Your 13-word Career-change Stories The Top Ten

Your 13-word Career-change Stories â€" The Top Ten Your 13-word Career-change Stories â€" The Top Ten * Last week, we challenged you to tell your career-change story in just 13 words. And boy, did you deliver! A huge thank you to all of you who wrote in with your amazing, funny, honest stories. It was tough, but we finally managed to narrow them down to our top ten. These entries intrigued us, inspired us, and took us right back to the midst of our own career changes… Which do you like best? The top ten “You’re not going back there unless it’s to clear your desk.” I didn’t! â€" Emma Read a lot of inspiring books, did nothing, until the day I jumped! â€" MaryAnn Two cameras, five lenses, one studio, one accidental subscription company, nineteen mermaid tails! â€" Carla Stuck. Frustrated. Lost. Is this it? I can do this. Yes. YES. YES! â€" Hazel Clients with pistols, airplanes and smoke, spreadsheets and suits. Gotta love career change! â€" Nem What doesn't kill you...and it didn't, it made me fly ridiculously high. â€" Lorna I've discovered I'm quite well suited to networking over tea and cake. Hurrah! â€" Helen Hmmm... OK... blank... freeze... hmmm... OK... blank... breathe... just... take... the... first... step. â€" Sarah The sign post indicates so many ways to go â€" way forward is fogged... â€" Nicky So many interests, plenty of skills... How to find my niche? And clients? â€" Lynn And our winner is... Carla Watkins, for this intriguing summary of her career change: Two cameras, five lenses, one studio, one accidental subscription company, nineteen mermaid tails! Having already made her shift, Carla wins a £100 ($130) Amazon voucher. Congratulations, Carla!

Advice About Your College Application Resume

Advice About Your College Application ResumeIf you've been doing any research on the Internet about your college application resume, then I'm sure you have come across a lot of conflicting advice. You can read anything from how to format resumes to what letters of recommendation should say. It can be difficult to know what the best way to write a resume is and whether it's worth taking the time to do all the work.Before I go any further, I want to quickly address some of the main points regarding the topic of college application resume. Most college applications are pretty straightforward. They just ask for information such as your high school diploma, all of your scholastic achievements (whether it's in school or at work), major, GPA (Grade Point Average), and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores.A good college application resume looks like this: What are the best college application resume examples? Obviously, if you're applying to two different schools, you'll want to take the ti me to try to get your resume as close to perfect as possible. This means that you should definitely include information that is relevant to the school you're applying to. If your GPA is higher than average, don't forget to include it in your resume.Since each college has their own set of admissions requirements, your resume should also be tailored to each institution's requirements. You might be surprised at how much of a difference there is between schools. What is important is that your application contains solid academic accomplishments (both scholastic and not), so try to make sure that you list these events in a way that they fit in with the criteria for each school.One good way to make sure that you have covered all bases is to compare your academic past to that of other students who are currently going through the process. Who are you competing against? What's your GPA? Do you have any special talents or skills that could help you get into the school?You might also consider i ncluding information from the 'A' section of your college application resume: achievements outside of your studies. You might not think that this is relevant to your application, but sometimes being able to show that you have hobbies or interests outside of academics will help you stand out from other applicants. Have a good sense of humor and include a couple of memorable experiences (but keep them lighthearted).When it comes to letters of recommendation, you want to make sure that you are getting them before you apply to colleges. They might be something that you forgot to ask for on your application. The 'extras' section of your college application resume will tell a lot about your letter writer. If your letter writer didn't really read over your entire application, then that could really make a difference in your chances of being accepted.These are just a few things to keep in mind when it comes to your college application resume. Good luck!

A Recruitment Referendum A Vote for Independence #indyref

A Recruitment Referendum A Vote for Independence #indyref Would you vote “yes” or “no” for independence? Allowing recruiters to run their own P+L desk? We are all glued to our screens at the moment as to whether Scotland will vote in favour of becoming an independent nation on Thursday 18th September (those reading this after the vote will realise I am writing this before  the result). I understand the arguments in favour of Scotland becoming independent of Westminster, given Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it wants to manage its own money. Those who are vehemently in favour of Scotland remaining in the Union as they have done for 300 yrs+, fear the loss of commercial investment and the thousands of jobs those employers will relocate into England; the inevitable problems of being part of the shared NHS and the list goes on. This blog is not actually intended as a political debate- you will be pleased to know [youtube id=W6vDzf-wSbk align=center autoplay=no maxwidth=800] Indeed, the analogy of the Scottish referendum leads me on to the topic: In other words, should recruitment consultants be encouraged to run their desks independently as a P+L that they are responsible for? By: Michal Vojtko Should recruiters be given the vote of independence to manage their own desks themselves- from agreeing fees, chasing payments, deciding how to run it profitably? All too often, I meet recruiters who are frustrated by the limitations put on them. I understand that for commercial reasons, there has to be a defined area you partition per consultant, for example: Qualified finance into industry in Manchester at 30-60k basic. I get that bit. The bit I struggle with is not allowing recruiters to run their desks like their own P+L. If you allow the recruiter to be responsible for their terms, rates, charge outs, chosen clients/candidates, chase invoices, you breed a work force of accountable  professionals. I am representing a candidate at the moment who is a fearless, credible, agile headhunter- capable of identifying, calling and winning over really hard to find people. Yet they are so frustrated that they are not allowed to know the clients charge out rate- they are targeted on number of deals, not the value. And guess what, I will place them into an environment where they will be treated like a grown up and be in charge of their own desk. Company 1’s loss and my client’s gain. So my suggestion: all  recruitment consultants should run their desk with full view of their own P+L. Your basic, your tax and NI cost, your desk rent, phone and broadband, advertising versus your income. And at the end of each quarter (I believe commission should be quarterly as it encourages consistent performance, in my opinion!) they gain a good percentage of the profit. So no more moaning about needing more ads for job boards unless they too can see the ROI. You allow the recruiter to progress chase the invoices they generate themselves- guess what, they will make sure their terms of business are concrete and water tight- they will make sure that client pays on time or they won’t get the call about the next candidate! Result: An increase in revenue, a motivator to improve your profit margin/rates. Conclusion: the employer generates more revenue and profit, happy  days. The recruiter feels valued  and responsible and will earn a better OTE and stay loyal. What do you think? As business owners, can you allow this level of responsibility? Should recruiters be accountable for clients paying? Or should recruiters just sell and not be bothered by profits? As ever,  let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And you want my prediction? Better get my passport ready for my next visit up to Edinburgh. Am I right?

How to Pitch Yourself and Improve Your Job Prospects

How to Pitch Yourself and Improve Your Job Prospects Jobs are in exceptionally high demand at the moment. Last year, eight jobs at a coffee shop in Nottingham attracted a staggering 1,700 applicants. Considering this, how can you make sure that your CV gets a look-in among all the other work-hungry applicants snapping at your heels? One of the biggest mistakes that job seekers make is that they fire off their CV to whichever job site or recruitment company they saw the position posted on, and just leave it at that. Sure, your application might be so great that you get the call anyway, but showing some initiative can really increase your chances. Here are three things you can do beyond the standard CV and cover letter to better pitch yourself for a job at the application stage. Discover the company Companies often don’t want to widely broadcast that they’re hiring, as it can upset competitive advantage. That’s why you often see job ads posted by recruitment agencies where the name of the company isn’t disclosed. Unfortunately for the applicant, this means the only information you have to work with is in the description, which makes it harder to write your cover letter. Luckily, the internet offers a quick and easy investigation tool for you to discover the company name, and even your would-be manager. Job descriptions are usually copied across all sites where the job is advertised often including the company’s own careers page. Simply copy a section of the description and paste it into Google, and go through the results until you find the company. If you can’t find the careers page, look through the other job postings, as the company name might be included in other places. Once you’ve discovered the name, you can research the company and tailor your application. You can also find out exactly who will be responsible for hiring you, and apply directly to them. Apply to people By: Emporia State University If you’re applying through a job site or recruiter, this adds another pair of eyes to get past before the person responsible for hiring you even gets handed your CV. This is not an ideal situation and you’ll stand a much better chance if you cut out the middle man. If you know the name of the company, apply straight to them. In fact, apply straight to the HR department, or find out who your line manager would be and apply to them. Don’t settle for a generic “careers@company.com” address that’s a surefire way to go unnoticed. LinkedIn and Twitter are excellent tools for finding this information. On LinkedIn you can search for employees of a certain company using the advanced search feature. If you only have a free account, you might not be able to see surnames, but you can find this out by Googling their first name, second initial and company name, as the full profile names appear on Google search results. Management will often engage with their company’s Twitter, so if you can’t find out the information you need on LinkedIn, just take a look at the company’s Twitter feed. People will often put their job titles in their Twitter bios. Once you have a name, you can use any number of free email verification tools to guess the email address. Most companies use a predictable format for email addresses. Try: firstname@comany.com firstname.surname@company.com firstinitialsurname@company.com firstnamesecondinitial@company.com firstinitial.surname@company.com Of course, once you have a name, you could always just call the company up and find out email addresses this way. Engage! Twitter is a great place to engage with the people you hope to work with. If you start a conversation with them, they’re much more likely to pay attention to your application. You can even use it to casually send over work that might compliment your application, such as projects you’ve worked on, or your portfolio. This shows that you’re really interested in the position and that you’ve gone the extra mile to get noticed. After you’ve sent your application, try kicking things off by sending a Tweet like this: Hi @employer sent off my CV today for the @company ‘x position’. Would love to work with you think I’m a great fit. Hope to hear back. If you are going to to do this, you should make sure that your profile is “safe for work”. Make sure you have a well-presented profile picture and that your recent Tweets are all above board. You could even be tactical about it and tweet around topics relating to the position you’re applying for in the days before your application. Hopefully, the employer will see the tweet you sent them after applying, will look through your Twitter profile, and be impressed. Author: Nick Chowdrey is a business writer specialising in finance, technology and marketing. He is currently staff writer at Crunch, a UK top-100 accounting firm.

Korn Ferry Resume Writing Service

Korn Ferry Resume Writing ServiceWhen you need a Korn Ferry resume writing service, all you have to do is go online and search for the company that will meet your qualifications. You can then get in touch with the company and arrange an interview.For those who do not know, when you hire a resume writing service, you are simply sending out a resume to a certain number of employers. This means that you have the opportunity to contact each employer individually about your abilities. They will use this information to help decide whether they want to offer you a job or not.When you hire a resume writing service, the company will design a job profile for you. It includes some questions that will help determine your specific needs. You can then answer the questions and provide information that is related to the position. The hiring party will then review your resume and take it into consideration before deciding whether or not to offer you a job.If you get matched with a resume writing serv ice that offers you a job in your field, then you will be more than happy. However, if you do not get the job, you may still receive a bonus, just as a recruiter would. While these bonuses are nice, you should also be happy that you are getting hired at all.When you hire a resume writing service, you are ensuring that you get hired. This is something that is vital for anyone to get hired. If you are not getting hired because you did not send a strong application, then the company you hired may not be doing its job.Therefore, before you go and choose a Korn Ferry resume writing service, you must ensure that you know what to look for. You should have an idea about what your specific needs are. This will help the company match you with the best applicant to fit your qualifications.Once you are matched with a company, you will be asked to send them your resume. Your resume should be perfectly formatted so that they can design it for you. Once they have completed this process, you will b e required to respond to them for feedback.The resume should contain every key that the company has asked for. However, your resume may only be one page. They may ask you to add more information to your resume as they see fit.

The Demise of the Paycheck - Good Riddance - Career Pivot

The Demise of the Paycheck - Good Riddance - Career Pivot Demise of the Paycheck My Last Paycheck Paycheck…where is that dang paycheck? Oh, I did not get one in 2014. That’s right. I have not had a paycheck since 2011. Because it is January, I started to gather my papers together to do my income taxes. I paid my property taxes today. I made sure to file my quarterly estimated taxes. What was missing is the W-2 statement I used to get from an employer. It still feels strange not getting a paycheck! I was raised to be an employee and to work for a father-like company that would take care of me. Does this seem familiar? For most baby boomers, we were encouraged to take the safe path, to work for a solid company and get a regular paycheck. When I started to work for IBM in 1978, I got paid weekly. Every Monday, my paycheck was deposited into my credit union account like clockwork. It was always there! There was security in knowing that there was a steady flow of money coming in. They Moved My Cheese! In 1993, IBM went through its near bankruptcy. I watched as many of my older colleagues were walked to the door. They got big severance packages, but the security of the paycheck was gone. In 1999, IBM made their first attempts to eliminate the pension plan. I started to realize that the concept of job security and a secure paycheck are an illusion. They moved my cheese! Listen to the most recent episode At that point, I decided it was time to move on. I left IBM in January of 2000 to go to a semiconductor startup, Agere, Inc. It was freeing to leave that father-like companyâ€"a company that was no more. I left on my terms. I still had a paycheck, but this one was not nearly as secure. Dot Com Bust Then came the dot com bust. I watched as many of my former colleagues were laid off from IBM, as well as other large companies. I hung on to the concept that I needed to stay employed. In July of 2002, I had a moment of clarity when I endured a near fatal bicycle accident. During the 1990s, I considered starting my own consulting practice, but I could not get health insurance for my wife. Therefore, full-time employment was the only option. I made a couple of career pivots to teach high school math and work for a non-profit. In both, I had a paycheck and health insurance. The Great Recession In December of 2007, I took another position with a tech startup called LifeSize. Once again, I watched as so many friends were ejected and lost their steady paycheck. In 2009, in the depth of the great recession, I started to explore the concept of starting a business, which is now called Career Pivot. I spent over 18 months in my exploration phase. I really liked that steady paycheck! Sometimes, we have to get hit on the head a few times before we take action. It was late in 2010 when I was put in a highly unethical position at work. It was then that I had enough! No Paycheck or W-2 It has been four years since I received my last paycheck. Once again, I will not get a W-2 this year. It has been scary at times. We live on less. In fact, we live on a lot less…but we are happier! Due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), I can get health insurance for my wife. It is expensive, but at least I can get it. By the way, I think ACA is a great thing for baby boomers who want to ditch the paycheck. I am all for disconnecting health insurance from the workplace, but that is a whole different topic! It is liberating not depending on my employer for a paycheck! In fact, there are many predictions that say over half of us will be contractors or freelancers by 2020. Are you willing to ditch the paycheck? Paycheck? Good Riddance! Marc Miller 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 ...

Making Job Search Fun (Yeah, Thats Right!)

Making Job Search Fun (Yeah, Thats Right!) This month the #careercollective is offering advice on how to overcome the negative aspects of job search and stay upbeat if your search efforts havent landed you a job yet. Job search is tough and its certainly a lot of work; but it doesnt have to be drudgery. Here are ten suggestions for things you can do to make job search more rewarding, more enlightening, and hopefully more fun.Eat. No, Im not talking about pity eating and downing a bag of chips and a pint of ice cream in front of the TV. But meeting a friend for coffee, a drink, or lunch is a great way to combine something pleasant and fun with some power networking. Write. Journaling is a great way to record how you are feeling during your search and examine the trends that could be indicators of what is working in your search and what is not. Some even turn their journals into blogs to create a following and make new friends and contacts as they chronicle their unemployment experience. Study. Did you know that The Department of Labor funds job training programs? You may qualify for training in a specific skill or funding to return to school to complete a degree program. Going back to school can be fun. Volunteer. Find a cause you are passionate about and volunteer for a role that allows you to create visibility in front of the decision makers in this volunteer community. You never know who these people may know and what types of introductions they may be able to make for you. And volunteering helps you feel needed and reminds you of all you have to be grateful for. Exercise. Aerobic conditioning and weight workouts can help you feel better and burn calories more efficiently during the day. Pilates can help reduce the muscle aches often associated with hours of sitting at a desk hunched over a computer, and many people find that a regular yoga practice is a great way to reduce stress. Do Someone a Favor. When you were working you probably didnt have the time to watch someone elses kids or pet or help som eone with a home improvement project. Now that you have some free time, offer to help make someones life easier. Your efforts will be remembered and that help may be reciprocated in the form of an important introduction or job lead. Primp and Pamper. This is not an indulgence. The little details like your hair and nails count during a job search. And it can be rejuvenating to get a new hairstyle or experiment with a new nail color. Shop. Im not suggesting a totally new wardrobe. But a new scarf, tie, hair piece, or handkerchief can change up the interview suit you are tired of wearing and give you a renewed sense of confidence. Read. Books by Harvey Mackay and Keith Ferrazi have provided inspiration for millions of job seekers over the years. Check out some of their titles at your local library. Reconnect. Get over your concerns about reconnecting with past colleagues and friends. Social media tools like LinkedIn and Facebook have made it fun, easy (and less creepy) to get back in t ouch with people from your past. Rekindle past relationships and you are bound to find a friend or two that can help you with some aspect of your search.Be sure to also check out the advice of my esteemed colleagues below.@MartinBuckland, Job Search Made Positive@GayleHoward, Job Search: When It All Turns Sour@chandlee, Strategy for Getting “Unstuck” and Feeling Better: Watch Lemonade@heathermundell, Help for the Job Search Blues@heatherhuhman, 10 Ways to Turn You Job Search Frown Upside-Down @KCCareerCoach, You Can Beat the Job Search Blues: 5 + 3 Tips to Get Re-Energized@WalterAkana, Light at the End of the Tunnel@resumeservice, Don’t Sweat the Job Search @careersherpa, Mind Over Matter: Moving Your Stalled Search Forward@WorkWithIllness, Finding Opportunity in Quicksand@KatCareerGal, Job-Hunting in a Weak Job Market: 5 Strategies for Staying Upbeat (and Improving Your Chances of Success)@ErinKennedyCPRW, Dancing in the Rainâ€"Kicking the Job Search Blues@keppie_careers, Wha t do do when you are discouraged with your job search@DawnBugni, It’s the little things@ValueIntoWords, Restoring Your Joy in Job Search

Essential Skills to Include on Your Resume

Essential Skills to Include on Your Resume There are many skills you can put on your resume, but there are two specific skills that are very important to employers and will help upgrade your resume: Customer Service Strong Work Ethic These skills are important in almost any field of work, and here is why: Customer Service: Companies have customers. That is how they make money. They get paid by a customer, a client, another company, etc. to perform their purpose as a company, making customer satisfaction a very important facet of their business. If their customers are not happy, then the company will lose business and money. How do they keep those customers happy? By providing the customer with the product or service and providing it through employees that exhibit excellent customer service. If you have learned how to be an excellent executor of customer service, and you express this on your resume, you will be at the top of the list for jobs, because employers will know that you will help keep their customers happy and help them make money. Strong Work Ethic: Micro-managing is one of the most inefficient forms of management. It keeps  supervisors from getting more things done and it keeps  employees from feeling that they enjoy their work. If you have to be micro-managed in order to get your work done, you are wasting time and losing revenue for the company.  However, if you are able to work well on your own without supervision and  can produce good work independently, then you are working more efficiently and in turn, helping the company save and earn money. If you have both of these skills, and show where you have used these skills throughout your career,  you need to make sure that you feature them prominently in your resume. If you dont have these skills, then learn them. Work on them and learn how to utilize customer service and a strong work ethic in any situation so that you can upgrade your resume and land a great job.