Prepare Your Organization for The 100 Year Life

Prepare Your Organization for The 100 Year Life Today well be talking with Emma Birchall, Director at Hot Spots Movement. Its all about preparing your organization to attract and develop talent in a context where people have longer life expectancy than prior generations and technology has changed how we perceive work-life balance. Have a listen to the episode below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Stitcher  or  Soundcloud. In this episode you’ll learn: What exactly the 100-year life is, and the impact it has on employment What its like to retrain employees for over a lifetime How to incentivise employees to take time action to learn How companies successfully attract and retain employees who represent multiple generations Emmas top tips for all employer brand managers out there You can connect with Emma  here.

Media Branding in the Digital Age - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Media Branding in the Digital Age - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What comes to mind when you hear the term, “Media?” Go ahead; I’ll give you a second to sort it out. The truth is today most people don’t know what to make of the countless number of ‘media’ sources that exist. We struggle to consume news because there is too much of it, and there are too many sources doling it out.  Before the internet, the media industry was much more streamlined. Only a few major players competed in each of the three ‘traditional’ branches of media: Radio, Television, and Print. And there were relatively high barriers to entry, meaning a consumer could rely entirely on those few players to provide all the information he/she needed on a daily basis. For this reason, media branding wasn’t much of a challenge: You either had a media brand, or you didn’t. You either were the New York Times, or you weren’t. From traditional to digital Enter digital media. I won’t insult you by describing how it has transformed the media space. You’re reading a blog after all, so I will assume you’re up to speed. Rather, I want to focus on how this revolution in media has made media branding a much more important, and difficult, priority. It has added a fourth category to the media suite: Radio, Television, Print, and People. A study by Columbia University recently concluded that search engines are fundamentally changing the way that our brains store information. Interestingly, people today are programmed to remember where to find information, rather than remembering the information itself. Some would contend that this condition makes us less intelligent; however there’s no need to place any value judgment on it. It’s not a worse way of thinking; it’s just a different way. It’s also a natural defense against the dreaded disease known as “Information Overload”. As Malcolm Gladwell suggests, when we are presented with too many choices, we tend to make no choice at all. In other words, if we become overwhelmed looking for news/information on the internet, our tendency likely will be to just give up. As a media outlet, that is the last thing you want to happen to your potential consumers. What does this mean for Media Branding? Whether you are a large news organization, a blog run by a single individual, or anything else, you are a media outlet in today’s marketplace. Therefore, creating a complete media brand is critical to your success. As we discussed, people don’t remember information as much as they remember where to get the information. As a media brand, you want to do everything possible to make sure it is YOU they are remembering! Consumers will look for heuristics, or mental cues, to help them remember valid sources of information. So above all else, make sure your site is considered as a valid source. This is evidenced by the success that some traditional media has had in converting to the internet. NYTimes.com performs so well because it already has a strong, credible brand in the media world. How does a media source achieve validity? Focus â€" An important element to media branding is focus. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. If you are starting out, you’ve probably already lost the battle to be known as the place to get general news (There’s enough of those brands). However, you may be able to grab a hold of a piece of the market, such as “Tips on how to train a dog,” or “Information about new premium wine.” People will be able to remember that your site is the place to go for a very specific reason. Take Google Seriously â€" What do people do when they want to find a credible source? They ‘Google’ it. If it’s the top ranking link on a Google search, it must be good, right!? So take Google, and SEO in general, seriously. No one is going to find your incredible content on tennis if you appear on the 10th (or even 2nd) page of Google. Stay Consistent â€" Maintain your focus, don’t stray from the vision that your blog or website (or magazine, newspaper, etc.) presents. People will lose interest quickly. And if you have more than one channel of communication â€" i.e. Blog as well as a Magazine â€" keep the media brands consistent. Use the same logos, color patterns, etc. Proliferate Content Make your presence known outside of your blog. Create a Twitter feed, a Facebook page, and a Google+ account. Syndicate your content onto aggregators like Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop. If other credible sources are distributing your brand, it will increase your credibility. What about Entertainment? The principles above also apply in the entertainment space. Many people get “discovered” from YouTube and MySpace because these platforms provide them an outlet to showcase their talent to the world (See Justin Bieber). Yet there are millions of other musicians, actors, athletes, comedians, etc. that will never make it. Why? Because they haven’t set themselves apart from the masses. Remember what I said earlier â€" EVERYONE is a media brand now. How powerful that brand is depends solely on how you build and maintain it. You have to find a way to stand out from all of the noise. The key is to decide what you are going to be and OWN that image. If you ask five people to describe your brand â€" you ideally want to hear the same description from all five. Focus, Stay Consistent, and Proliferate. If you adhere to these rules, the sky is your limit. Oh yeah, and if you’re a performer â€" it also helps to be talented. Without talent, disregard these tips. J Media + Entertainment branding is certainly a challenge, and even the strongest brands in the world will need to evolve over time. However, it is also an opportunity that did not exist even a couple of decades in the past. If you want to own a market â€" own it. If you want to become a star â€" do it. Ultimately, the most important element to a strong media brand has not changed: Passion. If you have that, you’re well on your way. Author: Bill Connolly is the Sales Director for Millennial Branding and a media branding expert.

5 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

5 Common Behavioral Interview Questions 5 Common Behavioral Interview Questions And How To Answer Them For a long time, interview questions were pretty standard.   So much standard so that people got to be able to predict what kind of questions they were going to get and prepare for them.Which was good for the interviewee but not always so much for the interviewer â€" they were left feeling that they didn’t get to know the person but got some pre-scripted answers.Then the idea of behavioral interview questions came along.   These types of questions are used to get an idea of the skills and competencies someone has based on situations they have experienced in the past.They can be both a great way to showcase what you can do and a way to make a bit of a mess of an interview.   That’s why preparing by looking at common behavioral interview questions is a good way to get ready for an interviewTypes of behavioral interview questionsBefore we dive into some real-life examples, there are some general types of behavioral interview questions that you are likely to run into.Companies wil l use their own variations of them but by thinking about some of the examples from your past that would help with these categories, you have the first step of being prepared covered.Leadership questionsIf you had people reporting to you, then you will get questions that are designed to show your leadership abilities.This isn’t so much about telling people what to do but taking the lead in something and demonstrating leadership qualities.Conflict questionsThe aim here is to answer the basic question of how do you handle conflict?   The questions will sometimes be direct such as “how did you handle a difficult situation?” while other times they may be a little less direct.Teamwork questionsThese are situational questions that involve you working with others, showing that you are part of a team and how you utilized that teamwork to achieve a solution.Problem-solving questionsAgain these can be quite direct; the recruiter may ask you “tell me about a situation where you had to s olve a difficult problem” or he may ask about a problematic situation, ask you to break down what happened and what you did to overcome it.Biggest failure questionsAt first glance, these may seem like the interviewer is trying to embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable.   But this is more about seeing where you went wrong with something and what you did to correct it. They don’t expect you to say you have never had any failures because we are all human, and we all make mistakes.   It is how you handled the failure and what you did to avoid the same situation to repeat itself that is the key.Work ethic questionsShowing that you have a strong work ethic and can get the job done is at the heart of any interview, so these questions are very important.You want to be able to give examples of how your work ethic has shone through, accomplishments that are due to the hard work and dedication that you (and your team) have shown.Greatest accomplishments questionsThis is a chance t o boast a little but in a productive way â€" highlighting your best achievements as a way to showcase your benefits to the employer.Try to keep it factual and even throw in some statistics if relevant.Examples of common questions and answer ideasKnowing the types of questions you might get is one thing but what about some examples of the questions and answers in action?You can always take these ideas and change them to use your own skills and experience, but these are some ways that real people have answered some of these behavioral interview questions to inspire you.1. Tell me about a time you worked effectively under pressure?We had a project that had a 60-day deadline, but my supervisor approached me saying that we needed to cut two weeks off that date in order to keep other projects on their deadlines.I knew my team was feeling the pressure so rather than stress the deadline, I made it into a challenge to finish the job early.We amended our schedules, allocated a little extra ti me and managed to finish the project in 42 days.My team responded brilliantly, and we were all very proud of what we had done.2. Describe a situation where you handled a challenge?I once attended a meeting with my boss where we were discussing a new contract with a potential customer.Just before the meeting, my boss had to leave due to unexpected circumstances, so he tasked me with creating a presentation based on his notes and delivering it to the customer.They were impressed with what I showed them and arranged a follow-up meeting to finalize it with my boss.We got the deal in that meeting.3. Tell me about a scenario where you set goals and how you met themWhen I first started in my role with my first employer, I realized I loved the industry and wanted to work through the levels and have a career in the industry.I set myself a goal of reaching department manager and start to attend night classes to get the qualifications I needed to do this.I got on the job experience in the role and the qualification, and within five years, I was department manager.4. Please describe a difficult situation you encountered in a previous job and how you resolved itWhen I was transferred to the new office, there was a bad situation with the staff â€" internal disputes, people not getting along, lots of backbiting.I set up a meeting with each of the staff to go through their grievances then held a group meeting where I laid out some new practices to help eliminate many of the issues.I set up a regular meeting where we could all air views and within three months, staff morale was vastly improved, people communicated better, and productivity had increased.5. Give an example of working as a teamDuring my last year at college, I was part of a research team that was helping the professor write a book.Each of us was assigned a section to focus on, to conduct research and provide the information that the professor needed.I also suggested that we meet independently before our weekly me eting with the professor to see how we were doing and help each other out.That way we had everything ready for the professor, the book was a success and was delivered on time.Preparing for the interviewGetting clear in your mind how to handle some of the common behavioral interview questions is a big part of getting ready for an interview but don’t think it is the only part.For starters, be prepared for what kind of interview you are facing.   There are a few main options:Telephone â€" an initial interview to make sure you are suitable for the role before moving to a face to face interview, these usually last around half an hourVideo â€" these are a modern alternative to phone interviews and will usually use things like Skype or FaceTime and will last a similar time to a telephone interviewFace to face â€" these remain the most common types of interview either with a single interviewer or a panel.   Sometimes you may be interviewed alongside other candidates.   Interviews can last up to 1-2 hours depending on the type of roleAssessment centers â€" large graduate employers use these to compare several candidates in a range of situations; they will often include things like group work, written tests, presentations and in-tray exercises.   They are usually a day in lengthPre-interview prepOnce you know what type of interview you will be facing, then you can get ready with your behavior question ideas.   But that’s not the only prep that you need to do.The first step is to plan your journey to the interview if you are attending one.   Make sure you get there at least 10 minutes before the start time and if you are unfamiliar with the area, do a ‘dry run’ beforehand to see where you need to go.Do a little research on the interviewer if you know who they are and make sure you are well versed on company basics.   LinkedIn can be a good resource for this.   Also, check out the latest trends and news in the industry so you are up to date on everything.Check ove r your resume and consider any gaps â€" there’s a chance you will be asked what you were doing and want to have an answer ready.Finally, the night before, get an early night, make sure your outfit is prepared and don’t be tempted to have a whiskey to knock you out!A successful interviewA successful interview can’t be guaranteed by preparation but if you are as ready as you can be, you always increase your chances.   Good luck! previous article A Detailed Resume Example for Engineering Positions + Quick Resume Writing Tips next article Weightlessness Free Resume Template you might also likeWhy Do You Want to Work Here? Best Answers to This Interview Question

Funny Friday Diversity Careers Fair

Funny Friday Diversity Careers Fair LatPro, a Careers resource for Hispanic professionals have introduced a caption contest. Have a look at the winning caption from a finished contest, and have a go at coming up with a funny original caption for the other two cartoons. You could win $50. Heres the link to the contest and all the cartoons: http://learn.latpro.com/cartoon-contest/ We will publish the winning caption cartoons, so if you love humour as much as we do, have a go! 56

Resume Writing Service Huntersville

Resume Writing Service HuntersvilleResume writing service huntersville is considered to be one of the best search engine optimization services that any company can avail of, offering a variety of services to its customers. The company has already made a name for itself in the online marketing industry by offering a variety of services and products that have helped many clients get a better place in their respective career goals.Resume writing service huntersville is known to offer professional resume services, including an expert resume writing service, designed resume and cover letter assistance, resume templates, resume editing, and an informative job search panel. This company offers the best resume writing service available on the Internet today.Many people who are not familiar with this company might think that they do not have a shot at the services offered by resume writing service huntersville. However, they need not worry because they will find it very easy to submit their r esume online, as well as in order to apply for jobs online. Most of the companies that hire these kind of services do so because they have proven time and again that they are capable of offering excellent services.The company's design of resumes and cover letters are one of the main things that make it unique among other similar services that are out there. By choosing the best design of resume and cover letter, you will be able to show that you know what you are doing and that you understand the difference between good resume and bad resume. You will be able to demonstrate to your employer that you are capable of writing quality content.A good resume is one of the most important parts of a resume when applying for a job. However, most of the professionals who have created a good resume fail to think about the effect that it will have on the eyes of a potential employer.To make sure that you get hired for the position, you need to ensure that your resume isprofessionally designed to meet all the requirements of the company. By doing this, you will show the employer that you have the capacity to write a good resume.Many people want to know if there is a company that offers resume writing service huntersville and if it is truly the best resume writing service available. To make it easier for them to find a service that suits their needs, they need to understand how a service works.Resume writing service huntersville is a professional writing service that writing a resume for a client that is uploaded to its website. Since it is a web-based service, this means that there is no need to travel from one company to another or even wait for the actual service to be delivered.

Attention! Are you retraining your mindset - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Attention! Are you retraining your mindset How does your mindset impact your career success? The dictionary defines mindset as ‘a fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a persons responses to and interpretations of situations.’ I define mindset as your attitude and how you view things. However you define it, your mindset has significant impact on your life, career and it impacts everything you do. How you view yourself and the world will guide you over time in every decision your make about your career. Your attitude also greatly affects how you are showing up to others and how others perceive you. It will also greatly affect your earning potential â€" you normally get what you deep down believe you deserve. People with limiting mindset are often threatened by the success of others, they blame others or events, they avoid or ignore feedback, avoid challenges, they have answers for everything, are defensive and always want to be right. On the opposite side of the spectrum, you’ll have people with a can-do attitude, who want to stretch and challenge their capabilities, they take calculated risk, seek out feedback and learn from the success of others. The good news is that mindset can be changed. In this article, I will give you a few tips on how to do that. 1) Learn to hear your limiting mindset ‘voice’ As you are about to embark on a new challenging project or accept that promotion, your voice might say to you ‘Are you sure you can do it? What if you fail?’ etc As you face criticism, you might hear yourself say: “It’s not my fault. It was something or someone else’s fault.” You might feel yourself getting angry at the person who is giving you feedback. “Who do they think they are? The other person might be giving you specific, constructive feedback, but you might be hearing them say “I’m really disappointed in you. I thought you were capable but now I see you’re not.” 2) Recognize that you have a choice in how you respond. How you interpret setbacks and criticism, is your choice. You can interpret them as signs that you lack abilities or talent, or you can interpret them in growth mindset as signs you need to stretch yourself, put more effort in and expand your abilities. It is up to you. 3) Talk to yourself with a growth mindset voice. Instead of saying to yourself: “Are you sure you can do it?” “What if you fail?” “It is not my fault. It was someone else’s fault” Talk to yourself with a growth mindset voice: “Even if I don’t know to do it now, I can learn with time and effort” “Most successful people had failures along the way. If you are not failing, you are not trying hard enough.” “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me listenâ€"however painful it isâ€" and learn whatever I can.” Then 4) Take the growth mindset action. Over time, which voice you listen to becomes pretty much your choice. Whether you take on this challenge, learn from your setbacks and try again, it is up to you. Practice acting on the growth mindset and see your life and career soar. Id love to hear your thoughts on this post please leave your comments below and if you like this article, please share it on Twitter or Facebook!:-)

Watch Over These Crucial Company Areas

Watch Over These Crucial Company Areas Keeping watch over your business is essential to make sure everything is going well. You need to be able to monitor key areas so that you know when things need to change. Are your employees following procedures? Are the same mistakes being made all the time? Has the new policy youve implemented had a positive effect? Watching closely over your business helps you to catch errors quickly, see whats working for you, and detect areas that are in need of improvement. If youre wondering where you should focus your attention, there are some top areas that can benefit from higher levels of vigilance. Risk Management, Safety and Health Managing risks for your business has a huge number of benefits. Firstly, its often required by the law to take care of some aspects of health and safety. Its your duty to make sure your employees and customers are as safe as possible at all times. Secondly, preventing accidents and dangerous incidents at your company saves you time and money. If anything happens, sorting out the mess can be expensive and time-consuming. You should monitor your health and safety procedures to ensure theyre being implemented and that theyre also effective. Essential Policies and Procedures Safety isnt the only issue that you might have to consider when it comes to regulatory compliance. There can be various other regulations that you might need to follow if you want to comply with the law. These could include financial regulations, employment rules, and perhaps consumer protections. It can be useful to have a tool to monitor your policies and procedure so that you can make it easier to keep track of everything. If you want to keep your business modern and up to date, dont rely on outdated methods of managing your policies. Choose tools that make it simple to oversee everything. Finances Keeping a close eye on your companys finances is obviously essential. You should have internal checks to help you pick up on any potential mistakes and make sure everything is going smoothly. However, its also a good idea to get a third-party service involved if you want to check that your finances are correct. Financial audits can help you to get a better understanding of your finances and pick up on any errors that youre internal staff might have missed. Making mistakes with your finances could have significant consequences, so picking up on them early is vital. Supply Chain Your supply chain is important to monitor too, particularly because you have to deal with people who are no part of your company. You can do a number of things to make sure that different parts of your supply chain are functioning well. Carry out inspections to monitor how things are going and see what needs to be changed. Take a close look at timings and the satisfaction of your staff, customers and suppliers to see whats working and what isnt. Watch over these important areas of your business if you want to find success. Knowing whats happening across your company is vital.