The $0 Guide to Your First Employer Branding Content

The $0 Guide to Your First Employer Branding Content You get it. Employer Branding is not just an option anymore. It is a must-have. Just as one should have a Facebook account, otherwise risk the weird stares and comments. You try. You really do.  You look at what Apple is doing, what Spotify has on its career page and before you go to one more, creating your own  is beginning to feel more and more like doing up a Ph.D. thesis.  It is easy to edit a bad copy but impossible to edit a blank one.  The challenge here is to gather enough data to put up a good copy that will attract talent (in hope to convert them).  Its easy when you have the budget to hire marketers or to outsource to an employer branding agency. But if the purse string is tight, these are  going to be a problem.  But it doesnt have to be all or nothing.  Here are some quick and easy tricks to getting your first copy in no time and with minimal effort: 1. Get feedback from existing staff At this stage, all you need are ideas and data. If you suffer from writers block, crowdsource the solution. Set up a survey to find out from your existing staff what they like about the organisation.  In fact, incentivise them to encourage quick reply (how much could a Starbucks card cost?)  This isnt about improvements  to the organisation, so skip the stuff they dislike. Cost: $0 2. Dont forget your ex-staff If you have been doing exit interviews, it is time to put that information to good use.  One typical question asked would be what you like about the organisation. You could get a lot of gems there since this feedback is given when they are leaving. They have nothing to gain by giving fake opinions.  Put these together and you have another set of data on hand. Cost: $0 3. Check out reviews of competition Sometimes even the best of us find it difficult to express what we feel. We just need triggers to remind us things that we probably have taken  for granted.  What you could do here is check out the reviews and comments of your competitors. You could easily find them on sites such as Glassdoor.  Here is what you want to do: focus on the cons that are mentioned about them. Reflect on this  (be honest), relating to your organization.  Do you have the same problems? If so, move on. If not, that is a plus point you could put into your copy. Cost: $0 4. Write it for a 12-year-old This is probably the hardest part. Getting raw data is easy. But transforming it into readable, marketable and emotionall evocative paragraphs, thats tough!  Ok, dont panic.  Writing well may not come naturally for many of us but there are tools which could guide you towards achieving your goals.  To begin with, you would still need some sort of copy to work with. It could be bad copy; thats ok.  What you want to do next is take that copy and head over to Hemingway Editor.  Whats that you ask?  Hemingway Editor is a web application that makes your  writing bold and clear. Think of it like the spellchecker built into your word processor. But instead of checking for typos, it checks for the style. This way your reader will be able to focus on your message, not your prose. Cost: $0 5. Proofread it Of course, you are not going to do it. We are in 2016. Theres an AI for everything!  In this case, Im talking about Grammarly.  As the name implies it helps to correct any grammatical errors in your copy. It will also  spot spelling mistakes and  detects traces of plagiarism in the process. Cost: $0 These are the quick and dirty tips to get your first employer branding content up in double-quick time. Obviously, there is a lot of room for improvement, and that could easily be looked at  when you have some working copy; something that you learned how to do up in little time and with zero cost. Image credit: Shutterstock

Unhappy in Your Job Heres Where Youre Going Wrong

Unhappy in Your Job Here’s Where You’re Going Wrong Boring tasks, difficult colleagues and an endless pit of meaningless work. Sound familiar? Many of us are unhappy in our jobs and are holding out for something better in order to make us happier. In fact,  roughly 60% of the UK workforce is unhappy, according to  Investors In People (IIP). This dissatisfaction, combined with our perception of ourselves through others successes, makes a miserable bunch of workers who are desperately waiting to be happy. Unfortunately, waiting to be happy or assigning happiness to a certain change in your life, never really works out. Your happiness might peak after you buy that new car, but does the new purchase mean that all your other problems just melt away? Probably not. It’s this reason why appreciating or changing the here and now is more important than living for  the future,  where things will be different. Here are a few reasons why we aren’t content in our careers and why we need to change our perception of job satisfaction. A better job or a promotion could actually  make you unhappy Affectionately referred to as the ‘honeymoon-hangover effect’, one study suggests that moving jobs will not make you happier in the long term. The managers involved in the study peaked within the first few days of their new jobs (honeymoon), followed by a drop in job satisfaction throughout the following year (hangover). Those managers that did not change roles retained a roughly consistent level of satisfaction. More holidays make work harder A study in the Work and Stress Journal reports that 96 Dutch workers showed improved levels of health and well-being whilst on holiday. Yet, within the first week of returning to work, these effects returned to the same level as they were pre-holiday. While this study provides evidence that holidays are effective in improving well-being, the benefits quickly fade. Post Vacation Syndrome (PVS), or post-holiday blues mean that returning to work is far harder, especially when you’ve been so far removed from your usual routine. One study cites that 57% of UK workers suffer from the aforementioned effects. These ‘blues’ led to 34% of those surveyed turning to spending sprees, 10% to drinking more alcohol, and 21% to booking off more holiday without approval. The remaining 15% became so stressed from the ordeal, that they didn’t feel like the holiday had even happened, and 12% were anxious about returning to their daily routine. In essence, more holidays will not always make you happier; if anything they make it far harder to return to work and actually enjoy anything you do in comparison to the long leisurely beach vacations you’ve become accustomed to with more holiday allowance. A higher salary  isnt all its cracked up to be It’s often a faux pas to say that money makes you happier, but apparently it does… up until a point. A survey  of 1000 Americans suggests that an increase in salary correlates with an increase in overall happiness. The salary-happiness tipping point, according to a 2010 study, was cited at $75,000, which is roughly £50,000- £55,000. Once you surpass this tipping point, according to Psychologist and Nobel Prize winner, Daniel Kahneman, your happiness does not increase with the more money you make. But why? Well, this tipping point salary generally provides enough money for one to be comfortable and stable. Anything more is just excess, and doesn’t necessarily make you happier, so do bear that in mind when this common career myth crops up. Plus, do you actually need more money, or do you want it because someone else is on a higher salary than you? Often our perception of our salary is based on that of those around us, which is another point to consider when you pin your ‘future happiness’ on getting and having more money. What does make us happier at work? What truly makes you want to come into work? You might not have any answers to that question right now, but for jobs you’ve enjoyed in the past, what has been the best aspect? Boston Consulting Group’s 2014 survey of 200,000 workers shows a great difference between what we think will make us happier (essentially, what others have) and what we need for actual job happiness. Ranking at number 1 under the ‘happiness on the job’ section, was ‘appreciation for your work.’ Completing the top four happiness factors were: 2. Good relationships with colleagues, 3. Good work-life balance and 4. Good relationships with superiors. ‘Attractive fixed salary’ ranked in eighth place, and is the only factor within the top 10 that is a type of compensation, with the majority of the top ten being work environment-based. Interestingly, the UK’s isolated top three factors for job happiness were the factors ranked 2-4 worldwide. What now? So what do we do with these newly discovered work-happiness factors? Appreciate them for what they are: good friends, good managers, and a good work-life balance are what we need. We’re not saying don’t leave your job for something different, but don’t expect all your problems to disappear if you do. Don’t stay miserable where you are because you have a good salary, but equally don’t leave a good job, just for a better salary elsewhere. It’s all too easy to let our aspirations of happiness reside in the future, but that is where dreams and goals belong. They stay ahead of you, and your happiness should travel with you towards them. The accomplishments you achieve from aspiring towards these goals will ultimately make you happier than any material desires ever could.

Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Day at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Day at Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last week, I discussed how you can get ready for your first day at work. This week, I am going to point at some mistakes that you should definitely avoid during your first day at work if you want to leave a good impression. 1.  Not Paying Attention: This is your first day at work and you have to open all of your senses in order to familiarize yourself with the environment. You will get introduced to many people at your first day including your manager and peers that you will be working with. You will also learn the project you will be working on or your tasks in general. Therefore, you should pay enough attention to understand your responsibilities. Nobody expects you to learn everything from day 1 but it would be to your advantage if you carry a notebook and write down the important details. In this way, you can review your notes whenever necessary and increase your productivity. 2.  Having a Know-It-All Attitude: Don’t try to show off on your first day. Nobody can know-it-all so try to learn. Come to the office with questions and not answers. Don’t try to criticize everything from the first day and don’t suggest a new alternative for the existing operations. You need to digest all the information first and fully understand the operations before proposing new methods. Moreover, nobody wants to work with a person who has an attitude so don’t be that guy. 3.  Bringing Lunch from Home: Don’t bring lunch from home at your first day. Even if you had to bring lunch, at least don’t eat it alone at your desk because others may think that you are anti-social. In most cases, since you are a newcomer, you will be invited to lunch so go with them and socialize! Make some friends. However, don’t gossip during lunch even if your coworkers do. A friendly chit-chat is all you need at your first day. 4.  Not Using Your Time Effectively: If you are given a task to complete at your first day and told that it needs to be done by the end of day, then, you better finish it. Otherwise, you may leave a bad impression on your manager. It is not good to sit around and wait until the last minute. Remember, you are hired to work so start immediately. However, if you feel yourself lost during the task, don’t panic. Instead ask for help and prepare some questions to get clarification. Finally, complete it to the best of your knowledge.

The PROPER Way to Make an Email Introduction - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The PROPER Way to Make an Email Introduction - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There is one absolutely right way and one absolutely wrong way to introduce two people via email. The wrong way: You should talk to my friend Meghan. Heres her email. Tell her I sent you. The right way: Read on, MacDuff. Have you ever had someone call or email you out of the blue, and tell you a friend sent them? Did you completely believe them or were you a little wary? What if you were on the other end of that referral? Did you feel comfortable making that call? Ive known people who have been the caller and the callee, the emailer and the emailee, and its not comfortable for either of them to be involved in that kind of introduction. Heres the proper way to make that introduction. 1. Introduce both people and explain who they are Steve, meet Nadine Wassername. She owns Wassername Communications, a public relations agency here in town. We met at a PR Flaks Hacks Convention in 2008, and have worked together regularly. Nadine, meet Steve Newguy. Steve is a freelance writer and former investigative reporter with the Fort Tecumseh Herald Star. We met when he was working on a story on the unpasteurized cheese epidemic. This is the kind of introduction you would make at a networking event. It helps them establish credibility with each other, and sets the stage for. . . 2. Explain how the introduction occurred to you I was having coffee with Nadine this morning, and she mentioned she was looking for a new writer for an upcoming client project. I thought this sounded like a perfect opportunity for Steve, because he has been a journalist for 16 years, and has won several awards for his work. I like a little back story to these introductions. Explaining the situation this way is certainly a lot better than you two need to meet. Nadine has a project she wants to tell you about. And yes, Ive seen these kinds of introductions. The two people will then spend their first (and possibly only) meeting playing 20 Questions, trying to figure out what you meant. 3. Brag both people up, make the connection Given his work as an investigative reporter, Steven was considered one of the best writers at his newspaper. Nadine told me she needed a top-notch writer who didnt need any hand-holding or having anyone watch over their shoulder, because this was an important client. This is why I think the two of you need to meet â€" Nadine has an exciting project, Steve has the skills and experience to do it right. I like the direct approach here. Dont beat around the bush, dont be humble on their behalf. Talk them up and speak to their strengths (but dont overinflate; it makes you look like a bad judge of character). Some people are able to connect the dots on their own, and others need a little help. If you tell each other why they need to connect, theyre more likely to do it. 4. Tell them to take the next step I think the two of you should meet for coffee in the next week or two to see if you can find a way to help each other. Ill leave it to you to take the next step and find a way to connect. This part of the intro puts the ball back in their court(s) and should persuade one of them to take the next step. Please note that I did not say Nadine needs to hire Steve. No need to put that kind of pressure on either of them. I suggested only that they meet, and find a way to help each other. That help may end up being Nadine saying Steve isnt a good fit, but she knows of a better opportunity. Or it may be that Steve doesnt think hes right for the project, but knows someone who is. Or, she may hire him on the spot. 5. Expect nothing in return One of the important things to remember is that when you do this, do not expect a quid pro quo exchange of favors. Steve or Nadine dont owe you an introduction to someone. You need to get on with your life and believe youll never get the favor returned. That way, you wont be disappointed. If you fret over and count the introductions you make, youll make yourself unhappy keeping track of them all. Make as many of these introductions as you can, and wait for benefits to come your way. Whether you call them blessings, karma points, or the universe smiling on you, these little favors have a way of being visited back upon you. Dont ruin it by expecting repayment. Sending introductory emails are one of the most fun and valuable things I get to do for other people. Ive connected people for freelance gigs, job possibilities, and even just connecting really smart people with big ideas who I think could create something awesome. Its enjoyable to see something come about because of connections Ive made, and to know that lives were changed because I took five minutes to make a valuable connection between two people who could make a difference to each other. If youre going to send email introductions, please do not just mutter oh, just call Nadine. Thats laziness on your part, and will end up hurting both you and your friends more than it will ever help. Author: Erik Deckers is the owner of Professional Blog Service, a newspaper humor columnist, and the co-author of Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself and No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing. His third book, The Owned Media Doctrine, will be available this summer.

Career Paths To Match Your Personality

Career Paths To Match Your Personality Photo Credit â€" Wikipedia.orgAre you the type of person who knew what career you wanted? Or did you sail through school and college not having a clue?For some people, the simple idea of just knowing what career path to take can be daunting. How are you suppose to know what you want to do with your life?The truth is, the quicker you come to this decision about the direction you are going to take, the better it is for you. So if you are struggling to get to grips with the different careers idea, then why not match something your personality?evalHere’re a few suggestions to get you started.1. The Competitive StreakIf you find yourself a little competitive then why not consider a career in sales. With targets to chase each month and the possibility of earning big bonuses, it can nurture your competitive streak. Working within a team develops healthy competition and will motivate you to make those sales each day. A sales environment can be quite thrilling, and the buzz of landing that sale is a feeling no one can describe.2. An Energetic LifestyleMaybe you are more of the sporty type. Perhaps you love the gym or just being active in general. Then you may want to consider a career in the fitness or sports sector.One idea would be to train as a personal trainer, helping people change their lifestyles. You might ought to consider teaching a sport that you are particularly skilled. Or perhaps just working in the leisure industry would be enough to satisfy your energetic personality. Working as part of the gym staff or something more specific like being a Lifeguard.3. A Caring NatureIf you have more of a caring nature and personality, then you might want to consider a career where you get to help people each day. Perhaps saving lives will become your thing, where becoming a doctor or even a surgeon might be the right direction for you.Alternatively, you could consider working in a hospital or becoming a nurse. Thankfully if you become qualified then getting a job onli ne is made easier with your registered nurse job profile. Which could enable you to seek out potential employment opportunities.5. The Creative TypePhoto Credit â€" Pixabay.comSometimes we are looking for a career that is a little different. You could be particularly creative in the medium of words or drawing. Then making use of those skills could be a valuable option for the career path you choose. You could become a writer, perhaps creating a book or writing for publications. If art is more your thing then creating branding and logos, or even your own exhibition of work.6. A Mind for NumbersevalIf you have a head for figures, then there is plenty of career paths that will suit your skills. Accountancy and teaching are just of the ways you can make use of your mathematical skills. All companies will require accounts or an accounts team, so there is always an abundance of jobs out there.I hope this has provided you with a little inspiration on what you could do based on your persona lity.

The Biggest Secret Obstacle to Your Career - Pathfinder Careers

The Biggest Secret Obstacle to Your Career - Pathfinder Careers The Biggest Secret Obstacle to Your Career Time and again, clients land in my email inbox or are on the phone talking to me, painfully recounting how the job that they thought was secure was suddenly wiped out in the blink of an eye. What they thought was a bullet-proof company career is suddenly gone, and the employee is now left with dangling, unresolved questions: “I did everything right, and was a top performer How could this happen?” “The boss and I were best pals… what went wrong?” Why me?” But the truth is: There is no such thing as job security any more. Its all about employability. And the biggest secret obstacle to your career rests on one thing and one thing only: How complacent are you? The people who suffer the most from being caught with their pants down in their career are usually the ones who have not taken an active role in managing their career.   Sure, they have contributed a lot of good things, but something gave management pause and made them zero in on the unlucky employee. That leads to the next question: What have you done to prove that you are not dead wood? That you are an active contributor in addition to being a top performer? No method is entirely bullet proof, but when it comes down to paring down staff, it boils down to a business decision where an employer will look at who might be transferrable to another department or have demonstrated leadership or untapped career assets that might be of use to the company. Complacency has no place in this business model. The concept of upgrading is becoming more and more practiced as companies who have trimmed their staff down to the core group are now evaluating who is left to figure out how to move the company forward. But never fear. There IS a way to overcome the perception of a persons complacency. This is a brand-new year and what better time to actively roadmap out three areas that can shift an employers opinion about you. Here are the 3 major focuses you need to zero in on to boost your employability quotient with your current employer: 1) Professional development. What kinds of classes, workshops, trainings, etc. can you take that will hone your ability to do your job, and bring back new ideas to the company? A well-trained workforce is important to bosses making staff reduction decisions. 2) Affiliations. How are you building your connectedness within the industry? What kinds of organizations can you join to build up your company’s profile, and keep tabs on your industry peers (and competition)? 3) Involvement. Where are you demonstrating your leadership by volunteering? This is a touchy area as you have to strike the right balance between contributing on a volunteer basis versus not impacting your ability to do your job. But by stepping up, you keep your abilities and name in the limelight, versus dropping off into obscurity. Showing traction in your career by integrating these three career drivers, and then keeping your boss informed about them is critical to demonstrating how indispensable you are to the organization. They might lay off others, but if you are valuable to the organization by being an active contributor, you’ll have a better chance of surviving being trimmed out of the company payroll by being placed into another area of the organization. And if the unthinkable ever does happen, you can be more confident in your job search by not being complacent about your career and engaging in active career management.   As a result,  the opportunities of another employer  recognizing you as top talent   and snapping you up are exponentially  increased.

Rules For Writing Out Numbers on Resume

Rules For Writing Out Numbers on ResumeWhen you are applying for a job and you are asked to write out the numbers on your resume, you might be asking yourself, 'What should I write?' Since numbers are written out on resumes when needed, it is something that is imperative that you must know.While it may be simple for those who do not have much experience with this skill, for those who have been working, the number of the number may be an unfamiliar task. This is what will make it difficult for you to make this simple part of the application process a lot easier.You need to remember that numbers are numbers. They do not have to be spelled out. They can even be written in cursive or handwriting.Writing out numbers on resume is easy if you use basic shapes to guide you. You want to choose letters or words that make up a number and place that number below the headings on the resume. This will make it much easier for the human resources professional to see the number when they view your re sume.It will also be easier for the reader to understand the type of numbers that you are presenting. If you give the names of all the numbers on your resume, it will appear that you are confusing the reader. Once you have included the numbers, they should be able to easily decipher which numbers you are presenting and how many you have used.Keep in mind that there are different types of numbers. There are the natural numbers, which are the digits from the natural numbers as added together, such as twenty-one and seventy-five, which will not be included on your resume.There are also numbers that are multiples of the natural numbers, such as thirty-six and one thousand six hundred and ninety-three. If you know the number of the number, you will know how many digits you need to write out.If you know the number of the number that you are representing, you can either use it directly on the resume or you can use it as a heading or subheadings. It is up to you as to what format you would like to present your resume.