Mobile Job Search Tools (including JJ) and why I havent blogged much lately

Mobile Job Search Tools (including JJ) and why I havent blogged much lately Hey there, its me.  Really. Sorry for the silence last week I hate not blogging daily, but I was really, really slammed.  I had 3 new webinar presentations to do last week, and it was stressing me out (doing new content takes a lot of mental energy ), and I took a surprise trip to Pocatello, where my wife and I started our family and lived for 9 years. Then, up at 4am (according to my body according to my clock it was 5am) to jump on a plane to Baltimore/Boston.  This is going to be a super-busy week and Im excited for a bunch of reasons Anyway, the purpose of this post is to point you over to a Glass Door post about mobile job search tools JibberJobber was listed!  How cool is that? We recently announced our mobile job search tool here. Heres Glassdoors post. Thanks to Vicki Elmer and Glassdoor for the ink, and big thanks to Cheryl Palmer for including JibberJobber as a job search tool she suggests Mobile Job Search Tools (including JJ) and why I havent blogged much lately Hey there, its me.  Really. Sorry for the silence last week I hate not blogging daily, but I was really, really slammed.  I had 3 new webinar presentations to do last week, and it was stressing me out (doing new content takes a lot of mental energy ), and I took a surprise trip to Pocatello, where my wife and I started our family and lived for 9 years. Then, up at 4am (according to my body according to my clock it was 5am) to jump on a plane to Baltimore/Boston.  This is going to be a super-busy week and Im excited for a bunch of reasons Anyway, the purpose of this post is to point you over to a Glass Door post about mobile job search tools JibberJobber was listed!  How cool is that? We recently announced our mobile job search tool here. Heres Glassdoors post. Thanks to Vicki Elmer and Glassdoor for the ink, and big thanks to Cheryl Palmer for including JibberJobber as a job search tool she suggests

Top 5 Ways to Prevent a Bad Interview

Top 5 Ways to Prevent a Bad Interview Interviews are a stressful process. Sometimes, this stress can cause you to fall into common traps and even make wacky mistakes during your job search. For instance, just because you were too nervous to eat before the interview doesn’t mean you should empty the interviewer’s candy dish into your pocket. Employers tend not to hire people who steal their candy! This is just one example of some over-the-top ways job seekers have bombed interviews from a recent CareerBuilder survey. The truth is, mistakes aren’t usually as dramatic as getting on the phone with your current employer to fake an illness while your interviewer looks on in horror. In fact, you’re probably good at the broad outlines of the interview process. You know to be polite, show up on time, and avoid candy theft. It’s the more subtle aspects of the interview process you might be getting wrong. Interview success is only around the cornerif you know to avoid common mistakes. Prevention is key and knowledge is power. Here are five ways to prevent a job interview from going south and nab your dream job instead: 1) Create a Relationship with Your Interviewer It’s important to build a rapport with your interviewer right away. This process can start early, before you’re even sitting across the desk in the interview. Make sure all communication with your interviewer (whether through email or over the phone) is professional, polite, and friendly. Do not, however, take this friendliness too far. One of the outrageous examples cited in the CareerBuilder survey involved a job seeker hugging the interviewer. Be sure you act professionally at all times, and do not hound potential employers. 2) Do Your Research Before you step foot into the office, you need to do your homework. What is the company all about? What challenges does the company face? How do they stack up against their competitors? What is the company culture like? These are all questions you should spend time researching. Their career page and social media channels can provide some answers, but cast the net wider to look at news articles and maybe even contact current or former employees for insights. By thoroughly researching the company, you’ll be able to give the interviewer a concrete idea of how your particular skills and abilities can impact the organization. In fact, 34 percent of interviewers cite lack of specific examples as the reason they passed on a candidate. By doing your homework and researching the company, you will be in a better position to get specific about the value you can bring to the organization. 3) Hit Silent There’s nothing worse during an interview than the chirp of a text message, the ring of a phone, or the persistent buzzing of your electronic device on vibrate. Forgetting to switch off your phone is a simple mistake that can cost you dearly. A survey of recruiters and hiring managers showed 91 percent would disqualify a candidate with a talkative mobile device. So before walking into your interview, turn your phone off or put it on silent. You can always take the call, answer the text, or scan your email after you’ve impressed your future employer. 4) Mind Your (Body) Language In an interview, what you say is extremely important. But it’s not just your words doing the talking. Body language is a huge part of how we judge and understand each other. In fact, a UCLA study found up to 93 percent of communication is provided by nonverbal cues this means you need to watch your words and what your body language is telling a prospective employer. Pay attention to your posture in the interview. Slouching can make you appear lazy and unmotivated, even if your words are saying the opposite. Make good eye contact in order to build a more personal connection with the interviewer. Practice a firm handshake with friends and family before walking through the office doors. Judging by a handshake might seem old school, but many employers still take this nonverbal cue into consideration. And remember, sincere passion is the key to convincing employers you really want the job. If you’re motivated and have true passion for the opportunity, don’t be afraid to let it show! 5) Ask The Right Questions If the interview is going well, it might be easy to get ahead of yourself in the process. In addition to using the interview to show employers what value you’ll bring to the company, you might start wondering what the company can do for you. While interviews are a two-way street and you should absolutely come into the meeting with questions prepared, it’s important to be careful what these questions contain. Bad interview questions will be all about what the organization can do for you. For instance, 85 percent of recruiters think the interview isn’t the right place to ask salary questions. Talking money is something that happens further down the line in the hiring process, and if you jump the gun, you might never make it to the next step. You also want to avoid asking questions about vacation time, according to 69 percent of recruiters. Asking about vacation before you’ve even gotten the job will make it appear as though you’re already looking forward to escaping the office. Instead, use your interview questions to show off what you know about the company and how well you would fit into the organizations culture. Having a successful interview is far from impossible. Your dream job is within your grasp if you avoid common pitfalls and focus on showing employers you’re the perfect candidate. What are some ways you prevent a bad job interview? Let us know in the comments below!   Author: Alan Carniol is the Founder of InterviewSuccessFormula.com   an online job interview training system.  Or, follow Alan and Interview Success Formula on  Twitter.

9 Ways to Create a Fun Company Culture

9 Ways to Create a Fun Company Culture Between pool tables, kegerators and indoor putting greens, todays most envious offices look more like adult playgrounds than places of business. Hip young companies like Google and Red Bull have shifted away from the gray, fluorescent-lit workplaces of old, adding a dose of fun to the office that results in more creative and committed employees. While we all cant have a three-story slide or an unlimited supply of candy in the office, any company can tweak its operations to lift morale, increase employee engagement and create a stronger sense of community. Here are some tips for improving your company culture. 1. Feeding time If youve ever brought a box of fresh doughnuts to the office on a Monday morning, you know how food can improve your teams mood. Well-fed employees are happy employees, which is why companies like Warby Parker and Foursquare provide regular catered lunches. Other companies offer snack rooms, juice bars and visits from food trucks. Even something as simple as a monthly pizza party or a weekly bagel delivery will give your team something tasty to look forward to. 2. Happy hour Companies like AOL and Eventbrite have instituted regular in-office happy hours, inviting employees to grab a beer or two from a keg or beer cart while they finish out their workday. Some companies even offer an unlimited supply of adult beverages, showing their employees that they trust them not to abuse the privilege. Similarly, off-site happy hour gatherings give co-workers a chance to bond while blowing off some steam. 3. Play time Pool tables and basketball hoops may seem like distractions, but some companies have recognized their usefulness as creativity boosters. Brainstorming sessions take on a new level of excitement over a competitive game of ping-pong, and workers who find themselves stuck on a project often benefit from a few minutes away from their desk at play. These activities also encourage employees to stick around and socialize with coworkers after 5 p.m., rather than sprint out the door. 4. Stress relief All companies have those extra-stressful deadline days when everyone feels like biting each others heads off. Book a couple of masseuses to come to the office and work out peoples kinks in the conference room, and watch the stress melt away. Some employers even offer yoga classes and guided meditation. 5. Animal house Allergies notwithstanding, animals generally make people happy, and having a dog-friendly workplace has been linked to increased productivity and happier workers. Open the office to furry friends every day or just once a month, and see how the mood in the office shifts when a pooch or two is pawing around. Bonus: Pet owners can save money on dog-walking and dog-sitting services, and theyre not as rushed to leave the office when they know that Fido isnt waiting home alone. 6. Sunshine time Remember in school when your teacher would take the class outside for the day? Sending your employees to go work outside for an hour or two on sunny days can have a similarly restorative, uplifting effect. 7. Work outings Whether you rent a box at the local baseball game or host a team-building bowling night, work outings are a fun way for employees to bond while building morale. Put together a fun committee that will be in charge of collecting ideas from coworkers and organizing events. 8. Playing dress-up Did you think your days of playing dress-up were behind you? Not so at some fun-loving companies that invite employees to participate in regular theme days; recent events at REI have included Worst Tie Day and Christmas in July. Bring out your teams competitive spirit by offering rewards to the best-dressed employee or department. 9. Reward programs Speaking of rewards, theyre just one more way to encourage employees to work hard and achieve their goals. Reward outstanding workers with the opportunity to leave work early, or take them out for a long lunch. Clearly, there are plenty of ways to create a more fun office environment, but the best approach is to consider what makes your company unique, and work from there. Having a happy workplace will help you attract and keep top talent. Ultimately, this will make your company stronger. What are some changes you would make to increase the fun factor in your office? Share your ideas in the comments! Author: Diana Gomez is the Marketing Coordinator at Lyoness America, where she is instrumental in the implementation of marketing and social media strategies for USA and Canada. Follow them at @Lyoness_EU.

11 Pieces of Career Advice No One Tells You - Classy Career Girl

11 Pieces of Career Advice No One Tells You When it comes to self-growth in your career, its usually best to read as many self-help and career growth books as you can. Theyre written for a reason to help you achieve your career goals, whether its to become wealthier, be more productive, hustle two to three jobs and so on. But sometimes, the best guidance for your career comes from unexpected places. We asked some of our readers what the best piece of career advice theyve ever received was, and heres what they said: Never stop looking for your next job, no matter how much you love your current job. Despite how (un)qualified you think you are, by applying for that job you would love to get, you might just end up with your dream job.  Debbie Williams-Simicich Dress for the job/position you want. may sound like a simple task, but I think this puts us into the space and mindset to strive higher. Melissa Leong No change, no change. Works for all aspects of life, not just career. Change doesnt have to refer to some drastic turn-around, but if you dont start experimenting with doing things differently youll never discover what is going to create an improvement in your life. You may not even have to leave your job to create a change a conversation with your manager about your skills and the growth youd like to see for yourself can get the ball moving in a different direction. Perhaps theres a fit  in your organization but in a different department, or a tweak in your responsibilities or developing a new project can give you a greater sense of purpose in your current role. Victoria Crispo Whats the best piece of career advice youve ever received? One of the best and most helpful summaries of career advice weve read is by Raghav Haran. He compiled just about all of the most important career hacks we need to know in this infographic created with Visme. 11 Pieces of Career Advice No One Tells You

Beware Automation and Robots Will Sabotage Your Career - Career Pivot

Beware Automation and Robots Will Sabotage Your Career - Career Pivot Automation and Robots Copyright: nmcandre / 123RF Stock Photo Automation and robots will sabotage your career! If you do not think so, you must be smoking something and you are inhaling! I know, I know, your job cannot be automated. Your skills could never be replicated by a robot.Well…. I am going to give you some examples that should scare you to take some action. Journalism Journalism is already being affected by automation and robots. Check out the article from Wired calledWhat News-Writing Bots Mean for the Future of Journalism. The author opens the article with the following: WHEN REPUBLICAN STEVE King beat back Democratic challenger Kim Weaver in the race for Iowa’s 4th congressional district seat in November, The Washington Post snapped into action, covering both the win and the wider electoral trend. “Republicans retained control of the House and lost only a handful of seats from their commanding majority,” the article read, “a stunning reversal of fortune after many GOP leaders feared double-digit losses.” The dispatch came with the clarity and verve for which Post reporters are known, with one key difference: It was generated by Heliograf, a bot that made its debut on the Post’s website last year and marked the most sophisticated use of artificial intelligence in journalism to date. I am also pretty sure that when the San Antonio Spurs lost the 4th game and the playoff series to the Golden State Warriors, that the article that appeared within 15 minutes after the game on the ESPN app was created by a bot. Okay, any type of writing that is based on data can be replaced with automation and robots. Creative writing is immune from this onslaught… right? Think twice about that! Check out the articleWill Robots That Can Write Steal Your Creative Job? Listen to the most recent episode The author of that article writes: So, could the machines eventually begin to analyze popular fiction and start to come up with all new narratives that fit our tastes? Indeed, to ever more narrow tastes?We have already seen greater individuation in fiction as the e-book market has made shelf space infinite. Before e-books took off, novels about werewolves were already a healthy little Fantasy and Science Fiction sub-genre. Since e-books, though, billionaire werewolf romance novels are now a thing. Anything that can be analyzed will be analyzed and then replicated by automation and robots. Medical Automation and robots will have an incredible impact on medical professions. The smartphone is already having an impact. The iPhone in your pocket is more powerful than the mainframe computer I programmed 20 years ago. If a doctor wants an EKG you can record it on your smartphone app. All of your medical data will be digitized including X-ray images, CT scan, MRI, … The Economist Special Report,Automation and anxiety,discusses the impact on medicine which the topic of deep learning using products will have. There is a product fromEnliticthat can outperform doctors in reading diagnostic images. It is not just that the images are sent to places like India or China to be evaluated by doctors who are paid less, but automation and robots replacing doctors. Retail Jobs are being eliminated in retail at an alarming rate. Large retail chains like Sears which has shed brands like Craftsman and Land’s End to survive. Many specialty chains are failing likeTailored Brands (TLRD) which may not be known to consumers, but several of its brands are known, such as Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Banks. As the fight for 15movement grows to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour, one of the unintended consequences will be the implementation of automation and robots. I am already seeing fast food chains rolling out mobile apps and kiosks where you can order your food and never have to speak to a person. I am a LinkedIn Profinder member and I am seeing lots of requests from career middle managers in the retail segment looking for assistance in getting out of the industry. Amazon and its competitors will completely disrupt the retail industry. This is not just people on the floor selling but also careers in the back office like accounting, human resources, supply chain, and more. Is Your Career Immune to Automation and Robots? In a recent article in Recode,The U.S. will be hit worse by job automation than other major economies,the author states: Nearly 40 percent of jobs in the U.S. may be vulnerable to replacement by robots in the next fifteen years, according to a new study by the research firm PwC. Hopefully, I have demonstrated to you that professions that one would have thought would be immune to automation and robots are at risk. Similarly, if the industry where you are working is at risk, you must be on the look out. If you think you are safe from automation and robots sabotaging your career, you must be smoking something and you are inhaling. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! 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La-la-la-la - were not listening - la-la-la-la - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

La-la-la-la - were not listening - la-la-la-la - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog A Danish study published today shows that 56% of respondents believe that involving the organization is the second-most important factor for successful strategic development Only 4% of businesses involve all employees in strategic development Which made me think of this sign found in a barracks of the Israeli army: Privates will refrain from giving advice to officers. From Leo Rostens Giant Book of Laughter Via Aruns musings. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Resume Writing Service Reviews - How They Can Help You

Resume Writing Service Reviews - How They Can Help YouResume writing service reviews have become quite popular in recent years as they provide prospective job applicants with a great deal of valuable information. It's an ever growing industry and it is difficult to find an area that has not been touched by this new type of marketing. In this article we will explore the role that resumes play in the career services arena.If you were to go into any professional resume service you would be presented with a very extensive checklist. These services usually give their clients a range of different types of job applications. From simple request letters and cover letters to all out bespoke applications. Whilst it is true that some services are more hands on than others there is no doubt that every successful company is in some way involved in some form of job application.The reality is that many businesses simply don't know what the job requirements are for the specific job that they are seek ing to fill. And if they do know they tend to want to keep them a secret and would rather see someone else getting the job in order to avoid the fact that they are actually losing a potential client.It doesn't really take a genius to realise that many job seekers simply forget to include any references or free samples in their application. And sometimes you do find that they didn't bother to read the requirements at all. The truth is that there are plenty of people that are turning to the internet to help them find their own resumes and cover letters.With that said I would like to advise those that are planning to use the internet for their needs to make sure that they take their time when looking at professional resume services. Because there are those that really are not up to scratch. The professionals will normally be pretty confident about their abilities and will simply make sure that they can do the job right.Another thing to take into consideration when looking at resume wri ting service reviews is the client. Many businesses in the industry to offer similar services with a difference, but they don't have to have the same credentials. Although it is a fact that they are all regulated by the professional bodies there is still a lot of competition and this means that you can sometimes get a slightly better deal from one that is not.Resume writing service reviews provide vital information when it comes to identifying the best services. Most of the review services on the internet are independent of each other and this can provide you with a clear indication of what the job is like. However they will all show that they have a different focus and that's fine.There are however a few resume writing service reviews that can provide a little more in depth analysis. For example the ones that focus on the job seekers experience level and what their expectations are going to be. This can provide you with a good indication of whether you should consider using the ser vices of a particular company.