Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Hot Field Alert Project Management and Certification

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Hot Field Alert Project Management and Certification Thefield of project managementis always changing, but is official certification the way to keep up? Only you can answer that question for yourself, but here are some rationales from theProject Management Instituteto consider. Objective Third-Party Endorsement A PMI certification reflects your project management knowledge, skills and abilities. As a respected institution in the industry, PMI can provide unbiased support for yourproject management expertiseand professional experience. Proof of Achievement A PMI certification shows that you have demonstrated excellence in the field by meeting standard requirements established by global project management practitioners. The global aspect is critical because there may come a time very soon when the ability to manage cross-national project teams is imperative. More Moolah A PMI certification can lead to greater earnings. Many certification holders experience salary increases because of their certification status, and these increases definitely add up over the course of a career. OpportunityKnocking A PMI certification identifies you as a practitioner who has demonstrated competency in generalproject management processesor in specialty areas of practice based on industry standards. This may well lead to recruitment into a sexier area of project management or a role that’s a step up from your current one. Employer Recognition Employers like to see candidates and employees who invest in their own professional development. Certification shows your commitment to the field and illustrates that you are to in it to win it. This perception makes it likely that the most prestigious employers will considerhiring you for their open PM positions. For more on why getting certified as a PM might be a smart move, check out the full post on Intuits Fast Track blog.

Resume Writing - Past Vs Present

Resume Writing - Past Vs PresentPast vs Present is a very crucial point when you decide to write a resume. Whether you are looking for a job or simply trying to get your hands on some extra cash, this will be the determining factor in whether you get it or not.I have been doing this job for a long time now and I am sure that you must already know how tough it can be to get people to read your resume. Not only do the eyes of most people have the tendency to look at the first paragraph only, but they have a tendency to want to skip the rest of it. But the truth is that resumes are necessary in order to show people what you can do.So how do you use past or present in your resume? Simple. Just make sure that you outline your skills in a positive manner and highlight any existing skill you possess in the present as well as in the past.We all know that the present is always better than the past. And this is exactly why you should emphasize your present abilities when you write a resume. Th ere is no reason to explain the same thing again. Just make sure that you get it across clearly by pointing out the different aspects of your skill in the present and what you have been able to do in the past.In addition to this, I would like to say that the past also has a lot to do with present. Many times, people think that the past means that they can't use what they did before. The truth is that if you are lucky enough to have had a good career and a long period of service to an organization or company, then you are already qualified for the present.If you had a very poor career or you are just starting out in one, then you still have a chance to earn a spot in the future. This is why you should emphasize your past in a positive manner. Don't be ashamed about anything because in reality, there is nothing wrong with your past.The point here is that you should not make your past look bad. You should use the past in your resume to inspire people and let them know that you are a br ight, future-oriented person. You should not let anyone down because you have shown that you can do things in the past.Even if you have been working for a company for years, it doesn't mean that you are outdated or that you should be ignored. If you see yourself as part of the group and someone who can provide leadership in the future, then give it a shot. Just make sure that you don't use the past in the present because of how it will play against you.

16 Surprising Branding Secrets That Actually Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

16 Surprising Branding Secrets That Actually Work - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is your favorite strange-but-effectivebrandingtip that has surprised you with positive results? These answers are provided byYoung Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. YEC has also launchedBusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Always Focus on Being Helpful First Customers are more than just sources of revenue. When responding to inquiries or complaints, on social media or any other platform, aim to help customers by providing well-researched answers or solutions. By focusing on helping customers, your brand gets that all-important edge when it comes to building trust. I’ve even noticed this approach leading to the creation of brand evangelists. Derek Robinson,Top Notch Dezigns 2. Take Advantage of Color Psychology Each of our HVAC filters is branded with a number as well as a color. Because of this, customers are able to build a better recognition and association with the specifics of a particular product. Color is often where first impressions are made and we can help build both a cohesive brand awareness while simultaneously differentiating between the benefits of each products’ unique offerings. Shu Saito,All Filters LLC 3. Give Out Free Stuff You wouldnt believe how effective it is to hand out T-shirts to groups of strangers and talk about your brand. Everyone loves free stuff and will be more than willing to like your Facebook page, download your app or post an Instagram pic with you and your product. Just remember these important words: Hey, do you want some free stuff? Jason Criddle,Jason Criddle and Associates 4. Respond to Positive and Negative Feedback, Especially on Social Media Responding to positive feedback will obviously improve your SEO ranking and create new customers,but also responding to negative feedback gives your brand a chance to understand exactly where your customers are coming from when they interact with your products/services and how you can potentially improve their experience. Its a great opportunity for a new brand. Cody McLain,SupportNinja 5. Advertise in Micro Media Outlets I have run ads in very small, local media outlets with a great deal of success.These can be local community groups, churches, nonprofit fundraiser programs or community newspapers.These outlets tend to be inexpensive and if the locations are strategic, such as corresponding with a product launch, the results can be amazing.Remember, instilling word of mouthbrandingstarts locally. Ryan Bradley,Koester Bradley, LLP 6. Offer Public Answers and Open Forum Advice One of the best ways to engage with an audience and also build a following for yourself is to take advantage of open forums and discussions that can be found in Facebook Groups or sites like Quora. If you are already a well-known and trusted name in your space, this will show audiences that you actually care and are willing to help out. Contribute your time and expertise to see great results. Zac Johnson,Blogger 7. Implement a Referral Program When we first started building our referral program we tried to do it from scratch and it was very overwhelming. So we decided to pivot and use a service to quickly and seamlessly create the program. Weve been surprised with how easy it was and how effective it has been. Syed Balkhi,WPBeginner 8. Feature Yourself in a Video We recently launched a company profile video where I was featured talking about our company. I never thought much of it, but at a recent trade show, I had a handful of people come up to me to tell me that they saw me on a video online and they really liked it. I never thought the focus would be on me, but people were still impressed by seeing someone on camera. Diego Orjuela,Cables Sensors 9. GetPersonal I was hesitant to share mypersonallife on Instagram such as my workouts and my meals, but I realized this is what my audience wanted to see. They wanted to see the true me and what I did on a daily basis. This is what makes your brand unique. Dont just share your expertise; share all of you and your audience will dig it. Sweta Patel,Silicon Valley Startup Marketing 10. Use Emojis When Appropriate Using emojis in some emails and social media posts has surprisingly given us positive results. I think they help to humanize the message, but its important not to overdo it. Pick emojis that are relevant to the conversation. Chris Christoff,MonsterInsights 11. Offer Unusual Coupons Once at an apparel trade show we served Chinese food to all our customers and gave them each fortune cookies at the end. Inside each cookie was a branded fortune, along withunique discount, redeemable only if purchasing the collection that same day. It worked. Dalia MacPhee,DALIA MACPHEE 12. Mention How Much Fun Work Is In the corporate world, its easy to subscribe to the perfectly written business copy that enterprises are used to. However, its becoming increasingly effective to stand out by being transparent about your companys culture. When a brand shouts loudly about how much fun it is to do work, there is an unspoken magnetization that can bring about companies and customers that play by the same rules. Logan Lenz,PartsMarket 13. Design for Mass Appeal Some ideas, colors and words already have a mass effect that make them rocket fuel for your brand. A logo shaped as a circle seems more familiar and certain words have positive or niche associations your unique customer base may understand. By being intentional in how you design your brand identity, you can leverage the mental positioning others have already set for you. Dan San,Meural 14. Bring Family to Work Events Every time I bring my family with me to conferences, they get more attention than I do. People usually hide their families and keep their work separate, which seems silly if you think about it. I’ve found that my family is actually what makes people want to approach me, and because we’ve developed a brand that is inclusive of family values, integrating them into my business life speaks to my brand. Amber Anderson,MORE 15. Incorporate Testimonials Utilize customer testimonials. When you get great feedback from your clients, post it on social media pages, rather than you doing all of the talking about your business, product or service. Andrew Schrage,Money CrashersPersonalFinance 16. Provide Counter-Intuitive Advice This is a form of reverse psychology that Ive found works very well to foster trust in my brand: Since the majority of my online content is based on education for certain careers, Ill try and generate some content offering reasons why not to pursue these career paths. Offering some insight that runs counter to my explicit message has helped to build trust in my brand in my experience. Bryce Welker,CPA Exam Guy

Personal Branding Interview Ric Edelman - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Ric Edelman - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Ric Edelman, who ranks among Americas 0 top financial advisors by Barrons, and is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Truth About Money (4th edition). In this interview, Ric discusses how he got started in the business, how he differentiated himself from other financial advisors, challenges people have with their money, and more. How did you get started as a financial advisor? My degree is in communications. I entered the field in the early 1980s, writing for a publication in the financial trade press called Financial Product News. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’ve come to since realize, after years of conducting training sessions for thousands of financial advisors, that I benefited from having a journalism background instead of a business degree. I’ve discovered that most financial advisors merely repeat what they’re told by their college professors. As a result, they tend to offer the same advice without questioning whether that advice is valid. It reminds me of all the physicians who engaged in blood-letting merely because some other physician told them it would cure a fever. In journalism school we’re not taught about subject matter. Instead, we’re taught how to ask questions about any subject â€" the most important question being, of course, “Why?”. We’re then taught how to explain the information we’ve gathered in plain English. Most advisors, I’ve learned, struggle with conveying complex financial topics in ways that their clients can understand. It was my writing about financial products that got me started in this field. It occurred to me that my wife Jean and I should get advice, so on the recommendation of a friend, we met with a local financial advisor for help with buying a home and investing. What a disappointing experience! The advisor gave me the stereotypical responses that anyone recites after taking economics or business classes, but I wasn’t buying it. When the advisor said that I should pay off my mortgage as soon as possible, I asked, “Why?” and he couldn’t give me a good answer. So I did my own research â€" and discovered that the common advice he and others in the financial community offered was completely wrong. That’s when Jean and I decided to find the right answers for ourselves, and then we built our own financial planning and investment management practice so we could share what we’d learned with others. Consumers regularly regard my advice as common sense, practical and easy to do. But I’ve been branded by the advisor community as “unconventional” and “controversial” because my advice differs so sharply from them. One trade magazine that profiled me acknowledged I am perhaps the most successful advisor in the country â€" but asked, “Is that a good thing?” So I’ve gotten used to being branded as different from other advisors, and I credit my journalism and communications training for that. Since there are so many financial advisors, how did you differentiate yourself and rise to become the #1 advisor by Barrons? We believe strongly in providing substantial amounts of financial education. This approach has always been an integral part of our service â€" even from our beginnings. Back in the 1980s, when our practice was new, my wife Jean and I presented college planning seminars to elementary school PTA groups. We had to convince each organization’s president why parents of young children needed this information, because they thought college planning wasn’t important until students reached 11th grade! We expanded our educational efforts dramatically over the years. We now provide a nationally syndicated radio show every week, as well as dozens of seminars and a web site filled with financial information and education. I’ve also written seven books on personal finance (two won Book of the Year awards and one reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list), and this Spring, we are launching a new weekly series for Public Television. We’re also actively involved in the financial literacy movement, including Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance Literacy and the American Savings Education Council. I’ve testified several times before Congress and was appointed by two U.S. Presidents as a delegate to all three National Summits on Retirement Savings. I don’t believe any financial advisor devotes as much effort to improving financial literacy as we do. Although we regard our work in this area to be important for the nation and a service to the community, our activities have probably helped our firm grow. Although most of our clients come to us via referral from other happy clients, there’s no question that some people come to us after seeing me on TV, hearing me on the radio, attending a seminar, visiting the web site or reading one of my books. Few other advisors are active in these areas. It’s important, though, to make an important distinction. Although our educational activities might cause a consumer to contact us, those efforts are not the reason why people choose to hire us, or to stay with us for so many years. The real reason our firm has become successful is because my colleagues and I deliver outstanding financial planning and investment management services. We not just selling investments to generate commissions like brokers do. Instead, we earn a single management fee â€" our clients pay no brokerage commissions or trading expenses â€" by providing our clients advice to help them achieve their financial goals. We listen carefully and use our deep understanding of todays economic issues to offer comprehensive advice specifically tailored to each client. And most importantly, we work as a team, assuring each client that they advice they receive is the same that they would receive from me. There’s one additional reason we’re different from other advisors. Most require that clients invest $500,000 or $1 million, but we make investing available to people who are not as wealthy. Although many of our clients invest millions of dollars with us, we welcome those who have as little as $50,000 per household. We actually accept individual accounts as low as $3,000 â€" and we know of no other advisory firm in the nation that has such a low minimum. The Edelman Managed Asset Program ® brings clients our successful long-term methodology, featuring extensive diversification, dynamic security selection and a daily rebalancing review. As a result, our clients’ portfolios are comparable to the ones used by big institutional investors. Even though you might not have millions of dollars to invest, you still get to enjoy the same opportunity: lower costs, reduced volatility, greater consistency and competitive returns. This great combination has helped make us one of the largest and most popular independent investment management firms in the nation. What are peoples biggest challenges with managing their money? Procrastination. It’s easy to put this off until tomorrow, and many people do. But it’s equally important to get started now, because time is the most important tool you have to help you achieve your goals. Being overwhelmed. Between the number of investment choices, the unknowns of the future and all the opinions you constantly hear, some people just give up instead of sorting through it all. Acting emotionally when making financial decisions. People got greedy during the tech boom of the ‘90s and they panicked during the recent credit crisis â€" essentially buying high and selling low. People also make emotion-laden decisions when dealing with cars, college, homes and mortgage â€" pretty much every decision is influenced by emotion, and most of the time those emotions cause people to make bad decisions. For all these reasons, people should hire an independent, objective financial advisor instead of trying to do it all by themselves. When your first book was published, how did it impact your business? It took me three and a half years to write first book, and it was rejected by every publisher I sent it to. I couldn’t even get an agent to represent me. Everyone said the book was too long and that no one was interested in personal finance. At the time, I was teaching personal finance at Georgetown University, and G.U. Press agreed to publish the book â€" after telling me the book wasn’t long enough! (I had to add several more chapters!) When it was released, it became an instant #1 bestseller, and remained on the best-selling list for 70 weeks. It set several publishing records and was named Book of the Year by Small Press magazine. After that, publishers started knocking down my door, as they say, and I had no trouble finding a terrific agent to represent me. There’s no question that being the guy who wrote what many consider the “classic” in personal finance has helped my credibility. The book is unfettered by time and space, so I can say everything without worries that a commercial is approaching (like radio) or that I’ve reached the text limit (like my newsletter). The long form lets readers get to know me, and that helps them decide if they’d like to hire us. Having said that though, I’d like to offer two important caveats to advisors thinking of writing a book. First, it’s incredibly time consuming, so make sure you can devote the time it needs. Second, make sure you’re a very good writer â€" because if you’re a bad writer, people will assume that you’re a bad advisor. This is another example of how my communications and journalism training has served me well. You have a large platform. Why did you select a radio show as your main platform? How does it help your brand? I love all forms of mass communication; each has its advantages. Talk radio is called “theater of the mind” because you get to use your imagination since there is no visual element. But television is great because the video lets me illustrate concepts that are difficult to express verbally. Books are wonderful because I have all the space I want to make a point. Newsletters are current, and don’t become out of date like a book can. And seminars are perhaps my favorite because I get to connect immediately and constantly with the audience, something I can’t do in other media. But nothing can replace the joy and value of meeting one-on-one with a single client, working with them for years as they get their kids through college, and as they enter and enjoy retirement. Of all my activities, that is by far the most fulfilling. - Ric Edelman ranks among Americas 0 top financial advisors by Barrons. In 2009 and 20, Ric was ranked the #1 independent financial advisor in the nation by Barrons*. In 2004, Ric was inducted into the Financial Advisor Hall of Fame, ranked the #1 advisor in the nation by Research Magazine for his focus on the individual client and ranked #42 on Registered Rep magazine’s list of “America’s Top 50 Advisors.” Inc. magazine three times named the firm the fastest-growing privately-held financial planning firm in the country. Ric is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Truth About Money (4th edition). His other books include  Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth and his latest book, Rescue Your Money. The Truth About Money with Ric Edelman can be heard on radio stations throughout the country.

How to Write Academic Resumes

How to Write Academic ResumesWhen a student is thinking about their academic career, resumes and academic writing are integral. After all, it is the professionals who will be evaluating the potential students' academic aptitude and leadership qualities. In this case, resume writing is not just about creating a simple resume but it is also about preparing yourself for the interview process.There are various tips and techniques that you can follow when you want to master the academic writing skill. You can get the required help from professional academic writers by employing the services of a writing agency. The writing agents have professional writers in their employ, who are familiar with the principles of academic writing. They work together with the prospective candidates for creating a strong and well-written academic resume.Another way to prepare your academic resumes is to make use of online resources like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. These social networking sites help you get in touch with people who are in the same field as you are. You can ask them for their feedback and advice about how they can improve your academic resume.Use the social networking sites to reach out to the college or university administrators, professors and even fellow students. You can reach out to them in such a way that you can add the links to your academic resume. By using these tools effectively, you can craft a powerful academic resume.Resume writing for academic purposes also depends on the topic that you intend to discuss. It is important to make sure that the topic is relevant to the industry that you belong to. A good example is medical career. If you are a medical writer, then you should ensure that your academic resume contains appropriate keywords that relate to the industry and the specialty.In academic resumes, there are certain elements that you should consider. One of them is how you can insert your skills. To add skillful skills to your resume, you can write abo ut areas where you have already contributed. For instance, if you have contributed a lot in your thesis or your college paper, you can mention that in your academic resume.Write about your educational background. This is very important as it helps in getting attention and also creates curiosity among your readers. You can include your college degree, your diploma, the awards and prizes that you have won and the marks that you have been awarded. All these can make your academic resume stand out.Effective academic resumes can be crafted by simply looking at the different situations that your graduates have faced. You can go through the various jobs that you have interviewed them in and try to come up with a good academic resume. The most effective way to find out the expertise of a professional is to get their references and talk to them.

5 Tips for Connecting With Coworkers at a New Job - CareerAlley

5 Tips for Connecting With Coworkers at a New Job - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you dont know where you are going, any road will get you there. Lewis Carroll So, you got the job. Congratulations! Now, you actually have to show up and fit in. For some people this is as sweet and easy as taking a bite of pie, but for others it can be the hardest part of a new job. Even more unfortunate are those who allow this initial awkwardness to set the tone for work relationships as time unfolds. Dont let this happen to you. Everyone is different, but there are some tried and true things you can do to connect with coworkers without changing your personality or coming off as an insincere brownnoser. The five tips below should help you get more out of your new job and make friends in the process. 1. Smile! Depending on how much you smile already, this piece of advice might sound too easy to be true or just silly; however, neither could be further from the truth. Smiling and meaning it is not as easy as it may seem unless youre just naturally happy most of the time. People can often spot an insincere smile, so if youre going to flash your choppers make sure you mean it. The best way to accomplish this is to not over-think it or allow yourself to fall into patterns of obsequiousness. Be genuine, and let your smile reflect that. 2. Share! It may be true that you are a private person and thats okay, but a great way to achieve inclusiveness and gain trust in the workplace is to open up to people. Besides, people have a tendency to fill in the blanks when they dont know something, so this way you can show people youre a team player and nip rumors about the new gal (or guy) in the bud all at the same time. Its important to remember, however, that there is such a thing as too much sharing. A quick way to alienate new coworkers is to tell them about your recent ugly divorce or your love of feet. Just stick to topics that are generally understood as fair office game: hobbies, sports, past and current residences, favorite foods, etc. 3. Listen! To paraphrase a frequently-used film quote (thanks, Fight Club), people can tell when youre just waiting for your turn to speak. Whats more, youre doing yourself harm when you dont make the effort to really get to know your coworkers. Of course, listening is a skill that takes practice, but you dont have to make any major changes in your life to be a better listener. Taking an active interest in what other people are telling you about their personal lives will endear you to them. 4. Relax! This may be the hardest thing to do, because you want to put your best foot forward at a new job and you already know kicking your feet up is not a good idea. The thing is, neither is being a goose-stepping drone. Its a weird and dirty little secret, but coworkers typically dont take a liking to bootlicking overachievers who are the first to volunteer and the last to go home. Showing initiative is very important to your superiors, but showing your coworkers you can relax is also a winning move. 5. Learn! Every work environment is unique, but generally speaking people respond well to modesty. Looking at it another way, nobody likes a know-it-all. Taken to another level, people really dont like know-it-alls who really dont know it all. If theres something you dont know, dont be afraid to ask. Sure, there may be a chance youll ask that one person who doesnt follow the There is no such thing as a stupid question philosophy, but the odds are better that your quest for knowledge will get you closer to making a new friend. Remember All of these are great tips, but the most important thing is to be yourself. Faking it on the first day is like wearing a wig on a first date. It may go over great in the beginning, but somewhere along the line youre going to have to reveal the real you, so you may as well own it from the get-go. Good luck! James Madeiros writes for Masters in Accounting, a career site providing information for prospective accounting students including scholarships, recommended resources, and student guides. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook

[BOOK REVIEW] Knock em Dead Secrets and Strategies for First-Time Job Seekers by Martin Yate - CareerEnlightenment.com

LinkedIn Advice:Set up your LinkedIn profile right now. Itll make you more visible to corporate recruiters because its a convenient way for them to find you.Make sure your profile picture makes you look professional, friendly, and confident. This could be someones first impression of you.Understand keywords and use them to your advantage. Recruiters, hiring managers and headhunters use keywords to search for potential hires. Make sure the words theyre  using to search for you are in prominent places in your profile. Use LinkedIn’s resources for making your profile more visible.Join groups and be active by starting conversations, responding to comments, and approaching other group members to add to your network.Me Inc: Start Your Business TodayYate reminds you to think like a business. Make decisions that add to your success and credibility in the long run. Your business is MeInc, and “its job is to consistently promote the visibility and credibility of the ever-evolving brand th at is your professional persona.”This book can help you land your first job but youll also develop skills for long-term career management. This is an important point that a lot of beginners forget. Even your first job should be seen as an important stepping stone for MeInc, and you can use it to establish a foundation for where you want to go.Also, dont forget upkeep. At the end of the book youll find all kinds of advice on how to build on successes, make career changes, and achieve financial security and satisfaction.“You have to take responsibility and become the architect of your own success by learning what it takes to navigate the twists and turns of a long career, because if you dont take responsibility for your own success, nothing will happen.”  Are you ready to take a big step in your career path?Find even more secrets and strategies at Martin Yate’s blog http://blog.knockemdead.com/Check out more book reviews for this book at AmazonGet involved on LinkedIn by joini ng the Knock Em Dead Secrets and Strategies group