How to Check References and a Reference Checking Format

How to Check References and a Reference Checking FormatHow to Check References and a Reference Checking FormatChecking job or employment references is time-consuming and frequently unsatisfactory, as many employers, despite legislation that provides protection for references, refuse to offer more than dates of employment, salary history, and job title. Secondly, if youre not careful, each reference check can turn into a friendly chat during which you dont obtain the information you need to make an objective decision about hiring your candidate. If you have the opportunity to reach your candidates manager, you are likely to get better information that highlights the candidates skills and contributions. Talking to Human Resources rarely yields the kind of information that you need to make a hiring decision. Many companies today, because of the fear of potential lawsuits, have adopted policies that state that HR must respond to all reference checks. These policies also forbid managers a nd employees from talking with a candidates hintergrund checker in a background check. Who Should Check References? Reference checking is often relegated to Human Resources in organizations. Thats not who should own reference checking. The manager of the lokalitt should check the employment references. He or she has the most to lose if the needed skills andcultural fitdont work out. The managers feel for the viability of the candidate is also key to the rolles eventual success as an employee. The managers support of and belief in the candidates ability to successfully perform the job form the foundation for the persons eventual success in your organization. Sure, Human Resources can own the reference checking process,check references for entry-level jobs, andcheck the candidates list of prepped references. But for most jobs, the manager of the position is the best person to check the references of former and current employers. This is especially true for talking with past employ ers and the candidates former bosses. The manager knows the technical qualifications a candidate must bring to a position. The manager knows the appropriate questions to ask the current and/or former employer about the candidates work. The manager can listen for statements that indicate cultural fit and that the strengths listed match the strengths you need. Before you turn your managers loose on reference checking, however, training in how to check references is required. Your managers will range from talented interviewers to tongue-tied professionals unable to ask the appropriate questions without your training, coaching, and mentoring. Since you never get a second chance, particularly with the candidates former manager, doing it right the first time is paramount. And, this training needs to include how to reach the manager, how to bypass the HR office, if possible, and how to help the reference open up and communicate to you about the potential employee Use a Standard Format t o Check References As with most Human Resources processes, a standard reference checking format is useful. You can easily compare candidates and ensure you are asking the right questions to make an educated decision before offering the applicant a job with your company. Dont check references until you are ready to make an offer to a candidate. This saves staff time and demonstrates your respect for the candidate. After all, you dont know whether his current employer or her favorite professor even know that he or she is looking for a new position. (It ispreferable thatcandidates tell their employer, but realize this isnt always possible, or even desirable.) Here are the recommended format and sample questions that you can use to check references. Make sure that you verify that the candidates reference checking permission signature is on your employment application before starting the interview. If its not, ask the candidate to sign the application before you check references. This i s recommended as a precaution so employers are legally and ethically safe. personenname Reference Name Company Name Company Address Company Phone Dates of Employment From To Starting Position Ending Position Starting Salary Ending Salary What does your company do? Please describe your reporting relationship with the candidate? If none, in what capacity did you observe the candidates work? Reason for Leaving Please describe the key responsibilities of the candidate in his/her most recent position. How many reporting staff did the candidate manage? Their roles? Tell me about the candidates most important contributions to the achievement of your organizations mission and goals. Describe the candidates relationships with his/her coworkers, reporting staff (if applicable), and supervisors. Talk about the attitude and outlook the candidate brought to the workplace. Describe the candidates productivity, commitment to quality and customer orientation. What are the candidates most significan t strengths? What are the candidates most significant weaknesses? What is your overall assessment of the candidate? We are hiring this candidate to (job title or quick description). Would you recommend him/her for this position? Why or why not? Would you rehire this individual? Why or why not? Are there additional comments youd like to make? Is there a question that I should ask that I may have missed that will help us understand what this candidate potentially brings to our workplace? Is there anything else we should know to make a hiring decision about this employee? Thank you for your assistance in helping us make a hiring decision relative to this candidate.

How to avoid jealousy and envy from poisoning your life

How to avoid jealousy and envy from poisoning your lifeHow to avoid jealousy and envy from poisoning your lifeTo speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. - Will DurantMother, what is water? - asked the baby fishWater is what you swim in. Water is what youre mostly made of. Its everywhere around you. - the mother fish replied.But I cant binnensee it. - said the baby.Lifes most precious things are like water - they surround us, yet we dont see them.Do you see what you have? Or simply pay attention to what other people have, achieve or the recognition they get? Thats how envy and jealousy get into your life - rather than appreciating the water around you they bring out the worst in you.Jealousy and envy are related though are not the same - they are two different types of poison.How envy and jealousy harm youJealousy is no mora than feeling alone against smiling enemies. - Elizabeth BowenEnvy and jealousy travel together but are different emotions - both are negative and can make you feel miserable and ruin your relationships.Envy is a two-person relationship I want what you have. Jealousy is a three-person triangle I want the recognition you have from others.When you wish you have your colleagues office, thats envy. When you feel threatened by how much your boss praises one of your colleagues work, thats jealousy.Envy is resentment toward other because of their possessions or success. You idealize when you are envious. You dont just want what they have you want their stature too.Jealousy is when a third person threatens a relationship - you are afraid to lose someone you love in the hands of other.Jealousy is an anticipatory emotion as Ralph Hupka said. Jealousy causes us to take precautionary measures. Should those fail and the partner has an affair, the new situation arouses anger, depression, and disappointment. the Professor of Psychology at California State University added.Jealousy and envy are natural instincts. However, you ca n manage how you react. Both emotions mask other feelings that can become lethal. They hide our insecurity, shame or need to possess - they feed our inner-critic making us feel worthless.Envy is a reaction to lacking something Jealousy is a reaction to the threat of losing something or someone.A painful ancient symptomBoth jealousy and envy originate from the primitive fight-or-flight response. When you feel under attack, your brain triggers a warning signal.Our tribal ancestors lived in fear of arousing the envy of the gods by their pride or good fortune. Heras envy for Aphrodite set off the Trojan War in Greek mythology.Jealousy and envy are still the cause of most current conflicts both in the professional and personal world.Envy drives to self-sabotage causing wars and others conflicts. It typically becomes a group phenomenon, and turns to hatred and assaults against others, as Frank J. Ninivaggi explains on Envy Theories.We have a false sense of justice - our system emphasize s the equality of all. Thats a curious paradox the sense that we deserve our fair share of things is at the root of envy.Life is not fair. There will always be people with mora talents, health, possessions or reputation than yourself. Entitlement doesnt help - thinking that you deserve better makes you focus on the outcome rather than on the effort.Jealousy originates from the prospect of failure envy from actual failure.To let go of these two negative emotions, we must thoroughly understand where those feelings come from. And stop seeing yourself as a failure.We create our own poisonEnvy is the religion of the mediocre. It comforts them, it soothes their worries, and finally, it rots their souls, allowing them to justify their meanness and their greed until they believe these to be virtues. - Carlos Ruiz ZafnBuddhism teaches us that whatever causes our suffering has its roots in the Three Poisons Ignorance, Hate, and Greed.Ignorance is the mother of all poisons. Its the belief tha t things are fixed and permanent. When we see that someone is doing better than us, rather than focus on how we can improve, we get stuck on the current status.Thats why comparisons are deceiving theres always people that are better and worse than us. When we compare, we see things as static. We look outside (what others have) rather than inside (what we can change).We create our own poison and then drink it.Ignorance is clinging to people, objects or emotions. We dont want things to change. Its the desire to protect our idealized status. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom - self-awareness can free yourself from poisonous emotions.Hate arises from ignorance. We believe the world revolves around us. We want to stand out from the universe instead of seeing our connectedness to everything and everyone else. Our society is a system - when we disconnect from it, we start seeing everyone as a competitor or an enemy. Envy and jealousy are just defense mechanisms.Greed is not just wantin g mora - its the fantasy that adding more stuff will provide personal gratification. Unfortunately, delusion creates a vicious cycle. Not only it frustrates us we crave for more. Greed is also based on your need to protect your status - you believe that objects define who you are.Attachment motivates envy and jealousy. You cling to things or relationships you dont have - you want to be in control to feel more important.Bertrand Russell said Beggars do not envy millionaires, though of course, they will envy other beggars who are more successful.We direct our envy at those whom we compare ourselves such as your co-workers, friends, relatives or neighbors.Social Media has not only expanded the beggars you compare to its an accelerant that turns envy into a wildfire. A picture-perfect society is doing us no good by encouraging envy and fruitless comparisons.So, how can you avoid this lethal poison?The antidote for envy and jealousyIf ignorance is the mother of all poisons, then wisdo m is the universal antidote. Being wise is appreciating the water around you.Wisdom is listening to other points of view rather than discriminating to carefully examine facts even if they contradict our beliefs to be objective rather than biased, and to always be ready to change our beliefs when opposite facts are presented to us.Wisdom is to directly see and understand for yourself - to keep an open mind rather than being closed-minded.Certainty can cripple your wisdom, as I wrote here. Embracing a skeptical mindset will help you see life sharply. The path of just believing what you are told is easy. The path towards wisdom requires confidence, courage, adaptability, and patience.The antidote for greed is generosity the one for hate is loving kindness.Letting go of your possessions and relationships requires wisdom too. You realized you dont need to possess objects or people to be yourself. They can contribute to your joy, but your happiness does not depend on them.Non-attachment doesnt mean not caring - it means recognizing there was never something to cling to in the first place. You stop looking at what others have. You free yourself from owning or being owned.How to overcome being poisonedDont envy what people have, emulate what they did to have it. - Tim Fargo1. Increase your self-awarenessTo know yourself is to accept yourself. Self-awareness requires observing and accepting who you are - not who you should or shouldnt be. Reflect without judging yourself. Learn to be gentle and forgiving with yourself - youll stop needing possessions or relationships to feel greater.Are you jealous? Are you always comparing yourself to others? Deep inside you might feel insecure, frightened, betrayed or threatened. Thats okay. Feedback will help you uncover blind spots so you can conquer them.To increase your self-awareness, you need to look outside, not just inside as I wrote here. People who score high in self-awareness know themselves well and understand how oth ers see them too.2. Free yourself from poisonous comparisonsBecome your own standard. Learn to appreciate yourself for who you are, not for what you possess or your achievements. Success is personal - happiness is defining success on your own terms.Social pressure will only make you frustrated - it seeds envy for not having more or make you feel jealous if someone gets more recognition than you do. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday. Focus on your improvement, not others. Comparing to other people is a lose-lose situation.3. Prevent an outbreakNormal jealousy happens early in a relationship it can be improved by improving the self-esteem of affected partners. Honesty is critical to stop early symptoms before they produce a jealousy outbreak.Keeping and maintaining trust is not easy - dont confuse it with blind faith. Embrace trust as something fragile and imperfect, as I wrote here. Jealousy is about control trust is about confidence and freedom.You cannot avoid feeling j ealous, but you can prevent it from getting worse and worse.4. Emulate rather than envyLooking at others for inspiration is not bad the problem is trying to be like them. Medium Staff is full of articles on how Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, or Tony Robbins became successful and wealthy. That doesnt mean you must follow their paths or aim for the same goals.Reacting with emulation rather than envy is to open up to learn from others.Each life is unique. Those who compare themselves to famous entrepreneurs end doing nothing. Choose your destination and take the learning route, not the shortcut. Copycats are boring its better to be original as Leon Ho wrote here.5. Feel the pain firsthandEnvy and jealousy are not just lethal for yourself. They can also harm those around you. Sometimes you need to take a little bit of your own poison to realize that.Let others become your antidote.If you are the jealous one, ask your partner to overplay her/ his jealous part for one or two weeks. Feeling the pa in firsthand will help you realize the side-effects of your own behaviors.If you suffer from envy, interact with people that have dramatically less or more than you have. Live one day with a total budget of two dollars. Volunteer one night to serve at a millionaires party. Compare both experiences to see what it says about you when you experience the extremes.- - - Lifes most precious things are like water - they are around you waiting for you to pay attention and appreciate what you have.Envy and jealousy are lethal poisons its up to you to avoid being stung.Increase Your Self AwarenessReceive my weekly Insights for ChangemakersSign Up NowDownload my free ebook Stretch Your MindThisarticlefirst appeared on Medium.

4 reasons fulfillment will make you a strong person

4 reasons fulfillment will make you a strong person4 reasons fulfillment will make you a strong personI met Oleg when I worked as an undercover FBI agent. Oleg was a Russian diplomat sent to the U.S. to steal propriety technology. My job was to find the answer to two questions 1) what specific technology was he after, and 2) could I turn him into a double agent?The way to pursue these questions wasnt obvious at first, but Oleg himself provided a clue soon after I met him. When I discovered that he had signed up to attend a seminar, I signed up too. On the day of the event, hundreds of people filled a large auditorium, and I worried that it would be impossible to meet Oleg in the large crowd. I arrived early and waited in a corner until he entered the room and settled in the back row. The seat next to him was empty, so I wasted no time as I gently shoved an older gentleman out of the way so I could get there before anyone else.As we waited for the program to start, we chatted about wh y we thought the seminar was important. After only a few minutes, one thing became obvious the seminar held no interest for him. As we talked further, his entire assignment in the United States offered no fulfillment or job satisfaction.Olegs lack of fulfillment made him an easy target for the FBI, but bedrngnis because the FBI thought he would betray his country. Instead, it was because Oleg was a weak man who thought fulfillment was something money could buy.Here are 4 reasons fulfillment will make you a strong person1. A strong person plans their lifeA Harvard Business School survey shows we have a 23-year low in job satisfaction and 84% of Americans say they want a new job. Like Oleg, fruchtwein of us are passive spectators in our life. We plan careers, retirement nest eggs, and vacations, but we do not plan our life.Over 80% of Americans do not have goals 16% say they have goals but dont write them down. Less than 4% write them down.Mental toughness creates strong people who li ve their life with purpose and meaning. They are an active participant in where their life is going. Recent research concludes that fulfillment and purposefulness are strong predictors of longevity.How To Make It Work For YouDont forget to set goals in all areas of your lifePlan a vacation and savor the anticipation.Explore spirituality,Take up a new hobby.Exercise the brain.Stretch the body.Review your finances.Expand your social network.Fix broken relationships that are important.Evaluate your career path at least once a year to determine whether youre on track.2. A strong person uncovers their core valuesBronnie Ware is a palliative nurse in Australia who spent several years caring for patients in the last twelve weeks of their life. The most common regret of the dying is that they wished theyd had the courage to live a life true to themselves, not the life others expected of them.When people understand that their life is almost over and look back, they see how many dreams have g one unfulfilled. The regret comes from dying while knowing they had not pursued the things that would produce value and meaning for them. They didnt honor their dreams by the choices they made, or didnt make.To find fulfillment, we need to be strong enough to uncover the things that are most important to us. Too many times we suppress them to keep peace with those around us. But when this happens, we end up with a mediocre existence because we havent allowed ourselves to become the person were truly meant to be.The Olegs of this world are not strong people because the search for what brings them value has ended. They are susceptible to the suggestions and whims of those around them. Strong people do not settle for the values imposed upon them by others. They are in touch with their core values and dont look to other people for self-worth.How To Make It Work For YouMake a list of what youd do if money werent an issueRemember what brought you joy as a childEnjoy those memories for a f ew momentsReflect on what brings a smile to your face today3. A strong person pursues work that has meaningDo you ever find yourself so immersed in what youre doing that you lose track of time? Think a minute about this. When does this loss of time and total engagement typically occur for you?The new field of Positive Psychology shows that the happiest people are those who have discovered their unique strengths and virtues- and then use those strengths and virtues for a purpose that is greater than their own personal goals.Viktor Frankl, who survived a Nazi concentration camp, once said What man needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him.The loss of self-consciousness that happens when you are completely absorbed in an activity - intellectual, professional, or physical - is described as flow by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.How To Make It Work For YouThis is what to look for in a flow state the activity mustBe volunta ryBe enjoyableRequire skill and be challenging (but not too challenging)Have clear goals towards success.Let you feel as though you have controlProvide immediate feedback with room for growth4. A strong person nurtures healthy relationshipsThe conclusion of the Grant Study (a 72-year study of the lives of 268 men) was this The only thing that really matters in life is our relationships with other people.This response does not surprise behavior psychologists who want to understand why simple existence - why being housed, fed, safe, and alive - is empty and meaningless to us. What mora do we need in order to feel that life is worthwhile?The answer that comes up again and again is that we all seek a cause beyond ourselves. Humans need relationships which do not always produce happiness, and sometimes even produce pain. The reason is this we all require devotion to something bigger than ourselves for our lives to have value and meaning.When we nurture healthy relationships, it improve s our happiness, even for introverts. Those deep relationships can be with either family or friends. Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, explains itWe are happy when we have a family, we are happy when we have friends and almost all the other things we think make us happy are actually just ways of getting more family and friends.How To Make It Work For YouSince modern psychological research shows that being kind has benefits for everyone, create a grid of people with whom you can both network and nurture healthy relationships. Edit the list so you start with people with whom you share deep bonds and values. They are your priority. Create a criterion for your next layer of contacts. Beside their names, list ways to maintain contact and nurture the relationship. As the circle widens, the contacts on the peripheral are less important and deserve less commitment on your part. Move people from an inner to an outer circle (and vice versa) as circumstances change.If Oleg had been a person to demand more from his job than a paycheck, he would have been a stronger person. Had he taken the time to reflect on the values important to him, he would have been a stronger person. He would have never given in, whether in great or small things, if it compromised his convictions. If he had been a stronger person, the FBI would never have persuaded him to betray his country.Names have been changed to protect the identify of the guilty.Thisarticlefirst appeared onLaRaeQuy.com.

Autocratic Leadership Pros and Cons

Autocratic Leadership Pros and ConsAutocratic Leadership Pros and ConsYou may not have heard of the term autocratic leadership, but youve likely encountered people who lead that way. You may have had a boss who is autocratic, or you may be an autocratic boss yourself. And just like any leadership style, autocratic leadership has pros and cons. What is Autocratic Leadership? As the name suggests- its a very self-styled leadership. The leader doesnt take eingabe from others and makes all the decisions, which is quite the opposite of democratic leadership or servant leadership. An autocratic leader will usually Accept little or no input from group membersMake almost all of the decisionsDictate all work methods and processesMake all decisions and do most of the important tasksWork in a highly structured and rigid mannerDiscourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinkingClearly outline and communicate rulesEmphasize the importance of following rules There are times when autocratic leade rship can be considered an advantage, and there are times when its considered a disadvantage. ProsEncourages strict adherence to regulatory protocolsProvides structure and stability for employeesMaintains clarity on company vision and missionConsFosters low employee engagement and satisfactionLeads to potential micro-management of employeesDiscourages new ideas that could benefit a company The Pros of Autocratic Leadership If youre running a business, or a department, that needs to follow strict protocols- either because of government regulations or business needs- an autocratic leadership style can make sense. For example, call centers often have strict protocols that employees must follow. These protocols dont allow room for a lot of creativity or out-of-the-box thinking on the part of the employees. The manager dictates the rules and the employees follow them. Autocratic leaders can also find success in areas with strict regulatory protocols. You may identify a better way to do the work, but the government simply wont allow it. Leaders dont gain advantages by listening to and considering new ideas from other people. Perhaps, though, one of the most significant benefits of autocratic leadership comes when the leader has a clear vision and is brilliant enough to be right. Many people identify Steve Jobs and Martha Stewart as famously successful autocratic leaders. Jobs and Stewart both knew what they wanted and set out to achieve it, and if you didnt get in line, you didnt last long. Similarly, Walt Disney had his dream, and he set out to follow it, to great success. All three had brilliant ideas and brilliantly implemented their ideas. If they had had mora mediocre ideas, they would have benefited from a more democratic leadership style. The Cons of Autocratic Leadership Starting with Jobs, Stewart, and Disney, though, you can see that there are some problems when only one idea partie exists. Jobs was fired from his own company (although he did come back to run the company again- successfully). Stewart landed in prison. Walt Disney had his brother, Roy Disney, who Walt could not fire, keeping him towing the financial line. Many people dont enjoy working for a boss who just tells you what to do and how to do it. So, unless the autocratic leader is genuinely brilliant and has a sparkling personality, people who are autocratic leaders may have difficulty encouraging employee engagement. Its also easy for an autocratic leader to slip into micro-management. While they can seem synonymous, they are not. An autocratic leader generally wants his or her ideas implemented, but doesnt have to stand over you and dictate every small detail like a micro-manager would. A micro-manager can also elicit ideas from staff and have an unstructured workplace but controls parts of the work to an extreme level. If Youre an AutocraticLeader If you like being in charge and have a grand vision that you want others to implement, you may be an autocrat ic leader. What you need is someone to check- a Roy to your Walt. If youre a middle manager, this person is often your boss. If youre the owner or CEO, having a board to whom you listen is helpful. What you need is clear feedback that you listen to- otherwise, you may find yourself failing. When you hire, look for people who are happy to carry out your ideas. If you search for highly creative-out-of-the-box thinkers, youll end up with an unhappy staff. On the other hand, if you tend toward democratic or servant leadership, dont hire people who want to do their job and go home without any thought about coming up with new ideas. They wont be happy under your leadership either. Regardless of your methods, make sure you look at employee happiness, productivity, and company success. If youre doing poorly in any area, you are the one who needs to change. - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance writer who spent 10 years in corporate human resources, where she hired, fired, managed the numbers, and double-checked with the lawyers.

Best Practices for Building Your Creative Portfolio

Best Practices for Building Your Creative PortfolioBest Practices for Building Your Creative PortfolioJust like a museum that pulls from its archives to create exhibits on a theme, your creative portfolio?should be?a curated collection of your work, adapted?for each client or job opening you pursue. The best agencies expect job seekers portfolios to be targeted to the skill set, industry knowledge and?discipline required for the position or project they seek. If you want to land a coveted design gig, youll need to fine-tune both your physical and?online portfolios. Here are some portfolio tips to help you rise above the competition.Create a portfolio even if youre bedrngnis a designerIts a no-brainer that every designer should have a?killer portfolio. But copywriters, account executives and marketing managers can benefit from creating portfolios, too. In fact, because its not as common for those who work outside the field of design?to have a portfolio, creating a collection of your w ork can help you stand out from your competitors and demonstrate your initiative and organizational skills.Think both digital and analogA portfolio websitemay help you get your foot in the door with an agency, but its helpful to be able to show off?something physical when you want to call out specific examples of content youve created during a job interview. Thats why, whatever kind of creative role you hope to land, you need?to maintain both online and physical versions of your portfolio.Include the optimal number of piecesHow many content pieces do you need in your physical book? Advertising and marketing executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they prefer to see eight items, on average, in someones design portfolio. In a?digital portfolio, you can include more samples, as long as theyre organized by category and easy to navigate.Employers are looking for eye-catching pieces that highlight your ability toThink strategicallyCommunicate complex conceptsUse multiple software a pplicationsSolve real-world problems as part of your clients objectivesSEARCH OUR JOB OPENINGSEssential componentsFocus on the most essential elements of your online portfolio. Whether you build?a personal website or use a portfolio website, your?online portfolio?should follow these rulesCreate a?home page that clearly conveys who you are and the services you offer. Some visitors may not go any further than your home page.Include a brief biography, full resume and highlights of your client list (assuming you have permission to talk about the work). Testimonials lend even more credibility.Display your contact info on every page. Dont leave any prospective employer or client wondering how to get in touch with you.Divide your work into clear categories. This makes it easier for potential clients to browse content that is relevant to them.?Give a brief description of each project. Explain who you worked with and the objectives you followed.Supplying a printer-friendly resume?is especial ly important?if youre looking for a full-time job, so make sure its easily accessible and ready to print. (A PDF file?is best.)All your files should be sized appropriately so that images load quickly.Keep your portfolio current by adding new samples (and promote them on social media when you do).Use search engine optimization techniques to make your portfolio easier to find.Strategically showcase?your workDepending on your particular strategy for approaching the market, organize your online and physical portfolios by industry, media specialty or chronology. For your hard-copy version, start with your strongest piece and end with your second-best option. IncludeThe anthroponym of the client for whom you produced the piece (again, be sure to obtain permission)The date it was completedA sentence or two explaining your role and the project objectiveThe name of the software you usedAny positive outcomes (awards, client praise, increased sales, better customer engagement, etc.)Make sure a ll of the samples in your portfolio are free of smudges, folds, tears or extraneous markings. Show one only item at a time to avoid a chaotic, cluttered look. Use pocket pages for your resume, biography, and client listcarry bulky or odd-shaped items separately.Perfect your pitchEven a stellar professional?portfolio wont win over?a potential client if your verbal presentation turns into a 20-minute monologue. Select five pieces that best represent your skills and how they served a companys needs. For each one, develop a brief pitch that addresses the objective, your role and the results. Revenue, stats and percentages are instant indicators of how your work made a difference. The more you can quantify a?projects outcome, the better.Answering common portfolio?questionsHeres how to respond to questions that might trip you up during a portfolio reviewQ What would you have done differently with this piece?A?Never disparage a former employer or client. Instead, demonstrate tact and diplo macy. Discuss what you might have done with a bigger budget or more time, for instance.Q What do you think of our current marketing materials?A?Dont harshly critique the work or give hollow praise. Show that youre observant by commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of each piece. Suggest how you would improve the collateral to better meet business needs.Q Which piece are you most proud of?A?Keep in mind that employers may be more interested in why youre pleased with the sample than in the work itself, because your answer reveals the things that inspire or motivate you.Q What was your role in this piece?A Resist the temptation to exaggerate your contributions. If your role in a project was minimal, it should not be included in your book. If the piece was a group effort, explain how the team worked together and use the opportunity to highlight your communication and collaboration skills.Make it a living documentFinally, keep updating your portfolio with your best work so the?sampl es are fresh when a career opportunity arises. Its far easier to archive and summarize your work when youve just completed it than to revisit it months later when youve forgotten many of the details. Regular maintenance also makes it easier to swap pieces in and out of your physical portfolio as you customize it for a potential employer.The bottom line Theres no one-size-fits-all portfolio solution. To land a job, youll need to tailor your?portfolio?so it presents work thats most relevant to the position. Tags

The Definitive Solution for Things to Include on a Resume That You Can Learn About Today

The Definitive Solution for Things to Include on a Resume That You Can Learn About Today Things to Include on a Resume at a Glance Organizing your resume is at least as critical as formatting it. Nearly all resumes also incorporate a concise work history section. The info above should explain to you how sample manager resumes are best structured, to find an interview and find that job. Begin with a succinct overview of your expertise. Be aware that there might be circumstances when including some of these information proves that youre a great fit for the job. Every one of the graduate-level resume samples contains detailed commentary on key characteristics and areas that could be made better. For instance, the summary section ought to be written in the very first individual. In case you have expertise with a particular sort of software, for instance, include it in the experience section. Along with the four graduate school resume and CV samples above, there are a lot of res ume samples it is possible to access for free internet. You may also use a mixture of functional and chronological resumes. A complete resume includes these sections. In the majority of cases, both pieces are made to go together, and are written in order to complement each other. If youre not koranvers youve got the experience to meet the requirements for your fantasy gig, dont manufacture itgo style for techniques to receive it. Make certain its a professional-sounding option that shows you in your very best light. If you support causes that arent encouraged by your employer, thats something which you will need to understand before you opt for the job The very first thing you ought to do is make sure a prospective employer knows whose resume theyre taking a look atThe previous issue to improve your resume is your very own human voice. Capturing an individu attention and making a wonderful first impression in only six seconds is no simple feat. The very last thing you would like to do is receive a job that you cant do. Therefore, taking the opportunity to thoroughly craft a new version for each job youre applying to is usually advised. Based at work, it may also be worthwhile to list certain skills like typing speed, phone communication, or public speaking experience. When writing your statement, it is necessary to take into account where youre in your professional progression. Taking the opportunity to work on your resume is vital. Ensure everything you include is understandable to the ordinary individual. Resumes are made to capture a prospective employers interest, so they might want to interview you. Employers need numbers to be in a position to completely evaluate the reach of your bandwidth, Nicolai states. They need numbers to be able to fully evaluate the scope of your bandwidth, says Nicolai. They need numbers to be able to fully evaluate the scope of your bandwidth, Nicolai says. Employers should know what youve done to add to the development of your department, team, and company to find out whether your strengths align with the demands and responsibilities of their business and the work opening, Nicolai states. Overloading your resume with information that isnt really linked to your abilities or job-related talents is rarely an excellent concept, as it can get the employer or job recruiter to drop interest and continue on to the next candidate. Listing your skills provides a weg to showcase your abilities and experiences to prime employers for the remainder of your resume. Employers dont wish to see your work description, they wish to learn about the abilities and assets you utilized to attain real outcomes. Take a look at our 8 job skills you need to have page to observe some of the things which employers are commonly searching for. Speak to professionals in the area If youre having a tough time determining what skills an employer might want to see, think about contacting a professional already working in the business or position very similar to the one that youre applying for.

How To Satiate Demand for More College Grads

How To Satiate Demand for More College Grads The National Association of Colleges and Employers is predicting robust growth in the hiring of the Class of 2014 with growth in jobs around 7.8 percent when compared to the Class of 2013. Throw in opportunities at international operations and the number jumps to 12 percent. Overall, the report (PDF) said, degrees in business, engineering, computer/information science, sciences, and communications disciplines are going to be most in demand by employers. Now the employers just have to find the soon-to-be-minted college graduates to hire.Texas AM offers some strong advice that can be helpful to both on-campus recruiters and prospective graduates looking for work. On its career center website, the university says, The key to successful recruiting is building and maintaining a presence on campus. Organizations who enjoy the most success are those who have n ame recognition and a positive image with students. In order to attain a higher level of campus presence, employers are encouraged to use an integrated approach involving a variety of activities.The universitys first suggestion is participation in on-campus career fairs. OK, so not all of the advice is revolutionary but its good to cover the basics. When Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks, he answered, Because thats where the money is. Potential employees are going to be at career fairs.Avail yourself of any job posting sites universities and colleges have to offer. Theyre a common way for prospective grads and recent alum to see what you have to offer.Use any online-recruitment tools that universities and colleges have to offer. The career centers will provide you spots for on-campus interviews.Host an information session on campus. Its good absatzwirtschaft for getting your brand in front of the students. As Texas AM points out, it allows businesses to explaintheir organi zations to students, rather than use interview time for this purpose. Othersuse these sessions to observe and interact with interview candidates in a less structuredenvironment.This wont help you during spring recruitment drives, but it does lay the foundation for future hiring. The university recommends providing students with learning opportunities while exposing them to your organization by offering internship, cooperative education, or externship opportunities. Test out potential hires before graduation and enhance your staffing resources. As the university points out, once a student has gone through your organization as an intern, he or she becomes a brand ambassador for you on campus.Texas AM says companies can also have success by volunteering on campus. Its career center programs, for example, include mock interviews, the company visit, career profiling, and interview techniques. Again, as with the information sessions, it helps recruiters be seen in a more informal light ou tside of the formal interview and it also helps students get to know your brand as being community minded and informed because of your expert presence on topics important to them.Of course, money goes a long way in your recruiting efforts, too. Texas AM says (and its hardly unique among institutions of higher learning), Generous contributions from employer partners have enabled The Career Center to expand services and resources to better serve students and employers. As a result of their highly visible contributions, employers have enjoyed a competitive advantage through enhanced publicity and the opportunity to work directly with staff.All of the above advice works for students, too. Take part when a company you are interested in comes to campus and youll get noticed by company recruiters in a less formal setting. Career center fairs, sessions on mock interviews and career profiling, as well as interview techniques are all forms of networking that will be valuable tools to develop further along in your career.