Ask The Expert Tim Tyrell-Smith and Developing Alternative Income Streams

Ask The Expert Tim Tyrell-Smith and Developing Alternative Income Streams Heres the recording from this mornings Ask The Expert call: This was a fun conversation.  We talked about a variety of things including: support from the spouse, family, friends consulting vs. developing products features vs. benefits (and what you are communicating) a portfolio career and a variety of income streams getting financing relationships, referrals, word of mouth and JibberJobber (as a CRM to use) and more. Tim is smart and fun to talk with check out the video.  His website is here: Tims Strategy Ask The Expert Tim Tyrell-Smith and Developing Alternative Income Streams Heres the recording from this mornings Ask The Expert call: This was a fun conversation.  We talked about a variety of things including: support from the spouse, family, friends consulting vs. developing products features vs. benefits (and what you are communicating) a portfolio career and a variety of income streams getting financing relationships, referrals, word of mouth and JibberJobber (as a CRM to use) and more. Tim is smart and fun to talk with check out the video.  His website is here: Tims Strategy

My Story on Sexual Harassment at Work and Tips for Dealing with It

My Story on Sexual Harassment at Work and Tips for Dealing with It Im very excited to have a guest post by Chloe Esposito of UnderitAll.com  today. Thanks for sharing your story so honestly Chloe! I know there are many other women whove experienced the same thing. -Nicole They say the way to success is to climb on the shoulders of those who have already been there. So when I took a secretarial position at one of the largest media companies in the world, I thought it would be a great place to start.  In fact, directing calls, coordinating and assisting executive meetings and learning to ease stress in times of last-minute needs and malfunctions became quite rewarding; rewarding until the vulnerability and hospital nature of my position made me a prime target for men trying to pick up women on the job. After four years of college I didnt think my most essential skill  would be defending my secretarial territory in a corporate jungle filled with overly aggressive and powerful men. My naivety to the outstanding issue that surfaces in most work environments ended one afternoon when helping an executive set up a meeting. I noticed the executives middle-aged guest giving me the stare down. It wasnt long before the meeting was out and the same older man was at my desk asking if I was married. Shocked and embarrassed, since he had no shame in asking me in front of the entire office, I told him no, which later lead to a long and painful rant of how well he would treat me and how I should find out by getting drinks and dinner with him. I had no idea what to do as the entire office stared at me. I remember sinking lower and lower into my chair trying to think of what to say next. However, the only thing I could come up with was a timid, No, thank-you, which obviously didnt stand a chance with a professional negotiator. I found out, however, that I did the right thing. I was told, Ive seen it happen before- young professional turns down older executive, squashes his ego, older executive seeks revenge, young professional gets fired. If I wanted to keep my job, I would have to stay clear of harming any egos, and get back to work. However, after many more instances, I became fed up. I finally threw in the towel when I saw a well-established journalist/anchor get off the elevator in a panic. A man who worked in the building had followed her into the elevator, assaulted her and then ran off when the elevator opened. I didnt care whom the man was.  I called security, they reviewed the tapes, and within that same day, the man was fired. No matter what anyone says, sexual harassment and discrimination should never be tolerated. The most disappointing part, however, is that most dont speak up about it, and the ones that do, such as in the recent Herman Cain sexual assault allegations, often have alternative agendas However, what about those that are looking for justice? According to a report, 17.3% of women and 4.8% of men in a sample group had quit their job because of sexual harassment and 7.1% of the women had missed work for the same reason. In another study, 96% of victims reported emotional stress manifested in nervousness, fear, anger or sleeplessness and 63% developed physical reactions such as headaches, nausea and weight loss. The most mind-boggling part is that employees who used confrontation to cope with the harassment tended to experience worse job outcomes than others did. [1] Recent confessions  from Megan Fox, Gwynth Paltrow, Charlize Theron and Lisa Rinna have proven just this by stating how famous directors and producers have asked them for sexual favors in exchange for fame. Megan Fox told GQ last year how devastated she was by the number of Hollywood directors who have tried to sleep with her since becoming famous, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, who told Elle Magazine she had worked very hard on a deal, only to discover that the people wanted it to be completed in the bedroom.  Lastly, Lisa Rinna lost an important role in a TV series after refusing to have sex with the producer. Dont get me wrong, the proximity and time spent with co-workers at the workplace can in fact lead to healthy and happy relationships. A recent sample even showed that 25% of men 35% of women found love at the workplace and accepted it as normal.1 The issue at hand here, however, is recognizing that underneath socially acceptable behavior in the workplace lays a solid truth: sexual harassment does in fact exist and people need to know how to recognize, act and responsibly handle threatening and uncomfortable situations that effect their careers. Below are the 6 facts every professional should know about sexual harassment in the workplace: Sexual harassment violates the law when you submit to sexual demands to keep your job or when behavior creates an intimidating, hostile and offensive working environment. If you find yourself in any of these situations you have the right to file a complaint because it is violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Act immediately and speak directly to the person at the time harassment occurs. Make it extremely clear that you are not interested and do not like to be touched while talking. Perhaps the actor was not intentional? Either way, if it bothered you speak up. If it persists keep a diary of what is happening with dates, times and places. Another option is to keep your phone with a recorder near by to record any ongoing instances. Record as much evidence as you can, for it can help you if the person does not stop. Dont be afraid to talk about it. After a few instances I encountered I talked to my boss about what I was experiencing. It turned out she was used to dealing with the issue long before I took the position. We collaborated on what I should do and say if someone approached me again. She also told her  boss about the situation incase it happened again. It felt really great knowing the company had my back and was willing to take action if it happened again. Retaliation is illegal  so if you are transferred to a lower-paying job, passed over for promotion or let go; you can report this to an enforcement agency such as  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If youre a boss, business or company owner dont risk ignoring complaints because you can land in serious legal and financial trouble.  According to Foxnews.com, even though most sexual harassment charges dont reach a jury trial and almost 60% of sexual harassment charges are determined to have no reasonable cause, victims were still awarded more than $121 million in 2009. In addition, if the case were to go to trial, victims could obtain an average of $275,000. So dont push it under the rug!  If you end up needing legal assistance, it is a good idea to hire a  sex crime defense team  immediately because they can assist you through every step of this process. An experienced team will be able to sort through the issues and will aggressively defend you should you end up with charges against you. Remember that you are innocent until proven guilty in this situation and your legal team should have the ability to maintain your innocence. You can do not have to sit back and accept it if you are charged with a crime that you did not commit, as there is help available. Whether you have experienced, witnessed or heard a story like mine, it is my hope that we can all be prepared on how to take action immediately  if this common, yet buttoned up, workplace predicament happens to you. Have you experienced sexual harassment in the workplace?   How did you handle it? Were you satisfied or upset with how the situation was taken care of? [1] Lips. (2005). Sex gender. (5 ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.

Interviewers Are Very Selective Here Is Why - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Interviewers Are Very Selective â€" Here Is Why - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Unlike past scenarios, job interviews have become harder and harder. Employers have an abundance of very qualified applicants, many of them working with interview coaches to elevate their interviewing skills. The outcome is that it raises the bar for everyone. There are many books available to job seekers to read and brush up on interviewing skills, but the problem associated with that is that many of those books are old and reflect the thinking of the era in which they were written. Employers have become sophisticated in the area of interviewing candidates. In the past, after snail mailing a cover letter and résumé to a target company, a job applicant would receive a phone call invitation for an interview with the hiring manager. Nowadays there’s very little personal interaction at the front end of the process. The résumé submittal is electronic and goes directly into a database. The résumé gets buried there until its resurrection via the appropriate keywords a recruiter is interested in. Then comes the initial screening-out phone interview, and only if that goes well is a candidate invited to a series of interviews with often large numbers of people. There are a number of reasons for these changes. Today’s employers react to the current economic condition by focusing on higher productivity through the application of various technologies, new and better software, and outsourcing in order to reduce staff and associated staff costs such as office space, pensions, and health care. The hiring process today is also significantly more selective than in the past. Companies need people who can quickly learn constantly new technologies, can adapt to continuous changes, can reinvent their own jobs, and can function while changes occur at faster and faster rates. When employers select new employees, they’re looking for those types who can provide solutions resulting in increased efficiency and, at the same time, reduced costs. Otherwise, jobs will move offshore. Nobody’s job is safe anymore. The past paradigm of building a solid career is no longer valid. People out of work need information and intelligence about growth opportunities and must adapt their skills to meet employers’ requirements. This is a challenging proposition for job seekersâ€"and especially for those who are more advanced in age than other job seekers. Waiting for things to happen is often futile and certainly demoralizing. Career counselors can be of great assistance, but the majority of the burden is on the job seeker.

How to Ensure Your Vacation Does Not Cost You Placements

How to Ensure Your Vacation Does Not Cost You Placements Productivity in recruitment is totally linked to activity. Don’t fool yourself into thinking anything else. Yes, the quality of that activity is key, and whom you actually do that activity with is important too. But if you don’t do enough ‘stuff’, you will fail. Take that as gospel. So, it is to maintain a pipeline of the key activities that drives success. Any fall-off in that pipeline, and a rapid decline in your placements and therefore revenue is as predictable as night following day. The activities that need to fill up your ‘pipeline’ could include a wide variety of things, but typically you need to meet quality talent and meet face to face with clients. Those are the metrics that drive the ultimate match. Think about it in the simplest way for a moment. If you are running a perm desk you only earn money: If people get hired And people only get hired if people get interviewed â€" by the client And Client/Candidate Interviews only happen if qualified job orders are secured And qualified job orders typically result from face to face meetings In addition, people get hired only if they accept job offers And job offers come to quality, qualified talent And of course, qualified talent are typically the result of a thorough interview with the recruiter. So if you believe the bullet points above, you must maintain a pipeline of consistent activity or the desired end result (placements, fees, and therefore fun and money) will not eventuate. But. What happens when you go on leave for 2 weeks? Does the pipeline abruptly dry up?   Typically, what happens is this: the recruiter pushes hard to get as much closed before she goes on leave (or she winds down, having started her leave mentally before it has begun physically). When she comes back the pipeline is as dry as a camels crotch. Demoralised, she shuffles paper for a while and clicks through her database, until eventually the penny drops and she starts to make sales calls and recruit talent. It takes 2 weeks to start to crank up momentum. It takes 4 weeks before the pipeline is flowing. It takes 8 weeks before the first placement, post-holiday, is made. A two week vacation  has ruined an entire quarter But it does not have to be so! Here is a simple strategy to keep that pipeline healthy â€" even if you do go away: 10 days out from your holiday starting, you set yourself a few simple goals. “Before I leave on holiday I will have arranged…” 10 sales visits for the first 10 days after I get back 10 talent interviews for the first 10 days after I get back That’s it. And you make it happen. Actually it’s a lot easier calling clients and prospects and arranging a meeting for 3 weeks time. It can be done quite quickly. Same with talent. Be honest: I will be away for a couple of weeks. But as soon as I get back lets get your situation moving. I will see you in two weeks time. How about 10 am on Tuesday the 12th? Sure, some meetings will be cancelled. But here is the point: Instead of getting back to a dead desk and weeks of grinding the activity wheel and maybe months before the $ flow, you hit the ground running. You get back from holiday and you have no orders to work on but you have 2 client meetings on day one. And another the next day. And two more the day after that. Plus you are seeing fresh candidates immediately. By the end of the week after your break, you are in full swing. Feeling busy, being busy. Yes you can take a vacation  and be a successful recruiter. But make sure a 2-week holiday costs you two weeks of down time. Not six weeks.

How Resume Writing For International Students Can Make Or Break Your Job Prospects

How Resume Writing For International Students Can Make Or Break Your Job ProspectsSince so many students now go to school abroad, there are also a growing number of companies looking for applicants for job opportunities in the international sector. While a good resume will be well worth any amount of time and effort, those working in this area must keep in mind that they are dealing with a highly educated group that speaks many different languages.The students have different skills, abilities, and talents, and need a way to convey these to employers. Because of this, there is now a great deal of use of online resume templates that can be used by professionals who know how to write resumes for these types of candidates. It is important for them to find a way to make the information presented to potential employers stand out from the rest.The interview process is not only one of the best ways to get an application to be considered for an interview, but it can also make or break the cha nce of the company that is looking to hire someone. As the new millennium comes to a close, the need for new graduates and young professionals continues to grow. In fact, there are now thousands of job opportunities for those looking to break into the job market.Finding a way to properly set the tone for the candidate's resume to send out to prospective employers has become increasingly important for those working in the International sector, such as doctors, teachers, engineers, and others who work with international students. Because of this, many businesses and organizations have begun to outsource their resume writing services to an online agency. This way, the employer can have a clear idea of what the candidate will need when he or she is actually applying for the position.Since many of these companies outsource their resume writing services, the same agency can be used in the place of someone in the office. Even if it is not, the fact that this type of work is all done online means that the information will be kept safe. The agency can help the applicant customize the resume according to his or her specific needs.From a purely practical standpoint, companies want to know about the educational background of their applicants. The fact that most employers outsource their resume writing services allows them to focus more on the content of the resume itself, rather than having to find a writer to create the content. By simply providing an idea to the agency and letting them do the legwork, the agencies can handle everything from designing the resume to answering questions about how to write a resume and how to present a perfect content.Remember, the purpose of the resume is to provide the proper information for the company to make a decision on whether or not the candidate will be hired. The agency can help you reach your goals in this regard. They can take the good parts of your resume and combine them with what you are hoping to get out of the interview, a nd then produce a resume that is complete, professional, and specific enough to get you in the door.Many who find themselves in the position of being a professional service provider in this area realize that a majority of their clients come from the international student population. This makes sense because many of these students are looking for something that will prepare them for their transition into the US. Since so many of them have already gone through this process, it is only right that they should have the means to create a resume that shows them up in the best possible light.

Military Career Transition Help on How to Get Hired

5. You Don’t Have a LinkedIn Profile (Or, Even Worse, It’s Not Complete)In a 2012  JobVite survey, 89% of hiring decision-makers and recruiters reported using social media sites such as LinkedIn to find their candidates. If this is the case, shouldn’t you have a profile already?Your knowledge of managing your online presence lets me know how proficient you are in using technology to communicate. It also allows me to see your skills, even if they’re nascent. If you have an incomplete profile, it may communicate that you might also expect me to complete your work for you.Take the time and get your LinkedIn profile set up right.  There are lots of  places  and  resources available online  to get help at no cost, so there isn’t any excuse for not having one. Additionally, a complete LinkedIn profile allows you to take advantage of LinkedIn Labs’  Resume Builder  to automatically generate 11 different resume styles based on your LinkedIn profile. Talk about a time saver!6. You Think Social Media Is For Kids or Sharing War StoriesIf you think social media is a huge waste of time and doesn’t offer real value, watch this  video.The reality is that two out of three job seekers will get their next job using social media.  What does that mean to you? It translates to lesser-qualified people using technology to their advantage to get hired. They know how to use each of the social networking sites to the maximum extent in their transition action plans. If you think Twitter is of little use to a job seeker or professional, your competition will be happy to land the job you want because  they’re using it and you aren’t.7. You Didn’t Prepare For The InterviewDuring the course of your military career, you’ve conducted countless boards and interviews. It seems to make sense that you should have no problem interviewing. After all, you did pretty well in your transition class mock interviews, didn’t you?Wrong approach. I’ve seen instances where the most j unior service member outperformed a much more seasoned military leader because of one simple strategy: practice, practice, practice.  Practice with someone who regularly hires or who has hired people at your level recently.Why do you need to practice? Because you need to be able to be conversational, convey energy and yet let me know you’re aware of what my business is, who my competitors are and even who I am. Did you go to the company’s website to see if we have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter page? Did we make the news recently?  Google News  is a great way to find this out.I want you to distinguish yourself from the regular job seeker. I want to know you’re as passionate about my company and what we do as I am, not just out to get a paycheck and benefits. Make sure you have a set of questions that I  haven’t heard before, and when we’re about to finish the interview, ask for the job. Don’t worry; I’m not going to be offended, because I want to see that fire in your belly. Just don’t overdo it by saying something presumptuous such as, “So… when do I start?”8. You Wrote a Thank You Note (But Only to Say Thank You)Sending a thank you note is something that sets you apart from the competitors also vying for this position. And while it’s appreciated and infinitely better than sending nothing at all, don’t just send the note to say thank you;  use it to tell me how much passion you have for my company and the job. Remind me of those things that excited you during our interview and, if there were any areas you looked vulnerable in, ease my concerns.9. You Don’t Know What You Want to DoWhen asked what you want to do, the worst possible answer you can give is, “I don’t know” or “anything.”  You have to be able say specifically what types of positions you’re interested in and how you can add value to them.  If you don’t, you’re essentially saying, “Invest lots of time and money in me, and maybe it will help me figure out if I want to do something else.”If you have no clue where to start, start by looking at colleagues with backgrounds similar to yours who have recently transitioned. Which industries are they in? What companies are they working for? Where are they living? What job titles do they have now? The LinkedIn Labs  Veterans App  is a great tool to help with this. Be sure to check it out. Start volunteering to gain professional experience and seek out internships long before you sign your DD214.Employers want to feel secure in knowing that you’ll last and that they can depend on you in your new work environment. Doing an internship or volunteering will help both the employer and you determine if a position is a good fit. Additionally, due to the flood of resumes that come in for each job posting, applicants who have volunteered or performed internships will stand out well ahead of the others.Military professionals, especially senior ones, have a lot to offer our country when they hang up the uniform. The  President and American companies are working hard  to ensure that servicemembers and veterans have well-paying jobs with opportunities to advance. However, no one is ever guaranteed a job, and the more senior you are, the more challenging the transition can be in terms of education, credentials, certification and relevant industry experience required. Having a powerful network is essential and can open doors for you. That said, your comrades, friends and family can generally get you  tothe door, but it remains up to you to be fully prepared when the door is opened.Eager to hear your thoughts please share them in the comments section!

Corn on the Job is Hiring a Virtual Social Media Intern

Corn on the Job is Hiring a Virtual Social Media Intern 8 Flares 8 Flares When I started Corn on the Job in July of 2009, I was honestly just looking for a hobby.  However, it wasnt long before I realized this hobby would become much more.  To my disbelief, job seekers, recruiters, HR professionals and other bloggers from around the world were reading my articles, commenting, and featuring Corn on the Job. Corn on the Job also opened the door to some fantastic opportunities: #JobHuntChat launched in 2010 and was the very first twitter chat for job seekers and recruiters to connect. A career coaching business that is run through Corn on the Job.  I was fortunate enough to bring my experience and education to help many readers a 1-on-1 with their own job search. Bad Rhino Social Media I co-founded a Social Media Marketing Agency in 2011 called Bad Rhino.  The company is taking off and we have a growing team of awesome social media marketers. When I started Corn on the Job, my time was spent solely focused on growing it and building it up.  Things have changed slightly, and as you can see above, my time is now spent growing a number of businesses.  To ensure that Corn on the Job is constantly growing and consistently evolving, Ive decided that its time to bring in some fresh ideas and give someone an opportunity to help Corn on the Job reach its full potential. Who is the ideal Corny Intern? Because Corn on the Job is essentially driven by Social Media, were looking for an intern with major experience in this area.  As for all of the corny qualifications, let me list them out for you! Must have experience with Twitter and Facebook Must understand how to use WordPress Is interested in learning how to use awesome social media marketing tools and systems to grow a business Must have a quirky and fun attitude and be ready to brainstorm creative ways to reach job seekers through blogging, twitter, facebook, and other channels Must be available between 5-10 hours per week What awesome things will the intern accomplish? Brainstorm creative ideas for awesome and innovative blog posts Communicate with the Corn on the Job community on Twitter and Facebook Publish and Schedule blog posts utilizing a number of Social Media Tools (considering that Corn on the Job is linked to Bad Rhino, we have some fantastic tools for the intern to learn) Reach out to other publications and bloggers to gain guest blog posts Help coordinate and develop contests and promotions through social media How do you apply? I should first say that the internship will start mid August or ASAP if the ideal intern is found quickly.  The internship will run until December, and can be extended if it works for both sides.  It will be an unpaid, virtual internship. To apply, just go ahead and do the following: Send an email to CornOnTheJob@gmailDOTcom. In the email, explain in 3-4 paragraphs why you want this internship and why I should select you.  Im not going to call it a cover letter, so dont attach one, just write it out in the body of the email. Include your resume so I can check out your experience. Make sure to include in the email how many hours youre available per week.  Ideally, having someone for 5-10 hours per week will be best, but let me know what works best for you. Let me know if you have any questions here in the comments section.  Good luck!