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Showing posts from July, 2024

Becoming Your Best Self: A Pathway to Attracting New Clients

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5 ways to find new consulting clients: 1. Self-Assessment and Goal Setting : Begin by assessing your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Set clear, achievable goals that align with your professional aspirations and the needs of your target clients. 2. Continuous Learning and Skill Development : Commit to lifelong learning by staying updated with industry trends, acquiring new skills, and enhancing existing ones. This positions you as a knowledgeable and valuable resource to potential clients. 3. Building a Strong Personal Brand : Develop a compelling personal brand that reflects your expertise, values, and unique selling points. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn and professional websites to showcase your achievements and thought leadership. 4. Networking and Relationship Building : Cultivate meaningful relationships with peers, mentors, and industry leaders. Attend networking events, engage in online communities, and participate in discussions to expand your professional ne...

The Hidden Truth About Hiring: Why the Best Candidates Aren't Getting Hired

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In today's competitive job market, a peculiar problem has emerged: an abundance of highly qualified candidates coupled with a hiring process that seems broken. Let's dive into why this is happening and what it means for job seekers and employers alike. The Overwhelming Sea of Sameness Picture this: a job opening attracts hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applications. At first glance, this might seem like a good thing. More choices mean better chances of finding the perfect fit, right? Not quite. The reality is that many of these candidates have strikingly similar credentials. They've attended the same top schools, earned the same degrees, and even gained experience at similar companies. This creates a sea of sameness that's difficult for hiring managers to navigate. The Uneducated Gatekeeper Problem Here's where things get tricky. The initial screening of these numerous applications often falls to HR staff, recruiters, or hiring managers who may not fully unde...

Supercharge Your Resume: Mastering Project Management Keywords

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In today's competitive job market, a well-crafted resume that showcases your project management prowess is your ticket to success. But how do you make sure your resume stands out? The secret lies in strategically using industry-specific keywords. Let's dive into the art of seamlessly integrating top project management keywords into your resume. 1. Embrace Agile Methodology Agile is more than a buzzword—it's a project management philosophy that's revolutionized the industry. Here's how to highlight your Agile expertise: Professional Summary : "Seasoned Project Manager with 5+ years of Agile experience, driving cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact results." Experience : "Spearheaded Agile sprints, facilitating daily stand-ups and retrospectives to boost team productivity by 30%." Skills : "Agile Methodology | Scrum | Kanban | Sprint Planning" 2. Spotlight Risk Management Showcasing your ability to navigate uncertainties ...

Vinh Giang | Master Your Voice

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Audio is 60% of a video So, When in an interview, your voice is more important than your picture. You can have great audio and average video But you cannot have bad audio

The Ultimate Recipe for Solving Problems | Brian Tracy on UNSTOPPABLE

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The Ultimate Recipe for Solving Problems | Brian Tracy  

Mastering Bullet Points on Your Resume: Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Bullet points are powerful tools on resumes, designed to highlight specific talking points and achievements. However, when misused, they can diminish rather than enhance the impact of your message. Here are some common mistakes candidates make with bullet points and how to avoid them: Common Mistakes Too Many Bullets: Creating a list with more than five bullets in a row. Results in nothing standing out. The text begins to resemble a large paragraph. Solution: Use functional headings (e.g., Business Development, Marketing, Financial Analysis). Group bullet points into sub-sections. Quickly differentiate types of value-add statements. Mixed-Purpose Bullets: Combining job tasks with accomplishments in the same list. Waters down the impact of accomplishment statements. Makes it harder to identify key achievements. Solution: Report job tasks in a brief paragraph format. List accomplishments separately in a bulleted list. Make it easier for readers to spot key accomplishments. Unique Bullets...

The Perils of Bad Interview Behavior: A Warning for 2024 Job Seekers

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In today’s competitive job market, your behavior during an interview can make or break your chances of landing that position. It’s crucial to avoid any actions that might cast a shadow over your professionalism. Here’s a cautionary tale to highlight the importance of maintaining impeccable conduct during interviews. A Case in Point Imagine this: A candidate calls on her way to an interview, saying she will arrive in 10-15 minutes. Instead, she shows up 40 minutes late, without offering any explanation. To make matters worse, she spends the interview scrolling through and replying to emails on her iPhone. You might think this is the behavior of a college student. However, this candidate was an Sr. Project Manager in her 50s. My colleague was shocked that someone at this stage in their professional life would act so unprofessionally. So, let’s go over some critical points: 1. Arrive Early, But Not Too Early Always aim to show up slightly early—5 to 10 minutes is ideal. Arriving any earli...

OLD SCHOOL Resume advice: Updated for 2024

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Updated post from years ago.... Please take not how things have changed Hey there, job seekers! As an experienced professional, landing a new job with better benefits can be a breeze if you have an impressive resume. Your resume should be flawless an effectively showcase your skills, making a strong impression even before you meet your potential employer. Here are five tips to help you create the perfect resume and enhance your chances of securing that professional job. 1. Include Key Information (not everything) Start with the basics: Name Email Address Cell Phone Number Marital status Age Address Educational background These details, along with your college performance, help the employer assess whether you have the right qualifications for the job.  Details matter, but only as they apply to the job description of the open role. Your college experience is only a checkmark , have it, good, don't have it, out of the running . 2. Highlight Your Strengths (for what they want) Your r...

Defying Age Bias Together in Jobs

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Defying Age Bias Together in Jobs Hey there, job seekers! Today, we’re tackling a tough but important topic: age discrimination in the job market. Unfortunately, it's something that many older applicants face, but don’t worry, we’ve got some advice to help you navigate these challenges. The Reality of Age Discrimination Age discrimination often rears its ugly head in the form of assumptions. Employers might (illegally, of course) think that older applicants will be harder to train, less productive, less tech-savvy, uninterested in lower salaries, or unwilling to relocate. Sadly, these stereotypes can prevent older applicants from even getting in the door for an interview. The Hard Facts In the U.S., nearly 170,000 workers aged 50 and over have been unemployed for 12 months or more. Many of these individuals search for jobs month after month, depleting their retirement savings and accumulating debt. Some have had to push back their retirement plans indefinitely. Fighting Back: Tips ...

Top Priority: Job Search Elevator Pitch

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Hey there! Let's talk about crafting an elevator pitch that will make you the star of your local networking group. Because, let's be honest, if your pitch has a pitch problem, you won't make the impact you want. No one will rush over to meet you once it's over. But imagine this: your elevator pitch is so good that people can’t wait to find you, introduce themselves, and network with you. Sounds fantastic, right? So, you've read the basics of delivering a great pitch. Now, let's dive into building one that everyone will love. Here are six steps from a presentation I gave recently in Irvine, CA. I'll guide you on what to include, and then I'll share my own example. Ready? Let’s go! Step 1 – Introduce Yourself Start with your name. Simple, but essential. People need to know who you are! Step 2 – Positioning Statement Share a positioning statement. In 4-6 words, define what makes you unique in the market. This is your hook! Step 3 – Brief Career Summary Give...

Maximizing Your Interview Chances: Strategies for Every Job Seeker

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Securing an interview can often feel like a daunting challenge, especially when you’re competing against a sea of qualified candidates. However, by adopting certain strategies, you can significantly increase your chances of standing out and getting noticed. The key is to tailor your resume and application to each job you apply for, ensuring it aligns perfectly with the job description and showcases your most relevant skills and experiences. Firstly, carefully analyze each job posting and identify the key skills and qualifications the employer is looking for. Make sure these are prominently featured in your resume and cover letter. Use the exact phrases and terminology from the job description, as many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen applications. By mirroring the language of the job posting, you increase the likelihood that the ATS will flag your application as a strong match. In addition to tailoring your resume, leverage your LinkedIn profile to enhance your ...

Mastering the ATS-Optimized Resume: Matching the Language and Style of Job Descriptions

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This article is part of a series of helping craft an optimized ATS resume. Creating an ATS-optimized resume involves more than listing your skills and experiences—it requires mirroring the language and style of the job description. This strategy boosts your chances of being flagged as a strong match by the ATS. When writing your resume, study the job posting carefully and note the key phrases, qualifications, and tone used. Then, align your resume’s language to reflect these elements closely. If you feel the need to taylor your resume, use one of the AI tools to match your narrative, tailoring your professional summary to echo the job description’s primary requirements. For example, if the job posting emphasizes "collaborative project management" and "proactive problem-solving," ensure these terms appear prominently in your summary. Similarly, when detailing your work experience, use the same language found in the job description. If the job asks for expertise in ...

Unlocking Recruiter Strategies: Gaining an Edge in Your Job Search

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Understanding how recruiters and HR departments find candidates can give you a significant edge in your job search. Many job seekers are unaware of the methods recruiters use, such as ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), job boards, social media, and networking. By knowing these strategies, you can tailor your approach to increase your visibility and attractiveness as a candidate. Recruiters often rely on ATS to filter resumes based on specific keywords and criteria. To beat the system, research the keywords relevant to your industry and incorporate them naturally into your resume and LinkedIn profile. Additionally, make sure your resume is formatted correctly for ATS, avoiding complex designs that might cause the system to misread your information. This ensures your resume makes it past the initial screening and into the hands of a recruiter. Beyond ATS, recruiters also use platforms like LinkedIn to find candidates. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated with your latest skills, experiences...

Optimize Your Job Search for ATS: Humans Read Last

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This article is part of a series of helping you optimize your job search for ATS. In the modern job market, the human hiring decision-maker is often the last person to read your resume. The initial gatekeeper is typically an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which scans and filters resumes before any human eyes see them. This automated process can be both a blessing and a curse. While it helps hiring managers manage the large volume of applications, it also means that your resume must first meet the ATS criteria before it has a chance to impress a human reader. ATS software operates by scanning resumes for keywords that match the job description. If your resume lacks these keywords, or if it’s formatted in a way that the ATS can’t easily read, it might be automatically discarded. This underscores the importance of tailoring your resume for each job application, ensuring it includes relevant keywords and follows a straightforward, ATS-friendly format. A well-optimized resume will pass th...