12 Ways to Speed Up Your Job Search

12 Ways to Speed Up Your Job Search Finding a job can take a long time, even when you do everything right on your end. This becomes painfully obvious at times when you have to wait for an employer to sort through information they collected from your resume, get back test scores and go through multiple interviews. Luckily, there are ways to expedite the process, at least when it comes to your own side of the equation. If you play your cards right, you can move the process along. Here are 12 great tips that can help you speed up your job search: 1) Apply  as soon as possible: Dont procrastinate or wait to apply for an opportunity youre interested in. Apply as soon as possible, which in most cases should be when you find the job posting. According to a 2011 study by StartWire, 50 percent of new hires had applied within the first week a job offer had been posted. Just imagine, that study is outdated now and the job market is much tougher. There are more people out there looking for work, which means youll have to work harder to land something. 2) Be consistent and dont give up: You may end up searching for a long time, but dont let that get you down. Remain consistent and dont give up. Continue your search, and continue applying to opportunities in droves. Attend as many interviews â€" in person or via Skype â€" as it takes. You may have to give up some of your precious personal time, but it will pay off and save you time down the road. 3) Practice makes perfect:   Even if you absolutely bomb an interview, you still learn something from the experience. When it comes to interviewing with potential employers, practice makes perfect and the more experience you have, the better. That doesnt mean you should enter an interview expecting to fail. Be prepared, and be sure to study beforehand. Do your best to ace the interview, even if you dont feel confident about it. Practice interview questions and explore potential topic discussions, wear the appropriate attire and be sure to thank the interviewer when its all over. 4) Introduce yourself and contact the appropriate parties: Your best bet is to find the name and email of the hiring manager and send a greeting to them specifically. If you find that difficult, find your next best option, such as a shift manager or comparable member of management. Its a great idea to do this before you turn in your resume. When you make contact, introduce yourself and do a brief sales pitch for yourself. 5) Put together a cover letter:   Always include a compelling cover letter with your resume. Try to remember that you should never just rehash your resume and call it a day. This is where you can take your experience and explain its relevance to a potential employer. You can also provide insight into employment gaps and careers changes, along with plans for the future. Most employers will want to know more about you than a list of previous experience and work. The cover letter is where you can show some of your personality. 6) Respond to emails and phone calls ASAP: Communication is important, but perhaps more important is reliability. Follow up with any and all connections in a timely fashion. Dont burn any bridges, and dont waste time when it comes to responding to messages. 7) Take advantage of social networking: During your networking, if you encounter someone that promises to introduce you to a potential employer, take full advantage of it. In turn, this means being ready at the drop of a hat. Have your resume, cover letter, headshot and personal pitch ready to go. Its not bad to rely on friends, family or previous colleagues to get you into a job â€" if they can truly help. Always be ready to pass out contact information and a brief sales pitch, which should hopefully be passed on to the right people. 8) Create a portfolio or professional website:   Depending on what field youre shooting for, youll want to set up a portfolio or professional website. A portfolio allows creative folks to share previous work. This is where freelancers and designers can show off published content, media or other creative works. If you dont work in a creative industry, then go with a professional website instead. Here, you can showcase your online resume, social network links, a blog and much more. The idea is to build up your character and provide an interesting backstory. More importantly, you want to ensure that backstory and content is relevant to a potential employer. 9) Look everywhere:   The Internet has made us all extremely lazy, and we owe it all to search engines. When it comes to looking for jobs, there are dozens of job search engines like Monster, Indeed and many more. Those are the obvious places to look, but dont stop there.   LinkedIn is obviously a good place to network, but did you know that 89 percent of recruiting professionals in a Jobvite survey say they have hired from the site? Be sure to actively use LinkedIn as a job search tool by maintaining your resume and publishing your thoughts to establish yourself in the industry. Staying on top of your social accounts is crucial, especially if you work in a field that requires social media experience. Don’t stop there; visit websites and blogs of companies youre interested in working for. Visit â€" in person â€" local businesses that could be a great opportunity, or call them on the phone. Scan the classifieds for work, online and off. Just make sure you broaden your horizons by searching in as many places as possible. 10) Use a good headshot: No, you dont need to run out and hire a professional photographer to get a good shot of your mug. That said, you want to have a professional-looking headshot or photo available. This image can be used for contact info pages, social media profiles and accounts, Google+ and Gmail profile pics, and much more. Youll get bonus points if you can get a creative or unique shot that gets others to remember your face. 11)  Dont forget to follow up: No matter what happens â€" even if youre told you didnt qualify or were dropped from a candidate list â€" always follow up. Thank contacts for consideration, and request that they keep your information for future openings. You never know who is going to help you find work in the future. Not to mention, no one likes a poor sport. 12)  Recruiters can help: For many people, there seems to be a stigma with asking for help, especially when it comes to finding work. Dont be afraid to get aid from recruiters. They can help you find excellent job opportunities at places you may have never even considered otherwise. They can also help you spruce up your resume and clean up your act, where applicable. Following these tips should help move your job search along, so you can hopefully land your ideal position that much sooner. Author: Sarah Landrum is a freelance writer and career blogger sharing advice on finding happiness and success in the work world. You can find her dishing out advice with a side of wit on Twitter @sarahlandrum and her career advice blog,  Punched Clocks. Image credit: #Speed202

Prep Cook Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Prep Cook Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Prep Cook Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

Want to Be More Self-Aware Build a Better Team.

Want to Be More Self-Aware Build a Better Team. There are lots of compelling reasons to build a better team. Great teams: Deliver stronger results faster Are more innovative Challenge you to learn more quickly and be at your best Are simply more fun Recently, I found a new reason to build a better team â€" because most of us are surprisingly unself-aware. Researcher and author Tasha Eurich uncovered this disturbing statistic through her multi-year study on the topic of self-awareness: about  95%of us think we are quite self-aware, but only about 10% to 15% of us actually are! So how can better teams help with self-awareness? Here’s the important connection. We need feedback to help match our internal view of ourselves with the external view. And on the best teams, not only are teammates willing to provide feedback to each other, they are required to. On high-performing teams, peers feel accountable for each other’s success, and willingly provide both generous support and candid feedback to help each team member be at their best. Through years of research on teamwork, I have uncovered four distinct types of teams, from the worst of the worst, Saboteur Teams, to the highest performing, or Loyalist Teams. While distrust, politics, infighting, and gossip are hallmarks of Saboteur Teams, or “team hell,” trust, candor, feedback, shared goals, and joint accountability constitute Loyalist Team behavior.   In fact, compared to Saboteur Teams, Loyalist Team members are: 292 times more likely to spend time debating, discussing problems and making decisions 125 times more likely to address unacceptable team behaviors promptly 106 times more likely to give each other tough feedback 40 times less likely to have “undiscussables” the team can’t talk openly about On Loyalist teams, team members talk honestly and openly about team and individual team member strengths and challenges. And, because team members extend trust to each other, they assume positive intent when the tougher conversations happen. Therefore, authentic and candid feedback is more easily heard and valued. It feels okay to be imperfect or to experience setbacks. It is less scary to be vulnerable. What if you could get honest insights and feedback from co-workers who are truly committed to your success and get to see you in action all the time, on both your best and worst days? You can, and you will, if you build a Loyalist Team. Think of how much quicker you could address the unintended consequences of your actions if you were surrounded by people motivated to give you useful feedback. If you want candid feedback, trust, and support from your teammates, try these five tips: Assume positive intent. Give your teammates the benefit of the doubt. Assume they are providing feedback not to judge you but to make you better. Talk to your teammates, not about them. You can’t solve problems with gossip. Venting without follow-up action ensures you are building cliques and solidifying rifts.   It takes courage, but talking directly and respectfully with teammates when something goes wrong can solve many misunderstandings without creating drama or bringing others into it. Care about your teammates’ success. Start by taking an interest in your teammates’ success. Ask questions about their concerns, know what their goals are, help where you can, and be a good listener and collaborator. You can’t be a Loyalist teammate if you don’t know what drives others’ success. Push your teammates to do their best work and vice versa. On Loyalist Teams, team members challenge each other to reach their goals. Loyalists don’t spend energy watching their own backs, so they take risks and reach higher. Start by asking your teammates to challenge you.   Bring them ideas and ask for input. Ask for feedback on your plans. Embrace the idea that your teammates make you better. Ask for personal feedback. Before offering feedback, ask for it first. Ask your teammates what you could do to better support their success. Ask peers for suggestions on one behavior you could work on to become a better teammate. Give permission for teammates to share feedback by asking for it regularly and listening openly. Thank others for giving you feedback. To defy the odds of unself-awareness, work to create a team of Loyalists around you, people who trust you, support you, and challenge you to be your best. Surround yourself with people who will speak their truth, even when it’s hard. And then listen. When you do, you will see an amazingly positive impact â€" on you, on them, and on the overall success of your team. This guest post was authored by Audrey Epstein Audrey Epstein is a partner at The Trispective Group and the co-author with Linda Adams, Abby Curnow-Chavez and Rebecca Teasdale of The Loyalist Team: How Trust, Candor, and Authenticity Create Great Organizations. For more information, or to take a free team snapshot assessment, please visit,  www.trispectivegroup.com.

Best Questions to Ask During Interviews to Employers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Best Questions to Ask During Interviews to Employers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Employers should not be the only one asking questions during interviews. You should also be asking questions as a candidate to determine if the job fits your career goals. In addition, asking the right questions help you stand out among other candidates because it shows your interest to the position. Below are some questions that you can ask during the interview to understand if the job is what you are looking for. 1.  Can you explain the company’s culture? 2.  What are day to day responsibilities of this job? 3.  What is the career path for this position? 4.  Can you talk about some of the projects I will be working on? 5.  How much travel is expected for this position? 6.  Am I going to work individually or with a team? 7.  Whom do I report to in this position? 8.  Are you planning to hire more people to this team/department in the upcoming months? 9.  Are there any training opportunities in the company? 10.  Is there a performance review process? How often are performance reviews (annually, twice per year, etc.)? 11.  What is your favorite thing about this company? 12.  What don’t you like about working here and why? 13.  Can you talk about this company’s plan for growth? Are you planning to launch any new products or take on any new projects? 14.  Are there any company perks such as casual Fridays, flexible work time, health insurance, etc.? 15.  Is there a start date for this position? 16.  What are the next steps for this interview? How soon can I hear from you? 17.  Is there anything else that you want me to answer? Questions to Avoid During Interviews 1.  What does this company do? (Do your homework before the interview, look at the company website or use a search engine) 2.  Do I need to come to the office every day or can I work remotely? (Unless this is a sales position, a part-time position, or the possibility of working remotely is stated on the job ad, assume that you are expected to come to the office every day.) 3.  How much does this position pay? (If they don’t ask you your salary expectations, never ask about the pay.) 4.  Don’t ask how many vacation days you will have and how soon you can use them. Discuss this when you are extended the offer. 5.  Don’t ask how long you should wait before getting promoted. 6.  Don’t ask how many hours a day you are expected to work. In addition, don’t ask if overtime work will be necessary.

Should You Write Your Resume in Word?

Should You Write Your Resume in Word?If you are a stay at home mom or dad, you may wonder if you should write your resume in Word or not. This is a legitimate question, because if you cannot write a simple resume, how can you write a resume that will stand out? A well written resume is essential for you to get the job you want. But do you need to know what type of resume you should write?No matter if you have had a couple of years of current year employment record, or five, it is all good. There is no requirement to have all of your employment information typed up into a Word document. You can use Word if you have a computer and you are comfortable typing.You may be wondering if you should write your resume in Word or not. This is a legitimate question, because if you cannot write a simple resume, how can you write a resume that will stand out? A well written resume is essential for you to get the job you want. But do you need to know what type of resume you should write?If you have never written a resume before, you may think that it is not going to be a good idea. After all, the companies that screen applicants usually do not care what type of resume you have, they just want to see how you write.That being said, there are benefits to using Word that may surprise you. If you are a home mom or dad, and do not have the time to type up your resume, a Word resume will give you the ability to express your work experience and education while still being able to focus on your job skills.Using a Word resume will also make it easier for you to identify information on the resume, such as location, dates of service, and awards. By typing up your resume in Word, you will also have a more attractive look, which will get you an interview sooner. So consider all of this before you decide to write your resume in Word.When you are considering writing your resume in Word, remember that you have to make sure that the information that you want to include is included. If you do no t include all of the information you wanted, then it will not be considered. Word will allow you to customize it so that you can add your own, but you still need to make sure that the information you are including is correct.If you are concerned about writing a Word resume, the answer is to find a professional to write it for you. They can type up your resume for you, and will help you develop a resume that is full of your personal information, but also appealing to potential employers.

Back from Istanbul - and the future of HR - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Back from Istanbul - and the future of HR - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Im now back in Copenhagen after a nice, sunny flight home from Istanbul. Most of the way, I could look down on a snow-covered Europe which looked amazingly beautiful from 10 km up. The conference was a great experience which touched on the many themes that are (or are becoming) central to HR, such as: Innovation Talent development ROI Organizational culture Eliminating bureaucracy Leadership I went out to dinner thursday evening with a group of other speakers and we ended up talking about what the common, unifying theme of the new HR might be. It will probably surprise noone, that I believe that unifying theme to be happiness at work. The basic challenge of modern business is to activate the full potential of the people who work there. For this to happen, peope need to be happy. Its that simple. This makes happiness both a goal and a tool, and it is my claim that happiness at work will become the most important strategic goal of modern businesses over the next few years. I also predict that we will see a trend, where happy companies will put unhappy companies out of business, simply because happy businesses are much more efficient and profitable. Its no contest. What does this mean for the future of HR? I think it mainly requires a new focus, namely this: The role of HR is to make people happy If businesses make this conceptual leap and start prioritizing accordingly, we will see HR becoming an even greater asset than it already is and we will see many workplaces change for the better. And itll help the bottom line. 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

Teaching Hacks You Need To Know - CareerAlley

Teaching Hacks You Need To Know - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you are thinking of becoming a teacher or you are new to the world of teaching, you will find that your teaching style takes a long time to find. With experience, you will see what works best with the kids you teach and what kind of activities you can bring into the classroom for efficient working. For some tips and tricks on teaching this year, here are some things you need to know. Your name The first thing you will ever tell your children is your name, and it might take them a little time to remember it at first. You can wear lanyards for teachers with your name tag on it for the first week or two of class until your kids remember your name. This might sound extreme but actually, it will allow the children to feel like they know something right from the start and it can make them more confident when coming to ask you for something. Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash Know your subject This seems like the sort of thing captain obvious would say, however, you would be surprised how many teachers stop learning the subject that they teach. As a teacher, you should be the one inspiring your children to work on your subject, and by keeping up to date with discoveries you can share these with the children and you can inspire them more. Read magazines, articles, attend conferences and enjoy the subject you are sharing with the children. Whether you are teaching for the very first time or are a seasoned veteran, prepare carefully for the initial class. Your preparation and attitude is contagious: students will pick up on your excitement Standford University Praise sparingly When we bring up our own children we are always told to praise them for doing well because it will act as positive reinforcement for the future. However, when you are teaching children it is a whole new game to play. If you praise a child in class every time they get something right, they can develop an ego and this can stop them from trying in tests and lessons because they think they know it all. You need to be sparing with praises and make sure that instead of praising individuals you praise the class as a whole for their good work.