Job Search Archives - Page 12 of 43

Listing A Short-Term Job: Will It Help Or Hurt Your Career?

July 15, 2023

Have you ever been at a job for such a short period of time that you wondered if it was even worth it to list it on your resume or LinkedIn profile?

A job seeker recently asked us, “Should I list a job if I wasn’t there for a very long time, and state whether or not I was laid off or fired?”

That’s a great question that a lot of people have when writing their resumes. Here’s what you need to do if you’re in a similar situation:

Consider The Background Check

The first thing you have to ask yourself is what a short period of time is to you. Is it a week, month, or year?

This is going to vary from person to person. But it’s important to know that any company that does a reference check on you, or a background check, is going to see every employer that ever paid you.

You have to understand that when you leave employers off the list, and they do a reference check and suddenly see that you worked at this company or that company, it’s going to look like you’re lying.

Utilize An “Additional Experience” Section On Your Resume

I usually advise people to create a section in their resume called the “Additional Experience” section. This is where you’re going to list unrelated work experience. Maybe you’re working a retail job, or are in some kind of hobby career, or had some super-short assignments that you weren’t at long enough for them to make an impact on your career. This way, it’s on paper.

In a job interview, if a hiring manager asks you about the short-term job, you can say, “No, I listed it. I was there for such a short period of time that I didn’t put it in my main resume.”

That’s the best way to handle these situations. More importantly, you need to know how to answer the question, “Why are there gaps in your resume?” or “Why were you at this company for such a short period of time?”

These days, it’s hard enough to get an interview in the first place. You don’t want to blow it by hiding anything. So, make sure to include a short-term job in the “Additional Experience” section of your resume. It’s an easy and effective solution.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Ways To Get Your Resume Past The ATS

July 14, 2023

If you’re submitting your resume through a job board or company website, there’s a good chance your resume is being run through an applicant tracking system (ATS), the software many of today’s employers use to read and rank resumes they receive in the hiring process.

The higher the ranking, the greater the chance your resume will be seen by a pair of human eyes. Those that don’t get a high rank fall into a black hole. So the question is, âHow can I ensure my resume gets past the applicant tracking system?”

Here are some basic tips:

1. Make Sure The ATS Can Read Your Resume

Have your resume saved in the right format. Not every ATS can read documents in .doc or .docx format. So, to be on the safe side, always submit your resume as a PDF. Also, in the event your resume does get past the ATS, you want to make sure the formatting stays the same. The best way to do that is by utilizing the PDF option.

Another thing to remember is to not use tables and text boxes. The ATS can’t read them, so they will only hurt your chances of moving on in the hiring process.

2. Help The ATS Identify Sections And Information

The ATS looks for keywords to help identify sections of the resume, so make sure each section of your resume is clearly labeled and uses consistent formatting.

Those sections you should focus on include your headline, your experience summary, your work history, your education, and any additional experience.

3. List The Most Appropriate Keywords

The exact list of keywords an employer enters into the ATS varies, but you can figure out appropriate keywords by looking at the job description. You will notice certain keywords come up over and over again. There may also be certain terminology or lingo that defines the work of your profession. Utilize those keywords in context on your resume.

If you’re going to use the “/” between keywords, add a space before and after it. For example, the ATS may not see “Web Design/Graphic Design” as keyword matches, but it will when it reads “Web Design / Graphic Design.”

In this digital world, applicant tracking systems have made job seeking more difficult, so you need to make sure your resume gets through this important filter. We hope these three tips help you write and format your resume to get it past the ATS.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

7 Tips To Help You Deal With Getting Laid Off

July 12, 2023

Losing your job is hard, no matter the circumstances. When you’re part of a layoff, your bank account isn’t the only thing that takes a hit. So does your self-esteem.

Being laid off is probably one of the most professionally traumatic experiences you’ll ever have in your career. Within a day, you lose part of your identityâarguably the most important part.

When you have a job, you have a purpose. You have a reason to get up in the morning. You’re “needed.” So what happens when all that goes away? The things that so clearly defined you before are now gone. Who are you as a professional? Are you really as valuable of an employee as you thought? If you’re not needed at this company, will you be needed, wanted, somewhere else?

It’s completely normal to grieve the loss of your job when you get laid off. But as difficult as losing your job may seem right now, it can lead to something positive. This so-called “bad career experience” could very well bring you a better opportunity and give you a fresh start.

Here are seven tips to help you deal with being laid off:

1. Take A Break & Reflect

Give yourself a few days to process the layoff. You need time and space to go through the five stages of grief. This is an opportunity for you to take a break and reflect on your career. Ask yourself some questions. Think about your career goals. Remember what you have already accomplished.

Don’t rush into the job market the day after you’ve been laid off, and don’t make any big decisions in that first week of unemployment. Use this as a sign that you should relax and take a deep breath.

2. Do A Financial Assessment

Money is always a huge stressor for those who get laid off. To keep your anxiety and stress under control, do a financial assessment as soon as possible.

Figure out how long you have to look for a job before the money runs out and give yourself enough time to do so. Look at what you spend money on. How can you cut back?

3. Talk It Out With Someone You Love

After being laid off, you’ll likely feel angry, resentful, sad, and maybe even depressed. These feelings could be amplified if you really loved your job and the company that you worked for. When you move past the denial stage, make sure you talk everything out with a loved one.

When you’re at your lowest point, family and friends will remind you of your strengths, accomplishments, and dreams. They’ll validate your feelings and remind you to be grateful for all that you have. Get that negativity out of your system before you meet any recruiters. They will sense your bitterness, and it won’t reflect well on you.

Surround yourself with positive people and be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up about what’s happened, and make sure you’re eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep.

4. Prepare Your Story

If you’ve been part of a big layoff that is all over the news, it is easier to explain why you got laid off. But otherwise, you will have to explain to prospective employers what happened.

A short, positive, and concise story is best. Perhaps your department was restructured or your job was moved to a different location. Take ownership and explain what you learned from the experience. Make sure your story will be backed up by your manager or any other references your future employer might want to contact.

5. Explore Opportunities

Before you contact your network or send out any applications, make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are updated. Then, you can reach out to former colleagues, friends, or any other connections who work for organizations that interest you.

Create an interview bucket list. Conduct some informational interviews if you’re looking to work in a different industry or make a career change. Depending on what you do and your location, you might want to start looking at contract/temp/interim work in the meantime.

6. Keep The Momentum Going

Conducting an effective job search is all about “working it daily.” You need to be proactive and strategic.

Make sure you tailor your resume to specific jobs to maximize your chances of getting hired. Write compelling disruptive cover letters. Network your way around the ATS. But most of all, don’t stop your job search activities, even if you’re in the advanced interviewing stages with one company. You may think you’re a shoo-in for a position, but anything can happen.

7. Stay Positive

It is easy to feel sorry for yourself when you’ve lost a job. You might have regrets about not saving more money, not looking for a job earlier, or not doing enough to keep your job in the first place. However, this negative self-talk will only hold you back in your career and prevent you from getting back on your feet.

Make a conscious effort to stay positive. Surround yourself with positive people and think of the obstacles you’ve dealt with in the past and what you’ve achieved. Build your confidence, and potential employers will take note.

We hope these tips help you deal with being laid off in a positive and productive way. You can and will overcome this career setback. We think you’ll find it isn’t really a setback after all…

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Ways To Network Over Summer Vacation

July 12, 2023

Summer is in the air and all you want to do is sprawl yourself out on a beach chair, slurp a fruity, refreshing beverage, and soak up some rays. Your career is the last thing on your mind.

While it’s important to take some time for yourself and enjoy life outside the workplace, it’s also important to stay on your game. You never know when that life-changing opportunity will present itself.

Here are a few ways you can network over summer vacation (and still enjoy your time off!):

Always Keep Business Cards Handy

It’s important to always have a few business cards with youâno matter where you are or what you’re doing. If you happen to meet someone at the tiki bar who you think would be an asset to your network, you want to be prepared. Even in the smallest of gatherings, you never know when you may meet someone that could end up being a valuable connection.

If you’re a job seeker or your company doesn’t offer business cards, you may want to consider getting your own printed with your basic information, especially a link to your LinkedIn profile, where you can continue your networking efforts with the new connection.

If you’re not comfortable giving out business cards, you could exchange emails or LinkedIn information. The important thing is to establish a means of communication.

Plan A Family Trip

If you’re considering relocating or just want to start building a network in a particular area, consider taking a family trip to that location. Get to know the area, attend local events, and make an effort to meet new people. Don’t go into it with an “all-business” mindset though.

Remember, you’re on vacation with your family. The focus is on spending your time with them, not making lots of connections. If you can meet one or two locals and build a causal relationship with them, that’s a great start.

Take 30 Minutes Each Week To Network Online

Even if your summer may be jam-packed with fun activities, it’s likely you will have a half hour each week to spare. Make time each week to attend a virtual networking event for at least 30 minutes. It’s not a major time commitment, and the reward could be huge. Not to mention, you can do it while you’re sipping on a refreshing cocktail on your patio.

That’s one of the great things about virtual networkingâyou can do it virtually anywhere!

The truth is, virtual networking is the future, so it’s important to become good at it! Between remote work and the sheer convenience of it, virtual networking events will be in the majority.

Building your professional network over summer vacation is easier than you think. Follow the networking tips above so you can develop your career while enjoying the summer!

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Ways To Quantify Your Experience With Numbers

June 29, 2023

If you’ve been doing your homework on how to write an effective resume, you’ve seen a recurring theme: you have to quantify your work experience. Although most people understand the general idea of this, we find that job seekers often struggle with applying this idea to writing their resumes.

Here are three easy ways to quantify your work experience with numbers so your resume stands out!

1. Show How Many

Sometimes our responsibilities don’t sound that impressive until we start detailing how much work we’ve been doing. For instance, if one of your job responsibilities is tracking your company’s compliance with filing a set of forms every year, you could write that two different ways:

Ensured compliance with filing of annual forms.

âorâ

Ensured compliance with the filing of 75 annual forms by 7 different company departments.

Doesn’t the second example sound much more impressive?

2. Show How Much

If you have a job in sales, marketing, or any other business where profitability is the ultimate goal of your position, citing exactly how much money you’ve either made or saved your company is the way to go.

For example, if you’re an internal auditor, your resume could say:

Saved company money by finding ways to cut costs.

âorâ

Implemented new payroll and tax accounting systems that saved firm $1M in personnel costs over the next 10 years.

Estimates are fine when citing these types of numbers, as long as you can justify your claim if someone asks you in an interview.

3. Show How Often

We frequently talk with job seekers who have previously been successful in very high-volume environments. If you’ve worked in this type of setting, please give yourself credit!

Even an administrative assistant’s job sounds completely different when quantified and given some context:

Answered phones at the front desk.

âorâ

Managed switchboard with 10 incoming lines, effectively receiving and routing an average of 500 calls per day.

My goodness, who wouldn’t hire the second candidate?

As you write your resume, ask yourself these three important questions:

How many?
How much?
How often?

The key to landing an interview is to answer those questions as you describe your previous professional accomplishments. Once you learn how to quantify your results and work experience, nothing will hold you back!

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

5 Tips For Developing Good Leadership Skills

June 27, 2023

Perhaps the most intimidating aspect of leadership is knowing that, in addition to playing an important role in a team’s success, leaders are held responsible for their team’s failures. In order to obtain great results from their teams, leaders must be able to consistently motivate their team members.

As a new manager, the implementation of a positive work environment will not only yield great results from your team members but will help you build confidence in your leadership skills.

To help you excel in your new position, here are five tips that will transform your new job from a daunting uphill battle into an exciting opportunity:

1. Focus On Communication

Clear communication is an important part of any successful relationship, and the relationship between leader and team member is no different.

Express your ideas clearly, making sure employees understand what you’re asking of them. Create a conversation-friendly environment, and give employees the freedom to express their thoughts and concerns. Team members are more willing to trust a leader with whom they are able to openly communicate.

Want to learn more about your communication style in the workplace? This free quiz will help you out.

2. Understand That Wrong Can Be Right

Encourage creativity by allowing team members to be wrong.

Making mistakes is an inherent part of the creative process. If employees know they won’t be punished for coming up with an atypical idea or solution, they will be inspired to think outside the box and take more chances, leading to the creation of better, more innovative ideas.

3. Look Into The Future

Express your exceptional and positive vision for the future.

A leader with a plan is the easiest leader to follow. Once aware of the team’s goal, each member will strive to do his/her part to aid in the completion of the objective, thus ensuring not only the motivation of each individual but the unification of your team as well.

4. Realize Passion Is Contagious

Share your passion for your work with your team members.

If a leader is enthusiastic and believes in the work, while recognizing the hurdles that the team will encounter, employees will continue to do the same.

This is especially true in an environment rife with obstacles and results that aren’t easily quantifiable, such as a school. As a principal, the constant reiteration of a strong belief in the school’s role in impacting the lives of young people can both unite and inspire the school’s faculty and staff, even when faced with challenges.

5. Know Yourself

Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

One helpful approach to this is feedback analysis, as outlined by Peter Drucker in “Managing Oneself” in the Harvard Business Review. Feedback analysis consists of writing down your expectations after making an important decision and, after nine or 12 months have passed, comparing what actually happened with your expectations.

This helps leaders pinpoint exactly where they excelled and where they fell short, so they can improve upon their shortcomings in the future.

Devising an effective leadership strategy is an incredibly intimidating yet important part of being a new manager. By following these tips, you’ll be able to stop obsessing over your efficacy as a leader and focus on the team’s collective success.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

The Best Question To Ask At The End Of A Job Interview

June 26, 2023

As a job seeker, the questions you ask in a job interview are as important as your answers to the questions you get asked. Why is that? Well, the quality of the questions you ask shows how much research you’ve done, how interested you are in the opportunity, and how knowledgeable you are about the job.

But of all the questions you can ask, there’s one last question you should ask before you close out any job interview…

“Can You Please Tell Me The Next Steps In The Process?”

@j.t.odonnell 1 Question To Ask It The End Of EVERY Job Interview! ðª#interviewquestions #interviewtips #interviewtipsandtricks #interview #interviewprep #interviewskills â¬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

At the end of every job interview, ask the hiring manager what the next steps are in the interview process. This is the best question to ask at the end of a job interview (one you don’t want to forget to ask) because you don’t want to leave the interview wondering when you will hear from them.

Knowing the answer to this question will also help you figure out how many other people are being interviewed and when it is okay for you to follow up.

Here’s an example of what asking this question could look like…

You: “Can you tell me the next steps in the process?”

Hiring Manager: “You’re the first of five interviews and we are going to be doing this for the next three weeks.”

You: “Fabulous. Would it be okay then for me to proactively follow up with you in one business week to see where everything is?”

Hiring Manager: “I think it would be best to give us two weeks before following up.”

Now you have a better idea of where they are in the interview process and when you will be able to contact them.

Why is this important? Well, I work with a lot of job seekers who forget to ask this question at the end of a job interview and they’re left sitting in limbo, not knowing what to do. They’re in paralysis because they’re waiting to hear from the hiring manager, but they don’t know when that will be.

When you ask, “What are the next steps in the interview process?” at the end of a job interview, you know exactly when you’re going to hear from the employer and when you can follow up. And that means you can get back to looking for more jobs because you should never be job-crushing. You should never be waiting around on one job. You should be looking for plenty of other job opportunities just in case the current opportunity falls through.

So, don’t forget to ask this question at the end of your next job interview. You’ll not only impress the hiring manager but also help yourself out in the days following the interview.

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11 Job Search Commandments For College Grads

June 23, 2023

I love working with recent grads in their job search. After 12 years in school, they are experts at learningâwhich makes teaching them easier. They’re like sponges. They learn and do. They have no bad job search habits, so teaching them is fun because I get to see their reaction when they get positive results for the first time.

The difficult part? Job search for college grads stinks right now.

I already knew things were bad. I deal with it on a regular basis when helping new grads find jobs. In fact, I can read their minds. That’s because, after graduation, there are four things that make graduates really, really mad. My job is to help them get past the anger and get hired.

If you know a recent college grad, please pass these 11 job search commandments on to them. If you are a recent college grad, take notes. These commandments are laws to live by in the next six months as you embark on your next big challenge: landing a job.

1. I Will Not Compare Myself To My Friends

No two graduates are the same. Each has different skills, abilities, needs, and wants. Just because your friend gets a new job doesn’t mean he or she is better than you. Keep the blinders on and focus on your job search, not theirs.

Jealousy is a useless emotion that derails a job search. Besides, your friend might be able to help you get a job. It’s in your best interest to be genuinely happy for them!

2. I Will Not Take The Summer Off

Don’t delay your job search. Employers see it as acting entitled and lazy. Get in gearâright now! Trust me, you aren’t going to find a job in the next two weeks. And job search isn’t a full-time gig.

Carve out time every day to work on your job search and you’ll still have plenty of time to enjoy the summer. Before the temperature cools down, turn your job search success up! It’s about working smarter, not harder.

3. I Will Not Spend Weeks Designing My Resume

Your resume isn’t going to get you the job. Networking is.

Don’t waste time trying to make your resume perfect. At this stage in your career, there just isn’t that much you can put on it to impress employers. The “wow” factor will come from you being smart, articulate, and engagingâwhich doesn’t come through on paper. You have to meet people to make that happen.

4. I Will Learn To Network…Fast!

Networking is the most powerful way to get hired. Yet most recent grads assume because they’ve never worked they have no one to network with. Wrong!

People love helping recent grads. Learn to “informational interview” and set up as many as you can. The sooner you learn to network, the sooner you get hired.

5. I Will Not Expect Too Much Of My First Job

Most recent college grads feel they’re overqualified for many of the entry-level jobs posted. However, most employers feel you’re not, and may even have unrealistic expectations for an entry-level position.

The hard reality is you don’t have the work experience for anything but entry-level jobs. The sooner you take an entry-level job and work at it for six months, the sooner you can start applying to the more exciting jobs that are currently out of your reach.

6. I Will Remember That EVERY Job Is Temporary

While the entry-level job you take will not be your dream job, that’s okay because you won’t be there very long. You’ll either excel in the job and get promoted or get experience and be able to apply for a better job.

“Every job is temporary,” is one of our mantras at Work It DAILY, which is why you always have to improve and work on your career every day. Whether you’re looking for your first job or a new one, you need to keep that mindset. It will pay off, we promise.

7. I Will Study Up On Workplace Professionalism As Much As I Can

The number one complaint corporate America has about recent grads is their perceived lack of professionalism. Read up on attire, attitude, verbal communication style, and so on. The more prepared you are, the better the first impression you’ll make.

8. I Will Be Very Careful In My Written Communication Style

The number two complaint corporate America has about recent grads is their poor written communication skills. Spelling, grammar, and so on.

Be very careful when writing cover letters, emails, and any other written communication related to your job search. One typo can get you disqualified!

9. I Will Expect Rejection (A Lot Of It)

You’ll apply to dozens of jobs and have as many as 10 interviews before getting an offer. There is a learning curve to getting hired, and it happens with practice.

Expect to get passed over for jobs and learn to cope with the rejection. The sooner you can pick yourself up and get back to the job search, the sooner you’ll get another interview and eventually an offer.

10. I Will Become A âProfessional” User Of Social Media

For the last four years, social media has been used for your enjoyment. Now, it’s time to use it for the job search.

Clean up the Facebook page and Instagram account, get yourself set up on LinkedIn, and study how people are using Twitter and TikTok to meet hiring managers. Use social media to build an online presence that when searched by a recruiter (and trust us, they will look you up online), what they’ll find is a recent grad who’s clearly ready to enter the workforce.

A strong social media presence can literally land you a job interview. Engage in best practices for social media to advance your career.

11. I Will Not Brag About My New Job When I Finally Get It

Getting your first job will be thrilling. I mean over-the-top incredible. That being said, refrain from posting the good news all over the internet and making it your first topic of conversation with friends. Why? Go back to commandment number one.

Remember: you’ll be surrounded by people who haven’t gotten their first job and will be jealous. Be the bigger person and keep a low profile on the new gig. Of course, if asked, you can share the good news, but do your best to redirect the conversation after that.

Show how humble you are. You just never know at some future date that person could remember your gracious attitude and be willing to help you get your next job because of it. The friends you make now will be the colleagues you network with in the future. Treat them kindly and it will pay off in the long run.

Follow the commandments above and your job search will be less painful and more effective. And keep this list handy as a reminder you will make it through. You can do this!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Things You DON’T Think About During Job Interviews (But Should)

June 22, 2023

Job interviews are typically your first chance to present your whole self to a company, so you want to put your best foot forward. It’s time to impress your future employer with your experience and personality!

In addition to having great responses to the interviewer’s questions and dressing to the nines, you need to think about…

1. Your “Likability” Factor

People want to hire people they like and think they could work with, for obvious reasons. So, your likability level is a huge factor in the job interview/hiring process.

Employers want to know you’ll fit in with their “tribe” of employees. They don’t want to throw off their company culture by hiring someone who’s not a good fit.

Take steps to build rapport with your interviewer and meet people within the company. You’ll stand out in the hiring process even before you go in for an interview if you’ve already connected with a few employees on LinkedIn.

2. Your Ability To Communicate Thoughts Effectively

When answering interview questions, it’s important to communicate your thoughts clearly and confidently. Otherwise, you risk sounding unprepared or unconfident.

During job interviews, be concise and convey confidence when you speak. This is especially important when answering behavioral interview questions.

Remember, though, you want to come across as self-assured and humble, not overconfident and cocky. The best way to do this is by following the “Experience + Learn = Grow” model. Learning how to answer interview questions with this framework will help you effectively communicate why you’re a great fit for the position, both in terms of experience and personality.

3. Your Body Language

Communication isn’t limited to speech. You need to be aware of your body language too. If you’re fidgeting, swiveling in your chair, slouching, or not making eye contact with your interviewer, it can make you seem unconfident and even untrustworthy.

Doing a mock interview with a trusted colleague is a good way to practice your answers to interview questions and perfect your body language. Are you sitting up straight? Are you making enough eye contact?

Your mock interviewer can give you feedback on what to work on so your body language doesn’t send the wrong message on the big day.

So, be aware! Don’t waste this precious opportunity to impress a potential employer. Make sure you go into job interviews knowing what you’re doing!

Need more help with your job search?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

5-Step Quick Guide For Getting Started On LinkedIn

June 21, 2023

If you’ve never been on LinkedIn before, it can be a little overwhelming. That’s why we created a 5-step quick guide for getting started on LinkedIn.

Take a look at our 5-step quick guide below and find out how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for career success:

Step 1: Update Your Resume

The first step is to make sure your actual resume is updated. Once you’ve done that, then you can transfer the data to your LinkedIn profile.

You always want the information on your resume and LinkedIn profile to be the same. Recruiters and hiring managers like consistency!

Step 2: Change Your Privacy Settings

Your resume is doneâgreat! Now, it’s time to start adding information to your LinkedIn profile.

Before you add anything, though, make sure you change your privacy settings so your profile activity isn’t visible until you’re done filling out your profile. You don’t want your connections to see every single change you make to your profile!

Need help with this? Visit LinkedIn Help for more information.

Step 3: Add Your Information

Once you’ve adjusted your privacy settings, you can start adding content to your LinkedIn profile. In addition to adding the information from your resume, you can showcase visual accomplishments like PDFs, online articles, and images. Keep your personal brand in mind!

Warning: No information on your profile is suspect, but too much is overkill. Do your best to balance it out and include the must-haves.

Step 4: Optimize Your Profile

After you’ve added your information to your LinkedIn profile, you must go through and optimize it so it’s easier for people (employers, recruiters, and connections) to find and read.

Recruiters and hiring managers conduct keyword searches based on skill sets. Your goal is to optimize your LinkedIn profile with specific keywords that relate to your skill sets so you show up in their results.

Once you’ve properly optimized your LinkedIn profile, you’ll start to get a lot more views from recruiters and hiring managers.

Step 5: Make It A Part Of Your Routine

After optimizing your profile, you need to keep it fresh. The more you participate on LinkedIn, the more it rewards you. It puts you in searches, finds relevant people you can connect with, and so on. So, you should make sure that you’re an active user on a regular basis.

“The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it,” says J.T. O’Donnell, Work It DAILY’s founder and CEO.

Make an effort to update your information monthly. You should also be active on a daily basis by sharing articles, participating in groups, and keeping up with your connections. This is the surest way to build your personal brand and stand out to recruiters on the platform.

By following these five steps, you’ll be off to a great start on LinkedIn!

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

How To Get Rid Of Interview Nerves

June 19, 2023

It’s normal to feel nervous before a job interview. But when those nerves start to impact your interview performance, it’s time to learn how to get rid of interview nerves once and for all.

Here’s how to get rid of your interview nerves and crush your next job interview:

Honesty, Interview Prep, And Connection

@j.t.odonnell Replying to @erica__007 How to get rid of interview nerves. #interviewquestions #interview #interviewtips #jobsearchtips #jobinterviewtips #interviewhelp #interviewprep #careertok #careeradvice #jobsearch â¬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

1. Be honest about your interview nerves.

First of all, it is okay to let the hiring manager know you’re nervous. It’s okay to be honest with them. But when you let the hiring manager know you’re nervous, make sure you do it with a smile because that’s going to set the tone for the interview.

If your interview nerves have the potential to ruin the job interview, when you sit down with the hiring manager, smile at them, take a deep breath, and say, “I just want to let you know that I am nervous for this interview, so I may not answer every question as smoothly as I want to, but it’s because I’m excited about the job opportunity.”

2. Focus on interview prep.

Keep your facial expressions and body language in mind. People hear what they see, especially in an interview. So the next tip I recommend to get rid of your interview nerves is to work on your interview prep.

Mock interviews are a great way to not only practice your answers to interview questions but also work on your body language and facial expressions. Remember to sit up tall and lean in a little bit. Remember to smile. Remember to make appropriate eye contact.

I often tell clients who are struggling with interview nerves to wear a ring or watch or another piece of jewelry on a different finger or wrist so that every time they see it in the interview, it triggers them to remember the body language tips above.

Interview prep is one of the best ways to get rid of interview nerves because it helps to instill confidence in your interview abilities and qualifications for the job. Body language and facial expressions are just as important as your interview answers, and interview prep can help you practice both.

3. Realize the interview is all about making a connection.

Sometimes the easiest way to get rid of interview nerves is to change your mindset. Before your next job interview, tell yourself: “I’m excited. This is about making a connection today. This is about me starting the process of getting to know this employer.”

The interview isn’t an all-or-nothing situation. You’re learning. You’re growing. You’re doing your best. And you’re at the job interview to make a connection and share your answers. The person who’s interviewing you could be a potential colleague one day. How would you act if you were simply having coffee with them?

When you change your interview mindset to focus on connection and excitement instead of worst-case scenarios, your interview nerves will subside. A shift in your mindset will prevent you from psyching yourself out in the job interview, going in with that serious attitude, serious body language, and serious facial expressions. It’s also going to help you answer interview questions with more positivity and enthusiasm, the perfect combination for connection.

The next time you’re experiencing bad interview nerves, remember these three things: honesty, interview prep, and connection. And before you know it, your interview nerves will all but disappear!

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The Stigma Of Career Coaching (And Why It’s Changing)

June 16, 2023

There is still a bit of stigma around career coaching, and here at Work It DAILY, we’re left wondering why.

What most people don’t realize is that the majority of the CEOs, pro athletes, and other high-achieving individuals they admire have received some form of career coaching in their lives. This isn’t just a coincidence.

The truth is, those who find career success seldom do it by themselves. They have people guiding them along the way, empowering them with tools to build better habits and set ambitious, yet achievable, career goals. So, why are you still afraid to ask for help with your career?

You’re not expected to know how to do everything on your own. And you shouldn’t have to.

If you still have a stigma toward career coaching, here’s what you need to know…

School Teaches Us Everything Except How To Get The Job

We spend the first two decades of our life in school preparing for our future career. We have teachers, professors, and mentors. We try to learn as much as possible and develop as many skills as we can. But after graduation day, we’re suddenly without that guidance we’ve been used to all those years.

Worse, school teaches us everything except how to achieve career success. It teaches us everything except how to get the job.

From day one, we’re expected to know how to get our first job, grow our career, and eventually achieve the career success that we want. That’s such a harmful assumption, leaving people who can’t do this feeling like they aren’t good enough. That something is wrong with them.

This is why career coaching shouldn’t be stigmatized. Nobody innately knows the right and wrong way to interview, make a career change, or ask for a raise. The career questions you have, thousands, if not millions, of other professionals have them too.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. When it comes to not knowing how to grow your career, you’re truly not alone.

Working “On” Your Career Is Different From Working “In” It

One of the most dangerous things you can do as a professional is to only work “in” your career and not “on” it. You can’t go to work every day, work hard, and assume that’s good enough.

The hard truth: If you’re not growing your career, you’re dying.

Again, nobody told us the importance of your personal brand and making sure you’re staying relevant by developing your skills and continually growing your professional network.

But a career coach will tell you this. They’ll tell you exactly how to work on your career to ensure you aren’t becoming irrelevant, and slowly killing your career in the process.

Career Coaching Isn’t A Sign Of Weakness

We can compare the stigma of career coaching to the stigma of mental illness.

There used to be an incredible stigma around mental illness, but now we’re realizing that when we need help, admitting we need help is a strength, not a weakness. Nobody should be ashamed of asking for help and getting the treatment they need in order to better themselves.

The same is true with career coaching.

Career coaching isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a path to greatness.

When we need help with our career, we should get help. No shame. No hesitation. No questions asked.

The only way we erase the stigma around career coaching is by spreading awareness about how difficult it is to navigate our career on our own.

The next time you’re struggling in your career, remember that it’s okay to ask for help. You’ll be strongerâand betterâfor it.

At Work It DAILY, we believe the stigma of career coaching is going away, but not fast enough. Career coaching should be accessible to everyone. You deserve the same opportunity to grow your career, the same resources and support, that CEOs, pro athletes, and millionaires get. Don’t let anybody convince you otherwise.

If you’re ready to take ownership of your career and achieve the success you know you can, we’d love to see you inside our community.

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Consider The Background Check

Utilize An “Additional Experience” Section On Your Resume

1. Make Sure The ATS Can Read Your Resume

2. Help The ATS Identify Sections And Information

3. List The Most Appropriate Keywords

1. Take A Break & Reflect

2. Do A Financial Assessment

3. Talk It Out With Someone You Love

4. Prepare Your Story

5. Explore Opportunities

6. Keep The Momentum Going

7. Stay Positive

Always Keep Business Cards Handy

Plan A Family Trip

Take 30 Minutes Each Week To Network Online

1. Show How Many

2. Show How Much

3. Show How Often

1. Focus On Communication

2. Understand That Wrong Can Be Right

3. Look Into The Future

4. Realize Passion Is Contagious

5. Know Yourself

“Can You Please Tell Me The Next Steps In The Process?”

1. I Will Not Compare Myself To My Friends

2. I Will Not Take The Summer Off

3. I Will Not Spend Weeks Designing My Resume

4. I Will Learn To Network…Fast!

5. I Will Not Expect Too Much Of My First Job

6. I Will Remember That EVERY Job Is Temporary

7. I Will Study Up On Workplace Professionalism As Much As I Can

8. I Will Be Very Careful In My Written Communication Style

9. I Will Expect Rejection (A Lot Of It)

10. I Will Become A âProfessional” User Of Social Media

11. I Will Not Brag About My New Job When I Finally Get It

1. Your “Likability” Factor

2. Your Ability To Communicate Thoughts Effectively

3. Your Body Language

Step 1: Update Your Resume

Step 2: Change Your Privacy Settings

Step 3: Add Your Information

Step 4: Optimize Your Profile

Step 5: Make It A Part Of Your Routine

Honesty, Interview Prep, And Connection

School Teaches Us Everything Except How To Get The Job

Working “On” Your Career Is Different From Working “In” It

Career Coaching Isn’t A Sign Of Weakness

10. I Will Become A âProfessional” User Of Social Media