Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Agility Strategies to Keep You Sane

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Agility Strategies to Keep You Sane In today’s rapidly changing business world, an agile business is a successful business. But how do you know when the best thing for the project is to change the plan, and how can you execute and communicate changes without destroying team motivation and momentum? The following strategies may prove helpful. Any major strategic initiative should involve the upfront establishment of goals, milestones, and success metrics. But, as Tim Berry pointed out in his article for theSmall Business Administration website, assumptions should also be considered in your initial planning. “Tracking your results, you want to be able to compare them to what you had planned or expected to see,” he said. “Get your team members together once a month to review your plan and its results. “Take a hard look at your underlying assumptions and assess whether or not they’ve changed. If they have, there’s no virtue whatsoever in sticking to the plan you built on top of them.” Berry suggested you look at the difference between what you planned and what actually happened. Some results will be better than planned, and some will be worse. “For each key difference you discover, and all of them combined, use your best judgment to determine whether the differences were caused by false expectations or unexpected good or bad execution.” “Also, consider external and internal factors that may have influenced the results. Maybe your expectations were too conservative, or too optimistic. In that case, you revise your plan,” he said. Common sense, remarked Berry, is critical. Although the project may be close to your heart, you want to remain pragmatic: for example, asking yourself if you were you wrong about the whole thing, or just about the timing? You also want to consider if something else has occurred in the market to change your assumptions. For more where this came from, check out the full piece on HR.com.

Sign up for Annas Free Female Leadership Secrets Free Training!

Sign up for Annas Free Female Leadership Secrets Free Training! I am so excited to unveil my free female leadership secrets training that I have been working on for the past few weeks! Watch the video to hear what it is all about! For the last eight years, I have worked for a top consulting company and grew my career and performance so that I was promoted, given raises and new leadership opportunities every year for five years straight.   I was able to manage my career so well that my company even asked me to be an Adjunct Professor and teach a class called How to Navigate Your Career For Successand my bosses would continuously come to me to help them solve their team or leadership issues. It took me a lot of time to figure out how to take my career to the next level and I will tell you, I did spend a couple years stuck in a rut and at the same level waiting for someone to do it for me or tell me how to do it….until I figured out on my own some secret strategies that helped me propel myself to the next level over and over again.   These career advancement strategies have helped me gain confidence, be aggressive, gain more respect and have better working relationships ultimately leading to more promotions, raises and success. In my BRAND NEW free training series, Female Leadership Secrets: The Top 3 Career Advancement Strategies for Female Leaders, I’m going to teach you first how to determine your own leadership strengths and style.  Understanding yourself is the number one thing you need in order to succeed and take your career to the next level. Then, I’m going to show you how to get results by developing strategic relationships with the people you work with and building your tribe.   I’ll also show you the biggest mistakes that female leaders make and you’ll discover how to create your own career advancement strategy plan and how to manage your time better so that you can focus on your performance and getting the results you want. Click here to go to my registration site and enter your name and email on the page immediately and you’ll get access to my new free training series right now. This includes video training, a live webinar with me on November 11th, a chance to ask questions and get feedback plus worksheets to guide you through the whole thing. I look forward to teaching you how to take your career and performance to the next level so that you can be happy, fulfilled and successful in your career. P.S. Remember, to go here to register for my free training:  http://tinyurl.com/freeleadershiptraining

Personal Branding on Display - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding on Display - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What if you were applying for a job and as part of the application, you have to write a post for the companys blog? There are no other requirements for the post and you can write about anything you want. This is actually happening right now at an innovation consultancy in Richmond, Virginia! The company, Play, required all the potential 2009 summer interns to write a blog post for the official company blog as part of their application. To make things even more interesting, Play is actually publishing those posts for all the world to see. Its a fascinating display of personal branding both bad and good Theres an applicant who wasted his post by writing about Michael Phelps recent (and now notorious) escapade on his campus. There are a couple applicants who sullied otherwise decent posts with careless spelling and grammatical errors, and others tried to get ahead by heaping praise on the company. And one who didnt even bother to write a blog post, just a couple sentences about his background and his interest in working at Play. (Oops!)A common mistake was also for applicants to write the blog post in the style of a college admissions essays. Theyd talk about their accomplishments and use impressive words totally missing the point that blog posts are about being informal and showing personality. But some of the applicants got it right A couple wrote engaging posts about their experiences with creativity. David wrote about his struggles to write a screenplay and how he eventually realized that enjoying the process was more important than creating a perfect ending. Paul wrote about creating toys out of found objects when he was growing up in southern Africa. Hannah shared a moment of inspiration that led to a theme for a dance. Others showed that they fit into the culture of Play by writing posts like the company would normally put onto its blog. Valeria shared a creative commercial that inspired her. Panayiotis wrote about the nature of creativity, and Mary wrote a quirky post about how given the choice between a dinosaur she could ride, or one she could talk to shed choose a dinosaur that could be ridden because it would eliminate parking tickets! Finally, Krystle showed that she had a fun spirit by creating a video for her post about how she liked to play. Further analysis Those posts are effective personal branding because they reveal what the applicants are really like. They show what the applicants will talk about when theyre given a completely open-ended question, and whats important in their lives. The posts also prove who paid attention to the rules of the game. Careless errors stand out, and its obvious who took the time to understand the style of posts are normally written on the Play blog. And, most importantly for Play, the posts show who has the capability to break out of a box and be creative! Of course, most companies dont require applications like that. But could you imagine if they did? What if you had to write a blog post, or even a personal essay as part of your application? What would you write about? How would you go about creating your blog post? How would you prove to your dream company that you are the absolute right person for the job? Would you be able to convey your personal brand effectively? As you can see from the young college students applying for the internships at Play, its not an easy thing to do. Author: Katie Konrath writes about “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at getFreshMinds.com, a top innovation blog.

15 Lesser-Known Tips to Improve Brand Engagement - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

15 Lesser-Known Tips to Improve Brand Engagement - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The following answers are provided by members of  Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched  BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.   1. Give Them Something of Value   Millennials are pretty jaded by most company communications. Youre not going to convince them that your company is fun (even if it is) or that your branding is born of anything but a stuffy meeting. Give them something thats clearly of value to them for their participation. Deals, specials, and secret or early launches for your close customers are good options.    Adam Steele,  The Magistrate   2. Get Provocative With Art   If you want more interaction, be bolder in expressing what you stand for through creativity. Your business offers a gift to the world. Express what you offer artistically and people cannot help but respond. Art creates conversation. By expressing yourself this way, the people who are wrong for you will leave you alone, and the people who are right for you will fight to be seen by you.    Corey Blake,  Round Table Companies   3. Display Social Media on Office TVs   Wherever you have a physical location such as your office entrance or retail location, add a TV that displays your social media feed like Twitter and Instagram. The displays will  educate viewers on your brands social media handles and  encourage them to interact with you online. We use these social media displays in our office lobby and tradeshows.    Nanxi Liu,  Enplug   4. Answer Every Question   Were very active on Reddit and other online forums,  answering every question we find about our company, even the negative ones. After 1,000-plus messages during the last four years, we havent converted every critic, but weve made it clear who we are and what we stand for as a company. Its also been a great way to get clear, honest feedback from our users.    Neil Thanedar,  LabDoor   5. Contact Customers for No Reason But to Say Thanks   I find that engagement has gone up after we personally contact our customers to tell them thank you as well as share any new updates on features. They are pleasantly surprised that we are not trying to sell them on anything but just saying we appreciate them.    John Rampton,  Due   6. Get Your Readers Nodding Along   All content should make your readers nod their heads as they read along. If you can get them answering yes as they read, theyre more motivated to act on your call to action at the end. So ask pointed questions that speak to their needs, wants, desires and fears to get them on the same page with your content. This will keep them engaged and coming back for more of the same great information.    Nicole Munoz,  Start Ranking Now   7. Share Video Content   Every brand has a story: Share your brand’s personality through video content. This can be through Facebook Live, or other social media platforms and vlogs. Choose what makes the most sense to your brand, it could be how-to videos or answers to FAQs. Use the style that suits your brand to connect with your audience on a regular basis. Video is the most engaging way to leave a lasting impression.    Stanley Meytin,  True Film Production   8. Ask Questions Instead of the Routine Call-to-Action   A great way to engage readers is to ask for their opinion. Audiences love to share their thoughts, and it will get a vivid conversation going about your brand and content. One way to do this is to pose a question at the end of your article or blog, rather than including a pitch for your company. This is a soft ask that will still garner interest in your product, while also driving discussion.    Elle Kaplan,  LexION Capital   9. Co-Create with Your Audience   Involve your audiences in anything new youre creating, such as a new product or a new resource. Co-create with them or at least ask for their suggestions. This is a sure-fire way of keeping them engaged, as theyll think of your product/company as their own.    Pratham Mittal,  Outgrow   10. Think in Terms of People, Not Audience   When you write a personal letter to someone, what is your open rate going to be? Barring extenuating circumstances, 100%! So, more companies need to talk to individuals, and not to groups. We throw around terms like “audience” all the time, but it will do you a lot of good to think in terms of people, not in terms of segments.    Ismael Wrixen,  FE International   11. Go to Them Instead of Waiting for Them to Come to You   People are on social media and so are brands. Find your audience on social media and comment on their posts. Share their posts, congratulate them on their engagements, and laugh at their jokes. Everyone wants to feel noticed and appreciated. The more a brand notices a customer first, the more that customer feels recognized by the brand.    Renato Libric,  Bouxtie Inc   12. Give Away Free Knowledge   Content marketing has exploded in recent years due to the fact that customers now congregate around brands that have imparted invaluable knowledge they would have otherwise not known. To get people organically excited about your brand and actively engaging with it, drop some wisdom in the form of a blog post, video or uplifting social media update.    Firas Kittaneh,  Amerisleep   13. Solicit Feedback   Send out-of-the-blue emails to customers: What do you like/dislike about our product? or What suggestions do you have for us? You should actively ask them these questions; the alternative is waiting for them to get frustrated enough to reach out to you. Even if theyre generally satisfied, this will give them a positive impression of your customer service and will keep your brand top of mind.    Roger Lee,  Captain401   14. Add Personal Content   We like to do daily posts that are personal to our employees. You not only reach followers of the company, but you expand to your employees’ friends, making for a more relatable post. It also puts more of a personal touch on the company, rather than just being some faceless, nameless corporate entity.    Justin Lefkovitch,  Mirrored Media   15. Do Good Works   Creating partnerships with non-profit organizations can further your positive brand perception while also getting people to engage with you more often. Doing pro-bono work, giving customers and opportunity to participate in raising awareness for various causes and showcasing how our team is making a difference helps people to be educated on your mission. Doing good is  just good business.    Jennifer Mellon,  Trustify  

Stephanie Brodt and the Virtual Assistant Life [Podcast] - Career Pivot

Stephanie Brodt and the Virtual Assistant Life [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode #137 â€" Marc Miller interviews Stephanie Brodt on becoming a virtual assistant. Description: Stephanie Brodt, owner of Stephanie Brodt Virtual Executive Services left the corporate world after 20-plus years working as an executive assistant to work as a virtual assistant online. Now, as an author and coach, she teaches others how to leave the office and use their very own specific skills while working from their home or even while they travel. Stephanie’s online course, titled, “Your 9 to 5 Exit Plan” is open for enrollment now through the end of July. For those who wish to learn more about how to work with this type of freedom and flexibility, you can go to her website at Stephaniebrodt.com. Stephanie is Marc’s virtual assistant and she’s launching a new course the same week this episode airs. Marc has no financial relationship with this course. He just wants to help Stephanie be successful with this new endeavor; as she has been a great virtual assistant to Marc for almost three years. Key Takeaways: [1:29] Marc welcomes you to Episode 137 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Career Pivot is the sponsor of this podcast; CareerPivot.com is one of the very few websites dedicated to those of us in the second half of life and our careers. Check out the blog and the other resources delivered to you, free of charge. [1:59] If you are enjoying this podcast, please share it with other like-minded souls. Subscribe on CareerPivot.com, iTunes, or any of the other apps that supply podcasts. Share it on social media or just tell your neighbors and colleagues. The more people Marc reaches, the more people he can help. [2:17] Marc has released five chapters of the next edition of Repurpose Your Career to the Repurpose Your Career review team. Sign up to be part of the review team at CareerPivot.com/RYCTeam. [2:34] You will receive new chapters as they become available. Marc is looking for honest feedback and would love to get an honest review on Amazon.com after the book is released. [2:46] Marc plans to release the book in late September and do both a virtual and a real book tour. He will be in Austin, the NYC Area, and D.C. in late September and in October. Marc would love to meet his readers and listeners. [3:02] Reach out to Marc at Podcasts@CareerPivot.com. [3:07] Next week, Marc will interview Mark Silverman of Amava.com. [3:12] Amava™’s mission statement is, “We want you to live a long, fulfilling life. We focus on social engagement because, according to research, it can be more important to wellness than genes, nutrition or fitness routines. It’s downright scary how dangerous it is to become isolated.” [3:32] Marc had planned on playing Mark’s interview this week but changed his mind. This week, Marc is interviewing Stephanie Brodt. Marc shares her biography. Listen to the most recent episode [4:43] Marc welcomes Stephanie to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. Stephanie is Marc’s virtual assistant (VA) and she is launching a new course on how to become a VA. Many Baby Boomers have never considered becoming a VA. [5:16] Stephanie has already talked to Marc’s online membership community, so Marc wanted to bring her onto the podcast, too, to explain what a VA does. Stephanie is not a Boomer but is near the upper end of Generation X. [5:59] Stephanie started out of college as a receptionist for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. [6:010] Her bachelor’s degree is in business management, but she always worked in the office as an executive assistant, administrative assistant, project manager, and general manager, all basically in positions where she assisted other people to be successful. Stephanie liked being behind the scenes, managing the details of projects. [6:36] Stephanie loves that work and has done it for 20-plus years for different organizations, mainly at institutions of higher education. [6:51] Today, Stephanie works virtually, from her home office or while traveling with her husband. She works as a VA, which has slowly gone into coaching other people how to take their office skills and use them virtually instead of at a physical location. She started by coaching her friends who were interested in working virtually. [7:31] Stephanie still keeps a few clients on hand that she works for as a VA, mixed in with the coaching. Now on to the podcast… Download Link | iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast| Podbean | TuneIn | Overcast [7:44] A virtual assistant assists in whatever that business is doing, just as in an office â€" help your boss manage calendars, send out newsletters, help them with correspondence and customers. You may help them with data, bookkeeping, or accounting. Whatever you can do to assist them, you can do virtually, online. [8:22] Small business owners and medium-sized business owners may need help and not have a full-time employee to help them. A virtual assistant could do website management or blog editing. They could edit books. It could be anything that a company needs. [9:04] Stephanie edits Marc’s blogs, sends emails, puts together Marc’s podcast, and sometimes talks to Marc’s clients. Marc put a request on LinkedIn that he was looking for a VA and Stephanie responded to it. When they first connected, Stephanie was living in Indiana. Now, she lives in Florida, where she and her husband moved to “semi-retire.” [10:01] Marc and Stephanie have never met in person. That is how things are with most of her clients. Stephanie has had clients in Spain, the UK, Australia, and one in Colorado, U.S. Stephanie and Marc do video conferences online. [10:44] It was a slow process for Stephanie to go from the workplace to the virtual workplace. The more she did her job, the better she knew it. The older she got, the more freedom she wanted to have. She wanted to schedule her own time off. [11:22] When Stephanie was brought into her final corporate job, the company had no administrative staff and she was asked to create one. Stephanie brought on three assistants and taught them how to run an administrative team. As they became better, Stephanie was eventually told that the team could work without her and she was let go. [11:58] Stephanie was sad that the position was gone, but in the back of her mind, she didn’t want to return to an office where she had to beg for her time off. She didn’t enjoy the commute or the timeclock. So, she started looking for ways not to go back to an office. They had given her a severance amount, so she had a little cushion. [12:57] Stephanie and her husband agreed that she could use up the cushion, and if she hadn’t figured out what to do after that, she would go back to an office. They cut back wherever they could and Stephanie started figuring it out. [13:17] Stephanie’s job was to spend 40 hours a week figuring out what she could do. What she figured out was that she could do what she had always done: the tasks she had always done in an office. She could quickly convert that to working online for clients all around the world and work when she wanted. [13:58] She could work at home or while they traveled in the car. She could hook up her phone as a hotspot and work in the car as they drove from Indiana to Florida. Her clients never noticed it. She didn’t have to ask anyone for anything. She could just do it. [14:21] The more Stephanie found out, the more she started doing it, the more passionate she became. People her age that have always known work in a physical location had no idea this work was available and how easy it is to step into it. [14:44] Stephanie became very adamant about telling people around her when they would ask about it, that they could use their computer at home the same way they use it in an office, with just a few tricks and connecting programs added. [15:07] When she saw people being suffocated by the time and place restrictions of work, she was passionate about helping them do the same things she was doing. Besides coaching people how to be VAs, she keeps a few clients that she really enjoys working for herself, Marc being one of them. [15:49] Stephanie eventually chose a specific niche for her VA work. At first, Stephanie worked for companies that were in areas she had already worked in. She recommends staying in familiar territory to start. Once, she picked up a client who was an author and a life coach. [16:27] This client was producing things for her clients that resonated with Stephanie. Stephanie was so interested, she would have assisted this client for free. That led her to see that she enjoys that type of work more. Working on her terms allowed her to discover and choose what she liked best. [17:10] Stephanie started to look toward people who were authors, speakers, and life coaches, to study their mentality and way of looking at life. She started looking only for that type of work. She might take on others that approached her or hire assistants to do the work for those clients. This started unexpectedly, from all the referrals she received. [18:06] To avoid disappointing the people who had sent her the referrals, Stephanie brought on assistants she managed and assured the quality of their work. Stephanie retains for herself the work for coaches, speakers, and authors. [18:33] Marc describes VA work to his clients like this: You work 80% of the time, you make 75% of what you used to make, and you get to fire clients you don’t like. [19:08] Stephanie wants to really live every day, not just weekends, vacations, or holidays. She goes to lunch with friends, and does the work in a morning, evening or the next day. She also only picks clients she enjoys working with, who click with her. [20:04] You set up your business in a way that you do get to choose. Don’t set up your business in a way that money is so tight you have to take every client, whether you work well together or not. [20:40] There are certain clients that are going to make you miserable but you get to make that choice. [20:53] Stephanie first thought that she would just do the work that she knew how to do and it would be very easy, and relaxing. She thought she wouldn’t have to work as hard. [21:12] Stephanie feels like she has put more energy into it than she thought she would but she’s passionate about what she does. The hours and the days seem to fly by. She’s not watching a clock. Her work blends easily with her life. [21:35] Stephanie sets limits to her work time. She has family time and she meets a friend every week for a long lunch. But she doesn’t forget her work at the end of the day She’s always thinking of what she can make better and what she can do next. She looks forward to the challenges every day. It’s much more than just a job; it’s a real part of her. [22:55] Stephanie talks about the online course she is launching. She found that a lot of people her age who have worked in an office for many years have a lot of fears and doubts about working at home or wherever they want to work. They don’t understand how that plays together. [23:30] Stephanie created a very simple course and teaches it the way she wishes someone had taught her, on how to take what you do right now and how to go find clients that want to hire you for those skills. [23:46] In her course, Stephanie walks you through how to write emails to prospective clients showing what you can do for them, how to follow up with those prospects, and how to create your profiles online so that someone looking for a VA or a project manager will see you and be drawn to you. [24:08] Stephanie teaches the very basic steps that get you from beginning to end as far as finding the clients and getting the money coming in. That’s a big fear if you’ve had 20 years in an office with good pay, benefits, and security. To walk away from all of that is a scary, scary thing. [24:35] If you have a job now, you can start working through this course on the side and bringing on a few clients. You will charge more per hour than you were paid in an office, keeping in mind that you have to pay for your insurance. When you have enough clients on the side, you can seamlessly walk over and go on your own. [25:06] This course teaches you how to do that. You don’t buy a lot of equipment, you don’t have to create a website, and you don’t have to put all this money into a business. To start, you just take what you know and you start telling other people about it and helping them out, and they pay you for it. It’s as easy as that. [25:31] Stephanie sells the course to do at your own pace when you want. Stephanie also does a private Facebook group for questions and answers in Live QAs with her. It’s a hand-holding process for how to get started until you’re ready to leave the office. [25:51] Marc refers back to Episode 14 with Taylor Pearson, the author of The End of Jobs: Money, Meaning and Freedom Without the 9-to-5. Taylor Pearson calls this process stair-stepping your way out. [26:21] You can do as Stephanie did, having a little cushion to support her at first, or you can build it up on the side until you are confident in going on your own full-time. Stephanie is confident that if you have used those skills in the corporate world for several years, you can use them successfully in your own online business. [26:43] Companies are craving people who have done the work, who know how to show up and hit deadlines. It’s hard to find that type of person. They need you. Stephanie wants to teach people how to get out there and do it. [27:05] Administrative assistant jobs in big corporations are going away but the work isn’t going away. To solopreneurs, independent contractors, and small service firms who don’t want to hire a full-time employee, this makes perfect sense. [27:34] Stephanie’s course is on the home page at StephanieBrodt.com. Sign up for the webinar on Insider Secrets. That will also lead to the course. You can reach out to Stephanie by phone or email on her website. [29:06] Virtual Assistants are a relatively new concept in the last 10 years or so. Marc tells how he uses Stephanie’s services. Because Marc gives deadlines to Stephanie, it forces him to get things on time to her. [30:17] Marc thanks Stephanie for being on the Repurpose Your Career podcast. [30:26] Marc hopes you enjoyed this episode. Being a virtual assistant is one of the ways you can gain freedom from the ‘nine-to-five grind.’ Stephanie enjoys both the job and the freedom it allows her to pursue her life dream. [30:41] The Career Pivot Membership Community continues to help the approximately 50 members who are participating in the Beta phase of this project to grow and thrive. The community has moved on to the next phase where community members who have experienced success share their successes and teach others. [30:57] This is a community where everyone is there to help everyone else out. Marc is recruiting members for the next cohort.[31:05] If you are interested in the endeavor and would like to be put on the waiting list, please go to CareerPivot.com/Community. When you sign up you’ll receive information about the community as it evolves. [31:19] Those who are in these initial cohorts set the direction. This is a paid membership community with group coaching and special content. More importantly, it’s a community where you can seek help. Please go to CareerPivot.com/Community to learn more.[31:41] Marc invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn.com/in/mrmiller. Just include in the connection request that you listen to this podcast. You can look for Career Pivot on Facebook, LinkedIn, or @CareerPivot on Twitter. [32:00] Please come back next week, when Marc will interview Mark Silverman of Amava.com [32:06] Marc thanks you for listening to the Repurpose Your Career podcast. [32:10] You will find the show notes for this episode at CareerPivot.com/episode-137. [32:18] Please hop over to CareerPivot.com and subscribe to get updates on this podcast and all the other happenings at Career Pivot. You can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, the Google Podcasts app, Podbean, the Overcast app, or the Spotify app. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

112 Beth Powell - Digital Marketing Club - Jane Jackson Career

112 Beth Powell - Digital Marketing Club - Jane Jackson Career Beth Powell is the founder of Digital Marketing Club â€" an SME digital marketing strategy development and coaching business and the author of Drive More Business: a five-step guide to digital marketing for auto dealers.She also runs a small online import business. Beth is an entrepreneur who created the first social media and digital marketing professional development programs in Australia 10 years ago which she has delivered to hundreds of marketers, non-marketers and business owners across the country, for the Australian Marketing Institute. Prior to launching her own business, Beth held executive marketing and communications roles in the government, not-for-for profit, and private sector. She holds a Masters degree in Digital Communication and Culture from the University of Sydney and a Cert IV in workplace training.We have a fun conversation in this podcast episode as Beth has had an incredible career journey from dreaming about becoming a dentist when she was very young to star ting her career as a nurse, transitioning into journalism and radio broadcasting, joining the not for profit sector and then becoming a Mum before working for the Lord Mayor of Sydney and then creating her highly successful Digital Marketing Club.  Beth has found her calling as an entrepreneur. Its been quite a ride!She tells us how Digital Marketing Club helps small and medium enterprises to grow by using effective digital marketing principles.Where to find Beth:Email:  info@bethpowell.com.auWebsite:  www.bethpowell.com.auTwitter: @bethiep

No Nonsense Resume Writing to Get You the Interview

No Nonsense Resume Writing to Get You the InterviewIf you're a student, looking for a job or a new employee seeking a job, you'll need to know the tricks of resume writing. A no nonsense resume will get you the first few interviews you get.Each year millions of people get their resumes reviewed and hundreds of them are sent to recruiters to interview with many different resume formats. Recruiters are used to getting a stack of applications from candidates who have a long way to go to impress them. Many job seekers don't consider the fact that the average length of an interview is around an hour or less. After a few of these interviews the recruiter starts to consider the application for a waste of time and sends it to the trash can.One of the first things a recruiter looks for on a long list of applications is something that really stands out in the resume. A resume that is a good example of a no nonsense resume may contain these three common elements: an employer's contact informati on, a summary of the work experience and a summary of qualifications. The employer's contact information should be clearly noted at the top of the page along with a list of organizations they may be associated with.'Work experience' is not a part of the lay person's vocabulary. Most employers don't require applicants to submit years of experience. This is because employers only want references to years of professional and personal experience and not the one-year internship most college students have. The easiest way to show that your experience is relevant is by including a summary of your work experience on the resume.'Qualifications' is another word that many people don't use correctly when applying for a job. Before writing your qualifications, make sure you understand what it is. The main purpose of your qualifications is to tell the employer what specific skills or traits you have and how you apply them. In your qualifications, be sure to mention any credentials that are releva nt to the position for which you are applying.It sounds like something that would be hard to spell but the jargon is actually laid out in layman's terms. Remember to include details such as: previous education, awards or achievements, licenses or certifications, certifications or qualifications, degrees, certificates or work experience in each entry.Another common error that many job seekers make is including gaps in work experience. In no more than two years of work experience, listing that you've never had a job, experience not related to your job search. You can use this advantage to show that you've always been working and have the interest in learning more about your new job.Any job seeker will find that there are no shortage of job openings. Because of this, it's important to create a resume that tells the employer about yourself. The trick is to use no nonsense resume writing.