The Impact of Your Online Reputation On Your Career

The Impact of Your Online Reputation On Your Career What comes up when you Google yourself? My bet is that its probably your social media profiles, right? Meaning that unless youve got secure privacy settings on your accounts, just about anyone, whether they be a potential employer, client or colleague, can see exactly what youve been sharing with your network. So its important to put some  thought into what content you share online and what kind of image it might give off about you. But what about content posted by other people? Could it be damaging to your reputation? .Me conducted a study looking at the implications that online content about you can  have on your life and career. Here are some of the highlights: What impact can online content have? 66% of millennials are concerned that information about them online may negatively affect their reputation. 43% of millennials admit to being negatively affected by information about them online. 57% of millennials surveyed have changed their opinion of someone based on something posted online about them. How aware are people of their online reputation? 53% of Americans report that they have not monitored what information is being shared about them online. 79% of Americans say that they have not done anything to manage information about them online. Only 22% found that the information that comes up about them in searches is exactly what they want people to know about them. The remainder found inaccurate, outdated and embarrassing content. 77% of those who have been affected by damaging content are more proactive about monitoring their online reputation now. What can be done? 61% of Americans surveyed think that a personal website could be effective for managing your online reputation as you can take control of how you present yourself. Work on creating a positive online reputation and professional personal brand for yourself through social media, blogging, etc. Regularly conduct an online search on your name to see what information comes up. If theres anything detrimental to your reputation, take action to get it removed. [Top Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Receiving a Promotion Avoid These 4 Classical Traps

Receiving a Promotion Avoid These 4 Classical Traps Congratulations! A promotion is not just a great feeling, it brings with it a world of responsibilities and a feeling of stepping higher on the success ladder. Take the weekend off and spend it with family and friends.   After all, you deserve it â€" for committing long hours into the night. Post the celebrations, there are certain things to consider. We don’t mean to say that a promotion has negative factors tied to it but a promotion usually comes with a heightened sense of arrogance that you are now better than most of your co-workers. In this guide, we will help you avoid classic traps when receiving a promotion. A Promotion Should Be a Stepping Stone for Your Career Not Your Bank Account Measure the promotion’s perks and determine to see if it aligns with the goals that you set out to achieve. Understand the obstacles that your new role brings before you identify with the positive perks. Ask yourself the following questions â€" Does the promotion distract me from my long-term goals? Will the promotion help me gain new skills? Is the promotion aligned with my interests? Now, you begin to realize the shortcomings that come with a promotion. Carlota Zimmerman suggests “Ideally, a person receiving a promotion can articulate their long-term career goals, and thus can view the promotion, and its attached gifts, in light of their goals,”. Carlota stresses that while the job promotion may highlight a better state of living due to an increased paycheck at the end of the month, and a higher title, not aligning with your career interests can make the job itself less interesting in the long run. Here’s Glenn Weissinger offering valuable advice on how promotion can be a trap. How to Stay Clear of These 4 Predictable Traps After a Promotion Not Having to Take Up Any Old Responsibilities Most employees assume that with a promotion their old duties are automatically forgotten, and they get to enjoy a better pay. Usually, a promotion means added responsibility, your old duties will play a role in shaping your new one. The work efforts will be doubled and there will be increased reliability from your managers on you. So, before you take a breather, it’s important to assess the additionalresponsibilities that the promotion adds to your career. From there, setup a new work ethic to follow. Suppose you’ve been promoted to a manager from an associate. Your responsibilities may include training new associates that join the company, and this requires you to fulfill the role of a manager along with your associate duties. Considering a Job Change â€" Thanks To the Wonderful Offers Pouring In The moment you change your designation status on your socialmedia profile to your new position, you are bound to receive attractive salaries from recruiters asking you to jump ship. You were given this position by your leaders to exceed their expectations and to make them proud. If you were to take the chance to switch jobs right after a promotion. You wouldn’t receive a recommendation letter.   When the hiring company investigates you with your former bosses, they are bound to give a scathing review. A promotion is a way your seniors show their respect for your work. Don’t waste this precious opportunity by proving them wrong. Ignore all job prospects until you can fulfill your job role and if you still feel like making a change for greener pastures, do so after completing a major project for your company. This is to show your gratitude to your senior members for trusting you in your abilities. “I am the King of the World” Mindset A leading survey demonstrates that employees who’ve received a promotion are often victims of arrogance and narcissism. What this means is once you’ve landed the promotion, you tend to gain a superiority complex over your co-workers due to your current position. You feel that just by being promoted you have power over all your junior colleagues and that you can abuse this power as you see fit. Unfortunately, a promotion doesn’t automatically transfer power into your hands. You are still very much the same employee in the company.   And during the first few weeks of your new job designation, you are closely observed by your superiors. In this time, if they find you lacking in your objectives, you can very well be demoted or worse â€" fired from your position. Tips to be a great employee after a promotion â€" Offer gratitude to your co-workers for helping you get to your new position Provide words of motivation to your junior employees by providing them with advice on how you managed to land a promotion Encourage your colleagues and always be there for them when they need your help Hitting the Town on a Luxurious Spending Spree Many of us tend to create a saving plan when we first start off in our careers.   But after a promotion, we tend to lose track of this long-term plan.   We begin to splurge all the money on extravagant luxuries across town. We buy expensive gadgets and tend to override our credit cards as we now know that we can afford all the good things that life has to offer due to a promotion. Here’s where things get ugly.   You haven’t received your first paycheck, so this doesn’t automatically mean the money is in your bank. The first month is crucial to prove to your seniors that you indeed deserved the promotion on the off chance you get demoted, you could end up with a sizeable debt that you are unable to pay while retaining your old position and salary. Tips on how to plan your expenditure after a raise â€" It’s alright to throw a party to your friends and family but write down a budget Don’t overspend due to a better salary, saving your money is a better option that can help at a critical time such as being unemployed A promotion doesn’t necessarily mean a change in your remuneration. You could still be paid the same amount if you don’t discuss perks with your boss. So, before you celebrate, find out your CTC Final Words Gina Marotta, a career and business coach, states “A company asking someone to take on  additional responsibilities  must also offer corresponding additional benefits.  Any organization must balance the stress of the work with appropriate perks such as increased salary and better vacation leave for the employee in question. In the end, an employee should be honored with benefits for the long work hours that they put in aside from the promotion alone. This guest post was authored by Martin  Luenendonk Martin is a serial entrepreneurial,  CEO Co-Founder of Cleverism,   who loves to help job seekers find their dream job.  

There Is Always Time to Engage, Thank and PIF - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

There Is Always Time to Engage, Thank and PIF - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It’s the end of the year. Are you ready for 2015? For my last post of 2014 I thought I would do things a little differently. I’ve been writing for you, the extended and global community of the Personal Branding Blog, for a little over two years now. It has been a pleasure and a privilege. I’d like to thank  Dan Schawbel and Maria Elena Duron  for the opportunity and to thank each of you for reading, commenting and engaging. I have penned over 100 posts for the Personal Branding Blog so far. I have covered a lot of topics. Everything from the value of handwritten thank you notes to what to do at trade shows and a lot of things in-between including what Millennials can learn from Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf with Rules 13 and 14. My requests for you in 2015 are just three simple things. If you choose to take on any of these “challenges” I will commend you now and wait for your comments over the coming weeks and months. Be More Engaged (in the things that matter to you) The Like Check â€" Can you keep your Likes in check? My friend Tim McDonald of Huffington Post fame has been doing an experiment for the past month On Facebook he has NOT clicked the “Like” option for over 30 days. The idea and intent was only to force himself to engage more deeply in the form of a comment. Engage in the things that are worthy of your time. Take the time to thank people â€" It can be as simple as using the two words. Thank You! Thank you for reading my posts over these past few years. Thank you to those that have taken the time to engage and comment. Give Back â€" 5 years of PIFF The Birth of Pay It Forward Friday aka PIFF Over 5 years ago I was at a local coffee shop and didn’t have my wallet with me. I had switched cars with my son and realized too late that I left my wallet in the center console. I know … not smart. Regardless, I had already ordered and was holding up the line while I frantically patted myself down for spare change.  What happened next sparked a revolution. At least for me! The guy behind me … whom I did not know … said: I got this! Since then every Friday I buy the coffee, bring the donuts, hold the door, or just smile. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I do this on other days of the week too. Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~ H Jackson Brown Jr. These are three really simple things that take nothing more than your focus and a little bit of your time. They don’t have to cost anything in terms of real dollars. But, they will likely mean a lot more to those that you are Engaging, Thanking and PIF’ing. When you do the little things you will not only stand out in your career you will stand out in life. And, in doing so you’ll make someone else’s day just that much more pleasant. It’s so easy to get distracted by the minutiae that doesn’t drive you back to your core mission. Don’t! It’s so easy to take a few moments to thank someone that we too often forget or just skip it. Don’t! It’s so easy to take too many things for granted and to forget that others have helped you get to where you are today. Don’t! Instead Take a Few Minutes Each Day to Engage, Thank and PIF Try ‘em I think you like ‘em. And, please drop me a note in the comments. I really do appreciate them and when you do I’ll know I’ve made the cut for engaging when you do. Here’s to a great wrap up of 2014 and to looking forward to a fantastic 2015.

How to Impress Your Future Boss With a Powerful Cover Letter

How to Impress Your Future Boss With a Powerful Cover Letter The following is a guest post by Nelma Lumme.  Her bio follows. A Resume Is Not Just Enough: Yes, the resume is important, but it certainly isn’t the end all. In fact, the cover letter is in some ways far more important than the resume, as this is where you don’t show your past but who you are right now. And that can make a huge amount of difference. Of course, to make sure that you do that, you do need to know how you can write a good cover letter. That’s what we’re going to get into in this article. If you follow this outline, then you’ll be able to impress whatever boss you’re applying to. Now wouldn’t that be something? Follow the correct structure The first thing you’ve got to realize is that cover letters have a particular structure and though you might be able to deviate from it a little bit, don’t go too far. Why not? Because most HR managers have quite enough on their plate, thank you very much. The last thing they need is a cover letter that they can’t digest in the little time they’re going to give it. The average resume receives just 6 seconds. Now, a cover letter might receive a little bit more, but it won’t get much. So, if the bits that they’re looking for aren’t in the right place, chances are they’re not going to take the time to find them. So what is the structure of a cover letter? Generally, it has 6 sections. Address details of yourself and the recipient. Don’t forget to put in how they can reach you! What the letter is about. Here you cover the job and where you found it. Why do you want the job? Identify the needs of the client and demonstrate why you’ve got the right skills to meet those requirements. More general information plus examples. Close, thank you for your time, reach out to me with any questions that you may have. That’s it. That’s the structure. If you follow that, then people will know in which sections to look for what information. That will get you into the door. Relax and simplify Okay, so you’re following the structure, now what? Now you need to show why you are special. That means talking straight to the person you’re addressing and giving them a piece of personality. The best way to do that is to make sure you’re not incredibly stuffy and aren’t trying to sound smarter than you are. People can see straight through that. Instead, speak to them as if you’re a person and that you understand that they’re human too. In that way, you’ll be able to actually connect. Another thing that’s vital is that you speak clearly and simply, by shortening your sentences and avoiding unnecessarily long words. An editor friend of mine said it best when ye said that badly written texts are like a fog that hangs between your ideas and your reader’s understanding. Great writing, on the under, is crystal clear and lets your ideas take wing. In this way, the company you’re writing will understand your point and will besides be impressed with how well you can communicate. Understand the difference between intent and executions Whenever people write, they’re trying to appeal to their audience and engage with them. And yet, a great many people fall flat on their face. This is because how they think what they’ve written will be interpreted is completely different from how it is actually interpreted. Often this comes down to their inability to separate what they meant from what they actually wrote down. Don’t let that happen to you. Instead, after you’ve written your cover letter, you’ve got to put it aside for a while â€" preferably at least a night. In this way, it will be much easier to see what you actually wrote. This will allow you to avoid sounding negative and will also allow you to spot little mistakes that will drag you down. Even better than editing your text yourself, of course, is getting somebody else to do it. Have an eagle-eyed friend who can take a look at your text? Then ask their opinion. Don’t? Then get in touch with a cover letter writing services. They’ll help you turn your cover letter from okay into a real head turner. Don’t just talk about what you did, also talk about what you achieved Everybody can write about what jobs they’ve held. And sure, if you’ve done a lot, that can be impressive. Still far more impressive, however, is talking about the things that you actually achieved while you held those positions. So, if held a social marketing position, that’s great. But if you managed to quadruple traffic to the company’s site in that first year, now that’s fantastic. Talk in terms of achievements, not in terms of positions. This is key in making your resume stand out. Last words You’ve got to be a little bit obsessive compulsive about your cover letters. They’re often the first thing that HR people look at when you reach out them, and it’s also the last thing they’ll look at before deciding to invite you. Count on it getting passed around a lot. Yes, that does mean it’s quite a lot of work, but you can recycle bits from previous letters into new ones. In that way, it becomes easier. In fact, your cover letters will become quicker to write and more impressive as you’ve got more of the building blocks in place and hone them to a sharper edge. So go for it. About Nelma Lumme Nelma Lumme is freelance blogger from Chicago, IL. Her hobbies are cinema, jogging, psychology and blogging about business, education, self-improvement and psychology. . Image credit:  Cover letters.

Whats in Store for You in Coworking Spaces CareerMetis.com

What's in Store for You in Coworking Spaces â€" CareerMetis.com If you’re a person who likes to study all things trending, then coworking spaces should definitely be on your radar. Coworking spaces are areas where individuals working independently or collaboratively get to work in a shared office space.Gone are the days of freelancers and consultants trying to fit in the coffee shop or settling in their own homes. Below are the different intangible things you can get if you decide to be in a coworking space:1) More Control over your JobevalevalSince most coworking spaces are open 24/7, individuals control their own time. They can put in more hours in the space when they have a deadline to catch or slowly phase themselves during downtime with work.Although these individuals are completely autonomous, individuals belonging to a coworking space community give them a structure and organization.2) Appreciate Your WorkIndividuals who work in coworking spaces can describe and identify their outputs because different fields and industries are in the co -working space and the possibility of having direct competition and a person who does the same tasks as you is very little. They can bring out their work identity and seem to think that their work stands out from everyone else’s.Moreover, having a unique skillset allows you to share this knowledge with other people in the coworking space community. It then changes their perspective from simply going to work to become a part of a social community that permits camaraderie and teamwork.3) Save TimeIn relation to the previous point, you can save your precious time through the coworking spaces’ “accelerated serendipity.” Whenever you face a specific problem in your work, one or two people in the area could help you right away.First, it doesn’t cost you with the little or huge assistance you need because of the coworking space community. And second, the time spent looking for help outside can be reduced or cut off completely.In your spare time, you can freely learn the processes , apps, and practices of the other individuals who you share the coworking space with. It provides a thriving community that grows every single day.4) Find the Right PeopleevalCoworking spaces provide extra support in any way that working at home or in a coffee shop cannot provide. There’s a built-in support system inside the space, and you’ll know that they understand your wins and struggles day in and day out because you have the same mindset as them.The potential of meeting your next big investor or future business partner could just be inside the confines of the coworking space.eval5) Improve the Local EconomyIn the future, it is predicted that a lot of jobs will transition to independent management. It means that freelancing will improve as a career. According to a study by Intuit, 40% of the American workforce or 60 million people might be freelancers, contractors, or temp workers.evalSo, you and the individuals who are in the coworking space are a part of the economy in t he future. Well, that’s one way for you to be assured that there’s a bright future ahead of you.6) Be Part of a CommunityEven though you’re there as an individual, you get to socialize with like-minded people. Some people like to work in the cubicles, but some perform better when they collaborate with others or brainstorm over coffee in the common area.It is up to you when and how you can utilize the potential for interactions. But one thing’s for sure: a unique experience awaits you when you join a coworking space.Coworking space is truly a shift in how people see work. It offers flexibility to the businesses that will help them grow and achieve their objectives. It’s like putting yourself in a situation that’s a win-win for everyone else. Who wouldn’t like that for their work?