How Your Career is Like a Startup

How Your Career is Like a Startup There’s a lot you can learn about your own career by comparing the journey to that of a  technology startup. Most of the principles and practices associated with startup success can be  applied directly to your own work and pattern at your job. Consider that a startup, much like you, is attempting to prove a level of competency and  advance forward amongst their peers. They start from a base of knowledge or an idea and must  execute on project after project to earn the trust of customers, investors, and partners. Over  time, their level of execution grants them more customers, investors, and partners. A career is  no different. The better you equip and continuously train yourself, the more you earn in the form  of salary, equity, prestige, title, flexibility, and responsibility. Bootstrapping When founders first get together to start a startup, they go through a long bootstrapping process  where they spend their time quietly building a product or prototype, testing a business model,  and validating their idea. This step is crucial to a successful startup: without a product, a proven  method of how to sell it, and a clear need for that product, a startup provides nothing of value.  They’ll find it difficult to raise money or earn revenue, and will end up as one of the 90% of  startup failures. Along that same train of thought, your own career goes through a lengthy bootstrapping  process. Whether you’re a recent grad, a career transitioner, or you just received a promotion,  you need to go through a proving process when beginning a new leg in your professional  journey. That involves taking the skills and knowledge you do have, putting them into practice, and  developing a portfolio of work (your resume) over time â€" all for the sake of proving to others that  you’re valuable and earning you the ability to move forward in your career. Whether that’s in the  form of increased compensation or a new job at an awesome company, going through a  successful bootstrap phase is the first step to anyone’s eventual success. So when you’re in the bootstrapping phase of your career, diligently work on your own product  (skills), your business model (prove value and build a network), and validation of your work  (projects, internships, portfolios). Then, develop a marketing plan to sell your skills to companies  you want to work for. Accountability In a startup, there’s a very short chain of accountability. Every employee, manager, and founder  has more direct responsibility than in any traditional company. There is a very muddled chain of  command, and everyone answers for their own work. Further, startups adopt metrics and  methods of evaluation that make it extremely clear who is doing their work and who is slacking. After all, a small team is only as strong as its weakest member, and can’t afford to keep unproductive team members on board. Your career should run along the same lines. You are only truly accountable to yourself, and the  buck stops with you. You need to have metrics and evaluations upon which you can determine  your own successes and failures. What did you do for the last organization you worked for? Were there tangible results? Can you measure the impact? Knowing your own output also lets  you set new goals and push beyond your limits. Flexibility A startup lives and dies on its flexibility. Do the founders recognize when something is going  wrong? Do they recognize opportunity and capture it at the right time? Are they willing to pivot  when they see things aren’t going well? Is the team willing to scrap parts or all of something  they’ve been working on if they can’t prove value? Your career can also live or die on your flexibility. Are you constantly learning something new? If  you see that your skills are lacking in particular areas, are you working on developing them? If  you’re unhappy with your career path, are you willing to pivot? The tools are there for you to do  any of this. Coursera, General Assembly, Khan Academy, Duolingo, Wikipedia… the list goes  on and on. Strive to place yourself in a position where you are always learning, whether within  your field or outside of it. The most valuable talent is the most adaptable, so rest assured that  your efforts will be noticed. No It’s a word that startup founders hear all the time as they build their business. Will you invest in  the company? No. Will you buy our product? No. Have we done enough? No. This will also happen many times in your career. Will you give me an interview? No. Do you  consider me qualified for this job? No. Will you hire me? No. Can I have a promotion? No. What doesn’t matter is the no. What matters is how the startup responds. The best startups  aren’t content with just hearing no and moving forward without making any changes. They strive  to change that answer from a no to a yes, no matter how much effort it takes. They know how to  judge valid criticism from worthless negativity, and they know how to synthesize criticism into a  positive plan of action. The same applies for your career. No can be a devastating answer to hear, but you have to  move past it. Look to learn from the people who say no to you. Ask them for feedback or  consider for yourself what might have led to their decision. And keep trucking! Sometimes, in an effort to do something great, you’ll hear no a lot. Life can  often be a numbers game. Don’t stop after talking to one company in your area of interest, or  two, or five â€" you never know who might recognize the value you can offer or be willing to give  you a chance. Author: Stefan Mancevski is co-founder of JobHero, a free all-in-one job search dashboard enabling you  to organize, optimize, and upgrade your hunt for a new gig.  You can follow Stefan on Twitter at  @smancevski.

Cheap Help in Resume Writing - Where to Get Help With Resume Writing

Cheap Help in Resume Writing - Where to Get Help With Resume WritingFinding cheap help in resume writing can be quite difficult if you do not know where to look. The need for writing an effective resume is a necessity, but many people do not take the time to search for the right tools and methods to help them get that job.If you have just recently graduated from college or are just starting your career and you are looking for the right approach in resume writing then this article will help you in some way. Here we will discuss some tips that you can use to make your job search easier.The first tip is to start writing the resume before you find a company to write it for you. I know this may sound obvious, but many people ignore this basic step. It can pay off to take the time to research and find out which companies or professionals write resumes.The internet is a great place to start because you can find out what other people have to say about these programs. Check out a few reviews online and see what your options are.You can also look for companies that offer some great deals on their services. This will allow you to try out one of their programs to see if you like it before paying for a more expensive one.Many people can benefit from hiring a professional in resume writing, but you must know that some of the writers that you can find are not the best. Take the time to do some research before committing to any one individual.After you find someone that you feel is reputable, then you can make your decision based on what you have learned about the writer. You will find many people that are happy with the service they receive from a particular company and you should try to pick up a few things to help you with your own job search. If you find a website that is dedicated to helping people find professionals in resume writing, then it is a good idea to see what these people have to say about their experience with a particular writer. This is a good way to make su re that you are choosing the right person for your needs.

Five Cool Ways to Promote Your Side Hustle for $10 or Less

Five Cool Ways to Promote Your Side Hustle for $10 or Less Starting a side hustle is the easy part as long as you have a profitable idea and the drive to do the work. The hard part is when you’re trying to promote the business to attract new customers. Without new customers, your little money maker will stay exactly that… little. Since most side hustles are bootstrapped and don’t have much of a budget to run on, it’s always worth your while to check out some of the inexpensive methods for promotion. It’s this need to promote on a budget that brings us to our topic. The following are different ways you can go about promoting your side hustle for about $10 or less: Facebook Promoted Posts â€" If you’re operating a fan page for your side hustle then you might have noticed Facebook asking you if you’d like to promote the post. For about $5 $10 you can turn a regular post into one that’s promoted (it’s actually very easy). You can set it so that it only targets your followers, friends of followers, or those interested in your type of business. For this small investment you can have your post seen by thousands of individuals; even a single lead or two can end up being a nice money maker for the investment. Custom Swag â€" Swag (no not that type of swag) is the little gizmos, trinkets, and other neat items businesses give away during conventions (like keychains, mousepads, and such). These little items are great for getting your name out there because if they’re useful then not many people throw them away. One way to go about doing this on a budget is to buy custom flash drives  in bulk, making sure to include your name, logo, and contact details. You can begin handing these out to all types of people (especially great if you do it around a business event). When you buy in bulk these drives cost pennies on the dollar. Online Contests â€" For $10 you can use developer marketplaces (like CodeCanyon or others) to purchase a plugin/script for your website or invest in a service that allows you to run online contests with ease. Once you determine what you’ll offer (tip: set the prize as your service) you can get the ball rolling by promoting it on social channels, on your site, through word-of-mouth, blogging, and all other types of promotional methods. Even if there are just a few dozen entries it still gives you access to their emails (based on the plugin, script, or service) which you can use to cold call/email later on to pitch the biz. Pay Someone â€" There are tons of different freelance marketplaces and platforms that people are using to provide services to those in need of promotion. Three examples include Fiverr, oDesk, and Freelancer.com. Each of these websites you can find people versed in promotion, advertising, and marketing. Browse through and you’ll be sure to find someone offering their services for $10 or less that can do things such as include you in a sponsored tweet, write a guest blog post for you, or help you list the business across different business submission sites. The opportunity to grow your business through this method is only stopped by a lack of creativity. Hold a Workshop â€" Use that $10 to create and print out a few basic flyers from your local library and start distributing these all around the neighborhood, college campuses, and places where your type of customers may frequent. The aim is to create a small workshop where you can teach others about what you know and by doing so you may land a client or two because you are able to show your expertise in person. Even if it doesn’t lead to a client it’s likely that these individuals attending will go off and tell others about their experience which can lead to word-of-mouth referrals for the business. You see? Five (certainly) cool ways to promote a business without breaking the bank. There are hundreds of other great methods out there, too. Which of these do you think would work for your business?

Why Customer Feedback Is Crucial for Ebook Sales

Why Customer Feedback Is Crucial for Ebook Sales If you really want to know what people think about you â€" just ask. Yes, it might be painful sometimes. In fact, if you’re lucky, it will be painful. Growth usually involves a bit of discomfort. It’s one of those eternal facts of life; before you can improve, you have to learn what you’ve been doing wrong. This is why customer feedback is crucial for ebook sales. It’s the Best Way to Find Out What They Like Sure, you can make some extrapolations based on sales data. After all, if people are buying an ebook they must like it. But how many more ebooks could you sell if you knew exactly what your customers were looking for and took definitive steps to provide it? People Like to Think Their Opinions Have Weight Do you feel good when a friend asks your opinion about something? If you’re a regular at a restaurant and the owner asks what you think about some improvements she’s planningâ€"and seems sincerely interested in your responseâ€"would you feel better about choosing to eat there? Everybody likes to think the way they feel is important to others. Asking for customer feedback and implementing it says to your ebook online stores’ customers you care about them and you’re doing everything you can to make your store their store. See Yourself through Others’ Eyes  Just as you drive your car from the inside, you operate your business from the inside, too. While you do get a look at your car every time you walk up to it, your awareness is colored by the fact it’s yours. Your ecommerce site works the same way. You know it’s set up the way it is because you made a conscious decision to do so and this justifies its configuration in your mind. However, you’re not shopping the site; your customers are. Far better to take their advice about the way they’d like to see things arranged so they can find them easily, purchase them quickly, and do so more oftenâ€"yes? Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of the Marketplace  Ok, just for a moment, let’s say it’s circa 2000 and you’re doing huge business selling personal portable CD players (think Sony Discman). Sales are great, but one day, a customer asks if you have a MP3 player. You don’t know what that is, so you go look it up and learn the device only works with a personal computer. You think, “That’s way too much trouble, nobody’s going to bother with it,” and double down on CD players. The following year, Apple introduces the iPod and the iTunes store and you pass it off as yet another gimmick with no future. Now, flash forward to today. You’re probably reading this on an iPhone with a built-in MP3 player. Had you listened to customer feedback, you could have ridden the leading edge of the wave, rather than chasing it after it passed. Who knows what the next hot technology in the ebook arena is going to be? Your customers do; even if all they know for sure is they’re curious about some new thing. This is why customer feedback is crucial for ebook sales. Listening to it and learning from it will significantly reduce the pain of growing your business.. Ultimately, anything you do to improve the customer’s shopping experience on your site is going to translate into more sales. In other words, when you pay attention, they pay cash.

How to Make Your Professional Summary Resume More Effective

How to Make Your Professional Summary Resume More EffectiveProfessional summary resumes are generally very similar to CV-type resumes. Although they can be used as one of the main components in getting a job interview. Below are some tips that will help you make your summary resume more effective.In order to avoid having an impression of a fake impression, most employers want to see more than just one example of a summary resumes. Thus, it is crucial to get at least three or four examples. For the resume sample, use the same format as the CV and the personal statement. In addition, you can also have a few paragraphs written. The idea is that the summary resume will be presented to the employer at a glance.To make it easier for the employer to quickly see that your summary resume is impressive, try using the appropriate font. It is good to have a font size of eleven. This will make the resume easier to read and also make it look more professional.You can also shorten the length of the summary resume and highlight the most important points. If you do this, the employer will be able to immediately see that your summary resume really is impressive.In the section, 'Education', you can highlight your educational accomplishments. The idea is that your summary resume can serve as a basis to determine how competent you are as a professional. Also, if you hold the title of 'Prof', the employer will already have an idea about your academic qualifications.In the section, 'Professional Experience', highlight your skills as a professional in your previous positions. The idea is that your summary resume can serve as a basis to determine how well you perform your responsibilities in your current position.In the summary resume, use bullet points instead of lengthy sentences. They are easier to read and easy to compare. Remember that employers want to see that you are able to provide accurate information.As stated above, you need to make your summary resume as impressive as poss ible. And it is often not possible to get it just right on your first try. Therefore, practice and keep practicing to achieve the professional summary resume.

What Are Google Resume Templates?

What Are Google Resume Templates?Google resume templates can be one of the best ways to find a job. Many employers are looking for a way to reduce their workload and turn to technology to help them.Everyone is using technology in their business these days and this new form of communication is playing a key role in employment. By using a website or another online tool, a company can make its resume available for others to see. This will give the company a chance to ask other questions or better yet offer some suggestions to improve on the current resume.Resume templates can allow a company to present their information and even the details of their skills to prospective employers who use the Internet. It's a great way to start out with your application. It provides a simple method of starting and creating a professional, concise, and attractive resume.Most companies have more than one position available, and for that reason many companies offer a wide variety of resumes to employees. T he majority of employers these days prefer to have at least two copies of each resume that is submitted. It saves time and it allows them to review both the applicant's skill sets and the job position.In fact, some companies will only need to look at the first page of an applicant's resume, while others will have a series of files to sort through. In order to keep up with the fast-paced competition, companies are hiring full-time resume writers and the most qualified candidates. A resume template will help them present an applicant's experience, education, and qualifications.For instance, a candidate with specific experience in a particular area may have a resume that focuses on that particular area. This saves the company the time needed to sift through hundreds of resumes. Resume templates are becoming the norm for most employers these days, so it makes sense to begin working with a professional template before applying for a job.Another reason to work with resume templates is tha t the company can see what experience is offered by the candidate. They can make the appropriate changes before a job is filled. It saves them time and money to be able to eliminate any applicants that do not meet their standards.Google resume templates can be used by all job-seekers to make it easier for them to present their resume. If a resume has special areas or sections, then the template will add the necessary information in the proper places. When they're looking for a few specific skills and qualifications to go along with the skills and education that an applicant has already provided, a resume template is a perfect solution.

7 Deadly Mistakes of Job Seekers - Jane Jackson Career

7 Deadly Mistakes of Job Seekers - Jane Jackson Career Job Seekers:Are you struggling to find a new job? Is it taking much longer than you expected?Are you starting to lose confidence about getting another job? If every little thing is starting to feel really hard and you’re feeling fed up, you may be making one, or more, of the 7 deadly mistakes of job seekers.If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got. It’s time to regroup, rethink and reassess your strategy.Let’s take an objective look at what you might be doing wrong. Here are 7 deadly mistakes you must NOT make:MISTAKE NO. 1 â€" You are not readyPerhaps you’re looking for a new role due to a redundancy, or perhaps you quit because you couldn’t stand it anymore or perhaps you were let go for a multitude of reasons.     You may still be hurting from being in a difficult situation for too.A big mistake that job seekers make is to go for interviews when they are still feeling emotional and their confidence is at low ebb.Market yourself A FTER you have acknowledged the change, accepted your situation and gained clarity about what you really want. Take steps to manage your stress levels  so you will market yourself with confidence.When you feel vulnerable, remember you are still the same competent professional you’ve always been and you have a mountain of value to offer the right employer in the right environment. If you dont believe in yourself, who will?Employers are looking for professionals who believe in their abilities and know that they can hit the ground running without any emotional baggage. Take time to rebuild your self-confidence and get into the right frame of mind for the job search.Help is here: How to Build Confidence  is a supportive online course that will guide you step-by-step to manage your stress levels and gain control of the job search process.MISTAKE NO. 2 â€" You don’t know what you really wantHave you assessed what drives you in your career, and do you know what your specific skills, kno wledge and key motivators are? You may be applying for roles that are not suited to you.To make successful applications you must know what makes you tick and be able to explain to recruiters and hiring managers why any role appeals to you.As you go through to the interview process, employers will want to know how close a ‘fit’ you are to their needs, their corporate culture and team environment.You need to prepare well so that you eloquently communicate your value, key drivers and also project confidence and authenticity with your responses.MISTAKE NO. 3 â€" You dont have a strong communication strategyAre you sending out the same generic resume and cover letter for every application?   You may have sent out dozens of applications online and not receive any positive responses.Your resume and cover letter often are the first point of contact with the screener. If it is generic and the reader has to search too hard for the skills, experience and key words they are seeking, your re sumé will end up in the bin.Take time to tailor your resume and cover letter for each and every role.When people ask you how they can help you, do you know exactly what youll say?You must create a strong positioning statement and know what to say when people ask you, ‘Why are you looking for a job?’, How can I help you? or Tell me about yourself.How to Write a Resumé  is a comprehensive online course that guides you step-by-step to create a powerful and tailored resumé and cover letters PLUS how to leverage your Referees for success.MISTAKE No. 4 â€" Your branding online and in person is lackingHave you thought about the image you are projecting to others in person and online? Before recruiters and hiring managers meet you they will check you out and the first place they will look is on LinkedIn.They will form an opinion of you based on your online profile (good or bad), before they meet you and shake your hand.Have you positioned yourself professionally and authentically?   Authenticity, passion and a positive attitude are what screeners are looking for in candidates in addition to skills, knowledge and experience.Have you done your research to find out what will be appropriate to wear to each interview?   You only get a few seconds to make a first impression so you want to make it a good one!You must be aware of how others perceive you when you walk into a room and know that the impression is positive.If youre unsure about your branding, prepare yourself with  Personal Branding for Career SuccessMISTAKE No. 5 â€" You don’t know how to use all the job search methods effectivelyHave you been focusing mainly on advertised roles and missing out on expanding your network to uncover the hidden jobs?Perhaps you don’t know how to network effectively, what to say and what to ask for. Are you getting frustrated with recruitment consultants?You need to know how to approach roles that are advertised on online job boards, on recruiter sites, on company website s. You must learn how to work with recruiters so that they will want to help you to secure your next job.And most importantly, you must build your confidence to be able to expand your network so that people get to know, to like and to trust you.   When that happens then they will know if you are a good fit for any role and will be suitable in their company or team culture.MISTAKE No. 6 â€" You dont know how to interview stronglyDo you know how to prepare properly for your interviews?   Do you get anxious and forget what to say? Do you have good examples to show your capabilities?   Or do you oversell and come across with an over exaggerated level of confidence?The key to successful interviewing is to prepare, prepare, prepare!Employers are looking for someone to provide the functional skills they need, and the soft skills, for the role.The are seeking someone who is willing to work in the way that fits with the organisation’s requirements and gets along with the team. You must pos ition yourself as the solution to THEIR problems.In order to convey your suitability you must research, practice your interview techniques, listen carefully to the questions, answer questions with solid examples of your successes.Of course you must know what to do at the end of interviews and also what to do AFTER the interview and how to follow up too.MISTAKE No. 7 â€" Youre nervous about negotiating salary and on-boarding into the new roleTo prepare for when the offers come in, have you researched what the market rate is for the role? Do you know how to start negotiations to secure a great salary package? Do you know how to ask for what you want?You must benchmark the norm for the position, the number of years experience, within your industry, and in the size of organisation you are targeting.When you do accept a new role, what about the on-boarding process?Do you know how to develop good working relationships early on, and get some wins on the board without looking like the ‘ea ger new employee’ during the crucial first 90 days in the role?Set yourself up for success. Learn how to plan those first 30-60-90 days.If any of these 7 deadly mistakes resonate with you, it’s now time to take action. Book in for an exploratory chat.Over the past 18 years Ive coached thousands of clients to successfully make satisfying career transitions Id love to help you too.   Or join The Careers Academy where you will gain on-going support:Take every measure to build your confidence, do your research, prepare well for each step in the job search process, and you will be successful!   Wishing you good luck, much success and happiness in your new role!Jane Jackson is a Career Management Coach, author off #1 Amazon bestseller, Navigating Career Crossroads, and host of Your Career Podcast where she interviews fascinating professionals who have made amazing career changes.

Hallie Recommends Flying Solo Career Transition Tips for Singles - Hallie Crawford

Hallie Recommends Flying Solo Career Transition Tips for Singles Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles is a must-read for career-minded singles who want to: Switch their career to a new field of interest Start their own business and become an entrepreneur Find the courage to leave an unfulfilling job Make their career transition as smooth as possible I know from experience that changing careers is a big deal. And it can seem even more daunting when you feel like you’re all alone in the process. That’s why I’ve included tons of tips and suggestions in the Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles handbook to make your career change as smooth and successful as possible. You’ll find it’s like having your own personal career coach sitting next to you and helping you each step of the way. Why settle for less than what you really want in your career? Don’t let being single stop you from exploring new and exciting opportunities. Order your copy here! Have a great weekend!Career Transition Tips for Singles