Blog

  Writing a resume requires a level of consciousness about your professional brand and what it is you want to communicate. If your resume is old or outdated it’s time to make some changes. Use these resume writing tips to improve your resume before you post it online or give it to a hiring manager for review. Update The Style and Content If you haven’t updated your resume in the last ten to five years, guess what, it probably looks like it! Things change and get better. Do not think for a second that your old and outdated looking resume is going to be acceptable. Change the design and feel of your resume to make it more modern and up-to-date. An easy way to do this is to change the font. Consider using Tahoma, Garamond, or Georgia fonts. These fonts are readable across different computer platforms and will

Read more

Do you know that the phrase, “help me I hate my job” gets searched over 30,000 times a month in Google? Obligation is a powerful thing. You can trick your mind into feeling obligated to do things you despise for decades. Although it is common, it is not healthy. If you put as much effort into finding a career path or job you like as you do into keeping the job you despise, you might surprise yourself and figure out exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing. People say they feel trapped or stuck at the jobs they hate. My question is whose fault is that? Sure you have to pay the bills but is that the only way you can think of to pay the bills? My guess is no. This post is about to be brutally honest but you need to think about the

Read more

Standing out and getting noticed during a job hunt requires a combination of the tried, true, and modern strategies. Technology is a wonderful thing and today’s job hunter should be prepared by using their own common sense and leveraging the most up to date tools possible. Today we are going to explore a few of those tools to help you take your personal brand and career to the next level! Quick Response Code (QR Code) You may have seen these new scan-able codes around but did not know what they were. They are those little square boxes that are similar to barcodes. You can scan them with your cell phone to get more information about a business or a product. Did you know that you could also create your own QR code and include it on your resume or business card? Yep. You sure can! Why not create a

Read more

  If you are going to network, you must be able to start a conversation.  The art of conversation is essential on the list of networking basics. This can be a particular challenge for someone who is shy or quiet. Even if you aren’t shy or quiet you probably want some conversation starters to help you network more effectively. Here are a few conversation starters to help you with your career planning and networking: Networking Basics Tip 1- Share Something About Yourself and Ask About Your Conversation Partner An example would be, “Hi my name is Vaneese. I’m here to learn more about networking. What  have you learned so far?” This is great if you are sharing a table with someone at a luncheon or dinner. This is a great ice breaker to use for the people you are sitting next to. Don’t drill the person with

Read more

If you saw Madonna’s last Super Bowl performance then you understand why she is the queen of pop music. Her career has spanned generations and she continues to be innovative and stay on top of her game. As a professional person, you have to think of ways to stay on top of your game and continue to excel throughout your career. Let’s talk about a few career management tips you can use to be a rock star at work and continue to strengthen your professional reputation. Adapt to the Times but Remain True to Who You Are Everyone knows who Madonna is; she hasn’t changed her core message or brand. Everyone knows what Madonna stands for but somehow she still remains relevant even though she has not released an album in several years. Consider ways that you can remain relevant. This may mean taking a few classes

Read more

  Changing jobs can be quite a challenge. One thing you should consider before making a career change is whether or not the job you are applying for is actually a good fit. There are so many factors and variables to take into consideration when asking this question. Sometimes we are so anxious to move on and move forward we forget about the details. A great example of what I’m talking about has been highlighted through the lens of public figure Sarah Palin. Many people have seen the recent movie Game Change on HBO. Although Sarah Palin proved herself as a capable leader as the former governor of Alaska, it may have become clear later on that her decision to run for Vice President may not have been a good fit for her. Chemistry, skills, lifestyle, and salary are issues that must be deeply considered before making a career

Read more

The 2011 film Horrible Bosses featuring Jennifer Aniston, Collin Farrell, Kevin Spacy, and Jamie Foxx very humorously discusses a serious topic that plagues a lot of working people today. You might very well love your job but despise your boss. Now it is not wise to plot against your horrible bosses and attempt to kill them like the main characters in the movie but you have to ask yourself if it is worth it. Is your company working for you when you have to deal with that horrible boss every day? This article is more about discussing the question that was posed above more so than anything else. What are you giving up by staying with a company and remaining in a department with a supervisor that is sucking the life out of the very thing you love? It can be scary to even consider leaving a job you have

Read more

Hiring a recruiter is definitely something that can be advantageous if you are currently job hunting. If you are a mid-level career professional, a recruiter might be of particular interest to you to help you navigate the way we currently do job hunting and networking. Imagine that finding a new job is like navigating a ship and a good recruiter is your loyal first mate that can help you make the best decisions and lead you to your buried treasure or in your case a new job!   There are questions you should be asking yourself and asking your recruiter when trying to find the perfect recruiter. Does the recruiter get you or understand your needs? I am sure you have had that feeling when you just connect with someone and they understand who are. Usually these people can intuitively understand what you need or they have thoroughly prepared what

Read more

There is no doubt that our careers are also a part of identities and a very important part of our lives. Sadly for many people, their work is probably the most significant part of their existence. I won’t disagree with you and say that many feel a void before discovering their true purpose in life but there’s more to living than work. Don’t confuse who you are with your company or what you do. Are you having a career identity crisis? Ask the following questions to find out: How Do You Introduce Yourself to New Acquaintances? Well, answer the question. What do you say? Do you say hello, my name is A and I am a B at XYZ? Do you feel a certain sense of pride at the very end when you mention who work for? If so, you might be confusing who you are as

Read more

  If you need help developing your personal brand don’t worry! Your work speaks for you and is an integral part of your professional brand. What things do people say about you based on the work you do? This question is a good starting point for figuring out what your professional brand is. Another thing to keep in mind when developing your personal brand is the message you want to communicate. When thinking of your professional brand, consider yourself as a complete package. You can break that package down into pieces. Start by thinking about how you dress. Is what you wear in alignment with who you are as a person? Does what you wear match how you want to be perceived? If you want to be perceived as confident but are hiding behind oversized clothes, you have to stop. Read our article about dressing for success here. Think

Read more