Friday, May 29, 2020

Fake Job Postings

Fake Job Postings Four years ago I wrote a blog post titled The Skinny on Fake Job Postings.  Read the short post, the comments, and the original article I referenced. Fake job postings are a disgrace, and a slap in our face.  They contribute to the frustration of job seekers.   The postings are there because companies/people will pay for them, and those companies/people can get good information. As long as money changes hands Im not sure there is anything we can do, but please look for warning signals, and stay safe! Fake Job Postings Four years ago I wrote a blog post titled The Skinny on Fake Job Postings.  Read the short post, the comments, and the original article I referenced. Fake job postings are a disgrace, and a slap in our face.  They contribute to the frustration of job seekers.   The postings are there because companies/people will pay for them, and those companies/people can get good information. As long as money changes hands Im not sure there is anything we can do, but please look for warning signals, and stay safe! Fake Job Postings Four years ago I wrote a blog post titled The Skinny on Fake Job Postings.  Read the short post, the comments, and the original article I referenced. Fake job postings are a disgrace, and a slap in our face.  They contribute to the frustration of job seekers.   The postings are there because companies/people will pay for them, and those companies/people can get good information. As long as money changes hands Im not sure there is anything we can do, but please look for warning signals, and stay safe!

Monday, May 25, 2020

Want a High Performance Organisation Slow Down and Get Organised

Want a High Performance Organisation Slow Down and Get Organised You know, when I started out in corporate life, the philosophy that was pervasive  was - more is better! Crank out the volume, produce more and more and never  stop! Truthfully, many (and I mean MANY!) years later some organisations are still  signed up to that belief.  However, the enlightened ones have come to realise that less can very often be  much better than more! In our world today, there does exist that culture of freneticism get more done,  work long hours, have as many meetings as is humanly possible, diversify,  multiply, get bigger faster and on it goes! I am not blaming technology, but sometimes the way we use it contributes to this  frantic approach. I suppose what technology has done is enable us to get vast  amounts of information quicker - literally at our fingertips!  Technology also enables us to be connected 24/7 in any corner of the world,  which is simultaneously wonderful and terrifying.  For all its wonder, this can lead to significant overwhelm and burnout. What is even worse, is that in some situations this freneticism is accepted as the  status quo. I recently had a conversation with the director of a large division of a  multi-national, and what I have just described is how they operate - and they  simply accept that as the norm! Terrifying! Thankfully, more enlightened organisations think differently, and now believe  that the “pedal to the metal” philosophy is somewhat dated and belongs in the  past.  This change in thinking has not come about due to some “road to Damascus” bolt  of inspiration.  We now know that there is a huge price to be paid for the “pedal to the metal”  culture. The consequence of this culture is that no quality time is spent on  planning, strategising, developing people or market analysis. We are all simply  too busy! Not only is there a price to be paid in the workplace, but our people go home  drained and exhausted, with a high level of stress and return the next day in less  than stellar condition to perform at a high level. My experience would tell me that organisations who value volume and speed  above all else, spend little time looking over the parapet, and consequently,  become introspective and isolationist.  Those organisations have an approach to “sweat” their assets to extract the  maximum. I am all for sweating assets, but not when it comes to people. All you  end up achieving is burnout, frustration and disengagement. The consultancy firm, Perrins, did some interesting research a number of  years ago which really brought some statistics to support this point.  They researched almost 100,000 employees across about 20 countries and they  found the following: 40% of those researched said they turned up, did the work, but did not  feel committed. 38% said they were disenchanted and totally disengaged from their work only 20% said they were really engaged with their companies and would  go the extra mile. The first 2 groups worked in the “pedal to the metal” type of companies, the  latter in a “less is more” culture.  Does this have an impact of long term viability and performance of a business?  You bet it does, and the research went on to support it. Check this out! The organisations that had the most committed staff had, on average, of  19% increase in income, and a 28% increase in share price. The businesses with low levels of engagement suffered a 32% decrease in  income, and a corresponding 11% drop in share price. 90% of staff who felt engaged had no intention of leaving, while 50% of  those who had low commitment were considering moving on. Now that  has an impact on bottom line! So, what does this tell us? Very simply, if you want to have a high performance organisation, then you must  take the time to strategise, review, plan and develop your people. You simply  cannot do that if you are running at a 100 miles per hour. So, which one does your organisation look more like? If you don’t like what you  see then do something about it!

Friday, May 22, 2020

Is Someone Getting the Best of You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Is Someone Getting the Best of You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Every day we wake up we have a choice.  We can choose to plod through the day or not. We can choose to go thru the motions or not.  We can choose to  do our best work or not. I tend to fall into the last point here. Sure, there are days when you are tired and things may be a bit slower than usual. However, if every day is like that… it’s time for a change. You owe it to yourself to Bring the Best of You. One of my favorite bands is the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl and his band have made some iconic music over the years. One of my favorite songs by the Foo Fighters is “Best of You” and this post was partially (perhaps fully) inspired by this song. Ask yourself… Is someone getting the best of you? Ask yourself the deeper question … Are you truly giving the Best of You to yourself? If the answer to both of these is yes then you are doing great things and you can stop reading. However, if you think there is some room for improvement (even a teensy little bit) read on. Is someone getting the best of  you? ~ Foo Fighters One of the best ways to insure you are delivering The Best of You is to have a side hustle. A passion project that inspires you, gets your juices flowing and keeps you energized. The smart companies are realizing this too. And, they are empowering their managers to reward this kind of behavior. Why Side Hustle is Encouraged Enlightened managers encourage and expect people on their teams to try other things. Whether they are directly related to the role you are hired for or, and I think especially, if they are in an area you are passionate about. As I wrote in my post  Stoke Your Passion and Elevate Your Career there is an intrinsic human need to explore new frontiers and seek out areas where you can be inspired and do great things.  Of course, they still have a job. So they want The Best of You on the job too. Consider reading The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau for some inspiration and ideas to get your started. Think back to a time when you spent the time to work on something that you were really passionate about. Did you show up for work the next day refreshed, recharged and raring to go? My guess is that you did. This is the kind of passion great managers seek and great employees want to deliver. Something people have said to me when I’ve mentioned this in the past is that they work for themselves and they are already doing what they are passionate about. To which I reply… “Congratulations, you have figured it out!” I usually add “Are there any other areas of interest that you are truly passionate about? And, when you get to work on them do find yourself re-energized?” Of course, the answer is always yes and that’s a good thing. Whether you are a solopreneur or working for a huge multi-national corporation there is a basic human need to pursue our passions. When you pursue your passions you will be better at most everything you do. You may be really tired on Monday morning, but you’ll have great  stories to tell and I suspect you will have learned a lot more about yourself and your ability to get things done. Another benefit of pursuing passions is that you will  Stand Out in Your Career as you seek to build, enhance, and create something new. Wise managers will notice this effort and reward this behavior. Some of the more enlightened companies are encouraging employees to seek their own passion. Google is known for allowing 20% of someone’s time to be dedicated to an area of interest. Infusionsoft encourages and allows employees to have their own side-hustle and passion projects. In fact, they even provide all employees with full licenses to their software to pursue their passions. Richard Branson of The Virgin Group just eliminated limits on vacation days (in some businesses) I mention these companies because they are at the leading edge of innovation in helping employees get the most out of their lives. The wise companies have realized that employees (team members, if you will) that are passionate about something get more done, are more energized, and bring a joie de vivre to the business. The wise companies are empowering managers to seek out and reward people that have passion projects and the wise employees are taking advantage of this. How? By voting with their feet. The companies that have built cultures where passion is rewarded are sought after and roles within these firms are highly coveted. People know when they are inspired and they know when they are being asked to… Bring the Best of You.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Positive People Attract People and Breed Successful Careers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Positive People Attract People and Breed Successful Careers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change by merely changing his attitude. â€" Oprah Winfrey Have you ever noticed how attractive and likeable someone is when they have a positive attitude? They have a natural tendency to look at the cup as half full, not half empty. Every situation they experience, even negative ones, turn into something they are grateful for. Positive people tend to be some of our biggest influencers in society and some of the world’s most successful people. Their special charisma comes from how they react to difficulty and challenges and how they use every experience as a stepping-stone towards a better future. Personally, when I meet a motivational speaker or listen to someone who has achieved success, love and fulfillment; I want to get to know them better. I am drawn to them and their conversations like a magnet. I feel enlightened by their stories of hope, wisdom and passion.   Recently I met a mother in the hospital, Karen, who is the primary caretaker for her 23-year-old daughter who suffers from a chronic illness.   I am blown away by her outlook on life and her ability to consistently reframe every negative scenario with a positive response. Karen covers her daughter’s walls at their home with positive messages and decorated the door to her hospital room with gigantic thankful messages to the “outstanding, unbelievable medical staff” that cares for her daughter.   She spends a lot of her time in waiting rooms as her daughter has undergone over 50 surgeries in her life. Karen spends a good portion of that time researching positive messages to put on Facebook, bringing in a variety of spiritual and alternative healers to compliment her daughter’s conventional care, conferring with medical specialists and offering her support to a charitable cause tied to her daughter’s disease.   Karen’s focus is what I refer to as perpetually proactive, forward thinking and that of the consummate “uplifter” never assuming the role of victim. I observed that Karen is not in the least bit needy herself; She doesn’t martyr herself for her child but manages ways to take breaks from her intense schedule allowing friends and a volunteer to assist her so she can sustain her positive outlook and withstand the rigors of being a primary caretaker.   It’s not surprising that she has so many supportive, loving friends in her life as she gives more than she receives in terms of offering strength, optimism and genuine interest in other people’s lives. Karen exemplifies the optimist; she is driven by positive goals, positive images, positive thoughts and positive, proactive behavior. This incredible mother represents the ultimate role model for positivity; she manages the most challenging, heart wrenching circumstances and that is watching ones own child suffer day after day and year after year and remains committed to only seeing possibilities for an improved life.   I can only be sure that her daughter’s unbelievable courage fighting her daily battle with her disease is partially attributed to having an optimistic mother who focuses strictly on what’s possible to change. Many positive famous people also embody this character trait.   I have interviewed a few high-profile figures who exude positivity and they admitted that they invested  in coaching to train themselves on behaving positively and thereby developing a reputation and an aura of someone who is always “UP.” How to be Positive 1.   Find a topic you love to talk about 2.   Always speak highly of everyone you know 3.   Promise to embrace change 4.   Become the one who finds the blessings in every situation 5.   Wish only goodwill to your competitors 6.   Encourage someone with your support 7.   Offer endorsements of people you would recommend 8.   Make a difference in someone’s life 9.   Become a mentor . Live by the  Optimist’s Creed Each day make a conscious effort to be more positive. Watch, listen and learn from other people who have a positive attitude. Observe how they handle their own business or life situations. Help others see what is worthwhile in them and do the same for yourself.  Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Wear a smile at all times and give a smile to everyone you meet.   Give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.   Look for opportunities to see the good in the world and become a part of the solution to problems. Consider some of the people who have changed the way we live today from science, philosophy, religion, medicine, art, music, media and entertainment, technology and you will find people who are overwhelmingly positive. Here are some of my favorite positive thinking quotes from famous people who exemplify positivity in life:   I would imagine that a great deal of their success could be attributed to their attitude towards life. The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.     Albert Einstein Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping-stone to greatness. Oprah Winfrey A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes. Mahatma Gandhi I am an optimist. It does not seem to be much use being anything else. Winston Churchill Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching? Author Unknown I dont think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains. Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl There are always flowers for those who want to see them. Henri Matisse Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, youll start having positive results. Willie Nelson The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.  Benjamin Franklin Be aware of the great value of being alive. When you realize the great treasure that lies in every second of life, you will experience the great joy that is in inherent in each moment. This awareness will motivate you to utilize each moment to its fullest.     Rabbi Chayim Zaitchyk Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence. Helen Keller I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.   Arthur Rubinstein Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. Anthony J. DAngelo The next time you meet someone who has high energy and appears to be optimistic, observe his or her personality. Are you interested in what they say? Do you feel hopeful and encouraged when you leave them? Did they inspire you to take action in something worthwhile? The person who thinks positively usually sees endless possibilities and empowers others to feel the same. Their friends, family and others whenever someone needs to have their spirits lifted, usually call them. When someone is down or expressing negativity it’s the positive person who can step in and help motivate them to change. If you are radiating vibrant energy, other people who need a charge and who want to feel better will gravitate to you. Just by being around someone who is positive, you will start to look at your world differently and become more positive yourself. When a person refuses to allow himself to fall into despair but instead gives himself new life by finding and gathering his positive points, he becomes empowered to live more fully. Psychologists say that positivity is a matter of habit. So all of us can benefit from practicing some of these “habits” in order to become more positive and ultimately more effective and successful in life. Norman Vincent Peale (motivational speaker) wrote the book,  â€œThe Power of Positive Thinking”  and it has been a priceless classic. He talks about the traits that positive thinkers possess and how you can adopt the same mindset. Try this experiment, remove all negative words that end in “n’t” such as can’t, won’t, haven’t, shouldn’t, etc. Do this for at least one week and see how often you are actually saying them. Turn off the negative thoughts and replace them with something positive. Rephrase your comments and conversations to reflect a more positive outcome. Anytime you hear yourself saying something that lowers your mood, think of a way to say it again that lifts your spirits. 1. Positive thinkers always see the big picture and they tend to be the most grateful people. 2. They do not focus on the deficits in their life and on what they’re lacking. 3. They focus on the opportunities to enjoy life in its fullest, taking note of new sites, smells, feeling and experiences. 4. Positive people are energized more by what they can do than what they can’t do. 5. They approach problems in a proactive manner; confidant that there are many solutions and possibilities. 6. They do not steer away from attempting new solutions to old problems, rather than remaining stuck in doing things the same way that isn’t effective. 7. Positive people don’t have a good dayâ€"they make it a good day! 8. Positive people do not let their fears interfere with their lives.   They are unafraid to try new things.   They realize that set backs and failures are a normal part of a successful life. 9. They are resilient, bounce back following and defeat, learn from their own mistakes and never dwell on theirs or others limitations. . They are empowered peoplethey refuse to blame others and when things don’t go well they don’t perceive themselves as victims It makes perfect sense that the more positive you become, the more likely you’ll persist in life to actualize your goals. Having a positive outlook spurs on more activity that leads to positive outcomes; ultimately no matter what the outcome of your efforts, you will find something to learn and grow from. Life’s stresses can be exacerbated by negative thinking.   Positive thinking helps you replace self-doubt, stress and worry with self-confidence, happiness and peace.   Practicing these positive thinking tips can help you achieve your goals and lead a happy life.  Author: Beth Kuhel, M.B.A., C.E.I.P (Certified Employment Interview Professional) Beth is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career  (available on Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/dp/14687082) Her coaching assists students to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  Beth is also a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, High School Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com

Friday, May 15, 2020

6 Most Popular Programming Languages that will Help your IT Career

6 Most Popular Programming Languages that will Help your IT Career The tech sector is booming tremendously, there is a high demand for programmers and the one who have mastered their coding skills.Programming jobs are paying significantly more than the average position. An understanding of at least one programming language makes an impressive addition to any resume.evalIf you are wondering which programming language you should learn for having a better career. So let me tell you a good news that all popular languages are pretty fair in terms of compensation.Below I have mentioned some most popular programming courses that one should learn to master their coding skills.1) CevalC programming language is originally intended for writing system software.C is a high level and general programming language that is ideal for developing firmware or portable applications. It was developed at Bell Labs by Dennis Ritchie for the Unix Operating System in the early 1970s.C has a compiler for most of the computer systems, it has influenced many languages such a C++ . It is also ranked among the most popular and widely used languages.1 a) C++C++ is an intermediate-level language with object-oriented programming features, originally designed to enhance the C language.C++ powers major software like Firefox, Winamp and Adobe programs. It’s used to develop systems software, application software, high-performance server and client applications and video games.2) JavaevalI am sure that everyone of you have heard about Javascript before. The word java has a very catchy sound and is the most popular among programmers. Java is a class based, object oriented programming language, it was developed by Sun Microsystem in 1990s.Java is one of the most in demand programming languages, it is a standard for enterprise software, web-based content, games and mobile apps, as well as the Android operating system.Java is designed in order to work on multiple platforms, for example a program written on windows can also run on Mac OS.3) PHPPHP is a widely used open source general purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML.evalPHP powers more than 200 million websites, including WordPress and Facebook. It can be directly embedded into an HTML source document rather than an external file, which has made it a popular programming language for web developers.eval4) AJAXAJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, it is a method of exchanging data with a server, and updating parts of a web page without reloading the entire page. This was the most easiest definition of AJAX which I’ve came across and shared with you.Ajax is a group of technologies These are the most popular programming languages. These languages can make you rich, popular, and incredibly attractive or at least might help keep you to get employed.However, if you are looking out for a course to improve your programming skills then log on to www.hunarr.co.in and get the best institutes to master your ability.

Monday, May 11, 2020

4 Tips to Breaking into the Interior Design Industry - CareerAlley

4 Tips to Breaking into the Interior Design Industry - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.1 Author Bio:Jenny is an interior designer who got her industry break by writing to a popular designer and asking to work with them while she studied her interior design qualification. Now an experienced designer, Jenny loves the sliding wardrobe doors at Superglide and the potential they have for bringing a fresh, unique perspective to any bedroom. Interior designers are in higher demand now than they have ever been before.As such, both students and adults considering a career change are increasingly seeking out the new opportunities that are on offer in this exciting and dynamic industry.However, becoming an interior designer isnt simply about waking up one morning, using a cheap website builder to put some kind of service proposition together, and saying, this is what I now do for a living. You can take a number of paths in order to break into the interior design industry.Here are some ideas and tips that will set you on your way. Finding a Course The increased interest in the industry means that finding an interior design course is easier than ever before.Not only are these available through the usual educational establishments, you can often complete courses directly with bodies such as the Interior Design Institute. Before enrolling on a course, check to see what the qualification actually is; you dont want to spend more money on the same qualification just because it is offered by someone else, the qualification is the same for everyone, no matter where they do it. Think of the Future When finding an interior design course for yourself, remember to look at what it leads to.Interior design qualification is a very generic term, and what you decide to do could be very narrow, or it could open doors to a variety of different industry sectors in the future.Make sure youve taken the time to plan a pathway prior to applying for courses. Becoming an Apprentice Many interior designers are happy to take on apprentices or interns to work with them, either over a short period or in the longer-term.If you plan to do this, it might be something worth doing alongside a qualification, so you know youre definitively working towards something.Otherwise, you could end up completing an internship, not getting a full time job, and be trying to market yourself as an interior designer based on a few months of work experience. Working under a qualified and highly skilled interior designer is definitely something worth considering, just remember to think about how it fits into your overall career plan. Immersing Yourself The world of interior design is as fickle as fashion in terms of the ever-changing trends of the industry.Therefore, it is imperative that youre always aware of the latest design trends that are becoming popular.When it comes to impressing potential clients or employers, you need to know what is going to be popular tomorrow; what someone had in their home last week is likely to be of little relevance in such a fast moving sector. Whether you read design magazines, take out a trade subscription, or simply discover the very best blogs, ensure youre finding a way to make yourself the best interior designer possible. Once youve thought about all of these, youre in a great place to start taking positive steps towards a career in the industry.Good luck in following your dreams! This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif

Friday, May 8, 2020

How to Write a Resume For a Student

How to Write a Resume For a StudentWriting for a student is an entirely different situation and requires a different sort of resume. The main objective of a resume for a student is to get a job as quickly as possible. But the student who is trying to get a job needs to be able to write an excellent resume. If the student doesn't write a good resume, they will just be passed over for someone who writes a better one.Many people think that it is impossible to write a good resume for a student. They are wrong, though. Writing a good resume is actually quite easy to do and all you need is a little bit of practice.The key to writing a resume for a student is to use the same basic structure every time. There are a few key elements that you should always remember to include in your resume. Here are a few of them:The first thing you should do is list your target employment level. A good rule of thumb is to list yourself at your highest level of education. If you have attended an accredited co llege, then you should list your level of education at this level. This will help the employer to know exactly what type of person you are. So, if you had earned a Bachelors degree from an online university, then you should also list yourself at a bachelor's level in your resume.Next, you will need to list all your qualifications. List all the positions you held and provide some examples of the quality of your work in each position. If you have recently completed a PhD program or are working towards a Ph.D. degree, then you may want to provide some examples of the quality of work you have done in this field.In addition to listing your education and qualifications, you will also need to list relevant experience. Make sure that you list any jobs that you have held in your professional career that you have listed in your resumes. You should also list any jobs you have held in the past. These will give your employers a clearer idea of what type of professional you are.Finally, you will need to include a cover letter. Use your strongest personality. Do not be afraid to use more detailed information if needed. Remember, the employer is looking for someone who will be an asset to the company. So, don't be afraid to make your personal style your signature!In summary, if you have written a resume for a student, then you have covered the basics of resume writing. However, it is very important that you learn how to customize your resume for a student. Once you begin to learn how to create a better resume for a student, you will be well on your way to getting a job you can be proud of!