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#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – Want to Look for a Job in 2019? Start by Doing these Things Right Now! …You Don’t have to Start Looking in December, But Doing the Groundwork Ahead of Time Can Help you Hit the Ground Running when 2019 starts.

December 4, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Most people looking for a job put it on hold in December. That’s generally because hiring slows down during the holiday season as people take vacations and lose time to seasonal events, and companies do other year-end activities like budgeting and employee evaluations.

December may not be when you’ll land a lot of interviews for permanent work, but it’s still a time of opportunity. If you know you will be seeking a job in the new year, you should take the month to get as ready as you can for the new year and the return of normal hiring rhythms.

Of course, if you’re out of work, you should not put your search on hold for December. Work on all of these things while you keep looking, because a hiring slowdown isn’t a hiring stoppage. And if you’re employed but ready to move on, these are good ways to get ready.

1. GET YOUR RESUME IN ORDER

It’s not enough to just update your resume. You also need to research whether resume format for your industry has changed. For example, in journalism a one-page resume was the standard throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At some point in the 2000s that changed, and multiple pages became not just appropriate, but expected for more senior-level people.

In addition to making sure you have your resume copyedited and checked for other errors, it’s important to make sure it’s current. Talk to hiring managers or other people in your field who have recently gotten hired to find out what’s the current norm.

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2. GET YOUR REFERENCES SET

Very few people like surprises. Your references may all agree that you’re a wonderful person and an excellent worker, but they probably don’t want a surprise call asking about you.

Let your references know that you plan to start a job search and that you’re using them as references. This will have them expecting calls and give them a chance to opt out–maybe they will be traveling out of the country, or maybe they don’t think they can say anything nice about you.

3. USE SOME VACATION TIME

Vacation policies vary by company. Some carry vacation over into the new year, and some pay you for unused time if you decide to leave, while others do neither.

December is a popular month to take time off, and in some cases, even companies where unused time does not carry over will allow you to book January vacations using 2018 time. If you have unused days, see if you can use them early in 2019, which can give you time to search for a job and go on interviews.

4. POLISH YOUR SKILLS

Consider the type of job you’ll be applying for and examine your skill set. Maybe there’s something you know how to do that you’re a little rusty at. Take an online refresher course or do something that lets you show during an interview that you worked on that area. Even just starting the process can make a big difference to prospective employers.

BEING RESTED AND READY WILL PAY OFF

While December can be a hectic month, it also tends to be a time when most workers in fields that aren’t retail-related get time off. Use that time both to prepare for your job search and to recharge your batteries.

Do things like setting up email alerts for certain job titles and bookmarking company careers pages you want to track. Make sure you have interview outfits ready to go and that you have nicely printed copies of your resume and references. There’s only so much you can prepare, but doing what you can will make it easier once the job market picks back up in the new year.

FastCompany.com |12-03-18 | BY DANIEL B. KLINE—THE MOTLEY FOOL 3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : 4 Ways to Become Indispensable to Your #Boss … One of the Best Ways to Remain Employed & Climb the Professional Ladder is to Become an Indispensable Employee.

December 3, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Becoming the go-to problem solver or the person who can be relied on to execute any task successfully is a sure-fire way to get your boss to notice you and fight hard to keep you happy. After all, don’t we all want to impress our managers and be invaluable to an organization?

However, there’s a distinct difference between being a dumping ground for errant tasks and being a key team player who is called on for prime assignments. We spoke to diversity and inclusion expert and author of Mastering the Game, Sharon Jones, to find out what are the primary ways to become essential to your boss.

Tip 1: Build on what you are told.

When a manager gives instructions, a good employee will closely follow the directions and do what she is told. However, a great employee will not only follow the directions that she is given but will also add value by pushing the project along anticipating the manager’s next step. Your managers are often busy managing multiple aspects of a project. Therefore, you can’t expect your managers to do their jobs and also yours. They won’t have time to spell out every single aspect of your project assignment. During check-in meetings, let your manager know what you both had agreed upon and the extra effort you put in to advance your aspect of the project. When you demonstrate competence, your manager will likely give you more independence to run with projects, and you will become a little more indispensable.How to Get A Promotion

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Tip 2: Have a “Can-Do” attitude.

If you want to become indispensable to your manager, then one of the best ways to distinguish yourself from your peers is to be a “can-do” person as opposed to someone who often says no. Managers look for professionals who not only produce exceptional results but also have a “can-do” attitude. The best way to strengthen your bond with your manager is to step up when he or she makes a request. If you can become a reliable “go-to” person, your relationship with your manager will strengthen. Realistically, you will not be able to complete every request exactly as it is outlined. Demonstrate your commitment to your manager first by saying yes, then bring up an alternative plan of execution based on your time and resource constraints. If you find a way to reliably deliver results, especially in difficult situations, your manager will begin to view you as a “go-to” person.

Tip 3: Lighten your manager’s workload.

Volunteer to take project’s off of your manager’s plate. During check-in meetings, ask about projects coming down the pipeline. If you hear about a project that fits your skill set, offer to get the ball rolling. To become truly indispensable, identify ways in which your skillset complements your manager’s skill set. If your manager hates doing a particular task and you are willing to take it on, she will want to keep you around for as long as possible. One note of caution: while it is ok to occasionally volunteer for administrative work to make your manager’s life easier, you should prioritize going after projects that demonstrate and grow your skill set.7 Ways Superstars Sabotage Their Promotion Potential

Tip 4: Keep your manager updated on a timely basis and let him/her know of any bumps in the road.

Managers never like to be surprised. So, the best way to be indispensable to your manager is to make sure you routinely keep him/her updated on your work. You can do that by establishing formal check-ins or informally do so by dropping by. You can also send email updates. Your office culture will dictate the appropriate manner for the update, but frequency is important. Also, be sure to give your manager a “heads up” if there is a problem you have encountered so that it can be addressed at an early stage. Remember, no one likes to be surprised at work.

Glassdoor.com | December 3, 2018 | Posted by Amy Elisa Jackson

#CareerAdvice : #JobPromotion – 5 Things You Can Do in the Next Year to Get Promoted… 2019 is Fast Approaching. At this Time, it Might be a Good Idea to Start Reviewing your Career Goals for the Next Year to see Where you’re At.

November 29, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

2019 is fast approaching. At this time, it might be a good idea to start reviewing your career goals for the next year to see where you’re at. Did you meet your goals? If not, how far behind are you?

As we get ready to enter into 2019, it might be a good idea to start mapping out measures you can take to give yourself a career boost in 2019. The following five actions will position you to have a more successful career in 2019:

1. Attend Conferences Related to Your Job/Role

One of the most effective ways to position yourself for better career opportunities in 2019 is by attending relevant conferences and events in your industry. Many organizations make provisions for interested employees to attend industry conferences to represent them or simply as a way to educate them.

“If you have been shying away from these conferences in the past, you’ve been hurting your career prospects,” says Dan Fox, founder of Boss Laser. “By attending relevant conferences, you can massively increase your network (you suddenly know, and are known by, a lot of people who are relevant to your industry), you can build your skills and experience [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][and] you will also get exposed to more opportunities from a diverse group of people compared to if you were simply on your own. By attending conferences, you will also have up-to-date information about industry best practices, news and resources that can aid your career growth.”Attending a Conference? Here’s How to Walk Away With a Solid Network

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2. Get an Advanced Degree

Another way to give yourself a career boost in 2019 is by getting an advanced degree. If you’re yet to obtain a Master’s degree, it might be a good idea to start making plans for it now. This is because most jobs have provisions that allow you to experience an increase in compensation if you get an advanced degree. Some companies even require those in senior management and professional positions to possess an advanced degree. Having an advanced degree also increases your career prospects, because the number of entry-level jobs requiring advanced degrees like a Master’s degree is increasing.

“An advanced degree can help you secure that elusive promotion you’ve always desired,” says Ayodeji Onibalusi of Effective Inbound Marketing. “A doctorate or masters degree would also boost your confidence and help you secure better job opportunities when you start looking for a new job.”

3. Work on Relationships With Your Coworkers and Superiors

As we get ready to enter into 2019, one of the questions you should ask yourself is where you stand in terms of your relationships with your co-workers and your superiors. Do you have a good relationship with them, or do you believe it’s simply sufficient to focus on work and get things done and still move forward in corporate circles? If you don’t have a good relationship with coworkers and superiors, it could come back to bite you. In fact, according to experts, it is very difficult, and almost impossible, to advance at work without a good relationship with co-workers and superiors. If you’ve not been getting along well with some of your peers at work, it might be a good idea to start fixing things now.

4. Regularly Update Information That Communicates Your Expertise

Many employees restrict their career growth by making little information publicly available about themselves — often unknowingly. A lot of employees have not updated their resume in years, and as a result their resume is not indicative of their current experience and skill set. Similarly, many employees have a LinkedIn profile, and other relevant career-related online profiles, with scant information about them. When you consider that many major organizations regularly scan LinkedIn and other relevant social media sites to determine which employees to hire, and that 92 percent of recruiters use social media to find high-quality candidates, it becomes instantly apparent how limiting not having an updated profile can be.

“It might be a good idea to create a schedule for updating your resume and relevant social media profiles to be indicative of your experience,” says Jonathan Marshall of Middlesex County Criminal Law. “This can be done every quarter, for example. You want to include every relevant information including awards, leadership capacities you’ve acted in and conferences you’ve attended,” he says.How to Master the Art of Bragging Like a Pro

5. Upgrade Your Wardrobe

If you’re wondering if dressing has anything to do with your career prospects, well it’s time to sit tight and take note — because how you dress can literally affect your career prospects and opportunities. An OfficeTeam survey found that 80 percent of executives say that how an employee dresses will affect the employee’s chances of being promoted. Other studies have also found a link between dressing and perceived confidence as well as career opportunities. If you want to be taken more seriously, and do not want to be denied your rightful career opportunities, it might be a good idea to upgrade your wardrobe.

Yasir Khan is a renowned online marketing consultant and has been in business since 2008. He owns Quantum SEO Labs and loves sharing tips on various aspects of marketing, conversions and real estate.

GlassDoor.com | November 29, 2018 | Posted by Yasir Khan

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#Leadership : #Productivity – These are the 5 Mistakes you Make when you #Delegate … As you Move Up in your Job, you Need to Go from Being Someone who Gets Things Done to Creating other People Who get Things Done. Here are a Few Common Mistakes People make when they Start to Delegate.

November 29, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We all know the go-to person in the office who knows how to get stuff done, and maybe it’s you. This person is frequently promoted to leadership because they excel, but that presents a problem, says Scott Eblin, author of The Next Level: What Insiders Know About Executive Success.

*Question*: **Do you Know How to Delegate?**

“Being a go-to person doesn’t help you build teams,” he says. “You need to go from being someone who gets things done to creating other people who get things done. It’s hard to let go. Getting things done is what you became known for and now you have to rebrand yourself. This causes fear and you have to overcome it to delegate effectively.”

Eblin says leaders often make five common mistakes when assigning work to others:

1. NOT UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TASK

Before you can delegate a task, you have to be clear on it. Too often leaders give an employee something to do without having a deep understanding of the task and its impact.

“Why does it matter to you and why does it matter to the person you’re delegating to?” Eblin asks. “What does it mean to the company or the customer? You have to be super clear on the task and the stakeholders.”

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2. MAKING AN INCOMPLETE REQUEST

When you delegate, make sure you are providing enough information. Eblin suggests writing down the steps before meeting with your employee to prepare for your initial delegation session.

“Develop a plan for follow-through,” he says. “Too often leaders don’t do a lot of prep. They’ll say, ‘Take the lead on this and let me know when you’re done,’ and not much more than that.”

Instead, you should provide explicit instructions and insights. “Be crystal clear,” says Eblin. “Say, ‘Here’s the task. Here is the timeline. When it’s completed it will look like this. This is who needs to be involved, and this is who needs to be informed.’”

Also, tell the person how much you want to be in the loop, what resources are available, and what they can and cannot do without asking. You might also provide some potential pitfalls they could run up against.

3. FORGETTING TO SET EXPECTATIONS ON ACHIEVEMENT

When you delegate a task, be sure to define what success looks like.

“How will the employee know when they reach 100%?” Eblin asks. “When will they be done? What does achievement look like? And who has to be happy with what’s achieved?”

4. MISSING REGULAR CHECK-INS

Too often leaders fail at delegating because they think of it as a “set it and forget it” exercise, says Eblin.

“Even if you’ve been clear in delegating and have a lot of confidence and trust, most of the time it requires some level of checking in,” he says. “Get clear on how often you will check in as well as what factors might trigger a check-in, a red flag, or action.”

It’s a good idea to set a regular check-in timeline, such as weekly or biweekly, Eblin suggests.

5. OVERLOOKING KNOWLEDGE AND KUDOS

Throughout the project, leaders should be mindful of the process. “There should be debrief lessons from the assignment,” says Eblin. “Are there things we learned while we were completing it? What can it tell us about the future on what we should do again, and what we would do differently based on what we’ve learned?”

And don’t forget to acknowledge the employee’s contribution. “Kudos is about recognition,” says Elbin. “Part of that is up front. It’s ‘Here’s what in it for you. This is what’s the upside for you if it goes well.’ And part is acknowledging what’s been accomplished at the end.”

Some people naturally have more project management skills, but delegating can be learned, says Eblin. “Go through these steps before you sit down with someone else and ask then to take the lead on a task,” he says. “Adopting a discipline around the prep and having a framework or checklist will get you off to a good start and help the other person bring it home.”

FastCompany.com | 11.29.18 | SECRETS OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE

#CareerAdvice : #Interviewing – Here’s Your #JobInterview Preparation Checklist…We’ve Compiled a Comprehensive List of Essential Ways to Gear Up for your Interview and Knock it Out of the Park. Ready, set, Prep!

November 28, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

So you applied for a job online, and just got a call from the recruiter asking if you can interview with the hiring manager. You are super excited until you hear that the interview is happening in 48 hours. 2 days. OMG!

Don’t panic; just prepare! Glassdoor has got you covered. Complete with timing and strategy, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of essential ways to gear up for your interview and knock it out of the park. Ready, set, prep!

As soon as you hang up with the recruiter:

1. Study for your interview like it’s a final exam.

Find as much information as you can on the company or organization, and commit as much of it to memory as possible.
If the job you’re interviewing for requires knowledge in a certain field, do all of the learning and brushing up you can on information that will be relevant to your interview.

2. Generate a list of potential interview questions (and their answers!) beforehand.

Base your list of questions on both what you expect them to ask and the real life experience of others
Reach out to people who worked in similar companies and positions as you are interviewing for and ask them about their interview experience
Use tools like Glassdoor’s interview question database to look up real interview questions and their answers.

The 45 Questions You Should Ask In Every Job Interview

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36 hours before the interview:

3. Write out answers to every question you anticipate, and practice delivering them out loud.

Even if you don’t remember your responses word for word, you can fall back on certain key points and phrases.
Write your own list of questions for the interviewer, and be prepared to ask them when the time arises.
Make sure your questions are nuanced and well-researched. Never ask for any information that can be simply found online.

4. Compare your skills and experience to the job description.

For each component of the job description, brainstorm your relevant skills and experiences, and think critically about how you want to present them.
If there’s a preferred skill or experience you do not have, be able to demonstrate you’ll be competent without it.

How to Read a Job Description

12-24 hours before the interview:

5. Be rested and healthy for the big day.

Before getting good night’s sleep, try to imagine yourself acing the interview.
Eat wholesome, healthy meals for the days preceding the interview.
If you are prone to anxiety, try breathing techniques or meditation the morning of the interview, and even directly before.

3-6 hours before the interview:

6. Dress for success

Keep your fashion choices subdued and classic – don’t wear clothes that will distract the interviewer.
If you’re unclear on what type of clothes to wear, don’t be afraid to reach out to your interviewer and ask.
Wear clothes you feel confident in. Don’t be afraid to invest in an “interview outfit” or two that you feel your best in.

7. Empower yourself

Practice a firm handshake, strong posture, and attentive body language in advance.
Think of a mantra you can call upon for self-confidence, like, “no matter what, I will do my best.”
Try to imagine yourself not getting the job. While it might be painful to think about, what can you see yourself having learned from the interview experience?

8. Don’t leave any unnecessary unknowns.

Plan what to bring (extra copies of your resume!) and even what transportation you are taking to the interview way in advance, so there’s no added uncertainty the day of.

How to Interview for Your First Management Role

During the interview:

9. Keep an interview journal

During or even after your interview is over, take a few minutes to jot down what parts you felt you aced, and where you could have shone brighter. These notes can serve as a valuable guide for your future interviews.

6-12 hours after the interview:

10. Follow up.

Extending the conversation shows that you’re passionate about the job. Don’t call every day asking if you got the job, but a simple thank you note can speak volumes about your commitment to the position.

And if you didn’t get the job? Let them know if you’re still interested, and ask what you can do to be a more attractive candidate in the future.

Glassdoor.com | November 5, 2018 | Posted by Lillian Childress

#CareerAdvice : 3 Things you Need to Do to Be Taken Seriously at #Work … Whether in a #NewJob or just Starting Out with a New Client, If you Feel Like No One is Taking You Seriously, You Should Check that you’re Getting These Three Things Right.

November 27, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

I have three kids who are all in their twenties. I remember fondly when they were in their teens, though, and each of them at different points would say, “Why don’t you treat me like an adult?” My response to them was that no adult ever needs to be asked to be treated like an adult. They command that respect by virtue of who they are

The same thing holds true for being taken seriously at work.

Early in your career, early in your tenure with a new organization, or early in your interactions with a new customer or client, you may feel like you have difficulty being taken seriously. Start by looking a bit at your own behavior to figure out whether you are doing anything that prevents people from engaging with your contributions the way you want.

ARE YOU LISTENING?

No matter how good your ideas are, nobody will pay attention to them if you cannot present them in a way that is on-point to the people you talk to. That means you need to provide a bridge between the knowledge and concerns of others and the idea you are presenting.

The only way to determine what other people know and what they care about is to listen to them. Ask a lot of questions. Listen to the language they use to discuss key issues. Listen for the pauses in what they say to get a sense of whether there are things people are uncomfortable discussing.

Then, mirror the language other people are using as you introduce your ideas. Go out of your way to help people see how the proposals you want to make connect with what they care about. And if you can’t find any bridge between what other people care about and your ideas, then you may need to wait for another time to lay out your plans.

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ARE YOU TAKING COMPLEXITY SERIOUSLY?

Another problem that can arise early on is that you may treat the problems people are grappling with too abstractly. When you first enter an organization or an engagement with a client, it is often easy to see things that are going wrong. It may seem obvious initially what the problems are and how to fix them.

Often, though, the systems that an organization has put in place reflect the need to make trade-offs among competing goals. These compromises may not allow the organization to do something optimally, but they may reflect a very good balance that resolves a number of conflicts.

Before throwing out suggestions for how to improve something, it is important to understand why things are done the way they are. If you make suggestions that don’t take the complexity of an issue into consideration, other people will assume you don’t really understand the problem (which is true). As a result, they will start to discount other things you say as well.

When you feel you have a good grasp on a situation, you can present your suggestions in a way that acknowledges the trade-offs that have to be made. Present your ideas in a way that helps people to see how they resolve conflicts in a different way that you believe to be better.

DO YOU FOLLOW THROUGH?

The best way to be taken seriously in any organization is to develop a reputation as someone who gets things done. That means that when you talk with people about plans for the future, you should take the lead on ensuring that the ideas move forward. Follow up with people to make sure that everyone knows their responsibilities. If you promised to do something by a particular time, then do it.

You don’t really need to broadcast your accomplishments. If you do what you say you are going to do, it will get noticed. Then, when you say something, people listen. They know that your words are followed by actions.

That also gains you allies around your organization. Much of what gets you taken seriously involves conversations that other people have outside of your presence in which you get mentioned. That reputation creates an orientation in other people where they already intend to take you seriously from the moment you engage with them.

It takes time to develop that reputation. You have to keep doing your work and doing it well. When you do that, though, you will find that it has been a while since you were concerned that people weren’t taking you seriously.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Art Markman, PhD is a professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin and Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organizations. Art is the author of Smart Thinking and Habits of Leadership, Smart Change, and most recently, Brain Briefs, co-authored with his “Two Guys on Your Head” co-host Bob Duke, which focuses on how you can use the science of motivation to change your behavior at work and at home.

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FastCompany.com | November 27, 2018 | BY ART MARKMAN 3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #Networking – How to Build (and maintain) an Effective #LinkedIn Network… Wondering whether to accept an invitation? Ask yourself this simple question: Would you feel comfortable making an introduction to this new connection?

November 25, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s no secret that the right connections can make a huge difference in landing your next job or making a career move. Having a strong LinkedIn network and engaging your connections can be an invaluable resource throughout your career.

Think of your network as a garden–it’s important to plant your garden with intention, tend to your plants regularly, and at some point you’ll likely need to do some pruning.

Here are some tips to help your LinkedIn network flourish:

GROW YOUR NETWORK THOUGHTFULLY FROM THE START

Start by connecting with people you know or trust–including people you know outside of your current field of work. If your network is filled with connections you know personally, it is real and usable, so that each and every connection has the potential to be helpful to your professional life, whether that’s a job recommendation, an introduction, or career advice. Focus on connecting with people from communities such as your company, school, industry, or who share your professional interests.

Once you connect on LinkedIn, you can typically see your connections’ connections, which can open the door to meeting new people who may be able to help your career. Asking your connections to introduce you to someone is a great way to expand your digital network. A warm introduction can be very helpful.

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CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY–DON’T OVER-PLANT!

Your LinkedIn network isn’t a numbers game, but unless you’re a professional recruiter, having a large number of connections doesn’t necessarily give you the edge. All of your connections should add value to your network–and vice versa. If you are considering connecting to someone you don’t actually know, you might actually consider following them instead. When you follow someone, you will still see any posts they share.

Getting invites from people you don’t know or don’t want to connect with? No problem. You can simply hit ignore, and the person won’t be notified. If you aren’t sure if you want to accept or ignore, you can also message the sender for more information on why they might want to connect by clicking Message below their invitation on the Manage invitations page.

NURTURE YOUR NETWORK

Remember that connections go both ways. Being a helpful, available connection is the best way to make sure your network is strong and to drive a shared sense of professional enrichment.

• Make yourself available to others and keep up regular conversations with colleagues and mentors. There are several ways to do that on LinkedIn, whether it’s indicating that you’re open to giving or receiving through our Career Advice feature, or participating in conversations in your feed.
• Post your own content (video, article, or text) or comment on other people’s posts. This is another great way to start conversations with people who have similar interests while sharing your personal expertise. You can also use posts to ask your network for help–like if you are looking for recommendations for a design freelancer to hire or even asking a tactical question about a software tool you are having trouble with.
• Reach out to schedule a coffee with someone in your field. You never know where a conversation might go.

KEEP YOUR NETWORK RELEVANT–TIME TO PRUNE?

So you’ve made a few career moves and the folks you connected with when you first joined LinkedIn aren’t adding value to your network today. Or, you were eager to build your network and accepted a few too many connection requests that you don’t know or don’t remember meeting. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to go through your network and disconnect with the people who are no longer professionally relevant.

To remove a connection: From the manage connections page, you can scroll through all your connections. Click the More icon (or “. . .” on mobile) next to the connection you’d like to remove and click Remove connection. Click Remove from the Remove Connection pop-up window.

If you do disconnect from someone, know that although they will not be notified of the disconnection, if they do search for you, they will see that you are no longer a connection. Depending on your relationship with that person, this could lead to an awkward conversation. As an alternative, if you want to keep a connection but don’t want to see that person’s posts in your feed, you can also simply unfollow them.

Having the right network will improve the quality and relevance of your feed, the people who send you messages, and who engages with your content. Remember, you and your network are on a professional journey together, and the stronger your network, the further you can go.

Lizabeth Li is a director of product management at LinkedIn.

FastCompany.com | BY LIZABETH LI 3 MINUTE READ | November 25, 2018

#CareerAdvice : 7 #SideHustles you Can Start from your Couch…You don’t need an Office, Employees, or Investment Capital to launch a Small Business that could Generate Thousands of Extra Dollars a Year.

November 19, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’re alive in 2018, you’ve probably heard of the side hustle. These days, it seems like everybody has one. In fact, if you’re a millennial, half of your peers already do.

Side hustles allow you to earn extra income, supplement a still-growing business, or get paid for a hobby you enjoy.

Many people hesitate to start a side business because they think it’ll be complicated. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need to go to an office, hire employees, or spend hours cold-calling to succeed.

And sure, you may only earn a few hundred dollars per month at first. But because these side hustles cost almost nothing to start, the money you rake in will become pure profit.

Excited yet? Here are seven side hustles you can start from your couch.

1. SELL AN INFORMATION PRODUCT

People love to learn new things, and you can profit from packaging your advice, knowledge, or expertise into a sellable product.

Are you an expert at getting the best deals at Disneyland? Know how to train pets? Give good dating advice? You can turn those insights into an ebook or course that people will pay for.

With information products, you pay an initial cost to create the resource and the website where it’s hosted, but it costs you nothing to produce extra copies of the book or course for new customers. That means that after you cover the initial costs of creating the product, you’re looking at almost pure profits from each sale.

If you create a solid information product and promote it well, it could earn you substantial passive income for years to come.

For instance, if you sell an ebook about dog training for $10 and get an average of 25 people to buy it every month, you’ll rake in an extra $2,500 per year. Or if you build an interactive course teaching men how to talk to women and sell it for $1,000, just one purchase a month will boost your income by $12,000.

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2. BECOME A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

A virtual assistant is like a regular assistant, only they connect to the business person online. They’re often hired by the hour, which means you can work as many or few hours per week as you’d like.

A virtual assistant can do practically anything, but the work often includes organizing resources and documents, scheduling appointments, taking calls, accounting, research, writing, proofreading, or editing.

If you have great attention to detail and would rather work with others than start a business by yourself, this could be a profitable choice for you.

Freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr often have job openings for virtual assistants. You can negotiate your own price with the client and clarify your tasks before accepting the job.

As a virtual assistant, you can charge between $15 and $60 per hour depending on how much value you’re able to bring to your client.

3. CREATE A NICHE REVIEW WEBSITE

Creating an in-depth resource on a specific niche can be a profitable endeavor.

The secret to a niche website’s profitability is affiliate marketing and advertising. The website creator writes a number of informative, in-depth articles and product reviews to help readers know which items they should purchase.

As the website’s audience grows over months and years, and more readers begin to purchase items through the website’s affiliate links, the website owner can begin to earn hundreds and even thousands of dollars per month.

The passive income blog Income School expects a well-built niche site to earn an average of 2.5¢ per page view, per month, and bring in an average of 30,000 monthly page views by the end of the first year. A niche website with thousands of monthly page views will also often receive five- and six-figure bids from investors.

4. PROOFREAD

We all have that friend who corrects everyone’s grammar or finds typos in menus and street signs. If you have a knack for finding mistakes in your native language, you could get paid to proofread.

Freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr have a steady stream of proofreading jobs, or you can start asking your friends and business connections to help them eliminate errors in their writing.

Proofreading rates can vary widely. Proofreaders who charge per word can command rates from 2¢ to 7¢ per word, or anywhere from $10 to $90 per hour. Rates depend on the quality of the job, the turnaround time, and the importance of the final document.

5. TRANSLATE

Parlez-vous francais? Or Spanish, Japanese, or Arabic? If you speak a second language, you could get paid to translate from your second language into your native language.

To find translation jobs, try online freelancing platforms made specially for translation, like Gengo and Unbabel. Or post your profile on ProZ, where clients search for translators and post translation jobs on the site-wide job board.

Translators generally charge between 10¢ and 25¢ per word or $30 to $50 per hour. Like proofreading, rates depend on quality, time constraints, and the importance of the translation.

6. TEACH ENGLISH

You’re reading this article in English, which means you’re a speaker of the most in-demand language on the planet. Millions of people attempt to learn English every year, which means English teachers are in high demand.

Websites like iTalki and Cambly are online platforms for anyone who wants to teach English or other languages to people of all ages. If you live in North America, you have more options, like teaching English to Chinese children through VIPKID or Qkids, or to Korean children through Englishunt.

Rates for English teachers can vary based on your experience and skill level. Cambly pays $10 per hour, VIPKID, Qkids, and Englishunt pay between $13 and $22 per hour, and iTalki allows teachers to set their own price.

7. START A CONTENT SITE

I know what you’re thinking: “Seriously? Didn’t everyone and his cousin already bail on their blogs because they got tired of the content-generation hamster wheel?” It may feel that way, but if you’re passionate enough about a subject, it might not feel like work.

And believe it or not, the market is still not saturated. There are millions of topics that people search for every day, and many of them have not been written about yet.

Even if your blog is about a popular topic, you can still find your unique angle, says Henneke Duistermaat in her book Blog to Win Business. “You can safely assume that everything about your topic has been written already,” she admits. “However, nobody has said it yet in the way you can say it.”

There are many paths to a profitable blog. Like niche websites, you can promote products through affiliate programs and collect a percentage of each sale. Or you can place ads on each page of your blog and collect a few cents for each impression, or person who views the ad. Another option is to sell information products (see No. 1) to the readers of your blog.

If you choose your subject well and use multiple money-making strategies for your blog, you can see monthly earnings of a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars over time.

If you have a smartphone or computer and an internet connection, the money is yours for the taking. Whether you choose to write, teach, or help someone else succeed, you can start building your profitable side hustle today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Arianna O’Dell is the founder of Airlink Marketing, a digital design and marketing agency helping companies create digital programs that drive results. When she’s not working with clients or traveling, you’ll find her making fun gifts at Ideas By Arianna.

FastCompany.com | November 19, 2018 | BY ARIANNA O’DELL 5 MINUTE READ

#Leadership : #Productivity – 9 CEOs Share their Favorite #ProductivityHacks…CEOs Work an Average of 62 hours a Week & Attend 37 #Meetings . Getting the Most Out of Their Hours is Critical.

November 14, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We all have the same number of hours in a week, but for some of us the demands on our time are greater. This is true with CEOs. A study published in Harvard Business Review found that each week CEOs work an average of 62.5 hours and attend 37 meetings. Getting the most out of their hours is critical.

Here are nine tricks successful CEOs use to squeeze more productivity out of themselves and their employees:

KEEP ONE DAY A WEEK FREE FROM MEETINGS

Thirty-seven meetings a week is a lot, and Asana CEO Dustin Moskovitz makes sure at least one day a week is meeting-free, implementing a company-wide “No Meeting Wednesdays” (NMW) rule.

“The high-level goal of NMW is to ensure that everyone gets a large block of time each week to do focused, heads-down work,” he writes on the company blog. “The justification is well articulated in a now famous Paul Graham article: Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule. The gist is that makers suffer greatly from interruptions in their flow time. Managers are generally used to having a schedule-driven day, so it’s easy for them to throw a disruption into somebody else’s calendar. Makers also do this to each other.”

Moskovitz wants managers to be makers some of the time, so NMW ensures they get some flow time, too, he said.

MAKE TIME FOR A NAP

One of the best ways to recharge during the day is with a nap, and StockX CEO Josh Luber isn’t afraid to admit that he sleeps on the job.

“I find that one of the best ways to maintain productivity is to incorporate power naps into your day,” he says. “At the rate at which StockX is growing, it’s a 24-hour job and I spend 70% to 80% of my time on the road across varying time zones, which can be hard on your body. I take 11-minute naps once or twice per day and find that it makes for increased energy and efficiency.”

USE DOWNTIME TO THINK

Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx, knows that she does her best thinking in the car. The problem is that she lives very close to her office.

“I’ve created what my friends call my ‘fake commute,’ and I get up an hour early before I’m supposed to go to Spanx and I drive around aimlessly in Atlanta with my commute so that I can have my thoughts come to me,” she told LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman on his podcast Masters of Scale.

Blakely also said she brings a notebook with her to take advantage of lulls. “There’s a number of events where the content on stage is super boring, but I’m locked in my chair because I can’t walk out,” she told Hoffman. “That’s the reason I always bring a notepad with me, because what I’ll do is I’ll start working. I have the focus of the fact that I can’t leave, I can’t get distracted, I can’t go work on something and I can’t do email, and I’m just sitting there with my pad of paper. I’m sitting there going, ‘Okay, this is really fucking boring,’ and I pull out my notepad and I start working.”

BE SPECIFIC WITH EMAIL

Katia Beauchamp, cofounder of Birchbox, says one of her best productivity tricks is something simple: She insists that her team includes a deadline in their email.

“It makes prioritization so much faster,” she told Lifehacker.

SAY “NO” MORE OFTEN

Jason Fried, CEO of Basecamp, says it’s hard to be productive when you say “yes” to too many things. So he is very selective about what he does.

“All the techniques and hacks in the world never add up to the power of ‘no,’” he told Lifehacker. “Having fewer things to do is the best way to get things done. I’m very careful with my time and attention–it’s my most precious resource. If you don’t have that, you can’t do what you want to do. And if you can’t do what you want to do, what’s the point?”

SKIP HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURES AND BE DIRECT

Following the chain of command can slow down a process, says TeslaCEO Elon Musk. In an email to his staff published on Inc.com, he tells employees “communication should travel via the shortest path necessary to get the job done.”

“A major source of issues is poor communication between departments,” he writes. “The way to solve this is allow free flow of information between all levels. If, in order to get something done between depts, an individual contributor has to talk to their manager, who talks to a director, who talks to a VP, who talks to another VP, who talks to a director, who talks to a manager, who talks to someone doing the actual work, then super dumb things will happen. It must be ok for people to talk directly and just make the right thing happen.”

MAKE QUICKER DECISIONS

When it’s time to make a decision, stop wasting time, former CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Meg Whitman said in an interview with Forbes. “I take in all the data,” she said. “A fast ‘no’ is better than a long extended ‘no’ or long extended ‘yes.’ It helps knowing that when you make mistakes, you can always fix mistakes.”

You have to be prudent, she said. “People can get frozen,” she said. “If you think about every bad thing that will happen, you freeze. This is where pattern recognition is really helpful. I’ve been doing this for so long; I’ve seen the movie before.”

SEND FEWER EMAILS

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner sends fewer emails to receive fewer emails. In a post on LinkedIn, he said that at a previous company he noticed that his inbox got lighter after two email-happy colleagues left the organization.

“Turns out, it wasn’t just their emails that were generating all of that inbox activity–it was my responses to their emails, the responses of the people who were added to those threads, the responses of the people those people subsequently copied, and so on,” he writes.

He decided to conduct an experiment, only writing emails when absolutely necessary. “End result: Materially fewer emails and a far more navigable inbox. I’ve tried to stick to the same rule ever since,” he writes.

CREATE BETTER LISTS

Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, starts each morning with his twist on the standard to-do list.

“Make a list of everything you want to accomplish that day. Be as exhaustive as possible,” he told Hoffman during an episode of Masters of Scale. “Group a few similar tasks together. Ask yourself for each group: What one action takes care of all of these? “It’s like a game of leverage.”

Repeat the grouping and refining process until you have just a few big tasks.

“If you have a list of 20 things to do, you end up realizing, ‘I don’t need to do 20 things,’” Chesky said. “If I do these three big things, the other 20 things will kind of happen as outcomes, or outputs, of it.”

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FastCompany.com | November 14, 2018 | BY STEPHANIE VOZZA 5 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : 15 Words and Phrases to Never Include in a #CoverLetter …Take the Expert Advice to Craft the Best Cover Letter Possible. Think: Personable and Professional.

November 13, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

While many job applications have the word “optional” next to the field that asks for a cover letter, it shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, a cover letter is intended to show you off and captivate a hiring manager, kind of like a movie trailer. It’s meant to tease and entice the recruiter or hiring manager to keep reading and be so interested in you that they simply cannot put down your resume. Think: personable and professional.

Some of the best cover letters tell interesting stories about the candidate and help them to be seen as a good culture fit for a company. “Recruiters always remember the personal side of cover letters — this is when you become more than just another applicant,” says career expert Heather Huhman. “They connect your experiences with your name because you’re giving them another dimension of you, sharing what makes you unique.”

Given the importance of a cover letter, you cannot afford to blow it. Once you’ve got a working draft, it’s time to grab your red pen. Here are 15 words and phrases that are simply dragging your cover letter down. Cut ‘em! Take the expert advice below to craft the best cover letter possible and let your personality, not robotic prose, shine through.

1. “To Whom It May Concern”

Generic salutations, while professional, can be a bit sterile. Do a little digging to find the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter. “Let’s say you discover an opening for an electrical engineer position at an engineering organization’s website. The position description indicates the employee will report to the lead electrical engineer. You decide (initially) to bypass the company’s automated application system so you can customize your communications,” advises Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, master resume writer. “You sail over to LinkedIn and begin researching. Use the advanced search feature and type in ‘name of company’ for the company name, ‘lead electrical engineer’ for keywords and ‘64152’ for a zip code for greater Kansas City (where the company headquarters and this position are located) and click enter. Your results will appear.”How to Write a Cover Letter

2. “Thinking outside of the box”

Recruiters read thousands of cover letters and resumes. It’s their job. So try hard to make reading your cover letter a treat. Career coach Angela Copeland says, “more specifically, stay away from phrases that are known to annoy hiring managers, such as ‘heavy lifting’ or ‘think outside the box’ or ‘game-changer.’” Be creative instead of using meaningless buzzwords.

3. “I’m not sure if you know”

“When it comes to today’s job search process, another thing to remember is your online footprint,” says Copeland. Phrases like this one underestimate a recruiter’s ability to Google and may come across as naive. HR professionals and recruiters do their due diligence on you. Trust us, they know. “In a way, your Google search results are a lot like the modern day cover letter. After an employer reads your cover letter, they will also Google you. Beat them to the punch and Google yourself. Be sure you’re comfortable with the information that shows up on the first two pages of the Google search results. Look through social media, photos and any other websites that show up when you search for yourself.”

4. Insider Jargon

“Job seekers should try to minimize phrases that are very industry-specific, especially if they’re switching industries,” advises Copeland. “Although these phrases may sound impressive within one industry, they will most likely confuse your hiring manager in the new industry you want to switch to.”

5. Claims Without Evidence

Instead of simply saying you’re good at what you do, Huhman advises providing a valuable anecdote. “Let’s say you’re applying for a marketing director position. Among other aspects in the description, the job requires several years of marketing experience, a deep knowledge of lead generation and strong communication skills. Describe how, in your previous role as a marketing manager, you ran several campaigns for your clients and exceeded their expectations of lead generation (with specific numbers, if possible), and how you also trained and mentored new associates on how to manage their own accounts, which improved client retention rates.” In other words, show how effective you have been in the past. “Your anecdote is accomplishing a lot at once — it’s demonstrating one of your top hard skills, lead nurturing, and showcasing how you can collaborate with trainees, communicate effectively and educate new employees on processes and client relations,” says Huhman. “You’re proving that you can meet the communication standards and marketing knowledge they’re seeking.”

6. “Love”

Cut the millennial speak. “You shouldn’t just say that you want the job or that you love your industry. You have to show your passion,” says Huhman. “Share why your career path best suits you and how your love for your work drives and motivates you. For example, answer some questions about what made you want to enter the field, how your personality helps you succeed and what past experiences influenced your career decisions.”The Dos and Don’ts of Showing Passion in an Interview

7. Lies

“Embellishing in a cover letter is one way to set yourself up for letting down your future employer once you’ve been hired,” warns Huhman. Steer clear of touting skills you don’t really possess or overselling your impact on a key project at your current employer. “The best-case scenario is that lying on a cover letter creates uncomfortable situations. Worst case scenario? [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][You’ll lose the] job because [you are] not the candidate they were looking for.”

8. Flattery

“When you’re looking for a job, do your best to bring your authentic self to the table. As the old saying goes, people hire people. Often, you’re hired because the hiring manager likes you — not just because you can do the work,” says Copeland. “Nobody likes insincere flattery. It leaves an impression that you aren’t authentic and therefore can’t be trusted. In business, especially in an employee/employer relationship, trust is paramount. Avoid being insincere, and focus on building a true relationship with your future hiring manager.”

9. “Please feel free”

Ending your cover letter with a clear call-to-action is key, but instead of being gentle, be direct. Show your confidence and prove to the recruiter that you know you wrote a compelling cover letter by wrapping up with a more self-assured request for an in-person interview or phone screen.

10. “Dynamic”

“Get away from stuffing cover letters full of clichéd phrases and think clear, honest and impactful. Think in terms of telling a story,” says resume expert Anish Majumdar. “You’re not a dynamic, agile leader who can deliver rapid marketing and biz dev ROI in rapidly-changing environments.” Instead, you are someone who thrives on helping companies “more fully realize their vision, and have some amazing successes on the marketing and business development front that you’d like to discuss.”

11. “Significant”

Instead of tiptoeing around the impact you’ve had at your current company with words like “significant,” “measurable” or “huge,” get specific. Nicole Cox, Chief Recruitment Officer at national recruiting firm Decision Toolbox, advises job seekers to, “substantiate your accomplishments with numbers. Some recruiters prefer to see actual numbers (such as ‘cut manufacturing costs by $500,000’), while others prefer percentages (‘cut manufacturing costs by 15 percent’). Either way, provide enough context to show the impact. If your objective was to cut manufacturing costs by 10 percent, make it clear that you exceeded the goal.”4 Metrics Recruiters Love to See on Resumes

12. “Really, truly, deeply”

Flowery language and excessive adverbs can come off as insincere. “Don’t get me wrong, you need to share your accomplishments in your cover letter. Nobody else will do it for you. But, you want to come across as confident, not arrogant,” says Copeland. “Fluffy jargon will risk turning off the hiring manager.”

13. Cut, Copy & Paste

Resist the temptation to write a cover letter that regurgitates what you’ve outlined in your resume. Instead, recognize the opportunity that a cover letter presents. “Use the cover letter as an opportunity to highlight the parts of your resume that align to the job,” says Copeland. “And, add things you don’t normally include in your resume that are relevant to the work. For example, I once coached a job seeker who was a university administrator. He was interested to work for a large hotel chain. Although he didn’t have direct hotel experience, his hobbies included both real estate investing and managing a fitness franchise location. This information was critical to him landing a job with the large hotel company.”

14. “Self-Starter,” “Detail-Oriented,” and “Forward-Thinker”

These are what’s known as “frequent offenders” amongst cover letter and resume experts. They are overused and carry little weight these days. “Treat a cover letter as a chance to make a human connection, not a formality,” says Majumdar. “What gets you excited about this job? What have you been up to recently that they’d find interesting? What should they know about you that they couldn’t discern by reading your resume? All great points to touch on in this letter.”

15. Synonyms Out of A Thesaurus

While it may be tempting to head to thesaurus.com to add a few high-brow words and smart-sounding phrases, resist the temptation. Be yourself. Be honest. “This is a prime opportunity to showcase skills,” says Majumdar. Words like “change,” “execute,” “communicates” and “relationship building” will all get the job done effectively when paired with strong anecdotes and authenticity.

GlassDoor.com | November 12, 2018 | Posted by Amy Elisa Jackson

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