Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Strategies for Engaging an In Person Audience

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Strategies for Engaging an In Person Audience In my almost 15 years as a workshop speaker and facilitator, I’ve learned a lot. The most valuable lesson of all? Be interactive. I’ve observed that you can be presenting the most intriguing topic of all time, but it’s only a matter of time before you audience tunes out the sound of you droning on and on. If you want to keep your participants’ attention and prevent them from checking their phones or falling asleep, I recommend sticking to no more than five minutes of instructional content at once, followed immediately by an interactive component that surprises the audience out of any stupors or daydreams. The good news is, there are more choices for engagement than ever before. The following six techniques are my go-to standards. Depending on how long your next training is, mixing and matching them is likely to liven up the session, and hopefully, increase overall learning and results! Technique #1: Storytelling Funny or self-deprecating stories and anecdotes are always a hit, but early in most trainings, I like to share a specific story called The Hero’s Journey. Based on the famous narrative concept, the Hero’s Journey describes all the obstacles I faced while becoming an expert in the topic. Much of the time, the audience isn’t expecting to hear something like this, and participants are fascinated. I increase the engagement by asking for a show of hands if the audience has personally experienced something like what I’m relating (e.g. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a boss you thought really hated you”). Technique #2: Surveying and Polling The best type of survey takes place in advance, so you can ask participants about their experiences in detail, and customize your content to address what you learned. Given that this isn’t always possible, you might want to familiarize yourself with online polling technology that allows the audience to answer simple questions on their phones in real time â€" with answers appearing on your presentation screen. Both approaches pique the interest of audience members who are curious what their fellow participants answered. For more techniques, have a look at the DeVry WORKS website.

Writing a Cover Letter For an SLP Resume Without a Job Opening

Writing a Cover Letter For an SLP Resume Without a Job OpeningWriting a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening is not as hard as it sounds. All you need to do is show your personal information and that you are looking for a job. No, I'm not going to lie to you, there is a lot of scammers out there that will try to steal your personal information for your resume and you need to know how to tell the difference.Now, when you start to write a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, what you should be doing is placing your name and the position you are applying for at the top. This is done so that you will be able to direct attention to your professional resume. Now, I know that this might sound pretty strange at first. But, when you read the cover letters that are submitted to you, they usually look very formal and boring.It's important that you keep in mind what your career choice is in your cover letter. You want to make sure that you put your professional r esume as a number one priority. If you want to stand out in a crowd, you need to make sure that you don't forget about your personal information and your job background.Now, when you are writing a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, you need to make sure that you show your information in an organized manner. Always start with the most important part. You want to make sure that you show that you have some knowledge about the position that you are applying for. And, this means you need to give information on what you learned from the course and what areas you want to improve on.After you give your resume, or cover letter, your personal information, you need to make sure that you leave some room for the rest of your information. Now, if you are going to write a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, this means that you should go over each part of your resume a few times until you get the point across. It might seem like a big waste of time but it is the truth that you can't expect people to learn all of your personal information in one short interview.So, whenever you're writing a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, remember to use bold. Use all caps and underline. This is one of the best ways to get your information across, and it is a guaranteed way to be noticed.When you are writing a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, remember to include in your cover letter your education information. Now, you may not be qualified to work at that particular position, but remember that you still need to mention this. Make sure that you show how long you have been working in that field and mention the specific qualifications that you have to help the hiring manager assess you.So, when you are writing a cover letter for an SLP resume without a job opening, remember to focus on what you can do for that particular position. Show them that you have been doing the work for at least two years and show your knowled ge about the industry. Then, show your personal skills and provide them with your references.

Networking The Strength Model - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Networking The Strength Model - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Connections are the strongest form of induction into a newly opened job opportunity. People are the sole contributors to hiring for new positions and control who is placed where in the company, alongside the hiring manager. In general, there are two factors in deciding if you have a job: The human resource recruiter and the hiring manager. If either of these two decision makers hears of interest for a job through their network, those applicants get first shot at interviewing. The closer the connection between the decision maker and the applicant, the better chance for successful job requisition fulfillment. I consider this “The Strength Model” of networking because your network is your strongest bridge into the job market. To better explain this, view the model below.This model suggests that family is the strongest connection, where a hiring manager has a son or daughter that is looking for a job and it is filled almost immediately because of the network strength associated with the relationship. For example, if your father was a Director of Marketing at Proctor and Gamble and there was an entry level job opening in the marketing research department, you would have first pass at that opportunity. Referrals are the next strongest segment to this pyramid because an applicant is usually referred to a hiring manager, based on some level of expertise or job fitting. Referrals could be acquaintances that have been further developed by the art of networking or keeping in touch with an individual (establishing a relationship). You could be referred to a hiring manager by previous work such as an internship or by a family member. Finally, acquaintances are the weakest form of networking, because hiring members would rather hire an individual that they are closer in ties with, rather than someone they just met for the first time. You have many acquaintances throughout your life, many will soon forget you over time, but you never know if one might follow through one o f these days. If I were to rate your chances at each level of the pyramid I would say….. Family: 90% Referrals: 50% Acquaintances: 5% Remember: Meet as many people as you can because you never know who is connected to whom in each others networks. You should strive to build relationships with your acquintances, in order to convert them to referrals, but family members are always the strongest!

10 Best Resume Writing Services in Illinois

10 Best Resume Writing Services in Illinois The job market is booming across the country, and the state of Illinois is no different. It’s important to bring your A-game when it comes to your job hunt.A professional resume writer will help you go from the B-league to the A-league.Our list of the top 10 resume writers in Illinois will allow you to have your pick of the best of the best.So without further ado, here are the leading resume services in the Prairie State.Best Resume Writing Services in IllinoisIf you are in a hurry and don't want to read our detailed reviews below, here is a list of the Best Illinois Resume Writing Services:Find My Profession (that's us!) JobStars Executive Career Services Write Resume Services Resumedics Resume Creations Career Canvas BeltStyles AAA Targeted e.g. EditorsCheck out the best resume writing services in Chicago.And now for the detailed reviews...1. Find My ProfessionFind My Profession is not just a top-notch resume service available in Illinois. We are a global company headquartered in the US on a mission to master effective, ATS compatible resumes that convert into offers.A major perk of Find My Profession is that we are not a one-person shop.Collectively, our team of elite resume writers has experience in 85+ unique industries/professions. This allows us to assign you a professional writer (in the United States) based on your unique background and experience.We are also not a resume factory. We will never use “ghostwriters”. You will have your resume writer’s name, email, and phone number for direct communication.With 100+ 5-star reviews and a 60-day interview guarantee thatspeaks for itself, you can sleep easy knowing that your satisfaction is our #1 priority.Pros:Find My Profession commits to working with each client until they are completely satisfied. Don’t worry about having a limited number of edits, or a set amount of time with your writer.Cons:Find My Profession is a virtual/online company. While we provide services in your city, we don’t have a physical office.Also, with a focus on more senior positions, our entry-level resume service may be a bit pricey for recent graduates.Turnaround: 3-5 business days. Can expedite to 2 business days.Cost: $395-$895Phone: (831) 888-0967Don't take our word for it, check out some of our 5-star reviews.Trustpilot2. JobStarsJobStars was started by Doug Levin after he realized he could help clients achieve their job search goals. Beyond resume writing, JobStars offers outplacement services for folks who are being laid off. They can only accommodate between 3 and 50 employees though. Doug recently tweeted that he made a mistake with a client, but he was big enough to own his mistake and take responsibility. That is quite notable.Pros: JobStars provides you with a free job search organizer, which is useful to help you get organized with your job search and keep track of everything. They offer a few different resume packages that will fit any client’s needs.Cons: JobStars says that their e ntire process, from purchase to final draft, takes 10 to 30 business days. That is a long time, especially if you are actively on the job hunt and you need a resume ASAP.Turnaround: 5 days. Rush service available.Cost: $395 - $1,295Phone: (888) 307-00103. Executive Career ServicesExecutive Career Services is run by Steven Provenzano, a longtime expert in the resume field. Incredibly, Steven has authored more than 9 different career books spanning a variety of different topics. He also has conducted more than 120 seminars on resume writing and career marketing. One interesting service that you can take advantage of is recruiter networking where you can connect with the right recruiters in your industry.Pros: Executive Career Services has all 5-star reviews on both Yelp and Google. Stevenhas personally written more than 5,000 resumes for executives and professionals from all of the Fortune 500 companies. His team consists of CPRWs, Career Coaches, and Certified LinkedIn experts.Cons: Like most services, ECS works with job seekers in all professions via phone and email to review your materials, provide feedback and serve clients nationwide. Still, you may request a personal Coaching session if you're in the Chicagoland area.Turnaround: 2-4 business days.Cost: The firm provides a free resume review and various rates and services; you may then select the best price and service for your specific needs. Their prices are typically the same or less than mainstream resume services.Phone: (630) 289-62224. Write Resume ServicesWrite Resume Services can help with virtually anything that needs to be written. Ken Kirby is the writer behind Write Resume Services and has a Master’s degree in English. He has an active Linkedin profile where he routinely talks about resumes. It is clear that Ken has devoted his life to resumes and will be writing them for a long time to come.Pros: Write Resume Services ensures that your resume will be compatible with all devices. That is certa inly a concern nowadays as hiring managers could be reading your resume on everything from a tablet to an iPhone. Ken has written more than 30,000 resumes based on his website and a Yelp review.Cons: Write Resume Services gives almost no information on how their resume writing process works. Ken prefers to work in-person, but he will compromise by working over the phone and through email.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: Not stated.Phone: (847) 806-66195. ResumedicsResumedics can breathe fresh life into your resume and your job search. An affordable resume writing service that has a 24-hour standard turnaround time? Almost sounds good to be true, right? Kevin Kokinda brings a resume service to central Illinois that is perfect for the area. Kevin walks each of his clients through his resume writing process to ensure that they understand his process and get the most out of his services.Pros: Resumedics turnaround time is almost unheard in the resume writing industry. The fact that 24 hours is the standard turnaround time is incredible, you don’t even have to pay extra for that quick of a turnaround. Kevin offers discounts to members of the military as well as seniors. Most resume writing services don’t openly offer discounts.Cons: Resumedics has been around for a long time, but they have not worked with as many clients as some of the larger resume writing services. That might not necessarily be a bad thing, however, as you will receive very personalized service from Kevin.Turnaround: 24 hoursCost: $125 - $350Phone: (309) 453-52616. Resume CreationsResume Creations may be located in the relatively small city of Peoria, but they bring big-city resume writing. Tami Christian is the CEO and owner of Resume Creations. She is currently a member of the National Resume Writers' Association as well as a Certified Professional Resume Writer. Keeping up with the latest trends and science in the resume writing industry is one of Tami’s passions.Pros: Resume Creations is a relatively new service and they will certainly be eager to please their clients. Having a new writer can be beneficial since they will go the extra mile to make sure that you are satisfied â€"â€" as opposed to a veteran that has grown tired of writing resumes and/or are pickier with clients.Cons: While Resume Creations is available by phone and email, phone calls will be limited.This is fairly standard for most resume writers as it is important for them to be efficient with their time.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $169 - $399Phone: (309) 231-08007. Career CanvasCareer Canvas’ main goal is to save you time by creating the best career marketing documents for your job search. Career Canvas has a very talented team that ranges from Ph.D. candidates to meteorologists. There is certainly someone on their team who can craft a resume that is perfect for your specific industry. If you scour the web, you can even find a promotional code for their website that you can use when you check out.P ros: Career Canvas has a very slick looking website that is clear and easy to navigate. You can even record a video with the team at Career Canvas! They will show you exactly how to record the video and come up with a script for you. Your resume and video will stand head and shoulders above other candidates.Cons: Career Canvas only has two Certified Resume Writers on their staff. That could be an issue, as you may want every single member of the team to have completed at least the basic level of the certified resume course. They also do not have any sample resumes located anywhere on their website.Turnaround: 5 business days.Cost: $120 - $1,000Phone: (872) 221-45918. BeltStylesBeltStyles is run by Hallie Belt, a university professor with 17 years of experience. There is not a lot of information on how Hallie’s resume writing process works, but being a professor and teacher means that no stone will be left unturned. Hallie has been a professor at some interesting schools, such as t he American School in Switzerland and Hayato High School in Yokohama, Japan.Pros: BeltStyles will always have the same quality as Hallie writes everything. One interesting way you can collaborate with Hallie is via Google Docs. You can both view the document at the same time and watch her edit your resume as she walks you through the process of how she creates your resume.Cons: BeltStyles has a couple of reviews where customers were not happy with their resume. Additionally, we were unable to find any resume samples on this website.Turnaround: 2-5 business days.Cost: $300 or less.Phone: (312) 285-84299. AAA TargetedAAA Targeted creates targeted career strategies for individuals to help them succeed. Clay Cerny has been writing resumes and career coaching since 2001 but did not open AAA Targeted until 2004. Clay offers valuable information on his website and busts some common resume myths that are worth reading. One interesting myth is that education should always be listed first; Cl ay claims for an experienced individual that is not the case.Pros: AAA Targeted offers a free consultation that you can take advantage, which can be a useful way to determine if you’d like working with them. You can also utilize their interview preparation service to nail your interview once you get your foot in the door.Cons: AAA Targeted does not have any standard questionnaires; you have to get on the phone with Clay in order to move forward. A lot of us are simply too busy for an in-depth phone call where we go over exactly what we want. Many job seekers would rather fill out a survey and then receive their resume.Turnaround: 5-7 business days.Cost: $160 - $320Phone: (773) 907-866010. e.g. Editorse.g. Editors provides the state of Illinois with a resume writing service to be proud of. The e.g. in the name actually does not stand for the Latin phrase, “exempli gratia.” Instead, it stands for the initials of the two women who run the business. Elisa and Nicole both bring ver y different strengths to the company. Elisa is a Certified Resume Writer, while Nicole creates content for business and academia.Pros: e.g. Editors has some fantastic resume samples available on their website. You can check them out and see that they are truly talented resume writers. They also do not have any negative reviews online. That is quite an accomplishment in this day and age.Cons: e.g. Editors has a long and burdensome order process. After you send them an email, you will get a response. Once you agree to the terms, you will receive your order a day after that. At that point, you may have wasted 2 or 3 days before the resume writing can even begin.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $175 - $500+Phone: (312) 834-3733This List Serves The Following Areas In Illinois:Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Naperville, Springfield, Peoria, Elgin, Waukegan, Cicero, Champaign, Bloomington, Decatur, Arlington Heights, Evanston, Des Plaines, Schaumburg,and more.Best Executive Resume ServiceNo t worried about finding an Illinois local company? Want to work with the best of the best? Check out the Best Executive Resume Services.

Technical Resume Writer

Technical Resume WriterOne important aspect of learning how to become a technical resume writer is to choose a career that is appropriate for your talents. There are several forms of writing jobs that a person can pursue. The writer will need to know which fields or areas of expertise that would be appropriate.Writing resumes is one of the most time consuming and tedious tasks. It is important that the resume be professionally crafted and executed in order to get the job. Once a resume is prepared, it needs to be carefully reviewed. Any errors and omissions in the resume are surely going to be noticed by the employer and could result in an unqualified candidate getting hired.A resume should contain sufficient information about the individual. Therefore, the writer has to make sure that he does not make any mistakes with regards to the form or content of the resume. The technical resume writer has to compile relevant information from several sources and pass them down in an organized and coherent manner. The resume must also be unique so that the employer can easily recognize the applicant.The writer must learn the skills needed to analyze and dissect a job application so that he can properly write a resume that is both skillful and creative. It is important that the writer understands how to use proper spelling and grammar to present his resume in a professional manner. There are instances when a single sentence can be misunderstood by the reader and it becomes difficult to make the content of the resume understood. The reader has to be convinced that all the points made by the writer are correct.The technical resume writer also has to be familiar with various aspects of computer applications as they are used extensively by many employers today. The applications include those for payroll, accounting, communications, policy development, and marketing. Software engineering is also another important area of specialization that must be included in the resume. The w riting skill of the writer is also required to know how to present the resume in such a way that it is easily understood by the employer.The technical resume writer must know how to convey the necessary information to the employers in a compelling manner. The technical writing skills can be developed if the writer takes part in the academic and professional writing competitions. All the professional writers can gain the skills that they need by participating in the contests.If the technical writers want to make more money and continue to excel in their profession, they should ensure that they understand how to write an effective resume. It is important that they use the relevant skills and knowledge obtained from various degrees and programs in order to help candidates. The technical resume writer can take part in various writing competitions in order to acquire the knowledge and skills needed.It is recommended that the resume writer is well-versed with the technology and applicable systems that are used by the employers today. This is a necessity because the online search engines and business databases of the companies are very often accessed by employers. The resume needs to be professional, appropriate, and relevant.

LinkUp A Great Place to Hook Up With Employers

LinkUp A Great Place to Hook Up With Employers Recently I talked to G.L. Hoffman, Chairman of   LinkUp.com, a site that aggregates and publishes only jobs listed on corporate web sites from thousands of companies around the U.S.LinkUp came about because of a team of developers and marketers who   understood what the market, i.e. the job seeker wanted.   Basically, instead of the typical job board, LinkUp only presents those jobs which companies post on their own career sections of their site. This means that the jobs are always real, always timely, and are never duplicated. Since most of the jobs are never advertised anywhere except the companys own website, the job seeker who makes LinkUp one of the places he visits may find less competition for those jobs.LinkUp is currently indexing over 22,000 company websites around the country, and their search engine contains anywhere between 400,000-500,000 jobs on any given day covering the entire U.S. economy in terms of vertical industries, salary levels, and locations.Unlike other j ob boards such as Monster, Careerbuilder, and Craigslist, there are no scam ads, no risk of identity theft (they do not collect resumes and they do not allow anyone to directly post jobs onto the site), no 3rd party recruiters and staffing company ads, etc. And unlike other aggregators such as Indeed and SimplyHired that aggregate jobs from other job boards, LinkUp only aggregates from a single source the hiring company or employer organization itself. As a result, there are no duplicate listings on the site. According to G.L., Simply put, it is the best quality jobs database on the web today and reviews from around the web are overwhelmingly positive.   They have also recently received terrific reviews on their Facebook application for employers and iPhone app for job seekers.In addition to overseeing LinkUp, G.L. is also currently Chairman of JobDig, an employment-focused media company that delivers multi-channel recruitment advertising solutions to employers of all sizes in all industries. JobDig publishes a free weekly jobs newspaper in markets throughout the U.S., operates the popular website jobDig.com, and partners with network and cable TV stations and radio stations in each of its markets to allow companies to leverage broadcast media in their recruitment advertising. He writes a daily blog, What Would Dad Say? and is a weekly guest writer at US News and World Report. You can also follow him on Twitter here.

25 Facebook Rules for Job Seekers - CareerEnlightenment.com

Or, maybe, re-channel that nonfiction rage and use it to write that one novel we’re all supposed to have in us instead. And stay away from harsh criticisms of politics and religion â€" you never know who you might offend.BE WARY OF FRIEND REQUESTS:Only accept invites from people you actually know, because the face on the other end may very well be attached to a potential employer. Unless you’re rocking a purely professional account, in which case the more is probably the merrier.THE SOCIAL JOBS PARTNERSHIP:The U.S. Department of Labor, National Association of State Workforce Agencies, DirectEmployers Association, National Association of Colleges and Employers, and Facebook itself teamed up to harness social media in the interest of job seekers. It serves as an amazing depository for information regarding the current economic climate and advice about getting ahead.FOLLOW:So many companies these days host one or more Facebook pages to interact with consumers, fans, and fellow indus try professionals alike. Give them a like (or two) and follow along to gauge whether or not their culture seems right for you, participate in discussions to show off your knowledge, and maybe even learn about open positions as they post them.TAKE OUT AN AD:If you’re the bold type, creatively advertise your availability by buying and posting a clever side ad. Employers who love themselves an enterprising go-getter with pluck and chutzpah might stand up and take notice.JOIN GROUPS:You never know who you might meet or what job opportunities might arise, so try and participate in groups relevant to your chosen career paths. Politely, of course.NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK:Don’t hesitate to ask friends and family over Facebook if they know of any open positions at their own places of employment or elsewhere. Just make sure to do something nice for the ones who manage to score you an interview or, even better, a job.KNOW YOUR  KLOUT  SCORE:Social media-savvy companies looking for influen tial employees might want to take a gander at your Klout score, so consider including it on your resume if relevant to the opening. Not only does it measure influence via Facebook, but Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Foursquare, and other popular social media scenes.SET UP A FAN PAGE:If relevant to what you’re trying to accomplish, anyway, otherwise you just seem like a narcissist. Bloggers might want to open up a fan page for their professional musings so they can network with others in the industry without leaving personal profiles open to scrutiny.CHANGE THOSE PROFILE AND COVER PHOTOS:Even profiles on public lockdown still display profile and cover photos, so make sure to choose something a little more appropriate than scenes from that trip to Tijuana you and the boys took last summer.ACTIVATE  GOODREADS:More for professional and personal development than actually landing a job. Use this Facebook plugin to rate and review books relevant to your chosen career path and receive auto mated suggestions about what to read next. It might very well come in handy once the interview process begins.CRIME DOESN’T PAY:You may be the biggest NORML supporter on the planet, but that still doesn’t change the legal status of weed and other drugs. Potential employers might think you too much of a risk, even if you’re a responsible, hard-working sort, if they discover a profile spotted with evidence of use. Avoiding discussions of other past (and hopefully not current) criminal behaviors should be a no-brainer rule.KEEP PASSWORDS PRIVATE:Some employers, when faced with private Facebook profiles, have gone so far as to  ask interviewees for their login information. Don’t feel obligated to comply. You have the right to protect your privacy.AGE ISN’T AN OBSTACLE:Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites are not the exclusive domain of the young. Older job seekers use them to show off and share their experiences (let’s see the kids beat that!) while simultaneously proving they’re not so bad at this web 2.0 stuff the business world is into these days.SEARCH FOR EVENTS:Browse public events in your area and see when and where the most recent job fairs, workshops, networking mixers, and other potentially fertile opportunities are happening. If you live close to your alma mater, stay in touch with their career services center if they happen to host a Facebook presence.POST YOUR RESUME:Or a link to it, if attenuating a resume to fit the notes feature proves too awkward. Even individuals with a private account can benefit if friends and family reach out and show it to anyone they know who might be hiring.MARKETPLACE:Jobs get posted at this sadly oft-overlooked app, so activating it is probably a grand idea. You never know what you might find!TURN THE TABLES:If you’ve got some names, nothing says you can’t go searching and scrutinizing the profiles belonging to your possible future employers. You might dredge up some dealmakers and dealbreaker s this way. Just don’t ask them for their passwords, OK?