Dont just Network, be a Connector - Your Career Intel

Dont just Network, be a Connector - Yur Career IntelA good connector is someone who enjoys and is skilled at designing, establishing and cultivating reciprocal and beneficial relationships. At Lucas Group, we take pride in our position of catalyst and our central role as the bridge between clients and candidates. Being an effective connector is an essential quality that we look for in our recruiters. Knowing how to connect people, whether for networking purposes or for potential new hires, or with good candidates is a skill that all of our current Lucas Group Associates (our recruiters) have.Today, being a connector in recruiting is easier than ever before with the rise of social media sitesLinkedIn and Twitter in particular. Social media has allowed recruiters to search a database of contacts for keywords relevant to a client and open position. Once landseemingly qualified candidates have been identified, recruiters can reach out to them in a time-efficient way to see if they would be interested before moving forward. It also allows recruiters to target executives and network with them to truly be a consultant and bring in mora clients as well. Twitter also is a great way to be connected to a broad range of people, receive their valuable tips, see trends in your industry and also put forth good information in an effort to be viewed as an insightful connection.Additionally, building your own broad range of contacts and managing them (meaning, keeping contact information up-to-date) is a necessary part of it. This way, you have relevant people in your network to source for various job openings. An organized contact list with notes on everything from personality types to professional interests and more can be an effective tool in connecting the right individual with the right company and company culture.The way we are structured at Lucas Group makes it easier to be connected to your network and be an expert in your professional category. Lucas Group employees wor k within one industry HR, for example which we have found makes being a connector more efficient with a large, but focused go-to network.Connector is one of the 8 Cs of a Lucas Group Associate. Learn more about the others here confident, conscientious, communicator,compelling, competitive, community and coachable.

How Long Should Your Resume Be

How Long Should Your Resume Be The one-page resume vs. the two-page resumeHow Many Pages Should Your Resume Be Theres an age-old debate about whether size matters that affects job seekers How long should your resume be?If your resume is too short or skimpy, recruiters and hiring managers will think you dont have a lot to bring to the table, says Peter Yang, New York Citybased co-founder of the resume writing service ResumeGo. On the flip side, if your resume is too long and bloated, readers will likely get bored or annoyed.So, whats the middle ground for writing your resume? While theres no hard-and-fast rule, says Kim Isaacs, a nationally certified resume writer and director of ResumePower.com based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, your industry and level of experience can help you determine if your resume should be one or two (or more) pages long.When to use a one-page resumeThe one-page resume is ideal for entry-level workers, new college graduates, and those who have a few years of work experience, Yang says. Additionally, you should consider a one-page resume if youre looking to make a career change and dont have much experience relevant to your new goal.The quicker you can get to the point, the better, Isaacs says. Hiring managers are busy people, sometimes having to sort through hundreds of applications.You get about six seconds of their attention when theyre making their anfangsbuchstabe fit-or-no-fit decision, says Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, president and CEO of Great Resumes Fast in Callahan,Florida.So, how can you make good use of your resume real estate and really stand out? By being strategic with keywords, quanitifying your achievements, and, most importantly, keeping it concise. This way, your resume will make a good first impression on the recruiter, as it typically serves as your first point of contact when you apply to a company. Not to mention, a resume thats all over the place doesnt say much about your organizational skills, does it?When to use a two-page resumeThat doesnt mean you have to cram all of your experience on one page with a teeny tiny font that you need a magnifying glass to read. Readability and overall presentation need to be factored in, too.Most resume reviewers would rather read a well-laid-out, easy-to-skim, two-page resume than a one-page resume that jams too much information on the page, Isaacs says.A two-page resume makes sense for many job seekers, especially those who are further along in their career, with 10 or more years of relevant job experience. The extra page may be needed to convey all of the critical information an employer needs to know, Holbrook Hernandez says. Keep in mind, however, that the second page likely wont get as much attention as the first, so its best to make sure youre using the right resume format (think chronological vs. functional).When to use a three (or more)-page resumeMost people believe resumes should fit on two pages max, no matter how long youve been working. However, as with all rules, Yang says there are some exceptions.For example, if you work for the federal government youre a senior-level manager with a long track record of accomplishments or youre writing an academic CV for a research or scientific position and have an extensive list of publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses, or certifications then you may need to extend your resume to three or more pages.The final word on resume lengthIn the end, the length doesnt matter quite as much as the content filling the pages. If you can capture your qualifications on one page, great. But if it takes two pages or more, thats OK, too.Ive had new grads do well with two-page resumes and top executives do well with only one page, Isaacs says.Just remember Your resume should be a high-level look at your accomplishments that entices the hiring manager to want to learn more. A resume is like the copy on the back cover of a book, designed to make you want to re ad the book, Isaacs says. Its not the whole book.Once youve nailed down the right length for your resume, visit Monster to see whos hiring.Have your resume checked outWe get it it can be tricky writing a professional resume that covers all your sternfrmig qualities. Remember, the stronger your resume is, the greater your chances of scoring interviews and landing a job. Could you use some help putting together an awesome resume?Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts atMonsters Resume Writing Service. Youll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review ofyour resumes appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiters first impression. Let us help you put your best foot forward as you embark on the job search journey.

Making a Career Change How to Determine the Transferrable Tools in Your Toolkit

Making a Career Change How to Determine the Transferrable Tools in Your Toolkit Becoming limitless means aligning what you do with who you are. If youve determined you need to change your career in order to do that, fret not. All is not lost. You have skills, education, and training that will transfer to your new career.Lets explore how the talent and expertise youve gained so far can help you becomelimitless in your next role, no matter what it isTransferable SkillsWhich of your skills are transferable? That depends somewhat on your field and your position in that field, but the simple answer is all of them. Every skill you use in your current working situation can be used in the work that matters more to you.Its possible, even probable, that you will need to pick up some new skills to participate fully in the new role youd like to play. For the most part, however, youll find you already have much of what it takes to get started. Whether your toolkit includes hard skills like management or knowledge of the law or soft skills such as empathy and organization isnt all that significant. Transferring your skills is less about changing the content and more about changingthe context.You may need to learn some new rules or technologies, butmost duties that fall under the operations, administration, and finance functions are easily transferable. If you move into fundraisingor advocacy work, you might have to adjust to some legal differencesin the tax code, but even with extenuating circumstances like these,your practical skills will be easily transportedintowhatever newrole you seek.Other skills, like community-building and fund development, transfer well after a bit of tweaking. Charisma, confidence, and persuasiveness know no organizational chart limit. Selling stocks may not be the saatkorn as raising money for a nonprofit, but in each case you aredoing the same footwork Do the research, be the steward, ask, and follow up.Formal Edu cationIf you dont have a great deal of work experience, your formal education determines what you are qualified to do, substantively speaking.Your formal educationentails the whole of your subject matter expertise. For those who are just coming out of school or who have short job histories under their belts, education is of paramount importance and will be weighed heavily by the hiring manager. What you know matters, and at this point what you know has come mainly from your schooling.For those who have been in the working world a bit longer, education is only one part of the equation. In some cases, like medicine or the law, a formal degree is a state requirement. Social workers and teachers must be licensed, and stock traders and accountants must pass certain exams. In other cases, like fundraising or association management, a degree or certificate is not a requirement, but it provides a leg-up against other candidates.In some roles, a deep, substantive knowledge of the work being done is vital to a candidates success. This knowledge is often acquired throughout the course of a long career in the field, especially in cases where attaining more education is unrealistic. You are unlikely to enter medical school when you are 45 years old, although it has been done. If you work in law or finance, youre probably not going to up and decide to get a PhD in oceanography to work at the CousteauSociety (however much fun that may sound).In other cases, degrees that teach skills and not subject matter expertise such as programs on nonprofit management, fundraising, accounting, and operations or certificates in entrepreneurship, teaching, or health coaching are easily attainable and make sense strategically. Its simply a matter of determining whether the investment of time and money will give you the return you seek, whether it be karmic or financial.On-the-Job TrainingMany job seekers have received enough on-the-job training to write doctoral theses on the work they do . Even if this is truefor you, you probably dont realize just how much youve learned along the way. Figuring out just how much expertise youve acquired demands critical thinking about where you came from, your initial expectations of your career trajectory, and where you have ended up.To better understand your own expertise, consider the followingWhat did you hope to get from your career? Are you there?What changed along the way?What do you do now that you never imagined you would be doing?What do you know more about now than when you started this job, or your last job, or the job before that?As you take a deep dive into your memory (and resume) while considering questions like these, dont forget about the community service, nonprofit volunteering, or board work youve performed. Each of your days has brought a lesson, and each lesson is valuable to your job search in some way.Laura Gassner Otting is the author of Limitless How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life.

Top 5 Resume Questions According to Google

Top 5 Resume Questions According to GoogleTop 5 Resume Questions According to GoogleTop 5 Resume Questions According to GoogleGo to Google.com, type in the words have you, and then stop. Youll see a list of suggestions pop up. Thats called Google Suggest, and its a group of popular search terms that Google thinks you might be looking for. In other words, its Google trying to make your life simpler by telling you what the rest of the world is looking up, just in case it matches what youre looking for.Curious myself, I typed the words should my resume, and found that the first five suggestions were some of the simplest questions anyone could have about resumes. Here they are, with equally simple answers taken from previous blog posts and Learning Center articlesShould my resume be one page? The rule of thumb is to keep your resume to one or two pages. The final length really depends on the amount of relevant information you need to present. If youve been in the workforce for a short ti me (say, less than five years), then a one-page resume will probably suffice.If you need a second page, make sure theres enough content to fill at least a quarter of it. If necessary, you can adjust the line spacing or font size slightly to create a better fit. (And be sure to leave plenty of white space to give your readers a visual break, and a place to write notes about you.)Should my resume have an objective? Maybe yes, maybe no. Yes, if youre Just entering the workforce Re-entering the workforce after an extended absence or Changing careers.For most other people, your career objective is obvious, so its better to begin your resume with a Professional Summary. See the difference between Objectives and Summaries here.Should my resume include references? No Your resume should not include references (unless the employer specifically asks for them), nor should it include the line References available upon request. But you should always have a list of references available on a separa te document if the employer asks for them.Should my resume be in past tense? Generally, if youre employed and writing about your present job, then use the present tense to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments. If youre writing about a past job, use past tense. However, if your current job involves a responsibility that you no longer have, like hiring seven new staff members, you might want to take a different approach. Read more about that here. Should my resume have a titelseite letter? Yes Without a cover letter, youre relying solely on your resume to convince the hiring manager to call you for an interview. Thats asking a lot. A cover letter allows you to add a more personal touch, which can strengthen your candidacy and increase your odds of landing an interview. It also lets you highlight what you know about the company and demonstrate your communications skills. Not convinced? Here are six reasons you definitely need to send a cover letter.

Workers Compensation

Workers CompensationWorkers CompensationWorkers compensation laws enaya that an employee who is injured as a result of an accident on the job or who contracts a disease as a result of performing their job will receive compensation and medical benefits. This ensures that the needs of an injured or ill employee will be met. Workers Compensation Insurance Benefits are usually paid by a private insurance company that was hired by the employer or a state-run workers compensation fund. If youre injured on the job while employed by a private company, you need to contact your state-run workers compensation fund. Workers compensation insurance also provides benefits to dependents if a person dies as a result of a job-related injury. Every state requires that employers purchase workers compensation insurance to ensure that employees, who are affected by illness or injury, and their dependents, are protected against significant hardships in case of injury, illness, or death. In plus-rechnen to paying medical expenses, workers compensation has traditionally supplied disability payments to the injured employee while they were unable to work. This fruchtwein frequently covered up to two-thirds of a workers normal compensation. Workers compensation is provided regardless of who was at fault in an injury. Even if the injury occurred as a result of the workers own actions, they are covered. How Workers Compensation Began Workers compensation was created to protect both the employer and the employee from the costs and hardships of employee injury and illness. The employee receives compensation and medical benefits. In turn, the employee signs off on the right to sue the employer. The employer benefits from immunity from lawsuits, for the most part. This compact has beenthe basis for the provision of workers compensation since the dawn of the Industrial Age, according toMichael Grabell, of ProPublica, and Howard Berkes, of NPR in The Demolition of Workers Comp. These auth ors studied the current situation with workers compensation and found that it is difficult foremployees to collect money to cover the treatments recommended by their doctors. The amount of money received, in many cases, does not cover any living expenses in addition to medical expenses. The original intent ofthe workers compensation was to cover both. Grabell and Berkes stateOver the past decade, state after state has been dismantling Americas workers comp system with disastrous consequences for many of the hundreds of thousands of people who suffer serious injuries at work each year, a ProPublica and NPR investigation has found. The cutbacks have been so drastic in some places that they virtually guarantee injured workers will plummet into poverty. Since 2003, legislators in 33 states have passed legislation that reduces the amount of money that an injured worker can collect. Additionally, available benefits vary among states. The authors of the study use this example, The maximum compensation for the loss of an eye is $27,280 in Alabama, but $261,525 in Pennsylvania.You can use these guides from Nolo.com to ensure that you understand the workers compensation settlement process in your state. Workers Compensation in the Gig Economy People who are employed by organizations are covered by workers compensation, but people who work for themselves generally have no coverage. According to a 2016 report by the private-sector think tank McKinsey Global Institute, Most of the estimated 54 1000000 to 68 million independent workers in the U.S. do not receiveemployee benefits. Employers say that keeping their workers as independent contractorshelps retainthe flexibility of their business model. Decreased Workers Compensation Claims Workers compensation claims appear to be dropping and the claim severity has moderated in recent years. According to Jeff Eddinger, Boca Raton, Florida-based senior division executive for the National Council on Compensation Insurance, When claims are dropping by 6% each year, then you are definitely going to be seeing decreases in the overall rates. As for the reduction in more expensive claims, it does seem like claim severity has moderated in recent years, he said. I dont have any reason to expect that that will change any time soon. Workers Compensation Process for Employers As an employer, make certain that your employees, management staff, and human resources (HR) team know that accident reports must be filled out when an employee is injured or claims a job-related illness. Make available the claims filing forms from your chosen workers compensation company. Work closely with your workers compensation agent to ensure that both the employees medical needs and your liability are covered. Work closely with your employees to make sure the claim form is easy, timely, and correctly filed. Follow your insurance company guidelines. Fraudulent Workers Compensation Claims Employers also need to watch out for fraudulent claims. In a workers compensation claim situation at a manufacturing employer, the employee begged the HR staff to not file a claim for their on-the-job injury. HR filed the claim because that is the expectation based on their relationship with their worker compensation company. They learned that the employee had filed claims at their last five employers, none of whom were listed on the persons resume or job application. Though the employee had actually hurt themselves on the current job, and the employer had the incident videotaped, the employee knew that the claim would bring their history to the attention of the employer. As most job applications state that any falsehood is grounds for termination, the employee knew they were in trouble. The employees position was then terminated due to her false statements. Workers Compensation Company Services In addition to compensation for employees, many workers compensation companies offer occupational health and safety speci alist services, in which they audit your workplace and make recommendations about employee safety and ergonomics. This process also educates employees about how to avoid injuries. This service is helpful as is the training available from most companies abouthow to makeaccident reports and fill out workers compensation claim forms. You can also contact your state workers compensation arbeitszimmer for assistance. The Bottom Line All employees should understand the provision of workers compensation services for their employees. All necessary forms need to be made available to employees who need to file a claim. HR departments must be well-informed and prepared to assist employees in filing and collecting on a claim from the employers insurance company. Its an employees right to collect compensation when injured or ill as a result of their employment. DisclaimerPlease note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and ?employment lawsand regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

How to embrace mental wellness in startup culture

How to embrace mental wellness in startup cultureHow to embrace mental wellness in startup cultureThe state of the world has been extremely turbulent, with people experiencing fires, war, earthquakes and other tragedies, in addition to an increasingly competitive working environment. Lately, people have been experiencing more stress and anxiety in their lives than ever before. Some people reach for meditation apps, go to yoga sessions or take breaks to travel internationally. Humanity appears to be constantly seeking peace in its heart.Through my experience as a startup founder, Ive realized that mental health issues are especially prominent among founders and people who play major roles in entrepreneurial endeavors. After addressing my own mental health and witnessing many of my close founder friends sink into depression, I have taken steps to ensure my company sustains a healthy work environment in order for everyone to thrive.Let go of negative influencesI founded Humm.ly six mont hs ago with several others. I trusted one particular kollektiv member wholeheartedly, overlooking some questionable behaviors because I thought his skills and talent would be valuable to the team. They delivered impeccable work whenever needed. I let him lead an entire project because I trusted his high standard of work. However, trying to get a startup going can be perilous. They were highly critical of other employees in circumstances that called for patience. Gradually, this persons temper discouraged almost everyone in the company. I welches afraid to start frank conversations with him because of unreasonable criticisms and arguments. It was a difficult realization for me. I had to convince myself that having him as a leader in the company would significantly slow down work wertzuwachs and impact others job satisfaction. After a lot of consideration and consultation with more experienced startup founders, I made the difficult decision to let them go. Even though I had sympathy f or him, his departure ultimately prevented negativity from spreading to other team members.Encourage physical wellnessYears of research shows that physical activity can reduce anxiety and depression for healthy adults. Yet, exercising regularly can be difficult, especially when starting a new company and experiencing high levels of stress. During the beginning of my startup life, I experienced tremendous weight gain, living on spicy ramen and late-night delivery options. One of my founding members ate Big Macs for a month straight This was not the image we wanted to present, especially with a mission to promote healthy lifestyles for our users. I encouraged the team to sign up for boxing and yoga classes with me. I reminded them to eat healthfully and sleep well every day.We have been able to maintain medium- to high-intensity exercise routines ever since then. If you are worried about how to keep your team motivated to accomplish fitness goals, lead by example. You can initiate a g reat sense of well-being within your company by creating opportunities for regular exercise and fitness partnerships within your team. Ive seen that with a proper routine, memory recall and creativity can increase and team members can feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives, potentially increasing their performance and attitude at work.Develop meaningful one-to-one communicationThe most challenging thing in my startup experience so far has been managing the emotional highs and lows over the past several months. Although the ups and downs are a natural part of building a new company, its crucial to keep track of all team members well being, especially during the initial development of the business. I have found that regular one-to-one meetings are valuable for building rapport between you and the individuals you work with every day. Get coffee, go for lunch, hike and even take spontaneous trips with the team member you want to check in with. One-to-one communi cation can develop trust, increase productivity, and sttze the teams alignment and development of a shared mental model.Foster a supportive and positive cultureCreating a supportive and positive culture became the most important priority for my company after stress and burnout caused internal discord and issues with team members. Although startups are always pushing to meet crucial deadlines, it is ultimately more important to reinforce your team and support them in going the extra mile. You want to help your team feel welcome, secure in their position and valued within the company. Lead by example and set a positive tone through supportive behaviors. As you build relationships with team members and grow your companys culture, over time you will create a supportive and positive place that people love working at.Competition in the startup world can be brutal. If founding team members are constantly overwhelmed and not receiving support for mental or physical wellness, the company cou ld crumble. Every founder should consider working on their own skills, including mindfulness, listening, clear communication and empathy. The team and the company will benefit from their founder leading by example, resulting in longevity, prosperity and happiness for all involved.Joanna Yu is the founder and CEO of Humm.lyBusinessCollective, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North Americas most ambitious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners.

How to Market Your Resume Like a Pro

How to Market Your Resume Like a Pro How to Market Your Resume Like a Pro When youre eager to jump intoa new role and have spent time and effort crafting a fresh resume, it can be almost soul-crushing to have your applications repeatedly rejected or simply ignored.However, if youre only applying to publicly advertised jobs, youre missing out on a huge pool of opportunity. Theperfectrole is out there, and you can get it - you may just need to dig a little deeper to find the right set of hands for your resume.If you want to catch more employer attention, follow these tips to market your resume like a fr1.First, Make Sure Your Resume Is FlawlessNo matter how skilled you are or how smartly you market yourself, you wont make any progress on your job searchif your resume isless than stellar. The document should be well designed and easy to read. It should be a breeze for recruiters and hiring managers to find the critical information theyre looking for when they scan your resume. Keep y our resume clean and readable with bullet-pointed lists. Ensure there is white space between each section, use a clear and simple font, and utilize bold text for subheadings and key information.You should also ensure the most relevant and impactful information appears in the top third of the first page of your resume, as this is what recruiters will read first. Dont forget to tailor your resume to each company and role you apply to. Finally, finish by triple-checking your spelling and grammar.2. Make Your Resume Easy to FindYou have probably already applied to advertised jobs, and you should definitely continue to do so. However, you are not fully leveraging job sites to your advantage if you are not also uploading your resume to these sites. That way, recruiters and employers will actually start coming to you.Hiring authorities usejob sites to source, identify, and contact suitable candidates for their roles. If you keep an updated resume on the right job sites, you will turn up in their searches. In effect, the jobs will start coming to you.Try uploading your resume to the bignames like Glassdoor, Monster, and Indeed, as well as any niche sites that are relevant to your target industry or role.3. Make the Most of LinkedInMost recruiters use LinkedIn as a key parte of their recruitment strategies, and in many industries, LinkedIn is the first port of call when a new job opens up. For that reason, having a well-written LinkedIn profile is essential. Not only will this allow recruiters to contact you directly about relevant roles, but it is also quite likely that employers will check out your profile before inviting you for an interview. Make sure they like what they see.Your profile should offer an in-depth view of your skills, strengths, and professional experiences. Build further credibility by asking current or former colleagues to leave you recommendations and endorse your skills as well.4. Send Speculative ApplicationsWhen you apply to a job advertisement , you are adding yourself to a huge pool of competitors who all applied for the same role.The better bet is to get your foot in the door before a job is even advertised.That may sound impossible, but it really isnt. You just need to send out speculative applications. Essentially, this means reaching out to companies for which youd like to work and getting yourself on their radars. Even if the organization doesnt have a role for you at the moment, you will be top of mind when something opens up.Do some research and make a list of target employers where your skills and personality would be a good fit. Then, use each companys website and/or LinkedIn to find emaille addresses for relevant recruiters and HR managers. Once you have the contact info, send out a customized email detailing your interest in the company, why youd be a good fit for the team, and what sort of role you are looking for.5. Dont Forget to FollowUpIf you have applied for tons of vacancies but have heard nothing back from mostof them, there is no harm infollowing up.In fact,doing so may give recruiters a nudge to look at or reassess your application.Keep a simple spreadsheet of all the jobs you apply to. If you dont hear back within a week, send a polite, professional email to ask ifthe person hashad a chance to read your application yet. Make sure to reiterate your interest in the job, why youd be a good fit, and that you would appreciate the opportunity to interview.By adding these tips and techniques to your job-hunting strategy, youcan significantly boost your chances of findingthe right role.Andrew Fennell is the founder ofStandOut CV.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.