When Its Not Hard (thats what she said)

An Exciting Afternoon / An Announcement / The Kindness of Strangers / When Its Not Hard (thats what she said) I had such a day on Monday, I just had to share. If you indulge me for these 8.5 minutes, I promise you the biggest cry youve seen yet. Oh yes. It is coming. Thats what she said. Again. And heres the link to the Etsy article I spoke about. As if that wasnt exciting enough. Egads.

How to Write the Best Resume Samples

How to Write the Best Resume SamplesIf you're looking for the best resume samples, this is the place to start. In this article, we'll be looking at a few ways to get some great resumes, but without all the hassle and time involved. The best thing about this is that if you don't have time, you don't have to spend any money either.It might be worth your while to write an outline for your job search at some point in time. It's important to always begin at the beginning, not to skip ahead and waste time. Remember, there are hundreds of sites offering free resume samples, so you need to make sure you're not spending money on irrelevant content or filler material.Searching through the many resume samples online can often be frustrating. Take a deep breath and don't lose focus, and you will soon be able to produce the best resume samples for your job search.Before you get started, find out what it is that you are looking for when it comes to resumes. If you're just starting, then you might want to go for sample resumes that demonstrate the basic skills and qualifications that you're looking for. The more information you have, the easier it will be to work out the best possible resume for your needs.After you've come up with your resume, look for examples of informational resumes. These can really improve your chances of getting an interview. Not only will these online samples provide you with the right skills, but they can also help you nail down a resume that you're happy with. They have the potential to save you time, money and frustration!An important thing to remember is that you must do your research. Make sure you read reviews and talk to people who have used the services you're considering. They might be able to recommend sites that offer them, and they might also be able to let you know which ones they would rather use.If you're looking for the best resume samples, then this is the place to start. There are many sites that provide samples, but not all of them are accurate or valuable. Look for the ones that are based on experience and expertise, and you will find the best possible resume samples.

Career Phases Aspiration, Promise, Momentum

Career Phases Aspiration, Promise, Momentum Your value to your employer changes following a pattern strikingly similar to how physicists describe the properties of energy. They refer to potential energy â€" energy at rest, and kinetic energy â€" energy in motion. Careers follow similar patterns. As you prepare to enter the workforce you are building up your store of potential value â€" the value you will be able to add in the future based on exercising your intellectual and interpersonal energies, applying your education and academic achievements, bringing your enthusiasm, work ethic, and energy to an organization. As you land your first few jobs and begin to gain experience, this potential is translated into momentum, as you become increasingly more valuable based on your professional expertise, reputation, and track record. Picture a kid on a swing, kicking his legs and causing him to swing higher and higher. That is how your career takes off. You launch your career with the scale registering heavy on potential, and light on experience. As you move through your career, the scales shift and the experience side eventually grows to outweigh the potential side. The trick is to add to the experience side of the equation without emptying the potential side. The more you can turn your potential value into valuable experiences, which can then be converted into greater potential, the more valuable you will become in the career market over time. Now let’s turn to the first three phases that most careers follow. Aspiration Phase Time frame: 0-3 years Characterized by: discovery and introspection, the process of learning, and the development of knowledge. What you should aim to accomplish: In this phase, your value in the career market is based almost completely on your potential. So the most important objective is to discover your strengths and interests, and to begin learning marketable skills. Try out as many different kinds of tasks and jobs as possible. Get feedback from professors, peers, and mentors who can help you to identify what you are good atâ€"and what you’re not good at. If you use the Aspiration phase to gain exposure, build skills, work on your weaknesses, and fill in gaps in your knowledge, you will build your potential and strengthen your ability to provide value to current and future employers. So focus on acquiring life skills that are valued in every industry: writing, thinking critically, listening well, problem solving, and collaborating effectively with others. And don’t forget to focus attention on your life outside of work. Take the time to build meaningful friendships, establish healthy living habits, and partake in activities you enjoy. These skills, coupled with the ones you’ll develop at work, are the foundation of any successful career and life. If you build them now, you’ll be poised for success as you develop more specialized skills later on, starting in the Promise phase. Promise Phase Time frame: 3-10 years Characterized by: recognized by those who employ you through your compensation, promotions, access to the best assignments and mentors What you should aim to accomplish: You will continue to explore your interests and talents, but you will also begin to develop specific professional skills, and make meaningful contributions to your organization. One goal in this phase is to show that the bet your superiors made on your potential was well placed. You will do that by becoming known as a can-do person who meets deadlines, does high quality work no matter the assignment, and asks good questions. The second goal of the Promise Phase is to position yourself for the next stage of your career by testing out a diverse set of roles and work environments. First, are you inclined toward a position whose objective is to generate revenue, or do you prefer support functions? Second, are you skilled and interested in managing others, or do you prefer to be more of an individual contributor? Often, answers to these questions only emerge over time. You may need to switch departments, companies and even industries to answer them and you should reflect upon them carefully over the first decade of your career. If you’ve built a strong foundation of work relationships and a reputation for excellent work, you may well be able to switch jobs within your existing organization to explore these key questions. It is incumbent on you to figure out the best environments and roles in the Promise Phase so you can dig into your chosen area and start becoming valued for your track record and experience. This is to say that there is one other key goal of the Promise Phase â€" to develop your skills in managing your own career. Momentum Phase Time frame: 10-20 years Characterized by: your track record and reputation for which you will become known in the marketplace. What you should aim to accomplish: The Momentum phase is when the value of your experience will overtake your potential value as you grow your professional standing by capitalizing on your experience, stature, skills and expertise. In doing this, you will become promotable in your company and more recruitable in your industry and across sectors. Beyond leveraging your experience into new opportunities, success in the Momentum phase is also defined by the quality of the teams you build and manage. This is perhaps the first thing CEOs and HR officers consider when deciding whether you’re a fit for an executive role at the company. You want to become known as a “talent magnet,” someone who has built a positive culture inside your organization, attracted world-class talent from the outside, developed talent internally, and used all of these resources to create highly effective teams. Build goodwill by supporting those around you and being a positive, responsive, and helpful colleague and leader. This is especially important when life inevitably gets in the way during this period of your career. The more goodwill that you have built up from having supported others around you and from being a positive, responsive, and helpful colleague and leader, the more assistance you will in turn benefit from when it comes to maintaining your momentum and balancing work with the major events in your personal life, such as marriage, parenthood, and health issues, to name a few. Citrin runs the CEO Practice at Spencer Stuart, one of the world’s leading executive search and leadership consulting firms. He is the best-selling author of six books. This article was adapted from his latest, The Career Playbook: Essential Advice for Today’s Aspiring Young Professional, out now.

5 Must-Haves Of A Viral Company Video - Work It Daily

5 Must-Haves Of A Viral Company Video - Work It Daily 5 Must-Haves Of A “Viral” Company Video Company videos have become one of the most increasingly desired digital branding tools by marketers and consumers alike. Whether it comes in the form of a YouTube playlist, high-quality videos from a production company, or a single Instagram shot, everyone seems to be racing to own the next ”viral video.” Related: 3 Signs Your Office Is Cooler Than Your Culture Often overshadowed by the pursuit of virality, identifying the purpose of video creation is commonly disregarded. While the end goal may be to have a viral video, the purpose describes what the video will accomplish on the way. If a video truly goes viral, but serves no real purpose to your brand, then what’s the point of earning millions of views? What a company video really needs is a clearly defined goal (Hint: Other than going viral!). No matter how small, even the shortest of videos can achieve something. By identifying and aiming for a specific accomplishment, you will create better content. Take the video below, for example. It was created by Jordan Sovis and his team from The Home Depot. Jordan is a Sales Associate in the paint department of The Home Depot by day, and a video production director by night. His cohorts, Casey and Micayla, are a Merchandising Execution Team Member and a Cashier at the company, respectively. Inspired by The Home Depot’s annual challenge to its employees through the “Home Depot Search for a Star,” the three employees set out to make a video that earned them a spot to perform at the annual managers’ meeting in Las Vegas, while gaining mentoring and showcasing the fun they have in “The Magical World of Depot.” Paired with The Home Depot’s pride in its employees’ talent and its encouragement of their video development, Jordan’s production skill and knack for storytelling has earned this video tens of thousands of views. Starting with the goals of “capturing the hearts of as many people as possible” and incorporating features and aspects that would appeal to a wide demographic, Jordan explained that he set out to make a feel-good advertisement. With that, the number of views continues to climb. 5 Must-Haves Of A “Viral” Company Video The truth is, you can’t manufacture “viral.” You can, however, manufacture compelling, accurate content. If you create something great, the audience will follow. With this in mind, what does it take to make viral-worthy company videos? 1. Goal It can’t be reiterated enough: define your goals. Why is it important to create a video? Who are we creating it for? What message do we hope to convey? By answering these questions, you will have a clearer sense of direction and purpose. This will make a better video in the long run as it gives you a roadmap to follow while filming and will impact your brand no matter how many viewers it earns “We do our best to make sure that the focus, themes and stories will reach many people with great production quality, so that people will want to watch again and again. Most people don’t like to sit and watch advertisements...but if it's captivating, entertaining, and fun, they will always want more!” - Jordan Sovis, Home Depot Sovis Productions 2. Target Audience One of the goals you should have in mind before you even “Take One” on your video is to identify your target audience. The best videos resonate with audiences because they’re designed with a particular group in mind. Do you want to reach Millennials? Baby Boomers? Do-it-yourselfers? Determining a target audience doesn’t limit your reach; instead, it gives you an opportunity to reach the right people. The right people are those who will watch your video again and again, share it, or take action because of it. It’s more important to have 1,000 of the right viewers than 10,000 people who don’t care about your message and forget it as soon as they’ve clicked the X on the screen. If you want your brand to stick in peoples’ minds, aim for your target audience. If your video is truly captivating, it will help you expand your reach. 3. Employee Support Getting employees to participate in the making of a video, share their insight, or suggest tactics can be sometimes be a challenge. As a company, however, it’s important to welcome feedback and give them tools to get involved. When you feature your employees in a video - whether it’s a spotlight or interview, a parody, or just behind the scenes - you are showcasing what it’s like inside your company culture. This goes a long way, not just in engaging consumers, but in retaining employees and earning job candidates who are aligned with your culture and brand. Don’t be afraid to give your employees a voice and empower them to be your advocates. If they feel the videos represent the culture and their experiences as employees, they’ll be more likely to share the videos with networks of their own. “The more people you have on board with you, the better the projects end result can be!” - Jordan Sovis, Home Depot Sovis Productions 4. Emotion This one should go without saying (right?), but having seen enough videos that miss the emotion mark and land somewhere in the space of “awkward,” I’ll say it again. Try to convey a genuine emotion. If you’re actually aiming for awkward, then so be it. But, generally speaking, I think we try to avoid that sensation in our branding efforts. When companies feature employees and come across as too buttoned-up, it doesn’t give viewers a true sense of what your business is like inside. (Unless you are legitimately stuffy and only as deep as your corporate mission statement. Trust me, you’re probably not). Instead, discover what makes your stakeholders - both internal and external - feel something and go with that. Is there a sense of urgency? Humor? Excitement? Sympathy? Get specific with what you’re trying to achieve and build a storyboard for your video that allows you to connect with viewers. If they experience the emotion you’re aiming for, they’re not likely to soon forget your video. “I believe emotions are everything in conveying a message. Whether you're making them laugh, cry, or remember something from their childhood, creating an emotional connection makes the viewer feel more involved and engages them completely.” - Jordan Sovis, Home Depot Sovis Productions 5. Share-Worthiness Finally, if you want your video to reach people outside of your office, it has to be something people want to share with their friends. When you share any piece of content, it’s a small representation of yourself, too. What I share says a lot about how I want people to perceive me and the things I like. So, when you’re creating a video, keep this in mind. Will people be willing to say they connect to a theme in it? Did it make them laugh? Did it send an important message that mirrors their beliefs? If it’s not a video you or your employees are excited to share, it won’t be one other people find share-worthy either. “If the video relates to a person, their interests, their past, their style, or sense of humor, then it is worth being shared. People like to watch things that they don’t see every day.” -Jordan Sovis, Home Depot Sovis Productions Do you have a video that showcases the five must-haves? Is there another “must-have” you’d add to our list? Tweet me @SamanthaSaysSo and tell me about it! Like this post? Receive articles like this in your inbox and more by subscribing to our weekly newsletter! P.S. You’ll get a free ebook just for stopping by. Related Posts 5 Companies That Encourage A Healthy Lifestyle Culture Showcase: Fashion, Fun, And Bagels With The CEO 5 Reasons Why I Love Working At Greatist Photo credit: Sovisproductions.com / Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

10 Ways to Lead a More Inclusive Meeting

10 Ways to Lead a More Inclusive Meeting You can come to the meeting. Just sit in the back of the room. And dont say anything.This welches the invitation I received from a former boss several years ago. He was doing me a favor by inviting me to the meeting. As long as no one saw me, as long as no one heard me, of course. And I should have been grateful for the folding chair on the side of the room. But when I walked in, I noticed there were plenty of seats at the table. I waited a few minutes, surveyed the room and plopped my notebook down at the table. Two senior women smiled and welcomed me as I sat down.I thought I was clear that you could sit over there, my boss said, suddenly appearing behind me. We need these seats open, you can sit over there. I nodded, scooped up my notebook, and went to my designated spot. No one else showed up to claim the seat at the table. No one invited me back to the table. No one asked my opinion, or invited me to speak when it was my project that they were discussing. I sat there for three hours until the meeting ended. Then, I was dismissed.Most of us have been there an all- day meeting. Too many people jammed into a room. The senior people taking up all the airtime. A group of individuals who sit there, never contributing, never saying a word. All of these are simply outdated ways of leading meetings. I wish the incident I shared earlier was the only example I had of being minimized, dismissed or completely ignored in a meeting. Too many women continue to share this experience. As I have grown as a leader and have built my own confidence, I made a promise that I would do my best to not let this happen to other colleagues. Because when individuals consistently feel devalued including feeling devalued by how they are treated in meetings they will eventually make the choice to leave. Here are 10 ways to lead an inclusive meeting to enaya everyone feels valued1. abflug by inviting the individuals who can make an impact in the me eting.Invite the ones who are doing the work, the ones who have an expertise to share, the ones who will continue to drive the work ahead regardless of their title or position.2. Invite people to sit at the table. And physically pull up the chair and make room. Discourage people from sitting in a corner or off to the side.3. Ask different individuals to present and share at meetings. Ask yourself if you have the same go to people who you ask to share. Challenge yourself to nominate different colleagues.4. Ask your male colleagues to take notes and summarize action items. Especially if its always the women in the room taking notes.5. Dont ask the same people to order lunch or coffee for the meeting. Same rule applies here. No one wants this non-glamorous task so please share the burden.6. Go around the room and make sure everyone is able to share their views. Help facilitate listening to all the voices. Ensure no one takes up all the airtime.7. Stop colleagues from interrupting each other, from stealing ideas or from dismissing ideas. You dont have to be the most senior person in the room to do this, or to stand up for each other.8. Invite people to join in and contribute if they arent speaking up. Sometimes, an invitation to speak can be the support they needed to contribute. It certainly has been for me in my career.9. For those who are working remote, ask them to contribute first to help them feel even more included. Check the technology prior to the meeting to ensure the sound is working and that they are able to view materials. At the beginning of the meeting, announce who is on the phone and who is in the room.10. Finally, dont forget to contribute yourself. Use your voice. Dont forget that someone thought of you and wanted you to be in the meeting. They believe in your value. They are counting on your ideas, your opinions and your enthusiasm. Please dont let them down.

Why Everyone Is Talking About Ats Resume

Why Everyone Is Talking About Ats Resume Ats Resume for Dummies Our professional resume designs can help you land interviews. Remember that the particular part whos applying for the job which youre offering is likely applying to several different jobs too. If you are searching for a new job or maybe mean to shift your existing job then you are going to have to post your resume in as many places as is possible to boost your awareness in the front with the probable employers. If youre opting for work within a specific industry, you should already have identified the important keywords that are relevant to that business or the position that you seek. New Ideas Into Ats Resume Never Before Revealed Furthermore, if you believe youre not a match for the job, dont attempt to trick the ATS software with the addition of skills that you dont have. So if you would like your resumes to become into the human hands you need to optimize your resume for the ATS. In some instances, ATS soft ware could be searching for either an acronym or the complete kind of a phrase. Optimizing your resume to win against the Application Tracking System (ATS) software is vitally important. How to Choose Ats Resume Resume screening can grow to be an intimidating task if you let all the applications pile up. Thus, a work description thrown in at the base of a resume is guaranteed to receive scrambled during the parsing approach. Without regard to the conditions, dont permit the practice of sorting through resumes get you down. Formatting Your resume is not where to acquire creative. Your resume file ought to be in a normal form that is needed. If thats the case, then the functional resume format could be perfect. Deciding upon the correct format There are an infinite number of acceptable formats for a resume. In the end, it doesnt really supply the ideal format for those who have zero experience. For instance, if the employer is searching for a team-player, describe yoursel f as one. To create a resume you will need to know the prerequisites with the perspective employer for your precise job account. You also need to always check the work description to find out whether the employer wants a specific file type. In this kind of situation, a functional resume would be a better choice. Whats Really Going on with Ats Resume Researching the business and the work description, and including appropriate key phrases and phrases, are crucial to your success. You must scan a great deal of resumes daily, seeking the most relevant and interesting for them. Be conscious of buzzwords since it isnt the exact same as keywords. Utilizing the right resume keywords is crucial. Choosing Ats Resume Is Simple The most important thing to begin with is writing your private CV. You might strange, but its absolutely realistic, theres no universal resume (one resume) that fits appropriate for all of the job descriptions. For that reason, its advised to tailor your re sume for the particular job application. A job posting with an easy way of shortlisting candidates can be among the weakest recruitment shortlisting strategies as it can be gamed by candidates. The Unexposed Secret of Ats Resume You also dont need to rely on it too heavily in the event that you dont have the correct type of skills for the job which youre seeking, as it declares that lack of qualifications at once. Highlights the experience and skills you have which are about the job which youre applying for. If you are ready to find the particular job which you should prepare yourself with the particular skills required early. Locating an excellent job has at all times been quite a challenge.

Forget Staying Calm Heres How to Be a Dynamic, Electric, and Passionate Public Speaker

Forget Staying Calm Heres How to Be a Dynamic, Electric, and Passionate Public Speaker Does the thought of public speaking make your heart leap in terror?What happens next? Do you judge yourself for being nervous? Do you feel inadequate to play the role of speaker? Do you wish you could figure out how the heck to just get it over with?I promise you that you are not alone. Anticipating being seen and heard can feel very vulnerable, and our insecurities often jump to the surface when we are asked to speak to a group. However, with some simple changes in your thinking, you can have a much mora positive experience as you prepare and when you present.Here are some strategies that can help you manage any insecurities and nervous energy that may arise when your boss asks you to do the next pitch or brief the board. Youll learn how to build your confidence by shifting your focus from your sweaty palms to the powerful impact your message can make.Who Are You ?A lack of self-confidence often appears as a questioning of your very being, such as* Who am I to lead this meeting?* Who am I to give my opinion?* Who am I to apply for this job?If you have ever asked yourself these questions, then you have experienced how disempowering they are. These questions have judgment baked into them, which can lead you to feeling small.Instead, list all of the reasons you are the person to take on the challenge at hand. Here are some statements to consider* I have experience in this area.* I have a different or unusual perspective on this subject matter.* My background in several different areas enables me to see this from a new angle.Here are beginnings of statements that can lead you to some helpful new ways to think about your qualifications for speaking about a specific topic. Jot down what comes to mind as you read them* I know a lot about ______________________________________.* When I experienced _____________________________________, I learned __ ____________________________________________.* I am concerned about ____________________________________.* I am hopeful about ______________________________________.Reminding yourself about your qualifications is a great way to build your confidence.Get Emotionally Centered by Focusing on Your MissionInstead of focusing on nerves or potential technological snafus, direct your emotional energy toward the ideas you are trying to communicate, why they matter, and what is at stake. Here are some questions that can help you to tap into your passion as you gain clarity on your mission* What needs to change in your organization, society, or the world?* Why does this change matter?* Who is affected negatively or positively by the way things currently are?* Who will benefit if the change you are championing happens?* Why is this change important to you?The more you are personally and passionately invested in your mission, the more powerful your emotions will be and the more effective and con fident your communication will be.How to Get Out of Your Own WayOne of the main challenges of preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for public speaking is to stop focusing on the negative (nerves, potential problems) or on misguided assumptions you have. Here are a couple mistakes you can correct right nowMistake No. 1 Thinking You Should Be Calm OnstageYou probably think you want to be calm onstage, right? Think a little harder about that. Will being super chill while presenting make the impact you want? Did you ever leave a riveting speech or performance and say, Wow, I was so moved. That performer was so calm?Im guessing no. What gets and keeps our attention is a performance that is electric, dynamic, and passionate rather than calm, contained, and controlled. The best presentations make you say something more along the lines of, That performer was a force of natureSuch a response would imply that there was a lot of energy on the stage or set. The more committed and passion ate you are about the topic at hand, the more riveting you will be. Instead of thinking you need to be super chill, spend some time determining what the best amount of energy is for your particular event.Mistake No. 2 Thinking That Feeling Nervous Is abadeanstalt ThingYou might think, I wish I didnt feel so nervous. I hate this pit in my stomach and my shaking voice. I feel terrible and am really distracted.Lets break this situation down. There are the physical responses you are having a rapid heartbeat, sweating, or shaky hands. Then there are the thoughts, usually judgments, you are having about these responses Everyone can see Im a wreck My body is being taken over by stress and I cant think straightWhats happening is that you are nervous about being nervous. These thoughts do not help you focus, nor does this narrative set you up to succeed. Accepting these physical responses, rather than judging them and making up stories about what they mean, is key. The more comfortable you c an get with the reactions of your body, the less stressed you will be. Instead of reacting with panic, see if you can respond with acceptance and patience.Check out these reactions instead* My hands are shaking. Thats all right. It just means Ive got some extra energy flowing through my body, which I actually really need right now* My heart is racing. Its okay. Im going to take a deep breath and slow down. The issue Im sharing with my audience deeply matters to me, so it makes sense that I feel a reaction when I think about it.Accepting how you feel is much better than fighting how you feel.Your Relationship With Your NervesThinking about your nerves objectively is a good way to separate them from the content of your presentation. As you answer the following questions, you will heighten your awareness of your current responses to your nervesIf you are nervous, what happens to you physically? (Examples I turn bright red I start to sweat I feel the adrenaline.)If you are nervous, what happens to you mentally? (Examples I go leer my thoughts race I get very self-critical I get really focused.)If you are nervous, what happens to you emotionally? (Examples I get emotional Im scared everyone can see Im nervous I feel like a failure I feel good I am challenging myself in a new way.)Is a need to be perfect or a fear of being imperfect part of why you feel nervous?Now that you have an outline of how youve felt about your nerves in the past, you can identify areas that could use improvement. The following questions will give you strategies for the next time you feel nervousWhat could be a healthy way to think about striving for excellenceand being the best version of yourself?The next time you are having the physical experiences youdescribed in response to the first question, what are some helpfulways for you to talk to yourself about them?Excerpted from Your Guide to Public Speakingby Amanda Hennessey. Copyright 2019 by Simon Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of th e publisher, Adams Media, a division of Simon Schuster. All rights reserved.Amanda Hennessey is the founder of Boston Public Speaking, San Diego Public Speaking, and Boston Acting Classes. Your Guide to Public Speaking Build Your Confidence, Find Your Voice, and Inspire Your Audienceis her first book.