Monday, December 30, 2019

Red Flags in Job Interviews

Red Flags in Job InterviewsRed Flags in Job InterviewsHave you ever left a job interview with nagging doubts about the employer? Count yourself lucky for noticing. You undoubtedly spotted some red flags.Lets say you were excited about your new job opportunity when you arrived at company headquarters for an interview. But then the hiring manager made you wait in the lobby an extra hour. He didnt maintain eye contact or inquire about your professional goals during your interview. And when you asked for examples of how you might use your accounting skills and experience to contribute to the companys performance and growth, he gave an elusive answer.Alone, one of those job interview missteps might be acceptable. But together, theyre a clarion call to politely pull out of consideration and keep looking for a new lokalitt, even if youre desperate to get out of your current job or need to start earning a paycheck soon.Here are seven job interview red flags that candidates shouldnt ignore1. Valid questions get vague answersOf course, its never appropriate for the interviewer to reveal personal information about a previous employee. But the hiring manager should be able to address any questions you rumliche lage about the expectations for the position and provide some history about the role and its influence on company operations. Look for direct answers to questions like the following What is the first challenge the person hired for this job will have to deal with? What do you see as the finance or accounting departments mission? What are the pros and cons of the job? What can you tell me about the person to whom I would report?2. The interviewer cant provide a clear picture of the jobNo matter whether youre applying to be an entry-level staff accountant or the CFO, your interviewer should be able to explain the responsibilities of the role and how success will be measured. If he cant, you will likely have a difficult time forging a clear career path in the company.3. Descriptions of work environment are neutralAsk the hiring manager what he likes most about working at the company. If he cant answer without hemming and hawing, it could signal job dissatisfaction on his part. If the opportunity arises during your visit, pose the same question to other employees in the department, from the accounting manager to the data entry clerk. Do they seem enthused about their daily responsibilities? Does the company work to keep them happy and reward them for their efforts? Are there opportunities for advancement? Pay attention to the office mood.4. Employee tenure is shortA pattern of employee turnover can be a symptom of a high-stress, low-morale office culture. If you learn that previous employees didnt stay long at the company, and theres no evidence of tenure among the staff, you might have a bad-boss situation or a toxic work environment.5. The hiring manager isnt preparedJust as youve invested time preparing for the interview, made sure to show up pro mptly, studied expectations for the available position and arrived with questions about the company and its goals, your prospective employer should also be ready to assess whether you are a perfect fit for the position. Take note if its apparent that the employer hasnt read your resume, or is late for the appointment.6. The work environment isnt appealing to youFrom the moment you walk in the door for your job interview, pay attention to the environment. Are workers actively engaged in their duties, or are they slumped over their cubicles like drones? Does your prospective boss deal with his peers and subordinates in a professional manner, or does he seem aloof and dismissive? If you see these issues during your interview, theres no reason to believe theyll improve once you start working in the office.7. You dont feel like youre being heardIf the hiring manager does all the talking in the interview and doesnt appear to listen to your comments or ask thoughtful questions about your c areer goals and past accomplishments, thats a red flag. You can tell whether a manager is really interested and engaged by observing his body language, eye contact and overall etiquette during the interview.Red flags for job candidates arent hard to spot if you know what to look for during the interview. Dont disregard them. Instead, turn your attention to finding employment elsewhere.Still looking? Learn about how a staffing agency like ours can help you find a temporary position.SEE WHAT TEMPORARY ROLES WE PLACE

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

10 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter

10 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter 10 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter Learning how to write a cover letter thatprovides insight about your experience, desire to work for a company, and personalitycan make a big difference in how many job interviews you get. A poorly written cover letter can make you come off as lazy, and a poorly optimized one can come across as a copy-and-paste job which turns hiring managers off. Here are 10 easy tips for writing a cover letter that boosts your chances of landing an interview.1. Avoid copying your resumeOne of the fruchtwein common mistakes job seekers make is to squander their cover letter by essentially converting their resume into paragraph form. This redundancy doesnt actually help the hiring manager decide whether you are right for the job, or convince them that you are passionate about getting the opportunity.Use your cover letter as an opportunity to tell hiring managers what your resume cant.2. Skip the generic salutationA lot of cover lett ers start with To Whom it May Concern. While this practice was once widely recommended, it has now become outdated. You can skip the salutation line and dive right in to the heart of your cover letter instead.The exception is that, ifyou know the hiring manager you are writing to, you should absolutely address it to them specifically.3. ResearchA good cover letter can become a great one if you pepper in some information based on what youve learned about the company. Get a sense of the companys culture and goals, and write your cover letter to reflect how you would be a great fit into.You can research a potential employerby visiting the companys website, talking to current or past employees, and looking at employer review sites such asGlassdoor.4. Get the opening rightDont waste the first sentence by stating which position youre applying for. Instead, open with a one-sentence pitch that will convince the hiring manager they should consider your cover letter and resume.Try a line such as, Im an experienced broadcaster with mora than a decade of experience in radio and television production.Grab theirattention, and make them want to continue reading.5. Keep it briefThree paragraphs should be enough to answer the important questions a hiring manager would want answered.Who are you?Why do you want to work here?Why are you the best person for the job?If you cant answer these questions in three paragraphs, consider recruiting a friend to help you trim the fat.6.Focus on the companys needsIts easy to get caught up in what a position would mean for you and your career. But a hiring manager isnt interested in why the job is perfect for you they want to know whether youd be a good fit, and how you could help their company.Sell yourself, and forgo the common mistake of explaining how the job would benefityou.7. Dont mention weaknessesHonesty is great, but a cover letter is bedrngnis a place to volunteer negative information about your qualifications. An interview will pro vide the hiring manager with the chance to find out about your weaknesses.Focus on your strengths, and avoid statements such as, Despite not having worked in salesYou can get a sense of what a hiring manager is looking for by throwing the text of the job description into a word cloud creator such asWordle, which will take the text and present it with frequently-used keywords appearing larger than the rest.Determine which keywords are most applicable to your experience, and work them into your cover letter. Try Jobscans resume analysis tool to make sure you have effectively incorporated the right keywords into your resume as well.8. Tell your storyHow do you associate with the company? Is there something interesting you can share that describes your relationship with the company to this point?If youre applying for a job at a tech company, you might take a sentence or two to describe your experience as a user or customer, a favorite feature, or a suggestion or insight.9. Customize the letter for the company and jobDont use the same cover letter for every application. Not only does doing so increase your chances ofsubmiting a letter with the wrong company name (which does happen, and which immediately removes you from consideration), it wastes your opportunity to introduce yourself in mora depth.Remember, this is your chance to prove that you are passionate about working for a given company. If youre sending out a form letter that offers no personal connection with the brand, the hiring manager will have a hard time seeing the connection, too. Take the time to write a tailored cover letter for each position.10. Inject personalityDont forget to be yourself in your cover letter.In most cases, the hiring manager will appreciate reading something written by a real human being instead of blandcorporate-speak.If you askedyour best friend to read your cover letter, would they hear your voice in the words? If so, then youre on the right track.For a detailed look athow to write a cover letter, check out the cover letter template available to Jobscan members.

Friday, December 20, 2019

How to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and Issues

How to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and IssuesHow to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and IssuesHave you ever worked alongside an employee who had poor personal hygiene, foul-smelling clothes or breath, or an annoying personal habit like making clicking noises? Or worse, the employee drinks heavily in the evening and then exudes the smell of alcohol, often mixed with the equally fetid smell of coffee and cigarettes, all day at work? Or, worst on the list of most challenging issues, the employees breath and pores exude a spicy aroma that makes you ill the employees clothes are clean, but he or she appears to bathe infrequently, and youre positive that saying anything would be culturally insensitive. Welcome to the workplace coworker situations from hell. Start your preparation by reading How to Hold a Difficult Conversation for some initial insight into these challenging discussions. Then, integrate these new tips about holding difficult conversations into your feedback approach. Tips for Holding Difficult Conversations Start With a Soft Approach to Set the Employee at Ease, but Dont Beat Around the Bush The employees level of anxiety is already sky high and making more small talk while he waits for the badeanstalt news to emerge, is cruel. Once youve told him that you want to discuss a difficult topic, move right into the topic of your difficult conversation.Tell the Employee Directly What the Problem Is as You Perceive It If you talk around the issue or soften the impact of the issue too much, the employee may never get that the problem is serious. If you reference the problem as some of our employees do the following, the employee may never understand that you mean him. Whenever Possible, Attach the Feedback to a Business Issue This is not a personal vendetta the difficult conversation has a direct business purpose. Perhaps otzu sich employees dont want to participate on his team, and youve noticed the lack of volunteers.Perhaps his appearance is affect ing the perception of customers about the quality of the organizations products. Maybe, an irritating mannerism has caused a customer to request a different sales rep. Make the business purpose of the conversation clear. You Also Need to Let the Employee Know That notlage Only Is the Behavior Affecting the Business and the Employees Coworkers, but It Is Also Affecting the Employees Career Express directly the impact you believe the behavior is having on the employees potential promotions, raises, career opportunities, and relationships in the workplace.Training Your Whole Staff Is Not an Appropriate Solution Some managers will provide a grooming and professionalism seminar for all employees to attend.The employee with the problem will get the message via the training. It isnt going to happen. The employee with the problem will not get that you mean him and you will have subjected countless others to training they didnt need.Professionalism training, dress code training, and similar activities are recommended when employees need a starting base of information. One company even sponsored a fashion show to demonstrate appropriate business casual dress. You need to oppose training as a means to correct the personal problems of individuals. The worst suggestion that a company considered pursuing? Train just the individuals who are perceived by organization members to have the problem. It is offensive and discriminatory. Address the issue with the employee- individually. Be Sensitive to the Fact That Different Cultures Have Different Norms and Standards of Appearance, Bathing, and Dress Leave this discussion to the employees manager, but your workplace is justified in asking employees to embrace the cultural standards of the workplace in which the employee is working. It is especially true if nonconformance to the standard is interfering with the harmony and productivity of your workplace.Be Sensitive to the Difference in Cooking and Eating Traditions, Too A woman c onfided to me recently that her fellow students had laughed at her and made fun of her because she always smelled like curry and garlic and other pungent spices.As a working adult, she has toned down the amount of spice in her cooking, but she was injured by the thoughtlessness for years. If an employee has repeatedly tried to correct a hygiene issue such as bad breath and is not making progress, suggest that the employee sees a physician so they can determine if an underlying medical condition might be causing the problem. Your thoughtfulness could save an employees life.Finally, If You Are the Employees Supervisor, You Owe It to the Employee to Hold the Difficult Conversation Especially, if other employees have complained to you, understand that if you dont hold the difficult conversation, the employees coworkers will.And, they may not hold the conversation effectively with the goal of minimizing embarrassment and discomfort. A bottle of deodorant might show up on the employees de sk. Soap has been placed in employee mailboxes, in my client companies.Nasty notes have also been left in mailboxes and on chairs. None of these actions contribute to a harmonious workplace. Furthermore, the employee can justifiably charge the employer with allowing harassment and a hostile work environment to exist. Care enough about the employee and your productive, harmonious workplace to hold the difficult conversation. You will be happy you did.

Monday, December 16, 2019

Jeff Bezos shares the quote thats been on his fridge for years

Jeff Bezos shares the quote thats been on his fridge for yearsJeff Bezos shares the quote thats been on his fridge for yearsSome of ussay affirmations in the mirror, others have a conversation with a friend when in need of support.But some people rely on other sources of wisdom in everyday life - even ifthey dont know its origin.Wait, so you mean Jeff Bezos also sticks things on his refrigerator, too?Apparently, yes.To laugh often and much to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends to appreciate beauty to find the best in others to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded, the quote reads.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.Bezosattributes the quote to Ralph Waldo Emerson, but this has been debunked many times. And although the exact origins have totenstill notbeen settled, the prevailingthought is that it is derived from a 1904 poem by Bessie Anderson Stanley.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss

7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss7 Things You Should Never Say to Your BossYou may work in a relaxed environment, but that doesnt mean you should throw professional etiquette out the window. TWEET Even in the most casual of atmospherbeies, a careless remark to a colleague or superior could undermine your professional brand or halt your career advancement.Dont let an offhand comment make or break your career. Carefully choose your words before speaking with your manager. Below are seven phrases you should avoid using at all costs when speaking with your babo.I feel like Dont propose a solution because you feel like its a good idea. Instead, confidently propose your solution or share your thoughts and back it up with evidence and data. When you use feelings to justify your actions, youre sending the signal that you arent logical or that you lack critical-thinking skills.I dont know but Similar to the I feel like phrase, beginning a sen tence with I dont know before launching into a suggestion wont give your colleagues much confidence in what you say next. If youre not confident in your ideas, why should your boss feel any different?Ill leave or If you dont do this, Ill quitDont make idle threats unless youre seriously willing to walk away from a job. Still so, its in your best interest to avoid this type of language. It makes you look like a petulant child who will throw a tantrum if he doesnt get what he wants. Needless to say, this isnt the personal brand you want to project at the workplace.At my last job While you may have been hired because of your previous experience and knowledge, no one wants to have every aspect of their work compared to what you experienced at your last place of employment. When you do this, it calls your loyalty for your new employer into question. Can I speak to your boss about this?You may have the best idea in the world, but before you send an email to the head of your department, ta lk to your boss first. Its in your best interest to go through the proper channels of communication at your organization, rather than skipping over your immediate manager and directly reaching out to his or her boss.If youre having trouble with your boss, set up a meeting to confront him or her about the issue. If you cant make any headway toward a solution, then its time to speak to human resources.No or Thats impossibleEven if your boss is asking for something that seems impossible, avoid the urge to blurt out No in response to his or her request. Managers want to hear about solutions, not problems. When you immediately shut down, you send the signal that youre inflexible, unwilling to try, and lack problem-solving skills.Instead, explain to your boss what you will need in order to meet this new demand. Provide options instead of excuses. For instance, My team can complete the big project a week ahead of schedule if we put these other two side projects on hold and focus all our ef forts here or if we eliminate a few of the requirements from the project. Which option works better for you, based upon your priorities?You cant always give your boss everything he or she wants, but you can be creative and propose options.I need a raiseBosses hate this phrase, and with good reason. Just because you need a raise doesnt explain to your manager why you deserve it. Instead of griping about your increased commuting costs or your desire to move out of your familys home, discuss how youve provided value to the company and how your salary compares to the market rate. Enter this conversation with logical reasons for your desired raise or promotion dont try to appeal to his or her emotions.In the endBefore you blurt out something you might regret, take a moments pause and reconsider what youre trying to communicate to your boss, what you hope to achieve, and how you believe your boss will react. Keep this career advice in mind and youll have nothing to worry about.Need help w riting your resume? Our TopResume writers can help

Friday, December 6, 2019

Whats Actually Going on with Resume Synonyms

Whats Actually Going on with Resume Synonyms All of us talk an acceptable game about what should be on your resume, but theres also plenty of stuff which should be taken off. Including a potent summary section at the peak of your resume is the very best approach to acquire your next boss excited to meet you and would like to call you in for an interview. You found waste, and figured out a means to eradicate it. The Resume Synonyms Cover Up Use confident to demonstrate you know who you are as an individual and that youre able to carry any tasks without being afraid or hesitating. It ought to be easy for someone to scan in 10 seconds. No matter what you do, dont tell it to the individual reading your resume. Ivy League schools, for example, may be utilized to filter applications for high-profile businesses and positions. Unless you are sure that your politics line up with the businesss values, its ideal to steer clear. Its fast and simple to use. But every now and then y ou will encounter expressions which dont appear to have kept up with the times. Use the resume exakts below to demonstrate that with a tiny zest. Take advantage of these words to spell out the physical look of your character. If you dont have the company, its poor gestalt to run your work search via your institutions email system. But in my professional opinion, it can help to set your address. Instead, you may want to send a URL to your online resume or LinkedIn profile. Include interests only as long as you feel they support your general expert message and brand. Type a list of three to five duties you were accountable for as a waitress at that special restaurant, selecting those abilities and responsibilities that are related to the job youre applying for. Applicants are somewhat more confident to reject work offer in place of a better one. Ideally, a resume isnt supposed to contain all of a candidates educational and work related abilities, but nevertheless, it should contain and speak about only those skills which are linked to the specific job where the applicant is interested. Its difficult to find the one which you want. Key Pieces of Resume Synonyms Job descriptions can offer various phrases and key words that you need to review. Even though its a bright idea to have those references prepared to send over. A resume needs to be straightforward, so be as easy as possible with language. Its essential to musiknote that less is more when it has to do with adjectives. The 240 resume words within this article do precisely that. You cant just trick the ATS into believing youre the very best applicant as you included a lot of keywords on your resume. Now you must find out the resume keywords and phrases utilized for your intended position. Its possible for you to use closely-related synonyms, but its best to simply use the exact same adjectives and keywords. No matter which type of resume format you pick, youre not obligated to incorpor ate all your work experience if its not directly about the job youre applying for. Its like a tool which lets an individual scream about himself to the world. If you are not certain, its worth your time to get hold of the agency and ask which would be most suitable for the position. Find out how to write for young adults with an internet course. The Internet is an excellent supply of new words to utilize in your career documents. Editing a resume can be hard. Lets start with a fast overview of resumes, because they are more familiar to the majority of American writers than CVs. Resume keywords showcase your specified skills. He didnt even require a level to meet the requirements for that job. parte of what draws the interest of a hiring manager is using important words that are associated with the work vacancy. Thats the reason you should also utilize keywords that could be associated to other abilities or experience linked to your job. Thats simple to findits in the wor k ad. Just upload your resume in their system then paste the whole job description to begin the comparison. Its also important to concentrate on skills that you will use if you receive the job that youre applying for. Typically this word is connected with Sales and Marketing or Budgeting and Forecasting related industries, but nevertheless, it can fit into almost any facet which allows for a resume to demonstrate a talent to invoke transformation. Please have a peek at the attached resume. But as for ever having the capability to resume real work that should not be expected. If you consider it, the one most important thing your resume should convey is that YOU are excellent for the job available. While I look back at the very first couple resumes I sent, I immediately begin cringing. Ok, I Think I Understand Resume Synonyms, Now Tell Me About Resume Synonyms Politics is a standard problematic topic that springs to mind, but I would likewise refrain from mentioning in your resume you can shotgun a beer in under 30 seconds. Resunate employs a 10-point compatibility scale rather than a proportion. The issue is With such a massive selection and speed at which we need to act, its not that tough to earn a misguided choice. What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Resume Synonyms The way by which you include waitressing in your resume depends upon the resume format youre using. Thus, give your resume a fantastic once-over, and be certain every word on such page is working hard for you. This website offers 332 resume templates you may download, customize, and print free of charge. Many times, the application instructions for a specific position will state if its the CV or resume is requested. Generally speaking, it is a great rule of thumb to read the organization description or the About us page on their site and go from that point.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

5 Things

5 Things 5 things - especially for women in tech and digital - we love this weekHi, Im Brittany, I work at PowerToFly on the Talent Growth Team. When Im not planning an event or working on career advice for women, Im scouring the internet for tools that can uplift us. Yes, I get to google for my job among many other things. So heres a roundup of the five things I most enjoyed. Let me know your feedback - or if you have something to contribute - by emailing hipowertofly.comClue AppThis is a big one My coworker suggested I include this in the list, and having had the app on my phone for a few years, Im not sure why I didnt think of it first. Basically, this app helps you be in tune with your body. Lots of people use it to track their periods, but you can also monitor your sleep, mood, food, and bodys changes. Oh, they also send these educational emails about your body. Equal parts science and real, theyre answering the questions you may be too afraid to ask, and theyre doing a doing a pretty awesome job, if I do say so myself.Lady List EventsI made a New Years Resolution to get out of the house more (HermitLife), so lists like this are amazing. Ruby Anaya and Tessa Petrich started a tiny letter to aggregate tech events in both SF and NY. Its made for and by ladies, so you wont have to worry about going to events and being the only woman there. Sign upSerena Williams Is Bringing Diversity To TechOk, I had to include this because Im constantly in awe of this woman. Seriously, what cant she do? To bring you up to speed, Serena is joining the Survey Monkey board and says What is important to me is to be at the forefront of the change and to make it easier for the next rolle that comes behind me. While its unclear what shell be doing exactly, dont be surprised if she also cures cancer and solves tech diversity problem at the same time. Because, you know, that would just be a casual day for Serena Williams.The Girl Cried LookAnybody else fashion challenged? Just me? Ok . Anyway, this weekly newsletter, curated by Divya Prabhakar, assembles some really cool looks, which she presents in a collage format. Complete with prices (all affordable btw), her looks take you from the beach to a Bay Area conference to Sunday Brunch. Im always looking forward to her emails - and I know no one looks forward to emails - because its a constant influx of fashion inspiration. Ill take all the help I can get.WanderfulWanderful is a community of female travelers who are empowering other women with the resources and confidence to travel the world. Whether youre looking for recommendations for places to stay in a foreign city, or a group to travel with, Wanderful has it all. Lets face it, traveling pretty stressful. Being a woman can complicate and and a bunch of anxiety to the mix. So having a community like Wanderful means one less than thing to worry about.