Professional Executive Resume Writing and LinkedIn Writing Service

Professional Executive Resume Writing and LinkedIn Writing Service Theres a whole lot of noise in the world, not the least of which is the noise on the internet.What are methods to combat this digital noise while you also strive to add value?The internet hums with people selling ideas and wares, competing for intellectual bandwidth. Bombarded with multitudinous data and images, prospects scan sights, sounds and images.If your content is not situated where they seek, you wont be found. If your words and images are not interesting or solving a problem, they will fade into the background.As a master executive resume writer and business owner, I battle these challenges daily.While delivering quality, strategic content to customers is king, squeezing social media marketing juice is queen. But, what does this mean, really?If you follow Google search engine machinations, you know they continually tweak the rules. As such, while you sleep, your company Google ranking may plunge, slipping from first page to fifth; perhaps your revenue, too.A social media mav en, you organically construct a reputation for intellectual insights, commentary and images through a network of postings and collegial interactions. Your daily discourse across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., evolves your reputation from unknown to lauded. However, one day the protocols change and your insights no longer are widely shared or seen as relevant as they once were.When these shifts occur, your job as a business owner is to conduct research and proactively adjust your strategy.Diligent unearthing, communications with your trusted advisors and in some cases, hiring of experts to sort through the maze will move the visibility and revenue needle.Reviving a stalled business requires intuition, innovation and trial and error. Maintaining a vibrant and profitable presence requires continual due diligence and humility. Admitting that you do not nowand will likely neverhave a handle on all the operational logistics of digital marketing is imperative.How This Relate s to Executive Job SeekersSimilarly, successful executives at the helm of their career ship must continually evolve strategies. How to combat digital noise and add value in the executive career space is important.Whether you have reached the pinnacle of your career or are at the precipice of that next big move, you must not get stagnant or overly confident. Realize that in this globally connected world, marketing your executive career is dependent upon ever-advancing digital tools and protocols. Some of the things you must continually hone include your:1. Professional Tagline // For example. I use Your Value Into Words or Value Into Words. This phrasing adds focus to all communications: email signatures, business cards and a variety of social networking biographies.2. LinkedIn Headline // Mine reads, Executive Resume Strategist + Image Consultant | Translating Your Value Into Words. However, I change it up periodically, depending on prevailing prospective client needs; as well the m ood of the market. Check out these two headlines, the first I wrote for an executive client and the second for an entrepreneur. Click on their names to view their full profiles.Executive ExampleChris Felix Exec Sales + Operations  â€¢ Corporate/Government/Retail  â€¢ Translating company strength via customer + employee  experienceâ€"Entrepreneur ExampleJon Mertz Rousing Strategist+Thought Entrepreneur at Juncture of   Business+Society  ? Mobilizing Insights Into Belief-Based  Action3. Blog Content // Whether you own your own blog, are blogging as a guest on someone elses platform or you simply are posting updates or articles on LinkedIns platform, you must blog. Creating micro- or long-form blog content enables others insight into your intellectualism and learnings, extending your branding.4. Comment Strategy  // Composing thoughtful, sincere comments on colleagues or other business partners blog posts or status updates is engaging. As well, commenting on content from new people who se insights genuinely appeal to you is intuitive. Moreover, cultivating relationships with strategic contacts through positive, meaningful engagement on their content, adds value.5. Instagram Strategy //  If you are new to this social networking channel, begin following interesting people and companies. Gather ideas on content and hash-tagging strategies that appeal to you. Begin mirroring those strategies in your own stream. Hire a creative collaborator with whom to brainstorm and build your content and image designs. I partner with artist and Instagram strategist @SusanHenselArt.  This  ensures I have a consistent blend of professional and personal postings in my Instagram stream.6.  Twitter Strategy // Twitter gets a bad rap for being politically divisive; however, the business and career content-sharing opportunities on this robust channel abound. Capitalizing on the lists feature will help you to stream the content most valuable to you. You can also follow lists others have com piled. For example, Ive created a list of recruiters as well as a list for my executive connections. By reciprocating with your own quality articles, blog posts and images, you can build a following that will appreciate your value.7. Facebook Strategy // I have written on Glassdoor about how recruiters use Facebook to network with and source candidates. For example, they connect to professional and industry-specific groups; as well, they publish professional pages on which they post current opportunities. Moreover, you can exude your professional value and persona through a well-developed and strategic profile, enabling recruiters to find you. Complement this with meaningful status updates and posts. Check out these two articles, here and here.8. Executive Resume //  Whether you are in search mode or happily engaged at your current company, having a modern, digital resume at-the-ready is crucial. You never know when someone in or out of your digital and social network will witness y our value in-action and want to know more. Whether it be an executive recruiter, hiring decision maker, board member or future client, you must be prepared to share your executive resume story with them at any time.9. Final thoughts //  It may seem overwhelming when trying to combat digital noise. Knowing which social networking, digital channels and strategies to leverage can be confusing. Keep in mind that its about quality over quantity, as well as consistent interaction. As well, its about trial and error and being nimble. The digital world of executive career search and entrepreneurial marketing is vast and ever-changing. This enables you to be a maverick, ideating and creating some of the rules as you go.I am a master  resume writer  with 20 years’ experience in the resume writing trenches. No insta-resume service here. I built my story from ground up, living and breathing resumes, full time, self-supporting, and not as a side gig. My clients hire me for the highly consultat ive, thoughtful approach to resume writing. Contact me at jacqui@careertrend.net to discuss how I can help shape the stories (executive resume, bio, LinkedIn, elevator pitch, etc.) that will accompany you through your next career evolvement.Image credit: Unsplash

How to Amplify Your Brand Voice With Employee Advocacy

How to Amplify Your Brand Voice With Employee Advocacy Although most businesses now realise that social media can play a significant role in their marketing and employer branding, few recognise they value of their employees and the role that they can play in the businesses social media efforts. The average person has 5 social media accounts, so it is highly likely that employees are already very active online and would be willing to become a social media advocate for the company. Not only are your employees a more trustworthy source than official company accounts, but getting them involved in sharing brand related content can also expand your reach significantly. Everyone Social have put together an infographic looking at how businesses can  amplify their brand voice by encouraging employees to be vocal on social media. Heres how your company could benefit from employee advocacy: How are businesses using social media? On average companies post:  1-2 times a day on Facebook;  4-15 times a day on Twitter and  20 times per month on LinkedIn 50% of employees are post about their employer on social media and of this 50% 1/3 of the posts are positive  39% of employers ask their employees to keep an eye out for social media posts about the company How are  employers helping employees to get involved on social media? 13% provide employees with 1 or more social media account 35% provide access to social media at work 55% of employers provide readily available tools for employees to use on social media How can social media affect employee engagement? Employees with the most extensive online networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues Employees of socially engaged companies are 20% more likely to stay at the organisation What are the benefits of employee advocacy on social media? Content shared by employees receives 8x more engagement than that shared by official brand channels Brand messages reach 561% further when shared by employees, than by official brand channels 90% of consumers said that they trust social media and word-of-mouth recommendations by friend and family more than other advertising. More on this topic at  Employee Advocacy: The Ultimate Handbook.

Where You Wear Your Badge Matters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Where You Wear Your Badge Matters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This may come off as a bit of a rant. And, for that, I apologize. My intent is to help you by helping yourself. And, by helping others to clearly see your name and perhaps skip a potentially embarrassing situation. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Millennial, a Gen Z, a Gen X’er or a Baby Boomer. Where You Wear Your Badge Matters Let’s Get Started What hand do you shake hands with? Typically it’s the right hand, right? When you go to shake someone’s hand you will lead with your right hand and lean in with your right shoulder. When you do this and when you are wearing your name badge on the right side of your chest people will have a much higher chance of seeing your name. This is a good thing and a good start. Note: This is for people that actually want to address people by their preferred name. Hint: Which is… EVERYONE! One Simple Tip If you do this one simple tip you can save yourself and possibly the other person some embarrassment. How often do you see someone and know who they are, but for whatever reason cannot remember their name? If you are like most people… it’s ALL THE TIME. This is especially true at trade shows and events. You meet and see a ton of people all over the place. Sure, wearing a badge might seem cliché. But, the reality is… everyone can use a little help remembering names. Why not make it as easy as possible? As you go towards someone to say hello you can take a quick glance at their name badge and voila. Since you’re going to lead with your right hand and shoulder… you might as well lead with your name badge too. Trade Shows Get Itâ€" They have adopted a lanyard model that for the most part keeps your name right in the middle of your body. Modern Twistâ€" Some people have tweaked their smartphones to display their name (and other messages) while wearing their phone their chest. (If you do this … do you wear it on the right side of your body? I hope so. Pro Tip: Take 2 seconds to look in the mirror to make sure others can see your name (assuming you want people to do so) Why does this matter? On the grand scheme of things it’s probably not going to make or break a business deal.But, it may enhance a friendship. People DO like to be recognized and called by their actual name. The science backs this up. See “The Power of Using Someone’s Name” for a bit more detail on this. As Maya Angelou said… Ive learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. When you use someone’s name… they will feel you. They will remember. This is NOT a trick. It’s common sense and in a sense it’s common decency. This is NOT new I learned this tip from the founder of the company of my formal job in the tech sector. I learned a lot from him and credit him with giving me a great perspective on how to treat competitors. Hint: With Respect! Some of that initial respect comes from calling people by their preferred name. Wearing your badge on your leading edge helps. Getting it Right Putting your badge on the right side is the right thing to do. Too many people put their badge on the left side, often where their pocket on their coat or shirt. Together we can fix that. One badge at a time. Who’s with me? I submit that those that commit to wearing their badge on the right side will stand out in their career. I don’t have the empirical evidence to support this, but I know from 20+ years of attending trade shows and events that I like to call people by their preferred name and I like it when they do the same for me. PSâ€" You don’t need to correct people for wearing their badge on the “wrong” side. But, you might find that you really start to notice people that do. So, What Side Do You Put Your Name Badge On Today? After what you read here… Now, What Side Will You Put Your Name Badge On?

Recruiters Hire More Drinkers!

Recruiters Hire More Drinkers! Yes, you read that right. Hire more drinkers! Oh, wait, slight typo… I mean, you have got to hire more  D.R.I.N.C.K.A.E’s If I were building new recruitment company today, the only people I would hire would be  D.R.I.N.C.K.A.E’s.  And I am pretty sure this is valid across  all  businesses in the modern age certainly those selling a service, or an idea. This is what a  D.R.I.N.C.K.A.E  looks like: Digital natives: People who ‘get digital’, are comfortable with social media, are great e-sourcers, can find people on the web, and can build relationships online. Reach: And by ‘reach’, I mean a network. People who know people. People who are connected, and known in a niche. People who may not know all the answers, but they know the people who have the answers, or at least, they know where to find those people. Intelligence: Hugely underestimated in recruitment, I have found. Intelligence that is. Everyone says recruitment is not ‘rocket science’. True, but it’s  not  easy either. And in the modern era, clients and candidates just will not deal with dummies. I am talking about intellectual prowess, which earns credibility, but also emotional intelligence. Knowing when to shut up, when to speak, what to say, what not to say. No d*ckheads: Sure you can bill, but you are just not that nice to have around. I won’t hire you.  Ever. Content: Yes, the ability to write. Not emails so much, but that’s a bonus. I mean blogs, tweets, status updates, compelling profiles. Knowledge and niche: Specialisation is the future of recruitment. A mile deep and an inch wide. Credibility through expertise. That’s the way. Attitude over résumé: Always. I can fill in the gaps in your experience and skills, if you have the right attitude. Hire attitude. Empathy: I know, crazy word when talking about recruiters. But the days of the arrogant, showy, pushy, superficial recruiter are over. You want great candidates to work with you? You have got to feel their pain, and understand their hot buttons. That is the only way to build an off-line brand, and become a ‘talent magnet’. So there it is. Throw away your old Job Descriptions. Only hire drinkers. Sorry, I mean D.R.I.N.C.K.A.E’s

Action Verbs For Resume Writing

Action Verbs For Resume WritingA very common mistake with resumes is to use verbs that do not belong there. This does not necessarily mean the skills, experiences, education or work experience are incorrect. But we must know the difference between descriptive and active verbs. You should be able to find out which ones you are using incorrectly if you are spending too much time in writing them.This is because when you start to describe the skills, experiences, work history or education that you have listed in your resume, the job searcher will immediately get distracted and skip that part. The descriptions will become unfocused and cluttered. By writing the content in an 'action' mode, you are ensuring that it has not been covered properly and the right information can be highlighted for the interested parties.If you make sure you cover the real issues with your resume, the searcher will be very impressed and will remember you more. This is when your resume should not be just a descri ption of your skills, experiences or education. It should become a brief summary of your career goals and objectives. By doing this, you are creating a very professional and impressive first impression for the recruiter.You can be sure that your resume will get you the interview if you follow this tip. You will need to learn how to use action verbs for resume writing that will help you achieve what you want. Remember to develop a resume that is tailored to your target employer's needs. It is not an easy task, but by doing it consistently, you will definitely get a call back.There is always a real question and answer between the recruiter and the candidate in front of them. By writing the content in an action mode, you can easily highlight what they really want to know. Using active verbs for resume writing will ensure that you remain on top of their priority list. Thisway, your resume will be noticed by the recruiter immediately.Another thing that you should also know is that when i t comes to writing resumes, the first impression is priceless. It is important that you convey your message clearly and concisely to the recruiter. Action verbs for resume writing will help you get this job. In the future, if the same resume is used by another employer, they will realize that you did not leave anything out, even the most minute details.This is the exact type of resume that will definitely get you the position you want. Writing the content in an action mode will make the recruiter notice and get the feeling that you are serious about getting that position. They will be impressed that you are taking the time to put together a resume that is so well-written. If they do not like your resume, they will be very quick to tell you.Action verbs for resume writing should be made easier for you. There are many methods you can use to write this type of resume. Some do not even require any creative skills at all. This is why action verbs for resume writing are not only helpful, but very effective too.

Speed Reading Techniques - How 2 Become

Speed Reading Techniques - How 2 Become Meta Guiding‘Meta guiding’ is a very simple and proven one of the speed reading techniques, and one you may be familiar with already. Essentially, it involves using your finger to trace underneath the words you are reading. The point is to move your finger at a faster speed you would normally read, forcing your eyes to follow and read faster than normal! Of course you do not necessarily have to use your finger; you could use a pen, stylus, or any other implement you see fit.Meta guiding is so effective for one main reason: It reduces the chances of regression, i.e. looking back over what you’ve already read. Regression is bad a few reasons â€" it means you are not reading well enough to understand what you’re looking at the first time around, and it slows you down. Meta guiding will ensure that you are reading every line, and that you are constantly progressing through what you’re reading. Meta   guiding is also good because it is easy to start practising. Start with a slow ish speed, only slightly faster than you naturally read, then work your way out of your comfort zone. With a bit of practice, you will surprise yourself with how well you can keep up with your finger, even if it is going improbably fast.If you find yourself tempted to look ahead of your finger, or onto the lines below, you can use a sheet of paper to block out what’s underneath the line of text you are reading. This will ensure that you are focusing on the correct line, and that maximum comprehension is maintained. Meta guiding is also useful if you only need to ‘skim-read’ a piece of text. Now for the next of the speed reading techniques, chunking.ChunkingChunking is arguably an extension of reducing sub-vocalising (as discussed in a previous blog about speed reading) â€" it revolves around using peripheral vision to absorb ‘chunks’ of words at a time i.e. more than one word at a time. There are a few ways you can approach this, one being to use ‘guide words’ as we di d earlier. Read on to find out how, with two chunking speed reading techniques!Chunking Technique 1 â€" Split the Page in HalfOne great way to use chunking is the following: As the above title suggests, split your page of text in half with an imaginary, or indeed real, line. Then, incorporate another technique we discussed in the previous blog â€" guide words and saccadic eye movements. Focus on guide words every one, two, or three lines, choosing ones on each side of the line that splits your page. Then, read by looking at these two words every two or three lines, using your peripheral vision to catch most of the words. Your eyes should be moving in a zig-zag pattern down the page. This will see you read a whole side of text much, much faster than normal, and comprehension should remain at maximum. You could even experiment with including meta guiding here as well â€" use a finger or pen to jump from word to word.Depending on your preferences, splitting the page in half may be a te chnique that’s better suited to educational purposes, such as taking notes on a topic you need to write an essay on, rather than reading for pleasure.Chunking Technique 2 â€" Three ColumnsThis method is fairly similar to the last method, but with a couple of key differences. First, draw, or imagine, two vertical lines on the page you’re reading, thereby splitting the text into three even sections. Then, try to read the page just by looking down the central column. It will be difficult at first, but you will eventually be able to read the whole page mainly using your peripheral vision. This is a very fast method of reading, and one you should definitely try out. Due to the nature of this technique, it is probably best to save it as a skim-reading tool; use it on text you only need to get the gist of. However, with practice, you might be able to get good results with maximum comprehension.As previously mentioned, for an introduction to speed reading, please read our previous blog on the subject: What is Speed Reading?For an in-depth guide on speed reading techniques, have a look at our book, Rapid Study Skills for Students â€" Speed Reading Pocketbook.Like How2Become on Facebook! This entry was posted in Resources. Bookmark the permalink. Henry Hunter Foundation Programme Application System: Situational Judgement (FPAS SJT)Tips For Passing GCSE English Literature

Job Search Is Job Search

Job Search Is Job Search So, is an Executive Level job search the same as any other?   Are you part of the C-Suite looking for a new job?   (In case you didnt know, C-Suite equals CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, etc.) It galls me that this level of job seeker thinks their search strategies would be any different.   Sure, there are services catering to this level.   Have you read their advice?   It is the same.   (If I am totally off base here, let me know by commenting) NETWORKING IS NETWORKING Not long ago, UpMo conducted a study on the habits of elite networkers.    What this points out is that executive level job seekers already understand networking.   They have strong networks built and know how to use them when they need them.   Do we all need to network to find a job? BRANDING IS BRANDING It doesnt matter what level you are serving in an organization.   You will be researched, googled, investigated.   What will they find and is your brand a fit for their organization? A RESUME IS A RESUME Everyone is writing accomplishment based resumes. The executive level resume  isnt any different than anyone elses accomplishment based resume. A TARGET IS A TARGET Having a list of target companies again, isnt just for senior level job seekers.   It applies to everyone. INTERVIEWS ARE INTERVIEWS Heck, you all get to do it.   Have that really fun conversation with a total stranger about why you are qualified for the job.   Again, not much difference here. NO ONE IS USING THE JOB BOARDS Just as it used to be that you would never see a job posting for a CEO, you seldom see any good jobs posted online. If you are an executive looking for work and you think your search is different, let me tell you, the same fundamentals apply. Looking for some solid executive level advice?   Try perusing these sites: ExecuNet Executive Career Insights Executive Resumes Career Transition Strategies Executive Resume Branding I hope you find they cater to your unique Executive needs. (chuckle, chuckle)