Control Your Brands Search Results With BrandYourself - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Control Your Brand’s Search Results With BrandYourself - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Establishing a brand becomes increasingly difficult when you can’t be found online â€" and it’s a common scenario. When you type your name into a search engine, how many links that belong to you show up? If you’re lucky, you might find just one on the first page of results, while the rest belong to those doppelgangers who share your name and just happen to engage activities that are either irrelevant to your expertise or downright problematic. An incident like the one described above is what happened to  BrandYourself’s  co-founder Pete  Kistler, which in turn inspired him to team up with  current  co-founder and CEO of  BrandYourself, Patrick  Ambron. Together they created a free website that boosts your links with  SEO  to make you more visible in search results. When you first sign into  BrandYourself, using your email or through Facebook or Twitter, you are guided through a series of steps to improve your search ranking. Here are some of the key features: Search Score:   Typing in your name, you’re presented with the first page of Google’s search results where you determine your search score. Your score, on a grading scale of A+ through F, is based on  the likelihood people will find positive content on your first page versus  negative or other peoples results. Link Boosting:  Don’t be discouraged if your  score is poor, as  BrandYourselfprovides  SEO  to bolster the links you want to be seen.  Submitting your first three links is free â€" any more and you will have to upgrade to  a  premium  account. Track Progress:  Whether your link is a social media profile or an article that mentions you,  BrandYourself  tracks both the rank on Google and percent it’s been boosted. Site stats are provided, as well as email alerts and real-time alerts  when any results change. Profile:  Along with a listing your bio, education, and work, your profile hosts your boosted positive links â€" which helps improve their rank.  You also have the option to submit your  BrandYourself  profile to improve its own visibility, making it an all-in-one place to focus on boosting your ranking if you have numerous links to share.? Pros of  BrandYourself: Sign up and basic features  (as listed above)  are free Easy to use Provides real-time and email alerts Open and transparent  about how it works through steps and explanations Provides hotline and representative to contact for help or consultation Cons of  BrandYourself: Cannot erase negative results completely Other features, such as submitting unlimited links, tracking the first ten Google pages, and getting more in-depth stats require a paid membership Results are not immediate (taking from 2 â€" 6 weeks) and are not guaranteed(although paying members may receive a refund) For those wanting to become more proactive about controlling which links surface when you’re being searched,  BrandYourself  is a great, free, and easy do-it-yourself tool. What do you think about  BrandYourself’s  features? How important is it to manage your search results for your personal brand? Author: Heather R.  Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

10 Professional Tips for Switching to Remote Work CareerMetis.com

10 Professional Tips for Switching to Remote Work Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comWorking remotely has grown from a mere novelty to a standard-issue practice across industries. According to a 2017 New York Times piece, 43% of workers reported doing at least some of their work from home the previous yearâ€"and the trend is growing. Remote work is a win-win situation for many businesses.Companies can reduce office costs and on-site expenses, while workers benefit from more autonomy and freedom from tedious commutes.Switching to a remote work environment is a welcome change for many people, though once the novelty of logging on while in your pajamas wears off, there’s work to be done.evalWorking remotely comes with its own set of challenges beyond managing the flexibility and accountability that come with the territory. For those thinking of making the switch here are ten tips to help you make the transition while maintaining accountability and professionalism.1) Sort Out Your Tech Setup Right AwayevalNo matter what your business, a secur e, high-speed internet connection is vital to any remote office. Some companies offer to help pay some of the cost of internet service, but regardless, having the bandwidth to run the programs relevant to your job is your responsibility.In some cases, a residential internet connection might not cut it, meaning you’ll have to look for a business internet plan instead. And either way, make sure to pair your high-speed internet with an equally robust Luckily, many cities now offer co-working spaces to mimic the flow of a workday while sharing costs for printers, internet service, and other office essentials. And there are always coffee shops, libraries, and bookstores that welcome remote workers who will benefit from a good jolt of caffeine and people nearby.Just be sure that any offsite workspace doesn’t compromise the security needs of your job.3)Introverts, You Must Be Proactive in CommunicationIn contrast to the extroverts in tip #2, introverts often consider working from home a dream. No idle small talk, no awkward company meeting rooms, and no more feigning interest in the big game! Streamlining work to its essential functions in a private environment does not, however, give you a license to tune out the rest of the world.Most jobs still require communication on a daily basis, from company-wide chat programs like Slack to online meeting spaces like UberConference.evalThe trade-off for more freedom is an added responsibility to be available during work hours. This may include adding programs to your smartphone and your personal computer.Be sure to communicate with your team on a regular basis, even if it’s just to let them know your work is done or you’re enjoying the project you’re working on together. Resist the temptation to bury yourself in your work, and make sure you’re available to your team when needed.4) Master the Tools of Your Tradeâ€"No Excuses!Whatever your area of expertise, remote work introduces a new set of tools and programs. It ’s often easy to dismiss the quirks of ubiquitous cloud-based software like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.But all of these apps have features that require a more profound degree of mastery. This is especially true for apps that need you to lead a conference call or present a slideshow online.Many people are content to stumble through their presentations with lots of “Hold on a minute” and “Let me figure this out” interruptions in the midst of a live meeting. That’s less easy to do when you’re not in the same room as the other meeting attendees.Master using screen share, muting video feeds, running slideshows, and moderating calls before presenting. Set up mock meetings with co-workers to test your skills. They may seem like minor skills to master, but they go a long way in establishing your professionalism as well as the fluidity of your meetings.eval5) Establish Clarity Around Expectations and FlexibilityRemote work leaves a lot of wiggle room for both managemen t and workers. Obvious criteria, like work hours and established break times, are easy to figure out. More complicated are the expectations around availability, deadlines, and time away from the computer.Other issuesâ€"like who pays for internet, who is responsible for computer security, and even what time zone you’re working inâ€"can be overlooked in remote office settings until they arise in real-time problems.Having a central hub where remote work policies are outlined, and expectations are easily accessed is criticalâ€"as are reminders from management that these hubs exist.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.com6) Build Trust by Asking QuestionsevalA remote work environment makes it easy to Google a lot of problems that come up in a typical workday, though the answers provided by the search giant may not be the same solutions your company uses. The very nature of remote work means there will be lots to learn, and as tip #5 mentions, misunderstandings can crop up if there aren’t clear ex pectations.Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This includes not only understanding the suite of apps you use but also questioning processes that may not make sense from your isolated perspective.If you’re curious why deadlines fall at an inconvenient time in your schedule, ask your manager. There’s likely a good reason behind it, and if not, there may be some room to adjust. Either way, bringing up the conversation will help find a solution or identify a need.7) Quarantine Dogs Kids During MeetingsMaybe the first time Fido yaps at the mailman or your kids crawl into the background of your webcam is charming, but the novelty can wear off quickly.Just because you’re conducting an important meeting in bunny slippers doesn’t mean the rest of your workspace should be amateur hour. Account for any distractions ahead of time, and excellent communication with your team and clients with the same respect you would like in a traditional office setting.evalThis includes avoiding place s where you can’t control background noise and turning off bandwidth-sucking programs like Netflix or Youtube when you’re running meeting apps (even with high-speed internet, your computer may lack the power to run your meetings at the best quality settings with other programs open).8) Reach Out for a Little Phone or Face-to-Face TimeWorking with a disembodied team of co-workers is a unique phenomenon of remote work. You may potentially work for years with individuals who you wouldn’t recognize in person if they walked by you in the supermarket.There are real advantages to having conversations getting to know your co-workers or meeting up with them in person, if possible. Some companies offer work retreats for just this purpose.There is, of course, a line between personal and work lifeâ€"one that tends to get blurred in the online world of Facebook, Instagram, and other expressions of the self that are often public but not intended to be shared with co-workers. Chats with co-w orkers and managers can help establish boundaries and build trust as you navigate those waters.9) Don’t Abuse Open Communication ChannelsAnother exciting aspect of remote work is how easy it is to reach co-workers directly. An E-mail was once the primary culprit here, so much so that some companies had policies where employees could only check their e-mail at specific times so they wouldn’t be distracted. Today’s instant chat programs can be even worse.As mentioned in tip #6, relevant questions directed to the right person are the exact reason why such communication platforms exist. However, bugging your co-workers for problems you can resolve on your own will eventually cause friction.For example, if you have a shared calendar that lists office days off, make a point to check that calendar before burdening a co-worker to check on your behalf.Use your communication apps with respect and responsibility. It won’t take long to figure out which of your co-workers are fine with t he occasional banter and which are genuinely bothered when you interrupt their workflow. When in doubt, ask your co-workers how and when they prefer to be contacted.10) Be Careful Your Home Office Doesn’t Become Your PrisonOur final tip comes from the growing pool of data that shows that remote workers are more productive than their traditional counterparts. Initially, many companies feared remote workers would abuse their freedom and flexibility to slack off on the job. But the opposite is trueâ€"often to a fault!Remote workers have a hard time stepping away from work, especially those with home offices. With e-mail and chat programs embedded on smartphones, work can become a 24/7 presence, and even with liberal time-off programs, many remote workers take far fewer days off than traditional office workers.The freedom of remote work isn’t a substitute for real-time away from your job, so get clarity from your manager about how to set work-life boundaries.Finding a balance is one of the most challenging aspects of home/remote office work. Letting your job into your home requires respect for your position at the company as well as your home as a place of rest.Remember: the option to work remotely brings excellent benefits, but it’s not without its pitfalls. If you’re considering switching to a remote situation, make use of the tips above to ensure you’re prepared for the change.

Zero7 When it falls - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Zero7 When it falls - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Good news from zero7: Zero 7 have now completed their new album When It Falls which will be released on March 1st 2004. The first single to be lifted from the album will be Home released on February 23rd 2004. The single will also be available via download from this site from 12th Februaryso watch this space! Zero7s debut album Simple things is one of my favourite albums of all time. It is downbeat electronica, alternating between beautiful vocals and haunting instrumental tracks. It is groundbreaking, alive, flowing, complex. I had the pleasure of seeing them perform live in Copenhagen, and the joy they took in their music was plain to see. They have three different singers, and when one was performing, youd find the others out among the audience, dancing with the rest of us, rather than chilling backstage. They seemed more like a club than a band. Its been a loooong while since Simple things was released, so Im REALLY looking forward to the new album. In the meantime, if you absolutely cant wait, check out Healing is difficult by Sia, one of their singers. This has more of a funk/soul feel, and Sias very characteristic voice suits the songs perfectly. 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

Why You Should Use a Company Like Alison Johnson Resume Writing Service

Why You Should Use a Company Like Alison Johnson Resume Writing ServiceWhy you should use Alison Johnson resume writing service? This is one of the first questions which are asked by people who get a resume writing done from this company. It is because they see a lot of people getting their applications approved. Since the quality of these applications is better, more people hire the services of these companies so that they can receive an application for whatever purpose they have in mind.To understand why you should use a company like Alison Johnson, we have to know the concept about resume writing. When you choose a certain company for your resume writing needs, you would be making a very important decision which would help you a lot during the whole process of applying for jobs. One way of ensuring a successful job application is to make sure that the resume that you are going to submit is professionally written. Since this is an important part of the application process, it shoul d be handled carefully so that your application gets through as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you would be wasting time in terms of your application not being accepted.What you need to know about a company like Alison Johnson is that they are known for providing their clients with an efficient and professional approach in hiring employees. These companies are also known for helping people who are looking for jobs in their respective fields. These companies are usually staffed by very experienced professionals who have great knowledge about jobs and the way things work.If you think that you do not want to hire a company like Alison Johnson, you might consider hiring their own employees who have their own resumes to submit. But you must be aware that when you hire people directly, you would be risking your application to be rejected or it might not get approved at all. Your application might be sent to different people or it might be rejected in its entirety. That is why you should avoid hiring companies that only provide their own staff to do the resume writing for you.You can see many companies offering this service but if you look into their credentials, you will see that they are not able to do resume writing well. Their resumes are mostly of poor quality since they do not have enough expertise in this field. But if you are lucky enough to get through with an application from them, it can mean big savings for you.Another thing that you need to consider is the fact that Alison Johnson specializes in both formal and informal writing. They can handle applications for a variety of purposes and you do not have to worry about them having to revise your resume after every now and then. The way they do things makes them stand out among other companies.Aside from that, the amount of their staff that is available is also very impressive. They have people available round the clock to help you with your application. When you have a problem, they can be the first peopl e to call. They know a lot about what things you would like to see on your resume, how to write your own cover letter, how to go about choosing a good career path, etc.Before hiring an Alison Johnson resume writing service, you need to take a look at some of the advantages that they offer. Since you are going to use their services for the resume writing needs, you would be needing it to be of the best quality possible.

How to Find a Resume Writing Class Online Or at a Place Where You Can Get Paid

How to Find a Resume Writing Class Online Or at a Place Where You Can Get PaidThere are many ways that you can learn how to write a resume. Many of these ways can be found online and in a lot of places that have advertisements from businesses. In addition, there are many free resume writing classes out there. The only problem is that not all of them are easy to do.A free resume writing class is a great way to get some pointers, but it is not necessarily the best way to go about learning. For example, you may be doing this because you want to be able to become a better writer. However, as you go through the course, you will realize that this simply isn't going to help you be a better writer. In addition, it will not teach you how to be a better writer.What you would be getting from a free resume writing class is knowledge on how to apply those facts, but nothing on how to write a resume. If you are willing to put the time into it, you will be able to get some great tips for free, but you would also be learning about resume writing and getting to see what others are doing. In other words, it would be a step forward.However, in the end, you still have to be willing to put the time into it in order to find the most successful way of learning. The more knowledge you can put into the process, the more you will get out of it.One thing you will notice when you are trying to find out how to do things the right way is that there is a lot of talk about how much time you will have to put into it. This is very true, and you will notice that this is definitely true in the free resume writing class. There are a lot of opinions out there, and a lot of people who are trying to sell you on the courses.Free, yes. But if you do not take the time to actually put the time into it, you will get something you would not necessarily have gotten with a paid course. The best thing you can do is make sure that you are taking the time out of your day to actually learn how to do things the r ight way.In the end, you would not be able to tell whether you had benefited from the course or not. However, I can tell you that you would at least find out if it is something that you would enjoy doing. It could help you to be more efficient in your job search, but it is not going to teach you how to write a resume.

The Recently Leaked Secrets to Active Verbs for Resume Writing Discovered

The Recently Leaked Secrets to Active Verbs for Resume Writing Discovered In the event the Wordle result displays words you hadn't meant to emphasize, then it is a sign you should revise your paper to make certain readers will concentrate on the correct info. If you are able to manage numbers, for instance, you could be called to work with the books. There are different kinds of keywords. Have a look at the list below, and get prepared to make your resume way more exciting. Details of Active Verbs for Resume Writing If you're likely to have a really expert review your resume, also keep in mind that anyone ready to deliver a free resume evaluation is truly just offering a sales tactic that enables them to come across every tiny thing wrong with your document and offer vague feedback in hopes which you'll then hire them to do a full rewrite. Keep a running tally, even in the event that you love your work and don't have any plans to leave. You've got a limited quantity of rea l estate on the webpage and under a minute to produce a great impression. Key Pieces of Active Verbs for Resume Writing The agent is all but always human and never mentioned. Make sure anyone which helps you has experience for a recruiter or a manager in the form of industry you're targeting. In some instances, too much non-relevant information can cause you to seem to be too much generalist, when what the provider really wants is a specialist. The keywords in your resume can help you get selected for a work interview. Don't worry it's simple to make mistakes on what's very likely to be your very first proper CV. Use active verbs to add some flavor to your CV or Resume. In technical provisions, passive writing takes place when the aim of the sentence is acted upon rather than doing the activity. More precise words may also add some formality to your actions, she states. If you're uncertain whether or not a sentence sounds right then ask another person to read it. There a re lots of tactics to construct a sentence, but oftentimes, the very best approach to convey meaning in a succinct and very clear manner is to use verbs correctly. Hiring managers wish to get to know you as an individual. Folks often speak about good resumes and resume-writing abilities, but you could be intrigued as to what's a good resume all about and what can one possibly consider to make an impressive resume. What You Can Do About Active Verbs for Resume Writing Starting in the Next Five Minutes The grammatical function of the object remains unaltered, and thus transitivity might also be used. If you don't are in possession of a great reason to broaden your variety, the below success verbs can cover most bullets you are able to think about. This means that you're on the market for 25 or so verbs. The Downside Risk of Active Verbs for Resume Writing A strong expert writer can figure out the way to address that in a manner that keeps it complete, clean, and professional. Spending most of the time discussing your wins and achievements is a good way to make a great impression, particularly when the interviewer is inviting you to chat about them. Because your job doesn't look like anything from the ordinary. At times it's better to permit the accomplishment speak for itself.

The Right Resume Format To Get You Noticed - Work It Daily

The Right Resume Format To Get You Noticed - Work It Daily The purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. Using the right resume format will make sure your application isn't tossed out just for being unreadable by a machine. Related: Top 7 Resume Trends For 2015 These days, companies screen candidates and resumes in two ways. The first is through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). All resumes (including those directly emailed to companies) are loaded into the computer, parsed and automatically searched for a match with keywords from job announcements (or keywords entered into the system by the recruiter/hiring manager). Only those resumes that have a good keyword match are selected for further review by the hiring manager. If a resume cannot be read by the Applicant Tracking Systems, it is rejected. The second method recruiters and hiring managers use to find candidates is “sourcing” candidates by searching online resumes for possible matches using keywords. Again, if a resume cannot be read by search engines, it will not be selected. Therefore, you should avoid using JPG and PDF files. Many Applicant Tracking Systems can reliably read only text or Word files without tables. Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read JPG files at all. If a resume is in JPG format, it will not even be seen by the hiring manager. In addition, many older Applicant Tracking Systems also cannot read PDF files, and if an applicant submits a PDF that is not readable, it will also be rejected. You may be the most qualified candidate, but that you will not be chosen for an interview unless the Applicant Tracking System can read your resume. If you want a fancy online resume, using PDF as a format is far preferable to JPG, since PDF files can be searched for keywords by search engines. As noted above, you want hiring managers and recruiters to find your resume through online searches. If a search engine cannot read the resume, you will not be found. I strongly recommend using simple Word formats for resumes, with standard fonts, no tables and margins of at least 0.6 inches. Resumes like that will print on all printers, will not be rearranged even by outdated versions of Word, can be read by Applicant Tracking Systems and can be searched online. This post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts Is Your Resume Summary Boring Employers? 3 Steps To A Killer Resume 4 Rules For Every Resume   Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!