5 Ways to Restore Your Cultures Shine

5 Ways to Restore Your Culture’s Shine How would an outsiderâ€"a client or customer, perhapsâ€"describe your company’s culture? If you dont have an immediate answer to this question, ask yourself why. All too often, our organizations don’t have clearly defined and discussed cultures, ones that support and galvanize their purpose. And this affects our people, both inside and outside the enterprise. In organizations with self-aware cultures that harness the positivity, talent, and productivity of their workforces, team members express pride in what they do. They are happy to fulfil their role in ensuring not only that the work is done, but also that the work is done well. And this translates to customer and client satisfaction. In self-aware cultures, people know what the company stands for and how their work reflects its mission. They also know their strengths and weaknesses and how they fit into systems throughout the company. This allows team members to grow and evolve, just as the organizationâ€"and its cultureâ€"grows and evolves. Think of the passion with which most start-ups launch. That lustre is all too often lost with the passage of time, as systems become less efficient, missions get lost in day-to-day monotony, and the larger focus is dulled by cultures that reward things antithetical to the organization’s original purpose. Fortunately, though, that lustre can be regained with strategic work spent on addressing organizational culture. How to lead the charge forward First, we must recognize that we cannot change what we cannot safely discuss. As a manager, you must be willing to have crucialâ€"and often criticalâ€"conversations as they are needed. You set the tone for your people, and, as such, you must drive the process forward by setting a strong example and by your willingness to answer questions, listen closely, and embrace open-door transparency. By prioritizing opportunities to learn, truth-telling, and listening, you can lead the charge forward. But these changes do take effort, and they take leadership. If, as a manager, you arent willing to practice and model these changes, you cannot effectively lead your team toward a better and healthier work environment, much less change the culture of the organization. If you want to restore the lustre and shine to your organization, start with these five principles: 1. Reward and encourage truth-telling.   Ask for feedback, ask for it frequently, and listen to the answers. Ask follow-up questions to really get to the root of problem areas. 2. Act on the data available to you. All too often, organizations ask for data but do nothing with it. When you ask for information, act in accordance with the results. 3. Build a culture that encourages people to stay and limits turnover. You can do this by creating regular opportunities for growth and accountability, ensuring that employees feel valued, and making your organization feel like a team. Hold people accountableâ€"even when it takes courage and vulnerability on your part. 4. Promote real collaboration. Listen to people’s needs, rather than offering window-dressing solutions. What may seem like a collaboration strategy, such as open-space offices, may actually be in opposition to your stated aims by increasing distractions. 5. Draw a hard line. Dont tolerate bullying or other behaviours that may ruin morale, engagement, peer empathy, or accountability. Instead, hold each member of each team accountable for his or her contributions to the whole and the way in which members affect and contribute to culture. If your company has lost the lustre with which it once shone, it doesnt have to be a sign of a slow, impending death. Instead, let it serve as a reminder to return to that passion and brilliance that first gave your organization life. These are simple steps to help you recover your brilliance, and you can take these steps at any point in time. Will you? About the author:  Claudette Rowley  is the CEO of Cultural Brilliance, a cultural design and change management consultancy. Over the past twenty years, she has consulted, trained, and coached executive leaders and teams at Fortune 1000 companies, small businesses, academic institutions, and start-ups, helping them create proactive and innovative workplace cultures that deliver outstanding results. She lays out a road map for organizational success in her new book,  Cultural Brilliance: The DNA of Organizational Excellence.

Guidance Resume Writing

Guidance Resume WritingGuidance resume writing is an easy way to generate professional resumes. It's a wonderful, low-cost way to get that professional edge. If you're looking for a great opportunity to expand your career skills, don't settle for just another resume!Guidance resume writing is a great way to save time and money while creating a professionally-looking resume. Since so many people take care of their resumes, they sometimes overlook this task. By following guidelines from professional writers, they can expect to create a high-quality resume. While some may view guidance resume writing as simple resume writing, it is more than that.This method is used for the actual application. After you fill out your information, the guidance writer will review your resume for grammar and spelling errors. Once corrected, your resume is submitted for approval by the hiring manager. You will then get the job you've been waiting for!Now, there are several tips to consider when using guidan ce resume writing. First, if you're a mom or dad, don't forget to include a family photo with your resume. When children finish their education, parents tend to forget to add them to their resumes. They don't realize that their children have completed college degrees in the meantime. As a result, they usually won't get the call for an interview.Next, focus on information that will stand out. If you've earned a master's degree, list it. Even if you have only a high school diploma, list it if you've graduated. List any professional licenses that you've had, if applicable.Finally, include any recent courses you have taken, even if they are vocational courses. Some employers do not require your field of study. Other employers use these courses to filter the applicants. If you do not know, apply to all schools and programs that are within your desired career path. Don't wait until your future employer asks.Use the internet to research a style of guidance resume writing. Once you've selec ted the type of guidance resume writing you want to use, start researching it. With each style, there are key differences. By knowing the differences, you'll be able to write a resume that will stand out!Remember, your resume is a message to your future employer. So, focus on the right words, your goals, your achievements, and let your future employer know what you've got!

First Impressions 6 Mistakes You Shouldnt Put in Your Cover Letter

First Impressions 6 Mistakes You Shouldn’t Put in Your Cover Letter Your cover letter is a hugely important tool in your job search arsenal. After all, it’s usually the first thing a potential employer reads about you and it almost always precedes your resume. A cover letter is like a friend you have who takes all the awkwardness out of an introduction by going out there and doing all the work for you. If a cover letter is so important, why is it that so many job seekers neglect their cover letters? Oftentimes, it’s clear that an author didn’t spend enough time writing their cover letter. When that happens, it sails right into the circular filing cabinet. Check out these six mistakes to not put in your next cover letter: 1. Typos Okay! Admittedly, you aren’t going to purposely put typos in your cover letter. However, when you don’t proofread your cover letter, you’re almost asking for typos to slip by. When you write a cover letter, proof read it, ask your friend/roommate/boyfriend/stranger to proofread it, and then proofread it again. Typos are hilarious, but only when they happen to someone else. 2. Desperation Your cover letter is a great opportunity to show an employer you’re very interested in the position. It is not, however, the time for you to beg for a job. The most appealing job candidate is someone who is qualified, interested in the job, but has other companies who would love to hire them. 3. That vague, generic feeling I completely understand if you’re on your 90th resume. It gets tiring, who wants to personalize every letter? It makes a huge difference. Spend extra time on each cover letter so that the employer knows that they’re being addressed, not just anyone. 4. Threats/Outlandish promises You might not think that you’re threatening an employer, but if you write something like “If you don’t hire me, your company will fail,” you’re going in a bad direction. Likewise with outlandish promises, such as, “With me as your intern, your company will beat all competition within a week.” Instead of telling an employer what will happen when you’re hired, focus on your achievements and connecting them to what you can do for the company. 5. “Dear Sir (or Madame)” Just like that vague, generic feeling I discussed earlier, not specifying a single person lowers your chances of moving to the next step exponentially. “Sir or Madame” sounds so fancy, but it’s really saying that you were too lazy to look up their names. Try Google. 6. A second page Last, but not least, your cover letter does not need a second page. If you find that you’re writing multiple pages of a cover letter, it’s too much. A strong cover letter is between three and five paragraphs. The letter serves as a short and sweet introduction, anything longer is boring and will be passed over. What other things should job seekers keep out of their cover letters? For more on cover letters, check out How To Start Your Cover Letter with a Bang! Author: Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes â€" instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Twitter. Image: Shutterstock

Build Your Referral Network - The Targeted Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Build Your Referral Network - The Targeted Job Search - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Your referral network About 85% of all jobs are filled through employee referrals. Therefore, it makes sense to build a referral network at every company where you might like to work in the future. Before you read on, this is the fourth in this series on the Targeted Job Search. If you have not read the previous steps this is a good time to read them: Target the Company and Quit Chasing the Job Building your Target List â€" The Targeted Job Search Research Your Target List â€" The Targeted Job Search Connecting with Recruiters The Targeted Job Search I have written about building and researching your target list. You connected to recruiters inside your target companies, primarily to have closer connections to their employees via Linkedin. Now it is time to build your referral network. Using LinkedIn advanced search, locate employees with similar job titles and certifications and develop a list of potential new connections. At this point you can take a couple of different strategies: Strategy #1 Look for a common connection For each 2nd degree person on your list, look to see how you are connected on LinkedIn. Pick one of your common connections and ask how well they are acquainted and would they be willing to make an introduction? What you are looking for is a personal introduction. In the sales world, this is referred to as a warm lead. Strategy #2 Systematically look at LinkedIn profiles Every day, look at a couple of LinkedIn profiles on your list. Make sure your LinkedIn setting called Select what other see when youve viewed their profile is set to display your name. On a daily basis, look to see who has looked at your profile. When someone pokes their head into your profile, send them a LinkedIn connection request and ask for AIR â€" Advice, Insights and Recommendations! Once they have looked at your profile, you are no longer an unknown. They should recognize your name and know a little bit about you. Whether you use strategy #1 or #2, the idea is to get to meet each person and develop a relationship. You are looking for an internal advocate so that, when a position becomes available, they will be willing and able to pass your resume through company channels. This takes time and persistence. If you spend 15-30 minutes reaching out to new connections and meet one new person a week, you will build a significant referral network in just a few months. As you build your referral network, it is equally as important to maintain that network through careful and persistent cultivation. The goal is to have a referral network at every company on your target list. We know that people change jobs every few years. You will want to review your target list to check who is working at each company every six months. If you carefully follow all of the steps in the Targeted Job Search, you will have choices in where you work for the rest of your career. Marc Miller â€" Career Pivot Check out my book Repurpose Your Career â€" A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers Do not forget to follow me on Twitter or FaceBook

High School Job Resume - Know What To Put On Your Resume

High School Job Resume - Know What To Put On Your ResumeWhen I was in high school, my counselor told me not to put my high school job resume on paper, because it would only bring about more attention than if I had actually written it. When he mentioned this, I was surprised and went on to think for a while before I wrote down the resume and sent it to him. You should write down your resume whenever you have time, but you should also make sure that you take time to practice how to write a good high school job resume.Nowadays, anyone can write their own high school job resume and make it look just like someone else's. There are websites and even specialized software to help you do this. Some of these websites are free, while others cost a small fee.A high school job resume that is a work of art is appreciated by recruiters and employers. Remember that if you want to get into that specific position that you have to write a convincing resume. As long as you are sincere, they will conside r your resume to be worth the wait.In order to write a convincing resume, you must understand what is expected from you. Be sure that your resume highlights your qualities that are necessary for the job. Once you get familiar with the requirements of that particular job, you will be able to create a compelling resume and win the approval of the hiring manager.Writing a resume for different types of jobs takes quite a bit of skill. Do not be discouraged if you have to rewrite your resume several times. The longer it takes you to write, the better.Write your resume first then check it over until you are satisfied with it. You will not find it easy to rework your resume. It will take some time, but you will be glad that you did it. You should try to follow up with an interview and a few job interviews. This will help you understand the nature of the job that you are applying for. If you know in advance that you are not going to get the job that you want, then you will be more prepared to face rejection. Making sure that you are well prepared will give you the confidence that you need to withstand rejection.It will be difficult to find the right job for you if you do not put in the effort to write a high school job resume. After all, these resumes are to help the employers see that you have what it takes to do the job. This could mean that you are called to a job interview.

These 11 UK universities produce the most employable graduates - Debut

These 11 UK universities produce the most employable graduates - Debut Despite what people think, students dont go to university just to party. Going to university is seen by young people as a prerequisite to employment. This perception is of course, not entirely true. Industrial placements and apprenticeships are highly, highly useful as well. However, we cant deny it: we go to university because getting that coveted 2:1 degree makes us more employable. But which universities produce the  most employable graduates?  Times Higher Educations just released their annual Global Employability Index, which used two panels of participants from twenty countries. The participants had at least 10 years work experience, and have worked/is currently working at a firm with more than 500 employees. Interestingly, only two UK universities cracked the top 10 global employable universities. They are the University of Cambridge in 4th place, and the University of Oxford in 7th. The dominating country is the United States, with an impressive 37 universities in the ranking. But the United Kingdom boasts 11 universities in the list, which is pretty impressive especially considering the proportional differences in geography. Also interesting is the concentration of London universities on the list. 4 universities out of the 11 are based in the capital city. Surprising or not, this only seems to affirms London as the business hub of the United Kingdom. Without further ado, here are the UK universities which ranked the highest in the Global Employability Index: 11.  University of Nottingham A photo posted by University of Nottingham (@uniofnottingham) on Nov 25, 2016 at 5:47am PST Came in 93rd in the global ranking. 10 University of Birmingham A photo posted by University of Birmingham (@unibirmingham) on Nov 14, 2016 at 4:46am PST Came in 90th in the global ranking. 9. University of Bristol A photo posted by University of Bristol (@universityofbristol) on Nov 30, 2016 at 6:03am PST Came in 84th in the global ranking. 8. University College London A photo posted by University College London (@ucl) on Sep 22, 2016 at 5:13am PDT Came in 48th in the global ranking. 7. London School of Economics and Political Science A photo posted by London School of Economics (@londonschoolofeconomics) on Oct 10, 2016 at 6:20am PDT Came in 45th in the global ranking. 6. University of Edinburgh A photo posted by The University of Edinburgh (@edinburghuniversity) on Oct 26, 2016 at 11:52pm PDT Came in 32nd in the global ranking. 5. University of Manchester A photo posted by The University of Manchester (@officialuom) on Nov 18, 2016 at 10:00am PST Came in 24th in the global ranking. 4. Kings College London A photo posted by Life at Kings College London (@lifeatkings) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:50am PST Came in 23rd in the global ranking. 3. Imperial College London A photo posted by Imperial College London (@imperialcollege) on Jul 19, 2016 at 6:21am PDT Came in 16th in the global ranking. 2. University of Oxford A photo posted by The University of Oxford (@oxford_uni) on Nov 28, 2016 at 1:45am PST Came in 7th in the global ranking. 1. University of Cambridge A photo posted by University of Cambridge (@cambridgeuniversity) on Nov 30, 2016 at 1:35am PST Came in 4th in the global ranking. We think that its important to point out that no matter what university you come from, you can become an employable graduate. Take a look at our Insight section for more employability advice, and always believe in yourself! (Cheesy, we know.) Feature Image via  WikiCommons Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

No Job Search Obstacle is Insurmountable

No Job Search Obstacle is Insurmountable I was recently reminded of a client that came to me several years ago. When I met him and we discussed his resume, he expressed a concern over his lack of education and how he would be perceived by employers. I assumed he was concerned about not having a college degree. Many of my clients tell me a similar story. But his story was different.When he was 12, his father left. When he was 14, his mother left. He dropped out of school in the eigth grade to work in a gas station so he could take care of himself and his 10 year old sister. His obstacle was not that he didnt have a college degreehe didnt even have a high school diploma he never even attended high schoolnot for even one day.Yet, the man standing before me had gone on to have a successful career and at the time was already earning a six-figure salary. We were able to craft a compelling resume for him based on his successes achieved over a 20+ year work history. At this point in his career, his education only had minimal releva nce to his search and he landed a new position fairly quickly. And as I got to know this man better, I was impressed by his intelligence, motivation, and tenacity. He was obviously a fighter and a survivor and his childhood experience, while tragic, made him a stronger person in so many ways.I think about him every time I meet a client who feels like their challenges are insurmountable. Hes a testament to the fact that people do extraordinary things in their personal and professional lives everyday. Take a look at your current job search challenges. Are they really insurmountable? Do you really have as few resources as my client did when he was abandoned? Are there people you could reach out to for help, support, and guidance? Probably so.Take a moment this holiday season to reflect on all you do have. Its probably a lot more than you think.

3 Easy Ways to Plan for 2013 (without your head exploding)

3 Easy Ways to Plan for 2013 (without your head exploding) Its about that time everyone to look back on 2012 and plan ahead to 2013. I know youre getting information from everyone everywhere as to what to do and how to do itand that it can feel so overwhelming and burdensome that you think your head will explode. But fear not! Click below to hear my 3 Easy Ways to Plan for 2013  (without your head exploding): Stuff to help ya: my Dear Future Me letters from 2010, 2011 and 2012  (and yes, I plan to put 2013s the first week of the year), along with the lady who I stole it from my Words of the Year from 2012 and 2011 if ya need help breaking you goal into actionable steps, subscribe to my newsletter then access the Goal Game thats part of my VIP Library (ooh, come to think of it, the Rousing Review worksheet thats there would be a great way to look back on 2012) Wanna plan for 2013 in a bit more detail, while still keeping your head? Leonie has helped over 7,000 Goddesses create their incredible year with her workbook, planner and calendar and you can get it here for as low as $9.95!