Great Syntax is No Substitute for Great Communication.

Great Syntax is No Substitute for Great Communication.Great Syntax is No Substitute for Great Communication.Anyone with an English degree will take one look at the headline and feel either appalled, nauseous or angry. Its bedrngnis very good. Come to think of it, that last sentence wasnt, either. Or this one. And this one it pretty awful to be honest (it starts with a dreaded preposition ouch. But in the world of advertising, marketing and design, the most important aspect of the work is communication. Does it get the katechese across successfully? Perfect Grammar Is NOT Perfect Communication In advertising, it just doesnt even come close. Grammar is always secondary to message. A sentence that is structured beautifully, obeying all the laws, and bylaws, of the English language, is not what advertising is all about. In fact, in advertising you dont even need to use real words, good sentence structure, and proper punctuation, or obey any of the rules that were drummed into you in school. What is paramount is getting the message across, not impressing people with your superior command of the English language (or whatever other language youre advertising in). Its the be all and end all. Its the whole shooting match. Grammar has as much importance in advertising as good penmanship has in graffiti. Some Examples of Great Advertising with Poor Grammar Lets start with some of the most obvious ones, and theyre some of the most powerful phrases ever to come out of an advertising agency. Got Milk?Grammatically, thats not good at all. If you were to put that through the grammar filter, it would come out as something more like Do You Have Milk? But thats dry, and awful. Got Milk? was catchy, simple and created a craze. It helped sell a lot of milk, and was endorsed by many major celebrities.Think Different - AppleIf it were 100% correct, it would be Think Differently. Again, thats not a strong piece of communication. Tonally, it has less teeth. Its stiff. Boring. Think Different was bold and brave. Make Summer Funner - TargetA lovely little campaign from a few years ago. Grammatically speaking, its an F. But Make Summer More Fun is bland. The incorrect version works.The Few. The Proud. The Marines. - U.S. Marine Corps.Three two-word sentences back-to-back? Thats not good. But it is. A good, simple sentence should have at least a subject and a predicate. However, once again the rules have been broken to create a phrase with impact.Spread The Happy - NutellaA widely-used trick in advertising is to turn an adjective into a noun. A perfect example comes from Nutella, which took a common phrase (spread happiness) into something much more memorable and punchy. Because of this, it stood out. To Each Their Own - HondaThat phrase is like nails on a chalkboard to anyone that knows anything about the rules of grammar. For this phrase to be correct, it should be either To Each His Own or To Each zu sich Own. Each is singular, their is plural, therefore the copy line is inaccurate. But...who cares? It got the point across in a fun way.Rethink Possible - ATTAgain, grammar buffs will look at that one and scream. It should really be Rethink What Is Possible but the copywriter and art director would have bored the client with that one. A simple exercise in concision turned the phrase into something catchy, even though it was clearly not grammatically correct. Less Sugar, Less Bottles - SodaStreamWe all know that the second half of that tagline is wrong. It should say fewer bottles, but that would not have been as fun. The alliteration helps with the memorability, and it still gets across the idea. Anyone thats stood in line at the 15 items or less checkout knows what it means, even though its not accurate. And in advertising, its totally OK to be wrong. It would be easy to go on and on with examples. You are probably thinking of your own right now, or have written some. The point is, good grammar is for literature, not advertising. (Un less, of course, youre advertising a series of books or websites that teach perfect grammar...and even then, you may want to use bad grammar to draw people in). Write To Your Audience, leid Your English Teacher As a copywriter, or anyone tasked with writing headlines, taglines and copy, the most important rule is to write to a specific target audience. If youre writing something for lovers of Western movies, speak the lingo. If youre writing to tweens, know how they talk to each other. If youre texting, learn to text. Its important NEVER to impose your perfect grasp of the English language on your audience. It will be a barrier to communication, and it will make you come across as overbearing, out of touch, or coming from a different world. You do not want to be seen as elitist or an authority figure. You want the quickest, easiest route into the mind of the consumer. Any additional translation required will not help your cause. Do You Need To Know The Rules Before You Break Them? It doesnt hurt, but its not essential. Once, before the advertising boom in the 80s, agencies were filled with writers who had English degrees. That changed when people trained specifically to be advertising copywriters. The rules learned by English majors are not required for good copy. And so, these days, many copywriters dont know how to conjugate verbs or write solid compound sentences. Is that bad? No. Remember, communication is key. But when the time comes to write in perfect prose for a particular ad or direct mail piece, the copywriter with a fabulous grasp of the English language will have the edge. Mistakes Do Not Count Before you go thinking that all grammar knowledge should be left at the door, remember that this is a business involving skilled writers and designers. They know the rules they are breaking, and they have weighed the pros and cons before moving forward. Spelling errors, misplaced punctuation, and poorly-worded copy lines cannot be excused with gr ammar doesnt matter. If you publish anything with a misspelled word, your credibility (or your clients) will be in the toilet for a while. If you interchange their, theyre, and there incorrectly, youre in big trouble. Know the rules, break them with care.

Todays candidates want flexibility and autonomy heres how to hire them

Todays candidates want flexibility and autonomy heres how to hire themTodays candidates want flexibility and autonomy - heres how to hire themTodays candidates want flexibility and autonomy - heres how to hire themBy Kate Ashford, contributorToday, more than four out of 10 workers are considered contingent, according to a Deloitte report- which includes contract workers, independent contractors, self-employed workers and part-time workers.And 92% of todays workers believe employers should be open to more flexible and open work arrangements, according to a Randstad study.But many companies havent kept up with the realities of a changing workforce.I cant tell you how many people I talk to on a daily basis that say, If you can find something remote or part-time or I could work from home a few days a week, says Henna Pryor, recruiting director and career strategist for staffing and recruiting firm Kforce.Its shocking how many clients havent caught up with that.Twenty years ago, worker s were committed to the traditional nine-to-five schedule. But todays workers value flexibility and the ability to get their work done on their own time.Some of the shift comes from a generation of parents who want to be more involved with their kids and their kids activities.Parents in general tend to want alternative arrangements so they can spend more time caring for and being with their children as well as coordinating pick-ups from school and sports, says business coach Stacy Caprio.But theres also a desire to live in less urban locations where there arent as many desirable jobs.Or workers want to move to the suburbs when city housing prices climb too high- but then theyre facing a monumental commute.The real estate in cities is getting crazy, and people are saying, This is insane, says Roberta Matuson, president of talent firm Matuson Consulting.But if they have to move out of the city, its like, Im in besucherzahlen three hours a day.For these employees, being able to work re motely is crucial.Lastly, as people continue to live longer, workers in the middle generations are stretched between caring for their aging parents and caring for their kids, and juggling those demands around a traditional job is difficult.Theyre just stretched really thin, Matuson says. Being able to work a nontraditional schedule really helps these workers manage their lives.With contingent workers making up such a large chunk of the workforce, its imperative that companies take them into account when they structure their recruiting strategies. Here are some tactics that will helpEmbrace technologyToday there are a variety of ways to stay connected when youre elend in the sekretariat, and the sooner companies can get comfortable with the idea, the more appealing theyll be to alternative workers.Theres no reason now that it cant be done, the technology exists, Pryor says.Not only can you do things remotely from a laptop, but now you can be in a meeting via video conference or via z oom. Everyones in real-time messaging with their team, everything is being dropped into mutual shared folders. The in-part requirement is so much less.Rethink your workdayDo your working hours need to be nine to six, non-negotiable? When do you really need workers to be in-house, and what would happen if you allowed people to shift their day to suit their needs?Companies are starting to turn toward a core hour model, where they need workers to be in the office from 1000 to 300, say, but when they arrive and leave is more malleable. If workers want to beat traffic and get to the office at 7 a.m., they can. If theyd rather come at 10 a.m. and stay until 7 p.m., they can do that, too.Some people come in the morning early and take extended lunches to work out, then work into the evening, Pryor says.The Zenial generation and up are not interested in very boxed-in schedules. Those companies are attracting people so much more easily because theyre not confining them to a traditional schedu le.Consider flexible benefitsIn an era where more workers wish to make their own schedules, a strict PTO policy can feel restrictive. Some companies have moved to an unlimited PTO policy- the understanding being, if you can get your work done, you can take vacation as needed.Theres an expectation and an understanding that people work time out with their bosses and projects get done, Pryor says. It puts the accountability and responsibility back in the persons hands as opposed to the companys hands. It attracts different people.More companies are also starting to offer cafeteria benefit options.Thats where you dont get your standard, Heres your healthcare, heres your retirement account, says Matthew Burr, a human resources consultant in Elmira, NY.They have a variety to pick and choose from. There might be 20 different things, from health insurance to life insurance to EAP programs. With more options, workers can put together the best package for their life situation.Be willing to ch angeThe biggest adjustment is often the employers mindset. Its the mentality thats slow to shift, Pryor says. People are used to doing things a certain way. I work with accounting managers who are still using paper and pencil ledgers.Matuson points to a client who heads a technology company. Hes very clear that he needs people in the office so theyre able to collaborate, she says. Hes not really convinced that having a guy in Chicago and a woman in L.A. is going to work that way.Our compromise has been, Would you consider someone who could come in to the office two to three days a week and permit them to work remotely? Hes more open to that.In the end, companies that are slow to change are also losing talent to the companies that are willing to take the leap.The ones that are old-school thinking on leveraging technology and the few that still have desktops instead of laptops, either theyre losing people or theyre not attracting the best talent, Pryor says.Theyre getting second-tier because everyone thats really sharp is going to go to a company thats moving ahead with technology, not lagging behind.

The mobile Millennial What to know about relocating for a job

The mobile Millennial What to know about relocating for a jobThe mobile Millennial What to know about relocating for a jobHave you ever read a job description that perfectly matched your skill set or received an offer from a company that you were very interested in and then realized the offer was at an office location across the country? For a few moments, moving to a city you have never been to before can seem like a daunting task, but its actually an amazing opportunity if youre prepared.And according to a report from The United States Census Bureau, you are notlage alone. Millennials accounted for over 40% of all movers between 2007 and 2012, despite making up less than a quarter of the U.S. population.As young professionals with no mortgages, spouses, or children, there really is nothing holding us back from accepting an offer in a new city and being open to trying something new as long as we can financially support ourselves.More often than not, new experiences can guide you do wn paths and onto new opportunities beyond your original scope. In my case, some of my favorite memories and friendships were formed in cities which I had never previously lived before. New York City. Washington, D.C. Salt Lake City. Im always on the move. This summer, I will be moving for the third time to a city that is not my hometown for a work-related opportunity and so should youHere are a few tips the 5 Fs of job relocation to consider when deciding to move for a work-related opportunity.1. FinancesDoes your company provide a relocation stipend? How much are apartments? What is the general cost of living? Does your salary give you room to actually enjoy your new city? Before accepting an out-of-town offer, you should definitely make a comprehensive budget. There are a number of financial and logistical considerations to take in mind before moving to a new city and creating a checklist and budget can help you sort out your thoughts. In my case, I was only able to look for ce rtain types of jobs when working in New York City where the cost of living is much higher in comparison to having more flexibility in job function when working in my hometown of Houston, TX. Maybe you need to save all of your salary or maybe you need to budget for unforeseen circumstances. Whatever your narrative is, it is very important to have a general sense if job relocation is a good fit for your bank account.2. Finding sublets housingIn my experience, finding housing can go one of two ways a) you already have a corporate contact or personal connection who has secured housing for you or b) you have absolutely no idea where to begin looking. If youre like me and typically fall into the b category, you should consider looking into Facebook sublet groups and college dorms (during the summer) that offer short-term housing. My last two sublets were secured through responding to Facebook listings, but I have also had friends who found success in listings from Rentler and Roomster. S ometimes, even family members and friends can be underutilized resources, so start early and try a combination of social media and personal outreach until something sticks.3. FriendshipsThe ability to find friends and feel a general sense of community in a new city is a legitimate consideration when deciding to relocate. Im a pretty social person, but am the first to admit that Ive been googling the diversity statistics and even questioned my ability to find a community in Salt Lake City since receiving my offer. Its only natural to want to build connections with people who look like you and be able to find services that cater to your background (hair salons, barber shops, churches, etc.) If social life and community building are important to you, as it is in my case, actually consider putting effort into it. Attend company affinity network events, seek out young professional social mixers (quick plug for Jopwell SummerUnlocked events), reach out to college alumni at your firm, use social media resources be a friend. More often than not there are other students and young professionals in your same situation looking to make connections with people just like you.4. FunIn line with finding your community and making new friends, you should approach social life and fun activity options as an open slate. While working in New York City the past two summers, I had gone to more boroughs, events, and performances than my friends who had lived in NYC their whole lives. Any social event that peaked my interest was open game and I had the best summers of my life. Every place comes with unique social experiences particular to their city, from the brunch day parties in Washington, D.C. to the live music scene in Austin, TX. Keep an open mind and check out social scenes that you maybe have never experienced before.5. FutureNo one is requiring you to relocate to a new city and stay there forever. Its your life, your future. This is our time to try something new. If you dont like a certain city, just know that there are hundreds more waiting to be explored.This article first appeared on Jopwell.

Twitter shares what you should and shouldnt do in an email

Twitter shares what you should and shouldnt do in an emailTwitter shares what you should and shouldnt do in an emailThere are so many ways to go wrong when it comes to email- so when the hashtagEmailDosAndDonts went viral on Twitter this week, users flooded the social media platform with both tips and things that really get their blood boiling.Heres what Twitter had to sayPeople really spoke up.https//twitter.com/BryanJohnsonPhD/status/1014129969822420993

Welder Resume - the Story

Welder Resume - the Story The Downside Risk of Welder Resume Perfecting the sort of your document isnt only expected, it will likewise reflect your capacity to concentrate on detail and will put you ahead of competition that doesnt take some time to properly proofread or format their resumes, which could literally make all of the difference between two similarly-qualified individuals. The resume wording ought to be employer-oriented so he knows what you could do for him. The statement template captures all crucial details in 1 page. The right format has to be there in addition to the fashion of writing. Google Docs exports documents in numerous formats, making it simple to submit the suitable file type to a hiring manager. Resume action verbs may have a beneficial and memorable influence on the readers memory. The next Resume Templates will offer you a general idea on how to make your own. You may use the templates above so that youre guided on the appropriate methods to con struct your resume. The History of Welder Resume Refuted There are a few common mistakes that you wish to stay away from when creating your drafter resume. You may need to do several drafts. Importance of Resume wording Resume wording is a significant aspect to take into account when constructing a resume. Highlight the text youd love to use the formatting to. Creating a Google account is completely free and takes just a couple of seconds. The last section your welder resume should concentrate on is education and certification. Establish a LinkedIn profile, or in case you currently have one, polish and update it. The format might have some parts. Welding is also a job which demands high-level skill. Welders also have to be in a position to plan and manage projects. Some welders could be given the duty of training an apprentice welder. Pipe welders work outdoors all around the world and in all kinds of weather. Demonstrating your prior work history is aelendher important element to writing a prosperous welder resume. Your welder resume should consist of specifics on the type of work youve done previously and the sorts of materials youve worked with. Because being a welder can be tough and sometimes risky, by means of several tools that might be potentially hazardous to health, plenty of knowledge and specific understanding of safety protocols will be important to any work application. Certified welder resume is a superb instance of how a perfect job application ought to be. An excellent means to get started has been a work application builder. Do a well keyword based search by means of your topic and level, and you may find a whole lot of results in seconds. For lots of individuals who are in work all day solar may help save yourself a little power but not a massive quantity. If you want to do something, youll be much more motivated to learn and enhance that skill. Aspiring doctors need to be intellectually gifted. Your resume enables you to describe your finest accomplishments so employers wish to have a chance on you. The resume examples given below highlight the skills employers want from a welder. Most employers are extraordinarily picky with respect to the selection of employees for a work opening. While certification requirements for welders change from state to state, earning a certification in a particular type of welding can assist you in finding work and earn more. Youll learn appropriate security procedures, have access to various sorts of welding machines and get loads of practice. Its great to be confident about your abilities but if you dont have had an extensive practical application of welding procedures, start looking for jobs which you are confident of handling. In their jobs, welders operate lots of distinct tools.

Renee Heath - Midwife at Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital

Renee Heath - Midwife at Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital Renee Heath Midwife at Royal Brisbane Womens HospitalPosted October 13, 2011, by Jordan Huidekoper Midwifery encompasses working autonomously and in a kollektiv. It means I can be part of the joy, compassion, teaching, counselling and, on occasions, drama and emergency involved in the job. Meet Renee Heath, a midwife at Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital. Renee is a registered nurse and an endorsed midwife. She has a Bachelor of Nursing Post Registration as well as a Graduate Certificate in Midwifery and has cared for all kinds of people, from newborn babies to the elderly. With 30 years experience in the industry, Renee is passionate about her job and feels midwifery is a rewarding profession. With updated midwifery curses available in Australia, she hopes the industry will attract a whole new generation of carers. How did you get started in nursing? Straight from high school I commenced my hospital-based training as a student nurse. After graduating as a registered nurse, I spent an extraordinary 18 months in a burns unit where I experienced amazing team spirit with all staff, despite the terrible injuries we encountered. After that I left for a working holiday in the United Kingdom and completed an 18-month midwifery course in Edinburgh, Scotland. I lived and worked in the United Kingdom for a total of four years before returning to Australia. Back home, I tried my hand at geriatric nursing in a local nursing home for six months, but my heart was still with midwifery and I began working as a midwife in a large metropolitan hospital. I was keen to continue travelling and gain further midwifery experience overseas, so I spent two years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where I gained invaluable experience caring for local families and foreign nationals. Im now back in Australia working in midwifery in local and community settings. Why did you choose midwifery over other specialisations? I always had a desire to car e for women and babies. I was in awe of the midwives I met who shared womens birth experiences and thought it would be such a happy work environment. Midwifery encompasses working autonomously and in a team. It means I can be part of the joy, compassion, teaching, counselling and, on occasions, drama and emergency involved in the job. Do you ever become emotionally attached to the job? Certainly, there is a degree of emotional attachment you wouldnt be human if there wasnt. However, midwives are trained in maintaining professional boundaries. My job as a midwife is to assist women and their families physically and emotionally throughout their pregnancy, regardless of the outcome. Whats the most important quality for a midwife to possess? Passion. I think the most important quality is a desire to assist women and their families through one of the most amazing journeys of their lives. What does midwifery involve? Midwifery involves guiding women through their pregnancy, the birth proc ess and transition to parenting. Clinical assessment of the ongoing pregnancy and education for care of the newborn are key aspects of midwifery. What do you wish someone had told you before you started in this career? That women forget the pain of labour, but never forget their carers and how pivotal you are in their experience. Have there been any significant changes in midwifery over the years? Absolutely. Midwifery is a very dynamic profession and research has allowed us to change our practices to facilitate family-centred care, and promote support for natural childbirth. Midwives are moving maternity care away from a hospital setting. Traditionally, childbirth in Australia has been very hospital-based but, by and large, giving birth to babies is a natural process and a large proportion of women can give birth naturally, without medical intervention. My job as a midwife is to recognise when things are deviating from the norm and to then involve the multidisciplinary team. Are th ere any major differences between the practices of midwives in the United Kingdom, Australia and the Middle East? Australian midwifery care tends to be hospital-based with medical professionals and allied health teams involved. In other places midwives are able to practice more autonomously. Is midwifery well paid? Not particularly, but I dont believe this has anything to do with the shortage of midwives. At the same time were not badly paid, but in this day of wanting more things in our lives, we would always like more monetary gain. Wages are always a contentious issue and, depending on the particular role that you play within midwifery, the profession could be better paid. However, the rewards of knowing that youve made a positive difference in a womans birth experience, or their pregnancy, and have guided them in the transition to parenting are invaluable. The job satisfaction in midwifery overrides monetary gain and its certainly what keeps people in the profession. If someones looking at midwifery as a career, do they have to start with shiftwork? Yes. Midwifery is a 24/7, 365 day a year vocation and babies dont generally arrive within office hours. But even if they do, you still have to assist parents who need nurturing at all different hours of the day. There are different midwifery roles and models of care supported through hospitals that allow flexibility of hours and reduce the need for night duty shifts. Midwives provide maternity care in hospital and community-based settings, and in the home. Nowadays midwives can work towards a good work-life balance. Whats the best thing about being a midwife? Caring for women and their families through life-changing and challenging experiences and knowing that you make a difference. It is very special sharing the tears of joy that come with the new addition to a family. And the worst thing? Unexpected outcomes and coping with bereavement. Is a career as a midwife calling? Get qualified with a course in Nursing or MidwiferyMidwifery ResourcesOccupational therapist sample resumeOccupational therapist sample cover letterInterested in becoming a?Ambulance AttendantMidwifeHome Birth AttendantPregnancy CoachMidwife AssistantPopular Career Searchesreflexology courses brisbanehospital wardsman qualificationstraditional chinese medicine courses brisbanecareer opportunities after a masters in public healthpostgraduate midwifery courses onlineMidwifery CoursesCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate IV in Allied Health Assistance (Nutrition and Di...Enquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Exercise)Enquire Online Enquire Online Jordan HuidekoperJordan is a writer and photographer with a keen interest in personal growth and development.Related ArticlesBrowse moreDental AssistantDentistryCareers in dental assistance something to smile aboutIf youre like most peo ple and hate going to the dentist, youre probably going to appreciate anyone who makes the process as smooth and fast as possible.Allied HealthHealthAllied health career fact sheetLooking for a rewarding career in allied health? This fact sheet will provide you with a brief insight into this fulfilling industry.CAREER INSPIRATIONCareer progressionHow To Future Proof Your CareerWill your job as you know it exist in a decade from now? Take steps to future proof your career now and avoid slipping into the professional complacency that will spell disaster for your future job prospects.

Job Interview Tips for Older Job Seekers

Job Interview Tips for Older Job SeekersJob Interview Tips for Older Job SeekersIts leid legal (or ethical) for employers to discriminate against job candidates based on age.However, that doesnt mean it doesnt happen. Employer perceptions about age do often influence hiring decisions. When there is a large applicant pool, as there is for many jobs, it can be hard to prove your age was held against you because there are many candidates who apply for every job. However, if you are an older job seeker, there are steps that you can take to help minimize the impact your age might have on your interviewing success. First Impressions Matter Your appearance is an issue, especially for jobs where candidates are often younger than you.Make sure your interview attire is in a current style.Pay attention to skirt length, tie width, lapel width, color, and fit. Keep in mind that appropriate interview attire may bedrngnis be what you wore in the past.If youre not sure what to wear, take a look at these fashion tips for older job seekers, speak with a stylist or knowledgeable sales person and consult friends and family who are younger than you. Fix Your Hair What you look like shouldnt matter, but it does. Your hairstyle is another factor to consider when cultivating a more youthful appearance.Talk to a stylist about a more youthful cut that is still age appropriate.Consider coloring your hair to get the gray out and take years off your appearance. Consider Your Experience an Asset One way to capitalize on this asset is to bring a portfolio of relevant projects to your meeting and turn the interview into a show and tell experience.Older workers might also showcase their experience by thinking of the interview as a consulting engagement.Be ready to discuss some of the problems and challenges which such an organization might face and some of the solutions you envision. Get the Right Tech Skills Most jobs have taken on a heightened technological profile in the di gital age. Employers looking for candidates who have the latest skills may fear that older workers will not keep up with technology trends.Make sure you know what technology is most valued in your target field, take steps to master it and be ready to share how you have applied this technology to your work. Get References Ready Securing written recommendations from past supervisors and offering them as evidence during or after the interview can be a useful mechanism to prove that you respond well to supervision of all kinds. Talk to prospective references to discuss some of the age-related perceptions you are trying to combat and discuss ways that they may be able to support those efforts in their recommendations. Focus on the Future Older candidates who are forward-looking about their professional life will have an advantage over those who appear to have already achieved their goals.Be prepared to speak enthusiastically about what you hope to accomplish in the next phase of your career within the context of your target job and employer. Youre Not Ready to Retire Employers often fear that older workers are biding their time until retirement and will be less aggressive about learning what they need to know to excel on the job.You can counteract this possible perception by designing, carrying out and communicating a professional development plan during the interview.Be prepared to discuss seminars, workshops, professional meetings and online tutorials which you have completed recently and what you have learned. Refresh Your Interviewing Skills If you havent interviewed in a while, you may be surprised that interviewing has changed. Many interviewers now employ behavioral interviewing techniques.You will need to provide examples of how you have applied sought-after skills in various projects and roles.Employers are also now more focused on evaluating how candidates have produced results and impacted outcomes. So you will need to review each of your past jobs and be prepared to describe situations where you applied relevant skills and the results which you generated. How to Address Being Overqualified If you are downshifting your career, as many older workers do, employers may view you as being overqualified for the job youre applying for. You can combat this perception by clearly describing your enthusiasm for the specific duties associated with the work.It will help if you can reference how satisfying it was for you to carry out similar functions in the recent past. How to Address Being Unemployed Unfortunately, being unemployed can impact your chances of getting hired. So, if you have been out of work and are an older applicant, you have two strikes against you. Be sure to review interview questions about being unemployed, so you are prepared. Show Your Willingness to Work for a Younger Manager Employers may have concerns about the willingness of older workers to take direction from younger supervisors.You can r eassure employers by sharing examples of how you have thrived under the direction of younger managers.Your opening may come when asked about your ideal supervisor. Keep It Positive It can be discouraging when it seems like what youre doing isnt working. Consider each interview another chance to get hired and do your best to be upbeat. Your posture and body language provide an opportunity to exude energy and vitality.Stand up straight, practice having a spring in your step and reach out to all the people you meet with enthusiasm. Make sure your voice is vibrant and not monotone. Think about projecting an energetic aura at all times.

Take Risks to Avoid Getting Laid Off

Take Risks to Avoid Getting Laid OffTake Risks to Avoid Getting Laid OffThe best way to avoid a pink slip is to take risks that other colleagues wont.Ive said many times that to get the job you want, you have to protect the job you have. This is truer today than its ever been. In unterstellung difficult times, your job is a key asset, and its your Number One priority to protect it.Does this mean you should be laying low, staying under the radar and hiding out of sight when the pink slips are flying? On the contrary These are the times when you should be laying it all on the line and showing your board of directors what youre really made of. Thats why I say that to protect your job - truly to bulletproof your position - you need to take risks. Lots of them.For many people, it seems risky just to take a different route to work or to change their daily routine. Anything outside their behavioral comfort zone makes them nervous, and they avoid sudden moves at all costs. Well, I have new s for these folks Your company doesnt care if youre comfortable. It cares whether youre helping it protect its vitality by improving the bottom line or otherwise adding tangible, measurable value. And to make that kind of difference, you have to take risks.Introduce yourself to colleagues who dont know you.What kind of risks can you take that will help you protect your job, especially when layoffs are in the air? For starters, instead of hiding, go out of your way to make sure your colleagues both higher ups and mid-level managers know who you are. Look for your next chance to introduce yourself and have a positive, personal interaction.You should also look for opportunities to show that you are flexible, that you can roll with whatever is happening and help the company make the best of it.Share credit with others.Never, ever miss a chance to share credit. Your instinct in perilous times may be to hoard credit, but trust me, the goodwill you display when spreading credit around ha s high bulletproof value to you.Now is also the time to take on more responsibility. Be prepared to lend a kralle at all times. And make it your business to take initiative every single day. Sure, every time you raise your hand or take on more, you risk making a mistake. But the bigger risk is in not raising your hand. Dont think of it as putting your neck out think of it as making sure your boss sees you as an enthusiastic, valuable member of the team.Put money in my pocket.Finally, no matter what your job description says you do for a living, spend a part of every day thinking about ways you can improve your companys bottom line. First, make a big effort to keep your current accounts and client relationships healthy and happy theyre your bread and butter, and if they go away, you go away. Also look for ways to cut costs or share expenses. Think of how you can reconfigure existing products or services to expand your current market prospects. Or revisit old opportunities to see if t heres any life left in them. I always say, I would never fire someone whos putting money in my pocket. So be someone whos putting money in the companys pocket.It used to be only the CEO who was expected to take the risks, and thats why they got the big bucks. No more. Risk is the only path to bulletproof reward.

5 Helpful Resume and Job Search Tips from a Headhunter

5 Helpful Resume and Job Search Tips from a Headhunter5 Helpful Resume and Job Search Tips from a HeadhunterJob searching, knowing where to search for jobs online, or finding the best resume advice, can be a confusing and daunting task. Especially, if you havent done it for a long time. Youre changing industries and functions, or are getting to a point where your options are limited.A lot of people ask me to look at their resume to help them understand why they arent getting callbacks. They ask me to talk with them and figure out why interviews arent panning out. A poorly written resume speaks for itself, as does an unpolished interview style.However, many people I speak with have a great demeanor and a great resume. So, why are they (at best) getting very little interview traffic and no offers? Overwhelmingly its because theyre either over or under applying.1. Be honest with yourself about your career trajectorySome candidates feel like theyre underemployed and that they should be i n a bigger role, which in and of itself isnt the problem. Sometimes that feeling is right, they are ready for the next step. The problem is when someone applies for a role much, much bigger than what their experience can justify.When you over-apply youre making bold assumptions about your career trajectory and ultimate worth to a client. Many people think, for example, that a Director role is what they must have despite not having the strategic and leadership hintergrund to support it. They strictly apply to Director level roles and get frustrated when they get no response.Now, I have no issue with you makingbold career assumptions, but they must be grounded in reality. You need to be able to strongly show why the company should take a risk onyou.2. Do not misinterpret the lateral title movesEven lateral title moves are often misunderstood. A Director of HR with a 500 person family-owned retail business isnt the saatkorn level as a Director of HR running a $500M division of a Fortun e 500 manufacturer. Same job title, yet drastically different duties.The flip side of this issue is when a candidate thinks that since they have so much experience, applying to a lower level role would make them a shoo-in. I often see this with people making career changes and/or industry moves.Put yourself in the shoes of a hiring managerYou get a resume from someone asking you to hire them for a lage level theyve already surpassed.Why? you ask yourself. Is the candidate not confident in themselves and their potential?Are they only looking for lower level roles so they can cruise a little instead of putting in the work in a harder, more strategic role?Maybe they are only looking at this role as a bridge to something better?Now, Im by no means agreeing with the average hiring manager here. I write these typical responses because Ive literally heard them 1000 times from my clients who all happen to be senior HR and Talent Acquisition leaders.3. Consider a lower-level job with a tailo red resumeCan you apply and get a lower level job? Yes. Is it a decent method for transitioning fields/functions/industries? Yes. But your resume must be specifically tailored for this (thats another article altogether) which most people do not. Instead, they highlight too much experience thinking that by overdoing it theyll for sure get hired.Regardless of level, the best way to look at your resume and give interview answers is to assume that every other applicant has the exact same experience as you same jobs at the same companies etc.If thats truly the case, how do you set yourself apart?4. Mention quantifiable achievementsQuantifiable achievements, or the unique things that you did while in each of those roles.Example Saved the company $1M by decreasing turnover by 35% within my first 6 months at the plant. A bullet like that shows results. It shows that you didnt just maintain the status quo, but worked to improve your situation.5. Perform a self-evaluationYou must take the tim e to self-evaluate and truly understand what you offer professionally (not your potential, but what you can justify today), and how that fits into the current job market.Titles and scopes are vastly different from one company to another. Being a Manager today doesnt guarantee you that same title at another company. Focus on the duties and the scope when you read a posting.Make sure you understand how the size of your current role/company compare to the one youre trying to move into. Have you done most if not all of the duties listed under the preferred qualifications heading in the posting? And most importantly, can you give very specific examples?