Career coaching is becoming an increasingly popular choice for individuals wanting help with their job or career. Reasons for using a career coach are numerous, including needing guidance in focusing on what's important to enable progression up the career ladder, better managing problems at work and help finding the ideal career path. Once the decision to use a career coach has been taken, finding a good one is the next step. There are a number of ways to find a good career coach. Recommendations This is probably the best way to find a good career coach. If the coach comes highly recommended by someone you trust, chances are that they will provide a good service to you as well. You have the benefit of being able to ask the person recommending the coach questions you may have to get an understanding of what the coach is like before making contact. Knowing they have been recommended will make you more confident with their services. Ask Not everyone knows someone who has used a career … [Read more...] about Finding a Good Career Coach
Archives for 2013
SodaStream at the Office Gets a Sparkling Response
Sometimes I see things that make me sad I'm an adult. It could be a new toy. Or perhaps an animated movie. Maybe a candy bar. So when the SodaStream first hit store shelves, I was beside myself. It was a childhood dream come true: unlimited soda, any flavor, anytime. Almost too much for me to process. With a relatively new baby at home and enough juvenile antics and gadgets to convince anyone I'm 13 (I'm in my 30s!), I knew bringing the SodaStream in through the front door was a no-no. And that's when I had a light bulb moment. Since the SodaStream does not require any electricity, I would not be violating company policy if I brought it into work with me. And this is how I instantly became the hero of the week! … [Read more...] about SodaStream at the Office Gets a Sparkling Response
Being an Introvert at Work
Knowing whether you are an introvert or extrovert can really make a difference to your experience of work and knowing what type of work suits you. The words introvert and extrovert are used a lot these days and you may think you know which one you are, however you may be in for a surprise. You can take this test to find out (or reaffirm what you already know). Knowing more about your introversion/extroversion persuasion can help you be more self-aware because you know what you need and why and are then better able to ask for what you need. Before I read more about introversion and extroversion I would probably have thought I was an extrovert (because I'm not "shy" and am usually confident in social situations, for example) however it turns out there is a lot more to it and I quite clearly came out as an introvert, which gave me lots of food for thought. Here are a few ideas to help you at work if you have discovered you are an introvert: 1. Environment Working in open plan offices … [Read more...] about Being an Introvert at Work
The Freelancer's Guide to Taking Holidays
Working as a freelancer has many benefits but there are some downsides to being a freelancer too. For example, when every customer or project counts as income it can be hard to turn work down, sometimes even at the expense of a holiday. However, we all need breaks to maintain a balance in our lives and to avoid burnout; especially important when you are your own source of income. Here are a few ideas of ways to tackle this issue: 1. Take shorter breaks Adapting the way you take breaks to suit your freelance lifestyle can be a good compromise. You could take more frequent one night breaks or mini breaks; this means you get time away from your business but without big breaks of time away from your work. By taking more mini breaks, you can still accommodate customers without a big gap in service but still get your well deserved break. 2. Planning Taking breaks as a freelancer can involve more planning than in your average 9-5 job but it is worth it. You could try to take more work at … [Read more...] about The Freelancer's Guide to Taking Holidays
How to Launch a Personal Website in 5 Minutes
Establishing an online presence is absolutely essential in this digital day and age, more so if your profession lies within a creative industry. However, it can be all too easy to forget about your own projects while getting stuck into client work, and the task of creating a personal website can often be nudged to the bottom of your ‘to-do list’. Thankfully there are several web based tools that can help you set up a site in as little as 5 minutes, meaning you can concentrate on the more pressing issues in your schedule. Despite their minimal setup time, they are aesthetically pleasing with an air of professionalism, and are the perfect solution for less technically minded freelancers or those wanting a temporary web page. We’ve taken an in-depth look at the 3 main contenders in the personal site and online resume field, Zerply, Flavors.me and About.me, so you can make an informed decision on which one is right for you. ZERPLY The obscurely named Zerply is a one page site that … [Read more...] about How to Launch a Personal Website in 5 Minutes
Tech Junkie? Why An IT Career Might Be For You
Are you the one your family and friends come running to for help with their computer problems? Maybe you’re the one with the most up to date smartphone yet you anticipate the arrival of the newest version soon to come? Do you find all this “nerdy” stuff interesting? Are you in need of a career? If so, perhaps a career in information technology may be what you’re looking for. The perfect match for you! Let your passion and your interests guide you into a rewarding and fun career. After all, isn’t that what everyone is looking for? Information Technology There is a variety of career opportunities with an IT career. Training ranges from certificates to bachelor’s degrees and beyond. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), projected job growth in this field to be 8 out of 10 fastest growing occupations (2000-2010), and according to www.monster.com, it is a field that is recession proof. Educational Pathways There is a multitude of paths to take in achieving an IT career. … [Read more...] about Tech Junkie? Why An IT Career Might Be For You
How to Do Your Interview Preparation
A much larger extent of our communication is done via our body language, than what we say. For this reason, it pays to brush up on your non-verbal communication skills prior to attending an interview. How you come across is as important as what you say; your behaviour speaks volumes about your character. Any interviewer will be looking for and picking up on these cues to ascertain if you are an ideal potential employee. Deep Breaths While knowing how to respond to questions and having appropriate questions prepared is important, how the replies and questions are delivered is just as fundamental as the content of what you say. When you are nervous there is a chance you may trip over words, mumble or talk too fast, or interject sentences with lots of "urms". Taking a few slow, steady breaths will help lower the heart rate and make you feel calmer when you speak, delivering your answers in a more relaxed a measured manner. Practicing this before the interview will help identify any … [Read more...] about How to Do Your Interview Preparation
How to Write a Crap CV!
Having a quality CV can seriously affect your chances of getting the job you applying for. To prevent yourself from getting the job you want, here are the 8 best ways to ensure your CV ends up in the trash. Bad spelling and grammar. Your CV needs to be incorrectly punctuated and full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. The use of slang words and text speak will further enhance the poor quality of your writing skills. To ensure maximum errors don't use the spell checker, (though this can make mistakes), and don't, I repeat, don't get it proof read by anyone else. Don't even take the risk of re-reading it yourself! Fill it with lots of c**p! Long winded sentences about irrelevant information, vague descriptions of your credentials, and absolutely nothing that can be of any relevance to the advertised position should be the essence of your CV. Use one CV for all job applications. If you are applying for more than one job, do not specifically tailor your CV to each job. Just use a … [Read more...] about How to Write a Crap CV!
The Best Jobs for the Future
With the recent worldwide recession and employment problems, more and more of us are looking at ways to future proof our income and are looking for jobs that will continue to be in demand. Though there are no ways to accurately predicting how the future will unfold for certain, there are strong indicators of which areas of work will still be in demand in the future. Healthcare Nursing is going to be a growing area in the coming years as our aging populations increase and advances in healthcare allow us to live longer lives. Many have taken accelerated programs allowing easy entry into the field.This area will not be restricted only to the nursing profession but many jobs in healthcare. This will increasingly include areas such as home-care, with governments around the world struggling to manage the care needs of their populations by providing care at home rather than in expensive to run hospitals. Also, with advances in healthcare many people will choose to be treated in their own … [Read more...] about The Best Jobs for the Future
Top Social Media Tools in a Job Search
In today’s increasingly competitive job market, social media in a job search is an essential arrow in your quiver. It is just as crucial to present yourself to future employers with the skills related to your industry as it is to present your online presence in a positive way. According to a recent study by CareerBuilder.com, 37 percent of companies use social networking sites to research candidates. To peak the interest of potential recruiters, it is important to use social media sites and apps to get -and stay- on their radar. Here are a few social media tools and tips that you can use on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus to put you at a better advantage: Use LinkedIn effectively The most essential first step of every professional, whether young or old when using social media in a job search is to get on LinkedIn and create a profile; however, very few people know how to set up their LinkedIn effectively to promote their personal brand or to network with companies and … [Read more...] about Top Social Media Tools in a Job Search