10 survival tips for new graduates

10 survival tips for new graduates by Michael Cheary So, this is it. You’ve spent years working towards your degree, and all that hard graft has nearly paid off. In a few short months you’ll don your cap and gown, and take those final few steps as a student, ready to step out into the real world.It’s time to take the road signs back, start eating breakfast before midday, and face the facts. The money’s run out and there are no more loans. It’s official: you need to get a job. So what now?Finding your first job as a graduate is a daunting task at the best of times, even more so in today’s challenging economic climate. So we’ve put together 10 Survival Tips for New Graduates to help you get started1)     Keep calm and make a start (today)When it comes to starting out on your graduate job hunt, it’s easy to feel like everyone else has it all figured out already. But they haven’t.The majority of your peers will be too stressed finishing their final few assignments to have started working on their CVs, let alone applying for jobs.If you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your degree or you don’t have an up-to-date CV, don’t worry. Now’s the time to take action.How to decide what to look forHow to write a winning CV2)     Cover yourselfA cover letter is essential. This can’t be stressed enough: it’s your chance to put your personality across and tailor yourself to a specific role.Recruiters receive hundreds of graduate CVs, so a well-crafted cover letter can be the deciding factor in who they choose to interview.Make the content relevant to the job you’re applying for and avoid opening your letter with a generic ‘To whom it may concern’ by taking time to find out who to address your cover letter to.How to write a covering letter3)     Do your homeworkIt may seem obvious, but the more planning you do, the more it will benefit you in the long run.You can learn a lot about a company just from visiting their website and  doing some research.Your CV wil l be more relevant (for instance, you can use value statements to match yourself to their mission statement and goals), and you’ll have the background you need if you make it to the interview stage.4)    Get yourself a hobbyThink about what sets you apart from other graduates. Include any relevant units or subjects you’ve studied which may make you an ideal candidate.Have you done any voluntary work or undertaken any courses which may be relevant to the position? If not, this may be a good time to consider it.The same goes for hobbies. Make the most of your new-found free time and take up something which will set you apart.Remember: it’s never too late.5)     Sell yourself, not the title of your degreeWhen you start applying for jobs, there’s a good chance your degree won’t have that much relevance to the position you’re interested in. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you’re unsuitable.Look past the title of your degree and think about what skills you’ve picked up along the way. Working to deadlines, research and analytical skills, giving presentations, demonstrating logical thinking and interpersonal skills are all great attributes often gained through higher education.The list really is endless. It’s all about how you present and communicate them.6)   Be confident, stay positiveThis applies, not only to your attitude, but also to your language. When writing your CV, avoid common mistakes such as ‘I feel I have’ or ‘I can be good at’ Remember: you’re selling yourself to the employer. A little confidence can go a long way.This also applies if your degree doesn’t completely match the position you’re applying for. Starting a cover letter with a phrase such as ‘I know that I don’t have much experience in this field’ won’t give an employer much of an incentive to continue reading.Recruiters seldom see ‘the perfect candidate’. Focus on what you can offer them, rather than what you can’t.7)     Keep building your n etworkNever underestimate the power of networking. Search through your friends and family, family friends and friends of friends. You may not have seen them for years (you may never even have met them!), but that shouldn’t matter.Get your name out there. If you can pick up some work experience from one of your contacts or even an update when a potential position comes up, it’ll definitely be worth it.8)     Get some experienceIt’s a dirty job, but you should be prepared to start from the bottom.To get into your desired field or dream job, you’ll probably need to gain some experience. This could be entry level or even unpaid: many companies provide internships or graduate work experience opportunities.At this point, you’ll probably be used to having limited funds, so a few more months won’t hurt.9)     Consider all the optionsOk. You’ve reached graduation and have absolutely no idea what kind of jobs you’re qualified for. Trust us, you’re not the only one.Make sure you know all the options before you start writing yourself off. Sometimes your degree can open more doors than you realise and take your career in a completely different direction. Even if you don’t think it’s necessarily ‘career friendly’, you’d be surprised.Find out what other areas you can go into and start applying.10)   Don’t take it personallyIt’s an unfortunate fact, but as a graduate jobseeker, a certain amount of rejection is inevitable. Over 300,000 new graduates will start looking for jobs between April and September. It’s competitive, but that’s not to say it’s impossible.If you’ve applied for a few positions and haven’t heard anything back, try not to take it personally. It’s all about perseverance.If possible, try taking the positives (and negatives) from each application. It doesn’t hurt to ask a recruiter why you were unsuccessful. You might just learn something.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

Getting Your Home Ready For The Spring Selling Season

Getting Your Home Ready For The Spring Selling Season Are you planning on putting your home on the market in the Spring?   Its not too early to get started on getting your home ready.   Spring is normally one of the best times for selling, and some experts are suggesting that some real estate markets are reaching the top of a normal market cycle. Even in the best of markets, homes that present well sell for more than similar homes that have one or more glaring negatives.   Check out these valuable tips on getting your home ready for the Spring selling season, and youll be much more likely to get the top dollar youve been hoping for. The value of great curb appeal cannot be overstated.   That all-important first impression can either set the stage for an excited buyer, or sour them before they ever get inside.   Heres whats most important. Lawn and Yard If you keep your yard up as a matter of course, great.   Take it up another level with a good manicure.   That can mean Pruning mature shrubs and bushes to give them a more youthful look. Trimming existing trees of unhealthy or dead limbs, or planting new ones if you dont have any. Planting seasonal flowers that brighten the overall look. Edging and weed control for the lawn.   Thatching and re-seeding if the lawn is old and drab looking. Hiring professional lawn and yard maintenance until the home is sold. Front Door The front door is often overlooked when homeowners prepare to sell.   But whats the very first thing a visitor (buyer!) touches on your home?   Plus, theyre going to be standing there for a few moments waiting for the door to open and be invited inside.   And staring at the door.   The paint on it.   The dust on the trim.   And those dog scratches you tried to erase. While replacing a front door can be costly, a good cleaning and even painting is inexpensive even if you hire it done.   Avoid odd colors.    If you want to find out whats in vogue right now, take a cruise through a new neighborhood. Lastly, consider putting a tasteful Welcome Home piece of decor on or near the door.   Creating a feeling that this could be home for your new buyer is part of good staging. Windows Obviously, youll want to replace any cracked glass.   But check out the condition of your window screens, too.   Are they old and dirty?    Are they sagging or otherwise ill-fitting?   Clean them properly, or replace them as needed.   If youre handy, do-it-yourself kits are available.   Otherwise, youll find local companies that specialize in nothing but screens. If you have screens that reduce the sunlight coming into the house and youre selling in the cooler seasons, consider leaving the screens off.   More light to the inside is always a plus.   Just place them in storage and tell the buyers or their inspector that theyre off for the season. Lastly, clean those windows, both inside and out.   Hint:   Ive found that plain water and a good supply of paper towels cleans as well as any specialized window cleaner. Ready . . . Set . . . Sell! Once the outside is under control, head to the inside.   De-clutter, update, and stage to make your house tops on the buyers list, and youre on your way to a great offer! . Image credit.

Your Guide to Using Slack for Recruitment

Your Guide to Using Slack for Recruitment Lets talk about Slack.  Do you use it? Do you know what it is? Basically its a great tool for allowing  people to communicate within organisations.  Its a lot more than just instant messaging though did you realise  it can also be used for recruiting? I know, right? To get the real inside scoop on how to use Slack to engage with prospective candidates and top quality talent pools, who better to talk to than  our great buddy Angela Bortolussi  of Recruiting Social! Listen and subscribe to the podcast below or check out the written summary of our conversation. Okay, lets formally introduce you Recruiting Social Recruiting Social is a social recruitment company. Were based in Vancouver and in Los Angeles. We  provide on-demand recruitment services that we probably talk a lot about. Basically, we act like an extension of a companys in-house recruitment team, so facilitating the growth of that company. You can kind of think of it like loaning out a recruiter for a period of time. So thats one of the main services that we offer. And then recently, I became partner at Recruiting Social. What is Slack all about? Right now with Slack, I think the best way that I can describe it to anyone is as a messaging app for teams. They originally launched, I think back in 2013. So it was used as a tool to really cut down email and it provides more fluidity in conversation and just really having the ability to share knowledge amongst an organisation.  Since  then Slack has really become this new sort of phenomenon in terms of communication. So its not only used by organisations, just people in generalits essentially a tool that connects people with a general interest. Can anyone join Slack? Yes, we use it at Recruiting Social and it is a free channel to use. If you want to see, I believe its 10,000 searchable messages then youd have to upgrade to the paid version. But if youre okay with keeping that limit of 10,000 messages then its completely for free. Why would we be using Slack for recruiting? So my background is in technology and product recruitment. From my experience in technology recruitment, Im finding that more gainfully employed, engineers for example, are spending less time on like LinkedIn and checking InMails, which for us being in the business of a recruitment is difficult because we want to engage with them about opportunities, but obviously they are bombarded with messages from all recruiters around the country. So when I first got introduced to Slack I found it to be a platform where I could connect with talent and able to have really more intimate conversation with people and again, going back to that real time conversation. You can engage with them in that moment about, really, about anything. And a nice thing to about Slack is when you think of it from a recruitment perspective youre really honing in on their turf. So if its a topic, for example, about maybe AngularJS, you can start a conversation about their interest and then, you know, kind of gradually get into opportunities that might interest them with your employer. Whats a step-by-step approach to using Slack for recruiting? I think my number one rule if youre going to use this as a recruitment tool, is really  to  step up your knowledge, Slack offers on their website so many great demonstration videos on what the social media platform is, how to navigate around channels. And then I think the next step is finding out the purpose behind your Slack channel that interests you. For example, if youre looking for product managers, maybe finding a relevant channel that might be of interest to product manager in terms of just the topics of the conversation that theyre talking about, maybe job opportunities that they could be talking about within that channel. Right now, I think Slack,  theyve probably got about 300 communities happening right now, so it can get a little bit confusing to see all the Slack channels in which one would be of interest, so, I think right now its just best to hone in on ones that pick your interest as a recruiter and, of course, understanding who your audience is within those Slack communities as well. And then I think its really important to step up your Slack etiquette is what I call it, so really in this case when you go into a Slack channel, because what happens is when you go into a Slack channel you actually have to get invited to that Slack channel.  So, once you get invited by the administration person within that community, I would say reach out to them directly just to understand the rules and the regulations and best practices within that community and know theyll be quite transparent as well. After  you get the lay of the land of the Slack community then I would just kind of navigate around just to see what other channels are within that community. So, for example, if there is a job or career channel, check it out because thats a great opportunity for recruiters to post the jobs that theyre essentially looking to fill. And of course, within those Slack channels its a free place to post jobs, and I think thats the really cool thing about Slack, is that we can use it as an extension of our recruitment best practices as well. So once you find a channel that really interests you, then you can really start engaging with people in terms of the topics of conversation. So, someone might be talking about their interest in using like AWS for example. Find out what interests them about AWS and then you can actually use that in conversations with candidates as well. So its almost like as a recruiter you know what youre talking about in some way or form. Where exactly do you find Slack channels? They arent listed on the Slack website. So thats another little obstacle when it comes to finding Slack channels. So theres websites like slacklist.info, Chit Chats is another great tool to use to find Slack channels. Usually sometimes what Ill do is I just do a basic Google search to find out, for example, a .NET Slack channel or it could be a marketing Slack channel. I think just doing a quick search like that youll get a lot of results as well. It just takes a little bit of time just to go through which Slack channel might interest you, but thats the  best start just in terms of to find one. The best list of @Slack groups for #developers https://t.co/RS2QJFzECg via @TechBeaconCOM - Thanks for sharing these! Great article! #tech Angela (Bortolussi) Rees (@ABortolussiRees) July 8, 2016 With are the Slack etiquette dos and donts? I think, well, in terms of the Slack etiquette as I was mentioning, not being spammy, write with purpose and really introduce yourself. So one example that I can give to that I would say if you are posting in the jobs or career channel I would usually introduce myself. So, Hi, Im Angela. Im a recruting manager at Recruiting Social. Im looking to hire a senior software engineer in the San Francisco area. These are the particular skills that Im looking for. This is not a remote position, this is an onsite position. And then I would provide the link to get more information and then put my email and then LinkedIn profile. Have you calculated the ROI, the return on investment on using Slack for recruiting purposes? Yeah. And thats another great question, because I do often come across that, about what is it in terms of Slack that makes it a better tool than other social media platforms. And in this case I wouldnt say its a better tool, Id say in terms of just how we use social media, I think, social media in general is not a new thing to the recruitment practice. I think how were leveraging it is something new. So, again, using Slack is just an extension of your other tools that Im sure that many of us, recruiters use. I think one important thing to note when it comes to using Slack right now, theres probably as I was mentioning about 300 Slack channels out there with about 3 million daily active users. With this particular product I dont know any other product that creates this entire sort of ecosystem around conversation, right? And I think thats the main sort of key thing to remember is that its in real time conversation. Its not where an email where theres that delay, its not a LinkedIn message where theres thats delay. This actual conversation is happening right at that moment. So, the engagement can be really high for a lot of the recruiters. What are your favourite Slack integrations? One cool tool that Ive come across is called Blitz. Its a free app that allows for instant messaging when you are engaging with candidates. For example, if I were to send a message to a candidate on LinkedIn or maybe via email, I could actually send a link via Blitz and that it would invite the candidate into my Slack channel where we could actually engage in conversation rather than sending a bunch of emails back and forth. So, it kind of gives that fluidity in conversation as well. Im obsessed with Giphy. I think Giphy would definitely be my number one. I know a lot of the engineers that Ive been chatting with have preference with GitHub as well. I would say Blitz like I said the app that I was just mentioning is a really kind of cool tool to check out. Appear is great as well. Follow Angela on Twitter @ABortolusssi.

Proper Ways to Request Vacation Time

Proper Ways to Request Vacation Time Going on vacation bears the responsibility of being accountable to your co-workers and boss. You cannot simply up and leave because you purchased plane tickets or found a great deal on Hotels.com. If you are not sure how to go about it, we share the proper ways to request vacation time at your next job.Check the RulebookBefore you begin to plan a vacation, check out your employee handbook or operational guidelines. Make sure you know the company’s guidelines for requesting vacation days. Ultimately, when you are planning your vacation there will be a greater sense of ease that you are not risking your job in the process.Not only is it respectable to the other co-workerswhen you start sharing your pictures and locations on social media, but there is also no concern someone from work will see it.On top of this, you want to make sure you are not taking too many days at once or taking more days off than you are allowed. Checking the rulebook will help you with both the formal and infor mal rules for taking days off in your workplace.Plan Around WorkThe next step here is not to plan a vacation when a serious amount of work is about to affect your department. For example, if the company is planning on doing an internal audit of its processes and you happen to be Head of Operations. It would be a bad idea for you to disappear because you will be heavily needed during the audit.This will also cut down on you having to stay engaged with work while on vacation. Try to think of all co-workers and their needs and you “not being there” will impact the team. Even if someone can cover you, it is a good idea not to put others in that situation (especially if the person who covers for you REALLY screws up).Give Plenty of Warning/NoticeWhen you have planned out some target dates, give your boss plenty of notice. Even though you have collected vacation days it does not mean you can leave work whenever you want.When you present your request for vacation time, try to avoid pre senting it as a list of demands. Make some suggestions and see what the boss has to say, instead of simply saying, “I am taking a vacation this week.” The last thing you want to do is undermine your boss's authority.If you must keep a certain date for vacation time, such as attending a destination wedding, do everything in your power to find someone to cover you.Pick a Good Day to Request VacationTry and gauge the kind of day your boss is going through before requesting a vacation. If he or she is having a bad day or coming off some uncomfortable meetings and calls, the last thing you want to do is walk in and say, “I need this time off.” See if you can wait until the boss is not having a stressful day. When you are asking your boss for something, you want him or her in a positive frame of mind.If you work in salesor some other role where you are facing a big deadline like the end of the quarter, or right before a product launch, you should probably be strategic about the da tes you pick for a vacation.Accept Your FateThe best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Be prepared for the boss to say no to your request. Sometimes, work and life are so horribly out of whack that the “perfect vacation” conflicts with “the perfect storm at work”. If the boss says, “No”, suck it up and deal with it. You will be appreciated much more in the end.

The Best Way to Write a Resume For the Travel Writing Industry

The Best Way to Write a Resume For the Travel Writing IndustryThe best way to begin your journey into the travel writing industry is by getting a resume that will help you get the job you're after. There are many ways to get a resume and most of them are far less efficient than one way. The following is a technique that will lead you directly to the places where you need to go in order to get a job in this field.First, a very important thing to remember when writing a resume is that you should always be concise. The more words you have on your resume, the more likely you are to miss out on the opportunities that come with having more people looking at your resume. Be sure to include the most important information first and foremost. You may want to begin your resume by stating what position you hold, your skills and experience and what positions you have held.Next, when putting together your resume, you want to go for the most relevant information. It's important to remember that tra vel writing is an industry where employers go for the most relevant and current information they can find. The most current and useful information is what they're looking for so do not go beyond this point. If you can't put into words what you want to convey, make up a list of phrases and attach it to your resume.The next important thing to remember when creating a resume is that you want to make your resume short and to the point. In many instances, you will be asked to give examples of previous work experience, and you do not want to have a long, complex resume to offer. If the employer asks for something too complex, then you may be sending them the wrong message. You want to communicate clearly and succinctly so that your message is immediately understood.Always remember to put your address in your cover letter and in the resume as well, because employers often check out your employ website. On the cover letter, you may want to include your contact information such as your full name, your company name and the name of your current employer. If possible, include a link to your employer's website so that they will have a link to follow if they're interested in learning more about you. In the resume, you may want to indicate if you have any references available or what positions you might be able to apply for. If you do not provide contact information, you will run the risk of missing the opportunity to put yourself forward.It's also a good idea to send an email attachment that lists your skills. Try to include those skills that relate to your current position. For example, if you are applying for a hotel writing position, you will want to highlight your experience writing about travel. If you are applying for a senior writer position, you might mention that you have experience in advertising and creative writing.Another important thing to remember when you are trying to create a resume is that you want to keep it to two pages. Two pages of your resume will gi ve you the best chance of getting the interview that you are after. Try to avoid using multiple copies of the same information or multiple versions of the same page. Many times, employers want to see the same information that they have already seen on your resume in the form of an outline.Lastly, try to develop a portfolio that you can show employers when they are interviewing you. It is important to not only tell them what you can do for them, but what you can do for them when they give you a job.

Helping Africa through business - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Helping Africa through business - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I recently wrote a blog post asking for information on happy workplaces in Africa. I got some great tips, showing that even in poor countries its still possible to be happy at work. Now I can finally announce the reason why i ask. A company has been launched that has a simple but breath-taking goal: To eradicate poverty in Africa through business. The company is called C4, and the idea is based on micro-financing ala Grameen Bank with a focus on helping African businesses. The idea is this: People in rich countries can create an account with C4 and put money into it. Africans can create accounts asking for investments. C4 account holders can decide which projects to invest in. Note that youre not giving the money as aid youre investing in a number of projects and can expect to get your money back with interest. The advantages are clear: You get direct influence over which projects you support. Instead of giving aid, were helping people help themselves. I know the people behind this, and I know their commitment, skill and energy will carry them on to great results. I have also been giving them a hand here and there :o) Now theyre looking for the first group of people to start test-driving the site. Theyre looking for 2,015 people to be specific (why that number? See if you can figure it out :o) I urge you to sign up for this. Its a great opportunity to be a part of something fun, that has the potential to make the world a better place. I will certainly be participating, with a specific focus on spreading happiness at work in African businesses. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Do You Have a Career Management Emergency Fund

Do You Have a Career Management Emergency Fund A lot of people who are out of work arent getting the professional job search guidance they need because they feel they cant afford it. Without professional help, many end up with ineffective resumes or unproductive search campaigns. Each week the job seeker is out of work, they lose money. Money that might have been recouped faster, if they invested in the right tools to conduct their search.  People set up savings accounts for home repair, a new computer, or their childrens education. So how about setting up a savings account for your career? Think about it. For the price of your daily mocha latte or other small indulgence, you can start a career management fund and have enough money for a professionally crafted resume or a few hours of job search coaching within a few months. If you need help now, but are strapped for cash, here are a few free and low cost resources to help you in your search.Career Hub BlogCareer Management Alliance Blog  The Riley GuideHappy About My ResumeJob H untJibber Jobber