How Can a Social Media Detox Hinder Your Job Search

How Can a Social Media Detox Hinder Your Job Search Have you heard about the recent social media detox trend? It seems to be all the rage to stop using social media, either temporarily or permanently, in an attempt to focus on living life instead of viewing it through a smartphone screen. As more people prioritize collecting experiences over collecting likes and retweets, they testify as to the freedom they feel, and how debilitating their online obsession had become. As with most types of addiction, stepping away completely is often the only route to recovery. For someone who struggles with alcoholism, reducing one’s intake is not a viable solution. However, an important differentiator between social media and alcohol addiction is that social media has become an integral part of today’s business world, making up at least some of the job duties of thousands, if not millions, of employees. While an alcoholic cannot effectively work in a bar, how does a social media addict who feels the need to delete all their accounts fit into the hyper-connected business world when searching for a job? In the eyes of many employers and recruiters, those who delete their social media accounts aren’t doing themselves any favors. While there are still plenty of occupations that don’t require social media, the number that do is still growing. Additionally, it continues to play more of a role in the recruitment process, with 70 percent of employers using social media to research candidates before extending a job offer, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. Though the exception would lie with job seekers deleting profiles containing offensive or damaging content, for most, a social media detox can hinder their employment prospects. Let’s look at a few questions social media helps hiring managers answer during the candidate screening process. Can They Handle the Workload? The ubiquity of social media has caused a shift in prioritization. For many positions involving marketing, sales or public relations, familiarity with popular social media platforms is just as important as computer and internet experience was a decade ago. When applying for these positions, applicants who are unable to demonstrate their experience to prospective employers through active accounts are already behind the curve. Do they have social media experience? If so, on which platforms? Have they used them professionally in a business context, or just socially? If only socially, do they at least post responsibly, or are their pages filled with hate-fueled rants? These are all questions an employer will want answered before hiring someone who will act as a brand ambassador for the company. Can They Focus with Distractions? Anyone who recognizes they have a problem and takes steps to remedy it deserves respect. However, when the problem stems from a dopamine rush caused by likes and retweets of selfies and cat videos, one must question whether or not the lack of self-discipline that necessitates deleting social media accounts is indicative of other distractions that could affect work productivity. For example, an inability to stop chatting with coworkers, discontinuing extended lunch breaks, or stop texting friends and checking personal email throughout the day. These can also cause a dopamine rush. The chemical reaction in the brain caused by social media use is far different from the chemical addiction caused by alcohol or nicotine. If the reason for the detox is discovered, some employers will simply see it as a sign of being too easily distracted. Will They Be Successful? In today’s job market, it’s a common belief that the resume is no longer useful. Despite the many changes and technological advances to the hiring process over the years (i.e., applicant tracking systems, resume sourcing tools, video interviews, etc.), employers still try to predict a candidate’s future job success based on a brief career summary printed on a single sheet of paper. This explains why so many have taken to social media to gain additional insight on applicants. Hiring managers stand to learn far more from the way a candidate interacts with others, the friends they keep, the subjects they post about, the comments they leave, and the attention to detail in their posts than could ever be learned from a static document. Job seekers who delete their social media accounts give those with an impressive online presence an advantage in the job market. With technological advances occurring at an alarming rate, one need only look around a public park or event to find people ignoring experiences they once would have relished, choosing instead to post or tweet about them. Though there is validity in recognizing the ridiculousness of this trend and taking steps to remedy it, there is also something to be said for embracing technological advances in moderation. For those who want to detox from social media, one could compare it to getting a tattoo. Those who are comfortably employed should already know what they can do without jeopardizing their career, while those entering the workforce or thinking about changing jobs could limit their prospects. In the end, job seekers considering a detox should make an effort to reduce their social media use without eliminating it, while optimizing their profiles for their job search. As with any other skill, their social media proficiency may prove valuable when least expected.

Conversation Starters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Conversation Starters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Do you find it difficult to start a conversation at networking events?  Never been one  good at small talk?  No matter how difficult you find networking, it is a crucial strategy for your career prospects as networking helps you communicate your brand to contacts within your company and industry. So what are you to do if you find yourself with cottonmouth as you enter the networking mixer at a conference, a reception at your alumni association meeting, or a lunch meeting with a client? First, know that you are not an outlier, the vast majority of individuals experience the same trepidation when initiating a conversation with strangers.  Knowing that, the following tips can help you break the ice. Be the Initiator:  Knowing that most people experience a level of discomfort  in networking situations, why not be the initiator of conversation? This will endear yourself to others and will help you drive the conversation toward topics that you are very comfortable in asking questions. By initiating a conversation, you will be branded as the one who engages others and who can build connections. Focus on Helping Others:  At many networking events, individuals are so focused on meeting connections, advancing careers, and sharing their stories that they ignore the needs of others.  By focusing on others, you are more likely to generate honest and productive conversation and you will communicate that you are the kind of person who is not just looking out for himself. What brings you here tonight?; What are you hoping to get out of this event?; What field are you in?; Have you attended many of these events, any tips for someone who is new? Focus on Common Themes:  Does the networking event have a theme/topic?  This can help you craft conversation starters as you can reasonably anticipate all members having some interest in the topic. For example, in January I attended an event in Boston that focused on the talent shortage in the engineering field and the resulting difficulty in hiring for technical positions that many companies face. Knowing the theme allowed me to approach fellow networking event attendees: Interesting topic, has your organization been hiring much over the past quarter? Are you experiencing a talent shortage for technical openings? Insights as to why the shortage? or what is your firm doing to find talent? Do you know if the talent shortage phenomenon is at all levels of hiring, or specific to one group (entry-level, mid-career, senior, etc.)? The Big Three:  No, I am not referring to Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors I mean Healthcare, Politics, and Religion. Avoid these topics at general networking events as they can turn off even the most willing networker. Also, stay away from generic openings: How about those Mets?; Weather has been crazy lately.; How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice.  Hi, Im Kevin. Two Ears, One Mouth:  There is a saying that we are born with two ears and one mouth, and thus we should listen twice as much as we talk.  This is good advice in networking circles people appreciate when they feel they have been heard.  In addition, by focusing on listening instead of talking, you are more likely to have additional questions to ask to keep the conversation going through questions that arise from the other persons comments. Broad is Better:  When initiating a conversation, broad topics tend to generate better conversation than more specific themes.  By offering a broad topic for discussion, others can help direct the conversation to more specific areas of personal interest.  As you are giving up some control of where the conversation could lead, you will want to propose broad topics where you have a strong knowledge base. Safety in Numbers:  If you dread the idea of trying to hold a conversation by yourself, build a group at the event. Start with one other person and as you see others, pull them in by introducing yourself and your conversation partner. People will appreciate the introductions you are providing and you benefit from additional contributors who can carry the conversation. Time Limits:  Networking events are designed for you to meet others spending your entire time speaking with one or two others may be more comfortable for you, but this approach defeats the purpose of the event.  Additionally, keeping a conversation going too long can leave the other person looking for a way to get out.  After 5-10 minutes, make a clean break and if appropriate, propose a follow-up.  Mike, you provided a lot to think about with regards to talent shortage issues, I dont want to take up too much of your time tonight.  Do you have a card as I would like to follow-up with you, maybe grab coffee before work/card as I want to get you the name of the partner at Mega Corp. I mentioned earlier. Knowing that networking is uncomfortable for the majority of participants, go into the event determined to make it a good experience for you and others by taking the lead. You will communicate and build your brand with others when you employ the steps outlined above. Author: Kevin Monahan  is the Associate Director of the Notre Dame Career Center.  In this role, he leads the center’s  employer relations efforts in addition to coaching  young professionals in career management and career change capacities. He combines career consulting services with employer outreach to help find opportunities for both constituencies.  He is the author of the  Career Seeker’s Guide  blog.

Dont Ask, Dont Tell, Dont Get a Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Get a Job - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Don’t misunderstand the title of this blog. It’s not about sexual preference. It’s about networking. Every morning, when I take my walk, I observe groups of teenagers waiting at street corners for their school buses. Two things are common to these groups. The kids are not talking to each other, and the majority of them have their ears plugged with MP3 players. They choose to live in total isolation despite the fact that these are the same kids who mingle with each other every day. Now, why is this? Because in the American cultureâ€"in contrast with other culturesâ€"one is not to approach another person until the two have been introduced to each other by a third party. This cultural habit is practiced by adults, and therefore their kids perpetuate it. In many cases, even after being introduced to someone, the kids lack the confidence or skills to communicate, connect, and possibly be of mutual benefit. Plainly put, to network with each other. For people in transition, such behavior amounts to a tactical hindrance to their advancement toward getting a job. It’s commonly known that 60 to 80 percent of job seekers get their next jobs via networking. However, if lack of communication is practiced from childhood and if communications skills never get developed or encouraged to improve on later on in lifeâ€"especially in times of need such as being in transition and letting the world know about your availabilityâ€"that’s of course a major obstacle. More and more people nowadays are letting me know they have landed. This is a very encouraging sign, indicating that companies have started hiring again. I always ask what led to the job offer, and invariably, the answer proves two things: first, that the lead came through networking, and second, that the person had prepared extensively for the interview. After all, winning in a tough competition takes not only skills but lots of practice. Have you ever thought how many hours an Olympian practices before the competition?

6 Ways Charity Work Creates a Cheerful Culture

6 Ways Charity Work Creates a Cheerful Culture Hosting charity events in the workplace  has a  huge impact,  not only on those youre raising money to support, but also for the team behind the event and the people involved.  Supporting a charity should always be about helping others in a selfless way, however it  also provides a special opportunity  to bring  people together for a common cause, promoting generosity and cohesion among colleagues. If youre trying to find a way to boost your employees morale, why not trying  focussing  your efforts on  people outside your organisation who are doing it tough?  The flow on benefits to the office will wow you! 1. Productivity and team work Charity work doesnt care about bonuses, targets  or  hitting the top of a leader board. Everyone taking part has the same end goal, and the only way to get there is if you work together. This can be a breath of fresh air if you work in a competitive environment, as it will help you bring back a sense of teamwork and pride amongst a group of people. Wave  goodbye to the competitive atmosphere of the office, and be prepared to welcome a newly found sense of togetherness. 2. Pride and passion Theres nothing more satisfying than finishing a task, and having accomplished something incredible. Taking part in charity projects can boost this sense of pride tenfold, as you know its not only for personal gain. As well as personal pride, it can also boost employees pride in the business they work for, and this is all the more important now were in an age where employee advocacy has so much importance. 3. Ethics and happiness at work Everyone, no matter how radical they may seem in their approach to work, has a sense of ethics or morals which helps them do what they do. Getting involved with charity projects will help develop these ethics in your employees, which  will  in turn boost the ethical value of your business.  Employees are a companys  biggest asset; without a team of ethical, hardworking people, youll never have a ethical, hardworking organisation. 4. Volunteer days Something that has grown in popularity over the past few years is businesses allowing their employees a set amount of volunteer days each year on top of paid leave and holidays. Not only is this a fantastic benefit  to provide for a workforce, it also boosts the business in a few ways. First off, potential new employees will see that youre a company who hold volunteer and charity work of high importance. Its also great for existing employees as they will feel as though the company wants them to do well at something else other than just their job for monetary gain. All of these benefits come on top of actually having a few spare days a year to help others, which is the most important factor! 5. Fun Not only does charity raise awareness and money for some great causes, but it can also be an injection of fun into an otherwise boring office. Bringing employees together for a day of fun shakes things up a bit and makes the office more interesting. Theres also an array of super fun fundraising  ideas that would make even the most serious of people laugh. 6. Charity ideas: Bake sale Sponsored run Dance off Skydiving Sponsored silence Auctions Bag-packing at a local supermarket Talent show or concert Football or sports event Karaoke And many more. For more fundraising ideas check out this  list. Main image credit: Shutterstock

How to Leverage Social Media in Your Hiring Process - CareerMetis.com

How to Leverage Social Media in Your Hiring Process Source : Pexels.comThe plain fact is that if your hiring process doesn’t include at least some social media work, you’re part of a rapidly shrinking minority.According to a survey CareerBuilder conducted in 2017, nearly three-quarters of all employers Betterteam has collected data which verifies that almost 95% of recruiters now use social media to publicize job openings.On the other side of the equation, roughly two-thirds Let’s take a closer look at the sort of recruiting benefits of leveraging social media in your hiring process:Targeting Quality CandidatesevalSource : Pexels.comSocial media networks give companies an almost-overwhelming range of options to pursue in meeting their goals. In a hiring context, social media can be the perfect way to announce vacancies and get that information into the hands of highly-qualified job candidates.Hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals can leverage social media and collaboration tools to seek out ideal job seekers and deri ve useful insights from the entire hiring process.Social media promotion makes it easier than ever before to leverage internal referrals. A professionally-focused network like LinkedInis ideal for filling vacancies. It provides purpose-built tools for filtering candidates, engaging with them directly, and ensuring that openings are matched to highly-qualified applicants.evalDice’s 2015 Sentiment Survey established that fully half of professional job seekers now expect prospective employers to research them using online tools, and that includes checking their activity on social networks.Building Productive ConnectionsSource : Pexels.comOnline social networks are geared toward connecting people who share backgrounds and interests. When it comes to recruiting, these turn into powerful tools for establishing your organization’s brandand presenting yourself as a desirable employer.Relatively simple verification protocols can establish two-way trust when you seek job applicants, narro wing the field and ensuring that word of your vacancies reaches the right online recipients.Social media tools can amplify the effectiveness of your recruiting in a lot of different ways.In addition to the general strategies outlined above, we also have some targeted tips to share that can help you harness the power of social media in hiring:1. Survey Social Activity To Understand Candidate BehaviorWith social media growing more popular for both personal and professional use, more and more individuals are generating long-term histories of personal content.You can examine the social activity of potential hires in depth to confirm that their general online demeanor is a good fit for your organization and its brand. In many cases, an active social profile will allow you to get to know a candidate and even get a good grasp of his or her writing style.2. Uncover Personality Traits In CandidatesLearning about a candidates personality is especially important when you need to fill a creativ e vacancy. In some cases, you want to select a personality that will mesh well with existing team members. In other cases, building a diverse team can be the key to building innovation. Social media resources can play a vital role in both cases.3. Maximize Your Reach Across Multiple PlatformsAlthough our last opening was in a fairly industry-specific niche, our recruiting process included announcements across all of our social media channels. We announced the position not only on our website and in our newsletters, but also on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.evalWe even purchased Facebooks ads to extend our reach further. In the end, we got more qualified applicants for the position while spending less overall on the recruiting process.4.Target Qualified Candidates On LinkedInLinkedIn has become our go-to resource for highly-qualified candidates when we have vacancies that call for complex requirements and significant experience. The professional network is geared toward making exac tly these sorts of connections, and it’s a formidable tool for focused recruiting.5. Encouraging Employee ParticipationSocial media recruiting is about more than posting job listings. You can encourage current employees to share their positive experiences with your organization as well. A company that clearly demonstrates employee satisfaction will find it easier to hire more employees.Over time, a history of strong employee testimonials can do more than any sterile job listing to attract quality applicants.6. Advertise Positive Aspects Of Your Culture In Appropriate Social ChannelsCreative sharing is possible for both employers and prospective employees through social media. We have dedicated focuses for each of our social channels: Twitter is for education, LinkedIn is for company accomplishments, and Facebook is for employee culture.evalWe’re always on the lookout for new avenues to explore; LinkedIn Video is a tool with incredible potential.7. Check Candidate Engagement With Your BrandSocial media research can become a more insightful and honest way to answer the perennial question of whether or not a candidate is familiar with your business and your clients.Social media interaction will reveal a verifiable history of engagement that can count significantly in a candidate’s favor.8. Foster FOMO FeelingsWe use Instagram as a branding platform that’s set us apart from other potential employers. Our account provides applicants with an insightful glimpse at our culture and our people rather than our services.Opening up in this way encourages candidates to feel FOMO (fear of missing out) and positions our organization as one they’d be proud to join.

Procedures I Would Recommend to Help You Look After Your Future Earnings - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Procedures I Would Recommend to Help You Look After Your Future Earnings These days everything costs so much money, and it’s difficult to make ends meet for many. Living in the moment is all well and good, but you need to think about the future as well. And this is something that many people don’t plan for. I think you need to make sure you have procedures in place to try to protect your future earnings. Have a look at some of the ideas in this post to help you facilitate this. Save Cash I understand that it’s not natural to think about your financial future. Many of us prefer to just live in the moment, especially when we’re young. But, I can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure you do something to protect your future earnings. One of the most important and easiest things is to save cash. It can be tricky to make savings of any sort these days. But, it’s something you need to try to do because you’ll benefit from it in the future. Take a Promotion It’s important to do what you can to try to generate as much money as possible. Looking after and protecting your future earnings is vital. And a great way of doing this is taking a promotion at work. I know a lot of people are reticent to take promotions because they feel it’s being too committal. But, it’s important for developing extras skills and, most importantly, extras cash. A pay rise is crucial in the process of protecting future earnings. It will allow you to save more money for the future. Employment Insurance A lot of people work highly intensive jobs and are required to do things that require a lot of skill. If you are in an accident, or you get injured, you might be unable to work your job for a while. This can be a nightmare for people like doctors and surgeons. So, the best thing to do in this situation is to take out employment insurance. I would suggest you visit claybrooke.org.uk/income-protection-insurance/doctors/ for a quote. This is a vital part of the process of protecting you in the event of injury or sickness. And it means that you’re not going to suffer too badly due to loss of income. Investing These days we live in a world where career paths and income can be unstable. As such, it’s important to have safety nets in place. These can help you to generate income even in the event of losing your job or going a while without a pay check. One of the biggest safety nets you can use these days is investing. There are so many opportunities you can use to invest these days. So, really, it depends upon what interests you and what you feel you’d like to invest in. I would suggest doing some research and having at least a bit of knowledge before attempting to invest. When it comes to your career, you can’t mess around. You need to put measures in place to help you take care of your future earnings. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I can assure you it’s a vital part of a thriving and sensible career. So, I would recommend you follow these ideas I’ve used on this post to try to protect your future earnings. Author Bio: Annie Edmunds is a freelance writer specialising in business and careers.

Tips For Writing a Resume

Tips For Writing a ResumeIf you are looking for a way to stand out from the crowd, you should think about how to use resume writing a number of different elements. There are many things that will make a resume stand out from the rest. Using these elements, you can easily make your resume stand out from the rest.First, the first thing that you should do when writing a resume is to keep it clean. If you use the same resume over again, people will start to forget about it and will not remember it. This is especially true for those who write resumes by hand or with hand-written software. When you are using resume writing software, make sure you check that your resume is kept up to date.Second, your resume should be informative. It is a fact that not all resumes get read. Keep in mind that resumes that get read are going to get hired. So you should try to do your best to write a resume that will make an employer want to call you for an interview.Third, you should also do your best to put together a well-written resume. You can make a mistake that will show up in a resume by using filler words. These filler words will take away from your resume and will make it look like you did not do anything to try to get hired. So it is important that you only use relevant information in your resume and that you do not use too much filler in your resume.Fourth, you should also know that your resume should tell the employer a story. You should try to give your resume a short history and try to show that you have a lot of experience. You should know that a recruiter wants to hear a story.Fifth, you should also know that you should not try to sell yourself when you are trying to sell yourself. A recruiter is interested in what you can do for a company and not what you can sell. If you try to sell yourself to a recruiter, you might not be hiring that person.Sixth, when you are writing your resume, you should know that you should do the math. You should have at least three numbers on your resume so that when the recruiter asks for information on why you should hire you, you will be able to explain it well. Knowing your numbers is important so that the recruiter can understand why you should hire you.Make sure that you know the tips for writing a resume. Knowing these tips will make you a better writer. Then you will be able to write a resume that will get you hired faster than other resumes.