Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Learn How to Start a News Website in 5 Steps

Learn How to Start a News Website in 5 StepsLearn How to Start a News Website in 5 StepsWant to be your own media mogul? Use these five steps and have your own nachrichten site up and running today. Create Your Media Logo Getting your news site up and running begins with your media logo. Your logo will say a lot about the quality of your site and the integrity of your news content. Its leid something you want to slap together in 30 minutes or change in a month. Design a media logo that youre happy with from the start before you open your site to visitors. Design Your News Site Your websites design is just as important as your sites content. You want your site to be visually appealing and easy to navigate so that your site is sticky and visitors hang around. You can find plenty of free news website templates on the Internet to give you a website in minutes. As you design your website and put every sidebar and widget in place, just make koranvers youre not committing these webs ite design deadly sins or your sites success will be hindered. Decide on Your Revenue Stream Do you want to make money with your news site or will this be your personal hobby? Decide on a revenue stream, whether youre looking to hire a full staff of news writers you need to pay or you simply want to cover the bandwidth costs of running your site. There are many ways to make money with your media site. From paywalls to selling online ads, you can choose multiple variations to best suit your personal goals for your news site. Establish Your Social Media Accounts Although you still need great SEO in your content, you cant rely on SEO alone to put your site on the map anymore. You need active social media accounts to succeed. Dont choose one social media platform over the other either. Its easy to battle with the question of Twitter Vs. Facebook Vs. Google but the truth is, you need them all and they can work hand in hand to drive your audience to your news site. With solid soci al media writing skills, you can build an instant, loyal audience through social media. But if you feel like youre being pulled in too many different directions and your social media activity begins to suffer, hire a social media manager to handle your social media accounts for you. The investment will be worth it. Hire Your News Team Youve got your logo, your design, your social media accounts and youre ready to fill your site with content. Nows the time to hire your web content writers. An experienced web content writer knows how to write great headlines for the web for every time while also making sure every story has an impact on the readers, regardless of what youre covering. Ask for writing samples and accept writers on a trial basis to make sure their skills match up with the goals you have for your news site. Remember, your site is only as good as the team you have backing you. When you put the pieces together, your site should offer something unique. Youll find it much easier to build your brand if you stand for something - crime news, stories for parents, a business journal. Make a simple identity for yourself, then advertise your product using a few easy steps.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Entrepreneur Remakes Engineering Resume

Entrepreneur Remakes Engineering ResumeOwner/Entrepreneur Remakes Engineering ResumeAfter starting his own manufacturing business, OpsLadder member Scott Hammac needed a resume that could transfer to the corporate world.Scott Hammac left his job as the general manager at a manufacturing company in 2006 to start his own business.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

How Taylor Guitar Built Its Corporate Brand

How Taylor Guitar Built Its Corporate BrandHow Taylor Guitar Built Its Corporate BrandHow Taylor Guitar Built Its Corporate Brand Taylor, Co-founder and President, Taylor Guitars and author of Guitar Lessons A Lifes Jurney Turning Passion into Business.Question Who likes a guitar? Answer Everyone.When I made my first guitar as a kid I was pretty proud of it. I was one of those kids you might not have noticed, because I was spending my time in woodshop rather than at dances.I wasnt popular rather, I was a total dork. However, I emerged from that woodshop class with a guitar that Id made and a desire to go forward with that as a career. There was nobody to guide me in the process. I was alone in that quest, but I jumped in anyway, starting a small shop with my partner, putting my pfote to chisel, and soon began turning out a guitar every week or two.Question Who wants to buy a guitar from a company theyve never heard of? Answer Almost nobody.I would show people my guitars and theyd lik e them because everyone likes a guitar In fact, people were amazed when they saw my guitars. But for them to part with their money required a lot of confidence on their part. More often than not a person would admire ur work only to purchase something with a brand name instead.Building ur Company BrandA lot has changed since those days of start-up obscurity and lack of know-how. Today, Taylor Guitars is in the lead-selling position of acoustic guitars in the United States we produce hundreds of guitars each day. Our company brandis well known beyond the borders of the guitar playing public, enjoying fans of all types. In fact, people know our company for many things our business practices, environmental work, employee relations, local presence, celebrity players, as well as our guitars.How does one go from start up to industry leader? In my experience is takes work on all levels. I like to think of it as a three-legged stool, which needs all three legs to be strong. Those legs could be thought of as Production, Sales, and Finance. But to strengthen each leg, you need to pay attention to mora.Under the Production leg Employee Relations,Quality Control, Training and RD.Under the Sales leg Marketing Planning, Company Branding, Public Relations and Customer Service.Under theFinance leg Fiscal Responsibility, Customer Credit, Vendor Relationships, Employee Benefits and Community Service.At the start, these numerous details were not on the radar, but certainly the basic three were. Without our focusing on all three areas of sales, production, or finance, we failed. It took dedication to achieve success in each of these areas as we sword-fought our way through the first several years of our company. We scored sales wherever we could, one guitar at a time, and made them one at a time, counting each penny as we went.But with each year we strived to add detail to each of these areas to distinguish our corporate brandfrom other makers of guitars and to slowly build our b rand.Our first order of attention has always been the guitars, which remains true even today. Without a great guitar, sales are nearly impossible to sustain. But without sales, great guitars are never owned by players, and without profit, the whole idea of being in business is meaningless.Differentiating Product and BrandAs Taylor Guitars matured with each year we began to indentify ways to differentiate our product and our brand from other players in our industry.Its important that you understand that your product and your brand play different roles. Your product is more narrowly focused its the hard thing you sell. Your brand is the soft part its what the company means to people. Its also what people buy in to, apart from the product, and it is equally valuable. In fact, many people would argue that your company brand is more valuable than the product. Even the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, A good name is more desirable than great riches.We started with the obvious, which fo r us was making guitars that played better and sounded different. I use the word different for sound, because sound quality is subjective. Soon, recording engineers and players began to use the word better when they described our guitars sound. We added electric pickups when it was unpopular to do on an acoustic guitar. Eventually the market came our direction, with nearly every guitar player demanding a guitar that played well and that could be amplified.Today, we are the leader in that market, and it has become the largest segment of the market.A few years after we learned to cover the basics, we began to build our company branding. We ran advertisements that were completely different than anyone else in the industry those ads spoke to the feeling that people derive from playing and loving guitars. Those people began to like our company as well as our guitars.We then extended that branding into our customers lives with our magazine, Wood Steel, and with dealer events, festivals a nd factory tours. Hospitality became our middle name. Soon the spouses of guitar players understood what their husband or wife loved about their Taylor guitar, because they felt included as well.From the food server at the restaurant who sees the name on our credit card, to the purchaser of a new guitar, from the wood-cutting families in India, to the printer of our magazine, from the customer to the retailer, to GE Capital who helps the retailer put more guitars in stock, we strive to serve and include everyone in our story and make it fun and rewarding for them. They love itWith everyone on your side, its easier to succeed.Author BioBob Taylor (El Cajon, CA) is the co-founder and President of the world-famous organization Taylor Guitarswhich is based in California and employs over 550 people and is author of the book, Guitar Lessons A Lifes Journey Turning Passion into Business(Wiley, 2011). He has pioneered or helped develop many of the newer technological innovations used in aco ustic guitar production today. From the moment he made his first guitar during his junior year of high school, Taylor knew that he wanted guitars to be his career the passion that he exhibits for his products has largely contributed to his companys sustained success.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

This is when to be honest during your exit interview

This is when to be honest during your exit interviewThis is when to be honest during your exit interviewAn exit interview is the final official goodbye before an employee and a company part ways. The hard work of finding a new job is over. The end is almost in sight. But there is still one belastung hurdle to clear - the final interaction between you and human resources on why you are leaving and what led you to accept a new job.This is where the conversation can become a minefield, and you must balance honesty with tact. Above all, you want to leave the job gracefully with your reputation intact. Heres how to do it rightThe case for tactful honestyIf you work in an open, trusting work environment, you should feel comfortable with giving honest feedback about how your experience at the company went and how it can be improved - with some caveats.Be sure to pepper your critiques with positive experiences, so that the conversation does not seem lopsided to your audience. Even though y ou are on your way out, you are still working on impression management. Reputations about your professionalism can last longer than any one job.But in this environment of good managers, you should feel safe to open up. If you have a good manager, helpful feedback is going to be welcome. Ask a Managers Alison Green said that good managers want to hear how they can improve. Assuming theyve seemed reasonably open to feedback in the past, my advice is to be honest about the things that bothered you, she writes. And assuming you can do so without resorting to lying, balance it out with comments about things you did like so that you dont leave them with an impression of overwhelming disgruntlement.The case for keeping quietUnfortunately, not every employee has the luxury of working in an open, trusting environment where their feedback will get heard. This is where you must choose your words mora carefully.For employees who have endured bad bosses and unhealthy office politics, it can be t empting to make the exit interview an airing of grievances. Emotions can run high when you are under heavy stress and frustration.What can they do? Fire me? I already quit the vengeful employee thinks. But under this mindset, a critique of the company becomes a personal attack, and this can pave a path to destruction. Exit interviews are the last impression employees leave with a company. Industries can be smaller than you imagine. If you want to throw a colleague under the bus, you better hope that you do not need them as a personal reference in the future.What if one of those same managers that you scorched is hired into your new company in a position of authority, even your direct boss? Ive seen this more than a few times, Ian Matthews, a senior executive, told Quora.Instead of blaming widely, focus on specific examples of improvement related to work that you can back up, as Wendy Bliss, a human-resources consultant, advises Instead of saying your boss is terrible and everybody h ates him, you might say, He was very dedicated to the job and always had his eye on results for the company, and sometimes that dedication led him to be overly involved in employees work. You may also want to consider the audience of your feedback. Who is the person you are going to be having this conversation with? Do you trust them?If you work in a toxic workplace where bosses will retaliate, focus on leaving unscathed. Keep your answers focused on how the new job is so awesome that you could not possibly refuse, rather than focusing on how this job was so terrible you could not wait to get out.In these cases, you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that even though you were unable to fully speak your mind, you made it out intact.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Performance Management Is NOT an Annual Appraisal

wertmiger zuwachs Management Is NOT an Annual AppraisalPerformance Management Is NOT an Annual AppraisalPerformance appraisals are a hot topic in management and organizations these days. In fact, hundreds of resources exist to tell you how to do wertzuwachs reviews. This is the wrong approach. The better question is should you do reviews at all? People want to know how to do them when to do them, whether to do themand how they affect wertzuwachs. The employees who are the targets of these assessments want to know how they affect income,what they assess,how they measure contribution,how they are archived and used, andhow they affect career advancement and success. Most of these questions are the wrong questions, especially when they focus narrowly on the wertzuwachs evaluation instrument and the appraisal meeting with the supervisor. Ask instead, how your entire performance management ordnungsprinzip supports your desire to create a customer serving, motivated, accountable, reliable, creative, dedicated, and happy workforce. Does the annual performance review help you achieve these goals? In Performance Appraisals Dont Work, the downside of performance evaluation as traditionally practiced was discussed. Here, youll have the opportunity to review the components of a performance management ordnungsprinzip, the recommended system for replacing the annual performance review. As a Human Resources or management professional, one of your major goals is to develop the capacity of your organization and its members to perform you want to create a high-performance organization. You lead company efforts to create a workplace in which people can develop their full potential. An effective performance management system, which line managers lead and own, guarantees you will achieve your goals. Performance Management Both a Process and a System Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a whole work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves your organization. Many writers and consultants are using the term performance managementas a substitute for the traditional appraisal system. You will find the term in this broader work system context has a significantlywider set of objectives and opportunities. The goal of performance is to achieve the company mission and vision. Almost no one performs, for the organization, however, if his or her own mission and vision are not accomplished as well. As Fred Nickols, Senior Consultant with the Distance Learning Company, says, The blunt truth is that, if they have any work objectives at all, most people set their own. It is the era of knowledge work and the knowledge worker Many so-called bosses (if that term has any utility at all) are in no position to set work objectives, to monitor their accomplishment, or to supervise their pursuit. The work, especially at the task level, is in the hands and the heads of the workers. To be sure, a manager could formulate goals and objectives having to do with improvement in work processes and the like, but if these must be left to the workers to realize, who needs the manager? An even better question is, Who needs work objectives? An effective performance management system sets new employees up to succeed, so they can help your organization succeed. An effective performance management system provides enough guidance, so people understand what is expected of them. It provides enough flexibility and wiggle room so that individual creativity and strengths are nurtured. It provides enough control so that people understand what the organization is trying to accomplish. Nickols summarizes, Now, in the era of knowledge work and knowledge workers, where work is information-based, and working is a mental activity, work routines are configured by the workers in response to fluid, changing r equirements. The task of management in this new world of work is to enable and elicit employee contributions of value to the organization. To continue with a system designed to exact and enforce compliance is folly. Need more information about a performance management system? Find the components of an effective performance management system. Performance Management System Defined Performance management begins when a job is defined. Performance management ends when an employee leaves the company. Between these points, the following must occur for a working performance management system. Develop clear job descriptions. Job descriptions are the first step in selecting the right part for the job and setting that person up to succeed. Traditional job descriptions that ended with and whatever else you are assigned by the manager are not what is needed. Job descriptions provide a framework, so the applicants and new employees understand the expectations for the position. The preferred a pproach is to see these expressed as outcomes.Select appropriate people with an appropriate selection process.People have different skills and interests. Jobs have different requirements. Selectionis the process of matching the skills and interests of a person to the requirements of a job. Finding a good job fit is exceptionally important. Use a selection processthat maximizes input from potential coworkers and the person to whom the position will report. See What Great Managers Do Differently for more discussion about selection. Negotiate requirements and accomplishment-based performance standards, outcomes, and measures.Ferdinand F. Fournies, in his long-lasting book, Why Employees Dont Do What Theyre Supposed to Do and What to Do About It, clearly states the first reason why people sometimes fail to meet your expectations. He says employees dont know what theyre supposed to do.Provide effective orientation, education, and training. Before a person can do the best job, he or she m ust have the information necessary to perform.It includes job-related, position-related, and company-related information an excellent understanding of product and process use and requirements and complete knowledge about customer needs and requirements. Provide on-going coaching and feedback.People need ongoing, consistent feedback that addresses both their strengths and the weaker areas of their performance. Effective feedbackfocuses more intensely on helping people build on their strengths.Feedback is a two-way process that encourages the employee to seek help. Feedback is usually more effective when requested. Create a work environment in which people feel comfortable asking, How do you think Im doing?Conduct quarterly performance development discussions.If supervisors are giving employees frequent feedback and coaching, performance reviewscan change from negative, evaluative, one-sided presentations to positive, planning meetings. Held quarterly, employees always know how they a re performing and their next goals and challenges. konzept effective compensation and recognition systems that reward people for their contributions.The power of an effective compensation systemis frequently overlooked and downplayed in some employee motivation-related literature.This is a mistake. It is often not so much about the money as it is about the message any reward or recognition sends to an individual about their value. Money has become a metaphor for value.Provide promotional/career development opportunities for staff.The supervisor plays a key role in helping staff develop their potential. Growth goals, changing and challenging job assignments and responsibilities, and cross-training contribute to the development of a more effective staff member. Help to create an environment in which people feel comfortable to experiment and make mistakes. Assist with exit interviews to understand WHY valued employees leave the organization.When a valued person leaves the company, it i s necessary to understand why the person is leaving.This feedback will help the company improve its work environment for people. An improved work environment for people results in the retention of valued staff. If your environment truly encourages discussion and feedback, you will learn nothing new in anexit interview. The Impact of the HR Professional on Performance Management The impact of the Human Resources professional on this performance management systemis powerful. You can encourage managers and supervisors to take responsibility for managing performance in their work area and cooperating for performance improvement across the organization.You can promote the understanding that even if one individuals work area, shift, or department is successful, this will not result in a well-served customer.Because all components of your organization are part of a system that creates value for your customer, all components must be successful. So, too, in your performance management sy stem, all components must be present and working to create value for each employee and the organization. Need more information about a performance management system? Find the background thinking about an effective performance management system.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

The Foolproof Best Resume Builder Strategy

The Foolproof Best Resume Builder Strategy Its automatic-save feature makes sure that you dont lose your work. Its possible to send an email and watch for a response, make a call or chat livethrough the site, so there are lots of choices. Best Features Very simple to use. Part of creating an effective resume is choosing the most appropriate format to inform your private story. To assist you choose whats appropriate for you, lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of each resume format. A fundamental text editor at no cost, providing you a printable resume schablone. If youre leid acquainted with using Google Docs, the formatting features are easy to use. The templates are for the most part popular resume formats that are frequently accepted by many businesses. There are many templates to pick from ranging from the traditional formats of conventional resumes to more modern designs which are getting more popular (see example above). A Startling Fact about Best Resume Builder Uncovered WordPress is a huge name in regards to creating websites. Both Bing and Google have pages where you are able to put in your URL to find out if your website plays on mobile acceptably. Youre able to customize the template to coordinate with your details, but you may notlage even get to pick your own font. As soon as youve chosen a template for your website, you should make it your own. Who Else Wants to Learn About Best Resume Builder? The Free Resume Builder helps prepare resumes even when you dont possess the slightest idea on the best way to do so employing a seven step approach. Resume software lets you save several copies and customize them easily. Cover Letter Builder If you desire a cover letter together with your resume, Resume Genius will be able to help you build one. After youre finished, you may download your resume as a PDF. The majority of the site builders here can register an exceptional domain for you, and all can offer you an internet a ddress utilizing the providers domain, as an example, yourname.sitebuilder.com. GotResumeBuilder is a free and easy to use resume builder site. The site will inform you exactly how many views your resume has. Before you can begin building your house on the internet, you require an address for it. New Step by Step Roadmap for Best Resume Builder Make sure that the computer software supplies a completely free trial for many days. A totally free trial period will make it possible for you to check different characteristics that it offers. CV Maker Free helps you compose an expert Curriculum Vitae that showcases your special experience and abilities. View Sample Phrases and choose the ones which best reflect your abilities and experience. In general, it would be an excellent experience for learning WordPress if youre building a personal brand. There are lots of Free resume building apps can be found play shop. Every tool you have to create a professional CV is readily access ible from the expert menu. There are different tools which you would want to learn how to utilize them. The Supreme Approach for Best Resume Builder There are a lot of free creative resume templates youre able to use, permitting you to focus your energy on everything else you should do. Free resume builders help you to save money, but you need to consider what youre giving up in return. You may find a lot of great resume templates, but youll have to decide if theyre likely to help or hurt your odds of landing an interview. Best Resume Builder Fundamentals Explained Resume software should permit you to link your CV to many social networking platforms. Resume software allows you to create a creative resume that may convince the hiring company. Apart from programs, there is also a long list of resume making it available. The software needs to be compatible with distinctive devices. Updating your resume manually whenever you need to submit an application for a new position is hard. Its entire aim is to showcase the abilities that you have that would cause you to be a good candidate for the job that youre seeking. You desire a tailor-fitted resume for every new position that youd love to submit an application for. You should also think about the position, company and industry that youre pursuing. Whats Truly Happening with Best Resume Builder You would have to upgrade your premium program and go for the month-to-month subscription if youre prepared to create a number of resumes. A number of the services included here offer you totally free alternatives, too. Resume Companion is an extremely user-friendly site that delivers a wide selection of tools that may help you compose an outstanding resume and send it to a possible employer. A number of them also allow it to be effortless to talk about your resume with potential employers from the site. If youre looking for a job and dont want your present employer to understand, its certainly not the m ost discreet alternative. The website also hosts a network for employers searching for new talent. Theres no totally free package.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

4 Reasons Why Youre Losing Top Talent - Spark Hire

4 Reasons Why Youre Losing Top Talent - Spark Hire(Hint Its not just the money)Recruiting top talent is always a challenge (as is maintaining top talent, but thats a discussion for another day). Its like the high school prom all over again. Everyone is asking the most popular girl to the dance, and theres a lot of hairspray and someones spiked the punch bowl Anyway, the most disappointing scenario is when you bring a great candidate in for an interview, offer him/her the job, and you get a rejection. What went wrong? Was it something you said? It was probably something you didnt say. Here are 4 reasons why youre losing top talentand money isnt one of them.4. You dont talk about the industryTalented candidates are likely going on many different interviews with many different recruiting companies in your industry. If theyre smart, they are doing quite a bit of homework for every one of those interviews. The upshot is that top talent will know about the latest industry buzz, and they wi ll want to talk about it. Talking about industry news not only gives top talent the chance to show off their knowledge (who doesnt love that?), but also shows that you are cognizant of competition and of industry trends. Be aya to talk about the competition and news in a way that shows how your company is competing well and making headlines.3. You dont talk about your brandRecruiting top talent means selling your company as a whole to a candidate. This is a great time for your company brand to work in your favor. Pepper your conversation with catchphrases and talking points of your company brand, and feel free to give your candidates pamphlets or other materials that will help them understand what your company is all about. Talking about your company brand can also help your company stand out from the many companies top talent will be visiting.2. You dont talk about securitySome top talent will plan to stay with a company for a few years, and then transfer up the food chain. However , in todays economy, everyone is looking for a little bit of security. Talk about how your company can provide that to the candidates. Whether its your companys longevity, your last quarters earnings, or your brilliant new idea to make everyone rich show your candidate that your company will take good care of them. This can also be accomplished with a healthy salary, benefits packages, or other company perks (of course, we had to talk just for a second about money).During the recruiting process, also be sure to bring up any exciting new business, which shows growth and confidence in your company.1. You dont listenHit the above talking points, and then ask the candidates what they are looking for. Ask them about their great ideas. Ask them about their career goals. Everyone loves talking about themselves, and it will be a useful exercise for both of you throughout the recruiting process. Not every top candidate is a perfect fit for your company.Have you ever been rejected by your top pick after offering them employment? Tell us what you would have donedifferently, if anything.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byVictor1558

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Is Your Life Story Boring

Is Your Life Story BoringIs Your Life Story BoringYour story needs to be sticky. Recruiters dont say, Remember Paul, the innovative thinker that had a strong track record at Fortune 500 companies. Find out how to craft a story with a good hook.Job seekers think they need to be salesman, never storytellers. Nevertheless, storytelling is part of every job search. How well you tell your story in cover letters, resumes, networking meetings, interviews - even negotiations - will directly affect your success in the job market.Storytelling doesnt mean telling tall tales Its amazing how many people ask for help with their resumes by saying, Ive got to find a way to make this look better than it really is. Exaggerating accomplishments and misrepresenting facts is never an acceptable approach. Nor is it necessary. Instead, when people take the time to remember the actual details, a more compelling and truthful story almost always emerges.The problem is that people dont naturally think about telling their story.Your challenge is to find a way to describe your involvement so potential employers clearly see the before and after. In other words, how did you make a situation better because you were there?You cant get there simply by rattling off a list of accomplishments by themselves, accomplishments rarely tell the story. Knowing how much time you saved or how much money you made for the company is of limited use if it isnt presented in context. To appreciate the importance of your work, the scope of what you did must be clear. Here are a few questions to get you startedWhat problem were you solving?How long had it been a problem?How many people were affected by the issue?What welches the cost of not solving the problem? (e.g., lost revenue, frustrated customers, low morale)What, specifically, did you do to address the issue?How did you get involved?Were you asked to address the issue? If so, by whom?Or welches your involvement the result of your own initiative?Did solvin g the problem require an investment of time, money or resources by the company?Were you the person who convinced management to invest in the solution?If so, how did you sell them on the idea?How long did it take to solve the problem?Were there any unexpected results?Good stories surprise youOnce you have answered these questions, be sure to include the most surprising and memorable details when you tell the stories behind your accomplishments. This is the key to being remembered at the right time for the right reason.Sadly, few people manage to include these crucial details.Rather than tell memorable stories that might get people interested in their backgrounds, they rattle off job titles, responsibilities and other unrevealing aspects of their past.For example, I vividly remember Eric (not his real name), a client who had a long-winded, fluffy summary statement that could literally apply to anyone. In it, Eric described himself as an innovative problem solver. Unfortunately, this w as not supported anywhere in his resume or cover letter. Nor did he spontaneously offer any examples during the course of our mock interview.Only when I probed extensively did Eric reveal a fantastic example to support his claimIn his most recent position, Eric worked at a data center that handled transactions for financial institutions. At the time, the company was actively acquiring other data centers. Erics job was to help merge the operations of the various data centers the company acquired.Throughout the process, Erics company relied on several highly paid consultants from a well-known firm to evaluate the acquisitions and make recommendations regarding the best ways to merge the technologies. In one case, the consultants concluded that the technology of a recently acquired company was incompatible with the firms operations and recommended running the data center separately. Eric didnt accept that as an answer. Instead, he spent the next month researching and examining alternat ives on his own, outside regular working hours.Being quite resourceful, Eric networked his way to a person overseas who had successfully solved a similar challenge. By taking the time to learn how the other person solved the problem, Eric devised a way to implement a workable solution. Within a few weeks, Eric successfully converted the new data center to the companys technology.This is a great example of innovative problem-solving. It wasnt one Eric had ever thought to share on his resume, in interviews or in any of his networking efforts. Nevertheless, it remains among his most memorable and compelling experiences. Thats the goal of storytelling. You want people to think of you and make the connection between what you have done and what they might need you to do. Potential employers and networking contacts should look at you and thinkI remember her Shes the person who _________.(Fill in the blank with whatever experience powerfully demonstrates your ability to excel in a particula r area.)People will only remember you this way if you have great stories to support your abilities. After all, no one will ever sayI remember him Hes the guy who spent 10 years working at Fortune 500 companies where he developed a strong track record of leadership, strategic thinking and a proven ability to solve problems and exceed client expectations.As you may have noticed, this says absolutely nothing. Not coincidentally, it is exactly what job hunters convey in writing and in person everyday. Its also one of the reasons far too many people remain under- or unemployed.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

What to Include in a Letter of Recommendation

What to Include in a Letter of RecommendationWhat to Include in a Letter of RecommendationIf you have been asked to write aletter of recommendation for employment or for academic reasons, you may be struggling to know what information to include - and what to leave out. This recommendation letter schablone shows the format of a typicalletter of recommendation, with details on what to include in each paragraph of your letter. What to Include in a Letter of Recommendation A recommendation letter should include information on who you are, your connection with the person you are recommending, why they are qualified, and thespecificskillsthey have. Whenever possible, its helpful to provide specific anecdotes and examples that illustrate your support. For example, rather than simply stating that a candidate is a strong writer, mention that they wrote a prize-winning essay. If someone has achieved awards or special recognition for their accomplishments, mention it. Your goal is to writ e a strong recommendation that will help the person youre recommending get hired or accepted. When writing aspecific letter referring a candidate for a particular job opening, the recommendation lettershould include information on how the candidates skills match the position they are applying for. Ask for a copy of the job posting and a copy of the persons resume, so you can target your recommendation letter accordingly. Try to usekeywordsfrom the job listing in your recommendation. In addition, the lettershould include your contact information for follow-up. Be prepared to answer questions about your endorsement of the candidate. The following template can be usedfor an employment reference, as wellas areference for graduate school. Letter of Recommendation Format Below is a template with an example of the format for a letter of recommendation. A template can help you with the layout of your letter. It shows you what information to includeand how to organize your letter. Whilel etter templatesare great starting points for your own katechese, you should always edit a letter to fit your situation. You can alsoreview samplesof recommendation letters to help you write your own. Writer AddressYour NameJob TitleCompanyStreet AddressCity, State Zip Code Date SalutationIf you are writing apersonal recommendation letter,include a salutation (Dear Dr. Williams, Dear Ms. Miller, etc.). If you are writing a general letter, say ToWhom it May Concern or simply dont include a salutation. Paragraph 1 IntroductionThe first paragraph of the recommendation letter explains the purpose of the letter, as well as your connection to the person you are recommending, including how you know them, and for how long. Paragraph 2 DetailsThe second paragraph of the recommendation letter contains specific information on the person you are writing about, including why they are qualified, and what they can contribute. If necessary, use more than one paragraph to provide details. Include s pecific examples attesting to the persons qualifications whenever possible. Paragraph 3 SummaryThis section of the recommendation letter contains a brief summary of why are you are recommending the person. State that you highly recommend the person or that you recommend without reservation or something similar. Paragraph 4 ConclusionThe concluding paragraph of the recommendation letter contains an offer to provide more information. You can include a phone number within this paragraph. Another option is to include a phone number and email address in the return address section or signature of the letter. Letter ClosingFinish up your letter with aformal letter closingand your name and title. If you are mailing a hard copy of the letter, include your signature underneath your typed name Sincerely, Signature(for hard copy) Writer NameJob Title Review a Sample Letter of Recommendation George McAdamsCoach / Biology TeacherThomas Jefferson High School8740 Highland Avenue Hillside, Illinoi s 60162(000) 123-1234gmcadamsemail.comMay 21, 2018To Whom It May ConcernIt is with much enthusiasm that I am writing this personal recommendation for my student, Keeshan Williams. Keeshan has been an indispensable member of the Thomas Jefferson High School football team that I coach since his freshman year in 2015-2016.Keeshan is truly one of our star students at Thomas Jefferson High School. Not only has he twice been recognized as MVP for our football team, but he also is an honors student, maintaining a 3.85 GPA as he completes a full schedule of AP classes in English, Biology, Chemistry, and Calculus. He is an acclaimed student leader, holding offices in student government and Beta Club, and also volunteers as a Biology tutor in our peer mentoring program.Keeshan possesses a maturity and focus that far exceeds those of fruchtwein students his age. Determined to eventually go to college and medical school (to pursue a career in sports medicine), he has worked various part-time jo bs in retail to help fund his education, and understands how to provide attentive customer service, operate point-of-sale systems, and build team morale and project ownership.I thus highly recommend Keeshan Williams, confident that he will bring the same drive and dedication to your organization that he brings to the classroom and the football field.Please contact me at the email or phone number listed here if there is any other information I can provide.Sincerely,George McAdams Expand What to Include in an Email Recommendation Message When youre sending your recommendation letter by email, you can eliminate the Writers Address section and include your name, address, title, email address, and telephone number in the signature section of your message Best regards,Writer NameJob TitleEmailPhoneCompanyStreet AddressCity, State Zip Code ExpandThe subject of your message should include the candidates name Subject Recommendation - Applicant Name What Not to Include in a Letter of R ecommendation If you do not feel comfortable recommending someone - whether its for a job or graduate school or for something else - its best to let the person requesting the recommendation know thatyou cannot write it, rather than writing a negative letter. This will give them an opportunity to seek out someone who can wholeheartedly write a positive recommendation. Keep in mind that your own reputation is in play when you write a letter of recommendation you do not want to endorse someone in a letter who you do not think will perform well since it could cast a negative light on your own judgment. You also do not want to lie in the letter Dont exaggerate accomplishments. Overblown praise can diminish the impact of your recommendation. But be aware that since fruchtwein recommendation letters skew very positive, any criticism will be very noticeable.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Entry-Level Cover Letter with No Experience Example Writing Guide

Entry-Level titel Letter with No Experience Example Writing GuideEntry Writing GuideIn just a moment, youll have a topComputer Science titel LetterIf an internship is what youre after, read How to Write a Cover Letter For an Internship +20 ExamplesJust graduated college? See Recent Graduate Cover Letter ExamplesAnd if you want to make aya elendhing slips your mind when writing a titel letter, get our handy free checklist 37 Things You Need to Do Before You Send Your Cover Letter.1Whats the Best Structure for Entry-Level Cover Letters?Cover letters allow you to write with flexibility, creativity and style. This can be quite refreshing, especially if youre coming straight from writing a robotic-sounding resume with no experience.However, your titelblatt letter for entry-level positions is sgeschiebemergel a formal letter, so there is a layout we recommend you follow.But whats that structure look like, and what should you include on a first-time cover letter?Heres what you should incl ude on a no-experience cover letteryour contact details,the companys details,a greeting/salutation (e.g., Dear Mr. Steinhoff,),an opening statement that grabs their attention,short paragraph on why youre perfect for the company,short paragraph on why the entry-level position is perfect for you,closing statement that seals the deal,complimentary close (e.g., Regards,) and your name,a postscript (P.S.).Here, were following our recommended structure on the elements of the perfect entry-level jobs cover letter. To understand the reasoning behind this particular structural endorsement, see this article What to Include in a Cover LetterPro Tip Though you should follow our formal cover letter structure, youll have some leeway in your writing style. On the resume, youd use fragmented sentences and clipped phrases, but here you can flex a bit.Didnt get an opportunity to use our guide for making a resume without work experience to ensure thats done right? Nows your chance Resume with No Work Experience2How to Address Your Cover Letter for First JobsWhen putting together a cover letter for entry-level jobs, youll first put your personal information and theirs in the header area. Its look and design varies depending on the template you use.Your Contact DetailsFirst, add your contact info at the top of the cover letter. Must-haves include your name, email address, and phone number. Optionally, you may choose to include your mailing address and a LinkedIn URL.Your address can be aligned to the left, center, or right. However, stick to the saatkorn layout as you chose for your resume, and youll be fine.Pro Tip Dont add other social media links, website URLs, and portfolio information here as you did on your resume, unless the entry-level cover letter template you choose includes an area for them.The DateAny formal letter such as a cover letter should include a date of writing.The Companys DetailsNext, add the addressee, which is the company or agency youre applying at. Try t o find the specific name of the HR director to insert at the top of the company address. This will make it feel more personalized and will be much more compelling.Put the specific persons name (if you found it) then the organizations name and address.Heres what the finished cover letter address area could look likeNot addressing your cover letter with no work experience correctly is just as bad as not including one at all Make sure you get it right How to Address a Cover LetterPro Tip Just how important is a cover letter? Super important Over 45% of HR managers say theyll reject your application if you dont include one3Starting Off on the Right FootIts crucial to get the opening area of a cover letter for any entry-level position just right. The top location gets the most eye time, after allSucceed, and youll get actual eye time at the interview.Greeting / SalutationFinding the name of the hiring manager or recruiter is important. It makes the difference between your first cover let ter feeling personalized and it seeming like it was spammed out to everyone.Something like Dear Mr. Steinhoff, works perfectly. You can also skip the formal tone by calling them by their first name Dear Marcel,.Now, about that Dear partDear is one of the best salutations, but if you cant find a name or want to change it up, weve got other options How to Start a Cover LetterIntroductory StatementYou know that elusive, perfect pickup line youd want to use when you see The One across the bar? Well, the opening paragraph should grab the employers attention the same way. Make them want to talk to you.Lets look at an example of a great entry-level cover letter openingAs a longtime user and fan of SmogTechs peerless cloud services, I was thrilled to see the opening for an entry-level IT researcher. With my IT university background as well as a dedicated consumer of your cloud offerings, I know I can use my skill set and knowledge to quickly become a valuable member of the SmogTech team.How bout that? This intro is written specifically about the company, and it gives them an enticing taste of how you would be a perfect addition to their team. This makes a great cover letter opening paragraph, and it will make them want to read on.Pro Tip As we did above, mention the firms name in the beginning paragraph, as well. It feels more personalized, and it assures the hiring manager that theyre reading a dedicated cover letter.When making a resume in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.Create my resume nowWhen youre done, Zetys resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.4You + Company = A Picture-Perfect PartnershipNow we get down to the fundamentalsits time to sell them on why youre the best candidate out of that stack of 200+ others.The odds seem against youunless you get this core section right.Though opposites, these next two cover letter of interest sections have a symbiotic relationship. We suggest a paragraph for each, which will allot you plenty of room to make your case.Why Youre Perfect for ThemYouve hooked them with that great introduction statementway to goNow, start reeling them in by showing how youre the perfect fit for their company.Heres what a fresh graduate or first-time applicant might say on a sample entry-level cover letter for a job applicationIn my former role in my universitys IT laboratory, I had numerous responsibilities and achievements which would serve me well in this entry-level role at SmogTech. Im proud to have been on a team which pioneered some innovative new IT best practices. On top of that, my diverse set of projects there have often maintained an enviable position as public-sector winners, and Im sure that I could garner similar results at SmogTech, such asNew method for documenting bugs which reduced operational downtime by 52%Initiated system for merging data streams into single outp ut which led to a 26% increase in productivity.See that? With that paragraph, you show that your acquired skills and experience would make you the ideal new hire for the job offered. You also add specific numbers so they get a taste as to what you could bring to their table, rather than just vague words.Even though you have no on-the-job experience, you look supremely competent, nonetheless.Why Theyre Perfect for YouA healthy relationship should be a two-way street, and that holds true for entry-level positions, as well.Youve told them why youre the best possible future employee. Now, show them that this company and the entry-level position on offer is the finest choice for youObtaining the IT research position at SmogTech would be a digital dream come true. You see, SmogTechs user-friendly cloud development platform is what inspired my fondness for tech. As such, there is no other firm that would make me as happy to work for. I know that, should I be granted the researcher position , Id be the envy of my circle of friendsHow about that? You praised the company and explained how no other company could make you as happy to work for. Who can resist that?Pro Tip Remember using keywords on your resume to ensure that its tailored? Add them on your no-experience letter of interest, as well. Oh, and make sure you use the best cover letter fonts so they can read itWeve got a wealth of tips on writing a cover letter that will let you stand out above the rest 35+ Successful Cover Letter Tips, Advice Guidelines5A Compelling Strong FinishYou started off strong, and youve kept that momentum going this far.Now, dont give up just yetUse a powerful closing statement, a concluding sentence or paragraph, to briefly sum upI would welcome the chance to discuss your current tech and research objectives and show you how my successes at university can translate into growth for SmogTech.See that? You bring it to a satisfying end by summarizing your entry-level cover letter and then leaving the decision in their hands.Complimentary CloseAdd a closing sentiment and your name, and then you can let out a sigh of relief at your impressive application letter accomplishment.Heres how painless that isSincerely,Siobhan KeenanThat closing sentiment is called a complimentary close (or complimentary closing). Thats followed by your name to end the cover letter.Pro Tip Just as with the formal header area where you addressed the company, keep the complimentary close formal, as well.Having a solid closing on a cover letter is just as critical as an attention-grabbing beginning. Read this for more examples How to End a Cover Letter6A Postscript to Seal the DealBefore you berate me for saying youre done and then giving you one more, hear me out just a sec, if you will.Adding a P.S. (postscript) is a great cover letter writing hack. All the best cover letters include one.Let me show you what I meanP.S. - Id love the opportunity to sit down with you and go over how I can bring s imilar results (26% productivity increase) to your office, as well.What do you think? A P.S. at the bottom of your cover letter with no working experience always draws the attention of the reader, even if they didnt care to read the rest of it. Its a clever way to get one final word in before they finish reading.Key TakeawayAs you can see, writing your first-time or no-experience cover letter is certainly not as complicated as you thoughtand definitely nowhere near as tough as the wizardry youll perform once you get that job.Remember to follow these key points to write a successful cover letter for entry-level jobsStart with a bang. Your opening statement on your cover letter is important because itll determine if the hiring manager reads on.Show you belong together. Use the majority of the entry-level cover letters body area to show that youre a perfect fit for the company and theyre the ideal workplace for you.Finish strong. You held their attention till the end, now use a powerfu l ending so theyll be sure to move on to your enclosed resume and an interview.