Recruiter or Career Coach - Who You Gonna Call

Recruiter or Career Coach - Who You Gonna Call You neednt go at a job search alone. Carving out your desired career is tough work and  if you really want to get ahead, it makes sense to enlist the support of trained specialists who can guide you on your way. Be wary though,  the careers support market is saturated with recruiters and career coaches all wanting your business. Its no different to the jobs market being saturated with candidates all vying for the same opportunities. Just as hiring managers have to go to great lengths to ensure the new hire is the best for their business, you need to make sure youre working with the correct professionals, who will get you where you want to go. Career coach or recruiter? Given the abundance of free online information, is a career coach actually worth the money? Should you just apply for roles yourself directly, or work with a specialist recruiter? The need for career support doesnt discriminate age or demographic. Graduates who are novices in the corporate  world need help just as much as older  generations and those at their professional peak. The type of support needed though will differ, so you need to first identify what you are looking for and what you need. So, who you gonna call? Heres who to go to when you need: Direction If you need help identifying your true passions and the path you should be taking with your career, itd be beneficial to seek the help of a career coach. While some career coaches specialise in getting you the job you already know you want, others specialise in helping you pinpoint what is right for you, and then coach you on how best to  get there. Recruiters are specialists at finding suitable candidates for existing opportunities, not the other way around. Commitment If youre time short, paying for a career coach to dedicate themselves to your job search might be what you need. A  lot of people feel disillusioned by recruiters who fail to win a job on their behalf. This tends to arise from the common misconception that their recruiter  is  their career coach, which is not true.  Recruiters are paid by their clients, not their candidates. While they probably do have the skills and expertise to  provide a career coaching service,  they are NOT career coaches. They are talent specialists, whos clients pay them to operate in their best interests, not yours. If its commitment youre after, a  career coach might be just what the doctor ordered.  They measure their  success on  your  success, not a fee from a client. Industry introductions If you have your heart set on a particular job or company, working with a recruiter who has pre-existing relationships within your preferred industry is probably what you need to help get your foot in the door. You will be able to leverage off their network, instead of having to go in cold on your own. Recruiters will be able to tell you what roles are live, and can thoroughly brief you  and market  your skills to  their clients. Career coaches are great at tracking down opportunities, but probably cant compete with a specialist recruiters network and market knowledge. Specialist industry advice The likelihood  is that specialist recruiters will know more about what it actually takes to get ahead in your career than you do their business is built around this expertise and they live and breath it every day. They see candidates just like you make excellent and poor moves, and will be able to coach you on how to get certain positions. A specialist recruiter could likely be the golden ticket to your desired  step up. To save money For people who are looking for generic advice on best practice tips and industry-standard job application guidelines, career coaches probably arent needed. A conversation with a recruiter might be all you need to get you on track and give you a bit of free advice. Most recruiters will be happy to have a quick conversation with you, as you might teach them a thing or two as well about the industry they recruit in. Its also important to fully qualify a career coach if you do decide to spend the money . Make sure they have a reputable background in placing people into careers. There are a lot of shams out there; people who claim to be a career coaches after having read one book, and then charge for the delivery of information that is freely available online. The genuine ones will be able to talk you through their successes, credentials and case studies. Confidence motivation Career coaches are most necessary for people who need a boost in confidence and help finding direction in their career. For people who dont have a supportive network around them to fill them with confidence and motivation, a career coach can fill this void, which is something a Youtube video cannot do. Recruiters have to be selective about the candidates they work with, so as to fill their clients brief. The likelihood is, unless you are in process with one of their clients, or the perfect fit for a role they are working on, they wont  have the time to spend with you to really boost your personal brand and confidence. Interview and CV advice Depending on what youre after, a recruiter definitely can help you to learn the best practice interview and CV tips. A career coach will also offer specialised bespoke training, at a cost to you. However  there is a lot of free information and resources online that it would be worth checking out first, before you spend time or money engaging a professional. You can probably get what you need here by a good Google search! What are your thoughts do you agree on the above? Let us know in the comments below!

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How Not to Behave in Front of Co-Workers

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese How Not to Behave in Front of Co-Workers Office holiday parties are an annual tradition, whether theyre a potluck among the cubicles or a more elaborate affair complete with a DJ and a chicken dinner. But no matter what kind of soiree youre planning on attending this year, there are a few things you need to remember in order to avoid damaging your career. I know, I know. You feel like you know how tobehave at an office party. Thats what some of these people probably said and then ended up on YouTube and Flickr, their stupid escapades captured for all time. So lets go over the rules one more time.. Never dance alone.Its OK to boogie like its 1999 when youre at home with Just Dance 4 and the B-52s, but doing so at any company gathering is sure to get you posted on YouTube. This rule is even more important if youre the boss, because it will be posted so many times on YouTube and Twitter and Facebook youll become a trending topic overnight. Fluorescent lights make everything worse.If you think your Michael Jackson moves are embarrassing on a barely-lit dance floor, theyre even worse in the middle of the office where cubicles and desks provide a glaring backdrop. If your office party is on the premises, its even more important that you dont make a fool of yourself dancing alone.3.No stunt work.Yes, youve always wanted to slide (see more here)

If You Like it or Not, You Are in Sales.

If You Like it or Not, You Are in Sales. By, Nicole Crimaldi While researching for this post, I came across a great article called 10 Characteristics of Successful Salespeople. Reading the article proved my theory that the qualities of a successful salesperson apply to almost any professional role. But Nicole, Im a CPA! I hate sales. I would never ever go into sales! In todays competitive job market and with technology advancing faster than we can say the word Twitter, employees and business owners alike must make themselves indispensable to those around them. And lets be honest: sometimes perception is reality. This means that your attitude, work ethic, and ability to relate to others are all more important than ever. Lets go back to the CPA who says he is not a salesperson. If promotion time is coming up and we are comparing 5 CPAs within a firm, I would put money on the person with the best sales tactics to get the promotion. Im sure every one of those CPAs are great at using Excel, staying organized, being precise with their calculations, etc. but it is the person who can relate to their clients, listen, set goals and achieve them, and be persistent that will get ahead. After reading several articles, here are my ten favorite  qualities of top sellers. Think about how these apply to getting ahead in any field: 1. Sold on themselves. 2. Innovative. 3. Trusted by the Customer. 4. A desire for success. 5. A willingness to learn. 6. Follow up! 7. Ask Quality Questions. 8. Listen. 9. Passionate. 10. A sense of urgency.

17 Clever Ways to Interview Like a Pro

17 Clever Ways to Interview Like a Pro Big interview coming up? Not to worry! The devil is in the detail when it comes to interviewing, make sure you are on top of all the following bits and pieces and you will nail that interview. Here we go: 1. Briefing on the job and company Have you got the full briefing of the job including tasks, reporting lines, location, travel requirements, salary range etc? If not, get it immediately. The more information you have, the more you can tailor your questions and sound like you know what you are talking about.  What do you know about the company? Again, make sure you have information on the company and familiarize yourself with their website, check press releases and stock quotes to get an idea of what is happening at the moment. A candidate who is updated on the company and the industry will impress. 2. Briefing on the people Who are the interviewers, how do they fit into the organization, what type of people are they? This is where your online sleuthing skills come very handy. The interviewers will have full information on you courtesy of your CV so it’s only fair you do some digging as well. Scour any resources including LinkedIn, Facebook and other social networking sites for information. 3. Format What is the format and agenda of the interview? You are likely to meet more than one person and they will have divided the questions and topics, find out exactly what to expect so you can be mentally prepared. Candidates sometimes go in expecting a soft chat about fringe benefits with HR but end up doing a four hour technical screening with managers from three continents, don’t let this happen to you. 4. Prepare for their questions Break out your CV and ask yourself what you would ask a candidate with this profile. Put yourself in a hiring manager’s shoes and be critical of any gaps/omissions on your CV. Do role plays with a friend and let them play the devil’s advocate. Come up with the ten questions you are most likely to be asked and then come up with the answers. When you are happy with the answers, go for the next set of ten… 5. Attire Do you know what the dress code is? You would be surprised how many candidates assume they know this and get it horribly wrong. Find out what your interviewers are likely to wear, so that you can wear something similar, only a touch more formal. Ways of finding this out would be calling the company reception/HR/line manager and asking. This also gives you an opportunity to further acquaint yourself with the people. Related:  How To Dress for Your Job Interview 6. Directions Do you have the route description and have you called the company reception to double check everything? The worst thing that could happen is you arriving late; avoid this by giving yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. 7. Arrival Act confident and courteous. Strike up a conversation with the receptionist; make sure you leave a good impression with everyone in that office. When the interviewer picks you up, offer a firm handshake and crack on with some small talk before the meeting starts. By mirroring the interviewers body language, you will make him or her feel comfortable with you from the outset. 8. Know whom to butter up If there are multiple interviewers, understand who the decision maker is and massage their ego. They will want to know that you will be a good worker and not cause any trouble. Most managers have experienced troublesome members of staff and in the process learned this the hard way so they will look out for any signs of rebel behavior. 9. Selling yourself When talking about yourself, tell stories, case studies and examples. Storytelling is story selling, everyone loves a good story and so does your interviewer. Make yourself stand out by rehearsing a few stories about your achievements, how you dealt with conflict and how great a team player you are. The interviewers might see up to 20 candidates in one day so an interesting story worth repeating will anchor your interview in their minds. Related:  Do You Know How to Sell Yourself on a Job Interview? 10. Clarity Say what you can do, what you want to learn and where you want to go in your career. A candidate that demonstrates clarity in the interview instills confidence. Nobody can expect you to say exactly where you will be in 5 years time but a general vision is required. 11. Strengths and weaknesses Everyone knows their strengths, try to limit them to 3. As for weaknesses, the best athletes in the world can give you their main weaknesses straight away. They are aware of them and working on them and so should you. This demonstrates your maturity and insight, which are crucial skills for any company. The old chestnut of giving a weakness that can be seen as strength isn’t going to work. The interviewers have heard the ‘workaholic; and ‘perfectionist’ routine more times than you have had hot meals. Related:  How to Answer the Greatest Weaknesses Question 12. Blabber Please do not waffle! I cannot reiterate this enough. Answer the questions, no more and no less. A candidate that goes off on a tangent, not only indicates lack of focus but possibly also nervousness. If you don’t know a subject, tell the interviewer this instead of trying to sound better than you are. They will appreciate your honesty and if you say that you are keen to learn more within this field, again you demonstrate a willingness to work on your weaknesses. 13. Grace under fire A few interviewers will use various techniques with the aim to push you and seeing how you react under pressure. They want to see if you will give back ‘emotional’ responses. Don’t get caught in this, stay professional and level headed. The ideal candidate will stay calm and analyze the situation; the crash and burn candidate will get very excited and rant. 14. Interview the interviewer After the incoming shells it’s your turn to return fire. It’s only fair that you are told what’s in it for you after having talked about your value add. Enquire about career paths, attrition levels, how often there are conflicts in the team, why people have left in the past. You should prepare up to ten clever questions and be prepared to ask follow up questions to the answers you are given. Related:  9 Killer Questions Candidates Ought to Ask the Interviewer 15. Buying signals Questions about your salary expectation, potential start date and booked vacation days are classic buying signals. Look out for any others, such as ‘could you do work in this area as well’ or ‘do you speak language x? This means they have a few ideas around your application. 16. End of the Interview Close them down by asking for feedback straight away. Chances are the interviewers have made their decision about you already so go ahead and ask them. By asking you show interest as well as business acumen, even if you do not get the reply you want they will respect you for asking the question. If you work in sales and don’t ask the question to close the sale, you can only guess what impression that will give. 17. After the Interview Dale Carnegie said to send a thank you note to every host, this applies for interviews as well. A simple email with a couple of lines of pleasantries will do. Again, this is a way for you to stand out from the other candidates and come across as more professional. Further reading:  8 Essential Interview Tips by a Recruiter

Help With Writing an Objective For Help Desk Technician on Resume

Help With Writing an Objective For Help Desk Technician on ResumeAs a help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume you will need to make sure that you are effective in the job search and the most suitable candidate. To be effective you will need to find the right approach for this. The first thing you should do is to think about who will benefit from hiring you.It can help to think about the employer, if you are going to be an employee rather than an employer. The only requirement from the employer is that you have all the knowledge and skills that they need and want. An employee will not be as effective at getting the job done and get in the running as quickly as you can be.For help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume you need to consider what the employer wants. To ensure that you are effective and that you are getting the right kind of attention you must be able to help them find the best person for the job. When you offer assistance, it is an effective way to prove that you are dedicated to the job and can be successful at it. This is one of the key factors for helping you get hired.As an individual who is looking for help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume, there are three things that you will need to focus on. The first is to make sure that you use keywords correctly and do not write in a repetitive manner. You must write your objective using keyword phrases that are relevant to the job that you are offering to provide. If you want to help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume you will also need to find out what job keywords are being used.One of the things that you will need to know when you help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume is that the objective is going to be seen by the hiring manager and then by the candidate you will be addressing. Therefore it is important that you do not leave this information out. In order to improve your chances of getting hired, you need to concentrate on how your information can be most effectively placed in a job vacancy ad.The second thing you need to do is to try and find out how it is worded in order to find out whether it will be appealing to the employer. In addition you will need to ask yourself if it is relevant to the job that the employer wants filled. You must also consider how you would convey this information to the hiring manager.The third step when you help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume is to find out how you can share this information to the hiring manager. When you prepare for this step you will want to think about who will benefit from hiring you. As mentioned above the most appropriate candidates will be those that can demonstrate these qualities.By using keywords properly and focusing on finding out what these words mean you will be better placed to help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume. Also make sure that you cover all of the relevant information that is required in your objective. These things are all useful to helping you help with writing an objective for help desk technician on resume.

Imagination research - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Imagination research - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog The Imagination Lab Foundation is an independent, non-profit research institute founded in 2000 and operating from Lausanne, Switzerland. Its raison d?tre is to develop and spread actionable ideas about imaginative, reflective and responsible organizational practices. The Foundations underlying philosophy is to value imagination as a source of meaningful responses to emergent change and play as an effective way to draw on this human capacity. Go visit them and be sure to check out their amazing collection of articles. Grrrreat stuff! 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

Robert Levering - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Robert Levering - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Robert Levering is the man behind the Great place to work book and concept. Heres a quote from the introduction to the book I am more optimistic than ever about the prospects for the workplace. When Milton and I began researching this area nearly two decades ago, great places to work were clearly exceptions to the rule. They often were the result of the vision of extraordinary business leaders like FedExs Fred Smith or HPs David Packard. Today more and more senior managers have become convinced that fostering a great work environment is a business imperative. But perhaps more important, employees are no longer willing to put up with the kind of insensitive and demeaning management attitudes that have typified most workplaces since the dawn of the industrial age. Grounds for optimism, Id say. Theres an excellent interview with Robert Levering here. 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