What NOT to do on a video call!
Video calls, conferences, and webinars are becoming the norm. We use technology to connect with people in our professional, academic, and personal lives more than ever since are living in the midst of a pandemic. Live video communication isn’t a novel concept anymore and it’s important to navigate it successfully. If you don’t, it can negatively affect your professional reputation or ability to land your next job. Learn from other people’s mistakes! Here’s are some watch-outs of what not to do.
read moreIs that great job a scam? It may be, especially in the age of COVID-19.
As I write this, it’s the summer of 2020 and the world is more than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment rates in our country have gone up and millions of Americans are out of work. Many of these people are actively looking for jobs, in addition to the recent college graduates who are entering the job market for the first time. While most employment opportunities are valid, a few are not. Unfortunately, some individuals prey on people in crisis. If you are looking for a job and the opportunity seems too good to be true, or something doesn’t feel right, pay attention to your intuition. Be cautious when job searching in the COVID-19 era and consider these signs that an opportunity is fake and may be a scam.
read moreCareer growth during a pandemic
Life as we know it has been turned upside down due to COVID-19, the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing is the norm as countries desperately try to stop the spread of the virus. There’s been a shift in how we live our lives, from work to activities to taking care of our families. While professionals deemed to have essential roles are working in the midst of this pandemic, many others are working remotely or have lost their jobs. There’s no doubt that this is a difficult time for our society in the United States. What does this mean for your career? In any time of trial, there are challenges but also opportunities. How can you invest in your career right now based on the current situation? Consider how you can build your skills and connect with people in new ways.
read moreHow to get hired without looking for a job!
When you are in the midst of a job search and are looking for a new work opportunity, you’re considered an active candidate. You are actively looking for a job. Makes sense, right? You refine your resume, check out available opportunities, interview with potential employers, and hopefully land your next position. This is how most people define a job search. Do you know that a growing trend is to identify and then hire new employees that aren’t actually looking for a job? These people are called passive candidates, and they are seen as very valuable in the job market. They have skills and experience, and in most cases, are gainfully employed. How can you, as a passive candidate, attract the attention of a potential employer? The key elements are recommendations, reputation, and social media.
read moreThe job sounds great, but is the new workplace a fit for you?
A new job brings about a lot of changes, which can make you feel both excited and nervous. Most people do a lot of research throughout the job search process on the jobs themselves so they can best show how they are qualified based on their skills and experience. That is a must when applying for a job and completing the interview process. What many candidates don’t consider is that they are interviewing the company just as much as the company is interviewing them. Part of that consideration is the workplace itself, namely its culture. You can secure what you deem to be the perfect job in terms of duties and responsibilities, but if the workplace culture isn’t a match it significantly decreases your chances of success in the role. How can you find out if that workplace is a fit or you?
read moreGet out of your career rut!
Your work life will most likely feature both highs and lows. Sometimes when you are stuck in a rut you don’t know where to start in order to get out of it. You may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, lost, or even scared. The good news? There are many career opportunities out there that can provide fulfillment. The bad news? It can be hard to find the right opportunity for you given your experience, skills, and interests. The following are strategies to help you get moving forward again. The keys are to start small, educate yourself, and focus on the positive.
read moreSo many ways to learn and advance your career!
Investing in your career is a must in order to keep your professional life moving forward. One way to do that is to engage in educational and professional development opportunities. Advances in technology and the increasing role of analytics in determining how companies make decisions have reinforced the importance of an intelligent and capable workforce. How can you tap into educational and professional development opportunities? Consider participating in employer-sponsored programs, industry options, and online resources.
read moreYes, you should network during the summer!
Professional networking isn’t usually the first thing you think about when it comes to summer. Instead, thoughts turn to vacations, the beach, relaxing, and spending time with family and friends. Networking is essentially connecting with people and sharing information, so summer is actually a perfect time to do that through events and activities that interest you! While networking may not be the main reason you engage in summer activities, it can be an added benefit. You can do this through leisure events, conferences, and back to school programs.
read moreTransform your internship into a job!
Participating in an internship is a great way to gain relevant experience in a job or field that interests you. It allows you to learn and apply important professional skills, adjust to a new work setting, and start building your network with colleagues. There is a steady stream of research that has shown that completing an internship increases your chances of getting a full-time job, which makes sense. Employers want to know if a potential employee can do the job (based on skills and experience) and will fit with company culture (based on attitude, motivation, and soft skills). Internships allow employers to evaluate potential employees prior to making a full-time offer based on that criteria. So, once you land an internship, what can do you to increase your chances of turning that opportunity into a full-time job? Consider the key elements of performance, networking, and unique value.
read moreDo you need noise canceling headphones for your career?
Many people, especially those who travel, use noise canceling headphones. Not only do noise canceling headphones block out exterior noise, they allow you to limit distractions and focus on what is important to you. Now, think about your career. It starts early. Young children are commonly asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When the child answers, the response is met with some type of feedback and advice. Advice, which can be requested or unsolicited at times, continues throughout your life as you move through your career. It comes from family, friends, mentors, supervisors, colleagues, and sometimes total strangers. That advice, or noise, can become so loud it drowns out your own inner voice. When that happens, consider using your very own career-related noise canceling headphones.
read more