Another Interview Secret From The Apprentice (Dec 2010)

Another Interview Secret From The Apprentice (Dec 2010) Yesterday Sharon responded to my Apprentice interview secret post (on Facebook) with this comment: After Clints answer and his last statements were good ones, so I thought there would be no way Brandy could trump Clint Ive been wondering why Clint didnt win.  I would have hired him in a heartbeat he has significant drive (and a number of other characteristics). Was it his over-use of yall at the stuffy, rich-person event he managed?  He was called on that in The Boardroom.  That didnt bother me, though, because I have significant ties to Texas, and I hear yall all the time.  I kind of forget how East Coast people are about West Coast language. Ill tell you what my turnoff was, though, and it all happened in HIS final minutes as he answered the question why should I hire you. Clint went on to say something about having all of the paper on the wall hes a CPA, attorney, real estate broker, etc. I guess that is okay to say, but I have some problems with his response: He had already said it, a number of times, throughout the season. It was his opening line, it seemed. Papers dont mean much when it comes to other things, like the characteristics you need to successfully run a business, or manage a team, etc.  He said he was a CEO in a Box, but just having credentials doesnt mean you can be a CEO. He didnt talk much about what he really could do for Trumps organization. His focus was on his past (credentials) and had a notion of you should like me because Im  likable. What if he responded like this: You already know I have the educational credentials to do the job.  As youve seen over the last few weeks I am strong in leadership.  When (and then tell a story that supports this).  I also have high integrity, as was shown when (tell another story).  You have seen my ability to delegate to people who are right for a task and guide them to success I did this multiple times, like when (story) and (story).  Finally, I may be a bit unpolished, as youve seen with my use of yall, which is second nature to me, but I am a quick learner and will adapt to the audience as needed.  You saw an example of my ability to learn quickly when (story). WOW! Remind the decision-maker what you bring to the table with supporting stories.  Just saying you have papers (credentials) isnt enough.  Just saying you are a strong leader isnt enough.  Stories connect the dots, reinforce the message, and are memorable. Note: Brandy, who won, is also an attorney, and she didnt mention her credentials (IIRC). Another Interview Secret From The Apprentice (Dec 2010) Yesterday Sharon responded to my Apprentice interview secret post (on Facebook) with this comment: After Clints answer and his last statements were good ones, so I thought there would be no way Brandy could trump Clint Ive been wondering why Clint didnt win.  I would have hired him in a heartbeat he has significant drive (and a number of other characteristics). Was it his over-use of yall at the stuffy, rich-person event he managed?  He was called on that in The Boardroom.  That didnt bother me, though, because I have significant ties to Texas, and I hear yall all the time.  I kind of forget how East Coast people are about West Coast language. Ill tell you what my turnoff was, though, and it all happened in HIS final minutes as he answered the question why should I hire you. Clint went on to say something about having all of the paper on the wall hes a CPA, attorney, real estate broker, etc. I guess that is okay to say, but I have some problems with his response: He had already said it, a number of times, throughout the season. It was his opening line, it seemed. Papers dont mean much when it comes to other things, like the characteristics you need to successfully run a business, or manage a team, etc.  He said he was a CEO in a Box, but just having credentials doesnt mean you can be a CEO. He didnt talk much about what he really could do for Trumps organization. His focus was on his past (credentials) and had a notion of you should like me because Im  likable. What if he responded like this: You already know I have the educational credentials to do the job.  As youve seen over the last few weeks I am strong in leadership.  When (and then tell a story that supports this).  I also have high integrity, as was shown when (tell another story).  You have seen my ability to delegate to people who are right for a task and guide them to success I did this multiple times, like when (story) and (story).  Finally, I may be a bit unpolished, as youve seen with my use of yall, which is second nature to me, but I am a quick learner and will adapt to the audience as needed.  You saw an example of my ability to learn quickly when (story). WOW! Remind the decision-maker what you bring to the table with supporting stories.  Just saying you have papers (credentials) isnt enough.  Just saying you are a strong leader isnt enough.  Stories connect the dots, reinforce the message, and are memorable. Note: Brandy, who won, is also an attorney, and she didnt mention her credentials (IIRC). Another Interview Secret From The Apprentice (Dec 2010) Yesterday Sharon responded to my Apprentice interview secret post (on Facebook) with this comment: After Clints answer and his last statements were good ones, so I thought there would be no way Brandy could trump Clint Ive been wondering why Clint didnt win.  I would have hired him in a heartbeat he has significant drive (and a number of other characteristics). Was it his over-use of yall at the stuffy, rich-person event he managed?  He was called on that in The Boardroom.  That didnt bother me, though, because I have significant ties to Texas, and I hear yall all the time.  I kind of forget how East Coast people are about West Coast language. Ill tell you what my turnoff was, though, and it all happened in HIS final minutes as he answered the question why should I hire you. Clint went on to say something about having all of the paper on the wall hes a CPA, attorney, real estate broker, etc. I guess that is okay to say, but I have some problems with his response: He had already said it, a number of times, throughout the season. It was his opening line, it seemed. Papers dont mean much when it comes to other things, like the characteristics you need to successfully run a business, or manage a team, etc.  He said he was a CEO in a Box, but just having credentials doesnt mean you can be a CEO. He didnt talk much about what he really could do for Trumps organization. His focus was on his past (credentials) and had a notion of you should like me because Im  likable. What if he responded like this: You already know I have the educational credentials to do the job.  As youve seen over the last few weeks I am strong in leadership.  When (and then tell a story that supports this).  I also have high integrity, as was shown when (tell another story).  You have seen my ability to delegate to people who are right for a task and guide them to success I did this multiple times, like when (story) and (story).  Finally, I may be a bit unpolished, as youve seen with my use of yall, which is second nature to me, but I am a quick learner and will adapt to the audience as needed.  You saw an example of my ability to learn quickly when (story). WOW! Remind the decision-maker what you bring to the table with supporting stories.  Just saying you have papers (credentials) isnt enough.  Just saying you are a strong leader isnt enough.  Stories connect the dots, reinforce the message, and are memorable. Note: Brandy, who won, is also an attorney, and she didnt mention her credentials (IIRC).

How to Cover for Gaps in your Resume

How to Cover for Gaps in your Resume How to Cover for Gaps in your Resume Many people fall ill for a period of time due to no fault of their own. Most often it is something quite minor such as a common cold or a bout of flu that can knock you off your feet for a few days. However, when you have faced a much longer spell of illness, or suffered from something serious that needed a lot of ongoing treatment, it can result in lengthy gaps appearing in your resume while you took time out from work to recover. While you may worry that there are noticeable holes or gaps in your resume, and you believe they may create a negative reaction from future employers, there are ways to manage these gaps and putting a positive spin on your resume.Early days of ill healthShould you have fallen ill at the beginning of your career for any length of time, then when constructing your resume, look to see if you can drop this period of time completely from your resume.Most likely, when it comes to applying for a new job, an employer will be more interested in your most recent work experience, training and achievements. If you layout your resume timeline with your most recent employment history at the beginning, the chances are your potential new employer will not give your much older work history more than a cursory glance.Your exact employment dates can sometimes be a little hard to remember. So when listing them on your resume it is acceptable to simply state a rough idea of how long youve worked for a particular company. You dont need to include exact years, months, weeks and days. Employers are aware of this and for the most part are looking at what skills and experience you gained while working there rather than the actual dates you spent employed there.How to disguise your employment gapsIt is possible to gloss over a period of illness that fell more recently where you cannot simply let it drop off the end of your resume. For example, if you fell ill and had to take sick leave for six months in 2016, you can state that you were employed between 201 3 and 2016 with a company, and then from 2016 to present with your current company.This is a way to bridge a gap in your resume without actually mentioning that your were off sick or any need to disclose your illness. By using years instead of specific dates, you can gloss over any longer term sickness spells.Long-term sicknessWhen you are talking about an extended period of sickness that lasts longer than a year, this can be a little more difficult to address in your resume. Where you may not feel completely comfortable about disclosing the nature of your illness, you can simply state that you were taking some long-term leave. It would then be up to the employer to enquire further should they wish to know more. If the illness you suffered is unlikely to affect your work performance in your new role, then you can tell your potential new employer this without actually disclosing the nature of your illness. However, if you know that you have an ongoing medical condition, you should inform your employer and make them aware of any special working requirements or adjustments you need to have put in place to enable you to do the job.Where you know for certain that that the illness you suffered has passed, and you will no longer be affected by it, then you should make this crystal clear within your resume and cover letter. Should you be invited in for an interview, be prepared to reiterate that you are fully recovered and do not expect a relapse in your future.Present a perfect resumeMake sure that you take every step possible to present your potential new employer with a highly polished and well presented resume. This is often good enough to more than make up for any obvious spells of sickness leave.Make the best use of the tools available to create a perfect resume by using Freesumes.com professionally designed free resume templates or premium resume templates and cover letter packs. Check out our blog for plenty of helpful tips and guidance about tailoring your resume, applying for jobs and preparing for your interview. previous article Bubble Gum | A Free Creative Resume Template for Word next article Free Resume of the Week | Lilac Beauty you might also likeHow to Write About Your Accomplishments on Your Resume

2013 Job Market Fast Becoming Candidate-Driven - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

2013 Job Market Fast Becoming Candidate-Driven - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career For those of you who have branded yourselves as beingâ€"and are perceived as beingâ€"among the TOP performers in your profession, there is some GREAT news! The 2013 job market for you is fast becoming candidate-driven. That means that you now will have more and better choices: Multiple job offers, greater salary leverage and more lucrative (but often poisonous) counteroffers from your current employer. For the last five years or so, the job market, for virtually everyone, has largely been a “buyers’ market,” with hiring companies definitely in the “driver’s seat” and calling almost all of the shots. And, significant to note, it still remains a “buyers’ market” for job seekers who appear “average.” According to a report released January 25, 2013, by worldwide recruiting firm MRINetwork,[i] 68% of recruiters participating in the study characterized today’s job market for top-tier candidates in high-demand professions as definitely being candidate-driven, a sentiment that’s up 12 percentage points over the previous year. “Its a candidate-driven market for those with specialized skills and who are viewed as upwardly mobile in their career,” said one recruiter participating in the study. Another MRINetwork recruiter states, “Candidates who can demonstrate how they have made a company money or saved a company money, or both, are definitely in very strong demand in today’s job market.” One of the primary reasons cited in the study for these top performers to be moving back into the “driver’s seat” is that the pool of these candidates has become very shallow in recent years and continues to dwindle. As a matter of fact, another recruiter responding to the survey had this to say: “Employers can expect a candidate-driven market (among the very top candidates) for the next ten years due to the shortage of existing accomplished talent.” “Companies want the Superstars today,” she added. “‘Average’ employees are not being hired (as aggressively).” While experienced professionals at the top of their game are, almost by definition, few and far between, the study points out, some recruiters also noted a new trend emerging. Early career professionals, i.e., those with one to five years of experience, are also becoming increasingly difficult to find. The reason isnt hard to figure out, either, the study stressed. Since many employers have held back on filling entry level positions for the last five years, fewer people had the opportunity to start their careers during that period. As a result, the current unemployment rate for those in the 20- to 24-years-old age group is 13.7 percentâ€" more than 3x the rate of those in the 25- to 54-years-old age group with a bachelor’s degree or higher (3.9 percent). Here’s Something Not Seen For Awhile Perhaps the clearest indication that the top-tier branded candidate segment of the current job market has in fact become candidate-driven is that growing numbers of these exceptional candidates are turning down job offers, sometimes multiple job offers! Here, by order of importance, are the most prevalent reasons cited by the study that candidates are giving for turning down offers: Accepted another job offer (33%) Salary/benefits package lower than expected[ii] (26%) Accepted counter-offer from current employer[iii] (18%) Changed mind about switching jobs (13%) Concerns over relocation (10%) If you are a hiring manager looking to attract and hire top talent, in an effort to make sure you attract your fair share of the very top candidates available, consider the words of this recruiter: “Hiring is always buying and selling for all parties,” he said.  â€œEmployers today, more than ever, when they find a strong candidate, need to equally sell them on, Why us?’. Today, top candidates are being aggressively pursued by multiple parties and are finding that not only do they have multiple options but are being made strong counteroffers as well.” If you are unemployed and looking for a job, or if you are someone whose career has “stalled” and you desire to take advantage of the opportunity to be in the “driver’s seat” for a change, start taking the steps necessary to improve your professional brand. A good place to start? By takingâ€"and then  implementingâ€"the professional branding advice offered each and every week by the wide variety of top-tier experts who regularly blog on this site! _________________ Be watching for Skip’s new book in the “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets series of bestselling job-hunting books and publications, Career Stalled?How to Get Your Career Back in ‘High Gear’ and Land the Job You Deserveâ€"Your Dream Job! TM  Publication is scheduled for spring 2013.  Author: Skip Freeman  is the author of the international bestselling job hunting book “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever!  (http://portal.sliderocket.com/BFDSG/Find-Your-Dream-Job)  and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of  The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired. [i]MRINetwork is a division of CDI Corporation (NYSE: CDI) and is comprised of approximately 2,500 recruiters among 700 offices globally. Our recruiting firm, The HTW (Hire to Win) Group, is an MRINetwork office. [ii]As a candidate, don’t get greedy. Average pay increases for a career move are 7-10% as this is being written. However, that is far better than the current average annual raise of 3-4%. Make the move because it will advance your career, not strictly because of money. [iii]Accepting a counteroffer is seldom the right thing to do or the professionally smartest move to make. You will forever brand yourself as “disloyal” in the company’s mind. Do your homework prior to entering the job market. Can you get that raise that you desire at your current job? Can you get that promotion or those additional responsibilities? Exhaust all possibilities before you begin your new career search.

The Importance of Personal Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Importance of Personal Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Personal Branding has taken center stage in 2009, and appropriately so. In business, a brand is everything that your customers know about you. Every contact they have with you helps to build that brand, good or bad. As it relates to personal branding, the economic times are creating a tight jobs market and competition is fierce. The good news is that the social web provides a fantastic distribution and communication platform to enable anyone to create a brand identity and stand out from the crowd. Back to brand basics If you’re new to the concept of Personal Branding, a good place to start is literally Branding 101. Let’s look at the business world for strategies and tactics that translate to your personal branding efforts. Because of globalization and the competitive nature of business today, nearly all industries are being forced to brand heavily and be more strategic that they ever have in the past. In today’s world, competitors can copy almost anything in a matter of weeks or months. Any great idea will be copied before long. It’s practically guaranteed that somebody will not only do a better job but will sell the product or service at a lower price. The question is then, “What is my competitive edge that cannot be duplicated by anyone else?” The answer for any business is OUR BRAND. Some say that a brand is the one thing that you own that nobody can take away from you.Everything else can be stolen. Think about it â€" someone can steal your trade secrets. Patents eventually expire. Physical plants will wear out. Technology will change. But your brand can endure. It creates a lasting value above and beyond all the other elements of your business. Brand personality Brands carry a personality. In many ways the personality is even more real than the other aspects of the brand because it is the outstretched hand that touches the consumer as an individual. Think of Google, Starbucks, McDonalds. These brands personality might offer the single most important reason why consumers choose them over competing brands. Now think Windows Vista or New Coke, and even Crocs. These brands personality speak just as loudly, but not as favorably! What about your BRAND YOU? What is the personality you want your brand to convey? You can begin by answering these questions: What is your BRAND YOU personality? Who are your primary competitors and what is their brand personality? What can BRAND YOU offer that is different? Make it yours You need to own your personal brand development. First, know that the competitive landscape is fierce and unrelenting. Second, know that Brand YOU is the best weapon you have in beating the competition to land the job, or the strategic partner, or the financing you are seeking. Your terrific education, community service, stellar background, and superb skills are not enough. YOU have to develop the brand and the brand personality that will make BRAND YOU the first choice of those you want to influence. No one can take that away from you. Author: Beverly Macy is Managing Partner at YM Partners LLC in Beverly Hills. She also teaches a social media class at UCLA and is organizer of the Gravity Summit event at UCLA February 25, 2009.

7 Devious Skills That Could Land You a Job CareerMetis.com

7 Devious Skills That Could Land You a Job Source: UnsplashYour life of crime is about to pay off.That may be exaggerating a bit, but some of your more dubious skills, whether illegal or just frowned upon by your parents, can translate to a career you love. You’re about to find out why your talent for cyberhacking or your online “snooping” skills can land you the job you are built for.The odds are that your strengths are also the things you love to do. When you can find a job that utilizes the skills you already possess and enjoy doing, you won’t have to spend 40 hours Your skills: hitman or a mafia bossevalThe potential job: military analystNational security and defense are more critical than ever â€" and as someone who’s skirted the law in the past, you know what’s coming around the next bend and the one after that. Intelligence is a necessary and predominant part of military strategy and operations, as is being able to predict what people will do, plus how and when they’ll do it.Military analysts are needed t o use the latest technology to gather and process critical military information. Analysts do a lot more than look at facts and figures all day, though. They have to take the data that’s collected, go over it in detail, decide what the information means about the organization’s goals, and then form a plan of action.You may provide support for commanders by evaluating their strategy and determining if they’ll be successful. This might include analyzing global forces so that the military can be ready should they come into contact with them.You could even work for the CIA to consult about policy formation. Drawing accurate conclusions makes any military analyst a highly prized part of the team.2) Observe the Hacking Community to Keep Businesses and Individuals SafeYour skills: cybertheft or black-hat hackingThe potential job: ethical hackerCyber attacks can severely impact businesses and society overall. Black-hat hackers steal information, goods, or money, and they may also chang e vital business records. This can directly affect a company when there’s a security breach of their data, or it can indirectly impact a company if the hacker poses as a representative and targets customers.evalEthical hacking, also known as penetration testing or white-hat hacking, is evolving into a critical field within the security sphere. To test how secure a system is, hacking is done on purpose and with the company’s knowledge to uncover any gaps or flaws. Ethical hackers stay on top of hacking trends, study new techniques, and may even infiltrate the hacking community to perform their job better.Since ethical hackers are so involved in black-hat practices, there’s a question of how trustworthy they are. There are moral guidelines, industry standards, and councils that strive to keep ethical hackers above board. Additionally, there also has to be a certain amount of moral obligation from the hacker and trust from the client who hires him.3) Turn Your Past Into a Hopeful Future for Someone ElseYour skills: ex-addict or ex-conThe potential job: social workerA tough background can lead to becoming an insightful, empathetic social worker. Having been through many of the same issues your clients face, you may be able to tune into subtle cues and body language that another person could miss. This can help you recognize when the client is hiding something and relate to them as they start to reveal themselves.evalAs a social worker, you can work in a variety of niches, including child protection, adult mental health, and social policy. You could spend your days as a substance abuse counselor or family therapist.You can work with teens who are struggling with eating disorders. You could also become a grant writer or the executive director of a nonprofit organization. Whichever path you choose, you’ll know that you’re helping individuals and society as a whole.4. Stay Calm and Think Clearly When a Life Is at StakeYour skills: getaway driver or high-stak es thiefThe potential job: ambulance driver or helicopter pilotAs someone who has been involved in risky, thrilling situations, you may already possess many of the traits it takes to be an ambulance driver or helicopter pilot. You’re highly alert and notice right away when something is about to go wrong. You can focus on the task at hand without being distracted. You can juggle a lot of information in your brain without becoming confused or slowing down.As an ambulance driver or helicopter pilot, your job is to use your specialized skills to swiftly and safely transport people when they need life-saving medical treatment. Since many medical centers and hospitals only have limited space, they don’t always have the specific equipment required for the treatment. Scenarios like burns and organ transplants require fast transportation to the closest treatment center.eval5) Uncover Information to Tell the Public What They Deserve to KnowYour skills: investigationThe potential job: jour nalistAre you known to be nosey, often asking questions that cross the line? Do you pride yourself on finding out every little detail about a person or situation, even if that means digging where you don’t belong? Journalists carefully balance a love of information and a need to know with ethical expectations â€" often, though, that means searching to uncover information that people have a right to know, even if others don’t necessarily want it out there.As a journalist, you’ll meet, speak to and learn from a broad range of people, from passersby on the street to big names with lofty positions.You’ll have the thrill of discovering buried information during your search, then revealing that information to the public. You’ll also hone your writing and marketing skills to deliver the news in the most compelling way possible.6) Keep Businesses Accountable for Their FinancesYour skills: financial fraudevalThe potential job: forensic accountantHave you dallied in creative account ing in the past? Cooking the books involves committing fraudulent acts to make financial data look different than it truly is. This can require great attention to detail and innovative thinking to make it seem as though the company earned more money than what they in actuality did.Forensic accountants are on the other side of the law, but they have to know how financial criminals think and the tactics they use.You’re already adept at math, and you have a sharp eye for detail â€" two skills that you need to stop criminals in their tracks. A forensic accountant will look in-depth at a business’ finances to prevent or uncover illegal activities, whether they’re purposeful or accidental.7) Persuade People to Buy Products or Services They’ll LoveYour skills: con artistThe potential job: salesevalCon artists don’t look dangerous â€" that’s why the average Joe and Jane trust them. Hustlers can undoubtedly ruin lives, but they also have a lot to teach about the art of persuasion . When a person with a knack for getting their way uses their power for good, they can increase sales for business while improving the lives of customers.Con artists have an advanced understanding of why people make decisions. They know how to figure out a person’s pain points and appeal to those specific emotions. Once they’ve done their homework, they convince the individual to make some investment, like handing their email address over or making a small, first-time purchase.Con artists are also phenomenal at reputation management, which make sales pitches even more trustworthy and successful.Imagine turning a questionable past into a promising future. You don’t have to say “goodbye” to the activities and interests you love most; instead, you can start earning a living from them and build your career on your most impressive talents.