Career Regrets

Career Regrets Do you have any career regrets? I do. Im 45 years old. Ive had a weird career. It started out pretty normal (for the olden days), but with my first real layoff in 2006, things have been very much outside of normal. Here I am, recently laid off from what was supposed to be my dream job at a dream company, and I am kind of unhireable.   In interviews Im missing out one one or two things (like a certification, or a very specific experience). In at least one interview Ive had a young VP of product super worried that I had a side gig, and he thought I wouldnt do the job because Id focus on my side gig. I did what they told me to do, years ago, and got a technical degree. And I got an MBA. And somehow, someone said that speaking a foreign language would be really valuable in my career (it hasnt been, although I do love speaking and listening to Spanish, and the whole new world it has opened up for me). That old advice almost means nothing in todays world. I regret, since leaving school, not doing more for my career management. The irony is that my best in-person presentation is titled Career Management 2.0. In that presentation, I focus on networking (relationships) and personal branding. I squeezed this into 45 minutes once, and one time I went for 3 hours (and people asked for more it was really cool). And here I am, confessing my regrets. I wish that I would have gotten my PMP certification to quantify my project management skills. I wish that I would have developed more institutional product management skills. The lack of this has been a problem in interviews even though Ive done product management for 20+ years, the interviewers have made it clear they want someone who has institutional (not necessarily practical) experience. I wish that I would have taken classes in UX. Not graphics, not design, but UX.   I think this is one of the most important fields for every organization. Those are the three things I should have dove deeper  into over  the last 13 years. I would have been able to add considerable value to my JibberJobber users, and probably would have had a six figure job years ago. After working at Bamboo, I wish I would have also dug deeper into marketing. I worked with some crazy smart marketing professionals there, and learned a lot from them. Oh, how I wish I would have been better at that. I mean, I wasnt just sitting around. I wrote 3 books (one has 4 editions, each were complete rewrites). I just turned in my 32 Pluralsight course (doing one course is a huge accomplishment). I became a professional speaker (its like a public speaker, but you get paid to do it :p), and published LinkedIn how-to DVDs. I was self-taught in many of these things, and I help people know how to do these things for themselves. So yeah, I have regrets. But I also have so many hours in the day, and I cant turn back time. Im not losing sleep over it. BUT, if I ever get a chance to mentor anyone, or give advice or tips, I will definitely encourage them to continue their education work on professional certifications and other learnings that are quantifiable. Thats my regret, and thats what Im doing about it. Now, what are you regretting with regards to your career, and what are you going to do about it? Career Regrets Do you have any career regrets? I do. Im 45 years old. Ive had a weird career. It started out pretty normal (for the olden days), but with my first real layoff in 2006, things have been very much outside of normal. Here I am, recently laid off from what was supposed to be my dream job at a dream company, and I am kind of unhireable.   In interviews Im missing out one one or two things (like a certification, or a very specific experience). In at least one interview Ive had a young VP of product super worried that I had a side gig, and he thought I wouldnt do the job because Id focus on my side gig. I did what they told me to do, years ago, and got a technical degree. And I got an MBA. And somehow, someone said that speaking a foreign language would be really valuable in my career (it hasnt been, although I do love speaking and listening to Spanish, and the whole new world it has opened up for me). That old advice almost means nothing in todays world. I regret, since leaving school, not doing more for my career management. The irony is that my best in-person presentation is titled Career Management 2.0. In that presentation, I focus on networking (relationships) and personal branding. I squeezed this into 45 minutes once, and one time I went for 3 hours (and people asked for more it was really cool). And here I am, confessing my regrets. I wish that I would have gotten my PMP certification to quantify my project management skills. I wish that I would have developed more institutional product management skills. The lack of this has been a problem in interviews even though Ive done product management for 20+ years, the interviewers have made it clear they want someone who has institutional (not necessarily practical) experience. I wish that I would have taken classes in UX. Not graphics, not design, but UX.   I think this is one of the most important fields for every organization. Those are the three things I should have dove deeper  into over  the last 13 years. I would have been able to add considerable value to my JibberJobber users, and probably would have had a six figure job years ago. After working at Bamboo, I wish I would have also dug deeper into marketing. I worked with some crazy smart marketing professionals there, and learned a lot from them. Oh, how I wish I would have been better at that. I mean, I wasnt just sitting around. I wrote 3 books (one has 4 editions, each were complete rewrites). I just turned in my 32 Pluralsight course (doing one course is a huge accomplishment). I became a professional speaker (its like a public speaker, but you get paid to do it :p), and published LinkedIn how-to DVDs. I was self-taught in many of these things, and I help people know how to do these things for themselves. So yeah, I have regrets. But I also have so many hours in the day, and I cant turn back time. Im not losing sleep over it. BUT, if I ever get a chance to mentor anyone, or give advice or tips, I will definitely encourage them to continue their education work on professional certifications and other learnings that are quantifiable. Thats my regret, and thats what Im doing about it. Now, what are you regretting with regards to your career, and what are you going to do about it?

How to Get Past Your Job Search Fears

How to Get Past Your Job Search Fears Beginning a new job search can be scary. For most of us, new opportunities make us anxious or fearful because we don’t know what lies ahead. We hop on job search sites and pick out a handful of exciting job prospects, but never actually follow through with them. Venturing out of your comfort zone and meeting new opportunities with positivity and enthusiasm can help you find success and land the job you’ve always wanted. If you’re letting fear get in the way of your job search, it’s time to move past it once and for all. New Opportunities Help You Grow We grow the most when we take on new challenges and overcome our fears. Starting a new job search or entering a new career gives us an opportunity to learn and grow. Sure, the unknown can be frightening, but new opportunities are the most rewarding and powerful experiences. And when you overcome your fears, you learn new things about yourself that will add to your character and your perspective of the world. Change is Sometimes Necessary It’s often said that change is the most frightening when you need it the most. When fear overwhelms you, it can feel as if you’re standing on the precipice; unsure of whether you should take a leap of faith, or return to your comfort zone. Sometimes, change is necessary â€" and change can be overwhelmingly frightening. Many of us view fear as a signal that we should turn back, but when it comes to a new job search, you should view your fears as a signal that you’re moving in the right direction. Create a Solid Plan for Success Fear is a very real emotion. But what we’re afraid of is failure. We’re afraid that we’ll try to get a new job, but fail. Or the new job won’t be a good fit for us. Ultimately, there are no guarantees in life. The new job may not work out, but you gave it a good try. And if you have a solid backup plan in place, failure suddenly becomes far less frightening. Sit down and create a “what happens if” plan. If you can’t find a new job, what will you do? If the new job doesn’t work out, what will your next move be? Creating a plan will remove the frightening “unknown” and ease some of your worries. While you’re creating your backup plan, take the time to create an effective job search and career management strategy. Learn what it takes to thrive in your new field and the best job searching tactics to help you create a roadmap to success. Once you know what it takes to succeed and have plans in place, you’ll find that most of your fears will disappear. If they haven’t, write down the fears that are still holding you back, and find solutions to overcome those fears. And on those rare occasions when fear is telling you to be cautious, take a step back and rethink your plans. Source: JobTonic.in 44

Are You Your Last Name - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You Your Last Name - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There is a man selling his last name. He’s ready and willing to take whatever last name YOU assign to him, for the right price. The bidding starts at buymylastname.com. This isn’t so strange if you know the man, Jason Sadler (or whatever you or any other winning bidder chooses for him to use through 2013). He’s already had three last names, as his mother apparently married, remarried, and remarried again until this year’s divorce.   There might be some other circumstances, but at least a couple of marriages and divorces seem evident. It’s not as though Jason Sadler’s name is worth nothing. He has a byline in the media outlets that carry his work, including the Wall St. Journal, Entrepreneur.com and more. So, you get a whack at your company name â€" or any other name you choose to associate with him being on everything he publishes, along with his verified Twitter account, Facebook and the litany that is his social media presence. I love this guy. Not because he’s selling his last name â€" which is currently WiggityBangGames per the current high bidder at $33,333. I love how Jason has made his fortune. He leverages life’s most basic elements â€" ones that you and I don’t notice but we all have. Before the current last name sell out, Jason invented: IWearYourShirt. A very successful business that garnered lots of press, IWearYourShirt is exactly what it says. Jason sold the marquee value of his attending all functions of his day to whomever bought the rights to his shirt. Whether he went to the dry cleaners or a wedding, if you bought that day â€" well, your name was advertised on his shirt. I always imagined an army of people would coalesce to form squadrons of an IWearYourShirt field marketing force â€" but either the operations or the business model must not have worked. The company currently a riotous job of promoting clients on social media and more. Beyond the entrepreneurial spirit that allows Jason to make money on the mundane: a T-shirt, his last name and a sense of humor among those, the question he raises is one part branding, one part existential. Who are you? What makes you, you? What could you trade away, cast off, sell out, and otherwise change that does not manifestly change your essence? And, perhaps even more interesting â€" what would you or what should you change so that you can make the most lucrative, enjoyable living being you? What Jason has done with his last name is to cast off something that is more valuable to sell (at least for 2013) than to keep. During the same time period: what can you cast off, live without or otherwise parlay to increase your visibility and value? Want some ideas to make money in 2013? Email me at Nance@NanceRosen.com with the subject line: 2013 Ideas. Author: Nance Rosen  is the author of  Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at  NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name:  nancerosen

Personal Branding Interview Martin Yate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Martin Yate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Martin Yate, who is the New York Times bestselling author of the Knockem Dead series of career books and is now an evangelist for GoSavant, a video-based career training center.   In this interview, Martin gives his top resume and cover letter tips, shares some insight into how hes built his personal brand, and exposes the process a company must go through to get the best talent. What are your top three resume tips to stand out? Resumes that are a simple recitation of your professional career don’t work in our database-dominated world. Why? Resumes nowadays go into databases that can contain over 30 million resumes. Recruiters search these databases using keywords from a specific job description. Your resume will work better if it focuses on one specific target job and tells a story throughout that demonstrates your grasp of this job and your logical growth into it over your year’s of professional experience. How to do this? Your resume will be far more productive when first you collect half a dozen job postings of that target job and deconstruct them: prioritizing the common responsibilities and using the keywords that appear in these postings, both in a Core Competency section at the beginning of the resume and also repeated throughout the body of your experience.   This insures your resume is relevant, prioritized to employers’ needs, uses the words they use in describing and recruiting for the position, and maximizes their repetition which helps their ranking in the recruiters’ google-like database searches. If your resume works you do, if it doesn’t then you don’t, case closed. Should everyone write a cover letter when applying for a job? How do you go about writing one? A cover letter is most effective when it is addressed to a hiring manager by name, and demonstrates a real grasp of the job. A very effective form of Cover Letter (that we address in the Job Search The Knock em Dead Way at gosavant.com) is called an Executive Briefing. The intro paragraph makes a connection with the company and says, ”Following you will see I have listed both your requirements and my matching qualifications. The page then splits into two columns; left side features 4-6 bullets of the company’s needs, matched in the right column by your matching skills. A cover letter never gets anyone hired, but properly executed it will get your resume read with serious attention. How have you built your personal brand, as an author, career coach and speaker? Branding is such a hot topic today with a lot said about defining your brand and I hear this stuff and think, “yeah and you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.” Much of this advice ignores the facts that: Branding does not happen overnight; it takes years and is an ongoing process You can brand any old thing, but the only worthwhile thing to brand is a superior product that once sampled will be admired and respected. This calls for constant brand enhancement; for a professional, read the skill development that increases credibility and visibility Branding is not an activity for those yearning for instant gratification. You have to: Work at focusing and developing the product that is you over the long haul, this demands a commitment to ongoing skill development (product development) as part of a pro-active career management initiative Commit to a steady long-term program of skill development, constant improvement of your credibility leads to steadily increasing visibility. Commit to professional connectedness, becoming involved with your profession and the people within it who are similarly committed: the members of the inner circle at the core of every department, company, professional association and industry sector. The branding of Knock em Dead and Martin Yate is easier to see today after 25 years of branding activities than it was in the long years of, “doing the right things, for the right reasons and at the right time,” to quote Guy Kawasaki, talking about branding in “The Macintosh Way,” the seminal book on the subject. For me this meant a serious commitment deep inside my head and my gut, that I would become the most knowledgeable person on my topic. This guided my pursuit of knowledge and the career choices I made along the way before becoming a full time career management author. Once I felt the equal of anyone and everyone the branding efforts became serious and slowly began to gain traction. They included speaking engagements all over the world, thousands and thousands of radio and TV shows and press interviews and countless articles and books currently I think in 62 foreign language editions. There were major set backs along the way. I was the first to write about “enlightened self-interest” in career management and the sensible pursuit of multiple parallel career paths (core, entrepreneurial and dream careers); these thoughts were so alien back then I was slammed on every TV show and radio broadcast I did and the $375,000 advance was never paid back, think we sold three books total;-) You have to ride through the rough country and now 15 years later as other writers are writing this same book; they are coming to me for endorsements because I was the first they read on the topic. A career is a marathon, not a sprint and you have to keep faith with your commitments over the unpaved roads you sometimes have to travel. It happens slowly, very slowly but if you care about what you do (in my case of giving advice to people at critical times in their lives) and ID the brand and submit all decisions to the good of that brand. In my case I determined the Knock em Dead and Martin Yate brand would stand for the most practical help available to people in need at times of change and horrible stress and uncertainty in their professional lives Make a vow to always expand your professional knowledge base Make career decisions based on long term goals (rather than a quick buck or a job title) Everyday, in some way make a difference for good with your presence Always help others whenever you can Strive for membership of the inner circle that exists in all departments, companies and professional communities by emulating their commitment and effort, because this is where the juicy assignments, raises and promotions all live Develop the communication skills and tools (web presence/writing skills/speaking skills) that allow you to reach out to your professional world If you do these things, the branding that was once just a sexy phrase begins to take on meaning in the eyes of your target market. What process does a company have to go through to hire the best talent? If there were one piece of advice I would want to give to any hiring manager: There are lots of candidates who will have the skills required in your job description and from these you want just the best, because as a manager if you cannot first hire effectively you will never be able to manage productively, and after all, the first and last tenet of a manager’s job is to get work done through others. Recognize that every job at its core is about contributing in some way to the company bottom line; and at its core every job is essentially the same, all our work at its most elemental level is about identification and prevention and identification and solution of the problems that come across the desk everyday in our specific area of expertise. With this insight take the job description and for every skill/requirement /responsibility think about how that skill is applied and the problems that typically occur in the execution of that particular responsibility. Then ask candidates questions about the problems that occur in each of your requirement areas and what they do to prevent them and to solve them when they do arise.   If you can find people who “get” the problem solving headset, and your questions show they think and act in such circumstances you will make dramatically better hire, because these are the people who take personal responsibility for their work and really do strive to make a difference with their presence. - Martin Yate (CPC) is an executive career strategist and New York Times bestseller author with over thirty years in the career management field.   His latest book, out of ten, is called Knock em Dead, The Ultimate Job Seekers Guide 2007.   He is published throughout the English-speaking world and in nineteen foreign languages.     His experience spans international headhunting, Director of HR for Bell Industries Computer Memory Division, and Director of Training and Development for the Dunhill Personnel System. He has worked with corporations and associations on four continents on job search and career management, along with recruitment and selection issues, and counsels executives from all over the world in job search and career-management strategies.   Martin is also a career evangelist for GoSavant.

Will Technology Replace Your Job Probably! [Infographic] - Career Pivot

Will Technology Replace Your Job Probably! [Infographic] - Career Pivot Will Technology Replace Your Job? Will Technology Replace Your Job? Copyright: bill2499 / 123RF Stock Photo As Baby Boomers, we have seen the growth of technology in our work and daily lives. For example: fax machines rarely exist anymore in offices because they have been replaced by email typewriters have been replaced by personal computers many landline telephones have been replaced by cellphones Ok, we know that new technology is replacing old systems because the equipment has gotten faster, easier to use, smaller and more portable. But have you ever thought about the possibility of technology replacing your job? Yes, the actual work that you perform on a daily basis for your company? Don’t think so? Well, take a look at this infographic entitled: The Odds of a Machine Doing Your Job [Infographic] by the team at NeoMam This infographic identifies skills with a high and low risk of computerization, the possible impact on current jobs available, and likely outcomes. Skills associated with a high risk of computerization: Finger Dexterity â€" fingers used to hold or manipulate objects Manual Dexterity â€" hand or head movements to assemble or hold objects Cramped Work Space â€" small areas that require workers to get into small spaces Skills associated with a low risk of computerization: Listen to the most recent episode Originality â€" able to come up with unusual, creative and clever ideas Fine Arts â€" the knowledge and ability to perform or create music, visual arts, etc. Social Perceptiveness â€" awareness or understanding of other perceptiveness Negotiation â€" bringing together others to reconcile differences Persuasion â€" able to persuade others to change their minds Assisting and Caring for Others -providing emotional, physical or medical attention to others It seems machines are better at routines and rules and people are better at directing and diagnosing. Many of the professions on the infographic are in the service industry. Most of us have already interacted with a business that has some type of job automation. Here is an example of a job automation experience I had at an airport restaurant this past summer. On the table was mounted a tablet device which was your menuâ€"it took your order and, when you were done eating, you paid for your meal there. The only interaction you had with a person was when the food and drinks were delivered to your table. Did you notice that some white-collar professions listed on the infographic are possibly going away are too? Paralegals and Legal Assistants â€" In complex lawsuits, many legal assistantsand paralegals were needed to comb through volumes of paper documents hours at a time looking for key evidence needed in the case. Now documents are created, stored and searched all electronically using algorithms to enhance the search capabilities. This helps to ensure that all relevant documents are found in a lawsuit and the results are reviewed by a small number of legal assistantsor paralegals. Accountants and Auditors, Bookkeepers, Tax Preparers â€" Automated systems can collect, store, analyze and generate reports using a variety of internal and external real-time data for review by decision makers. Instead of a large group of people manually entering the data and creating the reports, it can be done quickly and efficiently using machines. As the infographic shows, professions that require creativity, critical thinking and working with people are at low risk of becoming automated. Engineers, lawyers, doctors, police officers, and airline pilots are all examples of that. Are you in one of those professions or in a supporting profession? Look at your current job skills. Are there any skills that potentially could succumb to job automation? Or do you need to work on your creative, critical thinking or people skills? You just might need them in the future. This post was written by Elizabeth Rabaey, a Baby Boomer herself, is a creative with a love for details. She has spent over 20 plus years working for environmental engineering and consulting companies providing project management and technical assistance on many innovative engineering projects. She has applied creative, literary and scientific skills to these projects to help the client maintain a profitable business operation and protect humans, health and the environment. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

How NOT to ask to connect on LinkedIn

How NOT to ask to connect on LinkedIn When you ask to connect on LinkedIn with someone, what you say matters a lot! Are you asking the invitee to do too much? Have you made it worth their while to connect with you? Remember, connecting is like a first date! Woo them and make them want to have a second date!   Sometimes job seekers will ask me to introduce them to people in my network. When they do, and Im happy to make the introduction, I ask the person to send a message I can forward along that explains why they want to connect. It makes it easier for me and more likely Ill do it. However, some job seekers dont quite get the hang of what to say. If you received this LinkedIn message (an invitation to connect), what would you do?   DISCLAIMER:   Ive changed some of the details to protect the innocent, but otherwise, this is the message I was asked to forward along. Hi Sam.I am an outgoing, personable, professional with a BSBA in Accounting from Stuffy Business School at Private University. Post graduation I worked two years as a Staff Accountant and two years as an Assistant Project Manager. I left the position as a Staff Accountant because it was not a good fit for me.   I am interested in learning about professional business administration opportunities with The Best Company in Your Town, USA. I didnt see any job openings at that location that met my status/experience/qualifications. Can I have your email/phone, so I can send you my resume and explain my qualifications further? As a side note, I just began my job search and have had interviews with two strong local companies and things are starting to move quickly, but would like to explore opportunities that meet my status/experience/qualifications with The Best Company. My # is 555-1212 and email is desperatecandidate@zmail.com. Problem 1:  Formatting matters- even when sending a message inside Linkedin.   This is just one big glob of text.   It is overwhelming to read.   Try breaking it into paragraphs. Problem 2: It isnt until the 4th sentence that Sam will realize what this person is asking.   Will Sam read that far? Problem 3: What kind of job is this job seeker looking for exactly?   Business Administration opportunities? This is too vague. It requires too much thinking for someone who is busy. Problem 4: Can I have your email/phone so I can send you my resume? Are you kidding?   First of all, why does Sam want his resume? So he can find the job seeker a job? Second, this candidate could put his resume in his LinkedIn profile but why even do that if they connect on LinkedIn. A LinkedIn profile is a resume.   Third, if this person accepts the invite, then the job seeker should be able to see the email address. Problem 5: What this job seeker has done is to put the burden of action on Sam.   People are busy.   They dont owe strangers anything, it has to be earned.   As the requester, take ownership, accountability and action! Problem 6: This invitation to connect has become a classic example of bait and switch or, connect with me so I can use you to find a job.   No one wants to feel used. Networking requires patience and finesse.   One of the most important rules of social networking is to build a relationship.   Remember, a relationship is a two-way street.   Think about what the other person needs or wants to get from the relationship. Heres an example of how this message could be re-worded: Hello Sam: I have asked Hannah to forward this request to connect on LinkedIn because of my interest in what you are doing to promote the Best Companys reputation in Your Town. I also see you are quite involved and active on LinkedIn. As a Staff Accountant and Assistant Project Manager, Ive been able to save my company money by implementing quality processes and improving cross-departmental communication.   I strongly believe these accomplishments would be of value at The Best Company as well.   I would like the opportunity to better understand the goals and challenges of The Best Company. By connecting on LinkedIn, I hope to   learn more about you and The Best Company and one day meet in person.   Might you be attending the Digital Town event in May? Perhaps we can chat further then. Thanks for your willingness to connect. See the difference?   What have you said in your invitations to connect through LinkedIn?

Writing a Federal Resume Sample

Writing a Federal Resume SampleIn order to write a federal resume, it is important to understand how to format the information in it. Federal resumes are created in this case when an individual decides to move on to a new position and start a new career. This is also the reason why it is very important to know about the format of the resume, and not just the contents. For this, you can start by reading the following sample resume.This sample federal resume will assist you to understand how to properly format the information in the resume. The sample will not help you create a resume that has all the formatting correct. You still need to learn the important formatting techniques in order to create a resume that is balanced, clear, and functional.First, you need to define the desired job position. Then, you need to fill the detailed description of the job. And then, you need to describe your skills and experiences in your resume. You need to explain the reason for moving to the job, th e specific details about the job, and your skill set. If possible, include at least three key characteristics of the job that will prove that you are the best candidate for the job.After filling in the details of the job, you should include the qualifications that are needed for the job. The most important information you need to include here is your education and experience. In most cases, you need to have a master's degree to qualify for this job. Then, you need to mention your family background.Other information that is not required by most employers but should be mentioned is your experiences related to the job, or your skills. A resume without these two things is considered as a poorly written one. In most cases, you need to mention your experience and skills. You need to mention them in detail.Finally, you need to check the sample resumes, to see if they match with the position that you want to apply for. It would be a good idea to compare the samples with the actual resumes t hat you intend to send to the companies that you are interested in. If there is a similarity, then this would be a good indication that the resume sample would definitely work for you.Overall, writing a federal resume is not too difficult. As long as you know the basics, you can create a solid resume that will stand out from other resumes in the market. All you need to do is start with one basic format for the resume and work your way through. This will save you from having to learn a whole new format.