Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile

Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn is an impactful way to build your professional brand and expand your network. While it may seem like people spend hours on end using the platform, there is a lot you can do in ten minutes or less to improve your profile or to stay active on this essential professional social media platform.1. Update your headlineYour LinkedIn headline defaults to current role at current company. Your current role is just a small part of who you are as a professional. You have 120 characters in this line where you can elaborate and share mora about yourself. Consider changing your headline to a keyword list, a sentence or sentence fragment. For example Helping small businesses recruit and retain top talent or HR Advisor Recruitment Employee Engagement Diversity Inclusion. This will give people a better idea of the work you do and why they might be interested in connecting.2. Consider SEOWhen someone is searching for you on LinkedIn, what are the keywo rds they would search? These are the important words to incorporate into your headline and summary sections. Make sure your qualifications and keywords are at the forefront. You may fold these into your summary in paragraph form or leave them as a key skills word bank at the bottom of your summary. Do you know a code language, have a certification or a particular subject matter expertise? Make sure to share those items to be included in recruiter searches by highlighting them in your summary or headline.3. Get activeYoull get the fruchtwein out of LinkedIn if you are using LinkedIn, so get in there and post, like, comment or share. If youre not sure where to begin, you can contribute to a conversation that is already happening or share an article that you found particularly helpful. Simple actions will ensure that your profile is shared and you are top of mind. This can be done in just a few minutes and reach hundreds of people.4. Change to first personUnlike your resume, LinkedIn p rofiles are typically written in first person using I. This style will help the reader more easily engage with your message and allow you to use your voice and style more than in our resume where impersonal sentence fragments are still the norm. LinkedIn is where your professional personality can come through, so share your story in your voice.5. PersonalizeWrite a personalized message in your connection requests to start the relationship on the right foot and increase the possibility of them accepting the request. This small step really matters and is particularly impactful if you are requesting to connect with those you dont know, including potential hiring managers or industry leaders. You can share a bit about why youd like to connect and, if you already know the person, just mention that youd like to say in touch on LinkedIn.LinkedIn doesnt need to be complicated and these steps can be used whether youre just starting out or you have an established voice as an industry leader. After all, engaging on LinkedIn is one of the most important steps to growing and managing your professional network.--Alyson Garrido is passionate about helping women advance their careers and find jobs they will enjoy. As a career coach, she partners with her clients to identify their strengths and create a path toward a more fulfilling career. Alyson provides support around preparing for interviews, performance reviews and salary negotiations, ensuring that you present yourself in the best possible light for job search and career advancement. Learn more or book a session with Alyson by visiting www.alysongarrido.com.

A Secret Weapon for Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips

A Secret Weapon for Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips The Advantages of Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips The hiring ought to take place with suitable time and trust. Taking the opportunity to tailor your resume to coincide with the particular demands of a job is quite wise. Then consider placing your experience section initially and your education second. Moreover, tailoring your resume will allow you to list job-specific important words and abilities, further adding to your appeal for a candidate. The aforementioned samples of resumes can be employed by any of the aforementioned folks. You may look at generic resumes, but engineering resume samples will be absolutely the most useful due to their specificity to your area. If your resume does not comprise the necessary keywords, youre going to be overlooked. Whether you seek an entry or top level engineering job, education is generally the very last thing that interests your upcoming employer. The partic ular person who practices engineering is known as an engineer. In that situation, its better to tailor your resume for a mechanical engineering job to coincide with the language of the work offer. For instance, if you are asking for a job as a mechanical engineer for a massive company, mention your strong teamwork skills together with any experience youve got with mechanical projects. Finding the Best Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips If you arent certain what information is better to have in your CV or the way to format it correctly, look at our mechanical maintenance engineer CV example. Opportunely, engineering resumes have an extremely straightforward format. Mechanical engineers need to be versed in a broad array of software and technology to execute effectively. There are a lot of engineers who are employed in groups to invent technologies and solve the problems. Whispered Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips Secrets Writing a superb curriculum vitae ob jective is extremely essential for obtaining a good engineering job. Next, you must avoid resume mistakes which make recruiters angry. Our resume builder will provide you with tips and examples on how best to compose your resume summary. To get this kind of engineering resume, you could take advantage of the amazing resume templates found here which have been designed particularly for the goal. For instance, instead of AutoCAD, the work description mentions AutoCAD 2D design program. What Is So Fascinating About Mechanical Engineering Resume Writing Tips? The CORE COMPETENCIES section of your resume have to be rich in the appropriate keyword phrases. Writing a resume summary statement is important if you prefer to acquire an engineering lokalitt that fully utilizes your distinctive skill collection. To begin with, however, you must ask yourself whether you have sufficient skills to warrant a new section. The discipline of mechanical engineering is an extremely respectab le one. It is one of the most technical-skill-heavy careers out there. If youre searching for a steady, high-paying career, then mechanical engineering is a fantastic field for you to think about. Mechanical engineers work on several different projects. Do not incorporate any information on your CV which might be deemed controversial. The information that you include when writing a resume summary statement is dependent upon the discipline of engineering you need to enter in addition to your previous work experience. The following suggestions will help you compose a resume which will help you become shortlisted for the work interview.

How Mainstream Are Video Interviews in the Hiring Process

How Mainstream Are Video Interviews in the Hiring ProcessIts no secret we at Spark Hire see the video vorstellungsgesprch as the hiring tool of the future. But has the video bewerberinterview really become a mainstream hiring technique?Lets look at some numbers about online video in general and video interviewing to find outPress PlayOnline video is gaining traction as the internet becomes a more visual environment. Just a few years ago, Netflix was a company that sent out DVDs and Hulu was just a made up word. Now Netflixs streaming tafelgeschirr is arguably more popular than its DVD rental branch, while Hulu is the place to turn to catch up on all your favorite television shows.The role of online video is expanding, so it makes sense recruiters, hiring managers, and employers would use it to connect with great candidates. Lets take a brief look at how the presence of online video has grownAccording to comScore, 84.9 percent of the US Internet audience watched online video in 2012.A mericans watch up to 9 hours of online video per week.Plus 50 percent of smartphone users are watching video directly on their phone.So What About the Video Interview?Obviously, people love watching video online. Its convenient and easy to watch your favorite TV show, web series, or even just a short video of a cat jumping into a box. (This is the Internet after all everything becomes about cats eventually.) But what about using the video interview as an important hiring tool?Theres no denying video interviewing is starting to break into the mainstream. Thanks to built-in webcams in most laptops, its easier than ever before to perform a video interview with a top candidate.So just how mainstream is video interviewing?Six in 10 companies are utilizing video interviews in their hiring process, according to a survey by Office Team.Of these companies, 85 percent plan to use video interviews just as much in 2013 as they did in 2012. While 12 percent plan to increase their reliance on vid eo interviewing.It should come as no surprise why you can view 10 video screens in the amount of time employers can perform only one phone screen. Plus, video interviewing saves 67 percent of the travel costs associated with hiring.And remember all those smartphone users cuing up video on the go? Thanks to the Spark Hire mobile app, employers and job seekers can now view and record video interviews right from their smartphone.So obviously the video interview is becoming a more mainstream hiring tool. Employers and job seekers are realizing the potential of video to connect more easily and more personally.But what do you think? Are you seeing video interviewing going more mainstream? Do you think the video interview is just a fad? Sound off in the comments

Baby Boomers in the Workplace

Baby Boomers in the WorkplaceBaby Boomers in the WorkplaceWhat sets the Baby Boomer generation apart in the workplace from theTraditionaliststhat preceded them and the generations that followed them? The Baby Boomers Generation Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The oldest the 79 million Baby Boomers reached age 65 in 2011 and the youngest will get there by 2029. Following World War II, the average age of marriage dropped, and the number of children increased dramatically, making the Baby Boomer generation substantially larger than the Traditionalists. Conveniently, this population explosion corresponded with a post-war economic boom (aided by theG.I. Billand the growth of consumer suburbs). But in the early years of the boom, schools were overcrowded, colleges didnt have enough seats, and competition for starting jobs was intense. As a result, the young Baby Boomers learned to compete for resources and success. Common Characteristics of Baby Boomers Work-CentricBa by Boomers are extremely hardworking and motivated by position, perks, and prestige. Baby Boomers relish long work weeks and define themselves by their professional accomplishments. Since they sacrificed a great deal to get where they are in their career, this workaholic generation believes thatGeneration XandGeneration Yshould pay their dues and conform to a culture of overwork.Baby Boomersmay criticizeyounger generationsfor a lack of work ethic and commitment to the workplace. IndependentBaby Boomers are confident, independent and self-reliant. This generation grew up in an era of reform and believe they can change the world. They questioned established authority systems and challenged the status quo. In thelegal workplace, Baby Boomers are not afraid of confrontation and will not hesitate to challenge established practices.Goal-OrientedWith increased educational and financial opportunities thanprevious generations, Baby Boomers are achievement-oriented, dedicated and career-focus ed. They welcome exciting, challenging projects and strive to make a difference. CompetitiveSinceBaby Boomersequate work and position with self-worth, they are quite competitive in the workplace. They are clever, resourceful and strive to win. Boomers believe in hierarchal structure and rankism and may have a hard time adjusting to workplace flexibility trends. They believe in face time at the office and may fault younger generations for working remotely.Self-ActualizationBecause the Baby Boomers grew up in a time of mass middle-class affluence, they had time and energy for self-actualization, and the Traditionalists values of conformity and loyalty started to fall apart. Work for the Baby Boomers shifted from a source of stability to a means of self-actualization and self-expression, moderating the Traditionalist love of hierarchical management with an emphasis on structural fairness and equal opportunity. How Baby Boomer Values and Ethics Impacted the Legal Workplace The Baby Boomers entered the legal profession at a time of expansion and change, bringing with them their long-established competitive and workaholic ways and importing their views on social change and self-expression. In law firms, corporations, and other legal employers, Boomers insisted on a modicum of feedback and argued foryearly standardized performance reviewsto level the playing field for all employees. With the booming economy, it was relatively easy to advance up the ranks to law firm partnership, even though hard work and substantial billable hours were still required. The joke among many Boomer law partners is that theyd never be able to make partner today, and probably wouldnt have had the credentials to even be hired as an associate. Over the course of Boomer careers, firm salaries and equity payouts exploded, and theyd largely avoided student loans and other debt, due to the expansion of public education and the booming economy, leaving partners at the top of a seemingly endl essly widening pyramid. Outside of the relatively conservative firm context, Boomers used the legal workplace to fight for their deeply-held beliefs, advancing the rights of women and minorities in the courts via impact litigation. Women started to become a more frequent presence in the legal workplace (as attorneys, rather than secretaries), opening up opportunities, but also creating areas of frisson and conflict. As women flooded into the workplace, the birthrate dropped substantially, resulting in the baby-bustGeneration X- 25% smaller than the Baby Boomers. As the booming economy slowed down, Generation X entered the workplace, bringing derision and concern over their slacker values, but also a degree of tech-savvy know how that the legal profession had never before seen. This generational segment constituted a large majority of law firm leaders, corporate executives, seniorparalegals, andlegal managers. By 2010, nearly 70 percent of law firm partners were Baby Boomers. However , the oldest Boomers began reaching retirement age in 2011. This sets the stage for an unprecedented turnover of leadership in the coming years.

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work Home

Answer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeAnswer Interview Questions About Bringing Work HomeDo you take work home with you? is a tricky question you may get during your next job interview. Its a good idea to think through your answer in advance. Get insight into why this question comes up during interviews, as well as tips for how to respond. Why Employers Want to Know Your View on Working at Home Employers ask this question for a variety of reasons. They might want to know that you are organized and can do all of your work in the allotted time. They also might want to make sure you maintain a decent work-life balance (which many employers believe will ultimately make you a happier, and thus better, employee). However, some employers really are looking for people who make work the center of their lives, and want to assess just how dedicated to the job you will be. Even employers who do not expect in-depth work on projects after business hours may want employees to frequ ently check email from home. For some roles, a certain amount of after-hours work is built in. For instance, a social media manager for a late-night TV show may have monitor angeschlossen comments after business hours. Answering this question, therefore, requires you to know a bit about the particular company and job. How to Answer Before you answer, think about thecompany culture. If you know the employer values work-life balance or time management skills, you will want to emphasize your ability to complete your work during work hours so that you can focus on family or other activities after work. If the company requires employees to put in lots of extra hours and emphasizes the need for dedication and passion in the workplace, you may want to stress your willingness to bring projects home in order to ensure high-quality work. If you arent sure of what the employer is looking for, the safest way to answer is to emphasize yourorganizational skillswhile also saying that, when nec essary, you will take work home with you. Try not to be negative about bringing work home, since that may be something that is common at the company. However you respond, do be honest. This question also provides you an opportunity to think about whether or notthe job is the right fit for you. Always remember, an interview is a two-way street. Just as the employer is finding out what you would be like as a worker, youre discovering what it would like to work for the company. If the employer clearly wants to you take work home with you on a regular basis, but you value your free time, you may want to consider not taking the job. Instead, look for jobs at companies that value work-life balance. Sample Answers When I need to, bringing work home with me is not a problem. I realize the importance of meeting deadlines and getting work done on time, and sometimes that requires extra hours in the office or at home.I am extremely organized and skilled at budgeting my time. When I begin a project, I create a timeline for myself that allows me to complete the assignment in a timely manner without taking my work home. However, I understand that sometimes timelines change or issues come up, and I am always willing to take work home with me when that happens. When I begin a new project, I often choose to take work home with me in order to ensure that I complete the project for my client on time. However, maintaining regular time to spend with my family is very important to me, so I try to limit this to the early stages of projects and to urgent matters. Im very aware of how speedily communications move in this industry. One email can be the difference between landing a pitch or having it go elsewhere. To that end, I try to be very responsive to email on my phone. I do a quick scan of my inbox several times a night when Im home, and look at my email during my early morning workout, too. I always encourage my team to reach out if anythings urgent. And, for the few times a year when I totally unplug, I prep with a back-up network so that all team members know who to contact for feedback and answers.

Fact You need a personal business card (+ heres what it should have on it)

Fact You need a personal geschftsleben card (+ heres what it should have on it)Fact You need a personal business card (+ heres what it should have on it)Youve probably had a company business card at one job or another, but do you carry a personal one?Because the thing is, if youre currently job searching, hoping to start a side hustle or land some freelance, or youd just like to keep your options open, your regular company card isnt going to cut it. That tiny,unassuming personal business card just might be what stands between you and your next big career opportunity.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy you need a personal business cardSmart women make their own luck (and business cards). When I decided I wanted to leave my last job, I knewit was time to start putting myself out there (and networking any chance I got). I had business cards through my company. They were like most c ompany cards white, square, and bland. I didnt want to be seen with them.One night, after a motivating happy hour dialogue, I came home feeling like I needed to do something. I wanted proof that I was ready to start a new chapter. A requisite Google search for personal business card design led me toMOO, an zugreifbar service that letsyoucreate and print cards online (courtesy of plenty of well-designed templates). Im sure there are other companies out there that will do the same, but so farMOO is the best one Ive found.I spent the nexthour designing my ideal layout. It was a card on my own terms, according to my own rules based onmy career transition goals. A week later, the package arrived, andmy career hasnt looked the same since. Heres how a personal business card changes the game1. It helps you control your own storyIn a few simple words, I summarized who I wasprofessionally, but alsowho I wanted tobecome.Each cardgave all the information people needed to find meonline, includin g a link to myportfolio but also my Instagram, which I knew demonstrated my aesthetic and voice.2. It makes it easy for people to remember- and hire- youIn simple terms, those cards made it easier for people to hire me. They didnt have to just remember my last name the next day or go digging through search results to find my portfolio. And so they did hire me. Just like that, I hit a new level of legitimacy- and I started getting calls.3. It gives you confidence (seriously)Personal business cards serve a specific need they help yousummarize who you are to a potential contact. But they also make your professional lifefeelreal,even ifyoure currently faking it untilyou make it. And thats the heart of it even though I felt like my career had hit a dead end, ordering those cards made me feel like Id done something about it, and thatI was gonna be OK.What to include on a personal business card1. Your name- The one you want them to GoogleYour full name or, more specifically, the one you us e professionally. Kit isnt my given name (Ill leave you the fun of guessing what it is), but itisthe name Ive published writing under since I was 15. And its the name I want people to search for on Google when theyre looking into my experience because thats where all the good stuff is.2. What you do or want to doMaybe youre slaving away as an administrative assistant but your ultimate goal is to become a graphic designer. Your personal business card shouldnot read administrative assistant. That isnt who you are Thats just what youre doingright now. Think about what youd like to call yourself. konzeptioner? UX Design + Web Design? If youre not sure,look up people you admire on LinkedIn and do some research on the ways they describe their work and themselves.3. Your personal portfolio siteIf you dont have one and youre trying to make a career transition or start freelancing, take a break from designing your card and do that now. We have an entire downloadable guide dedicated tosetting up your personal websiteas well as various articles aboutwhy you need a personal siteandwhat to include in an online portfolio(even if youre not a creative).4. Phone number (preferably your cell phone) and/or personal email addressYou want people to be able to reach you quickly and easily, so a personal business card shouldinclude at least two options for contacting you. And make sure that whatever email address you include, youre checking it regularly and often. If yourethinking about freelancing, you need to get used to quick replies. I always answer within 24 hours. You can choose to skip the phone number, but honestly, whenever Ive seen people doing that, they wind up having to jot their phone numbers down inpen on the card anyway. My recommendation is to skip the hassle and include it.5. Social handles as applicableUnless your industry skews toward keeping these things private, youremay want to include your LinkedIn, Twitter, and/or Instagram depending on what youd like to sho w off. If youre a wordsmith, Twitter makes sense. If youre trying to show that you have a particular style and eye for design, you might include Instagram. It varies because personal business cards are just that- personal. Think about your end goal and decide what makes the most sense.6. (Optional) A personal logoIf your personal brand is on lock, you might have a logo on your personal website, that you can include on your business card as well. If so, great. A consistent brand is great. If not, dont sweat it. Simple is always best anyway.What not to include on a personal business cardJust a few pointers here because sometimes people overdo itToo much design- the goal is for them to focus on your information, not on the graphicsYour mailing address- danger zone. Do you really want that floating around in the world? It also takes up too much space so its a lose-lose.Typos- On multiple occasions, Ive encountered a personal business card that has a typo, even in the email address. That s a big problem if you want people to contact you. So ersatzdarsteller- and triple-check before hitting PurchaseA QR code- No one uses these anymore, but somehow they still crop up. Just dont. People are savvy enough to type in your personal website URL on their own.The simplest personal business card templateIf youre not sure where to start, this layout is a no-fail option. Simple, right?Kit WarcholWriting + Editing Digital + Brand Strategykitwarchol.com IGkitwarcholPhone Number25 ways to use your personal business cardJust to drive the point home, here are some other times carryingcards can actually work out for youAtany networking event ever.When youve got a side hustle going and youre your own marketing department.Or youve gotseveralside hustles going, and you dont have cards for each of them.Youre at a Girls Night Out and you meet a woman youd like to know better.Time to mail a package from your Etsy store? Drop it in the kasten with your Thank You note.You hate your current job, and youre trying to find a new one.Or maybe your current job title doesnt match what you want to do. Like, at all.You want people to visit your personal site because it looks so good.Youre at an interview, meet yet another person, and- realize youve run out of copies of your resume.Youre like This dudes cute, but youre afraid he might not be interested, or youre just afraid to ask him to coffee. Keep it pseudo-profesh.You know no one spells your last name correctlyever. Just hand it to them.At a dinner party when youre trying to explain to the person next to you WTF you actually do.Youre hesitating on when to launch your entrepreneurial venture. Youll never be completely ready. Business cards make it official.Are you a designer or branding professional? Your business card is a tangibleexample of your aesthetic and skills.If your company name or website address is hard to remember.To drop into the fishbowl at your neighborhood Thai restaurant for a free lunch entry.Theres someth ing in your teeth, but you dont have floss. Card corners work wonders.When youre somewhere loud and the person you meet cant hear what your name is.When someone else gives you theirs. Its weird to not respond in kind.When youre traveling. Slip it into your baggage tag.When youdontwant to give someone your number. A card with just an email address is a stealth cop out.When your coworker isnt at her desk and you want her to know youve stopped by. Calling card.When youre looking at a chair at a yard sale, and they wont go as low as you want. Ask them to email you if they change their mind.AtSephora, when the clerk asks for the email address on your account.When you just need something to write on.This article originally appeared on Career Contessa.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityT he worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

The boss we hate the most is the one who ignores us

The boss we hate the most is the one who ignores usThe boss we hate the most is the one who ignores usUnfortunately for employees, bad bosses come in all kinds of flavors. There are the tyrannical bullies, the selfish, the sociopaths, the ones who can never admit being wrong. But out of all the toxic bosses, the ones who make us feel the worst are the ones who ignore us.Research highlighted by Harvard Business Review has found that absentee leadership is the most common incompetent leader and the most derailing to our self-esteem.Laissez-faire leadership behaviorcan be destructiveAbsentee leaders are ones that may be physically in the office, but their mind is elsewhere. They may be called leaders but they do notlage act like ones, avoiding the task of building meaningful connections with their team. They lack the self-awareness to keep track of company changes and their employees professional growth. They are not honest about your job performance, preferring to give empty praise. We are doing fine, their empty platitudes say, while everything is certainly not fine.Worst, you prompt them to take actions about serious management issues and they never do anything. Their hands are completely off the wheel and you are left to steer this skidding company on your own.In its analysis of the absentee boss, Harvard Business Review cited a 2010 studywhich found that laissez-faire leadership behavior was the most common destructive leader employees face. An absentee boss is characterized by what they do not do. It is a hands-off approach to leadership where complaints do not get addressed, and achievements do not get recognized.Being ignored feels worse than bullyingWhen our bosses give us complete free reign, it may seem freeing at first, but soon it feels alienating to have no clear direction about what you should be doing. Is anyone even listening to us? A 2015 survey found that laissez-faire leadership turned out to be the sole predictor of job satisfaction for employ ees.Employees in the survey felt worse when they were ignored than when they were bullied. In fact, the impact of an absentee boss will leave lasting marks on us long after the initial interaction. Employees with absentee bosses reported a degraded job satisfaction for at least two years.So bosses everywhere, pay attention. When you get promoted to a management position, the most important action you can take to improve job satisfaction is to make koranvers every employee feels heard.