A Visual Elevator Pitch

A Visual Elevator Pitch I just found a blog post from GL Hoffman (via Dave Opton of Execunet) about an idea to share your elevator pitch visually. GLs blog post, The New Visual Elevator Pitch, has some examples of his idea. Ive seen many job seekers put various types of statements on their business cards but I have two problems with this: The space on a business card is so small that the message they have is very small font and, for me, hard to read.  ESPECIALLY if they have multiple statements (Ive seen cards with three or for value prop statements). The messaging they have on the card sounds jargony. Some business card afficionados might argue that another negative of having this on the back of your card means people cant write their own notes on your card because there isnt enough white space. GL proposes that you create 46 postcards and make the more visually appealing I love the idea. it kind of fits into a this isnt my resume, but its a document you can easily digest and hopefully be interested in more category. What do you think? See GLs post for more description and two examples of the document. A Visual Elevator Pitch I just found a blog post from GL Hoffman (via Dave Opton of Execunet) about an idea to share your elevator pitch visually. GLs blog post, The New Visual Elevator Pitch, has some examples of his idea. Ive seen many job seekers put various types of statements on their business cards but I have two problems with this: The space on a business card is so small that the message they have is very small font and, for me, hard to read.  ESPECIALLY if they have multiple statements (Ive seen cards with three or for value prop statements). The messaging they have on the card sounds jargony. Some business card afficionados might argue that another negative of having this on the back of your card means people cant write their own notes on your card because there isnt enough white space. GL proposes that you create 46 postcards and make the more visually appealing I love the idea. it kind of fits into a this isnt my resume, but its a document you can easily digest and hopefully be interested in more category. What do you think? See GLs post for more description and two examples of the document.

Avoid Interview Blunders aka Dont Mess Up! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Avoid Interview Blunders… aka Don’t Mess Up! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Interviewing can be a nightmare! Ok, there are probably some of you out there that may be thinking “what’s she talking about… I love interviewing!” But you are few and far between â€" if that’s you… read no further. But, if you’re within the norm, like most of us, we are usually running scared when interview time approaches (even if we are trying to present ourselves as the next 007 â€" cool, calm and collected). Interviewing can easily be like going through a ‘haunted house’ you have no idea what’s going to pop up next and whether you’re going to scream and run! So, here are some tips to help you combat those scary interview-demons! #1 â€" Practice Your Intro! â€" I have coached a zillion people (ok… thousands, but who’s counting!) and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across someone who thinks they are the ‘quintessential interviewee’ and are just going to ‘wing it’ because they believe they come across more naturally when they are unpracticed. So, ok â€" I’m good with that… let’s get started. I throw out the first interview starter (typical to begin an interview), “So, tell me about yourself” and we usually just ski downhill from there. They start with where they grew up and went to high school and basically deliver a “what they want to do when they grow up type of answer that only their Mother wants to listen to (enough to make their interviewer beg to keep their eyes open, wondering when it will be over, or maybe when their next manicure will be… you get the drift, the story is boring and far too lengthy). Your intro statement (or 30 second commercial as it is referred to in the biz) needs to be peppered with what helps you stand out from the competition, matches up with the needs of the position, and what makes you interestingly unique (aka: your personal brand). Make sure it is not an “all about me” answer; instead mix it up and be sure you pepper it with some “all about the employer” information. If you practice your intro statement enough times it will come off very natural and succinct and not leave your interviewer wondering what nail polish color she is going to choose. #2 â€" Help Me Help You â€" Ok, I know that’s totally ‘Jerry Maguire’ (thank you Tom Cruise!) but that line is so fitting here. Recruiters are trying to find candidates that “fit” and hiring managers want to find the same. So â€" tell them what they want to hear… how you “fit” their needs. Give them answers that pertain to the position and describe how your experience will be the solution to their needs. Talk about examples in your experience that match up with the position requirements. You don’t need to tell them about your entire life in an interview â€" practice your interview answers by coming up with examples around how you meet the employer’s needs (based on their job description) and information you gather in your research… which brings me to point #3. #3 â€" Research, Research, Research â€" Just when you think you are done with ‘homework’ for life, you’re back at it. It is critical that you research the company that you will be interviewing with. Turn yourself into a private-eye and dig, dig, dig. Talk to your friends about the Company, review everything about them on the internet (press releases, LinkedIn company pages, Facebook pages, Twitter, Google… everything). Review the website in-depth, find the ‘team members’ â€" Google them, look them up on LinkedIn… know about the team. Uncover the Company competitors. Learn about the past, current and future product introductions. Get in the trenches around what’s going on with the Company you are entertaining a relationship with! In today’s marketplace with so much information available it is unacceptable to an employer for you to be unaware of their business, products and mission. #4 â€" Gear up â€" Yep, you don’t get to just dust off the old suit any longer and think you’re ‘dressing for success’. It may very well be that doing that will put you in the “no thanks” pile before you even get to speak your first words. In today’s marketplace you will want to be fashion forward â€" I don’t’ mean you need to be looking all Hollywood, but you do need to make yourself aware of the company’s culture and how they dress. You should dress a level above the company’s norm   for your interview (based on your research.) In other words, if you’re going to interview with a start-up and all the employees are working in jeans, t-shirts and hoodies, you’ll be sorely out of place showing up in a full-on suit but, you also don’t want to show up in a hoodie (you haven’t been given the nod of approval yet.) So, less than a suit, but a level above jeans… I think you get it. On the other hand if you’re going to an interview in the Finance Industry for a large accounting firm, a suit may be very appropriate â€" make sure it’s not from ‘back-in-the-day’ though, something that is current and in style now should be your focus.

Transitioning Your Career - How I Went From Jazz Artist to Writer -

Transitioning Your Career - How I Went From Jazz Artist to Writer - Pay attention to your yearnings. When I was about to turn forty I started thinking about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I had been a stay at home mom for ten years at the time and was starting to feel the itch of getting back to my musical roots. I had begun pursuing a music career out of college but when the babies came, I chose to stay home with them. So at forty, I decided to return to my music aspirations. I went back to school part time to study jazz and then 18 months later recorded my first jazz standards album, aptly titled, The Rest of Your Life. Listen to the need of those around you. There’s a saying that success happens when your passion and the world’s great need intersect. I have always been passionate about encouraging couples in their relationships. I had been a jazz artist in the Nashville area for 11 years when I released my second album, A Million Kisses. The album is a concept album about the celebration of committed love; I wrote and produced every song on it! For a decade I had watched couples attend my shows together yet they seemed increasingly disengaged from one another. In the process of writing for the album, a stirring began to emerge as I realized that many of our friends had divorced or were having serious marital troubles and I began to want to do something to encourage them. About that same time, I heard from my listeners and business mentors urging me to consider writing a book around the topic to go along with the album. Since I was already a songwriter the idea of writing about a topic was familiar to me but this would require a lot more words!  Have courage. I never planned to write a book about marriage but the encouragement of my fans and mentors inspired me to take the leap. In Dancing in the kitchen: Hope and Help for Staying in Love I share my stories and the stories of other couples who have gone through hard circumstances in their marriage and stayed together, all to inspire couples in their journey of making love last. Being an author, as well as a Jazz recording artist has just extended my career from one stage to another. Now I speak about my passion as well as sing about it!  Keeping it fun. One of the themes in Dancing in the Kitchen is cultivating fun again. It’s really important in a relationship but also an important life skill. Whether we are busy building careers, raising families or caring for aging parents, having fun can slip to the bottom of our to-do list. Yet as it says in Proverbs, laughter is good medicine and a downcast spirit will dry up the bones. You have to be intentional!   Join a group, find a hobby you enjoy that you can do with others and get out of your house. Go dancing, take a creative class like art, music or photography and try new things. You need a little lighthearted community while you are doing the work of life. It will give you a fresh energy and perspective. Avoiding the midlife rut. You may not be looking for a career change but feeling like you are in a mid life rut may mean you need to schedule some fun and cultivate friendship. (And yes, by schedule I mean put it on your calendar! Your health is worth that calendar date.) Friendships are important at any stage but I believe even more important mid-life. Make time for them. And if no one is inviting you then you organize a meet-up with the neighborhood girls, women you work with or reconnect with an old friend for lunch. I recently did this when I had business in a city where two friends I hadn’t seen in 30 years happened to live. At first I thought, “Oh, it’s been so long they might not want to re-connect after all these years.” But I took a risk anyway. We had the best visits and departed with hearts full of joy. Be brave and ask. It’s worth it. Mid-life is just a new phase. It will be what you make of it. Plenty of success stories started mid-life or later. Julia Child wrote her first cookbook at age fifty. Vera Wang entered the fashion world at age forty. Grandma Moses was seventy-eight when she started painting and she is known worldwide. She was previously a housekeeper and a farm laborer before she picked up that hobby. In 2006, one of her paintings sold for $1.2 million. So it’s never too late to cultivate a new interest! Art lessons anyone? This guest post was authored by Debbie Cunningham DebbieCunningham  is a recording artist, author and speaker. She graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and has spent a more than a decade in the music business as a songwriter and entertainer. She has recorded two albums; the first, a Jazz standards album entitled-The Rest of Your Life. The 2nd, an all-original jazz album entitled- A Million Kisses. As a Jazz recording artist, Debbie Cunningham has entertained couples with songs of love and romance for more than a decade. Married to her high school sweetheart for more than thirty years and unwilling to sit idly by while divorce rates climb in todays society, she began writing songs about the journey and celebration of committed love and her latest album, A MILLION KISSES, emerged. That writing led to her search for and gleaning wisdom from married couples who had gone through hard circumstances and stayed together, all to provide hope for other couples in their journey of making love last. Her new book on keeping the love and fun in a marriage after many years is about to hit shelves on May 7th  Dancing in the Kitchen: Hope and Help for Staying in Love

Six Persuasion Techniques Explained with Propaganda Posters

Six Persuasion Techniques Explained with Propaganda Posters Every aspiring leader hopes to wield influence over their followers. The ability to sway others to your opinion is a useful skill in many areas, particularly in business. But persuading employees and staff to work according to your standards, goals, and values is no simple task. Today, large groups of people are influenced every day through the media, where celebrities, politicians, and social leaders can communicate directly with their followers, showcasing their ideas, products, and opinions.  But before the era of the Twitter feed, influence over others was a slightly more elusive concept. The distribution of advertisements, ideas, and calls-to-action was achieved largely through propaganda posters. Posters with striking visuals and messages have been used for centuries to inform, inspire, and galvanize public opinion. Often, they were used to drum up support for war, political ideology, and the promotion of controversial ideas of the time.  Dr. Robert Cialdini, renowned psychologist and marketing expert, developed “The 6 Principles of Persuasion;” his theory on the six main techniques used in persuasive communication to achieve maximum results. The following post  from Invaluable takes Cialdini’s six principles and compares them to famous propaganda posters throughout history, comparing techniques used in the posters to the principles. (Be sure to check out the full infographic below!) What’s interesting, though, is how perfectly the posters mirror their respective persuasion principle, even though they existed years before Cialdini’s principles were developed. Can you spot how these persuasion techniques are used in advertising, media, and politics to sway your opinions and motivate you to act a certain way?   Be sure to check out the full infographic below!  Reciprocity   Reciprocity suggests that individuals often feel obliged to repay or match some gift, favor, or kindness done to them by another. This principle is simple to apply in a business setting, or in any situation where you’d like to have a favor in your back pocket. Look for opportunities to be the first to give and make your contributions personal and genuine. These tactics help to strengthen relationships on the basis of appreciation and can be beneficial if you need help in the future. The poster used to visualize this principle comes from the World War I era, when the United States government began looking to immigrants to help invest in the war effort. The artist’s illustrations and bold messaging reminded immigrants of the time of their “debt” to America and asked for their help in raising money for their country.  Scarcity   The second principle, Scarcity, states that when something is limited or difficult to get, demand for that something grows exponentially. Communicating the need for urgency to consumers, clients, and employees can give business leaders a leg up when attempting to increase demand. If a certain product or service could soon become unavailable to consumers, they are more likely to pursue that product. During World War II, many American doctors were shipped overseas to aid in the war. The second propaganda poster instilled a sense of fear and urgency in the American public, who no longer had easy access to medical care. This poster implied that learning basic at-home-care skills was imperative to managing minor health concerns and encouraged the public to learn the basics of medicine.  Authority Authority, the third Cialdini principle, says that sources with credibility and expertise are more likely to be listened to. Consumers trust brands they know, even if they have never personally used the product. Whether you are promoting an idea, selling a product, or communicating with employees, showcasing your credibility can help to make you more believable to your audience. The poster associated with this principle shows the “Christ Guerilla,” the image of Jesus as a guerilla fighter during the Cuban fight against imperialism in the 1960’s and 70’s. This image called on the country’s religious roots and the authority of the Christian religion, suggesting that guerilla fighting was a noble cause.  Consistency The fourth poster displays the principle of Consistency and the familiar image of Rosie the Riveter, a famous World War II icon for American women working in factories during the war. Rosie, a fictional character created by J. Howard Miller for Westinghouse Electric, was a major influence in getting factory workers to increase their efforts during wartime. The poster resonated at the time of its creation in the 1940’s and continues to be a symbol for feminism and equality today.  Liking and Agreeing   Liking is the idea that people are more likely to agree with people or ideas they already like and agree with. Spending time to build rapport and strengthen relationships goes a long way towards developing meaningful, productive interactions. In this World War I poster, the artist draws on the British man’s emotion, calling him to serve in the war with the support of his wife. It also served to remind women to accept their husbands’ duties to serve and encourage them to do so. Using the opinions of their families, British men were pushed to action by these posters, which proved to be effective in the enlistment effort.  Consensus The final principle, consensus, implies that individuals are more likely to follow along with an idea if they believe the group at large subscribes to the idea. By highlighting what the larger social group thinks, individuals can be pushed to action through advertising that uses this principle. The poster representing this principle was used throughout the era of the Soviet Union and was meant to show that the Russian people were working together to achieve common goals. It was used heavily during the push towards Communism and during Stalin’s reign and was effective in creating mass support for those causes. Be sure to check out the infographic below! This guest post was authored by Emma Welsh Emma received degrees in both English and Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin.  Although born and raised in Texas, Emma never picked up on saying yall, but she does own a pair of cowboy boots. In her spare time, Emma enjoys working on her blog or a creative writing piece. She believes telling a great story should always be the priority.    

Hiring A Fort Collins Resume Writing Service

Hiring A Fort Collins Resume Writing ServiceFort Collins is a relatively small city located in the Colorado foothills. In the mid-1800s, it was home to the famous Horseshoe Bend mining town and remains a well-known tourist destination. For those looking for employment opportunities, Fort Collins resumes writing services can help put you in touch with the right people in this community.In Fort Collins, no one is too busy to answer your call or e-mail. In fact, in many cases, you can even find yourself out of a job by simply not responding to an e-mail. There are a number of reasons why you might want to hire Fort Collins resume writing services. It could be because you have a great idea for a new start-up company, or simply that you want to improve your skills at your current job.It's not hard to see why so many people consider online resume writing services. The ease and convenience of having everything in the palm of your hand makes it easy to go about working on your resume. Whethe r you are a new employee or have worked somewhere else, a Fort Collins resume writing service can help you put together a unique and effective cover letter. You may also find that you are able to organize your time better than ever before as well.In a few short months you could have been passed over for another applicant. With a resume that showcases your skills, you could be one of the first few chosen to fill a position. Regardless of how the selection process works, you will have an edge.A Fort Collins resume writing service can help you meet the qualifications required to qualify for positions of all types. If you are looking for new opportunities, a Fort Collins resume writing service can help you reach your goals. In addition, you could use the services of a resume writing service if you are ready to take a step upin the world of work. With these services, you could find that your skills are valued and you are hired for a position that you deserve.For any job you might be inte rested in, it's crucial that you make use of the services of a resume writer. If you have experience working with a specific company, the resume writer can include information about your work experiences. They can even create your own cover letter. Of course, this is not the only way to get your resume noticed, but it will be a nice touch for those who are looking for a potential employer.Even if you are looking for a new job, you should know that there are always going to be people who want to learn more about the position you are applying for and that you could use some new knowledge to help get your application through the screening process. By using the services of a Fort Collins resume writing service, you could be sending a professional looking resume that can help show just how knowledgeable you are about a particular position. Whether you are in the military or just need to do something different with your resume, a Fort Collins resume writing service can help you get the ri ght connections in your path.Resume writing services will help you generate a resume that can help you find the perfect job. Whether you are looking for a new career or just want to show potential employers what you can offer, you could benefit from these services.

10 years of happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

10 years of happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog 10 years ago today I had my first paying customer in Woohoo inc. I have now spent 10 years making millions of people in 30 countries happy at work. I have never before in my life done the same thing for 10 years running and I can honestly say that this is the most fun and the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. I am incredibly thankful to way too many people to mention here but I am fully aware that this journey would have been completely impossible without my great friends, playmates, partners and clients around the world to help me, inspire me and challenge me. Heres to the next 10 years and to our vision: A world where happiness at work is the rule and not the exception. Whos with me? :) And heres a little gallery to celebrate the last 10 years. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Protecting your social security number during a job search - Sterling Career Concepts

Protecting your social security number during a job search Protecting your social security number during a job search I was speaking with a client last week who asked me about providing your social security number on a job application. Its a common concern so I wanted to share our conversation here. We all know better than to share our social security number in our day to day life, and your job search is no different. When my client encountered the question on an online job application, she responded will provide later and I could not agree more. There is no reason to provide a social security number up front in the process. There may be an occasion to provide later in the process if you indeed are receiving an offer and need to go through a background and credit check, but until that time, there is no valid reason to release that number. Likewise, do not share your date of birth, drivers license number, or bank account information. These facts should never be listed on a resume, CV, or cover letter, nor should you ever provide them to an employer in any online or paper application. I can relate to job seekers feeling stressed in a competitive market and wanting to please the employer, but never feel bullied or pressured into providing personal information. No job opportunity is worth leaving yourself susceptible to identity theft. Opting to not provide this information at the onset should not have a negative impact on your candidacy. So, please, guard those 9 digits as closely as you do in any other situation. If and when you are ever asked to provide them at a later date, question the validity of the request at that time as well, and if you do elect to provide the number, do so carefully on a secured corporate website connection, in person, or over the phone. Never through email.