What Obama means for the workplace

What Obama means for the workplace Barack Obama is dissing the baby boomers. But hes doing it tactfully. So hes got a wide range of people talking about generational issues in politics, and Im eagerly anticipating spillover into the workplace, which also needs this frank discussion. One of the companies I founded was an online marketplace for city governments. My business partner was a fiftysomething guy who had been dealing with city governments forever. Our investors in the first round were all his friends, most were over 50, and some assumed I was dating my partner because why else would he start a company with someone so young. Investors treated me like it was an impossibility that I could have learned things fast enough to get into a room with them. And one investor asked me to leave a meeting at such an inappropriate moment that even my partner was shocked. Then, about a year later, when I was looking for a job, the guy I interviewed with said, Kids now think they can learn on the job and they dont need an MBA. What do you think of that? I couldnt believe it: He was calling me a kid in my job interview, even though I had already launched two companies. He did this because he thinks its culturally acceptable to treat someone like they dont know anything just because theyre young. Ive been holding off writing about Obama because the first (and last) time I took a leap into politics with my column was when I campaigned for Howard Dean, the week before he imploded. I told myself I learned my lesson: Politics is too volatile for a workplace writer to forge a path through. But here I am again. Writing about politics. Writing about Obama and hoping he doesnt implode next week. I have to write about him because while this is not an official endorsement, when he talks about leading a new generation I get giddy over the idea that we could be wrestling ourselves out from under the clutch of the baby boomers. Obama talks about teamwork and community and the end of the me-me-me in-fighting that has characterized the recent history of baby boomer politics. A report in Newsday says: Obama represents the transition from the Baby Boom to Generation X He spoke of a post-boomer sensibility, of moving beyond the divisions exacerbated by undue self-focus. I have this conversation with my (baby boomer) agent, and she says, Everything to you is about generations. And okay, theres truth to that, but theres also some hot air, because the baby-boomer generation is so huge that everything has been about them by default. I am from a generation that had very limited power to do anything, anywhere, except live in the wake of the boomers. Even when it came to the Internet revolution in the 90s, most of the people who got rich were the baby boomers who invested in companies that Gen-Xers operated. This is why I get excited about Generation Y. Its amazing to see this group, with all their demographic power, open up the world to change. For the most part, I focus on change in the workplace. There were a lot of things that my generation wanted at work for example, flexible hours, personal growth and the abandonment of competitive, ego-focused hierarchy in favor of team work. But we had trouble pushing through these workplace values because there were too few of us. The baby boomers could always just say no. But generation Y wants so many of those gen-X things, and generation Y has the demographic power to make it real. It excites me to see this happen at work. Obama is the political corollary. Finally there are enough voters, maybe, to vote for someone who is not a baby boomer. I dont know if it will happen. But just that were talking about it is exciting. Because once we talk about baby boomers giving up control of politics, the talk of baby boomers giving up control of corporate life cannot be far behind. But theres a workplace lesson from Obama as well. Hes very tactful as he disses the boomers. He makes it clear that he is a bridge builder. That he is respectful of the fact that everyone has a place in history. And he is, above all, someone who has empathy for diverse backgrounds. These are all the same kinds of skills we need in the workplace today. We are all engaging in a generational discussion at work, even if it is not as overt as an interviewer calling you a kid. We all come to the table with preconceptions and biases, but we all have to work together. So, in the near future, at lest, its the people who are best at building generational bridges who will succeed. This is something I personally work on every day, and Obama is a great role model.

How to answer difficult interview questions - Debut

How to answer difficult interview questions - Debut The idea of not being able to answer a difficult interview question fills many graduates with dread. What should you do if youre asked a question that you dont know how to answer?   In this post, we will outline how to avoid winding up in this situation and share tips on answering difficult interview questions. Preparation is key The more prepared you are for your interviews, the less difficult the questions will seem.  Interview questions are not designed to trip you up; graduate recruiters ultimately want to determine which candidates closely align with the company’s culture and have the competencies required for the role.   In order to do this, they will ask different types of interview questions. Here are some examples of questions you may be asked:   Case questions these questions evaluate the process that you use to solve problems.   Behavioural questions these questions examine how you would act in certain situations.   Competency questions these questions align your skills, behaviour and past experiences with specific competencies that are required for the role.   Your perception of how difficult interview questions are will depend on how prepared you are.  If you are fully prepared for all of the different types of questions you may be asked, you won’t perceive them as being difficult. Tip: Before your next interview, ensure that you know everything that is humanly possible about the role, company and industry.   Action point 1: Familiarise yourself with the different types of interview questions.   Action point 2: Research different questions you may be asked. If you would like to learn how to get really good at performing highly in interviews, check out Graduate Coachs online interview course.   What should you do if an interview question catches you off guard? If you are in an interview and are asked a question that you are having difficulty answering, do not panic.  Remember, the interviewer isn’t trying to trip you up.   If you find yourself in this situation, don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer for some time to think about your response.  Doing this demonstrates your ability to communicate and quickly initiate a plan for handling unexpected situations. Being honest with the interviewer by admitting that you find this a difficult interview question and that you need a few moments to reflect, you will also show that you are willing to come up with a well thought out response. This is a much better approach than telling the interviewer that you can’t answer the question.   Also, don’t hesitate to ask the interviewer questions to clarify what they are asking you. Doing this will help you to answer the interviewers question accurately without going off-topic.   Summary Prepare adequately for your interviews. The more prepared you are when you go into your interview, the less difficult you will find the experience. For additional help with your preparation, consider getting some interview coaching.   Understand the different types of interview questions. If theres a particular type of interview question you struggle with, practice answering those questions more.   Don’t hesitate to admit if you are struggling with a particular question. The interviewer will be interested in seeing how you handle the situation. Don’t panic; explain that you need a few moments to reflect, then respond with a well thought out answer. Dont forget to check out our other posts on How to discover your career path and How to build a career plan

Watch my interview about happiness in non profits - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Watch my interview about happiness in non profits - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I recently did an interview for Roy Opata Olende of Green Mango about happiness at work in small businesses and non-profits. These organizations face their own set of challenges and we had a great talk about it. You can see the whole thing here: 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

Tips on Writing a Resume For Seniors

Tips on Writing a Resume For SeniorsWriting a resume for seniors can be the hardest part of job hunting, and yet, the biggest asset. They say that there is not much difference between senior management and those in the lower-level positions, and that the only thing they're different from is the way you present yourself. For this reason, it is important to use the right tools for writing a resume for seniors, the same tools that you would use for a job opening for a regular applicant.In the old days, a resume was only as good as the career title it contained. This was a function of the company who hired you and your skill set at the time of hiring. As a result, companies were free to use one or two resumes as an advertisement to the rest of the workforce. Even today, some companies use this practice. The key here is in picking the right name and presenting the right information at the right time.Your resume should be specific to the position you are applying for. You should also make sure that it reflects the skills you bring to the table. Put the most relevant skills and experience in your resume and try to highlight those skills and experience that will show the employer that you are a quick learner. If you have the ability to learn quickly, this will help you to easily qualify for a position with little or no experience in the field. Many people fall into this trap, but you should avoid it at all costs.Point out your strengths. Senior positions require more than just the ability to do the job. You need to show employers that you have the potential to become an asset and that you can be a great team player, especially if the role has to be outside the office.Finally, include an appropriate cover letter. Think about how many companies you've applied for already. How many interviews have you attended? If you're not prepared to write your own cover letter, then find a template and use it as the basis for your own letter. Use the words that relate to the job descr iption you are looking for and what you can do for the company and itself to give your best chance at success.For this reason, it is highly recommended that you use an online resume writer, which is a powerful tool that will turn your written words into a polished, professional looking resume. If you are not comfortable with writing a resume for seniors, don't worry; there are plenty of ways to find an excellent writer.By now, you should know enough to write a resume for seniors, but not everything you want to know about resume writing for seniors. You need to know about keywords, things like first and last name and other important information. As you can see, there are many ways to write a resume for seniors.

First Time Job Seekers Needed to Keep A Copy of Their Resume For Personal Interviews

First Time Job Seekers Needed to Keep A Copy of Their Resume For Personal InterviewsA new job seeker, being a first time job seeker needs to fill out a first time job resume with proper tact. It is important to have an effective job resume, because a job recruiter or hiring manager will use it to start a personal interview. The resume is the first contact the employer has with the applicant, and it serves as the basis for the interview.A good first time job resume can act as a link between the recruiter and the applicant. It serves as a guide to follow in filling out the application form and also giving information that the employer can get from the application form. There are several other questions you need to answer, but these are the main ones.These should clearly explain the main job requirements, starting from basic skills, and continuing with relevant qualifications, education and training. Sometimes a recruiter asks you to include other information and experiences, like volun teer work experience. Be sure to mention all this in your job resume.When you are ready to submit your resume, be careful to make certain that the information is accurate and honest. It is easy to make mistakes if you do not have experience. So make sure you are familiar with the job details and the employer before sending in your resume.There are more professional websites today that offers free resume tips and resources, as there are many 'old fashioned' recruiters who still send in their old fashioned resume first time job seeker to find out if they are fit for the job. The only problem with such methods is that you may have missed out some important points which may be very helpful in gaining acceptance of your application.It is important to have a job resume that can serve as a guide to a personal interview with the right recruiter. First time job seekers, it is best to save a copy of your resume on a CD before sending in your application.A resume serves as the first contact yo u have with a company, so make sure that you have one that includes all the relevant information, which can help you gain acceptance to the job. The most important aspect of a resume is that it should prove to be easy to read and write, while at the same time containing all the relevant information.

Top Best Resume Writing Services 55811 Secrets

Top Best Resume Writing Services 55811 Secrets Furthermore, the very best and professional writers understand the demands of government departments very well. By keeping the above mentioned demand in view, a lot of inexpensive resumes andonline resume writing services are offered for the ease of candidates, but it isn't easy for all of the jobless candidates to bear the excessive professional resume writing rates. While no 2 resumes will look the exact same, there are specific similarities in all decent resumes. Whether you are a newcomer to writing resumes and cover letters or your written resume doesn't appear to secure you invited on several interviews, we're right here to assist you. The 30-Second Trick for Best Resume Writing Services 55811 A terrific professional resume writing service is the greatest selection for everybody who needs help with applications. Clearly, there are a number of online resume writing services available at internet that likewise claim to suppl y all these features to the customers. The service is likely to make sure to format your resume the direction you want it. Obviously, whenever you're searching for a resume writing service, don't neglect to obey your gut. To conclude, it's safer to use the assistance of a CV writing agent for the reason that it guarantees a better result. As a consequence, you are able to choose among the best services at a price that's realistic to you and get invited to all the interviews you wished to enter. When you would like to find the best resume help, you may simply follow our lead. The Good, the Bad and Best Resume Writing Services 55811 1 special feature given by Resume Writers Service is that if you're a returning customer, you can secure any services for half off the normal price. It's important to employ a service which offers you a wonderful price for top quality. If you see a service we haven't evaluated, don't hesitate to drop us a message and we are going to take a look w henever possible. The service of Resumarea is given to clients at a fair price that matches the significance of your self-presentation. Keep in mind, your resume is the simplest way for you to receive your foot in the door for a desirable job. Resume writing is daunting work for those who write a resume once per year, or once a decade sometimes. Resume writing is the most essential step in presenting your abilities and receiving the job that you desire. Instead replace of all of them with action verbs which best describe what you've done previously. Best Resume Writing Services 55811 Ideas Our job here is to supply you with a comprehensive description of what a provider is about. This list includes not just the category of the resume but the merchandise and price also. Resume Writing Categories When you look at resume services, you are going to observe that they are available in several distinct categories and you're going to wish to choose the right kind for your job searc h requirements. Resume writing services may be used by men and women who aren't just fresh graduates and are searching for their very first job. Ok, I Think I Understand Best Resume Writing Services 55811, Now Tell Me About Best Resume Writing Services 55811! Resume Writing Services are efficient resource for having a decent resumes as application for those jobs. During the procedure, you will work one-on-one with a certified, experienced professional until you've got a resume you're pleased with. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners can't read certain products. Writing resume with the assistance of resume templates readily available on the world wide web has become the most efficient method of writing resumes that ensure that you're using the suitable format and correct information that's appropriate for the job you're applying for.

Resume Power Statements What Are They Why Do I Need One - Work It Daily

Resume Power Statements What Are They Why Do I Need One - Work It Daily One of the best ways to showcase your career brand in your resume is to include a power statement. Strong brand-driven statements abound on well-written resumes and can be found in your career summary, position descriptions, and your achievements, but the most visible power statement on a resume is your tagline. Related: Top 10 Resume Trends For 2014 What is a resume power statement? It’s a one-line encapsulation of your career ROI or a key achievement. Written with lean keyword-infused language a power statement showcases the impact your candidacy has had on your current or past employers or highlights critical attributes of your career brand. For example, here’s a power statement that quickly hones in on the candidate’s value: Catalyzed $3B+ in Online Revenue while Generating 5X Shareholder Value in Industry-Leading Start-Up Notice that this statement draws attention to two results (revenue and shareholder value) while providing two context hints (the revenue was made online and the business was an industry-leading start-up). Notice, too, that this power statement begins with an action-oriented verb (“catalyzed”). This is a lot of detail to include in a 13-word phrase. Here’s another tagline example. This one is shorter and presents the candidate’s leadership philosophy in three words: Focus. Discipline. Action. If followed by a summary that emphasizes the candidates career ROI, the top portion of this person’s resume will quickly help readers to take the temperature of his fit for the role they are seeking to fill. Where do you insert a power statement? As mentioned earlier, these kinds of statements can be used in multiple locations throughout a resume. We’re focusing on using them as a tagline, which means the statement would be placed after your resume’s title but before your summary. This is prime resume real estate deserving of an exceedingly impactful tagline that will shape your readers’ perceptions of you. Should a resume only use one tagline? No, not necessarily. While that is how they are arguably used most frequently, more than one tagline can be used in a document if there is enough solid brand material to showcase. If more than one tagline is inserted into the document, it can be placed immediately after the first tagline. For example, if a client possesses exceptional credentials, it may be appropriate to include them in a secondary tagline like this one: KEY CREDENTIALS: Harvard MBA | MIT BS in IT | PMI PMP Certification A secondary tagline can also be placed after the summary, as in this example: Transformation Leader Who Repairs Troubled Customer Care Operations + Fuels Next-Level Performance Expert turnaround driver who improves customer experience, increases service delivery, and resolves client concerns. Demanding but fair people developer who excels at building teams that deliver the right level of service while scaling delivery based on business needs. Experienced in leading technology conversions that set the stage for key MA, IPO, and rebranding initiatives. Supported Acquisitions for Sunbelt and Markon Ranging Up to $650M in Value CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE + LEADERSHIP STRENGTHS: CASH FLOW MAXIMIZATION: Increased average speed of answer 18% and cut escalations 33%. Ensured consistently superior service during peak call periods through demand forecasting. POST-ACQUISITION INTEGRATIONS: Consolidated the acquisitions of 12 franchises through on-time, on-budget project leadership of system conversions for TechSmith Systems. EMPLOYEE RETENTION:Lower call center turnover from 34% to 6%, cultivating peak-performing teams. In this second example, the secondary tagline is followed by three achievement statements that drive home the results the candidate has achieved to date. Each of these achievements is also a resume power statement. Why should you use a power statement? There are at least four multi-layered reasons to leverage a tagline in your resume. Context: An effective tagline creates context for your summary and tells the reader what you’re going to tell them. Remember high school English? You may have been taught to write thesis papers with a simple 3-step formula: Tell the reader what you‘re going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Your resume should do the same. In essence, a tagline serves as a thesis statement for your resume, presenting a central idea or them in a high-profile location. Click here to learn more about the importance of context details in your resume. Positioning: Your resume is a marketing tool for Brand You that helps your target market to recognize the relevance of your candidacy for their needs. As such, a tagline affirms your match for the position at hand and reassures the reader that it is worth his/her time to inspect your candidacy further. When power statements are layered, they can provide deepening levels of detail that reel your readers in to know more about you. They help you to build a logical case for your candidacy one line at a time. Brand: Taglines are important brand communications tools. They can help summarize your key skills, experience, credentials, and achievements while making clear how your candidacy is different than that of other candidates. Taglines leverage the “power of proof” to drive home key ideas. When you highlight the total amount of sales you’ve helped generate throughout your career, for example, you’re making a powerful claim about your candidacy without sounding like a braggart. Impacts: Effective taglines draw your readers’ attention to the impacts you’ve had on your employers to date. Located up front and center, taglines place these impacts center stage so their message doesn’t get lost in all the content to follow. When showcased impacts are tied to the job description of the role you are applying for, they reinforce your fit for the job and in all probability propel your candidacy ahead of others. Emphasizing the bigger picture of your career ROI helps you point out the bigger picture to your readers. In the first sample tagline shared above, for example, sales are presented on equal footing with shareholder value results which enables the candidate to in effect say, “I don’t just drive multibillion-dollar sales â€" I magnify shareholder profits for the companies who hire me.” If your resume doesn’t have a tagline, ask yourself how much stronger it could be if it did. Take a look at your LinkedIn profile, too. After all, your profile’s headline is the perfect place for a power statement. This post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts Resume Tips: Your Personal Branding Statement 3 Steps To An Outstanding Personal Branding Statement Boring Old Resume Objective Vs. Branding Statement About the author A 15-time, award-winning resume writer, Cheryl Lynch Simpson serves mid-career to senior executives as a credentialed resume writer (ACRW), LinkedIn strategist (COPNS), and Get Clear, Get Found, Get Hired (G3) coach. Like her advice? Check out her website, ExecutiveResumeRescue.com for a complimentary copy of her popular Polish Your Profile LinkedIn presentation, or follow her on Twitter!   Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today! Resume Power Statements What Are They Why Do I Need One - Work It Daily In this episode of Career QA, J.T. discusses the importance of having a power statement on your resume and what goes into crafting a good one. Also here is related article that J.T. references in this episode: http://www.workitdaily.com/resume-power-statements/ Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!