How long did it take you to get your LinkedIn profile complete? For most of us, it was a process that took longer than we wanted it to because there’s so much to doing a LinkedIn profile correctly. In addition to having all your personal information entered accurately and completely, you must think about keywords, SEO, and technological issues that most people have no time to learn. But even if you have invested in professional services, without networking activity you can end up with a perfectly constructed profile that sits in the background like a treasure box in the back of the closet; there’s really good stuff in it, but nobody has opened it up to find out. The LinkedIn search engine uses complicated algorithms that are unique to the site. They factor in things like your Profile, activity, and connections to come up with relevance scores that only apply to you. A good way to ensure your profile is looked at is by taking the time to become part of the LinkedIn community, updating your profile regularly from your profile page with links to articles you’re reading in your field. LinkedIn Today lets you set up newsfeeds for your interests; that’s a good place to start. Don’t forget to add in any new factors from your work experience, etc. If your resume just was updated, do it on LinkedIn too. If you need help, ask us. The top reason to update your LinkedIn profile is because the site is not static. Your networking activity on the site keeps your profile active and gets more traffic to your page. You want to keep that treasure box out of the back of the closet and out in the living room where people will look inside to discover great things about you.
One of the realities for women is that of being pregnant and working a full-time job.Actually, even if you were home all day, you’d be working around the house, so it isn’t a new or unusual condition, but for the first-time mother you do need to take some things into account:
Pregnancy changes your physical needs. You really do need to get more rest and pay attention to nutrition! Now is not the time to pretend you are superwoman.
Pregnancy changes the way your emotions and brain work. Give yourself space and permission to make some mistakes, then plan to correct the mistakes as they happen.
Pregnancy changes your insurance needs. Take the time to find out exactly how any benefits you have on the job apply and what the exceptions are for coverage. Don’t assume anything and be good friends with Human Resources if your employer has that asset.
Pregnancy changes your housing needs. You don’t need to have a fully-equipped nursery at first, but you will need some things like a car seat and a plan for the future. And lots of diapers. Oh, and did I mention diapers?
Pregnancy changes your future plans. Find out what maternity leave will entail from that good friend in HR. Figure out child care options for your return to the job.
Pregnancy changes your plans for today. You have a job to do and you know your stuff. Be flexible where you can and prepare ahead for days that will be low-energy. If you can work ahead or get organized, good. If you need a nap or have to put your swollen feet up, it will give you a break to get ready for the next thing on your agenda.
Your employer should not discriminate against you for being pregnant. Become familiar with your rights but reassure those relying on you that you have every intention of being responsible to fulfill your obligations on the job. You aren’t alone; network with other mothers and develop your support group (I went to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). If your schedule can swing it, I highly recommend it! This will be a big change for you but such a blessing!
An executive resume is a top-level tool in your repertoire, and it needs to be maintained or it gets rusty and out of date. When should you update your resume? Here are two clues to look for: Other co-workers are being promoted to positions you qualify for. If you have been taking classes, getting training certifications, or regularly attending seminars in your field and it isn’t on your resume; maybe it should be. Movement within an organization often depends on the applicant making sure their assets are on file and actively seeking positions. Do coworkers know you are interested in other levels in the organization? Do you keep tabs on what is opening up and apply for positions that interest you? It has been a year or more since you looked at your resume. It’s a good idea to have regular resume updating scheduled, just like you regularly have your car maintained. It’s a lot easier to do a tune-up than it is to replace an engine that blew out because of poor maintenance. In the same way, regularly looking at your executive resume and tweaking it to reflect who you are today keeps you aware of where you could use some extra training to qualify for that next level in your career. Executive resumes are important to maintain accurately. The top levels of the workplace require investing in the best tools available, and your resume is a snapshot of the package you offer as an executive in that workplace. If your resume needs to be updated to an “executive resume” level because you have reached that rung in the corporate ladder, it might be a good idea to consult with experts. The Executive Resume Package has a good overview of the process involved. Even if you decide you can do this yourself, it will give you an idea of the things you need to consider when updating your resume.
Today’s reality is that a large part of the population are looking for jobs— not just “a job” but also jobs that have better benefits, jobs that pay more, or jobs that have a chance for advancement. As a recent article pointed out, a lot of job-hunting even happens ON the job! That means that there’s a lot of potential for making some common job search mistakes:
If you are currently employed, do your job well. You want to keep in mind that your boss and co-workers are the people who will be contacted by potential employers for references, so as much as you can, make those references positive.
If you are currently employed, don’t waste your employer’s time or resources. You are not being paid to hunt for another job, you are being paid to do your current job! Use your breaks — and your own equipment — to do any job searching. Not only is using your work computer kind of rude, it also is kind of dangerous because your employer owns the history and any files on that machine. (By the way, where is your resume stored? I hope not only on your work computer!) If you need to use the company fax or printer, get permission and don’t abuse the privilege.
If you are currently employed but hoping to change, be tactfully honest about your goals. The impression you want to give is, “I want to keep up with the trends in my field” not, “this job stinks so I’m bailing.” Keeping your resume updated, continuing pertinent training, and networking maintenance are common sense ways to accomplish this. There are good reasons why you should always be hunting for a new job. But there are equally good reasons that job hunt should be one that doesn’t jeopardize your current position.
Do you treat your online presence as if it were your small business? You should! Otherwise, you may end up like the unfortunate guy in this recent story on LearnVest titled, “Saving Face: Does Your Online Reputation Need Managing?” He googled himself to prepare for a job change and was unpleasantly surprised.
The article has some very good points about determining whether to invest in an online branding service or dealing with the details yourself. I think that once you learn how important your personal brand is in today’s employment market, you’ll want to at least invest in some online branding/profile development coaching so you are equipped to do this important task.
So, why would I say that your personal brand is your business? There are two ways to read that statement:
Your personal brand is your BUSINESS because you are selling yourself when you put out resumes and apply for jobs. Many of the marketing tactics employed by small businesses are applicable to individuals. Get a lot of positive information on yourself online and there’ll be good stuff on those first pages when they search for you.
Your personal brand is YOUR business because you are ultimately the person responsible for seeing to it that your name, image, and reputation accurately reflect who you are. You can delegate all you want to, but ultimately the information that initially comes up on a search engine when your name is entered determines what that searcher thinks of you. So be proactive and make those search engines work for your benefit.
“Networking” is that fragile web of connections you have with other people and volunteering can strengthen that web in several ways. Here are some of the advantages a voluntary approach to networking can add to your career:
Maintaining activity through volunteer work in your fieldkeeps you in contact with potential employers and co-workers. When an opening comes up, they remember meeting you at several events. They also remember what you were like to work with! Staying active is good for you too, because it keeps you in the habit of productivity.
Voluntary experience is still experience on a resume.The experience problem has a solution, and that solution is gaining experience by doing productive activity in your field or in areas that can translate to a potential position. Organizing a fund raiser for the SPCA shows leadership skills, administrative ability, and community awareness: it doesn’t only apply to animal rescue.
Working as a volunteer often leads to working for a paycheck.More than one position has been created because the organization realized a volunteer who was going to leave as soon as they found a job somewhere else was a worker they wanted to keep. It’s also a good way to be in on job openings before they are posted publicly.
Volunteering does not have to be a full-time position. In fact, it’s generally not a good idea to fill your unemployed days with overwhelming voluntary activities when you should be working on your job search. But it definitely has a place in your career path and investing in carefully chosen volunteer work will enhance your networking in ways that will benefit you.
Sometimes your salary isn’t paying quite enough to cover all you wish it could. Maybe you got promoted to an exempt position that looks good on your resume but now that lucrative overtime bonus is gone. You could have been offered benefits that you truly need (medical insurance, for instance), and on paper it all looks good, but in your wallet there’s not enough cash. This is where that “B” word — Budget — comes in to help.
All the experts start with an honest assessment of where your money is currently going. If you don’t know where your money is currently going, how can you control its flow? Write down all the ugly reality on paper so you can look it in the face and deal with it. The problem isn’t automatically solved by a higher salary; it is solved by controlling the way you spend what you earn.
You can see this in the sad tale of many lottery winners whose huge chunks of money are gone in a few years or the way even high earners go bankrupt. This means that you have hope because you can control your cash flow by choosing to work with the real numbers instead of the dream numbers. Look at the real numbers and come up with a real plan and follow it.
Do some research on money management. There is so much wisdom and free advice or seminars out there that your head will spin, but the reality is you have to make it work for your situation.
What are you willing to sacrifice to keep that steady salary or those benefits?
When you make the choice NOT to spend, remind yourself that you are saying “no” to this thing and “yes” to controlling your cash flow. You are the boss of your spending.
Pay the minimum on your bills if you have to, but add a little when you can. Somehow, that extra gives you a sense of power.
Allow yourself some “mad money” that you can spend on whatever you like, but when it’s gone, it’s gone until you get paid again.
Somehow, keep saving for emergencies. Even a little bit adds up!
Sell some stuff and put the money on the biggest bills.
Come up with ways to reward yourself that don’t cost money.
Keep a reminder of your plan, and your goals, in view. You aren’t “stuck” with that salary, you have chosen to stay in the position for a reason. Is your reason still valid? Can you ask for a review and a raise? Are you utilizing all the benefits you have? You may need to sit down and crunch numbers with others who are involved with your money decisions, but it will be worth the time and effort that takes to get everyone on the same team in this!
Have you ever considered the ways your work comes home — and your home comes to work? One writer recently shared her thoughts in this article titled, “4 Things Business Taught Me About Parenting — and Vice Versa” and I am sure, if you thought about it, you could come up with more things you have learned as you balance career and family.
The reality is that we aren’t compartmentalized into two separate persons who are exclusively at home or exclusively at work. If you are having problems at home, it is easy to bring that stress into the workplace, and the same tendency applies from work to home. But there are good things that overlap, too!
“Treat others the way you’d like to be treated” is a basic childhood lesson that never stops being the right thing to do.
“Be responsible for your behavior” applies pretty much everywhere I can think of.
“Apologize when you are wrong” gets everybody on the same side, and the same team, and frees you to deal with the problem.
“Time out” gives a chance to regroup and respond instead of react. You don’t put a co-worker in the corner, but you could suggest a break and set up a meeting to discuss solutions.
“Nap time/Snack time” acknowledges the physical limitations of a child. But grownups, too, have physical limitations and repeatedly working through lunch or excessive overtime will reveal that fact.
“Respect each other’s boundaries and differences” goes past teaching kids to get along and into the working world with people from many backgrounds and perspectives.
“Do your chores”, or your to-do list, because sometimes you just have to get it done regardless of how you feel about it.
What are some things you have learned from work and applied to home, or vice-versa? I’d love to hear from you!
