Does Networking Really Work

Does Networking Really Work Ive been actively networking for about a year. Ive met some amazing people that have been in transition for the normal reasons (company downsize, strategic change, etc.). And I mean amazing these people have amazing resumes and abilities. Of course, networking is the best and most common way to find a job, right? Well, how come so many people are still networking? Some have been actively networking for more than a year. Does it really work? Or is all this talk about networking just another fake statistic that applies to such a big demographic that it isnt applicable to most people (like the unemployment rate). When we network are we doing something as blind as these ducks, following one another (who says the leader really knows whats ahead?)? Please share your stories or thoughts on networking is it a fad, is it bunk, or is it really something we should be investing our time in. (note: dont share ideas like networking is great or networking rocks Id like you to share a real story (and then put networking rocks at the end if you want) :) and this does NOT have to be limited to just job search stuff. share any networking successes you have had.) Does Networking Really Work Ive been actively networking for about a year. Ive met some amazing people that have been in transition for the normal reasons (company downsize, strategic change, etc.). And I mean amazing these people have amazing resumes and abilities. Of course, networking is the best and most common way to find a job, right? Well, how come so many people are still networking? Some have been actively networking for more than a year. Does it really work? Or is all this talk about networking just another fake statistic that applies to such a big demographic that it isnt applicable to most people (like the unemployment rate). When we network are we doing something as blind as these ducks, following one another (who says the leader really knows whats ahead?)? Please share your stories or thoughts on networking is it a fad, is it bunk, or is it really something we should be investing our time in. (note: dont share ideas like networking is great or networking rocks Id like you to share a real story (and then put networking rocks at the end if you want) :) and this does NOT have to be limited to just job search stuff. share any networking successes you have had.)

7 Little Known Ways to Jump-Start Your Career

7 Little Known Ways to Jump-Start Your Career Advancing your career isn’t just about your next promotion or salary adjustment. Career advancement requires thoughtful investment in your personal development. If you want to move up in your organization or to take your career in a new direction, you need to be proactive about it. With that in mind, here are seven resources your company may have in place that can help you. 1. Assess performance feedback: Pay attention to the feedback your manager gives you during your performance appraisal meetings. Often, we see these meetings as an opportunity to showcase our accomplishments and influence our compensation adjustment. We forget to pay attention to the details of the performance feedback we receive. These meetings provide an opportunity for you to gain valuable feedback about strengths and weakness in your skill set and can help you to identify development requirements that will help your career progression. Take some time to go back and reread past performance appraisals. Then work to address any identified skill gaps that may be standing in the way of your advancement. 2. Solicit feedback from others: Many organizations allow employees to solicit 360 degree feedback from others as part of the performance appraisal process. If you can, take advantage of this valuable process. It can help you get a broader picture of your strengths and weaknesses. If this process isn’t done formally within your organization, consider speaking directly with colleagues and managers you have collaborated with about their take on your performance. Seriously consider the feedback they give you, and use it to focus your development activities. More feedback options at Top 5 Reasons You Didnt Get the Job. 3. Read your organizations job postings: Reading your organizations job postings is a great way to familiarize yourself with the education, skill and experience requirements for new positions or career paths that interest you. Use these job postings to find out what you need to do/learn in order to qualify for a promotion or to take your career in a new direction. Also keep in mind that many organizations prefer to fill job openings from within the organization so apply for any new positions that interest you. 4. Peruse job descriptions: Reading job descriptions is another great way to learn about the requirements for that next job youd like. You can learn about jobs that use your core skills in a different way or you may discover an entirely new position that really interests you. Just like job postings, job descriptions will give you a great summary of the requirements for the position so you know what you need to do to prepare for a new role. Job descriptions are also a great way to figure out if youd even like the job you think you want. 5. Explore online employee profiles: If your organization has online employee profiles, browse the profiles of those employees already in a job youd like to move into and see what their background, education, skills and experience are. Its another great way to learn more about job requirements and focus your development activities. You can also use them to build your network or identify potential mentors. If online profiles aren’t available, use the old school approach â€" ask your fellow employees directly about their career history and educational background. 6. Take advantage of training: Most organizations allot a specific training budget for every employee. Yet its amazing how many employees fail to take advantage of this. Find out what your training allotment or entitlement is, and then make use of it. Sign up for learning activities that will help you prepare for your next career move and help make you more valuable in your job today. 7. Sign up for work on a cross-functional team: Almost every organization has cross-functional teams or committees in place. Sometimes theyre focused on special work projects, but often they deal with business processes, employee engagement issues, customer satisfaction challenges, corporate social responsibility initiatives, etc. Working on a cross-functional team is a great way to broaden your knowledge and skills and meet people from across the organization. It can expose you to different parts of the business, broaden your understanding of your industry and build your network. If you think creatively, your organization has a number of great tools and resources that can help you define or refine your career goals and help you plan your career development. You just need to take the initiative. Related: 7 Key Tips To Boost Your Chances of Getting a Better Job. Author: Sean Conrad is a Certified Human Capital Strategist and Senior Product Analyst at Halogen Software, one of the leading providers of performance appraisal software. For more of his insights on talent management, read his posts on the Halogen blog.

Why Youll Never Get A Job By Searching For One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Why You’ll Never Get A Job By Searching For One - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In the early days of internet job boards, I ran an experiment. I wanted to see how many jobs I could apply to in a day. I got on this kick because searching for jobs and thoughtfully applying for them was really, really boring. I found out that I could apply for about 70 jobs a day before my eyes glazed over completely. I also found out that I could do this for 17 days in a row before I really needed a day off. That’s almost 1,200 jobs. The job search results Guess what? I didn’t get a response to a single one of those jobs. Not one. Basically, they gave me every bit as much attention as I gave them. Most people do something similar when they look for work online. Eventually, your mind numbs and it becomes impossible to tell what you’re applying for. Your judgment starts to falter and pretty soon, you’re slamming out resumes as fast as you can. Part of the problem is that job descriptions are painfully awful to read. Part of the problem is that it seems like doing a lot of stuff and staying busy is how you get a job. Part of the problem is that everyone else feels that way and as a result, lots of companies are buried in resumes that are only sort of applicable to the job. The people on the other end of the chain have the same problem. They look at the stack of applicants and try to sift to the ones that fit. Their eyes glaze over and they slip as they reject. Pretty soon, they are only looking for perfect fits (which guarantees that the person won’t last in the job). So what do you do? It may be the case that you need to do some busy work. So, by all means, apply for 10 or 20 jobs a day. Just don’t pay much attention to them. With the other eight hours in your job hunting work day, focus on one company. Learn about it, figure out what you’d like to do there and go to work on building a network that gets you access to the people who’d hire you. What you’re really looking for is an interview. It doesn’t really matter how you get it. Remember, all job hunting is about getting the interview. Author: John Sumser, a member of the Glassdoor Clearview Collection, is the founder and editor-in-chief of HRExaminer, a weekly online magazine about the people and technology of HR. Widely respected as an independent analyst, Sumser has been chronicling and critiquing the HRTechnology industry for eighteen years. During that time, he has consulted with more than 100 HR vendors on matters of strategy and positioning in the market. Prior to his involvement in the HR Technology industry, Sumser was a senior executive in Defense Technology. From large scale software development to naval architecture, he was the leader of tech development teams in a broad variety of settings. His passion is the intersection of people and technology.

Marvel merchandise

Marvel merchandise Bring children closer to their superhero with film merchandise Taking children to the cinema is part and parcel of parents bonding with their son or daughter and allowing them to enjoy the fun-packed story that is commonly associated with films targeted towards the younger generation. Children’s films can have a powerful effect on a young audience as they not only contain characters who they can relate with, but the film itself provides a story that contains numerous morals and life lessons. Directors also understand the necessity for certain genres of film to focus on a role model or superhero character that saves the day or overcomes a certain level of adversity. Comic book movies are a prime example of box office screenings that are perfect for the whole family to enjoy; parents can savour the action scenes, while children and young teenagers take homage from a superhero using their powers for good and saving the day. The Marvel series contains the most famous superheroes in American comic history, with characters such as Iron Man, Captain America and Wolverine recreated within their own box office hits, and together as a collective force in the Avengers movies. A considerable component of the Marvel series’ success is the launch of official merchandise which allows young fans to further extend their preference for a particular superhero and be closer to their role model. Parents can play an integral role in purchasing products that carry on their child’s passion for comic book films and their superheroes. Costumes Although Marvel fans can buy every film in the series on DVD or Blu-Ray, it barely scratches the surface of the considerable depth of film merchandise that is available on the market for consumers to own. The success enjoyed by a film series, particularly Marvel and its individual spin-offs, helps to produce merchandise that can almost create as much revenue for the brand as the movies themselves. Parents can allow their children to play the role of their favourite superhero by buying official costumes which look identical in appearance to what famous actors wear in the movies. It creates a wonderful world of opportunity for children to re-enact their favourite moments from the movies, and also create their own heroic moments in the house or garden. More importantly, it allows children to feel important and enjoy psychological power that makes buying a costume value for money. Lunchboxes As a part of everyday life at school, children enjoy a healthy lunch in to provide their body and mind with adequate fuel to be productive throughout the rest of the day. While most schools provide their pupils with freshly prepared meals on the premises, parents have the option to make packed lunches for their children to take to school and enjoy. Lunchboxes are the best products for children to take their lunch to school and keep items, such as sandwiches, fresh. Official Marvel lunchboxes are available in a range of colours, with a plethora of superheroes and their famous logo emblazoned over the front and back. It not only promotes the Marvel film series in public and within the presence of a popular core demographic, but also allows children to illustrate their interest and fondness in a particular superhero or film series. Slot machines The superhero image created within popular culture by Stan Lee has been the predominate force behind the emergence of movie paraphernalia and, more recently, a transition from the big screen to slot machine. thetvaddict.com report “Sports Interaction, in particular, have been hot on using the superhero image in their online slots games, with a full range comprising our beloved Stan Lee favourites such as Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man”  (Cited from http://www.thetvaddict.com/2014/04/17/holding-out-for-a-hero-a-closer-look-at-stan-lees-mighty-7/).Slot machines can be valued as a perfect marketing tool for films to thrive upon as it not only further represents a film within the public domain, but also enhances brand recognition that could result in more people becoming a fan of the Marvel comic film series. Irrespective of age, people can always relate to superheroes during their childhood which creates a greater fascination and pull to play slot machine games that feature the ir favourite comic book heroes. Wallpaper Every child’s bedroom should depict their own personal interests and hobbies to ensure they have a room they can enjoy playing in and sleeping peacefully in. Film merchandise does include toys and figurines for children to re-enact their own movie scenes with their favourite superheroes using their creative minds. While the Marvel merchandise range also covers curtains, blanket covers and pillow cases, putting up Marvel wallpaper can be the perfect way for parents to create the perfect bedroom for their child. Wallpaper is instantly noticeable upon walking into a room, with Marvel merchandise covering every hero from Captain America to Iron Man to instantly captivate a child and allow them to enjoy a good night’s sleep.

How Far Back Should Your Resume Be Found When Writing a Resume?

How Far Back Should Your Resume Be Found When Writing a Resume?When writing a resume for employment, the first thing you have to consider is when should you use an employer background check? Yes, there are companies who will allow you to search their past records and find out information about yourself. This can be helpful, but it is not always the best option.For example, you may not be aware of any of your own personal background checks. You may have heard that it is a good idea to conduct a criminal check when you are applying for a job. However, this is actually not true. In fact, employers rarely do a criminal background check on an applicant.The very reason they hire the person is because they are interested in what the person has done and how the person has grown over the years. An employer would rather hire someone who has shown growth in their personal life than someone who has not done anything substantial.Employer background checks often come up empty as well. It is only w hen the employer does the background check that they find out what the person did in his or her personal life and they only allow the person to apply if they think the person can perform the job satisfactorily.Employers should also avoid having to know everything about an applicant's employment history. There are many cases where people have had jobs where they knew very little about the organization that they were working for. For instance, there could be a manager who is the head of security, a CEO who handles HR, or other positions that require knowledge of the operation.When you are looking at when you should do a background check for employment history, make sure that you realize that many times the hiring organization already knows all of the important information about you. For instance, if you were married and have children, then you are probably going to need to have some sort of employment history to show that you are fit for the position.The best time to run a search for employment history is when you have no other options. You should never do a background check when there are jobs available. The information you will find with an employment history check will not be helpful.As a rule of thumb, it is best to do a background check when you are in the middle of the search for a job and there are not many other people available. This will help you become more informed and prepared to interview.

PIPA

Stop SOPA/PIPA I am taking a stand today. (Technically, this was yesterday) And if you visited my site and were re-directed- I DID THAT ON PURPOSE! *Read below for an update! Ive redirected visitors to a special page, just for today, in order to make a point and take a stand! I hope you will take a minute or two to become informed on the topic of SOPA/PIPA being proposed by Congress and let them know how you feel.   Of course, I mean, let them know to keep their hands off! From what I can tell, these bills are well-intended, but could have the wrong outcome. If you visited Google today, you can see they are taking a stand as well. To learn more about SOPA/PIPA you can read about them on Googles More About SOPA and PIPA page. Want to take a stand? Send a letter to your Congress person. And you can sign this petition: Googles End Piracy, Not Liberty page. UPDATE: I received an email yesterday, January 20th, from Fight For the FTR, the organizer of the petition I asked you to sign above.   This is an exerpt of what they said: A big hurrah to you!!!!! We’ve won for now SOPA and PIPA were dropped by Congress today the votes we’ve been scrambling to mobilize against have been cancelled. The largest online protest in history has fundamentally changed the game.  You were heard. On January 18th, 13 million of us took the time to tell Congress to protect free speech rights on the internet. Hundreds of millions, maybe a billion, people all around the world saw what we did on Wednesday.  See the amazing numbers here and tell everyone what you did. This was unprecedented. Your activism may have changed the way people fight for the public interest and basic rights forever. To read the full press release, you can visit their site:   https://fightfortheftr.wordpress.com/press-releases/

16 Podcasts on the Meaning of Hard Work

16 Podcasts on the Meaning of Hard Work Hard work pays off.” That’s a piece of advice we’ve all heard most throughout our lives. We’ve been told that working hard, which often involves putting your best time and effort while enduring through challenges, is the key to reaching success. But what does it mean to work hard? Is it completing school like you’ve been told? Is it doing your job? Earning a paycheck? Simply “working” doesnt capture the full weight and value of working hard. Outside of your routine schedule, daily obligations, and financial needs, hard work should give you control over your life. It’s a blend of being productive while remaining disciplined, purposeful, and, most of all, happy. When you work hard in the right way, you’re excited to get out of bed each day and feel reward from your work. From time to time, it’s easy to forget how to put your mind to working hard. Luckily, many business leaders, entrepreneurs, and career professionals experience the same struggles and often share their stories through podcasts. Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular content form and provide that extra motivation boost when you most need it. To help you find the best podcasts BigRentz put together this infographic that highlights the most inspiring ones on hard work. With take away lessons such as productive morning habits, dealing with dead-end jobs, and finding your true calling, these podcasts will help you find the hard work that will fuel your wallet and your happiness.