Top Networking Tips for Freelancers

Top Networking Tips for FreelancersTop Networking Tips for Freelancers14What Is Networking?To start with the basics, the idea of networking gets kicked around a lot, but what does that really mean? As it concerns your career, networking can fall into one of three basic categories, according to research cited in the Harvard Business ReviewOperational networks.The contacts in your operational network may be present or former colleagues, fellow members of trade groups or other professional organizations, or people you meet with direct knowledge about your career field.Strategic networks.This category may include people who arent necessarily in your career field or industry, but who may be thought leaders or visionaries whose advice can be elend only pragmatic (like how to make meaningful career connections), but visionary too.Personal networks.Friends and family may fall into this network, along with school alumni,social mediaconnections, and professional-focused meet-up organizations.I mportance of Networking for FreelancersA freelancers day-to-day life can be isolating, especially if you work remotely. While you may have frequent virtual interactions with colleagues over the electronic transom (i.e., online, in teleconferences, or by phone), it can be a challenge to stay connected in ways that can help your career move forward.If youre on the shy side, striking up conversations with strangers, even in a professional setting, may be hard. Personality types that may find themselves drawn to freelance work (according to Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessments) can sometimes be somewhat more introverted, but even extraverts who are entrepreneurial or wired more toward reaching out to others may be drawn to the freelance lifestyle.Strategies and Networking Tips for FreelancersSocial media.Used professionally, social media platforms like Facebook or YouTube are powerful tools to network and get connected. In particular,LinkedIn is a great networking resource if you app lysolid strategieslike finding and using LinkedIn Groups in your area of interest, and keeping your completed LinkedIn profile up to date.Professional events. Conferences, trade group get-togethers, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and other gatherings of career- and business-minded people can be a wellspring for networking, especially if the gathering centers around shared professional interests.Social events.Almost any social gathering can offer opportunities to network. Parties, happy hours, sporting events, gatherings of family and friends- in other words, just about any event that brings people together in significant numbers is an opportunity for freelancers to make connections.Coworking spaces.Coworking spaces bring together disparate working people who, often, are looking not just for a reliable web connection and a nice work environment, but the congeniality and connection of others. What better place to meet other freelance professionals?Volunteer opportunities.Finding people who share your professional or even personal passions is a fantastic way to network. Becoming a volunteerin your community, or even online, can be a great way to gain professional experience, especially if youre just starting out in your career, or looking to switch to a new field.Church and civic gatherings.Religious gatherings often present great opportunities to mingle and interact with people you might not meet or chat with otherwise. In the same vein, civic meetings draw engaged people who might help you make great local connections.Casual environments. Coffee shops (even when youre not working), dog parks, public libraries, parents night at your kids school- theres a long list of places where networking can happen and where a conversation could lead to your next professional connection, or your next job.Looking for freelanceopportunities?Browse Open Freelance JobsAdrianne Bibby contributed to this post.

How to Encourage Meaningful and Needed Conflict at Work

How to Encourage Meaningful and Needed Conflict at WorkHow to Encourage Meaningful and Needed Conflict at WorkConflict avoidance is most frequently the topic when a conflict in organizations is discussed. Conflict entscheidung, as quickly as possible, is the second most frequent topic. It is bad news because meaningful work conflict is a cornerstone in healthy, successful organizations. Conflict is necessary for effective schwierigkeit solving and for effective interpersonal relationships. ansicht statements may seem unusual to you. If you are like many people, you avoid conflict in your daily work life. You see only the negative results of conflict. Especially in the Human Resources profession, or as a manager or supervisor, you may even find that you spend too much of your precious time mediating disputes between coworkers. Why People Dont Participate in Appropriate Work Conflict There are many reasons why people dont stand up for their beliefs and bring important differences t o the table. (In organizations, this translates into people nodding in unison when the manager asks if the group agrees, but then complaining about the decision later.) Conflict is usually uncomfortable. Many people dont know how to participate in and manage work conflict in a positive way. In a poorly carried out conflict, people sometimes get hurt. They become defensive because they feel under attack personally. People have to work with certain people every single day, so they are afraid conflict will harm these necessary ongoing relationships. Why Appropriate Work Conflict Is Important Effectively managed work conflict has many positive results for your organization, however. When people can disagree with each other and lobby for different ideas, your organization is healthier. Disagreements often result in a more thorough study of options and better decisions and direction. According to Peter Block, in The Empowered Manager Positive Political Skills at Work (Compare Prices), if you are unwilling to participate in organizational politics and conflict, you will never accomplish the things that are important to you at work, your work mission. And, that would be tragic. So, knowing how to raise issues and participate in meaningful work conflict is key to your success in work and in life. These tips will help. 10 Tips for Participating in Healthy Work Conflict Create a work environment in which healthy conflict is encouraged by setting clear expectations. Foster an organizational culture or environment in which differences of opinion are encouraged. Make differences the expectation and healthy debate about issues and ideas the norm. Placing emphasis on the common goals people share within your organization can help. People have a tendency to focus on the differences experienced with abedrngnisher rather than focusing on the beliefs and goals they have in common with each other. If organizational goals are aligned, and all employees are moving in the sam e direction, healthy work conflict about how to get there is respected. If you are a manager or team leader, do this by asking others to express their opinion before you speak your own. Tell people that you want them to speak up when they disagree or have an opinion that is different from others in the group. Reward, recognize and thank people who are willing to take a stand and hilfe their position. You can publicly thank people who are willing to disagree with the direction of a group. Your recognition system, bonus system, pay, and benefits package and performance management process should all reward the employees who practice personal, organizational courage and pursue appropriate work conflict. These employees speak up to disagree or propose a different approach even in the face of pressure from the group to agree. They lobby passionately for their cause or belief, yet, when all the debating is over, they support the decisions made by the team just as passionately. If you exper ience little dissension in your group, examine your own actions. If you believe you want different opinions expressed and want to avoid group conflicts, and you experience little disagreement from staff, examine your own actions. Do you, non-verbally or verbally, send the message that it is really not okay to disagree? Do you put employees in a hot seat when they express an opinion? Do they get in trouble if they are wrong or a predicted solution fails to work? Look inside yourself personally, and even seek feedback from a trusted advisor or staff member, if the behavior of your team tells you that you are inadvertently sending the wrong message. Expect people to support their opinions and recommendations with data and facts. Divergent opinions are encouraged, but the opinions are arrived at through the study of data and facts. Staff members are encouraged to collect data that will illuminate the process orthe problem. Create a group norm that conflict around ideas and direction is expected and that personal attacks are not tolerated. Any group that comes together regularly to lead an organization or department, solve a problem, or to improve or create a process would benefit from group norms. These are the relationship guidelines, or rules group members agree to follow. They often include the expectation that all members will speak honestly, that all opinions are equal, and that each person will participate. These guidelines also set up the expectation that personal attacks are not tolerated whereas healthy debate about ideas and options is encouraged. Provide employees with training in healthy conflict and problem-solving skills. Sometimes people fail to stand up for their beliefs because they dont know how to do so comfortably. Your staff will benefit from education and training in interpersonal communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and particularly, non-defensive communication. Goal setting, meeting management, and leadership will also help employees exercise their freedom of speech. Look for signs that a conflict about a solution or direction is getting out of hand. Exercise your best observation skills and notice whether tension is becoming unhealthy. Listen to criticism of fellow staff members, an increase in the number and severity of digs or putdowns, and negative comments about the solution or process. Are secret meetings increasing? In one of my client companies, staff members held email wars in which the nastiness of the emails grew and the list of staff members copied could eventually include the whole company. If you observe that tension and conflict are endangering your workplace harmony, hold a conflict resolution meeting with the combatants immediately. Yes, you do need to mediate. Its okay to have positive conflict but not to allow negative conflict to destroy your work environment. Hire people who you believe will add value to your organization with their willingness to problem solve and debate. Behavior al interview questions will help you assess the assertiveness of your potential employees. You want to hire people who are willing to act boldly and who are unconcerned about whether they are well-liked. Look and listen for situations in which the potential employee has stood up for his beliefs, worked with a team to solve problems, or pushed an unpopular agenda at work. Yes, you want a harmonious workplace but not at the sacrifice of everyones success. Make executive compensation dependent upon the success of the organization as a whole as well as the accomplishment of individual goals. Pay executives part of their compensation based on the success of the total organization. It ensures that people are committed to the same goals and direction. They will look for the best approach, the best idea, and the best solution, not just the one that will benefit their own area of interest. This will also ensure that the people in their organizations spend their time problem solving and solut ion seeking rather than finger-pointing, blaming, and looking to see who is guilty when a problem occurs or a commitment is missed. If you are using all of the first nine tips, and healthy work conflict is not occurring... You need to sit down with the people who report to you directly and with their direct reporting staff and ask them why. Some positive, problem-solving discussion might allow your group to identify and rectify any problem that stands in the way of open, healthy, positive, constructive work conflict and debate. The future success of your organization depends on your staffs willingness to participate in healthy work conflict, so this discussion is worth your time.

These are the best and worst cities for keeping your New Years resolution

These are the best and worst cities for keeping your New Years resolutionThese are the best and worst cities for keeping your New Years resolutionNext year, how likely are you really to go to the gym four times a week, switch to a strict low-carb diet, or clean out your house Marie Kondo-style and donate everything to charity? The answer depends on where you live. WalletHub compared over 180 U.S. cities across 56 different factors to determine where your goals are most likely to stick. Because, unfortunately, the fail New Years resolution is about 80% or more, ane you need all the help you can get.To determine the likelihood of keeping resolutions for health, finance, bad habits, and relationships, Wallethub factored in, amongst other things, the percentage of obese adults and percentage of adults notlage exercising, access to exercise and health-food stores, income growth, credit score, percentage of delinquent debtors, housing affordability, home ownership, school and university da ta, job security and unemployment rate, binge drinking and drug data, and area entertainment.The best cities for keeping your New Years resolution are1. San Francisco, CA2. Scottsdale, AZ3. San Diego, CA4. Seattle, WA5. Irvine, CA6. San Jose, CA7. Salt Lake City, UT8. Austin, TX9. Portland, OR10. Orlando, FLThe worst cities for keeping your New Years resolution173. Laredo, TX174. Charleston, WV175. Augusta, GA176. Huntington, WV177. Jackson, MS178. Detroit, MI179. Fort Smith, AR180. Newark, NJ181. Shreveport, LA182. Gulfport, MSSome cities are just better for your goals than othersMore stats about the cities where youre likely to keep your resolutionIrvine, CA is 2 of all the cities with the lowest % of obese adults. San Francisco is right behind it at 3.Seattle, WA is 1 when it comes to cities with the lowest percentage of adults not exercising, followed by Irvine, CA, and Portland, OR.San Francisco is 3 with the highest median credit score, followed by Irvine, CA at 4, and Seattle , WA, at 5.Perhaps not surprisingly, the cities where its harder to keep a resolution score low on the above itemsIn short, a variety of social and economic indicators make it easier for people to get to a gym or even fine one, have access to capital so they can save money, or eat healthily which are all common New Years resolutions. Keeping them is as much an issue of circumstance and class as it is about willpower and planning.Map explanation The purple dots represent the best areas for keeping your New Years resolution, and the turquoise dots represent the worst areas. The purple dots cluster near both coasts and the middle of the country, the turquoise dots gather in the north-eastern Rust Belt and the South.Source WalletHub

Breaking News Bye Bye CPOL Resumix! Closing Forever on May 31, 2012

Breaking News Bye Bye CPOL Resumix Closing Forever on May 31, 2012Breaking News Bye Bye CPOL Resumix Closing Forever on May 31, 2012Breaking News Bye Bye CPOL Resumix Closing Forever on May 31, 2012We are saying goodbye to CPOL, the Department of the Armys Civilian hiring ordnungsprinzip.The Army Civilian Personnel Online application is the last Resumix keyword automated system available to federal jobseekers. The Navy and US Marine Corps have already moved from Resumix to USA Staffing, which is a combination of USAJOBS for resume submission and ApplicationManager.gov for questionnaire submission.OFFICIAL NOTICE from the Army Civilian Resume Builder ANSWER websiteATTENTION APPLICANTS The Army will complete its transition to the DoD Enterprise Recruitment Tool (USA Staffing) effective, 1 May 2012. USA Staffing will be the single hiring process and tool used by all DoD components. Effective, 31 May 2012, the Army Resume Builder will no longer be available. Resumes canelend be electr onically transferred to USAJOBS/Application Manager. Applicants must manually extract their resume data prior to the system going off-line. Applicants are encouraged to pre-position their resume into USAJOBS to apply for Army positions. Applicants will be able to view the status of self-nominations from the old system via USAJOBS My Account Application Status.Below is a summary of the major differences between CPOL and USAJOBS for your consideration when revising your resume and applying for civilian Army jobs through USAJOBS.The Differences Between CPOL and USA StaffingApplication ProcessCPOL Resume Only + Self-Nomination + Documents. The CPOL Resume Builder was liked by many federal jobseekers. It is and has been the easiest and fastest way to apply for a federal job, requiring only a resume, documents, and self-nomination form.USA Staffing USAJOBS Resume Builder + Application Manager Questionnaire + Documents (including optional cover letter). The self-assessment questionnair e was originally designed and developed by Bryan Hochstein, Founder of QuickHire, and is now the valid, reliable assessment tool that President Obama wrote about in his Hiring Reform Executive Order. The questionnaire questions will be all new for civilian Army applicants. Allow extra time to get used to the questionnaire there could be between 15 and 60 questions per application. In addition, submitting resumes in USAJOBS will take longer than in CPOL, because one size does not fit all in USAJOBS. Applicants must be careful to ensure that resumes meet the requirements specified in EACH vacancy announcement and tailor the resume to demonstrate the necessary expertise to perform the specific duties of that job.Resume SelectionCPOL CPOL is a Resumix system in which the HR specialist and hiring supervisor would agree on 5 to 7 keywords, and resumes are electronically searched for these keywords to identify the candidates meeting the minimum qualifications for referral. Therefore, the first cut is done with an automatic keyword search.USA Staffing The biggest myth in federal job search is that people think that the resumes in USAJOBS are read by an automated system for keywords. USAJOBS is NOT a Resumix or automated keyword resume review system. This is a human system, where the keywords are important for the resume for the human HR specialists and the supervisors to read, but there will not be automated keyword searches. In USA Staffing, the first cut is made by questionnaire scores. Give yourself all the credit that you can on the questionnaire. Your questionnaire score is added to your resume score (as determined by an HR specialist), and the combined total score will determine if you are Minimally Qualified, Qualified, or Best Qualified.Getting Set UpCPOL Only one username, password, and profile are required.USA Staffing Both USAJOBS and Application Manager require a user name, password, and profile to be set up separately for each system. Once they are set u p, you will need to remember/record your user names, passwords, and secret questions.Vacancy AnnouncementsCPOL Vacancy announcements are similar in structure to the new USAJOBS vacancy announcements, but shorter in length and in general with fewer requirements detailed for applications.USA Staffing Vacancy announcements are specific for a particular position or positions. The announcements include longer descriptions of duties Knowledge, Skills and Abilities specialized experience and questionnaires.Character CountsCPOL You are limited to 12,000 characters for all of your Work Experiences combined. The preferred resume length is 3 pages.USA Staffing In USAJOBS, you can write up to 5,000 characters in length (including spaces) for EACH of your Work Experience job blocks. The USAJOBS resume can be longer, and the preferred resume length is 4-5 pages.Resume FormatCPOL Big Block format is the typical format in bestellung to fit all of the necessary content into the 12,000 character allo wance.USA Staffing Now you can write 5,000 characters for each position, and there is ample space to improve your resumes readability for the HR specialists, which is very important. We recommend small paragraphs focusing on specific skills with accomplishments included. The KSAs in the announcement should also be covered in the resume. Keywords are still critical for the human resources specialist readers.Final NoteGood luck with adjusting to the new format, and be sure to move your resume from the CPOL Resume Builder to USAJOBS.gov Resume Builder before May 31stGo to https//resumebuilder.cpol.army.mil/resumebuilder/builder/index.jspThen search for army jobs at armycivilianservice.com/

Life, Death, and Resume Without Work Experience

Life, Death, and Resume Without Work Experience What About Resume Without Work Experience? You may have a look at our Sample Resumesas you may discover a good example of a chronological resume there. Your resume needs to make them obvious. The resume template can likewise be used in case you have a presentation on career related themes. You wouldnt, as an example, want to CAPITALIZE, ITALICIZE, AND UNDERLINE parts of text. Learning how to do a resume when do leid have any work experience is much simpler if its possible to demonstrate some seasonal or short-term work experience. Nobody presumes you will not. Technically, theres no correct or wrong approach to list your experiences. Generally, you dont will need to include more than the previous 10-15 decades of work experience. You worked there for just 3 months. You do not need to incorporate every job that youve held, especially in case you have many years of expertise or have worked in unrelated fields. If you held a j ob for just a month or two, it may be better merely to list everything in conditions of years, and not include months. As youve just read, writing a good work experience for your resume isnt that difficult. A resume coach, or just a friend, can let you see them more clearly. Your latest job needs to be written first and the jobs which you have done beforehand follows. If, naturally, you dont understand how to format a resume correctly, you could save yourself time by utilizing an online resume creator which does the task for you or download a resume example with the fundamental structure already set. The Resume Without Work Experience Trap The work experience part of your resumethe part in which you describe your previous jobsis the most vital element of your whole job application. In reality, you could always create a compelling and strong resume that could brandish all of your relevant skills and experience for you to ultimately get the job you want. In some instances it isn t feasible to do that and still put down all your experience, especially in the event that youve worked many diverse jobs. If youve got little if any work experience, you may consider leading off with your education, especially if its pertinent to the position youre applying to. Your prior experiences are regarded as a very good indicator of how youre manage the new job. Lets work together to secure you the job which you would like. Your work history shows profil employers what type of employee youre going to be. When it is vast, you have to be strategic in selecting which experience should go on your resume. In the Summary of Qualifications section, you concentrate on your qualifications and skills applicable to the job youre applying for. Work experiences will supply the info needed by the clients regarding the jobs that youve already done and the business that youve been involved with. Fresh graduates often be concerned about locating a job because of their lack of work exp erience. What most fresh graduates dont know is that the deficiency of specialist experience isnt a problem at all especially if youre vying for an entry-level position. Soon, you might have an all-star resume that attracts a possible employer Using work experiences may differ based on the work history an employee or an applicant has. Appealing to every individual employers wants and job requirements is the very best strategy for getting your application noticed. You are going to learn how to find another job which meets your objectives, negotiate with your present employer for approval, and strategies for staying sane and productive when working numerous jobs.

Thoughts on Where to Get Help in Writing Resume in Step by Step Order

Thoughts on Where to Get Help in Writing Resume in Step by Step Order What You Dont Know About Where to Get Help in Writing Resume Also, look at testimonials from prior customers to make certain the writing service has the ideal qualities you would really like. Plus detail any crucial abilities, including technical software and tools youll be able to utilize. The easy-to-use on-line tool makes it quick and hassle-free to produce your very own personalized perfect resume. The New Fuss About Where to Get Help in Writing Resume It is possible to come across online writing workshops that cover every part of writing, for every single skill level. If youre struggling with writing essays and wish to increase your skills, taking a course or workshop can be exceedingly valuable. Its also important to think about the sort of work you really wish to be hired to do. If youre a global student worrying about your writing skills, there are numerous helpful resources which are available to you. There are a lot of alternatives offered for getting help with your resume to guarantee the belastung draft is likely to receive a second look by employers. Also, at times it is merely a case of needing to delegate the writing task to a professional due to reasons like lack of adequate time or even to get rid of the endeavor. The solution is extremely easy Even though a fantastic solution for one-on-one time, it can likewise be a costly alternative. Research paper outline examples are very tricky for most students because they are so lengthy. Writing a research paper is an ambitious assignment. Research paper writing service is a wonderful option. Custom made research paper writing service is here to provide help. Unlike every other component of the program, you control your essay. There are lots of women and men who cant appear to grasp the idea of writing a classification essay. Many trustworthy writing services are eager to supply essay help. Another typical ex planation is a result of poor writing language. Where to Get Help in Writing Resume the Ultimate Convenience Deciding on the most suitable service for your resume needs is critical in ensuring that you get the outcomes youre looking for. The USAJOBS application procedure is intended to weed out candidates who cant follow precise instructions. Therefore, when you seek the aid of our customized essay for, you can be sure your essay is going to be written according to for specifications and guidelines. Your resume will be completed in accord with the deadline. What You Dont Know About Where to Get Help in Writing Resume You may get in tick with your writer through our support department should you need to specify some critical points to produce your work more customized. If you would like to find out what writing services are popular in youre in a position to do it now with the help of TopWritersReview. When you wish to find the best resume help, you may simply follow our lead . Cover letter help is additionally a true need in our society, given the absence of strategy for a number of teenagers when it has to do with developing their abilities. Where to Get Help in Writing Resume Ideas Therefore one must look for certified writers to deal with their resumes. You get to select the writer who will take on your undertaking. You will work with a resume writer whos qualified to compose the document which best suits your requirements. Once our writer receives all the essential information, you dont have anything to be worried about anymore.