8 words and phrases you should eliminate from your resume

[To comment: Larry at larrylitwin dot com]

According to Monster contributing editor Catherine Conlan, “they’ll make your resume stand out – but not in a good way.”

Eliminate these words and phrases:

  • Results-oriented
  • High technical aptitude
  • Ninja, rockstar and other quirky titles
  • Assisted
  • Strong work ethic
  • Disruptive, cutting-edge and other trendy objectives
  • Self-starter
  • Detail-oriented

[To comment: Larry at larrylitwin dot com]

Techniques to Succeed: Beefing up your credit report

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This and nearly 300 other Tips and Techniques are in the new More ABCs of Strategic Communication – AuthorHouse, July 2015 – just published. Email Larry for details.

Here are some suggestions for maintaining or improving your credit history:
• Pay your bills on time. Payment history is the single most important factor in determining your credit score, making up 35 percent of the total number.Missing even one payment can knock 50 to 100 points off a good score.
• Pay down your debts and consider charging less. Lenders like to see plenty of room between the amount of debt reported on your credit cards and your total credit limits. Charging less can also improve your score, even if you pay off your credit cards on a monthly basis.
• Don’t be afraid of credit counseling. In 1998, the Fair Isaac Corp. changed its scoring formula to remove references to credit counseling in consumers’ files after learning that receiving credit counseling was becoming less predictive of credit risk. Be sure to research, and only become involved with legitimate organizations.
• Stay out of bankruptcy. Bankruptcy can knock 200 points or more off your credit score. After filing, consumers are usually only able to secure credit through high-interest lenders, which can often lead consumers back down the path of bad credit.
Centers for Financial Education, a division of Consumer Credit Counseling Services of New Jersey – www.crediteducation.com

[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]

Techniques to Succeed: Event Planning – 10 key points

[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]

This and nearly 300 other Tips and Techniques are in the new More ABCs of Strategic Communication – AuthorHouse, July 2015 – just published. Email Larry for details.

1. Decide event’s purpose (goal and/or objectives).
2. Organize your volunteers.
3. Be ready for anything.
4. Create a timeline (Gantt chart – See Page 222).
5. Create an incentive to attract event participation.
6. Communicate (early on) with participants.
7. Make it a learning experience – determine what participants are going to “take away.”
8. The event, if properly planned, will run itself. (Planning is everything).
9. Evaluate event and total plan at conclusion of event (exit survey).
10.Have fun!

[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]

Tips to succeed: The power of the referral

[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]

This and nearly 300 other Tips and Techniques are in the new More ABCs of Strategic Communication AuthorHouse, July 2015 – just published. Email Larry for details.

Many salespeople are wondering about the best way to go after new business. The prevailing wisdom is that you have to develop a cold list, start from scratch and build your business that way. This is so far from the truth that it’s laughable. An unqualified list will yield two to three appointments out of a hundred approaches. A referred list, when called by a professional salesperson, can yield initial appointments at the rate of 25 per 100 approaches–sometimes even more.That raises the question: Why don’t we leverage referral prospecting as much as we should?

Warren Wechsler’s Total Selling Times – Fairfield, Iowa

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10 Essential tips to ensure your news release makes the news

[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]

This and nearly 300 other Tips and Techniques are in the new More ABCs of Strategic Communication – AuthorHouse, July 2015 – just published. Email Larry for details.

1.  Make sure the information is newsworthy.

2. Tell the audience that the information is intended for them and why they should continue to read it.

3. Start with a brief description of the news, then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around.

4. Ask yourself,”How are people going to relate to this and will they be able to connect?”

5. Make sure the first 10 words of your release are effective, as they are the most important.

6. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.

7. Deal with the facts.

8. Provide as much contact information as possible: Individual to contact, address, phone (fax), email,website (address).

9. Make sure you wait until you have something with enough substance to issue a release.

10.Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs.
[To comment: larry at larrylitwin dot com]