Executives 11-Step Guide to Job Fairs

Executives 11-Step Guide to Job FairsExecutives 11-Step Guide to Job FairsTheyre not just for entry-level positions. Tips and tricks for mid- and senior-level executives to get the most out of choosing and attending job fairs.By Kevin Fogarty John HazardThe recession is forcing job fairs to move upstream, bringing in recruiters and companies hiring for mid- and senior-level executives. Its worth your time to attend a few, if youre looking for a job or just curious about your options.Ladders asked recruiters and career coaches for their advice and compiled this guide for more-seasoned job seekers to get the most out of finding and attending job fairs.1. Avoid general/government job fairs.Events organized by local government agencies and chambers of commerce tend to be unfocused, involving companies because theyre local, not because theyre relevant.2. Target a session or recruiter, and get there early.Look at the agenda ahead of time to see if theres a particular session, recruiter or company in which you are interested. Get there early and talk to other early arrivals they probably have a special interest in the topic or company. Find out what they know and who they know you should talk to. Find out who in the room is influential in that area, and talk to them.3. Dont hover or wait in line.Dont stand still while someone else talks to the contact you want to meet. Pick up the contacts information and leave your card come back when the contact is free, or follow up later.4. Research the host.Before you attend, learn about the organization hosting the darbietung. Check it out online. Find members or leaders in the group, and call or write them for details. Sometimes you have to make the leap and attend an event you arent sure will be helpful, but most of the time you can do enough research to know before you go.5. Match yourself to the host.Do research about whos behind the event so you can identify the best match for your skills, background and interests. A pharm aceutical marketing manager in New Jersey will get more mileage out of an event hosted by an organization of New Jersey pharmaceutical marketing managers than by a general marketing-industry event.6. Research the companies in attendance.Read up on the companies going to the event make a list of the ones you want to talk to and what you can glean from them. If you can narrow down the list to identify the actual company representative to whom youd like to speak, you can prepare a better case for why youd make a good contribution to his or her team.7. Participate.Find a way to be more than an attendee. If youre the speaker, you dont have to worry about chasing down recruiters or fellow job seekers. They will find you.8. Be prepared.Prep for a job fair, a professional conference or a meeting of a professional organization just as you would for a job interview, a presentation or a meeting with a client. You must demonstrate that you are knowledgeable, professional and capable.9. Bring a resume.Unlike the Internet, where most job applications occur these days, in-person events, require a paper resume you can kralle out. Follow the resume rules no images, no fonts that cant be scanned.10. Bring business cards.You might also want a private business card. If youre still working and are uncomfortable handing out your work card, have some made up with your name and private contact info. Theyre cheap, theyre easy to hand out, and they give the impression of professionalism.11. Talk to everyone.Talk to your fellow job seekers. Job fairs are tailor made for people looking for jobs. Theyre like mixers for people too shy to mix on their own, said Irene Marshall, a certified resume writer, career coach and president of coaching service Tools For Transition, who works with Ladders. Everyone at a job fair has been doing their own homework, and most will be willing to compare notes with you.

Why Avoiding Office Politics Could Hurt You More Than You Know

Why Avoiding Office Politics Could Hurt You More Than You KnowWhy Avoiding Office Politics Could Hurt You More Than You KnowImagine that youve worked your butt off to position yourself for a promotion. You took a job you were more than qualified for because you believed in the company, took the projects no one else wanted and knocked them out of the park, and even mentored new teammates until they became self-sufficient stars.But despite your hard work, there may be one more hurdle standing in your way office politics. If youre like most people, you probably avoid office politics whenever possible. Earlier this year, I asked 169 employees how they currently absprache with it 20% said they try to ignore it, and 61% said they play the game reluctantly and only when necessary. But if you tend to ignore office politics, consider the consequences. For example, maybe youve been frozen out by your team because you got your work done quickly (and made them look bad in the process), given low -visibility responsibilities by your boss after you asked her leid to take credit for your work, or asked to cancel your presentation so that a favored senior manager could make his. Ignoring these situations might help get you through a tough workday without confrontation, but can set you back in your long-term career goals. As careers author Erin Burt states, Avoiding (office) politics altogether can be deadly for your career. Every workplace has an intricate system of power, and you can- and should- work it ethically to your best advantage. Nina Simosko, who leads the worldwide execution of technology strategy and operations at Nike, Inc., agrees. When it comes to office politics, Simosko warns, There is no way around it. Once you departure working with a team you are going to experience it. I am not a fan of politics, but I have learned that ignoring them can have negative consequences. She insists that learning to deal with office politics is vital for leaders at any stage of t heir career. It can determine whether you are successful in your career or not, she said.Its true Research by the Center for Creative Leadership showed that those who are politically savvy have better career prospects, better career trajectories, and are binnenseen to be more promotable. In my experience, Ive found that this skill is a significant blind spot for emerging leaders, who tend to focus on strengthening management and technical abilities but ignore this critical form of social intelligence. But to do so is to put their very career at risk.So, what can be done to make office politics more palatable and easier to navigate? The answer Build the skill of being positively politically savvy.Gerald Ferris, Sherry Davidson, and Pamela Perrewe, the authors of Political Skill at Work Impact on Work Effectiveness, insist that political skill is not necessarily manipulative. When properly applied, they say, it makes good things happen, both for those who use it and for the organizati ons in which they work. They identified four competencies of individuals who are positively politically savvy1. Social AstutenessHow aware are you of your organizations social and political climate?Aim to become something of a corporate anthropologist, observing the relationships between co-workers and superiors and paying attention to informal social networks.For example, who has formed strong informal social networks, and who has been marginalized? How were those relationships built, and whats the glue that maintains them? Or, if a relationship is brokenwhat went wrong? By observing the communication and relationships that surround you at work, you might discover that those who chat about competitors stock prices with the VP of finance are more likely to be assigned to special projects. Or, that instead of hiding when the team gets competitive, you would do better to hang in there, go toe-to-toe with them, and ultimately earn their respect. 2. Interpersonal InfluenceEvery organiza tion has people whose influence extends beyond their pay grade. Do you know who they are?Look for people who are not necessarily in high-level roles, but who have the ability to make things happen. Who are the movers and shakers in your organization, and what can you learn from how they get things done?For example, you might discover that before voicing an opposing opinion in a global teleconference, it pays to have influential backers present. Or, that the cafeteria line 10 minutes before a meeting is where the real decision-making takes place. 3. Networking AbilityAfter you have identified those influencers, draw up a strategic networking plan to build stronger relationships with them. Include connectors, too- people who have situated themselves at the hub of social networks that extend outward, upward, and downward. And pay attention to which leaders are known for being talent developers.Consider your most important career and leadership goals. Does your network consist of influe ncers, connectors, and advocates who can help? 4. SincerityAs you do all of this, be mindful of not becoming someone you cant stand to see when you look in the mirror. Amy Cuddy, an associate professor at Harvard Business School who has studied the characteristics that others look for in their leaders, suggests that warmth is the conduit of influence. You must connect with sincerity and build trust before you can lead. Developing these four traits will help you resist recoiling from politically charged situations. Youll be able to rely on your social intelligence instead, getting a quick read on situations and thinking on your feet. As you do, youll become better at handling office politics and, as a bonus, become more promotable, too.Photo of people talking in office courtesy of Shutterstock.

Simple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business Trips

Simple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business TripsSimple Ways to Boost Productivity During Business TripsHow to ensure your next work trip doesnt get in the way of your work.Traveling for work can be fun, but it can also be challenging particularly when it comes to staying productive as your routine is thrown off. Remember, your deadlines dont disappear when you hit the road.When youre traveling frequently for business, its imperative to plan ahead. Here are four tips to help you stay productive when youre out of your usual element.tischset expectationsBefore you hit the road, meet with your team members to share project updates and review next steps. Communicate when you will be available to speak on the phone, and when youll be checking your email. Determine how youd like urgent messages flagged in your inbox so the most pressing issues can quickly be addressed during your short windows of time between business meetings. Set up your out-of-office messages for your phone and e mail, detailing a point person for inquiries, and articulating communication expectations.Plot out your work.Before you go away, take a good look at your to-do list and determine what needs to be accomplished and by when. Tie up any loose ends that require a face-to-face meeting before you head out of the office. There will be times during your travels when you may not have access to the www. Save the projects that dont require internet access for these occasions so you can remain as productive as possible.Gather your tools before you goIn order to remain productive on the road, you first have to make sure they have the right resources to get the job done. Beyond a phone and internet access, consider what resources you need to do your job. This may include access to in-house software systems or servers that require your tech teams help to access. Thanks to mobile technology, this is easier than ever before. When Im on the go, I like to use Skype or FaceTime to handle meetings with c olleagues and document-sharing services such as iCloud and Dropbox so I dont have to worry about accessing the corporate drives.Know your internet optionsWhether youre taking a train, a plane or even a bus, these days you can find internet access almost everywhere. First, check to see if your service provider offers mobile internet and mobile hotspots. I use the Verizon Jetpack Mobile Hotspot MiFi to access internet anywhere my phone has service. Additionally, check to see if your airline offers WiFi on their flights. Save some time and money by setting up an account with a service like Gogo ahead of time and choosing the pricing option that makes the most sense for your needs.Looking for more ways to be productive? Click on the following link to access my favorite apps for managing your career and job search.

Too much modesty How to take credit for the genius that is you

Too much modesty How to take leistungspunkt for the genius that is youToo much modesty How to take credit for the genius that is youModesty is a virtue, or so they say. Modesty in the workplace is another thing entirely heres why.Picture this you create the best pitch or proposal or document or event or any business-related project to come out of your office in years. The CEO is smiling, and the top brass are all doing jigs around the boardroom. In your tiny cubicle, you bask in the glow of a job well done and then nothing. Absolutely nothing. Or worse, maybe your manager or teammate gets a raise or a bonus, or the key to the corporate washroom while you languish in your cube wondering when youll have your moment in the sun.Unless youre a ghostwriter, you need to have your name on your work. Authors do. Architects do. Even exclusive jewelry designers create a secret stamp or symbol to show people that theyve purchased something unique and of value.Many of us are taught that same o ld trope about there being no I in team, but the reality is that if youre trying to distinguish yourself at work, you really need to distinguish yourself at work. Simply doing a great job isnt quite enough anymore. While no one loves a braggart, its important to always take credit for your best work- so that no one else does first.You can take credit for your work without being a glory hog, said Karen Swim, president of Solo PR Pro. Be proactive by documenting your ideas and sharing them with your boss or workgroup. Ask how you can build on the idea and/or best execute it. This way, you own the idea but are also being a team player.But what happens if youre too uncomfortable to take credit for your huge and amazing accomplishment? Swim has a few ideas Taking credit for your work can feel uncomfortable for many people, but its critical to successfully managing your career.She also says that you should share your ideas with the right people, and be gracious in taking credit. And you d ont have to be obnoxious about it, acknowledging the rest of the team makes you look like more of a pro and reminds them that their work is crucial and appreciated. Dont be afraid to share the spotlight with your team, she adds.Then again, if the opposite happens and a colleague takes credit for your work, Speak up This can be handled with grace by saying something like, Im glad that you mentioned that. When I suggested this idea last week, my thoughts were this. how would you like to build on that? Keep practicing taking credit for your best work and soon it will be second nature to you.But choose your battles wisely. If your manager is the point person on the team, dont try to wrestle attention away from them. Instead, follow up with a written email (which lives on in perpetuity and makes your point for you). Thank them for the chance to work on the project and let them know how gratified you feel that your best work on specific example I, specific example II and of course specif ic example III allowed your entire team to shine.

U.S. Army Fitness Requirements for Males Ages 42 to 46

U.S. Army Fitness Requirements for Males Ages 42 to 46U.S. Army Fitness Requirements for Males Ages 42 to 46The U.S. Army measures physical aptitude through the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT, which requires soldiers to complete three events two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a two-mile run. Scoring Scoring on the APFT is based on age category, gender, number of repetitions performed of the push-up and sit-up, and runtime. The score for each event ranges from 0 to 100 points. Soldiers need to score at least a 60 to pass the test. APFT standards may be tougher for some special purpose units. Scores of 270 or above on the APFT- with a minimum score of 90 in each event- earn soldiers the Physical Fitness badge. However, this test has been widely criticized for not adequately measuring strength and endurance. For this reason, in 2011 the Army piloted the Army Physical Readiness Test (APRT) on more than 10,000 soldiers but eventually decided to stick with the AP FT test. While the APFT test is still being used, the following charts show the number ofrepetitions and scores needed for men ages42 to 46 to pass the test. Standards vary by age and gender, and the standards have been criticizeddue to the differences in passing scores for men and women. Push-up Standards RepsScoreReps (cont)Score (cont)Reps (cont)Score (cont)Reps (cont)Score (cont)775790376817467656893667164475558835661543745487346414427353863363134172528432621240715183316111397050823060103869498129599376848802858836674779275773466100467826566336599457725545326498447624534639743742352362964273225126194417221501609340712049599239701948589138691847 Sit-up Standards RepsScoreReps (cont)Score (cont)Reps (cont)Score (cont)Reps (cont)Score (cont)8266945078346281659349773361806492487632607963914775315978629046743058776189457329577660884472285675598743712755745886427026547357854169255372100568440682452719955833967235170985482386622506997538137652149689652803664679551793563 Two- mileRun Standards TimeScoreTime (cont)Score (cont)Time (cont)Score (cont)Time (cont)Score (cont)12541624801954502324191300163079200049233018130616367820064823361713121642772012472342171318164877201846234816132416547620244523541513301700752030442400141336170674203643240613134217127320424324121213481718722048422418111354172471205441242410140017307021004024301014061001736702106392436914129917426921123824428141898174868211837244871424971754672124372454614309718006621303625005143696180665213635250641442951812642142342512314489418186321483325183145493182463215432252421500921830622200312530115069118366122063025360151290184260221230254215189018485922182925481524891854582224282554153088190057223027260015368719065722362626061542861912562242252612154885191855224824261815548419245422542326241600831930532300232630160683193652230622161282194251231221161881194850231820 Gender-Neutral Tests While the U.S. Army is in the process of rolling out gender-neutral fitness tests, there is a plan in pl ace to add women into previously closed military occupational specialties. But as it stands at the writing of this article, gender-neutral tests still need Defense Department approval. According to the U.S. Army, new tests being developed will likely incorporate exercises that soldiers will need on the battlefield, that will revolve around gender-neutral and standards-based skills. The Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) is agender-neutral test that includes a standing long jump, a deadlift, aerobic interval run, and seated power throw, which is a gauge of upper-body strength that represents loading ammunition, according toArmy Times. Other details about the test, which is still being developed, include the following Scoring for each event has yet tobe determined, but unlike the APFT, plans call for one system for all ages and genders.MOSs will be ranked in a three-tier system. Recruits with scores that anliegen short of Tier 1 (high-demand) in a given event, wont be eligib le for specialties in that tier.Recruits must meet the Tier 3 standards to join the Army.Re-tests will be allowed with time frames and limits to the number of tests to be determined.Like the APFT, the OPAT can be administered individually or in a group setting.

The Fight Against How to Make a High School Resume

The Fight Against How to Make a High School Resume A superb way to begin is to check at someentry level resume examplesto give you a notlageion of what you need to include on your high school resume. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. The fruchtwein important thing is that you really have much more experience than you might imagine you have. However, there are a couple of things you need to avoid to be sure your resume stands out. Padding out your resume will not just be a waste of precious space but it is also going to distract the employer from the excellent pieces. Besides the four graduate school resume and CV samples above, there are lots of resume samples youre able to access for free internet. There are a number of reasons why doing a resume is an excellent idea. This sort of resume can be great if youve got little if any conventional work experience. Lies Youve Been Told About How to Make a High School Resum e Google Docs exports documents in a number of formats, making it simple to submit the appropriate file type to a hiring manager. This is among the most common resume formats. Do not submit more documents if youre not asked to. The document needs to be readable and simple to skim. The Characteristics of How to Make a High School Resume Taking a few hours to actually clean up your resume is well worth doing before you begin a work search, or even just once a year for a tune-up. Once you own a list of your strengths and abilities, and youve identified the crucial requirements of work, it is not hard to tailor your resume utilizing a high school resume template. If you worked during the summertime, be certain to have that too. Seeking to apply my graphic design abilities and artistic drive for a summer intern at your organization. Because it plays the function of your spokesman it must be well-structured, respectable and informative. Make certain to include your contact informa tion in order for the hiring manager can contact you. Think about just what the employer is searching for and highlight your achievements which clearly demonstrate that youre the appropriate person for the job. When it is high, its a fantastic way to catch the eye of a hiring manager. You may give a succinct description of accomplishments and duties for each. Include name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address, in addition to a fax number, in case you have one. If you do that, make sure to actually have those references offered in case a prospective employer requests them. In most instances, your son or daughter is going to want to avoid I statements, because these arent typically employed for resumes. Other times, its going to be referenced to be able to finish an admission or scholarship application. You dont need to have the exact same credentials as this applicant. To remove any concerns that the recipient might not be able to see your resume, you can decide to c reate a link that may be included in an email. Provide customer support. High school resume templates supply a valuable resource for students. Writing your very first high school resumecan look like a daunting take. High school students may require a resume to submit an application for work or as an element of a university application. A superb way to begin on your resume as a high school student is to have a look at examples of resumes and read tips about what to include and the way to format your resume. Because most applications dont expect a scholarship resume, adding one is an excellent way for students to acquire an edge. Its possible to mention your upcoming education plans too. The subsequent two samples each have a distinctive format and highlights dependent on the career and college goals of two students. Note leadership roles and distinctive recognition. In truth, it might not have dates whatsoever, but you must be listed in order of relevance instead. With so me vital info in the ideal order, everyone can create one. Choose how long youve got, select a (mini) project, and prepare for your resume to be that a lot more eye-catching. There is surely a time and a location for a resume overhaul. It provides you a possiblity to describe yourself and your goals in your words. Nevertheless, in both instances, theres a particular structure and points to be mentioned. This concluding sentence gives experience and also functions as an extension of their intent. Have somebody else look it over.

Why Keep Working After Winning a Mega-Lottery

Why Keep Working After Winning a Mega-Lottery How many reasons are there to stay on the job or, instead, to quit after winning a mega Power Ball lotterysay, $100 million? Those who believe that we are all special, different, etc., will say as many reasons as there are people. The mora scientifically, statistically or category-minded will say not that many. Dodging that squabble by setting it aside, it may nonetheless be illuminating to ask oneself whether and why the choice would be to quit or continue working.A June 2, 2011 Christian Science Monitor article, Powerball numbers Why do lottery winners keep working?, citing a 2004 study, reported that of the 185 winners surveys examined in the study, 63 percent continued working full time at the same company after they won the lottery. Others started their own business (10 percent) or cut back to part time (11 percent). In all, 85 percent stayed in t he workplace. The study focused on work centrality and prize size as the key variables determining the work or walk choice, with quitting correlating with high winnings and greater emphasis on the importance of work in ones life. So, what would you dowork, or walk?Without knowing each and every one of you, I am nonetheless willing to have a stab at a list of reasonssome deep, maybe deeply unconscious, that are likely to be offered by or affect a lot of you or us.Why Still Work and Not Walk?Lets start with reasons for continuing to work after the big win. (In parte II, reasons for quitting instead will be presented and examined)1. Work-based identity If you define yourself by your work (as a manifestation of work centrality), quitting may seem like self-annihilation. Like a concert pianist who develops severe gelenkentzndung and can no longer play, someone whose life is his work and whose work is his life may find it very difficult to imagine such a drastic change in identity as well as in lifestyle. Even though, unlike arthritis, a winning lottery ticket expands ones choices, the grip of a work-based self-definition can be as powerful a deterrent to quitting as arthritis is to playing.Staying at the job is especially likely when the web of ones lifes rewards is spun with the job as the sole or main thread, e.g., financial, social, moral, intellectual, creative or status. It is also extremely likely in the case of a mono-careera resume with only one job on it (or at least for the bulk of ones working life).Someone with a mono-career is more likely to resemble a circus ring-master with only one act, e.g., a dog-and-pony show, which then not only exhaustively defines the circusand by implication the circus-master, but also can rattle both if it folds.Job-masters with more than one ringlike a circus with lions, tigers, clowns, acrobats and fire-eaters in addition to the dogs and poniesare almost certainly not going to define themselves in solely canine-equine term s or feel lost, helpless or useless if the pups and ponies run off.Whatever risks of poly-careers duly noted, having more than one act in ones career circus, like having more than one arrow in ones quiver, makes losing the one at or in hand much less likely to escalate into a financial or existential catastrophe. 2. Narrow stimulation bandwidth When the most stimulating thing in someones life is work, it is tempting to cite that as a sufficient or at least an excellent reason for continuing to work after winning the jackpot.But that leap is a tad too quick and too far, because it vaults over the question why nothing elseincluding nothing new or familiarcould match or surpass the stimulation of the job, or even of any job.It also ignores the possibility that the only reason the job has been the sole or main source of stimulation is that its demands left no time or energy for anything else. Hence, continuing to work at such a job can be tantamount to continued job-imposed limitation o f awareness, interests, energy, time and opportunities.This is to say that, in some cases, a narrow personal range of experienced, understood or desired stimulation is in fact a consequence of having a work-based identity.This is especially likely to be the case with lifetime grueling jobs, e.g., manual laborer or assembly-line worker, that allow and leave little energy, opportunity or einbildungskraft for (alternate) stimulationapart from the common compensations of TV, dinner, beer and bowling night.Because many, if not most, such after-work episodic rewards cant fill the entire day, every day (with the common and unfortunate exception of TV), Id be bored is often the most predictable response to Why wouldnt you stop working?3. Work-ethic induced guilt Justify your existence, Fabian socialist and playwright George Bernard Shaw demanded in a scratchy 1931 newsreel. His heavy-handed produce-or-die speech (regarded by some as a quintessentially-Shaw, witty parody of extreme eugenicis t views, but hammered by his critics as being no joke), although extreme by comparison, is a spooky version of the Protestant work ethic, which is better encapsulated as produce-or-at-least-feel-guilty. Some people, even when they are entitled to stop working, e.g., at retirement age, simply cant stop thinking a bit like Shaw (or those he is said to have been parodying).Id be uselesswithout purpose (as though lifes only purposes relate to paid production of goods and services for others, to the exclusion of the likes of home gardening, painting, learning, travel, teaching a grandchild how to build a tree house and even volunteering).Youd think that winning a mega-lottery would provide $100 million mini-reasons for quitting but, because the money isnt earned, it somehow seems taintedor at least taints the idea of quitting work in order to put the money to use or under ones pillow for comfort and fun.Thats one downside of the Protestant work ethic. Quitting ones job after winning the jackpot would presumably free up a lot of time to think about and find even more such downsides.4. Fear of the unknown Have you never heard anyone say, But this job is all that I know (where know means both master and feel comfortable with). This was encapsulated in a great line in a movie I saw recently, where a grit-for-spit veteran marine, resigning at the twilight of his career says, Everything I know is in there (pointing to his dossier), with precisely that dual nuance. Most susceptible to this kind of thinking are those who, if not temperamentally predisposed to keeping things routine, well-circumscribed and undemanding, find themselves in lifetime jobs that make them live as well as think inside the safe confines of the box.Its only speculation, but reasonable to suggest that any such generalized, diffuse fear of the unknown may very well be fed by the same fears and needs, e.g., about safety.5. Some irreplaceable hook All of my close friends are co-workers. Id miss them too much. Thats a hookespecially if youre not good at making new friends or dont expect any opportunities to make them if you quit. From the standpoint of lottery winner studies, this would also constitute a form of work centrality as a cardinal value.Before stomping on this reason to work rather than walk, consider how you would feel about your prospects of making new friends to replace your work circle. All that lottery loot dooms any certainty that new friends would not rather bond with your bonds than with you.Of course, old friends at work may turn on you toobut at least its possible that they (still) really like you as well as your money, even if not as much.There are countless other possible hooks Your job as director of a world-hunger NGO provides you a unique platform from which to do more good for the poor than you imagine your new cash could, despite the staggering amount. Or, like Mick Jagger, who could fund, without having to win, that lottery, maybe you think your job and its spinoffs provide way more fun or satisfac-shun than whatever any amount of money (left to acquire) could buy.The scope of the hook doesnt have to be as colossal as ending world hunger or going on a world RB tour it could be as simple as wanting to be with your friends.Or to be able to go dibs with them in the office pool for the next lottery drawonce you certainly can afford to.________________________Next In Part II, Why Quit Working After Winning a Mega-Lottery?, subtle reasons some lottery winners (would) quit.