Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Online Marketing Shouldnt Cost a Mint

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Online Marketing Shouldn't Cost a Mint Jason Seiden is a hustler. You know, the good kind. The kind that can make things happen through sheer will, gumption, and thoughtful innovation. Jason, an online marketing expert, is making waves these days with the launch ofBrandAmperâ€" a SaaS application that improves the quantity, quality, and consistency of employee brand advocacy. I sat down to get Jason’s ideas about how regular folks like you and me, who don’t count marketing as a primary responsibility and have minimal financial and time resources, can start an effective grassrootsonline marketing program. Alex: So Jason, I’m not a big brand with deep pockets. It this even possible? Jason: Possible?! Who started the rumor that online marketing requires a major marketing budget? The reason online marketing looks expensive is because the media tends to feature tools built to accommodate massively scaled consumer marketing programs with the goal of turning complete strangers into fans. But if you start withloyal employeesâ€" people whoalready chose to work for you â€" your probability of success skyrockets. The data on starting with employees is compelling:employees are almost 6X more trusted than company spokespeopleand when you activate employees as ambassadors, you getimmediatefeedback about what’s working and what’s not. Alex: But how do you win over employees so they want to be spokespeople? Jason: First, make sure leadership is on board. They may be gray-haired digital immigrants, but they still set the tone, and it’s important that they lead by example. Second, make sure your employees have guidelines to follow. Has marketing ever created conversational treatments of your brand? Can an employee explain the company’s vision to a friend without sounding like a robot? Finally, activate your employees by running an internal communications campaign that gives them a reason to care, and then inviting them to sessions that show them how to convert their interest into action. Alex: You’ve seen lots of big brands spend a fortune on marketing. What are the most important lessons we can take away without having to make the same mistakes? Jason: One lesson we see over and over is that reach is nothing without resonance. All those retweets that no one cares about? Spam. All those likes you bought with the promise of a free iPad? Useless. When companies start with online marketing, they almost always chase that shiny viral object. They buy all these tools and content management platforms and measuring dashboards, and all anyone is measuring is how little people are engaging. So if you’re just starting, skip that shiny object step. Start with your strategy, figure out what matters to you, put blinders on to everything else, and then blog and tweet and post and engage about that one thing until your fingers bleed. For the rest of Jasons interview, have a look at Intuits Fast Track blog.

Imagine Working For Passion, Pleasure, and Profit

Imagine Working For Passion, Pleasure, and Profit A lot has changed in the world since you and I were born into it.  As a kid, I watched my parents do life and work with a pretty fatalistic mindset.  Things were the way they were, they always had been, and they always would be.  They worked to live and pay bills. While they were happy in their own way, they had little notion of being able to follow their own passions.  And the idea of profit and pleasure in addition were not even a possibility in regards to their work-a-day existence. In our still-evolving cultural notion of work, one thing is certain:  were recognizing more and more the benefits of working in ways that resonate with your passions.  And that, yes, it is possible to do so and be financially rewarded. Not One Job Portfolio Careers You arent simply a reflection of the single nine to five job you perform.  In fact, the job you have now is likely a reflection of just one of the facets of you.  What if you were to recognize and grow those other facets? Its those kinds of questions that Steve Preston digs into in his new book Portfolio Careers : How To Work for Passion, Pleasure, and Profit. Your Life Your Terms If youve been doing life on other peoples terms, it may be time for a re-evaluation of your life and work.  Steve puts it this way: Its about changing your mindset from having a more conventional job to securing an income by using any combination of activities, interests, skills, talents, and passions to create the working lifestyle you want.  This is what I call working for Passion, Pleasure, and Profit, or the 3 Ps Steve, who is also a successful career coach, sheds light on the path to a new and exciting future.  I highly recommend you add the book to your must-read list. Image credit Main.

Invest in the Future

Invest in the Future My current client base includes very few students or new graduates, and this is most likely due to the free resume assistance offered by most campus career offices (although it is limited in depth and scope), and/or because students are not aware of the true value of hiring a professional resume writer. However, since I used to work for the University of Calgary Career Services (hence my knowledge of its depth and scope), I have some sound advice for the student population: 1. First, free resume advice is not always the best advice. I can not stress enough the true value of a professionally written resume especially for new graduates. In a competive job market one of the best ways to secure the coveted interview is to ensure you have a winning resume. A resumes job is to secure you an interview, so eliminate the wasted time and money that a poor resume will certainly cause you by ensuring your resume is top notch. 2. Next, do away with the misconception that as a student you have no skills to sell! You have plenty of skills! I recommend brainstorming a list of everything you have to offer, and take into consideration your education, your volunteer experience and all of the part time jobs you have held. There are plenty of skills to be found. 3. Own your skills. After you have created a list of the skills that you possess- be confident in them. Believe in what you can do, as this will translate into both your resume and future interviews. If you are not confident in yourself and your abilities then employers will not be either. 4. Target your resume for the industry or occupation you are pursuing. Meaning, custom tailor the resumes content and skill sets to ensure they relate to the role. Prove to employers that you have what it takes to do the job. Include concrete examples of your skills and abilities in your resume, and stay away from laundry lists of basic tasks and duties. 5. Finally, get your resume ready well before you graduate. Many employers begin posting and recruiting for new graduate roles very early in the new year. Do not wait until the Spring to have your resume created. Last but not least students- stay away from canned resume templates, and seek professional resume advice if you need it. Invest in your future!

How to Bridge the Gap Between Taste and Perfection In the Work We Do (Video)

How to Bridge the Gap Between Taste and Perfection In the Work We Do (Video) I like to believe that we all have a good sense of taste when it comes to our work. We KNOW what good work looks like.   But our work doesnt always match that perfection were hoping for. So how do you bridge this gap?   Ira Glass, one of public radios greatest creative thinkers, shares his advice for overcoming this all too common obstacle.

7 Tips for Changing Career Fields CareerMetis.com

7 Tips for Changing Career Fields â€" CareerMetis.com Original Image Source â€" Depositphotos.comChanging career fields can be a fearful or an exciting experience. Some positive benefits to changing careers are that it opens you up to possibilities of new chances, broadens your horizon, and gives you a new job to add to your resume.A person can change careers for various reasons. It could be because of lacking job satisfaction, burnout, new passion, and interests, or some forced changes like jobs being outsourced overseas or technological advancements. You may be searching for a new opportunity because you need more money or you need to relocate.Whatever the reason, you will need new skills to transition successfully by market yourself, selling your abilities, and navigating the journey.evalEnsure you have the resources you will need to succeed in life. These tips will guide you:1) Set Smart GoalsThis is a critical mission, and you cannot afford to make any mistakes unless you want to keep changing career fields all your life. Establish realistic goals as well as a clear timeline. You can begin with researching extensively on your preferred destination job, and then build the objectives from there.Smart goals should be:a) SpecificevalExactly what do you intend to achieve? The more specific you are, the easier it will be to attain the goal. There is a very big difference between saying that you would like to be a millionaire and saying you want to make $100,000 each month for the next decade by selling kids products.b) MeasurableMeasurable goals mean identifying what you want to see, feel, or hear after you reach your goal. Note that you need concrete evidence. Being happier cannot be considered as evidence. But, not taking junk food anymore because you want to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating more vegetables during every meal is measurable.c) AttainableFor a goal to be achievable, you’ll need to find out if it’s acceptable to you. If you don’t have the means to reach your goals, you will fail and become mi serable. Get to weigh the time, effort as well as other costs the goal will need against other priorities and commitments you have in life.d) RelevantIs attaining your goal relevant to you? If so, you’ll need to figure out what is needed to get there. Plan for training if you lack certain skills, and find resources if you don’t have them. The questions you must find answers to are: why do you intend to reach this goal? What’s the aim behind your goal? Will this goal help you attain your main objective? If your goal is to help the company perform better, can a bigger team really help?evale) TimelyevalSince time is money, you will need to have deadlines for your goals. Ensure that the timeline is flexible and realistic to avoid getting demotivated.2) Take this chance to re-invent yourselfThe attitude you have when approaching this career change will carry you through the tough times you must face. Commit yourself and ensure that you put in the hard work needed to get the job, an d then stick to it through ups and downs.You can re-invent yourself by:Getting the necessary credentials for your new career.Evaluating your strengths and using them to your advantage.Telling your story in a passionate way. Why did you choose to switch careers? This will set you apart from other candidates.Expanding your network more.3) Know the skills you will requireTo be a successful career switcher, you need to conduct an executive assessment to determine the necessary skills for the new job. Can you transfer your old skills to the new job? If yes, you will be on your way to having an efficient pitch for why you should be hired.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.com4) Acquire the skills you do not possessevalIn most cases, one needs new skills to switch careers, meaning you have to do some re-skilling. You may look into an industry conference, professional certification, take classes online or at a community college, or attend meet-ups to get the skills you don’t have.The best thing is y ou already know the exact skills, thanks to the assessment you did earlier.5) Find a mentorBy interacting with professionals in your field, you can build relationships that can help you. A mentor serves as a coach and will hold you accountable. Select a partner who can help you stay focused and determined to get to your goals even when things get tough. Share your research, dreams, and goals, and request them to be with you all through.6) Join professional groups in your new industryNetwork with people who are already working in your chosen sector. This offers you an excellent opportunity to know what insiders know and get to meet your fellow colleagues. You will also get to understand the internal culture and some tips for the recruitment process.Spread your wings â€" talk with both senior and junior employees to have a clear picture of how things work. You can also consider joining them when they hold educational events.7) Don’t create a very long CVNow that you have a chance to tell your potential employer who you are and what you can do, don’t be tempted to include everything in your CV. Try to keep the document to one page or two at most. Most employers don’t have a lot of time to read lengthy documents, so keeping your CV entirely relevant and concise is critical.Be sure to understand the job description for the role you are applying for, and identify the objectives of the potential employer. Tie your goals and work experience to this. This is the most efficient way to capture the employer’s attention and get them to want to know more about you through your CV.Even if you run into stumbling blocks, be sure to use the experience as a learning tool. Keep learning more about the profession you seek, get qualified, market yourself, and apply for the position with confidence. If the job doesn’t come your way, don’t give up. Keep trying, and you will get there.

Your Job Search Marketing Toolkit - Planning - CareerAlley

Your Job Search Marketing Toolkit - Planning - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. There are some basic tips you can follow to target your job search that will minimize the time spent and maximize the results. Planning for you job search should be on the top of your list and you should have your plan (or a high level approach) completed before you start sending your resume to potential employers. How you spend your time during your job search is critical. You should also evaluate time spent on job search tasks versus results. Once you decide to start a job search, your first thought is to apply to as many jobs as possible (especially if you are out of work). No matter how urgent your need to look for a new job may seem, you will save time and aggravation if you first spend a little time planning out your job search approach. A good job search plan will help you land a new job as quickly as possible. As I mentioned in the Overview article, building a plan is not about spending all of your time creating a plan, but you do need to know how, where and what you will do in your job search. Your plan is essentially a number of lists and documents you will need to get your job search started. You will need to: Create lists of where you will send your resumes (friends, family, former coworkers, companies, recruiters, references and job search sites) Create and update all of your job search documents (resumes, cover letters, and thank you notes) Draft you plan of action (who you will contact first, how you will spend your time, etc.) While this may sound a little overwhelming and very time consuming, the more time you spend on the three items above, the quicker you will land your new dream job. Getting Started: The first step in your planning is to create all of the lists you will need to focus your search. Lists you will create: Your Strengths, Accomplishments and Weaknesses Make a list of what are you good at and where do you need some additional training or experience. You can use an aptitude resource to help (tryAptitude Test Practice Tailored for Your Job Position and Industry). In addition to helping you focus your search, this list will also be a resource when reviewing and writing (or updating) your resume. The list of strengths and accomplishments also comes in handy for your interviews. Jobs that match your skills and experience No sense applying for jobs where you dont meet the requirements. Make a list of job titles (such as sales manager or budgeting analyst) that clearly match your skills and experience. The list should include job titles youve already held as well as the next level up. As an example, if you are a sales clerk, maybe you should be looking at sales manager positions in your search. == 5 Tips for Using Your Existing Knowledge, Expertise Skills as a Gateway to a New Career Companies where you would like to work (including those that are in your industry) Make you list of companies where you would like to work. Once you have this list, do some research to find competitors and add those companies to your list as well. Not really sure where you want to work? No worries, take a look at job postings on some job search boards and start with those companies. == 8 Resources to Help Find the Right Company for Your Next Job Your Network (friends, family, current and former coworkers) This is your most important resource for leads, recommendations and advice. If you are using LinkedIn, your list should already be well established. If you are not yet using LinkedIn, take a look at this article 5 Tips for Creating a Professional LinkedIn Profile. Once youve got your network list completed, prioritize the list based on those who are most likely to help you in your job search. Leveraging your network will be covered in more detail in the Networking segment. == 5 Tips for Successful Job Search Networking Recruiters for your industry/field Recruiters are an important resource that requires minimal time other than the initial meeting. Creating a list requires some research on your part. There are a few links you can leverage to build your list (see the links below). More detail to follow on leveraging your recruiter network. ==Directories of Recruiters (from Rileyguide.com) ==Recruiters Networks Job search boards Many job searchers spend a significant amount of time on job search sites. While they can be very useful, you should minimize the amount of time you spend applying for jobs via job search boards. Additionally, you should limit they number of job search boards you use to no more than three (one or two would be ideal). You should pick at least one specialized job search board (one that specializes in your industry or job function). ==27 Job Search Boards and Thousands of Jobs References Your references can make or break you, so you want to be sure you pick the right ones. They must be representative of your career and social networks. The general rule of thumb is to avoid relatives, but you should definitely leverage friends of the family. You also should have a fair representation of peers, subordinates and managers. There is more to references than just giving a list of names. What happens if they run a reference check on you? I dont recommend putting references on your resume (a simple references will be provided upon request). Before finishing your list, speak to your references to ensure they feel comfortable providing references for you. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by

Business Com Resume Writing

Business Com Resume WritingAlthough business com resume writing is a relatively recent concept, it has become increasingly popular over the past couple of years. It helps to highlight achievements in a way that only a resume can.The top priority when you are putting together a business com resume writing document is to write an impressive document. However, there are other considerations that you need to make in order to get it all done on time and in the manner that will help your application stand out. You do not want to end up hurting your chances at landing a job because of poor design.When it comes to layout, good formatting can go a long way towards showing the world just how much detail you have put into the document. There are two different styles you can use. You can use a bulleted list format where you list your accomplishments one at a time. Or, you can also use a multi-line format with bold, italicized, and underlined bullet points. Both work well.Of course, the compositi on of your business com resume writing document will depend on what you want to say. If you are trying to sell yourself or talk about a specific position, then your content should be brief and focused. If you are trying to promote yourself as a specialist, then you need to give the reader a clear picture of what your position entails.Whatever the case, when you write a general essay, you need to demonstrate some level of college level education. Additionally, if you are an alumni of the school you are using, you might want to make that known as well. Make sure that your experiences are relevant to the position you are applying for.Lastly, you need to communicate what you are looking for. Do not rely on generic 'I'm'we're' statements. These will not carry much weight.The most successful professional who has used this type of essay has proven that you do not need to be very creative or deep. What you do need to do is put a strong emphasis on the details. All you need to do is stress h ow you can fill a void in the job you are applying for.This alone can make the difference between someone taking the time to read your resume or passing it up without even considering you for an interview. Without this strategy, your chances are slim to none.