Thursday, July 30, 2020

Cover Images That Capture Your Personal Brand

Spread Images That Capture Your Personal Brand Spread Images That Capture Your Personal Brand Your spread picture is only one all the more method to advance yourself. Figure out how to give your spread images on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook a make-over! Spread Images That Capture Your Personal Brand Spread pictures, in some cases alluded to as header pictures or spread photographs, are prime online land for flaunting your profession achievement or giving another approach to somebody to recollect you. Regardless of whether you are actively work looking or simply need to save your line in the water and troll for new chances, theres no explanation NOT to have a cool spread picture. Its presumably reasonable for state that you could improve work demonstrating off your extraordinary capacities and incentive by refreshing your spread photograph on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Choose what you need to pass on (or what you need your message to be). Discover pictures and make a spread that catches your message. Utilize the correct size format. What Do You Want To Convey? What message do you need individuals who discover your profile to recollect about you? The appropriate response IS NOT that you are accessible for work. That is not how this functions. Your accessibility is just imperative to you. On the off chance that you have all the secret sauce, a selection representative wont mind in the event that you are working or not. You need to pass on your own image, as it were, whats distinctive about you and the worth you bring to an association. What are the issues you are acceptable at fixing, who advantages and how you do it interestingly? Continuously center your message with the peruser/watcher as a primary concern. Consider what is imperative to your future business or people who unearth your profile. What's more, what will make you vital? Characterizing your own image isnt simple, however certainly justified regardless of the exertion. Here is help for defining your own image. Spread Image Ideas Your preferred statement, You can utilize your own statement or somebody elses. On the off chance that you do utilize a statement by another person, give attribution (credit). A photograph of you carrying out your responsibility. A montage of photographs and pictures of you at work (and play maybe). A picture that speaks to your field of ability. Test of work or current undertaking you are taking a shot at Your workplace An up and coming occasion you are a piece of Outline of your aptitudes/experience CTA (source of inspiration). Lets interface, tail me on other social stages, see my work, see my online portfolio, and so on. Feature a tribute Find Photos You may have screen shots or your own photographs to pick from. Yet, in the event that you dont, you can discover sovereignty free, attribution free pictures and photographs. (This implies you can utilize and alter the photograph without giving credit). You need to utilize these kinds of pictures rather than the ones you find on the web. Utilizing somebody elses photograph without giving them credit is certainly not a smart thought. By and by, Ive had incredible karma utilizing Pixabay to discover sovereignty free, attribution free pictures. No sign up or expenses included in the event that you look over their curated pictures. Just dont get suckered into utilizing the supported ones from organizations like Shutterstock. Finding the correct picture may require you take a stab at looking by changed terms. A solitary word works best. Even pictures will work best. You could try and channel results by Category or simply peruse by classification to get thoughts. Play around with Pixabay. On the off chance that you despite everything cannot discover pictures you like, you can attempt a portion of the 17 destinations recommended by HubSpot in this post. Getting The Cover Image Size Right Every social stage has an alternate size necessity for spread pictures/photographs. Here are the measurements in 2016. LinkedIn 1400 x 425 Facebook 851 x 315 Twitter 1500 x 500 On the off chance that you are inexperienced with what every one of these numbers mean, heres a simple work around. Use Canva To Create Your Cover Image Make a free record on Canva Snap on the green make a structure button Quest for the format you need to make (Facebook spread, Twitter spread) For LinkedIn, you should choose custom measurement and supplement the measurements (1400 x 425) Transfer your pictures and fit to the full screen Include text (whenever wanted). Simply note, you dont need to put anything near any of the edges as they may get cut off. Download to your PC as a .jpg record and name it first name last name spread [Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn].jpg Your structure will be saved money on Canva and you can see them by tapping on the entirety of your plans on the left half of the screen. This makes it simple to return and alter on the off chance that you commit an error. Use PowerPoint You might be increasingly happy with utilizing PowerPoint. You will have to know what slide measurements to utilize yet once youve made the change, you can use that canvas to transfer photographs and include text. LINKEDIN Numerous individuals dont comprehend how to manage their spread picture on LinkedIn. Furthermore, in any event, when they do, they experience issues getting it to show up perfectly. Use work-fitting informing, however dont be reluctant to infuse some character. Here are a few guides to rouse you. The city you work in can be an incredible picture. Individuals from that region will remember it. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you plan on moving or are not attached to your city, this wouldnt be a decent picture to utilize. A collection of photographs of you in the news (or introducing) helps manufacture validity. Need to become familiar with improving your LinkedIn profile? Is Your LinkedIn Profile Awesome? TWITTER The spread picture you decide to use on Twitter can enable the watcher to become familiar with you. A blend of words and a picture helps show your mastery and concrete your own image. A statement is another approach to make a special brand. Your slogan or branding statement tells the watcher precisely what you do (past what you can write in your profile on Twitter). Including media appearances or logos of past managers is another approach to build up validity. Need to study how to utilize Twitter for quest for new employment? 11 Beginner Twitter Tips FACEBOOK Dont neglect individual marking openings on Facebook, particularly on the off chance that you are effectively work chasing. You could utilize a similar picture from LinkedIn so your companions can see it or you can pick a picture that speaks to what your identity is or something critical to you- hobby, proficient intrigue, or life occasion. Facebook reminds you: On the off chance that you add a spread photograph to your profile, it will be obvious to the general population, much the same as your profile picture. This implies anybody can see your present spread photograph. You can modify the security settings for a photograph youve utilized as a spread photograph before. Need to become familiar with utilizing Facebook for work search? Facebook Is Great For Job Search A Final Reminder You can change your spread picture as frequently as you need. So feel free to explore different avenues regarding various sorts of pictures.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Nine ways to upskill yourself outside of the office - Hays Viewpoint Viewpoint careers advice blog

Nine ways to upskill yourself outside of the office - Hays Viewpoint The world of work is ever changing, requiring candidates to not only keep their skills updated, but also learn new ones. Although many employers offer both on-the-job training and the chance to take more formal qualifications, it’s still up to you to keep your skills sharp and abreast of developments in your field. By refining and updating your expertise, you can ensure that they stay relevant for the job you do, and also make you more appealing to future employers if and when you decide to look for a new role. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money, or use up company time and budget. There are many timely, cost effective, and even free ways that you can learn in your own time, whether it’s at home, during your commute or on holiday. 1. Learn a new language or two The job market is becomingly more and more globalised. If you’re fluent in another language, you open yourself up to new opportunities; be it multilingual, overseas or both. Being able to speak another language is also a specialist skill which can attract greater demand and a much higher salary. As well as formal classes, try Duolingo a free and gamified language learning experience. Download it on your phone and take it with you everywhere, so when you have a spare five minutes, you can pick up where you left off. When you’re a little more advanced install Readlang Web Reader on your desktop. This extension allows you to read web pages in another language and translate the words you don’t know. 2. Volunteer Volunteering allows you to step outside of your comfort zone and adapt to unfamiliar environments. You will meet new people, learn new approaches and gain new insights, whilst also giving something back. I think of the above qualities when I see voluntary work on a CV, and believe that it speaks volumes about that candidate’s attitude. 3. Find a mentor You can skip a whole host of steps and avoid a lot of mistakes if you learn from someone who is already where you want to be. Talk to them about how they got to where they are and what they learned along the way. You will gain plenty of professional insight talking to somebody with more experience. You can also clarify which skills you still need to develop. 4. Train or mentor others Nobody else has had the same journey as you. You will have your own stories and life lessons, and could offer a lot to somebody as their mentor. In addition, you will find yourself learning just as much during this process. You will most likely learn something from the mentee, particularly about their experiences and approaches to working life. Mentoring will also boost your coaching and leadership skills as you grow confident in teaching others. Moreover, explaining something to someone else can really solidify how much you know in your own mind, and show you where the gaps are in your knowledge. 5. Network Talk to others inside and outside your industry, both online and offline. Speak to people from a wide range of ages and backgrounds. In doing this, you will broaden your mind set, your circle of connections and your interpersonal skills, whilst teaching you what life might be like outside your current role. 6. Keep an eye out for webinars, podcasts and live events Webinars and podcasts are great because there’s often a recording so you can tune in when and wherever is convenient. You’ll be absolutely spoiled for choice on pretty much any subject you can think of if you do a quick Google search, but narrow it down by asking what other people recommend. Live events mean you do have to spend a little travel time and money, but you’ll get the double benefit of face to face teaching and meeting new people. Make sure you remember to take a notepad or use the Notes function on your phone so you can list any ideas that you want to follow up on. This is another great way of learning from the experts and building your own know-how. 7. Start a blog Start researching your area of interest. Read up on industry news and opinion pieces. Follow other bloggers on your chosen topic. Once you start writing, look at blogging tips which teach you how to get your content noticed. There are plenty out there in the form of podcasts, webinars and blog posts themselves! This will give you the chance to build upon your existing knowledge, develop a keyword-rich online portfolio and impress anyone who might be looking to hire. 8. Read An obvious one, but Amazon is teeming with books on all sorts of subjects, and it’s a great way to expand your awareness. You may even find the biographies or autobiographies of some of the leaders in your field. 9. Teach yourself to be social media savvy If you’re not on social media these days, you will find yourself missing out. Job vacancies, thought leadership pieces and networking opportunities are often posted on everything from Twitter to LinkedIn. Build your social media profile carefully, however, because while that night of too many cocktails in Malaga may really have been hilarious, a prospective employer might not be so convinced. Show off your knowledge on forums and in groups on your subject, and build a presence to be proud of. Once again, this is another simple way to keep your finger on the pulse with any developments in your area of interest, whilst also promoting yourself to prospective employers. While you’re doing all that learning, don’t forget to document and formalise it all so you can present it to your current or future businesses. Remember to update your CV and social profiles with any new skills you have learned. In summary, whether you’re looking for a new job in the same field, a complete change of career or even a promotion, your chances of success are much higher if you follow these nine steps. These effective methods will ensure that you are continuously developing yourself throughout your career, and showcasing that to potential recruiters. Want to progress in your career? Our career progression tips will help you get to where you want to be What’s on your career bucket list? How determined are you to succeed in something you believe in? Never let yourself get too comfortable 6 ways you can self-promote in the workplace 11 ways to become more productive from Hays Share this blog: Upskilling in the Workplace Tips Advice from Hays

Thursday, July 16, 2020

The 7 Real Reasons You Need to Be an Expert at Something - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The 7 Real Reasons You Need to Be an Expert at Something - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Utilizing authority promoting as a procedure to develop your image and increment your range as a business has numerous advantages. Authority advertising, which could likewise be alluded to as master promoting, just implies that you become known as a specialist inside your field. More often than not, the procedure includes you helping clients beat an issue, composing a book or articles, or it could even remember an appearance for digital recording communicates. In the long run, when you are viewed as a specialist, or authority, in your field, your image will turn out to be notable and gainful. Notwithstanding those properties, there are seven other genuine reasons you should be a specialist at something, and they are recorded underneath: 1. You Don't Have to Chase Clients, They Will Come to You Your clients will come to you when you become a specialist in your field. Consider Dave Ramsey for instance. He is thought of as a specialist in the field of funds, yet, he doesnt ever anteroom for work and doesn't appear to rival anybody. He essentially offers his recommendation and is viewed as a position; accordingly, clients come to him. They purchase his books, they go to his courses they read his site, all because of the way that he is presently viewed as a specialist in his field. 2. Your Advice is no Longer Called Into Question by Your Customers By and large, when you realize somebody recognizes what they are discussing, you likely wont contend with them. A specialist for instance know parcels more than we do about the inward functions of the human body. In the event that they state an individual needs a specific activity, inside their field of aptitude, the vast majority won't contend the point with them. Similarly, when you are viewed as a specialist in your field, your clients will quit scrutinizing your judgment and exhortation. 3. You Gain Influence Within Your Marketplace On the off chance that you are viewed as a specialist inside your field, or commercial center, you will have the option to impact others inside that domain. For instance, in the event that you own a home renovating organization and have stirred your way up to being viewed as a specialist in the field, other home rebuilding experts will probably duplicate, or possibly respect, what you do. This will give you impact inside your commercial center and empower you to make changes and voice worries inside your industry. 4. You Can Raise Your Rates For Services Rendered At the point when a client employs somebody to do a help or to give an item, they will pay more for it if that individual is viewed as a specialist in their field. Utilizing the previously mentioned point about Dave Ramsey for instance, this is effectively clarified. OK pay more for a money related book composed by a known budgetary master like Dave Ramsey than you would a book composed by some obscure bookkeeper? Obviously you would. Similarly, your clients will pay more for your administrations when they consider you to be a specialist. 5. You Will Attract Attention Due to Your Role As Authority When you are viewed as a specialist in your field, you will get the consideration you merit. This could remember welcomes to be for TV or radio or could include distributers requesting you to share your bits of knowledge in a book. Notwithstanding how it comes to fruition, being viewed as a specialist will give you the consideration and regard you merit. 6. You Have a Clear Understanding of Your Marketing Message Getting the hang of using authority showcasing and turning into a specialist in your field implies you have a more clear comprehension of your general advertising message. At the end of the day, you have effectively small scale concentrated inside your field to comprehend where your qualities lie, and in this way comprehend what your promoting message ought to be. As an approach to delineate the point, consider you are a draftsman in terms of professional career. You include taken employments inside a wide scope of fields previously, including everything from attracting home intends to making the diagrams for significant business ventures. Thus, you have a wide scope of clients to outfit your showcasing towards, making it a troublesome assignment. Notwithstanding, on the off chance that you decide to make sense of where your quality as a draftsman lies, you would then be able to equip your showcasing methodology directly to those clients who fit that increasingly tight classification. For instance, maybe, you established that business employments are a superior fit for you. On the off chance that that is the situation, you quit advertising to home manufacturers and rather focus all your promoting endeavors on government regions and different entrepreneurs who could utilize your administrations as a business planner. Accordingly, you have centered your showcasing methodology and smoothed out the way toward gaining customers. 7. Different Authorities and Experts Seek You You realize you are genuinely a specialist when different specialists started searching you out. All things considered, another master ought to have the option to perceive the estimation of what you know. A genuine case of this procedure could incorporate a wellness master who searches out another wellness master to make a great exercise arrangement that includes both master's styles of activity. Another chance is a coordinated moderator, who is viewed as a specialist in their field, searching out a specialist inside a similar field to show up on their show. Being commonly learned about numerous things is fine, yet you presumably won't be viewed as a specialist in anything on the off chance that you have too wide a span. Since the advantages of being a specialist in something are so huge, it bodes well to concentrate on what you are acceptable at and make the strides important to turn into a specialist in your field. At the point when you do, the seven advantages recorded above will all happen as intended.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

The Best Day and Time to Apply for a Job

The Best Day and Time to Apply for a Job ShareShare4 According to a TalentWorks survey of 4,000+ job applicants, applying between 6:00 and 10:00 in the morning increases your chances of getting an interview by 89%. Thats pretty close to doubling your chances! The second biggest timing advantage you can get is a 65% boost for applying within the first four days of the jobs posting. As for day of the week, Monday is the best day to send your resume, with a 46% boost in your chances. Also pretty decent are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The worst days by far are Friday and Saturday. Although in a sense, these are all second-best! The very best time to apply for a job is when you have secured a referral. If you have a referral from a current employee, or someone else who is known and trusted by the hiring manager, even if youre applying past the deadline you will probably have a stronger chance than anyone who applies cold. And referrals happen when you do informational interviews and other forms of networking. So get referred if you can, or apply at one of the times shown above with an excellent resume and cover letter showing youre a very strong fit. Then its the right time to get that job. The Best Day and Time to Apply for a Job ShareShare4 According to a TalentWorks survey of 4,000+ job applicants, applying between 6:00 and 10:00 in the morning increases your chances of getting an interview by 89%. Thats pretty close to doubling your chances! The second biggest timing advantage you can get is a 65% boost for applying within the first four days of the jobs posting. As for day of the week, Monday is the best day to send your resume, with a 46% boost in your chances. Also pretty decent are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The worst days by far are Friday and Saturday. Although in a sense, these are all second-best! The very best time to apply for a job is when you have secured a referral. If you have a referral from a current employee, or someone else who is known and trusted by the hiring manager, even if youre applying past the deadline you will probably have a stronger chance than anyone who applies cold. And referrals happen when you do informational interviews and other forms of networking. So get referred if you can, or apply at one of the times shown above with an excellent resume and cover letter showing youre a very strong fit. Then its the right time to get that job.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

How to Ace the Consulting Case Interview

How to Ace the Consulting Case Interview What Is a Case Interview?In a case interview, the candidate is provided with a detailed situation, problem or challenge and asked to analyze it and come up with a solution.A case interview question can be based on a creative business situation your interviewer has experienced in real life, or one manufactured to deduce your abilities. Questions can range from the basic (How do you know the light goes off when you close the refrigerator door?) to the sweat-inducing (Estimate the volume percentage of disposable diapers in the total US household garbage).Acing the case interview is a key factor in getting hired in management consulting. After all, companies hire consultants to strategize solutions to business, organizational, or industry-specific problems.Case interview questions help an interviewer understand how you think and how you would approach a client challenge if hired. Case interviews are also used in investment banking and other industries that require strategic business thin king.Getting Down to Brass Tacks Case QuestionsYou may be asked a few getting-to-know-you or warm-up questions first, but the interviewer will soon get down to the main event of the interview: the case question(s).Each case question will outline a business problem. The problem may be general (Determine the market for a drug that prevents baldness.) or very specific and detailed (see example below). “The global market for crystal giftware is growing at 3% a year, yet the client is experiencing steady declining sales and shrinking market share worldwide. Therefore, the CEO of Swarovski has retained your consulting firm to help him identify the cause for their declining sales and market share. He would like you to figure out two specific problems: Why is Swarovski’s market share declining? What can they do about it?” [1]You, the candidate, are expected to resolve the problem within a limited amount of time while being observed. Many applicants fail in this challenge especially without proper preparation.How to Answer Case Interview QuestionsFirms use case interviews to evaluate analytical ability and problem-solving skills. Your interviewer is more interested in your overall approach to the problem than the final outcome.Your future employer is trying to see if you can analyze complex problems critically and break them down in a logical manner. Do you take all critical aspects into account? Do you avoid jumping to conclusions? Do you ask insightful questions? Do you have strong critical thinking skills?If you arrive at the right answer or close to it, you get a gold star. However, its not always possible to get the right answer either because there are multiple correct responses or critical information is not provided.You can ace the case interview without getting the answer correct as long as you show that your thinking and problem solving processes are sound.Your process will highlight your strengths in key competencies: numerical and verbal reasoning, communication and presentation, listening and observation, and understanding of business models and concepts.Here are some high-level guidelines for answering case interview questions effectively (also see below for resources to help you dig deeper into your case interview preparation):Listen carefully. Pay attention to the question, including specific word choice, and make sure you understand what the interviewer is really asking for. Take notes so youll be able to refer back to provided data points.Ask clarifying questions.Make sure that you understand the purpose of the case. For example, in our giftware case question above, youre dealing with a typical “increasing market share” problem. You should also ask for additional information and/or direction if needed. By asking smart questions, you show off your critical thinking skills and also engage your interviewer in the process.Outline your approach. After youve considered the case and asked any clarifying questions, explain to your interviewer how you plan to structure your response. This shows purpose and framework.Think out loud (but take your time).Tell the interviewer the factors you are considering and strategies you plan to use. If you decide to reject an option, explain a valid reason. However, dont feel the need to express every thought that you have. Pause to consider before sharing a particular thought process with your interviewer. You dont want to blurt out something that will make you look foolish.Stay focused. It can be very tempting to get bogged down in detail and possibilities. Keep the original question in mind and dont allow yourself to wander too far from the main objective.Pay attention to feedback. Many interviewers will provide feedback verbally or via body language or facial expression. Be observant and youll be able to see clues that youre on track or way off base. If you get stuck, ask for input or validation of your understanding.Show off your quantitative skills. Take advan tage of opportunities to calculate estimates or otherwise demonstrate your comfort with running numbers.Wrap up and summarize. When youve worked through the problem, take time to end crisply and confidently with a summary of your approach and key findings.Preparing for a Case InterviewPreparation is key when it comes to acing the case interview. The best way to get good is to practice. Your competitors for the job will be practicing and you should too.You never know exactly what case questions you will get. However, you can hone your skills by reading as many business-case dilemmas as possible.The more types of cases and case frameworks you are familiar with, the smaller the risk of encountering a problem that will stump you. Standard case frameworks help you structure your answer by giving you detailed guidelines on how to generate solutions. Examples of frameworks: segmentation of a market, analysis of a competitor’s initiative, product pricing, etc.Practice, Practice, PracticeR eading up is a good start, but you should also spend time on mock case interviews. You can practice with a friend or colleague. This will be most effective if your practice partner is briefed on the basics of case interviewing so that the role play is realistic.You can also work with a professional coach if you want truly realistic practice and feedback. At Skillful Communications, we have helped many clients prepare for their case interviews and land jobs at top consulting firms.More Case Interview ResourcesHere are some additional resources to help you understand and prepare for the case interview:1. Consulting Firm Web SitesMost of the top consulting firms provide guidance on case interviews online.McKinsey Company: Approaching the CaseDeloitte Case Interview TipsBoston Consulting Group Practice Cases2. Helpful BooksCase Interview Secrets by Victor ChengCase in Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc P. CosentinoConnect with Pamela Skillings on Google+