5 Unique Ways to Find Future Employees

5 Unique Ways to Find Future Employees Finding the right talent for your job openings can be challenging. It can be even more challenging if you only have access to average applicants with little enthusiasm for your position. If you’ve been searching for the perfect employee to fill your opening without much luck, it may be time to get creative and try something new. Every business owner or recruiter has their own personal beliefs and preferred strategies. And while the following methods shouldn’t serve as the cornerstones of your recruiting efforts, they are great for when the search process becomes stale. Give these 5 tips a try: 1) Implement a referral system While many businesses are hesitant to implement a referral system for fear of creating an “inbred” organization in which there’s little influence from the outside, the reality is that these programs are very effective for small and large companies alike. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that it provides you with a steady source of passive candidates. In other words, you immediately gain access to candidates who may or may not be actively pursuing a job. These candidates are typically higher quality and can really add depth to your candidate pool. 2) Actively search for ex-military Are you tired of interviewing candidates who lack leadership abilities? Then look no further than ex-military members. Not only do they possess strong leadership skills, but they’re also able to bring a unique perspective to your company. It’s also relatively easy to find candidates. Sites like HireVeterans.com and HirePatriots.com are happy to work with both private and public companies. 3) Publish creative content Outside of popular job listing search engines, are you utilizing the power of the internet? One popular trend is to publish creative guest blog posts and on-site articles, seeking out motivated employees. With just a few shares on social media, your post can find its way in front of thousands of potential candidates. “Finding the right employees for a job opening can be a major challenge in innovative, fast-paced industries,” says Ajay Nair of Housing, one of the largest online real estate listing services in the world. “Publishing creative content is one of the best ways to attract and engage potential hires.” 4) Consider former student athletes   Much like ex-military members, former college student athletes typically make for good candidates. Not only do they understand how to work well with a team of people, but they’re also incredibly versatile. After all, student athletes are required to juggle athletics, schoolwork, and their social life. If you’re going to hire someone straight out of college, a student athlete may be your best bet. 5) Host an open house Before the internet came along and introduced business owners to job listing sites, open houses were pretty common. Businesses looking to hire a number of new employees would actually open their doors and encourage interested candidates to stop by. Have you ever thought about doing something similar? It’s a great way to put names to faces and essentially lets you wine and dine the candidates you’re interested in. You don’t want to host regular open houses â€" as this cheapens the event â€" but they can be effective when held once or twice a year. Never Settle for Boring Recruiting Recruiting is important for a number of reasons. Specifically, it allows you to control the direction of your company. Based on the type of people you recruit and hire, you can shape your organization’s corporate culture and reestablish core values.   While it’s totally natural for the recruitment process to stall from time to time, you shouldn’t ever take your foot off the pedal. It’s important to continually develop recruitment strategies and try new things. Next time you encounter a stale period of growth, give the aforementioned tips a try. You’ll love the results! Author: Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on  Twitter  and  LinkedIn. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Free Writing Programs

Free Writing ProgramsFree writing programs offer you a way to learn the craft of writing. The software is relatively easy to use and once you start learning, it's possible to write fast and effectively. A professional writer knows how to make their work better by getting a grasp of grammar and structure.Most free online programs are very well made. The software has been tested thoroughly and to judge from its look and feel, it should be user friendly. You can create your own screencast to show your viewers at any time. If the program has any options available for editing or key mapping, then the software should have these features.The freeware, or absolutely free online writing programs allow you to create interactive videos which will allow you to embed graphics and sound. A screencast can be made using these programs with ease. You can record a message to show someone that you're speaking directly to them.When you use the free writing programs, you can use certain file types. If yo u want to share a video or screencast with your friends or colleagues, the software can be used to easily share a file with others. Audio and video files can be easily shared through the Internet.This type of user friendly software is also beneficial for people who are working in small businesses or freelancing. These are people who are not very technically minded. They need to develop an understanding of the various functions and aspects of using the software. Therefore, the software should enable them to easily understand and use the program.Adobe Flash is a popular software. You will find many companies offering this program free of cost. The program is very easy to use and most people are able to operate it without any formal training. There are different formats for different screencasts. You can add your own music or background sounds to make it more enjoyable for the listener.Freeware online programs are accessible in several different languages. This means that if you need t o write a message in a language other than English, then you can use the program to write the message in the language that you are familiar with. For example, if you are Spanish speaking, then you can use the program in Spanish to write your message. You can use your hands or fingers to write the message.The free online programs offer many benefits to those who are looking to improve their writing skills. In order to write quickly and effectively, you will need to get to grips with grammar and structure. An online writing program allows you to practice from the comfort of your home. You can make screencasts and use multimedia for better learning.

Reach More Customers Through Authority Marketing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Reach More Customers Through Authority Marketing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A reputation for brands and businesses have traditionally been driven through word-of-mouth as authority and trust are established. This can explode your conversions like nothing else, and is even more powerful with the use of online tools and social media. In order to effectively reach your customers in a meaningful way it’s important to understand what makes them tick. How can your brand best reach its community? Through a personal understanding of their needs that answers their questions and solves their problems. Personalized marketing allows us to connect with our customers far beyond the subscribe page, follow, and ‘Like.’ You can use your communication online as way to build authority for your brand and grow your bottom line. In today’s social media driven world a personal brand should get on the same level as its audience and customers, and be a go-to source for them. How Authority Marketing Attracts More Customers for Brands Not only should a personal brand offer great customer service online, but also provide meaningful content. Here are three (3) key factors to spreading the word on your business: • Focus on the right networks Social media is a vast place, and it’s important to understand where your customers are interacting the most. Depending on your niche a helpful email marketing campaign could be effective while answering questions on Twitter and Facebook might work better for industries such as retail markets, sports brands, magazines ect. • Evaluate your website Many people will trust a personal brand just based on their landing page and content. It’s important to have an attractive, and easy-to-follow website that offers clear, quality content that meets the needs of your target market. Menus especially should be simple to follow and click along with prominent social sharing buttons, and an optin area to capture leads. • Research the competition As your personal brand establishes credibility and trust, so are your other industry players. Take the time to learn about the type of content they offer, and how well your niche is responding. You can discover a lot about your industry with target market research as well as tracking conversations on social media. As authority marketing continues to grow online it is important to stay up to date on the latest trends in your niche, and nurture your customer relationships. Pay attention to what generates the most favorable responses while addressing the needs of the audience. Always remember that fresh original content is going to show your brand’s expertise that your customers will want to share.

Try being a dilettante before changing careers

Try being a dilettante before changing careers Did you ever notice that in most Starbucks there is art on the wall? In hyperly competitive New York City, where I used to live, the waiting list for putting art on the wall at Starbucks was two years. Really. But I signed up. I know, youre thinking, Penelope was an artist? The answer is, sort of: paint and collage. And every once in a while, someone would say, Do you sell those? and Id say, Okay, yeah, Ill sell one. And then Id think, Well, in that case, then Im an artist. So I did what other artists do when they are beginning. I put my name on the list to put my art on the walls at Starbucks. And a long time later, there was a message on my voicemail from the manager of Starbucks asking when I would hang my art. The answer was never. There are two ways to do art: by yourself, in your home, for no one but yourself, or in public, to be a rip-roaring success. Of course, I wanted the second. I tried to want the first, but I keep wondering how well I could do if I tried really hard with the art. And then I thought, if youre going to be a critical success, you probably dont want to be known as the person hanging her stuff in Starbucks. Starbucks is for dilettantes. I think I was a dilettante five years ago, when I put my name on the list. But during the two years it took to get my name to the top of the list, I decided I wanted to be more serious. I had started calling my art collage, and I glued stuff back on when it fell off instead of just throwing it out. I recognized that people who are serious do not let high school kids pick at their paintings in the back corner of a coffee shop. When youre on the cusp of dilettantism, but you want to be taken seriously, its embarrassing. Because you still look like a joker, but you look like an extreme joker because youre a joker who no longer wants to admit to being a joker. I remember the point when I decided that I was a serious writer: I reorganized the folders on my desktop so that the Writing folder was inside my Work folder instead of below it. But I didnt do that until I had been supporting myself writing for more than a year. Its a big step to take yourself seriously. The move away from dilettantism is slow, and nervous. Today all I can muster in the art department is to tell Starbucks no. But I know its a step in the right direction because research conducted by Herminia Ibarra, a professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, in France, shows that the most effective way make a serious move in your life is to do it in a not-so-serious way. Its more effective to try something out for a few hours a week. That way if you dont like your new self, you can go back to your old self. And if you like the two hours, try two more. Or maybe use your vacation time to test out your new self. I did that. I told myself I was an artist and I set aside a week to pretend I was a full-time Very Serious Artist. And this is what happened: I wrote. Because Im a writer, not a visual artist. But still, I like the idea of doing art. I just have to figure out how it fits into my life. So Im taking the advice of Ibarra and imagining myself in different situations until I find one that fits. Change in ones life does not require a career change. In fact, a career change should be last. After lots of experimenting with small steps in an effort to find out who you really are. Thats how I found out, again, that Im a writer.

Writing Resume Writing With Technology

Writing Resume Writing With TechnologyWriting a resume is no longer the easiest task to do. With the advent of technology, most people now have a plethora of opportunities that can be applied to resume writing. Technology has given people an edge over those who lack the skills of the past.Internet has changed the way we live our lives and has allowed us to connect with each other in a way that was not possible before. It has also helped in expanding the scope of our business industry. More people are exploring new ways to promote their businesses through the online mode of advertisement.Resume writing has become a multi-million dollar industry today. Hundreds of people are working day and night on trying to earn a living from it. But more importantly, it has become a popular trend for many to take up this profession as a job. Individuals who are willing to invest time and energy in writing a resume can make good money at it. And that's the truth.There are several different types of w riting resumes these days. Some writers opt to write it with a computer. These are called the web writers. They are well-versed with computers, especially for the skill of coding and manipulating various codes. This kind of writing is very common nowadays.For resume writing to be successful, the writer must put their heart into the material they will produce. The content of the resume must reflect the writer's sincere desire to work for a particular company. For example, if you are truly interested in working for Google, then your resume must reflect this statement.If you do not possess basic skills on computers and the software that goes with it, then you should hire a professional. He can assist you in the proper application of technology to your resume writing. Thoughthe industry is full of people who do not have any knowledge of these things, there are still some who are interested enough to take up the task of writing resumes for companies.There are also certain sites which are dedicated to teaching beginners how to write resumes. These websites are a great source of information to any person who wants to write resumes. In fact, these sites are also a good place to find quality writers who are ready to work on writing resumes.Apart from creating resumes for actual job applicants, there are also companies that will seek writers for other types of projects. Most of these projects are related to advertisements. If you are interested in this type of work, then you should look into one of these sites.

6 Reasons Why A Freelance Career Is Not for You - CareerMetis.com

6 Reasons Why A Freelance Career Is Not for You Working freelance is a dream job for many people. You don’t have to dress up to go to the office, you can work from any part of the world, and in most cases, you are allowed to choose working hours, a luxury office workers are not blessed with.However, it is the Freelance Career that is very demanding. Working in an office, you get a chance to learn from your colleagues and use their help once you get stuck with some tasks. But when you are doing a freelance job, you have to grow and develop all the time without a constant reminder about it from your employer. You either work hard to improve, or you are no longer a leading employee on the job market.evalYou probably know many reasons why you should aim to start a freelance career. However, there are reasons why some of you should not, as the freelance career is not for everyone, and we will show you what we mean.In this article, we will explain to you why there is no need for you to invest time, money and effort in this type of a c areer. Here are 6 Reasons why a Freelance Career is not for you.1) You are not OrganizedevalYou should not invest in your freelance career if you lack self-organization. Being a freelancer is all about being able to work without a need of being reminded what and when should be done.Have a quick look at your life:How often do you come late to work?Do you miss deadlines?Is it difficult for you to stay away from distractions like social networks, favorite books or talks with your colleagues in an office kitchen and stay focused on important tasks?Do you feel a need to go for a long walk instead of staying at your desk and working?If so, then freelance work is something you should not consider as your career. It will put too much pressure on you, and not being able to self-organize you will soon burn out. So stay away from this kind of employment if you can associate yourself with the things mentioned above.2) You Do Not Enjoy Working AloneWe also do not recommend starting a freelance c areer if you like being among people all the time. If you prefer meeting in person with someone to solve important questions or if you hate talking on the phone or communicating with the help of technical assistance or apps, then you should better work in the office.Working freelance often means that you will have to communicate through social networks or some special corporate messengers. If this is not a kind of communication you are good at, then you should not waste your time trying to get into the freelance job market.3) You Prefer Fixed SchedulesKeep in mind that working freelance often means that you should be available 24/7. Your employer might be living in a different part of the globe, which means that you will have to work during his working hours.evalOr in case you agreed that you would work during the working hours in your country, management might still be willing to call and clarify things with you at the time that is not comfortable for you.So if you are not willing to “share” your evenings or early morning hours with your colleagues or management of the company you work for, then probably freelance is not for you.4) You Prefer Job SecurityThis kind of employment is also not suitable for people who like stability. You will have to be very flexible to work as a freelancer, as, talking from personal experience, there will be many cases when deadlines are moved, tasks are changed, and you have to deal with it right away.The problem is that when you work remotely, your clients or management might not get the big picture of how much time you need for certain things and how each of them should be done.evalTherefore, deadlines are being moved closer, and responsibilities might be growing very quickly. So if you are not a very flexible person, do not choose this path.eval5) You have low-Risk ToleranceAnother factor you should take into account is that being a freelance worker, especially the one who works directly with clients, means facing risks a ll the time.By “risks” I understand the probability that there might be unfair or trouble customers that will use all the power and all the reasons that can come up with not to pay you or pay less. Others will take ages to send you the money for the work you have done for them. It will take time till you understand how to distinguish customers and only work with the ones that will not bring you troubles; until that time you will have to pay the price for gaining valuable experience.Sometimes that price is being fooled or deceived. Therefore, if you are not experienced in this area, then probably you should think twice before rushing into freelance.6) You don’t want to Invest in your CareerFinally, to be a freelance worker, you need to be able to invest in your career all the time. When you work in the office, a company you are working for is interested in developing its employees. That is why courses are organized, and the staff is invited to take up a challenge or run a conte st or take in-house training.However, as you work remotely, you will need to do all this by yourself. You will have to develop personally and professionally, but this growth would be something you should do on your initiative.If this does not sound like something you are likely to do, then consider working in an office with lots of factors that will motivate you and inspire rather than working remotely and losing qualifications.These are a few of the reasons you should take into consideration before choosing a freelance career.evalSee if you have essential qualities for a freelance worker before you decided to start working this way. It is a great experience, but it is not for everyone.

3 things to do before hiring a résumé writer - Sterling Career Concepts

3 things to do before hiring a résumé writer 3 things to do before hiring a résumé writer While the services of professional résumé writers are valuable to many jobseekers, there is also an investment involved. Take a look at the following three suggestions first before reaching out to a résumé writer. You might be able to tweak your résumé on your own, or you might decide its too large to take on by yourself. 1. Has it been proofread? Proofread, proofread, and then proofread again and not only by yourself, but by a friend, a spouse, someone with a fresh set of eyes and a clear perspective. If you dont consider yourself a strong speller, then I especially cant stress this point enough. Take it from meâ€"a former executive recruiterâ€"typos anywhere on your résumé can send you straight to the trash can. In the process of weeding out candidates, many hiring managers assume the attention to detail shown towards your résumé directly correlates to your work ethic once hired. 2. Are you highlighting relevant skills? Your résumé should highlight skills valuable for the field/position you are pursuing. For instance, if you are a new grad, this requires positioning yourself and your experience as a young professional. If you are changing fields, this requires identifying strengths valuable in the new field and downplaying skills that might have been valued in your previous line of work, and so on. 3. Have you included achievements? Lets look at the big picture for a moment. The purpose of a résumé is to get interviews by showing why you are a strong candidate for a particular position. Including a laundry list of your past positions responsibilities only shows what was asked of you. What you need to convey is how well you did your job, and what you did that went above and beyond. This is what makes a compelling résumé that wins interviews. This is what intrigues a hiring manager to want to speak with you. Remember, an effective résumé gets you interviews faster, which is the first step in completing your job search. If youre unemployed, this means earning money faster or if youre looking to advance in your existing career, this means receiving a salary increase faster. In the end, the investment you make in a résumé writers services should pay for itself. In a future post, well discuss how to decide which writer is best for you.

How to Successfully Negotiate by Using Silence

How to Successfully Negotiate by Using Silence You worry over what to say during critical meetings in your career, such as in interviews and negotiations, but what if you leveraged the power of silence to get what you deserve? Most people think silences are awkward and a sign of weakness in negotiation, but that’s far from the truth. Those awkward silences you fear may help you navigate a negotiation with success. The key lies in what you don’t say, rather than what you do say. Here are five tips on using silence to negotiate, and it all centers on embracing the pause. Say It Out Loud and Wait Want more hourly pay? Ask: “Any chance you will go up to $x?” Say what you want and wait. It may take the other person time to sift through the question, all while feeling the need to fill the silence. Rather than you rambling about why you want or deserve the raise to fill the silence, you appear authoritative and patient. And now, make the most of that silence. Use Positive and Neutral Body Language Don’t look away or like you’re mocking them. Keep eye contact. Relax your shoulders, and direct a friendly yet confident posture toward them with a gentle smile. Don’t let your body language contradict what you negotiate for â€" look confidently into their eyes as you wait for a response. When your nonverbal communication matches your verbal, it reinforces the power of the message, point or question. People often forget that other forms of language exist beyond the verbal. Body language is the oldest form of communication. What does your body language say in a tough negotiation? Do you feel forced to break the silence first? Silence Builds Suspense Storytelling proves a valuable asset during negotiations as you detail specific instances of your valuable contributions. Storytellers use various tools to bring the moral of the story home and create the right kind of tension. A great story uses suspense. Silence builds suspense as the stakes rise, and the more tension your story creates, the more suspense you cultivate. That means your ending gains power and steam if you pace yourself correctly. Slow down during critical moments, and pause when necessary. Great speakers use pauses all the time, such as in TED talks. Powerfully used pauses communicate someone thoughtful who takes the time to consider a point or message, and when given to another, lends the other person time to weigh the issue. Think before you accept an initial offer, since the pause may provoke a quicker reaction from the opposite party not to risk your rejection, gifting you with a higher salary. Suspense hangs in the air since humans feel compelled to fill the silence. Silence Grounds You in Your Need You spend ample time preparing for the negotiation, and you go into the meeting knowing exactly what you need and deserve. You have data and evidence to back up your contributions and worthiness and feel ready to go. In the middle of the negotiation, your nerves act up, and your train of thought derails. Starting to doubt yourself? Use silence to ground yourself and get back on track. Silence centers you in the present moment and slows you down enough to look at your internal processing. You end up practicing dual awareness as both participant and observer. Any anxiety or doubt you feel doesn’t represent your core or reflect badly on your accomplishments â€" those are still stellar. Get that derailed thought train back on track, and use silence to ground yourself in your needs. Half the battle is knowing what you’re negotiating for, and when you feel the need behind it, you’re more likely to bring that passion to the table. Pausing Allows You to Listen and Learn Tactical silence is your new negotiation strategy, your ally when you hit a stalemate. You need to reach a breakthrough, but you’re unable to see eye to eye on the deal points. Prepare to embrace the pause, even though you may feel like you’re really doing nothing. The power of the pause allows you to listen and learn. Doing nothing at that moment helps the negotiation move along because communication still occurs. You actively listen with all your senses and have time to process the other party’s body language, along with the flow of the meeting. People don’t like ambiguity. Trust that the silence gets filled in your favor. Negotiation itself stretches like a tension-filled tightrope tugged as a conversation between two people. Placement matters, as does the pause. Silence is golden, they say, and it’ll bring home the gold when used strategically. You can train your relationship to pausing and silence through practicing mindfulness â€" the art of present, sensory awareness. Stay in the moment with yourself, breathe and observe without judgment. Silence empowers you to develop awareness, move through tough situations and gain space to give or receive an answer â€" especially one that gets you the numbers, perks and benefits you deserve. You may feel afraid that being silent during a negotiation makes you look like you offered up a nonverbal threat, but that’s not the case. The pause gives the other party a chance to take in what you said and have offered in the past through your stellar skillset and level of experience. When you control the pause, you stealthily steer the negotiation without tipping off the boss. Of course, you won’t spend the whole meeting in silence like a monk. You still need to state your case and back up what you say. Silence will help you pace yourself, refocus on your needs and achieve your negotiation goals. Subscribe to Punched Clocks for more tips on successful negotiation. Keep the conversation going by sharing and commenting. 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