by careertipper | | Blog
Creating a lasting first impression is vital to your career search. The duration of a first impression can range from seven to thirty seconds. First impressions can be sealants of progress or refuse during the interview process. First impression triggers are components of your personal brand. A few first impression triggers includes your social media profiles, your voicemail, your email, your hand shake, and your attire. Be cognizant of your efforts of maintaining your personal brand.
In lieu of a resume submission, a potential employer may request links to your social media profiles to review how you choose to present yourself globally. Your verbiage, pictures, videos, and overall content can increase or decrease your candidacy relevancy for a position. Post wisely and tactfully, even after you have secured your desired position. You do not want to be prone to loosing your job based upon inappropriate posts.
During your career search, your voicemail should be professional and clear to understand. Your voicemail should not feature the latest music sensation nor have background noise.
Email addresses can be too revealing of lifestyle choices and personal details sometimes. Keeping your email address basic and simple is a consistent recommendation by hiring managers and recruiters.
Your handshake and attire display confidence and an unspoken understanding that you know how to carry yourself in your desired work environment. Your attire needs to be tasteful while using all appropriate under garments, accessories, levels of perfume usage, and overall body coverage. Take the time to research handshake styles and wardrobe interview essentials and determine if your handshake or wardrobe needs to be revised.
Your goal is to always be considered and viewed as a qualified candidate. Strive to have your first impression in all environments that you enter promote you to the next level that you desire.
by careertipper | | Blog
Your ability to speak the language of your chosen industry is important not only when interviewing but also when conversing with various industry professionals. Taking the time to learn your industry language including acronyms and jargon beyond the textbooks is essential to your professional success. Being able to effectively communicate as an industry professional will prompt other professionals to view you as credible and increase your confidence in your professional skills and knowledge.
Below are a few language development tactics that will help you evolve the fluency of your industry language.
- Listen attentively during business initiative launches and reviews.
- Read and notice the verbiage details from business meeting minutes, industry related periodicals and books.
- Study industry websites and the description of their services and products.
- View industry advertising campaigns through various media forums.
Your industry language versatility will permit you to communicate well with various levels of professionals while leading you through the path of becoming a verifiable industry subject matter expert.
by careertipper | | Blog
Throughout your career search many questions are generated that you may not know where to gain direction and solutions from. It is strongly encouraged to be confident and comfortable to ask yourself and others questions to gain clarity about the next steps you need to take regarding your career search.
Asking the basic questions of requesting assistance with resume reviews, referrals, or employment leads can often be asked with ease. It’s important to ask yourself and sometimes consult with others the applicable questions and scenarios listed below.
- Is this the right time to start a career search? Determine if you need to professionally develop in your current position longer before moving on to a new employment opportunity.
- Do you need to improve your communication skills? If yes, identify what specific communication skills you need to improve and create an action plan accordingly.
- Is it time for you to be considered for a management position? If yes, assess what qualifies you to be considered based upon the required experience listed for the position description.
- If you desire a career change because of management. Resolve if is it worth transitioning out of your current role because of one person or a certain management style. Take the time to rethink your decision at least once to determine if the potential career move will be an overall advantage or disadvantage to your current career path.
- Are you playing yourself small in your current role? If yes, decide if you want more and why now is a good time to seek career advancement. Pinpoint what eligibility steps you need to make to be considered beyond strengthen your self-confidence.
You are meant to achieve greatness and it is up to you to solidify your path to experience it. Ask questions to assist you in determining how to accomplish your desired career outcomes.
by careertipper | | Blog
Knowing your preferred company environment is favorable during your career search. Many companies are transparent with what type of work environment they promote through their company website, blog, and social media platforms. Companies often host chat sessions on Facebook and Twitter to share details about their hiring process, industry insights, and sometimes general day-to-day activities that a prospective employee may experience. On Instagram, you can view fun pictures and brief videos sharing highlights from a successful company event. Companies will also email invitations to their hiring events to people who follow them through social media and/or sign up to receive their company email blasts through their company website. Attending hiring events is also a great opportunity to learn more about the environment of the company. Take your time to ponder, research, and list what specifics you want your work environment to provide you. Below are a few starter inquiries to assist you in developing and fine tuning your work environment wish list.
- Telecommute Option
- Flex Scheduling
- Casual Attire vs. Professional Attire
- Professional Training and Development
- Community Involvement
- Intrapreneurship Option
- Employee Morale Booster Activities
Next, update your career goal affirmation to include details of your desired work environment. Remember, that your words are powerful. Words frame the outcomes of your life. Repeat your career goal affirmation daily.
Example: I am a business subject matter expert that exceeds assigned metric goals quarterly. I effectively execute training initiatives to team members. I am grateful to be working a flex schedule; three-day a week working remotely from home and working two days in the office.
by careertipper | | Blog
Everyone has a desired career title that they would like to accomplish and feel that they are getting a return on their investment for their cultivated skills, professional development, and education to date. Depending upon your perspective of your career path, sometimes your dream career can be masked under a position title that initially seems to be unappealing to you. It is not always to your advantage to dismiss positions based upon their title without reviewing the potential position description on job boards or with recruiters and hiring managers. Your desired position income, experience, and benefits wish list can be one perspective shift away from being a reality for you.
Depending upon your industry each position you submit for will require a listing of professional and personal references. It is important to stay in touch with previous managers, mentors, and business peers that you had positive outcomes and interactions with professionally. Give them a call, send them an email, or reconnect with them through various social media platforms. Develop a reference listing that can be viewed as benefit for you.
Position Submittal Preparation
- Research and identify position descriptions that interest you versus the position title solely.
- Keep a current listing of contact details (i.e. phone number, email, website, and physical business address if applicable) of professional connections and previous employers.
