Give Your Job Search a Boost This Summer By Networking

Give Your Job Search a Boost This Summer By Networking As you anticipate the lazy, hazy days of summer, that usual discipline and focus with which you approach your job search may begin to wax and wane.   But despite the mellower mood, resist the urge to play hooky from your job search this season. Take a prolonged vacation from it, and you’ll miss out on what could be one of the most productive times of the year to take the next step in your career. Just because business slows down and people go on vacation doesn’t mean that all will be quiet on the job front over the summer. In reality, these next few months can be an extremely busy time for successful job searchers, so here are a few tips for making the most of this time. Networking The single most important thing any job searcher can do is networking.   This can be easier to do in the summer when people have a bit more flexibility in their schedules, or a least a more relaxed attitude. Identify the target companies on your list. Use your alumni database, LinkedIn, former colleagues, etc. to identify contacts in those target companies. Request an informational interview to learn more about the company, but do not ask for a job. Rather, ask how the company hires, what skills are required for success, and how the function you are interested in fits in that organization. Set specific networking goals for the summer and hold yourself accountable. Meet people for coffee, lunch, a quick meeting or even a walk outside. Take advantage of this time of year to make as many connections as possible. Always ask your networking contact who else they think you should be talking to, given your career interests. Ask what professional association meetings you should be attending. Many professional associations continue to meet over the summer but often have less formal meetings. Take advantage of these opportunities to meet others in your chosen field. Have a Plan You wouldn’t plan your vacation without a destination in mind and at least a rough plan of how you are going to get there. Your job search deserves at least that much attention â€" if not more. It is hard to get where you want to be without a clear sense of where you are going, so create and follow a specific job search plan. Identify the type of position you seek and the target companies where you most want to work. Develop a networking strategy and list of contacts for each company.   Have a plan to make new networking contacts every week.   Always thank your networking contacts for their time, preferably in person and follow it up with a written note. Thank them again if they refer you to a valuable connection. Keep your network posted on your progress. Stay Positive No one wants to hire a complainer or a “Negative Nellie.” Stay positive and stay focused. Enjoy the networking along the way; you may just surprise yourself with how rewarding it is to make new connections, learn new things and expand your personal and professional networks! Reflect on the interesting people you meet and draw inspiration from their career journeys. Be positive about yourself and the skills you bring to the table.   Demonstrate that you have a vision for what you want to do in your career.   Show appreciation for their time and enthusiasm for additional contacts or activities they recommend. Also, be open and accepting of feedback. You may not want to hear it but, you need to hear it in order to grow and get to the next level. Learn from others who have more experience. At least seriously consider the advice they offer.   Be willing to learn and to try new things.   Remember, you can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broken. It may be summer, but companies definitely don’t take a “school’s out” attitude, and neither should you. They still have business needs to be met, positions to be filled and some hiring managers have more time to focus on hiring at this time of year, so take advantage of it.  Don’t take a vacation from your job search â€" instead, step up your efforts and set a goal of getting your network in good shape for fall. Author: Lynne Sarikas is the Executive Director of the MBA Career Center  at DAmore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Prior to this Lynne held a variety of management positions in industry with experience in sales, account management, customer service, marketing and operations management responsibilities, with focus on corporate relationships and new business development.

Best Cover Letter Example For Teachers

Best Cover Letter Example For Teachers Best Cover Letter Example For Teachers Whether you have years of experience in education or are in search of your first teaching job your cover letter is an important tool.Resumes tend to look alike from one applicant to the next. It is your cover letter that can really communicate your unique qualities and the talents that aren’t always easily expressed on a resume or CV. To put it more succinctly, it is your cover letter that can mean the difference between being called back for an interview or waiting around for a call that never comes. Below, we will share some cover letter tips created especially for teachers. Then, we’ll share an excellent example.Essential Cover Letter Tips For EducatorsCustomize your cover letter so you address the specific school, district, and hiring manager. Address how you would be a good fit for that school in particular.Mention and then quantify your achievements. Did you boost test scores? Show how much and over which period of time. Have you won any awards? This should go on your co ver letter.Include your certifications and other special training. For example, if you are Special Ed certified, add that to your cover letter as well as your resume. You want to be sure the hiring committee knows you are well qualified.Edit and proofread carefully. This is one field where even small errors will really work against you. Take the time to craft a well-written letter.Show your passion for education outside of the classroom. If you head up extra activities, chair committees, volunteer, or otherwise helped educate children outside of the classroom, write about your experiences.Cover Letter Sample For Teachers (MS Word version)Download cover letter (.docx)Teacher Cover Letter Example (text version)Here is a cover letter that any teacher can customize to their needs. Name and location information is fictional, of course and used as an example only. Debbie Welsely 4057 Augusta Park Bluefield, WV 24701 name@youremail.com (111) 123-4567Month DD, YYYYMr. School Administrator S chool Name 123 School St. City, ST XXXXXDear Mr./Ms. School Administrator,I am writing this letter to express my interest in the position of art teacher that you have advertised at teacherjobwebsite.com. I am currently employed at XXX elementary school as an art teacher. I am a 2005 graduate of XXX University with a BFA in Art Education. I completed my MFA in 2014 from Southern XXX State. I am an experienced educator and have obtained my tenure. I believe my experience makes me an excellent candidate for this position.I have already applied for a teacher certification in your state. I have obtained provisional approval, and am due to receive my permanent certification within the next 90 days. As such, I will be qualified to accept any position within XXX school district before the start of the next school year.I have more than ten years of experience as an elementary art teacher. I have also served as the fine arts department coordinator in my current school district. Additionally, I have been certified as a special education art instructor, and recently completed a continuing education program on developing fine art curricula in urban school districts.In addition to teaching, I spent three years as the sponsor of our district-wide art club. I have also sat on the board of directors of the local art museum. I have developed programs geared at encouraging at-risk students to become involved in the arts, which received extensive press coverage in Local Paper; and further appraisal from the city mayor, Mr. John Doe.I read with great interest that your school district has pioneered several fine arts initiatives as well. I believe that school districts can do important work by partnering with the local community, and would love to play a role in these efforts.In closing, I have a passion for art, several years of teaching experience, and experience in curriculum development. I have obtained several certifications beyond meeting the educational requirements stated i n the job listing that was published for this position. I am very excited about this opportunity and would love to meet with you along with members of the hiring committee.Sincerely,Debbie WelselyUsing This ExampleAny teacher who is searching for a new position can use this cover letter as an example. Simply modify the contact information and create a body of the letter to match your experience, education, and qualifications. This, when combined with a well-designed resume or CV will help you as you search for the ideal teaching position.Final ThoughtsYour cover letter is what truly personalizes your overall application packet. If your letter is well-written, interesting, and truly communicates your passion for teaching, you will be much more likely to receive a positive response. It is well worth your time to craft a personalized, well-edited cover letter.Remember that this is an integral part of your application, and should never be treated as an afterthought!Need additional guida nce? Be sure to check out other compelling cover letter examples from our team! previous article The Only Cover Letter Example For an Internship You Will Ever Need next article A Persuasive Cover Letter Example For a Receptionist you might also likeThe 12 Best Cover Letter Examples To Nail Your Next Job Application

How to Achieve Fame - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Achieve Fame - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In Fame 101, Powerful Personal Branding Publicity for Amazing Success, Jay and Maggie Jessup, branding and publicity experts, write that anyone can have fame, not just rock stars or Hollywood celebrities. Any professional with a compelling personal brand â€" the foundation of fame can dominate their space. And creating, expanding upon and monetizing your personal brand are the keys to becoming a “celebrity” in your space. “If you apply the fame formula you can become a celebrity actor, veterinarian, baker, dentist, florist or horse breeder. It would even be possible to become a celebrity assistant, security guard or librarian,” they write. Today’s online tools have made it even easier for us to craft these compelling brands. “The Internet puts professional fame in the immediate reach of Everyman,” said Maggie Jessup. “It no longer takes years and a small fortune to create a nationally recognized personal brand.” This isn’t to say it will be an easy road. It takes a lot of work, but it can be achieved by applying a simple formula: Personal Branding + Publicity + Brand You Marketing + Personal Financial Development + Brand Longevity Strategies. “Personal branding starts with taking the time to define your role out in the world; what is that thing that makes you special, makes you remarkable, and makes you different? If you can describe that difference in 20 words or less, and it’s the best authentic you, you have completed the most important step in personal branding.” In the book, promotion strategies of 75 American icons â€" such as Suze Orman, Rachael Ray and President Obama are used to illustrate step-by-step how one can build a powerful personal brand. A few of the career action items are: Package your expertise for maximum impact, exposure, and income Use Internet Geography to build a broad and credible online footprint Employ insiders’ secrets to access the world of paid speaking engagements Build an authoritative image and maximize your professional presence Write and launch a non-fiction best seller in 90 days Is your personal brand strong enough to achieve fame? Author: Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of Come Recommended, a  content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of Lies, Damned Lies Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle (2011), #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes  career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

The Language of Persuasive Interviewers

The Language of Persuasive Interviewers It is common knowledge that you make your first impression prior to saying your first word. Regardless, sooner or later, you are going to have to open your mouth. When you do, it’s imperative to show empathy, speak from the heart, maintain composure and come across as confident, yet not arrogant. This is all part of speaking the language of persuasive interviewees. Individuals who learn this language are better compensated, given more prestigious titles and are respected more around the office after being hired. Similar to any other language, the gift of influential speech can be acquired via knowledge, focus, will power and practice. More specifically, persuasive interviewing involves three facets: learning how to establish rapport with an interviewer; integrating compelling verbiage; and avoiding patterns of speech that weaken perceived competency. Establishing Rapport Rapport (n) a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each others feelings or ideas and communicate well. For any interviewee, establishing rapport is crucial.   Without rapport, changing minds, cultivating new ideas and stirring action is nearly impossible. Prior to focusing on their agenda, persuasive interviewees capture the hiring manager’s attention via establishing that they have shared concerns or interests. One way to establish rapport is to focus in questions and talking points specifically to the interviewers point of view. For instance, when an HR representative vocalizes excitement about their company, it’s advantageous to openly share in that excitement, and to furthermore ask about what is most responsible for it. When you know what drives your interviewer, you can then communicate where such drivers also enthuse you. Integrating Compelling Verbiage Persuasive interviewees use descriptive, imaginative language that engages the mind of the hiring manager. However, they keep it simple. They don’t speak in extremely long, convoluted sentences and avoid using cliches. Additionally, persuasive interviewers utilize action verbs. Direct, active verbs add force, clarity and vigor to speech. So does utilizing an extensive vocabulary. Keep in mind, using intricate vocabulary does have potential pitfalls. With the wrong crowd fancy terminology may cause you to appear less welcoming and friendly. In other situations, excessive use of complex verbiage may backfire, as you risk coming across as pretentious or losing the audience’s attention. Avoiding Patterns of Speech That Lessen Persuasiveness Know what you’re going to say and practice saying it. Constant hesitations or use of phrases such as “kind of,” “a little bit,” or “sort of” will frequently lead an interviewer to question your competence and confidence. Qualifiers such as “I think” and “in my opinion” may also lessen credibility and perceived capability. As in any conversation, there is a place for well-considered pauses to ensure you are giving a thoughtful answer that reflects your history, beliefs, or interests as the situation dictates.   But there is a difference between a well-aimed pause, and constant dead air. In the End When you are talking to anyone, give them your sole and undivided attention. Do not let your attention wander or be diverted. In order to speak the language of the persuasive interview, know what you want out of the conversation and center your mind on that sole purpose.