical errors, you may give a wrong impression to the recipient of the document. Instantly people judge you to be ignorant and irresponsible. To avoid this proofreading is important. With proofreading, you will be able to correct your mistakes like failing to capitalize where it is necessary or eradicate typos. There lies a difference in homophones like your and youre or except and accept or effect and affect or their, there, and theyre. If you are unaware of the aforementioned mistakes or appropriate punctuations, you will never be able to achieve a flawless letter or memo. Hence making yourself aware of your writing mistakes and honing your writing skills is extremely important. Click here for an infographic from Walkerstone.com that lists some of the most common writing errors that people commit. You can go through it to check if you are making any of these mistakes and it also explains and gives solutions which can help you understand the difference better.

The Competitive Landscape For Resume Writing Services

The Competitive Landscape For Resume Writing ServicesCareerBuilder is one of the oldest career recruitment and placement service providers in the US. Monster or any other such online resume services are the latest generation of career services as they provide professional resume services as well as exclusive top-notch resume services. These two separate services provide different level of service to the company or individual.Monster and CareerBuilder are two of the best resume writing services available in the business. Monster is a good example of successful outsourcing jobs. It is not the same at all. Monster is not just an online service provider but also offers the role of professional in the country for getting the job without actually spending much money. It offers many offers of job and its success depends on you to avail its services.The CareerBuilder is a good example of successful outsourcing jobs and it has been running successfully since about 14 years. It has gained cred ibility among the companies in the US and with the support of the recruitment services, the company continues to provide employment opportunities. The Company excels in providing information and in providing instant placements for the hardworking applicants.A resume is a document that presents information about the past career achievements and the future skills needed for the next job. CareerBuilder helps the applicant to find out the right companies for them by providing their service in free of cost and this may include finding the perfect company for the applicant and ultimately finding the right job for them.Resume writing services provides great job opportunities to the applicant and this is one of the reason for their popularity. It is not just an online service but an online service provider which help the applicant find the perfect job by providing multiple career and job placement services. This includes a search function and submission of resume and all that are needed fro m the applicant is his or her name and contact details. Resume writing services are provided to the applicant free of cost. It helps the applicant gets the job without spending much money. This is the first quality of the CareerBuilder which gets their popularity and reputation from the multitude of offers it provides to the applicants. With this, the applicant has the option to choose the best job for him and his family.This online service allows you to have a perfect resume and with the help of this, you can easily find the job you are looking for. It provides the right opportunity for the applicants and helps them get the desired job. This service is perfect for all aspirants who want to go for the job and get their dream job.