Ive Got Options. Now What

“Ive Got Options. Now What” Help from our Community “Ive Got Options. Now What?” * Alice is a hard worker who's never had trouble making things happen. But when it comes to the next stage of her shift, she's feeling stuck. When you're faced with several paths, each with their own risks, how do you decide where to go? What's your career history and current job? I'm an environmental consultant. I went to a good university and then got a job in London. I was well respected, moving up through the ranks very rapidly. I moved to Canada to boost my career even more. Things there went amazingly well over five years. I started to manage a team and was involved with decision making for the group; it was all really exciting. Then, after the birth of my son, my priorities changed. After returning from maternity leave and working incredibly hard to juggle work and home life, my husband and I decided it was a good point in our lives to draw a line under our time in Canada and move back to the UK. I've now found part-time work. I love having more time with my son, but I'm not someone who can be happy solely as a stay-at-home mum. I need mental stimulation too! How do you feel about your work? I used to be in management, making decisions, working with large teams, and being a go-to person in the office. I'm now starting from scratch in a new company, doing work that's pretty repetitive in a very small team. It's fairly flexible, but it's a long way away, so I'm doing a long commute. I've always been a high achiever. I need something more. What would you like to be doing instead? I keep swinging between options. I know I want flexibility and autonomy over the hours that I work. And I've been proud to say that I'm an environmental consultant, so I'd like to be trying to improve the world in my own way… I've thought about becoming a copywriter. I'm good at writing â€" but down the road I wonder if I'll feel like I'm selling my soul a bit, taking jobs for the money without an interest in the subject matter. I've set up a blog about non-toxic products in the household, and I've thought about setting up a business selling these. I did chemistry at university, so maybe I could find myself a niche in creating an information website and then showcasing some products that I think are great. What's the biggest obstacle in your way? I'm not short of possibilities, but I'm just not sure how to go about the next step. Let's say I go for the option to set up a business. That's never going to be easy to begin with, trying to get clients and build up my reputation. And would setting up as a solopreneur be lonely? I feel like I'm great at managing other people and I really enjoy it, so I'm not completely convinced that running a business or freelancing would hit the right buttons for me. Maybe I should just hang tight in my career until I have more time to put into my role in the future? I think I need a little bit more structure to my decision-making, but I'm not sure how to get it. How do I turn all these possibilities into a focused plan of action? Can you help Alice? Have you been in a similar situation, or are you in the same boat right now? How do you think Alice could move her shift forwards? Do you know anyone she could talk to? Share your thoughts in the comments below and click the thumbs-up button to show your support. Give Alice a cheer of encouragement by hitting the thumbs-up button here:

Resume Writing Search Optimization

Resume Writing Search OptimizationA recruiter with the help of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can turn a dull resume into an exceptional one. He will find more important factors and point to select you for the job, which in return will get you the job.The way you write your resume is very important. First, when you are writing a resume, you should think about your company's needs. Search Engine Optimization is very useful here. It will get you traffic from various online resources, which could lead to your targeted customers' site.So, when you are writing your resume, always make sure that your keywords are visible. You can search for the keywords in any of the major search engines. In case you do not have the ability to do it yourself, you can ask the assistance of a professional SEO expert.Aside from your keywords, you must also include a strong and positive keyword counts. This means that the relevant keywords should be placed in the heading of the resume as well as the first pa ragraph. The reason for this is to give your customers the information that they need.You should be updated with all the changes that are happening with different organizations. This way, you will be able to give the prospective client the right impression. In addition, you should also include the current market trend on the area of work that you do.Remember that an eye-catching font is essential. It should have equal spacing and less-than-two-inch margins. Also, you should avoid those fonts that are old and expensive.You should also keep in mind that the purpose of searching for the perfect resume is to find the best one possible. In this process, you must remember that you are looking for a perfect one, which will give you more chances of getting hired. Try to use only keywords that are related to the job that you do.For resume writing search optimization, remember that the purpose of this method is to get better results. Try to do your best and write your resume as accurately as possible.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Firing an Employee

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Firing an Employee There isn’t a single company on Earth that gets all of their hires right even recruiting thought-leaders like Google. This fact has one inevitable conclusion: at some point you will need to look a bad hire in the eye and tell them they’re fired. Yet why are we so bad at letting people go when it’s clearly necessary? When that moment comes, you can read 10 top listicles on how to fire someone. But even when they offer good advice, it’s generally focused on what to do in the firing meeting itself. If you’re only starting at such a late stage, you’ve already made some key mistakes. Because whether you’re a founder, manager, or HR officer, you shouldn’t be firing anyone unless you’re fully prepared. Not only to carefully plan your words during the firing meeting, but to be fully aware of the reasons behind and the future outcomes of the scenario about to unfold. Here are some key questions you must answer before telling someone you’re letting them go. 1. Why? This is the question that’s almost guaranteed to come up in any firing meeting. That said, it’s just as often dismissed. But why? In part because that meeting isn’t the right time to give constructive feedback. That discussion belongs to a time before, or even after. In fact, offering a follow-up meeting a few weeks later can be far more constructive than diving right into the “why” question: “Why are you firing me?” Remember, even if you know why, there’s a time and place for that discussion. The bigger problem comes when you’re unsure why, or even whether, you want to part ways with someone. The decision makers involved don’t all have to be 100% in agreement, but should be able to focus on having a solution, next steps, and a clear “why”. Remember, the only thing worse than having doubts about whether to fire a bad employee, is to postpone the decision, creating an environment of animosity,, and allowing things to get worse. 2. When? Conventional wisdom says you should fire someone on Friday afternoon or Monday morning. But conventional wisdom is wrong. You should fire someone as soon as you’ve taken the decision and understand every detail of how you’re going to execute it from the moment you’re telling the employee “you are fired” to the time they leave the office. But why not postpone for just the right moment? Anyone who’s done that in, say, a romantic relationship, knows how awkward and messy the time between deciding to end things and actually ending them can be. For example, you might fall in a situation where you have to decide whether to involve this person in a certain project and have to lie in front of the other team members. This can hurt team trust and worse, cause damage to vital projects. 3. What’s next? When you fire someone, you’ve got to move forward ruthlessly. But what if losing that team member causes chaos on a team? To address that, you should have a plan for who will take over their responsibilities: everything from day-to-day duties to staff meetings, planning and reporting. No doubt the transition period will be tricky, which is why it’s important to designate someone to step in to pick up the slack. If that person happens to be you, there is an added perk of you being able to better understand the position and ultimately hire a better fit next time. Additionally, after you let someone go, they often start thinking more about themselves than the company. Therefore, be prepared to answer the “what’s next for me?” question from the employee. Have a prepared plan with benefits, salary termination, and logistics ready. 4. How to communicate the decision? The worst thing you can do after an employee leaves is not to explain why to the whole company. After all, firing an employee should be mostly about helping their fellow employees. But if you keep the reasons to yourself, it’s easy for employees to assume the worst or create their own stories as to why the firing occurred. Down the road, this could lead to them questioning your motives and hurting morale. Ensure your decision is framed as one taken to benefit the company, admit any failures, and generally consider the viewpoint of your employees. The person leaving probably has friends in the company, so showing respect for that person is vital. 5. What if Im making the wrong decision? Firing is dreadful and there is no way around it. The only thing that you can do is to understand why it’s happening and how to prevent it next time. Once you’ve passed through the difficult moment, sit down, get a paper and write everything that you’ve learned through the journey. Still, remember before you do it, that this is something necessary for the company. Sometimes, keeping the wrong person for the job employed causes many more difficulties than letting them go. And if it happens to be your responsibility to let them go, keep in mind you’re doing a good job not only for the company, but also for the ex-employee. They won’t thrive in your company, neither would they feel happy if they stayed. So do not feel guilty and dont wrongly attribute any fault to yourself for making the firing decision. There would be moments in your career that you are going to promote or reward other employees, but sometimes there would be moments that you have to let some of them go. Being the person who has to say “You are fired” is extremely tough, but true leadership is built on tough conversations. Like so many other complicated things in life, the key to sustaining a tough conversation, is preparation. So don’t underestimate it it’s going to be a good test answering yourself this questions. About the author:  Volen Vulkov is a Co-founder Harmonizer-in-chief of Enhancv.com, a resume builder that triples your chance for interview. Recently he was featured in Forbes 30 under 30.

Employers Want Candidates with Potential

Employers Want Candidates with Potential Harvard’ or ‘Oxbridge’ are often mentioned in the same sentence as ambitious global business leaders and the political elite â€" most relevantly with current US President Donald Trump has earned an economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania and Boris Johnson, Great Britain’s 28th Prime Minister, having attended The University of Oxford. Ivy League schools and Russell Group universities are viewed as reputable educational institutes that produce bright individuals who are highly sought out by the best organizations. However, new data carried out by TopCV, our CV-writing business, and UK job board CV-Library reveals that employers have come to hold other traits in higher regard. When asked to choose between education, experience, and potential, 63% of UK employers cited potential to be the most important factor, substantially more than experience (35%) or education (2%). This sentiment appears to be universal: a similar study carried out by TopResume, our resume-writing business in the US, found that 45% of US employers also prioritize a candidate’s potential ahead of their experience (37%), personality (16%) and education (2%). I wasn’t surprised by these results. While earning a degree from a prestigious school can open many doors, it can only take an individual so far. When it comes to hiring great talent, it’s more important for employers to determine whether a candidate is genuinely interested in developing new skills and will take a creative approach to solving problems, rather than focusing on where a candidate received their education. In other words, a candidate’s potential â€" rather than education â€" is a better barometer for a successful hire.   Potential, which is defined as demonstrating the capacity to become or develop into something in the future, is paramount. Someone with high potential is a problem-solver who will bring value to the role. As a recruiter, you are effectively looking for the best return on investment for the organization â€" and it’s the determination and drive of a candidate that matters most. Candidates can always learn on the job, whether that’s hard skills such as coding, or soft skills like client relations which develop with experience. What they can’t learn is curiosity, determination and enthusiasm for the work. It is time to rethink our approach to hiring great talent. Rather than focusing on a candidate’s education, consider how they’ve previously tackled challenges to find creative solutions, how they’ve learned new skills and how they’ve utilized their work experience to provide value. The research reflects a change in attitude at companies like EY â€" a Big Four accountancy firm which, a few years ago, stated they would no longer consider degrees or A-Level results when assessing employees. Since then, other popular employers like Apple, Google and Netflix have followed suit by no longer requiring employees to have a 4-year degree. Don’t discredit a candidate just because they have never done a particular role before. Instead, ask yourself the following questions when going through their CV and interviewing them to determine their potential: Is this person a problem-solver? Have they provided examples that demonstrate their ability to take initiative, adapt or think creatively to find a solution? In previous roles, did the candidate take initiative to invest in their personal development, such as joining a course, because it opened up a new opportunity? Do the individual’s questions reflect a genuine interest in the opportunity, and are they seeking clarity to determine if this is the right role for them? Is the candidate able to draw a parallel between their previous experience and this job’s requirements? Will this individual fit in with the company culture? Recruiting the right candidate is crucial for a business, not just in monetary terms but for the cultivation and continuation of a company’s culture. It’s important to get it right, regardless if you’re recruiting for an in-house role or working in an agency. By considering the whole picture and understanding the fundamental workings of the organization at hand, you will be able to hire high-potential employees who will create value at the company for years to come. About the author: Jeff Berger is the CEO and founder of Talent Inc., the global leader in technology-enabled career services. Through its suite of brands â€" TopCV, TopResume, and TopInterview â€" the company helps professionals tell the best versions of their career stories, enabling them to stand out from the crowd and land the right job, faster.

Resume and CV Writing Services - What You Need to Know

Resume and CV Writing Services - What You Need to KnowResume and CV writing services Toronto is the perfect option for resume writing services as they have the necessary experience in providing this type of service. Moreover, there are so many companies in Toronto that provide resume and CV writing services.A resume and CV writing services Toronto can give you an advantage in winning your next job. Aside from the fact that they have a good experience with other clients, their resume writing services Toronto can also help you get hired faster and get you promoted as well.Resume writing services Toronto provide many options of services. Some of them can be given by the company directly, while some others can be hired on an on-staff basis. Some of these on-staff services include:To understand the different services that can be offered by resume and CV writing services Toronto, it is essential to know how the resume writing and CV writing services work. This is why it is advised to revie w their services and inquire about what type of work they will be handling in order to make sure that you will get what you want.For instance, resume writing services will write and then revise a CV. The writing service can make sure that your resume and CV reflects all the important points of your career and education, as well as your previous experiences and awards. Thus, the resume and CV written by resume writing services Toronto will be worth the wait.CV writing services have different categories of clients that they work with. They have a resume writing service that targets specifically on employees with general entry level jobs; another one is a resume writing service that targets higher positions; yet another is a CV writing service that specializes in jobs in the advertising industry; another is a CV writing service that specializes in mid-level management; and yet another isa CV writing service that specializes in all types of employers.One of the great things about these services is that you can get an estimate of fees upfront before you sign up for services. This way, you will be able to see if there is a better option for your needs than the service that you are opting for.Resume and CV writing services Toronto offer the services of various staff members, such as cover letter writers, curriculum writers, editor, layout writers, research personnel, and many more. With all these different types of people, you can expect a great experience when you use resume and CV writing services Toronto.

Reader Mailbag - Can They Really Ask Me These Questions - Career Pivot

Reader Mailbag - Can They Really Ask Me These Questions - Career Pivot Can They Really Ask Me These Questions? This is the second of a series where I respond to readers’ questions. Sam asks: I am newly retired and was filling out an application for a part-time hospital clerical job online. They asked me to upload a resume, then asked me to type in: What year did you graduate from high school? How much money are you making now? How much pay will you accept? And then, Do you have a disability?And gave a column of different choices I could pick â€" I am diabetic and diabetes was one, but I am not ‘disabled’ in any way, shape or form. If I didn’t check that, I imagine I could be fired later for lying on the application. I was very uncomfortable because I would never give any of that information before even speaking to the company, but the fields were required. I could not submit my app unless I wrote something, and using all 0’s or 9’s didn’t cut it. Finally, I did it, because I am really interested in the job. Are these people trying to screen for age, or what? I think the last question on disability is borderline illegal if not actually so. Is this common for employers to do nowadays? Sam, I checked this out with several people at Texas Workforce Commission. The answer from them was that companies cannot ask these things. Unfortunately, asking these kinds of questions have become common again. When the EEOCcreated the rules that made asking these kinds of questions illegal, employers stopped asking. Well, employers are getting bold and are once again asking for information that is forbidden. It is now illegal in the state ofMassachusetts to ask your current salary. Your only real course of action is to report the employer to your local EEOC office. Listen to the most recent episode Fired with Cause and Running Out of Money Larry asks: I was fired with cause from my previous employer. It was a lousy situation and I was in an unethical position. I just wanted out. I have since worked at a Starbucks on a local college campus, but that was closed for the summer. I am running out of money and I have dipped into my retirement savings. What can I do? Larry, Have you filed for unemployment benefits? (I talked with Larry and he did not think he was eligible.) When you are fired with cause, you are not eligible for unemployment benefits based on your previous employer. Here is the catch, your previous employer is now Starbucks. In the state of Texas and most other states, unemployment benefits are based on your previous employer. Your benefits will be based on 9 months of earnings, not including the current quarter and the previous quarter. If you ever lose your job with cause, immediately register with a temporary agency and see if you can get a short-term assignment. Have you applied for food stamps? This is part of TANF or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. (His answer was no because he thought it was people worse of than him.) I would rather see you apply for government assistance than dip into your retirement savings. I know this is humbling to think that you need to do this but it does not hurt to go see if you are eligible. What Issues Are You Encountering? If you are having issues that you would like me to address in this monthly feature, please do one of the following: Respond to any e-mail that you have received from Career Pivot. Fill out my contact form. I look forward to hearing from the Career Pivot community. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Videos about happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Videos about happiness at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Have you subscribed to our Youtube channel yet? It has a ton of great videos about happiness at work. Subscribe right 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

How to Beat Common Distractions When Working From Home (Part 2) - Hallie Crawford

How to Beat Common Distractions When Working From Home (Part 2) Hallie was honored to be featured in a recent Glamour.com article about how to avoid common distractions when working from home. As a follow up to this article, we wanted to share some additional tips with you. It can be hard to be disciplined and focused on work when so many other distractions are present at home, whether its entertainment (like TV) or chores you need to get done. Theres no one there monitoring you, like a boss or co-workers, so its easier to not just get distracted, but to goof off. However, keep in mind that your boss trusts that you will respect your work hours, even when you are working from home. This can help you stay honest and not use office time for things such as the following distractions: Lunch dates with friends. If you need to, schedule lunches with friends once a week, to get out of the house, but not every day. Treat it like a working lunch where you keep it short, meet close to home to save time, and get back to work when youre finished. Great weather. Depending on your job, you may find that if you have a patio and an outlet for your computer, you can move your office outside! If you can’t move your office outside, sit outside for short periods of time to get a break. The sun and fresh air will help you stay alert and in some cases, help you be more productive than sitting inside. Move between the two, inside and out, to get a change of scenery. Nap time. To beat this distraction, try a short nap as a break to help you rejuvenate. It’s important to keep it short: set a timer, and rest somewhere where its light or not too dark (leave the light on) so you dont dose off for hours. Need help setting and keeping Career Goals? Watch these helpful videos Hallie has created by clicking here. Schedule a free consult with HallieCrawford.com today