What Do I Look For In My Next Job

What Do I Look For In My Next Job I have a gap in my life. For four years I spent lets say thirty hours a week on Pluralsight courses. That might be a stretch, but the last year I did Pluralsight it was over that (I did 14 courses in a 12 month period, and it was nuts). I managed my team at JibberJobber, too. During that time two things happened: I put into place some systems that would allow me to be gone more. I built my team to the point where I didnt really have a full-time job anymore. This is eMyth meets Four Hour Workweek.   I didnt work myself out of a job, but I didnt need to be there 40 (or 60!) hours anymore. I found this out when I was done creating Pluralsight courses I put my team and systems on autopilot, but I did a bad job of vision, future, and strategy. Work was done, but the right focus (UX) was neglected.   I wont do that again were becoming hyperfocused on the user experience, which means a lot of cleanup, and focusing on some very specific things. Since my gig with Pluralsight ended I have found that I have an enormous amount of time more time than I need to keep JibberJobber doing what it needs to do. My critical path relies heavily on my developers, and some projects they are working on are a month or two out I also have a sizeable gap in my revenue/income. So what does a guy with a lot of time and a need for money do?   Maybe look for a job! Of course, JibberJobber is still moving foward, and the development team is plenty busy and Im still very involved with what is going on. But I have a lot of free time on my hands. The market is supposedly pretty hot right now, especially (supposedly) where I live, so why not give it a try? Tangent: as a business owner and entrepreneur, this is hard to post. Its an exciting time, and Im not walking away from JibberJobber theres plenty of work to be done, but I dont have to be here for a full workday anymore.   But its almost like walking away from my baby :/   At the same time, there are a lot of opportunities that are interesting to me, and they would fill the time/money gap I have right now. Ive applied to a few jobs Ive been interested in, and as I think about them, Ive realized there are certain things Im really interested in, with regard to a job: Salary: we should get this out of the way right away. Ive learned that salary isnt everything, but its pretty important. Dont take a higher salary because its higher if the culture stinks. But if the other factors are good/great then higher is okay.   On the other side, a salary too low will just not work. Youll be unhappy, especially if you think you are getting a raise soon and it never materializes.   I wish more companies would post salary ranges on postings, to let you know what jobs you just shouldnt even apply to. Location: Some people like commuting. When I was in Washington, D.C. I knew a girl who commuted from Richmond. I think it was a three hour drive, one way. NUTS. Why she liked it Ill never know. I personally dont like commuting. Options are: find a company close to me, or look at jobs that offer a lot of work-from-home freedom. Having said that, for the right job and opportunity, Ill commute! Culture: Do you believe in company culture? Have you ever worked at a company with a great culture? I have. Its almost too powerful to describe.   I want a company that has a great culture. Employees are taken care of, they are happy, and they are empowered. Im not saying that a bad culture leads to employees that arent taken care of, unhappiness, or unempowered but I know that a great culture is amazing, and its what I want. The Team: Ive worked on cohesive, tight teams, and Ive worked with dysfunctional teams. I have no need for drama and dysfunction in my life I want to be on a high performing, respected, and awesome team. This means the leader(s) and members are awesome. Its not easy to figure out how awesome your team is, but it doesnt hurt to ask around. Company Mission: What is the company doing? One company I worked with made fertilizer. Another ran a janitorial and building maintenance operation. Both are noble, I guess, but I wasnt necessarily passionate about what they were doing. I didnt care, at the time just do my job, do it well, etc.   But then I started JibberJobber and our mission is to help individuals through a really tough time. The mission of helping and serving, offering a hand and relief, was much more fulfilling than any other company Id been involved with, and my eyes were opened to how it is when you are aligned with the company mission. There are more variables, for sure. Sometimes the importance (or weight) of these can change what are the factors you think are most important in your future job? What Do I Look For In My Next Job I have a gap in my life. For four years I spent lets say thirty hours a week on Pluralsight courses. That might be a stretch, but the last year I did Pluralsight it was over that (I did 14 courses in a 12 month period, and it was nuts). I managed my team at JibberJobber, too. During that time two things happened: I put into place some systems that would allow me to be gone more. I built my team to the point where I didnt really have a full-time job anymore. This is eMyth meets Four Hour Workweek.   I didnt work myself out of a job, but I didnt need to be there 40 (or 60!) hours anymore. I found this out when I was done creating Pluralsight courses I put my team and systems on autopilot, but I did a bad job of vision, future, and strategy. Work was done, but the right focus (UX) was neglected.   I wont do that again were becoming hyperfocused on the user experience, which means a lot of cleanup, and focusing on some very specific things. Since my gig with Pluralsight ended I have found that I have an enormous amount of time more time than I need to keep JibberJobber doing what it needs to do. My critical path relies heavily on my developers, and some projects they are working on are a month or two out I also have a sizeable gap in my revenue/income. So what does a guy with a lot of time and a need for money do?   Maybe look for a job! Of course, JibberJobber is still moving foward, and the development team is plenty busy and Im still very involved with what is going on. But I have a lot of free time on my hands. The market is supposedly pretty hot right now, especially (supposedly) where I live, so why not give it a try? Tangent: as a business owner and entrepreneur, this is hard to post. Its an exciting time, and Im not walking away from JibberJobber theres plenty of work to be done, but I dont have to be here for a full workday anymore.   But its almost like walking away from my baby :/   At the same time, there are a lot of opportunities that are interesting to me, and they would fill the time/money gap I have right now. Ive applied to a few jobs Ive been interested in, and as I think about them, Ive realized there are certain things Im really interested in, with regard to a job: Salary: we should get this out of the way right away. Ive learned that salary isnt everything, but its pretty important. Dont take a higher salary because its higher if the culture stinks. But if the other factors are good/great then higher is okay.   On the other side, a salary too low will just not work. Youll be unhappy, especially if you think you are getting a raise soon and it never materializes.   I wish more companies would post salary ranges on postings, to let you know what jobs you just shouldnt even apply to. Location: Some people like commuting. When I was in Washington, D.C. I knew a girl who commuted from Richmond. I think it was a three hour drive, one way. NUTS. Why she liked it Ill never know. I personally dont like commuting. Options are: find a company close to me, or look at jobs that offer a lot of work-from-home freedom. Having said that, for the right job and opportunity, Ill commute! Culture: Do you believe in company culture? Have you ever worked at a company with a great culture? I have. Its almost too powerful to describe.   I want a company that has a great culture. Employees are taken care of, they are happy, and they are empowered. Im not saying that a bad culture leads to employees that arent taken care of, unhappiness, or unempowered but I know that a great culture is amazing, and its what I want. The Team: Ive worked on cohesive, tight teams, and Ive worked with dysfunctional teams. I have no need for drama and dysfunction in my life I want to be on a high performing, respected, and awesome team. This means the leader(s) and members are awesome. Its not easy to figure out how awesome your team is, but it doesnt hurt to ask around. Company Mission: What is the company doing? One company I worked with made fertilizer. Another ran a janitorial and building maintenance operation. Both are noble, I guess, but I wasnt necessarily passionate about what they were doing. I didnt care, at the time just do my job, do it well, etc.   But then I started JibberJobber and our mission is to help individuals through a really tough time. The mission of helping and serving, offering a hand and relief, was much more fulfilling than any other company Id been involved with, and my eyes were opened to how it is when you are aligned with the company mission. There are more variables, for sure. Sometimes the importance (or weight) of these can change what are the factors you think are most important in your future job?

15 Jobs That Didnt Exist 30 Years Ago - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

15 Jobs That Didn’t Exist 30 Years Ago - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Colonial Life Insurance has recently put together a great infographic about jobs which didn’t exist 30 years ago. By looking at these jobs, we can see that technology and internet has changed many things in our lives. Other than technology related roles, there are also jobs related to new trends such as a “Zumba Instructor.” 30 years ago, Zumba wasn’t invented yet. Therefore, it is considered a new fitness trend and a new job. Also, green energy and eco-friendly energy sources have started to become more important in the recent years. As people started to prefer alternative energy sources, jobs like “Offshore Wind Farm Engineer” or “Sustainability Director” became popular. By looking at the below infographic, it is not hard to guess that in the future, perhaps in thirty or forty years, we will face with other new types of jobs. Below you can find the jobs which didn’t exist 30 years ago and their average salaries. This infographic was created by Colonial Life. Colonial Life provides voluntary benefits that help protect Americas workers.

5 Things to Do Before Getting Back Into the Workforce

5 Things to Do Before Getting Back Into the Workforce If you are planning to go back to your career after a long absence for childrearing, or any other reason, it can be daunting. Women who have been out of the workforce for a year or more may feel like they’re completely starting over when they are ready to return to work again. The good news is that you can find success after a long absence from work. Here are five things you should check off of your to-do list once you’ve decided to return to work. 1. Update Your Resume First, pull out your resume from before you had kids. You’ll need to  update it  to reflect your current goals and past experiences. You’ll most likely have a gap in your resume for the years you spent at home with your kids. Instead of creating a job listing for your time as a parent, focus on other activities and experiences you had while staying at home, such as volunteer work or school organizations. 2. Master New Skills It’s also important to learn new skills before you apply to any jobs in your field. If your absence from work was more than a few years, you may need to take some classes to learn some of the newest digital technologies in your industry. It’s smart to plan to take classes well before you begin applying to new positions and maintain career skills throughout your absence from the workforce. 3. Establish a New Network Networking is another important part of successfully landing a new position in your career field. If it’s been years since you’ve talked to some of your former colleagues, it’s time to  reach out again  and attempt to establish those relationships. If your former colleagues are all working at the same organization, try showing up to some of their social events, such as parties or happy hours. Then, you can start asking your contacts about potential opportunities in your field. 4. Research Salaries A long absence from work also makes it more difficult to pinpoint an appropriate salary once you get a job offer. Start the process by conducting your own research into average salaries in your field for someone with your qualifications. Look for companies that are committed to paying women equal pay, such as the commitment to  wage equality at Hired.com. When you know your worth, you can demand a salary that you deserve. 5. Practice Interviewing Finally, the last thing to do before going out there and getting back into the job search is to practice interviewing. The interview process may have changed since you last worked, so it’s important to get details about what the new trends are. Video interviewing is becoming more common, which can be a great way to schedule interviews at home for convenience. You’ll also need to address the gap in your work history and explain what you’ve done during your absence to ensure you’ll be a great employee for the company you want to work for. When Youre Ready To Return To Work . . . Getting a great job and returning to work after raising your children is entirely possible if you make a plan of action during your job search. If you are thorough and informed, you could get back into your career quickly and start your journey back to success.

Can an SNL Skit Make You Reexamine Your Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Can an SNL Skit Make You Reexamine Your Life - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Have you ever gone to your high school reunion, or seen an old friend on Facebook, and wanted to ask, what happened to you?! A Saturday Night Live skit last week had me thinking about this. The premise was a game show called What Have You Become? Three contestants, who had all been told theyd had great potential when they were younger, had never done anything with it as they grew older. In fact, theyd all become pretty disappointing. One man had the highest Space Invaders score in all of Alabama, another had been to 100 Katy Perry concerts, and a woman was a serious knitter, but was not very good. After introducing each contestant, the host would then ask What have you become? forcing each of them to re-evaluate their life choices, often causing them to break down in tears at the realization that they had done nothing with the potential theyd had 20 years before. Ive never wanted to be one of those people who were asked what happened to you?! at my high school reunion. I didnt want to be one of those couldve been somebody dreamers who thinks they missed their big chance and never made it. Or worse, were still living the dream â€" the big game, the magical night, the night they were the hero â€" that they might still achieve that long-gone goal. It was actually hard to watch the What Have You Become skit, because I always believe its never too late for someone to redefine themselves. Its never over, its never too late. I think anyone can escape the thing theyve become, and to become the thing they wanted to, or at least work closely in that field. Its Not Too Late Thats the message that my co-author, Kyle, and I tried to convey in Branding Yourself: that its never too late to redefine or reinvent yourself. Just because youre 30 and working at a job you hate doesnt mean youre going to retire at 65 from that same job. The whole beginning of the book was inspired by the steps I took to rebrand myself after leaving my much-hated what happened to you? job working for state government. I figured if I could do it, anyone could. Some of my state government colleagues were prime contestants for the What Have You Become? show. But with just a little bit of energy and imagination, they could have broken away from that life and career. They just didnt want to, and I was frightened that I would be infected with that attitude. The sheer fact that youre reading this blog post, that youre visiting this blog at all, tells me you want something more. You dont want someone to ask you, what happened? You want them to ask How did you do that? This blog post is not about the three steps you need to take to achieve greatness, or five obvious pieces of advice masked as secrets on growing your brand. This is a plea for you that, regardless of what youre doing now, you can take the steps necessary to quit the What Have You Become show, and do whatever it takes to become the person you wanted to be. For me, it was leaving state government and rejoining the private sector. It was working my ass off for hours after work in writing blog posts, and shaking a few thousand hands at a few hundred networking meetings. For you, it may be taking classes, doing a lot of reading, or even giving up that time-consuming hobby thats not actually doing anything to make you better. Redefine Yourself Were the sum of the five people we spend the most time with and the books we read. Look at the five (non-family) people you spend the most time with. Are they who you aspire to be? Find people who are, and spend time with them. Hook up with business mentors, industry mentors, or even just someone whos smarter than you, and meet with them on a regular basis. Look at your bookshelf. Is it filled with books that can teach you new skills and lead to a better, richer life? Read those books, and not the ones with bare chested men clutching a half-dressed woman to his torso. Listen to them during your commute. Check them out from the library and study them. Or buy your own copies and mark them up with notes, underlines, and highlights. No one is going to give you the opportunity to leave the What Have You Become game show. Youre not going to be given a year-long stipend and a cushy new home while you redefine yourself. Youre going to have to sacrifice and work hard to get there. But I can tell you from personal experience, as hard as it is, as endless as it may seem, and despite the fact that its an ongoing process, the results are totally worth it. Author: Erik Deckers  is the owner of  Professional Blog Service, and the co-author of  Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself  and  No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing.

Writing a Resume - How to Write a Professional Resume

Writing a Resume - How to Write a Professional ResumeOne of the many online career guides, The KSU Online Job Guide by Stephanie Summerlin, provides valuable information about writing a resume. The book's simple and easy-to-use 'How to Do it Yourself' format helps first-time job seekers to learn the basics of crafting a resume that will stand out from the rest.Writing a resume should be thought-provoking, direct, yet concise. Step-by-step directions are included with each step of the process. With detailed examples of the steps, you can begin to develop your own resume for your specific job search.Career advice and insight are provided throughout the information contained in the eBook. Case studies and real life case studies with specific, professional examples are also included.The KSU Online Job Guide by Stephanie Summerlin provides helpful tips on how to write a resume specifically for the career path you are pursuing. Career professionals have taken the time to build a 'how to' g uide to help those that are seeking employment.Making use of the guide has proven invaluable to the job seeker. Many first-time job seekers simply do not understand the entire process. This online career guide has helped thousands of seekers overcome the lack of knowledge in regards to job application basics.Resume writing tips from this resource should be considered when beginning a job search. By reading through Stephanie's guide, you will quickly begin to develop your own resume writing style.As a new job seeker, the best way to gain new knowledge is to access the knowledge others have learned through research. The KSU Online Job Guide by Stephanie Summerlin includes valuable career advice.With career guidance and guidelines from this online guide, the job seeker is given direction and inspiration to build their resume writing skills. Career professionals have taken the time to provide these valuable free resources to allow you to achieve success with your job search.

Is Professional Career Coaching Right for You

Is Professional Career Coaching Right for You One area that causes me stress is complete disorganization of ‘things’ (clothes, home items, etc). A friend of mine, who is a professional organizer, came into my home to help me organize my daughter’s closet. She dumped out all of her clothes onto the floor and said, we are going to organize them by size. Could I do this task? Yes. However, as soon as those clothes were dumped onto the ground I felt a mix of dread and panic. The thought of organizing these clothes seemed completely overwhelming to me. It seemed like a disaster and I saw no light at the end of the tunnel. This is how many of my new clients feel about their career. They look at their career, feel overwhelmed and see no light at the end of the tunnel. They feel the dread of going to work and feel the anxiety that the situation might not get better. If that sounds like you, consider finding a professional career coach or career counselor who can help you through this process. A professional career coach, or career counselor, can take you through a process, in small steps, that will help your job search or career transition seem much less overwhelming. Before even meeting me, many of my clients are aware of the steps they could take to manage their career. However, the sheer volume of the work in front of them can seem overwhelming. Some other clients aren’t even aware of the steps they could take to help them out of situations which cause the feeling of anxiety. It is important to pay attention to the feelings that arise when you think about your career. When you are thinking about your career and begin to feel dread, or anxiety, or sadness, this indicates that you might benefit from seeing a career coach or counselor. Many career coaches and counselors offer a free initial consultation for you to meet them to see if they are a good fit. Take them up on it! Let a professional help you through your career management process or job search.

Sad About Life or Job Search Its OK - Hire Imaging

Sad About Life or Job Search Its OK - Hire Imaging There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” ~ Carl Jung I’ve been thinking about loved ones these past few daysâ€" family and friends. I know too many who find themselves placed in the unwitting roles of cancer warriorsâ€"battling several types and phases varying from early onset to Stage 4.   Recently, someone close to me experienced the violation that comes with a mid-day home invasion and theft of personal items valued near $10,000. My heart goes out to those in Japan who are coping with the aftermath of the mammoth earthquake and tsunami. So, I’m sad. I’m not going to try and snap out of it either. Sadness is part of our existence. It’s not defeatism; it’s empathy. It’s realization there are problems and challenges. There are those aspects we can control, and those we cannot control. Embracing all our feelings, good or bad, can help us ride the ups and downs of life. I think it’s unfortunate that we often see sadness (or other emotions we peg as “negative”) as something to push away. In addition to clients dealing with involuntary job loss and subsequent job search, some in this mix are close loved ones. To a person, every one of them has experienced a range of emotions that include, yes, sadness. If asked, I tell them to embrace the feeling. Embrace but not wallow. The thing about sadness (not defined as depression), is that it will go away. Then it’s time to move to what can be controlled and focusing on opportunities. In a job search, here are a few basics where you have some power: • Attitude and self-talkâ€"what you believe and tell yourself silently in your head • Amount of exercise, rest, and nutrition you give yourself • Number of hours per day you spend on your job search • Type of activities you will focus on in your job search • Taking a course to keep your skills and knowledge fresh and ahead of the curve • Researching your target jobs and companies • Developing a great resume, letters and other marketing materials • Daily time for spirit-boosting activity, i.e. playing with your dog, reading an inspirational book, spending time with a good friend Sometimes the way out is to just go through it. This is not personal. It just is. Everyone gets their share of unhappy and painful times. Sadness is a natural response. So I’m going to sit quietly with this feeling of sadness. It’s not my identity. It’s a natural emotion. It will pass. Until then, I will just let it be.