Making The Move Positive Ways To Change Your Career

Making The Move Positive Ways To Change Your Career We all get to a stage in our life when we get a little complacent or bored in the job we’re currently in. Whether you’re just starting out on your journey up the career ladder or you’ve been a player in the game for a long time choosing a career which makes you happy is a difficult task. There is no ideal time to make a move in your career, but there are many ways you can change it up. You will know the feeling inside of you if it is time to make an all important switch. Follow your gut instinct and remove yourself from the job that is making you feel claustrophobic and trapped. The Magic Move One of the most significant ways to make a change in your career path is moving to a completely different country to pursue the job of your dreams. You might have the opportunity to transfer to another office or you just have wanderlust and need to get away. Consult a company like Davis Associates to assist you with the important documents and legal paperwork for your big move. Before you make such a impactful transfer you need to make sure that the job you are going into has enough security for you to be able to live comfortably. Explore all of your options before jumping into any rash decisions. Excellent Education There is no age limit when it comes to furthering your education. If you have been stuck in the same career for several years and feel like you aren’t getting anywhere, you might want to take some additional courses to expand your knowledge. Whether you want to go back to college full time, attend night classes or take an online course there a many ways to broaden your horizons and make yourself more marketable to employers. Take the chance to improve and update your resume and chase the career you have always wanted. Rich Risk Taker Channel your inner entrepreneurial spirit and think about starting up your own business. There might be something you are secretly passionate about and you want to create it in addition your current job. There is no shame in sticking with your regular work whilst it funds your business set up. It make perfect sense to hold onto your stable income whilst you pursue your business goals. Be sure to strike a balance between your two work obligations and don’t let either fall through the net. Starting a business is no easy task, so you might be surprised how much extra time it takes out of your daily life. Once it is up and running you will soon be able to gauge how quickly it will take off and whether you can afford to dedicate all of your time to your new venture. No matter how small or significant the change is, you are one step closer to reaching your career goal. Taking a risk can often land people where they want to be, so don’t be afraid to think outside the box and make it happen.

8 Ways to Get Promoted As a Freelancer CareerMetis.com

8 Ways to Get Promoted As a Freelancer Source â€" DepositPhotos.comMore than 53 million Americans â€" 34 percent of the entire workforceâ€" are freelancers, working in industries such as writing and publication, digital design, software development and more. If you’re one of the many working as your own boss, you may be wondering how it’s possible to gain a promotion.While employees working for large companies know what steps they need to take to advance, being a freelancer means determining your own path. It’s up to you to assess your goals and decide what needs to be done to achieve them.The best way to promote yourself is to seek ways to improve and grow in your career as a freelancer.1) Give Yourself a RaiseevalevalAccording to a survey, on average, most freelance workers earn significantly morethan the average non-freelance wages. If you don’t feel you’re earning enough, it could be time to rethink your rates. When was the last time you determined how valuable your time is?Too-low rates can often indicate l ow-quality services to a client, whether that’s true or not. When you’re calculating your hourly or project rate, decide what fee is reasonable based on your expertise, experience, niche and location. If possible, find out what other freelancers with similar backgrounds are charging.If you change your rate, always remember to notify ongoing and regular clients. It’s never a good idea to send an invoice with a surprise up-charge. A simple email or notification letter in the mail will suffice.2) Work Smarter, Not HarderOne way to promote yourself is to start working smarter, not harder. This philosophy means utilizing your time more efficiently to make more money and work fewer hours. If you’re wasting half your day surfing the web or responding to emails, it’s time you could instead spend getting work done.One way to ensure you’re working more efficiently is to cut out distractions, such as email notifications and internet browsing. Have a to-do list of the things you nee d to get done, and number them by importance. Then, begin crossing off each task, starting with the most important.3) Be Selective with ClientsDo you have gigs that you dread working on? Perhaps you have a client you’d rather avoid. As a freelancer, you get to decide who you want to work with and what you want to work on. Promote yourself to working exclusively with your top accounts â€" the ones you consider to offer the most value to your career.This step could mean being more selective with the clients and work you choose to take on. However, some freelancers decide to outsource work to other freelancers, allowing them to still accept contracts without having to complete all the work.evalYour time will be better utilized and more fulfilling when you allow yourself to limit your work to only the best clients.4) Expand Your HorizonsIs there a client or publication you’ve wanted to write for? Perhaps you read their magazine each week, or you stay up-to-date on all the latest blo g articles. Either way, stop hesitating and start taking action. Doubt â€" whether it’s about your abilities, your readiness or something else â€" will only hold you back.Challenge yourself, and start pitching to clients that might feel like a reach. Keep your ambitions and motivation high. Use any feedback you receive to optimize your pitch and continue going after your goals.5) Never Stop LearningevalAt a typical organization, promotions come to those who arecurious, willing to learn and able to adapt. While no manager is looking over your shoulder as a freelancer, continual learning can still lead to advancement, meaning you should treat each work day as an opportunity to learn something new.evalAs a freelancer, online education is a convenient option. You can take courses, watch educational videos, attend web seminars, read digital guides and more. The internet has only made it easier to gain skills and get better at what you do. You can also learn offline, perhaps by reading a book or attending a lecture series at your local university.6) Promote Yourself to ManagementSome freelancers prefer keeping to themselves, and that’s okay. But if you’re looking for a surefire way to advance as a freelancer, it’s time to consider a promotion to manager. This step means delegating to and keeping track of a personal team.Maybe you want to hire someone to keep track of invoicing and receiving payments. Or perhaps you’re looking to hire other freelancers with the same skills as you so that you can hand off mediocre jobs or clients you’d rather pass up. Having more people on your team will free up your time to focus on work that’s important to you.If you decide to bring more people into your freelance operation, it’s a good idea to first establish yourself as an LLC, a straightforward process that will protect youin the rare event that someone â€" such as a client or contracted freelancer â€" decides to sue you. An LLC will allow them to sue only the bus iness and not you personally.Other benefits of starting an LLC include:Less administrative paperworkMore tax advantagesFlexible profit distributionNo double taxatio7) Ask for ReferralsAre you looking to bring in more clients and make a bigger paycheck? One great way you can find new work is to ask your current and past clients for referrals. If a client is satisfied with your work, they typically won’t mind passing along the news to friends, peers and co-workers that you offer quality services.This word-of-mouth promotion is great for a freelancer, as it comes from a trusted source and holds more weight than an ad or sales pitch. You’ll find more success sourcing clients through referrals than through sending out cold emails to people who don’t know you. Getting referrals from clients you enjoy working for can also mean higher chances of finding similarly good clients.8) Give Yourself a BonusOne perk of working for an employer is the possibility of a bonus. Maybe it’s an end -of-year celebration or a gift for happy holidays. It could be a quarterly reminder that you hit all your targets and are on track for a great fiscal year. No matter what it is, a bonus is a reward that means a job well done.Everyone needs a bonus now and then â€" even freelancers. Being your own boss means you get to decide when and how you’re rewarded. Perhaps you’ve met your goal of landing three new clients in a month. You can reward yourself by going out to lunch at your favorite restaurant. Or maybe you’ve finally made it through a long and treacherous project. Give yourself a bonus by allocating $100 toward a shopping trip.Earning a Promotion as a FreelancerevalAs a freelancer, you can’t walk into your boss’ office and ask for a promotion, but maybe that’s a good thing. From how many hours you work to how much money you make, you have more control over the trajectory of your career.That said, if you want to “earn a promotion” and advance in your career, you’ re the only person who can make it happen. There’s plenty you can do to improve yourself and achieve more goals â€" get started today!

LinkedIn Is No Longer Optional. It May Be More Important Than Your Resume

LinkedIn Is No Longer Optional. It May Be More Important Than Your Resume Youve heard about LinkedIn.   You have a skeleton of a profile and a few contactsnow why isnt your phone ringing off the hook? It isnt that simple.   Your LinkedIn profile needs to have quality content.   It needs to convey a message about you.   Invest the time to make your profile 100% complete.   There have been some great articles on how to do this.   Please dont make excuses or say you dont know how. Here is two explanations of HOW to complete your profile: Make Sure Your LinkedIn Profile is 100% Complete from BrandYourself.com Leverage LinkedIn for Personal Branding and Targeted Executive Job Search   by Meg Guiseppi. Once you have your profile complete, begin to use LinkedIn.   There is no greater teacher than experience. If you dont think you need LinkedIn, you should read this post about how to be found using LinkedIn: How to Be Found By Recruiters On LinkedIn by Marci Reynolds from Job-Hunt.org 7 Ways to Get More Out of LinkedIn by Sharlyn Lauby from Mashable Please, dont just stop here.   Begin to really USE LinkedIn.   Consider it your networking rolodex or address book.     It will keep track of all the great people you meet as you go through your career.   And there is no need to update your contacts information, no more bounced emails or disconnected phone numbers.   It is done by them when they change jobs.   It is an virtual contact list that never gets outdated! LinkedIn is not a fad, it is not a toy, it is an investment in your future.   Learn it and use it to your advantage.

Are You Showing Your True Personal Brand

Are You Showing Your True Personal Brand A major part of a job search involves making your personal brand appear to be what you want it to be. However, executives often make the mistake of gearing their c-level personal branding more toward what they want others to perceive of them, rather than showing who they really are. The problem with this is recruiters and hiring managers can see right through it. All it takes is a little bit of inconsistency and your job search could be ruined. So when it comes to personal branding for senior level managers, being truthful and honest are the best ways to go. Why Some People Are Hesitant To Show Their True Brand Some people resist demonstrating their true brand because they don’t want the world to know what their personality is. If you haven’t conducted a job search in several years, you may remember thinking your resume needs to follow a certain pattern or standard and shouldn’t deviate from the norm. Times have changed now and hiring managers want to know who they are hiring as a person and a professional. While it’s understandable to be uncomfortable showing your brand, it’s important to also know that differentiation is critical when it comes to being recognized. A Personality Fit is Important To Employers When you show some of your personality on your LinkedIn profile, recruiters will get a glimpse into who you are as a person. A solid mix of professional achievements and personal experiences will bode well on your LinkedIn profile and will increase the chances of you getting noticed. The more natural the language in your profile sounds, the better your c-level personal branding efforts will be, especially when you back it up in your verbal language and your resume. Companies prioritize hiring people with good personality fits now, so never hesitate to show a little. Your Personal Brand Presents Unique Value Without c-level personal branding, executives have no real way of standing out among dozens of other job applicants. You have a great opportunity to distinguish yourself with your personality and tie in how your personality offers value to the company. This could mean working well as a team, the ability to think creatively, be a leader or anything else. Professional achievements for executives often seem similar on paper, so your personal brand could be what sets you apart and gives you a better chance of landing the job you want. Professional Resume Services is here to help executives make sure all bases are covered when it comes to their job search. Personal branding is a much larger aspect of a job search today than it was several years ago. Sometimes all it takes is optimizing your LinkedIn profile, while other times you may need to work on your entire online presence to show your true brand. Regardless of where you’re at in your searching efforts, feel free to give us a call if you need assistance along the way.

Writing a Federal Resume From Military Background

Writing a Federal Resume From Military BackgroundIt is not at all necessary to have a military background when writing a federal resume. The good news is that you can also use this as a tool to demonstrate your academic achievements. You may choose to include military college coursework in your resume if you feel it would benefit you in the interview process.Many people with military service have this background because they went on to become career officers or service members of large corporations. Since so many career choices are open to service members, military career success often begins with military enlistment.But even though you do not need a military background to do well in the career search, it is never a bad idea to include this in your resume. That is because it can prove to your employer that you have the necessary training and experience to be a high-powered executive or sales specialist. By using this military background you will demonstrate that you know how to make the most of a challenging career. Some people try to include this in their resume because they think it will impress their future employers.By including military-related information in your resume, you can show that you have experienced a military career that is a step above the normal one. As an example, you may have served for two years as a medic in the Army. That means you have probably dealt with a lot of similar situations that require an all-out effort. Although this kind of experience may sound great for your resume, it is not what your employer is looking for when hiring in the first place.However, if you have held a civilian job for some time, your resume will give them more of a chance to check on your work habits. If you have good sales and accounting skills, it shows that you have the ability to handle a demanding corporate position. So, by including military service in your resume, you are showing your potential employer that you are the kind of person they should cons ider hiring.One of the best ways to show that you have experience beyond what your resume suggests is to send out your resume to other companies that may be hiring. This is one way to get an idea of whether you have been hired because of this military background.Remember that you can use military background in your resume. This will help you show how much more qualified you are than someone who only has a civilian background.

What to Do When You Get a Job Counteroffer

What to Do When You Get a Job Counteroffer Q: I’ve been feeling invisible in my current company and position. It’s not bad, per se, but not good either. So I went and got a new job, which was great news. Until I told my supervisor and he came back with a counter-offer that includes a promotion (more money and a title change). Now I’m confused about what to do. The new position was going to be a lateral move with my current job title and slightly more money. Should I stay or should I go? A: If you have already accepted the new position, you have given your word. Your word should mean something, and it â€" and your reputation â€" will follow you throughout your career. You should take the new position. That being said, if you are still in the negotiating stage, you have a choice to make. It’s rarely a good sign when a company makes an employee feel invisible and only acknowledges that person when she threatens to leave. Great employers should continually motivate and inspire their employees, look for growth opportunities for their people, and provide ongoing feedback. If you stay with your current employer, what are the chances that within a short time you’ll once again feel invisible? To help you make your choice, ask your managers why they have now decided to try to keep you at the company â€" and ask them to map out what they see as your next two years there. This way, you’ll get a sense of how committed they are to you and to your future advancement within the organization. Video Player is loading.Play VideoPlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  SharePlayback Rate1xChaptersChaptersDescriptionsdescriptions off, selectedCaptionscaptions settings, opens captions settings dialogcaptions off, selectedAudio TrackFullscreenThis is a modal window. The Video Cloud video was not found. Error Code: VIDEO_CLOUD_ERR_VIDEO_NOT_FOUND Session ID: 2019-12-30:48cdbf6eecea705dcdc035ac Player Element ID: jumpstart_video_1 OK Close Modal DialogBeginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.PlayMuteCurrent Time  0:00/Duration  0:00Loaded: 0%Stream Type  LIVESeek to live, currently playing liveLIVERemaining Time  -0:00  Playback Rate1xFullscreenClose Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. As you consider the offer at the new company, try to imagine your situation a year from now should you accept the position. Is it the kind of company that encourages and supports its talent? Do the managers recognize accomplishments, present opportunities for advancement, and provide monetary rewards? Do your due diligence and weigh those assessments against what your current employer tells you about their plans for you. Your decision should not simply be focused on just the short-term issue of money and title â€" it should be about where you have the greatest opportunities for long-term success. Take the option where you’ll be treated like a valued employee, receive feedback and guidance, see career advancement opportunities, help to build something that matters, and find professional and personal satisfaction. More From DailyWorth: How to Get Promoted (or Not) When Your Manager Leaves How Do I Switch Departments Within My Company? I’m in a Career Rut â€" What Now?

6 Tools for Managing Social Media - Work It Daily

6 Tools for Managing Social Media - Work It Daily By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Jessica Miller-Merrell Time management is something most of us struggled with long before social media. As we become more involved in the world of social media and see the importance of building personal business relationships, managing your time both inside the social media space and outside as a business professional and human being becomes ever more important. 1. Tweetdeck This is my favorite third party application. I can now see YouTube videos, Flickr, in addition to viewing my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I spend a great deal of time categorizing those I am following so I do not miss a tweet from my closest friends, while also staying up to date on local happenings. My Tweetdeck is divided into columns including HR Peeps, Oklahoma, and hash tags like #HRHappyHour or #TRULondon. I can stay up to date on events very quickly while engaging with others in real time. 2. Ping.fm An old favorite. This allows me to ping multiple social media accounts and transmit the same data or message. I also have the ability to control which accounts I wish my message to be sent to. Seesmic just recently purchased Ping, and I’m eager with anticipation to see how this acquisition will improve both applications. 3. SocialOomph SocialOomph was formerly TweetLater. I am able to schedule messages on both Twitter and Facebook Fan pages, allowing me to target my message to a specific audience while saving time and stress. This is especially handy when I am promoting an event or making an announcement. The Twitter scheduling feature is free while the Facebook scheduling costs $29.95 a month, and might be a wise investment for someone who is time conscious. Another fantastic new option is an Opt-Out Auto DM feature. You can log on to SocialOomph and opt out of spammy auto DMs, like a Do Not Call List for Twitter spam. (I like it!) Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail. 4. Gist This is a new tool I’ve been playing with. It’s currently in beta and seeks to integrate and upload all your contacts to one location from Salesforce, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and your email. I’m excited to dive into this tool and give it a thorough test drive. 5. Tungle My friend, Chris Hoyt, turned me on to this new tool that allows my friends to view my calendar and schedule meetings. I control the settings and who can view my calendar. It uploads your Outlook contacts and auto updates from Outlook to Tungle as well. So, Tungle me and let’s connect! 6. NutshellMail Once again, another tool I am just experimenting with. This allows you to receive one email updating you on multiple social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, saving you the time and stress of clogging up your email box. I see this as a good tool for someone who wants to stay connected but isn’t a power user. Once a month I host a free teleseminar where I discuss a topic related to social media. This month, I discussed “How to Manage Your Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day.” A very important topic for those of us who have too much to do and not enough time to do it. The session went extremely well. If you are interested in listening to the playback of the entire session, you are free to call (712) 432-1085. Photo Credit The Studio Blog. Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here. Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media. She has over 10 years of experience in human resources recruiting. Her company, Xceptional HR, provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting. Jessica’s book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business, was released January 2010. Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook. Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!