Why Im Not a Professional Writer

Why Im Not a Professional Writer Tonight I was reminded of why I am not a professional writer just compare my stuff to this article! Patricia Kitchen of Newsday interviewed me this past week and just today put up an article titled Position Yourself Online For Success. This article is more complete and offers more concrete evidence of the need to, and power of, personal branding than I have yet imagined. I strongly suggest you take the 5-10 minutes to read it, and then go back and use the examples to learn more about what people are doing right. I know that blogging for your personal brand is intimidating my first reaction when presented with the idea was I have nothing to say and I dont have the time. Im sure you have your own excuses. And I realize that it might not be the right answer for you, or the timing just isnt right. But dont discount it, if anything, just delay it until you are ready. Honestly, Im not just posting this because Im quoted in the article ?? this really is an excellent piece that merits your attention. Thanks, Patricia, for bringing this to a new level in the press! Why Im Not a Professional Writer Tonight I was reminded of why I am not a professional writer just compare my stuff to this article! Patricia Kitchen of Newsday interviewed me this past week and just today put up an article titled Position Yourself Online For Success. This article is more complete and offers more concrete evidence of the need to, and power of, personal branding than I have yet imagined. I strongly suggest you take the 5-10 minutes to read it, and then go back and use the examples to learn more about what people are doing right. I know that blogging for your personal brand is intimidating my first reaction when presented with the idea was I have nothing to say and I dont have the time. Im sure you have your own excuses. And I realize that it might not be the right answer for you, or the timing just isnt right. But dont discount it, if anything, just delay it until you are ready. Honestly, Im not just posting this because Im quoted in the article ?? this really is an excellent piece that merits your attention. Thanks, Patricia, for bringing this to a new level in the press!

Trying To Create Reports With Excel Expert Tips Here!

Trying To Create Reports With Excel Expert Tips Here! There is more to Microsoft Excel than just the numbers on the spreadsheet. It is also vital to make the spreadsheet look presentable, visually appealing, and easy to read for the viewers.   Your Excel report won’t engage the audience if it looks clumsy or bland, no matter how relevant the information contained within it is. That said, whether you are creating a spreadsheet to store data, to pass information to the boss or your team members, you should enroll for one of the advanced Excel Courses In Western Sydney  or where ever you happen to live.   The course instructors will provide you with useful tips that will help you create standout spreadsheets. Enlisted below are a few easy-to-implement tips for everyone creating reports with Excel beginner, intermediate or advanced Microsoft Excel user. Be Consistent Apply a simple set of formatting rules to make the spreadsheets understandable and uniform. For example: Use uniform font throughout the sheet. Comments on the analysis in bold or italics. Create cell styles. Define your title; make it bold. Get A Template Online If you don’t have the time and resources to design an Excel report, search the web for pre-made Excel templates. Select from an array of designs, specific to your project, along with beautiful fonts, colours, and theme. Just enter your value to customize it, and you are good to go. Of course, this does not mean you will get better at designing templates, which should be okay, as your priority is getting things done. But, if you want to get better at designing templates, you should enroll yourself for Excel training courses. Name The Spreadsheet Correctly Your presentation must be simple and clear. And why not, aren’t spreadsheets made to ensure clarity? For the single reason of keeping things simple, the importance of a justified worksheet name cannot be overemphasized.   The name of the spreadsheet could be anything a phrase, a word, or a sentence; make sure it is relevant and easy to understand for anyone who reads it. Additionally, you must keep in mind that the name is unique; distinct from the other worksheets stored on your computer. Think of it as a google search. Define Your Header Your title needs to be unique. It must interact with the viewer and make them understand what the spreadsheet is about, at first glance. To make sure the header attracts the reader, try a larger font, underline and make it bold. Use a different colour for your header and centre align it. It must stand out, but that does not mean it should ruin the overall aesthetic look. Just remember, it should be distinct, but also be able to blend with the template’s colour scheme. Add An Image Images can instantly make your spreadsheet look more appealing and enticing. Whether it’s a photograph, logo or an artistic sketch, when you use images, you make your report looks official and professional.   While you cannot accomplish the same kind of presentation in Excel, that you can in PowerPoint, adding pictures to the spreadsheet can hit the mark and help you make the report more memorable. Use Charts, Tables, And Graphs Visuals speak a thousand words. While most reports look incomplete without visual representation, using charts, tables and graphs to represent raw data can make the spreadsheet interesting and interactive. In the Excel ecosystem, charts, tables, and graphs are the symbolic siblings ones that bring out the beauty in the brevity of the presentation. Show Restraint Once you are through with all of the above tips, you are good to go. But make sure you don’t overdo it. Use colour in a restricted manner, and do not make use of too many tips at once. You need to understand the fine line between creating a good report and overdoing it. Just make sure, your report is perfectly balanced, as everything should be.   Eventually, the way your report turns out reveals how effortlessly you can communicate with your audience.

Top 10 Job Interview Tips and Tricks

Top 10 Job Interview Tips and Tricks Do you know how to sell yourself in interview? Have you found yourself freezing up? Have you ever had a question where you have not been able to work out what the interviewer was asking â€" or you could give an answer, but didn’t know if it was the right one? Here are my top 10 interview tips for this month. As someone said on Twitter, these are not rocket science, but really timely reminders of the basics: 1) Research the organization: Everyone gets nervous in interview. It’s a big occasion and you should be nervous. However if you start with some thorough research, you start to build a case in your own mind of why you should be sitting in that interview room or in front of a panel. Having some confidence is a solid first step to overcoming nerves. You can actually tell a lot about an employer from the employment pages of their website. Things such as the values they have, how easy it is to find out about potential jobs and their responses to you when you apply, can all tell you about the way they handle their recruitment. This in turn may be a reflection of what it’s like to work there. If it’s friendly and easy to apply for a job, then chances are they have given some thought to why you would want to work for them. The web is a such wealth of facts, but what you need to do, is turn this into information. You can look at annual reports, media releases and product and service information. Online directories have company information and Google indexes the latest media news and references from other sources. If a career page has an email contact for an employee, and invites contact, then do it. Often companies will use testimonials that way to attract new people. Use sites such as linked in to research companies. When you look for this information, you are not just looking for a set of unrelated facts. You should be looking for reasons that you want to work for that employer. You’ll really impress the interviewer if you find some simple yet compelling reasons as to why you want to work for the employer and what appeals to you about the role. 2) Research the role: One thing that constantly surprises me is that how few people really have any understanding of the role that they are applying for. Job advertisements are partly to blame for this. They are often misleading. The person writing the advert is often not the person that you’ll be reporting to. Things always sound different on paper compared to what you will actually be doing in the role. One of my clients recently applied for a job in the public sector. The position description said: Building effective communication strategies with a variety of stakeholders and colleagues to ensure information exchanges are timely, accurate and useful. This is what this statement meant: Providing advice to staff and students on the status of their research applications. If you see something like the above, try to talk to someone who knows about the role. A good question to ask is “what does a typical day/week look like?” Once you know what’s expected of you, preparing for the interview is instantly easier. Also important is a real insight into the role and the recruitment process. Dig deeper than the advertisement. Put a call through if a contact number is provided. You can find out which of the skills that the employer requires are actually the priority. You can determine what you can do without and importantly you can start to make yourself known (in a good way) to your future employer. Even if the advertisement doesn’t invite it, you can still contact the recruiter. If there are no contact details, be scrupulously polite, it usually means the employers are expecting a deluge of applications. Ask them questions about the recruitment process, what the steps are, how long each step takes, and whether they’ve had many applicants. You’d be surprised at the information you’ll receive if you sound polite and interested. 3) Research yourself: Employers want you to be self aware. Have a long hard look at what you have achieved, the way you have achieved that result and the skills you developed or demonstrated along the way. This type of reflection helps you understand your strengths. It gives you confidence and helps you overcome nerves. 4) Interviewer insight: No two interview processes are the same. Depending on the organization and the role, you could be interviewed by a recruitment consultant, the HR department, the line manager, all three individually, or any combination. Each will have a different agenda for the interview. This is important to remember as your approach with each should be slightly different. The recruitment consultant is always the first screener. Their role is to match you to the employer’s requirements and sell you as an applicant. The consultant establishes their credibility with each good candidate they put forward to the employer. Take time to woo them, even if you think they don’t know their stuff (as is a common criticism). Their role is essentially a sales one: to sell you the job and, if they believe you are right for the role, to sell you to their client. Make the consultant’s role easier by focussing on your strengths and achievements and point out why you are a good match. The HR consultant is usually the recruitment procedural expert. One of their jobs is to ensure the organization meets its legal requirements. They often set up the recruitment process and have a strong attachment to ensuring it is working. It’s a safe bet that you will face a more structured interview from them, than you will from a line manager. They are often the employer’s first screener and may need to sell you further, depending on their position and influence within the organisation. The line manager will be the person who is most concerned about finding someone for the role. They may be a person down or not meeting their organisation’s objectives by being understaffed. In the interview it will be the line manager who has the greatest sense of urgency about filling the role. Focus on your workplace achievements when fielding their questions. Work hard to build a rapport with them. They will be assessing your fit for their team. It may sound obvious but treat each interviewer as if they don’t talk to each other and know anything about you. You’d be amazed at how little communication sometimes goes on between each party. 5) Practice: Most organizations now use behavioural questions â€" which means they will be expecting you to provide specific examples of where you have demonstrated the skill they are seeking. I strongly suggest practicing for an interview and seeking professional help. A professional is skilled at drawing examples out of you and finessing the ones you already have. However never rote learn your lines as you can never predict all the recruiter will ask. Memorising answers will make you stressed in the interview if you can’t recall what you want to say. Worse still, you may even be not be answering the questions the interviewer asks. READ MORE: How to Answer ‘Why Do You Want This Job?’ in an Interview 6) Build rapport: Be friendly. People like that! One of the best ways to relax is to assume the interviewer is on your side. Good interviewers are not interested in tripping you up. In fact, most of them are on your side, or are at the very least they will be approaching the interview in a professional manner. It may even help to you to relax if you think of the interviewer as someone who wants you to do your best 7) Give yourself time: Leave plenty of time to get to the interview. Rushing breeds panic. No matter what excuse you have, lateness is noted. It creates a negative impression and it puts you behind immediately. Allowing waiting time for an interview gives you time to compose yourself, gather your thoughts and be mentally prepared. 8) Please be yourself: That is please be yourself. You will be doing yourself no favours if you try and suppress your personality, or pretend to be something that you aren’t. 9) Relax: While you think this may be the perfect job for you, it may be that it’s not. There are other jobs out there. If you keep this in mind then you’ll remove some pressure from yourself that this is your only chance to perform. If you think the interview is going badly, relax and use it as practice for the next one. You never know, you could even recover if you take this approach. 10) An insider’s tip: The interview is just the formal means of assessing your suitability as a candidate. However you are not just assessed there. Each interaction you have with your future employer feeds into the bigger picture of their impression of you. Use this knowledge. Be polite and friendly with whomever you meet in the process from the very first phone call to the last goodbye to the receptionist on your way out. Interviews can be daunting. Please contact me if you need some help putting it all into practice or just some extra advice. Here’s another blatant plug. When it comes to interview skills, practice with a professional does make perfect. Further reading at 10 Classic Interview Blunders to Avoid. [Image: Shutterstock]

Why People Hate Networking

Why People Hate Networking Almost everyone has had bad experiences while networking. Donna Fisher, author of Power Networking, writes that “Networking is often given a bad reputation because some people use the concept in a way that is inconsiderate, inappropriate, unprofessional, or just shortsighted.” Yup â€" that about covers it. Fisher lists some of the biggest networking mistakes people make. Here are my top three: 1. Coming on too strong: It’s obvious to everyone when your networking is all about you. Many people make the mistake of trying to sell, ask or push something too quickly. People do want to get to know you as a person first. That includes asking others we know and trust what they think about you. So if you come off as pushy a few times in a row, word will travel very quickly that you’re someone to duck at events or in social media. Fisher recommends taking a genuine interest in others first and asking questions. “Sell yourself first,” she says. 2. Being insincere. Everyone hates it when people promise things they can’t â€" or won’t deliver. It’s much better to stay quiet than to promise something that makes you look like a star at the moment and a rat later when you don’t follow through. It’s also a reputation killer (see number one above.) Fisher says “…networking is not about immediate gratification, but building a long term support system. The quality of your network is directly related to [your] sincerity.” 3. Rudeness: There are a couple of forms of this. One is what I call the Scanner. She will shake your hand and spend two minutes with you, looking over your shoulder the whole time to see if anyone more interesting or important has come in. Another version is the “I thought you were somebody, but I was wrong” guy. He’ll spend just enough time to hear what you do, then drop you to go look for someone more useful to him. The counterpart to this is the Desperado. The Desperado will monopolize the conversation for a long time, ignoring your increasingly obvious body language signals that it’s time to move on. Are you guilty of any of these? Do you have a networking horror story to share? Email me.

Why Should You Choose Resume Writing Service?

Why Should You Choose Resume Writing Service?Resume writing service is fast emerging as one of the highly sought-after and popular services in today's jobs industry. In fact, this writing service has been called as the new marketing tool that goes to the extent of asking employers for resumes from applicants. In most cases, these services are often availed by people who do not possess a lot of knowledge about the job market.In the earlier times, people usually joined on the Internet and got to know about the job market. But with time, most of the companies have taken on the idea of expanding their presence and marketing through the Internet. Many organizations have set up websites to market their products and services to the world. The main purpose of doing so is to make their clients aware about the company and the services it offers.Resume writing service has gained popularity when it was first introduced. This service has been used by many companies to offer their customers inform ation about the jobs they can avail, and they also sought for their feedback to improve their services.These days, we are always in need of help from time to time, and it is vital to fill the vacancies on a regular basis. This service is quite beneficial to both the companies and their clients. The clients too benefit by availing this service as they are provided with updated information regarding the available positions on a regular basis.Professional resume writers have also found it very advantageous to get the latest updates on the positions available in the market. Many individuals have already become familiar with the posting of the jobs, so they can quickly come up with the resumes that match the description.In modern times, competition among different companies is tight, and people end up needing their services in such cases. Also, an online platform like the internet has increased the importance of doing your job properly and providing accurate information about the company . Therefore, this writing service is gaining more popularity with all the requirements that are required of the job seekers.When you are choosing a company for doing your job, you need to remember that the market opportunities will change every day, so it is important to update yourself on the job opportunities that are available in the market. You can have a look at the market opportunities to find out about the new openings in the market and also to know about the current vacancies. Hence, you can be updated about the market opportunities and take appropriate steps accordingly.Thus, it can be said that professional resume writers have done a wonderful job in making people aware about the job market. Nowadays, people have understood about the importance of the online platform and are ready to take on a variety of activities, and they now rely on these writing services to take the right decisions and pave their way for getting the right job in the right place.

Fire-walking Across Your Career Change

Fire-walking Across Your Career Change A colleague of mine recently attended a retreat that involved fire-walking â€" walking barefoot over hot coals. It was an exhilarating experience for her and we talked about it at length. During the course of the conversation, her description of fire-walking made me think of how it relates to a career change or job search. Overwhelming Scary Experience For most of my clients in a career change or job search, it seems like an overwhelming process, full of many fears at first. It may seem virtually impossible at the time! In the same way, if you were to stare at the hot coals you were about to walk over barefoot, you would feel a sense of fear. Some of those fears that would run through my head include: will I get burned? what if I don’t make it? what if I fall? what if everyone else can do it but me? You might even think that, maybe, you are better off not trying because at least you are safe on the side everyone else seems scared too so if you don’t do it, youll be fine. How to Avoid Getting Burned There are many reasons fire-walkers can walk across the hot coals without getting burned. Poor conduction and insulation play a role. However, a big role is the continuous movement across the coals. When fire-walkers are going across the coals, they are not running, however they continue walking and don’t stop. If you were to stop for a period of time on the coals, you would get burned. If you keep moving, you can make it across without getting burned. Thats a great lesson for a career change or any goal you set for yourself. A career change can seem overwhelming at first until you break it down into smaller steps. The smaller and intentional steps allow you to keep moving toward the goal â€" just keep moving. When you stop, it increases your chances to get burned. Remember, though, moving does not mean you are simply completing action steps. “Moving” or taking small steps can be internal work as well. For example, a step may be to take time to evaluate your values and how they align with your career, or incorporating meditation into your life to improve clarity. The key, though, is to keep taking the steps (internal work or external action steps) and you will find yourself on the other side, oftentimes amazed at what you accomplished.

Bullet Proof Your Career with 5 Key Strategies

Bullet Proof Your Career with 5 Key Strategies Bullet Proof Your Career with 5 Key Strategies Bullet Proof Your Career with 5 Key Strategies September 2, 2009 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas 3 Comments The job market is a little dicey these days, and you need to be career savvy in order to keep your job, or get into a new one. So how can you bullet proof your career so that you stay in high demand with people who could potentially hire you, or introduce you to others who could potentially hire you? A new client Ill call Shawn recently called me and said that he had gone through a change in management which resulted in losing his 7-year position as a Leading Program Manager of a prestigious high tech company. He told me that after one year of searching, he had taken the “only job he could get” which was working part-time in the IT department for another company. After talking for a few minutes, it became painfully clear why Shawn wasnt able to get back on his career path. 1. Keep yourself marketable. Shawn shared that the high tech industry was starting to require a project management certification for project and program managers. However, Shawn wasnt stepping up to get the required training. What he WANTED was to get re-hired as a Program Manager, and then have the new company pay for his certification. What he GOT was two years sitting on the bench without a job. Never let your career sit on a shelf longer than 6-months. Never! Keep the same drive and discipline that you had when you were employed. Get focused. Get a plan. Make it happen. Wallowing isnt allowed. Instead, seek out opportunities to keep yourself marketable. Use your in-between jobs time to get advanced training and education to help advance your career. Consider expanding your skill set by freelancing or consulting. Join an associations Board of Directors, or at minimum, a committee. These strategies will help keep you visible, expand your network, and keep yourself marketable. 2. Fish where the fish are. Another mistake Shawn was making was not having a solid job search strategy. Where are your potential employers? Find out by reading trade magazines, industry publications, company websites and classified ads in your local newspapers to learn which industries are hiring, which companies are hiring, and what the hot jobs are. Start attending industry conferences, trade shows, business networking events and association meetings. Also, join professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.com (you can connect to me!) to get connected to industry leaders and company decision makers. Make it a priority to get connected, and stay connected, to people who can inspire you, hire you, or introduce you to potential employers. 3. Be a resource to others. Never give the impression that youre hungry for a job. Instead, you want to be seen as someone who drives initiatives, solves problems and leads teams. This is one reason why you want to consult, freelance, or volunteer while youre in between jobs. Get personal with your professional network. Send out links to reports, case studies, press releases and websites that you think might interest those in your network. Invite them to business networking events, and introduce them to other movers and shakers. Influencers are drawn to those who are resourceful. 4. Give your resume the it factor. When it comes to resumes looks are everything! If youve been applying for jobs that youre qualified for, but youre not getting the interviews, then you need a stronger resume. Hiring managers can have stacks and stacks of resumes piled high on their desk which means that if your resume doesnt have the it factor youre toast. Dont lose out on a great job because your resume doesnt stand up against your competition. Instead, invest in a professional resume critique. Youll get specific strategies based on your goals, strengths and accomplishments to get the attention of hiring managers and put yourself in high demand! 5. Consider Hiring a Career Coach. Everyone has career bumps, so its completely normal to be stuck sometimes. The important thing is to have a strong support system in place of mentors and career coaches who can offer support and guidance. A great career coach can give you the tools, support, and a step-by-step roadmap to help put your career back on track. Making an investment in a career coach means investing in yourself and your career, and could result in cutting your search time by as much as 50-percent, plus MORE money in your pocket with a higher starting salary. The point is that if youve been unemployed or at a lower level position for longer than six months, then you need to shake things up! Try different career strategies and start thinking outside the box. And never, ever give up your drive, ambition and courage that it takes to move your career forward. Your job is out there waiting for you. You just need to go get it!