Jan 20

Many companies have turned to the Internet to find their new job applicants and executives, so keeping your online presence strong has become more important in recent years. At the higher levels of the corporate ladder, a strong, professional presence online is absolutely critical, and this is especially true for executives. Writing your own blog can certainly accomplish this, and can get some great results for your job search.

You’ve probably read numerous blogs in your time, but haven’t written your own. Some people use them for personal venting sessions while others showcase their professional expertise. If you’re trying to build your brand and enhance your executive job search, creating a blog is a good idea. However, if you’re unsure that it will work for you, here are four reasons to consider it as an option.

 

You Get to Share (and Grow) Your Expertise

One great aspect of writing blogs for your field is that you have the opportunity to share your wealth of expertise. Having been in your field for many years, you’ve seen it grow and can share your own comparative analysis, as well as offer insight into where you see your field heading.

Additionally, you get to conduct research for your blog that can help grow your knowledge. When you’re spending all your time working with a single company, a big part of your job might be to know the intricate details of that specific organization, including goals, missinons, etc. When blogging, though, it’s better to take a broader approach to make sure that you’re creating blogs that will appeal to a wider audience of professionals.

 

You Can Increase Networking Opportunities

By writing a reputable blog for your field, you could eventually draw in members of your field who would like to comment on your writings and maybe even contact you directly. It helps if you have already set up a LinkedIn profile that you can link to from your blog. This way, interested parties who have already gotten a taste of your level of knowledge can look at additional accomplishments and know how to contact you if they’re looking to recruit.

 

It’s a Great Resume Builder

Another great reason to blog is that you can build on the accomplishments already on your resume. Since most resumes are shipped off in electronic formats, you can post a link to your blog when you apply for jobs. This becomes very helpful when employers are narrowing down their choices for an executive position, as they can decide from your blog that your experience and knowledge outweight that of the other applicants.

 

You Might Eventually Guest Blog

There’s something very special about having someone ask you to guest blog for their site. This is a major honor because it represents the idea that your wealth of knowledge is so well respected that others would like to have you come in to write from an expert’s standpoint. As you develop your own footprint in the blogging world and expand your professional brand, you might find that some will come to you for your expert opinion. Put a lot of effort into guest blogging spots, as they’ll often open up job and networking opportunities that can be invaluable down the road.

Some say that the idea of blogging being a benefit to a job search is a moot concept because so many people can do it without a professional background. However, many of the major blogs are written by well-respected, well branded professionals. There’s no such thing as a waste of time in an executive job search when you’re clearly working towards your goal–isn’t it worth your time to give it a try?

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Jan 10

There are all types of cooking jobs you can get if you have got the right training and education. While you may have worked at a fast food restaurant in high school or college, this is far removed from the opportunities available to graduates of fine culinary institutes. Regardless of whether you have worked as a cook at a local cafe without any formal schooling you’ll find that getting your culinary education can take you so much further than you ever imagined. In this piece we are going to examine the various kinds of jobs available to graduates of licensed culinary colleges.

One job is of course that of a chef at a five star restaurant. These dining establishments will not even look at you if you don’t have a degree from a school they find suitable, like the Art Institute Culinary School or Le Cordon Bleu. If you need employment at an eaterie serving a specific kind of global cuisine like Thai or Italian, you might even want to investigate cooking schools in these nations. Not only do you get the excitement of being abroad you learn skills from the very source.

Another career to think about is cooking at a fine hotel or resort. There are many casino resorts in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and various other places where you’ll find numerous restaurants that pay their chefs and culinary staff quite well. The atmosphere in such a place is one of beauty and luxury, and the food you will be preparing must be both delicious and presented in an attractive way – something you will learn in school. Also at resorts and hotels you can get more into the business aspect of restaurant operation.

If you hunger for journey, there are chances for educated cooks on cruise ships. This implies you get to cruise the high seas while visiting exotic ports of call. During your time off, you get to enjoy many of the same amenities and events as the passengers. It’s a fantastic way to see the world while earning serious cash. Cruise ships have multiple cafes right on the ship that need qualified kitchen staff. Sure, you won’t be home much but if you are unmarried with no children this is a top opportunity for fun and excitement, all while getting paid. As is obvious, there are lots of different cooking jobs for those who have adequate training and experience.

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Dec 20

If you’re an executive and you’re job searching, the last thing you want to do is completely sabotage your chances of getting a new position. It’s easy to accidentally misstep, though, and end up ruining your chances of getting a certain position.


Of course, if you’re not having much luck finding an executive level job, it could be because of the faltering economy, the area you’re working in, or a number of other factors. Looking at your job search, though, can help you determine whether you’ve got outside factors to blame or if there’s a problem in your approach. Here are a few ways to help avoid this from happening …

 

Create a Quality Resume

At the executive level, creating a quality resume requires more than just writing one that is action-driven, you need to prove that you’ve made a true impact on your previous employers. By showing in numbers what types of profits you’ve helped the company make, as well as any types of initiatives you’ve started and followed through on, it’s important for companies to see through your resume that you would be a great return on their investment.

 

Spend Time with Forward-Thinking People

When you want to make big moves in life, you have to think big. Try to find and stay and contact with anyone who has the same big goals that you have. It’s important to be able to share ideas and information that can benefit everyone as you all progress through your careers. But it’s even more important that you keep company with people who feel confident and positive about their futures, not those who feel “stuck” and believe there’s nothing good to look forward to.

 

Don’t Worry about Being Perfect

You may feel that you simply can’t send out a resume or contact a lead because you haven’t come up with the “right” things to write are say. While it’s not a bad idea to be concise and clear in your communication, perfection is something you can never achieve. Look at what you’ve written from an employer’s perspective, and remember that it can’t do you any good if you don’t get it out there.

 

Get Organized

When you’re in the midst of a job search, it’s critical that you successfully follow up on your leads, interviews, etc. You need to keep track of everything when job searching, such as who you’ve talked to, when your next interview is, and more. Make a spreadsheet to keep track of these kinds of data.

 

Step Away from the Computer

With blogging, networking and researching capabilities right at your fingertips, it’s not uncommon to want to spend the majority of your job search behind the computer. But in the executive realm, getting out to networking functions is just as important as online searching. Talking face to face and keeping good contacts with people in your industry is going to be better for your career than even the best tactics you could use on a computer.

 

If you can keep these ideas in mind when conducting your executive job search, you may find that the process will move a lot smoother than expected. What’s the worst that could happen if you change your approach to incorporate a bit of common sense?

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Nov 20

When you’re better known by a nickname than a real name, you’ve got to decide whether or not to use that nickname when making a resume or other documents during a job hunt. There aren’t hard-and-fast guidelines to help you pick a name to use, but there are certainly tips that can help you make a decision. If you’ve got questions about whether and how to use a nickname, here are a few tips


You Don’t Have to List Your Legal Name

Most people think that they have to list their legal name when creating their resume and cover letter, or sending in a job application. This is not true. You can use whatever name you’d like to be known by. For instance, if you have an uncommon first or last name that is difficult to pronounce, you may either be used to shortening it or adding phonetic assistance that makes pronunciation simpler.

 

For example, if your name is Theophilus, there’s nothing wrong with using the nickname Theo for your first name. And if you have a unique last name that may be challenging for some to pronounce, like Nguyen, you might add the phonetic spelling (nuhWEN) so that the person contacting you won’t be more concerned with how to pronounce your name than offering you an interview.

 

Be Consistent with Your Name Choice

Whatever name you decide to go with, it’s important that you use it consistently throughout your career (unless you get married or choose the legally change your entire name). As you begin to elevate throughout your profession and begin building a brand, you want your name to follow you and eventually precede you (along with your stellar professional reputation).

 

This means if you choose to go with a nickname that sounds nothing like your legal name (i.e. if you go by your middle name), it’s good to stick with it so people will always know they’re talking about the same person. The same rules apply for email address, voicemail messages, file names and social media profiles.

 

Feel Comfortable with Your Decision

The name that you choose to use during your job search and beyond should be one that you feel comfortable with. You certainly don’t want to pick a name that you don’t use, as it might lead to an embarrassing situation when someone calls you by it. If your name is Elizabeth but since birth you’ve been called Lizzy, by all means you can use it. When including both names, use Elizabeth (Lizzy) Brown. The only thing that experts suggest is that you don’t completely change your name for your job search. You need to be traceable for background checks, so if you’ve suddenly changed your entire name (legally), it’s good to note your previous name as you make the transition.

 

It’s good to know that you can use more than your legal name while in pursuit of job, as well as in your career. As long as you keep your name consistent (and the name is professional-friendly) you should have no problems using the name you most identify with.

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Sep 20

It’s easier said than done to create a great resume when you’re under pressure to get it done. If you’ve had a longer career and you’ve spent a lot of time working your way up, this can be especially true, as it’s often difficult to focus your resume in a way that shows your success.

But, of course, ultimately there’s no excuse for having a subpar executive resume. If you’re looking for new ways to gain some inspiration for your resume, here’s a few tips to set you on the right track.

 

Define a Clear Target

One of the first things you want to do when organizing your executive resume is to define a clear target. It’s always vital to look at a company’s goals, mission, and history in order to develop a personalized approach. Doing some minor research helps you speak to the exact points that the employer’s looking at in order to prove that you’re perfect for the job.

 

Make Sure to Brand Yourself

At this point, you should be known for contributing something to your field. Your name and accomplishments should precede you, regardless of your field of expertise. Your executive resume should focus a bit on branding yourself, and showing why you’re a different and better choice than the other applicants. Show why you’re a good leader, and how you’re a unique executive–highlight why you’re perfect for the job, something that the other applicants couldn’t possibly bring to the table.

 

Include a Success Story or Two

Again, at your level, you should be known for having accomplished a lot. You want your resume to show all of your successes. Of course, each success comes with a challenge, so it never hurts to focus on how you overcame an obstacle only to find success in the end.

 

Leave Room for White Space

When writing an executive resume, it’s often difficult to find a balance between including the right amount of information and leaving enough white space so that BlackBerry email cruisers won’t be overwhelmed with information. A great way to find that balance is to write short on-brand statements that are also value-driven. This approach can help make your resume more appealing and easy to read for employers.

 

Edit and Re-edit

There is absolutely no excuse for having misspelled words or grammatical errors in your resume at the executive level. If you’re not the best speller or grammar buff, you most definitely should have everyone you can think of edit your resume to avoid the embarrassment of being overlooked for something so elementary.

 

Avoid Too Many Pages

You may have a lot of information you’d like to include in your resume due to your extensive experience; however, as you know, managers are busy people with little time to read pages of accomplishments. Don’t write five pages of extensive detail; instead, cut your resume down to a few pages with essential branding and information that markets your abilities and successes as a strong investment.

Hopefully these tips (and your short breather) have helped to give you some focus as you write your executive resume. Now it’s time to write the best resume you’ve ever laid eyes on.

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Aug 22

When preparing a resume, you’re probably used to listing accomplishment after accomplishment. This is good, because employers look to accomplishments to gauge most employees.


However, at the executive level, there is more to consider than your accomplishments. Companies will want to see integrity, a vision for the future and good self control on your executive resume. There are ways to add these elements to your resume effectively. Here are some ideas you might consider.

 

Sell the Idea that You’re a Visionary

When writing your executive-level resume, you want to make sure to show employers that you’re able to create and follow through on a vision that matches the goals of the company. You want to show that you’re an “idea person” that challenges ways of conducting business.

 

Companies love the thought of shifting their business in new and innovative directions. You’ll have a big leg up on the competition by focusing your resume around ways that you’ve adapted your previous companies and changed them in ways that made them more innovative and current, especially if you can emphasize how you were able to motivate employees and adress challenges in unique ways.

 

Let Employers Know You Trust Yourself and Have Self Control

At the executive level, you are relied upon to make some pretty heavy decisions, many of which offer no blueprint for guidance. You’ve had to make gut-level decisions, likely on many occasions. Be sure to show that you’ve got superior instincts in your executive resume, and focus on how you’ve got sufficient self control to keep everything together in tough situations.

 

One way to get this done is by listing one or more instances where you were faced with a major challenge and overcame it. Whether you had to locate additional resources (money, workers) where there seemed to be none, or had to corral other execs to sit down and do some grunt work to accomplish a goal, if you succeeded in the end, you should definitely make mention of it in your resume. It’s still considered an accomplishment, you’re just explaining what you had to go through for that accomplishment.

 

Showcase Personal Integrity

When employers are looking for new prospects at the executive level, they want to make sure that the choice candidate is a person of personal integrity. You need to show that you’re accountable for mistakes, and that you’re honest and trustable in order to take on positions of high responsibility. Hiring committees do not want to have to worry about side actions and unethical activities from their executives. Often times, personal integrity can be showcased in a resume by the number of awards you’ve one or the quality of recommendations you’ve garnered from high-level execs who can attest to who you are as a person.

 

Executive resumes can be a bit tricky to write at times because you have to showcase so much more than with a standard entry-level or mid-career resume. The good news is that you undoubtedly have plenty of stories to tell, so as long as you focus on more than your accomplishments, you’ll be able to create a great executive resume.

 

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Jun 30

A layoff can make it hard to find a decent job, and multiple layoffs greatly amplify this problem and can make a job search feel like an impossible task. Unfortunately, many job seekers are facing this reality on a daily basis.

Of course, the economy is very often to blame for this difficult situation. However, an employer is much more likely to see a problem with your application when layoffs are mentioned, regardless of whether a poor economy caused the job loss. Is there a way to get an employer to overlook multiple layoffs? Here are a few tips to consider …

Think About Taking On New Prospects

Whether you consider taking on new training to enhance your skills or even moving to a new area, there’s something to be said about considering new prospects when the old ones have fizzled out. You should consider looking to other areas if you’ve lost two or more jobs due to layoffs in the same town. You might consider checking out prospects in other cities to see if the job markets are more rapidly improving in those areas.

However, if moving is not on your agenda, you might consider enrolling in some training courses for your field while you’re in between jobs. Look for free courses on the Internet or in local career centers. Make yourself a more valuable employee by doing anything you can to improve your qualifications. Even if you’ve had multiple layoffs, if you can show that you’ve got a developed set of skills and abilities, you’ll be very hireable.

Make Sure Your Resume is Spic and Span

When applying for jobs after having been laid off twice in a short period of time, you simply cannot afford to have any blemishes on your documentation, including your resume. You can, and you probably will, note that your layoffs had nothing to do with your performance, but employers don’t see it that way–they’ll wonder why a company decided to lay you off, of all of their employees, and they’ll look for deficiencies in your resume.

So as you write your resume, make sure to check for grammar, spelling and even font consistency. Get a few friends to check your resume over for mistakes and errors. Because of your circumstance, it’s likely that you will have a target on your back. Your resume must be practically spot-free in order for you to compete, given the circumstances.

Consider Innovative Marketing Techniques

Being laid off more than once sometimes requires that you work ahead of the curve when applying for jobs. Think about starting a blog or general website focused on your industry, and send a link around to recruitment agencies. A newsletter geared towards employers might be another good way to build your reputation. Making this type of attempt can guide employers in the direction of being more interested in what you offer than what you’re lacking.

Being laid off more than once can have a definite effect on your self-esteem. It’s important to stay positive and keep working at your job search, and you’ll eventually find a great position.

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May 23

As an executive, you’re often required to think of unique and unusual ways to get noticed and hired. You have to venture out to functions when others don’t have to. It’s recommended that you not only create your own professional blog, but also get on board with other blogs and write for them. Well, there’s one more thing to add to the list: making speeches.

Making a few public speeches can be a great way to develop your brand and get yourself noticed, and building name recognition is incredibly important for executives. If you’re not used to making professional presentations (which you should be at this point) then it’s time to learn how. Here are some tips to help you make speeches that could bulk up your resume.

Find Your Topic

Your first job when come up with a speech to give is to come up with your topic. Everybody’s an expert about something. You may be an expert at something related to your field or something that you simply know related to a personal hobby or skill.

Many organizations are looking for people to give insight on a number of topics, including how to invest in the stock market, how to teach yourself to use the computer and even how to save money. However, as an executive your best bet is to speak on topics that could help push your career, such as leadership, organization, and the like.

Get Your Audience

Your next step is to find the right audience for your topic. As mentioned previously, there are tons of organizations that are looking for leaders in the community to offer insight, advice and expertise on a wide variety of topics, so it’s great to start there.

However, you could also give speeches at your local library, many of which have events within in their walls on a regular basis. Also, you could be a very effective speaker for different companies. Some even find that their talent at motivational speeches can turn into a full time occupation.

Make Your Speech

Of course, once you’ve created your topic and found your audience, it’s time to actually make the speech. Again, you’re probably well aware of the basics of speech-making, so we don’t have to go over much. It helps to keep the basics in mind: a strong introduction, memorable material, and attention-getting tactics (such as eye contact and direct interaction with your audience) are all important–and most of all, have fun.

Add It to Your Resume

After you’ve completed all of your hard work to give your speech, it’s time to add it to your resume. Don’t list your speeches in the job listings part of your resume; create a new section if you’ve given several speeches, or simply add the experiences to one of the existing sections of the document. Consider a title such as “Speaking Engagements.” And if you’ve only given one and want to add to with other items, your title could be “Presentations, Guest Blogs, Special Events” – or whatever you would like to group together.

Executives undoubtedly benefit by getting out in front of people and making connections. Ask yourself: is there any real reason why you shouldn’t be out there giving speeches to develop your name?

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Mar 20

Are you as excited about Twitter as the rest of the world? You can not only find out what’s going on with your friends on an hourly basis, but also peak into the lives of your favorite celebrities

People have definitely embraced Twitter as a major form of communication; however, because it only allows you to type 140 characters at a time, the communication can be a bit limited. This is especially true when trying to promote your resume – but people are doing it. If this is something you’ve considered, here are a few tips to get your resume noticed by others right on Twitter.

Linking to Your Resume

Of course, the first challenge to presenting a resume in Twitter is keeping it short. Intelligent character allotment is absolutely critical to this end, and a lot of applications have become available to help you handle this. You know right away that you can’t post your entire resume on your profile, which means you’ll need to post yours somewhere else online (a great place to do so is via TweetMyJobs.com). When that’s done, you need to make a link to the resume on your Twitter account. There’s sometimes a problem with this step, as the link to your resume might be too long to add with an additional message.

One application that provides a solution for this problem are link-shortening applications, such as Bit.ly or TinyURL. These applications allow you to link your online resume to your Twitter message by creating a new link that uses significantly fewer characters. This way, you don’t have to use up your character count to post your resume, making the “tweeting” experience that much easier.

Making the Message Short and Clear

After you’ve created your resume URL, you want to type your message for your Twitter followers – or anyone else who happens to see. Remembering that you need to keep your characters at 140 or below, many job seekers use what are called hashtags along with Internet/texting shorthand to make themselves findable by recruiters.

Hashtags on Twitter basically provide an opportunity for others to find you through site searches. By including the pound sign (#) before your word, you’ve created a hashtag. Some good hashtags to use are #lookingforwork and #jobseeker (you can find more at Hashtags.org).

Also, it’s good to include RT at the beginning of your message because it tells others they’re allowed to retweet your message.

An example of a job seeker’s Twitter resume might look like this (the link below is not real):

RT #Jane Doe seeks a PR DIR JOB http://bit.ly/resisgreat @TweetMyResume #resume #prjobs

The message is basically telling you that Jane Doe is looking for a Public Relations Director position and that you can find her resume with TweetMyResume.com at her link. The hashtags allow for those who search for #resume or #prjobs to find her message. At the start of the message, she’s allowed others to repeat (sometimes called re-tweeting) the message in part or in its entirety. That is absolutely a ton of info for 87 characters.

By learning how to create a Twitter resume, you have the opportunity to gain access to more recruiters than ever before. Give it a good try. There’s a chance that you’ll find your dream job.


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Feb 20
Story Bridge, Brisbane, Queenslands, Australia

Image by digitalreflections via FlickrAre you wondering what you can do to nail an interview with potential owner? You are here now use it. If you want to ace the interview pay close attention.

Click Here For Part 1

Understanding The Job Interview: Inteview Help

Here are just a few things to get you started:

1. Arrive early as not to be late. HERE, don’t miss this. It is imperative you understand that the interview is your only chance to make the winning impression. Be On TIME if you want the employment BE ON TIME.

2. Have everything ready and available. I don’t just mean your resume, but also any extensions of your portfolio or questions you may have. Being prepared is not optional here it is required.

3. Interact sincerely. Make eye contact, be honest, and give examples. Stay calm. It is OK when interviewing to ask the interviewer about the work environment and how they see you fitting in.

4. Last, you need to follow up diligently. Sending a follow up Thank you note is required for follow up this will only help you stay in the forefront of your interviewers thoughts. You will enjoy your interview if you are diligent in your preparation.

This is a great starter page. The interview process may seem like a wild card, but there are so many small tricks you can do to make a great lasting impression & land the career. For more tips check out our interview resource page and happy trade hunting!

Jobs In Australia

Jobs in Australia as anywhere today can be difficult to find, but it is the squeaky wheel that get’s noticed. Don’t give up, stay in contact with potential employers on a regular basis. Get on a first name basis with the front line secretary, and keep your goals insight.

Article : Planning a Working Holiday In Australia

Enjoy beautiful Australia on a working holiday visa.


Get Your Foot In The Door (Country)

If you really want to immigrate to Australia a starting off point may be a working vacation visa.  Placements are typically in non-technical jobs, such as: customer service, clerical, hospitality, food/beverage, housekeeping, manual/labor jobs, agricultural/farming, childcare/nanny, and other jobs that do not require high levels of education. Seeing the country from a placement job may help you make the final decision on pursuing a full time job and living arrangements in the land down under.

Article On Job Search Australia

Retire to Australia work up to 20 hours a week.

Austrailia Recuiting Radiographes.

Australia’s radiographers being recruited to UK

Australian Health Information Technology

Australian health system

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