The top courses to help you get hired April 2018

The top courses to help you get hired April 2018 by Michael Cheary Ready to turn over a new leaf? Instead of spending your extended April break surrounded by empty chocolate wrappers and a deep-seated sense of regret, why not take the opportunity to learn something new? reed.co.uk have thousands of courses on offer â€" with many including generous discounts, and available to start right away. Let’s face it, it’s better than counting calories…To help inspire you, here are three of the top courses on reed.co.uk right now:CIPDFancy a career where workplace gossip isn’t just encouraged, but actually part of the job? Welcome to the wonderful world of HR.CIPD is the ideal course for aspiring HR and LD professionals, with the organisation having more than 100 years’ worth of experience in helping people hit their career goals.Their certifications are offered at three different levels, ranging from foundation all the way up to advanced, meaning anyone can get involved, no matter how much experience they have.The first cou rse, CIPD Level 3, is roughly equivalent in difficulty to an A-level, and has no entry requirements to get started. And, as the modules cover a wide variety of topics, you can choose the ideal area you want to work in â€" and focus in on your dream career path.Once qualified, you’ll be able to apply for HR roles right away, which means in as little as six months you could find yourself starting life as a HR Assistant, LD Assistant, and more.You’ll also become an Associate Member of the CIPD, and be able to add Assoc. CIPD after your name. Which, at the very least, will make your CV look about 150% more interesting.Who said you had to be unproductive over Easter?What do I need? A positive mindset, empathy and excellent communication skills (see also: a computer).How long will it take? As little as six months.Perfect for: People who like working with people.CIPD levels explainedCIPD Level 3 course  AAT Prefer percentages over people? AAT’s accounting qualifications are for you.N ot only do they provide the industry standard when it comes to their certifications, they’re also the largest membership body for vocational accountants in the world.And becoming a member might not be as difficult as you think â€" even without a financial background.The AAT Foundation Certificate is perfect for entry-level candidates, and covers everything from bookkeeping transactions and controls, through to getting hands-on with common accounting software.Its highly flexible and all available online, so you can set your own timetable and study at your own pace. All you need is you, your enthusiasm, and internet access. (And, you know, a calculator might help. That too.)So, if you’ve got a head for numbers (and/or want to earn more money), find out more about AAT today.What do I need? An active interest in accounting.How long will it take? Usually around six months.Perfect for: People who get excited about spreadsheets.AAT Foundation course  Personal Training It’s fun to stu dy with the YMCA.OK, so you’re not technically studying with them. But this Personal Trainer course, which also includes the required and highly respected Level 2 Fitness Instructor course as part of the package, is accredited by them.Which, when it comes to the fitness industry, makes it kind of a big deal.During your studies, you’ll learn key PT skills, such as how to design, manage and adapt safe exercise and nutrition programmes, as well as how to motivate your clients.Once again, there are no real entry requirements to get started although a good level of physical fitness, as well as the ability to resist temptation and bad eating habits (AKA all of the chocolate), will definitely be an advantage.You don’t even need to worry about the money. With 20% off of the RRP offered throughout April, and a range of flexible payment options, your post-Easter body (and career) is well within your reach â€" meaning the numbers are the only thing you don’t have to crunch.A better bo dy, a better career, and getting rid of the post-Easter guilt?Take that, Cadbury’s…What do I need? A passion for getting people in shape.How long will it take? 12 months (it’s a marathon, not a sprint etc.)Perfect for: People who like to eat clean, and train dirty.View all Personal Training coursesNot sure which course is right for you?  View all available courses now.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 Features

Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness

Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness Chip Conley, writing for his Wisdom Well blog, has a great idea for mastering anxiety. If you’ve ever laid awake at night, fretting over something that was going to happen (or was even vaguely possible), you’d give almost anything to make the anxiety go away.   Chip Conley presents a tool that might do just that. Conley writes: “Almost all anxiety can be traced to two sources: ambiguity and a perceived lack of influence. I’ve found when anxiety strikes, I create a balance sheet of what I know and what I can influence. Anxiety lurks in the dark, so this balance sheet acts as an illuminating flashlight.” Now, I admit that the idea of creating a spreadsheet as therapy would never have occurred to me, but I do see the beauty in his idea. Here’s what he proposes: “Create four columns, as shown below and start listing everything you can think of under each heading. Maybe you’re worried you’re going to get laid off. In the first column, list everything you know about the company’s and your performance. You can add what you don’t know in column 2. Next, move to the powerlessness part of the equation by listing in column 3 how you can influence or control the situation, followed by what you can’t control in column 4.” What I love about this idea most is that it’s tangible. Writing down your thoughts helps stop the cycle of rumination, the endless loop of negative thoughts. It gets them out of your head and down onto paper. It’s also a way to see clearly how many knowns and unknowns and how much power you have to influence events. If there are lots of things you can control, but just one thing you can’t (like how your boss will feel about a presentation, or whether you’ll be the best candidate for a job) you might be able to rest easier. It’s also a productive exercise that gets your brain going in a straight line instead of around in circles. When I am stressed about how much there is to do, I find that getting up and making lists calms my brain enough to let me sleep. Many people journal to help them get over negative emotions. This would make a very effective sort of journal entry. Chip Conley calls this an ”emotional accounting lesson.” And he suggests you could do it with others: your partner, as you’re worrying about a big decision. Or your team at work as you’re going through a crisis. This method is a great corollary to my husband’s theory on worry. (He’s not a fan of it.) When he catches me laying awake in the night fretting, he always asks “Is there anything you can do about it right now?” (with a pointed look at the clock reading 2 AM.) “If the answer is no, go back to sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is one thing you can do right now to make it better.” For the record, sweetheart, you’re right. I’ve got a spreadsheet that proves it.

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese What Your Company Must Do to Succeed Digitally

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese What Your Company Must Do to Succeed Digitally A recentsurveyof 2,000 business and technology executives by PwC finds that that there is a direct link betweendigital investmentand corporate performance. Specifically, the report finds that digital leaders are twice as likely to achieve more rapid revenue and profit growth as the laggards in the study. These digital leaders are more deliberate in their digital strategy, the report finds, and also show a greater CEO commitment, a strategic clarity and a broad view when it comes to applying technology and identifyingnew sources of innovation. Its not that other companies dont have a commitment to digital: 86% of CEOs are pushing digital technologies compared with 57% in 2013. In addition, 31% report their companies are investing more than 15% of revenue into technology investments that include allareas of the business, not just IT. But the digital leaders are better at not only linking digital toreal gains, but also are more adept at consistently measuring the value of their digital investments, the report says. Based on its research, PwC identifies the 10 characteristics that will spur digital growth: The CEO champion.The CEO is the natural leader as the focus on technology has shifted fromoperational efficiencyto growth, and the stakeholders and conversations have changed, the report says. Digital leaders set strategy.As CIOs and CDOs become more involved in setting the strategy, some organizations may have to change the way the organization is structured. For example, a global healthcare company uses a digital council that brings together CIOs and CMOs, who work together on bothdigital strategyand execution. The C-suite is on board.While the CIO and CMO may collaborate, research shows its often a weak relationship only 54% rate it as strong compared to the CIO/CEO relationship that is rated at 70%. But getting all the C-suite players on the same page means theres greater(read more here)

Cant Afford the Time to Network - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Can’t Afford the Time to Network - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You Cant Afford NOT To As I’ve been developing new programs for my business, I’ve focused more and more on asking people to spell out their biggest networking challenge. The responses I’ve gotten back have been eye-opening. I had expected answers like “How do I get people to return my phone call?”, “How do I hone my message so that it’s crystal clear who I am and what I’m looking for?” and “How do I find the best networking events to attend?” While I’ve gotten a few of those, the vast majority of issues have centered around one surprising area: Time. I dont have time to follow up after networking or keep in touch with contacts I dont have time to build relationships with co-workers, I have too much work to do I dont have time for all this social networking stuff, I need to grow my business. Look, we all have the same number of hours in the day, and none of us can do anything about that. But what we do have control over is how we spend those hours. Listen up: if you’re not making networking a priority, your network will never make YOU a priority. All of the really successful people I know invest in themselves and in their relationships. For an episode of Smart Networking Radio, I recently interviewed Michael Port, a best selling author. He shared with me that he spends 30 minutes each day doing a number of things to stay in touch with his network. 30 minute moments Every day he connects two people he knows who should know each other but don’t. He also skims publications looking for interesting articles to forward to people. That’s a minimum of three people that he’s touching every day, 15 people each week. Assuming a generous six weeks off each year for holidays and vacations, that’s almost 700 lives Michael is adding value to every year! Do you think he’s benefiting from this at all? You bet! If a successful author and entrepreneur like Michael Port can (and does!) take 30 minutes a day to connect three people, each one of us should be able to spend a minimum of 30 minutes per week to do the same thing. In the course of a year, you’ll create 140 stronger connections. And if just one of those connections brings a new job opportunity, new client or new project to your door that you wouldn’t have heard about otherwise, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that the weekly investment wasn’t worth it. After all, how much time do you waste each week on mindless Internet surfing or reality TV, and what are you getting for it? But what you have to realize is that the 30 minutes will not magically appear in your life, you have to set aside the time in your schedule. So here’s a 5-step process to help make networking time a part of your weekly routine so you can easily build the mutually beneficial relationships that will power your career and business for the long-term. Set aside the time 1) Decide on your ideal 30-minute block. Whether it’s 30 minutes on Monday morning before the week gets started, lunchtime on Wednesday, or Sunday morning before the kids wake up, choose a time which has the least likelihood of conflicting with another activity that could pop up out of the blue and distract you. 2) Set a standing appointment with yourself. Just like a meeting with your personal trainer, or a regular staff meeting you have at the office, if this time is blocked off in advance, you’ll be less tempted to schedule something else during that time. Set it up as a recurring appointment in your calendar, preferably highlighted in a distinct color so it stands out. 3) Choose a networking activity or set of activities that you enjoy doing and can complete in the 30-minute period. Perhaps connecting two people by email or forwarding articles doesn’t get you all that excited. Maybe instead you’d prefer to spend that time chatting with LinkedIn contacts by phone, Skype or IM to learn more about what they do, getting more involved in an online forum, or writing hand-written notes to thank people who’ve helped you. The list of possibilities is endless. Get creative, choose anything you want, but choose something, that’s the key. 4) Keep your materials organized in one place. If you’re going to write notes, keep your stationery, pens and stamps together in one drawer. If you plan to send articles as your main activity, set up an e-folder on your hard drive or a physical folder in the top drawer of your desk to put articles that you come across during the week. This way you can complete your tasks as efficiently and painlessly as possible. And fun materials like a beautiful pen that writes really well or a manila folder in a bright color, can help make that activity seem less like a chore. 5) Track your progress. Don’t expect instant results, but do keep a list of the people you interact with during this process, as well as a list of opportunities that find their way to you and where they came from. Every quarter or so see how much overlap there is. With such consistency in your networking activities, even in as little time as that half hour each week, you’re bound to create more momentum for yourself than if you just kept plugging away at your desk with your nose to the grindstone, and you’ll be able to see clearer evidence of that through tracking. Having no time to network is a pure myth, and more often than not it’s just a convenient excuse for inaction. Stop blaming other people, the clock, the economy, etc. for your lack of opportunity and take responsibility for how you spend your time. Find one stupid, wasteful activity that you do each week and replace just 30 minutes of itâ€"you don’t even have to give it up completelyâ€"focused instead on connecting with others and building deeper relationships. Make this investment and commitment in yourself. Aren’t you worth it? Author: Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). She writes, speaks and consults to experienced professionals on how to seamlessly integrate social media and traditional networking to save time and accelerate results.

It Is Permissible To Be A Pest In Your Job Search - Career Pivot

It Is Permissible To Be A Pest In Your Job Search - Career Pivot Being a Pest is not Just Permissible it is Required I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard from the unemployed, I do not want to be a pest. They may get angry with me and reject me. If you want to get the attention of a prospective employer, you may very well have to be a pest, a nice persistent pest but a pest none the less. You may reach out to a prospective employer by sending an email or calling them and leaving a voicemail and then you get nothing, it feels like a black hole. Many of you will stop right there and give up. No, you need to be persistent. Check out my post called 3 Steps to Get the Hiring Manager or Recruiter to Respondwhich explains that it sometimes takes 3 touches to get a response. You are being a pest! The reality is you have no idea why some hiring managers or recruiters have not responded. Let me give you some recent examples. Dragging Their Feet Hiring Example Sometimes, hiring organizations just drag out the hiring process for a whole variety of reasons: Budget issues Disagreement on what would make a good candidate Turf war on who this position will report to Changing market conditions Hiring manager goes on vacation Recruiter’s mother gets ill and has to take 2 weeks off to take care of her Hiring manager’s dog gets attacked by a pit bull and drops everything to take care of her dog I can tell you all of these have happened and none of these reasons would have been evident to you. Sam is a member of the Career Pivot Communityand had multiple job opportunities that just went dormant. He had not heard anything from any of them in a couple of months. Listen to the most recent episode By not being a pest and following up, he started to suffer from MSU disorder, he just made stuff up in his head. Follow Up Email Sam sent the following email to all of these dormant opportunities: Dear hiring manager or recruiter, I have not heard from you in several months. I wanted to follow up with you and see if I am still in the running because I have several other opportunities in the pipeline. If I am no longer being considered please let me know and let me know if I can be of any help in filling the position. Thanks Sam This follows the process described in the post3 Steps to Get the Hiring Manager or Recruiter to Respondwhere when you offer the hiring manager an out, and you are still in the running, they will respond immediately. He sent 5 emails and received 3 emails back in less than a day stating that each opportunity was still open and he was being considered. In all 3 situations, the hiring organizations were dragging their feet in the hiring process. Why did he not follow up sooner? He did not want to be a pest. He is now following the poke, poke and poke some more method of follow up. Be a persistentpest, a nice pest but still a pest. Overly Busy CEO Charles is also a member of theCareer Pivot Communityand is executing a long-distance job search. He wants to find a job before he makes a move, and one of his most recent visits to the place where he wants to relocate, he met the CEO of a company that was a really good fit for Charles. The CEO was looking for a VP of operations, he was in his early 50s, Charles is around 60 years of age, and they really hit it off. The CEO told Charles to look him up the next time he was in town. Before his next visit, Charles sent the CEO an email and got no response. He later texted him and did get a non-committal response about getting together. Charles made the trip and could not arrange a meeting. He continued to text the CEO regularly, every 3-5 days. CEO eventually got back to Charles and set up a meeting. What surprised Charles was that the CEO thanked him for being so persistent. The CEO told him that he was really a marketer and did not know much about operations. He knew he needed a really good operations person but kept putting it off. It was Charles being a pest that eventually got him an interview. Charles will be waiting on the outcome of that interview in the coming weeks by still being a pest. It is Okay to be a Pest Just like in Charles situation, the CEO appreciated his persistence. Charles did not know that the CEO was just procrastinating about hiring a VP of Operations. How would he have known? When we do not know something or there is a void in our knowledge about a situation, we all have the habit of wanting to fill that void orMake Stuff Up. Instead, we can be a pest and poke and poke and poke. Remember I said to be a nice pest but be persistent so that you can fill that void in your knowledge. You may not get a response and you will probably never know why. More often than not, being a pest will get you a response. Have you been a pest? Has it paid off for you? Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Fastest (And Easiest) Way To Boost Your Confidence

Fastest (And Easiest) Way To Boost Your Confidence Fastest (And Easiest) Way To Boost Your Confidence Job Interviews / Job Search / Personal Development One thing that can change your career, even your life is to always be open to new ideas. But, that’s not exactly what this post is about. If you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan you already know this secret, if you’re not here goes. A couple of years ago, I was watching Grey’s Anatomy, the episode was the climax of a protracted storyline about a gifted surgeon with a massive brain tumor. Despite many other surgeons saying the tumor was inoperable, chief neurosurgeon Amelia Shepard, not to be confused with her brother McDreamy, has determined that she can take on the job. Right before the surgery, Shepard’s intern finds her standing in the Superhero pose. Head high. Chest out. Hands at her waist. Just like Superman. Amelia explains that standing like that gives her confidence and the scene ends with the two of them standing side-by-side looking like they can take on the world. Well, that’s fine for TV but does it work in the real world? The answer is yes. Turns out the Superhero pose actually does enhance your confidence. The power of power poses (pun intended) was reported in Psychology Today. Three researchersâ€"Dana Carney, Amy Cuddy, and Andy Yapâ€"found that when people posed in “high power” poses they adopted the typical behavioral pattern that was associated with the pose. Standing in a Superhero-type pose for just two minutes made people feel more powerful and behave that way too. Pretty cool. In her TED Talk, Dana Caney of Berkley discusses the impact of nonverbal communication. It seems that our body language not only affects how others see us others, it affects how we see ourselves as well. So if we sit small, hunched over our smartphones for example, we feel small. But, if we change our body we can change how we feel. Caney explains that holding power poses changes us physically and psychologically.  After holding power poses for two minutes study participants showed increased levels of testosterone, the dominant hormone, and decreased levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress. Confidence up. Stress down. So the next time you need a little confidence, whether you’re getting ready for a job interview or preparing to walk in and ask your boss for a raise, spend a few minutes standing like a Superhero. Remember: two minutes is all it takes. Just two minutes of standing like Superman can reduce your stress levels and give your confidence a needed boost. Isn’t that worth a minute or two of your time?

Writing a Resume For Work Experience

Writing a Resume For Work ExperienceWriting a resume for work experience can be one of the most important documents you'll ever create. In this day and age, it's critical that you have your best work history on hand when a potential employer asks you to apply for a job. Therefore, the first thing you want to do is make sure that all of your relevant work experiences are listed. In this article, we'll discuss the importance of making sure you include all of the necessary details on your resume.When it comes to writing a resume for work experience, there are several factors that you need to consider before you submit your application. For example, you may think that just by listing your education you are done. That isn't necessarily the case. In fact, when you start by listing your education, it is the beginning of a resume that will carry you throughout the entire process. This is true whether you are applying for an entry-level position or for a full-time position.Since so many peopl e do not have much formal education, writing a resume for work experience can often be difficult. However, you don't have to complete your education in the traditional way. Instead, take a look at some of the various formats that are available today and select one that works for you. For example, there are many online resources where you can find free samples of how to write a resume for work experience that you can use today.Once you have completed writing a resume for work experience, make sure that you have proofread it thoroughly. You don't want to make any mistakes that could cause your application to be rejected. You will also want to make sure that your resume is up to date, as the requirements for positions may change from year to year.In addition to checking your resume to make sure that it includes everything that is required, it is also important to determine your career direction. Is your resume written to highlight your previous job history? Or, do you want to highlight your professional accomplishments?Lastly, if you are applying for positions that require specialized training, such as medical or law enforcement, make sure that you include that information on your resume. Some employers will check the professional background of applicants, so by including this information, you are showing the employer that you have the proper skill set to meet their needs.The final consideration that you want to make sure you list is your education. While it is tempting to just list all of your work experience under 'education,' if you have your education listed separately, you can simply add your education to your work experience and still leave something to the imagination.By making sure that you document everything on your resume, you are able to provide the employer with a detailed list of your educational history. This will help increase your chances of being hired. Make sure that you follow these tips when you are writing a resume for work experience.