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3 Ways To Self Evaluate Your Resume Format And Content

Making a resume all comes down to one thing, leaving an impression good enough to get the interview. A resume is a lot of things but with a single purpose. It is a crucial part of the job search and is often the first impression of a person in front of the organization. And most importantly, you never know who is going to see your resume, when, and why! Even when you are settled in a job, your resume travels and represents you, often to the next big opportunity.

It takes a lot of effort and understanding of the content and formats to make a resume but the task isn't complete there. It needs to be reviewed and let me tell you, when you read and re-read it again, it wasn't really reviewed.

 As a writer, one is always advised to write and edit, and forget about it for a few weeks. Then read it again with a fresh perspective. Now ask yourself, is it good?

 Although, waiting for a few weeks to review and release the final draft of your resume might be highly impractical. So here are the tricks to self-evaluate your resume format and subsequently, the content. Although, you may still want to review it after a while to get it closest to perfection. But first, use these little hacks to get the formatting and content on your resume to the point with a fresh perspective: 

 Run Keyword Check

 Copy everything into a tool like readable.io and wordcounter.net and run a readability check along with keyword check. You can use the keyword density to understand what areas and functions your resume is most insistent on, in sets of two and three keywords. Optimising for 2-4% density of important (sets of) keywords will make it "readable" for software-based screening. There may even be tools to do it directly and gain further insights into the same, so research a bit.

 Come whatever may do not try to push in keywords (unnecessarily) just to get the density, remember a human will eventually read it and you'll be at a disadvantage. Keep it natural.

  Visual Appeal

 Just how many things we discard and don't read for the sole reason that the overview looks chaotic and not-so-neat as we prefer? This is what good resume formats and layouts tackle in the first place. As a document, it has to be balanced, and as a non-standardized document, it can be symmetric. Pressing a butter paper or something similar will blur the text and will give a very good idea of how it looks. If it looks unbalanced, go ahead and change things. Try a few things like stepping up the font size by a point everywhere, adding or subtracting few words, justify (alignment), using tables, etc. 

There is a fine line that separates balance from symmetry. Go for the balance. Tables are the best way to do it but it compromises with certain things by condensing the content. 

 Difficult To Read Fonts

It was studied and observed at Princeton University that slightly difficult to read fonts (or text) invite sharper observations and a better understanding of written material due to the difficulty in reading. So, on the next day after completing the resume, open the file, select all the text and change the font to any of the following: Comic Sans, Papyrus, or Monotype Corsiva. Then read the resume again. You will notice any inconsistency, errors, lack of clarity, or any other problem in the content if present. This part is a similar exercise as the quotation above and will help improve the content. Also, you can make others read with changed fonts and get better reviews.

 Even with the change, self-biasing is bound to occur. Read carefully, rather speak it aloud to understand how it will feel. Whatever feels out-of-ordinary-wrong may not always be, so keep an unedited copy separate to compare.

After the exercise, take some rest and let your hard work do its magic. Resumes need continuous updating as your career and time progress. Making small changes and updates in your resume from time to time will keep it ready and easier to update further. It is a good exercise to review and subsequently, edit your resume every 2-3 months and revamping it every year or so. After all, it is your professional image in words!

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10 Etiquettes Attached To Resignation Letter For No-Trouble Transition!

The resignation letter is that one document that holds a great power in its simplistic nature. It is, practically, the last impression one leaves on their employer. If not taken care of properly, it can create a negative bookmark that can last for a while in your professional life. Also, cross-referencing by the next employer might invite bad remarks too. Although, if the resignation letter is written with a careful approach, it can actually cancel out all the above, if any were to even come up. Choosing the right resignation letter format and approach is the key. 

 Here are the 10 essential tips for your resignation letter format and content:

  Refer to the company's termination guidelines before you start writing your letter.

Keep the letter short, precise and convey the message politely as well as positively.

Select your words carefully leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Keep the tone of the letter professional and avoid any emotional expression.

Address the letter to your supervisor (reporting manager) and the HR head and others as may be required.

The first part should inform of the     reasons for the resignation and the last date of working.

It is advised to give your employer     a notice period. You can also offer to look for a replacement and to train     him/her.

The second part should be a short     note focusing on the experience (positive) and learning’s with the     organization.

The final part should focus on     expressing gratitude for the opportunities and support by the organization     and members.

Conclude with a 'hope to working     together again' and well wishes.

End with a salutation followed by     your signature and name.

 Avoid discussing the resignation with your co-workers. It is best announced by management as they deem fit.

 A carefully crafted letter can help cement your employer's good opinion of you - after all, it's a small world and you never know when you may bump into each other. Leaving on a good note also translates to leaving with a good experience.

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7 Quick Changes In Your Resume Format You Can Do Right Away!

As time passes by, things change, you change. The resume is an image of your personality and competency and with time, it becomes outdated. Skills may become irrelevant, undertakings may lose value, and a lot of additions become overdue. So, while you will have to update it, here are a few tweaks you can make quickly:

 Alter the Font

This is similar to a quick makeover. Drift away from the common Times New Roman and Verdana to a different font like Calibri, Cambria, Georgia, Arial, etc. to name a few. But remember not to lose the readability. Make sure that the resume format is readable, legible and clear. Just press Ctrl+A  and change the font of your entire document.

Quick Tip: Printed materials use sans-serif fonts (Helvetica, Arial, Calibri) for headlines and serif fonts (Times New Roman) in the body, for best presentation.

  Objective Statement

For one, drop the headline 'Objective,' 'Aim' altogether. And start with your statement directly, making it the headline. Make a few good, simple, and understandable statements for different needs. Use active and positive words and bring some strength to it.

  Address Not Required

Remove the address from the personal details section if you haven't already. It is one of the most common information that is redundant to a professional profile (resume). Also, with current digital scanning, it is not recognized by bots and may generate unnecessary errors. Although, academic resume formats may require an address, in which case it is advised to check first.

 Add Your LinkedIn URL

Important as it is, giving your LinkedIn profile URL is a wise move in today's world. Since the resume is going to be in print as well, it is advised to simplify the URL with either generating shortened link or editing it in your profile, or both.

 Take Care of Skills' Section

As is the case with skills, they may become redundant to the profile or level up to a more desirable one. New skills are acquired with time and experience. And much more can happen. Check your skills section and update as required.

 Pack Action 

Take a close look at the roles and responsibilities part of your resume format. You will surely find some passive and unenthusiastic verbs such as ‘taking care of’, ‘acting as’, ‘responsible for’ to name a few. Instead, charge up your profile by using active words like, ‘led’, ‘managed’, ‘chaired’, ‘controlled’, ‘executed’, ‘headed’, if they go well with your kind of profile. And add the new experiences as well.

 Show Your Growth

You might be working for a company for a longer time, but probably ignored to show the promotion and growth which you have received. So, clearly show your promotions, multiple roles, and positions of responsibilities clearly in the profile. Growth is the most important part any resume format is crafted to represent, it may even point towards changing the resume format to a more targeted one.

 Using this seven-step approach to make quick changes will help your resume with a fresh look. The introspection required for a few points will also help you get your own bearings regarding your career. Also, when the time will arrive, it would be easier to update the resume with new information and fewer complications.

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6  Things Any Good Resume Format Will Never Have

Almost everyone knows what is the necessary content to put in the resume and the correct resume format according to the need. But do you know the few things that you should NOT include in your resume layout? Well, here they are:

1. Photograph

 The photographs in the resume content pose two problems: one, it is considered unprofessional and amateur; two, it makes the digital documents bulky towards data transfer. It also poses problems with printing and layout neatness.

2. Average or Poor Marks

 Average or under average marks pose negativity in the profile. The negativity in the resume can be tackled for other aspects but not with marks and (under)scores. It is often recommended that marks, scores, ranks, etc. can be completely eliminated even if they are good unless it is specifically required to be mentioned.

 3. Series of Short-Duration Jobs

 A long series of short duration employment doesn't reflect well on candidature. Specify the latest (or most prominent) 3-5 organizations with details and club the others in a single description instead of a long list of employment. It also reduces the length of resume making it easier to analyze and ensures the resume is read.

 4. Passive Language

 Using passive voice and tones in a resume undermines the activities and experience. Passive language can also bring a lack of clarity and understanding. A simple and active voice is the best format for resume content.

 5. Irrelevant Skills

 Unless relevant to the application, skills without application are best left out of the resume. Clubbing them in a small part or table can be a good way if they seem important to mention. 

 6. More than 2 Pages

 A lengthy resume poses the chances of being overlooked in a competitive application. It is best to keep the length confined to two pages. The standard resume formats can help condense the content under the required length. Although, beware that too much content in less space can make your resume chaotic as well.

 The resume is a key to entering the interview round. Prepare your resume with regards to these aforementioned suggestions and you will land up in a good organization with a good impression. After all, the first impression is the last impression.

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13+1 Online Jobs With High Pay And Growth Prospects

Online jobs are the new trend everyone is taking up these days. Even organizations have sought refuge to online and freelance jobs saving a lot of resources and increasing work efficiencies. With the win-win scenario for the employers and the employees, finances are one part where both have seen a growth and more flexibility.

 Due to the cost savings on infrastructure and operations, a lot of quintessential jobs are inviting higher pay scales online than in-house jobs. Also, a lot of these jobs find limited application in most industries and are thus, contracted and outsourced instead. But the sheer scale and width of penetration digital technologies have had in almost every industry, there is a lot of work available online for the right candidates.

When we talk about the “Right Candidate” for a job, it covers the spectrum from amateur and untrained skilled individuals to trained and certified experts. Expertise can be achieved through either ample work experience and results or through certification courses of the required nature.

So here is a list of all the jobs available online which pay handsomely and are available in ample:

Data Entry and Transcription Jobs: Good communication and language skills are the basic requirements. Transcription may require listening skills as well. Proficiency in multiple languages can also land translation jobs as well. These are the basic jobs that come in quantity and pay well cumulatively.

Writing, Editing and Proofing Jobs: Better language skills, mainly in English but not limited to it, are the basic requirements. Writing is the initial step that leads to proofing or proofreading and subsequently to editing jobs. An academic level language skill is best suited for most jobs or creativity with it, depending on the job itself. Storytelling formats of writing also have wide application in media and entertainment related works and pay is higher than general writing job.

 Graphics and 3D Designs Jobs: Software designing in 2D and 3D, image editing, and understanding of digital and print graphics is the minimum requirement. It is a skill based job that calls for quality work and pays well per task or per hour. Also, it opens prospects in a wider aspect of media and entertainment industry.

 Filmmaking and Animation Jobs: Higher and broader set of skills are required to take these jobs and similarly, the pay is high as well. This also hosts a lot of disintegrated jobs like cinematography, writing, music and sound works, designing, etc. A few unrelated fields find employment in this industry with good pay and ample work. Animation itself is a whole industry along with filmmaking, finding application in media, advertising, and entertainment works.

Affiliate Marketing, Network Marketing, and Sales Jobs: Social and interpersonal skills are the only requirement with an emphasis on communication skills and language being the underlying requirements. These jobs pay per unit result (per click, per sale, etc.) and can have very high pays depending on the result and its impact. Affiliate and network marketing are usually social network based and rely on the engagement while sales jobs are more direct. 

Online Teaching Jobs: One of the fastest growing industry online, education and training requires expertise in the subject matter and teaching skills. Also, a few other skills may also be required to take these jobs. They pay per class, per teaching hour, per course, etc. Depending on the subject, teaching level, and expertise, they can pay from medium to very high amounts and can be developed into a strong career over time.

Social Media Management: Another online job similar to Affiliate and Network Marketing only managing much wider and indirect channels and networks. With social media becoming the biggest advertising tool, social media management has become imperative for every consumer-based brand. The pay depends on the targets, time periods/campaigns, and channels and can reach very high.

Digital Marketing and SEO Jobs: With very broad fields combining together for Digital Marketing and SEO being the most prominent one, these are some of the highest paying jobs on the list. Often, completing certification courses in one or more of the fields is required to get hold of these, especially SEO. Also, some of the above jobs can also be used to carve a career path into digital marketing.

Trading: Drive and intuition are all that drives trading as an industry. While seeking no minimum requirements and open to all, a general understanding of the industry itself is a must and advised. The pays are bonus/ commission based alongside a fixed income which makes it the highest and the lowest paid job on the list, both. 

Virtual Recruiters and HR Jobs: Recruitment industry is the industry that serves every other industry and thus, has ample jobs available. Many of these works are outsourced online since the adoption of online tools for recruitment. The jobs may range from searching for candidates, screening resumes and interviews, shortlisting, and documentation. The pay is intermediate initially (for beginners) but quick and high growth is the perk of the industry.

 Virtual Assistant: These jobs require good communication and peoples' management skills since they require dealing with individuals directly. Depending on the audience being catered and the complexity of handling, being a virtual assistant can pay quite high per hour. Also, it happens to a very flexible job with time.

 App and Web Development: The job with some very high skill requirements but also equally high pay if catered to. Programming and development skills are a must and experience may just add to the advantage. The jobs vary from basic app and web development to advanced software development and management. 

 App and Web Testing: These jobs have three faces, one, that requires technical skills, two, that requires analytical skills, three, that requires graphical skills. The one with technical skill requirement is covered above. Similarly, the graphic, UI, UEx and other element are tested, mostly through third-party freelancers, usually as a user review. These jobs pay very high at intermediate to expert levels even on the non-technical side.

And

(+1) Administration: Administration comes in many forms, from administrating employee activity in internal networks to moderating user activity on public/private networks all the way to managing channels, databases, documents, and operations with similar requirements. These jobs are a rare breed and do not come out often. Also, they aren't advertised as well rather filled with current contractors showing potential. Administration jobs online start with intermediately high pay and are usually long-term contracts.

With the advent of digital technology and its rise, almost every industry is hosting online and freelance jobs with good pay and most can be found on online job portals. Online jobs are a great way to enhance career, network, and achieve financial security. Also, they can be looked into for transitioning industries and diversify professional profiles. There is so much these online jobs can help one achieve and we recommend, you go for it!

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3 Ways To Enhance The Job Search As A Fresher

Getting a job as a fresher is one tough job in itself. Recent graduates and the ones about to complete their degrees know the pressure and stress very well. However, searching for fresher job openings is difficult in itself. And for the regular jobs, being a fresher becomes an obstacle in itself. Thus, many are known to initiate their careers with low-paying and non-standard jobs and hamper their growth in the beginning itself.

 The race to get hold of a job as a fresher poses certain difficulties owing to the requirements of the employer and the job along with the advantageous candidature of experienced applicants. The exact problems faced by a fresher in their job search are: one, lack of experience; two, untested skills and performance; three, lack of referrals and strong network; four, lack of presentation and interpersonal skills. These are the four dominant factors affecting a fresher’s job search.

 Here, we will tackle the first three, while we prepare a comprehensive plan for the fourth. The best ways to get ahead of the competition as a fresher is to gain some industrial experience, provable skills, and/or have people who can vouch for you. So, here are the ways in which one or more of these can be achieved:

 Internships: Internships, especially paid, in an industry relevant organization can get you the opportunity to show your prowess, learn enough about the work, and deliver certain results. Also, it is the safest way to network with experts and professionals in the industry. Some of them may even guide you all the way to refer you to good opportunities among their contacts and based on their reputation. A good performance during the internship will fetch the (much required) validity for your capabilities. Thus, an internship will get you to Network and in addition, can add experience and performance to your profile.

 Freelancing: One of the greatest opportunity of present times, freelancing inside or beyond your industry will help you gain (responsibility based) work experience and network among individuals at different levels. Also, the results, performance, and learning are much more widely accepted. Working on multiple projects and tasks also help pick up new relevant skills. Many individuals actively freelance and network throughout professional lives for these reasons among others. It also provides financial security and even enhances interpersonal skills.

 Certification Courses: Industrial-academic course works have always been a great way to enhance profiles, opening targeted job prospects through certification courses. While most certification courses are pursued alongside work experience, some newer courses have opened new windows of opportunities for freshers, all the way to providing placement too. Big Data Certification and other Data Science related courses are a prime example of such industrial courses. Also, most courses have industrial training as a part of academics which adds to experience and performance reports.

 We have been actively looking into the fresher job search and its challenges. Apart from this, a focus on a good presentation on the resume and interpersonal skills in the interview have been of major importance in case of freshers. Also, while conducting your job search, it is important to be careful of malpractices by fake, unprofessional, and unethical people. Job search is often more tedious and tiring than the jobs themselves and it is easy to lose confidence and energy. But persistence and patience is the key to a healthy professional life, even before it begins!

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Online Jobs: The Trend Of (A Lot Of) Earning From Everywhere But Where?

The world is going digital, from browsing, buying to almost living there. With the advent of technologies and networks that enable all of it from anywhere and everywhere, there had to be a paradigm shift from conventional working to something more “digitized” and “connected.” While work from homes or distance working is not an unknown concept, it certainly was limited and undervalued until high-speed connectivity and powerful devices made many jobs possible online.

 However, the important part is that a whole lot of jobs have started to originate and being executed online. Freelancing has become a norm in the digital world and full-time jobs are on the rise too. And with a good enough connection and device, they can be executed from anywhere and everywhere. They differ from work-from-home jobs in the manner that they require online presence for certain period of times to be executed while work-from-homes may not necessarily require it.

 And like full-time jobs, they seek responsibility and credibility from one too. And often, presence and indulgence in the business as well. But unlike any full-time job, they have a scope bound only by time. As many pay per hour or per task, there are literally no bounds to the amount one can earn through them, probably the major reason for the ‘fad’ for online freelancing. And as the scope widens, so does the competition.

 What exactly are online jobs? And what industries they cater?

There is a very wide spectrum of works that are conducted online with a substantial proportion of it providing the above flexibility as well. It is best to look into the nature of the job through the industries and/or departments they are a part of.

 Administration and Clerical Departments: These departments are present in practically every industry and company. The online jobs provided by these are mostly data entry, reviews, transcriptions, documentation, and basic data management jobs. Also, a lot of accountancy jobs find themselves being executed online.

 Human Resources Departments: Another department present in every industry, they usually provide jobs related to candidate search, online background checks, screening resumes and interviewing basic documentation and communication jobs. On the higher end, organizations and departments also hire consultants for managing the above processes, employee management solutions, and employer branding requirements as well.

 Marketing and Media: Being departments and industries both, this is one field which hosts most of the online jobs directly and indirectly. Also, many of the highest paying online jobs are provided by marketing and media. Exact nature of the jobs range from: writing, graphic designing, social media management, ad operations on the lower end (of skills); to SEO, digital marketing, PR, campaigning, editorial writing, advertising, video/animation production and many more on the higher end (of skills and experience). It also hosts programming and web development related jobs with high demands.

Design and Product: While the work itself varies from industry to industry, the dependency on digital technologies and software-based designing makes for ample outsourcing of work online. These are mostly specialized jobs and require specific software and/or technical proficiencies. Some examples are planning and plotting jobs in Civil Engineering/Architecture Firms, Structural/Mechanical Designs and Analysis for respective firms, and many more. These jobs can greatly enhance technical profiles of students and in initial stages of the career.

 Operations and Management: Many of the above-mentioned jobs fall under operations and/or management as well, especially the ones from marketing and media. Apart from them, other works that are sourced online are usually related to consultations or similar nature. These consultancies can be taken up by experienced and/or certified individuals (in their respective industries) only. Certification courses like Six Sigma, IFRS, Supply Chain Management, Digital Marketing, etc. are often the minimum requirements for these jobs.

 Business and Strategy: Usually, this kind of work doesn’t find its way online but the way to these jobs can be traced online. With Analytics, Big Data, Data Science, and other technologies are paving their ways into the mainstream; their purposeful use is mostly towards business strategy. Big Data certifications open a lot of job prospects and with the lack of certified professionals in the field, a lot of them are being executed online and on-contract.

 Where are online jobs available?

If you aren’t already familiar with it and it isn’t obvious either, the answer is Online. A simple web research will reveal a lot of results to search and apply for online jobs. The only catch here is that with the immense scope, potential, and everything good, there are a lot of unethical activities and cyber theft as well. It is imperative to research well before applying for jobs or use reliable channels and job search portals.

 What are the requirements for online jobs?

The simplest working knowledge of computer applications and the internet is a must. This is often sufficient for many simple jobs available online. And with a wider set of skills, higher paying and more interesting jobs can also be looked into depending on the skill set and the jobs it can get.

 A few skills like writing, graphic designing, analytics, etc also account for a wide variety of jobs, opening a range of career paths which can be pursued professionally, full-time. Several skills today had been identified through online jobs only like social media management. Many other similar skills can be used as career boosters by working online and digitally.

  What is the eligibility for online jobs?

Well, the skills and a track record (work experience) of the same are usually good enough for most jobs. However, some specialized jobs and few on the higher-responsibility side can do well with some industrial training and/or certification. Formal education is not-so-relevant since many of these industries have emerged very recently and most education systems are yet to adapt to the trends and adopt a formal coursework for them. The gap is currently being filled through certification courses and thus, are often required or recommended for career growth and competitive edge.

Online jobs and freelancing have created a very competitive environment, cooperative communities, and an opportunity for every person to work, learn and earn. With automation, AIs, and other technologies taking over a lot of simpler work, current markets demand people develop unique skill sets and work towards a targeted professional profile. Planning one's career becomes imperative while exploring the wide range of career paths and skills online jobs and other such activities can provide. And while the above-mentioned jobs are the most active jobs, there are many hidden jobs executed online, some unconventional and are thus, not visible regularly. So keep looking!

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Pick up the Best Resume Services - Check out the Latest Resume Format or Templates - Online Professional Certification Courses

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6 Things to be removed from Your Resume

 Even the most qualified candidates with the strongest qualifications sometimes get bypassed by recruiters when they are looking to fill an open position. How do I ensure that my resume is read?

An ‘impactful Cover Note’ can help you achieve that objective. First, let me tell you How NOT TO DO it!

 You don’t have to tell the whole story in a Cover Note. It has to be short and crisp but focuses briefly on that part of your background which helps in solving the employer’s problem. The objective of a good cover note is to ensure that your Resume is read and nothing else.

 We have told you many aspects of Resume and also what will bring density to your resume. Furthermore, I would also like to inform you that some things will ruin your resume; which you should remove.

 1. Photo

The photo is a naïve and unprofessional thing to add to them as per the recruiters. No use is there of the photo only it makes the draft bulky creating problem in opening and downloading.

2. Average or Poor Marks

What will poor marks do on your resume? Poor marks it talks about you so much and paints your profile in bad colors. Poor/average will not pay you any good opportunity moreover it will bring troubles.

3. Series of short-duration Jobs

Mention 2-3 organization name and duration with designation under the employment scan but highlight only the current 2-3 organizations in details. As recruiters have no interest in going through the short-duration and past associations as such.

4. Passive Language

Majorly, a resume should never communicate through passive voice as it puts the whole content on the dark side. Active action verbs should be used in the key roles/ responsibilities.

5. Useless Skills

Useless skills will not do any value - addition to the resume so putting all these on a resume will increase the pages nothing else.

6. More than 2 Pages

If your resume is lengthy then the risk lurks around it, as recruiters have less attention and also that lengthy resumes run the risk of being dumped in the dustbin.

 The resume is a key to interview so, prepare with regards to these aforementioned rules & norms. You will land up in a good organization with a good impression.

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Social Media Profiles May Just Get You A Job, Or Maybe Barred From One!

A recent study by Society for Human Resource Management points towards a very interesting trend, use of social media by recruiters. It has been long known that recruiters have started using social media as part of the search and check in the hiring process. Although, it was vague as to what extent social media has integrated itself with it. The study, based on previous data comparing it with usage statistics from as back as 2011, shows an increasing prominence of the channels for recruitment.

However, the catch lies with the way and reason they are being used. With many reliable channels available, the depth social media provides, however unreliable, does seem like a good method to evaluate a person. But to what extent does the evaluation be based on it is dependent on recruiter's individual criterions. However, social media activities do give a very precise evaluation of the following properties of an individual's profile, possible reasons for use:

·         Background and Information Check: Most people on social media are actively providing information which can be used to check for latest information on a candidate, in cases when acquired profiles are significantly old. Similarly, background information can also be acquired easily by navigating between connected and engaged profiles in a very short expanse of time.

·         Reach and Brand Value Addition: With a lot of industries integrating digital technologies with them and a lot more dealing with direct consumer products/services, it has become a practice to hire individuals with strong social profiles. Association with brands imparts two-way value to both, optimizing it through social media. A quick look at the posts and activities and the engagement provides a pretty accurate idea of an individual's value addition when hired.

·         Network and Contacts: Another addition to look for, recruiters have started using social media to expand their respective organization's network through employees, and vice versa. Certain lines and profiles demand intense networking and thus, candidates can be weighed upon their social media networks, though only partially.

 Separately, a very prominent reason behind the use of social media apart from above is the talent hunt for Passive Candidates, ones who are not actively looking for a job or not at all but may just be open for a good offer. Especially on the managerial front, such candidates are best found on the passive side of the talent pool, not necessarily social media though.

 With these in mind, how can one go about being active through social media and enhance their chances of being hired or offered jobs? In short, how to keep your social media profiles industry relevant and impressive.

·         Share relevant content relating to your industry and keep the relevance high and simple. Keeping pace with news and presenting opinions is one way to impress employers visiting your profile. Also, it projects sincerity towards the profession itself.

·         Connect to people at every level within and outside of your industries. No profession is confined to a single industry, especially on the higher managerial levels. Having a strong network is a sure-shot way to point out that you are ready for the next step and for further.

·         Engage your network, especially the professional one. Being an ambassador is the first step towards being a brand ambassador. Engagement is a basic side-effect of sharing great content, especially when it is original. And being respectful and rational is the way of keeping it up.

·         Personalize your profile to your natural plus professional personality. Social networks are social spaces and thus, should reflect upon the social you. Although, involvement in irrational and overtly useless activities may just ruin things. 

It is important to see that while social media activities have moved towards entertainment and mostly, clashing opinions, keeping clear of them in terms of involvement is always a good option. Because while all the positives we project can boost the chances, it is the little negatives that can greatly reduce the same. With digital world incepting itself in many aspects of businesses along with social media, it is imperative to maintain the brand reputation and that is one place it has high chances of making or breaking with a wide and strong impact.

The recruitment industry is certainly adapting ways to search, evaluate, and hire candidates. Social media has just turned out to be a pool of information that they intend to use. The information, mostly unusable and inconsequential, is still vital. It is a good practice to ask people to go through your profiles and review what kind of image it creates, and for what its worth, make it worth hiring. 

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Recruitment Revamped! Questions For A Job Interview That Need Serious Reviewing!

Evaluation of candidates for employment is one of the most arbitrary forms of a gamble every company has played for long. With technology and research, the risks have decreased but still, it remains pretty much inconsistent because one, there are currently no well-defined matrices to work on; two, Digital Technology has made the availability of information disadvantageous towards recruiters; three, recruitment industry has standardized itself in a world with constantly evolving standards. Of course, exceptions are there to all, and to create these exceptions, many small steps are taken to make it in the long run.

 Recruitment Revamped is a series of such little steps we are proposing to better an organization’s hiring process and employee management. And it begins with a series of most common (and clichéd) questions that need to change for the greater good. And why they need to change the way they are; how they would provide information for more informed decision; and exactly how to use them and what to expect; everything is taken into consideration with guidelines to do the same (in the end).

 But first, let us elaborate on the thought process that went into the analysis.

An interview, what we understand, is a method to extract information to make a decision.

Questions are used to focus the flow of information to/through targeted points.

Answers are segregated/broken-down for data to be considered.

The whole process involves the use of reactionary mechanism of an individual’s     psyche to extract unbiased (or less biased) information.

Abstraction is used more often to decrease the biases further.

Using the above understanding, we reframed the questions to make the filtering focused on the required information directly. So, without further ado, let’s get to our first candidate:

 Tell me about yourself!

With several variations of the question out there, it is one of the best questions to evaluate individuals. But often, the vagueness of the question itself leaves answers lacking crucial information and presentation of it. But with tips to frame it properly, it is also one of the most manipulated as well. So, what does a recruiter needs out of it? To check communication skills, focus towards information flow and filtering? Possibly, even approach to work and personal life too. Well, here are a few variations that solve the problem:

Tell me one interesting story from your past!

Tell me the one event in your life that got you this far, and how?

If your life is a movie, give me its plot/synopsis!       

We have a tradition of giving 1-2 word nicknames here, so suggest one for yourselves and why that?

These variations confine the answer to limited information, leaving room for choice of better content and also, describe the progressions.

 What are your weaknesses?

Since the content itself is seeking negative traits, a diplomatic manipulation is what we are asking for. And that is what we are bound to get. Changing the negativity to positivity will bring out more unbiased opinions of an individual about themselves. Thus, the variations go as:

What are the five most important strengths you need in your teammates individually to create a flawless team?

What five strong traits you need in your teammates to be invincible/unbeatable?

What are the only strong points you need in other people to win every team event?

It eases off the candidate and gives them a chance to redemption from their weaknesses described as strength in others. Also, one is compelled to present an analysis of past experience with other teams keeping things practical.

Notable Mention: “What are your strengths?” can be modified to “How do you keep your team from going down/failing?” to add the practicality of the information being asked.

 Where do you see yourself in five years?

Most answers to the question will have a conflict with the level of ambitiousness and practicality to be shown, and also, may point towards a short-term stay, overall inviting diplomacy in information. And this question comes with one of the best variation so far:

What would make you stay with us for five years from now at least?

Expanding to one’s analysis of the organization or the job at least, it takes an individual’s ambition in account with an organization’s growth; it is the more important thought process that needs to be evaluated.

Notable Variation: “Where do you see the organization in five years with you?”

Notable Mention: “Why do you want to leave your current job?” to “What would make you join us?”

 Why should we hire you?

This is one question that should have been eliminated long back. Isn’t it, one, the interviewer’s job to determine that, two, with all the things in their right places, a candidate can still be incompatible and vice versa, three, too offensive to ask in an open-ended deal! Anyway, the answer will have high biases and monotony. The variations proposed (with the recommendation to drop the question altogether):

What is important for you to decide on joining us?

 Describe a time when you disagreed with a decision and what did you do?

While it doesn’t really contain negative, it is still an attacking question due to its framing. Just changing the voice can get better information with ease on either side. Thus, the variation suggested:

Did you ever help make a decision better, give a brief account of how?

Because it’s not about disagreeing but about why the difference and how could that be an advantage or channelized.

 I would like to conclude by saying that the questions here are rephrased to meet the purpose of the interview. And in the limited time as well. And from an analytical point of view, recruitment for a job is to place a person to make it happen. And if that is evaluated with more precision, human resources can create resources that no other can, as is evident throughout the history. Further are the guidelines, as promised. And some Tips, on the house. Until next time!

 Guidelines to Modify Questions (for future references and unstated questions):

Analyze the question of elements, breaking it down to Entities Involved,     Information Involved, Relevance of Information, Distractions Involved,     Tone, Approach, and Connection.

Entities,     if includes anything less than three of the Candidate, Organization (the one being recruited for) and/or Team(Mates), Job/Workplace, and Time     Frames, then it needs revamping with inclusion.

Information     Involved should contain experience, skills, learning, and/or analysis -     with respect to - work, experience, approach, application, observation,     and so, to keep a check on its relevance. A question must be so that at least two factors from the former set must be targeted with respect to two from the latter set to maintain the efficiency of Information Flow.

Distractions are the premises that the question covers, willingly, in order to impart meaning to the Information Extracted. It is a form of Residual Information which is quintessential to define the frame of references. Since it is obvious to reduce them, thus, keep the frame of references in check by limiting them through connections, time periods, and scenarios.

Tone and Approach are, on a basic level, the same factors, only tone (positive,     negative, passive-aggressive, etc) is identified sub-consciously and approach (aggressive, invasive, interested, etc.) is identified consciously. Modifying them to be neutral or positively aligned is the best way. Also, two extremes can be used (with care) together to maintain the general neutrality of the tone and/or approach.

The connection is the inter-reliability of the different information sets/types which     ‘weaves’ together with the response to a question. For an efficient flow of information, a connection between the elements, including the distractions, is necessary. 

 Tips and Tricks:

While     working to modify the questions, try to ask yourself or get a current     employee to help in the exchange, asking and being asked.

Recording     interviews on voice channels for post-interview analysis is also a good     method. However, do not let the latter analysis to manipulate the     initially developed perspective nor the action based on it. Interviewing     is much more of an intrinsic evaluation than we think.

Its     best to keep technical questions untouched and maintain their     complications, these are only for the general personality testing     questions.

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Quick Tips To Enhance Your Job Skills

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In the present era, it is important to enhance your Job Skills and keep yourself updated.

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Online Job

Finding an online job is a complicated matter unless you know the right place. Recruiters are themselves there and recruitments are happening all the time. And your dream jobs, well they are there too, just need to do things right.

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Resume Formats for Success

The resume is the first and the most quintessential part of applying for a job, because of the former property. And also, cause it is the first point of filtering the candidates out from the others. The first impression, and if carefully made, the lasting impression. So to make it through the screening, it has to be impressive. Also, during interviews, it is kept as a reference document to check and question upon. This actually increases the contextual value of refining it to the better side.

The value itself, in the resume, is built upon two things, One, the profile, Two, the profiling.

The profile is the static data and is subject to minimal to no flexibility. The only flexibility that can be seen with the static part is regarding the decision whether or not to include according to the relevance. However, that is one of the most important decisions that need to be made for the resume.

Profiling is the presentation of the profile in such a way that it caters to the needs of the application and speaks of the viability of employing a candidate. The approach to formatting and presenting in the standard practices are purged to suit most needs, however, they do not directly address the presentation approach.

It is very important to select the right template for your resume, as it defines the basis of approach, including that for the presentation. Once the template is up for edits, use one of the following approaches to present the content, although make sure to pick and structure your resume content accordingly first.

Essay Format: The format in which content is represented with headlines and paraphrased details. These can be used to explain briefly about previous works and other content informing about the roles and responsibilities (if applicable), undertakings, results, and learning. Recommended for profiles with lesser main (headlined) content but comprehensive details. The interlinking of the content is what makes it an effective form of presentation and a universally usable as well.

Tabular Format: The format in which the above data can be introduced in a tabular matrix form. It is a way of segregating the content into a quickly scan-able form. Recommended for resume with ample content to fill in without much details given. Also, it is easier to make with spreadsheet applications. Looks like neat and professional documentation as well.

List Format: It is a cross-over of the above two formats in which details are given with heading and brief details as bullet points. It is also a format for a much targeted approach than the above two since a heading can be briefed on with only one or two kinds of details. Best suited for experienced individuals with diverse profile but can be used otherwise as well with care and planning.

 Sample formats usually layout a good flow for the content to be laid upon. Although it requires time and efforts to do it. A good practice is to make a simple resume with simple details and basics and then, see how impressively the content itself can be used together. Also, getting someone experienced and a few others to read and review it for you can be very helpful for the long run.

A well-made resume also reflects on one’s understanding of the job they are applying for, and this should be kept in mind to make things relevant. And whichever format and style you use, it should look neat and professional, another way of reflecting well on the profile. On the other hand, the same positives (and seemingly negatives, if any) will rise as questions in later phases of the recruitment, be prepared and be consistent, and mostly, be honest.

Lastly, consult and don’t hesitate to seek help with your resume and other aspects of your job application. At the end, if the job is yours, everything worked well else nothing did. Keep learning and improve yourself and eventually, success will knock.

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Your Job Search Should Never End, Even If You Have A Job! Do You Know Why?

In a recent conversation with a friend, catching up with each other's lives and leading on to talk about economics, a very odd question popped up. As the economic analytics moved on to depressions, unemployment, economic bubbles, and so, we came to a point where we asked ourselves; What if the next day, we are fired? And let me ask you the same, What if you do?

However unlikely it may seem to most of us, it isn't unheard of and it isn't a rare case either. Organizations are known to change strategies and priorities and many things, often, very abruptly. And a lot of times, it results in employees being laid off work and employment terminated. There may be many other reasons of it happening as well, the point is, things like these happen, and they may happen to just anyone, even the best of performers.

While it is highly unlikely for most us too, it certainly is a nightmare to be thinking of. Which brought us to the point, are we prepared for it, can we go on about our life and career irrespective of such events? Is it really so easy to bring us down? Well, no, neither it is nor should it be. And the only one counter-measure one needs is to be prepared always!

And to be prepared, the most important elements are anyway what we should have sorted. Let's get over them one by one.

·         Keep yourself industry ready.

·         Keep yourself industry relevant.

·         Keep yourself financially stable.

·         Be updated with everything and everyone relevant to your industry.

·         Keep learning, including cross-industry skills.

 That is the simplest it could get. But doing them is equally complicated and needs regular and efficiently made efforts. The security itself will build up over-time, till then, it must be all a carefully calculated set of steps and tasks. These should be the first few steps that need to be taken among the standard practices of job search:

 LinkedIn

One of the most powerful professional tools out there, LinkedIn will take care of two very important things for you. One, networking inside and beyond your industry, especially among the management and human resource personnel, Two, strengthen and keep your profile updated with the best and most targeted information about your professional prowess. The best practices to make these happen are:

·         Starting with the basics, keep your profile updated with any relevant information, courses, certifications, achievements, and links. The catch here is, it can be used to enhance reputation via a very simple step, keeping the "Share Profile Changes" switched on and making changes, relevant ones, regularly. Even if a pool of changes comes together, make them with gaps segregated into sets. Why? Well, it'll keep you visible and show a progressive professional life amongst your connections because most won't be viewing your profile regularly yet they will know that you are moving forward. 

·         Network among your connections and their connections by engaging professionally in online activities and sharing good content. Little things like few words of appreciation, gratitude, and constructive criticism (toned down as suggestions with a hint to connecting for detailed discussions) go a long way. Engaging through industry-specific groups and experts give a significant boost to reputation. Also, incite one on one discussions to keep your visibility strong, need not spend much time but invest a little.

·         Write and post content with the community. Give it a professional, and constructive and insightful touch. Become an inside expert in your industry and network. And make people engage with you as well.

And you will never run out of offers and opportunities, it is tried and tested by many.

 Resume

Create a bunch of resumes, update them all and be ready to use them anytime. Also, have a copy of them in semi-public domains as well where recruiters can find you, like Job Portals (more on this later). Let the offers come, consider them but don't waste anyone's time with it. Let your contacts and everyone know that you will always be open to the "right" offer. And it should be more about growth and opportunity and money (lower on priority but a priority nonetheless). Give it a little time regularly and distributed as needed.

 Network

Professional and personal networking is a great thing for anyone to grow but also takes resources and time equally. It will not grow you directly, but it can certainly help you grow by bringing opportunities, contacts, reputation, and so. Attend networking events, meeting, have meetups among professional groups, spend the breaks with colleagues and seniors, not every day but regularly. In short, spread the word, spread your charm!

 Job Portals

Job search portals are a thing these days and some of them are really efficient at it. With numerous vacancies, if you keep your profile active and updated (with resume at best a month old) it can be very effective a measure to damage control. It is important to note that most portals deactivate profiles from mail alerts and viewability if not operated (log in) for six months or so. Shine network also facilitates linking your LinkedIn profile and keep itself updated accordingly, saving time. With privacy settings for contact and other info, you can keep your job alerts switched on, receive communications (emails and calls/SMS) from recruiters and be on the radar always. What's important to note is, One, doing the former two will aid towards this profile, Two, if configured and used properly, the profile will invite opportunities and communications that will help grow the network as well. 

And finally, Save and Invest

Just like your time and efforts, money is yet another resource that can be saved and invested properly to create substantial reserves to survive the emergencies. As a mature professional, it is in itself a sign of responsibility developed by handling money the right way. Make two kinds of reserves, One, savings, ready to be used anytime for emergencies, substantial enough to fund several months of survival, typically six at least, Two, invested carefully with a long-term goal, which grows with time due to returns on it as well as periodic additions for further investment. The second reserve will take time to process if a withdrawal is needed, maybe even a waiting period to be released, thus, the first reserve.

So, while things are going smooth around you, it is important to be prepared for the worse. Everyone has some ups and down in their store to be taken care of. And as big an up one hopes to go, as down they should also prepare to handle as well. A balanced approach to life and work is all that a person needs to keep going and be happy!

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Editor Jobs

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