Connecting Over a Cup of Coffee A Key Tool to Your Career Development Building Your Future Now

Connecting Over a Cup of Coffee A Key Tool to Your Career Development Building Your Future Now One of the easiest most effective ways to connect with a person is by inviting them out to a cup of coffee! Not just simply messaging them or emailing them, but going out and sitting down to chat. It can be about mentorship, career development or simply strengthening ties. Having a cup of coffee is an amazing way to bond and exchange knowledge. Always be sure to bring your notebook along. Make notes about key aspects of your conversation. Listen to what your guest has to sayyou will learn a lot if actively listen and ask the right questions. Have fun with the conversation and try to add value of you can. However, if you have invited the person for coffee you are mostly in a situation where you want them to talk. The major part of a coffee meeting is to learn! Try to have a coffee meeting every once in a while and with people that you will definitely learn from and perhaps collaborate. You are also strengthening you connecting with your local community by having a simple cup of coffee. Image: RawPixel

Leadership Resume Examples - Looking Back to Improve Your Skills

Leadership Resume Examples - Looking Back to Improve Your SkillsWhen you are looking for great leadership resume examples, it is important to consider the way that you and your actions have changed over the years. Take some time to look back at your accomplishments over the years and see how those that have been the most significant changed over time. This will help you in the decisions that you make when you are completing your resume.One of the best ways to do this is to look back over the past five years and determine the things that you have done that really set you apart from other people and start to highlight those strong points. It can be helpful to take notes about these instances so that you can go back and pick out the different activities that you did and those that were most valuable in their own right. It can also be beneficial to take a more in-depth look at the accomplishments that you have accomplished in these five years.For someone who is looking for a great exampl e of good leadership resume example, they may want to look for one that highlights the importance of this work. Of course, it is important to understand that a person should be able to talk about how they have benefited the company through their work in the past. However, the key to this type of resume example is highlighting the different areas that you have worked on in the past five years. You want to get a balance between highlighting the major accomplishment that you have had as well as highlighting the things that you have done on a more personal level in the five years since you first started working for the company.These types of examples are more difficult to find because they are typically overlooked in favor of the more dramatic examples that people use in their applications. It is important that you don't focus too much on the benefits of the company that you have worked for in the past and if the company is in a difficult time it might be worthwhile to mention this in t he event that you are not hired. On the other hand, if you feel very strongly about your ability to work for a company in the future, you should make sure that you include this in your resume.One of the things that you should note is that there are a number of different elements that need to be included in a resume. While there is a focus on the achievement of goals, you should consider the rest of your achievements while you were working for the company as well. Sometimes it is helpful to highlight what your successes have been as a result of the different areas that you worked on.Another thing that people forget when they are looking for leadership resume examples is that they have to ensure that they properly reference the experiences that they have had while they were working. Some of these should be from people who you have worked with, while others should be things that you did that you think are relevant to the company. The key is to be sure that you highlight the best things that you have done over the past few years.One of the most important things to remember is that your success was not solely based on the success of the company but rather the success of your team and the key in your achievements was due to your own unique personality and skills. Many people underestimate their ability to successfully accomplish tasks and things. There is no way to truly measure this type of accomplishment and many times it can be forgotten in favor of making use of the traditional methods of getting a job.If you are looking for leadership resume examples, you should definitely take some time to look at your past successes. The best candidates will have taken some time to focus on what they have done to make themselves successful and you will have missed this if you take your time to look back at your successes too soon. Take the time to focus on things that are specific to your leadership abilities and develop a skill set that includes different areas of leadership that will continue to make you successful over the years.

5 Tips to Make the Right 1st Impression - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Tips to Make the Right 1st Impression - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career No matter what you are doing, as an entrepreneur, you are networking for the company you created. For that reason, you have to learn how to make a good first impression. You never know when the person you are talking to will be your next client or your next major contract. Here are five tips you can use to improve the first impressions you make on the people around you, so you will be well prepared for whomever life sends your way. 1. Learn Proper Body Language Did you know that the first 10 seconds of a meeting is when people decide most of their opinions about you? You may not even open your mouth to say hi before they have made assumptions about you subconsciously. What are they using for these assumptions? In most instances it is entirely based on body language. Your body language shows your confidence and approachable attitude. It starts with the way you enter the room. If you enter too enthusiastically, people may feel afraid of you or assume you are working too hard to push your business. Instead, enter pleasantly, then claim a space by planting your feet six to eight inches apart, with one slightly in front of the other. This is a calm, yet confident, stance. Dont forget to stand tall, because slouching shows a lack of confidence. When you meet someone, offer a smile. Maintain eye contact for most of the time, but take breaks for about 15 percent of the conversation to avoid making your listener uncomfortable. Be prepared with a firm handshake, and lean slightly toward the person you are talking to so that you appear interested and approachable. Throughout the conversation, maintain a confident stance and a smile to ensure that you create the right overall impression. 2. Know What to Say As an entrepreneur, you need a verbal business card that will introduce who you are and what you have to offer. Prepare this speech in advance, and practice it on friends, family or co-workers until it is second nature. You do not want to be fumbling over what to say when you meet someone. After youve given this so-called elevator speech, you need to forget about yourself and your business. Take the time to hear what the other person is saying. Never talk for longer than a minute, as it appears you are trying to hog the conversation. Throughout the conversation, find a way to squeeze in an appreciative remark. Showing appreciation will give the other person a positive feeling to hold on to when they think about you in the future. Make sure it is sincere, but find a way to give something positive to the other person. 3. Slow Down Your Conversation Entrepreneurs tend to be bright individuals. You have to be in order to make a success out of a business! Yet study after study has shown that bright people tend to talk more quickly than others. This may be because they are thinking so quickly that their mouths can hardly keep up with their ideas. In order to reach the average person, you will have to learn to slow down. Practice speaking at a slower pace until it becomes natural. The average person enjoys listening to someone who talks at about 145 words a minute. Read out loud from a magazine for one minute, then count how many words you spoke. This will show you approximately how fast your normal speech is, so you can make adjustments. 4. Watch Your Tone of Voice In addition to the pace of your voice, you also have to watch the tone of your voice. Your voice should sound enthusiastic and excited, without being too powerful.  Speak at a normal volume that is not too quiet, and avoid talking in a monotone. If you are not sure how your tone of voice sounds, record yourself and listen to the recording. See if you sound like someone people can and should trust. Remember, if people are put off by the tone of your voice, they will not stop to listen to your actual words. 5. Dress the Part Finally, your outfit, including your accessories, makeup and hair, are part of your first impression. You need to dress like a professional to gain the respect of those you are talking to. Make sure your clothing is professional, well-kept, in style and not too flashy. Dont neglect to consider the impact your jewelry, watch, bag or even your coat makes on those who are approaching you in public. If you are not into fashion yourself, ask your friends or family for their opinions. Pull out your favorite outfits, and see what they have to say about them. You can often get great pointers about what you should, and should not, be wearing if you get a second opinion. Does this seem like a lot of work to put into a few seconds of time? Yes, it may be, but as the old adage says, you dont get a second chance to make that first impression. Make sure it is a good one, and reap the rewards through better business dealings

Get ready to teach

Get ready to teach Do you want to teach? Are you planning to apply to start your training in 2016? If so, its time to start  your application planning.  This used to be a simple process of finding the university that offered the best PGCE course  for the appropriate age group and in the chosen subject specialism. Not any longer…. Multiple training options. In recent years training options have become more diverse. A  good place to start finding out whats on offer is the Department for Education  webpages.  How do you want to train?  Under the  traditional taught PGCE route  youll start off by learning  pedagogy in the classroom  and will then go out to schools for your teaching practice. The alternative is on the job training  through Teach First,  School Direct or School-centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT). All of these options will see you managing a class and running lessons almost from the start of your training. School based training is not for the faint hearted, is it right for you? Finances might play a part in your decision making, youll be paid as a Teach First and SCITT  recruit, and you may also be paid for School Direct. If youre doing a PGCE you could be eligible for a very nice bursary or scholarship  but you will not receive a salary. How to apply. The application process and applicable deadlines will all be determined by which training route you choose. For PGCE and School Direct you   make an application through the  UCAS system. The Teach First recruitment process  is much more akin to that of a big graduate scheme, hardly a surprise since it describes itself as a Leadership development programme! Different application deadlines apply to the different routes. PGCE courses open for application each Autumn but School Direct opportunities can open and close very quickly. If youre looking for a particular school you may need to be ready to act very quickly.   Teach First allows you to apply up to two years ahead. You can defer  your place until you are ready to start. Beware, this system means that opportunities within the scheme to train to teach popular subjects (like English) are only open for a narrow window. Get some teaching practice! If you think teaching might be for you then try to get some experience in a school. Whats it really like? Ideally  look for placements in a  couple of different schools and perhaps with varying age groups. Try to experience an alternative to your own schooling. If you base a decision to teach on how much you enjoyed your own  time  in a  grammar or independent school, you might be in for a bit of a shock.   Life is in a tough comprehensive is going to feel very different!  If youre going to Teach First then the comprehensive is exactly where you are going to be. How do you feel about it? Make a start now! If you want to start your teacher training in 2016 you need to get going on the preparation now.  It takes time to organise some school experience. You need to identify the right school, in the right place,  negotiate a placement with senior teachers and get the necessary clearance to work with children (called the DBS check).  You are very unlikely to be allowed in a school until the check is completed. You may struggle to get school experience and while this is more or less essential if you are to make a successful PGCE application, it is less important for Teach First. You may have other valuable out of school  engagement with children. Whatever your experience youll need to be able to reflect on it, showing what you learnt and how it has contributed to your understanding of the teaching profession.  Keep a  diary of  your school experience.  Spend a  few minutes each evening during placement recording the day’s significant events. A store of observations on what went well, what was challenging, how teachers handled different situations provides a supply of convincing stories for a supporting statement and subsequent interview. Many of the training routes attract more applicants than there are places; the successful applicants are those who shine in writing and in person. What do you need for success? If you want to be a teacher youll need passion, resilience, quick thinking, inventiveness and high level time-management skills to survive the rigours of the school environment. Prepare for any or all of these to be assessed as your application is reviewed. The  selection process will vary according to which route youve chosen. If you want to do a PGCE you may only have to deal  with an interview. Teach  First candidates have to face a full assessment centre. Youll have to participate in group exercises as well as teach a short lesson. Dont forget that you have to pass the Professional Skills Test for Teaching. You will often find that you will not be interviewed unless you have passed this. Do make sure you prepare properly for  it. If you havent engaged with Maths or English since GCSE youre likely to need to do a bit of revision! Applicants who have taken their driving theory test will feel at home when they turn up to take this as they often use the same venues. Good luck with your preparations and remember that if youre at Warwick you  can speak to a careers consultant for support and advice at any stage.

Best Resume Writing Service

Best Resume Writing ServiceThere are a number of advantages to having a resume writing service in Orange County California. If you are a college student in California, then you may want to consider this option as an alternative to using your own time and resources to create a high quality resume. With the help of a professional, you can save yourself a lot of time and money by letting the experts do the job for you.Resume writing services will be able to create a resume that is impressive and stands out from the competition. They will be able to create a resume that tells the reader why they should hire you. Instead of worrying about writing a great resume, it is up to you to give the writer all the details that they need to construct a successful resume. This is not something that you can do on your own.The best resume writing service is going to take your resume and create one that shows you off to the greatest extent possible. A good service will provide you with a resume that inc ludes the proper formatting that helps to present information in the most concise manner possible. You will also be able to eliminate any mistakes in your resume that a professional service will spot for you.Resume writing services will also create your resume according to all of the requirements set forth by different employers. This is done in order to make sure that your resume will be able to achieve the highest ranking possible when it is being compared with others in the same field. The service will provide you with several samples of the resume that they have created for other clients in order to ensure that you are getting the best possible resume.When you are an employer, you need to see that your resume looks professionally created, and also shows your own skills as a person. The best resume writing service will produce a resume that displays your professionalism and shows off your skills in the most attractive way possible. The resume should be done in a way that includes the necessary format, which is going to make it easy for you to present yourself in the best possible light.The resume service will also go the extra mile to ensure that your resume has the proper formatting that will make it easy for you to read. Even though your own skills are fine, this is not always the case. You will want to have the ability to communicate effectively, so it is important that your resume display your abilities in the most effective manner possible.Since this is a requirement for hiring employees, you need to find a service that is going to be able to provide you with one. It is very difficult to create a resume for yourself when you are a college student, but when you are applying for a position as an adult, it is imperative that you find a professional that will do it for you. It is important that you get the best possible service so that you are getting the most out of your application process.A professionally written resume can go a long way in helping you get an interview with potential employers. However, if you are not sure what is needed, then it is important that you take the time to find a service that is going to be able to provide you with one.

The Glory of the Plain Text Resume - CareerAlley

The Glory of the Plain Text Resume - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Working from home often means hunting online job boards for new gigs and clients. You might work for an online client for years and never meet her face-to-face. Even so, first impressions still count. How you present your resume can make or break an application for online work. Plain Text or Word Document? You can submit your resume in several ways and formats, but in most cases, youll want to use a plain text format. Online resume builders prefer to work with plain text, and either dont accept Word documents or automatically transfer Word docs into plain text formats. Often, the result of auto-formatting isnt pretty. Youll also submit your resume by email, probably several times a week if youre scouring the job markets. In most cases, youll want to include your resume in the content of your email. Many potential clients wont open attachments out of virus concerns, and some have email filters that automatically weed out incoming messages with attached files. more Killer Resumes Emails and Plain Text Heres a quick experiment to try. Copy your existing resume and paste it into a plain text email. Hows it look? Unless you formatted it specifically for email, chances are its a complete mess. Youll need a plain text resume designed with email in mind. Email formats typically have shorter text lines. Youll need to replace bullets with standard symbols such as asterisks, and some text may need retyping. Save the completed email resume as a plain text file. While youre building a plain text email resume, you might as well add a cover letter at the beginning of the document. Your letter should explain who you are, why youre qualified for the position, and why the reader should look at your resume. Youll need to modify the cover letter slightly for each application, but the bulk of the letterwho you are, what your skills are and so onwont need editing. A pre-written cover letter can save you hours of time during online job searches. Plain Text and Online Resume Databases Most online resume banks give you a choice. Either use their resume maker or upload your resume directly. Many of their online forms assume a chronological resume order, where jobs are listed by date. Thats great, if your resume is chronological. If you have, say, a range of skills as a contractor software analyst, you may want to list your skills before your job history. Uploading your resume to the database allows you to do so, rather than being bound to the sites default format. Using a pre-made plain text resume for resume databases has another advantage. The Internet offers many different resume databases and job-recruiting sites. Manually entering your resume into each sites forms is, to say the least, time-consuming. Its much faster to simply upload your resume. more Resume Formats Michelle Mantel is the Content Manager at Career Igniter and Resume Builder Online. The Illinois News Broadcasters Association, Illinois Broadcasters Association, and College Broadcasters Inc. have recognized Michelle for her outstanding work and commitment to Journalism. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

Gap Analysis for Career Development (Guest Vlog from Jenny Blake)

Gap Analysis for Career Development (Guest Vlog from Jenny Blake) 17 Flares 17 Flares Jenny Blake has worked at Google for five years, and is currently a Career Development Program Manager and internal coach. She is the author of the upcoming book, Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want (Running Press, 2011) and blogs at http://LifeAfterCollege.org, where she provides simple, practical tips about life, work, money, happiness and personal growth. Jenny’s goal is to help people focus on the BIG picture of their lives…not just the details. Other fun facts: Jenny is obsessed with cupcakes, coffee and personal development books.  Follow her on Twitter @jenny_blake. Text Summary of Jennys Vlog Above A company performs a gap analysis to determine the difference between its current performance and its projected or potential performance. You can do the same thing with your career where are you now versus where you want to be, either in terms of skills or job role? First, describe your ideal state in terms of industry, job role, and skills/knowledge. Then assess where you currently are. What can you do to fill them gap? In this video, I provide several strategies for brainstorming next steps. Check out more resources at LifeAfterCollege.org or pre-order your copy of Life After College at http://LACBook.com. Here are links to the resources I mentioned: Life After College Templates Professional Development Strategy Template Mind Mapping exercise Life After College Book