Friday, December 27, 2019

The 5 Things You MUST Do After Attending an Industry Conference

The 5 Things You MUST Do After Attending an Industry ConferenceThe 5 Things You MUST Do After Attending an Industry ConferenceJust returning from an industry conference? Heres what to do now.Industry conferences can be both invigorating and overwhelming. Traveling, attending sessions, meeting scores of new people, and taking in tons of information can wear a person out. After getting back to the office, many conference attendees look at all the work that piled up while they were out and reflexively jump right back into their routine.Big mistake.No matter how tired or behind you are, its important to give yourself time to digest the industry conference experience and firm up connections with new contacts. Consider this your post-conference action plan1. Strike while the iron is still hot. Within a few days of the conference ending, follow up with those you met whom you feel could be valuable contacts. Connect on LinkedIn or send an email. The key in both cases is to write personalized - not generic - messages. Make a point to mention something related to a conversation you had with the person. And if you really bonded with someone in particular, dont be afraid to pick up the phone.2. Start putting what you learned into practice. Going to an industry conference isnt just about collecting business cards and expanding your professional network its about your professional development. Reflect on the fruchtwein helpful or enlightening things you learned. What resonated with you most? How can you use that information to do your job better or faster? Did the conference make you realize that you have a skills gap or need to create a more detailed career development plan? If so, what concrete steps can you begin taking today to get up to speed or improve your work performance?3. Pass along your newfound knowledge. If others on your team werent able to attend the industry conference, share key learnings with them. Write a brief report, create a PowerPoint presentation o r set up a brownbag lunch session. At minimum, share relevant handouts you received and draft an email with a bulleted list of useful takeaways and include pertinent links. (After the event, you can often find a treaaya trove of helpful information on the conference website - or on the blogs or websites of those who presented.)4. Offer feedback. If you receive a post-conference survey, fill it out. Better yet, send a note to the conference organizers to offer your praise or to provide constructive feedback on improvements you feel could be made. Also, if a conference speaker impressed or inspired you, be bold and email him or her. In addition to simply being a nice thing to do, this type of gesture can potentially lead to a valuable connection.5. Thank your boss for sending you. If your employer paid for you to go to the industry conference, be sure to offer your appreciation for the opportunity and reiterate the benefits of the experience. A sincere thank you can go a long way, pa rticularly if youd like to attend future conferences.RELATED POSTTried and True Networking Strategies for ConferencesIcebreaker Ideas How to Introduce Yourself at Business Networking Events

Sunday, December 22, 2019

How to Help Millennials Fill the Soft Skills Gap

How to Help Millennials Fill the Soft Skills GapHow to Help Millennials Fill the Soft Skills GapHow to Help Millennials Fill the Soft Skills Gap Rossheim Whether fresh out of school or equipped with work experience, Millennialsoffer an amazing array of hard skills in thousands of fields, from biomedical engineering to telemarketing.Yet many Gen Y employees, raised to believe that hard skills matter most, often fall short on soft skills, especially workplace communications and a social sense of business.How can employers boost the soft skills of the generation that will build the companys future or fail to? Here are some common-sense starting points.Start off right. Without going negative, managers can help new hires focus on improving their soft skills from the get-go, as part of their employee onboarding.All of our entry-level people are assigned a career manager or mentor, says Patrick ORourke , director of talent acquisition and development at SWC Technology Partners in Oak Brook, Ill. They sit down together the first week of work. They talk about where the new hire might need help. They might talk about something as simple as email etiquette. And then they meet every two weeks.The soft skills gaps most likely to trip up Millennials include written and oral communications, social skills (other than social media), an ability to engage and motivate, business etiquette and professionalism.Communicate, and relate. Set expectations about communication skills that employees will need to acquire, starting with clear writing and articulate speech and moving up from there.A number of critical skills truly make people stand out, says Mike Fenlon, US and global talent leader for PricewaterhouseCoopers.The ability to express complex ideas with clarity and simplicity, to communicate one-on-one, within small groups and to larger groups, all in an engaging and accessible way these skills are not common.Mentor, mentor, mentor. Mentoring may be mora important to Millennials than it was to any 20th century generation of white-collar workers. Pair new hires up with a good mentor, someone who has communications skills you want the Millennial to embody, says Randall.Mentoring can create a virtuous alignment in a multigenerational workforce. Mentoring will give young professionals the opportunity to talk candidly and learn from someone older and more experienced, in a relaxed and non-threatening way, says Tim Elmore, president of George-based Growing Leaders, which promotes mentoring.Consider the audience. Millennials who have grown up communicating among close peers and mostly through their smartphones might have to learn to embrace the perspectives of those who theyre talking to.Students need to focus on what the audience is, and the purpose of the presentation, says Matthew Randall, executive director of the Center for Professional Excellenceat York College of Pennsylvania. A lot of students just throw stuff out there and hope it sticks.Enough about me and you. Some Millennials naturally excel at working with a wide range of folks, even across cultures and time zones. Others need to learn how its done.Relationship-building is key, says Paul McDonald, a senior executive director of Robert Half International. Young people need to be aware that theyll be working with not just one or two people its everyone.Dont wait to evaluate. Both manager and Millennial new hires will benefit if feedback is given in the moment and in small doses, when the stakes are mostly low, but the learning opportunity is large.We give on-the-job, real-time feedback, says Fenlon. We dont wait for the end of a client engagement or for a year or even a month to go by.Interpersonal, but not too personal. Call it too much information call it oversharing by any name, its a tendency of some Millennials that can easily run out of bounds in the workplace.Oversharingrequiresself-monitoring, while keeping the sensibilities of others in mind. Theres a skill to not reve aling too much about yourself, says Randall. If you quickly reveal things about your personal life people can get uncomfortable.By the book. Millennials of a certain learning style can benefit by approaching new communications tasks with the aid of well-crafted templates. Think of this method as training wheels for social savvy.Lots of people tell me, Im great on paper, but when I get to the meeting, Im tongue-tied, says Laura Labovich, author of 100 Conversations for Career Success, which offers scripts for business situations, ranging from conversation starters to tweets for connecting with decision-makers.Bring in a trainer. To advance the soft skills of Millennials, consider bringing in an expert, particularly whenmultigenerational management skillsare required.Employers are asking me to train management to understand Millennial employees, and to train Millennials to understand the multi-generational business environment into which theyve just stepped, says Chuck Underwood, prin cipal at The Generational Imperativein Miamisburg, Ohio.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

How to find a job after college graduation

How to find a job after college graduation How to find a job after college graduationTackling the Transition from Campus to OfficeIts time to trade in that backpack for a briefcase.If the end of your degree is in sight, you are likely feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. Youre eager to make a success of yourself and you want to take the corporate world by storm, but casting off the comfort blanket that is full-time education can be more than a little daunting. You know where you stand on campus, but the working world is unfamiliar, competitive and demanding.Not many people discuss the often problematic career transition that occurs between education and a full-time job. Its unfair to expect graduates to know exactly how to act and what to do once theyre handed their degree, so it is important for experienced professionals to lend a helping hand, and do all they can to facilitate this transition. Below, weve detailed the most important career development tips to keep in mind wh ile crafting your resume, interviewing, and onboarding.Dont accept the first job youre offered.Understandably, you might be feeling anxious to get hired as soon as youve hung up your cap and gown, but dont bow to this self-imposed presaya. More important than finding a job is finding the right job for you and your particular skill set. Consider your strengths, your weaknesses, your interests, and your ambitions.Regardless of how well-paying the proposed job is, or how impressive it will look on your resume, keep the future and your career development in mind. Will this career path make you happy five years from now? One universalregret held by mid-career professionals is that they built their career based on the advice and encouragement of others, rather than doing what was right for them. When we make career decisions to suit the expectations of our friends, parents or the broader cultural environment, we arent able to explore our true passions and interests, which holds us back fr om making any real career progress.Turning down an ill-fitting job right now might mean you avoid joining the more than one-third of people who feel they are in the wrong career.Ensure you craft an amazing resume.A great resume can make all the difference when it comes to getting an interview. You need to ensure you capture all the right keywords, demonstrating you possess the pertinent strengths and skills for the job. Make sure the document in question is organized, well-structured, and visually appealing. In short, your resume needs to stand out for all the right reasons to catch the hiring managers eye.It is also advisable to have a number of resumes, depending on the industry youre applying to. There are lots of aspects to consider and it can get quite intimidating, but the more time you spend researching and crafting your resume, the more likely it is youll be successful in your efforts. Dont forget that you can always hire a professional resume writer to double your chances o f securing an interview.Consider job searching to be your full-time job.While youre out of work, your full-time job is searching for one. Put yourself into a routine. Wake up at a specific time, get ready for the day, and begin your job search bright and early. Keep track of the positions you have applied for, what companies they are with, and what the job requirements are.Dont let your routine slide. Once you start waking up late and going to bed at the wee hours of the night, it will get difficult to force yourself back into regular hours when you finally begin work. This will affect your levels of productivity and overall performance. To make sure you start off your career on the best foot, its best to practice discipline as soon as possible.Demonstrate determination during interviews.When you get called in for an interview, remember to arrive well-prepared. Do your homework on the company, its history, its culture and its products and services. Be familiar with the strengths and skills necessary, and demonstrate them. At the same time, remember that more and more companies are hiring based on attitude and potential, rather than technical skills.Be sure to show your interviewers that you have drive and ambition. Youre a determined and dedicated individual, able to maintain the passion for a project in the long-term. This kind of infectious enthusiasm will go a long way to getting you hired.Accept failure with grace.Not every interview will have a positive outcome. This is inevitable and a reality you should come to terms with now. Remember that even if you werent successful, there is always something you can learn from that job interview experience. Call the company up and thank them for the opportunity to get feedback on your interview behavior. They will be in the best position to give you tips and pointers on what to improve next time around.Find a forward-thinking, flexible organization.Your role isnt the only thing you should be concerned with when you begin applying. Whether or not you will end up being a content, engaged and productive employee will depend greatly on the company you are working for.Are they old-fashioned, inflexible, and unwilling to accept changing trends in management and HR? Or are they progressive, enlightened companies with policies on flexible working and telecommuting? Do they understand the importance of offering clear career progression? Do employees and managers engage in regular performance management conversations, or do they still operate a rigid, annual performance appraisal? Before you apply, take a second to consider what the company can offer you and your career development.Speak up during employee onboarding.Once you get accepted for a position, you will have an onboarding phase, where you get trained for your role and introduced to your company, its processes, and its goals. Nervous though you may be, dont hesitate to speak up and ask as many questions as possible. No question will be conside red silly or naive. Your managers want you to be curious and to learn as much as you can, and asking questions is a clear indicator that you are determined to contribute and be productive.Never forget that you can transition at any time.Your first job might be daunting, and regardless of how much planning and preparation you have done when finding a job after college, you might question yourself on occasion. You might wonder whether you made the right decision, or whether you made a mistake. Dont worry too much try to be patient. Listen and learn as much as you can.If at any point you feel your skills and abilities might be best served in another industry or role, you should know that your first job is not necessarily your destiny and that you will most probably transition a few times during your career. In fact, regardless of how dedicated you are to your role, you should maintain an open relationship with your job. Always keep an eye out for something bigger and better. Youre just at the start of your career journey. Where you end up in 20 years might surprise you.Sure, the real world is bigger than your campus, but you just need to take it one step at a time. A lot of figuring out how to find a job after college depends on the skills you already haveput them to good use and youll be good to goReady to write the next chapter of your career? Hire a TopResume writer today

Thursday, December 12, 2019

How Sexism Has (and Hasnt) Changed Since 1995 - The Muse

How Sexism Has (and Hasnt) Changed Since 1995 - The MuseHow Sexism Has (and Hasnt) Changed Since 1995Kate White ended her 1995 book, Why Good Girls Dont Get Ahead But Gutsy Girls Do 9 Secrets Every Working Woman Must Know, with an optimistic statement Though I know my publisher wouldnt like this, I hope this book is totally obsolete by the time my daughter launches into her career. Her daughter welches five then. More than two decades later, that little girl is in her 20s and the state of affairs for women in the workplace has certainly changed. But its safe to say that gender bias isnt obsolete and neither, therefore, is advice geared toward women trying to get ahead in their careers. Thats why White decided to update her book for a younger audience. The Gutsy Girl Handbook Your Manifesto for Success hit the shelves in April 2018. The important thing is that its still relevant, says White, who explains that in many ways I didnt change much of it. The principles at the core of her gu tsy girl approach havent fundamentally changed in the last 23 years, but theres a reason she felt it welches time to rewrite her guide. For one thing, though the obstacles and sexism women face in the office have hardly disappeared, the bias has mostly shape-shifted into variations that are harder to detect. The bias against us was more obvious sometimes, back when White was writing her original book. At the time, she recalls, women had really only been pouring into the workforce for like 15 or 20 years, and there was still this sense that there are growing opportunities but theres not a lot to go around yet. There was such a dearth of female leaders as role models in the early 1990s, White says, that people were still invoking the historical and fictional likes of Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Drew- they carried a lot of weight. Redbook, a magazine for women that White led when her 1995 book came out, only got its first female editor-in-chief in 1981.In the late 1980s, White had sexi sm slap her in the face, hard. She lost out on a job and a male colleague later told her explicitly that her proposal had been the best one, but shed been passed over for the position because she was a woman. It was one of the reasons shed gone back to womens magazines, and perhaps part of the impetus for her transformation from good to gutsy. In those days, you didnt even flinch at such blatant discrimination because it was so commonplace, she says. Now it isnt as obvious, because there are so many opportunities and the part of the pie for us is bigger, she explains. Thats a good thing, but it can also make you less aware of ways that there is bias against you, she adds. Its really important to understand that those things are still at play.White, who went on to be editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan from 1998 to 2012, recalls such a situation she encountered right before she left that magazine. A new guy in a digital role there had to cancel a big meeting that involved busy people acr oss departments at Hearst as well as the president of the magazine division. Upon rescheduling, he suggested a 7 AM time, to which the boss agreed. These two guys have stay-at-home wives, White says, but this is a company filled with working moms, where people generally started at 9 AM after dealing with home and family obligations. Thats the kind of thing that struck me- someones not taking that into consideration, she says, referring to todays bias as lots of little paper cuts.Two decades later, the sexism is subtler, and so are the changes White thinks women need to make. Where she once saw cause for major overhauls, she now argues the case for nuanced tweaks. I think when I wrote the original book, many women would have said that going from good to gutsy involved making pretty significant changes in how they approached work situations, she says. Today so many young women take a gutsier approach (though not all I hear many women talk about worrying too much about being nice), she adds. But I still think many confident, together young women can benefit from tweaking their behavior, kicking things up a notch. Little, sometimes subtle moves can make a big difference.She gives three examples of what those tweaks might look like stop qualifying your ideas, keep negotiating, and speak up in times of crisis. That means you should cut out phrases such as Im just spit balling here or Maybe we could and I still have to do more research on this but when sharing ideas. It means you shouldnt shy away from negotiating out of fear of rocking the boat, even when an offer is good enough, and instead say something like, Id love to work here but I was hoping for X amount. And it means that instead of going quiet, overanalyzing, and hunkering down when shit hits the fan, women should move faster, fight for resources, and make decisions earlier than you may be comfortable with.White is thrilled to see that Millennial women are so wonderfully gutsy and confident, which I admire fiercely about them. But the tweaks shes talking about are a reminder that part of being gutsy is being strategic.Shes had a slew of young women report to her and her advice is not only to go for it, but also to ask yourself what the best way to play the situation is. In most cases, that means avoiding framing an ask in terms of why it would be good for you, and talking instead about how it would benefit your boss, department, company, or professional contact. Women in the 90s didnt expect a lot, she says. Those pursuing careers today assume things will happen for them, which may make them sometimes unaware of how gutsy and strategicthey still need to be. In other words, White no longer has to work as hard to convince women they should be a little gutsier. But shes still trying to show them what that should look like.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Purchasing How to Right a Resume

Purchasing How to Right a Resume Nevertheless, theres a difference and its helpful to understand when to compose a CV vs resume. Long story short, theres a great deal of things Id love to tell new entrepreneurs, but one of the most significant things which can help you quickly expedite your results is an effective niche. The ideal career advice the certified resume writers of SoCalResumes can offer on how best to recover from losing your occupation is to concentrate on the future. The resume help given by SoCalResumes is an effortless way for job hunters to find a leg up on the competition. Irrespective of whether youre a recent graduate, seasoned expert looking for a different career challenge, or a professional looking to change careers, you are going to need a resume to assist you land work. Regardless of what set and what number of skills you possess, it is crucial to list them depending on the job youre applying for. You must list down the relevant abilities and achievem ent in your final job that are relevant for the position you want to apply. Quality training in a superior setting is priceless when you finally scholar and produce your way out into the job force. The easiest way to create a cover letter is to write in a fashion that explains to the possible employer as to why youre an excellent fit. It is possible to always use the work advertisement whilst preparing the cover letter for a particular position. If you are able to afford to have a quick break, do it Youre and your are both spelled right, but based on what youre attempting to say, you could use the incorrect word. By writing a superb letter you can actually boost the likelihood of your being called for a work interview. Get yourself started by turning to Slick Write for a number of suggestions about how to increase the amount of your writing. Check to see whether the school needs a particular format. Your writing style ought to be natural. What You Should Do to Find Out Ab out How to Right a Resume Before Youre Left Behind Hiring managers and recruiters skim resumes to determine if they wish to interview you and interviewers skim to choose what things to speak to you about. Consequently, job seekers have to understand how to sell their abilities and qualifications with the aid of their primary marketing and advertising document. How to compose a simple resume isnt a question people ought to be asking. Not programs or accomplishments from your prior job, but what you intend to do if youre offered the job. Cover letter plays a main function in the hiring process of the candidate. Your cover letter should demonstrate the hiring manager that you find it possible to consider individually and express yourself in a very clear and unique way. The 30-Second Trick for How to Right a Resume Like dating applications, there might be several platforms and websites that youre able to pick from to find job openings. There are legitimate companies which requi re applicants to complete application forms on the internet or send resume through electronic mail. For instance, if youre looking for a medical device sales position then you should be Googling medical device recruitment agencies and submitting your resume, registering for an account on MedReps, and figuring out what area of health sales you wish to be in. Use the task description, equally in regards to design and information, as well as additional study about the company and position why youre the ideal option to suss out. Resume cover letter samples are written in the manner to supply you with a notion on how an ideal cover letter ought to be. The Cover letter shouldnt be in excess of a single page long and addressed to a specific person and title. As important its to write a great CV, its just as important to write a great CV cover letter. From time to time, it means youll have one page, at times, it means youll have more than that. The Appeal of How to Right a Resume Instead, you can notice that the position was referred to you by an employee and offer the name of whoever told you regarding the job. So getting the very best impression on the employer only begins with the ideal cover letter. Dropping off your resume for work in person produces a statement. With an impressive resume letter, you are able to surely get the wanted job prospect.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Life After Law School What You Need to Know About Starting a Career in Law

Life After Law School What You Need to Know About Starting a Career in Law Take the LSAT. Go to law school. Pass the bar exam. Become a lawyer. Sounds straightforward, right?However, if you ask law school students close to graduation about their future careers, youll get a much different reaction. Those approaching graduation have just dedicated three years of their lives to grinding away with high hopes and aspirations of becoming the next big lawyer. Now, anxiety is at an all-time high. The opportunities after law school are endless, but they can also be extremely overwhelming, and many law school students are extremely concerned aboutmaking the right decision.What better way to ease some of that stress than to ask a successful lawyer whohas gone through it all for help? Jeff Rosenbaum, a personal injury attorney in Philadelphia, received his J.D. from Villanova University and founded Rosenbaum Associates. To help those law students who may feel an xious about graduating, Rosenbaumsat down and answered some of the questions soon-to-be lawyers often ask about life after law school.Katie BassettWhat does the partner track actually look like? How long does it usually take? Why do I want to be a partner?Jeff RosenbaumIn its general form, partner track looks like this Get to work early, pump out reliable work product, befriend current clients to instill confidence, befriend potential clients with the hopes of them sending geschftsleben to your firm, stay at work late, repeat.At the end of the day, its about business and the firms bottom line. If you serve to increase the firms bottom line, then you are an asset. When a firm wants to retain an asset, they make that asset a partner. If you plan to stay at a firm for an extended period of time, then of course you want to be a partner. Tzu siche is no better testament to the quality of your work and the value you bring to the firm than being made partner. Plus, it comes with the added benefit of mora money.KBWhat are the benefits of staying with a law firm vs. going in-house?JRTwo major benefits of staying with a law firmmoney and opportunity. In-house gigs are fine. They are reliable. They are predictable. There is no pressure to bring in business/clients. But they are also somewhat stagnant. By that, I mean the opportunities for advancement are limited and the opportunity to meaningfully increase your salary is negligible when compared to firms.In contrast, working at firms provides you the opportunity to interact with individuals up and down the corporate ladder, both internally (at your firm) and externally (your clients business). This has the added benefit of potentially opening many doors if you decide to make a move at some point down the road.KB If I want to work in-house, how can I work towards that track?JRAs is the answer to many legal questions, it depends. If you are talking about working in-house with a business on the transactional/corporate side of the spectrum, then I would have geared my elective courses in law school in that direction.In the world of business, who you know is as important as what you know. Get to know the people around you. What do they do? What do their parents do? Talk to as many people as possible. Find out who the attorneys at business are and send them emails expressing interest. Be a pest. Its a numbers game. Try enough times, and something will pan out.If you are talking about being an in-house attorney in the claims department of an insurance company, then there is no real track. Get a few years of handling general liability cases under your belt at a firm and then scour the Internet for a job opportunity. If the firm does a great verstndigung im strafverfahren of work for a particular insurance company, then do your best to get to know as many representatives and adjusters from that company as possible.KBHow do billable hours work? How can I make sure that I get all of my hours in?JRBilling your time is an acquired skill that just takes a little getting used to. There is no real trick. Just make sure you keep track of what you are doing as you are doing it. If you wait until the end of the day to try to figure out what you did, you will inevitably forget something. That stinks. Effectively capturing your time is important, and if you dont do that contemporaneously with the work you are doing, then some billable hours will get lost in the shuffle, never to be found again.KBHow can I get more involved in the firm? Joining a committee, etc.? Would you encourage this, or should I just try to conquer associate life before taking on more work?JRSay yes to everything every committee, every work event, every drink after work, every lunch, every softball game, every client function. This is important when you first start. You want to make a good first impression. People like positivity. People like other people who say yes. If the people around you like you, they will be there for you when you need them whether it be for advice, help with an assignment, or a positive evaluation at the end of the year. You are going to be working more hours than you want to be working anyway. What difference does a couple of hours here and there make over the course of the year when it could be beneficial to your career?KBAside from salary, what are the benefits of joining a big law firm rather than a medium-size or smaller law firm?JRMy prior responses get tied in here. The way I see things, very few people remain at their first job out of law school for the rest of their career. Many people use their first job as a catapult, and working at a big firm can be just that. Big firms have more people. More people means more relationships. More relationships means more opportunities. More opportunities bring you one step closer to finding that job that you really like and that job that is really satisfying.But really, saying aside from salary is a loaded question. Salary is a pret ty big thing to put aside. It is doubtful many people would voluntarily turn their lives into endless six-minute increments without the salary. It is sort of like asking, Aside from the cheese and sauce, what are the benefits of pizza? Sure, that parallel is somewhat extreme, as big firms are not simply plain bread, but the salary (i.e., the cheese and sauce) make them much more palatable.KBHow realistic is it to go from a medium-sized firm, in-house job, or non-legal job to a big law firm?JRAs long as you have a transferable skill set, it is not difficult to change jobs. A person whose role is extremely specialized may find it difficult to switch firms. So, wherever you end up, make sure not to get pigeonholed.Katie Bassett is a digital marketing specialist and avid blogger based in San Diego. You can follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.