Which Are You Vanilla or Jamoca Almond Fudge

Which Are You Vanilla or Jamoca Almond Fudge You want to be memorable, genuine, sincere, likable, maybe even the real deal, but you don’t want to divulge too much personal stuff. If your online profiles and summaries are lacking flavor, you may be missing out on opportunities. So what is the right recipe for a tantalizing impression? What is too personal? There may not be a definitive answer to this question. People have preferences. Just like some people prefer vanilla over more exotic ice cream flavors, so do some hiring entities prefer more traditional (read sterile) resumes and profiles. However, the majority of recruiters looking for their next great hire want to know as much about the candidate they are researching as possible to determine what motivates them, skill level, and compatibility with the company culture. What are you known for? Your coworkers know your strengths and weaknesses because they’ve seen you in action. Out in the job market, strangers have no idea what you bring to the table, except what you tell them. We stink at this. It is tough work to describe who we are. It takes deep thinking and sometimes soul-searching. But dont let that stop you. Try the things listed below. 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Profiles Use “I”, “Me” and “My”:  Your online profile should be in your voice. Speaking in the third-person sounds pretentious today (the exception is your resume assume you are writing in the first person, but do not use those three words). Headshot, Please! What do people see when they look at your social network profiles? It is REALLY difficult to like someone without a face. If your LinkedIn profile doesn’t have one, you are in the minority, so upload one today. Ditch the Historical Baggage: Summarize experiences that are important to where you want to go next. If you don’t want to talk about it or do it again, don’t call attention to it by listing it in your summary. Carbon Copies Not Allowed: If your online profile is identical to your resume, without any additional information, you’ve missed a golden opportunity to convey who you are and what is important to you. You are not limited by page length on social profiles (though you may have character limitations), so yours flavorful and fill it with juicy details not in your resume. Quirks and All: We all have outside interests, obsessions, and flaws. Don’t be afraid to include that you are a “Number One Bruins Fan,” “caffeine junkie,” or “often derailed by details”. These quirks may just get your phone to ring by someone with similar interests. What She Said: Have your past colleagues coined a phrase associated with you or written a testimonial or recommendation? Call attention to the positive word-of-mouth endorsements from others. Try the Pixar Pitch: Have you heard about the Pixar Pitch? Walter Akana wrote a post about his new favorite story telling format, which he learned from Carol Ross, who read about it in Daniel Pink’s newest book “To Sell Is Human.” (You’ve got to love social media!) This is the formula for the Pixar Pitch: Once upon a time _____. Every day, _____. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___. Your Story is Your Brand. Unique experiences and lessons learned often influence who we become. If you have a life or career altering story, this just might be the ticket to set yourself apart. SEO Still Matters: Search Engine Optimization means you’ve used words and terms recruiters are likely to search for to find someone with your background, skills and experience. Strategically toss them into your profiles! Push Beyond What Is Comfortable: Take some risks. Try some or all of these recommendations and see what happens. You can always change it back. The Bottom Line: People Hire People You want anyone reading your profiles to feel like they know you. Remember, people prefer to do business with those they trust and know. If you have done a good job personalizing your profiles, you should see more people taking the next step which means they call you, contact you, or connect with you. Your job is to share enough information so they feel comfortable enough to take the next step.

Celebrating the Women Who Made an Impact on Londons Culture

Celebrating the Women Who Made an Impact on Londons Culture This International Women’s Day, author and tour guide Rachel Kolsky is hoping to spread awareness about extraordinary women from London. Her goal is to elevate and celebrate the impact women have had?â€"?and continue to have?â€"?on London’s streetscape, heritage and culture. Through her association with The Women’s Library, she has planned a series of tours throughout the city that highlight amazing women who have shaped society and strived for society. In her new book  Womens London: A Tour Guide to Great Lives  some of these women are recognized. Here are 8 highlighted women from  Kolsky’s book. to remember this International Womens Day. Elizabeth Fry Elizabeth was a prison reformer and the second woman to be depicted on a British bank note. As a teenager she visited prisons, took an interest in the treatment of female inmates and is particularly associated with reforming London’s notorious Newgate Prison. She campaigned for improved conditions on ships transporting felons and migrants to Australia and established night shelters for the homeless and a School of Discipline for Girls in Chelsea. Annie Besant   Ms. Besant was an activist, theosophist and supporter of Indian self-rule. Recognized as a brilliant crater, she campaigned on behalf of workers’ rights, particularly the matchgirls and women’s rights, and in 1989 was elected to the London School Board. Her socialist vision was international in scope and she eventually moved to India in 1893, where she toured the country advocating improved education, women’s rights and self-rule. Beatrice Webb Beatrice Webb was a socialist, economist, social reformer and co-founder of the London School of Economics. She believed that the underlying causes of poverty?â€"?poor housing, education and health?â€"?needed to be eradicated before social progress could be made. She investigated the working conditions of the East End sweated industries and dockyards for her cousin Charles Booth, collected rent for Samuel Barnett’s East End Dwellings Company, authored books on the Co-operative Movement, coined the phrase ‘collective bargaining’ in 1891, was an active member of the Fabian Society, a group who believed in non-revolutionary social change and, with her husband, Sidney, co-founded the New Statesman. Emmeline Pankhurst   Emmeline founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903 in response to the perceived failure of moderate negotiation by suffragists led by Millicent Fawcett to gain votes for women. Originally working with two of her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia, Emmeline became increasingly frustrated with the constant betrayal by male politicians, and advocated radical and violent means to transmit the ‘Votes for Women’ message. In 1909 the militants were dubbed ‘suffragettes’ by the Daily Mail and the nickname stuck. The campaign was a team effort but it is the Panhursts who resonate as the leaders. Edith Cavell   Through her execution    became a symbol for patriotism and bravery. She trained as a nurse at the London Hospital in 1896. In 1907 she was invited to Brussels to establish a nurses’ training establishment based on the Florence Nightingale model. Her hospital, used by the Red Cross, nursed all soldiers, but Edith provided additional assistance to the allies including safe houses, false papers and passage to neutral territory. In August 1915 she was arrested, found guilty of treason and executed  two months later  on  12 October. In 1920 Queen Alexandra unveiled a statue if Edith at St. Martin’s Place, near the National Potrait Gallery and in 1924 Edith’s words ‘Patriotism is not enough, I must have no hatred or bitterness to anyone’ were added. Rhaune Laslett-O’Brien In 1965  Rhaune Laslett-O’Brien  , a London-born activist of Native American and Russian descent, initiated the Notting Hill Street Party. This and Claudia Jone’s indoor festival developed into the Notting Hill Carnival, an August Bank Holiday extravaganza of vibrant costumes, music and dancing. Plaques at the junction of Portobello and Tavistock Roads commemorate both Claudia and Rhaune. Olive Morris Ms Morris was a Jamaican-born radical campaigner. Arriving in London aged nine, she lived in Brixton, South London for 14 years until 1975. In 1978 Olive co-founded the Organization of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD), the Brixton Black Women’s Group and Brixton Law Centre. She campaigned for squatters’ rights, and while studying at Manchester University joined the Communist Party and established the Manchester Black Women’s Co-operative. In 2009 her image adorned the 1 pound note at the launch of the Brixton Pound, a local community currency. Marie White Until 1977 the only people who could drive the iconic London black cabs were men. Trainee drivers study ‘the Knowledge’ for years, mastering the labyrinth of over 26,000 streets within a 6-mile radius of Charing Cross. Only then can they gain the coveted London-wide Green Badge. In 1976  Marie White, married to cab driver Jack, became the first woman to ‘learn the Knowledge.’ She trained using a Mini rather than the usual moped for the first ten months and in 1977 became the proud owner of Badge 25292. She and Jack were the first married couple both to be licensed cab drivers. In 1983 she joined Dial-a-Cab (now Computer Cab) and in 1988 joined their Board of Management, the first woman to do so. Today however, 40 years after Marie’s achievement, it is estimated that just 2 percent of London cab drivers are women. To learn more about women of London, grab a copy of  Women’s London: A Tour Guide to Great Lives?â€"?Guidebook to the Women Who Shaped London Through the Centuries and the Legacy They Left Behind; Scientists, Suffragettes, Pioneers  by Rachel Kolsky. ABOUT WOMENS LONDON Womens London is the only guidebook that focuses on the women who have shaped London through the centuries and the legacy they have left behind. This new book provides the perfect opportunity to explore sights, statues, plaques and buildings associated with famous and some not so famous women who have left their mark on Londons heritage, culture and society. Their stories include scientists and suffragettes, reformers and royals, military and medical pioneers, authors and artists, fashion and female firsts, and more. The author, a popular London tour guide and lecturer, specializes in womens history and has provided a series of original self-guided walking tours taking you to historic areas where important women lived, worked and are commemorated. Illustrated with new full-color photography and specially commissioned maps, Womens London will inspire visitors and Londoners alike to discover how much London owes to women. ABOUT RACHEL KOLSKY Prize-winning London Blue Badge Guide Rachel Kolsky runs Go London Tours. Her wide range of walks and visits specializes in exploring Jewish heritage, discovering womens history, and uncovering the human stories behind Londons buildings.   (Ms. Kolsky photo via  The Jewish Chronicle)

Productivity is Overrated - Seek Helpfulness - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Productivity is Overrated - Seek Helpfulness - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everything can likely be improved in some way, shape or form. However, does it need to be? Does the world really need a faster way to make a pizza? Or clean the carpet? or cook your food? I think the answer is Yes and No. The reality is that these are processes that have been improved and probably can still be improved a bit more. Of course, Pre-Made Pizzas and Fast Cooking Pizza Ovens (see MOD Pizza where MOD stands for Made on Demand) exist. Vacuum cleaners  exist and they keep getting better (Think Dyson). We still haven’t seen the fanciful version of  houses that clean themselves… yet! Microwaves exist too. So you can get your popcorn fix in 3.5 minutes. Each of these inventions were developed with Productivity in mind, but ultimately they were built to Help people do more and  in less time. Productivity in and of itself is not all bad, but there comes a point when being Helpful trumps Productivity. Why not both? This post was inspired by a conversation started by Olivier Blanchard on Facebook. His post was “I dont want to be more productive. I want to be more helpful.” and it garnered a lot of interaction and responses. As Olivier said… “I dont want to be more efficient in producing work. Im there. Greater productivity isnt what Im after.” There were a few points discussing the idea of why you can’t  have both productivity gains and increased helpfulness. I think you can have both, but they don’t need to occur in parallel. While I am all for  increases in both, I think there is a much greater need these days for more helpful behavior. Which brings me to the point What can you do to help yourself and others? Not necessarily from a productivity perspective, although that would be a bonus. But really… what can you do to just HELP someone. Think about it and go out and Just Do It. Author: Jeff   is a veteran in the Enterprise Content Management industry. Over the past 20 years he has worked with customers and partners to design, develop and deploy solutions around the world. Jeff is currently the Director of Strategic Alliances at Winshuttle. He has worked for Microsoft, FileNet (IBM), K2, Captaris, Open Text, Kofax and Kodak. He speaks and blogs about ECM and the Intersection between Social, Mobile and Cloud Computing.

How to Apply The Rules of Dating to Your Job

How to Apply The Rules of Dating to Your Job My favorite dating book of all time is called Why Men Love Bitches.   Girls, you need to get this book.   Guys, pretend you didnt read that first sentence.   I dont want you to know all of our secrets. The subtitle of this book is called From Doormat to Dreamgirl-A Womans Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship.   The word bitch is not a bad word in the eyes of author Sherry Argov.   Bitch stands for Babe In Total Control of Herself. Sherry argues that doing what you want to do, living your own life and avoiding traditionally female emotional drama is the best way to win a mans heart for the long haul. This book just so happens to be my dating Bible.   Yet since my boyfriend is working from the Chicago office for the first time in 6 months (he usually works in L.A. during the week) Ive been a little too excited.   My house is clean, his dry cleaning is done, the fridge is stocked, dinner is cooked, etc. Then yesterday he dropped a bomb on me: he said I was being too nice and that it was a bit much. WHAT?! The poster child for Why Men Love Bitches is being too nice?!   Ive never heard such a thing from anyone Ive ever dated.   In fact, quite the contrary.   Usually people tell me to BE NICE! Ive seen and heard variations of this story happening to people at work. The difference is that at work, you probably wont receive the direct feedback of someone telling you you are being too nice. Yesterdays events served as a great reminder not to be too nice.   Being too nice can be detrimental to your career and how your co-workers see you. In order to get promoted, you need to be seen as unshakable: focused, clear minded, fact based.   You need to command respect. Heres how you can apply the rules of dating to your job Be in total control of yourself.   Dont let your anger or emotions get the best of you. Dont say yes to everything. Dont immediately say sorry.   Only use that word when you need too. Dont feed into your bosss bad moods.   Instead give him or her space and stick to the facts when communicating. Dont say anything about having a talk. Dont start conversations with I feel. Instead, start with facts. Dont let them assume you will always be there. Take the time off that is given to you. Set boundaries and stick to them. Dont do everything for your co-workers. You will start to be seen as a gopher instead of a smart and talented employee. What other rules of dating do you think can be applied to your job? Do you think Sherry Argovs dating advice is too harsh? Why does every guy I know love Family Guy?

What To Do When Resume Writing Goes Wrong

What To Do When Resume Writing Goes WrongWriting a resume can be easier if you write an ecard first. An award is simply a short card or note that you send to your boss as a sort of thank you note. It is an easy way to make yourself appear more interesting, employable and sincere in your application process.It is also a time saving device since all you need is a simple resume paper and an easy card frame. An award has no page number and no numbers or characters to decipher. In this case, it is the opposite of what traditional resume writing implies.Resume writing is difficult because it requires more work than reading the words written on paper. With an award, you have already completed one step of the resume writing process. You have put the information on paper. Now you just need to wait for the employer to give you his or her attention by reading your card.It is a good idea to write a quick note. A clear and concise card will do you much good. It is also a good idea to make it pers onal so that you do not feel too stiff when it comes to the formality of the card. Do not try to put your personality on the ecard because it will come across as impersonal.However, you can make your personal style personalized by writing a little about yourself and telling your interviewer about a personal achievement that he or she may find interesting. This could help you stand out in a crowd of applicants with similar resumes. It will also show that you are interested in learning about the company.It is a common sense thing to try to be funny with an ecard. But, a simple joke is best when dealing with long form resume writing. Do not attempt to go into your humor here but use it as a tool to use when your card is received.In addition, do not forget to tell your interviewer about your career options. This could help them weed out those applicants who cannot handle a high level of pressure. A great example of this is mentioning the possibility of you pursuing an online degree. It could take you a bit longer to get through the current glut of applicants but it will be worth it in the end.It is not uncommon for resumes to be rejected when they are submitted to several places at once. While it may not look good, being particular with a single resume may help you get noticed by an employer. Send out your resume, but send out your ecard first. It could help you land the job of your dreams.

Holiday-time game plan for jobseekers - Sterling Career Concepts

Holiday-time game plan for jobseekers Holiday-time game plan for jobseekers So, tomorrows Thanksgiving Yum!But dont think Im going to let you coast through the next five weeks on your job search. Contrary to what you may think, the start of the holiday season does not signal your job search efforts headed to the back burner. In some aspects, the holiday season is a plus for job seekers. Its a naturally festive, sociable time with agreater than average number of networking opportunitiesbuilt in to the calendar.Take advantage of them! Checking out of your job search until after New Years is a mistake first, for missing potentially great opportunities to get introductions and shake the right hands, but also, from the perspective ofmomentum and morale. Tabling your search for such a longperiod of time is going to require ramping back up the first week or two of January. Think about it: in addition to downtime for the entire month of December, youre looking at a good six-week break. Can you afford that? A great article by The Career Coach Eli Amdur in the newspaper recently reminded me of a post I wroteon the same topiclast year proving that industry professionals agree time and time again:remain committed to your career and job search efforts during the holidays. Your efforts will pay off!

5 Ideas to Promote Yourself OUTSIDE an Organization

5 Ideas to Promote Yourself OUTSIDE an Organization 5 Ideas to Promote Yourself OUTSIDE an Organization 5 Ideas to Promote Yourself OUTSIDE an Organization September 24, 2010 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment What thought have you given to promoting yourself to career influencers outside your work environment? These are the people in the medium and big rings of your sphere of influence who can potentially help you move into a different role, company or industry. Here are 5 great ideas for promoting yourself outside an organization. Get published. If you have written a report, white paper, or newsletter article to share within your company, try to get it published externally. There are thousands of online newsletters for all kinds of topics and industries and most are avidly seeking contributing authors. If published, be sure to get the link and forward it to your career influencers. Become a public speaker. I believe that the single most effective way to strengthen your personal brand is to become a public speaker. Think of ways to get in front of your career influencers and share your expertise. Broadcast your message. Almost all cities have at least one television station providing morning and midday news and public affairs programming. Producers look for “hot topics” and experts who can inform and educate audiences on a particular subject. Be proactive and contact these producers in your area. If you are interviewed, be sure to capture the video and stream it on your web site, then send the link to your target audience. Teach your message to others. Adult education classes are in high demand at community colleges. Teaching a class gives you extra credibility and you may pick up a few new clients or have the opportunity to do some freelance work. Join a board of directors. Many trade associations and civic organizations need industry experts, smart business professionals and creative marketers. Be sure to pick a cause that genuinely drives your passion. By continuously raising your credibility and visibility within your personal network, you’ll not only strengthen your personal brand and open new doors of opportunities, but you can also create an emotional connection with them that makes them not only want you on their team, but feel they need you.