Stop! How NOT to Begin Your Resume

Stop! How NOT to Begin Your Resume Well begun is half-done. But far too many resumes begin with objective statements that can only be described as half-baked. As a professional resume writer, I review and analyze nearly 2,000 resumes every year. And in the vast majority of cases, almost every job seeker could use a better opening objective. To show you what I mean, here are three example objectives from actual resumes sent to me for analysis. (My comments are in parentheses.) Each resume got off to a horrible start as a result of these objectionable objectives. Objective 1 To obtain a responsible (as opposed to irresponsible?) and challenging (what, you dont like dull work?) position where my education and work experience will have valuable application (instead of a worthless one?) Objective 2 To contribute professionalism and experience to a challenging position offering ample skill utilization and growth opportunities. (This is just plain gobbledygook, and could describe any job on earth, really.) Objective 3 Seeking a challenging career with a progressive organization which will utilize my skills, abilities and education in management, product management, operations, purchasing and buying (Sorry, I gave up halfway through. Chances are, employers reading that sleep-inducing sentence will, too.) OK. So much for how not to start your resume. You can stand out from the crowd if youll just start your from the employers point of view, instead of your own. And use everyday language as you write. Sounds simple, doesnt it? It is. When writing your objective, make sure it answers this question: Whats in it for me? Thats the question on every employers mind as he or she reads your resume. Heres an example objective, to get you started: OBJECTIVE Management position in procurement where over 10 years of experience will add value to operations. Avoid such trite phrases as: seeking a chance for advancement, where my skills will be utilized, or where I can further my career. Ive seen each of these on resumes that were badly hampered as a result. So, to keep your objective from being objectionable (and torpedoing your job search), put the focus where it belongs on the employer and their needs. And dont try to impress readers with your vocabulary. Write the way you would talk to your manager during a meeting. To see if youve succeeded, read your objective out loud. Best of luck to you! Related: 5 Old-School Sections You Ought to Remove from Your Resume. Image: Shutterstock

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Company Page for SEO

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Company Page for SEO LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for many recruiters. Not only is it the perfect network to source and connect with talent, but its also a really useful platform for marketing your brand and expanding your reach, no matter what industry. Setting up a LinkedIn page for your company is definitely worthwhile if youre looking to enhance your companys presence online. Along with  building exposure for your business, it also allows you to engage your followers by sharing company updates and relevant content, which is essential for building a rapport with your target audience and expressing who you are as a brand. To get the most out of your  companys presence on LinkedIn, its important that your page can be found and to achieve this you must ensure that you have optimised it for SEO. Here are 3  tips you should follow to boost your pages search ranking both on and off of LinkedIn, courtesy of LinkedIn  themselves. 1. Include relevant  keywords Your company page can be found by LinkedIn users searching by name and also for keywords, so its important that you fill in all of your company information and include plenty of strong  keywords in your company description that will attract and boost discovery by your target audience. Google search previews will display up to 156 characters of your company page  in search results, so make sure you kick your description off with  all of the most important information, that clearly communicates who you are and what you do. Make sure your description and company image is consistent with your other social media pages so that you can maintain a consistent brand for your business. 2. Place a link to your company page on your website The more times the link to your LinkedIn company page is shared, the higher it will rank in searches. The best way to give your company page a boost is to encourage employees to keep their LinkedIn profiles up to date, as by listing their experience within the company a link back to your page will be added to their profile. You may also wish to share a link to your LinkedIn page on your company website, blog or other social media platforms. 3. Share relevant content Sharing relevant content with your LinkedIn network on a regular basis is a great way of building an online presence and engaging your followers. This is the ideal place for you to share any of your own blog posts or creations. Alternatively, you can  share other interesting content from external sources that you feel would be of interest to your audience. For the best results, you want to update your page as frequently as possible so that you retain your followers interest. By  encouraging interaction on your updates, the reach of your posts will expand with each like or comment you receive. These are not the only benefits of sharing content however, as it can also help to boost  your  ranking in search results.  Each time you share content, it will be added to your public page, allowing Google to index it and the higher the engagement level you receive, the higher  your search ranking.

3 Professional Women at Work ~ 3 Stylish Office Looks

3 Professional Women at Work ~ 3 Stylish Office Looks Today, we have a special treat!    Sarah Beckman, an Editor at Affordable Style, is going to give us 3 affordable and stylish office looks highlighting 3 famous professional women in the fashion industry.   At  Sarahs office,    there is no dress code (other than to keep it classy enough for work). Part of being successful at work is looking the part. But, for the fashionistas out there, work clothes can seem stifling. Those uncomfortable dress pants? No thanks. Dowdy button downs? Yeah, right!   There are ways to look stylish and professional at work. I take my cues from young, stylish women who work in the fashion industry. OscarPRGirl, or Erika Bearman, is director of communications for Oscar de la Renta. As PR girl for Oscar, Erica has amazing style at work, which her often shares on her Twitter and Tumblr. Always chic, always professional, Erikas is one to mimic 1. silk scarf $19.95 2. cream blouse $20.69, black booties $49.00, red nail polish $14.00, wrap watch $38.00, satchel handbag, high-waisted pants $42.00. PS want to see more? Check out her Tumblr. As an author, fashion designer, and website creator, Lauren Conrads a working professional with impeccable taste. If your office has a relaxed dress code, or casual Fridays, keep it informal, yet professional with her style (and I suggest adding a scarf if you dont want a gaping neckline at work!) 1. dark-wash boot jeans $29.99, 2. ruffled tunic $29.99, 3. polka dot scarf $9.95, 4. black pumps $29.09, 5. black handbag, 6. black blazer $43.40, 7. silver cuff bracelet $14.00. Remember Olivia Palermo, the girl we all loved to hate on The City? Hate her or not, you cant deny she has style. As a socialite, former Elle employee, and now fashion model, Olivia is always in the fashion spotlight. Her style is always classy and put-together, just as your professional wardrobe should be 1. gold strands necklace $45.00, 2. thin black belt $28.00, 3. strappy heels $49.00, 4. gold cuff bracelet $24.75, 5. oversized black sunglasses $14.95, 6. black skirt $48.00, 7. crew neck sweater $69.50, 8. brown tote bag $14.95. Do you have any professional fashion inspirations? Please share in the comments.

Improve Your Personal Brands Connections on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Improve Your Personal Brands Connections on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The goal of marketing online is for your personal brand to be seen as a valuable and trusted resource. What you may not realize is there are a lot of spam or fake accounts you may be connected with on social media. In order to be effective and encourage the right people to spread the word your brand needs to revisit who your fans and followers are. Does Your Brand Have Too Many Irrelevant Connections on Social Media? While a large number of people on your social networks may appear to be a good thing many of these may not be interested in what you have to offer. By taking a look at each account you can determine who is authentic and which fans or followers are counting against you. It’s well worth investing the time to do this, which will produce better results on the social media, and greater visibility for your brand. There are several steps you can take to identify these irrelevant accounts: Have you purchased fans and followers in the past? If your brand was working to get your community numbers up you may have hired a service to help you grow your social media profiles. Unfortunately many of these people are not targeted for your niche, and are not interested in what you have to offer. They are less apt to share your content, and some of these could be spam accounts, which can be a nuisance to deal with. Typically these are easy to spot as you do a social media audit. Even though your numbers may decrease your quality connections will increase. Use social media management tools There are low-cost and free tools available to help your brand manage your community. For example, on Twitter you can find inactive followers, people who have recently unfollowed, new followers, ect. As you remove accounts use resources like Klout and LinkedIn to connect with more relevant people. Evaluate and communicate After weeding out your social networks keep track of new connections and make sure these are a good fit with your brand. Start the communication process with influencers and build better relationships. Valuable requests and new followers will soon follow as you establish a more credible community. In order to protect your personal brand’s reputation online it’s important to check your social media accounts frequently in order to determine who you are communicating with and how your audience is responding to content. Spam or fake accounts are easy to remedy after putting forth the initial time and effort. A thorough audit can help your brand stand out online in a more credible and authentic way.

11 Essential Skills for a Successful Career in Public Relations CareerMetis.com

11 Essential Skills for a Successful Career in Public Relations Today, communication professions have become more dynamic. Due to the influence of audience preferences and expectations, PR practitioners in the field must continuously grow or face antiquation. Traditional PR skills, like captivating writing and media relations, will always be valued.Possibly, they are more important than ever nowadays because of the ruptured media market. However, due to advances in technology, additional skills, such as analytics, SEO, social media content creation, and programming, should match tradition skills. The amalgamation of both modern and traditional skills will help create and explore PR in a tech world.evalAs we all know, PR significantly falls under communications and marketing; it exists to shape public opinion or change it completely. The information in this post can help the general public understand PR Each type of Public Relations has its own purpose, and each one suits a different type of professional. According to the functions of the public r elations agencies, there are seven types of PR, which includes:1) Media Relations:evalBuild good relations with the media and organization and act as their content source. Media relations is all about dealing with press releases, interview scheduling, giving press conferences, etc. The goal of media relations is to generate positive coverage of your business or your product. Putting it in simple terms, your media should be doing your advertising for free.2) Investor Relations:It is all about the release of financial reports and regulatory filings. Handle analysts, investors, events, media queries, and complaints. Investor Public relations provide investors with an accurate account of the company’s affairs. It is present in most medium-to-large public companies. A company’s IR departments are tightly integrated with the accounting department, legal department and the executive management team. Investor relations also has significantly more regulatory requirements than standard pu blic relations, due to financial and legal requirements mandated by the government.3) Government Relations:It represents the brand to the government. PR professionals fulfill policies such as fair competition, corporate social responsibility, employee protection, consumer protection, etc. Government relations is defined as a process of influencing public policy at all governance levels â€" local, regional, national and global.evalHere, the aim is to persuade government officials to change or maintain a policy to more effectively fit the needs of a particular group. It’s all about getting the government on your side of the court. Public affairs professionals work to create contacts within the government and other organizations.4) Community Relations:Community relations in PR create a positive reputation in the social niche like education, environment protection, etc. They handle the social aspect of the brand. It refers to the various methods companies use to establish maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with the communities in which they operate.The main principle of community relations is that when a company actively accepts civic responsibilities, it gains a number of benefits in terms of support from community, loyalty, and goodwill. To be successful in community relations, you need to understand how people in the community act and think. They need to learn how to engage with people â€" through events, newsletters, etc.5) Internal Relations:evalInternal Public Relations works by cooperating with the employees of the organization during exclusive product launches and events. It also counsels the employees about the course of action, policies, companies and their own responsibility. Internal public relations is a discipline that concentrates on enhancing a company’s relationship with its employees by facilitating good communication amongst the management and employees. While PR involves mass media, internal PR does not. When it comes to internal public relations, the ‘public’ is an organization’s employees or board members.6) Customer Relations:Customer Relations work by conducting market research to know more about the attitudes, interests, and priorities of the customers. They also handle relationships with the target market and lead consumers and craft strategies to influence the same using earned media. Consumer PR professionals work towards building connections with customers by creating content that attracts interaction and re-sharing.Another function of public relations is to get the word out to reliable third-parties which are backing the brand. This can be in the form of a paid agreement where the company can sponsor a particular event or team.7) Marketing Communications:Marketing communications is all about to support marketing efforts relating to unique public relation campaigns, product launch, brand awareness, image, and positioning. A marketing communication strategy can work without a budget. It operate s by building relationships with journalists where the company or brand can get press coverage, guest posts, and backlinks. Amongst the four Ps of marketing Who doesn’t wish to have a good reputation? This is what a public relations professional does. Being trustworthy, upfront, honest, and sticking to your principles in your working life helps expand networks, as well as the quality of work. Obtaining these things in professional life also helps you sleep better at night. Alternating ideas or truths will lower the quality of work a PR professional does. So, it is of utmost essential to stick with the truth to make your mark in the PR world.2) Research and Knowledge:In public relations, you need to be up-to-date on the current market trends, latest technology, information about the client’s product or services, and customer’s desire. Further, conducting background research ensures your ability to meet the requirements of your clients without a sweat, and speak with journalists and analysts about your subject matter with ease and confidence.3) Enhance Your Networks:The ability to build professional relations is one of the most important things for success in public relations. Building more and more networks with confidence and charisma will complement your oral and written communication skills. It will make you a great PR representative.4) Versatility:In public relations, working on multiple projects at a time will be your everyday task. This includes handling numerous clients with changing requirements and differing deadlines. But, it will be a cherry on the cake, if you can do multitasking in a high-pressure work environment. PR professionals possess a different kind of energy where they thrive and enjoy working in such a fast-paced environment.5) Accuracy:Any work it may be, having accuracy is necessary for a successful and long career. Likewise, in PR, it is crucial to keep ever-evolving media demands accuracy and attention to detail. In the PR proces s, there is constant reviewing and editing in the previously written content for clients, making it necessary to deliver a faultless edit. Because even a single mistake could be the difference between a campaign’s success or failure.eval6) Adapt to Change Quickly:You must be knowing that the landscape of media is continually evolving. People have started consuming media through apps and social media more than ever. As a public relations expert, you should be flexible and adapt to these changes.7) Strategic Thinking:Public relations managers must have the ability to think on their feet. Usually, it is tough in meeting journalists and media buyers face-to-face. Strategic thinking helps you get across a client’s brand, run events, make a pitch, and execute campaigns successfully. Excellent strategic thinking comes from vision, place of passion, and knowing the subject matter in detail.8) Social Media Savviness:In recent years, the most fundamental change in the PR and media industr y is the rise of social media. Being a PR professional, you need to be social media savvy due to social media’s power to measure campaign reach and overall effectiveness. Social media has become a key delivery piece for a client’s campaign to communicate with clients, editors, and media buyers. Becoming a social media savvy can take you to more places in the industry. 9) Improve Writing Skills:Not only communication skills but writing skills are also very important in the public relations profession. As you are narrative, you should also be able to put down your stories in words to convince your clients. Develop polish skills because the more polished you can write in, the better!10) Multilingual:Due to business globalization, the demand for PR professionals has grown, especially those who are bilingual or even multilingual. A PR professional equipped with more languages have more excellent opportunities for international postings. It also offers opportunities to build a diverse professional portfolio. 11) Creativity:A career in PR itself is a wide road to countless opportunities to be creative. Creativity here involves not only in terms of writing but also coming up with new ideas to approach new clients and promote businesses. Public relation is a process which constantly calls for fresh ideas and lateral thinking. Therefore, possessing a creative streak can be an essential thing to bring you to career success.ConclusionThe skills and functions required for a successful career in public relations keep constantly evolving with the change. PR now entails more than simply writing press releases and communicating with journalists. To serve every client well, PR professionals must grasp all the skills mentioned above.Developing these fundamental skills will prove fruitful in your PR career. Lastly, PR is nothing but an effort to present one’s organization in the best light.

Relocating for Work How to Make the Transition Smoother for Your Family - Sterling Career Concepts

Relocating for Work How to Make the Transition Smoother for Your Family Relocating for Work: How to Make the Transition Smoother for Your Family People applying for work overseas typically have the same main motivation: higher or better compensation. With a bigger monthly salary and other forms of financial rewards that they can get, they will soon manage to do a lot of things, one of which is to provide their families a better quality of life. Most expatriates push through with their plans of working abroad and leave their families behind in their home country. But there are also many who make the decision of bringing their spouse and kids with them at the time of their migration. Relocating for Work: Moving Overseas with the Family This is a situation that isn’t unusual today. For instance, many people who have already settled in the United Arab Emirates will still migrate to Canada from the UAE, if given the chance with their family, primarily because of better career opportunities. This also isn’t a hard decision to make since Canada belongs to the top countries for raising kids. Although you may have only the purest intentions for your family when you move abroad, there is a big chance that they won’t easily understand and accept your decision. Because of this, they will have a hard time making the transition and adjusting to all the changes that come with moving overseas. To help your family successfully adapt to a new life abroad, here are some helpful tips: 1. Get everyone involved. Although you have the final say when it comes to the decision to work overseas and take your family with you during the move (you’re the head of the family, after all), it doesn’t mean you should disregard your spouse’s and your kids’ opinions and feelings. Have a long talk with every member of the family, ask them what they think and feel about the move, and discuss what you can do to help them deal with and get over their fears and concerns. During the actual preparation for the move, make sure they are involved as well; they can help with packing, choosing the accommodation, and even picking out the school they will be attending once you arrive at your destination. They will feel more excited about the move if they have a say in certain things and it is evident that you are not ignoring their input. 2. Make sure everyone has some stock knowledge about your destination. Another way of getting your family involved in the move is to include them when you are doing researching or reading up on the other country. For instance, if you got a Dubai work visa, before your flight, go online and read up on the customs, traditions, ways of living, culture, and the most important rules and regulations at work in the UAE. While doing this or even after, share what you’ve learned with your family. A little knowledge can go a long way for anyone. And everyone in your family will feel a bit more confident about the move now that they have an idea of what to expect. 3. Allow everyone to say their goodbyes properly. A move can be exciting, but there’s no going around the fact that it can also be a sad and even painful experience. Let your spouse and kids spend some time with their friends and relatives and everyone that they will miss and allow them to say their farewells properly. They will also miss their favorite spots and food so permit them to visit these places and eat their favorite dishes one last time before your departure as well. 4. Upon arrival at your destination, make your family feel comfortable and safe. Everyone will be tired from the flight, and because of the changes in the environment, you can expect some or all of your family members to feel easily irritated, angry, and nervous. Don’t waste time and fill the house and rooms with old, familiar and treasured items that you brought from home such as stuffed toys, photo albums, blankies, etc. These items can help create a sanctuary of familiarity and stability that will help alleviate the fears and relieve the tension or anxiety that your loved ones may feel. 5. Encourage everyone to meet and make new friends. Take the lead and find opportunities to meet and know your neighbors. If there are kids in your building or neighborhood, encourage your own children to go out and start socializing with them. If you and your spouse are up to it, you can throw a simple party and invite your neighbors and coworkers so that everyone will get the chance to make a new friend or two. You can also read more tips on helping kids make new friends here. 6. Show your full support during your kids’ first day at school. It’s natural for both kids and parents to dread the first day at a new school. Children who have just moved to a new country may be doubly frightened by this experience. To help your kids overcome their anxieties, before the actual start of classes, bring them to the school and take them on a short tour. You can introduce them to the principal, teachers, and other school staff so that they can recognize some familiar faces inside the campus on their first day. You can also talk to their teachers about any specific worries the children may have and share some tips to help them gain your kids’ trust. After their first day of class, ask your children how their day went. Whether it was fun or not for them, make sure you find ways to encourage them to look forward to going to school and to have a good time while they are there. 7. Make sure everyone keeps in touch with the people they left behind. Encourage your kids to keep in touch with their friends back home. You should also make it a point to talk to your relatives regularly and have your kids speak with them, too. This is something that everyone can easily do now since there are many free apps that can be used to talk to people from different parts of the world, even via live video calls. During a move overseas, it is important for a family to stick together so that no one feels left behind and everyone will have an easier time meeting and dealing with all the changes. _________________________________________________________________________ Guest Author Bio: Bevan Berning is an Immigration professional and owner of Pathway Visas, an Immigration Agency dealing mostly with skilled immigration to Canada and Australia. Bevan’s enthusiasm for the industry has kept in the Immigration field for the past seven years. Bevan is South African by birth and has been residing in Dubai for the past eight years. You can connect with Pathway Visas on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How to Hire an Expert For Code in Resume?

How to Hire an Expert For Code in Resume?Let's say you are someone who has previously written code in resume, then I am sure that you are quite familiar with the pitfalls of this activity. A lot of people make the mistake of letting just anybody write their resume. You should always ensure that you check out the resume of the person before you sign anything and give your signature. This is very important to ensure that the person you are dealing with really has some real expertise in the field and is able to write good code in resume.When it comes to writing code in resume, you need to make sure that the resume you get has undergone a thorough writing process. There are many various reasons for which resumes should be written. If the writing is done properly, then you can be rest assured that the resume will not only pass the cursory review but also be the right one for the person who will be getting it.Many individuals hire one of the freelancers to write their resume. The benefits of outsourcing this task are manifold, especially if the resume writer is a professional one. If you are someone who is good at typing and understand how to write code in resume, then you may consider going for this.When writing code in resume, you need to ensure that you hire someone who is experienced and knowledgeable about the subject. Many of the freelancers are people who are well versed in the field of programming and understand the technicalities of programming.One of the most important things you need to look out for while writing code in resume is spelling. You need to ensure that the resume you get is not only well written but also grammatically correct. You should ensure that the resume is devoid of any grammatical errors and you need to pay particular attention to these two issues.You should make sure that the person who is writing the resume has great experience in the field. A lot of people will list their prior work experience when applying for a job, however, do not write such information in your resume if the person actually has no prior experience in the field.You should also make sure that the person you are hiring is not someone who has used the code of another person in the past. This is because if this is the case, you may end up getting yourself in trouble because you will be responsible for the programmer writing a resume. This is something that you should not take a risk of doing.Writing code in resume should be done well. If you are looking to hire a professional writer, make sure that you find someone who is qualified and who has experience in the field. With this, you can be rest assured that the resume you will be getting is the right one.