Big Projects In The Queue

Big Projects In The Queue I usually dont blog about the stuff we are working on, but Ill make an exception today.  Each of these things are exciting for various reason and I I expect to see most of them released in the next four weeks (or earlier, depending on how they pass through QA). Custom Fields Major Enhancement: Data Types Sounds jargony, right? Heres the result: when we allow you to put a data type on a custom field (or user defined field) that you create, you can do more with your data. For example, right now we dont have an explicit type (so its just a default type) you can put whatever you want in any custom field.  But its hard for us to order, or sort, that data. Why? Normal ordering is based on numeric or alphabetical values A, then B, then C, etc.  But, when it comes to numbers, sometimes 10 comes before 2, and when it comes to time, 61 seconds is not the same as 1 minute and 1 second (as far as ordering goes).  Sure, we could write all kinds of logic to figure out all the different ways to order and sort non-(data-)typed data, but the right answer is to allow YOU to say this is a date, or this is a phone number, etc. This project is massive as it touches a lot of different parts of JibberJobber: The add/edit pages (of Contacts, Companies, Jobs), the List Panels, the Detail Pages, etc.  And, because those pages have grown in features (like, in-line editing on the List Panels), there are a lot of places we need to touch. Okay, that is my technical definition trust me, this is going to allow you to do more with your data. This is almost ready for QA to test (or, as I say, beat up :)) Jobs Browser Plugin It was finally the right time to have a developer to focus on a browser plugin that allows you to push a button and pull a job into JibberJobber. You can imagine this isnt super simple the formatting of a job on different websites is different enough that the logic  is pretty complex. But, we want to make it easier to get data into JibberJobber, and everyone likes the concept of one button to pull in a lot of data. Phase I of this project is in testing right now. Coach Dashboard Gets Cleaner Did you know that career coaches have access to a Coach Dashboard that allows them to interface and interact with their clients?  Were giving this feature, which weve had in the system for over ten years, a much needed face-lift and enhancement. The first step is to clean up the language and modernize what this looks like. Then, the plan is to make the features for coaches richer, and more useful, so that they can have better communication and interaction with their clients. New Logged-out Interface Its time to, again, simplify and clean up JibberJobbers front page when you are logged out. We want to reduce the noise and make the page faster to load. This cleaning should help JibberJobber continue to grow for years to come. Theres more we have in the works any requests? Big Projects In The Queue I usually dont blog about the stuff we are working on, but Ill make an exception today.  Each of these things are exciting for various reason and I I expect to see most of them released in the next four weeks (or earlier, depending on how they pass through QA). Custom Fields Major Enhancement: Data Types Sounds jargony, right? Heres the result: when we allow you to put a data type on a custom field (or user defined field) that you create, you can do more with your data. For example, right now we dont have an explicit type (so its just a default type) you can put whatever you want in any custom field.  But its hard for us to order, or sort, that data. Why? Normal ordering is based on numeric or alphabetical values A, then B, then C, etc.  But, when it comes to numbers, sometimes 10 comes before 2, and when it comes to time, 61 seconds is not the same as 1 minute and 1 second (as far as ordering goes).  Sure, we could write all kinds of logic to figure out all the different ways to order and sort non-(data-)typed data, but the right answer is to allow YOU to say this is a date, or this is a phone number, etc. This project is massive as it touches a lot of different parts of JibberJobber: The add/edit pages (of Contacts, Companies, Jobs), the List Panels, the Detail Pages, etc.  And, because those pages have grown in features (like, in-line editing on the List Panels), there are a lot of places we need to touch. Okay, that is my technical definition trust me, this is going to allow you to do more with your data. This is almost ready for QA to test (or, as I say, beat up :)) Jobs Browser Plugin It was finally the right time to have a developer to focus on a browser plugin that allows you to push a button and pull a job into JibberJobber. You can imagine this isnt super simple the formatting of a job on different websites is different enough that the logic  is pretty complex. But, we want to make it easier to get data into JibberJobber, and everyone likes the concept of one button to pull in a lot of data. Phase I of this project is in testing right now. Coach Dashboard Gets Cleaner Did you know that career coaches have access to a Coach Dashboard that allows them to interface and interact with their clients?  Were giving this feature, which weve had in the system for over ten years, a much needed face-lift and enhancement. The first step is to clean up the language and modernize what this looks like. Then, the plan is to make the features for coaches richer, and more useful, so that they can have better communication and interaction with their clients. New Logged-out Interface Its time to, again, simplify and clean up JibberJobbers front page when you are logged out. We want to reduce the noise and make the page faster to load. This cleaning should help JibberJobber continue to grow for years to come. Theres more we have in the works any requests?

Writing Nursing Objectives For a Resume

Writing Nursing Objectives For a ResumeWriting nursing objectives for a resume is one of the more difficult aspects to consider. You will want to make sure that your objectives are objective enough and will reflect the skills that you wish to gain through employment in the healthcare field.Nursing objectives for a resume should always be simple, concise and appropriate for the type of career you hope to have. You should make sure that you consider the overall goal and expectations of a job when developing objectives. Nursing goals for a resume does not need to be complex and should include objectives relating to duties, training, certifications, and skills.As a nurse, you may be tasked with developing nursing objectives for a resume. You may be asked to write one, or you may just decide to design your own. Regardless of how you choose to develop them, you will want to make sure that they are precise, specific and tailored to the position that you hope to land. Additionally, you want to make sure that your objectives are relevant to the job and the position.You will want to consider the length of the objectives to ensure that it is the most concise possible document. Also, if you will be including goals that relate to your time management, it is best to create several drafts of the objectives in order to get it right.Writing nursing objectives for a resume should contain specific information that will help potential employers to recognize your skills and qualifications, and to reach an employment decision. It should also include detailed information on the responsibilities of the position, what you expect in terms of work hours, the characteristics of the people that you will be working with, and specific tasks that you are expected to perform.The next thing that you should include in your objectives is a description of the duties that you are expected to perform. You should include the actual responsibilities that you will be required to perform for the positio n that you are applying for, as well as any additional tasks that you may be expected to perform. Finally, you should include instructions on how to begin the job search and how to prepare yourself for the position.Finally, you should take a look at the communication skills and interpersonal skills that you may need to maintain during your employment. You should include any work references that you have, as well as any references that will be used in the interview process.Writing nursing objectives for a resume is not an easy task, but it is a necessary one for any nurse who wishes to secure employment. Once you have finished the objectives, you will have a much better idea of what you need to do in order to achieve the goal that you have for your resume.

Tips For Building Your Personal Brand by Writing Less - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Tips For Building Your Personal Brand by Writing Less - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Build your personal brand by improving your ability to write concise, compelling, and informative content. Conciseness is the biggest challenge many face when writing to build their personal brand. Theres more written about choosing topics, organizing information, and online delivery systems than there is about writing as concisely as possible. What has been written about conciseness tends to approach the topic from a grammar point of view, rather than a strategic tool. Yet, conciseness should be near the top of your brand-building-communicating- skills-to-master list for the simple reason that your prospects, clients, and co-workers are in a hurry these days. They want you to get to the point as quickly as possible in all types of business communications. Forcing yourself to be concise It takes more than good intentions to force yourself to be concise. You need better tools than simply checking and re-checking your word processors word count feature. Likewise, it also takes more than self-editing your document after youve finished it, looking for long words that you can replace with short words. Often, deadlines are so tight that theres simply not enough time to self-edit your blog posts and emails. Self-editing is also difficult when you dont have a frame of reference to guide you as you write, letting you know when your writing is getting bloated. So, whats the best way to train yourself to write less? Writing to fit: the power of limits Several years ago, I developed a new type of newslettera One-Page Newsletterbased on formatted templates for 1-page, 2-sided newsletters. My original goal was to help entrepreneurs create consistently good-looking PDF newsletters for online distribution without incurring expensive graphic design charges. Although my original goal was to improve the appearance of newsletters, it turned out that the best part of the One-Page Newsletter system was that it made it easy to cut the clutter from your writing. In doing so, the one-page format helped me, and my clients, write bettermaking every word count. By working with a format that limits articles or sales messages to the front and back sides of a single sheet of paper, you get constant feedback on the amount of space remaining. With a one-page newsletter template, if you write too much, the amount of overflow text at the end of the second page shows you precisely how much text you have to cut to make everything fit! The big surprise It never ceases to amaze meor my clientshow much better you write when you write to fit! When you are writing to fill a limited amount of space, editing becomes a game, not a chore. Each time you eliminate an unnecessary point, replace a long word with a short word, or substitute an active verb for a passive verb, you can immediately see how much space youve gainedand note how much easier it is to read what youve just written. Over the course of writing over 100 newsletters, it never ceased to amaze me how much writing less by writing to fit helped me improve my writing. My clients, too, soon developed the habits of self-editing and concise communications. In retrospect, the true legacy of the One-Page Newsletter system may be more in the lessons it taught about writing to fit and self-editing than my original goals of simplifying newsletter design and production. Try building your brand by writing less Explore the power of building your personal brand by writing less. Go to Amazon.com and explore resources like Patrick Rileys One-Page Proposal or Jim Horans One-Page Business Plan for Creative Entrepreneurs. Or, download a couple of my Design to Sell One-Page Newsletters. Edit the first drafts of your articles and blog posts until they fit both sides of a single sheet of paper. You, too, can profit from building your personal brand by writing less.one page at a time. Author: Visit Roger C. Parkers Published Profitable and ask a question or suggest a topic for a future Author’s Corner blog post. Thank you!

The Politics of Calling in Sick

The Politics of Calling in Sick Full disclosure: I’m sniffling as I write this at work. Down the hall, I hear regular coughing, and I just finished a meeting with someone who dabbed at her nose the entire time. The odds are pretty good that one or more of us will infect an innocent bystander by our presence at the office. Why do we still come in? Part of the problem is cultural: Americans are tough. Did cowboys call in sick on the range? No. Did soldiers call in sick at Normandy? No. What would John Wayne do? He’d pull up his boots and stagger in to work, that’s what he’d do. It feels whiny to call in if your job matters (and most of our work really matters.) Besides, the thought of your work piling up while you watch dismal daytime TV makes you feel even sicker. The first two to four days after the development of cold symptoms are the most contagious, but you can remain contagious up to three weeks. Who has that much time on the books? So we dose up with over the counter remedies and drag ourselves in. Coworkers pull back when we walk down the hall, and the receptionist makes a display of spraying every surface you’ve touched with a can of disinfectant. Your manager tells you to go home, and your work is certainly sub-par. And yet we come to work. At least some of us do. There are others who (perhaps more wisely) call in sick not only when they are really, really sick, but as a preventative measure. As a manager, I have received emails from staff that read: “I think I’m coming down with something; I’m staying home today.” Really? I have a theory about this. There are people who, when they got a cold as kids, were fed hot chocolate and hugs. They got to stay home from school with Mom or Grandma and cuddle up on the couch watching cartoons. This made sick days really, really attractive, even if you were actually not feeling good at all. Lots of kids learned to avoid things like tests, mean kids, or Little League games you were sure to lose by being sick (or claiming to be.) Not in my family. My old school, Midwestern parents owned their own business. They were hardy, stoic, and didn’t believe in raising kids to be wimps. When I was sick, I was relegated to my darkened bedroom. No sunlight, no toys, no books, no TV. We were fed a steady stream of bland food and flat Coca Cola, which my mother believed was an effective cure for any stomach ailment. The lack of effervescence felt like an appropriate metaphor for my young desperate state of mind.* I couldn’t wait to go back to school. So, some of us equate calling in sick with flannel pajamas, hugs and hot cocoa, and some of us picture John Wayne yelling at us to buck up. With a glass of flat Coke in his hand. My point is that the politics of calling in sick are complicated. They’re compounded by the suspicion that not everyone who calls in is really sick. One-third of workers have taken a day off when they werent really sick, according to a survey of more than 6,800 employees conducted by  CareerBuilder.com. Of course, everyone has to make their own decision, based on several factors: Whether you’re contagious, impaired by medication, or generally not fit for public consumption How your team will be affected by your unexpected absence How much sick leave time you’ve taken so far this year â€" and how much you have left. You never know when you or a family member may become seriously ill. What day of the week it is. Most employers say that they are more suspicious of calls on Mondays or Fridays. How do you feel about calling in sick? Last resort, or guilty pleasure?   Leave a comment. *(I just Googled “flat Coke,” and apparently it is considered an effective cure for nausea. I stand corrected, Mom; it’s the Real Thing.)

Cover Letter Creator - Will a Free Cover Letter Creator Really Help?

Cover Letter Creator - Will a Free Cover Letter Creator Really Help?Since so many people are receiving tons of spam and e-mail on a daily basis, I'm here to share with you the best free cover letter creator. There are so many scams out there that people have to be extra careful of who they are going to send this to.To know that you're getting the most value when it comes to your money, it's vital that you invest in a cover letter creator. This tool will allow you to come up with a very professional cover letter to send to prospective employers. It's pretty easy and will save you a ton of time and effort.Free sites are not the most reputable sources of information. If a site gives you a free link and then asks you to pay for something, don't do it. A legitimate cover letter creator is something that will only cost you a few dollars. The money that you spend on the tool will be well worth it because this will help you get more clients and get the best job you can.The first thing you sh ould do when you start using a cover letter creator is figure out what kind of cover letter you would like to create. For example, if you already have a job and you're in the process of applying for other jobs, then you should focus on getting as much experience as possible. You'll want to be able to build a portfolio of your work so that you will stand out when you start applying for other jobs.When you have decided which kind of cover letter creator you would like to use, the next step is to create your cover letter. It doesn't really matter how creative you want to be because it's only going to show once. If you're being serious about your new job then you need to be able to impress the employer by creating a professional letter.The trickiest part of this process is putting together a resume for a specific job. Remember that a cover letter creator can only be used to create a resume. You won't be able to include your skills in it.The best advice I can give you is to get the help of a career counselor or a recruiter when you are looking for a job. You don't want to get caught up in all the excitement that comes with starting a new job. A professional will be able to guide you through this process.Hopefully this article has helped you realize that investing in a cover letter creator is a great way to not waste your time. Make sure that you stay on top of this process and you will be surprised at the results you get.

Practical Answers to 7 Common Interview Questions CareerMetis.com

Practical Answers to 7 Common Interview Questions You’ve done the work of submitting your resume to several companies.Not just that, you made sure that your resumeis tailored to meet the needs of your preferred companies.evalYou even hired an expert to review your resume. This is to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward.After several days, and sometimes even months, the responses started coming in one after the other.They have one thing in common: the interview stage.Another recruitment hurdle you must scale through in your job search.Depending on whether you used a recruitment agency or an internal recruiter, you suddenly started having mixed feelings about the job.Different questions start poppingup on your mind.What if the interviewer doesn’t like me? What if they don’t like my face? What if I start shaking? ShouldI smile or not?evalJust relax. Calm down. It’s not always like that. I’ll explain.The interview stage is often the most dreaded part of getting your dream job.But with this comprehensive guide of common interviewquestions and practicalanswers, you’ll go in more confident, which will ultimately help you land your dream job.1) What Are Your Greatest Strengths? You must have already written a cover letter describing yourself with a word like result-oriented or any other adjective with which you chose to describe yourself.evalUse something in your academic or previous job history to back up that answer.Examples of some soft skills to include are detail-oriented, hardworking, managerial skills, quick learner, team player, interpersonal skills, creative, analytical, efficient, ask good questions, self-motivated, and organized.Always describe yourself with one of these or another when writing a cover letter.It will go a long way in giving your prospective employers a good first impression of you.A little word of caution here, don’t say what you are not. It will come back to hurt you later.2) What Are Your Weaknesses? Do not respond with something cliché like “I work too h ard”. Instead, respond with areas you’ve had problems but you have since fixed.If you used to be disorganized, tell the interviewer steps you have since taken to make yourself more organized.For example, some people are easily distracted by their phones when at work.A good way to overcome this weaknessis to put your phone in airplanemode until work is done for the day.3) Why Are You Interested in Working for Our Company?evalYou need to have done your due diligence on the company you are applying to.You should know their vision and mission statement. You should know about their work culture and their values.Some common answers are: You believe in their mission. You have an interest in the industry. You like their brand. You believe your skillset can help the company succeed.Tailor your answer to the specific company.Tell the interviewer how important you believe their company is to the industry and how you believe you can help bring the vision to fruition.evalMake sure you sell y ourself as an assetto the company. No one wants a liability as an employee.4) Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Company?There is no direct answer to thisquestion.The golden rule here is, never to say anything negative about your previous employers. But be honest and stay positive.Always talk about the things you love not the other side.Even if you got fired, present itin a positive light. Don’t try to avoid the question.Explain the situation as best as you can.Tell the interviewer you have sincetaken the step to improve and you are confident of doing a better job going forward.If you are taking on a new challenge,explain that you felt the time was right to take up a new challenge and you believe your skill base wasn’t being used to its full potential.You might say that you are leaving because of the lack of growth opportunities in your previous role, and you see your new company as a place to improve your experience while adding value.Make sure that you give a positive vibe when answering questions. You don’t want to be seen as a bitter employee.In all you do, don’t try to avoid the question. It only shows that you have somethingto hide.And most employers won’t hire anyone who dodges questions.Be honest and diplomatic with your approach. It is possible, to be honest, and positive with your answers.Your answer should reflect that you are a deep thinker and problem solver.Prospectiveemployers are mostly looking for how you’ll handle this question.5) Where Do You See Yourself in 5 years, 10 Years?With this question, they are simply trying to know if you’re here to stay or you want to use the company as a stepping stone.Common answers include: You hope to increase your skills and learn more about the industry.You aren’t sure exactly where you’ll be in five years, but you’d like to have worked your way up into a management position.Avoid saying you have no idea. This is a bad idea in itself. (Pun intended).Your answer shows that you are comm itted to your growth and personal development.The value you add to yourself will directly or indirectly be felt by the company.6) Why Should We Hire You? You have actually been answering this question throughout the whole course of the interview. So it has a fairly simple answer.Tell them how your history and work experience makes you an ideal candidate.Reference the skills, abilities, and knowledge you have that is either directly applicable to the job, or transferable in some way.Tell the interviewer that you hope to make their job easier by taking on as much responsibility as possible.Before the interview, you should have done your due diligence on the role you want to fill in the firm.Always tailor your answers to fit such roles as to why you are the best candidate for the job.For example, if you’re interested in filling the role of an Online Editor, you can reference skills such as copywriting, writing, and search engine optimization. These skills are useful in that particula r role.And if you’re a published author, tell them how your experience will help you in your new job.Like I said earlier, sell yourself. Don’t exaggerate your skills. At the same time, don’t sell yourself short.7) Tell Us About YourselfThis can actually be used as a trick whereby you spill too much about yourself.Older applicants can start talking about family history which helps the interviewers figure out what the real age of the candidate might be or decipher if they’llactually be able to devote time to the job.Answer Your Interview Like This:Stick to talking about the job and why you are interested in it.Talk about yourself in terms of interpersonal and communication skills.Let them know you are a focused, goal and achievement-oriented person.The more you practice this interview session, the better you get at answering the questions.So let a close relation or friend play the role of an employer and practice your interview QA.

Party Your Way to a New Job!

Party Your Way to a New Job! ‘Tis the season of holiday parties! Brush up on your networking skills and party your way into a new job. Here are eight tips that will make the most of your party time and help you make connections while still having fun: Get to the party early. Catch people when they are fresh and before it is too crowded. That’s the best time to network. If you are with friends, just tell them that you are going to “work the room” so you won’t be hanging with them all night. Circulate; don’t coagulate. Be hands-free. You’ll need to be able to shake hands, use your hands to talk, or make notes on someone’s business card so you’ll remember what you talked about. Check your coat and briefcase, or leave them at home. If you’re carrying a bag or purse, consider an over-the-shoulder style. Put your name badge on your right side. Your right shoulder is your leading shoulder when you shake hands. It comes forward and makes it easier to read your name badge. (Ladies, don’t put that badge too low. It can be embarrassing for you and the gentleman trying to read it.) And if your badge comes on a lanyard, tie a knot in the back of the cord so it sits high enough for others to comfortably see at a glance. If you handwrite your name badge, just put your first name in big letters so it’s easy to read. That’s really all anybody cares about and remembers anyway. Bring business cards. Countless people who go to networking events make the horrible mistake of arriving without business cards, then they tell people they ran out. Oh, really? If you are “between jobs,” order some online or print on your desktop printer. Just have them! Be interested, not interesting. Ask more questions than you answer, listen carefully and make eye contact. And, please, don’t keep glancing around the room while you are talking to someone. That’s rude. Work the room, don’t spend too much time with just one or two new people. No matter how engaging they may be, let others have an opportunity to meet them. Besides, you need to “work the room” too. Ask if you can talk at a later time, get a business card, and then move on. Stay on top of your party game, don’t drink too much. Did I really have to say that? While it’s the holiday season and you are at a party, remember you are creating a first and lasting impression. Don’t make an impression you’d rather forget. You can alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water, drink sparkling water, set a certain drink limit for yourself, or just don’t drink anything. Follow up with people you meet. You get all dressed up, go to an event, meet great people, and then do nothing? What a shame. Connect on LinkedIn or send a personal e-mail within 48 hours, no later! Have a great time, enjoy some fun parties, and meet lots of fascinating people. And keep networking!

Dealing with Interview Nerves

Dealing with Interview Nerves It may be true that getting an interview is half the battle, but what about the interview itself? Nerves can often overwhelm you when you are placed in the position of interviewing for a long sought after job. Learning to control your nervous habits, tics or even a stutter is one of the most important job seeking skills you should master. It is important to consider the psychology behind nerves during an interview. Often, so much seems to ride on an interview. Desperation for a job or simple longing for a change can make an interview seem like a life or death situation. Sit back, take a deep breath and recognize that it is nothing more than a simple conversation about who you are as a potential employee. No matter how desperate your work situation is, an interview is nothing more than a chance to sell yourself. If you interview poorly, the sun will still rise the next day. By removing some of the pressure a typical interview can generate, you will already begin to realize that some of your nervousness is dissipating. Preparation comes next. The more prepared you are for an interview, the easier it will be for you. From dress and grooming to a careful review of the company website, preparing for an interview should be done precisely. Leave nothing to chance. Collect your interview attire several days in advance and carefully review it. Have a backup suit prepared as well. Make several copies of your resume and portfolio, if needed, and have them ready. Stow a copy in your briefcase and one in your trunk. Remove all of the potential headaches the interview day may bring. If you don’t have to rush about searching for your tie or your other shoe, you are more likely to arrive at the interview with all your nerves and wits about you. Common sense plays a role here as well. Be sure to get a good night’s rest the night before, no matter how hard it is to sleep. Eat a well balanced meal an hour or so before the interview and take several practice drives to the interview locations. Being well rested, fed and knowing exactly where you are going is a giant step in the right direction. If you suffer from a particular nervous tick, like sweating under pressure, prepare for that as well. Practice relaxation exercises that can be performed in the waiting room or place tissue in your pocket for wiping your hands with. Try to counter each nervous tick to remain calm. Those that suffer from a stutter have it a bit harder, but even still there are things that can be done to make the interview go more smoothly. Practice saying common words and phrases that are likely to come up during the interview. Carefully note letter or sound combinations that cause you difficulty and find alternatives before the interview so you can use them instead of the words that give you difficulty. Confidence plays a major role in landing a job. Don’t let your nerves get the best of you. Relax, breathe and be yourself. Youll do great!