Thursday, May 28, 2020

Job Search Tip Be Quick To Forgive

Job Search Tip Be Quick To Forgive A while back my wife was in some training and she picked up a phrase that has become oft-repeated in my home.  Quick to forgive.  Its a powerful concept, easy to accept, perhaps hard to apply. The power of forgiveness is real.  As a job seeker we feel slighted for many reasons the people who let us go, the people who dont help us network, the people who dont choose to hire us, the people who ________. Job seekers work with people and thus we have plenty of opportunity to forgive. As you let things go, and get over them (or through them), you can put your time, attention and energy into more important things, like the task at hand.  What do you need to do to move forward, instead of why are you staying held back? Try to create a personal culture of being quick to forgive, and move on with what you need to move on to. Finally, I cant talk about forgiveness without suggesting that you get really good at forgiving yourself.  Im not saying create excuses for not having or achieving what you want, but dont wallow in self-pity and feelings of failure and inadequacy.  Forgive yourself, take ownership of your issues in the spirit of being willing to improve, but stop harboring unsafe and harmful feelings towards yourselves, or others. I cant imagine how serene life would be if we could be quick to forgive can you? Job Search Tip Be Quick To Forgive A while back my wife was in some training and she picked up a phrase that has become oft-repeated in my home.  Quick to forgive.  Its a powerful concept, easy to accept, perhaps hard to apply. The power of forgiveness is real.  As a job seeker we feel slighted for many reasons the people who let us go, the people who dont help us network, the people who dont choose to hire us, the people who ________. Job seekers work with people and thus we have plenty of opportunity to forgive. As you let things go, and get over them (or through them), you can put your time, attention and energy into more important things, like the task at hand.  What do you need to do to move forward, instead of why are you staying held back? Try to create a personal culture of being quick to forgive, and move on with what you need to move on to. Finally, I cant talk about forgiveness without suggesting that you get really good at forgiving yourself.  Im not saying create excuses for not having or achieving what you want, but dont wallow in self-pity and feelings of failure and inadequacy.  Forgive yourself, take ownership of your issues in the spirit of being willing to improve, but stop harboring unsafe and harmful feelings towards yourselves, or others. I cant imagine how serene life would be if we could be quick to forgive can you?

Monday, May 25, 2020

5+ Best Financial Advisor Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co

5+ Best Financial Advisor Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co We’ve compiled the absolute best financial advisor interview questions and answers to help you secure a job in the future. Financial advisors work with young and elderly customers to help plan financial well-being for the future self. Financial advisors work alongside a few client goals: investments, retirement, passive-income, tax heavens and much more. Financial advisors can be found in almost every city across the US. This is a fairly common position as clients like to have face-to-face interaction with their advisors. While technology companies are attempting to replace financial advisors with what is called a “robot-advisor”, it is still quite early. And older generations are still seeking that personal care that you might expect from walking into a location and dealing with someone more directly. Because of all this, financial advisors are required to have a general understanding of financial planning and also need to have a good amount of client services experience. Financial Advisor Interview Questions & Answers 1. What is the S&P? The S&P is a stock index fund that is owned and operated by the Standard & Poors Company. It is considered the best index in the world as it relates to stocks. For nearly 50 years this index has generally been in a bull market. While we have seen corrections, these are still considered to be normal corrections and not necessarily bear market conditions. 2. What are stocks? Stocks are certificates of ownership with regards to specific types of shares in a company. There are various types of shares, primarily in the public markets, these shares are restricted shares. Meaning they have no voting power over what the company does and how it does it. But you are rewarded for the advancement of the company and the equity that you put into it. 3. What is the federal reserves federal funds rate? The federal funds rate controls the United States national interest rate banks are charged when borrowing money. While there are more technical components to what happens inside of this interest rate, it is more important to talk about the fact that this controls some of our stock markets as well as some of our inflation in the economy. These are more important for our financial clients to be aware of. 4. How can you help clients avoid harsh taxation? You are rewarded for depositing towards your 401K or Roth-IRA every year. Meaning if you have some degree of money left over before the end of the year, you can donate towards this retirement and be rewarded by a break of your taxes for that fiscal year. 5. How would you help a client increase their savings yield? It is important to pick accounts which have the highest yield. This changes quite frequently, so helping a client understand which bank is providing the highest yield and for how long we feel they are going to keep that yield is very important. Then we can help them start the account and move funds towards that account. Related Hiring Resources Financial Advisor Job Description Sample Financial Advisor Resume Example

Thursday, May 21, 2020

How to Rock Your Linkedin Profile in 8 Steps

How to Rock Your Linkedin Profile in 8 Steps Social media is ruling the world. In the professional aspect, you are either on LinkedIn or you don’t exist. The vision of Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn is “We aspire to build the world’s first economic graph; in other words, a digital mapping of the global economy, including a profile for every one of the 3 billion members of the global workforce, including all of their skills and expertise …..” LinkedIn has also caused a huge shift in the recruitment process. More and more companies and recruiters are using the LinkedIn solutions to search and recruit their talent. As a LinkedIn member yourself, you can build relationships that will enhance your career and your business. The message is clear: you simply cannot afford  to not be on LinkedIn. You will be out of the game. I’ve gathered 8 of the best tips to rock your LinkedIn profile: Tip #1: have   a good professional photo A good photo on LinkedIn is definitely a must-have and not a nice-to-have. It is proven that people are rarely clicking on profiles without photos. If you are on a thin budget and cannot afford a professional photo shoot, keep in mind that LinkedIn, unlike FB, is meant for professional purposes predominantly. Therefore,  your picture should also reflect this purpose. Your photo should preferably be in color Headshot only Professional means no family or holiday pictures Your dress code should be in sync with the type of job you are after Tip #2:  Master the right keywords The keywords on LinkedIn are the same things as search words on Google. These are the words that help others (recruiters, business partners, hiring managers etc.) find YOU on LinkedIn. So if a recruiter is looking for an Account Manager with experience in the Oil and Gas industry that is what he or she is going to type in on LinkedIn. Now, if your profile has those keywords it will rank your profile (high) on the LinkedIn search result. The profiles that get on top of the list are the ones, which have the highest density of keywords. Make sure that your LinkedIn profile has the right keywords that match your future job. Those keywords have to be sprinkled all over your profile.  That means in your headline, summary and experience sections. Tip #3: Spend extra time on your headline This part is key as it is your first message to the world about who you are and what you do. People often put their current job only. Don’t follow this mistake! The headline is much broader than your current or last job only. You have 120 characters you can use in your headline. So use it! Tip #4: Your summary is your pitch The summary section is a place to briefly introduce yourself to a person who is visiting your profile. It is also a place to make first contact, grab the reader’s attention and interest others to read further. Show what you stand for, what is your bigger vision and what are your core qualities. Make it personal and don’t forget your keywords. Tip #5:  Add a call to action to your summary At the end of your summary, always include a call to action. In other words invite others (for example recruiters or hiring managers) to connect with you. Explain what you are looking for. Tip #6:  Always include your contact details When completing your profile do not forget to include your contact details. This tells people how they can contact you. Small thing, but oh so important.  Make it easy for them to contact you. Tip #7:  Add visual media to your profile To spice up your LinkedIn profile consider including photos, videos and powerpoint  presentations. This will make your profile more appealing and interesting to read. Tip #8:  Connect, connect one more time connect The power of LinkedIn lies in the fact that in a few steps you can basically get connected to almost anyone in the world (who is obviously on LinkedIn). Your first grade connections give you direct access to your 2nd grade connections and your 2nd grade connections to the 3rd grade connections. The more connections you have the more often and the higher in ranking you will appear in the search results. Your Linkedin Profile is a Key to Your Future This is the time to go social and master your LinkedIn skills regardless if you are looking for local job opportunities or considering a business partnership with somebody from the other side of the world. The beauty of global social networks is that, well, that they are global.  You can connect now with people  in places far beyond your normal social reach.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

3 Themes for Writing Your Brand Story - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

3 Themes for Writing Your Brand Story - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Brand story themes I previously wrote about the 3 Key Elements to a Brand Story. They are: Strong opening Memorable Label Brand Theme The challenge is often coming up with a brand theme. Depending on your particular situation, you may want to tell a story about: How a major event impacted your life and career A common theme throughout your life and career Some talents that you want to demonstrate using a set of proof points Major event Some of us have had major events that propelled us into a career. In my case, it was a bicycle accident where I had a head on collision with a car and our combined speeds exceeded 50 miles per hour. This led me to teach high school math in an inner city school, develop non-profit fund raising programs, and now, to be a career designer. In my post on 3 Key Elements to a Brand Story, I mentioned Tonya Clements‘ story and it was all about mountain climbing and how she trekked Mount Everest. Okay not everyone has climbed Mount Everest or survived a crazy bicycle accident. I had one client who danced ballet in her younger years, and that shaped much of the rest of her working life. The drive, discipline, and the artistic expression from ballet were what defined her brand. Common theme There are some of you that have worked across multiple industries and used many different skills. There is usually a common theme that ties your career together. Very often, you will not see the theme, but if you can find a friend, relative, or colleague to help you, it may become evident. I had one client who worked across many industries. This included: EKG technician Selling computers for leading technology companies Developing processes and then training sales people in the financial industry Commercial real estate developer Residential real estate broker The common theme throughout her career was that it was all about people and processes. This works well if you have had a varied career, working in multiple industries or career paths. Proof points If you have had a very stable career in a single discipline or industry and want to stay put, then use proof points to demonstrate that you know your stuff! I am currently working with a product manager in the software industry. We created a powerful opening around the concept that he brings problems into focus. He came up with three examples in three different areas where he demonstrated that he could take a problem and make it understandable to his management, team, customers, stakeholders, etc. These clearly demonstrate that he knows his stuff. We have now handed the task of writing the story to someone who knows him well. Which method will work for you? It will depend! Do you want to change industries or careers? If so, the proof point theme probably will not work. Has a single event or activity had a major impact in your life? Not all of us have this kind of experience. Plus, you might have to do some significant reflection to truly understand the impact of such an event or activity. No matter what theme you choose you will want to get some help, either from a friend or a professional. You will not want to do this alone! What theme works for you? Marc Miller â€" Career Pivot Check out my book Repurpose Your Career â€" A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers Do not forget to follow me on Twitter or FaceBook

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Why money and a good salary is as important as job satisfaction

Why money and a good salary is as important as job satisfaction This post was written by an external contributor. Sascha Gill discusses why we should consider our financial as well as emotional needs when it comes to our careers. Its becoming increasingly apparent that young people want a change of pace when it comes to their careers. Were all going to be working until were at least 67 and a lot more of us are trying to find jobs that are meaningful and we love. Gone are the days of getting one corporate job at the age of 21 and sticking at it until the day you retire. A few months ago, I wrote an article telling everyone that you should take risks in your twenties. Whilst it’s great that so many people resonated and were inspired by my story, adult life has been teaching me quite a lot about the working world. What Millennials want It’s no secret that young people have been shaking up the workplace status quo since entering full-time employment. Whilst our parents and grandparents may have been solely focused on salary when they first started working, we apparently value company culture more than any generation that has come before. Young employees are choosing job satisfaction over money â€" with many willing to make a large sacrifice in salary in exchange for a healthier working environment. As an anxiety prone generation, it’s no wonder we are putting our health and happiness at the top of our priority list. In an ideal world, job satisfaction would be the top priority on everyone’s list. Most of us spend more time at work than we do with our own families and friends. So if you aren’t happy in your job, then life could get quite stressful! What young people need On the other hand, it’s also vital that we still think about our financial stability just as much as our happiness. Money funds the daily needs and necessities that keep you ticking along. For example, you may love having your avocado on toast for breakfast. However, you do need some money to buy those avocados in the first place! Amongst our generation, there is a constant struggle between wanting to do a job you love and having enough money to pay the rent. I always used to live by the motto, “If you want to do something, then do it now, because life is short and you never know if you’ll get the chance to do it again.” Whilst that is still very true, sometimes it’s just not possible. It can take time for the ‘perfect’ job to come along, and sometimes you may need to something to keep you afloat for a short while. I’m not saying abandon your dreams completely, I’m just saying it’s OK to put them on hold for a while. For example, your goal may be to become a musician. However, if you have to work a few years somewhere else to pay the bills, there’s nothing wrong with that. Many people who are striving towards an artistic or creative profession work other jobs in the short term whilst pursuing their dream on the side, be it in the corporate world, the hospitality sector or retail. If you live in London and have an extortionate rent to pay, it’s probably not a good idea to take a large pay cut before you have everything figured out. If you do want to wholeheartedly pursue your dreams, that’s cool too; but it’s probably a good idea to put some kind of financial plan in place beforehand. It comes down to your own priorities I’m not saying work a job you hate until you become too old to work any longer. However, there’s a lot to be said for taking your time in pursuing your goals. When it comes to the working world and financial stability, a little sensibility can go a long way. Working a full-time job and pursuing your passions during the evenings and weekends may seem like a tough ask, but if you have enough drive and determination, you’ll be able to make it happen. The world is your oyster, so go forth and conquer it!…sensibly and with some money in the bank, of course. Download Debut  and  connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Mergers, Acquisitions Lay-Offs Knowing When to Dust Off Your Resume - CareerAlley

Mergers, Acquisitions Lay-Offs Knowing When to Dust Off Your Resume - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Statistically, experts claim the worst recession since the Great Depression is over, however, it definitely doesnt feel that way for many Americans. While political factions are going wild, pointing fingers and trying to find the magic formula to make it all better, millions of people are still out of work, out of unemployment and just doing what they can to hang in. Mergers, acquisitions and company downsizing continue to squeeze an already choking job market. There was a time when having a government job meant you were safe from such economic downturns, but not anymore. Nevada is one example of how the recession is impacting even the safest of jobs. That state recently implemented a new mandatory furlough plan for its employees. This is not the first time since the recession began in 2007 that Nevada employees had to take furlough time. A forced fur-lough means that every affected employee must take 96 hours a year off work, without pay. This is in addition to any vacation, sick time etc. the employee has accrued. This was done in the effort to reduce salary overhead, and prevent a massive layoff. The furlough period ends in June 2013. Changing Times For years a union job afforded protections that non-union jobs did not, including loss of jobs without reason. Today, that is not the case, as companies are taking part in union busting activities with flourish. Companies are hiring consultants that specialize in how to legally prevent a union from starting as well as how to weaken an already established union presence. These consulting firms exist to prevent unions, thereby, removing the safety of a union job. Additionally, non-unionized jobs are being to subject to unofficial union busting as companies lay off more senior employees with bigger paychecks and greater benefits such as vacation time, and force lesser salaried employees to pick up the slack. Perhaps the true fiendishness of this is when those companies are ready to hire again, they hire workers at entry level salaries. If you are at a job where the company is undermining your union, will you work harder and do more than ever before to maintain your job? This is not exactly the time to be out of work, right? The companies practicing union busting of some form or another count on that fear. They can smell it and they push harder with each passing day, ultimately ending up with employees who do not quit, but are instead doing double and sometimes triple duty in the effort to maintain employed. Even if you are not in a union position, your company may be in the process of a merger, or it may be downsizing on a weekly basis. How safe are you? Subtle Hints You Are About to Go If you have a job, do you tie a rope around your waist and hang on? Or, do you look for an-other job and get ready to jump ship at the first sign of trouble? The answer is probably some where between the two. Obviously, if you could look into a crystal ball and see the future, that decision would be much easier. Since you dont have that ability, the next best thing is knowing the signs that you are about to be terminated, and if so, you can dust your resume off and hopefully say to your employer soon, You cant fire me, I quit! A sudden increase in email criticism could be a bad sign. Whether its being done because your supervisor is irritated with you and doesnt want to discuss issues with you in person, or he or she is creating a breadcrumb paper trail to use to fire you later, more frequent written criticisms are not to be ignored. Respond to each one in writing with your defense and word it in a way that you can use later in a termination dispute. For example, if the email reprimands you for doing something incorrectly, but you were only following another supervisors directives, state in your reply the name and position of the individual that gave you the directive, the date it was given and the date you complied, basically creating your own paper trail to use as a defense if need be or as ammunition if, in fact, you are let go and your former employer tries to deny you unemployment benefits. If you used to get a lot of positive feedback and it has stopped, you might want to unearth your resume. Be sure to send out an updated resume and dont forget to include any business degrees or certificates you have earned. Some managers dont normally praise employees, and if that is normal, it wont change. But if your supervisor used to lay it on thick and suddenly goes quiet, the company may have layoff plans with your name attached to them. Decisions you used to be part of are no longer discussed with you is a red flag. This could mean the decision to unload you has already been made, they are just waiting for you to find out and they are carrying on as if you are already gone. In addition, your supervisor may suddenly start micromanaging you. If tasks you previously did with little supervision are now scrutinized closely, the ax may be poised and ready as soon as they gather enough evidence to let it drop. Hard economic times can mean a job loss even if you do everything right. While a recession is not the best time to start hopping from job to job and see what is out there, keeping ahead of the game to maintain employment is a good idea. If you company starts to act like it is not as stable as before, or you get the feeling you are about to get the pink slip, dont feel guilty for put-ting out some feelers and seeing who bites. Do you think your company will think twice about letting you go if it becomes necessary? The company wont skip a beat; make sure you keep pace. more Lost your Job? Karen Boyarsky has worked as a copywriter at major advertising agencies in NY, SF, LA, Sili-con Valley and Las Vegas. She often blogs about business. Follow her on Twitter @BoyarskyKaren. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

Friday, May 8, 2020

How to Deal With (and prevent) Discrimination Against Primary Caregivers

How to Deal With (and prevent) Discrimination Against Primary Caregivers It seems unbelievable to me that Americans are still faced with employment discrimination when we there are so many other options available. While once rampant discrimination was perpetrated based on race, sex or religious affiliation, today one of the worst forms of discrimination is discrimination against primary caregivers (a.k.a. parents and children of sick/aging parents). Many people do not realize that there are several different kinds of primary caregiver discrimination. Learning the different types of discrimination that  are practiced against primary caregivers is the best way to learn how to prevent it. In some cases, there are laws that help prevent primary caregiver discrimination. These laws often include not only those who care of their children, but also those who care for a sick or aging parent as well a sick spouse. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed. Under this act, specifically Title VII, primary caregiver discrimination is declared illegal. The law gives primary caregivers protection without declaring them a ‘protected class.’ It is also true that women are the primary targets of this type of discrimination. This is because gender stereotyping is still rearing its ugly head, making many people assume that only women can be primary caregivers. This stereotyping can lead to an additional kind of discrimination against women. Some companies will refuse to hire young married women â€" specifically because there is a high chance that those same young women will soon have children and thus become a primary caregiver. Preventing discrimination against primary caregivers is a tricky matter. The truth is no company would refuse to hire a primary caregiver and give that as the cause. Instead they will site lack of experience or even too much experience. Companies that have successfully implemented a program of primary caregiver discrimination prevention have typically taken one step: they disallow interviewers or hiring managers from asking questions designed to determine if a particular candidate is or will become a primary caregiver. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC has developed a list of guidelines specifically aimed at preventing discrimination against primary caregivers. These are merely guidelines and not legally binding, but its still important to know and perhaps implementing a similar program might ensure that a company is not actively discriminating. The following is what the list includes: Develop a list of qualifications for each open position Focus only on a candidates abilities, strengths and weaknesses Actively recruit primary caregivers Engage in careful review programs to monitor performance and compensation evaluations Whenever possible offer flex time as an option for employees Remember: an employer IS NOT ALLOWED TO discriminate against primary caregivers. Because of the prevalence of lawsuits, employers are recommended to follow the guidelines set forth by the EEOC and to actively monitor their hiring practices as well as the terms and conditions of employment. Primary caregiver discrimination is still a problem today, but it doesnt have to be.