How NOT to Get Bitten By the Office Snake

How NOT to Get Bitten By the Office Snake In an ideal world, wed rock up to work to  be greeted by a team of smiling faces, all of whom have our back at all times and want the best for us. Theyd be like family members (the likeable  kind); they would lift us up when were feeling down and say positive things to keep us inspired. Theyd share their wisdom with us and wed gladly impart ours on them, too. Theyd  vouch for us to senior management and sing our praises to clients. Wed be able to grab lunch with them and have a laugh. That, right there, is the dream. I say dream, because, while it is based on some kind of reality and totally possible in large parts, that kind of certainty does not exist in the workplace. Sure, most of us probably like our colleagues, but we can never rest on our laurels that a wolf in sheeps clothing wont  join and bring our  operation down from the inside. Sound dramatic and negative? Well, wherever your wellbeing and career is concerned, youve got to be wary. Some people, whether out of jealousy, insecurities, laze, general apathy or something more sinister will bring some pretty questionable agendas to the workplace. Youll soon be able to spot these people (lets call them snakes) because they tend to talk about people behind their backs, suck up to senior management, take credit for other peoples work and do just generally shifty things. They tend to turn people against each other, are quick to point the finger and are just downright scheming. They might appear friendly and hard-working at surface level, but when you delve a little deeper, youll find theyre most certainly not your friend and they definitely are not hard-working. Often, they slowly bring people down, trying to push themselves up. Think youve identified one in your office? Heres how to avoid being bitten by them: Keep your distance Dont become all buddy-buddy with them, thinking if youre best mates theyll spare you their venom. Some office snakes are really charming, funny and enigmatic. They can be quite intimidating  and  try to pull as many people close as possible, only to use them to get what they want at any price. They are NOT loyal friends. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Dont trust them Remember that these people can be very manipulative. They can make you forget that they have ulterior motives. They will use you for information and use it against you. Dont give them what they want; do not trust them and always keep them at arms length. Be vague with personal information and definitely dont put anything to them in writing that you wouldnt want broadcast on national television. Dont fall into their trap Its amazing how peoples attitudes rub off on those around them. If they are bickering or gossiping about another colleague, dont fall into the trap of playing along. Dont engage with their questionable behaviours. Remove yourself from the situation where possible, as early as you can. You dont want to be associated with the snake. Expect them to attack You dont want to be paranoid, but constantly being alert and ready for them to do something two-faced or back-stabbing will constantly remind you not to reveal too much to them, or make yourself an easy target. Stand your ground If you feel youve already been lightly bitten  by them, dont let them get away with it without an explanation. Make sure you find a way to let them know that you are not someone to be crossed. You do not want to get aggressive, and you might have to kill them with kindness, but do not admit defeat and become someone they can walk over. Dont rely on them for anything Never give them the benefit of the doubt and never hope for the best. Do not ask any favours of them and try to detach yourself from their operations as much as possible. The more separate you keep your work, the better. Enlist the right support While its not always the answer, seeking some advice from other relevant professionals (boss or HR) might be necessary if you spot someone who appears to be dangerous. Its likely you arent the only one with your concerns. Always seek professional advice if  you genuinely dont know how to avoid getting bitten! You an choose your friend, but you cant choose your colleagues. In most circumstances, youll be working with like-minded people who share the same values as you. Some of the best friendships and relationships start at work, and thats what we all hope for! But dont be naive to different personality types and the snakes that slither their way through their careers. Dont  let yourself be bitten!

Resume Writing Resources - How to Choose Between Online Sources

Resume Writing Resources - How to Choose Between Online SourcesAs you search for resume writing resources online, you might find yourself stumbling across a bunch of sites that you want to stay away from. It's quite easy to get overwhelmed and have to make a choice between websites that offer great information and sites that provide you with a high degree of useless information. While the 'to do' list is almost endless, there are a few ways to sort through the junk and make sure you're only dealing with quality.The first thing you should look for in a site is the type of information you'll receive. Many times, resume writing resources will claim to be all things to all people, but in actuality, they just give you the same information in a different form. Keep in mind that some forms of resume writing can have an effect on the quality of your resume - while others may not.If a resource simply passes you over to another site to get the information you need, it's important to understand that you're receiving what amounts to a sales pitch from the resource in question. Resume writing resources should be reputable sources should know how to use the internet in order to gain your attention. If they can't give you what you're looking for without giving you sales pitches, move on!In addition to the value of the material that you'll find on resume writing resources, it's also important to see how much you should trust their source. Resume writing is a job in itself and the writer can have many motivations for telling you the information they have. While a resume is supposed to be personal, it's difficult to keep this from happening when a company is involved.It's helpful to look at resumes from people who have actually taken the job that you're considering and checked their credentials. You'll know better what they know about the company, your abilities, and other skills you could bring to the job. No one can write your resume unless they've done so, so it's imperative that you carefully investigate the resume writing company before proceeding.You'll also want to be aware of resumes that are written to misrepresent the company or the position. These are normally known as 'testimonials,' but they're written in a way that makes it seem like the applicant is fully qualified for the position and in need of no further consideration. They're not - and if you come across one, move on.A third thing to look for in resume writing resources is how the resume was submitted. It's best to avoid those that ask you to submit the attached paper, an email, or some other type of method that puts the onus on you to send the resume along. You should understand the process for getting a resume written and understand why resume writing resources typically try to avoid these processes as much as possible.It's easy to fall into the trap of choosing resume writing resources based solely on how quickly they can send your resume off to a client. While it's good to have quick results, you don't want to just get stuck waiting around while you work to get your resume ready. Your resume writing resources should provide you with a resume that you can work with to ensure that you complete the resume properly, quickly, and most importantly, accurately.

5 Ways to Encourage Career Progression as a Recruiter

5 Ways to Encourage Career Progression as a Recruiter Increasingly, one of the most popular questions we’re hearing from candidates is ‘are there career progression opportunities?’. We can see why â€" 91% of millennials say progression is one of their top priorities,  so businesses who don’t have clear development paths are at risk of losing talent to their competitors. As employment experts, it is up to recruiters to educate our clients on the importance of this and assist in instilling a culture of development and learning. Here are just five ways to do so. 1. Re-work job specs The job spec is the first interaction a candidate will have with the company, so it’s important to make the career progression opportunities clear on this. Discuss with your client where this role could lead to in the business, and make sure to mention any potential pathways in any job advertisements. If there is scope for on-the-job training or qualifications (for example, a CIPD for an HR position), it’s essential to make this clear. Remaining transparent about where a candidate could go encourages buy-in and will attract a wider applicant pool. 2. Emphasize projects Projects are a great way for employees to develop skills in a particular area, while also assisting with wider business goals. It gives them scope to look beyond their job spec, liaise with colleagues they normally wouldn’t and perhaps, engage a passion that they otherwise couldn’t. As a recruiter, it’s up to you to advise on the best way to integrate it into a role. For example, a start-up might know they need admin support but aren’t sure what that looks like. Why not suggest a PA with scope for HR or office management projects? 3. Sideways movement Sometimes, the only way isn’t up. Internal mobility, or the process of moving talent from role to role internally, is becoming increasingly popular in larger organizations as a successful recruitment strategy. Instead of losing great talent who already understand the organization and the culture, why not encourage your clients to look for other opportunities within the business for them? At the end of the day, you’re still going to work a role, as if the candidate moves internally, you’ll need to fill their role. But this way, the client retains their exceptional talent, increasing their loyalty to the company. 4. Don’t be afraid of jumpy CVs The millennial workforce is driving the desire for career progression and they’re doing it quickly, more so than any previous generation before them. They are proactive and always looking for the next challenge, asking you ‘what is the next step, what can I do now?’. As recruiters, it’s important to educate your clients so they aren’t turned off by this enthusiasm. Instead, harness it by educating hiring managers on the value of this mindset and what these types of candidates can bring to their organization. This also means educating your clients on jumpy CVs â€" in most cases, a candidate changing roles every 18 months isn’t a negative reflection on their professional experience, but demonstrative of their rate of learning. 5. Think outside the box Career progression doesn’t just mean a promotion. If your client is struggling to hold onto good talent, why not collaborate with them to see if there are other ways to encourage engagement? This includes secondments or opportunities to join committees, organize social events or participate in training programmes â€" essentially anything that allows them to feel fulfilled in their role and as if they are developing or growing. These initiatives also make it easier to recruit, as they are of appeal to new talent. It’s worth remembering that we are as much advisors as we are recruiters. By collaborating with our clients on wider workplace practice, we can develop those relationships and provide value beyond just recruitment.

Mentors available for postgraduates University of Manchester Careers Blog

Mentors available for postgraduates University of Manchester Careers Blog Theres just over 24 hours until the application deadline for our careers mentoring programme, Manchester Gold. Youve got until 5pm tomorrow, Wednesday 26 February to get your application in! The programme is open to postgraduates as well as undergraduate students so you can apply to be matched with a mentor who is working in your chosen industry or even your dream job. Its your chance to speak to someone who is currently working in your chosen area and to find out from them how you can succeed. We have a specialist strand for spring which is especially for doctoral researchers. There are a number of mentors on this strand who are looking to work with doctoral researchers and you can find a list of the mentors on the strand on our website in the how to apply section. Youll also find information about how to apply on our website. Its quite a quick process via your CareersLink account. Theres only one question to answer so if youre interested, why not have a look and apply today? All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate mentoring

Here Are Some Tips For Writing Your Executive Resume

Here Are Some Tips For Writing Your Executive ResumeAdrienne Tom is a skilled writer and she really knows her way around the executive resume writing, so if you're looking for help with that, then you might want to talk to her. Her LinkedIn page, which lists her as the Director of Corporate Recruitment and HR Strategy, is a great place to start. It has links to all of her various other business dealings.When you Google Adrienne Tom's name, you'll find a great deal of sites that will do an executive resume writing for you. Many are a little disorganized, and others are overly demanding about doing it the way they want it done. You should certainly start by making a list of the most important things in your profile. This is what you'll be focusing on as you write your executive resume.Since the main points of your resume will be job history, education, skill set, and experience, these should make up the majority of your contents. These are the main elements you need to focus on. Don't assume that any business will be convinced of your abilities to write an executive resume by a quick read of the rest of your profile, though.What you will find more than anything else is that the sales skills and personal qualities will trump all of this. Look at your background, and try to identify where you've spent time and gained experience, and make sure to capitalize on these strengths in your executive resume. Don't use your education to make up for the fact that you've never actually finished a course in your life - use that to compliment your skills, not compare yourself to you achievements.If you have good references to refer to as a professional writer, then look for those in your LinkedIn profile as well, because you want them to be your biggest influence in your executive resume writing. You can also get them to sign up for a free account, so that you can keep them updated with all of the latest executive resume writing news.Just as you can't believe that you can write an executive resume on your own, you shouldn't put too much stock in people's recommendations, either. You need to find someone who can really help you with executive resume writing. Just because they're a writer or an education expert doesn't mean that they will be able to write a great executive resume for you.If you really want to know the person behind the CV, check to see what they've written about their experience with your particular point of view. Does their CV speak to you the way you wish it would? If you can't find anything in there that you can rely on, you're best to move on.If you have questions about Adrienne Tom's LinkedIn profile, or executive resume writing for yourself, do not hesitate to ask. There's no point in wasting your time on what may be merely a fallible idea.

The best stationery picks for a productive 2019 - Debut

The best stationery picks for a productive 2019 - Debut This article was written by an external contributor. Lydia Wilkins has some recommendations  for your stationery cupboard.   The best way to live up to the new year, new you mentality is to invest in some new stationery, right? You can apply it to so many areas of your life; be it organising, doodling or just putting some swish photos on your studygram. And of course, it’s always satisfying to use a brand new notebook for a project or maybe that’s just me? But what pieces do all students and graduates need for a productive 2019? After all, Debut gave you a list for 2018, so it would be rude not to do the same again this year. This time around, the brands have been chosen for not just their products, but their individual ethos as well. So lets get to it! Say Nice Things Say Nice Things is the epitome of ‘small business’. Founded by a woman called Jill, the love of stationery is at the heart of this brand, and has a huge impact on the story behind the label.   Throughout my education, Ive always had a jotter with me that I use for literally everything. Be it important appointments, ideas, a memorable phrase, suggested reading, birthdays it always comes in handy. The Cadence journal from Say Nice Things is perfect for all of the above as its divided into sections which include lined, plain, doodle pages, and calendar pages. Known for its versatility, this journal is incredibly useful for all situations and will keep your life on track.   Photo credit:  Say Nice Things Stationery. Click here to buy it. Papier Are you a fan of Dolly Alderton? You should be; as her hilarious memoir, Everything I Know About Love, is packed full of anecdotes of what she got up to as a student. But funnily enough, she’s also an ambassador for Papier,  our next choice for stationery picks.   Papier is a brand that offers personalisation in their products, like the sort of thing that you would see on a bloggers Instagram page. You can add your own ‘stamp’ to what you choose to buy, and pix and mix your covers and paper. There are also bespoke patterns you won’t find anywhere else, and if you sign up to their newsletter, you can get a cheeky discount. The diary is also unique; with each month having a space for goals, a to-do list, important dates, and a wishlist.   Photo credit: Papier.  Click here to buy the notebook, and here to buy the diary. Nero’s Notes Nero’s Notes (formerly known as Pocket Notebooks) has a very simple tagline; “Forget the app, there’s a notebook for that.” And nothing could be more true when you take a look at their stationery range. You know when you’re watching a US sitcom, and they nearly always use the same brand of yellow pencils? Well, Nero’s Notes sells a similar batch, and theyre known for their durability. What more could you want from a writing utensil? And if yellow isnt your colour, then no worries. They have several other shades to choose from.   Photo credit: Nero’s Notes Stationery. Click here to buy. Dingbats Dingbats are a notebook brand that now have a cult following. Known for their eco-friendly products, all materials used in the production of their notebooks are bio-degradable, vegan and recyclable. After all, whats better than being organised and sustainable? The Wildlife collection compromises of a standard notebook, which you can customise by size and paper choice. Meanwhile the Earth collection is the Dingbats’ take on a bullet journal; with numbered pages, bookmarks, and more. If youre looking to jump on the bullet journal trend, then this is the place to start.   Their notebooks also have thick and high-quality paper, so you aren’t likely to see fountain pen ink bleed through it (one of my pet peeves, seriously).   Photo credit:  Dingbats* Notebooks LTD. Click here to view the Wildlife collection, and here to view the Earth collection. Download Debut  and  connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Using the One-To-Many Approach in Online Job Search - CareerAlley

Using the One-To-Many Approach in Online Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Work hard, have fun and make history. Jeff Bezos Author: Sherrie A. Madia, Ph.D. Online job search should never completely replace traditional ways of searching for a job. As any good marketer knows-and thats what you are, a marketer of yourself-its never smart to make assumptions about what works and what doesnt. Rather, the ideal approach is to test everything and see what works for you. If going to real-world networking events gets you the gig, thats great. If finding a job in the newspaper classified section does it for you-kudos! The goal of using social networking for job search is to give you more options-more job-hunting tactics to test. And the new tactic of using social networks to speed up your job search is highly leverageable. In other words, you can get a lot more mileage out of a little bit of invested time and energy relative to traditional job-hunting tactics. Instead of telling your story by sending your resume to one person or company at a time, social networks allow you to broadcast your message using the one-to-many approach. Traditional methods of job hunting such as applying through newspaper or online job listings can best be thought of as using a one-to-one approach. You are reaching out with one resume to one job at one specific employer. Conversely, social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and others, are best thought of as platforms that will enable you to establish ongoing one-to-many relationships. Therefore, you prepare your message-or better yet versions of your message in the form of resumes-and then you can start building relationships with a greater number of people simultaneously. Youre not laboriously sending resumes out one at a time to someone who might give you a job. Instead, we e going to show you how to blast your message out there-in a targeted way-to people who might give you a job directly or help you find one indirectly by passing you on to others who can hire you. Start with this people-centric perspective, and youre on your way to understanding how to best utilize social networks to getting your next job. Versioning There are times when a candidate might be wise to prepare a variety of messages-and resumes-that are tailored to the needs and interests of different employment niches. For example, one professional who was planning a career change several years ago had done many different things and was open to pursuing a wide variety of job options. While this greatly increased the number of opportunities that were available to him, it also created a challenge for him as well. If he were to present himself as all things to all people, he may well have come across as someone who was way too broad and unfocused to fit in the narrow confines of a given job description. So what did he do? He created three fairly different versions of his resume. He called one his consulting resume, and it focused on his flexibility and creativity in handling various creative projects for high-profile clients. His second was his educator resume, and the slant of his job description on that resume highlighted on work he had done as a teacher, instructional designer, and stand-up presenter. His third resume was his manager resume, and that one showcased experiences with supervising, managing, and collaborating with co-workers and other organizations. He even varied his Interests section on each resume. Each featured honest interests, but specific passions were included or omitted depending on the audience. Obviously, creating multiple resumes can be a great deal of work, and you need to have a system of keeping track of who has received what resume. That said, this can be a helpful concept for those considering multiple career paths simultaneously. Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/career-management-articles/using-the-one-to-many-approach-in-online-job-search-4862778.html About the Author Sherrie A. Madia, Ph.D. is an educator, author, and trainer. Her most recent books include The Social Media Survival Guide (Also available in Spanish), The Online Job Search Survival Guide, and S.E.R.I.A.L.PRENEURSHIP: The Secrets of Repeatable Business Success and The Social Media Survival Guide for Nonprofits and Charitable Organizations.She is frequently cited by the national media as an expert in social media. She is Director of Communications, External Affairs, and a Lecturer at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. To schedule an individual consultation or group workshop on online job-search, visit http://www.OnlineJobSearchBook.com. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook

Why I probably wont run Career Camp again (and a last-chance special deal!) - When I Grow Up

Why I probably wont run Career Camp again (and a last-chance special deal!) - When I Grow Up Deciding to run Career Camp again to start this January was a bit of a last-minute decision. I sent an email to my Tech Titan on Nov 7th with the subject line:  12/1 Career Camp Launch am I nuts? I was nuts (still am, and proud of it!), but I knew that I could pull it off. It felt important to me to offer this in the new year. I was excited about thinking of working with a new group of Campers who wanted to discover their passionate, grown-up career but couldnt afford my one-on-one sessions and/or liked the aspect of being part of a group. I couldnt wait to meet them! So I did what I was supposed to: I created an editorial schedule for my blog and newsletter that I felt was valuable content that related to the benefits of Career Camp.  When/if you hear about launch content, this is what peeps are talking about.  I ran a free-with-opt-in webinar that would attract the peeps who wanted to become entrepreneurs, but didnt know  what theyd offer. Essentially, the peeps whod be most likely to join Career Camp.  When/if you hear about list building, this is what peeps are talking about. I ran Facebook ads for the webinar and Camp, specifically targeting my existing audience as well as new people who were connected to those who like my Page. Ive had success with the ads before, so its become part of my launch strategy. I even offered another level of Career Camp-ness, where a camper can add 3 one-on-one sessions with me in addition to the group aspect of Camp. I was excited to think, again, that I could offer one-on-one coaching without the price tag of working with me for 12 sessions. I opened  Career Camp privately (that is, to the people who were on my specific Career Camp Interest newsletter list) from Dec 1-7th, and then opened it publicly on December 8th. While Ive previously had about 20 Career Camp attendees for each session Ive ran, I upped the numbers based on what I thought the interest would be with at the end of the year (New Year, New You!)   with a larger audience, thanks to my CreativeLive course  (which is on sale right now, BTW). Well, its now 30 hours before I close the Career Camp doors, and Ive had 6 sign-ups. I capped it at ten times that number and Id be lying if I said I wasnt  both  disappointed and pretty  perplexed. And while I know that I can tweak the offer in the future (make it cheaper? more expensive? more exclusive? less exclusive?), I just dont see myself getting behind it again anytime soon. While I absolutely have the right to change my mind, I can probably declare that  I dont think Ill  be running Career Camp again. I know my 2015 Projects, and Id rather: start my Grown Up Gigs podcast work on a collaboration with Tiffany Han thatll specifically help aspiring entrepreneurs (which is more aligned with the work I wanna be doing) reeeeeeally pay attention to my book proposal, which has been sitting there finished for a few weeks without me sending out query letters. Ive been so distracted by and focused on this launch that everything else had to be paused for it add more one-on-one clients. My one-on-one coaching always gives me such a high, and I just adore it. I think, though, that Ive been searching for a way to scale and be more diverse in my offerings, so Ive been offering programs like this and my Clubhouse that just, well, dont take off the way that I expect. Im seeing, now, that this isnt coincidental, and I need to stop trying to convince myself that I wanna run large ecourses instead of do the one-on-one work (or very small group work) that makes me happy. do more speaking and live events. While Im not looking to travel heavily, I would love the opportunity to do more NYC-based classes, workshops, and talks. Im really ready to step into that. So Ive decided that, for this last day of Career Camp registration, that Ill be happy to offer a 2-for-1 special for those at the $497 level. Purchase a spot for yourself, shoot me an email with the name and email address of the friend who also wants to be a Camper, and Ill add em in. This goes, too, to Career Campers whove already signed up at that level (if this is you, then check your email for the deets!). That way, you can have that friend reimburse ya for half of what ya paid and, well, I get to help more people with this program. Sounds like a win-win to me! And to those whore part of this last round of Career Camp: dont think I wont give ya my usual 120%! I love the fact that were a small group and I can give ya even more personal attention than usual. Thats a win-win, too!