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Some issues ‘older’ workers face in the job hunt

[For more information write to larry@larrylitwin.com]

Thank you to Kate Lopaze of thejobnetwork.com. Read the entire story at its website.

  • You’re overqualified
  • We need someone tech savvy in this role
  • WE are looking for someone who can grow in this role
  • We are looking for a specialist
  • We just don’t have any senior-level openings

[For more information write to larry@larrylitwin.com]

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More on resumes

Questions: Visit www.LarryLitwin.com or write larry@larrylitwin.com

  • More than one page is recommended unless you do not have sufficient experience and education to fill the space. Do not “pad” the content. You will be flagged (by H.R.) immediately.
  • Pick a flexible format. I like traditional. But now, there are many. Do not commit “vampire creativity. That’s where the format overwhelms the message — or sucks the blood out of it.
  • Edit, edit and edit some more. No grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax or sentence structure errors. Accuracy is paramount. Better writing through self edition. That’s what Professor Frank Grazian always taught his students — and I do, too.
  • “Tweak” the experience points.

Questions: Visit LarryLitwin.com or write larry@larrylitwin.com

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4 questions to ask during YOUR job or internship interview

Kate Lopaz of the THEJOBNETWORK writes the follwing. Get her full story on line. Questions? mlarrylitwin@gmail.com.

  1. “How would you describe the culture here in the office and the workplace?”
  2. “What’s been your favorite part about working for this company?”
  3. “What experience best prepared you for working here?”
  4. “How would you describe the leadership style here?”

Visit www.larrylitwin.com.
Questions? mlarrylitwin@gmail.com

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How to describe yourself in a job interview

This comes from Peter Jones at THEJOBNETWORK. For more, visit www.larrylitwin.com Here are eight powerful examples interviewers are sure to love.

Here are eight powerful examples interviewers are sure to love:

  1. Communicative
  2. Reliable
  3. Driven
  4. Meticulous
  5. Impactful
  6. Persistent
  7. Flexible
  8. Team player
    This comes from Peter Jones at THEJOBNETWORK. For more, visit www.larrylitwin.com or write mlarrylitwin@gmail.com

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How to answer tough interview questions

Here are six standard, but tough interview questions. For the short snappy answers visit Peter Jones at THEJOBNETWORK or ask Prof. Litwin in class. For more, visit www.larrylitwin.com or write mlarrylitwin@gmail.com

  1. Why you left your last job
  2. Your greatest weakness
  3. Why you seem overqualified
  4. Why you’ve changed jobs a lot
  5. Why you’ve been unemployed for ages
  6. Your age (They are not permitted to ask this question, but some do. Develop your strategic response)
    This comes from Peter Jones at THEJOBNETWORK. For more, visit www.larrylitwin.com or write mlarrylitwin@gmail.com
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Is YOUR personal brand doing well?

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]  From Larry’s ABCs of Strategic Communication come the following:

  1. Google yourself regularly
  2. Do frequent social media sweeps

Tips to Succeed:Do you have a brand? – Evaluate your 5 Ps

Your brand consists of a complex set of characteristics and dynamics
that play out in thousands of scenarios each workday.
You can use your brand to positively influence your image to others
and enhance your career using these five Ps:
Persona – The emotional connection and reaction you elicit from
other people as a result of your personal style.
Product – The sum of your qualifications, experience, technical
and/or functional expertise, ideas and results you’ve delivered
over time.
Packaging – The presentation of your personal appearance, surroundings
and tangible results of projects and assignments on the
job.
Promotion – The way you inform your market about your value
and impact.
Permission – The sense of legitimacy, confidence and core belief
that you have important contributions to make.

Thank you to Susan Hodgkinson – The Leader’s Edge

To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com

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7 Tips To Becoming More Valuable in the Next 12 Months

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

This week’s blog comes from 

Dale Carnegie Training Newsletter

By Anita Zinsmeister

In The Next 12 Months:

1.  Become More Confident – When you believe in your abilities, others will too.  It starts with your body language.  Carry yourself with confidence and others will take notice.
 
2.  Ask For More Responsibility – Doing more than your job requires or asking for additional responsibilities shows that you are eager for a promotion.  But be sure you are ready to work hard.
 
3.  Share Your Ideas To Improve The Business Or Process- If you have an idea that will add value to your company, speak up.   The worst your manager can say is, “no.”  At the very least, it shows that you want to contribute.
 
4.  Start Writing Articles (Or Videos) On Social Media – Social media is a great way to tell a broad audience about your goods, services or skills. Create a Facebook page, a LinkedIn profile or a Twitter account.   Then regularly post relevant content on topics within your area of expertise.
 
5.  Develop A Blog (WordPress)- Like to write?   Why not start a blog? Blogging about industry topics that interest you is yet another way to promote your expertise.  Tools such as WordPress make it easy to get started.  If you have a website, be sure to add a link to your posts.
 
6.  Network, Network, And Network Again – Attending local networking events can also be useful.  When independently promoting yourself, consider offering your services in exchange for goods or services that are useful to you.  This is a great way to get a prospect to sample your work without having to commit to a long-term business relationship.  If your product or performance exceeds expectations, it is likely you’ll gain a new client — and some referrals.
 
7.  Keep An Ample Supply Of Business Cards On You – In today’s digital world, business cards may seem a bit old-fashioned.  Yet they are still one of the most effective marketing tools.   Use your card as an opportunity to promote your business.
 
Executive Summary:  Promoting yourself can be a challenge, especially if you are modest.  But a little self-confidence can go a long way.  Here are some more tips for you:
 
  • If your goal is a promotion, take on more responsibility at work.
  • Speak up if you have a good idea.
  • Take advantage of social media, blogging and other online tools to get your name and talents noticed by a broader audience.
  • Self-promotion may take a little work, but the payoff could be a big career boost in the upcoming year.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

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How exercise can boost work performance

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]

This is excellent advice via the Courier-Post on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018:

BY ERIC TITNER

THEJOBNETWORK.COM

We’re all familiar with the obvious benefits of exercise — regular physical activity can keep us looking and feeling fit and healthy, increase our energy levels and confidence and help us maintain high levels of self-esteem. Staying active can also help us fight off a wealth of potentially life-threatening illnesses.

If you’re still not sold, perhaps this will help seal the deal — exercise helps fuel and maintain a healthy body, and it can actually improve your ability to think and retain information.

WHAT EXERCISE DOES

Recent studies have shown the following cognitive benefits of exercise:

Boosts brainpower: If you’re looking to take your brain’s ability to the next level, you can’t do much better than regular exercise. Studies have shown that exercise can actually increase the volume of key areas in your brain.

Enhances thinking ability: Regular workouts will help kick away the dreaded “brain fog” that keeps you from thinking clearly and keep your mind and thoughts razor sharp all day long.

Helps you process and remember new information more effectively: If you’re trying to acquire a new skill or task, like learning a new language or tackling a new job responsibility, combining it with regular exercise can help. New research suggests that physical activity can increase the size of the medial temporal and pre-frontal cortex of your brain, key areas that regulate and control thinking and memory, so you’ll be able to master that new skill faster.

Improves ability on cognitive tasks: Do you have an important test for work or school coming up? Whatever your mental goals are, exercise will help you succeed on all sorts of cognitive tasks that test your intelligence and brainpower.

Keeps away the negatives: Regular exercise will help keep your mood positive and upbeat, help you achieve more restful sleep at night and help reduce anxiety and stress, ensuring your brain works at its best.

WHEN, WHAT AND HOW MUCH?

Now that you know it works, let’s explore how you can make it work for you.

Although there’s some debate regarding the type of exercise that best serves to promote brain function, according to a recent article by Harvard Medical School, “researchers found that regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning. Resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises did not have the same results.”

Research also suggests that although you’ll receive a brain benefit regardless of when you decide to exercise, the most promising results typically occur when you do your workout before or even during a cognitive task.

Another big question you might be wondering about is how much exercise you should do in order to receive a cognitive benefit. The same Harvard Medical School report suggests that “standard recommendations advise half an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week, or 150 minutes a week.”

If you’re worried that you’re simply too busy to exercise or find the very idea of exercise daunting, a great way to take a step forward toward a regular active lifestyle is to start small. Try taking a brief yet brisk walk for 10 to 15 minutes each day, and gradually increase your workout in both length and intensity as time passes.

Now that you know all about the many benefits that exercise will bring to your life, put the excuses aside and get up and get moving toward yoursuccessful future!

Eric Titner is a career advice journalist for TheJobNetwork.com, where this article was originally published. He investigates and writes about current strategies, tips and trending topics related to all stages of one’s career.

[To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]