The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means company holiday parties around the country are starting to take place. These parties offer great opportunities to mingle with co-workers you don’t normally have a chance to talk to and socialize in a stress-free environment. So why do you hear about so many holiday parties going wrong? There are plenty of missteps you can take, so preparing in advance can help you avoid those mistakes. Here’s a guide on how to enhance personal branding for senior level managers at the company holiday party, rather than ruin your reputation.
Choose Your Attire Wisely
Your executive resume writing service will suggest dressing for the company holiday party like you would dress for a job interview. This means knowing what attire is appropriate and being careful to not overdress or underdress. There’s no need to wear a full suit at some parties, but it’s also usually not appropriate to wear jeans and a shirt. Most of the time you can’t go wrong with business casual attire.
Be Prepared To Mingle
If you’re nervous about talking to people you don’t necessarily talk to at work, start off by talking to people you are familiar with. Just remember to mingle with others as well throughout the night once you break the ice a bit. Keep conversations short and upbeat and talk to as many people as you can. Some of the best personal branding for senior level managers comes at the holiday party, when other employees can see their superiors in an environment outside of the office.
Know Your Limits
Food and drinks are often plentiful at company holiday parties, but it’s important to limit yourself. This is especially true when it comes to alcohol consumption. A couple of drinks is perfectly acceptable to loosen up a bit. However, you don’t want to be the person everyone is talking about the next day because you had a little too much to drink. Set a limit before you go to the party and stick with it for a better overall experience.
Shake The Right Hands At The End
Never forget to thank the host at the end of the night. And it may also even be valuable to shake the hands of your managers or bosses as you depart as well. If nothing else, they will remember when you left the party, which is more important than you think. Sometimes the best personal branding for senior level managers involves being polite and thankful, so don’t underestimate the importance of it at your holiday party.
Professional Resume Services is here whether you need a quality LinkedIn profile service, a top resume writer or even if you aren’t sure what to wear to your company holiday party. We want to help you with every stage of your career, and are always willing to provide our expert advice on a wide range of subjects. When you follow this guide, you’ll have a successful and memorable holiday party experience you won’t regret. Feel free to contact us at any time for other tips or advice.
People have different perspectives on company holiday parties. Some dread going to them every year, while others have waited for this day to come since the last one ended. Regardless of your opinion, company parties are generally seen as a requirement to attend. And since you’re going to attend, you might as well use it as an opportunity to enhance your branding rather than hurt it. Here are the top four company holiday party mistakes employees and executives make that they later regret.
Drinking Too Much
Many holiday parties will have an open bar, which means the possibility of over-drinking is high. Drinking too much can lead to saying things you don’t necessarily mean, acting inappropriately and doing things you’ll later regret. It’s perfectly fine to have a couple of drinks while you’re socializing, but if you continue to drink throughout the night, mix in some water as well–and eat! Not only will you feel better in the morning, you’ll also protect your c-level personal branding reputation. You don’t want to be that person that everyone talks about the following Monday.
Eating Sloppily–or Not Enough
Take advantage of the great food available to you, but don’t go overboard. Be conscious of the people who will come up to greet you and always have a free hand available. And remember your manners, as you don’t want to be the person who spits food out of their mouth while talking to others. As tempting as it is to load up on food, try not to overindulge. Also, you do want to make sure that you eat. You may be the type that maybe in social settings, or out of nervous energy drinks a lot of wine or coffee. Either of those in large quantities aren’t good for your system. Make sure you eat something to soak up the liquids you are consuming.
Complaining & Socializing
You wouldn’t complain during an interview, and the same is true at a holiday party. Whether you’re complaining about work, the food at the party, the environment or anything else, no one wants to hear it. It’s not the time or the place. Turn complaints into compliments and you and the other attendees will have a much better experience. Make a conscious effort to talk to people from different departments, people you know by face, but never had a conversation with them. At a company party I was at (I was in medical sales way back when), I made an effort to talk to the accounting/payroll department and the shipping department. I had heard of the names of these people, but never met them. Yet, the accounting department wrote my checks and the shipping department were the folks who shipped out my supplies and made sure everything got to where it needed to go on time. Meeting them all really solidified the camaraderie you create when you work with a team. It was fantastic. After that, it was much easier to call any of them to inquire about vendor invoices or find out where the product was.
Not Arriving On Time or Staying Long Enough
You can guarantee the top executives, managers and supervisors are taking note of who shows up, when they show up, and how long they stay. The rule of thumb is to arrive within 30 minutes or so of the start time and stay until the party is over, to the extent it’s possible. Showing up an hour late, eating some food, drinking a couple beverages and leaving early isn’t going to look good for you. Make plans ahead of time to block off the appropriate amount of time to stay.
Professional Resume Services is more than just one of the top resume writing services. We enjoy and take great pride in helping people with every aspect of their career, even if it’s giving out the best practices for holiday parties. This is the time of year to appreciate your co-workers, bosses and having a job in general, so make the most of it. And never hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.
There may come a time in your career when you’re ready for a change. Obvious challenges are present when making a career change, and none are more evident than trying to write resumes that get you hired. Some of your skills may transfer over to your new career, but many of them won’t. Your main goal should be to discuss in your resume which skills you can use from your previous career, as well as why you want to make the career change in the first place. Employers will have plenty of questions for you, but writing an effective resume can answer a few of them. Here are some tips to consider when writing a career changing resume.
Discuss Transferable Skills
Every company wants new employees to have a solid mix of technical skills as well as soft skills. Depending on the nature of your career change, some of your technical skills may not transfer over well. Instead, executive resume writing services may suggest focusing on soft skills like your personality, work ethic, leadership, communication and more. Strong soft skills are transferable to almost any profession, so clearly showing your strongest skills backed by examples will make the most significant impact.
Target The Company
The key to writing an effective resume is targeting the specific company you’re applying for and demonstrating your understanding of their needs. The same is true even if you’re going through a career change. While you may not have the hard skills listed in their job requirements right now, if you have a complete understanding of what the company’s overall needs and goals are, you can shift your resume to target those aspects. Using examples from past experiences to show how you helped previous companies meet their goals will show your track record of success. And when you show an understanding of the company’s goals, they’ll be more impressed that you’ve done your homework and will then know you’re serious about the career change.
Demonstrate Your Passion For The Career Change
Employers today don’t necessarily like taking chances on candidates. They would rather hire someone with the exact experience they desire in their industry. That’s why executive resume writing services will suggest writing your resume to show a clear passion for what you want to accomplish with your career change. Demonstrate how thoroughly you thought the career change through and why the position is exactly what you’re looking for. Employers will look for any reason to not hire a person in your position, but when you show your passion on paper, they’ll be more likely to at least give you the opportunity to interview.
Professional Resume Services knows how difficult it is to change careers. However, when you put forth the effort to write resumes that get you hired, the result is well worth the time and energy. Your resume always needs to be perfect regardless of the situation, and everything is magnified when you’re changing careers. Writing a career changing resume is tricky, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help getting started.
Everyone has their own opinions about what part of a resume is the most important. The truth is you don’t really know which part is most important, since every hiring manager is different when it comes to what they prefer to see. One component the top resume writing services always recommends polishing is the executive resume summary. This is your chance to make an impact on the reader and set the tone for the rest of the resume. Here are some tips to consider incorporating into yours.
Show Some of Your Personality
Your executive resume writer will suggest incorporating some personality into your writing so the summary doesn’t sound generic and dull. But of course, you don’t want to be too casual either. Being natural in how you write and giving a little insight into how you approach work every day could be impactful.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is by offering your approach and belief of the ideal workplace culture. If your personality is to create a positive environment in the office, then don’t be afraid to make this statement in your summary. An office culture is a critical component of a successful business, so if you have the ability to enhance it, it will add another reason why the hiring manager wants to interview you.
Briefly Mention Your Past Work Results
Select the best quantifiable results and mention it in your resume summary. These results can be from teamwork or individual achievements. The best resume writing service can help you with the wording of your summary to make it impactful, but there’s usually never any harm in talking a little about your success. Just make sure these results are relatable in some way to the employer you’re targeting so they will see the results as transferrable.
Talk About Any Recognition You’ve Received
Internal or external recognition is also something an executive resume writer will suggest incorporating. You could mention a quarterly award you won, a speaking engagement you were honored to have, an article you had published or anything else. These types of recognition are direct results of your hard work, so a potential employer usually likes seeing it on your resume summary.
Professional Resume Services is honored to be recognized as one of the top resume writing services. We take great pride in helping executives transform their cover letters, resumes, summaries and helping them with anything else related to their job search. We are always willing and ready to help you in any area you need, so feel free to reach out to us at any time to start the conversation.
Focusing on the goals you’ve set for yourself can keep you motivated even when times are tough. However, the top resume writing services always see people set unrealistic or overly-ambitious goals, which often ends up hurting them more than helping. One aspect of goal-setting everyone can benefit from is always looking at the end result of what you actually want to achieve. Most goals are based on money or production, but many people feel a hollow happiness when they’re actually achieved for several different reasons. Here are some of the main reasons why you should think about setting realistic career goals for yourself.
Work-Life Balance Is A Necessity
One of the main career goals proven to lead to happiness is having a good work-life balance. Besides, what good does a six figure salary do if you never have the time to enjoy the benefits? Everyone has different lifestyles, so if you live to work instead of work to live, then do what makes you happy. But when work begins taking a toll on you and is impacting your personal life in a negative way, then your executive resume writer may suggest reevaluating your goals and making adjustments as needed.
The Right Salary Expectations Will Make You Happier
Making your goals based around the amount of money you make usually won’t lead to genuine happiness. Money is necessary to live and get the things you want, but if you set unrealistic salary expectations, then the constant grind to achieve it will eventually catch up with you. Instead, every executive resume writer will suggest looking at your current finances, what possessions would make you happy and how much money you need to live comfortably. Taking the time to do so can be eye-opening in either a good way or a bad way. The main idea here is to not focus on the size of the paycheck solely, since long-term happiness usually doesn’t stem from it.
Love What You Do
If you dread the thought of getting up to go to work every morning, then it may be time to reevaluate your career goals. Sometimes the mental aspect of not liking your job will outweigh the size of the paycheck significantly. The happiest executives are the ones who base their goals off of enjoying what they do every day. This doesn’t mean you have to brush up your LinkedIn profile and start looking for a new job if you aren’t happy at your current one, but it may mean you need to set new goals and make little changes. Achieving goals is all about perspective and being realistic. Small victories throughout the course of your career make a big difference in having a positive mindset.
Professional Resume Services is one of the top resume writing services because we focus on every one of our clients as individuals. We understand everyone has different goals and are motivated differently, so we will adapt and cater to those needs and desires. If you struggle with setting attainable goals that will make you truly happy, we can help you think about certain aspects you may not have considered before. We are always available when you need us, so feel free to contact us when that time comes.
Are you happy with your job? When people are asked this question, they often times aren’t sure how to answer it. They might be happy with the paycheck they receive every two weeks, but they might dread going into the office every day. Money is required to live the lifestyle you desire, and fair compensation should contribute to overall happiness. However, there are plenty of other factors that contribute to happiness at work, and these factors go well beyond what can be written in your executive bio.
Positive Relationships With Colleagues
If you’re like many people, you likely spend more time with your co-workers than you do your own family. Work can be a miserable place to go to every day if you don’t get along with the people there. Try to go out of your way a bit to form positive relationships with your colleagues. This can simply mean talking to them about their weekend, discussing a favorite sport or grabbing lunch together. These relationships can make you feel like you are part of a team and can lead to overall happiness on a daily basis.
Meaningful Opportunities
When you spend a lot of time writing resumes and cover letters to find a job, you likely want an opportunity for growth. It may take a while for you to advance, depending on your level of experience, but knowing the opportunities are available should be encouraging. Setting goals and working toward them can make your daily job worth the effort. Plus, you may eventually find yourself in a leadership role you never imagined, which will be a great addition to your executive bio.
Work-Life Balance
No one likes to work all the time. In fact, many people today say having a work-life balance is more important to them than the money they make. Having more time to do things outside of work can make you happier when you’re at work. Burnout is a real thing and can occur quickly when you work too many hours. The top resume writing services always suggest taking a close look at the work-life balance you desire before accepting any job.
Overall Company Culture
Finally, the overall culture of the company you work for should be a fit for you. If you never feel comfortable talking to someone, your manager is never accessible or if there’s simply a negative vibe in the office all the time, it will eventually wear on you. A company’s culture is important for employees today, and many of them will write about the culture they desire in their executive bio. Being comfortable, confident and happy are all signs you’re happy with the environment you work in.
Professional Resume Services is one of the top resume writing services for many reasons. While our expertise is in writing and revising resumes, cover letters and more, we also work with executives to help them discover the right workplace environments for them. Happiness is a choice, but it’s easier to choose to be happy when you work in the right environment. Never hesitate to contact us if you need to talk about your current or future career.
Most people have heard the phrase, “it’s not where you start, but where you finish.” This is true in many aspects of life, but when it comes to an executive job search, how you start will have a significant impact on your success. Whether you’ve held one job for several years, are looking to change to a different industry or any other situation, the top resume writing services will caution you to take the time to do your homework before diving in. Here are some of the most important facts you need to know before beginning your job search.
Companies Search For Unique Talent
The competition is very high for executives, so employers know they have the opportunity to be selective. Not only will companies look for candidates with the most experience, but they will also consider the specific value every candidate is unique for. This is where your c-level personal branding enters the picture. Companies need to be able to clearly see what you stand for, what hard skills and soft skills you have and what unique value you bring to the table.
Most Job Openings Are Hidden
If the first step in your job search is to scour the online job boards, you’re making a big mistake. While some of these job postings may be legitimate, it’s hard to separate them from the ones that are outdated or not valid. Plus, with companies receiving hundreds of resumes through online job boards every day, your chances of getting noticed are slim. The best professional executive resume writers always suggest tapping into the hidden job market, which typically involves networking. This could mean attending local events, reaching out to connections on LinkedIn, touching base with past co-workers and more. Most of the top jobs today aren’t advertised, so you have to get your name out to companies of interest in other ways.
Hiring Managers Always Check Social Media
If you’re going to work on your c-level personal branding, the first thing to do is clean up your social media profiles. Every hiring manager is going to look at all of your social media accounts for any potential concerns they may have about you. If hired, you are going to be a direct representation of the company, so they will make sure you will represent them well before even considering you as a candidate.
Professional Resume Services is known as one of the top resume writing services, but we also enjoy providing tips like these to people beginning their job search. A job search today is much different than it was a few years ago, so it’s important for executives to understand the landscape before proceeding. If you ever have any questions about where to begin or how to continue with your searching efforts, don’t hesitate to contact us for advice.
Asking for advice when you’re struggling with making a decision can be valuable. However, when it comes to getting career advice, you have to be careful who you’re listening to. Most people you ask won’t intentionally give you bad advice, but it also may not be very valuable to you. The best executive resume services will typically offer different bits of information than you would receive from family, friends, co-workers or anyone else. Here’s how to know if you’re listening to bad advice and what to do instead of following it.
Set Realistic Expectations
One of the most vague things anyone can tell you is the ability to be anything you want to be. Better career advice is to take a look at your skills and desires and set a more realistic path for success. It’s never a bad thing to dream about being at a certain level in your profession, but you can’t overlook the work it takes to get to that point. Start by working on your c-level personal branding and achieving realistic expectations before reaching for the pinnacle of your profession.
Don’t Choose A Career Based On Money
You may have also heard to choose a career based on the salary if you aren’t sure exactly what you want to do. This may be great for a couple of years, but it will be short-lived excitement if you don’t like going to your job every day. Instead, focus on long-term happiness by looking at the values a company offers, the culture within the organization, the opportunity for advancement and growth and more. Believe it or not, the people who are motivated solely by money are typically the people who aren’t happy with their jobs and overall lifestyle, with some exceptions, of course.
Choose Your Network Wisely
Take a look at your LinkedIn profile and see how many connections you have. Many experts tell people to get as many LinkedIn connections as they can, because you never know who you will cross paths with. However, the quality of your connections is typically much more valuable than the quantity. Having a dozen or so quality connections on your LinkedIn profile will be more beneficial to you than having hundreds of connections you don’t even know personally.
Patience Usually Won’t Move Your Career Forward
There’s a time and place to be patient in your career. Too many times you see people getting passed up for advancement by people who were more aggressive. There was a time when the duration of your tenure with an organization played a factor in promotion opportunities. However, the times have changed and tenure isn’t quite as important. It’s more important to step up and ask for more responsibilities, demonstrate your leadership qualities and make it known you want to move forward in your career. You’ll likely have much better results compared to being patient and waiting your turn.
Professional Resume Services provides the best executive resume services tailored to your specific needs and desires. We are always willing to offer career advice based on our years of experience, but will never provide advice to people who don’t want to hear it. Our goal is to help you find the job and career you desire, so feel free to contact us at any time when you need us.
