6 Tips for the Best Body Language in Interviews

6 Tips for the Best Body Language in Interviews In life,  body language is important. Humans can produce over: 700,000 signs 1,000 different postures 5,000 hand gestures 250,000 facial expressions. Up to 95% of messages are communicated via body language and a first impression is 55% based on body language. So, how do you get the right body language in an interview? Career Savvy have all the answers below in their  infographic. Takeaways: Handshake Make sure your palms are dry during the handshake and be firm and confident. Posture Sit tall and avoid crossing your arms. Eye contact Look in the eye-nose triangle for the majority of the time. RELATED:  First Impressions   Is There a Second Chance?

Best Resume Writing Service in Chicago

Best Resume Writing Service in ChicagoLooking for the best resume writing service in Chicago? The internet can help you find the best service out there. Below are some of the tips that will help you find a service you can trust.Most businesses have different website services and this means they offer services for a small fee versus an unlimited rate. You can go online and find the best service that can help you write your resume for less.Think about how many times you get up in the morning, go to work and come home at night. Chances are you aren't going to spend hours in front of your computer. You might be going to work and coming home and you will get some sleep.If you are going to be studying and working hard during the day, you should make sure you get the most sleep possible. This will help you get ready for your workday. There is no need to have a stressful day of work if you can get in plenty of rest.Knowing when your resume is due can give you plenty of time to prepare yourse lf for the right day. Many people will start working on their resume the day after they get back from school. It is important to know you can work on your resume on a daily basis so you are ready for your work day.There are various forms of writing and this includes doing the legwork. If you don't take the time to organize your resume, you could find yourself wasting time and effort on a job. Remember, you can easily pay someone to help you organize your resume by going online.When looking for the right professional service to help you with your resume, it is best to find a company that has a good reputation. There are many companies online that offer resume writing services. Look at these businesses before deciding which one you want to work with.If you know you need help with your resume, it is better to do the research yourself rather than paying a professional to do it for you. The best services are the ones that will take the time to find out what you want and then they will de sign the best resume possible for you.

The Story of Cleavage and Cleavitz® with a Giveaway!

The Story of Cleavage and Cleavitz ® with a Giveaway! We all know how important it is not to show cleavage at work.  But, sometimes it can be tough, right? If you have ever thought about starting a business, the best business ideas are always the ones that you have struggled with yourself.  I love coaching my clients to get unstuck out of jobs they hate and into jobs they love because I was once there myself.  Julie Crotty was a successful business executive with a passion for fashion, and she struggled to find a comfortable and simple way to manage her cleavage. So many of the fashionable tops in her closet were too risqué for work. She needed a way to make them business appropriate during the day, and at the same time, a little more fun at night. So what did she do?  She started a business to solve her problem called Cleavitz ®.  Heres a quote from Julie, For years, I tried the various solutions that were offered in the marketplace: tube tops, bandeau tops, fabrics that taped, snapped or clipped to your bra â€" you name it, I tried it. I just wanted to dress without stress, but every solution I tried provided more challenges instead of less. The tapes didnt stick, the clips were uncomfortable, the half-camisoles slid down too far, and the full tank tops bunched in the middle, added bulky lines, and were just too hot in the summer. I continued my search for a half-tank or camisole that would do the trick. And to my surprise, there was nothing on the market to solve my problem and cover cleavage in a comfortable way. Today Julie wants to give three Classy Career Girl readers a  Cleavitz ® comfortable half-top so that you can dress without the stress! They  have four styles that you can choose from including: cotton, lace, shimmer and their newest addition, crushed velvet. Cleavitz ® is a socially responsible company that is involved in many different charity events and they even donate 2% of all Cleavitz ® revenue towards breast cancer research.  I love it! a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is open US residents only. It begins NOW and ends on August 19th, 2013. The three winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Good luck! For more information on  Cleavitz ®, click here.

Why You Want a Low Bus Coefficient - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Why You Want a Low Bus Coefficient - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The fastest way to get a promotion is to have a Low Bus Coefficient. Of course, there are other less seemly and perhaps unethical ways to get promotions. But, for most people in the modern work world the fastest way to get promotions is to share what you know. The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. ~ Albert Einstein The point of this post is to think about how you are sharing your knowledge and how you can be more intuitive in the way you share. When you can share more you can and will Stand Out in Your Career. In a sense sharing is a soft skill. Albeit a skill we should have learned in kindergarten, but a skill that too many have been taught to unlearn as they have grown older and into more “competitive” situations. Are there times to keep confidences? Absolutely. Are there times to share what you know? Absolutely. In order to stand out in your career you will want to find a way to balance these two factors and in the process you will lower your bus coefficient. Bus Factor and Lottery Factor These are also terms used to describe a Low Bus Coefficient. Where the idea is … if you walked out the door and were hit by a bus (or won the lottery) what would happen to what you know? This is not an indictment against you … it’s just a way to think about why you should share what you know. Exercise for the Reader Take 1 minute: Think: WHAT would happen if you weren’t there tomorrow? Let’s Talk About The How One way is to have what I call The One Folder Transition Plan or the OFTP. I wrote about this idea I learned from a friend that was deployed in the Persian Gulf back in the early 90’s. The model was as simple as it was elegant. Having a OFTP might sound cynical and perhaps may seem to imply the worst is going to happen, but that was not the intent. The intent was to insure the mission could continue in the absence of a key player. In order for your team and your projects to continue it would be a good idea for you to create your OFTP and to ask each team member to do the same. For more on creating an OFTP see this post I wrote 4 years ago. And, yes, things that are important do have a tendency to come back around and to the forefront. This is the nature of business and life. Plan for your Low Bus Coefficient. Use your intuition to think about what should be shared and if in doubt … ask someone for a Sharing Check. Sharing Check To get a check on whether the information you are sharing is valuable, actionable and reasonable. Sharing is Caring It’s so easy to share today that it’s almost criminal not to share. Whether you use old school paper and pencils or whether you use tools like Enterprise Social Networks, Public Social Networks, Internal Networks or whatever your preferred documentation tool … it’s never been easier. In this day and age its too easy not to share things you know. Between enterprise social networks (ESN’s) which capture a lot of information behind the scenes inside of corporate firewalls and of course public social networks where everything and anything might be shared. Another way to look at sharing and why you, your colleagues, and your company (this is especially true for entrepreneurs) need to think about your Bus Coefficient and how to make sure your keep it as low as possible. Companies do break! Most companies work very hard to ensure customer continuity and care when it comes to sales and services. Read: There is No Free Lunch The Career Benefit of an LCB Having a Low Bus Coefficient makes it much more likely that you will be perceived as knowing your business (because you documented it); and it it massively increases your chances of promotion (because you are showing you are ready); and having an LCB shows that you know how to put your skills in motion â€" which means your can take on bigger projects and have a larger impact on everything you do. From an optimistic perspective: Imagine you were just promoted or allowed to hire new staff member for your team. How are you going to handle it? What will you do first? Read: You were just hit by a bus, now what? Use your Intuition and seek to have a very Low Bus Coefficient â€" Your career will thank you.

9 Killer Tips for Video Interviews

9 Killer Tips for Video Interviews Looking for a job? Its high time to confess that the hiring process is far from what it looked like ten or even five years ago. To keep your eye on the ball and get that dream job, you should be ready for a video interview. Six out of ten hiring managers used video technologies for interviewing three years ago, and their number seemed to grow. Your resume and portfolio of work  are  tickets to an interview, but the interview itself is your ticket to getting the desired position. Both employers and candidates have several reasons to prefer video interviews today: its time-saving and cost saving. A video interview is perfect for the first round,  before the in-person interviews. Thats why you need to  do your best to succeed in it.  How to do that? How to Prepare for Video Interviews At home, even the walls help. In theory, you need nothing but a computer with a webcam and internet access. As far as you are concerned, having this sorted alone will not be enough to succeed. Have a read of these practical preparation tips below: 1. Test all the technologies: Camera, sound, connection, light, and video program â€" make sure that everything works. To check that, you can ask a friend to help you and organize a test interview. Moreover, if you record this test interview, youll have a chance to see how you look and sound to make sure everything is fine. 2. Choose a proper location:  No noises and distractions, good lighting and a generic background which is ideally  a plain wall. Also, make sure its not just your face that can be seen on camera: framing from the  waist up would be ideal. 3.  Dress professionally:  Interviewing from home doesnt make t-shirts and slippers your best friends. Plus, take care of your hairstyle, clean your fingernails, brush your  teeth well and showcase minimal piercings (if you have any) or other  jewelry. No gums or candies in the mouth, and choose a suit you would wear for in-person interviews. 4. Make a list of questions:  Its not only the interviewers who ask questions; you might have some, too. Prepare all possible questions in advance, as well as some notes with  points you might want to highlight during the interview. Certainly, these notes should be off camera. Lets call it your  cheat sheet, designed to  can help you get your dream job . Bonus tip: Turn off all programs and applications that could  interrupt the interview. Tips to Succeed The zero hour has come. You are ready. The technologies and questions are ready, too. You are  looking professional  and ready to impress your interviewers with your knowledge and skills. Now its go-time! 5. Look into the camera:  Dont forget to smile and make eye contact when appropriate. 6. Watch your tone of voice:  Its better to speak in a conversational tone and behave as if you are at the actual interview. 7. Take your time to respond:  Wait for a second before answering the questions, just in case the connection is weak. This will ensure it doesnt look like you are interrupting the interviewer. Bonus tip:  Here are four questions to expect during a video interview. Why are you good for this position? What is your background for this position? What type of environment do you need to work the best? When was the time you overcame obstacles in your career? Do you need any variants to answer these questions? Check the article from the Community Table here. What to Do Afterwards Phew! The interview is over. You did your best! But whats next? Shall I just sit and wait for a call? your first question is, isnt it? 8. Write a thank-you note. If there were several people who interviewed you, send individual emails or notes to each of them. Try to vary your letters a bit in case they decide to compare them. 9. Dont be shy to follow up. Be patient: the hiring process usually takes several rounds, but it doesnt mean you cant follow-up and express your interest. Follow-ups show your desire for the position, but make sure they dont seem as if you are desperate. Bonus tip: Dont forget to ask the interviewer when they expect to make a decision. Bonus tip: Write thank-you notes after every interview, even if you are sure youve failed and the job is not for you. A video interview is your first and important step toward your dream job. Its essential, as it helps you create an initial impression; but dont consider it as one and only round â€" have your resume and portfolio ready. Have you ever been video interviewed? What would your recommendations be? Any personal tips that would help job seekers succeed? About Author: Lesley J. Vos is a content writer and contributor to many publications about student life and career. She is an occasional guest writer at MC2, supporting Hughs love to math and other STEM disciplines.

6 Things to Do When Your Boss Refuses to Give You a Pay Raise - CareerMetis.com

6 Things to Do When Your Boss Refuses to Give You a Pay Raise Have you justasked for a pay raiseonly to get turned down? It sure doesn’t feel right to have your request rejected if you’ve been working hard for it during the last months or even years.If you like your job, it doesn’t make sense to turn your back on your employer.evalIn fact, you will gain much more by understanding their reasons for not giving you a raise. That will open the door for you to negotiate a solution that will work for you and your boss.For example, consider that many reasons may have contributed to the decision of your employer.Some of these reasons might be company-specific and entirely out of your control. But just because your initial request for a pay raise was turned down, it doesn’t mean you should lose all hope and give up on your mission to get more out of your job.Here are 6 things you should do when your boss refuses to give you a pay raise.1) Don’t even think about giving upevalIf you’re happy at your job and believe that you deserve a raise, yo ur first step can be asking the right person what to do in order to it. Perhaps you would need to set and complete a range of objectives or increase your revenue?Leaving the meeting with a firm idea of what you need to do to get a raise will give you a sense of purpose.It will also show you that you’re in control of your status at the company and may aspire to higher pay and positions if you match specific demands. And rememberto book a follow-up meetingto discuss your raise in three or six month’s time.2) Don’t be discouraged from asking again in the futureevalAsking for a pay raise is in itself a sign that you are an ambitious professional.Employees who never ask for a raise are considered by employers to be people who are perfectly happy in their current situation and don’t need anything more.By opening up the discussion about your remuneration together with your progress in the company, you will get yourself recognized as someone who holds specific professional goals and can work hard to reach them.That type of conversation might lead you to future promotion opportunities as well.3) Remember that it’s not all about the moneyevalSure, you’re reading this post because you are looking to get a raise, but don’t forget that your job isn’t all about the money. In fact, if your company is not in the financial condition to offer you more money, you should be flexible and negotiate with your boss.What is important to you that is related to finances? Consider asking for that when your request for a pay raise is turned down.There are plenty of ways you can increase compensation without asking your employer for a raise.Consideremployee perkssuch as reimbursement for your cell phone bill or petrol.Perhaps your employer can provide you with a company car, a wellness benefit, or daycare stipends?You should also ask for the possibility of taking extra time off to make up for not getting it a pay raise.Decide what is important to you and be a little creativ e. Meeting your employer halfway is much more beneficial than leaving with nothing.4) Make yourself valuableIt’s essential that you learn the reason why you aren’t getting a pay raise. That way, you can work harder at making yourself more valuable and contribute more to the company to change your employer’s mind.Consider taking on more responsibilities or learning new skills. You should also find new ways for improving the bottom line and discuss them with your boss.evalIncreasing the productivity of your team or bringing in more income to the company are unbeatable arguments.All that will make you more valuable, and once you ask for a raise again, your employer will never be able to say no because they are aware that another office will snatch you up instantly. And everyone knows that it’s much easier to retain skilled employees rather than train new ones.eval5) Consider making a raise on your ownIf you’ve tried all ways to get a raise, and you still can’t reach your fi nancial goal, but you also feel comfortable at your job, that point is for you.There are thousands ofside hustles you can try to earn extra money. For example, you can share your expertise in freelance writing, participate in focus research groups, or start a blog.Take advantage of skills that you already have and transform them into money-making side jobs you can complete in your spare time. Who knows, your side hustles might expand your professional network and land you some new opportunities â€" including going freelance or switching into a consultancy that both offer more financial independence.evalThe best way to find a side hustle is first to identify something that you’re good at and what you can get paid for. Make sure that your side hustle doesn’t violate any nondisclosure agreements or non-compete clauses in your contract.6) Here is when you should walk away from your jobIf you feel stagnant at your job and want to earn more money, perhaps it’s time to look for other opportunities if your request for a pay raise is rejected.Today’s workforce is utterly different than it used to be a mere decade ago. A typical professional will go through jobs every four years.Even if you’re not planning to leave your job, keep your eyes open for new opportunities that might bring you more money, increase your job satisfaction, or reward you with amazing benefits.Never quit your day job without having a backup plan in place, but don’t be afraid to leave your position if you see that you can do better somewhere else.Use these 6 tips to boost your chances ofgetting the pay raise you deserve and taking full control of your professional life, so it brings you the most satisfaction and joy.

When Bullet Points Attack A story about a girl who really loves

When Bullet Points Attack A story about a girl who really loves 55 Flares 55 Flares A Corn on the Job reader sent over a little gem of an email today.  She had found something that she thought I could possibly use on COTJ.  She was right.  Jackpot! Please remember, Im not making fun of this job seeker.  I dont know who they are, and if I did, Id offer them my advice/guidance/coaching.  But I dont, so Im merely poking fun at them and hoping it teaches the rest of us a big lesson.  Never mind, I MIGHT be making fun of them a little, but its totally warranted.  Promise. Bullet points are supposed to be simple, right?  Their purpose is to point out important information on a resume and lead the readers eyes to where they should focus.  This is pretty much standard information that weve learned since before even comprehending what a resume is.  You know, like 3rd grade stuff.  Well apparently, not everyone is aware. You are now about to see part of a resume that clearly shows the job seeker utilizes hearts for bullet points.  Sigh. Theres not much to say.  She used hearts for her bullet points and because of that, I cant look at anything else.   Maybe this would be a bad ass idea if she was applying to work for a dating site, but there arent many other examples where Id say its a good idea. Im kind of at a loss for words, so how about you take over from here. What do you think?  Do you think recruiters will laugh at this?  Did you laugh at this?

You Are Your Story, Your Story is You - When I Grow Up

You Are Your Story, Your Story is You - When I Grow Up I met  Amanda Hirsch  when I spoke at SXSW in 2011, and we immediately bonded over our mutual actor-ish backgrounds. Im thrilled to have her here to talk about her forte: storytelling and why its important to your career. Image by Olivia Allison  (available to use under the Creative Commons licence) Sometimes, telling your story online can help you figure out the story you want to tell. If that sounds like a paradox, it is. In the same way that you live your way into the answers to some of life’s trickiest questions, you can narrate your way into the person you want to be, or the business you want to run. Let me explain. Sharing ideas gives them legs; sharing them online gives them wings. Online, your networks of friends and followers (and their friends and followers) help ideas travel faster; the networked nature of the web also increases the chances that the people in the universe most interested in your ideas will find them. What’s more, the web is interactive, meaning you can get instant feedback on your ideas in a way that’s much harder to achieve offline. What does all this mean for defining your story? It means you have a ready-made lab for trying out new identities and new ways of articulating those identities. Let’s say you’ve been working as an office manager by day, and making jewelry by night, most of which you’ve given away as gifts to friends and family members. Now, thanks to your work with Michelle, you’ve decided to pursue your passion for jewelry making full-time within the next six months. Up till now, your Twitter profile hasn’t mentioned what you do for a living, because your job hasn’t been a real reflection of who you are. Now, you can start describing yourself as a jewelry maker immediately. “Oh,” you might think, “but no one’s bought my stuff. I’m not really ‘official’ just yet.” It doesn’t matter. You make jewelry; so tell people you make jewelry. Psychologically, the more you describe yourself as the thing you want to be, the more you move toward becoming that thing. “Oh, but I don’t even have a website or an online shop set up.” It doesn’t matter. When you do launch your website, go ahead and add the URL to your Twitter profile, and begin mentioning it in tweets; but for now, start describing yourself as a jewelry-maker, because you are one. Tweet about the projects you’re working on, and maybe start a Pinterest board showcasing jewelry you admire from other artists, as well as other miscellaneous images that inspire your designs (photos of nature, urban landscapes, whatever it is that captures your imagination). See how suddenly, you’re living out loud, by making your passion (and your burgeoning business) an explicit part of your online presence? Plus, the more you talk about an area of your life online, the more you attract kindred spirits and potential supporters, and that community can prove invaluable to achieving your goals. You’ll also get feedback that might inform the direction you take â€" maybe people are really interested in a series of rings you’re designing with buttons from your grandmother’s attic; that might help you decide to make these items the first ones you list for sale online. Consider including a “before and after” component to your narrative. “I had a job I hated, and now I’m pursuing my passion.” If that feels hackneyed, know this: To some extent, all of the world’s best stories (in film, literature and otherwise) are really the same core stories dressed up with different details, and shared through the filter of the storyteller’s perspective and personality. So, yes, “before and after” is a familiar trope; but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. We all know what it’s like to hate your job, and to crave the deeper meaning that comes from finding the right thing. Now that you’ve found that thing, we’re rooting for you.   We want you to succeed on your new path. We want you to thrive, because if you thrive, maybe it means we can thrive, too. When you speak from the heart, people can tell, and it attracts them to you. As a teacher and consultant, I help people figure out how to be strategic about the stories they tell online, in order to help them meet their goals. And I’d encourage you to take that next step â€" getting really strategic about the story you’re telling â€" once you’re in a position to clearly outline your goals and target audience. But in the meantime, without a foundation of authenticity, all the strategy in the world won’t get you anywhere. Share (and live) from the heart, and the rest will come. It’s a lifelong process to align our work with our values. It’s also a dynamic process that requires constant mindfulness and a willingness to change course as necessary. The web lets us change the story we tell over time, with our online presence evolving right alongside us â€" and sometimes, ahead of us, leading us in the direction of our dreams. Amanda Hirsch is a writer and performer who runs Good Things Consulting (@getgoodthings), which helps people build support for good products, good art, good causes and other good things online. The former director of PBS.org and a SXSW audience favorite, she teaches an e-course on telling your story online. Amanda lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Jordan, their 1-year-old daughter, their 14-year-old dog, and a lot of people with mustaches.