Is the Traditional CV Dead

Is the Traditional CV Dead The limiting and lifeless paper CV is being left behind as the world becomes fully immersed in everything that is digital. For decades, the traditional resume has played a significant role in recruitment. Yet employers and job seekers are now placing less importance on the standard CV, and are instead choosing to embrace all that the online world has to offer the recruitment process. Why are employers and recruiters going digital? Nearly all organisations use the internet and require digital competency from their employees. With digital being such an integral part of everyday business, it makes sense that the out-dated resume is shunned in favour of social and other online formats. Many employers also find that sifting through paper resumes manually or through software programmes can lead to errors or inaccuracies. What’s more, the constrictive CV format can leave them frustrated as they receive brief, one-dimensional overviews of applicant’s past accomplishments and skills, without getting any real insight into their actual capabilities and future potential. The convenience of digital has also made it a winner. With software integrating LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social networks available, employers and recruiters can advertise job vacancies, receive applications and filter results with minimal administrative effort. What exactly do employers and recruiters look for online? Recruiting online allows employers and recruiters to hire better candidates, as they can better gauge whether applicants are suitable, and can initiate conversations with talented people who they wish to recruit. LinkedIn profiles are constantly being updated, so provide a rich, up-to-date insight into a person’s capabilities while also allowing for a greater deal of personality. Exploring a person’s Google search results, Klout scores, Twitter followers and LinkedIn recommendations can also help employers and recruiters gain a better understanding of a person’s innovation and creativity as well as their ability to build a personal brand. It has also been known for employers to set digital challenges, where candidates are tasked with using social media to set up successful campaigns, in an attempt to discover more about their skills, knowledge and competency. These contest-driven applications can often result in a higher level of talented applicants applying for a vacancy. How can candidates make a strong impression online? There are a number of steps professionals can take to intrigue recruiters and stand out from others when applying for roles: LinkedIn: Keep your LinkedIn up-to-date and list all the skills you have that people may search for. Show that you are open to opportunities in the ‘Communications’ section, as this can indicate to recruiters that they can get in contact with you. Regularly post on your LinkedIn profile and also instigate conversations and discussions, showcasing your welcoming nature to recruiters and potential employers. Twitter: Set yourself up as a thought leader by tweeting and commenting on relevant stories. Follow professionals at businesses that you would be interested in working for. Work hard to present yourself well within the 140 character count limit. Web presence: Develop your own site to create a larger space where you can display you capabilities and personality. Create an interactive resume that showcases your personality and creativity. Get work published in your name on reputable online publications. One of the most important things to remember is that having an unprofessional web presence can be a lot more damaging than not having one at all. Who will benefit mostly from this shift away from the traditional CV? With social interaction and communication ever growing, those who are choosing to stick to the traditional format are the ones who risk losing out. Businesses and job seekers who are taking steps to embrace the internet are the ones who will reap the benefits it has to offer. For employers and recruiters, they have the potential to access better, brighter candidates quicker, while applicants can really work to stand out from the crowd and get themselves noticed by the best businesses out there. Author: Lauren Knowles is a digital content writer for portfoliocreditcontrol.com, a recruitment firm with years of experience matching high calibre candidates with credit control vacancies at reputable firms.

Connect with Candidates via Text Automation

Connect with Candidates via Text Automation Recruiting top talent isn’t for the faint of heart. And with thebest candidates off the market within 10 days, there’s no doubt we’re in acandidate’s market. As a result, recruiters need to leverage new technologies to boost the candidate experience and improve communications. The following are ways that automated texting can help recruiters connect with candidates from first contact all the way to first day of employment. 1. Set a clear premise. Why are you reaching out? Clearly explain to your candidate why you are reaching out and how you’ve made the connection with them. Just as you would begin a phone screen or email with, “Hi, I’m recruiter A from XYZ company, we met at the job fair in April” a text-screen is navigated similarly. Creating relevancy for the candidate is the perfect place to start the chat. Begin with some context and follow up with a question. It’s the business-casual portion of the interview that allows recruiters to form a relationship with their candidate and build rapport. 2. Make friends with speed and consistency. Use your library of questions to navigate through the most important screening queries before sharing your chat with the hiring manager. This allows you to standardize the screening process and dive right inâ€"fast. In addition, these initial texts will also help you gauge which candidates are the most interested, which means you can immediately proceed to focus on highly engaged applicants. As you evaluate your candidate pool, you’ll save yourself time and energy as you move more of the right candidates through the recruitment process faster. 3. Keep calm. Your candidates are just thinking (or busy!). One of the most frequent questions we get from talent teams is, “How quickly should our candidates be responding? If they don’t respond right away, should I assume they aren’t interested?” We would argue that immediate response time does not equal “most-qualified candidate” or even “best answer.” People are busy! Text messaging is so handy because you can reply on your own time. Think of all the contacts, personal and professional, that you text in a given day. Would you be able to communicate with as many people if you had to schedule a phone call with each person? Likely not. One of the biggest advantages of a text interview is that candidates have time to think of a rich response to each question. The asynchronous nature of the chat greatly enhances the candidate experience. Candidates can take a deep breath and formulate a well-thought, succinct response to screening questions, and recruiters can relax knowing that thoughtful responses are much more valuable than the best off-the-cuff answer. Taking the time to compose a well-written and convincing argument for why a recruiter should hire you is not only in the interviewee’s best interest, but it makes the decision process easier for the interviewer. 4. Promote your employer branding with texting. To engage job applicants, recruiters should promote job positions like a product or solution they’re trying to sell to the workforce. Sell candidates from their very first interaction with a recruiter by showing what it’s like to work within the organization and how they might fit into the overall work environment. Consider sending these great employment branding materials to candidates during the screening process: Job descriptionsA list of fun office perks Photos of team off-sites and outings Employee spotlight videosQuick video tours of the workspace Benefits packages Maps for on-site visits Strong employment brands make a huge impact on a business by building the talent pipeline, improving the overall quality of the hire, and reducing cost per hire. 5. Use text and automation to connect with candidates before the in-person interview. Did you know approximately 1 out of 10 candidates aren’t showing up for interviews? This stat demonstrates that time between scheduling an interview with a candidate and the actual interview is a crucial engagement period. You’ve already sent off the preliminary employment branding information to get them interested in your company â€" now is your chance to hook candidates even more before they come in for the interview. Before a candidate’s interview, send a “meet the team” video introducing the leadership team or use a scheduling feature to send a Google Map pin of the interview location an hour or two before it begins. A small gesture can fully equip a nervous candidate! 6. Don’t forget to stay engaged after the in-person interview. Recruiting top talent is not only an ongoing mission and a lot of hard work, but it is tied to some extreme pressure from employers. That’s why a recruiter’s job is so important, especially when an offer is on the table. Try sending one of these texts to keep the candidate engaged: After The Interview: “Hi, awesome candidate! How did you feel about the interview? Let me know if you have any questions.” After Their Offer is Pending: “I wanted to remind you that a response to your offer is due in a couple of days. We would love to have you on the team and are excited to hear back!” Before The First Day: “Good luck on your first day tomorrow! Text me if you need any help at all or some key tips, such as where to find the café.” Periodic check-ins with candidates reinforce a positive expert candidate experience. It also magically transforms the candidate journey into an amazing employee experience as their tenure at the company matures. Like I stated earlier, retaining top talent isn’t an easy feat. But connecting with candidates via text and automation can help speed up the process and increase the quality of engagement. So, take the leap â€" text to meet candidates wherever they are. About the author: Kelly Lavin, SPHR, is a human resources executive who excels at helping companies hire and retain talent through creative and impactful practices. With nearly 20 years of experience in HR, Kelly has worked with a variety of organizations and clients, helping them recruit and hire top talent and form better work environments.

Top Ways to Beat Procrastination

Top Ways to Beat Procrastination Are you a victim of excess procrastinating?  After overwhelming amounts of festive turkey, heading back to work/school/college could prove  a difficult challenge.  Thanks to our pals at Essay Expert, you can beat those January back to work blues and your lack of focus. Stay on top of your to-do list! How do you stay focused? How often do you procrastinate? Let us know in the comments below! Takeaways: Procrastination doesnt necessarily mean youre lazy. Inaction is sometimes caused by anxiety, fear of failure or negative perfectionism. Reflect on how much you actually procrastinate. Be honest with yourself: Do you think you could be more productive? Think about the habits that cause it. Self-analysis is important to understanding where you can improve. Time management is essential. Create realistic estimations for task completion. Make sure you tick off each task completed after theyre finished. Avoid distraction-filled environments! RELATED:  Are You Focused on the Right Things, Right Now?

7 Things to Maximize Your Return on Networking Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

7 Things to Maximize Your Return on Networking Events - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last week, I focused on the 5 Things You Need to Stop Doing Now to Make Strong Connections in 2015.   This week, I’m focusing on you busy professionals who are challenged by making time and maximizing the networking events you attend. 1. Build the conversation A conversation can get rather dry if you don’t know what to say. Past the general pleasantries, you need to keep the conversation going. A good starting point is the other person’s interests so ask questions. Given an opportunity, few would turn down the chance to talk about themselves. Have a list of questions prepared beforehand so you can keep the conversation flowing. The objective of having questions prepared is to provide direction to your conversation while also freeing you up to really listen to their responses. 2. Cut down on obligations As a professional, you most likely are involved in a professional association related to your field. These associations enable you to meet industry and thought leaders, as well as peers from whom you can learn and bounce ideas. However, don’t join an association or group just for the sake. Take a cold hard look at the meetings you have attended and ask yourself, “Did I benefit from it? Was it worth the time and effort? Did I meet people who could be valuable to my career?” While a single meeting can’t help you answer all these questions, since it takes time to nurture relationships and share information, after six months or so, you should be able to get a sense of whether the association is worth the effort. Don’t renew membership hoping things will change. 3. Meet more people at a single time Get together as a group, rather than one-on-one meetings. The benefit to doing so is that you get to share with more people at the same time. Consider having after-work drinks where you invite some of your connections from the industry and introduce them to each other. You will be helping someone make a new connection, and in return, they will remember you as one who shares connections. They will be more likely to introduce you to their own circles, and voila, an opportunity to make new connections! 4. Make genuine connections Networks are much stronger if the relationship between the members is genuine and real. It takes real commitment to be genuinely interested in the other person. People are more willing to go the extra mile for those they genuinely care about and have formed strong bonds with. You must be willing to be sincere if you expect them to do so with you. Being honest and genuine in concern with your connections is crucial to making the most of your networking efforts. 5. Participate in social events Conferences, meetings and seminars are good places to start networking. A mistake that people make when trying to network is being passive at such events, especially if they think other activities on their schedules are more important or have limited time. By attending and participating, you make it easier for potential connections to see and remember you. This makes the next step of introductions and starting the relationship much easier to navigate. By participating, you learn from others’ opinions and thoughts as well. As you build a base of connections, you can move away from social events and make networking intentional.  [tweet this] Rather than wait for the next event to meet someone, reach out intentionally to your list of connections and interact with them online. Respond to their blogs, comment on their tweets, and so on. If you are someone they benefit from knowing, they will have no problem appreciating your efforts and even introducing you to their networks should you ask. 6. Try to have fun You may only have a few hours a week to network, so make them the most fun hours of the week. Instead of being all business, have fun and get to genuinely know the other person. Talk about the stuff that interests you, and ask questions that you validly want answers to. Find common ground and build on that. 7. Make good on follow-ups Not everyone you meet will warrant a follow-up, but for those people where you feel you could be of benefit to them, make the effort to follow up. Perhaps when you were networking someone voiced a need or a concern they had that you could help them with by following up with information or assistance. Or, refer them to someone who can make use of their services. Following up is crucial if you are to build mutually beneficial relationships.

How to Draft Your Resignation Letter in 2019 CareerMetis.com

How to Draft Your Resignation Letter in 2019 Getting a gold watch for staying at a company for 25 years is far from the norm in 2019, so you will probably have to draft a resignation letter at some point in your career.Even if you are tempted to skip the resignation later as an outdated, unnecessary and overly formal gesture, don’t. Your employer will appreciate your professionalism â€" which, of course, can ultimately benefit you if you need a solid recommendation from them in the future.With these considerations in mind, here are some tips for drafting a respectful and effective resignation letter.1) Keep It evalJust as with any formal letter, include the date and addresses of both you and your employer. Salutations should be businesslike, using your supervisor’s last name preceded by their title In any event, don’t broadcast the news in the office â€" either intentionally or unintentionally â€" which means you should type up and print your letter at home, far away from prying eyes. Word travels quickly, and you don’t want to inadvertently leave a copy of your resignation letter on a shared printer, which could make you look bad in the eyes of your employer if they find out you’re leaving via the office grapevine instead of directly from you.eval5) Use PaperYes, a printed letter is old-fashioned and formal, but email isn’t the proper place for a resignation letter, even in 2019. You don’t have to send your letter through the mail â€" handing it to your boss is fine â€" but the tangible aspect is important. This also gives your supervisor the opportunity to pull you into their office and have a chat with you, so try to avoid handing over the letter on your way out the door unless you want to stay after work for a conversation.Getting a new job can be one of the most exciting times in your life, but, before you move on, take the time to leave your current position the right way.6) Thank the Appropriate PartiesYour life has changed in some significant way â€" that is probably why you are draf ting the resignation letter in the first place. You have to make some changes in your life or lifestyle, and the job no longer fits in with what you are doing. At the same time, your life can change again in the future. You do not want to leave any bad blood between you and your soon to be former employer. If you have to come back into the company for any reason, you will need allies. Don’t think that life can’t throw you another curveball!evalLook to the bright side of everything that you have done with the company. There is no need to thank anyone by name â€" this may actually offend others who you do not have the room to put in the correspondence. However, you should definitely leave everyone feeling good about you as you walk out the door. Let them know that you are leaving because of a life change, not because of any negative experience.7) Watch the LegalitiesYour resignation letter shouldn’t get you into needless trouble. If you are resigning because of a legal matter or some sort of professional disagreement, make sure that you are not leaving any “bread crumbs” that could come back to bite you later.According to LegalZoom, keeping a resignation letter short and to the point does much more than give off a professional impression.It also keeps you out of serious legal trouble that could occur if you mention any problems that you may have had during your tenure at the office. Do not get into the details of anything that occurred there. Keep names out of the letter, even if you are speaking about someone in a positive way.8) Focus on the Transition PeriodOne of the best ways to get across a good impression is to focus on the transition period between the time that you deliver your resignation letter and the exit date that you state within it. What are you prepared to do to help the company move on from your presence there? One or two lines about it can send you off in the right way.You do not have to get into details here, either. Keep in mind th at someone might call you on your bluff if you try to be overly helpful here. Simply say that you are prepared to help the company transition into a new person to handle your position and that you can offer your assistance during the remainder of your tenure.9) Write Your Letter a Week Before Sending ItYes, you may need to marinate over your decision before you finalize it. This is especially true if you are leaving because of some unexpected situation or unfortunate incident. Give your emotions time to calm themselves so that you can make a completely rational decision. What’s more, this time between production and delivery gives you time to plan.Do you actually have new employment waiting on you once you leave your old position? Are you financially prepared to give up your job right now, or do you need your next paycheck to come in? Is your resignation letter delivered too close to a contentious incident to look innocuous? Are you writing your letter as a bluff because you did n ot get the raise that you wanted?evalThese are all things that you need to consider before letting the boss know that you are letting go of the job for good. If you can make the same decision on two different days, then you know for sure that decision is the right one to make.Delivering a resignation lettershows that you are professional and respectful, and will help ensure your employer remembers you fondly. Now your next step is to update your LinkedIn and write a perfect resumefor your next job!Now get writing, and good luck!

I quit my unhappy job too late - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

I quit my unhappy job too late - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I got an awesome email from a reader of the blog, who found the courage to quit a well-paying job and move on to something else. Heres his story: I was very unhappy in my last job, and though I knew your work, I still quit too late. I feel like I should have quit half a year ago. So, why did I stay too long in the old job? There were two reasons: One was money. Not the amount they pay, but rather the security that it gave me. I had no savings but was in debt. Which scared me about changing my job. If the new job wouldnt have been good, I would have had a problem. This is now different, when I finally applied I had enough savings to live for some months without a job. The second reason was the memory of the good times in this company. It really started out nice. Most people there are really likeable. The problems started when a coworker quit and I got his position. This position is really shitty, because of bad management and a lot of organizational problems. Of course, I knew part of this beforehand and I made it a condition that these things change. My boss agreed to this, because otherwise I would have refused to take the position. But in nearly a year, next to nothing changed. Of course, a lot of things changed. But not the really important stuff. For a long time I thought they will change, I worked for them to change. I just wished to be as happy as in the beginning. Over time, I developed most of your warning signs. (Physical symptoms, procrastination, I stopped to care, ) The unhappiness made me even more unhappy. When Im happy, Im motivated and do my work well. When I started to grow unhappy, I saw that my work isnt as half as good as it could be. And I even need more time to do it, because I didnt want to do it in the first place. Knowing I do not nearly as good as I could increased the unhappiness and decreased motivation further. So it grew worse over time, with no way out. I even tried to get rid of this work, to get new assignments. But nobody else at the company had the necessary knowledge, so my boss wouldnt let me change it, despite knowing that I am not happy with it. At my new workplace, the manager talks about motivation and job satisfaction/happiness. (The German word used is Zufriedenheit, which can be translated both ways). There is also a culture of respect. The managemant demands that people work together for a common goal, which is also very nice. All the people I know so far are nice and welcoming. I only work for two days at my new job, but Im already confident that this will be a nice place to work. I wrote this down, in case you want to use it for any future article. If you use it, please substitute my name with a pseudonym. Kudos on finding the courage to quit an unhappy job and move on to something better! Related posts The top 10 bad excuses for not quitting a job that sucks. The top 10 signs youre not happy at work. 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

Resume For Certified Nurse Assistant - Tips to Help You Create a Killer One

Resume For Certified Nurse Assistant - Tips to Help You Create a Killer OneAre you ready to begin working in the health care industry as a CNA? This career field is one that offers a great number of benefits and many high-paying opportunities. Before you jump into it, however, you will need to take the time to create a resume for Certified Nurse Assistant. There are a few things you should be aware of before submitting this important document.The first thing to remember is that you will need to know what a CNA does, as well as what it takes to succeed in this career. With that said, many employers won't even have the time to ask you these two basic questions. That being said, here are some tips on how to make sure your CNA resume is as close to perfect as possible.You will need to take the time to figure out what you really want to do with your life. While you might have dreamed about a nursing career since you were a little girl, there will be a lot of learning involved when you fin ally decide to enter the health care industry. It will be up to you to find the best training and the best credentials. It is best to focus on one area at a time. In other words, choose one area and then move on to the next.The best place to start looking for a CNA is through the community colleges. You will be able to pick up information on the first two years of a CNA program, if you are interested in doing so. You may even want to consider enrolling in an online course.When you are putting together your resume, you will need to understand that you need to use this to showcase your abilities. Remember that this is your only chance to show employers that you are a professional, dedicated individual who wants to work in the health care industry. That being said, you will also need to spend some time reviewing the information on your resume. You will need to review it carefully for errors or omissions, so that they do not stand out and distract from your resume.When you are finished with your resume, make sure that you send it in to your potential employer with a cover letter attached. This is the chance for you to let the hiring manager know what you are looking for in a job. This will serve as your personal introduction to the person who reads your resume.You can make use of multiple sources to help you with creating your CNA resume. For example, you could use online resources to help you search for relevant positions and to learn what types of work are out there. Of course, you can also call a few schools in your area and find out what the requirements are, as well as which programs they offer.Take the time to create a resume for Certified Nurse Assistant. By doing so, you will be able to focus on more important aspects of the job, and you will also have time to focus on any additional skills you want to include. Keep in mind that once you have submitted your resume, it is likely that the employment opportunities that come up will require some certification.