8 Things to Consider When Starting a New Job Building Your Future Now

8 Things to Consider When Starting a New Job Building Your Future Now Congratulations, you scored the job! You obviously worked your tail off networking, applying and keeping your ears and eyes open for a job opportunity. You hit the pavement and handed out your resume the good old fashioned way. It all paid off. Now you will be starting your new job. So before you start there are a few things to consider. 1. Who is Your Boss Sometimes you dont know your direct manager before you are hired. But dont sweat it. Make some time to pop in and get to know him or her a little better. Ask questions and be professional if you do get time to talk with them one-on-one. Get to know their personality and what they have come to expect from their workers. 2. What do you need to do to Succeed. You can quickly find out from management, co-workers and even clients/customers what it takes to succeed in your new role. Listen, observe and consider everything you learn. Be open to new possibilities and get yourself accustomed to the new work culture. The faster you find out what it takes for you to succeed the easier it is to make goals and how to achieve them. 3. Find out about your co-workers Try to learn about the people you work with. What are their styles? Who are the truly successful ones and the others you want to keep your distance from? Remember to always be friendly, courteous and diplomatic towards your new co-workers. Aside being simply a good person, you dont want to make enemies right off the bat by being aloof or rude. Remember to be a teamplayer! 4. Your Appearance Always dress appropriately; maintain a well-groomed presentation and keep in shape. Mirror the look of other successful co-workers. And follow the specific work-place guide. 5. Create a Regiment Being at your last job perhaps has set you in some bad habits or put you in a different mindset. Equally if you have devoted a lot of time looking for a job, you may have developed a system that was helpful but now it might need to be modified. By starting a new job you can develop a new routineperhaps waking up a bit earlier and going in to work for some training. 6. Change your Habits Habits are definitely hard to break so pay very close attention what you need to change in order to succeed at your new job. Maybe you need to eat better or go to bed earlier. You might have to take it easy with going out late. Its the little things, however, like snacking, being sedentary ot binge watching shows that can make you less successful at work. Stay focused! As noted before observe those co-workers that achieve results and take note on what they are doing right. 7. Being Positive Starting a new job can be a bit nerve racking but remain positive. Find out ways you can keep in a positive mind space as you start your new job. Self-help books, YouTube Videos or hanging out with good friends always helps. Always find ways to be a positive beam of light in any situation! 8. Keeping a Notebook Be ready for taking down notes! Its always a good idea to bring a notebook along to jot down things you have learned during the first while. Ask questions and be curious. Observe your new workplace and make notes. Be sure to read them over during breaks or afterwork. Having a notebook/taking down notes makes you look professional and reflects good on you as a worker focused on success. Image: David Klusener

Dont Let Fear Stall Your Career - Four Donts and What to Do About ThemÂ

Don’t Let Fear Stall Your Career - Four Don’ts and What to Do About Them   A fashionably dressed woman glides into my office, a tall cup of steaming java in her hand. She settles down into the chair across from me, ready to discuss the state of her career.   She has worked hard to succeed in her current job, giving her a sense of both pride and satisfaction. Recently, however, she complains of feeling bored and restless. “I don’t feel challenged,” she says in an exasperated tone. “Everything is so same old, same old. I like my team and my manager, but I’m only half there most of the time.” Has she considered changing jobs or applying for a more challenging project? “Well, kind of. A friend of mine just moved into a new job with a lot more responsibility. I envy her excitement.” “Enough to inspire you to go after a bigger role?” She shrugs her shoulders and sighs. “Not really. There’s a new management position opening up that looks tempting, but . . . I dunno . . .” Then out pops one of the four “don’ts”: “I don’t qualify for that job, because I haven’t done everything the position requires.” “I don’t want to lose control over my work/life balance.” “I don’t do politics.” “I don’t do planning.” Disengagement from your job could be a sign you are ignoring something important. You also might be sabotaging yourself without intending to do so. The four “don’ts” all come from the same place: avoidance of the scary business of mastering the skills, behaviors and responsibilities demanded by new opportunities. Fear: The Scariness and Adventure of the New The new is scary. When leaving the comfortable familiarity of a job you know to take on one you do not know, you will encounter the many risks that go with change. A new job could lead to awkward mistakes as you figure out a different organizational landscape. Your former peers might choose to criticize rather than support you. You discover that learning new skills shakes your self-confidence. Yet, entering the uncomfortable zone of the new is where stimulating work lives. Running away from it could leave you stuck in a place that no longer works for you. How do you become unstuck? Face your fear and move forward. Use your nervousness as a motivator. It signals you are on your way to something different and better. Fear of the new is normal. Advancing your career means embarking on a discovery mission to figure out what dream you want to pursue, the skills, steps, and political buy-in needed to get there, and who will help you along the way. The mission starts with learning what you need to know about yourself and how you might be falling into the trap of the Four Don’ts. The Four “Don’ts” and What to Do About Them What are the four “don’ts” that can undermine your career, and what can you do about them? I don’t qualify for that job because I haven’t done everything it requires.  Said differently, “I don’t see myself that way.”   Self-perception is a powerful driver. Both men and women struggle with self-confidence, but for all their considerable achievements, women continue to be particularly dogged by a confidence gap. An HP study found that while men would apply for a promotion when they met only 60 percent of its requirements, women would only when they met 100 percent. The reasons for the difference ranged from life history to brain chemistry. Regardless of the cause, the cure requires you to accept rather than flee from your discomfort with learning new things to elevate your career. Those new things could include public speaking in front of unfamiliar audiences, making smart decisions that might be unpopular, or launching a novel program for an important but complicated cause. Whatever scares you, remember that growing pains go with moving up to something better. The key is to focus on the thrill of accomplishment, learn from each experience, and seek feedback from others to further build skills and self-confidence. I don’t want to lose control over my work/life balance. A design firm asked me to investigate its steady loss of emerging women leaders. The firm hired equal numbers of entry level men and women, but ten years later, most of the women had left. What happened? We uncovered many issues, from lack of internal sponsorship to inadequate training programs. Then came a surprise. In interviews of a large cross-section of employees, I heard the same refrain. “I prefer doing projects. I don’t want a leadership role, because then I’ll lose control over work/life balance.   Instead of going home to have dinner with my family, I’d be trapped at some client dinner.” There is no doubt that increased responsibility requires more time. It doesn’t obligate you to give your whole life over to your career. However, to get ahead you need to allocate your time strategically. Cultivation of clients is critical to leadership. Periodic client dinners can feel uncomfortable while you build relationships, but it’s worth the payoff of strengthened ties. Also effective is an ongoing practice of actively listening to clients, surfacing unspoken needs, and focusing on their success, all of which can be accomplished during the business day. Managing work/life balance is important. In doing so, it is also important to remember the positive attributes of higher-level positionsâ€"creating strategy, enriching the careers of others, and participating in firm decision makingâ€"and to find a place for them in your career aspirations. When I asked the design firm interviewees if those positive attributes interested them, I heard a resounding, “Yes!” That realization led several of them to redirect their sites toward leadership roles. I don’t do politics. To many, politics is a dirty word. They equate them with using people, stepping over them to gain a higher position. In fact, politics are about connecting with others to align your interests. They are messy, because people are messy, but you won’t win without them. Careers cannot be advanced without help. Politics become relevant when you identify a dream you want to achieve, then have to seek out who can provide the information, influence, and approvals to make it happen.   It involves entering the uncharted territory of understanding what motivates people, being there when they need you, and establishing trust. Investing your energy in developing the right alliances will enable you to achieve your dream when the time comes. Without laying the political groundwork, there is little chance of it. I don’t do career planning. Resistance to career planning is common, at all levels. When a Seattle executive group surveyed its members, over 80 percent admitted spending no time planning on it. It is worth noting that several were “in between jobs” at that moment. To many, career planning sounds tedious. Who wants to write up all those dull lists of people and ideas? They also might hold the subconscious belief that not planning will allow them to avoid trying something new that could fail. Whatever the reason, creating a career plan will lead to more rewarding work. In fact, if you don’t take charge of your career, others will, and not always to your benefit. Keeping a great job has become more difficult.   Companies now routinely reorganize, merge with other companies, or reduce workforces to fund changes in strategic direction. While talent remains critical, just as employees are taking a short-term view of their commitment to employers, employers are churning through their workforce faster to focus on top talent.  If you are not paying attention to what your company needs, you might find your skills are no longer relevant. Developing a career plan is not only desirable, in today’s job market it’s essential. Even better, planning will give you a sense of freedom as you dare to dream about what you would love to do and design a pathway to arrive there. The Value of Turning “Don’ts” into “Do’s” Nobody said change is easy, but not changing is harder, especially in the world we now live where constant change is the norm.  Never has it been so important to chart a course through all the shifting sands and to see them not as a threat, but as a great adventure. Give yourself the gift of daring to dream of something better, face your fear, and go for it!   You’re worth it. This guest post was authored by Julie Benezet Julie Benezet spent 25 years in law and business, and for the past 17 years has coached and consulted with executives from virtually every industry. She earned her stripes for leading in the discomfort of the new as Amazon’s first global real estate executive. She is an award-winning author of The Journey of Not Knowing: How 21st Century Leaders Can Chart a Course Where There Is None. Her new book, The Journal of Not Knowing, offers a self-guided discovery mission to pursue one’s dreams and overcome the scariness along the way to achieving them.  She can be reached at www.juliebenezet.com

9 Reasons Why Social Recruiting Beats Traditional Recruiting

9 Reasons Why Social Recruiting Beats Traditional Recruiting Recruiting top talent has always been a challenge. But with new social recruiting tactics, many companies are turning to online communities and platforms to source candidates quicker and easier. What is the best advantage social recruiting has over traditional recruiting? 1. Making Human Resources Human Again, Digitally: Social recruiting has a major advantage over traditional recruiting: its more human. Compared to the post a job; wait for hundreds of resumes; let ATS filter through keywords; never get back to anyone process many use today, social recruiting is a transparent, active approach where only the best candidates are sourced. In addition, recruiters can determine first impressions and cultural fit even perform a bit of a background check before approaching the candidate. Mark Babbitt,  YouTern 2. Ability to Connect with Top Talent Now Social recruiting has made it possible to interact directly with job candidates. These days, the best candidates are easily found online and recruiters can weed out job seekers who are not a match for the position in a simpler way. Use social media outlets to find recommendations from previous employers can save you time you might have spent contacting references and former employers. Sudy Bharadwaj,  Jackalope Jobs 3. Leads to Better Connections Faster In the traditional hiring process, it could be several rounds of resume reviews and phone screens before applicants and employers got to really connect on a personal level. Thanks to social media and video interviews, this connection is happening more instantaneously and with less time wasted. Now employers can see if a candidate will be a good match for the company sooner, helping both job seekers and hiring managers save valuable time and resources in the search for the perfect fit. Josh Tolan,  Spark Hire 4. Make Your Job Openings Go Viral The prime advantage of social recruiting vs. traditional recruiting is that social recruiting allows your job openings to have viral qualities. Viral qualities can include the language of your job description, the visuals you use, engaging or funny videos, and social connectability features. You can’t use any of these tools with traditional recruiting and why wouldn’t you want to? Rob Kelly,  Ongig 5. Helps You Get to Know More About the Candidate Than Just Whats on Paper While social recruiting does have its challenges (its a legal compliance nightmare if done incorrectly), it helps you learn more about a person and their demeanor. Social recruiting lets you engage with candidates and assess not just their skills but their personality and ability to fit with the culture of your organization. Joey Price,  Jumpstart:HR 6. Discovering Candidates Who Want to Be Discovered Companies are increasingly using social recruiting to source candidates for employment, as well as to investigate applicants they are considering hiring. Its important to be aware of how to use social media to recruit to discover candidates that have positioned themselves to be discovered. Social recruiting allows you to see how the candidate represents themselves and what companies they are connected with. Elizabeth Moffitt,  Christopher Quinn Group 7. Allows Recruiters to Connect With Talent in a More Informal, Engaging Manner Social recruiting allows talent acquisition professionals to engage with a community of talent in a more informal, engaging manner versus “We’re hiring, you’re great, let’s talk.”  Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is initiate a dialogue and information exchange with people and social channels are an excellent way for this to happen. Larry Jacobson,  Vistaprint 8. Relationship-Driven Connections Social recruiting supports the development and maintenance of relationships that can reach far beyond the immediate hiring need. By connecting and interacting with candidates through social channels, recruiters are able to create real connections and build relationships with interested individuals. You never know who may turn into a great new hire in the future! Dave Tighe,  Head2Head 9. Availability of Relevant Candidate Data The combination of the quantity and quality of relevant candidate data in social networks is a game changer. Social connections are now mapped out in a way that makes it possible for employers to supercharge the referral process like never before. Employees don’t have to conjure up candidates â€" social networks can present quality referrals with a single click. Ziv Eliraz,  Zao Related: How Recruiters Can Get Started with Social Media. Image credit: Shutterstock

Why Working Women Need Life Insurance Policies

Why Working Women Need Life Insurance Policies You might be working and earning quite a lot every month. But, that is not all that there is to financial independence. Besides your job, you must also learn of ways to secure your future. You must get your hands on the best life insurance policies in the market. That is the only way to do justice to your valuable life. We are, thus, going to discuss the reasons why it is absolutely essential for working women to purchase the right life insurance policies for themselves. For more info, you can look up the website of Marketreview. They have got some interesting and enlightening pieces of information regarding insurance policies. Financial Protection: Your life insurance is like your very own protection. As a woman, you need to play different characters each day, and you do that with excellent skills and panache. You never brush the responsibilities off your shoulders. Therefore, if none of your roles and responsibilities takes a backseat in your life, why should your financial protection be relegated to secondary? You must purchase a life insurance policy because it is important for your future and the security of your life depends on it. A life insurance policy is not just about covering your dependents when you are gone. It is also financial security for you to fall back on. You Can Grow Your Savings With It: No one might have broken it down to you, but your life insurance can help your savings grow. Life insurance plans come with cash benefits that might not seem important to you right now. But know that it is the best investment you will ever make in your lifetime. Try to study the literature that can be found on the internet regarding life insurance policies and see how you could make use of them to enhance your savings. Security for Retirement: Your youth shall not last forever, and you will have to retire from service after a certain age. But, if you do not have a proper bank balance and other backup plans for income during your retirement, it shall be incredibly difficult for you to sustain the period. Life insurance policies also come with retirement benefits which can make it easy on you to plan and save for your retirement years. You only need to select the plans where the retirement perks are promising. The rest shall be taken care of by the policy itself. Cost-Effective: Believe it or not, but life insurance policies for women are cheaper than those of men. Studies have proven that the life expectancy of women is higher than that of men. This is why insurance agencies like extending their policies at cheaper rates to women than to men. The benefits that these insurance agencies mint out of dishing out their policies at affordable prices to women are far higher than what they would have made out of men. Thus, when the odds are rightfully stacked in favour of women, it shall be utter foolishness not to make use of them. Covers Illnesses Too: Health insurance policies are obviously required to get you covered for the treatment of several diseases. But, some life insurance policies also come with health benefits. You might not know about it, but there are life insurance policies that pay extra care to provide health benefits to women. They acknowledge the fact that a woman has to don several caps and relentlessly. Therefore, their health is more important than anything else on Earth. Women should scavenge for more information before purchasing a life insurance policy so that they do not miss out on vital benefits and perks. Life Insurance: Conclusion The only route to complete financial independence is by seeking out plans that can complement the income of a woman, and see to it that their hard-earned money is put to good use. Women, all around the world, have a shared history of torture and abuse. They have suffered in silence for millions of years. Therefore, now when they have rightfully earned their financial independence, they must see to it that the money is not squandered away and their future is secured. Life insurance plans are a great way to start that!

Why Culture Fit Matters in Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Why Culture Fit Matters in Executive Job Search

Speaking Engagements - Jane Jackson Career

Speaking Engagements - Jane Jackson Career Jane Jackson provided our members with an amazing presentation. Her engaging manner left all our delegates with a new perception of their image and what can be achieved with a more professional approach. Jane is humorous, engaging and extremely professional. We would not hesitate to recommend her for future events.Christine Chadwick, The Association of Payroll ProfessionalsJane Jackson is a fabulous presenter who has delivered us great results in boosting the confidence and image of our graduates new to the mining industry. Her sessions are fun and funny and she speaks so beautifully; no matter how incredulous you start, you cant help but be engaged and connect with her. Jane is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Professional Image and she comes so well prepared that she can handle even the toughest critic. Even after six weeks of the same programme she still had time and energy for every single audience member.Our graduate engineers rated Jane the highest out of a week lo ng agenda of speakers and frequently listed topics from her session as the best learning from the week.Felicity Clark, Rio Tinto Janes most popular speaking topics include: [list type=check]Face Your Fears for a Life Less OrdinaryPolish Your Professional ImageCareer Confidence Let Them Know You Rock!Effective Communication and NetworkingPower Up Your Resume LinkedIn ProfileExecutive Stress ManagementYes I Can! Self Leadership[/list]  [divider scroll_text=SCROLL_TEXT] Speaking Engagements:Women of Westpac Ruby Connection, Sydney : Face Your Fears for a Life Less OrdinaryBT Financial, Sydney : Face Your Fears for a Life Less OrdinaryEAN Congress, Sydney : Partners on a Collective Journey Strategies for Successful Relationship BuildingWomen in HR, Learning Development Leadership Summit, Sydney: Effective Communication NetworkingThe Australian Payroll Association Conference, Sydney : Polish Your Professional Payroll ImageRio Tinto Graduate Intensives, Brisbane and Perth : Polish Y our Professional Image and Effective Communication NetworkingReinvent Your Career Expos, Sydney : Working with Recruiters, Crafting a Powerful ResuméIBM, Singapore : Polish Your Professional ImageUniversity of Singapore, Singapore : Business and Dining EtiquetteABN Amro, Singapore : Polish Your Professional ImageChicago Booth Graduate School of Management, Singapore : Polish Your Professional ImageAccountAbility Recruitment Breakfast Event: Polish Your Professional ImageAustralian Institute of Office Professionals (AIOP) : Branding, LinkedIn Resumes[divider scroll_text=SCROLL_TEXT]Janes work has been featured in the following media:To find out more and for bookings email: jane@janejacksoncoach.com phone: +61(2) 8076 4808 Speaking Engagements - Jane Jackson Career Speaking at the Key Person of Influence Brand Accelerator Day in front of over 300 entrepreneurs at the Australian Technology Park, SydneyFull Talk (5 mins) Highlights (1:30   mins)

Resume Career Summary Examples

Resume Career Summary ExamplesResume Career Summary Examples are an extremely useful way to present a broad overview of your career and skills. In this article I am going to go through some common resume career summary examples.A Career Summary could present a snapshot of your education, career progression, work experience, special skills and talents and, as ever, your interest, your hobbies and interests. It would also go into some detail on the organisation, the employer and the nature of your work. Your work experience would be more in-depth than just time spent.While many of the resume career summary examples I have seen do tend to present a 'business profile' or a wider perspective, there is nothing wrong with doing so. The point is that it provides a background to your achievements and accomplishments. You may be surprised at how many people read about your job and work history.In resume career summary examples it is helpful to make it as detailed as possible. Not everyone enjo ys being asked the same questions. There are several different reasons for this. It could be that you don't enjoy or find it hard to answer them or it could be that you are worried that it may give the interviewer a wrong impression.The most important thing is to remember that this is not the interview. It is about getting to know what you are like, about your professional relationship and your employer's needs. They are not looking for who has completed the course or who has been promoted, they are looking for what you can do for the business and who can provide the most value. They are not interested in the sex of your children or your bedtime.An ideal example for this would be a management role, where you would really put your hand up and shine. This is exactly what this form should provide. You will need to see yourself as having been successful, but you must not portray it as if it is all because of luck or because of the promotion. So ensure that this brief summary gives your case the best chance of success.While this does not guarantee you success in this job or any other job, it does show that you understand how the resume career summary examples could help in your quest for a promotion. Any time you present yourself correctly, you automatically put yourself ahead of others who are applying for the same position. It is best to have one because it shows you have thought about your chances and how to make it easier for them.There is no point wasting time with not applying for the job you want if you have not given yourself a fair chance to be successful. Do not worry about the extra information that you may have to present. A summary can be written in a few minutes and is far more effective than having to go through a four page resume.