Having Humility in Recruitment

Having Humility in Recruitment Choosing to write a blog about having humility- truly remembering to be human- in recruitment is necessary in a world which is ever changing, with AI altering how candidates experience a recruitment process and companies hire their staff; however, I felt rather compelled to share my views as a podcast I listened to recently only bolstered my view that by being the best humans we can be in our sector, we ensure we are future-proofing ourselves in a technology-led world and it is a stark reminder that ultimately it is a HUMAN business we are in! The podcast I am referring to was broadcast on The School of Greatness podcast (Stitcher) have a listen as the guest talks passionately about the conflict of confidence in business versus humility and it is this latter point that I believe lacks in the recruitment sector which is what I want to explore in this blog The archetypal recruiter has historically been cast as a cocky 20-something, with stacks of confidence, oozing charm and charisma and with more balls than a Wimbledon tennis court… however, there is a seismic shift in my opinion as the market becomes ever more congested with recruitment companies and the ever-increasing ginormous threat of AI over the longevity of actual humans getting humans their next role…..this is an Armageddon warning to the Wolf of Wall Street. Embrace your humanity now before you make yourself extinct…. I have always maintained that nice people can be successful in recruitment (and business generally!)- there has always been a misinformed view that you have to be uber-competitive and cut-throat to make it in this recruitment world. I am hoping my connections, readers and subscribers will agree that I have always broken the rule with this by being honest, kind, caring and nice to everyone I have partnered….. call people back, tell people they arent being progressed, being honest throughout the process…. If every recruiter had to stop the way they had been trained and just focused their energy on listening to what the candidate seeking their help and the client trusting them actually wanted and replacing SALES and pushiness with CARE and empathy, ok maybe there would be less activity for a KPI matrix, but I bet you now there would be a better strike rate, lower ratios as the way you then recruit is by putting the HUMAN factor back into the whole reason recruiters exist….. to CONSULT clients on their hiring needs and candidates on their career options. Brave employers need to think about the core values they post on their websites and paint in large letters on their board room walls- you talk about integrity and honesty but really you just care about profit and the size of your bonus cheque…. When did the sector lose sight of what we are here to do? Get people new jobs. We are changing peoples lives quite literally. I am not naive, I know that AI and Technology have simplified a lot of the process of elimination and selection for large companies and this will continue to evolve and impact recruitment. The human factor must never be forgotten as there will come a time, to anyone and everyone reading this where you once again become the job seeker and will wish that the recruiter had taken heed of my comments to remember your feelings in the process.

How to Write a Good Resume

How to Write a Good ResumeIf you're wondering how to write a good resume, it's an entirely different ball game and can be a different type of puzzle to crack. It is one thing to know what to put on the resume, but if you're actually getting that resume read then you might find it to be a daunting prospect.As a guide to writing a good resume, there are a number of factors to take into account. The most important factor is probably to be as objective as possible. A resume that doesn't have anything negative or prejudiced in it will probably get through quicker than one that does, particularly for someone who is applying for a first job.When considering how to write a good resume, there are a few factors to consider. The first of these is how well-qualified you are for the job. This is critical to be written down as it is the key to success and sometimes even though it may seem obvious it's one that most candidates miss. This is probably the biggest hurdle for anyone thinking about how to write a good resume as they realize that they are making a mistake.To begin with, you need to demonstrate your experience or skills that are more advanced than those required at a professional level. For example, if you are applying for a position as a project manager for an engineering company then you may want to outline your previous work experience and that of your immediate supervisor in engineering. With this information, it will be easier to highlight any gaps in your resume.Ensuring that you have the proper format to include all of the information requested by the Human Resources department is essential. This includes providing the correct dates of employment, how long you've been employed, the position held and how many years you've been working.You need to remember that while these might seem like very simple things to check, you must remember that there is a learning curve involved. Even with the correct format, you will soon discover that there are many things that yo u haven't thought of. One of the best tips on how to write a good resume is to do this research ahead of time and understand that there is often some flexibility in how the Human Resources department go about accepting applications.Often the companies have their current job description, salary structure and promotion requirements laid out for applicants who wish to be considered for a job position. It's often useful to refer to these when writing your resume. In addition, understand that there is a requirement to meet the skills and knowledge levels that they have set.By being open minded and willing to learn from the latest news, strategies and trends, you should be able to produce a good resume. There's no better way to get the attention of an employer than knowing how to write a good resume and one of the best guides to writing a good resume is to find the right company and find out exactly what their requirements are.

Today We Honor the 2008 Personal Brand Award Winners - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Today We Honor the 2008 Personal Brand Award Winners - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What a year its been for personal branding and for people creating Me 2.0. Each year, I like to reward some of the standout brands by recognizing them with Personal Brand Awards. Last year, Rohit Bhargava won the gold award, which is the most coveted of all of them and this year Jeremiah Owyang was presented the 2008 gold award. A panel of judges were chosen this year and people were graded based on a few factors, such as value proposition, differentiation, and marketability. Below is a celebration for all the winners and they are also recognized in the current issue of Personal Branding Magazine, which is available for you today. Gold Award Jeremiah Owyang owns the #6 spot in Google for Jeremiah out of 18 million. He has over 15,000 blog subscribers and over 14,000 Twitter followers, with hundreds of blog posts. Hes been cited just about everywhere, including Forbes and USA Today. He probably has one of the best bio pages in the entire blogosphere and his influence is very hard to match. Bloggers link and comment on his blog as a routinely as brushing their teeth. Jeremiah is also a senior analyst at Forrester Research in social computing, so he follows social media trends as his job, thus he has found a way to monetize his passion; the goal of personal branding and life. It gives us great pleasure, after a unanimous vote, to award Jeremiah the gold personal brand award for 2008! Jeremiah Owyang - 2008 Gold Award Winner Silver Awards Daniel Scocco started blogging in 2005, and the experience completely changed the way he interacted with the Internet. Through out these years he launched several successful blogs, and Daily Blog Tips is the place where he shares what he learned along the way. The blog was nominated under the “Best Web Development Blog” category on the 2007 Weblog Awards, and currently it is ranked number 29 among the most popular blogs in the world (according to Technorati). Why he won: Daniel is certainly a fan favorite when it comes to blogging. Every day, Daniel gives precious blogging tips and strategies for beginners up to advanced bloggers. He holds one of the top spots in Technorati, yet he is a solo-blogger, which is remarkable. Daniel is certainly a go-to-guy for blogging, people trust him and he constantly rewards his community. For all this, we would like to recognize him with a silver personal brand award. Laura Fitton has focused on reshaping society and business through ideas and information for over 15 years. Shes is a social media consultant and speaker who helps companies participating productively and proactively to be more competitive. Her clients learn to market dynamically by engaging with their audiences, listening and responding effectively to the new realities of business. Fitton writes several popular blogs, is an authority on business uses of Twitter and is in the vanguard of thinkers shaping how social media will reshape business. Why she won: When it comes to building a powerful and recognizable brand through new communication mediums, few do it better than Laura. She is a Twitter star and as a result, shes been cited in many of the top blogs and in mainstream media. Her face and name are synonymous with pistachio, In fact, she owns that word in your head! For all of this and more, we would to congratulate Laura on winning a silver personal brand award. Bronze Awards Jim Kukral is an award-winning blogger, speaker, author and business web coach. For over 10 years, Jim has been working with both small businesses and Fortune 500 customers to help them find success online. Jim is a graduate of The University of Akron. You can read about Jim and his many online successes by visiting www.jimkukral.com. Why he won: Jim is a personal branding evangelist, who demonstrates his passion for all things affiliate marketing, social media and internet marketing each and every day. He communicates his brand through both video and written entries and is a common face at industry events. Jim brand thrives off of sincerity, transparency and authenticity, which is why he is receiving a bronze personal brand award! Drew McLellan gets branding and marketing and he desperately wants you to get it too. Drew has not only survived 20 years in the advertising and marketing arena, he’s thrived in it. After working for several other agencies, including Young and Rubicam’s CMFZ, Drew created McLellan Marketing Group in 1995. Drew is a highly sought after speaker and has given about a zillion presentations at national conferences, key note addresses, training for his peers in the profession, college students and even his daughter’s tenth grade class. Why he won: Drew is most notably the nicest guy on the internet. Aside from being one of the most recognized and respected authorities on marketing and branding online, he is a savvy networker. Since personal branding is all about giving before receiving and not putting yourself first, Drew has become known as a connector and friend to all. For all of this, we would like to present him a bronze personal brand award! Wendy Piersall has a long entrepreneurial career and has founded three businesses since the age of 26. Currently she is the founder of Sparkplugging, the most popular home business blog on the internet. She also writes for the Entrepreneur.com Blog Network at Inspired Business Growth Exceptional marketing, branding and entrepreneurship. Wendy got her start in affiliate marketing as Business Development Director when she worked for Socrates.com, and continues to incorporate affiliate marketing into her blog and online business on a daily basis. Why she won: Wendy is one of the most highly recognized female bloggers. She positioned herself early and have become a very well known face and voice in social media. When people see her face or hear the word eMom, they automatically think of her and thats branding at its best. She was written up in the WSJ for being one of the top mommy bloggers in the world and has won a bronze personal brand award!

Personal Branding Interview Susan Whitcomb - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Susan Whitcomb - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Susan Whitcomb, who is the founder and president of The Academies and author of the new book, The Twitter Job Search Guide. In this interview, Susan explains what her own branding model is as a career coach, what you should and shouldnt include on a resume, and brand consistency for job seekers. If someone is unclear about their own brand, what are a few things he or she can do to establish it? Start by getting clear on these three “A’s”: Authentic Image: This is the genuine youâ€"not costumed to play the part of someone else, but cast in the right role… a Master F.I.T.â„¢ role (see below) that allows you to be radically rewarded and enthusiastically engaged in work that adds value to others. Advantages: This is synonymous with benefits and value. Identify and articulate advantages by writing Success Stories that capture a numbers-oriented, bottom-line value to employers. Awareness: The final A refers to communicating your brand in a manner that makes people drawn to, attentive of, and responsive to it. Of course, this step only comes after you’re clear on the brand. These Building Blocks of Your Brand may be a springboard for discussions around branding: Adjectives: How would others describe you? What do people admire/love most about you? (including your boss, coworkers, colleagues, friends, family members, etc.) For instance, ethical, experienced, intellectual, level-headed, methodical, productive. Nouns: What titles are typically associated with who you are? What reputation are you most proud of? What products/services are you most passionate about? What roles or titles do colleagues most associate you with? For instance, “strategist, troubleshooter, turnaround artist, or ops expert.” Verbs: What is your value proposition? How have you: made money; saved money; solved significant problems for your employers? If you could have just one impact on your work-world, what would it be? Whats your value proposition? E.g., I make money for my employer/clients by __________________ [fill in the blank]. For instance, resurrecting failing or fledgling ventures or bringing concepts to reality and winning first-to-market revenue. It’s important to both ask yourself these questions, as well as get input and feedback from others, whether directly or anonymously. Tell us about the Master F.I.T. and how it can help you zero in on your authentic image. Master F.I.T.â„¢ is an umbrella for your brand. The model captures six elements essential for career satisfaction. There is an External F.I.T. and an Internal F.I.T. to consider: External F.I.T. Function: What you doâ€"your innate strengths, passions, talents, and skills. Industry/Interests: Where you’ll do itâ€"industry, company, specialty sector. Things that Matter: Which values and priorities are top of list (for example, compensation, organizational culture, commute, travel, good boss). Internal F.I.T. Fulfillment: Why you workâ€"your purpose for being on this planet! Linking your work to purpose will take your job from a career to a calling . . . giving you purpose, plus the paycheck. Identity: Who are you? Identity is essential to brand; it captures the essence of who you are, how you want to be perceived, and how you bring value to your work-world. Type: How you work best based on personality type (such as introverted vs. extroverted, and more). When your work complements these preferences, you’ll be energized, creative, productive, and in-demand. You can download a Master F.I.T. form at susanwhitcomb.com/resources to complete this exercise in more detail. Consider writing one 140-character tweet for each of the six elements. The clearer you are on who you are and what you want, the easier it will be for you to write your resume and for your network to help you in your job search. What bits of information are resume-must-haves, because they are instrumental in communicating a job seeker’s brand to recruiters and human resource professionals? Here’s a quick list, many of which would be extracted from the “Building Blocks of Brand” and/or “Master F.I.T.” It’s important to filter your brand through market realities. Functional Experience with relevant job titles Industry Experience Tangible/$$$ Results Competencies (soft + hard) Degrees/Specialized Education Technical/Technology Skills Your Network (strategic alliances, connections, customers, clients) High-Potential/“A” Player Organizational/Cultural Fit What bits of information do job seekers often include in their resumes that may undermine or alter the brand they are trying to present? Ask yourself, which of my brand elements align with the employer’s needs? And, just as important, which brand elements to NOT align with, or are missing with respect to the employer’s needs? More than anything, I see job seekers listing too much detail about irrelevant experience and sometimes even too much detail about relevant experience. Think tweets! Present information in bite-size, salient segments with plenty of white space to draw attention to the juiciest information. And strategically position the most important information front-and-center in the resume, near the top. How can job seekers maintain a consistent brand throughout the entire job search process without seeming one-dimensional or repeating themselves over and over? As much as brand is about the “authentic you,” it’s useless unless it intersects with the employer’s needs. Job search is relationship-based. Stay focused on the other person (whether a networking contact, hiring manager, human resources professional, recruiter) more than you. Be ready with as many as 20 SMART stories (stories that describe the Situation and Metrics, Action, Results, and Tie-in or Theme) that you can use to respond to behavioral interview questions or questions that come up in networking. Always ask about the other person’s needs and future plans, and then be an S.O.S. worker. S.O.S. stands for Serve Others Selflessly. I’m not advocating being a doormat or a candidate for abuse. I am advocating that you “find the need and fill it,” without an agenda or expectation of a payback. Trust that it will come to you. Those who persevere, prosper. Susan Whitcomb is founder and president of The Academies, including Career Coach Academy, Job Search Academy Leadership Coach Academy. She brings two decades of experience to her work as an author and speaker. Susan is the author of the best-selling “Magic Series,   including Job Search Magic, Interview Magic, and Resume Magic, now in its 4th edition.   And, coming 2010, Susan’s newest book is called The Twitter Job Search Guide. Susan is also coauthor of eResumes: Everything You Need To Know (McGraw-Hill). She has been a careers columnist and featured chat guest for Monster.com and America Online and, as an industry expert, has been cited in U.S. News World Report, CBS Marketwatch.com, the Dow Jones’ National Business Employment Weekly, and numerous national publications. She serves on the board of, and was former Executive Director for, Career Management Alliance (formerly Career Masters Institute).

Using a Sample Academic Writing Resume

Using a Sample Academic Writing ResumeIf you are looking for ways to increase your chances of getting a job after graduation, then you should consider including a sample of academic writing resume. Sample academic writing resume can provide you with the kind of professional information that prospective employers want to see on your resume.Sample academic writing resume will not contain all of the same information as your personal resume. It will consist of information that is specific to the field you will be applying for. It should give the potential employer a clear idea of what the position you are looking for involves and the skills you have that make you qualified for the job.One advantage of using a sample of academic writing resume is that it is very generic in nature. The resumes that you find online are generally created to be easy to use by anyone who wants to use them. You will find very few examples of academic writing resumes that have been written to showcase unique per sonalities. When you use a sample of academic writing resume, you are creating a resume that is unique to you and is more representative of your personality and skills.Using a sample of academic writing resume is also very cost effective. It is possible to purchase copies of professional writing samples from a number of sources on the Internet. The price of such a sample of academic writing resume can range from fifty dollars to hundreds of dollars depending on how detailed you want the resume to be.Sample academic writing resume can be used by anyone to help you become more effective in your resume writing. It is important to remember that you must make sure the resume you write reflects your best qualities. If you present yourself in a way that does not accurately portray your skills and abilities, then it will be difficult to convince a prospective employer that you are capable of the position you are seeking. Using a sample of academic writing resume is one of the best ways to m ake sure that your resume reflects your best characteristics.You should never use a sample of academic writing resume for the purpose of duplicating the same details. Instead, you should use it to get a better understanding of the kinds of information that potential employers want to see in their job candidates. After you have created a sample of academic writing resume that you feel expresses your best characteristics, you can apply these details to your own resume. This will help you improve upon your academic writing resume.Sample academic writing resume can be used by you or anyone else who is seeking employment as a writer. In fact, a sample of academic writing resume can be used for just about any type of writing. Even if you are currently employed as a writer, you may find it helpful to create an academic writing resume for yourself to use when seeking a position in the future. Remember that you should not use a sample of academic writing resume for the purpose of duplicating the same information found in your current resume.Sample academic writing resume can be a great tool for writers to use when they are applying for a job. Once you have received a sample of academic writing resume, you should use it as a guideline to create your own resume that reflects your best attributes.

Executive Branding Personal vs Career Branding - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Executive Branding Personal vs Career Branding Although often used interchangeably, there is a simple distinction between the two. Personal branding represents what is authentic about your personality and character, and reflects the perception of you held by the external world. Because its all about what kind of person you are,  your personal brand  generally does not change as you progress through your career, from job to job and employer to employer. Career branding takes the defining process a bit further. Your  differentiator in the business world, your career brand defines your unique promise of value in the marketplace  â€" delivering double-digit earnings and revenue growth, turning around floundering business, building top-performing record-breaking teams  â€" whatever specific value you offer your target employers. Because it meshes personal attributes with business attributes, career branding relies on first defining your personal brand  â€" the passions, strengths, values, and personal characteristics  that drive you. Career branding fuels your career. And make no mistake. Executive career branding in todays executive job search is required, not optional. Designed to resonate with your specific target audience, your career brand may change with each career move, to align with marketplace and employer needs and attract a new set of key hiring decision makers. Naturally then, you cant begin to build your career brand (and write your resume,  other career marketing communications,  online profiles, blog/website,  and other web pages) without first identifying who your target audience is, what their needs are, and which good-fit strengths and qualities of yours will help them solve their problems. Related posts: 10 Steps to an Authentic, Magnetic Personal Brand What Personal Branding is NOT How to Write An Irresistible C-level Executive Brand Resume in 10 Steps How to Write a C-level Executive Career Brand Biography 4 Executive Job Search First Steps, Before You Write Your Resume 00 0

What Does A Modern Resume Look Like

What Does A Modern Resume Look Like Writing a modern resume requires you create one that makes it through an applicant tracking system AND catches the attention of different readers (recruiter and hiring manager). How well do you understand how applicant tracking systems work and how recruiters review resumes? This overview of what a modern resume looks like helps you understand the most important aspects of writing a resume today. Submitting your resume online When you apply for a job online, youre asked to upload your resume and complete an online application. Every ATS is a little different in how they work but the information you supply determines your success. To learn more about how ATS work, read thisHow To Get Past The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) In order for your resume to get through the ATS, it has to show you have the qualifications, ie. you may need to tweak your resume to align with the role you are applying for. Tweaking your resume requires reviewing the job description and highlighting the skills, technology and systems (keywords) requested. Without lying, you want to use those words in your resume. Heres more help dissecting a job posting to uncover keywords Applying for a Job? Invest Time Reviewing the Job Posting. How long does a recruiter look at your resume? 7.4 seconds. The updated eye-tracking study by TheLadders found recruiters look at your resume almost 2 seconds longer than they did in 2012. TheLaddersfull analysis is here. The 7.4 seconds is only a first review of a resume to see if it looks worth further review. If the resume makes it to the next step, the recruiter will spend as much time as it takes to evaluate the qualifications shown in the resume. Furthermore, most of us dont read anything we skim. We look for headlines and things that catch our interest. Recruiters are no different. They dont have time to figure out what the resume is trying to say. It is your job to clearly convey how you meet the job requirements. Recruiter Eye-Tracking Findings As you look at the images below, you will see how the layout of a resume can impact where the reader spends more time. When you see red dots on the images below, it signifies that more time was spent looking at the section. Image from TheLadders Eye Tracking Study 2018 Image from TheLadders 2018 Eye Tracking Study Formatting Takeaways Titles, headings, job titles and most recent job content all tend to get more attention. We read left to right so structure important information to take advantage of this. Put the most relevant information first. Pay attention to the information you list in your most recent job as it receives the most attention. And dont overlook your contact information. As you can see, the city and state contact information are important. (You no longer need to include your street address.) Make Your Resume Skimmable Some of the key recommendations by TheLadders include: A simple, uncluttered layout Clear fonts (sans serif fonts are easier to read online.) An overview, branding statement, value proposition or summary at the top (do not use an objective statement such as to obtain a challenging, rewarding, full-time job.) Use job titles and clear sub-headings Address Each Reader In order for your resume to make it through the screening software, the eyes of a recruiter and get selected by the hiring manager, your resume has to take multiple readers into consideration. This is why you get different feedback from different people. Everyone has their own preferences. You need to find the balance between giving them what they want and at the same time, promoting your assets. Emphasize Current Job Your most recent job will get the most attention because it contains the freshest skills. Pay close attention to this space and help the reader understand how your work relates to the job you are applying for. Use accomplishments in your bullets, not job duties! 1 Page or 2-3 Pages A general rule of thumb is that five years of experience or less should usually fit on a single page. But if you have more than five years of experience, do not limit your resume to one page. Some senior-level job seekers may even have a three-page resume. Remember to use a readable font size, no smaller than 10 or 11 point. And be sure your margins are no smaller than a half-inch. Graphics Should you use fancy charts on your resume? Thats a personal choice. What you should know is that an ATS will not read the data contained in the chart. But, if you already have the accomplishment listed with the data, you dont need to worry that the ATS wont show the chart. And what about including a headshot? Thats still not something recruiters or hiring managers want to see on your resume in the United States. Instead, include the URL (link) to your LinkedIn profile. What we do know is that when documents include visual elements (charts, graphics, images), it tends to keep the reader on the page longer. Think about USA Todays early use of graphs and color and how that helped differentiate them and increased readership. Color Dont be afraid to use color. Adding subtle lines and shading is another way for your resume to stand out. Dont overdo it though. Use basic lines and styles. Several Modern Resume Samples These are just some of CDIs TORI award-winning resumes from this year. ATS Version You should always have a version of your resume stripped of formatting that will easily upload into an online applicant tracking system (ATS). Save your Word document as a .txt or .rtf file and fix any visual quirks or inconsistencies. I am not a resume writer There are professional resume writers who have been trained and specialize in all the current resume writing standards. That isnt me. You will want to carefully review the qualifications of any resume writer you hire- and a resume writer is no different. They often specialize in industries and cater to certain occupations. Heres help knowing what to look forDo You Need To Hire A Professional Resume Writer There are several talented resume writers Ive worked with and you can find my recommended professional resume writers here.

My First Ukelele Lesson ( the other lessons that came with it)

My First Ukelele Lesson ( the other lessons that came with it) There I was, 15 minutes from walking out the door to my very first ukelele lesson, and my brain started working overtime. Thoughts about giving yourself permission to do what you want just because its fun, investing in yourself, stopping the excuses, having a new hobby as a grown-upso, of course, I had to get it out and record it for you amazeballs kids. And even though I already showcased my amateur ukelele skills with an original song for Jess Swifts Kickstarter (she got fully funded! yaaaaaayyyyy!!!!), I decided to make an example of myself and recorded the song I learned at the lesson at the end of the video. Click below for Life Lessons, choked-up tears, and You Are My Sunshine.