I was purusing Seth Godin’s blog today and as I read through it the following paragraph jumped out and grabbed me around the throat:

“Every quarter, your company ships new products or services. And every quarter, someone says, “under the circumstances,” or “given the deadline” or “with the team we had available”… it’s the best we could do. I say ship nothing.”

What does this have to do with your career you may be asking? Well think about it - how many of you are feeling stuck in a mediocre career? Part of the reason may be that you won’t take the time to improve your circumstances. You won’t ’stop shipping’ as Seth states and change course. Find out what’s stopping you and make the effort to really, really….I mean REALLY change the game.

There is always an excuse - “I need to update my resume”, “None of the good companies are hiring”, “If I start at a new company it will take too long to work my way back up”, “I might not be able to get the same pay”, “I need to finish my…(you fill in the blank) first”.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? Well, I’m here to say I agree with Seth - “stop shipping”. Get off your duff and update that resume, start networking and find people who are in the companies you want to work for, get back into school to finish that credential and most of all - get fresh, up date yourself and get back out there and start ‘living’ a good career - it’s your turn and you deserve to ‘Dig What You Do’, but no one is going to do it for you.

I challenge you to start today!

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers

Visit us and get your FREE report and while you’re there check out our Great Video ebook!

Are others passing you by? If so, low visibility within your organization may be the culprit. Try some of these tips to get noticed and get ahead!

• Volunteer for a new assignment/project.
• Keep your manager well informed of your projects and accomplishments.
• Study your company’s needs and strategies and expand your knowledge and skills to become a key provider. Make others aware of your accomplishments and expertise.
• Stay on top of what’s going on in your industry and stay well versed on your competition.
• Be solution oriented (always approach your boss with a solution to a problem).
• Be different! Focus on developing your personal brand – then be your brand.
• Always keep a log of your accomplishments and contributions. This is an ideal tool when asked to provide input during your performance review.
• Stay well networked and connected. Spend time talking with people inside and outside your organization.
• Make a commitment to continual learning.
• Be an active participant in your company’s mission. Share your point of view, ask questions and provide input – get visible.

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers

Visit us and get your FREE report and while you’re there check out our Great Video ebook!

How to dress for an interview

It’s true; before you even open your mouth to say a word you’ve already made an impression on the person you are interacting with. It happens that quickly, in a flash the other person has basically summed you up – did you make the cut?

You may say, “Who cares?” But, believe it or not studies show that the first impressions can be a real showstopper when it comes to interviewing for a new job, let alone moving ahead in an organization or fitting in with the corporate culture.

Let’s take a moment to think of “impression” from your perspective, remembering that you are continually making first impression judgments yourself. You’ll walk into the employer lobby and immediately begin making decisions on how it looks and feels there and what you think overall. Comfortable? Casual? Is it a welcoming environment or cold and stuffy? Perhaps it’s too formal for you? The receptionist may be next for you and you’ll be making even more impression decisions. Is he/she friendly? Rude? Over the top? Dressed weird? Welcoming and inviting, or not? The point here is that “you” are also continually making first impression judgments and need to remember that it works both ways.

How to make a great first impression through interview attire

Let’s focus on how you can make a winning first impression with your interviewer. Since you won’t get a second chance to make a first impression it will be important for you to get the scoop on the corporate culture before you ever enter the lobby. And, with all the outside information available these days employers will expect that you have done your homework ahead of time. You’ll need to check with anyone you may know who works there, or who may have worked there previously, to find out how the employees dress on a daily basis. And, if your contacts have interviewed people before for that particular company, what was expected as far as interview attire. If you really have no leads into the company and don’t even know anyone that does business with the company then be sure to check with the Human Resources department. They will normally be happy to give you information on culture and interview attire. Some companies would find it very odd if you show up in a three-piece suit, where as others would expect such attire. It depends on the position you’re interviewing for. So, give yourself a break, stop guessing and check it out.

Once you’ve got the skinny on what to wear you’ll want to focus on the items you will take with you. This may sound funny, but imagine for a minute someone who shows up in a three-piece suit for an interview and then carries his or her notepad and extra resumes in a manila folder or brown oversized envelope. You get the idea. It ruins the whole professional look. So, always be sure that what you carry has a professional look to it. Spend the extra effort to get a leather portfolio to carry your items in, whether you interview in a suit or not. Take a few minutes to upgrade your pen, carry “white” notepad paper, extra resumes and a formalized typed page of your references/employer contacts. These are all little things that can add up to a big impact on how your potential employer rates your first impression.

Don’t live in a vacuum

Your own opinion is just that – your own. Try actually doing a “dress rehearsal”. Dress the part and ask for the opinion of others that you respect. Doing this advanced prep will help you to address any items you may have forgotten, allow you to take other opinions into consideration and help to build your confidence around your first impression. This is also a great time to try out the infamous handshake and get opinions on your grip.

Although experience will certainly be a factor in your job interview it is very important to remember that if you don’t pull off a good first impression your interviewer may not view your experience in the same way.

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers

Visit us and get your FREE report and while you’re there check out our Great Video ebook!

“What we think we are evolves into what we in fact become” as Marsha Sinetar tells us in her wonderful book, Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow, a terrific book on discovering your right livelihood. Not a new book by any means, yet everytime I read its pages I acquire a new way of thinking about something. It seems that every sentence is a jewel. I love her chapters on Dealing with Resistance and Dealing with Shoulds and Treating Yourself as If You Count. This book is an inspiring wealth of information. As Ms. Sinetar states “When we are determined to meet life’s challenges, we come to see all problems as opportunities for creativity, growth and new answers. In this way, we tap a source of knowledge within us that carries us through all difficulties and helps us transcend them in practical ways that actually bring us to the places, people and things we need. In this way we can eventually be resourceful and let go of the false idea that we cannot live fruitfully in the world.”

What to get unstuck now? Try this wonderful book…

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUp Careers

Visit us and get your FREE report and while you’re there check out our Great Video ebook!

I came across this resume article and I’m passing it on to you since it speaks to many of the points I make with people regarding the development of their resumes. I can’t speak enough about how important it is to ‘target’ the position your are seeking and have your resume focus on ‘what you can do for the employer’ and not what you want from them. The article is below and I’ve also given you the link to view some of the before and after resumes listed on their site - http://www.accuroresumes.com/resume-writing/resume-samples.html

Here is the article:

Your Resume Must Tell Employers What They Want to Know

When you attempt to craft a resume, there is always the danger that you will fall in love with your own creation. While it stands to reason that you would want to produce a resume that reads well to you, your opinion doesn’t count as much as a prospective employer’s viewpoint.As a result, it is vitally important that you turn out a resume that tells employers exactly what they want to know. If your resume is deficient in any way…if it fails to inform a recruiting manager where you worked, how long you worked there, what your educational background is, what skills you possess, and your general qualifications for a specific position…your resume will quickly end up in the waste bin.Don’t Depend on the Interview to Make Up for Problems With Your Resume
A number of job-seekers are satisfied with producing a resume that’s less than perfect because they hold out the hope that they can make up for their resume’s flaws through a stellar performance during a job interview. The problem with this line of thinking is that, unless your resume is top-notch, it is unlikely that you will be selected for any interview at all. Therefore, it pays to devote time and attention to fine-tuning your resume so that it meets the needs of prospective employers.Put Yourself in the Employer’s Place
In order to write an effective resume, you need to put yourself in the place of the hiring manager. The employer’s eyes may be glazing over from all the resumes he or she has had to review. As a result, the employer is probably skimming through the stack looking for potential employees who fit some key criteria: the criteria being that they will perform the job effectively and efficiently; they will benefit the company; and they will be dedicated to their position.

Be Sure to Cover the Basics
While it is certainly wise to make your resume as brief as you possibly can, it is critically important that you include the basic information a prospective employer wants to know. You might be surprised at the fact that a number of job-seekers forget to include their e-mail addresses or cell phone numbers—two key ways for employers to get in touch with them. Also, be sure to include your snail-mail address, in case the employer needs you to fill out an application or a survey.

Your resume should include a complete job history (at least, post-college), information about skills you have that are applicable to the job you’re applying for, a list of the degrees you’ve earned and the colleges, universities, and relevant training programs you’ve attended, and your references. A prospective employer wants to know what your references have to say about you—he or she doesn’t want to take the time to call you and track down names and phone numbers at the last minute. The more complete the information you provide about your references, the better. Providing reference information as an addendum to your resume is a positive option.

Indicate Why Your Candidacy is Special
Once you’ve covered the basics, it’s highly important that you provide the employer with information that will distinguish your candidacy from the rest of the job applicants. If your resume is overly broad in focus, it will not attract the interest of a corporate recruiter. Instead, consider narrowing your focus by including information about special skill sets you possess, leadership roles you’ve held, and evidence of your team-building abilities. This information, like the rest of the information on your resume, must be presented in a clear, concise manner—otherwise, the employer will simply move onto the next resume.

Don’t Forget the Profile
Employers are definitely interested in your key accomplishments, evidence of your professionalism and your pursuit of excellence. These achievements can be easily encapsulated in a profile section at the beginning of your resume. Recruiters can read through the profile quickly, giving them an immediate impression of your suitability for the position that’s been advertised.

What Employers Don’t Want to Know
It is also important to pay some attention to what employers don’t want to know—or, at least, what they would prefer not to read on your resume. While each prospective employer is unique, there are certain common viewpoints that most share when it comes to resume appraisal.

In an effort to set themselves apart from the pack of other job applicants, a number of job-seekers make the mistake of making their resumes “too personal.” For instance, one individual who was seeking a position in government tried to portray himself in a unique light by including the names of his three dogs. Rather than making him appear intriguing, his decision to include dog news on his resume proved to be a deal-ender.

Also, for the most part, your resume does not need to explain in detail why you left a particular position. You can leave the discussion of that for the eventual job interview. It is far better to talk about the pitfalls in your job history in person rather than to try to explain them on paper.

The Intangibles
There are certain intangibles that employers want to know about you—information that you can convey in your resume. For instance, by proofreading your resume carefully and making sure that it is error-free, you are showing a prospective employer that you have a keen eye for detail. By presenting your resume in a professional, easy-to-read manner, you are demonstrating that you have excellent written communication skills. By listing your community and volunteer activities, you show an employer that you have a sense of commitment to bettering the world around you. These intangibles can often determine whether or not you are called in for an interview—or whether your resume is kept on file—never to be seen again.

This article was written by the certified professional resume writers of Resume Service(http://www.AccuroResumes.com/). The writers at AccuroResumes will help create a perfect professional resume suited to your best needs. See why thousands of people are discovering the benefits of a perfect professional resume written by AccuroResumes.com. You are guaranteed to be 100% satisfied with your new, professional resume or, your money back. Reproductions of this article are encouraged, but must include a link pointing to http://www.AccuroResumes.com/.

I’ll be talking more about resume brilliance in future blogs so be sure to bookmark this site and visit often.

Posted by Robin Ogden - FiredUP Careers

Visit us and get your FREE report and while you’re there check out our Great Video ebook!