Forget Halloween, Work is Way Scarier

Forget Halloween, Work is Way Scarier Ahh yes, Halloween.  Youre no doubt sick of pumpkins by now, and you can take or leave the awful haunting makeup,  but we all know that the pictures of babies in scary fancy dress will never get old. Long live infants in onesies. In my opinion, you dont need it to be Halloween for there to be a bit of a fear factor in your working week. It very much exists anyway, all on its own. Let me explain. Chances are  you awoke with a fright this morning to the sound of your alarm clock interrupting your peaceful sleep, yes? After that initial shock, you were then overcome by that familiar sense of horror (get out of bed now) that plagues you around the same time each morning, yep? See! And thats just the beginning I mean, I dont want to dwell on the negatives here, but lets be realistic. Vampires and fake blood have nothing on these scary work-related occurences: Forwarding an email to the wrong person This, hands down, is the scariest thing to ever have happen to you in the workplace. Sometimes its a an absolute non event, i.e. its quickly solved with a Hi Karen, ignore that email, it was meant for Susan, cheers. But when said email to Karen is about Karen,  and meant for Susan and Susan only, thats when its time to panic for real. Getting your corporate head shots back and realising theyre all horrific Everyone pretends they dont like  having their picture taken, but this is 9 times out of 10 a facade concealing their deep lust for  a Derek Zoolander-style photo shoot.  If were honest,  the only bit that we hate about this is getting your photos sent to you, and realising the photographer was rubbish, managing to get your bad side in all 80 pictures (a real  mind-boggler given you were photographed from all angles). Leaving your computer open and being  hacked by a rogue colleague This is a rookie mistake weve all made before; falsely believing we are in a professional environment and walking away from our computer without logging out. In every office there is an opportunist waiting to prey on the naive. The scariest part is remaining completely unaware for several hours, if not days after the alleged incident, you know, finding out what you  said in an email to Michael in accounts, many days after you were hacked. Yes, Michael thought you were seriously creeping on him. How awkward, he never replied. Can I also point out that youre also a bit offended that Michael didnt accept your fake  offer to go for a romantic dinner with him, even if you didnt even send the email.  Principles, people. Having your lunch stolen You  dont spend 3 hours doing Sunday meal prep (aka dividing a large pizza into 5 Tupper Ware containers) only to have some scavenger take advantage of  your trustful relationship with the refrigerator. Forgetting to tailor a template Taking it back to email territory, little leaves you more fearful than realising youve forgotten to change the names when using a template email (so you dont have to sit there and write out individual, customised emails to different clients). Blowing your own cover, nice. Spilling a coffee at your desk This one speaks for itself really. Its particularly great when all your documents get soaked and your keyboard starts playing up because evidently  it doesnt rely on caffeine and milk to work properly like you do. Leaking sensitive information Youre in a client meeting and innocently let a huge cat out of the bag. Your bosses eyes encourage  the deepest fear to develop within you. Have fun with that. Having an office love affair outed Office affairs tend to be very fun for those watching and gossiping; not so much for those directly involved. Think youre being stealth and secretive? Think again. We know. We all know. Scary times for you John and Rebecca. Scary times are coming. Being invited to a management meeting that goes over  lunchtime Not only has your pre-packed lunch been stolen, but now youre being deprived of lunch at 12pm. How can you seriously be expected to wait until 1pm for food? Listening to loud building maintenance works nearby You see a workman signing in at reception on the ground floor of your building. You walk by and smile, hes probably just fixing the elevator or something. By the time you reach your desk and sit down, the jack-hammering has started.  Its then you receive the email stating itll only be like this for a few weeks, and sorry for the inconvenience. Oh dear. Be afraid, be very afraid. Leaving your phone at home Fear ignites when you reach into your handbag and check every nook and cranny, only to flashback to an image of your mobile sitting on the kitchen bench next to the loaf of bread. A whole day without texting bae; talk about frightening. Leaking pen ink onto your white top That pen was  everything to you; you chose it specifically because it looked like a great, reliable, no-fuss office companion. But no, oh no. Silly you. That pen had other plans, that involve smudging  its contents down your top. Crushing. Having your annual leave request denied You literally could not be more excited about your holiday to Australia. You have looked up everything; flights, accommodation, kangaroo  spotting adventures, the whole shebang. With dates sorted, all you need to do is make it official by running it through the internal leave request system. Needless to say, when your request comes back with a big, fat denied, your whole world comes crashing down. Your colleague has already shotgunned those days off and you cant both be off at the same time. Say bye-bye Skippy. Watching a new person start and realising theyre really annoying You get introduced to your newest colleague. How did they  even make it through their interviews? Realising they are literally the most annoying person in the world and you are stuck with them 40 hours each week is a scary, scary moment. Can you think of any other a scary work moments? Let us know in the comments below or tweet me!

Introducing the Student Branding Blog! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Introducing the Student Branding Blog! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As of today, I own the Personal Branding Blog, publish Personal Branding Magazine, hold the Personal Brand Awards, run Personal Branding Events, direct Personal Branding TV, write a column for BusinessWeek and Metro US, contribute to Mashable.com and other blogs, am on the advisory board for a few companies, speak, consult and do social media for a Fortune 200 company.   That probably sounds like a lot to most of you, but to me its a number of hobbies that are all interrelated.   The reason why they can all exist is that they all support and/or market each other.   Im spread pretty thin, of course, but its enjoyable and the content has helped a lot of people build stronger brands and manage them.   That being said Today is a very exciting day for me because Im expanding the brand of my blog to include a sub-brand, the Student Branding Blog (StudentBranding.com), which will be part of a growing blog network! What is the Student Branding Blog? The Student Branding Blog is the #1 resource for career and personal branding advice for high school, college and graduate students. While the Personal Branding Blog has advice and information for the world at large, the focus for this blog is on the students audience.   Students of all ages are not prepared for continuing education or stepping foot into the real world.   Hiring is down 7% for the graduating class of 20!   They need help right now!   The Student Branding Blog, with the support of experienced college career counselors and recent graduates, will help students capitalize on their own unique abilities and succeed.   Some cool features on the site: Facebook Connect: students can sign into StudentBranding.com using their Facebook credentials and use their identity to comment on blog posts and share them with their Facebook network (in the news feed).   This way, they dont need a second identity and they can share these important articles with other students that require the same guidance. Student Branding TV: aside from twelve blog posts per week, there is an online TV show called Student Branding TV, with two hosts, who go over concepts discussed on the blog. Audiences: If you notice, one of the major design differences between this blog and the Student Branding Blog is the pictures of students, which separate the difference audiences.   The audiences are high school, college and graduate students and the content written on the site is focused on all three separately and conjointly.   If you click on High School Students, you will receive all the blog posts that are tagged in that way, etc. Whose contributing to it? I will not be contributing at all to the Student Branding Blog for two main reasons.   First, I dont have time to.   Second, Id rather invest my time in marketing all my web properties because that plays to my strengths and is the best use of my time.   The really good news is that the team Ive gathered for this project is phenomenal.   The blog was supposed to launch next January, but everyone worked really hard and collaborated well, so were launching today. Melissa Kong is the editor-in-chief of the Student Branding Blog, which means that shes the queen bee and will be contributing posts each Monday in addition to editing and scheduling posts.   @melissajoykong Career services 2.0 We have six career experts from some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S. blogging for StudentBranding.com.   The purpose is to give them a new channel to support students, not just at their school, but all over the world.   Ive found that its hard for career services to scale in a school, where they have to give guidance for maybe a few hundred students at a time!   This blog will bring their guidance to students in an environment that theyre used to. Markell Steele: Counseling Manager, Graduate Student Services at UCLA   @Futuresinmotion Mike Severy: Director of Student Life, University of North Carolina at Pembroke   @mikesevery Kelly Cuene: Career Advisor, University of Wisconsin-Madison   @kellycuene Dan Klamm: Outreach Marketing Coordinator (Career Services), Syracuse University @danklamm Lanie James: Employer Development Coordinator (Career Services), Oklahoma State University   @JLanie Nicole Anderson: Assistant Director/Career Counselor (Career Services), Tufts University Peer advisers 2.0 Students listen to their peers, not just experienced workers or career experts.   That is why StudentBranding.com offers five student and recent graduate voices from a variety of backgrounds. Jamie Mitcham: Communications Coordinator at the Casady School in Oklahoma City @jamiemitcham Monika Adamczyk: Senior at Yale University @monikaadamczyk Johnny Schroepfer: Graduate Student at Northwestern University’s Medill School @jbschroe Cassie Holman: Recent Graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Ag Journalism program   @cassie_holman Shannon Reed: Senior at Boston University majoring in Advertising in the College of Communication @sereed1 Student Branding TV Students of all ages enjoy video, just as much, if not more than the written word, which is why StudentBranding.com will have its own online TV show, with two co-stars. Kade Dworkin: Graduate of Arizona State University @KadeDworkin Amber Rae Lambke: Graduate of Miami University (Ohio) @amber_rae To give you a taste for what Student Branding TV is all about, here is Episode #6: Follow the Student Branding Blog contributor Twitter List! Final words If you know any students, please forward this blog to them because they need this type of information very badly.   Im very excited about this four month project and the possibilities it will create in the future.   We are always looking for your feedback if you have any thoughts. 7 steps to launching a second blog Now for me to give you some value in a VERY promotional post!   Most of you reading this either dont have a blog or have a single blog based on a hobby or profession.   Here is what I did to launch my second blog: 1.   Think about branding As youll notice, both the Personal Branding Blog and the Student Branding Blog have very similar branding, in terms of fonts, colors, images and the overall frame.   If you want to extend your brand into a sub-category, like Ive done here, then having this type of consistent branding is important because people will be familiar and comfortable with the blog. 2.   Get the right team onboard early The power is in the people and by finding the right people who will contribute to your blog, you are setting yourself up for great success.   For me, this involves pinging your current network and locating people that you think are the right fit for your blog and can make the time commitment. At some level, they are blogging on your behalf (if youre the blog owner like me, for instance). 3.   Set up a posting system I leveraged my current blog post system for StudentBranding.com because it works and I dont want to mess with something that is already successful.   Basically, we have contributors submit their posts every Sunday and a blog editor (Maria for this blog and Melissa for Student Branding) edit and schedule the posts throughout the week.   This is extremely important because it gets everyone on the same page. 4.   Pump out at least twenty posts No one subscribes to a blog without any content, I promise you.   If you can start publishing blog posts before you launch, then people will get the blog more seriously.   You dont have to have twenty posts for an individual blog though (this is a team blog).   I would say six posts for a blog with only one contributor. 5.   Ensure that your site ranks #1 in Google for your concept If your blog is knew, you need to make it accessible fast.   For me, this is about optimizing it and making it show up first in Google because most people dont bother typing in domain names anymore (even though StudentBranding.com is easy to remember). Also, note that the domain name and title both have Student Branding in them, which really helped the blog become #1 fast! 6. Build buzz without promotion I told my web developer last week to put the top header of the Student Branding Blog on top of the Personal Branding Blog so that people would be aware that a new blog was coming.   I didnt say anything about it though, which generated curiosity and peaked some initial interest. 7.   Launch the blog and market it using your current resources and a targeted group of individuals I was debating whether I would use a press release or not and decided against it because most blog press releases dont get any attention whatsoever.   Instead, I wanted to promote it to the largest personal branding audience on the web (you included).   Then Im going to be speaking to colleges, universities and high schools who need to get involved.   This targeted approach is typically more successful than a random blast out!

Funny Job Rejection

Funny Job Rejection Our Funny Friday post is here again! This week I stumbled upon something from 2002, but as you may agree, it is evergreen in oozing funniness. As much as its funny, I cant imagine why somebody looking for a job would call the Head of HR a skank ho. I mean, there is an obvious spelling mistake there. For 20 more funny career related images, have a look at this post, compiled by JobMob. Subscribe to Career Geeks Bi-monthly Newsletter  to stay up-to-date with careers information and tips tricks. 5

Top 5 Shameful Office Sins to Stay Clear of

Top 5 Shameful Office Sins to Stay Clear of Theres always one person in the office who never offers to make the teas or coffees, yet are the first to put their order in. Or that person who is always online checking their own social media accounts, playing games or indulging in a bit of retail shopping. A recent survey  asked 10,000 respondents what their biggest office sins were and  whilst a number of these are harmless and  do little more than annoy their colleagues, there are some which ends up costing the business thousands, if not millions of dollars. But more serious than that, there are a few that will give you a reputation at work which could hold you back from progressing with the company. The 5 biggest office sins Avoiding tea and coffee duties: Now this might seem like quite a harmless office sin, because lets face it, you not getting up to make the team a hot beverage doesnt actually cost the company any financial loss but it does cost YOU. Even though you may not realise it, your reluctance to be a team player may cost you that much sought-after promotion to a managerial or leader position. Nobody wants to work with selfish, lazy people and the companies certainly dont want work-shy managers. Faking illness:  Weve all done this on a few occasions and whilst you might think the odd day off here or there doesnt really matter it does. In a recent Absence Management Survey it found that in 2016 the average number of days lost per employee was 6.3 and a median annual absence cost of around   £522 per full-time equivalent employee. So while you may think having that extra duvet day is completely harmless it isnt. So only call in sick if you genuinely are. Inappropriate internet browsing:  With the emergence of smartphones many people resort to using their handsets to go online while theyre supposed to be working but there are a few brazen people who will happily use the companys browser (and time) to surf the net for non-work related stuff. While browsing the internet is one of the top reasons for wasting time at work, there are other ways employees can idle away those hours instead of doing proper work. The cost of this can run into thousands. Sleeping during meetings:  OK, so whether you want to admit to it or not, weve all had a quick snooze during a long boring meeting especially if youve just had a heavy lunch. Again this doesnt break the companys bank but it will make you a laughing-stock amongst your colleagues especially if you start snoring or dribbling. So try not to do it by taking in a large glass of cold water or an extra strong coffee. Eating a co-worker’s lunch:  Unless its a free lunch or an office treat this is a big no-no. It is never acceptable to help yourself to a colleagues food especially if theyve spent hours lovingly making it from scratch. Doing this will cost you the ultimate penalty your trust. Nobody wants to work with someone they cant trust and your boss certainly doesnt want someone they cant trust working for them. Today its the sandwiches, tomorrow it could be expensive equipment. You may say to yourself Oh I would never got that far but why go there at all? DO NOT STEAL FROM YOUR CO-WORKERS. FULL STOP. John Feldmann is a writer for Insperity Recruiting Services and has this advice for anyone who wants to clamp down on office misbehaviour, without compromising on mutual respect: While it’s important for employers to monitor productivity, placing restrictions on employees such as timed breaks or blocked social media sites never works. Instead, allowing them the freedom to work autonomously while meeting regularly to evaluate their progress is far more effective. Employers that trust their employees to do right will see them work that much harder to maintain that trust. Regarding employee theft or faking illness, this can directly affect team morale and work output, as well as hurt the company financially. It’s then management’s responsibility to determine the appropriate action or punishment before it results in strained employee relations, diminished work quality and financial loss. So, while we all enjoy a bit of office banter there is the danger of taking it too far and it could end up costing you the respect of your co-workers, or worst still, your job.

What Should You Know About Technical Resume Writing Seri?

What Should You Know About Technical Resume Writing Seri?Technical resume writing here is all about being a successful internet marketer. Those who are looking to go for the technical fields like IT, ITIS, IT, data entry etc. have a tough time finding the right job. So, in this article we will be talking about the things that you should be aware of when you are writing your resume.When you get a fulltime salary, then you will have some to spend on food and other miscellaneous expenses. But when you go for the non-profit sector, then you can think of creating a fund for yourself. This is how you build your fund and get the most out of it. But before we go into this, let us first understand what a resume is and how does it help in getting your job.Resume is a written statement that includes all the necessary information about yourself. In a perfect world this statement would include all the education, work experience, skills, references, as well as any other information that you can pr ovide. The problem with resumes is that many people do not use it in a proper way, resulting in wrong information getting to the employer.A technical resume writing here, not only helps to convince an employer to give you a job but also gives the potential candidate the required recognition for their skills. By using the right format in the resume, you can turn it into a better and more effective communication tool than a standard one. Make sure that you do not leave any vital information out of the resume, as the importance of this information is of high importance. Also do not use computer language in a resume, as this would make it very difficult for the employer to use it.In technical resume writing seri, it is important to make your resume to look professional. Make sure that you get the employers to look at your resume instead of giving them a formal email or a list of recommendations. So, before you even start a job search or send the resume, ensure that you have researched a nd written it thoroughly.A technical resume writing here, will help you have the best chance of landing a job in the sector you are aiming for. So, keep that in mind when you are drafting a resume. With proper skill in writing and reading, you will surely land on the right job.When you are writing a technical resume writing seri, you must take care of the facts. Use the facts, but do not exaggerate anything. You can use bullet points where necessary to make your information clear. By using these methods, it will be easier for the employer to read your resume.Technical resume writing here is all about creating a good resume that tells your potential employer about your abilities and will be able to impress the employer. So, work hard and make sure that your resume is correct and looks professional.

Motivation Monday Thanks and Giving

Motivation Monday Thanks and Giving Wasnt it just Halloween? Now it is already time to give thanks. Next well be celebrating the new yearholy cow. But for those living in the here-and-now, it is time to provide thanks and give! One of my favorite analogies for taking care of yourself comes from the deck of the airplane. You all know what Im talking about. The flight attendant speaks to you in a fast-paced, often monotone voice. After the seat belt demonstration (honestly, who doesnt know how one of those buckles work) theres the warning that should there be a loss of cabin pressure, a mask will fall out from panels above. Pull gently on the mask and place it over your nose and mouth so that you can better assist those traveling around you! Image by basictheory Take Care of You You need oxygen in order to think and help others. What this means for you is that you need to have a good working brain and mental well-being in order to help others. When you are feeling miserable, you cant climb your way out of a paper bag. So start taking care of your mental health today. Be Happy Then Succeed is the secret to taking care of you. Put It In Writing Thank you goes a long way and one of the easiest ways to set yourself apart is sending a written message! Be genuine and sincere. Make it connect on a personal level. Think about the people you know who have made a difference in your life (past and present). Wouldnt it be nice to let them know how much you appreciate them? Take time this week to send your messages!  Show Kindness to Others This life isnt all about you. Those who have the richest lives are giving selflessly and generously to others. Who can you help? Who wants to know what you know? What difference can you make? Seriously, whether you are in job search or ingrained deeply in your job, give back. Make a difference and feel good about who you are.

10 Strange Job Interview Questions and Answers - CareerAlley

10 Strange Job Interview Questions and Answers - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Have you ever been to an interview and suffered from a deer in the headlights scenario when caught completely off guard by the question your interviewer asked you? If youre reading this, Im going to go ahead with an educated guess and say yes. More and more companies are asking unusual questions to candidates in the hope of digging a little deeper into your personality while assessing your ability to handle unexpected situations. The best thing you can do in this situation is remain calm and think through the question logically and truthfully. So when your interviewer asks something outrageous like If you were a musical instrument, what would you be and why? You know youre being tested; theyre trying to push the boundaries and note how you respond. Here are a few strange interview questions to help you prepare for the unexpected moment: 1. Have you ever stolen a pen from work? Are you trustworthy (what else will you steal)? This is a difficult question to answer and saying zero (even if true) is probably not the right answer. 2. Which kind of animal do you think best describes your personality? Are you lazy like a sloth, fiery like a tiger, or as quiet as a mouse? Think very carefully about the kind of personality you want to portray and be sure this comes across in a positive manner. 3. If you could invite 3 people from anywhere in the world or history to dine with you, who would they be? What kinds of people do you like to associate yourself with? Someone who wants to dine with Einstein or the the President of a country gives a very different impression then someone who wants to dine with a famous criminal or dictator. You get the idea. 4. If you were driving your seriously injured mother to hospital, would you run a red light to get there faster? Will you disregard the rules of the law in favor of human emotion? Consider whether you want to be portrayed as someone who follows the rules, or someone with compassion (a difficult choice to say the least). 5. If you won the lottery, would you still work full-time or live a life of luxury? How strong is your work ethic and passion to succeed in life? This is quite an unusual question but one that is relatively easy to answer. Quite simply make sure that you show your passion and ambition to succeed in life, and more importantly, the commitment you would show to their company. 6. If you were given $1m to spend on a business idea, what would you do? How creative and entrepreneurial are you? Make sure you state a viable business idea and how you would go about making it a success. Have some information to backup your idea. 7. How would you teach an alien to ride a bike? What kind of logic and methods would you use to ensure that person is successful at the task in hand? They are assessing your ability to translate instructions clearly and lead someone through unfamiliar processes. Of course an answer something like The last time I taught an alien, this is what I did would not be the best approach (even if true). 8. Who is your favorite superhero? This is a subjective question, but what they are really looking for is an answer that indicates how you like to work. As an example, if you pick a hero from the Fantastic Four, it shows you like teamwork. 9. Tell me something unusual about yourself. This is not the time to tell them about your bug collection or your soap carving hobby. Try to pick something that is unusual but okay, such as wanting to visit 100 countries by the time you are 50. 10. If there was a front page newspaper article about you, what would it say? Another strange question for a job interview. Basically, the hiring manager is hoping to learn something about you by asking this question. Your answer serves two purposes shows them how you think on your feet and tells them a little about you. Of course if you decide your headline is Serial Killer is Caught, I dont think you will get the job. Hiring managers can gain insight into your outlook on life as well as you self esteem. Ultimately, potential employers can learn more about the job candidate than they might otherwise learn from standard interview questions that theyve had time to think about. Most interviews include the usual run of the mill questions, but occasionally there are strange and unexpected questions your interviewer may ask. While you cant prepare for all strange questions, you can have some idea as to what to expect when youre faced with one in an interview. The most important thing that you can do is to keep your composure and think about the question before you blurt out an answer. Above all, be yourself, be confident and answer the questions openly and honestly. If they dont like the answers, its not the company for you. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+