Will Your Network Be There When You Need Them - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Will Your Network Be There When You Need Them - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I moderated a networking panel recently where the first question during the QA period came from a woman in the audience who said, “I’ve been looking for a job for a while and trying to improve my computer skills in the meantime, but I haven’t been able to find anything. What should I do?” One of my fellow panelists said something I generally agree with, which is to find people who know you and your work and ask them for help, either in getting the word out about your need or helping to connect with you with others you should know. None of us were prepared for her response: “They’re all dead.” Theyre all dead Okay, next question.Anyone? Anyone? Yes, the woman was well into middle age, but could ALL the people she knew be dead, or were maybe some just avoiding her? Being able to get help from your network when you need it is where the rubber meets the road in relationship building. Whether you were too busy working on your own personal stuff that you didn’t make time to build relationships, or you built them and lost touch with them, or you built them and burnt them, the end result is the same: at some point in your life when you need supporters, you won’t have them. So what should you do instead? Staying connected with who you know First, make the time. Now. Today. Don’t wait. Let’s face it, none of us “have” the time for things we’re supposed to do that might be good for us, like drinking eight glasses of water a day, doing 30 minutes of cardio five times a week, or sending cards to our relatives on their birthday. You have to make the time in your schedule on a consistent basis to nurture the relationships you already have, get to know the people you work with everyday, and get out there in person and online to add new contacts. (Read my prior post Can’t Afford the Time to Network? for tips on how you can accomplish a lot in just a 30-minute block of time.) Second, become more attractive. Not in your physical appearance, but in your knowledge, skills, attitude, and of course, your personal brand. Many times people will help you because it makes them look good to recommend a strong candidate. It’s much harder to get that help, however, if you’re middle of the road. You can’t go back and change your college transcript or the last 15 years of your work experience, but you can move forward and develop new accomplishments. Get involved with something newâ€"a project, a movement, anythingâ€"to build new skills and create new experiences that you can talk about. Third, focus your goal. You can spread yourself too thin by trying to cover too many bases. “I’d like to get into the healthcare field as a research manager, but I’m also thinking about opening a Subway sandwich franchise, or maybe teaching astronomy to high school students.” If you go in with that elevator pitch, you’ll lose people quickly. Even if you do have multiple passions, lead with the one you’re most excited about and which has the greatest potential (hopefully there’s an overlap). That way, rather than flit from event to event, you can spend more time in one place, meet more people when you’re there, have deeper conversations, and build closer connections. Your success with reconnecting with old contacts and getting their help depends less on how much time has elapsed, and is more a function of the strength of the relationship when you last saw each other, the person you are now, and the clarity and specificity of what you’re looking for. HOW you ask for that help is also critical and we’ll discuss “The Art of the Ask” in next week’s post. Stay tuned. Author: Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

What Types of Risk are You Taking in the 2nd Half Of Life - Career Pivot

What Types of Risk are You Taking in the 2nd Half Of Life - Career Pivot What Types of Risk are You Taking? In the “What’s Next” Mastermind group within the Career Pivot Community, we have been discussing various types of risks and our willingness to take them. One of the trends I am seeing is that as we reach our 60s, some of us are willing to take more measured risk. We realize if we do not take some risks now, then we will miss out on very important life experiences. In my last post, Perceived And Real Risks in the 2nd Half Of Life, I wrote that our perception of risk is sometimes out of whack with reality. This is particularly true when we are young. As we all know, young men or teenagers can display very risky behavior. I know I sure did and continued to do this into my early 30s. What types of risk are you willing to take in the 2nd half of life? Are they different than when you were younger? Mindset Much depends on our mindset. So what is a mindset? I found the following definition on VeryWellMind.com: A mindset refers to whether you believe qualities such asintelligence and talent are fixed or changeable traits. People with afixed mindsetbelieve that these qualities are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable. Those with agrowth mindset, on the other hand, believe that these abilities can be developed and strengthened by way of commitment and hard work. Changing our Mindset I am watching a number of members in our Career Pivot community change from a fixed to a growth mindset. I like to say their horizons are expanding. They now see options as possible that they previously saw as impossible â€" or were completely oblivious that they were options at all. When you see other people doing things and say to yourself, “I can do that!” â€" this is when you start to change your mindset. I know that since moving to Mexico, my own mindset has shifted dramatically. I wrote about this earlier this year in the post Becoming an Expat Has Dramatically Changed My Mindset When you shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, our willingness to take risks shifts. Listen to the most recent episode Types of Risk We take all kinds of risks every day and we can be quite oblivious to the dangers and the opportunities. This is so true in the rapidly changing world we live in. Let’s take a look at the types of risks that surround us every day. Career Risk Most of us look at career risk as making a change. Maybe we think of this as changing industries or changing our career path, but the reality is that today, doing nothing is probably a bigger career risk. We blindly think that staying on our current paths and taking the safe route is the least risky. Creative destruction is wreaking havoc in so many job categories and industries that thinking you can bury your head in the sand and ignore the changes is also very risky. You can read the article I wrote for NextAvenue.org called When You’re Working in a Career Disaster Area. If you wish to mitigate career risk I suggest you do 3 things: Attend an industry conference every year (you will probably have to pay for it) Listen to podcasts to reinforce continual personal growth Embrace online learning If you would like to learn more, listen to my podcast episode Embrace Creative Destruction or Be a Turkey. You Choose! [Podcast] where I take you through my presentation by the same name. Financial Risk Most of you who read this blog have lived through 2 horrible recessions in the last 20 years. I am having more and more people approach me who are in their 70s and need to return to work because they fear running out of money. Many of these people retired in the late 90s when it appeared a 10% return on their investments would be the norm. A common theme I hear from people about mitigating risk is to just work longer. If you’ve thought this, please read the Propublica.org articleIf You’re Over 50, Chances Are the Decision to Leave a Job Won’t be Yours. Hopefully, you can see that financial and career risks are closely tied. Check out the New York Times article written by my namesake Mark Miller of RetirementRevisedabout a member of the Career Pivot Community who took this path. The reality is that most of us need help to mitigate financial risks. We simply do not know how much money we need. We also do not know how to turn that money into a stream of income. Our parents had pensions while most of us do not. Find a financial advisor who can help. I listen to 2 podcasts on this topic: Allworth Money Matters Podcast The Retirement Answer Man Health Risk Every year, Fidelity publishes an estimate on what they project healthcare will cost for those turning 65. On April 2, 2019, they published the following: According to Fidelity, a 65-year old couple retiring in 2019 can expect to spend $285,0001 in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement, compared with $280,000 in 2018. For single retirees, the health care cost estimate is $150,000 for women and $135,000 for men. Are you prepared for that? One of the biggest risks you can take is not preparing to lose your company-paid health insurance before you are Medicare-eligible. I documented the impending risks in my post The Looming Healthcare and Insurance Catastrophe for Baby Boomers and what we are doing about it in my podcast episode The Miller’s Health Insurance and Healthcare Experiences in Mexico [Podcast]. Obviously, one of the biggest risks you can take with your health is not taking care of your own health. Since moving to Mexico, both my wife and I have lost weight and live a much healthier lifestyle than we ever did in the U.S. The food we eat is farm to table. Nearly everything we eat is grown or produced within 100 miles with minimal processing. I am convinced the factory food system in the United States is in general unhealthy for a long life. Safety Risk In this day of 24-7 news networks and social media, we often perceive that our safety is at risk most of the time. What started me down this path of discussing risk was the reaction I received when I returned to the United States in September. I was admonished multiple times online and in-person about the risk I was taking for living in Mexico. This blew me away. When we announced to family and friends that we were moving to Mexico, my son and daughter-in-law immediately started sending us U.S. State Department safety warnings about Mexico. Our son and daughter-in-law work for the Navy and have very high-security clearances. When I sent them details on exactly where we would be living and the route we would be driving, they calmed down and told me we would be okay. I have worked in 40 different countries and have been in the wrong place at the wrong time too many times. My own personal safety and the safety of those around me is very important to me. I do my homework about where I am going. The year before we moved to Mexico we had our condo neighbor rent her condo out to a drug dealer. The condominium complex is situated just a mile or so from downtown Austin and is considered to be one of the safest parts of the city. For 2 months, we had people you would not want to associate with coming and going in our condominium complex. As a member of the property owners’ board of directors, I worked with the police and others to get them evicted. None of this was my doing but was the bad behavior of my neighbor. (The condo unit was completely trashed after 2 months.) I was at a much higher risk of personal harm during that time than I have ever experienced in Mexico. Do you understand the safety risks you are taking? Are the people around you putting you at risk? What’s Next In my next post, I want to discuss how we mitigate risks. Most of us will have to continue to take risks and for some of us, we now have a greater willingness to take risks in our lives. Have you changed your mindset about the risks you are taking? 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 ...

A Holiday Wish and Musical Gift - Kathy Caprino

A Holiday Wish and Musical Gift As  Christmas, Hanukkah  and  the New Year are happily upon us,  I would like to wish you and yours a beautiful holiday season, and a New Year full of joy, peace, and prosperity. I deeply appreciate being in community with you, and receiving each day the amazing gifts of  wisdom, humor, insight, and  support  from all my colleagues, friends and peers. A Gift of Music Each year, my husband  jazz percussionist Arthur Lipner  (on the vibraphone) and I (on the vocals) love to share a little musical gift weve recorded.    Hope you like it (weve had a ball recording these tunes)!! This years tune is (click the link to hear): Ill Be Home For Christmas   And here are previous years musical gifts, once again! Click here: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas   Christmas Time is Here   Youve helped make this year a wonderful one, full of joy, growth and learning.   May the New Year bring to you all that you hold dear. Happy Holidays, and joy and peace in 2012 and always. Much love, Kathy Caprino P.S. Check out Arthurs  documentary film in production Talking Sticks!

Job seeking during the holidays use the time to research and prepare -

Job seeking during the holidays use the time to research and prepare - In an effort to convince you to ramp up your job search efforts during the holidays, Im sharing ideas and insights from some of my colleagues and friends during this holiday week and next.   Today, I am happy to share some insights from my colleague and fellow Career Collective member, GL Hoffman. GL is Chairman of JobDig and writes at www.whatwoulddadsay.com, JobDig.com, and is a weekly guest writer at US News and World Report. Im not surprised that GLs advice includes a reference to his job board, LinkUp! I often refer candidates to review LinkUp as a tool in their job search arsenel. If youre keeping up with this series, youll note a similarity between Walter Akanas advice in part 2 and GLs today it may not matter if there are jobs to be found out there right now. What matters is that you are out there looking for them! GL shares his suggestions: Everyone says the holidays is a terrible time to search for a job.   This may or may not be right.   Companies may have identified some new initiatives for after the new year, for example, and are starting now to identify some quality candidates. Often, the FIRST place these jobs show up is on the companys own website, inside their career page.   Of course, www.LINKUP.com is a fantastic place to start because only jobs from company sites are there.   Think of LinkUp as the only true job search engine. For those who are convinced this IS a bad time of year, what better time than to sharpen your skills and identify exactly the companies you want to work for. If you do send out resumes during this time, always a sure fire way to spice up your resume and cover letter is to actually DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY.   Or, you can do research on any issue that is being confronted by the company. And then, REFER to this issue in your cover letter.   This technique will move you to the top of the pile. Some may saywhat exactly   do you mean? Like: I noted that the city is dropping local waste service for your manufacturing plants, here is how I would have responded The OBVIOUS thing is that it does NOT make any difference what the issue might be, or if you comment is even particularly noteworthy.   Your investment in time alone will elevate your standing. I appreciate this take on the subject being involved in a job search is about more than just looking for opportunities; it is also a matter of connecting what you have to offer with what the organization needs. If, in fact, your industry is so slow now that no one is even in the office and networking is totally futile, take some time to do some research. You can still propel your search forward and be up-to-date when the time is right. Are you relaxing or revving up your job hunt during the holidays? Share in the comments! Part 1 My suggestions and a free ebook offer Part 2 Walter Akana take care of yourself Part 3 Anita Bruzzese Stay ahead of the crowd Part 4 Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Unplug and embrace rest Part 5 Wendy Enelow Ideas for employed and unemployed job seekers I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?   If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While youre at it, dont forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on FacebookId be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since were on the subject of doing something newAre you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

Resume Writing in Syracuse

Resume Writing in SyracuseAre you ready to get started on resume writing in Syracuse? Whether you're a local, or not, the process is the same.Online process - If you're working from home and don't have access to a computer, a fast and easy online process may work for you. Most employers today look for resumes online and there are numerous resources online to help you with your resume. By working from home, this is one easy way to find good resumes.Best of the best - Don't just grab any old resume that you see. First of all, you want to make sure it is clear and concise. It should also be conversational and don't forget to include your contact information. The more you can give, the more likely you are to get the job.First and last page - Get a feel for the market you're targeting by putting yourself in the shoes of the employer. Go over some of the criteria they are looking for, and if possible add a few more. For example, if you're an attorney, put your education and awards at the t op of your resume.Look at every angle - How does your resume reflect who you are? Your resume should be professional and well written, but it should also be personal and easy to read.Accurate and legible - Make sure your resume is formatted correctly. It should be formatted in the same font as your name and be bold and capitalized appropriately. A decent spell check program can be used, but it's still a good idea to double check your work.When it comes to getting a job in the field of your dreams, it's a big decision, and making the right one is the difference between getting a job and getting rejected. Having your resume written in Syracuse will go a long way in landing the job you're after. Don't delay, get started today!

Why Men Are Disappearing From the Workforce

Why Men Are Disappearing From the Workforce For more than half a century, the share of American men in the prime of their lives who are employed has fallen relatively steadily, taking deeper dives during recession years. A new report from the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers tries to answer the tangled question of why. The CEA report finds that participation in the labor force among “prime-aged” menâ€"males between 25 and 54 years oldâ€"peaked at 98% in 1954 and began to slide sharply in 1965 to a nadir of 87.9% in October 2013 after years of recession following the financial crisis, before stabilizing at 88% today. The report identifies a few key causes for the decline. First of all, the demand for less skilled labor in the U.S. has fallen sharply since the 1950s. In other words, there are fewer jobs for more unskilled workers. The steep rise in incarceration in the U.S. seems to be another culprit. By some estimates as of 2008 between 6 and 7% of prime-aged males in the U.S. had been incarcerated at some point in their lives. A stint in prison makes it significantly harder to find a job. Since incarceration affects black men more than other groups, this also helps explain why workforce participation is lower in that cohort. Read More: Is It Fair That Stupid People Have Little Success in Life Today? The persistent, long-term decline in employment among prime-aged men is particularly significant for society as a whole because men ages 25 to 54 are in their most productive years, and their absence from the labor force “has outsized implications for individual well-being as well as for broader economic growth,” the CEA report says. A large body of evidence links joblessness with lower overall well-being, less happiness, higher mortality and negative consequences for families and communities. The report identifies a few key trends within the data. The less educated a man is, the more likely he is to be unemployed. Joblessness affects men of all races and ethnicities but is particularly severe among black men. Men are not simply choosing not to work. Less than a quarter of unemployed prime-age men have a working spouse, and about a third of them live in poverty. The analysis says that “at most” 0.5% of the decline in prime-age male participation in the labor force can be explained by the availability of Social Security Disability Insurance. Lastly, the report notes that the U.S. has one of the lowest rates of prime-age male labor force participation compared to similarly advanced economies in places like Canada, Japan and Western Europe, which have less “flexible” labor marketsâ€"meaning its harder to hire and fire workersâ€"and more support systems like job training programs.

Is It Ever OK To Diss A Former Employer - Work It Daily

Is It Ever OK To Diss A Former Employer - Work It Daily One of the most-asked questions we get is, “What should I say about my former employer?” It can be difficult to rein in your emotions if you left your former employer on bad terms. Or even if your old boss left your former company on bad terms. But is it ever OK to ‘diss’ a former employer? Absolutely not. Related: How To Interview A Potential Employer Remember, you are a business of one, and your services are hired by a company. Your boss is a client of yours. Saying negative things about him/her is not a good idea. It’s a smaller world than you think, and your negative comments could hurt you in the future. If you find yourself having to talk about a disliked former boss to a potential employer, you have to bring you’re A-Game. How do you do this? You MUST talk about your former employer/boss objectively. Never let your emotions get in the way of the facts. Here’s an example: Don’t say: “The company made some really poor financial decisions and it resulted in them having to lay me off.” Avoid responses like this one. This response is very emotional and your potential employer will wonder why you’re so emotional. Will you be like that with them? Say this instead: “The company made some decisions that resulted in them not having a profitable year. As a result, they had to do a reduction in force to meet the demands of their investors. And unfortunately, I happened to be one of the individuals affected by this reduction in force.” This response is much better. Explain the situation with the facts (not emotions). Remember, you can talk about your employer as long as it’s in an objective fashion. To take it a step further, end it on a positive note. Add this: “But you know, everything happens for a reason. It was a powerful experience, I learned a lot while I was there, and now I’m really ready to move on to my next opportunity. There are skills I acquired there that I want to leverage. I learned a lot, even from their experience, and I think it has better trained me for my next position.” This is a nice bonus because you can flip the experience around to make you look like a better candidate. Being positive is the best etiquette you can have in this scenario. It shows good character and it will never come back to bite you. Plus, it’s a small world. You don’t want something you said while you were in an emotional come back to haunt you later. Don’t make a permanent decision on a temporary emotion, as they say! Related Posts Should You Be Networking With Past Employers? Why You Should Verify Employment Information With Past Employers Help! My Old Employer Keeps Giving Me Bad References   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!