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#CareerAdvice : #JobOpenings -Highest Paying Work From Home Jobs.

A growing number of professions are becoming increasingly flexible to remote workers. Medicine, for example, a field that traditionally required long visits to the doctor’s office and in-person checkups, is being revolutionized by the advent of telemedicine, which allows doctors and patients to communicate remotely. The global market for telemedicine is projected to climb 19 percent from 2018 to 2025, making for massive job openings for healthcare professionals to work remotely.

While it’s great news that remote work opportunities are growing across a variety of sectors, the even better news is that remote positions don’t require you to take a pay cut. In fact, work from home positions can help you save money by reducing transportation costs, or cutting the cost of having to live close to your workplace. Some positions even pay more for remote workers — one study on web developers, for example, found that developers who work remotely earn an average of 40 percent more than their counterparts who work in offices.

What kind of work from home job is right for you?

Work from home positions are available across a variety of industries, from tech to finance. While positions like software engineering have traditionally been more remote-friendly, companies are realizing that positions from client services to project management can also be opened up to remote workers. Use the Glassdoor job search tool with the location filter “Remote (Work From Home)” to see if the type of positions you’re interested in are currently available for remote work.

Which work from home jobs pay the most money?

Senior Software Engineer

Glassdoor Salary Range: $94,000 – $166,000

Software engineers work to develop, implement and refine applications software and computer systems software. Software engineers must have substantial knowledge of a number of programming languages, in addition to knowledge about software development and computer operating systems. While some software engineers are self-taught, many gain bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees or even Ph.D.s in computer science.

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Project Manager

Glassdoor Salary Range: $51,000 – $111,000

Project managers coordinate the team of people working on specific projects within a company or organization. This involves ensuring the timely completion of projects, helping solve roadblocks specific team members are facing, correctly budgeting for a project, documenting the steps of a project and overseeing the timeline of a project.

Physician

Glassdoor Salary Range: $119,000 – $303,000

With the advent of telemedicine, the options for physicians to work from home are now wider than ever. Becoming a physician is one of the most education-intensive career paths, requiring a bachelor’s degree, at least four years of medical school and between three and seven years of residency training.

Client Services Director

Glassdoor Salary Range: $76,000 – $160,000

The role of a client services director is very similar to an account manager, although sometimes less sales-focused. Client services directors are employed across businesses and organizations to maintain long-term relationships with clients and find solutions to client issues if they arise.

Business Development Manager

Glassdoor Salary Range: $49,000 – $118,000

A business development manager finds new opportunities for a company to sell its products or services. This includes identifying and fostering strategic partners, tracking new markets and emerging trends, creating sales opportunities with existing and new clients, and developing new business strategies for a company to increase sales.

Accountant

Glassdoor Salary Range: $40,000 – $77,000

Accountants collect, analyze, organize and make use of the financial records of their clients. They help file taxes, create budgets, analyze past and future financial performance of an organization, and keep accounting records. Becoming an accountant typically requires a bachelor’s degree, and sometimes a master’s degree, in accounting, as well as gaining licensure as a certified public accountant (CPA). Accountants work with the paper and digital records of their clients, so it is easy for them to work for the computer and conduct phone meetings with clients when needed.

Account Manager

Glassdoor Salary Range: $39,000 – $90,000

Account managers handle the relationships and sales with clients of a particular company. Wherever a company is making a sale or providing a service to a client, you’ll often find that account managers have a role there. Account managers are employed across many industries, from aerospace to beauty. The responsibilities of an account manager may vary across the industry they are employed in, but typically their responsibilities include managing and solving client issues, reaching company sales targets with clients and maintaining a smooth relationship between the client and the company.

UX Designer

Glassdoor Salary Range: $62,000 – $130,000

A UX designer, short for “user experience designer,” guides the design process of both digital and physical products in a way that ensures an ideal experience and interface for users. This includes designing and testing user friendliness, branding of products and ensuring an enjoyable and useful experience for users of a product.

Full Stack Web Developer

Glassdoor Salary Range: $50,000 – $117,000

A full stack web developer is a jack of all trades in the area of web development — they can develop the front end and back end portions of a mobile application, website or native application. Full stack developers must be proficient in multiple computer languages, as well as being able to work with databases, servers and systems engineering.

Graphic Designer  

Glassdoor Salary Range: $34,000 – $69,000

Graphic designers imagine and create digital images and art for all types of clients, ranging from a business that needs updated graphics on their website to a band that wants posters for their upcoming tour. Since many clients require designs on a temporary basis, a high proportion of graphic designers work freelance and work from home.

Work From Home Career Paths

Work from home positions can be found across many industries at many different skill and education levels. If you are currently in a job that is not remote, but has the potential to be, consider speaking to your boss about working from home once or twice a week to try out the arrangement. If you are looking for a new job, consider tailoring your search to work-from-home options. You can easily filter for remote-only results using Glassdoor’s job search tool, and setting the location filter to “Remote (Work From Home)”.

 

GlassDoor.com |  

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How to Write a #Resume That Will Impress a Bot ( #AI )…Great REad!

Getting hired used to mean writing a resume that stood out to the HR manager or recruiter assigned to thumb through them. Today, the gatekeeper is a machine as AI revolutionizes the hiring process. That means the way you write your resume has changed, too.

“AI is handling processes that used to take an enormous amount of time away from engaging with the talent pool,” says Jon Christiansen, PhD, chief intelligence officer of the marketing research firm Sparks Research. “HR managers don’t have to sift through hundreds of resumes, and they can get into their real expertise of recruiting and placing the right talent.”

While this is good news for the HR department, it adds a new challenge for candidates, says Arran Stewart chief visionary officer and co-founder of Job.com, a recruiting platform.

“AI has made the resume writing process far more competitive as it now requires emphasis on personalizing the document for the job in question rather than submitting a generic resume for a myriad of vacancies,” he says. “Where recruiters and hiring managers are able to read between the lines and find the relevance of any skill or accomplishment on your resume to the open positions they have, AI is only concerned with how closely your resume matches with the skills it’s been asked to look for in the job you applied to.”

Get past the bot and in front of the HR manager by doing these six things:

1. WRITE A NEW RESUME FOR EVERY JOB

The ability to blast out one version of a resume and get nibbles is over. Now you have to write a resume that speaks to the job description.

“The job description contains several clues about what the machine is looking for,” says Christiansen. “It’s saying, ‘Here are the knowledge skills I’m looking for, and here’s background I’m looking for.’ Look at the tags, keywords, and streams of text; that’s where you should get started.”

Apply the language to the resume you submit to the job in question, says Stewart. “AI is looking for singular relevance to the role they’re searching for, so including job-specific language is a must if you want to make it to the shortlist,” he says. “It might be slightly more work, but no different than say having different cover letters ready for each position.”

 

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2. USE EASY TO UNDERSTAND JOB TITLES

Some companies like to assign creative job titles, like Branding Guru or Planning Expert, but including them on your resume might get you passed over by the machine.

“It’s cool for culture, but that’s not the tags the machine is looking for,” says Christiansen. “If the job description says they’re looking for a marketing manager or product manger, that’s the tag it’s going to look for.”

Christiansen suggests going to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or O-NETand searching standard job titles. “If you can’t find your job title, it’s probably not going to be picked up and tagged during the machine screening,” he says.

Also consider the job progression, adds Stewart. “AI isn’t at the point of a mass scale predictive, so if you’re applying for a job that is senior to your current role as a logical next step in your career, AI won’t make the connection that it is the logical next step,” he says. “If your experience and skills make you seem underqualified, you should write in aspirational terms about your skills and accomplishments. That way the system views you as ready to take on the added challenge.”

3. RESIST THE URGE TO BE CREATIVE

Machines don’t judge you by the font you choose. If you have a font that can’t be read by most word processors, you might get spit out.

“Any font that isn’t within the Microsoft Word platform might not be able to be read,” says Christiansen. “Sometimes using a PDF format might work, but it’s not worth the risk.”

And don’t add graphics. Tables or images might look good, but again, the bot might not be able to recognize it.

“It might look like wasted space to a machine,” says Christiansen.

4. BE PRECISE

Including a long history of experience is no longer necessary, so try to keep your list of experience within the last five years, says Stewart.

“A full 20 years of work history dilutes the experience concentration weighing your resume, which will result in you being removed from shortlists,” he says. “When writing your resume remember the two Rs: keep it relevant and recent.”

5. CHECK YOUR SPELLING

You never want your resume to include spelling or grammatical errors, but a human might have been more forgiving than a machine.

“AI not only sorts through irrelevant applicants, in some cases it highlights the lazy ones as well,” says Stewart. “It’s still important to be sure your information is still meeting the usual standards of excellence expected for professional documents.”

6. INCLUDE A COVER LETTER

While a resume should be written to match the job and advance you past the bot, the cover letter is your chance to shine, says Christiansen.

“It’s an opportunity to speak like a human,” he says. “You can speak directly to the hiring manager, make yourself sound like a human and talk uniquely about the experiences you mentioned that spoke to the job description.”

Christiansen recommends writing three or four paragraphs about how you could fit that team, company and job. “Get into the why,” he says. “A cover letter may be an old practice, but I don’t see them go away. A good hiring manager wants to hear you in that.”

Taking these six steps involve more work on the part of the candidate, but skipping them might be a bigger risk.

“If you send out a generalized resume, it’s a case of garbage in/garbage out,” he says. “You want to get a match because you fit the job. If you’re getting calls from a generalized resume it’s because those companies want warm bodies, whether or not they fit the job. Is that where you want to work?”

 

FastCompany.com |April 1, 2019 | BY STEPHANIE VOZZA  4 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting -New Study: Professionally Written Resumes Score Jobs Faster & Earn More.

If you’ve been in the workforce for years, chances are you’ve considered outsourcing the dreaded process of writing a resume. After all, needing a new jobis stressful on its own, then add to that the anxiety of capturing your entire work history and value into one or two pages. Hello, migraine.

However, a new study by TopResume may provide a proven solution. The resume writing service commissioned a study to determine if recruiters perceive candidates with professionally written resumes to be more employable, as well as if job seekers benefit from a professionally written resume.

Need Resume Updated or Done?? .…… Contact us at  info@firstsun.com

The results? Recruiters valued candidates with professionally written resumes to be worth 7% more than when assessed using their self-written versions. Furthermore, candidates with professionally written resumes were more likely to secure interviews, land a new job sooner, and advance their career faster.

“Professionally written resumes increase a job seeker’s perceived value by providing a clear career narrative, a visually balanced presentation, and proof of the person’s abilities,” says Amanda Augustine, a certified professional resume writer and career coach.

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According to the data, candidates who invested in a professional resume reported:

  • 32% higher rate of finding a job than those who wrote their resume themselves.
  • 68% secured that job within 90 days of having their resume professionally written.
  • 42% of them moved on to a higher-level position.

“Anecdotal evidence has suggested that professionally written resumes offer significant benefits to job seekers, but there was no data to confirm those advantages — until now,” said Jeff Berger, CEO and founder of TopResume, a Talent Inc. company. “Now, when job seekers wonder whether investing in this critical job-search tool will positively influence their candidacy, there’s resounding proof it will help advance their career faster and at a higher salary and title.”

If editing and tweaking your resume is causing you to go mad or you are still wondering whether your resume is strong enough to beat the competition, consider hiring help via TopResume, especially if you’re changing careers or transferring industries. 

“When you’re changing careers, it’s assumed that your recent work experience will not perfectly align with the role you’re now targeting,” says Augustine. “To ensure your resume isn’t immediately trashed by the ‘bots’ or a recruiter, you need demonstrate that you possess the skills necessary to do the job well, even if this new job isn’t a natural next step after your previous role.”

That’s where transferable skills come in. “Some transferable skills are universal, regardless of the field: leadership, communication, analytical skills, and many others,” Augustine says. But “if you want to land a job faster and maximize your future paycheck, hire an expert to write it for you.”

 

GlassDoor.com | March 26, 2019

 

#CareerAdvice : #JobOpenings -10 High-Paying Jobs With Tons of Open Positions.

It’s easy to look at someone with a great salary and think about how lucky they are. But the truth is, high-paying jobs aren’t as rare as they seem — in fact, they’re often the ones with the most available positions. While you might first need to develop a special set of skills or pursue a particular degree, there are many in-demand jobs with high salaries that are only increasing by the minute as employers struggle to fill them with qualified candidates.

So if one of the following positions looks interesting to you, don’t wait — apply today before everyone else gets in on them!

1. Project Manager

Open Jobs: ~109k

Median Base Salary: $75,474

As a project manager, you’ll be responsible for leading projects from inception to execution. Common tasks involve managing a budget, setting timelines, delegating tasks and serving as a liaison between teams to ensure that everything is going smoothly. While a college degree is not necessarily required, many Project Managers have bachelor’s or master’s degrees, and possibly a Project Management Professional certification as well.

See Open Jobs 

2. Physician Assistant

Open Jobs: ~52k

Median Base Salary: $93,090

Interested in the medical field and helping others, but don’t want to attend medical school? A Physician Assistant position might be perfect for you. Physician Assistants perform many of the same tasks as doctors, such as examining and diagnosing patients, writing prescriptions and performing medical procedures under the supervision of a  physician. But unlike doctors, Physician Assistants only need to attend a two-year long graduate program.

See Open Jobs 

 

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3. Software Engineer

Open Jobs: ~141k

Median Base Salary: $103,035

You hardly ever run into a list of great jobs that doesn’t include Software Engineer, and for good reason. With how important smartphones, computers and the Internet have become in our daily lives, companies need plenty of talented people to help them create cutting-edge technology, and truly skilled individuals can be hard to come by. In the future, this field is only expected to get hotter — the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 24 percent job growth between 2016 and 2026.

See Open Jobs 

4. Marketing Manager

Open Jobs: ~61k

Median Base Salary: $81,078

Part art and part science, Marketing Managers leverage both creative and analytical skills in order to promote their company’s products or services. No two marketing manager positions are quite the same, but given the abundance of different fields of marketing out there — digital, social media, inbound, email, etc. — you’re sure to find something up your alley.

See Open Jobs 

5. Nurse Practitioner

Open Jobs: ~21k

Median Base Salary: $117,292

Like Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners are medical professionals who take on many of the same tasks as doctors. They can examine patients, order and interpret tests, diagnose illnesses and come up with treatment plans, sometimes without the supervision of a doctor depending on where they practice. In order to be able to perform these additional responsibilities, Nurse Practitioners must attend a two-year graduate program to receive their Master of Science in Nursing.

See Open Jobs 

6. Business Analyst

Open Jobs: ~76k

Median Base Salary: $69,163

Business Analysts can take on a wide variety of projects in a wide variety of fields, but no matter their specialty, they all use data to improve processes. By gathering, examining and synthesizing information to understand patterns and trends, they are able to glean insight into what actions a company should take. As a result, they often help companies improve profits, increase productivity and promote efficiency.

See Open Jobs 

7. Operations Manager

Open Jobs: ~68k

Median Base Salary: $76,971

Operations Managers are tasked with ensuring that businesses are running smoothly. They often analyze different functions of the business in order to determine their performance, then come up with solutions to improve their efficacy. On a day-to-day basis, this might involve analyzing data, creating reports, planning with teams and more.

8. Occupational Therapist

Open Jobs: ~14k

Median Base Salary: $80,782

Occupational Therapists help those with disabilities and injuries build up the strength and skills necessary to perform daily tasks. By assessing patients and developing a treatment plan, they are able to help them regain their agency. In order to become an Occupational Therapist, you must earn both a bachelor’s degree and enroll in a two-year master’s program where you learn about anatomy, kinesiology, therapeutic technology and patient care and communication.

9. Electrical Engineer

Open Jobs: ~77k

Median Base Salary: $86,153

From computers to cell phones to robots and more, Electrical Engineers design and build just about any electrical device you can think of. Because of this, they’re in high demand in many different fields, such as technological hardware, aerospace and defense, green energy and automotives. Electrical Engineers typically have a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, where they learn the fundamental concepts of physics, electromagnetism and electricity.

10. Product Manager

Open Jobs: ~74k

Median Base Salary: $113,886

As you might be able to tell by the name, Product Managers are the leads for a particular product. This might involve laying out the product roadmap, doing user research, conducting competitive analysis, working with engineers and product marketers, etc. While Product Managers aren’t always required to have technical skills, it never hurts to have a solid background in development.

 

GlassDoor.com |  |

#CareerAdvice : #CareerChange -10 Obstacles That Keep You From #ChangingCareers — and How to Overcome Them.

Raise your hand if you are thinking of changing careers! Or maybe you are in the midst of it, but something is holding you back. Whatever the case, you are not alone. Many people who want to change careers get stuck along the way.

Let’s look at some of the most common obstacles career changers face, whether before or during their career transition, and how you can overcome each one of them.

1. Focusing on What You Lack

This has to be mentioned right at the top — almost everyone I talk to who is thinking of changing careers but feels stuck is focusing on all the things they do not know how to do, or on all the resources they don’t have. This is completely backward — no one hires you based on what you do not know or have. The only things that matter are what you do know, what you have already accomplished and what you are interested in learning. Focus on what you can alreadycontribute to any profession and you’ll find yourself much more empowered in your career journey.

2. Not Knowing What You Want

Do you feel confident you can get whatever you want… except you don’t know what that is? If this sounds familiar when it comes to your career transition, dig deep: is it really true that you don’t know what you want? In my experience most people know what they want, but might not know what it looks like in a job. For example, you might know you would be happy working from home and writing, but you are not sure what kind of job would pay you to do just that. If this is you, stop saying you don’t know what you want and instead address the real question, which is that you are not sure what career could give you what you want. Or it might be that you know what you want, but are so afraid you wouldn’t succeed that you don’t let yourself admit that’s what you want. In that case your issue is fear, not lack of clarity.

If you really don’t know what you want, take this moment in time as an opportunity to try anything that feels interesting. Have fun exploring, and you’ll discover in the process what feels best. (Hint: you will not find the answer in your head — you need to get out and in action!)

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3. Lack of Information

In my work helping people change careers I often hear about different jobs… and sometimes encounter professions I didn’t even know existed! The truth is that you were probably exposed to only a few possible career options while growing up, and don’t know much about a wide variety of professions. Add the fact that technological innovation is creating many more opportunities that didn’t even exist just a few years ago, and chances are there are at least a few options that could be a good match for you, but you’ve never heard of. Most career changers don’t have enough information to make an informed decision — this is why you need to research and test possible professions and business ideas to gain real knowledge of what they are really like before committing to a new career.

4. Money Worries

We all know the drill: you should have at least 6 months of savings, no debt, a full-time job or at least a steady part-time income… in other words, you should be in a strong financial position before embarking on a career change. If you are, and you still feel stressed over money, keep reading for more tips on how to overcome fear. Focus on doing the work, and as long as you keep your financial acumen you’ll be fine.

If you are one of the 65 percent of Americans without significant savings, or one of the 48 percent of Americans who carry credit card debt or belong to the estimated 33 percent of college graduates who are underemployed, this is for you: I get it. I know it’s scary, and I know changing careers for you comes with added obstacles. Here’s the deal, though — you can’t afford more of the same exactly because it’s not working financially. Feeling worried or anxious about your finances will not help you — in fact, it will probably make it harder for you to make good decisions. Only your actions matter: learn to negotiate, say No to extra work that is underpaid or, if you are unemployed, volunteer and take on any type of work you are interested in rather than staying at home (it will also help you with your resume). Meet people, network, apply to jobs, start a side business. If you are already working like crazy and still struggling, commit to just a few hours each week to dedicate to your career transition. Do not let the lack of money stop you — instead, use it as powerful fire to light up your search for a new career. You can’t afford not to.

5. Unhealed Trauma

I personally think this is the big elephant in the room — the one thing we don’t talk about when discussing career-related issues. And we should. Our past, if not properly dealt with, can have an immense impact on how we relate to others. So how does unhealed trauma affect your career change? When you embark on any transition, including a career change, you are very likely to face rejection and failure — and these can be tough for everyone, but if you carry a lot of weight from the past, a negative experience can feel much worse once unhealed trauma is triggered. This is why it is so important to deal with your past. Treat your career change as part of a wider process of healing and start working with a therapist or healing professional of your choice right away. Your deep healing will help you better weather the ups and downs of your career change, and will expand your life beyond what you think is possible. Your desire to change careers could be part of a deeper calling to finally let go of what has been holding you back — so you can finally soar.

6. Lack of Role Models

Some of us are lucky enough to have knowledgeable and supportive family members, or maybe we had a cool teacher in the past or a boss who believed in us. Sometimes, though, that doesn’t happen, or the people who cheer us have no knowledge of the field we want to enter. If that’s the case, you need to go out and expand your network. This can mean finding someone who “officially” becomes your mentor (check out SCORE) or meeting people who are further ahead in your chosen career and learning from them through your interactions, deep conversations and rapport. I also recommend joining a group that is all about empowering its members. For example, there are many groups that support women in technology: by joining one, attending events and networking, you can find a lot of helpful information and resources to help you enter a new field. And through those interactions, you might also end up meeting a wonderful mentor or role model in a more traditional sense of the word.

7. Analysis Paralysis

This has got to be my favorite one, as I used to be a chronic sufferer from the condition! Some of us tend to get stuck trying to figure out every single step from now until we retire in our head. And of course, as each step comes with imaginary catastrophes, a lack of real information and often fear, we never feel we can make a decision, let alone know enough to take action. Argh!  Here’s the good news: this approach doesn’t work. Once you realize that it’s impossible to plan your entire career change in your head, you will finally give yourself permission to take one step at a time. What is the next thing you know you need to do in order to move forward? Focus on that. And trust that as you take that one step, you will be able to see the next, and then the next and so forth until you can reach your destination.

8. You Think the Past Is a Preview of What’s to Come

Just because every boss you had so far was unsupportive, it doesn’t mean that your next boss will be; just because you have always made little money, it doesn’t mean you will always be underpaid. We don’t know what the future has in store for us, but the good news is you can always work towards a different outcome. Bad bosses? I bet you can now spot the early signs! Underpaid? Use that as motivation to say ‘No’ to positions that pay too little and to move into a career or industry that pays what you need, learn to negotiate, update your skills, etc. Acknowledge what happened in the past, learn from it and then focus on what you want moving forward. Give the future a chance!

9. Trying to fit in

“I should be more open, I should go to more networking events, I am too much of an introvert, people like me don’t usually…” Stop right there! I am all for self-improvement, but there is a difference between wanting to grow as a person and imagining everyone else is better than you. Chances are, you already have all if not most of what you need to succeed: embrace who you are. Love yourself, focus on what you enjoy doing and are naturally good at, have fun learning new skills and getting out of your comfort zone, but do not think you need to be like someone else in order to be fulfilled in your career. You will be able to live a fulfilled life, including in your career, when you accept yourself as you are. From that place, you will become more open to new opportunities, flexible on the things you can be flexible about and someone people will want to be around. Trust me: Once you stop trying to fit in, you will find a career that is a good fit for you.

10. Don’t Make It All About Yourself

Last, but not least, it’s not just about you. In fact, the more you make it about you, the more insecure and stressed you will feel. Who do you want to serve? What lights you up? What difference do you want to make? These questions don’t have to have world-changing answers to motivate you: You can choose a career to provide your family with a stable environment, or you can commit to creating a business that offers employees great health insurance from day one because you believe in providing such benefits. There is no “small” purpose: Focus on the why, and you will find you have in you more courage and resilience than you ever thought possible.

Author: Aurora Meneghello is a Los Angeles-based career coach and the founder ofRepurpose Your Purpose. She works with groups and individuals who want to change careers.

 

GlassDoor.com | March 7, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – Here’s Why Prospective Employers Might Not Ever See Your #Resume … Must REad!

Whether you’re unhappy with your current job or are simply exploring your options, you’re probably aware that to land a new role, you’ll need a solid resume to submit as part of the application process. But what happens when you apply to a series of jobs you’re qualified for and aren’t contacted for a single interview?

You might start doubting your credentials, or doubting yourself. You might also be quick to point a finger at your resume, and wonder whether it’s somehow loaded with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors you just can’t seem to identify. If your job applications are going unanswered, it could be that your resume is to blame — but not in the way you think.

Is Your Resume Getting Seen?

The problem with your resume might not boil down to mistakes, but rather, the fact that prospective employers just aren’t seeing it. The reason? That document doesn’t have the right keywords.

These days, a growing number of companies are using applicant tracking software to narrow down their respective pools of qualified applicants. As part of the process, applications, including resumes, are scanned by software designed to look out for designated keywords — and if yours doesn’t have the right ones, it could be weeded out by a computer program, not an actual person.

The benefit of using such systems is that it makes the applicant-vetting process more efficient for employers. Rather than have to read through, say, 400 resumes for the average position, a company might instead invest in software that whittles the pool down to just 30 or 40 candidates. From there, reviewing resumes on an individual basis becomes far more feasible.

And it’s not just large firms that are using this technology to their advantage. Even small and medium-sized businesses are getting on board the algorithm train, thereby making it even more difficult for qualified candidates to get their foot in the door.

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Beating the System

You’re probably aware that your resume needs to be catchy, concise and informative. But apparently, you also need to worry about it containing the right keywords.

With that in mind, there are a couple of things you can do to increase your chances of having your resume actually reach prospective employers. First, read each job description you apply to carefully, and aim to have some of the keywords contained in those descriptions appear in your resume as well. For example, if a job listing seems to emphasize project management skills, make sure the words “project management” appear early on in your resume.

That said, don’t go overboard with those keywords. Just as search engines penalize websites for keyword-stuffing (putting so many keywords into a section of content so as to render it unreadable), some of the aforementioned programs reject resumes if they suspect that tactic.

Another way to improve your chances of getting your resume looked at? Don’t just apply to jobs through online forms. Instead, identify those companies you want to work for the most and try finding individuals to send your resume to personally. For example, if you determine that an old colleague of yours knows someone at a company you’re applying to, you might ask that person for an introduction, or to send your resume to that contact and request that he or she personally put it in front of the hiring manager.

Many companies offer incentives for referring qualified candidates for jobs, so if you’re a good fit for a given role, someone you don’t know directly might be willing to vouch for you if you have an associate in common and your resume looks good.

Crafting a compelling resume is hard enough, and having to concern yourself with keywords makes for an even more stressful experience. If you’ve been finding that your job applications are going unanswered, it could be that your resume just isn’t saying the right things. Take steps to be a bit more keyword-conscious without going overboard, and that might spell the difference between having your resume ignored versus noticed.

 

GlassDoor.com |  |

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch -7 Perfect Questions to Ask While #Networking …Great REad!

Odds are, you already know how important networking is. You might have leveraged your network to land a job, procure a new client or even switch careers entirely — or at the very least, you probably know someone who has. But despite the endless benefits of networking, many people still dread the experience.

Often, this is because they simply don’t know what to say. After all, approaching a stranger you know nothing about can be pretty intimidating — what in the world do you talk about?

Well, the next time you find yourself wondering this at an industry mixer, don’t fret. We talked to a handful of career experts to get their recommendations on great questions to ask while networking. Use any of these questions for a quick and painless conversation starter.

1. “What brings you here?”

This light-touch question is a great way to begin a conversation, explains Michelle Tillis Lederman, author of The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact.

“This question shows you are interested in the other person and are not just trying to figure out how they can help you. Their response will give you a sense of what they are working on and what is on the front of their mind. That will lead you to extend the conversation and figure out how you can add value to them,” Tillis Lederman explains. “They will also likely ask you the question in return and give you an opening to share what your current objectives are.”

2. “How did you get involved in the industry/company?”

Once you know a little bit more about somebody’s professional background, ask them how they got their start. It can provide valuable takeaways for you, as well as make you seem more likable.

“Finding out more about their journey leading up to their current role can offer an excellent insight into what you might need to do in order to work in that industry, role or company,” says Lars Herrem, Group Executive Director at recruiting agency Nigel Wright Group. “Demonstrating your interest and enthusiasm is key to creating a lasting impression and making yourself memorable, something which will prove extremely beneficial if you end up reaching out to this person in the future.”

 

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3. “Since you work in the industry, how do you feel about X?”

Asking about a specific, timely event in the industry — whether it’s proposed legislation, a merger, a recent news story, etc. — is a great way to show the person you’re speaking with that you are knowledgeable and thoughtful, both of which are key to being memorable, says career coach Eli Howayeck of Crafted Career Concepts.

“First impressions matter. The best thing you can do, besides being a nice person, is to demonstrate how you think and what you know about the marketplace,” Howayeck explains. “This helps direct the conversation and informs your conversation partner that you likely know what you’re talking about or, at a minimum, pay attention to what is going on in the world and [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”][are] not only focused on yourself and your advancement.”

4. “How would someone get their foot in the door in your company/industry?”

The ultimate objective of networking is often to get a new job, but coming out and asking somebody you just met to help you get one can be pretty off-putting. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t approach the topic at all — you just have to do so delicately.

This question “is a subtle way to ask about opportunities without coming right out and saying, ‘Do you know if they are hiring?’” says career coach Madelyn Mackie. “If you are lucky, they will ask you if you are interested and then provide you with a business card to follow-up with them after the event.”

Even if they aren’t able to help you out directly, though, you will likely gain some valuable insight that will help you in your job search process.

5. “Based on your journey, what do you wish someone would have told you earlier in your career?”

This is a great question to ask if you’re speaking with somebody who is more senior than you are. It allows them to impart the knowledge they’ve acquired over the years with you, as well as appeals to their ego.

“People are way more comfortable sharing their wisdom than they are sharing their contacts, and both can be very valuable,” Howayeck says. “Seeking to learn from others honors them and shows that you’re invested in growth. It also shows deference and can endear the person to you and deepen the connection.”

6. “How do you spend your time outside of work?”

At its heart, networking is all about forming connections with others, so don’t be afraid to veer towards lighthearted chitchat. Questions like this one help people open up, and make it clear that you don’t expect the interaction to be purely transactional.

“This kind of question lowers the stakes and also gives the other person a chance to discuss what they’re passionate about,” Howayeck explains. “It also shows that you are actually interested in them as a person, and not just what they do and how it could help you.”

Who knows? You may even bond over a shared interest or activity!

7. “What’s the best way for me to get in touch/follow up with you?”

Ask this question, and you’re guaranteed to avoid one of the biggest mistakes that novice networkers make, according to career coach Nikki Bruno: “Beginning networkers often make the mistake of giving away a stack of business cards but gathering none. The only way to ensure that you’ll be able to follow up with new contacts is to get their information; it keeps you in the driver’s seat.”

“Note that this question is intentionally different from ‘May I have your card?’” Bruno adds. “Asking to stay in touch or to follow someone shows that you view him/her as a human being, not as a mere contact.”

 

GlassDoor.com | March 5, 2019 | Posted by 

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#CareerAdvice : #JobInterview -#Recruiter -Approved Answers to “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” … Great Read!

When I was job hunting and in the process of interviewing, one of the scariest questions I came across was this one — “So, Caroline, where do you see yourself in five years?”

At the time, I was a month out of graduation. I barely had an inkling of an idea what I wanted to do in six months, never mind five years.

I struggled to find the line between honesty, genuine confusion and fantasy.

I wondered if I should say, “I hope to be at your company, perhaps leading the marketing team!” to suggest my steadfast loyalty to the company for which I was interviewing.

Alternatively, perhaps I should let them know my biggest fantasy: “In five years, I hope to be traveling and writing a book.”

Sometimes, I simply settled for the truth: “In five years … huh. I have no idea.”

However, none of these responses are answers you’ll want to copy for yourself. Here, we’re going to explore what interviewers actually want to know when they ask you that question, and how you can answer it to demonstrate your value as a candidate.

Why Interviewers Want to Know “Where You See Yourself in Five Years”

When an interviewer asks you, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”, they want to know one thing: whether your goals align well with the potential career path of the role for which you’re applying.

Ultimately, they want to hire a candidate who they can hire and train for the long-haul. They’re asking this question to gauge whether you’ll likely want to stay with the company for a long time, and whether the company can fulfill some of your long-term needs.

You might be thinking — “Okay, but so what if I quit after a year or two? I still put in my hard work during that time.”

Unfortunately, it’s more expensive to replace an employee, and bring a new hire up-to-speed, than you might think. In fact, the average company loses anywhere between 1% and 2.5% of their total revenue on the time and effort it takes to train a new hire.

Additionally, companies don’t want high turnover rates, which can decrease team morale and productivity.

For instance, let’s say you’re applying for a customer service position but tell the interviewer, “In a few years, I’d like to get more involved in SEO and marketing analytics.”

This can be a great answer, if the company has a department for that.

But if the company outsources their SEO tasks, then the recruiter just learned you’ll likely become frustrated by the lack of opportunities internally, and leave the company within the next few years.

Of course, if this is the case, they’ll choose to hire a candidate whose long-term growth plan aligns well with the opportunities their company can offer.

Now that we’ve clarified that, let’s take a look at how you should answer, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

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How to Answer, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

To ensure accuracy, I spoke with internal HubSpot recruiters to find out what type of answer they deem most appropriate for this question.

Holly Peterson, a Senior Recruiter at HubSpot, told me, “A good answer to this question is an honest one. If you don’t know where you see yourself in five years, that’s okay, but you should have something prepared, to at least share your thoughts surrounding the question.”

Peterson further noted, “Responding ‘I have no idea’, isn’t ideal, but saying something like ‘I’m not sure the exact role I want to be in, but I want to continue on a growth trajectory in X field — whether that develops into a people management role, or functional expert, it’s hard to say at this point in time. Overall, I want to make sure no matter what position I’m in, I’m constantly seeking growth opportunities in and outside my role.’ That way, whether you have a concrete goal or not, you set yourself up as someone who has a growth mindset, i.e. you’re a continual learner. All employers want to hire this type of person.”

HubSpot Recruiter Rich Lapham also advises candidates to avoid making a statement if they can’t back it up. He told me, “Whatever your answer, think through the follow-up question, ‘Why?’. When candidates can’t articulate their why, it often feels as though they aren’t presenting their authentic self, and to me, that’s a red flag. For instance, if I ask a candidate and they respond with ‘I want to be a manager’ and I ask ‘Why?’, you can usually tell the difference between people who are really interested in management versus people who say it because they think it is the right thing to say.”

Additionally, Olivia Chin, a Technology Recruiter at HubSpot, said, “I like to hear tangible, measurable answers that show candidates have done their research and also have personal drive, i.e. ‘I noticed a lot of Tech Leads at HubSpot started as Software Engineers. I am interested in people management and it’d be great to develop those skills on the job.’”

Chin, who recruits for both entry-level and senior positions, also mentioned, “I always appreciate honesty. If a candidate doesn’t have a set plan or timeline, a good answer might be, ‘As a junior-level candidate, I want to learn as much as I can, and in a year or two I’ll have a better idea of what I want next’.”

Finally, Glory Montes, a HubSpot Associate Campus Recruiter, told me, “Before answering this question, think about the size and culture of the company you’re interviewing for. Are they a fast-paced startup? If so, make sure your answer aims high! If they are slower-paced, make sure you are staying realistic about what kind of progress you can make in that organization. Also, the focus doesn’t always have to be on job titles. You can also focus on hard or soft skills you want to develop, relationships you want to make or even personal goals to give the recruiter a better idea of your priorities.”

Sample Answers to “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

1. “As a social media manager, I’d like to focus short-term on developing my skill set to become incredibly proficient on the job. Then, in five years’ time, I’d like to have become adept at design and know how to use programs like Photoshop — ideally, I’d take online or evening courses to help with this. I have an interest in video marketing, and I think there’s a compelling alignment between social media and video, and it could be interesting to figure out how to intersect those passions long-term to help grow your social media audience.”

2. “In five years, I’d like to have completed your leadership training course. I read about it on your website and think it’s a phenomenal program. Once I’ve completed that course, I’d like to develop my skill set to eventually become a project manager for my team.”

3. “My goal is to find a company where I can grow my career and develop new professional skills. In five years, I imagine I’d like to be in a leadership position — additionally, I’m interested in learning more about the content strategy side of the business. However, I find it most important to find a company that encourages continuous learning, as yours does.”

4. “Right now I’d like to continue to develop my writing skills, which is why I’m excited about the opportunity to be a blogger at your company. In five years, I would be delighted to see this role turn into a bit more of an editorial position, where I also help edit other writers’ work, and offer ideas for the editorial strategy of the team.”

5. “In five years I’d like to have developed a deep expertise of video strategy and how to use video to promote brands, which is why I’m excited about this position. I know my role will require me to become a master at video, which aligns well with my long-term goals. Additionally, in a few years, I could see myself enjoying the project management aspect of video strategy, as well.”

 

GlassDoor.com |  |

#CareerAdvice : #PregnantJobSearch – Here’s What Happened When I Interviewed for a New Job while Heavily Pregnant. Great Read!

I don’t know how else to start this story except with the punchline: I started interviewing for a senior position at an ad agency while six and a half months pregnant.

I got a job offer at eight months and received a formal contract two weeks after giving birth to my second daughter. I didn’t start my new, big, full-time gig until I’d enjoyed five months off with my delicious baby girl.

I do not share this to boast. I share it because every woman who’s found this out has looked at me, wide-eyed, asked to hear every detail, and then implored me to tell every woman I know.

Because it’s a sadly uncommon tale, right?

Our societal norm looks more like this: a professional woman finds out she’s pregnant and stays in her current position whether she likes it or not. She stays because of maternity leave and health care. Because she fears rejection. Because she feels ill and exhausted and can’t deal.

For many reasons, women’s professional mobility can be largely limited during pregnancy. Pregnancy alone is 10 months, and combine that with any amount of time trying to get pregnant plus the postpartum period, and suddenly two years go by. Given that the average 25 to 34-year-old female stays with a job for only 2.8 years, this period of time with limited job movement is significant. And that’s just for one child.

I did not consciously decide to fight against this current. What initially happened to me was in line with the standard tale. I found myself at three months pregnant ready to make a professional move but realized my timing was lousy. Impossible even. I’d loved my latest experience and coworkers, but felt I’d grown as much as I could within my role and the company at large. I was ready to start looking for my next challenge. But job searching takes time, and I’d be lucky to find an opportunity by the time I was six months pregnant, and who would hire me then?

Like many pregnant women, I internally shrugged my shoulders and accepted my fate. I would stay put, I told myself. Use this time to figure out my next move, take my maternity leave, and start interviewing when I became hirable again (i.e. after the baby was born).

But impatience nagged at me. I started responding to recruiter messages, just out of curiosity. Or so I told myself. These calls often went well, but when I eventually shared that I was pregnant–because I’m honest like that–the script cut to a quick and common finale. “Oh, congrats! You’re like the third woman I’ve spoken with this month who’s pregnant. There must be something in the air. Okay, let’s talk after the baby is born.”

These recruiters were other women. And I wasn’t even offended at the time. All it did was reinforce my own assumption that I was indeed stuck for now. I once again shrugged my shoulders and told myself that it was all for the best. It’d force me to relax, take my time and make a really thoughtful decision about my next move.

As part of this exploration, I reached out to past colleagues I’d always liked and admired, and asked them to reconnect over coffee. After one such meeting, with a man I used to work with but hadn’t connected with in over a decade, I became particularly interested and excited. He was now president of Heat, an ad agency, and I found myself thinking the agency was potentially the fit I’d been looking for. I could tell he was interested in my experience as well. We parted ways by agreeing to reconnect after the baby was born when I was ready to make a move.

 

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In all fairness to him, I had learned to open any and all networking coffees by pointing to the obvious baby bump in my belly and clarifying that I was just using this time to explore my next step. Of course, I wasn’t looking to make a move right now. I certainly contributed to setting my own limitations, but no one I met with encouraged me to consider otherwise.

After this fruitful networking coffee, I came home and excitedly told my husband about it. But I soon found myself expressing disappointment that I couldn’t just jump at the opportunity now. I tried to shrug my shoulders yet again, but my disappointment quickly shifted into annoyance. This sucks. My husband wouldn’t have to wait for months to pursue an opportunity because we’re having a baby. Why should I?

It’s at this moment my story takes an uncommon turn.

Instead of quieting that voice, I decided to challenge the status quo for acceptable pregnant lady behavior. I did something the next day that everyone in my life thought was crazy, including me. I reached back out to the man I’d had coffee with to say, “I’m actually ready to talk seriously now if you are.”

This was a scary thing to do. It opened me up to being judged or rejected by someone whom I wanted to maintain a good rapport. Exhibiting professional ambition while also being thrilled to have a child on the way can be a really delicate tightrope for women to walk. Pregnancy is a giant visual reminder of the dichotomy between work and family, stamped across a woman’s body. I knew full well that I wasn’t as desirable as a candidate at that moment as I’d typically be. I was terrified to send that email.

The moment I pressed send, I knew I’d feel better about the outcome than if I’d just kept quiet, no matter what his response was. If he said, “Awesome, let’s have you meet some people,” I’d feel confident pursuing the opportunity completely as myself, baby and all. If he said, “Nah, we’re not interested in talking to you until this baby thing is over and done with,” I’d learn upfront they weren’t likely people I’d want to work with as a new mom anyway.

His response was immediate and positive. He set me up to interview with my current boss at Heat, with whom I had another interesting and exciting conversation. He then moved me forward to meet with more people, all of whom didn’t blink that I was pregnant. It was amazing.

This isn’t to say it was a breeze interviewing while six, seven, and eight months pregnant. I felt exposed and insecure in such a maternal state. My interview shtick had a look to it, and that absolutely did not include a giant basketball in my stomach or waddling into conference rooms. Pregnancy didn’t allow me to don my typical armor, one that most of us wear in some form or another.

Again though, what initially felt terrifyingly vulnerable took a positive turn. It was the first time I’d ever come from a place of, “Take me or leave me as I am,” in a professional setting. There was no hiding the fact that I’d come with some baggage. That I’d have other priorities outside of work. That they’d be hiring a mom of little ones and all the inconveniences that can bring.

It ended up being the most empowering experience of my professional life to date. Interviewing while pregnant challenged me to lower my guard and be fully myself from Day One. As a woman in advertising, I had learned to brand myself according to what’s appealing to my industry–as most women in most industries do. Motherhood is definitely not included in that picture. Not having had any working moms to look to as examples in my early career was part of what drove me away from the industry. Most of the ad-women I worked with left after having children because they too felt they didn’t have a place in it, for a multitude of reasons. If I was going to come back to an agency after years of applying my skills elsewhere, doing so while enormously pregnant seemed almost absurd. It forced me to put forward the very thing I was most insecure about in this field: my femininity.

Funny how life works sometimes.

At eight months pregnant, after a process that was nothing but positive, I received a formal job offer for a position I hadn’t dreamed of pursuing months prior.

What about maternity leave? Given my unique timing and the fact that I didn’t receive a contract and negotiate final details until after my baby was born, I couldn’t take advantage of my new employer’s maternity leave. Instead, I took the three and a half months of maternity leave I received from my former employer and the state of California.

My new employer initially hoped I’d start after three months off with the baby, but I told them I’d be a better employee if I could start after five months. They supported this request. And the six weeks of unpaid leave I was planning to take all along was essentially paid for with the salary increase I received.

I realize I was very fortunate. Not every woman has any maternity leave to begin with, nor is every new employer so inclined to be flexible with family leave time. However, I believe this is all the more reason for women to be their own best advocates during this time of life.

What about starting a new job with a new baby? I won’t lie: it wasn’t easy. It brought up a whole new set of vulnerabilities. I can see why some women choose to stick with something comfortable and known during that phase of life. Most of my new co-workers didn’t know I had a tiny baby and a four-year-old at home, and it’s not exactly something you bring up in early conversations. Because they also didn’t yet know me or my work, I worried about coming off as less sharp than I’d normally be.

Between having to pump twice a day, kids getting sick, me getting sick, and juggling the life logistics of a dual-working home in a big city with little children whom I insist upon seeing every morning and night when not traveling, I literally couldn’t give 100% of myself to the new gig. Nine months into the job, I still can’t. But again, this forced me to be true to myself and my life values more than I’d ever been at work before. I had to establish stronger boundaries around my time and was then able to learn that my work and reputation didn’t suffer by doing so.

I also felt an immediate sense of respect and loyalty to my new organization. It says a lot about an organization and its leadership when they extend a senior position to a woman at that late stage of pregnancy and then happily wait a half year for her to start. This illustrated a level of value for women and moms and was a great indication of Heat’s culture and values. Not surprisingly, this agency is the best organization I’ve ever worked for when it comes to caring for its employees and actively pursuing excellence in diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

For anyone inspired by my fortunate tale, I’ll end this story with a bit of advice as anyone who experiences good luck suddenly feels qualified to do.

Companies, consider the motivation, loyalty, and progress you can cultivate by pursuing women who are pregnant. Be open to working with them to get creative about maternity leave options, signing bonuses, access to health care or other workarounds. I know this is particularly challenging for small businesses or smaller teams, but hiring the right person is also valuable in the long run.

Recruiters, don’t assume pregnancy is a pause button for women or companies. You could be hurting both parties by doing so. If women say they aren’t interested in making a move because of pregnancy, politely ask if that’s actually true or if they’re just assuming the company won’t want them. Be a champion for your female clients during this phase of their lives.

Women, dare to actively pursue professional growth while pregnant. If you feel the pull to do so, that is. We can work to unstick ourselves. You never know what kinds of opportunities might arise, and how you might be able to make them fit within your pregnancy, maternity leave, and future family lives.


Author: At work, Jen Watts Welsh is a Group Strategy Director with Heat. At home, she is the head of strategy for two tiny girl bosses. At play, she avoids all things strategic and can be found in child’s pose or drinking strong coffee.

 

FastCompany.com | February 19, 2019