Employee engagement is critical to company success until it isnt

Employee engagement is critical to company success… until it isnt My friend Scot from Cuberules.com (if you are in Corporate America you need to subscribe to his blog) wrote about my layoff. I admire Scot a lot because he has the career that I always wanted he did (and still does) the corporate gig very well. But, what I like about Scot so much is that he isnt blinded, pollyanna-style, by the promise of Corporate America. Hes very pragmatic about career management. We need more pragmatic thinking about career management! Scott just wrote: My friend got laid off â€" from his dream job, and wrote some wisdom that even I hadnt been able to communicate. One of the most important messages that everyone needs to understand is, in his words, this: And companies WANT us to be invested in the work because almost every pundit out there will tell you  employee engagement is critical  to the success of the company. Until it isnt. Please go read Scots post. Im not writing this to disparage my former employer. Lots of good came out of that 9+ month gig. But what I learned is that even the best companies, even the dream job, can end so fast your head is spinning. I was fortunate in that I have developed multiple income streams. No, it wasnt easy. No, this wasnt done overnight. But I have no regrets building those income streams over the years. They sure came in handy on November 30th. Employee engagement is critical to company success… until it isnt My friend Scot from Cuberules.com (if you are in Corporate America you need to subscribe to his blog) wrote about my layoff. I admire Scot a lot because he has the career that I always wanted he did (and still does) the corporate gig very well. But, what I like about Scot so much is that he isnt blinded, pollyanna-style, by the promise of Corporate America. Hes very pragmatic about career management. We need more pragmatic thinking about career management! Scott just wrote: My friend got laid off â€" from his dream job, and wrote some wisdom that even I hadnt been able to communicate. One of the most important messages that everyone needs to understand is, in his words, this: And companies WANT us to be invested in the work because almost every pundit out there will tell you  employee engagement is critical  to the success of the company. Until it isnt. Please go read Scots post. Im not writing this to disparage my former employer. Lots of good came out of that 9+ month gig. But what I learned is that even the best companies, even the dream job, can end so fast your head is spinning. I was fortunate in that I have developed multiple income streams. No, it wasnt easy. No, this wasnt done overnight. But I have no regrets building those income streams over the years. They sure came in handy on November 30th.

Marketing Your Personality Type During an Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Marketing Your Personality Type During an Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When it comes to performing well in a job interview, your personality is the most unique quality you bring to the table. Although hard skills and experience are strong influencers during the hiring process, many employers hire for personality. In fact, 45 percent of hiring managers believe cultural fit is one of the most important qualities to look for in candidates. As you prepare for your next job interview, think about different ways you can market your personality to employers. Are you someone who takes initiative? Do you enjoy working in a team? Whatever your personality trait may be, here are some ways you can market it during an interview: 1. The creative personality type Creativity is valued by employers because its what pushes companies to experiment with different strategies and implement new ideas. You can illustrate your creativity during your interview by explaining how you took time to learn new skills, volunteered for a new project, or discovered creative ways to be more productive. These are simple examples that show employers your ability think of new ideas and follow through with them. 2. The proactive personality type. Proactive people are individuals who dont wait to react to a situation after it occurred. If youre someone who doesnt wait around to be told what to do, then you should definitely market this trait to employers. During an interview, provide examples of situations when you had to be proactive. For example, lets say you planned a sponsorship even for a nonprofit you worked for. In preparation for the event, you made sure your sponsorship team had photos and bios of important business people who’d be in attendance. This example illustrates how you planned ahead in order to make the event more effective. 3. The risk-taker personality type. Risk-takers are people who arent afraid of pushing the envelope in their jobs and careers. If you identify as a risk-taker, think of examples from your career when one of your new ideas resulted in success or a positive learning experience. For example, talk about a time when you had to save a failing project. This shows the interviewer your initiative and willingness to improve a negative situation. 4. The people-orientated personality type. Are you the type of person that people love to work with? Great! But now you need to think of some ideas to illustrate how your personality fits in the workplace. Job seekers who consider themselves to be people-orientated should share accomplishment stories about times they had to work in a team or work with customers. This shows the employer how you reached success while working effectively with other people. 5. The task-orientated personality type. To illustrate to employers your tendencies to be more task-orientated, talk about times when you had strict deadlines to meet and the results you achieved. You can also provide examples of times when you had to juggle different projects and had to prioritize your tasks. This will show employers you have the ability to be flexible, yet create deadlines for yourself. Knowing how to market your personality to employers is a great way to set yourself apart during job interviews. By knowing your strongest qualities and having examples to share, you’ll be an impressive candidate for any job. How do you market your personality during job interviews?

Personal Branding Weekly - 17 June 2013 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly - 17 June 2013 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today kicks off Small Business Week! Im grateful to have opened my business nine years ago and have always looked back. Its been an adventure of a lifetime! So, Ive never understood the saying and, Ive never looked back except to express that you jumped into something and just fully immersed yourself in the present. As a small business owner, I always look back to grow, learn, tweak, evaluate and enjoy the journey and the challenge. Its true that theres no net to catch you as a small business owner yet theres also no ceiling to limit you either. This sets a great stage for a great adventure. Do you own your own business?   If so, please say so here and then also please share why you decided to become a business owner. Did you become an owner on purpose or by accident? Please comment below. This last week provided some great insights that will help entrepreneurs and executives. We covered: Interview Branding Four Words by Kevin Monahan How to Get Rid of The Golden Handcuffs? by Henrieta Riesco Why You Need a Recruiter to Feel You by Nance Rosen 5 Ways to Refresh Your Brand This Summer by Heather Huhman Your Business Tripod Steadily Grows Business by Elinor Stutz Do This, Not That: How to Make Your Resume More Effective by Glassdoor.com Why Your Job Search Needs a Targeted Employer List by Richard Kirby A Presentation that Reflects Positively on Your Personal Brand by Maria Elena Duron Dont Pave the Cow Paths by Jeff Shuey How to Pose Interview Questions You Should Never Ask? by Beth Kuhel Use Humor Safely During Your Next Talk by Erik Deckers Personal Brand and the Baby Boom Generation by Marc Miller 10 Traits of Great Leadership Figures by Ken Sundheim This next week be sure to comment on the upcoming topics: Hating people for being a personal brand. Heeding the action of others. Handling rejection during your job search. Visual marketings importance in your personal branding success. Storytelling during the interview process. Advertising your personal brand. We look forward to your comments. In the meantime, if you are a small business owner or are considering delving into owning your own business the best advice I ever received was to learn from other peoples experience. The most schedule friendly way to do that is through books.     Heres my compilation of my most highly recommended business books. Please share what books or resources you would add to this list. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers. Are you busy? Here’s some quick and easy tips on  Social Marketing for busy people.

How to Choose a Great Pair of Glasses

How to Choose a Great Pair of Glasses Most of the time, you wont dare go out without your shades in the summer.   They are part of your attire more so because of the blaring summer sun than the rest of the months.   However, you should wear them during the cooler months as well.   Shades or prescription glasses do more than just improve your looks and cover your red eyes they protect your eyes. If you are in search of a pair of good fitting shades or glasses, you should know a couple of things first. I know for many the price is a big factor. Not everyone can afford designer glasses, such as Gucci or LV. Nonetheless, you can find a pair to meet your budget and style at www.myglassesguru.co.uk. They have a full range of sun shades and prescription glasses. If you like Tom Ford or Cecil Gee, you should take a look at their website. They feature Superdry glasses by Blaine, which is available in a variety of colors and frames. The stylish frames are infamous for their special detailing. Note: To prevent scratching, always use the lens cloth on your sunshades to keep them looking new. After reading this, I hope that you will have a better understanding on how to choose a great pair of glasses. There are so many designer frames to pick from.   Decide on the style you want.   Fashion shades can be sporty, sexy and protective. You can pick from many brands, which are reasonably priced. In order for the shades or glasses to look right, they must be the right size. If you are able to walk in an optical store, the professionals there should measure your face for you. If you are ordering online and have to do it yourself, look up a guide or reference on how to measure your face for a great fitting pair of glasses. Know what your shape is. This is just as important as getting a pair to fit. The shape of your face will also help to   determine what style of glasses to wear. If you have an oval face, you may need a pair that covers the face. Usually, the tip of the glasses should be just below the brows, and above or rest on the cheekbones. The best pair of glasses will protect your vision. If you have night blindness, then choosing a colored lens could make a difference in how you respond to oncoming traffic lights. Additionally, if you are a golfer, the best choice is a copper coated lens. They will lessen the background colors, enabling you to focus on the ball. You should know that a pair of shades or prescription frames made with glass will cost more. They will likely break if dropped.   An alternative to that is to purchase glasses made out of polycarbonate. They are affordable, however, you may sacrifice quality.

Skills List Resume Tips

Skills List Resume TipsWhen you are creating a skills list resume, you will want to be sure that you are writing it according to the guidelines that are set forth by the organization that is sending it to you. For instance, if you are a product development employee who has just left your company, you may want to use a skills list resume for individuals that have recently left your company, such as part-time or temporary employees. However, if you are just leaving the company on your own accord, a skills list resume for your current employer may not be appropriate.There are certain steps that you can take when writing a skills list resume that will ensure that it is being received correctly. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you go through the process.The first step in writing a skills list resume is to determine the purpose for which it is being used. This will help you to know the personality of the organization that is sending you the document. If the purpose is to highlight yo ur strengths and the skills that you possess, you can choose to include this information in the job description. However, if you have been working with the organization for a long time, then you will want to consider including your experience and accomplishments in your resume.A skills list resume can also include areas where you are deficient in your job. You should use this information when you are making decisions about your next move.When choosing the fields that you want to include in your skills list, you should consider making a match between the skills that you possess and the skills that are required in your field. For instance, if you are a writer, you may want to include this on your resume in the areas of language skills, proofreading, grammar, or typing. Some resumes even include general information that includes business communication.In some cases, a skills list is not appropriate because of the need for a specific skill set. For example, if the employment needs someo ne who can fix vehicles, then a skills list will not be appropriate. However, if the employment needs someone who has expertise in accounting or inventory control, then you may want to include these areas on your resume.Once you have decided on what areas of skills to include on your skills list, you will then want to write a resume that reflects your current position. Make sure that it does not leave anything out. For instance, you should always include the dates of employment, the organizations that you were employed by, and any experience awards you have received.As you can see, the use of a skills list resume is very simple and easy to do. You will find that it will only take you a few minutes to create one, but it can make all the difference in your application and placement into a new position. Take the time to work on this and you will find that you will have an easier time when you are trying to get that interview and an increase in your chances of landing that job.

An entire people who refuse to bust their butts - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

An entire people who refuse to bust their butts - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Caterina Fake has been reading a new book called Play Money: Or, How I Quit My Day Job and Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot by Julian Dibbell and loved it. She quotes this passage from the book which talks about the difference between work and play: The Kpelle people of Liberia, to name one, scarcely make the distinction at all, allowing for a difference between arduous forest work and lighter town work but generally avoiding all work that cant be done playfully, amid song and dance and jest. Its not that theyre slackers. On the contrary: Diligent rice farmers, they organize their lives around the constant activity of cultivation. But when government advisors pressured them to switch from dry rice farming to more productive paddy-based methods, they resistednot because they had no interest in making more money, but because they had no interest in working joylessly. The techniques of paddy-rice farming might be more efficient, the anthropologist David Lancy has explained, but they would reduce the Kpelles daily activity to just plain work, bereft of the vital leavening of gossip, singing and dance that makes Kpelle work worth doing. An entire people who are happy at work and refuse to bust their collective butts excellent! This makes a great followup to Fred Gratzons refusal to bust his butt. 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

What To Do If Youre Not Feeling Your College Major

What To Do If Youre Not Feeling Your College Major 8 Flares 8 Flares While most people believe they know what they want to do in their life when picking their college major, many feel disappointed, confused, and above all else, scared as they go through their course work.  They realize that maybe what theyve been studying and planning to do after college just isnt for them. Its too late to start over.  Unless you want to take on a 5th year and summer sessions, the only option is to graduate and figure out the ways of the world after that time comes. If this sounds and feels like you, here are some tips: 1.  Visit Your University’s Career Center. People working there will offer advice and valuable connections.  In the grand scheme of things, your degree doesnt define you.  Being fresh out of college, you have a lot of things to learn still and you can be trained however a new company would like. 2.  Take Internships Internships are a quick way to find out what you like and dont like.  Do this early or when you realize you hate your area of study.  Getting experience is many times more important than your degree. 3.  Dont Get Discouraged Though there are lots of resources and options that make the job search process a lot easier, everything still depends on you. In case you are not well-motivated, have no desire to communicate and to attend interviews (that will be numerous until you get success), no one will be able to help you getting a job. As today’s job market is getting tough and competitive, you have to put yourself in the position that will show potential employers all your professional skills and increase your chances of getting successfully employed as soon as possible. In order to increase your chances, look for the options on some free classifieds service. 4.  Use Social Media in the Job Search Social Media Marketing is a fantastic tool.  Use it to connect to recruiters in the industries you want to work in.