Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom You Are More Than Your Credentials

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom You Are More Than Your Credentials Credentials ruled in the traditional job market. Candidates were coached to dial up the prestige on their resumes, on social media, and on job interviews. Saying you went to Harvard was better than saying you went to the University of Illinois. Describing a stint at Deloitte at age 22 was better than talking up the rare and desirable skills you picked up in a second-act career. That’s finally staring to change, but not every job seeker has quite gotten the memo. Many still tout their credentials as stand-ins for the job skills recruiters and hiring managers are really looking for. Here’s how (and why) to switch up your approach. THE TROUBLE WITH PEDIGREES Employers in all industries are finally wising up to the limits of fancy credentials as predictors of on-the-job success. Too often, high test scores and degrees from elite universities signal wealthy parents and other forms of privilege at least as much as they signal competence and expertise. Relying on signs of prestige doesn’t provide eitherthe diverse perspectives or the grit that employers need their workforces to possess in order to thrive in the modern business world. For the2018 Job Preparedness Indicator, my nonprofit organization, the Career Advisory Board, asked 500 U.S.-based hiring managers to share their thoughts on nontraditional job candidates.We defined nontraditional college students and graduates as meeting any of the following criteria: Started attending college more than one year after graduating high school Attended/attending college as a part-time student Had/have children and/or other dependents other than their spouse while attending college Worked/work at a full-time job while attending college Did not receive a standard high school diploma and instead earned a GED or high school certificate of completion Since the Career Advisory Board is supported by DeVry University, a for-profit institution that attracts many students from nontraditional backgrounds, DeVry certainly has a stake in the trends my team set out to analyze. Still, half of our respondents said their organizations are hiring more nontraditional students and graduates than they used to: 50% said they “recognize valid, alternative education paths besides the typical college journey”; 34% “desire more diversity in our workforce”; and 32% feel “nontraditional students and graduates have a stronger work ethic.” And refreshingly, fully 70% of hiring professionals agreed with the following statement: “If a candidate has the right skills for an open position, it doesn’t matter what type or format of education was used to get them.” These attitudes are reverberating throughout the talent space. Arecent LinkedIn surveyof some 9,000 recruiters and hiring managers likewise picked up on intensifying efforts to shake up the traditional recruitment process to find more diverse, qualified candidates without elite credentials. Andartificial intelligence is playing an ever-wider rolein efforts like those. At the same time, tech leaders likeAirbnb and Pinterest are expanding apprenticeship programsto hire smart, non-traditional engineers first, then train them on the job. One tech companyFast Companyspoke to last year has even startedintentionally hiring people withnorelevant experience, as long as they possess the right skills and qualities instead. GETTING BACK TO THE ACTION, NOT THE SETTING But these evolving attitudes won’t matter if you don’t change your approach as a job seeker in order to capitalize on them. Desperately talking up every impressive-sounding credential on your resume is going to pay diminishing returns in the years ahead.So whether or not you’re a nontraditional student or grad, it’s time to start pushing your skills to the forefront. These are a few ways to do that: Focus on on-the-job wins.Let’s say you’re applying to a job as a marketing data analyst. In the past, perhaps you led with the fact that you earned high honors studying computer science at a top university. Today you may have better luck mentioning how you mastered analytics skills by selecting and implementing new software at a previous employer, then used the mined data to tell a story about the best path forward. Speak directly to the job description.You have to know the target position inside and out in order to show how experience directly relates to the job in question. Be prepared to tell your interviewers exactly how you have solved similar challengesâ€"with excellent results. Then, instead of trying to prove why you’re like every “prestigious” cookie-cutter graduate who walks through the door, explain how the organization will benefit by having an employee with your special combination of determination, resilience, and resourcefulness. Get specific.Rather than trusting that a kid who got a few lucky breaks can hack it in an often chaotic business climate, employers told our researchers that they’re after candidates who “have developed niche skill sets or unique experiences that differentiate them from the market,” “have internal drive and good time management,” “have demonstrated a track record of stable work history, including promotions and cross-functional experiences,” and who are “willing to learn the business and work in whatever capacity the company needs them.” Arguably, these are all things that hiring managers have sought out since time immemorialâ€"they just used fancy pedigrees as a shorthand for these attributes. As that begins to change, more opportunity is opening up to more job seekers, no matter where they went to school or last worked. All that’s left to do is seize it. This post was originally published in Fast Company.

Writing Stack Operations Titles in Resume or Cover Letter

Writing Stack Operations Titles in Resume or Cover LetterWriting stack operations titles in resume or cover letter is essential to create an impression of expertise and responsibility. To make sure that your skills and capabilities are clear in the resume or cover letter, follow these tips.Writers often use the same words to describe stack operations as computer programmers do. If you were hired to design a computer application you would probably use terms like 'design process'design documentation'. The same is true of an operation management role.One of the problems is that when many people think of stack operations, they think of the whole stack operations stack or network operations. Although they may refer to these by different names, they are all pretty much the same. Therefore, when you are writing a stack operations title in resume or cover letter, do not necessarily use the term network because people will see you as a generalist and be able to pick up on that.Even if you are talking about different operations, you can still use a sentence structure that calls attention to a single operation. For example, you can mention that your role was 'associate director for customer support', which means that you did a lot of communications with the customers, fixed problems, and managed time zones. This will create a better impression of you being a valuable asset to the organization.When you are working on a stack operations title in resume or cover letter, you also want to consider something that will 'hook' your reader. People who read a lot will tend to pick up on the story and see yourself as someone who knows what they are doing.By the same token, if you are describing the networking operations of the company, people will get a lot more detail and will likely find you a little bit more believable. Let them know that the head of the businessis your boss, or that you worked there because of your career opportunities. You will be more convincing if you use you r own words rather than rehashing what other people wrote.When you are writing stack operations, you should always be thinking about how your skills and capabilities are aligned with the organization's needs. Be careful about rehashing what someone else has written, but try to focus on creating a good narrative.When you are writing a stack operations title in resume or cover letter, it is important to keep in mind that some people have a hard time picking up on this information. However, by considering these points and incorporating them into your resume or cover letter, you will be successful in making a good impression on the reader. That is important in getting the job.

6 Ways to Plan for Employee Maternity Leave

6 Ways to Plan for Employee Maternity Leave Planning for maternity leave can be just as daunting for an employer as it is for the employee. High-caliber, valued employees will be missed, however necessary and exciting the reason they go on leave. But employers who manage maternity leave as proactively and positively as possible are more likely to achieve a gender-balanced workforce and to attract and retain talented employees after they’ve had children. Here are some of our top tips on planning for maternity leave with a focus on keeping the employee, and their teams, feeling engaged, supported and valued throughout. 1. Don’t delay making plans Start discussions and begin planning as soon as possible. This will help ensure a smoother process and ensure everyone feels supported. It could also prevent any recruitment mistakes if you do decide to appoint maternity cover, as you won’t be doing it in a rush. 2. Gather key information Before you make any decisions, sit down with the employee and get a full understanding of their current role and any upcoming projects. Involve their line manager in the discussions if needed. People’s roles tend to evolve, especially in small businesses where they can be diverse with lots of different responsibilities. Use the opportunity to ask the colleague for their suggestions on the best cover option. What do they think would work best? What, if anything, are they most concerned about being successfully completed or maintained while they are on leave? 3. Consider all options The best cover option will depend on the job role, seniority level, nature of work, size of the team, etc. Potential options include covering the role internally by sharing out work among colleagues. Careful consideration needs to be given to the rest of the team before taking this approach. Make sure the extra workload would be manageable and won’t cause resentment which could impact on the engagement and retention of other talented employees. If this is an idea you want to explore, be transparent and involve all colleagues who would be affected so they can see they are being considered. An internal cover could also be created by having an existing employee step up into the position and recruiting a temporary employee to fill their role during this time. One of the advantages of this is that the employee who steps up will have plenty of existing experience and internal knowledge. But consideration needs to be given to how the employee feels about this and how it will impact on them when their colleague returns from leave. Alternatively, you may decide that the best option is to recruit maternity cover externally. 4. External recruitment support If you’ve never recruited on a maternity basis before, it may seem like a daunting process. Interim and maternity leave recruitment is one of the areas in which professional recruitment agencies can add value. At Pure, one of our specialisms is temporary recruitment, and we regularly place candidates in maternity fixed-term contracts or short-term roles. Our expert consultants can guide employers through everything, from administration through to understanding the regulations around short-term contracts. 5. Plan for smooth transitions When recruiting temporary employees to cover maternity, factor in some handover time for them to spend with the person they will be filling in for before they go on leave. This makes the transition period much smoother for all involved. It’s also worth doing the same when the employee returns to the business, so they have time to spend with the person who has been covering their role. This could also help to support a phased return process in which the employee initially starts back one or two days a week and builds back up to their contracted hours. 6. Discuss how to keep in touch Whatever cover option you choose, don’t forget about your existing employee while they are gone. As an employer you have a responsibility to keep in touch, telling them about any changes which could affect them and ensuring they receive all the benefits of their normal terms of employment. Beyond this, discuss with the employee how much contact they would like while on maternity leave. How and when would they like to be contacted? What information they’d like to receive? Open lines of communication are key to maintaining a good relationship and engagement levels on return.  As part of maternity leave employees are also entitled to up to 10 paid Keep in Touch or KIT days. There are no obligations on either side to do KIT days and no hard and fast rules on what these days should entail. For a start, they don’t even have to be full days. But they can be very beneficial and can be used for the employee to join team away days, training courses, conferences or team meetings.

Why You Dont Need That Dream Job to Succeed

Why You Dont Need That Dream Job to Succeed If youve applied for your dream job and subsequently experienced the blow of a rejection, you may feel that youve blown your big chance for success. But this neednt be the case at all! Read on for our guide to picking yourself up and re-setting your enthusiasm for the next step! Success can be measured in many ways and achieved via various routes. Yes, most people will see what appears to be their ideal job sometimes and feel that success relies on getting it but that isnt always the case. Remember, the reality of a job can very different from the advertisement. Secondly, there are plenty of opportunities in life if you know where to look for them. Thirdly, there are also different ways into your dream career particularly if you define success clearly for yourself! Lets take each point in turn. 1) The expectation versus reality: If youve seen an advert for what appears to be your dream job, but you didnt get it, dont overly dwell on the outcome and feel despondent. Use the experience to reposition yourself for success. Firstly, identify what it was about the job that particularly appealed to you, and pin down the elements that you are really looking for in a job. Was it the sector? The location? The responsibilities or opportunities for advancement? Or was it the pay? By really understanding what it is you are looking for, you will find it far easier to gain it in a future, or even current role. Also, seek interview feedback if you reached this stage and find out exactly what it was they were looking for, and why you didnt succeed. Dont be afraid to hear criticism. View it as a learning opportunity! Remember too, often the job will simply go to the person with the closest match on the experience and skills front; two areas that you can develop yourself to better position your application in future.   2) Look more broadly for your opportunities: Once youve identified the winning elements you want from your perfect role, work out how you could achieve them more generally. For example, if you were chasing a higher salary, then you may be able to have a pay review conversation with your line manager or take on additional development opportunities to earn more. Equally, if your perfect role involved you working on a specific project or interesting new area, establish whether there are opportunities to develop into a new direction or lead a new project within your current role. Perhaps you could take on training, or get involved with complementary projects outside of your day job? Think outside the box and look for ways to make your current situation more perfect and in line with your ambitions. You are likely to find that your boss is as keen to develop you and see you succeed as you are and managers are particularly likely to be flexible and accommodating to their top talent, recognising the value that they add to the organisa tion. 3) Look at alternative routes to get to where you want to be:  Most people in their dream careers didnt actually take a linear route to rapidly arrive at their dream destination. Most will take winding routes over a period of years, building up knowledge, experience and contact as they go. Remember, most good things are hard earned! So if you have your eye on a particular role, find out if there are different routes into it, and position yourself accordingly. Equally, if you have your heart set on working in particular organisation, find out if there are various routes in. Some people will take on contract roles, for example, simply to get inside an organisation and make themselves known in it for future permanent opportunities. Focus on the long term direction, take on learning opportunities wherever you can, and enjoy the journey! (source) 4) Two bonus steps to success: Also consider getting help. A mentor or a coach is a huge asset in progressing your career and developing the skills and expertise that you need to bag that dream role! Seek out someone that you admire who is more advanced in their career than you, and approach them informally to ask if they would consider mentoring you. They will likely be flattered! If they cannot mentor you because they lack the time, dont be offended. See if your current employer runs a mentoring scheme or would consider doing so. Your HR contact is a good place to start just be prepared to repay the favour to someone in your position when you are more advanced in your career! Finally, keep a clear picture in your head about where you want to be, and what you want to be doing. Write it down or create a mood board if necessary to really help you visualise it. Spend time visiting that visualisation daily and positioning it at the forefront of your mind, actions and intention. Research suggests that people who really create a sharp, clear and detailed picture of their dreams are far more likely to achieve it so spend time really pinning down your big ambition, and youll find that things start to fall into place to help you achieve your dreams! Author:  Satnam Brar is Managing Director of  Maximus IT. Maximus is an Oracle Gold Partner which specialises in recruitment in the ERP, CRM Database sectors, specifically ORACLE, MS Dynamics, Salesforce.com and SAP.

Tips on How to Create a Chicago Writing Resume

Tips on How to Create a Chicago Writing ResumeChicago writing resume is an excellent place to start when considering how to get a job. If you don't have a formal writing education, you can learn how to do this quickly. You just need to know what to write, where to find the relevant information, and how to put it all together into a single document that will be marketable.The first thing you need to know about Chicago writing resume is the basics. It's the same as any other resume. The important words are the first thing you have to put in your letter. All it takes is one simple word to blow your cover letter away. These words must be easy to read, short, and concise.Chicago resumes can be found online at many websites that sell them. Make sure you check the format before you spend your hard-earned money. In particular, make sure that your resume looks professional. A good example is one with black ink on white paper. That will make it look as though it was printed out from a real pri nting press.It's also a good idea to think about what your background is, before you write your resume. You don't want to leave anything out, but you do want to make sure that it doesn't take away from the person's abilities. Things like hobbies, skills, and past employment are all important to make sure that they are listed correctly.One of the best places to look for these simple examples is Craigslist. There are many people on there that may be looking for someone to fill a position, or write a resume for them. It's possible that you may be contacted to come up with something that they need to hire someone for. By giving it a try, you'll soon have some samples that you can use.On top of the above tips, keep in mind that the Chicago writing resume is not a one-page document. It's typically five to seven pages long. While some people prefer a smaller size, if you're feeling really bold, then go for it. The idea is to give it an appearance of being more professional.Finally, don't u se the same ideas over again when you're writing resume. Don't repeat your writing in a different way for each company you're writing for. This will make it difficult for the hiring manager to sift through the dozens of different letters you've sent. They'll be wondering where your thoughts, ideas, and creative instincts came from.Remember, Chicago resumes are an important part of a job search. Learning how to create one is simple. You just need to remember that the first few things you write should be the basics.

How to Avoid Paying for LinkedIn for Your Job Search - CareerEnlightenment.com

You can also see if that recruiter is on Twitter or Google+ which would give you another way to send a message without paying a fee.   The problem I’ve seen with InMails lately is that jobseekers are not adding any value to the message and I now see it more as a spamming issue.   As the article mentioned, use LinkedIn as a reference point however take the time and effort to market and brand yourself when you make the contact.Being out of work and doing a job search can be frustrating and feel like a job itself.   There are free resources available so don’t feel obligated to pay for something that you feel may give you a leg up in your job search.I met Chrystal Moore @RecruitMoore  on Twitter in response to this Forbes article. I originally agreed with the Forbes article, but after tweeting back and forth with Chrystal, I tend to agree with her perspective. So I asked her to write up her thoughts and share them with you here.  -Joshua

3 Tips to ease job-search (or other) worrying - Hire Imaging

3 Tips to ease job-search (or other) worrying - Hire Imaging In a world where many juggle umpteen balls in the air and often feel bombarded by information and to-do overload, it is not surprising that worry surfaces as one of the main culprits my clients in job search voice concern about. Over the years, I’ve researched and recommended strategies to help push through worries. Clients have reported positive feedback. I’d like to share some with you. Quick ways to curb worry Journal. Research shows that worries subside just by writing them down. Why? A log or diary gives you a concrete place to store your concerns, so you can distance yourself from them. When you write them down, your fears don’t seem so looming anymore. A report from researchers at the University of Chicago offered this illustration. Students who took 10 minutes to write down their anxieties before a major exam, performed better than their non-journaling peers. Gaze upward. This may sound silly. But research supports the fact that if you look up at the sky â€" its fluffy clouds, bright blue or sun effects, your racing thoughts of worry can be shirt-circuited and replaced with focus on tranquility and serenity. Beyond the sky, just looking out the window or concentrating on any big, distant object subconsciously gives your brain a broader perspective that shrinks your worries by comparison. Battle worry with fun Play a game. Playing a card or other game demands that you pay attention. The part of your brain that wanders (and worries) is overshadowed by the part that concentrates. Confession: I’m hooked on Words with Friends. Not a game player? The key is to do something that absorbs your attention. Chop vegetables. Sort a kitchen drawer. Read through your favorite recipes to pick something for dinner. Help someone. Doing something for someone else shifts your focus away from your worries. If it works with your schedule, volunteer. But you don’t have to volunteer to benefit in the worry department. Call a friend. Bake a cake for an elderly neighbor. And it’s interesting; research again shows that people who were worried about finances felt better after donating as little as $5 to a favorite charity. Their focus shifted from worry to comfort. Make music. You no doubt know that listening to music boosts your mood; it’s a great anxiety buster! So, why not choose those tunes that soothe you? Turn off the radio and make your own soundtrack. Then put it on random shuffle to keep your brain engaged by anticipation. Or do double duty; program those songs to take with you on a walk for extra stress relief. Plot your time to thwart worries Schedule worry. Really! If you’re consumed with this nagging angst, why not delegate time to it? Ideally, pick a time late in the day when you can worry 100%. Schedule it. When the time comes around, do nothing but think about everything that bothers you. But here’s the key. Don’t do it for more than five minutes. Set a timer. Mental health experts refer to this as “worry containment.” It frees your mind to think about other things throughout the day. Why? You know you’ll worry later; it’s on the schedule. So your brain says, “You don’t have to worry about this now.” Schedule action. Start small. Pick just one day to focus on action; mark it on your calendar. Write down all the people you know to start networking. Work on your resume. Practice interviewing. Pick up the phone and call some of those people on your networking list. Update your LinkedIn profile â€" or get it started.   Research companies that are of interest to you and hire those who do what you do. Scheduling your time gives your subconscious mind a deadline and again according to experts, more than doubles your chances of sticking to it! Stress and worry are part of life. But they don’t have to consume you; don’t let them. There’s no magic bullet to alleviate worry. But you can be in control, so that your thoughts and energies are not zapped with racing what-ifs; theyre poured into doing what needs to be done to land that great job! Photo: Robert Bouza