How Do I Turn My Ideas Into A Clear Career

“How Do I Turn My Ideas Into A Clear Career” Help from our Community “How Do I Turn My Ideas Into A Clear Career?” * Kevin's ready for a change. He knows what skills he wants to useand the sectors he'd like to apply them in, but he hasn't yet had a light-bulb moment about exactly what he'd love to do. How do you pinpoint your new direction when you've only got rough ideas? What's your career history and current job? I'm a broadcast journalist and producer. I get to decide what our top stories are and how we cover them. I also build the running orders for broadcast items, which involves a lot of writing. I've been doing that for 20 years. How do you feel about your work? I like the buzz of working on a big story and the camaraderie that comes from working as part of a team. But it's become very samey â€" I've been doing it for too long. I'm seeing people younger than me being pushed forward, whereas when I've applied for promotions I've been turned down, which is a bit of a kick in the teeth. I think I'm good at my job â€" my colleagues tell me I am â€" but it strikes me that I'm seen as a safe pair of hands, and not much more. I'm beginning to think it's the end of the road for me now though, which I'm OK about. People say you shouldn't have regrets but I do. I regret being seduced by the stability that a big organisation offers, which has stopped me from looking outwards. I've got young children so all that boring stuff â€" job security, a pension â€" that makes you feel safe has been important to me throughout my career to date. I take my responsibility as a joint provider for my family very seriously. My wife and I have spoken about it and we know we're in a position where we could take a bit of a hit financially if that's what it takes for me to find something that's right for me. I'm just apprehensive about where I go next. What would you like to be doing instead? I enjoy writing â€" that's the one aspect of the job that I still find quite rewarding. My talent as a writer is acknowledged by my colleagues. I write short form pieces for television bulletins. That's a skill I know I could take elsewhere: conveying information in a punchy way. I'd like to do something that would help people live better lives. I'm quite interested in the charity sector because I feel I'd get some satisfaction and fulfilment from contributing to an organisation whose focus is to improve the lives of others. I have a friend who runs a charity and I do some voluntary work for her occasionally. I've seen that it takes dedication and hard work to stay afloat in a sector where the quest for funding is an ongoing battle. That's very different to my experience in the corporate world where money is rarely an issue. The vital difference is the reward you get from making a difference that is more valuable than money. Working with social enterprises appeals for similar reasons and because I see it as an ethical way of doing business. I definitely don't want to work in a similar environment to the one I'm in now, where it's all about shift work. What's the biggest obstacle in your way? I'm floundering a bit because I haven't got a specific idea of what I want to move into. I've spoken to people who work in PR, which helped me to rule that out because it's so corporate, and I don't want to work in the corporate sector anymore. I'm fairly certain my next step lies in the charitable or social enterprise sectors, but I've just not had that light-bulb moment where I've thought, “Yes, that's what I want to do!”. I feel like I need someone to assess my skills and help me identify what job I'd be suited to. Right now, I'm really frustrated by the lack of clarity and feeling trapped in a job that makes me very unhappy. I know I'm passionate about writing. I know I'm capable of articulating a message and shaping narratives, but it's harder to do it when it's about me and I don't want to undersell myself. If I knew where and how to focus, I think I'd find it far easier to shape my applications, CV and personal statement, and I'd feel a lot more confident talking to people. How do I get really clear on a fulfilling role where I could help others using my skills? Can you help Kevin? Have you been in a similar situation, or are you in the same boat right now? How do you think Kevin could move his shift forwards? Do you know anyone he could talk to? Share your thoughts in the comments below and click the thumbs-up button to show your support. Give Kevin a cheer of encouragement by hitting the thumbs-up button here:

2 Years, 600 Articles, One Aim, Hack Careers For Young People

2 Years, 600 Articles, One Aim, Hack Careers For Young People This is our 600th article. And this week also coincides with our 2-year anniversary. Yes, Career Geek is two years old. Two years ago I bought www.careergeekblog.com and started blogging. It was purely because I was bored after moving to a different city after University. Most of you will not know this, but I have blogged on various things since I was 16, but all those blogs just died down. I was never serious about them either that or my attention span was short. Maybe a bit of both really. But after Asya joined Career Geek, she really put the house in order and has managed to make Career Geek Blog a reputable careers resource. It was under her stewardship that we implored different social media platforms and improved the quality of content on our blog. Along the way, there have been a few people to help us out. In fact, we are still looking to hire some awesome people to help us out on the road ahead. And there is so much more I can write about. But I dont want to. I want to reflect back and say Thank you to those that have helped us get where we are today. So, thank you to Asya for the great work you do leading Career Geek. Thank you,  Matt, for being one of our early bloggers and our  News Editor. You really were a star. Thanks to Gillian. You did an amazing job with stamping our Social Media profiles and sowing the early seed. Thank you,  Caitlin. We still get an odd email addressed to you as our Content Manager. You really helped us manage the load and generate a lot of content. Got to thank  Simi, who still blogs for us, but also picking up Social Media and taking us to the next level when we most needed support. I hope you keep writing for us and work with us again ?? Kaynat, thanks for your brief stint helping us create some content and your thoughts in discussions. Thank you,  Zoe, our next Content Manager. You did the job pretty well and also thanks for editing my first ever CV e-book. Another good person who helped us and has motivated us to stay focus and develop us further is Christine. I recommend her as someone to have on your side rather than opposite. I have to thank Stephan, who, although did not see us becoming successful, helped us shape our business case and the need to move on to the next level. A couple of bloggers I have to thank are Leo Woodhead, The Placement Officer and Richard White. Your articles are a tremendous help to students and I hope you keep writing and sharing your knowledge with our readers. A huge Thank you to Laura Brandon for blogging with us and sharing her awesome experience. She really is our Fashion Careers Expert. A big thank-you to Rebecca, who blogs for us and has some awesome writing to share. Now, thank you to all 2,800+ Twitter followers    you are amazing with your thoughts, support and tweets. Facebook fans, thank you for reading, liking and commenting on our articles. Your feedback and support keeps us going. Thanks to those few Pinterest followers we have. We havent forgotten you, we love you and your boards. Thank you to all my friends who read the blog. Thank you to our newsletter subscribers. The fact that our interaction rate is 10 times the industry rate motivates us to keep working. I have to thank all my failures as a student. Without those failures I would never have been motivated to help other jobseekers. There are so many more people to thank and I wish I could mention them all here. But please, do remember that your support keeps us going. We have always been sure about one thing. Quality over quantity. And that mantra will stay with the blog. But there is more that we will offer you, just bear with us. 2 years, 600 articles and I am still here, motivated to help even more graduates than before. Thank you for reading this! Thank you for supporting us! 5

How to Come Across More Professional when Working From Home

How to Come Across More Professional when Working From Home Do you know whats tempting when you work from home? Acting like youre not working at all, thats what. Hey, its not like you turned part of your house into your office just to be another clock-punching 9-to-5 employee, right? No matter where you work, you still owe it to your clients and/or bosses to be professional. When you start to work from home, you develop the desire to be more professional and to put things in order. After all, being professional gives you an advantage over equally-skilled â€" if not more skilled â€" competitors. Professionalism is, after all, the number one personality trait employers seek in new hires. If the link above convinced you to ditch your Ms. Pajamas image, here are the steps you can take to become Ms. Professional. Carve Out a Space Specifically for Work I wrote about this in detail here. Basically, find a place where you can work: Without distractions; With good lighting and temperature; and With enough space for your equipment and supplies. Your workspace doesnt have to be as fancy, or as sterile, as a typical Fortune 500 office. As long as it helps you establish psychological boundaries between work and home, its not a problem. Set Working Hours â€" and Stick to Them One disadvantage of working from home is this: People assume youre available 24/7. Hey, can you please churn out that 10,000-word report while doing the laundry? Of course you can’t. If you decide to work from 9 AM to 1 PM only, let your boss know. Otherwise, he or she might nag you about revisions and such â€" even when youre about to go to sleep. Dress for the Job Yes, pajamas are more comfy. But if theyre too comfy, they might relax you to the point that you fall asleep in the middle of work. Also, if youre about to meet with clients over a video conference, your disheveled appearance might put them off. Try wearing clean, well-ironed and conservative shirts instead. If you just got up from bed, remember to wash your face, wear just enough makeup to conceal blemishes and such, and comb your hair. You dont have to look like a stereotypical “professional woman” but you should be presentable, at least. Get Organized To help you work at your best, install universal productivity apps on your desktop PC or mobile device. If you have regular online meetings with clients and bosses, ask them to install a video conferencing system, where you can interact with each other as though theres no virtual barrier between you. Also, try to clean up the wall behind you. The last thing you want is for your boss to notice an embarrassing picture or poster in your home office. Inform Clients/Bosses of Your Time off in Advance Obviously, you cant work all the time. Sometimes, you need to file a leave for emergencies, sickness and other reasons. Your clients and/or bosses understand this â€" as long as you inform them about the fact ahead of time. If you cant give them an advance notice for any reason (e.g. you suddenly had a car accident), be sure to produce some sort of proof of absence once you get back to work. Also, give them a sincere apology for your absence, and offer to make up for lost time in some way. Go Above and Beyond with Customer Service Ever wonder why professionalism is the number one quality employers want, rather than competence? Its not because they dont like competent people. Its because talented workers who are also respectful are much rarer than just talented workers. Remember that your clients and bosses are human beings, too. Apple At Home Advisors are a good example of this.  They want someone who can do the job, yes, but they also appreciate it if that someone: Offers concrete, well-thought out solutions for problems; Sets reasonable timeframes for work, and sticks to them; Calmly argues with facts, rather than emotions, when defending their position in a conflict; Is polite and respectful, no matter how bad things get; and Doesnt do the job just for the heck of it. Being professional isnt about being a yes woman. Its about doing your job to the best of your ability, while taking good care of yourself and your clients at the same time. That may sound like an overly simplistic way of looking at it, but its the simple things that usually make all the difference in the world. Also, remember to have fun on the job. Thats the main reason you have a work-from-home arrangement, right? DO you work from home? Share your tips and experiences with us below! Images by  FirmBee,  Tentes, and  elisabet dominguez Reading Recommendations:  [amazon template=productasin=150566649X]

How to Kick-start Your New Healthy Lifestyle

How to Kick-start Your New Healthy Lifestyle Sometimes you reach a point in your life when you realize its time to change your lifestyle. For too long youve been eating too much junk food not exercising enough and not challenging your mind. You need to be healthier, getting rid of your bad habits and replacing them with good ones. But where do you start? How can you begin to make life-changing alterations when it seems like theres so much you need to work on? Perhaps youve tried to make changes before, and quickly fell back into your old ways. If you want to start a new healthy lifestyle and stick to it, you need to go into it prepared. Try doing these helpful things to stay on the right track. Kick It Off with a Cleanse Anyone who wants to turn their lifestyle around should start by getting rid of the effects of their previous choices. Some things like losing weight will take a long time, but there are some immediate changes you can make. Cleansing your body doesnt just have to do with your diet, but other things you put into it too. If your smoke, giving up should be one of the first things you think about. Although it can be a long battle, it will have several almost immediate health benefits. You can also think about cutting back on alcohol, caffeine and other substances that can affect your body and mind. Some people like to start off their new diet and lifestyle with a cleansing tea. The purpose of these teas is to flush out your digestive system to help you feel refreshed and healthier right away. It could help you feel more alert and less sluggish, ready to start your new diet. epsos.de Plan Your Food If you want to change the way you eat, you need to make permanent changes, not short-term ones. The first thing to do is drop the unhealthy stuff, but you dont have to say goodbye to it forever. Its perfectly acceptable to have a treat now and then as part of a healthy diet. Once you look at what you shouldnt be eating, its time to look at what you should. Eating a balanced diet is much easier than you might think, although it will be different for everyone. Some people will choose not to eat meat or dairy, others will try to get extra protein for working out, and some people might choose a Mediterranean diet. Whatever you do, get plenty of vegetables and all the essential nutrients you need. Make sticking to your new diet easier by planning out your food in advance. Instead of choosing meals and snacks on the fly, decide what youre going to have at the beginning of each week or whenever you go shopping. Create a meal plan, including healthy snacks and when youre allowed to treat yourself. Youll find it easier to avoid temptation if you already have healthy alternatives prepared. If you struggle to find time to cook, choose easy to prepare meals and make more than you need so you can reheat leftovers on some days. Discover Food You Enjoy One of the mistakes some people make when they want to start a healthier diet is to eat food they dont like. If youre forcing yourself to eat something that you think is acceptable, but not tasty, you wont want to continue. There are so many healthy foods out there and even more ways to cook them. Dont suffer through eating food you dont like because its good for you. Look for things that you love and that fit into your new diet. Find Your Fitness Thing Just like with food, it will be much more difficult to stick to an exercise regime if youre doing something you dont enjoy. If you want to stay motivated, finding a fitness routine you love or at least dont hate is crucial. Dont just accept that people run or go to the gym to keep fit. If those arent for you, look for something that is. It could be a class, whether its salsa dancing or crossfit, or it could be a sport that you love participating in. Theres likely to be at least one thing out there for you, even if you usually hate exercise. Casa Velas Hotel Create a Workout Schedule and Stick to It Once youve found the thing you like or can tolerate doing, make plans to do it regularly. Similarly to your diet, if you dont plan in advance, you might never get it done. Decide on when youre going to workout and stick to it no matter what. Dont make excuses that youre too tired or dont have time when you know in reality that you can find both the energy and time to fulfill the commitment you made. Find ways to motivate yourself that work, whether its working out with friends or listening to music. Work Toward a Challenge One of the best ways to start a new workout regime is to set a goal. It could be to work toward an event or an achievement. For example, if youve started running, you could sign yourself up for a local 5k run. You might decide you want to lose a certain amount of weight or that you wish to increase the amount you can bench press. You could set a goal to swim, run or bike ride further, do a certain number of workout sessions each month or aim to climb a mountain. Get Friends or Family to Join In It can be very hard to stick to your new lifestyle when theres temptation all around you. If you live with friends or family, eating the right meals can be especially difficult. You can ask people to join in with you and go on their own health kick. It will give you people to help motivate you and mean its easier to resist temptation. It will help if you can cook one healthy meal for everyone at home or if you have friends to go to the gym with. If you want to begin a new, healthy lifestyle, you have to start off on the right foot. Make a plan to help you follow through on your commitments and change your life for good.

#115 - Career Expert Series - Michelle M. Gomez CareerMetis.com

#115 - Career Expert Series - Michelle M. Gomez â€" CareerMetis.com The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSForEpisode 115 of The CareerMetis Podcast, we will be hearing from Michelle M. Gomez.This interview is part of the “Career Expert Series“.evalGUEST INTRODUCTION â€" MICHELLE M. GOMEZevalMichelle M. Gomez is an accomplished business executive and her specialty is being a slayer of imposter syndrome. As well as being a published author, she helps other high achievers find inner peace, overcome their demons, and rid themselves of the debilitating effects of impostor syndrome.EPISODE SUMMARY1) As a young Latin woman, Michelle started her career at 19 in the male dominated Logistics and Transportation industry. She fell into it and had a rough time, but with coaching, training and sheer determination, she managed to do more than survive, she’s thrived within the industry and after 2 decades is still active within it!2) Michelle describes imposter syndrome, and how it showed up in t he early stages of her career, regardless of how her peers thought of her. She explains that it’s difficult to help people improve their inner dialogue about themselves, but having been through it, she has an easier time developing more self worth and confidence.3) Michelle talks about our bodies being able to detect the truth of something, even if we don’t acknowledge it. She describes how impostor syndrome can manifest itself in other ways if you choose to ignore it rather than deal with it. 4) Michelle also talks about leadership, and how it can be impacted both positively and negatively depending on your level of self awareness.5) Michelle also speaks about work-life balance, and how to master both in a way that allows you to not only love your life and job, but be productive and positive in both places. Being present has a lot to do with it. 6) Michelle also talks about self care and what happened when she neglected her life for her job, and how you can take care of yoursel f to avoid similar types of setbacks in your own life!evalQUOTES“I’m able to reframe my thought patterns around success because I have dealt with the imposter syndrome in my own experience”“I had to be something other than who I was in order to be successful”“Everyone around me seemed to believe I belonged, it was me that struggled with it”“Look at all you’ve accomplished, you should be proud of yourself”“Our bodies are innate truth tellers”“You can’t heal what you can’t speak”“80% of my identity was at work, and 20% was everywhere else”“Sometimes what’s ordinary to you is extraordinary to others”RESOURCESTo learn more about Michelle M. Gomez, visit her website. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.During our interview, Michelle mentioned her new book â€" Own Your Brilliance: Overcome Impostor Syndrome for Career Success.Intro Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas

Three Ways to Demonstrate Your Value in a Job Search - CareerEnlightenment.com

You might follow a topic.Here are some examples of some great job seekers who found work from their blogs:Karen Bolipata (Writer)Danny Cox (PR)Jenny Blake (HR)Terry Shultz (Engineering Design)Norm Elrod (Marketing)3. Be a Leader, Start a CommunityThe majority of blogs are dead within three months. Most never get more than 50 people to read them. The comments section develops cobwebs.When you pass two restaurants, and one is full with a line, and the other is empty, which one are you going to assume is the better place to eat?When an employer is checking you out online, if youve linked to your blog from LinkedIn and from your email signature, and the employer sees you ranting and raving online with nobody giving a crap, you might not get the result you hoped for.A blog is a community. Having comments shows that you, as a thought leader, are provoking discussion and that people care about what you have to say.Apart from begging your friends to comment, this can be one of the most disap pointing parts of starting a blog. And, I suspect, a major reason that they dont last long. No one likes the feeling of talking to a wall.Having comments also tells Google that you are special. And with your name on the blog, your smart articles will soon begin to dominate Google search results for your name.To solve the comment problem, Ive started a Comment Co-Op for career-minded bloggers.A Comment Co-Op (noun): A Comment Co-Op is a group of people who support each other by commenting on each other’s blog posts in order to improve ranking and traffic.Basically, members can ask other members for comments, tweets, and links at any time. In return, members can respond back with comments, tweets, and links to other members.If you would like to learn more about this Blogger Co-Op, click here.And of course, your comments are welcome. If you dont comment, Ill just be a total loser.

Use HTML to Write Your Resume

Use HTML to Write Your ResumeIf you are considering using resume writing in HTML, you should know that HTML is a standard format for written documents. It is a very rich form of written English and it also has other advantages that make it a better choice than other formats. This article explains the benefits of using HTML in resume writing.Resumes have traditionally been written in traditional formats such as typewritten word, comma-separated or vertical text only. However, today, most businesses have their own electronic forms of resumes. You will see many examples of these applications in the internet. Some have email or telephone applications, while others are designed to be compatible with both the PC and the mobile devices.The problem with many resumes is that they are written in a text-only format such as Microsoft Word or Wordpad. When these types of resumes are sent off, most potential employers do not bother to look at them before making the decision to interview the candid ate. The job seekers who do continue to send their resumes by e-mail and fax find that their copies get lost, and a response will be slow in coming.Resumes in text only format can get lost when being sent to companies that do not use Word. When these companies receive the resumes, they will have no idea what the resumes are about. If the employer knows how to read HTML, he or she will know that there is some type of job opening available, and he or she can use the company's search engine to learn more about the candidate. Therefore, it makes much more sense to send resumes in HTML.The best way to avoid the mistake of sending your resume in text only format is to use a professional HTML editor. One of the great benefits of having your resume written in HTML is that you can save time and money. Using a professional HTML editor will allow you to add all the formatting that is needed for your resume. The HTML editor will do all the work for you and will format your resume so that it loo ks great.Resume writing in HTML can also benefit the recruiter. If the recruiter or the hiring manager know that you have submitted your resume through an online application or an email, he or she will want to see a copy of the resume before calling you to schedule an interview. In this case, the recruiter will appreciate the HTML editor because it will allow him or her to quickly take a look at your resume. This saves time for both parties.Finally, using HTML in resume writing will allow the employer to keep the file that the resume is stored in safe. With traditional formats, if the employer accidentally loses a copy of the resume, it can cause an obstruction to the process of the hiring process. In addition, when you send your resume in a format that is protected by HTML, you will be assured that your work is secure and that it will not be changed without your knowledge.Resume writing in HTML is the best way to make a resume look its best. If you are still using text only forms o f resume writing, start using an HTML editor today.