Friday, May 29, 2020

4 Ways to Cure Bloggers Block

4 Ways to Cure Bloggers Block Do you suffer from bloggers block? Bloggers block is inevitable!  Any blogger is bound to stare at a blank sheet of paper or a blinking cursor on their screen. Blogs are essential in building your personal brand credibility and visibility.  While it is exciting to have a blog and even more exciting to actually have people subscribe to and read your content, it is a BIG commitment. Once you start a blog you need to provide regular content, or else your blog will become an empty parking lot and nobody will come by for a visit. Here are a few sources from 4 blogging experts to keep at your fingertips then next time your blog hits a dead end: Brain Clark of Copyblogger has a great infographic highlighting  22 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue. Michelle Shaeffer started Dailybloggingideas.com to help bloggers keep a steady stream of ideas. Every day Michelle posts a blogging idea prompt that you can use to blog about, or as a teaser to come up with your own idea. Jon Morrow, also of Copyblogger fame, recently released a free report called 52 Headline Hacks  where he gives 52 actual templates to generate 52 headlines to use for your blog posts. Darren Rowse of ProBlogger has a great post with 25 techniques to battle bloggers block  adapted from how he deals with speakers block. I am certainly not a blogging expert, but a technique I have used is hosting ‘blog-a-thons’ and vlog-a-thons on my own blog. In June I hosted a  â€˜30x30x30 Personal Branding Blogathon’  and in September a 30-Day Personal Branding Vlogathon.  I was amazed how quickly I found people in my network willing to join these efforts and share content. Every day I feature a new thought leader’s post or video. Seeking guest bloggers is a great way to add fresh content to your own blog, and give you a bit of a break when you suffer from bloggers block! Why not apply to become a guest blogger here at the Undercover Recruiter? How do you deal with bloggers block? Share your ideas below.

Monday, May 25, 2020

A Roadmap For Your Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Roadmap For Your Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Most people complain that their job search has been excessively prolonged. The average or mean time that a person is looking for work is meaningless to a job search, giving merely statistical information. The fact is that in today’s economic job market, people are having a hard time finding what they want because of the tough competition between many for very few openings. One of the reasons for such lengthy job searches is that most job seekers simply don’t know how to go about it and don’t know how to be effective at it. This is understandable because in the past, they had jobs, so they never had to focus on job search, plus finding a job used to be simpler, much different, and quicker. Another reason is that most people in transition have no defined plan of action. Can you imagine a military activity that is not well defined and thoroughly drilled before the action begins? And what are the chances of a business’s success short of having in place and managing well a sensible budget? An old business adage says, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Another is, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there.” The latter is so true for those in transition. You must have a plan of action that is both written out and monitored at least weekly. That way, you can achieve two important things: Close monitoring of your job search progress and, once having achieved your objective, feeling accomplished and good about yourself. Some people approach the creation of a business plan for job search in a simplistic way; others develop a sophisticated, complex spreadsheet similar to a budget, whereby they track progress, compare actual outcomes versus the original plan, and develop corrective actions for the future. Such spreadsheets may be just too much for some job seekers. Clearly, however, there needs to be at least a plan with a goal in mind. I recommend a stretch goal for both motivation and quicker results. To develop such a plan is not difficult: Divide your future months in segments of weeks. If you use a spreadsheet, you’d create headings for the time spent on activities you want to perform each weekâ€"for example, the number of hours you want to devote to education and learning about job search, the number of hours to devote to the researching of target companies, hours for doing job-search-related administrative work, hours for making phone calls, and hours for one-to-one meetings with others. Other things you might want to track via headings are the results of a direct mail campaign, applications submitted for advertised positions, research of prospects in the hidden job market, and participation in various job search networking groups. Once the plan has been put together, you might want to review it and compare your actual weekly activities with those written into the plan. Such a plan is a living document: you can make adjustments and changes as you see fit. And when you’ve met a plan objective, find a way to reward yourself. That would be a good motivator to keep going and to keep using your plan. Remember Pavlov? Good luck.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Niche Work If You Can Get It! Should We Limit Our Skill Sets To Get Ahead

Niche Work If You Can Get It! Should We Limit Our Skill Sets To Get Ahead It is a question a lot of people are asking now, whether to go into education and to get yourself a qualification so you can go into a general field and work your way up the ladder or is it better to pick a niche and excel in that department? There have been a lot of changes in the job market over the last 5 years or so, and what we are seeing now is an increase in more specialized jobs. The structure of the old-fashioned approach of gaining a general degree in your chosen subject, for example, business studies, and then going into a business and learning the ropes from there is dead in the water. So is picking a niche career a wise choice at the end of the day? The Perils Of The Gig Economy This is arguably where the vast majority of niche-skilled people end up. There are so many temporary jobs, contracts, and freelance vacancies to go around. These assignments require niche skills and, understandably, as the assignment is of a temporary nature, the person who fits the bill the most is going to get that role. But in the gig economy, it throws up many questions about job security. While there are more qualifications in specialized subjects now, does this mean that in order to get these niche contracts we have to live a professional life of feast and famine? The gig economy is a very lucrative prospect for some people, depending on their niche skills. And its up to the person with those skills to market themselves effectively so that they are constantly in work, and the gig economy is something that appeals to many of the younger generations, such as Generation Z and Millennials, who value work-life balance and happiness over the material aspects of a career. Taking The Gamble So, if youve decided to pursue a niche career trajectory, can this set you up for a secure life on the job front? If you avoid the gig economy approach, the gamble is very apparent. As the freelance way of life is a difficult one for a lot of people to cope with, the other thing to be concerned about in this respect is to understand if your skills will be relevant in the future. You could spend a long time training to find your skills will be redundant a few years from now. This is why a lot of people spend less time relying on employees and use their own initiative to strengthen their career by building a network of contacts. But the trick if you are looking for a career with job security when scouring the job ads, is to keep your eyes peeled for companies who are on the lookout for new talent. By having a niche set of skills, it can make you an indispensable member of the team. But by having these niche skills alone, does it make you instantly employable? The Deadly Combination As the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none. But if you are going down the standard job route, your new skills are going to be something that appeals to prospective employees, but you also need to hedge your bets in this respect by having a general skill base. And it can be difficult to try and keep on top of general skills as the jobs market moves and changes so much, so the best approach is for you to keep an eye on your chosen industry and assess the skills that are required to get in on the ground floor. By getting an entry-level job, and working up the ladder, it can be a pleasant surprise to show that you have these additional niche skills. Or even better, during the interview process, by explaining your niche skills and how they tie into the company in a way that the employers never realized, could leave you with a strong chance of getting into that company. It may sound like a contradiction in terms to be a person with niche skills and to have a general knowledge of standard business practices, but it can be done. Its something that a lot of people do in the form of short courses. And while a standard introductory course can only get you so far, it serves to give you a good general overview of the industry so you can decide whether to pursue it any further or not. If it isnt what you thought it would be, you can simply walk away, with no love lost. Does Picking A Niche Career Always Work In Your Favor? The one thing that really benefits you in terms of possessing a niche skill set is that you are instantly head and shoulders above the rest, depending on the skills you possess. Yes, it makes you an attractive prospect regarding winning freelance contracts and temporary work, but the one secret to making this work is to amass extra knowledge from these people who are hiring your skills. The one thing in terms of networking is to swap skills and working processes with other people within your industry so you can get a wider skill roster. But it also helps you to think further about creating your own specialized career, which is where you can set the work and not worry about winning contracts because you will be the person giving out those contracts. Its a very logical decision for people to set up their own businesses in a niche capacity because it capitalizes on those skills. Overall, picking a niche career is something that appears sensible right now, and it can set you up for a lucrative period of work, albeit for a short amount of time. The trick in making that career last is to think sensibly about how your skills can transfer within your chosen industry. Niche skills are a gold mine in any industry, so make sure that you are selling yourself effectively. It certainly pays to be in demand, but you need to have one eye on the future, as well as the present. . Image credits: Main.

Monday, May 18, 2020

6 Office Makeover Tips

6 Office Makeover Tips The design and feel of your work space may take a back seat when it comes to  your priorities in the office, but it is actually much more important  than you may think. As soon as a potential client, customer or new employee walks into the office, judgements are being made about your business. From a new customer perspective, an impressive office can make  an excellent first impression. When it comes to potential new employees, the office is the place where they will be spending the majority of their time, so theyll be considering this when they first visit. It also reflects quite heavily about how management treat and care for their workers, which brings me to my next point.  As well as potential new customers and new employees, it also makes a huge difference to existing workers. The environment you work in can either make or break the motivation of your team. Keeping your office space fresh will ensure  being at work is as pleasant as possible. What should you really consider when you plan your makeover? 1. Light: keep it as natural as possible A recent study  discovered that windows were the number one determining factor of satisfaction in a building. This, of course, makes complete sense. Who would want to be shacked up in a dim office with no windows?! Sometimes, however, its not always possible to have windows which shed loads of natural light. Now most offices use cheap and harsh illuminated lighting in order to get maximum brightness, with a cost effective means of doing so. However its always worth spending a little more and getting better quality to light fittings. 2. Seating: mix  it up Unsure of how to set up your desks or departments? Why not start a new hot-desking style of working. Follow the example of some of the most creative brands such as Innocent drinks and LinkedIn mix up the seating arrangement for a truly collaborative and creative workforce. 3.  Budget: no need to  break the bank With a realistic budget and a collection of happy employees, you dont need millions of pounds to give the office a boost. Even small, cheaper options can make the office a nicer place to work. Think flowers, food, soda, coffee, new lamps, more storage none of which are particularly expensive. Invest in a new coffee machine, get everyone new stationeryafter all, its the little things that count and they make a big difference! 4. Music: it makes a difference When it comes to motivation, music can make a huge difference. You may not want to have it on constantly, but every so often its nice to have a few tunes blasting through the office. Why not set up a shared Spotify playlist so everyone can contribute a song or two? 5. Colour it in Colour can make a huge difference in the office. According to the Colour Affects  website, different colours induce different states of mind and feelings. Try and choose colours that reflect your business or brand, to  get your staff stimulated! Colour psychology is actually a pretty interesting topic, so its worth having a research before you get painting! Blue stimulates clear thought Yellow boosts creativity and lifts spirits Red physiologically affects the body and elevates one’s pulse Green creates a sense of calming balance Saturated, bright colours stimulate Softer, muted colours relax and soothe 6. Walls rock (no really, they do) If youve got limited space in your office, why not use the walls to your advantage? There are so many things you can do with a simple wall. You could buy a tin of blackboard paint and transform it into a giant drawing board. You could cover it with lego bricks and have a building wall. Why not hold a competition for your employees on what should go on the wall? What things do you do to make sure your office stays interesting? Let us know in the comments below. Main image credit: Shutterstock

Thursday, May 14, 2020

How Noise is Disrupting Your Work

How Noise is Disrupting Your Work Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comThe modern office layout trends toward open floor plans and co-working spaces. This layout allows employees to collaborate with each other, but that ability to collaborate involves speaking over interoffice noise.Noise is everywhere, inside and outside, at home, at work and in your pocket. That’s just how it is, right? It doesn’t have to be, and employees increasingly see how noise is negatively affecting their ability to do their jobs.What do you do? Some changes you will have to make on your own, but it’s your job to demand better of your workplace.Employees Want Employers to Create a Distraction-Free EnvironmentevalevalThe constant walk-ins and interruptions, in addition to a circus of copy machines, phones ringing and typing, negatively impacts job satisfaction. Add that to outside noise filtering in and the frustrations of noise on a daily level, especially on the commute to work â€" and you’ve got a very frustrated and worn out employee.Noise is the number one complaint employees have and wish their employers would fix â€" that’s over other freebies employees could have, such as half days on Friday or catered lunches. Even millennials, the generation that grew up with technology, want quiet spaces to do their work.Millennials aren’t alone in their need to be rid of noise at the office, either. Over 1,200 non-senior employees across various industries, from healthcare to retail, were surveyed by Oxford Economics, and 74 percent stated they worked in an open plan layout. More than half of all respondents reported issues with noise levels.Even 69 percent of supervisors had their office designed with noise reduction as a factor, with 64 percent of supervisors planning to keep outside noise out, too.Noise Negatively Affects Your Work Performance and HealthNoise disrupts your work and ability to focus. The World Health Organization Observe the noise levels in your office and how employees respond to those levels throughout the day. At certain parts of the day, noise levels will peak. Ask how others cope with hazardous sounds and seek solutions together by employing some of the suggestions above.A little creative rearranging, installing and upgrading can achieve a happier and healthier workplace â€" with relief from stress and noise pollution.

Monday, May 11, 2020

First Day In A New Job Start Positively - CareerAlley

First Day In A New Job Start Positively - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Sweaty palms and too nervous to speak to your colleagues, its a common feeling shared by everyone who is starting a new job. Its natural to find it difficult to integrate and feel at ease with a new team and a new company. Thankfully, you will be given time to learn and hones your industry knowledge and to get familiar with the processes that are specific to your new employer. But it doesnt mean that you have to wait until youre fully integrated to make a good impression. Sweaty palms and too nervous to speak to your colleagues, its a common feeling shared by everyone who is starting a new job. Tweet This You can put all the chances on your side by starting positively from Day One. While your employer knows that you wont be at the top of your performance and productivity from the start, colleagues and managers have put their hopes in you, and everyone is looking forward to meeting the new member of their team. So, the best thing you can do is to make sure that you can impress them even if you dont ready to hit the ground running yet. Remember: Be the person they interviewed You didnt get the job by chance. Your answers to interview questions and your skills impressed the recruiter. In other words, it would seem obvious that the person the employer saw during the interview phases is the person the employer wants on the team. While everyone tries to show their best side during the interview process, its important that you make sure to behave accordingly to what you said. 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions Price: $11.85 In today's job market, how you perform in an interview can make or break your hiring possibilities. If you want to stand ahead. above the rest of the pack, 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions is the definitive guide you need Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 If you described yourself as calm and thoughtful, you would need to maintain the same attitude at work. If you said you knew about management strategies during the interviews but dont in real life, then you should get reading before you start. Give your employer what they sign for if you want to make sure that you can start with a positive impression. Dress to impress Unless youve been told otherwise, its expected to dress formally for your first day at work, even if the company has a casual dress policy. You need to assume that youll only know about their office dress code once you start. In short, if you dont have anything suitable, you need to buy a few business shirts and a suit at least. You may not need it for your new job, but ultimately there are plenty of occasions to wear a formal suit, from attending a networking event to being invited to a wedding reception. So your money will not be wasted with an investment in formal business clothes. Punctuality is a virtue If nobody has told you when to arrive, you should make sure to get there when the company opens its doors, which tends to be 9 AM. More often than not, your employer doesnt need you to arrive early as they want to get your desk and starting kit ready, but if nobody has told you when to turn up, 9 AM is a good time to aim for. What this means is that you need to prepare everything you need the night before. Dont wait until the morning to iron your shirt or pack your business case with all the necessary stationery and postit you will need them when you start studying the companys policy book. Dont get nervous Of course, its normal to feel a little nervous about your new job. But youve already done all the hard work. The interview process is behind you. Theres no need to stress now. Be confident: Your employer hired you because you were the best candidate they met during the interviews. You have therefore earned your place at the company. They want your potential and skills in their team. To put it simply, its time to find your confidence back. You got the job because you were the best, dont forget it. Show you care: REMEMBER their names Do you know what happens during the first day in a new company? You wont be working at all during your first day. In fact, you may not be working for an entire week, as you go through the different manuals and internal processes of post recruitment. But youll get to meet a lot of new people. So the best thing you can do is to make sure that you remember their names. For the existing team, its easy because theyve got only one name to remember and they were likely warned about your arrival. As for you, you need to prove you care by using some memory tricks. Focus on everyone you talk to, pay attention to details, so that you can recall their face and all relevant information. So are you ready to shine during your first day? The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success (T Price: $14.99 Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Friday, May 8, 2020

How to Effectively Change Your Outside Sales Representative Resume Writing

How to Effectively Change Your Outside Sales Representative Resume WritingThere are many factors to take into consideration when you apply for an outside sales position, but there are very few elements that you cannot change. One of the biggest things you can change is your resume, and that is something that will determine whether or not you get hired.Because sales is a relatively young business model, there is a lot of competition in this field, so it is in your best interest to make sure that you are getting a lot of calls for outside sales positions. The problem is that this is not always easy to do, and when you are applying for positions that are more than a year old, you are going to find that your chances are actually reduced significantly. But what can you do about this?The first thing you can do is to write a short description about yourself that highlights your first-hand experience, including any education or training that you have received. Many times people will be limit ed to simply listing their years of experience in this department, but you can add a little something about who you are as a person. When you do this, you will also be doing a favor to the HR manager, because he or she will likely want to check out your qualifications before making a decision.You should also consider using other skills that you may have that are relevant to your sales representative resume writing. For example, you might choose to list your writing skills, whether or not you have any business management experience, or even your selling skills. Each of these can be used to help you when you are creating your resume.The next thing you need to look at when you are creating your resume is your qualifications, which can be another area where you can modify things to help improve your chances of being hired. To this end, you should consider highlighting the things that you possess that will help you be hired, including experience, education, or even skills.What you should also remember when you are creating your resume is that you should only focus on those things that you have experience with. There is nothing worse than getting hired and then having to learn how to do all of the things that were listed on your resume. Instead, focus on the skills that you have that will help you be hired, and those will be the things that will make you stand out from other applicants.Now, if you do not have any of the above steps in place, and you still feel like you should be getting the job, the first thing you should do is get the information from your recruiter. They will tell you what you need to work on to be successful, and they will also tell you whether or not they have found a good fit for you. If they do not, you can still consider changing a few things about your resume to improve your chances of being hired.If they do find that you meet the requirements, then you should take this opportunity to update your resume with the information that you have lea rned while you were learning about the job, and the qualities that you have learned while you were searching for a new job. As long as you do this, you should find that you have a good chance of getting the job that you are applying for.