Staying Focused

Staying Focused Today I was supposed to write a review on the Starfish book. I was ready to write it this morning, but I also was co-presenting a three hour session at a conference (Building your career in bits and bytes its over now, and I think it went great :)). So this morning I opted to stay focused on the task at hand. It reminded me of some of the interviews that I did last year. Instead of having the level of preparation and focus that I needed, I think I winged it too much. Are you missing the one opportunity to shine? When you interview, are you as prepared and as focused as you can be? Or do you have some excuse to not do your best? When you network, do you miss the opportunity to deliver an excellent elevator pitch? Or do you miss the opportunity to connect two people that need to be connected? In your job, is your presentation the one that helps define your professional brand within your company and industry is it as impressive and good as it should be? You get the point. Sorry for not doing the review that I said I was going to do but I had to make a decision to stay focused (I would not get a second chance to make this three hour presentation). I hope you do the same. Staying Focused Today I was supposed to write a review on the Starfish book. I was ready to write it this morning, but I also was co-presenting a three hour session at a conference (Building your career in bits and bytes its over now, and I think it went great :)). So this morning I opted to stay focused on the task at hand. It reminded me of some of the interviews that I did last year. Instead of having the level of preparation and focus that I needed, I think I winged it too much. Are you missing the one opportunity to shine? When you interview, are you as prepared and as focused as you can be? Or do you have some excuse to not do your best? When you network, do you miss the opportunity to deliver an excellent elevator pitch? Or do you miss the opportunity to connect two people that need to be connected? In your job, is your presentation the one that helps define your professional brand within your company and industry is it as impressive and good as it should be? You get the point. Sorry for not doing the review that I said I was going to do but I had to make a decision to stay focused (I would not get a second chance to make this three hour presentation). I hope you do the same.

A Sense of Urgency trumps a Panic Crush - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Sense of Urgency trumps a Panic Crush - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Whats the difference between panic and urgency? Panic: You can usually tell when somebody is in a panic situation. They are making rapid and too often unwise decisions. Urgency: Is when a person is more calm and deliberate as well as  skilled and focused. Everyone has moments of panic. That’s just part of  life and they are unavoidable. Things come at us in ways we cannot imagine. Or can we? I’m suggesting that you can develop your sense of urgency very much like you can develop your sense of mathematics. I realize mathematics is a skill, but there are some people that seem to have an innate sense of mathematics. In business and in life we need to deal with unexpected situations all the time. How we react will determine our success and sometimes our very survival. Below are  Five Tips for Developing Your Sense of Urgency. These are not designed to address every issue or insure  there is never a sense of panic. Panic situations will always come up. The fact is that panic situations are stressors that help us grow and adapt. But, with some practice a way of thinking can be developed that can help anyone build a base level of preparedness. With preparation that sense of panic can be turned into a sense of urgency. A few examples might be useful. In  these we can’t predict them, but we can prepare for them. The way to develop your sense of urgency is to consider scenarios and plan for them. Sometimes they might be worst case scenarios with dire consequences. You don’t need to start your envisioning with those. Start with a few easy ones. Then as you build your skills throw in a curve ball to shake things up.  By thinking through the possibilities a case can be made for these being more of a  sense of urgency instead of panic when something does occur. Potentially Panic Inducing Examples: Automobile Accidents â€" No one wants to be in one. No one can predict when and where an accident will happen.  If you are involved in an accident you can think through a mental checklist (or write it down if it helps). For example, check to see if there are any injuries, snap a few pics (if it’s safe), and get off the road. Then exchange information. Emergency Room Visits â€" Doctors and Nurses don’t know what to expect at any given moment, but through preparation, planning and practice they can be ready for almost anything that comes their way. Sales Situation  â€" Whether you are applying for a job (yes, this is selling) or asking for the order you should have thought through at least a few scenarios. Pro-Tip: If the customer says yes … stop talking and book the order. A Sense of Urgency When someone has a sense of urgency thats a good thing. A Sense of Urgency (SOU) typically means theyre committed to their role, their practice (line of business) and their goals. Key Point: Someone with a sense of urgency is also usually focused on YOUR goals. To the point where your goals matter as much as theirs. Connected SOU’s And they help you see their sense of urgency and  your sense of urgency are tied together for a mutually successful outcome. SOU and Problem Solving Generally someone with a sense of urgency is often focused on solving a specific problem.  Yet, that “problem” may be part of a much bigger scenario. Think of the development of a software program or the Space Shuttle program. Note: Each  problem or issue may not need to be solved immediately. In fact, those best at applying a sense of urgency also know how to use time to their advantage. I don’t mean this in a slick or smarmy way. I mean in the sense that by carefully laying out the options they can make sure no one needs to make a panic based decision. Someone with a sense of panic is usually the opposite they will do anything they can or need to to get whatever it is done. People that can balance their sense of urgency will stand out in their careers. People will notice that panic does not end careers, but being prepared for a lot of unforeseen eventualities can and will help define a career. Simply Put: People that handle urgency and build it into their business plans and life plans will do well and will stand out in their careers. People will want you in their corner when the situation gets challenging. People will ask for you by name because they know you think things through. Five Tips for Developing Your Sense of Urgency Have a Plan  â€" Yes, document it. Communicate Your Plan  â€" This is elegant in its simplicity. Share your plan. A Shared Plan is an excellent footstep towards  Achieved Goal. Share the Results  â€" Good or bad, share what you learned and experienced. Re-Visit Your Plan  â€" Ask yourself and others Is it working? Be brutally candid. Adjust  â€" There is no shame in making adjustments. If something isn’t working … adjust, re-try, re-measure, and adjust again if needed. Remember: A Sense of Urgency is better than The Crush of Panic.

A Day In The Life Of A French And German Student

A Day In The Life Of A French And German Student Image by portableantiquities Life as an undergraduate: A blur of exciting and fun (albeit stressful) experiences all rolled into one. One things for sure â€" a day in the life of a French and German student is never boring. When considering stereotypes of university students, you may notice the most common opinions tend not to be very flattering: We “spend our loans boozing down the pub 24/7”, we “live in hovels and take our laundry home to our mums on weekends” or we “waste most of our days watching Jeremy Kyle and sleeping off hangovers”. Certainly, no one seems to consider the hours of studying, researching and essay writing it takes to come out with a degree. Just what is life as a student really like? Read on to experience a day in the life of a French and German joint honours student. 7.30am: The sound of my phone alarm rouses me. In previous years, dragging myself out of bed for a 9am start would have been akin to climbing Kilimanjaro in roller blades. Having now spent 9 months in Germany, where the school day begins at 8 (meaning a 6am start) , I breeze out the door with 20 minutes to spare and feeling quite smug. 8.45am: I arrive early for the German seminar. Fellow classmates have quickly slipped back into the student routine, when they turn up 15 minutes late and proceed to fall asleep while our tutor attempts to explain the subjunctive tense. Studying languages at university means I can give my opinion on nuclear power and immigration, but lack the ability to order a Subway because everyday vocabulary such as ‘cucumber’ and ‘peppers’ still eludes me: Go figure. 10am: I realise with sheer horror that the reading for the week is located in the Health Science library, aka home to the medical students. As I walk in, I feel hundreds of eyes narrowing down on the scummy BA student that has dared to blemish this hallowed space of study. Here, arts subjects are obviously akin to a particularly challenging colouring-in task. They smell my fear. I make a quick retreat. 11am-5pm: Being a fourth year, work is now coming in thick and fast. Most of the afternoon, I spend drowning under German literature and smashing my head against an open dictionary in the library. When I start contemplating to actually use Google translator, I realise that things have finally gotten too much. Heading to the careers fair, I get terrified at the prospect of possibly not getting a job. I feel depressed on realising that everyone assumes that as a language student, you will become a translator, interpreter or teacher. Obviously there are no other options! 7pm: I arrive home after a French grammar lecture that should be attended by 350 students. I counted about 50 present. If they will insist on putting it at the stupid time of 5pm in the evening, there won’t be more attendance. I tell myself that today I will cook from scratch to be healthy. After finding my ingredients have turned to mould in the fridge and noticing that all of our utensils are festering in the sink, this idea fades rapidly. The microwave, a frozen ready-meal and a fork become all I need. 9pm: I spend an hour moaning about the necessity of oral exams to a flatmate â€" because obviously you never need to actually speak a foreign language… #studentlogic 2am: I fall onto bed determined to get an early night. These plans evaporate, however, when course-mates announced plans to attend a ‘quids in, quid drinks’ night at a local nightclub. Having spent the night speaking German to an Erasmus student, however, I do feel the evening wasn’t a totally pointless exercise. Indeed, life as a student is nothing if not hectic. Essays, work and deadlines mean a constant state of stress, but knowing that graduation will soon be looming, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The benefits of learning a foreign language and experiencing life abroad can hardly be underestimated. In a nutshell: being a student of French and German is everything you could wish for. And just that little bit more. Let us know in the comments what happens on your average day as a student!

3 Top Tricks of Successful Job Seekers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

3 Top Tricks of Successful Job Seekers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In a decade of recruiting for countless sales and marketing jobs spanning numerous industries and locations, there is a reliable stable of tricks Ive seen job seekers use to put themselves ahead of the crowd in any interviewing situation. Below are the top 3 tactics to take your interviewing to the next level, bringing you more and better employment offers. 1. Do Meaningful Research Once youve secured an interview, everyone knows the basic rule do your research. But keep in mind that anyone can read a companys website, and your interviewing competition will do just that. The idea of doing research on the company prior to the interview isnt so you can rattle off factoids you gleaned from their website or list their major competitors to prove you read up a little on the industry. Set yourself apart by digging into as much recent history of the company as you can find (e.g. recent earnings reports for public firms, press releases and social media profiles, articles in the media about the industry). By learning about the companys recent direction and plans for the future, you gain a key piece of insight as to how you can help build momentum in the position. 2. Take Cues From Your Interviewer By far and away, the most consistent feedback our executive sales recruiters hear about successful job seekers is that they were able to follow the interviewers cues and provide the information the interviewer sought. By and large this is about listening and watching (when not on a phone interview). For instance, job seekers with spot-on qualifications lose out on the next interview by never answering the question being asked, and instead monologuing on the topics they feel show them in the best light. At the other end of the spectrum, candidates who perhaps seem like less than perfect fits on paper come through interviews with flying colors when they successfully engage on an interpersonal level with the interviewer. Whether you are dealing with a by-the-book HR associate or an off-the-cuff Director of Marketing, you are interviewing with the person through whom you take the next step to getting an offer, and adaptability is the name of the game. 3. Treat Interviewers Like Clients Approach the interview process as if it were any other client-facing project and you will usually find the steadiest footing. You would never dream of not following up with a client or potential client, or not thanking them for their time. Likewise, it ought to be second nature to ask clients for their priorities for the project (or in this case, the position) and to find out about the main challenges they want you to tackle as a vendor (or in this case, as an employee). In many ways, skilled sales and marketing job seekers come into the job search a step ahead. Use those skills to your advantage. In the End Whether you are after an entry-level marketing role with a multinational CPG firm or an executive-level business development role in a startup software company, these are the major steps you can take to ensure your success in the interview process. There are no guarantees in interviewing, but the above tactics are the most sure-fire ones to land you that next step in any interview process.

Writing of Resume For the Job Market

Writing of Resume For the Job MarketThere are various things to consider when writing a resume. This will enable you to get the best job and it is also important that the resume is formatted correctly for presentation on its final date. There are several things that you can write on your resume to make it appealing and enticing to your potential employer. It is advisable that you have a written resume as a part of your job search.Your resume should contain all the complete details about you and your work history. You should always remember that there are so many kinds of jobs and so many companies that you can apply for, so your resume should reflect your capability. Write the section that relates to you that include your skills, education, experiences, personality, and everything else.Remember that your resume should be written in chronological order. This means that your resume should be organized and place the most important items at the top. This will help you to become the first in the queue for any job that you apply for. In your resume, it is imperative that you include all the relevant information about you and your accomplishments. It should also have your contact details and your work history.When you are applying for a job, it is very essential that you list your contact details so that it is not difficult for your interviewer to contact you. To simplify matters, you can put your email address or any other contact method in your resume. This will help you get an interview with the company. If you do not have your email address or any other contact number, this will become a problem for you when you want to get a job.Include the name of the company where you worked, but do not include your full name. This will allow the company to contact you if there is a vacancy in your line of work. Your resume must be presented in an attractive and professional manner. Your resume should be sent through an official mail or the internet.Keep the work history as bri ef as possible. It is better to put in only those relevant details about your work history that can help your employer identify you. Make sure that the summary of your work history is about 15 pages long. This will also help you have a more streamlined process.Your resume should have contact details for at least three or four previous employers. This will enable you to respond to queries quickly and easily. This is also the case when you are trying to find a job.In order to complete the process of getting a job, you will need to put in an application or a cover letter. Your cover letter will be similar to your resume, but with a few modifications. This will help you improve your chances of getting a job. The difference between the two is that your cover letter will relate to the job in a general way.

Making A Career Out Of Investing In Commodities - CareerAlley

Making A Career Out Of Investing In Commodities - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. This year, experts in investment finance are noting that those who are most likely to succeed as investors will have25% exposure to commoditiessuch as gold and silver. With a success rate like that, its worth taking a look at commodities as part of a comprehensive career strategy as an investor. If youre just starting out, its important to tap into untapped marketswhile youre building your portfolio. Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash Whether youre already on the path to becoming a career investor or just starting out, its important to first understand how investing in commodities works. Tweet This What To Know About Investing In Precious Metals Whether youre already on the path to becoming a career investor or just starting out, its important to first understand how investing in commodities works. Because youre just starting out, its important to invest in high-return industries. This makes commodities a top choice, as Bloomberg, Think Advisor and the Financial Post all report thatcommodities are slated to soarthroughout all of 2019. Why? Due to the high investment demand for silver, the industrial supply and demand equation results in a strong, positive influence on the price. In this case, as a savvy investor, your next step would be to figure out where to purchase silver. According toMoney Metals Exchange, there are many platforms that offer great trading advice for precious metals so that you can capitalize on the trends before others do. source Why Commodities And Why Now? As the dynamics of world economics shift this year, the US dollar is projected to trend lower throughout at least the first half of 2019, if not the entire year. While this isnt great news for US-based businesses, it isgreat news for precious metals,as they make up a large portion of a market that depends on a weaker dollar. As imports priced in US dollars are more expensive when the dollar is weaker, companies will have to have to pay more to import commodities such as gold and silver. This not only helps bid up the prices, but there is strong evidence that shows that, historically, investors make gains on commodities, namely gold, when the US dollar is low. The investment and finance industry is a great proposition for anyone thinking about a new career. There is a huge range of professions available, catering to a wide set of skills. A career could be there for you. Opportunities For Careers In Investment The same experts also note that commodities as an investment asset class are extremely short at the moment. After analyzing how these markets go up so quickly, they believe that there are large gains to be made in the asset category in 2019, with the World Bank reporting thatcommodities already rose in January. source A Positive Future For Investors Making a career out of being an investor has the potential to be both highly rewarding and highly profitable. To succeed, however, youll need to ensure youre staying on top of hot trends and opportunities that will launch your career even higher. The price of gold continues to climb, and with trends showing that silver usually follows closely behind, making an investment in either one of the commodities a smart choice for 2019. Doing so might make or break your investment career. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

A Productive Job Search Needs Time and Process for Success

A Productive Job Search Needs Time and Process for Success Wow, This Job Search Process Takes So Much Time! After mentoring and hiring hundreds  of job seekers, the  most common  response I  get when I give advice on job search process  is,  â€œWow, this takes so much time!”  I’m even more concerned by  the  statement that most often follows right behind;  â€œI don’t have the time to put into this.”     I’m convinced there  are two types of  job seekers today: those who are  committed  and those who are  hobbyists. Which one are you?     The  committed  job seeker (both the employee  searching internally  in his or her own company  and  the person  looking at new companies)  is  willing to block the appropriate amount of time, put in the hard labor required, and perform at the highest quality level. Every written and spoken word and every action is thought through, checked and re-checked, and meets  the highest standards possible.     Here are the entry level criteria to be considered  committed:   Describe  your  job goal in writing  and state  it  clearly to your network.   Build your job search tools such as a tracking spreadsheet and  use  your personal productivity technology to manage follow-up.   Prepare  your sales approach:  how you will position yourself to hiring managers, what  is  your value to them, and how you will present yourself?   Research positions, companies, industries, interview answers,  and more.   Network with precision follow-up;  build two-way relationships for the long term.   The  hobbyist  job seeker cuts  corners, believes  he or she is  entitled to get a job, and tends  to be the victim of others’ inadequacies.  His or her  work is sloppy, riddled with errors,  and ordinary.  The hobbyist’s  excuses range from,  â€œThere is no point in doing all this research,” to “Why waste time on process when I should just be sending out my résumé?”   And, unfortunately, here are the symptoms of being a  hobbyist:   “I’ve been applying to multiple jobs but  have gotten  no interviews.”  or “There are no jobs out there.”   “I updated my résumé  and added the right keywords. That should be enough.”   Spend 1-5 hours per week on your job search, thinking that’s enough.   Securing some phone interviews but not  getting  in any face-to-face interviews.     No organized process behind your job search. Yellow sticky notes, doodles on pieces of paper.   R.A.A. â€" Random Acts of Application â€" applying to the wrong positions based on your background and not having a clear position goal.   How do you move  from  hobbyist  to  committed?    Follow these three steps:     Re-boot your entire job search  process from beginning to end and follow an organized process.     Stop applying and start being smart and strategic first. Execute second.     Accept the fact that the investment at the beginning of your job search will result in a speedier and  better-quality  outcome â€"  and  a better job! Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class ® right now and immediately access the most comprehensive job search system currently available!