JibberJobber to Organize a Job Search AND to Help Entrepreneurs Launch a Business!

JibberJobber to Organize a Job Search AND to Help Entrepreneurs Launch a Business! Here is a great question from A.A.: I am a job seeker and I am developing a business. My business is very different from the job I am doing. I want to use jibberjobber to track both but I am not sure if it is possible to separate them within one profile. Can you advise? The short answer is, yes, definitely use one JibberJobber account to track both of these endeavors. Technically, I would use tags to help you keep the two separated.  So, when you add a new contact, tag them as job_search or business.  Or, you can tag them as both job_search and business. Ive found, over the years, that many of my personal and professional relationships are not constrained to just one bucket.  For example, this last week I reached out to two long-term friends to ask for professional, business-related introductions. Also, I did not tag either of these friends as friends, personal, business, referral, or anything like that. Perhaps I should, but for now I simply have just created a Log Entry for each of the requests, and their responses. When their contacts reach out to me, I simply use the Referred By field to keep track of who introduced me to who that has proved to be invaluable over the years. In addition to that scenario, I track personal things in JibberJobber, such as who I call when I need an appliance fixed, or when my garage door breaks.  I dont like having to track those types of people, but I do like having one place to store names and numbers, and even track when they service my stuff, and how much I pay them. JibberJobber has become my central information hub it started out as a job search tool, and for me very quickly evolved to a small business CRM and a personal business tracker. JibberJobber to Organize a Job Search AND to Help Entrepreneurs Launch a Business! Here is a great question from A.A.: I am a job seeker and I am developing a business. My business is very different from the job I am doing. I want to use jibberjobber to track both but I am not sure if it is possible to separate them within one profile. Can you advise? The short answer is, yes, definitely use one JibberJobber account to track both of these endeavors. Technically, I would use tags to help you keep the two separated.  So, when you add a new contact, tag them as job_search or business.  Or, you can tag them as both job_search and business. Ive found, over the years, that many of my personal and professional relationships are not constrained to just one bucket.  For example, this last week I reached out to two long-term friends to ask for professional, business-related introductions. Also, I did not tag either of these friends as friends, personal, business, referral, or anything like that. Perhaps I should, but for now I simply have just created a Log Entry for each of the requests, and their responses. When their contacts reach out to me, I simply use the Referred By field to keep track of who introduced me to who that has proved to be invaluable over the years. In addition to that scenario, I track personal things in JibberJobber, such as who I call when I need an appliance fixed, or when my garage door breaks.  I dont like having to track those types of people, but I do like having one place to store names and numbers, and even track when they service my stuff, and how much I pay them. JibberJobber has become my central information hub it started out as a job search tool, and for me very quickly evolved to a small business CRM and a personal business tracker.

Steadfast Priorities Increase Results - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Steadfast Priorities Increase Results - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Have you ever noticed that some people are very negative-minded about what life and business has to offer, while some attempt to always please others, and a third group always seem to know what they want, go for it and are able to get it all done? In my opinion, when you are in business, the focus needs to be in the last category. Ever since entering the professional world, I recognized when focused on the negative, these negative thoughts can very quickly kill business. However, when positive thoughts are put out into the atmosphere and verbally expressed, good results come about. A few people I know very well have the “mediator” type of personality. For loyalty and peacemaking sake, they put their desires aside to make certain their friend or colleague is taken care of first. While I agree you need to find the other person’s ideas first so that you know how to position to sell, both parties need to meet in the middle. For example, “Jack” caved into all of “John’s” wishes for how an event should take place. After it was over, and upon being asked, Jack shared his true thought. Obviously it wasn’t well received. That input should have been given prior to the event so that everyone would be on the same page. The aftermath became a lose-lose situation. This is the exact opposite of the sales motto, “Always work for a win-win.” All business should work toward a good outcome for all concerned in order to develop repeat business, referrals and testimonials. No matter which style of communication you use, in-person, online, social media or video technology, you need to be honest with yourself first, and then with others. Your true self unfolds when you are 100% aware of your priorities for everything. Once you know what these are, diplomatically express them to others. Be certain they are acknowledged. Sometimes you may have to negotiate so that everyone feels they made some gain, but you should never have to give up everything at stake. Knowing your goals and priorities for each activity upfront, remaining true to yourself, and achieving them is what serves to build your brand and your company. Should doubt ever creep into the question or whether “to pursue or not to pursue” to help another, review everything you have accomplished up to date. What are your unique traits and abilities? Will the new project expand upon these? Is it a natural progression to comply with the request so that it will further build your status in your area of expertise? Sometimes it’s a tough stance to take, but we can’t always be the “good guy.” But as close to 100% of the time as possible, we need to adhere to who we truly are and on occasion have others comply with our requests. Consistency and perseverance will serve to get you recognized in your field, and attract your desired clientele. The sales credo is you must be known, liked and trusted. To be trusted, you need to remain true to your rules for business. This will increase your likeability factor and help to spread the good word of mouth about you to get known. These guidelines put you on the path to a very Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results” and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”. She provides team sales training, private coaching and business retreats to grow you business. She is available upon request for consultation.

Using Twitter for Personal and Business Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Using Twitter for Personal and Business Branding - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone’s trying to figure out personal branding and Twitter. Twitter is everywhere in the news right now â€" just yesterday the Wall Street Journal published How To Twitter: “But I have to admit I didnt understand the appeal of Twitter when I joined, at the prodding of friends, in November. One answer that explains its popularity: Its not about chatting with your friends its about promoting yourself”, says author Julia Angwin. Brand yourself or brand your business? Last week I was a guest lecturer at Karl Kasca’s New Media Marketing class at the UCLA Extension.  After my presentation on the power of social media in branding, a student asked me this question,” I’m a business owner.  I want to use social media and especially Twitter to drive growth and revenue. Should I brand myself or my business?” Great question, and one that many are asking.  Entrepreneurship seems to rise during hard times.  People naturally take the opportunity to “cast their fate to the wind” and launch that business they’ve always dreamed of.  Whether that’s a plumbing business, a PR firm, or an online marketing endeavor â€" we’re seeing a rash of new businesses springing up all around us. Add that to the popularity and even necessity of using social media tools in marketing and promotion and more and more folks are looking to develop a strategy around using platforms like Twitter. Twitter is a dynamic communications tool Many companies are looking for guidance with branding on Twitter.  To begin with, they need to know how to use Twitter, what it’s all about, who should handle Twitter (marketing sales, PR,) who to follow, etc. Then to the question: Should the CEO or business owner also have a Twitter profile?  This is a great question and one that takes some time and thought. Good social media consultants will tell you that social media marketing requires a strategy â€" and it’s not necessarily the type of “boiler plate” marketing strategy companies may be used to. This key question â€" should the CEO (and other key management) have a Twitter profile needs to be   part of the social media strategy.   Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com is a highly visible CEO on Twitter right now and his profile is Zappos.com CEO.  This strategy blends   the brand. This is definitely a trend we’ll be seeing more of.  Tony even posted a Beginner’s Guide that can be helpful to business owners and entrepreneurs Richard Branson brands himself on Twitter; and Virgin has its own profile. Clearly, Richard Branson has a well-established personal brand and he’s maintaining and building that on Twitter.   He does tweet about Virgin as well, so this is a great example of leveraging and cross-branding. What do you think? I’d love to hear from you on this topic. Should you brand yourself and your company? What’s your companys strategy? Whos doing it right? Whatever strategy you adopt, it is important to know that while good personal branding involves self-promotion, there’s more to it. The social media world is all about “Give to Get” and engaging in two-way conversations. As my good friend and partner at Gravity Summit, Rodney Rumford pointed out, the WSJ article is good for novices. Rodney says, “However, the value comes from not what you are DOING; rather it comes from what you are THINKING and SHARING. is about CONVERSATIONS, building relationships and sharing; not hard sell marketing, broadcasting or ego-driven tweets. Twitter is a communications channel; how you choose to use it is up to you.” Author: Beverly Macy is the Managing Partner of YM Partners and teaches a social media class at the UCLA Extension.   She also co-hosts Gravity Summit events.

Talent Acquisition HR The Odd Couple

Talent Acquisition HR The Odd Couple In the wake of another Valentine’s Day  I thought it poignant to reflect on the often exciting, mostly tumultuous relationship that Talent Acquisition shares with HR. Drawn from various backgrounds, these two conflicting personalities are often thrown together in a passionate embrace and expected to keep the flame of HR service delivery burning. There is no escaping the fact that HR and TA are linked. Modern texts offer reasons why TA should report into the business or operations but the reality is that our TA remains part of the same HR employee life-cycle, works with precisely the same leaders and ultimately should have the best interests of the business at heart. HR professionals that become disillusioned with a metric free existence and frustrated that their hard work falls within a ‘gray area’, see the beaming, proud smiles of their senior stakeholders turn towards TA as new talent is interviewed, offered and hired into their teams. Both functions are critical to the leaders success but tangible results can predominantly only be provided by one of those functions; Talent Acquisition. Sadly, it often takes only a few months for cracks to start appearing between HR teams that include TA or HR teams that are supported by Shared Services. What follows are five relationship pointers on typical areas of conflict and how to deal with these challenges without disrupting the gentle balance between your teams.  In it, I’ll reflect on personal experience with inter-function conflict and what has previously worked or failed abysmally. Importantly, you’ll also learn whether your significant other is worth fighting to the bitter end or whether its more appropriate to give ground and move on: 1)  Hiring leaders: If you’ve been in talent acquisition long enough, you can pick a good HR practitioner.  They have common sense, they ‘get’ people and they know where and when to draw the line with leaders.  This final quality is exceptionally rare and comes with time however once learned, this will often mean the difference between a submissive/administrative relationship or true business partnering. TA does not differ greatly. Experienced TA staff know when to push back, challenge and ask questions. If the skill-sets from both functions are equal, the relationship will be off to a great start, however this rarely happens. In reality, one or the other will carry the relationship power, which depending on the character of the individual often leads to a double reporting line, usually for TA. With HR firmly entrenched next to the hiring manager, they’ll demand reports and updates on a regular basis allowing them to start making decisions regarding TA on behalf of hiring managers. For TA, this is your hill to die on. If you don’t understand your hiring manager and build a strong working relationship, you will fail. Not only that, your reputation is at stake with HR driving your daily activities and in particularly poisonous relationships, taking credit for your hard work. What now?  The reason your HR practitioner is over-involved is usually down to two items: Lack of understanding of what their real jobs are. They see a major gap in TA performance and you have not been providing regular business updates to the hiring leader. Organize a meeting with your colleague in HR and get this sorted. HR can be involved at certain stages but ensure that TA performance remains TA’s accountability. Get close to your hiring leaders and work directly with them. Offer predictable and accurate updates, establish regular meetings and own the process. Without that relationship you’ll be directed by HR for the rest of your days. You are a specialist and you need to present yourself as such. 2) Projects and function ramp-ups: These two items are often key endeavors by businesses to attract attention and status within corporates. You’re pulled away from the banal rigors of day to day business and have the opportunity to be involved in something ‘special’. Unfortunately, TA are not at the forefront of leaders thoughts at kick-off meetings. Its HR that discovers these initiatives, first followed by hurried scribbling in excel spreadsheets and a vague ‘plan’ issued to Talent Acquisition. HR drive the set-up and too often end up leading recruitment efforts acting as coordinators to the business, slowing the process unnecessarily and managing all communications with project members. TA lose out in this process every time. Not only does the function lack context but they are blocked from learning more by not being able to attend key business meetings. What now? Get involved. Work with HR and outline the benefits of working directly with project leaders and importantly, never go into a project or ramp-up alone. You are one cog in the watch of delivery. Ensure the compensation team is involved, learning and development have a seat at the table and push the business leaders to think ahead about their new team’s development retention plans. Don’t forget that without you and the talent that you bring, the project is not going anywhere. You should have front and center in every single meeting with the business and drive close collaboration with the business and HR. 3) Process: This item alone can bring adults to tears and a services function to a grinding halt.  If you don’t know what part you play in the machine, you are inviting old school territorial battles and endless sniping from the dark corners of the HR function.  I’m routinely surprised by the variety of approaches companies take to get the same result so if you’re the new kid on the block, take your time to understand who does what, in what amount of time and when.  Importantly, don’t start to ask ‘why’ until your relationships are well established and you have an emotional bank account that’s in credit with other functions. Processes often overlap, go back on themselves or are introduced through new system rollouts to make the process more efficient, but instead overcomplicate matters exponentially. What doesn’t help is that the process version on the Intranet is almost always at least five to ten years out of date so you are likely walking into a minefield. What now? Lifeless forms from previous attempts are often scattered across this no man’s land so you’ll need to work out very quickly where to cede territory and where not to.  My recommendation is a good old fashioned workshop. Take out your coloring pencils, pick up a few post it notes from the stationery cupboard and get decision makers into the same room. Not too many though. If you fall into this trap you’ll be fielding ‘what-if’ scenarios for many moons, so instead, focus on specific items such as: How do we hire external candidates, step by step How do we hire internal candidates, step by step How do handle transfers/promotions and secondments, step by step, etc. Business moves at such speed these days that only the end result really matters. That does not mean, however, that its not worth spending time to work out the part that everyone plays to reduce areas of unnecessary friction. 4) Metrics: We already know that TA is ahead in this area. We can produce slick reports with time to hire, cost to hire, step change speed, ramp-ups, hires and open roles and more whilst our colleague’s in HR are often left with having to rely on engagement survey results, customer satisfaction and turnover. They are merely scratching at the surface of what they are capable of discovering simply by partnering more closely with Talent Acquisition. What now? This is your chance to provide support to HR to help them quantify the work we know they do. Get next to them and focus on what information you can derive from your existing data i.e. Quality of hire, performance review data, departure habits, divisional growth, speed of response from leaders etc. You are already producing this data, so it will stand you in good stead to offer your support and provide a strong people support service in your organization. 5) Attitude: TA and HR often attract dramatically different personality types, which can affect how they work together and how the HR function is perceived by the business. As an indirect cost (something that doesn’t bring in the cash) and we all walk a fine line ensuring that business needs are met but at the same time offering the best service possible. With that in mind, notice your attitude when next faced by a fastidious HR practitioner requesting your interview notes, they have their reasons; also put yourself in their shoes as the bastions of policy and directly in the sights of auditors come review time. What now?  If your interest stems from a misunderstanding of exactly what HR does, take the time to understand the part they play and how working together can make your working life infinitely more tolerable. Its your attitude that’s usually letting you down. Get rid of the smirk during meetings, listen intently  to their objectives and use your natural flair to help them to achieve their goals. You’ll find that territory won’t matter after a while, information that you didn’t even know was available will make its way to you and the part of your process they are responsible for shall no longer be blocked.

3 Tips for Starting a Career in Robotics - CareerMetis.com

3 Tips for Starting a Career in Robotics Source- Pexels.comEncompassing or overlapping with electronics engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, mechatronics, nanotechnology, and bioengineering, robotics is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world.It is used to streamline and optimize industrial processes across a vast range of industries. Textiles, electronics, aerospace, and automotive sectors to name a few. Today’s robotics are used to help companies reduce costs, increase uptime, and speed up operations without sacrificing quality.How Robotics Are Revolutionizing the Industrial WorldevalRobotic systems can boost efficiency for every step of a process, from raw material handling to final product packaging, and is useful 24/7, which means facilities no longer need to rely on human labor to keep production moving or continually monitor conditions and quality.evalEven very complex tasks can be completed by today’s sophisticated robotics systems, and their great flexibilit y allows for smooth implementation in almost any application.There’s been some concern within the industry over robotics potentially replacing human labor and eliminating the need for specific jobs. However, robots have been a boon to many areas of trade!They free up workers from tedious and dangerous tasks and allowing them to focus on different areas, such as programming and equipment maintenance. Robotics is also closing the skilled labor shortage in the United States, helping to keep production moving.The benefits of robotics are diverse, and industrial and manufacturing companies across the world are taking notice, implementing advanced robotic systems into their operations while taking advantage of the many new data-collection and interconnectivity capabilities offered by Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things Below are a few essential tips to keep in mind as you embark on your career in robotics.1. Do Your HomeworkMost robotics careers require some solid background knowled ge and expertise before you can fill the position.If you’re not yet familiar with the basics of electronics, now is the time to start learning. You don’t need to be an expert, but having some command of the main pillars of the field is crucial, and will make it much easier to stand out from the less knowledgeable competition.Research key points online, check out a few books and try to network as much as possible. Gaining insight from those in the field will be invaluable as you begin your career in this quickly evolving field.evalIf you already know the career path you’re hoping to take, hone in on that area and find out what exactly you will be doing. Then, determine how you can best prepare. Familiarize yourself with the various options and learn what type of education and experience you require for each.2. Research Educational RequirementsAfter doing some background research and determining the areas that interest you the most, zero in on educational requirements. Most robo tics careers differ based on the level of education required. Technicians, for example, usually have a two-year associate degree.Engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree at the minimum. In some cases, people can learn on the job and through hands-on experience at apprenticeships.Try to talk to people who have completed such programs, and ask about their experiences. Reach out to schools to inquire about the details of their course offerings. And make good use of the countless resources available online, such as NASA’s Career Corner, where robotics specialists at NASA talk about how they got started in the field.Also take the time to research apprenticeship, internship, and co-op opportunities. Many of these programs offer hands-on experience as well as dedicated time in the classroom.Decide what type of job will make the best use of your skills, interests, and experience. And, of course, keep in mind that, generally, the higher the education required, the higher the salary l evel.3. Explore Areas of SpecializationIf you already know you want to specialize in, for example, aerospace robotics, you’re in a good position as you’ve already narrowed down some of your options. If you’re still exploring possibilities, make sure to consider the many fields are making use of robotics today.Aerospace, electronics, rubber and plastics, welding, fabrication, automotive, military, material handling, medical, agriculture, food preparation, and many other sectors are making increasing use of robotics. Demand is extraordinarily high in the automotive field.See which areas match up with your interests and skills. Make sure to reach out to people currently in the field. Having a mentor or someone to turn to with questions is hugely helpful when navigating today’s ever-evolving industrial landscape.evalIf you have some interest in pursuing robotics catered toward a specific industry, having a specific background will help you immensely as you move forward.evalStayi ng Motivated, Looking AheadWhile the steps involved in a career in robotics may be overwhelming at first, don’t forget why you chose this. Keep your ultimate goals in mind, and create small milestones to check off as you go.Even creating a list with small to-dos, like researching educational opportunities in your area or networking with people on LinkedIn, will help keep you on track toward your overarching objectives.Don’t dwell on setbacks; the field of robotics is growing every day, and there is a range of exciting career opportunities to explore. Getting in now, while the industry is still relatively young, will be hugely beneficial. You’ll be getting in on the ground floor. Seeing the advancements and changes as they happen and learning from both the old guard and the new.

Brunch this sunday Business 2.0 - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Brunch this sunday Business 2.0 - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog There are some great people in Copenhagen these days, many of which are designing the next iteration of business, among them Traci Fenton who works with democractic organizations, Roosevelt Finlayson who creates festivals in the workplace and more. If you have an interest in a better way to do business we would love to see you for brunch this sunday september 3rd. at 11 AM at the Wascator Caf?. The address is Refsn?sgade 32 in Copenhagen. Write a comment here if you want to join us for brunch and an informal and fun discussion of what we want business to be like in the future and how were going to get there. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Unemployed How to Use Your Time Well to Succeed in Your Job Hunt -

Unemployed How to Use Your Time Well to Succeed in Your Job Hunt - If youve been keeping up this week, you know how important it is to look in the mirror when you search for a job to take a good, hard look and see if there is something about your attitude or approach that you can change. Staying positive and upbeat is important to your ultimate success. Another important tip? Use your time well if you are not currently working. Its easy to let hours, days and weeks pass by before setting up a strategy that will help you succeed in your   hunt. (Hiring a coach can give your search a turbo boost!) Ive already shared great reasons to volunteer if you have some free time. Here are a few additional tips to consider if youre not quite sure what to do with your time. If you havent started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasakis Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them! How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. (Read more of my suggestions about using Twitter for the job hunt HERE.) Make sure that you are using linkedin effectively. You may be amazed at   how quickly you can connect and befriend people online. Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isnt a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose. Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future. This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction. Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe youve always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways. There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, youll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing! Dont wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what youll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Dont wait until youve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet! Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situationUse your time to get ready. Consider hiring Keppie Careers to do a mock interview so you will really know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you wont panic! Of course, much of your free time will be taken up with job hunting. Dont forget that many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didnt specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need. What ideas do you have? Stay tuned for more about how to plan a successful transition! Ease your job hunt pains. Keppie Careers is here to help! photo by unhindered by talent