On Recovering From Bad Work Experiences

On Recovering From Bad Work Experiences 2 You probably remember some terrible moments in your career that you'd love to delete from your memory. How did you cope? Difficult to Leave Behind Here are some of the things that I've dealt with, in no specific order: Sitting in a tense meeting listening to one executive berate another one only to discover minutes later that they were at fault Being yelled at by a receptionist for daring to follow up after sending over a CV Told 7 months in advance that I was going to be laid off Enduring a contract negotiation meeting with an outside company while my colleague completely reneged on everything we had agreed upon beforehand Having a member of my project team publicly email the CEO and many other colleagues to insult and complain about another project member, when in fact the first person was the source of many problems and delays. Stressful, frustrating moments that I'll not soon forget even as a bystander. How do you deal with this kind of trauma? To answer that, I'm going to hand off to Isabella Mori of Change Therapy. Isabella is a fellow JobMobber and blogger that you may recognize from her terrific entry of 3 key resume questions in the JobMob guest blogging contest in the summer of 2007. Isabella offered to participate in this first blog conversation at JobMob. The idea is that I kick off a topic while Isabella then replies on her blog and perhaps sends it back here or to other bloggers. The conversation is open to anyone. Leave a comment below or if you have a blog, join in with your response in a blog post linking back to this article. If your trackback doesn't appear afterwards in the comments below, please contact me so that I'll know to take your article into account. Shared your experience?

Career Girls What Would YOU do

Career Girls What Would YOU do By, Nicole Crimaldi One of our readers needs your help! I received an email from reader Sarah this morning which explained that her co-worker (a veteran of her company) had been slacking, causing big messes. In the process of cleaning these messes up, Sarah started noticing that her veteran co-worker was cutting corners, telling white lies and not fulfilling her job responsibilities; therefore costing their company money and possibly even opportunities with clients. Sarahs co-worker has been with the company years longer than she has, and it seems that she is taking advantage of her tenure to an unhealthy degree. Now that some of the messes are coming out of the woodwork, the veteran employee has gone to their director and stirred the pot making it seem like Sarah receives preferential treatment and vacation time (which is not the case). Sarahs initial reaction was to get revenge and tell their director about all of the messes the veteran has caused lately and the financial implications they may have on their company. While Sarah feels she has a duty to reveal truths that could hurt the company, it is my belief that her timing and delivery of the message to the director is crucial as it will determine Sarahs professionalism and maturity. How would you handle this if you were Sarah? Please leave your comments for Sarah.   Thanks!

Personal Branding Interview Julien Smith - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Julien Smith - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Julien Smith, who is the New York Times bestselling co-author of Trust Agents, with Chris Brogan, and one of the first podcasters.   Julien talks to us about what a trust agent is, why its important in the online world, and then gives some examples of trust agents.   He also explains how you can build an online following and what he learned while writing his book with Chris. What is a trust agent, did this title always exist and why is it important in the digital age? I consider trust agents to be a new phenomenon only recently have people been able to take control of channels by themselves, get known worldwide by being a part of a wider conversation, etc. We often point to people like Oprah in the book as being pre-web examples of trust agents, but the more we go on, the less these people will need to have huge audiences to do a great job at building influence itll be more about connecting to a specific niche (or tribe, as Seth Godin would say). Its important for these people to exist now because there is a huge trust deficit in our society due to the massive number of marketing messages we receive and yet, paradoxically, there will always be room for a message from people that we personally have confidence in. Therefore, the trick is to become one of the people your audience stops when they see a message from, going I need to read that. Can you name a few trust agents that have created loyal followings and have succeeded in business? Oprah, John Stewart, and Gary Vaynerchuk are good examples, but you dont need huge following to be a trust agent you just need to be good at influencing particular communities. So DD enthusiasts need people that understand that culture and car nerds need someone from that culture, too. They dont need to be household names to be powerful, and thats why its so important to have one on your side. How can employees become trust agents to support their companies? You need to have an honest dialogue with your audience first. From high up in our office buildings we tend to consider *the message* well be delivering to our audiences without first thinking whether theyll even believe what we say. As we say in the book, humans have sophisticated BS detectors and if youre not being real with us, well know about it. Google keeping everything we say online doesnt help, either. Youll be figured out eventually. What are your top ways to build a following online? Realizing that there is no one formula that will help you any formula that exists means youll be copying someone else, and as such, trailing behind them. Those that successfully make their own game tend to transform the space theyre in and, as a result, make themselves into the status quo of their niche. Think Tim Ferriss and lifestyle design titling himself with something new puts him in a whole new category. What did you learn about yourself as you wrote Trust Agents? More than anything, Id say that Chris and I learned to have utter confidence in each other. We had a good relationship beforehand, but now, its extremely tight and we know we have each others back. You need people like that a kind of mastermind group, people that are on your side no matter what. Nobody can do this alone in fact, thats kind of the point. Even if you make it, its lonely up there all by yourself. - Julien Smith is a 26 year old designer, entrepreneur, student, and podcaster. Julien is the New York Times bestselling co-author, with Chris Brogan, of Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust (Wiley). He lives in the Plateau area of Montréal, where he is frequent far too many web cafés. Montréal is also the city where he was brought up and have lived his entire life. Julien has been podcasting since November of 2004. He is one of the first podcasters in Canada, and definitely the first in Quebec and Montreal. His podcast started on a whim, to connect with people through this new medium as it developed. As it expanded, the world of podcasting as a medium quickly enveloped him. He found myself devoting a great deal of time and energy to learning about the broadcasting medium, and now he focuses a majority of his work hours on podcasting, blogging, and their related mediums, both as a consultant for companies and for himself. His work has be en written up in Hour magazine, La Presse, the Montreal Gazette, the CBC, among other publications.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Network -- and Not Hate It

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How to Network -- and Not Hate It One of the reasons I wanted to be a newspaper reporter -- and not a television reporter -- was because I didn't want to be in front of a camera. I didn't want people looking at me. I wanted to tell a story and was content with just having a byline.So, when I tell you I understand it's hard to promote yourself, I mean it. Just doing a book promotion sent me into spasms of nerves. The only way I got past it was I started thinking of Lucy in that Vitameatavagamin routine. The one where she sells that snake oil that gets her drunk? I just kept talking about the product, hoping no one would think I was nuts (or drunk).Many people are uncomfortable with the thought of slapping backs and promoting themselves to people they may or may not know. But networking is an important part of our career landscape, so I wanted to get some tips on how to get more comfortable doing it. Here's the story I did for Gannett/USAToday.com:Youre not alone if you hate networking. Even the most extroverted amon g us can dread talking about themselves to a stranger. And if youre introverted? The thought of promoting yourself to someone else is the stuff of nightmares. But network you must. If you want a job, if you want to get ahead in your career or if you just want to survive todays workplace you must network. You dont have to be a back-slapping self -promoter to be an effective networker, says Jim Randel. You can do it in your own way at your own pace. But youve got to do it. Its something so important that you dont have a choice. Randel, author of The Skinny on Networking, (Rand Media, $14.95), says the key to getting over a networking phobia is to realize that there are different ways to enter the networking pool without feeling like youre drowning in a sea of embarrassment and self-doubt. For example, you can join a social network such as LinkedIn, where you create a profile that outlines your interests, skills and abilities. Or, you can use Twitter to connect with others who a re in your industry or have similar interests. Those online connections serve as a sort of prepatory networking course, he says. The next step is a phone call or in-person meeting, he says. Having coffee with someone for 15 minutes is so powerful. You dont get that from social media, he says. Randel says that initial connections through social media or an introduction by a third party always help smooth the way in networking. Without such contacts, you can find it more difficult to make the steps forward in your job search or career, he says. If you were walking down and street and all of a sudden someone got in your face, your first reaction would be to think this was a dangerous situation and youd want to pull away, he says. Its the same thing with networking. The other person is going to want to get away from you because they dont know you. But if youve had some other kind of contact or introduction, the reflex by the other person is different. Some other tips for effective networking from Randel include: 1. Understanding that weak ties matter. Often someone you dont know well such as acquaintance can help the most in pointing you toward a promising lead for a job, for example. Unlike family or friends, acquaintances have a different circle of people they know, and increase your chances of finding someone to help you. So, that stranger sitting next to you on a plane or at a baseball game may be just the key job contact you need. 2. Looking for connectors. There always seems to be that one person who doesnt know a stranger. The guy who knows the name of every hotel concierge, garage mechanic and office supplier is someone who can connect you to a lot of people you may not know or be to hesitant to approach yourself. The woman who belongs to a variety of organizations and who is diverse in her interests opens up doors because she connects with people who may be able to help you. These people are often very social and enjoy connecting othe r people. Take advantage of that fact, he says. 3. Being committed. At least 10 percent to 15 percent of every day should be devoted to networking. Dont use social media as a crutch to avoid face-to-face contact, he advises, and make sure youre connecting with those who can help you meet your goals. If youre looking for work, you dont need to be just telling that to all your out-of-work friends. What the heck good is that going to do? he says. 4. Never crossing anyone off your networking list. Past co-workers, classmates or former neighbors are all contacts that should be maintained. If you cant remember everyone you know, begin with a in your computer address book to refresh your memory. 5. Never giving up. Even if someone doesnt answer your initial e-mail, keep trying. Send a letter, make a phone call or even try another e-mail, he says. You may have just caught them at a bad time. Keep trying. Theres no point in giving up, he says.What other networking tips do you have?Social Bookmarking

Do You Use Sentence Fragments in Your Resume?

Do You Use Sentence Fragments in Your Resume?Many people tend to question the purpose of resume writing and how you can properly utilize sentence fragments to add detail and information to your resume. Resume writing is not as difficult as many people make it out to be. You will find that this particular section of the application process can be accomplished in a short amount of time. The following paragraphs will detail the use of sentence fragments to augment your resume.When writing the overall point of your resume it is important to avoid using too many words. It is also important to use appropriate grammar and punctuation. The use of sentence fragments can be utilized to build sentences, help readers retain important information and to create a unique section of your resume.One of the most common ways that people use to write is by using two or more words in sequence. For example, you may have a keyword that you would like to emphasize when writing your resume. The use of word f ragments can be used to allow you to emphasize that keyword more effectively. This can create an even stronger impact on the reader. You can also use sentence fragments that are short and specific when writing the key phrase.When writing the specific information about you, it is important to allow the information to stand alone rather than have it merge with other details on your resume. For example, when a person is describing their career history they may include a little bit of detail about a company that they have worked for. However, they do not want the rest of the information to end up overlapping with their key career details. Using a unique paragraph of information about you, can allow you to break up your overall information into manageable portions.Many people tend to use filler words between the main sections of the resume. They may write 'summary' between the major sections or 'objective' before the summary. The use of filler words between the main sections of your resu me can create a less cohesive appearance. It is important to avoid the use of filler words when writing the key phrases in your resume. The use of sentence fragments can help you avoid this.Your overall goal in writing a resume is to create a professional profile for yourself. By the use of sentence fragments you can accomplish this goal effectively. This can provide readers with greater clarity and detail on your accomplishments.In order to create a well-designed resume you should always strive to remember that you are looking for specific details that represent your skills and experiences. By the use of sentence fragments you can accomplish this goal.If you enjoy writing resumes but are finding that you use sentence fragments, there are steps that you can take to ensure that you only use them as a last resort. To find out more about how you can write a resume, register for a free resume writing tutorial.

Delegating work and the danger in creating too many managerial roles - CareerAlley

Delegating work and the danger in creating too many managerial roles - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Ninety percent of the game is half mental Yogi Berra Successfully running a business takes talent and dedication, and any manager worth their salt will already know that a nuanced approach is required to ensure the entire team plays to its strengths. However, the economic uncertainty of recent years has prompted widespread cutbacks in many firms, with investment plans scaled back and job losses regrettably common. Unfortunately, some businesses have cut in just about every area except the one where there is real fat to be trimmed management. The reasons for this are numerous, although there have been questions over whether the seemingly cosy relationships between managerial figures have prevented them from making a realistic appraisal of what they each offer to the organisation as a whole. Although it might sound like a bit of a clich, the old adage that too many cooks spoil the broth does appear to have more than a hint of truth to it where management is concerned. One of the big problems with creating an excessive amount of managerial roles is that it can result in an expansion in bureaucratic processes which can in turn impede overall performance. After all, theres nothing your average manager likes more than to have something to keep them busy but its important to ensure excessive interference from on high doesnt become a hindrance to your employees on the ground floor, so to speak. Whats more, having too many managerial roles and all the bureaucracy that so often follows can prevent real leadership qualities from coming to the fore. Other members of the team in non-management positions, meanwhile, may feel discouraged from acting on their own initiative by the stifling managerial structures in place, and thereby prevented from reaching their true potential. Managerial interference can create a workplace culture which is fundamentally risk averse if it is allowed to run riot. Light-touch management, on the other hand, can prove far more effective by freeing workers from the reams of documentation that so often prove to be of little value to the organisation as a whole. Theres also the question of just who manages the managers. Keeping track of what each managerial figure actually does becomes more and more difficult the more of them there are, making it harder to work out just how important they are. It therefore also becomes harder to disentangle the internal red tape that is such a source of frustration to employees and even some managers themselves. A more laissez-faire approach, although it may seem anathema to many modern businesses, could in fact allow individuals to display their true worth. Jaimy Howard writes on behalf of Edenred, they specialise in employee benefits and employee savings. 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.Visit me on Facebook

New Years 7-Day Career Cleanse Program

New Years 7-Day Career Cleanse Program So the new year is here and everyone is trying to stick to their resolutions to eat better, exercise more, save money, etc. But what about your career? Have you given any thought to trimming your bloated, outdated resume or banking some of your new networking contacts to help advance your job prospects in 2014? Here are 7 easy steps you can take right now to get your career on course and ensure you are prepared for future opportunities.Ditch toxic people. You know the ones Im talking about. They are the people who say no one is hiring, youre too old to find a new job, you make too much money, youd be crazy to change careersthe list goes on and on. These people rarely add any real value to your career goals. Find people who can support you or hire a professional to help you chart your career course.Put your resume on a diet. Has the waistline of your resume expanded to 3+ pages? Are you still dedicating a half page to detailing information about your client base in 1999? Is you resume packed with information about company courses you completed back in the eighties? Remove this unnecessary poundage from your resume and create a sleeker, more streamlined message of value. If you like to diet alone, heres a resume guide to help you. And if you need someone to help you whittle your resume down to a respectable size, let me know.Give your LinkedIn profile a makeover. How old is the picture on your profile? Does it need to be updated? Is the information current? Does the headline show only your current job title or does it convey more about your message of value and expertise? Have you paid attention to the skills section and have you created a customized URL to improve your chances of being found? If you are totally baffled by LinkedIn and social media in general, we should talk. A resume is no longer enough and you will need a strong online identity to compete for the best opportunities in 2014.Make new friends. Has your network gone stale? Do people in your profess ional community know what you are up to and do you communicate with them regularly? Now might be a good time to catch up by phone, grab coffee, or exchange an email to touch base.Practice interviewing. If a great opportunity became available tomorrow, would you be ready to pitch yourself to a hiring manager? If not, heres a free app for interview prep that can help.Benchmark your salary. Do you know what you are worth? Have you been in the same job or same company for a long time and has your salary become less competitive? Check out sites like Payscale and Glassdoor to do a quick audit.Do something for someone else. Help someone with a personal or professional project, volunteer in your community, recommend a colleague on LinkedIn, or make an important introduction for someone. The more you give, the more you get. Start giving now and youll be getting back by Spring or maybe even sooner.