Hate Selling Yourself 7 Ways To Get Noticed In A New Field, Without Feeling Inauthentic

Hate ‘Selling Yourself’ 7 Ways To Get Noticed In A New Field, Without Feeling Inauthentic Expert Advice > How to move into your new career Hate ‘Selling Yourself’? 7 Ways To Get Noticed In A New Field, Without Feeling Inauthentic * Whatever your next career is, making a shift meansbuilding yourreputation in a newarea. But pitching yourselfto potential employers or clients when you're only just getting started can leave you feeling like a fake. So how do you do it gracefully? Natasha shares her guidance on how to make your presence known in a way that'srelaxed, human, and effective. Working out what you want to do next in your career can be a hard and emotional slog. But even once you get a sense of where you want to be headed, there’s a whole new set of potential challenges at play. You’re starting from scratch â€" how do you impress people enough to stand out against seasoned professionals? Nothing turns your stomach like a sales-y ‘pitch’, and you don’t want to spend all your time talking about yourself. You’re not ready to move from your current career, but you do want to start your side hustle now. How do you market your second 'self' without having two LinkedIn profiles and looking weird? You want to get noticed, even though you’re new to the game. But you want to do so in a way that feels authentic and real. And thebest ways to do that? They're counter-intuitive, simple, and sweet â€"and they really work. 1. Make thingsand share them Nothing says more about you than your work. And in a world where everyone seems to be talking a big talk, with a slick elevator pitch and a written-by-a-professional LinkedIn profile, people are increasingly more compelled by what they see you do than what they hear you say. So the best way to let people know what you do, is by doing it. And then let them know what you’ve done. If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be a coder, code. If you want to build apps, build an app. If you want to help people organise their finances, put together a guide to help them organise their finances. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re ready, or good enough, or experienced enough. Just get it out there. Do what you want to do, and do it in public. The more you make, the better it is, and the more open you are about it, the easier it is for people to find you, understand what you do, and support you. 2. Help people Get a reputation for being great to have around. Be observant, be thoughtful, and be generous. Notice ways that people, businesses and organisations could benefit from your skills and knowledge, and offer to help them. Wherever you see an opportunity to add value, add it. Whether it’s your time, your expertise, your talents… be willing. Be helpful. Generosity is a remarkable thing. And (perhaps unfortunately) it’s rare enough to be deeply memorable. So when people have an opportunity to respond in kind, they will. Plus, not only will people value your contributions for themselves, they’ll tell other people about you, too. 3. Give a little extra ‘Fine’ is fine. But it doesn’t spread. Nobody remembers the time they got exactly what they expected, and nobody talks about the time someone did a ‘good enough’ job for them. You’re still bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and enthusiastic about your new venture â€" so let that pleasure out, unapologetically. Wherever you get a chance, go over and above the call of duty for people. Add a hand-written love-note in your delivery package. Throw in an extra service for free. Deliver the project perfectly, way before the deadline. Many people focus on going over-and-above in what they say to land clients. You're going to focus on going over-and-above in your attempt to thrill them. 4. Acknowledge everyone Thank people for everything, publicly. Reference all your teachers and sources, consistently. Celebrate the achievements of others. Share what inspiring people in your field are doing. Shine a light on people who aren’t getting seen. Make as much noise about the people who have contributed to your journey as you do about yourself. The people who have helped you (and who can help you further) will be proud and thrilled. They’ll want to help you more. Your teachers and sources will notice you. They’ll want to thank you, support you, or at least find out who you are. Most people think that in order to get noticed, they need to get into the spotlight. Try shining the spotlight on other people, instead, and see how karma does its work. 5. Be a broken record Like Hoover and the vacuum cleaner, Biros and ballpoint pens, there are people in your life that you automatically associate with something. Think ‘mountain bikes’, and you think of your sister. ‘Politics and current affairs’, it’s Uncle Brian. If you ever had a question about what movie to watch, you’re going to call your friend Anna. And that didn’t happen by accident. Consciously or unconsciously, they taught you to do that. You probably know a whole bunch of people who are really into mountain biking, but your sister is the one who mentions it every single time you see her. Anna always finds a way to connect your conversations back to cinematography and film. Everything she shares on social media and LinkedIn is cinema-related. Anna = film. And while you don’t have to be obsessive about your topic to the point of driving people up the wall, find ways to become ‘that person’ for your network. How could you become the person that always springs to mind when they think about what you do? 6. Keep showing up When you’re starting out in a new career, it’s tempting to surround yourself with people who do what you do. It’s smart, too â€" building connections and friendships with people who have been in the game for longer than you can give you insights and opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have. But it’s not just about being there for the people that you need. Show up in the lives of the people that need you, too. Professional de-clutterer and organiser? Don’t just go to the Professional Organisers Conference, go and make friends at your local car boot sale. Financial consultant for start-ups? Go to a MeetUp for start-ups in your area. Don’t sell anything. Just listen. Building relationships is always at the core of any venture, exploratory or established. And you don’t have to have a fancy set of business cards or a shiny elevator pitch to make friends. Find the people who need you, and keep showing up. 7. Be real Be authentic, honest, and open about where you’re at, as much as possible. It can be tempting to think you have to have everything perfectly worked-out and thrillingly articulated before you let anyone in on what you’re doing, but actually, that’s not so effective. Glass looks shiny and pretty, but most things slide right off it. Be open about the journey you’re on. Share the things you’re learning and the mistakes you’re making. Be humble, and curious, and committed to where you’re headed (and maintain a sense of humour about your experiences!). If a good-enough LinkedIn profile is what you have to put up because you’re excited about the level of clarity you’ve got about where you want to be headed AND you still have a hunch there’s more discovering to do, say it. If you did a job for a client that didn’t go to plan and you learned a huge lesson from it, share it. If you’ve finally got a response from the grant you applied for and you can’t bring yourself to open the envelope because you’re so nervous, get people to come and help you open it. Humans recognise humanity. We want to hang out with other humans. So allow yourself to be human, in public. When you share your journey, it makes people want to come along for the ride. Which of these approaches to getting noticed appeals most to you? Let me know in the comments below.

How Much is a Resume Writing Service?

How Much is a Resume Writing Service?There are several questions that arise with regard to the question of how much is a resume writing service. The most important one that most people are asking about is whether or not it will cost the business a lot of money to have a professional resume writer. This is a question that many employers have asked and are now wondering how much will it cost them.The answer to this question is very simple and straight forward; you will save money if you hire a resume writer. Most people believe that hiring someone to write your resume for you will cost them money because they will have to pay a fee. However, this is not the case at all.Service fees are not the same as a writing fee. A writer charges you for the job. They charge what the market will bear and what they can get from the sales cycle that they have in their books. A service fee is a monthly service fee that the writer charges to do the work.So the best way to think about it is that you are paying for the time the writer has spent on the project and the knowledge that they have gotten while working on it. This will help you know how much the service fee is going to be before they even start working on your resume.Now you need to take into consideration that you are looking at a service fee rather than the cost of your resume. So, when you hire a service for your resume writing needs it is easier to go into the equation and figure out how much the fee is going to be.Also, it will also give you the ability to know how long the service fee will last and you can make sure that you are getting a value for the amount of time and knowledge that you are paying for. You should always know what the monthly fee is going to be for the life of the service and you should never pay more than what the service actually provides.Some writers give you a written estimate of how much your service fee will be on the first page of the contract that you sign. Other writers will only allow you to see the total cost upfront. Whatever you do, just be aware that a service fee is going to be more than the estimated one that is listed on the contract.You also want to make sure that you are going to get the amount that you are paying for in writing. There are many companies that offer lower rates because they are cutting corners. It is usually better to just be able to have an estimate rather than having to look at the total.

The $20 Jimmy Choo Story

The $20 Jimmy Choo Story No, this is not a story about a pair of $20 Choos.  Cmon now.  Thats called a fairytale. I can count the number of times on one hand the number of times I have worn my  Jimmy Choo  wedding shoes.  I went to New York City to make the special purchase and for the amount I spent, I NEVER thought a bow would fall off while dancing at a friends wedding last weekend.  I took the shoes back to the retailer, explained the situation, and figured they would fix the bow.  Shock and disappointment filled me as I walked out of the shoe department, downstairs, headed back onto Michigan Avenue.   Nope, sorry.   They are over a year old.   You are on your own   Thats the answer I got from the sales lady. On my way out, I passed a manager and just had to explain my disappointment with the situation.   You make a decision: Do I cover the $20 repair fee and keep a client or say no, sorry and lose a client.   The manager gave me his card and had me email him the next day, which I did.   He asked me to bring the shoes in and he would cover the repair.   He values my business and knows the importance of a single poor experience. Point of this story: Are you thinking long-term and doing the little things for your customers to keep them happy?   Customers remember and repeat the BAD experiences but also the SPECIAL experiences.   The personal touches to make customers feel VIP keep them around.

9 Tips to Help You Impress Your Interviewer

9 Tips to Help You Impress Your Interviewer Once you master the small talk, here are some tips that will help you impress your interviewer. Work on your handshake: Don‘t offer up a flimsy or sweaty hand. Instead, when you meet with prospective employers or interviews, offer a firm handshake, with one or two pumps from the elbow to the hand. It‘s a good way to illustrate your confidence and start the interview off on the right note. Get serious: If you take a casual approach to the initial interview with a company, especially with a screening interviewer from the human resources department, you may be sealing your fate. Job seekers should treat every interview as if it‘s their one and only chance to sell themselves to the recruiter. Get the practice: If you find yourself being offered an interview for a job you are not really interested in, go on the interview anyway; you can make contacts for future job opportunities and get valuable interview practice. Be enthusiastic: Bring a positive attitude to your interview. Most interviewers won‘t even give a second thought to someone who has a negative presence or seems like they almost need to be talked into the job. “You‘re selling yourself, and part of you is the positive approach you‘ll bring to the office every morning,” says Alison Richardson, a recruiter for several New York financial firms. “That smile and friendly demeanor go a long way.” Ask questions: When interviewing for a new position, it‘s essential to have a handful of questions to ask your potential employer. Some questions could include: What do you consider to be the ideal background for the position? What are some of the significant challenges? What‘s the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment? Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top candidate? Tell a story: Your interviewer wants to know about your skills and experiences, but he or she also wants to know about you. Don‘t fire off routine answers to questions. Instead, work your answers into stories or anecdotes about yourself. People remember the people who are interesting. Prove your value by tailoring stories that address the main concern an interviewer may have: What can you do for us? Show restraint: During an interview, what you don‘t say may be as important as what you do say. As a rule, don‘t talk about money or benefits, especially during the first interview. You should already know if you fit the parameters. Don‘t badmouth about any of your past employers. Organizations don‘t hire complainers. Don‘t mention outside career aspirations or part-time jobs. Employers are looking for people who want to be part of their organization for the next decade and beyond. Whatever you do, don‘t mention the need for an immediate vacation. First of all, you‘re making an assumption that the recruiter wants to hire you. Second, you‘re essentially removing yourself from the list of potential candidates. A job candidate we once interviewed was quick to announce that she needed time off immediately for a two-week honeymoon. We hadn‘t even offered her the job. Needless to say, we didn‘t. Certainly, there are scenarios in which you‘ll need to discuss pending scheduling conflicts, but the interview isn‘t one of them. Be memorable: Considering the number of job seekers interviewing for positions today, it‘s fair to suggest that many HR workers can hardly keep track of the differences. That‘s why it‘s important to do or say something that will allow you to stand out in the mind of your interviewer. It will strike a personal note and also provide a point of reference when it‘s time to recall the top candidates. Sure, the job candidate with “American Idol” experience we mentioned in the introduction had no real usable background for the job we were looking for, but he was memorable. When 24-year-old Noreen Hennessy was looking for a job in marketing in a tough San Francisco job market, she mentioned to one interviewer that she recently ran in a Tough Mudder competition, a hardcore obstacle course that pushes one‘s physical and mental skills to the limits. “She had a picture of her and some friends covered in mud on her desk,” Hennessy says. “I casually brought up the Tough Mudder, and she had a million questions. Our interview was pretty much over by then, but our conversation went on for another 10 minutes.” Hennessy says she didn‘t get that job, but because of her interviewer‘s interest in the event, she put it on her resume as one of her interests and activities. “Every recruiter I spoke with after that would bring it up,” she says. “It became a major talking point and I think it said a lot about my grit and determination.” Hennessy says she took some time off from the job search to assist a friend in setting up an event-planning business, which she says may or may not turn into a long-term job. “I‘m getting paid, working with people I like, learning a lot,” she says. “There are a million shades, but marketing is marketing. What I practice at the startup level will be something I can bring to the corporate level and it‘s certainly something else I can talk about during interviews.” Ask for the job: “Tell your interviewer you want the job â€" period,” says Dana Fulbright, an IT recruiter for Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. “So many people leave without ever saying they want to be hired. It sounds so simple, but it‘s true. Let your employer know that you want to work there.” This article was excerpted from the new eBook Calling All Grads! Turn a Degree into a Job, edited by careers writer and editor Marco Buscaglia and published by Tribune Media Services, Inc. For more information or to purchase the book, click here. Related: 5 Tips for a Successful Telephone Interview. Image: Shutterstock

Using Writing Skills on Resume - Tips for Professional Applicants

Using Writing Skills on Resume - Tips for Professional ApplicantsAfter creating a nice resume, you need to focus on including writing skills on your resume. There are many components to include on your resume, but if you don't have the writing skills on your resume, it will not be good enough to get you the job.But first, let's define what writing skills are. These are things that are essential to any type of writing, and the most important skill is making sure that the document will be used for something, not just for memories.To include writing skills on your resume, you must write to a standard level. Don't use fancy words, or try to sound smart. Be honest, and write based on the content of the document, not because you like to be seen that way.To get the best results from including writing skills on your resume, make sure you use the correct formatting. Don't use caps, use all-caps, and even capitalize the first letter of every word in the document. Your goal is to get people to look at your resume and recognize it as a document that could be used to get a job.The next step in how to include writing skills on your resume is using the right spelling and grammar. Do not go overboard on these aspects, but make sure you are professional, and do not have grammar mistakes. If you do have them, the person reading your resume will think that you may be lazy and sloppy and will be less likely to hire you.In addition to including writing skills on your resume, make sure you have some personality and attitude on the document. It is possible to be a great writer, but if you lack charisma, you won't be hired. Your personality and attitude are what most people will be looking for.It is also possible to be a very talented writer, but if you lack the ability to connect with the right people, or if you don't have a good sense of humor, you will not be hired. The goal of having a great resume is not to become a great writer, but to land the job that you want, which is to get a job. Most importantly, you want to make sure that you are a great fit for the job that you are applying for.So, to add writing skills to your resume, just make sure you are professional, and that you are a good communicator, but also that you have a little bit of personality, and that you know how to communicate to people. This will make you more than okay on your resume and will make you more appealing than if you were a talented writer who couldn't communicate with others.

Dont Focus on Your Career Weaknesses. What Are Your Strengths

Dont Focus on Your Career Weaknesses. What Are Your Strengths What are your strengths? I’m not posing this question in the context of a job interview but rather, as a career coach. Think through your skills and strengths and list them out. What do you bring to the table that others don’t? Your Current, Actual Skills For many of my clients, this is a much harder question to answer than what are your weaknesses? Again, Im asking from a coaching perspective, not a job interview perspective. It seems to me than many people are good at thinking through areas they want to improve or wish they were more skilled in. However, when asking clients to list out their current strengths, many of them struggle after the first one or two. Your Skills are Unique For many of my clients, they take for granted many of their skills and strengths because the strength or skill comes so naturally. Some feel, subconsciously, that if they are good at something, others probably find it easy as well. They take for granted that they have strengths in many areas that others wished they were skilled in! Identify Your Skills and Strengths Look through your past performance reviews and pick out the areas where you were strong. Even easier, ask a trusted co-worker or family member or friend what they think is your two greatest strengths are. Finally, do some introspection. What are those ‘things’ that come very easily to you or you recall being praised for in the past (i.e. you are the most organized person I know). We all have strengths as well as areas that we can develop. While many people focus much of their time trying to progress in their career development, I challenge you to identify your strengths as well. Become well-versed and confident in the areas you are strong in because thats what sets you apart.

Five Tips for Surviving Shift Work - CareerAlley

Five Tips for Surviving Shift Work - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. For some people, shift work is nothing but a headache. For others, shift work is incredibly beneficial. No matter which side of the fence you stand on, there are ways to survive shift work with your mind and body intact. If youve found yourself being assigned to shifts, here are five survival tips: 1. Get Your Schedule Straight Until youre used to working shifts, it can be easy to forget important appointments. Your brain will be trying to adjust to your new work habits, and you may find yourself losing track of time. When you start your new schedule, be sure to keep a calendar handy. Write down all of your important appointments, and cross out the days as they pass. If you do these things, youll keep track of your days and remember to keep appointments, attend the kids sporting events and lunch with your partner. Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash 2.Paint Your Room If you have a bright, cheery, yellow bedroom, youre going to find it very difficult to sleep during the day. Light, bright colors reflect even the smallest amounts of light. If youre the type of person that can only sleep in complete darkness, youre going to have many restless days. Instead of tossing and turning, paint the walls of your bedroom a deep shade of blue, green, purple or even red. Your walls will absorb the light instead of reflecting it, ensuring that your room is as dark as possible. Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash 3.Cover Your Windows Speaking of your bedroom, what kind of window treatments do you have hanging? You may want to switch out whatever you currently have with light-blocking blinds and curtains. If you are deeply in love with your current window treatments, consider putting a light-blocking film over your windows. The first time you roll over, wake up to the sun streaming in and cant fall back asleep, youll wish that youd been wiser about your choice of window treatment. Its not just the physical body that experiences the ill effects of sleep deprivation. Mentally and emotionally, people who get less than 7 hours of sleep per night function much less effectively. When you dont get enough sleep, you dont just lack overall energy. Instead, your body is missing out on the restorative action of sleep, as a result of which you may get sick. slumbersecrets.com 4.Adjust Your Eating Patterns Even though you would normally eat breakfast at 7am, it will no longer make sense to eat a full meal and hop into bed. Eating properly, and on a better schedule, will not only keep you energized but help you sleep better. For example, if you work 10pm to 6am, your breakfast should be eaten when you wake up in the afternoon, your lunch just before work, and your dinner on your lunch break. When you get home, eat a piece of fruit so that you arent going to bed with an empty stomach. 5. Share Your Schedule Nothing will ruin a good days sleep quicker than the phone ringing off of the hook and people banging on your door. Try to remember that its difficult for people to adjust to someone elses new shift when theyve never worked shifts themselves. Share your schedule with family and friends, letting them know when youll be sleeping and when youll be available to talk and socialize.