discrimination

discrimination My good friend Norm from NYC sent me this Wall Street Journal article titled Five Myths About Landing a Good Job Later in Life. The author, Anne Tergersen, writes about retirement for the WSJ. Its a pretty optimistic, encouraging, happy article.  The five myths, which she busts, are: Myth 1: I’m not going to find a good job. Myth 2: You can’t take time off, or you’ll never get back into the workforce Myth 3: I’m not going to make as big of a contribution as I did in the past. Myth 4: The only type of work available to older applicants is part time. Myth 5: The chance to be an entrepreneur has passed me by. It is encouraging to read her article, and see the stats she presents to prove that those are all myths. The hope is abundant. That is until you read the comments.  The 125+ comments tell a different story. The story from the trenches is that age discrimination is alive and well. Ive been going over some of my old Ask The Expert interviews and age discrimination has come up. Im a firm believer that it exists.  Recruiters and career coaches caution you to not let age discrimination become THE excuse for you not finding a job. I agree that we shouldnt fixate on age Ive seen the results of fixating like that.  EVERYTHING happens wrong because Im too old, no one wants to hire someone my age. Depression sets in, you lose any speck of confidence you used to have, and you know have a convenient scapegoat for all of your job search failures. I have seen it. I have even had my own scapegoats.  It is a waste of time and energy. Im not saying its not real. What Im suggesting is to not let it (your age) be the excuse for not making progress. When your age becomes your brand, you have a branding problem. And, as CEO of Me, Inc as VP of Marketing for Me, Inc, you have a task: to rebrand yourself. Instead of being that old guy/gal, you need to be the person with expertise that we havent seen, but we need! Instead of being the person who is too expensive, you need to be the person they need to hire, and its a bargain to get you. Think of the old adage: turn your (perceived) weaknesses into (perceived) strengths. I know, I know, this is much easier said than done. But Ill tell you, you arent the only one with a problem in your job search. Be creative, be purposeful, be strategic, be smart, and attack the problem head on.  The goal is to get your next great job, not to try to change how discrimination works. discrimination My good friend Norm from NYC sent me this Wall Street Journal article titled Five Myths About Landing a Good Job Later in Life. The author, Anne Tergersen, writes about retirement for the WSJ. Its a pretty optimistic, encouraging, happy article.  The five myths, which she busts, are: Myth 1: I’m not going to find a good job. Myth 2: You can’t take time off, or you’ll never get back into the workforce Myth 3: I’m not going to make as big of a contribution as I did in the past. Myth 4: The only type of work available to older applicants is part time. Myth 5: The chance to be an entrepreneur has passed me by. It is encouraging to read her article, and see the stats she presents to prove that those are all myths. The hope is abundant. That is until you read the comments.  The 125+ comments tell a different story. The story from the trenches is that age discrimination is alive and well. Ive been going over some of my old Ask The Expert interviews and age discrimination has come up. Im a firm believer that it exists.  Recruiters and career coaches caution you to not let age discrimination become THE excuse for you not finding a job. I agree that we shouldnt fixate on age Ive seen the results of fixating like that.  EVERYTHING happens wrong because Im too old, no one wants to hire someone my age. Depression sets in, you lose any speck of confidence you used to have, and you know have a convenient scapegoat for all of your job search failures. I have seen it. I have even had my own scapegoats.  It is a waste of time and energy. Im not saying its not real. What Im suggesting is to not let it (your age) be the excuse for not making progress. When your age becomes your brand, you have a branding problem. And, as CEO of Me, Inc as VP of Marketing for Me, Inc, you have a task: to rebrand yourself. Instead of being that old guy/gal, you need to be the person with expertise that we havent seen, but we need! Instead of being the person who is too expensive, you need to be the person they need to hire, and its a bargain to get you. Think of the old adage: turn your (perceived) weaknesses into (perceived) strengths. I know, I know, this is much easier said than done. But Ill tell you, you arent the only one with a problem in your job search. Be creative, be purposeful, be strategic, be smart, and attack the problem head on.  The goal is to get your next great job, not to try to change how discrimination works.

9 Perfect Love Songs for a Recruiter

9 Perfect Love Songs for a Recruiter Unless youve been locked away in a dark room all day its pretty hard not to miss the fact that today is Valentines Day. The day when courting couples show their undying love for each other, the day married couples pretty much ignore and the day shops and restaurants see a huge boost in their profits. But if youre looking for that soundtrack or mix tape to get you in the mood for love then weve created the perfect playlist for every recruiter out there. Beyonce Listen http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MFjSOwIkH4 Well this goes without saying because in order to work in recruitment you have to be a great listener. You have to listen to what the client wants and what the candidate is looking for. Lets face it, if you dont listen, then you cant deliver. Take That Patience   Every recruiter needs the patience of a saint! Even though you think a job is the perfect match for a candidate they may disagree and ask you to keep looking. You will have to sit back and wait for that perfect opportunity and having that patience should eventually pay off. Ed Sheeran Shape of You   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGwWNGJdvx8 It would be useful if a recruiter can read body language (see what Ive done here?). This special skill will tell you what a client or candidate is thinking without you having to ask the question. Clever isnt it? Ariana Grande Problem   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS1g8G_njx8 At some point during your career you will have to solve a problem or two. And as you might have already found out they might not always be the same problem. So problem-solving skills are essential to be a recruiter to tackle a number of scenarios like  people not turning up to their interviews, companies telling you that they already found another candidate, not being able to match a  candidate for a certain position for a long time. Cyndi Lauper Time after Time   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdQY7BusJNU Filling those jobs urgently and getting your priorities right need great time management skills. If you cant manage your time efficiently and effectively you might as well think about changing your career. Adele Hello   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHsXMglC9A Every conversation starts at hello and hopefully it will be the start of many as recruiters have to go on and build good relationships with both their clients and candidates. Recruitment is a people business and the better relationships you have with the people you are working with, the better the results. Charlie Puth One Call Away   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxuY9FET9Y4 While a lot of business will be done face-to-face, a majority of it will be done over the phone. You will be speaking to people on a regular basis so good communication skills are vital.   George Michael Fast Love   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHAQlFq6TFg Speed is of the essence when youre a recruiter. Its quite likely that both clients and candidates will use a number of sources to get what they want. So the quicker you get them the results, the better for you. Coldpay Us Against The World   http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIAEzOxWviQ You know the saying team work makes the dream work, well thats definitely true if youre a recruiter. Working side-by-side and hand-in-hand with your co-workers will often provide better results than if you try to juggle everything on your own unless you work for yourself of course. Team-working skills  are critical  if you need to lead a team of recruitment consultants or collaborate with others to find the best candidate for that high-profile client. Have we missed any love  songs that relate to recruitment? Let me know by tweeting @UndercoverRec!

Personal Branding Pitch Thanksgiving Contest - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Pitch Thanksgiving Contest - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As a brand, you need to learn how to sell yourself persuasively and with haste, when communicating your message to others.  Aside from being in an elevatar, you may have to pitch yourself during an interview, at a networking event, to someone at work and in other situations, possibly concerning the media.  If you fail to do this, both accurately and consistently, you will miss opportunities and your brand image will sink. Contest rules You have no more than three sentences to promote your personal brand.  This means you cant talk about your personal life, unless of course there is a major crossover.  Within three sentences, you should convince me and my readers who you are, what you do and what you can do for us.  To enter this contest, all you have to do is write your pitch in the comments section of this post. Example:  My name is Dan and Im a personal branding expert, as well as the author of an upcoming book, entitled Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success.  My entire career revolves around my mastery of personal branding, starting with my award winning blog, a magazine that I publish, podcasts that I produce, an award I give out, and I speak to various audiences.  Im also a social media specialist at EMC Corporation, involved in their external social media communication program and have been with them for over two years. Prizes Marcus Buckingham is giving away five free copies of his new book, The Truth About You, to the contest winners!  Marcus is famous for selling millions of books, and making millions of dollars on speaking all over the world.  Hes even been on Oprah and P Diddys show.  His new book includes a DVD and is valued at $29.99 a piece.  Ive already read it and watched the video and enjoyed it.  I even blogged about it not too long ago. Good luck and happy thanksgiving!

Why Influencer Marketing Will Grow for Your Personal Brand in 2018 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Why Influencer Marketing Will Grow for Your Personal Brand in 2018 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When attracting the right audience for your personal brand reputation is everything. High-level influencers can help spread the word, which can make a big difference for your visibility and sales. Lately as social media has become more advertising focused its becoming a wider trend to connect with people of prominence. Daily conversations and sharing of content can help you get more recommendations from a trusted source. This method of marketing is growing in popularity as businesses get to save money on advertising, and garner a high rate of return from word of mouth. In this next year your brand should aim to connect with the right influencers for your niche, especially on social media. There are a few ways you can attract the right people to your brand. How Influencers are Changing Our Marketing Increased sales are directly related to a trusted brand persona, which is built over time through daily interactions and content. Use these tips to attract the right leaders in your industry: Be focused on who to connect with Online reviews and conversations on social media impact purchasing decisions. You can improve your chances of being recommended by focusing on a select number influencers, and adding meaningful comments online. The better quality of content that you provide will also attract a high-quality community. Go beyond just one or two social networks As updates on the major social networks continue brands need to be engaging on other social platforms that they have not been previously active in. This will become more important as far as   reaching out further to people who are mainly using their mobile devices rather than their laptops or computers. Start engaging and interacting in professional social media groups These niche communities are where your business can start focusing building strong relationships with those who will later regard you as a leader in your industry. Focus on those who are mostly likely to be interested in what you have to offer as in the future they could become your strongest brand advocates. Forging the right relationships online is becoming more important in todays online world. Through these connections your brand can build a strong lead base that can be converted into sales. Personal connections are more valuable money, and can help you stand out from the rest.

Writing an About Me Section on a Resume

Writing an About Me Section on a ResumeWriting an about me section on a resume will not only make you stand out among the crowd, but it will also put you ahead of the other candidates for a good job. To write this section, you will need to know what the person on the other side of the screen wants to read about.If the person on the other side of the screen is looking for something specific, this is where to begin. The first thing to tell them is why you know what they want to know and that you have the experience required to answer their question. You must communicate the requirement with specificity and not leave anything out.When you are ready to tell them why you know what they want to know, then say it in a clear and convincing way. Make sure your resume is properly formatted so that your main points can be displayed clearly on your resume. Let them know that they need to make their own decisions as to whether or not you will fit the job.The next section to write on your resume i s the summary of your qualifications and experience, so the person on the other side can see exactly how much of an expert you are for the position. This section should be short, and it should touch on the most important things that the person needs to know. Tell them what you do and how long you have been in the industry.Your cover letter is the last section of your resume. It is where you have the opportunity to let the person read your resume, and then you can summarize everything that has been discussed in the other sections. If you feel it necessary, you can even summarize each of the sections.The last section of your resume towrite on is the summary of your career goals, so the person on the other side can see what direction you want to take your career. For example, you may state that you want to continue with a career in political campaign management, or you may state that you are looking for work as a corporate trainer. Whatever the case, it should be in the space provided on the summary page.Writing an about me section on a resume is important if you want to get hired as quickly as possible. By writing about your experiences in the industry, the job will go to the best person who can talk about what the person on the other side wants to know. By preparing yourself and coming up with a comprehensive resume, you will have a great chance of being hired.By preparing your resume and knowing what the person on the other side wants to know, you will be able to impress them and get the job you deserve. Being prepared will give you the edge when it comes to your job application.

Salary Discussions, another point of view

Salary Discussions, another point of view Talking about salary is always a tricky subject. One of my first questions as I write about this is why did employers stop listing their salary ranges in the job posting? Is the answer something other than they want to get the best deal they can? Nick Corcodolis writesAsk the Headhunter and in a recent post he sites a study done by Accountemps which asked managers when they think candidates shouldtalk about money. The study states that 56% of executives consider it OK for candidates to bring up the topic of money in the first or second interview. It is critical not to make the interview all about money the study experts go on to say and yes, that makes sense! But, what the survey doesnt ask isof the people you have recently hired, how many brought up the topic of money first? In theory, managers say they think it is OK for candidates to discuss money early in the process, however, what are their real feelings about it when it happens? My hunch is that the majority of them, no matter how much the candidate has spoken about their qualifications and value, will still be somewhat turned off by talking about money. Certainly there is no way to prove this theory. The moral of the story, do your research on company salary bands, industry salary trends and city/regional salary so you know what you are worth when the topic is addressed!

Using Technology to Manage Your Search

Using Technology to Manage Your Search Yesterday I re-tweeted a posting about using iGoogle to start managing your search. The more I think about it, the more I feel the need to share that information here and add some thoughts. Here is the link to the posting. Please do read it. It is easy to do and wont take much time. How to Build the Ultimate Job Finding Dashboardby FreelanceFolder.com. (I need to give credit to The Underground Job Network for posting on their website) What this article talks about is how to add information from job boards. I would take it one step further. I recommend adding feeds from professional associations or newspapers too. (By the way, if you are not comfortable finding feeds, this article does a good job explaining how). Smartbrief is a resource that I recommend adding. Find the industryyou are interested in keeping up with and find the feed! There may also be blogs you like to read, you can add them to iGoogle too. Plus there are a host of time management tools available. Here is a posting that talks about some of them. Ilike Todoist (but I am not using it yet). 15 iGoogle Gadgets for Web WorkerProductivity Another hugely popular and effective tool (and it is free) is JibberJobber. This is a comprehensive tool developed by Jason Alba, who developed it out of necessity as a job seeker himself. I wrote about using Google Reader several months ago (Recommended Reading). I find it really effective in organizing and collecting all the blogs I read. If you have other tricks and tips for managing your job search, please, share with us!