Post interview Thank-You Note

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Matt Tarpey of “CareerBuilder” stresses the importance of the follow-up Thank-You Note. “Following up a job interview with a personalized thank-you note may seem old fashioned, but it could mean the difference between landing the job and continuing your search.”

 

Also to help you stand out from the crowde, Tarpey suggests:

1. Be prompt

2. Be brief

3. Be specific

4. Be professional

5. Be inclusive

 

For more on Thank-You Notes, see my The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbopok for (all) Strategic Communicators. It all starts on Page 518.

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Memorial Day — from Dale Carneigie’s Anita Zinsmeister — plus Shopping Tips

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This week we tap the Dale Carneigie newsletter.

By Anita Zinsmeister, President of Dale Carnegie®Training of Central & Southern New Jersey 

But FIRST: Tips for holiday shopping —

Here are four things you should not buy on Memorial Day. You won’t get the best prices, according to NerdWallet research. They are barbecues, pools, swimsuits and camcorders. And don’t let the sale-shopping mentality overtake common sense. Lots of products will be discounted, but not every discount will be a good deal. (Thanks to USA Today – May 24, 2015 for this.)

From everyone at Dale Carnegie® Training of Central & Southern New Jersey, we would like to wish you and your family a happy Memorial Day.

While enjoying time with your family and friends this coming weekend, take a moment to remember the heroes who have fought for our great country.

 

A Little About Memorial Day . . .

 

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who died while in service for the United States of America.

Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.  While Waterloo, NY was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day.

Grilling Tips For This Memorial Day Weekend:
  1. Preheating:
    Preheat your grill 15 to 25 minutes before you start cooking to make sure it reaches the right temperature (and to kill any bacteria).  A properly heated grill sears foods on contact, keeps the insides moist  and helps prevent sticking.
     
  2. How To Clean Your Grill Grates:
    Do you want to clean your grill grates this coming weekend?  Click here for a link to the amazingribs.com website.  It’s filled with some easy grill cleaning techniques.
     
  3. Prevent Sticking:
    Reduce food sticking to your grill by oiling your hot grill rack with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel: hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
  4. Marinating:
    This does more than infuse food with flavor; it also inhibits the formation of potentially carcinogenic HCAs, which form when grilling “muscle meats” like poultry, red meat and fish; marinating can reduce HCAs by as much as 92-99%.
  

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10 Tips To Lead Effectively

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This comes from:

Dale Carnegie e-Newsletter

By Anita Zinsmeister, President of Dale Carnegie® Training of Central & Southern New Jersey

 

10 Tips To Lead Effectively

 Word count for this issue: 638

  • Approximate time to read: About 2.5 minutes @ 250 words per minute 

Honest.  Motivating.  Well-respected.  Humble.  Fair.  These are just a few of the words used by employees when describing an effective leader.  Would your employees use any of these words to describe you?

 Having been in the professional training industry for many years, I am often asked what constitutes a good leader.  To help answer this question, I have put together a few tips that every good leader should follow.

 10 Tips To Lead Effectively

 1. Build Strong Relationships – Great leaders know the value of building solid relationships with their team.  Know your people and what motivates them.  By understanding their aspirations, you’ll be better able to help them achieve their goals.  In turn, they will be more likely to want to meet yours.

 2.  Lead By Example – Want your staff to be punctual?  Be on time each day.  Want to be treated with respect?  Speak respectfully to your team.  Demonstrating professionalism is a far more successful approach than demanding it.

 3.  Be A Leader, Not A Boss – To elaborate on the point above, there’s a big difference between being an effective leader and bossing people around.  It’s always important to establish that you are in charge.  But don’t forget to give others on your team opportunities to shine.  Your employees will not only gain more confidence in their abilities, but they will also value your support.

 4.  Surround Yourself With Talented People – No leader is strong in all areas.  That’s why great leaders know the importance of surrounding themselves with a strong team.  Be sure your group is made up of individuals who each contribute a unique level of expertise.  Collectively, you’ll have a winning team.

 5. Keep The Lines Of Communication Open – It goes without saying that good leaders must ensure they are heard and understood.  But perhaps just as important is the ability to listen to what others on the team have to say.  Remember, communication is a two-way street.

 6.  Use Meeting Time Wisely – Meetings are an effective way to communicate change and also ensure everyone is on the same page.  But they can also be incredible time wasters if not managed properly.  Stick to the topic at hand.  Then trust in your team to follow through.  The less micromanaging you do, the quicker and more productive your meetings will be.

 7.  Stay Positive – People are not perfect.  Inevitably, there will be times when you will need to point out poor job performance.  But great leaders know the value of acknowledging when people are doing things well.  Focusing more on the positive will help people feel more appreciated for their efforts.

 8.  Set Boundaries – Being a fair leader does not mean being a pushover.  Be sure to establish clear boundaries with your team and stick to them.  Employees should know what is expected of them and what will not be tolerated.

 9.  Show Your Human Side – Never miss an opportunity to learn more about the people on your team.  Show your interest by acknowledging employee birthdays and other special events.  Participate in office gatherings or holiday parties.  This shows that you value your team for who they are, as well as for the work that they do.

 10.  Never Stop Evolving – Great leaders are always looking for ways to improve.  Whether it’s furthering your education, participating in management training seminars, or attending industry events, be sure to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in your field.

Executive Summary:  Great leaders are always striving for new ways to master their leadership skills.  Take the time to become acquainted with your staff.  Be firm about your goals, but also be positive and treat your team with respect.  This will go a long way in building a loyal team that will stand behind you as their leader. 

 

Quote of the Week: “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” 

– George Patton  

For more: Anita Zinsmeister <anita.zinsmeister@dalecarnegie.com>      

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For A Resume, Type Font Matters

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(From NPR on April 28, 2015. Here is link:

http://www.npr.org/2015/04/28/402736024/for-a-resume-type-font-matters?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20150503&utm_campaign=mostemailed&utm_term=nprnews

      Before you even get your foot in the door of your next job, your resume can say a lot about you — starting with typeface.

     “Using Times New Roman is the typeface equivalent of wearing sweatpants to an interview,” Bloomberg says in an article in which it turns to typography experts to ask which typefaces work and which don’t.

     Helvetica is the top pick when it comes to playing it safe and straightforward. “It feels professional, lighthearted, honest,” Brian Hoff, creative director of Brian Hoff Design tells Bloomberg. It’s cleaner and lacks the discrete embellishments of fonts like Times New Roman.

     Times New Roman is trickier. Because it has a tired reputation, Hoff says using it shows that you didn’t put much thought into your font selection.

     If your experience-heavy resume is cramped for space, go with Garamond, says Matt Luckhurst, the creative director at the brand consultancy company, Collins. Its legibility makes it easy on the eyes.

     People love to hate Comic Sans. “Weird Al” Yankovic dedicates a lyric to the “tacky” blunder: “Got my new resume / It’s printed in Comic Sans.” Far from being a snob font, it tends toward the other end of the professional spectrum. Don’t use it on your resume “unless you are applying to clown college,” Hoff says.

     Emoticons are an easy way to express ourselves in informal settings. So, is emoji use off the table in resumes? “I think it’s a great idea,” Luckhurst says. “Maybe an emoji is your logo.”

     Who knows, maybe it’s the new “skills” category. But you might employ discretion before stamping your resume with your favorite emoji.

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