Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Whos Better at Business The Answer May Surprise You

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Who's Better at Business The Answer May Surprise You Entrepreneurs under the age of 30 are seeing more growth in their businesses than any other age group, according to the fifth annual DNA of an Entrepreneur report by Hiscox, a global specialist insurer serving the small-business community. These small-business owners, members of Generation Y, were also most likely to report growth in their businesses over the past year (77 percent) and are optimistic about the year ahead (65 percent). In contrast, more than half (60 percent) of entrepreneurs age 60 and up reported negative revenue growth, or no revenue growth at all, over the past year and 40 percent werent optimistic about the year ahead. The differences seen in the study between the two age ranges are significant. But what’s behind them? Entrepreneurship is a difficult road fraught with emotional and financial challenges, so what’s in Gen Y’s blood that makes members of this generation more likely to succeed? Bullishness Toward Innovation Younger small-business owners are driving innovation in their respective fields, with 41 percent of those 30 or younger creating new products in the past year, compared with 20 percent or less of all respondents 30 years or older. We know that in the world of entrepreneurship, you have to be content to throw lots of ideas against the wall and expect only one or two to stick. This mindset is second nature to Gen Y-ers, who tend to be more agile and comfortable with change. Their small-business cultures reflect the fact that they are happy to abandon the status quo if it’s not working, and are always looking to discover the next big idea. Freedom To Be Workaholics Fifty-nine percent of Gen Y entrepreneurs cited increased stress levels in the recent pastâ€"the highest percentage of any age demographicâ€"and 12 percent took no vacation days at all this year. But younger business owners can afford to be overly focused on work and its related complications because the other areas of their lives typically don’t take up as much mental real estate (e.g., most don’t yet have elderly parents or young children). Your average Gen Y place of business, for example, is likely to be empty at 9 a.m. but buzzing at 9 p.m. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no issue with the Gen Y work ethic when that person is passionate about his or her job. For more, head over to the AMEX Open Forum.

Create an Event Planner Resumes

Create an Event Planner ResumesIf you are a prospective employer, a successful event planner resume will get you the job. The right event planner resume has to include information about the services you offer, your past experiences, and any awards or certifications you have received, if any.The kind of business you plan to be is also an important part of your event planner resume. If you are just starting out, consider starting with a low cost wedding planning company. If your goals are more ambitious, like planning all of the events for a corporate office complex, try a larger company that has already been in business for a while.When creating your event planner resume, remember that everyone has an opinion about the best way to plan a wedding. So give proper consideration to the information on your resume. No one wants to hire a planner who doesn't know what he or she is doing. As such, it is important to spend a little time figuring out how to cover the information that would make the employer look at your resume as the best option.Think about the specifics of your job, such as which vendors you use, what specific details should be included, and how much detail to include. If you were hired by a company whose employees are very busy, then it might be appropriate to simply list their contact information in your event planner resume.It is always important to let the potential employer know what specific companies you have worked for before you start listing your experience. When asking for this information, be sure to include when you worked at each company.Remember that the type of expertise you bring to a particular job may be important to the employer. If you specialize in serving brides who may have a history of allergies, for example, mention this to the employer before you list anything.For coordinator level positions, simply list the name of the department and the amount of time you worked there. This will suffice if you only had to work on a coordinato r's assistant part-time, but it won't work if you are the head of the coordinator's department full-time.When it comes to job search, remember that it's just as important to think about what you are personally looking for as it is to ask for information from a potential employer. If you are interested in a job that requires working with children, then speak with the Human Resources department before listing any of your personal experience. It may be in your best interest to create a special resume that is specifically tailored to a specific job position.

How To Attract Your Soulmate According to Dr. Oikle

How To Attract Your Soulmate According to Dr. Oikle Are you a defensive dater? Do you know any jaded singles who are not even willing to put themselves out there due to their intense fear of being hurt? During my interview with Dating Coach and Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Oikle, PhD I learned more than I ever expected to learn about todays dating game. I must admit that for some reason this post has been the most difficult one to write out of all my posts so far. And, its the first post Ive put off writing for days. Maybe I have a little fear when it comes to dating too. Dr. Oikle started off by comparing defensive skiing or horse riding to dating: When you are defensive, you are actually more apt to hurt yourself because you are paralyzed with fear and then crash. In terms of dating, this means: 1. Expecting our needs not to be met. 2. Going into the relationship or situation with fear. ?In turn, we create the outcome we fear. Most people battle between wanting a relationship and being so afraid of what will happen in a relationship. Therefore, when they date they end up getting a little bit of both: not all their needs are met and they are afraid. Part 1: Wheres your Love Faucet? She clarified this idea by comparing it to a water faucet. When the faucet is 100% on, we allow desire and love to come in. When the faucet is off, we have closed ourselves out from letting an ideal partner in. Many times, people will leave their faucet only 50% on, which means they will attract a partner who is also only 50% on and part of their fears of being cheated on, left or not being liked are probable in that state. According to Dr. Oikle, the good news is that we can see where our love faucet is and take control of it rather than be the victim of someone else. Part 2: Get Good at Knowing Where your Faucet Is. In order to monitor where we are when it comes to letting love in, we must be aware of our thoughts and energy. Dr. Oikle says to pay attention to your throat, chest and stomach to guide you. They should feel light, not tight or stressed. Next, she suggested to stop concerning yourself with what others are doing, focus on what you are giving out, not what you are getting in the relationship. Apparently when we focus on giving love and kindness (even to a stranger, co-worker, friend, etc) we are changing the vibe we send out from lack to love and will receive love back. How many times have you come home to your partner to ask Whats wrong? Something feels off. What you are probably feeling is their love faucet being closed, which in turn makes YOU act closed and defensive. The night is probably not going to be very fun. When someone comes home sending out a positive vibe with their attitude and smile, your partner can definitely feel that and will be more apt to hug you, compliment you, share stories about their day, and show you they love you. Part 3: Transparent Dating In order to attract someone like you, you must put it all out there: your authentic self and what you want. Change your perspective from danger to curiosity. In other words, step back and trust. Understand that everything is happening for a reason. Think back to an x of yours who totally broke your heart or breached your trust. Ok, ouch. Now think about where you are today. At the time the saga unfolds, you feel like the world is ending and you will never be able to trust or love anyone again. Now looking back, you thank God every day that you did not continue dating that person. It all happened for a reason, and you wouldnt be where you are today without it. If you choose to stay stuck in fear or anger though, it will be almost impossible for you to step back into love. Learn something from what happened, and then turn back to gratitude, says Dr. Oikle. As Im writing this I realize my love faucet has been off lately. Im glad that I have the power to turn it back on and let good things flow back into my life and relationship. Thanks a million to Dr. Jennifer Oikle for all of this awesome dating information! For more dating tips, check out her blog or follow her journey of coaching a single to find their soulmate. Dr. Oikle is also launching a membership site in January where you can get individual coaching at www.mysoulmatesolution.com. For quick advice, follow her on Twitter at TheDatingDr. GOOD LUCK!

Want To Be Headhunted Heres How! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Want To Be Headhunted Heres How! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Part 2 of the post series Brand Yourself to be Headhunted EDITOR’S NOTE: In last week’s blog we examined what a “headhunter” does, as well as what he or she does NOT do. To briefly recap, a “headhunters” primary mission is to find the TOP-performing talent for a hiring company. These TOP performers will currently be successfully performing in a job similar to, if not identical to, the position(s) a company is trying to fill. This week’s blog examines how YOU can get on a “headhunter’s” “radar.” In last week’s blog I dispelled a number of myths about “headhunters,” i.e., we are NOT “employment agencies,” we are NOT “career counselors” and we are NOT in business of “finding people jobs.” Moreover, I emphasized that virtually ALL “headhunters” concentrate their recruiting efforts in a very specific market niche, e.g., chemical sales, advertising, IT, finance, etc. In other words, a candidate first HAS to be in our market niche before we will even potentially be interested in them. Help in hiring the top 20% Since a company pays a “headhunter” a fee between 25% and 33% of the candidate’s first year’s base salary, they aren’t going to pay us a fee for someone they feel they could easily find themselves nor will they pay us a fee for someone who can’t do the job. Yes, the company may hire someone with transferable skills who is “trainable,” but they will not pay a “headhunter” a fee for that person. A lot of people get frustrated with us when we tell them “we can’t help you,” but the candidate is not our client. The company is our client and the only reason a company will pay us a fee is for us to bring them someone who is not only exactly right for the job but who is a top performer. Another way to look at it is this: We are paid to help a company hire someone who is in the top 20% and protect them from those in the bottom 80%. Now with that having been said, “Want to be ‘headhunted?’ Here’s how! • Be findable • Be desirable • Be contactable • Be selectable Be findable As discussed in a previous blog, the adage of, “It is not what you know but who you know” has been replaced with, “It is not what you know or who you know, but rather, who knows you and can you be found?” If you want to be found, you need to develop and control you information in four primary locations: • LinkedIn • ZoomInfo • Jigsaw • Google â€" Your Resume and Google Profiles LinkedIn â€" most likely if you are reading this blog, you are already on LinkedIn. We are not going to discuss the details of LinkedIn in this blog other than I invite you to Link In with me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/skipfreeman Doing so will expand your second degree network by over 11,500 and by over 2 million in your third degree. Obviously this increases your probability of being found. ZoomInfo â€" The blog of May 14, 2011, “The SECOND Most Used Website by Recruiters and Companies,” reviewed ZoomInfo and what you need to do to input, manage and control your information there. Jigsaw This week, I would like to briefly mention one of the remaining top databases used by recruiters, Jigsaw (www.jigsaw.com). As with ZoomInfo, you can input your information into Jigsaw. We use Jigsaw daily to find top people. Are you THERE? Google (your resume) â€" The fourth primary area we go to in order to find top people is Google. Google’s algorithm is such that PowerPoint presentations are readily indexed and often rise to the top in searches. Thus, if you put your resume into a PowerPoint and upload it to the internet via SlideShare, you increase your probability of being found. Google Profiles â€" Control your internet presence via Google Profiles (http://profiles.google.com). Not only will we look for you but oftentimes, a “headhunter” will come across your name from a referral or during other research. Nearly always, if he or she has any interest in you, the first thing he or she will do is put you into Google to see, very quickly, if anything relevantâ€"or NEGATIVE!â€"comes up. Google Profiles helps you manage your online presence. Be desirable Now that you have been found, are you desirable? In other words, have you branded yourself as someone who is in the top 20%? • You must BRAND yourself as SOMEONE WHO GETS RESULTS. • You must BRAND yourself as SOMEONE with the QUALITIES that will SATISFY A SPECIFIC NEED of an employer. • Employers don’t hire “generic” employees. They hire people who have clearly BRANDED themselves as SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE AN EVER-INCREASING CONTRIBUTION to their organization. (See the blog of May 21, 2011, “STOP Applying for Jobs and START Competing for Them”) Be contactable Employer loyalty to employees has long since been gone. However, it is still amazing to me how many professionals hang on to this myth and one of the ways it is evident is by how difficult some people make it to be contacted. For example, they have checked the box, “Not open to receiving introductions or InMail” on LinkedIn. Or, they have changed their email address or cell phone number and haven’t updated it. Or, professionals don’t check their email or voice mail on a routine basis. Remember, there are some career opportunities that ONLY HEADHUNTERS will have. These are the GEMS. These are truly the once-lifetime-opportunities that will pass you by if I can’t get in touch with you. For example, this year alone, I have filled 4 positions with a Fortune 500 company that our firm had an exclusive on and, in parallel, the position was never posted â€" anywhere. The candidate who won the position was “findable, desirable and contactable.” As a side note, they went from an $85K per year base salary to a $100K per year base salary and got to move to a geography that they felt was more desirable than where they were. They weren’t “unhappy” at all when we contacted them. However, they are now “happier.” Calls from good “headhunters” have the power to change your life. Be selectable When a “headhunter” calls, it IS an interview. The odds that the “headhunter” will have your dream job in his/her hand are actually low. The real intent is to build a relationship with a “headhunter” that can last you a lifetime. FIRST, YOU must be someone the “headhunter” wants to add to their “inner circle,” i.e., be selected by them. SECONDLY, you must also interview the “headhunter.” Is he/she someone you want to work with? Is he/she someone whose inner circle you want to be a part of? Next week: Part 3 â€" Becoming part of a “headhunters” inner circle Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

When It Comes to Writing Your Resume

When It Comes to Writing Your ResumeWhen it comes to writing your resume, there are many different topics that you can discuss and almost any company will appreciate that you have the time to do so. You should always remember that this is an interview and that you need to create a resume that will get you that interview. However, if you make the mistake of going over everything you did in school, or any academic achievements, then your resume will not be effective.One important thing that you need to remember is that you need to be able to focus on one thing at a time. If you are going to write a resume then it will take a lot of time and effort. If you spend too much time on something it can become a burden, so do not do it all at once.As far as using letters of recommendation goes, if you do not have anything positive to say about your employer, then do not use them. Do not write anything about them and use their name. You want to leave their name out and focus on your strengths in stead.You should also not include any public records, however, when you do you want to make sure that you are careful to use what is right. The last thing you want to do is to write something about your family and the school in which you went. This will show that you have less than the best interests of the company in mind.Make sure that your personal contact information is correct as well. In addition, if you leave out any references, then you do not want to include them. There are other things that you should not include on your resume that you would want to know about and you do not want to lose any benefits that you may be receiving.Start your research and make sure that you find a mentor or someone who knows what they are doing and has experience in this type of thing. You may also want to consider the fact that there are many people out there who can help you through this process. If you are going to hire a company, it is a good idea to check out the ones that you would like t o work with.Avoid using jargon that you do not understand as well. As a rule of thumb, just do not write anything that you cannot understand. If you do have trouble understanding it, it is just going to put a mark on your resume.Your resume is going to be a very important part of your application and if you do not properly utilize it then you are going to have problems. If you are applying for a job that requires more than a basic job history then make sure that you fully understand all of the things that you can put on your resume. If you find yourself confused about something or do not understand something, then leave it out.

Sample Resumes: A Professionals First Stop

Sample Resumes: A Professional's First StopSample Functional Resumes are an ideal starting point when beginning a search for quality professional services. These are meant to be brief sample resumes for the purpose of showcasing how a professional can present themselves in a less formal way. Sample resumes are ideal because they can get you going without putting your career to the test.Sample resumes serve as a starting point, but they are not all that helpful on their own. In order to fully assess the professionalism of the professional, one must determine what traits are required to present a professional resume. What would be the characteristics of a professional you wish to find? Your resume must represent a person who can effectively speak with ease and be persuasive in their presentation.Functional samples are a practical way to quickly present a professional resume. Some samples include a basic job description, an executive summary, and a resume outline. The executive summary describes who the professional is and what their greatest strengths are. The executive summary should be no more than one page. Each section of the functional resume should be around two pages.Sample resumes may be used for resumes intended for multiple positions or even for cover letters. Using samples at the same time as resumes is a great way to make sure that all areas of the resume are present. A functional resume is a simple but effective way to present a professional profile of a person. A professional resume contains a short introduction, which includes an impressive list of accomplishments.Because Functional Resumes are brief samples of professionalism, it is important to write a professional resume that can be sent off with confidence. Do not use sample resumes as the main page of a professionally written resume. As a rule, each resume should not exceed one page. The resume should not overwhelm the reader by presenting only the most important aspects of the professional. I nstead, the reader should receive a brief summary of whothe professional is and what their talents and abilities are.While sample resumes are useful in presenting one's personal information, they are not used to display an extensive range of personal information. The purpose of the sample resume is to show potential employers what qualities a professional has to offer. Thus, the personal information should be limited to basic contact information.Sample resumes, while ideal, are not a substitute for professional-quality writing. In order to be successful, a functional resume should contain solid written content. The sample resume is merely a tool which highlights a professional's potential. The sample resume should serve as a guide, rather than a blueprint, for creating professional work experience information.Sample resumes are ideal as a way to explore professional services. They can be used as a tool to show how a professional can present themselves. Using sample resumes at the sa me time as professionally written resumes is a good way to compare and contrast professional work experience.

Career Secret #2 Make Location (Independence) Work For You

Career Secret #2 Make Location (Independence) Work For You Florida KeysNot everyone works best from an office.   Most people tell me theyd prefer not to be tied to a desk or to any one location for that matter.   Good news location is the next area of independence for the modern worker.How do I know?   Im doing it.   Ive been able to continue working while traveling to Mexico, England, Ireland, Greece and Spain as well as New York, Pennsylvania and Florida in the US.Heres what location independence is and how you can have it too.Definition of location independence being able to work from the location (or locations) that work best for you.    Weve all experienced the downside of being constantly connected to work via modern technology, but what about the amazing upside?   With cloud computing and ever expanding internet access across the world, most workers can access necessary systems and files without having to go into the office.   With video calling also being ubiquitous, cheap or free, jobs requiring interaction can also be done from f ar flung locations.   So the real question is, Where do you work best?Steps to Location Independence:Soul search and determine where your ideal location(s) is.   What setting(s) inspires you?   Where have you felt most engaged in your work?   If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?Santorini, GreeceFor me, I work best when Im in natural settings and at times, in busy urban environments.   I like both of these seemingly opposing atmospheres.   To be able to have both as my office is what enables me to be of service to my coaching clients, podcast listeners, Youtube viewers and online followers.   I also value new locations so I can experience the intellectual stimulation that comes from new languages and cultures.Research to understand what you need to work on the go.   If youre a knowledge worker, you need little more than a computer, a smart phone and an internet connection to get your work done from anywhere.   Consider calling your mobile phone provide r to set up a plan if your location(s) will be outside of your normal calling area.  Chichenitza, MexicoSetting up your work infrastructure over and over again in new locales can be a challenge.   Plan for it.   My podcast is the hardest thing to manage as I need a good sounding environment to get the job done.   Having the right tools has helped. I researched the the best microphone with the help of Dave Jackson from The School of Podcasting.   Also I downsized my computer to a MacAir which has made it easier and lighter for me to travel with what I need, set it up and take it down quickly too.Job Search and understand the skills and talents you possess that are needed by people the world over (think hair stylist) and/or you can deliver no matter where you are (think personal coaching).   Research technology for new avenues for delivering your service. Search international job sites.   Open you mind to the possibilities and youll see location independent opportunities arent hard to identify.  I know a doctor who found a telephone-based service that enables him to serve patients via phone.   Its part of a larger program so patients still have access to in-person doctors but many love the on-call feature when they have a question or minor ailment.If you need further validation that this is a real option, check out this recent article from the New York Post: More People Seeing Benefits of Working Very Remotely.   I was asked to provide input into the article when I was in Spain last fall.   The article author was in Ireland.   I dont think it was coincidence that were both thriving and enjoying our careers independent of location.   We can all work from where we want when we think independent of location.Came across additional resources to help you work from where you want including Forbes The Top 100 Companies For Remote Jobs and Inc Magazines 32 of the Best Apps to Work Remotely (many are especially helpful if you work with a team).Your outlook upon life, your estimate of yourself, your estimate of your value are largely colored by your environment. Your whole career will be modified, shaped, molded by your surroundings, by the character of the people with whom you come in contact every day Orison Swett MardenLondon, EnglandAll photos courtesy of fellow location independent worker Craig Zabransky of StayAdventurous.com.

Career Corner Career Networking - Shining at In-Person Events - Tip #3 - Hallie Crawford

Career Corner Career Networking - Shining at In-Person Events - Tip #3 Ready for some in-person career prospecting? Good for you. Career networking isnt nearly as tough as you might think. After all youre in a roomful of people who are just as nervous and eager to make a connection as you are. Basically, that means youve got a whole lot in common with everyone there. So take a deep breath, and get ready to make a terrific impression at your next career networking event. In the next several Career Corner posts are some tips to get you in the flow: Tip #3 Take your conversational cues from your surroundings. If youre like most people, it can feel funny to just strike up conversation with a total stranger. Get past the awkward first moments by looking for commiseration cues. Whats happening right now that nearly anyone there would be able to relate to? Is there a really long line to get in? Did everyone get stuck in traffic on the way to the event? Is the weather absolutely gorgeous? Casually bring it up or offer up the compliment. If they seem receptive, take it wherever the chat may lead Career networking can be easier than you think it is. Just relax and be yourself. Ideas for conversation topics will come to you, don’t worry. Break a leg, Certified Career Coach