Top 4 Qualities You#8217;ll Need to Gatecrash the C-Suite

Top 4 Qualities You8217ll Need to Gatecrash the C-Suite Top 4 Qualities You8217ll Need to Gatecrash the C-Suite The life of a CEO is not as coveted as it once was. Today, not everyonewants to rise to the top in fact, many are content just to hang out on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder.This C-suite phobia should be welcome news tothose of you whoare aiming for the executive ranks. It means theres less competition out there for you to best. But that doesnt mean it will be easy The competition does exist for senior posts remains as fierce as ever, and it may become evenfiercer, given that recent reports show that the average CEO salary hit $13.8 million in 2015.If you want to ascend to the top, you not onlyhave to work hard, but also have to work smart. Lets face it Anyone who realistically aspires to this level is going to be a cut above the rest. Its up to you to outsmart all those other aspirants.The best way to position yourself for the C-level is to focus on developing a few premium skills and credentials that tend to go hand in hand with executive posts. My advice? Start with these four1. A degreeMore than 50 percent of Fortune 100 CEOshave degrees in economics, business, or accounting. Meanwhile, 27 percent of themstudied engineering and 14 percent studied law. If you really want to earn a place in the C-suite, its best to lay off the liberal arts. Pursue these more vocational fields of study instead and maybe even get yourself an MBA while youre at it, because 40 percent of Fortune 100 CEOs have one of those, too.2. The Art of PersuasionOnce you get that coveted corner office, you cant just bark orders at peopleand expect them to jump to it. This tactic may have worked at lower levels, but at the top of the ladder,your colleagues and associates will be much better at pushing back.Youll alsobe much further from the action, too, meaning you simply wont be in a position to tell someone to get on it. You cant walk around and shout in the ears of 100 employees every morning, can you? This isntFull Metal Jacket.the C-level, youll need to do a little less commanding, and a lot more persuading. When youre in the C-suite, youll need to convince and inspire people if you want to get anything done. Youll also need to be good at negotiating your way around any obstacles or conflicts that arise.3. Leadership SkillsOf course leadership skills are vital in leadership positions. What is less obvious, however, is what leadership skills really means.AtAccording to a study from the American Management Association (AMA), key leadership skills for the C-level include strategic planning, decision making, execution, and drive for results.Still, these might sound a little vague. Lets take a look at what these skills are like in practice- Rather than being stressed out or incapacitated by uncertainty and pressure, you take control with timelyand appropriatedecisions and actions.- You tend not to be hampered by hurdles and setbacks. You are matter of fact about them, and youalways find a way to work around them.- Even in the midst of the corporate melee, you can you map out strategic goals and keep your sights focused on what matters.- When others around your have had enough, you are busy lookingfor the next goal to accomplish.4. Time Management SkillsSure, time management skills arent sexy or exciting, but they are critical to your success as an executive. The AMA study cited above found that many members of the C-level struggle with time management, which is exactly why you need time management skills If you have them, but your competitors dont, then youll get a huge advantage over the other people vying for your executive spot._There are, of course, plenty of external factors beyond your control that will impact your ability to make it into the C-suite. In terms of what you can control, however, you should focus on sharpening your skills and credentials in the areas listed above. Doing so will give you the best possible ch ance of one day sitting inthat coveted corner office.

The Top 10 Mistakes Management Makes Managing People

The Top 10 Mistakes Management Makes Managing PeopleThe Top 10 Mistakes Management Makes Managing PeopleIts easy to understand why managers make significant mistakes in their daily management of the people they employ. Many managers lack fundamental training in managing people, which is usually manifest in their inability to practice the significant soft skills necessary to lead. But, even mora importantly, many managers lack the values, sensitivity, and awareness needed to interact effectively all day long with people. The best managers fundamentally value and appreciate people. Skills and techniques are easier to teach, but values, beliefs, and attitudes are much harder to teach- and harder for managers to learn. These are the underlying issues that will fruchtwein make managers successful- or bedrngnis. How important is it to help your managers succeed? Beyond description. Managers and how they manage their reporting staff members set the tone for your entire business operation. M anagers are the front line representation of your business. They are the cogs that hold your organization together because all of your employees report to them- for better or for worse. The majority of communication about the business is funneled through your managers. For your business and employees to succeed, your mid-level managers must succeed and become adept at managing in a style that empowers and enables employees. When employees resign, one of the top reasons for their resignation is their relationship with their manager. People often leave managers, not jobs or employers. (They also leave for reasons such as lack of opportunity, low work flexibility, and boredom, so managers are not exclusively on the hook.) But, managers so matter. So, this is why educating them and coaching them for success matters to you and your employees. Select Managers for Managing People In a job description for a manager, core job functions, traits, and abilities are listed. With this as a gu ide, manager selection should focus on both the management skills and the candidates cultural fit. Since they are in a ort to influence a large number of your employees, you want to make sure that you get both components right. Within the cultural fit component of your interview and selection process, a candidate for a manager position must demonstrate that he or she has beliefs, values, and a work style that are congruent with those of your organization. It includes having a commitment to empowering and enabling other employees also to contribute their best work. In a people-oriented, forward-looking organization, youll want to interview and select managers who exhibit these characteristics. Value peopleBelieve in two-way, frequent effective communication and listeningWant to create an environment in which employees are empowered to take charge of their jobsAble to hold people accountable and responsible without using punitive measuresDemonstrate leadership and the ability to set a clear directionBelieve in teamworkPlace the customer at the center of their reason for existence and regard reporting staff as customers Mistakes Managers Make Managing With all of this in mind about managers, preventing management mistakes and dumb decisions is paramount for a successful organization. Do you want to become a better manager? Here are the managing mistakes you most want to notice, prevent, and avoid. Fail to Get to Know Employees as People Developing a relationship with reporting employees is a key factor in managing. You dont want to be your employees divorce counselor or therapist, but you do want to know whats happening in their lives. When you know where the employee is going on vacation or that his kids play soccer, you are taking a healthy interest in your employees lives. Knowing that the dog died, expressing sympathy, or that her daughter won a coveted award at school make you an interested, involved boss. Knowing employees will make you a better manager , a manager who is more responsive to employee needs, moods, and life cycle events. Fail to Provide Clear Direction Managers fail to create standards and give people clear expectations, so they know what they are supposed to do, and wonder why they fail. If you make every task a priority, people will soon believe that there are no priorities. More importantly, they will never feel as if they have accomplished a complete task or goal. Within your clear expectations, if you are either too rigid or too flexible, your reporting employees will feel rudderless. You need to achieve an appropriate balance that allows you to lead employees and provide direction without dictating and destroying employee empowerment and employee engagement. Fail to Trust All managers should start out with all employees from a position of trust. (This shouldnt change until the employee proves himself unworthy of that trust.) When managers dont trust people to do their jobs, this lack of trust plays out in a num ber of injurious ways Micromanaging is one example. Constantly checking up is another. Treat people as if they are untrustworthy- watch them, track them, admonish them for every slight failing- because a few people are untrustworthy. Are you familiar with the old tenet that people live up to your expectations? Fail to Listen to and Help Employees Feel That Their Opinions Are Valued Active listening is a critical management skill. You can train managers in listening skills, but if the manager believes that listening is a way to demonstrate that he or she values people, training is usually unnecessary. Listening is providing recognition and demonstrating your values in action. When employees feel heard out and listened to, they feel important and respected. You will have much more information that you need when you daily open the floodgates. Make Decisions and Then Ask People for Their Input as If Their Feedback Mattered You can fool some of the people. But your best employees soon ge t the nature of your game and drop out. Good luck getting those employees to engage again. Along the same lines, create hierarchical permission steps and other roadblocks that teach people quickly that their ideas are subject to veto and wonder why no one has any suggestions for improvement. Enabling people to make decisions about their work is the heart of employee empowermentand the soul of employee engagement. Dont throttle them. Fail to React to Problems and Issues That Will Soon Fester If Ignored Managers have a habit of hoping that an uncomfortable issue, employee conflict or disagreement will go away on its own if they dont provoke it or try to resolve it. Trust that It wont. Issues, especially among people, get worse unless something in the mix changes. Proactive intervention from the manager to coach and mentor, or to make sure employees have the skills necessary to resolve the issue, is imperative. Drama and hysteria do interrupt productivity, motivation, and employee enga gement. Trying to Be Friends With Employees Who Report to You You can develop thermisch and supportive relationships with employees who report to you. But, you will have difficulty separating the reporting relationship in a friendship. Friends gossip, go out togetherand complain about work and the boss. There is no room for their manager in these kinds of relationships. Fail to Communicate Effectively and Withhold Important Information The best communication is transparent communication. Sure, some information is company confidential. You may have been asked to keep certain information under wraps for a while, but aside from these rare occasions, share what you know. Being a member of the in-crowd is a goal for most employees, and the in-crowd has information- all of the information needed to make good decisions. Ask for feedback, too. Ask people for their opinions, ideas, and continuous improvement suggestions, and if you fail to implement their suggestions, let them know why, or e mpower them to implement their ideas themselves. Not Treating All Employees Equally You dont necessarily have to treat every employee the same, but they must feel as if they receive equal treatment. The perception that you have pet employees or that you play favorites will undermine your efforts to manage people. It goes hand-in-hand with why befriending reporting employees is a bad idea. Employees who are not in your inner circle will always believe that you favor the employees who are- whether you do or not. This perception destroys teamwork and undermines productivity and success. Throw Employees Under the Bus Rather than taking responsibility for what goes wrong in the areas that you manage, blame particular employees when asked or confronted by senior leadership. When you know the responsibility is ultimately yours if you are the boss, why not act with dignity and protect your employees? When you blame employees, you look like an idiot, and your employees will disrespect and ha te you. Trust this. They will find out, and they will never trust you again. Theyll always be waiting for the other shoe to fall. Worst? Theyll tell all of their employee friends about what you did. Your other staff members will then distrust you, too. Your senior managers will not respect you either. They will question whether you are capable of doing the job and leading the team. When you throw your employees under the bus, you jeopardize your career- not theirs. And, it wont remove one iota of the blame from your shoulders. Managers make mistakes in addition to these ten, but these are the ten that are most likely to make you a terrible manager- the type of manager that employees love to leave.

5 Tools that Measure Your Online Brand

5 Tools that Measure Your Online Brand5 Tools that Measure Your Online BrandDo you know if all the effort you put into your Web presence is paying off? Here are a few easy ways to find out fast.The best kind of personal branding is three-pronged(1) Real-world communications activities (like public speaking, writing articles for print publications) (2) Virtual visibility and (3) Community-building through social media.Not only can you reach beyond your immediate circle, you can measure the influence your actions have on the broader online community.Measuring your personal brands success is easy. But have you tried yet? Do you know how big your brand is on the Web?Here are five easy-to-use W eb tools to help you get a handle on how powerful and prevalent your virtual personal brand isGoogle Alerts www.google.com/alertsGoogle Alerts notify you via e-mail when your name shows up on the Web, and it provides links to the reference sites so you can landsee exactly whats being said. This is a great way to stay on top of all references to your name. When you establish your alerts, remember to put your name in quotation marks (William Arruda) so the results you get match your name exactly. You can receive alerts in real time or in daily or weekly digests.You can also use Google Alerts to track Web developments related to your area of expertise. For example, I have a Google Alert set up for personal branding so I can stay on top the latest articles and conversations related to my passion.TweetBeep www.tweetbeep.comTweetBeep is like Google Alerts for Twitter. It lets you track Twitter conversations that mention you. The updates are hourly, so you can stay connected and respond to relevant conversations. You can also track whos writing about (tweeting) your Web site or blog. As Twitter becomes more and more popular, this tool will not only help you network efficiently, it will allow you to connect with those who are tweeting about you.Online ID Calculator www.onlineidcalcul ator.comWe developed this tool because we saw that there was no way to measure the strength of your online reputation. In doing research for our book Career Distinction, we learned that when people google someone, they judge the results based on two factors volume and relevance. Volume speaks to the quantity of results on the Web. If there are a lot of results for a search on your name, surely you have something to say.Relevance is an even more important element. When someone googles you, he wants to assess what it says about you. Is it consistent with how you show up in the real world? Does it back up what you say on your resume or through your interactions with others? Is it compelling? Does it make those who are searching about you want to get to know you? What does it say about your personal brand?Use the Online ID Calculator now, and you will have a baseline understanding of your current online ID. Then, after a major online personal-branding campaign, you can use it again to s ee how the campaign affected your score.bit.ly www.bit.lyThis is a great tool to track the links that you include in your Web-based articles, blog and Twitter posts. Its helpful because it shortens standard URLs (and this is critical especially since tweets are limited to 140 characters) however, its true value lies in its tracking tools. With Bit.ly, youre able to see in real time the frequency with which your links are clicked. This helps you understand the relative popularity of the items you post. Its a great way to measure which sources are most popular (since you can use different bit.ly links for your blog and Twitter posts) and which posts/links generate the greatest interest.Addictomatic www.addictomatic.comThis is an extremely useful tool that provides a comprehensive snapshot of how your brand shows up across many online search engines, including video search engines. Type your name in quotes (William Arruda), and see a custom page created just for you with eintrag from Google, Twitter, Bing (Microsofts new decision engine), FriendFeed, Twingly YouTube, Digg, Flickr, Delicious, BlogLines, Truveo, Wikio, Yahoo, Technorati, etc. You can also use Addictomatic to get a picture of whats happening on the WWW for your area of expertise.With all of these tools, remember Your results represent a snapshot in time. The Web is a dynamic place. You need to be vigilant and continue to use these tools to measure the currency of your personal brand.

8 Good Reasons to Start Looking for a New Job

8 Good Reasons to Start Looking for a New Job8 Good Reasons to Start Looking for a New JobBut to help, weve laid out a few good reasons to departure looking for a new job.Here are eightgood reasons to start looking for a new job1. Every day feels like a Sunday night. As a kid, you might have experienced feelings of dread on Sunday night knowing that school was starting again the next day. If every night starts feeling like a Sunday night (and every day at work feels like a Monday morning), it might be time to dust off your resume.2. You want/need to work from home, but your anfhrer wont let you. You might have a job that you love- but youre not really in love with your long commute to and from the office. Try speaking with your boss to see if you can ease your way into a flexible schedule (for example, you could ask to start working from home part-time to start). But if your boss is inflexible when it comes to your flexible work request, it could be a sign that you might be better of f working elsewhere.3. Your work performance is starting to suffer. When you were first hired for your job, you showed up on time at work every day and even burned the midnight oil on many occasions to produce the best work possible. Now, you might be clocking in a good 20 minutes late and only half-heartedly doing your work. Going through the motions can be a sign that your heart just isnt into your job anymore- and its time to move on.4. Youve learned everything you can in your current job. A new job can be exciting as you learn new policies, procedures, and protocols. After some time, though, you might feel as if youve outgrown your position, especially if youre not learning anything new. When that happens, you should speak to your boss to see if you can be given new responsibilities or a possible promotion, particularly if you still like the job and the company you work for. But if thats not a possibility, you may want to look for a new job that will allow you to grow more and s tretch your wings.5. You dont like your boss. At some point in your career, you might have a boss whom you really, really dont see eye to eye with. So when do you know if its just a small issue that will pass or something more serious? If your blood pressure is going through the roof because of your interactions with your boss, or youre being unfairly micromanaged, or worse, youre in an abusive situation, a new job is probablyin order.6. Your company is falling apart. In an effort to stay afloat, your company might be laying off people left and right. And each day you go into the office you may wonder if today will be your turn. Feeling that you might be let go from your job sooner rather than later can be a good reason to start looking for a new job while you still have one.7. You want to make a career change. A career change can be a great motivator for you to start looking for a new job. You might have a hobby that you can translate into a profitable career, or realize a long-hel d dream and make that your next career.8. The thought of a new job excites you. Theres something to be said for listening to your instincts. So if your heart starts to flutter a little faster at the idea of a new job, maybe you should trust what your gut is telling you- and get into job search mode.If youre ready, heres how to start a new job searchLook at your transferable skills. If youre considering a career change, you maythink you wont be eligible to apply for positions in your new field. Thats why you should look at what skills you couldneed for your new job and see which ones you already possess. It just might give you the encouragement youll need in order to look for the job you want.Figure out what would make you happy. Maybe one of the reasons why you wanted to look for a new job was because you werent happy in your current one. But instead of blindly starting a new job search, take the time to determine what it is about your current job that has made you both happy (and u nhappy) and what youd love to find in a new job (e.g., the ability to work remotely, a company with a great culture, etc.). Then base your new job search on those parameters.Get your home office ready. Lets say that youre looking for a telecommuting job. Why wait until you already have the job to start scrambling to get your home office ready? While youre job searching, gather the things youll need for work-from-home success. Find a spot in your home that will serve as your home office, and then outfit it with what youll to work remotely. Having everything already set up can help make for an easier transition when you do accept a job offer.Get social. A big component of job searching success is the getting the word out there that youre actually job hunting. So hit up your network to let people know that youre looking for new work opportunities- but be selective about who you speak to. After all, you dont want it to get back to your current boss or coworkers that you might be looking to leave the company before youve found a new position.Begin Your Search for a New Job

The Appeal of Quick Resume

The Appeal of Quick Resume The Dos and Donts of Quick Resume Thoughts revolving around what you would like to do in yur career will lead to the response to the most significant question. Resume Templates is a significant method to take away the stress from writing and presenting a resume so you can concentrate on what you have to do when youre given the interview. If youre a tenderfoot in the business, it is clear that your resume is devoid of experiences. Our easy resume builder service does not demand advanced technical understanding, which means that you can concentrate on spending time sifting through your great achievements as you decide what things to include, as opposed to on attempting to work out the way to use our new program. Your resume should clearly demonstrate your capacity to reach your objectives, and your capacity to generate an impact on others. If youre a software developer looking for employment, you have to first give your resume a facelift. When you truly want that job, then you have to send them a targeted resume. Our advanced technology will allow you to build your resume from one of our exquisite templates so you truly feel confident youre putting your very best foot forward as you step in the work industry. By using the planning stage, you can make koranvers your resume is tailored specifically to the job which you desire. Resumes are critical in the current competitive marketplace. Resume templates are perfect for individuals who dont possess the skill of producing impressive resumes. A resume template will provide the essential information that is necessary for a resume, in addition to the format and the way to present your working details in a logical and appealing way. Whispered Quick Resume Secrets Invoice templates dont will need to be boring. Invoices are some of the the key documents for business owners. Templates vary depending on the application. Customized Invoices Templates Our templates are easy to use and customizable. Employing a template can help you create a quick resume. Sometimes youll encounter the perfect invoice templates on the most unexpected websites. You want your invoices to reflect the values of your business. Always be sure that the invoice is sent to the acceptable client. The absolute most suitable invoice is imperative to receiving timely payments. It is essential to remember that recruiters are usually reviewing hundreds of resumes, at one time. Whenever the next job offer comes along, you truly will wish to have your resume ready. Customize, its a Best Practice If you would like to hook the interest of a possible employer or recruiter within a couple-of-seconds, you should customize your resume to reflect the job youre seeking. The ideal way to keyword-load your resume must be to look carefully on the job posting. The very last thing you desire is for your resume to let you down when youre actually the best suited pick for the job. Other times, you might need to rewrite no more than the personal overview to coordinate with the work description. No matter whether youre just beginning to look for your very first job or youve been involved in a lengthy job search for many months, its very critical to make yourself as hire-able as possible. To get the best targeted results, you need to do efficient resume search. A resume sells your experience and expertise to prospective employers. Even if youre qualified for the job, if youre not able to convey your qualifications through a fast glance of your resume, the recruiter will assume that youre not qualified and proceed. Think about your resume from the view of HR. Templates also show you exactly what you have to have in your CV, such as what information to put in each individual section, and what type of language to use. Check to guarantee youre providing all of the info required and clearly define your skill sets with regard to application requirements. You have to offer rele vant, concise details. Make sure that all your personal information is truly on your resume and its current. The result is fantastic to stunning Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better prospect of standing from the crowd even supposing its made utilizing a template. Create a master resume that will do the job for a selection of positions. Utilizing a resume template is now an acceptable and smart practice for several reasons.

The Do This, Get That Guide On Make a Resume Online Free

The Do This, Get That Guide On Make a Resume Online Free Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Make a Resume Online Free Is Wrong The sections are simple to skim for the most relevant details. You can also locate different references for the How to Resume your need here. The third sort is the combinational kind of resume which as the name hints at, borrows features from both of the other kinds. If you know a small html, you could even like to conserve the source to disk, add a couple of further tags, and voila Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any location in the creation practice. Listed below are some ideas to follow. No matter the job that you apply for, you are going to require a sharp-looking resume that looks good on-screen and in-print to earn a good impression. Thoughts revolving around what you would like to achieve in your career will end in the response to the most significant question. abflug by writing out all your abilitie s and accomplishments that youre able to imagine that are associated with the job. Creating Resume here is as easy as creating an on-line profile. The Ugly Secret of Make a Resume Online Free The capability to edit your resume from any place in the world is a significant asset that youre able to utilize to assist you land that upcoming great job. Our technicians will kindly answer all your questions. As soon as your profile is completed, you are going to have access to the Resume Builder. Besides, you might read the testimonials of our clients. You must make an account by using their website first. The reply is yes in the event you need to.

How to Be More Assertive at Work (Without Turning People Off)

How to Be More Assertive at Work (Without Turning People Off)How to Be More Assertive at Work (Without Turning People Off)Find it hard to advocate for yourself? Youre not alone. The personality trait that psychologists call agreeableness describes how motivated you are to get along with other people. If youre highly agreeable, that motivation can sometimes prevent you from sticking up for your own interests. Anytime you ask for something at work, you run the risk that youll be told no- and possibly aggravate the person youre asking. As a result, agreeable people may be put off from asking in the first place.This can be a problem, becauseresearch suggeststhat agreeable people tend to make less money than disagreeable people (even accounting for the fact that disagreeable people lose their jobs mora often). And in leadership roles, agreeable people may not be as good at getting their kollektivs all the resources they need. So, what can you do to be mora assertive, even when it just isn t in your personality to do so? Here are a few tipsStop HedgingWhen youre feeling concerned about making a certain request, there are a few different ways you might show it. One of them is with the way you phrase the request itself.Hedging phrases and expressions like sort of, kind of, or technically can water down what youre trying to say- and make you sound less confident than you need to be in order to get what you want.For example, when you say to someone that youre kind of done with a project, youre not really stating that you are finished with it, just somewhere in the vicinity of done.These linguistic habits can creep into your questions just as easily as they can water down your statements. Maybe you preface a request by saying, I was sort of hoping that you would hoping that this phrasing will come off more polite. Agreeable person that you are, you think your chances of getting what you want will be higher when you arent seen as imposing on anybody. But you might be wrong This language makes it sound like your request isnt all that important, or even that youre not certain it deserves to be granted.Just state your requests more directly. I need or I want will typically get you much further. Decision makers in your organization cant help you unless you state clearly what you need to be successful, and explain why its so important. Even if they cant grant what you want that very moment, they may be able to help you out in the future.Related These Personality Tests Found Things Out That Only My Mom KnowsTreat Your Request Like a First ImpressionPeople are influenced not just by the content of certain statements, but also by the confidence with which theyre put forward, and the same is true with requests.All the lessons youve learned abouthow to meet new peoplealso apply when youre asking for something. You know you have to look people in the eye, stand tall, and give a firm handshake in order to make a first impression. Youll want to be just as emotiona lly mit niveau when youre asking people for things- including people you already know well and work with every day. Speak clearly and audibly, make eye contact, and act as though you expect cooperation from them.Your agreeableness may prod you to take a more casual approach, but you need to resist that urge the same way youd have to if you were meeting new people while networking. Its important to project the expectation that your request will be taken seriously, and that display of confidence can boost the chances that it actually will be.Related These Expressions Make You Sound Like You Dont Know What Youre Talking AboutAlways Give a ReasonYoud be surprised how many people forget this one, but its always crucial to justify your request. You dont need to give a long, drawn-out explanation of why the thing youre asking for matters, but a clear statement of the underlying need or purpose is key to sounding assertive. The reason helps because it shifts people from making an up-or-down decision to having to argue with the reason. Sometimes, just the effort of having to grapple with the reason is enough to get people to agree.Aclassic 1978 studyby Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer and her colleagues looked at this issue when people would line up to use the office photocopier. They found that whenever somebody just asked if they could cut the line (a yes or no question), they were generally told no, and had to take their place at the back of the line. But if they gave a reason- Can I cut in? I need to make some copies?- people were much more likely to let them through. The reason itself couldnt have been more obvious, but it was enough- people just didnt want to have to argue with it.Of course, agoodreason (not just any reason) also helps bolster the case for your request. Its always useful for people to understand not just what you want, but why you want it. The trick, though, is to keep your request short. When you can give a crisp statement of why your request m atters, people assume you have really thought it through. If you ramble in your reasons, then the request is likely to seem half-baked, too.This is potentially good news for agreeable people whose personalities tend to make them less keen on asking for things even being able to muster a short explanation can go a long way.RelatedDo These 5 Emotionally Intelligent Things Within 5 Minutes of Meeting SomeoneRemember Theres No Harm in AskingFinally, dont forget that people who act as gatekeepers for resources know that people are going to ask them for things. Part of the job of managing a team is determining how to allocate those resources. Managers in those rolesexpectto have to manage those requests.That means that youre not doing something socially inappropriate when you approach someone with a request. It also means that they arent usually going to be angry with you if they have to tell you no. Typically, theyre just doing their best to manage the organizations resources in the best way they think they can. In other words, it isnt personal.If it helps you become more assertive, just remind yourself that your managers and supervisors dont feel bad about askingyouto do things. So, you shouldnt feel bad about reciprocating. Every organization has goals that its team members are charged with carrying out.Notasking for what you need hinders those goals. In that sense, withholding your request is probably the most disagreeable thing you can do.This article was originally published on htte nicht viel gefehlt Company. It has been republished here with permission.

Do Hobbies and Interests Have a Place on Your Resume

Do Hobbies and Interests Have a Place on Yur Resume Do Hobbies and Interests Have a Place on Your Resume Whether you have limited work experience or are an industry vet looking to breath more life into a dull resume, adding your hobbies and interests to your resume may be the perfect way to woo recruiters. These elements can give employers a complete picture of you beyond the skills youll bring to the role. Plus, showing a potential employer that you are a well-rounded person can get your resume noticed.But whats the difference between a hobby and an interest? In short Interests are passive, whereas hobbies are the active pursuit of interests. Collecting stamps, writing poetry, building model airplanes, and knitting are all hobbies reading about these subjects would make them interests. Both interests and hobbies can be directly associated with your profession or might be completely unrelated to your work.Interests are occasional pursuits or pastimes. For example, someone with an i nterest in financial investing might read a lot about the stock market, whereas someone who lists investing as a hobby likely spends hours each week studying financial reports and trading stocks. Make sense?You arent required to add hobbies and interests to your resume, so if you do add them, do so strategically and sparingly. Only mention those hobbies and interests you are prepared to discuss during an interview. Never add fake interests just to enhance your resume if a recruiter asks about them during the hiring process, youll call your own bluff and theyll discover you know little or nothing about one of your so-called passions.Another protip Only include safe-for-work pastimes. If any of your pursuits could be considered at all offensive, dont include them in your resume. In general, avoid mentioning hobbies or interests with a political or religious bent, as well as anything that might make you look frivolous. Shopping and binge-watching Netflix, for example, wont earn you any points.Hobbies and Interests That Look Great on a ResumeHere are examples of hobbies and interests that willposition you as a more attractive candidateTravel Letting employers know you enjoy travel is an excellent way to show that you are a curious person with seeks out new experiences.Reading If you add this to your resume, be prepared to discuss the last book you read or your favorite blogs and publications.CollectingIf youve been collecting stamps since you were eight-years-old or you have a passion for antique typewriters, its work mentioning. Employers often want to hire people who have pursuits outside of work.BloggingBloggers tend to be experts in the topics they cover. Whether or not your blog is relevant to your desired position, it can show consistency and expertise. If your blog contains content of a deeply personal nature, however, you should keep it off your resume.Volunteer Work/Community Involvement Companies want people who are engaged, and many companies strive to be more actively involved in their communities. Active community involvement or volunteer work can be a real asset on your resume.SportsMentioning sports you play or watch regularly can lend proof tothe soft skills listed on your resume, like being a team player, conflict resolution, and leadership abilities.Club Memberships Being a member of a club can highlight your ability to work well with likeminded individuals. But remember Dont include clubs with a religious or political focus.LiveCareer develops tools to help job seekers write resumes, draft cover letters, and prepare for interviews.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.

Calling out Competitors in an Ad Campaign

Calling out Competitors in an Ad CampaignCalling out Competitors in an Ad CampaignIs it good to put down the competition? In a word, yes, but theres more to it than that, as youll soon discover. Over the years, many great challenger brands (Avis, Pepsi, VW, Dockers, Virgin Atlantic) have taken on the big brand leaders (Hertz, Coke, Ford, Haggar, British Airways) and they have all been very successful with this strategy. The reason for their success is clear. Even if the challenger brand doesnt have the money or power to go head to head in an ad campaign for a long period of time, it does have the ability to start a fight. And when the big brand accepts the challenge, the strategy pays off, big time. Challenger Brand Example 1 - Avis Takes on Hertz At the dawn of the sixties, when you wanted to rent a car you went to Hertz. It welches a clear choice. Their main competitor, Avis, trailed far behind. At that time, Robert C. Townsend was the president of Avis. Their advertising agenc y was a shop that was gaining momentum with its track record of smart ads and strategic thinking - Doyle Dane Bernbach. During a meeting with the agency and its creative department, Townsend was grilled about the Avis business. He was asked the kinds of questions most agencies will ask Do you have better cars, or more locations, or cheaper rates? The answer was no to all three, after all, Hertz was dominant in the field. But then Townsend said, but we do try harder. DDB jumped on that and created one of the most powerful challenger brand campaigns ever produced. The ad Avis Is Only No. 2 We Try Harder (which became the tagline) was breakthrough, honest and had a fighting spirit. If theres one thing America loves, its a hard-working underdog. It also painted a picture of Hertz as this uncaring, corporate behemoth, and Avis as the brave, plucky David taking on the slow, cumbersome Goliath. It worked. It really worked. In 1962, Avis was not making a profit and had just 11% of the marke t share. One year after the ad campaign launched, Avis was profitable. By 1966, Avis had 35% of the market. Challenger Brand Example 2 - The Pepsi Challenge Knocks Out Coke Perhaps the most famous brand battle of the belastung century is Coke against Pepsi, also know as The Cola Wars. Its still going on to this very day, and neither side will ever let their guard down. They cant afford to. But it wasnt always a battle of giants. Coca-Cola hit the marketplace 12 years before Pepsi when drugstore owner (and morphine addict) John Pemberton launched his cocaine-infused drink in 1886. At that time, it was medicinal and was a supposed cure for morphine addiction, dyspepsia (the Pepsi connection) and headaches. In 1898, Pepsi was launched by Caleb Bradham, although it was originally called Brads Drink. The name changed to Pepsi-Cola in 1903, but by then Coca-Cola already had a huge grasp of the market, selling over a million gallons per year. In 1915, Cokes famous contour bottle launch ed, further establishing the dominance of the brand. By 1945, Coke has a market share of 60%. But Pepsi started to eat away at that number. In 1975, the Pepsi Challenge came along. Pepsi took the idea of a challenger brand to the general public. Blind taste tests were televised as ads, featuring people sipping two colas and deciding which they liked better. Pepsi beat out Coke, an embarrassing loss for the giant. That, coupled with the declining store sales (the market share was just 23% in 1983) led to one of the biggest mistakes in the history of the company. In 1985, New Coke was launched. Its said that on that day, everyone in Pepsi was given the day off. They had won the Cola War. Coke had spent millions formulating a new flavor just to compete with Pepsis taste, and it proved to be a disaster. It was scrapped less than 3 months later, and Coke Classic went on the shelves. By then, Pepsi had seen Coke dish out millions and millions of wasted dollars, and it had upset a loyal c ustomer base. These days, Coke has the larger market share (approx. 25% more) but spends twice as much on advertising per year than Pepsi. And Pepsis revenue is much larger due to multiple business lines. Pepsi is no longer a challenger its an equal. Challenger Brand Example 3 - vw Beetle And The US Auto Industry Imagine this. Youre sitting in an advertising agency just 15 years after the end of the 2nd World War. The following announcement is made Were going to sell a German car, commissioned by Adolf Hitler, to America. As a creative, a planner, an account manager or even someone in the financial department, that doesnt just seem like a tall order. But then this comes along The car is small. Really small. And right now, Americans love big cars. Boom. The last semblance of hope flies out of the window. Well, not for Bill Bernbach. And not only did he succeed, but he also created an advertising campaign that changed the face of the industry and is regarded as one of the best cam paigns of all time. The power of a challenger brand is that is can undermine the power and popularity of the status quo. Big cars are the norm. Everyone loves them. Big is beautiful. Doyle Dane Bernbach twisted that on its head. No, small is beautiful. Its cheaper. Its fuel efficient. Its extremely well-built. Its easier to park. Its reliable. Think small. Those two words, coupled with Helmut Krones beautifully simple layout, cut through the clutter. They made sense to the American public. The copywas witty, irreverent and honest. It was followed by one of the bravest ads ever produced an image of a Volkswagen Beetle with the word Lemon, a parole to describe a shoddy car. The ads of the time were boastful. They wouldnt even hint at anything that was negative. But the ad was intriguing. When the consumer read more, they realized that car was one in a million. It was actually an ad about Volkswagens high standards. And how honest? The tagline We pluck the lemons you get the plums seal ed the deal. The US auto industry didnt know what to make of them. At first, they were considered a joke. Then an annoyance. Then a competitor. Then a real threat. By 1972, just over 12 years later, the Volkswagen Beetle had gone from a virtually unknown car to the most popular car ever made (overtaking the Ford Model T). Thats the power of advertising, and no matter how hard the other automakers tried to put it down, it only fueled the Beetles fire.