LinkedIn Questions Shady connections, responding to bad recommendations, and contacting via email vs. through LinkedIn

LinkedIn Questions Shady connections, responding to bad recommendations, and contacting via email vs. through LinkedIn A JibberJobber user recently emailed me a few questions about LinkedIn and said I could share my responses with you.  His questions/text is in bold: I have been consulting for a while, and am now looking for a permanent job. I have a few questions that stop me from moving forward, and I bet it does the same to your clients and readers. When you contact someone on LinkedIn, and they are linked to a person “who will not sing your praises,” what do you do? I am stopped by concern of this. I dont really care who people are connected to.  Being connected doesnt mean there is a strong relationship, or even a growing relationship, or that my connection is even interested in having a professional relationship with that person.  If Im going to connect or communicate with someone I see/meet/etc. on LinkedIn, I am not going to go through their network to see who my frenemies are that they are connected to.  I know there is a potential for awkwardness. Recently Ive been re-networking into an organization that for some lame reason had branded me as something bad, and cautioned them to not look at or consider JibberJobber.  This is an isolated situation, in only one branch of the organization, but I was surprised that the feelings and perceptions are still there. Ive tried to move forward without assuming that any of those previous contacts are in touch, have a relationship where they would ask for referrals or information, etc.  I would say that you either ignore the connection to the person who would not sing your praises, or you just move on to another contact. You wont know until you reach out to your target.  Maybe they have no idea whats going on, dont care, or better yet, realize that the person who doesnt sing your praises is a jerk, creep, narcissist, or otherwise not to have their opinion trusted. I was Linked to a boss I had for 2 or 3 months. He has a reputation of just being a terrible person. I was far from the person that took the most demeaning treatment from him. I “de-linked” him as I would rather not be associated with him. But he gets around and is very well known in the business. How do I handle this? Do I just go on hoping other people think the same and/or don’t ask him for a reference? I wouldnt put any thought into it. You are too busy moving forward to worry about this guy who probably doesnt have anything bad to say about you.  It was a short period of time, and maybe he thinks favorably of you?  I know that might seem impossible, but read my post on working with narcissists here.  These people are real gems, arent they? If this person has this reputation, a lot of people will disregard his input.  His brand is that of someone who never has anything nice to say about anyone.  What that means is if he says something mean, that is par for the course.  If he can squeak out something positive, then that is a HUGE compliment.  Dont spend any time working on this person, just move forward. If someone says yeah but, so-and-so said you are _________, you might need a very short, non-bitter response like I worked with that person for two months.  There were a lot of problems in his department, and he wasnt ever close enough to me or my projects to know my work ethic or output.  I can provide you with some character references that are much more qualified to weigh in on this than him.  Or something like that.  You dont want to be a deer in the headlights with some negative or false accusation, but you dont want to come out fighting and tearing him down (which will only make you look bad). Most people will say something nice about me, or not much at all. Maybe I am going to get an average or below average comment from 1 out of 20 of my connections. How do you handle this? I would go to the main people who I know would say something nice about me, and work with them to get LinkedIn Recommendations, and ask if they would be a reference for me.  I would not worry about the 1 out of 20 that would not. Lets say you had 19 out of 20 that would say bad stuff about you dont pursue them.  Just work on the ones that will be favorable.  And, interestingly, time has a way of changing and softening things.  For example, someone you worked with ten years ago might have a different, even favorable, perspective, and have forgotten petty office stuff.  Even if you are holding on to those things, they might have forgotten about them through time or their own personal life changes (layoffs, job searches, deaths, etc.) or because they have realized that THEY shouldered as much of the problem as you have. Finally is it better to contact a person via email, if you have their email (or can figure it out), or through LinkedIn? I ALWAYS try to connect via email first, instead of through LinkedIn. Sometimes LinkedIn communications add some extra barriers to responding. For example, if you message me on LinkedIn, can I respond back by clicking the reply button? Not always.  I sometimes have to click on the respond button, login to LinkedIn, and send a message from there.  That is not in my email sent folder, which is really lame.  I dont want to be forced to message you through a system that I dont really like. Bottom line, I would email them. If they dont respond in a reasonable timeframe, I assume the email really was bad, and then I connect with them on LinkedIn (and say can we get on a call or can I email you about _____?  My end goal is not to connect with them, but to start a relationship and communication that can grow to something bigger (like a long-term relationship, introduction, informational interview, etc.). I hope these responses help.  Im not the final answer on the above, this is all swayed by my experience.  It sounds like you have elements of fear that are holding you back, but let me assure you that (a) most job seekers do, and (b) most of the time, the fear is unfounded, and (c) as you move forward your fear can melt away.  Also, I think many times we assume things that are just not accurate dont let your assumptions paralyze you. Job seekers are not in a position where they can tolerate being paralyzed for too long. Any other ideas to add to this? LinkedIn Questions Shady connections, responding to bad recommendations, and contacting via email vs. through LinkedIn A JibberJobber user recently emailed me a few questions about LinkedIn and said I could share my responses with you.  His questions/text is in bold: I have been consulting for a while, and am now looking for a permanent job. I have a few questions that stop me from moving forward, and I bet it does the same to your clients and readers. When you contact someone on LinkedIn, and they are linked to a person “who will not sing your praises,” what do you do? I am stopped by concern of this. I dont really care who people are connected to.  Being connected doesnt mean there is a strong relationship, or even a growing relationship, or that my connection is even interested in having a professional relationship with that person.  If Im going to connect or communicate with someone I see/meet/etc. on LinkedIn, I am not going to go through their network to see who my frenemies are that they are connected to.  I know there is a potential for awkwardness. Recently Ive been re-networking into an organization that for some lame reason had branded me as something bad, and cautioned them to not look at or consider JibberJobber.  This is an isolated situation, in only one branch of the organization, but I was surprised that the feelings and perceptions are still there. Ive tried to move forward without assuming that any of those previous contacts are in touch, have a relationship where they would ask for referrals or information, etc.  I would say that you either ignore the connection to the person who would not sing your praises, or you just move on to another contact. You wont know until you reach out to your target.  Maybe they have no idea whats going on, dont care, or better yet, realize that the person who doesnt sing your praises is a jerk, creep, narcissist, or otherwise not to have their opinion trusted. I was Linked to a boss I had for 2 or 3 months. He has a reputation of just being a terrible person. I was far from the person that took the most demeaning treatment from him. I “de-linked” him as I would rather not be associated with him. But he gets around and is very well known in the business. How do I handle this? Do I just go on hoping other people think the same and/or don’t ask him for a reference? I wouldnt put any thought into it. You are too busy moving forward to worry about this guy who probably doesnt have anything bad to say about you.  It was a short period of time, and maybe he thinks favorably of you?  I know that might seem impossible, but read my post on working with narcissists here.  These people are real gems, arent they? If this person has this reputation, a lot of people will disregard his input.  His brand is that of someone who never has anything nice to say about anyone.  What that means is if he says something mean, that is par for the course.  If he can squeak out something positive, then that is a HUGE compliment.  Dont spend any time working on this person, just move forward. If someone says yeah but, so-and-so said you are _________, you might need a very short, non-bitter response like I worked with that person for two months.  There were a lot of problems in his department, and he wasnt ever close enough to me or my projects to know my work ethic or output.  I can provide you with some character references that are much more qualified to weigh in on this than him.  Or something like that.  You dont want to be a deer in the headlights with some negative or false accusation, but you dont want to come out fighting and tearing him down (which will only make you look bad). Most people will say something nice about me, or not much at all. Maybe I am going to get an average or below average comment from 1 out of 20 of my connections. How do you handle this? I would go to the main people who I know would say something nice about me, and work with them to get LinkedIn Recommendations, and ask if they would be a reference for me.  I would not worry about the 1 out of 20 that would not. Lets say you had 19 out of 20 that would say bad stuff about you dont pursue them.  Just work on the ones that will be favorable.  And, interestingly, time has a way of changing and softening things.  For example, someone you worked with ten years ago might have a different, even favorable, perspective, and have forgotten petty office stuff.  Even if you are holding on to those things, they might have forgotten about them through time or their own personal life changes (layoffs, job searches, deaths, etc.) or because they have realized that THEY shouldered as much of the problem as you have. Finally is it better to contact a person via email, if you have their email (or can figure it out), or through LinkedIn? I ALWAYS try to connect via email first, instead of through LinkedIn. Sometimes LinkedIn communications add some extra barriers to responding. For example, if you message me on LinkedIn, can I respond back by clicking the reply button? Not always.  I sometimes have to click on the respond button, login to LinkedIn, and send a message from there.  That is not in my email sent folder, which is really lame.  I dont want to be forced to message you through a system that I dont really like. Bottom line, I would email them. If they dont respond in a reasonable timeframe, I assume the email really was bad, and then I connect with them on LinkedIn (and say can we get on a call or can I email you about _____?  My end goal is not to connect with them, but to start a relationship and communication that can grow to something bigger (like a long-term relationship, introduction, informational interview, etc.). I hope these responses help.  Im not the final answer on the above, this is all swayed by my experience.  It sounds like you have elements of fear that are holding you back, but let me assure you that (a) most job seekers do, and (b) most of the time, the fear is unfounded, and (c) as you move forward your fear can melt away.  Also, I think many times we assume things that are just not accurate dont let your assumptions paralyze you. Job seekers are not in a position where they can tolerate being paralyzed for too long. Any other ideas to add to this? LinkedIn Questions Shady connections, responding to bad recommendations, and contacting via email vs. through LinkedIn A JibberJobber user recently emailed me a few questions about LinkedIn and said I could share my responses with you.  His questions/text is in bold: I have been consulting for a while, and am now looking for a permanent job. I have a few questions that stop me from moving forward, and I bet it does the same to your clients and readers. When you contact someone on LinkedIn, and they are linked to a person “who will not sing your praises,” what do you do? I am stopped by concern of this. I dont really care who people are connected to.  Being connected doesnt mean there is a strong relationship, or even a growing relationship, or that my connection is even interested in having a professional relationship with that person.  If Im going to connect or communicate with someone I see/meet/etc. on LinkedIn, I am not going to go through their network to see who my frenemies are that they are connected to.  I know there is a potential for awkwardness. Recently Ive been re-networking into an organization that for some lame reason had branded me as something bad, and cautioned them to not look at or consider JibberJobber.  This is an isolated situation, in only one branch of the organization, but I was surprised that the feelings and perceptions are still there. Ive tried to move forward without assuming that any of those previous contacts are in touch, have a relationship where they would ask for referrals or information, etc.  I would say that you either ignore the connection to the person who would not sing your praises, or you just move on to another contact. You wont know until you reach out to your target.  Maybe they have no idea whats going on, dont care, or better yet, realize that the person who doesnt sing your praises is a jerk, creep, narcissist, or otherwise not to have their opinion trusted. I was Linked to a boss I had for 2 or 3 months. He has a reputation of just being a terrible person. I was far from the person that took the most demeaning treatment from him. I “de-linked” him as I would rather not be associated with him. But he gets around and is very well known in the business. How do I handle this? Do I just go on hoping other people think the same and/or don’t ask him for a reference? I wouldnt put any thought into it. You are too busy moving forward to worry about this guy who probably doesnt have anything bad to say about you.  It was a short period of time, and maybe he thinks favorably of you?  I know that might seem impossible, but read my post on working with narcissists here.  These people are real gems, arent they? If this person has this reputation, a lot of people will disregard his input.  His brand is that of someone who never has anything nice to say about anyone.  What that means is if he says something mean, that is par for the course.  If he can squeak out something positive, then that is a HUGE compliment.  Dont spend any time working on this person, just move forward. If someone says yeah but, so-and-so said you are _________, you might need a very short, non-bitter response like I worked with that person for two months.  There were a lot of problems in his department, and he wasnt ever close enough to me or my projects to know my work ethic or output.  I can provide you with some character references that are much more qualified to weigh in on this than him.  Or something like that.  You dont want to be a deer in the headlights with some negative or false accusation, but you dont want to come out fighting and tearing him down (which will only make you look bad). Most people will say something nice about me, or not much at all. Maybe I am going to get an average or below average comment from 1 out of 20 of my connections. How do you handle this? I would go to the main people who I know would say something nice about me, and work with them to get LinkedIn Recommendations, and ask if they would be a reference for me.  I would not worry about the 1 out of 20 that would not. Lets say you had 19 out of 20 that would say bad stuff about you dont pursue them.  Just work on the ones that will be favorable.  And, interestingly, time has a way of changing and softening things.  For example, someone you worked with ten years ago might have a different, even favorable, perspective, and have forgotten petty office stuff.  Even if you are holding on to those things, they might have forgotten about them through time or their own personal life changes (layoffs, job searches, deaths, etc.) or because they have realized that THEY shouldered as much of the problem as you have. Finally is it better to contact a person via email, if you have their email (or can figure it out), or through LinkedIn? I ALWAYS try to connect via email first, instead of through LinkedIn. Sometimes LinkedIn communications add some extra barriers to responding. For example, if you message me on LinkedIn, can I respond back by clicking the reply button? Not always.  I sometimes have to click on the respond button, login to LinkedIn, and send a message from there.  That is not in my email sent folder, which is really lame.  I dont want to be forced to message you through a system that I dont really like. Bottom line, I would email them. If they dont respond in a reasonable timeframe, I assume the email really was bad, and then I connect with them on LinkedIn (and say can we get on a call or can I email you about _____?  My end goal is not to connect with them, but to start a relationship and communication that can grow to something bigger (like a long-term relationship, introduction, informational interview, etc.). I hope these responses help.  Im not the final answer on the above, this is all swayed by my experience.  It sounds like you have elements of fear that are holding you back, but let me assure you that (a) most job seekers do, and (b) most of the time, the fear is unfounded, and (c) as you move forward your fear can melt away.  Also, I think many times we assume things that are just not accurate dont let your assumptions paralyze you. Job seekers are not in a position where they can tolerate being paralyzed for too long. Any other ideas to add to this?

Learn to Write a Book by Reading - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Learn to Write a Book by Reading - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Reading and analyzing books by others should play an important role in your journey to writing a nonfiction book to build your personal brand as an expert in your field. Usually, your reading takes place in your field. But, often, the best learning takes place when you read and analyze books outside of your field. Reading outside your field removes the filters and prejudices of subject area knowledge. Since you may not recognize the titles or authors, youre able to approach each book without preconceptions. This   frees you to pay more attention to the tools and techniques the author used to engage and maintain, (or lose), your interest. Often, the best learning takes place when you read and analyze books outside your field. This exposes you to new ideas and tips, plus mimics the way prospective readers are going to react when they pick up your published book. What to look for when learning to write by reading Here are 6 questions to ask yourself when exploring books outside of your field. Put these ideas to work the next time you stroll the shelves at your local Barnes Noble or Borders bookstore, or when you visit your local public library: Why did you pick up the book? What attracted you to it? Were you attracted by the authors name or the title? Was it a long title or a short title? Did the title promise a benefit for reading? Did the subtitle, or additional text on the cover, engage your interest? How long did it take you to make an interested or not interested decision? Note your reactions, because strangers picking up your book for the first time are going to react the same way you just did. What did you do after you picked-up the book? Did you turn the book over to see what was on the back cover? Did you open the book and start reading on a random page? Or, did you go straight to the table of contents? Do you always follow the same sequence? Again, your behavior previews the way your book will be approached by prospective readers. How much do you think youll learn from the book? How do you gauge the value of a books information before you read it? Are you more influenced by the authors qualifications, pre-publication reader quotes,   or the books table of contents. Or, do you open the book at random and skim a page or two? Many of your prospective readers will be reacting the same way. Does this look like an easy book to read? What is your reaction to the authors style? How do you respond to the authors tone? Does the author project enthusiasm and passion for sharing his knowledge, or does the author write from an impersonal, academic perspective? Did the author use frequent subheads to chunk, or visually organize, chapter content? Are visuals used to reinforce big ideas and permit easy comparisons? Did the author use assessments, exercises, and questions, to help you relate the book to your specific needs? Which book would I buy? Next, 3 or 4 books from the new topic your exploring to the bookstore cafe, spread them out on a table, and evaluate them from the point of view of urgency and priority. Do any of the books cry out to be taken home today? How would you rate the other books in order of importance? Which book offers the best value? Finally, note the selling price of each book, and re-evaluate each books value proposition. Which book offers the most information per dollar? Sometimes, an inexpensive introductory-level book is all thats needed to satisfy a readers curiosity; in other cases, an expensive handbook or guide approach makes the best sense.   What are the criteria you use to identify the best combination of information, presentation, and cost? Your prospective readers are probably going to be using the same criteria as you use to evaluate books youre considering buying. Create a system to learn to write by reading Here are a couple of tips I recommend to help you create a systematic approach to learning to write by reading and analyzing books outside of your field: Commit to consistency. Consistency pays when writing your book and marketing your book. Youll learn more from five 15-minute bookstore visits each week than a single 75-minute visit. Consistency reinforces the habit of constantly analyzing what others have done and looking for ways to profit from their experience and knowledge. Take notes as you read and compare. Create a process to track the results of your out-of-field research. It doesnt matter whether you use yellow-pads, notecards, notebooks, or worksheets. The important thing is not to let good lessons get away! Develop a system to keep track of your observations of what works, and what doesnt work, for others. Review your observations. Dont just track your observations, get in the habit of reviewing them at consistent intervals. Perhaps, you can commit to a 30-minute review of your observations file the first Saturday of every month. Once again, the more you consistently perform a task, the easier it will be to develop the habit of reviewing your observations. Conclusion Do you have a favorite technique for learning to write a book to build your personal brand by reading and analyzing books written by others outside your field? Can you share the things you look for with us? Do you frequently return to the same shelves in a large bookstore, or do you wander the corridors until you encounter a topic that looks interesting? Do you have a consistent system, or tools, that you use for analyzing books, so that youll always evaluate books on the same criteria? How do you track, and analyze, your observations? Share your ideas as comments, below! Author: Best-selling author and book coach Roger C. Parker helps business professionals plan, write, promote, profit from a brand-building book at his daily writing tips blog. His next book is #BOOK TITLE Tweet: 140 Bite-Sized Ideas for Compelling Article, Book, Event Titles .

Personal Branding Interview Colleen DeBaise - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Colleen DeBaise - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Colleen DeBaise, who is the small business editor at The Wall Street Journal, author of The Wall Street Journal. Complete Small Business Guidebook, and blogger at crackingcurry.com. In this interview, Colleen talks about the DNA of a successful small business, work/life balance for entrepreneurs, personal branding, and more. Out of all the stories youve ever written, which was your favorite to cover and why? It was actually a story about the New York City marathon, which I wrote shortly after the 9/11 attacks. I looked at how the city was counting on the November race â€" which is 26.2 miles long, and goes through every borough â€" to restore confidence and pump some much-needed dollars into the local economy. As a New Yorker (and, full disclosure, a marathon runner) the topic was extra special to me. What do you believe is the DNA of a successful startup company? What do the founders need to do right in the beginning to make it successful long-term? My best advice: Dont start a business unless youre passionate about whatever it is that youre selling. Youre going to need that motivation, drive and enthusiasm to get you through the start-up phase, when obstacles and naysayers are plenty. The best part of my job is interviewing super-successful entrepreneurs, who are now leading well-known or hugely profitable companies â€" and seeing their eyes STILL light up when they talk about their work. I dont think thats a coincidence. Do you think entrepreneurs can have work/life balance? Is it even possible? Its a challenge, for sure, which is why I recommend putting good practices in place, such as setting strict work hours and taking guilt-free vacations. Work/life balance is difficult for any corporate workaholic, but its even tougher for business owners who 1) dont have nice perks like sick time or vacation days and 2) worry that the business theyve built will collapse in their absence. But keep in mind, if you work too hard or too long, youll get burnt out â€" and your bottom line will suffer. Striking work/life balance gets easier when you have dependable employees who can help run the business in your absence. Should an entrepreneur build their personal brand as an expert in their field? Why or why not? Running a business is all about building a brand. If an entrepreneur can market him- or herself as an expert in the field, that will only strengthen the image and credibility of the company. These day, consumers expect there to be a person or personality behind the business. And if building your personal brand can help give your small company an edge over a big faceless competitor, more power to you. What career decisions have you made years ago that have helped you now? I never in a million years thought Id be a financial journalist. Ive known since high school that I would be a journalist â€" but writing about business never crossed my mind. Especially as a girl, I was never exposed to the financial world, and knew little about how it operated. The older I got, the more that frustrated me. A decade ago, I saw that Dow Jones was hiring â€" and I jumped at the chance. Ive loved learning about finance. Its personally empowering. To think that Im now an editor at the best business publication out there…well, that makes me very happy. - Colleen DeBaise is small business editor at The Wall Street Journal. Prior to that, she held similar roles at BusinessWeek and SmartMoney. Colleen is the author of The Wall Street Journal. Complete Small Business Guidebook. She has been interviewed on television and radio, including MSNBC, Fox Business News, CNBC, CBS and NPR. Before covering small business, Colleen spent many years writing about white-collar crime as lead court reporter for Dow Jones Newswires. In 2005, she was the winner of the Newswomens Club of New Yorks Front Page award for specialized writing. She has a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelors degree in English from St. Lawrence University. On the side, she also blogs about her passion for curry at crackingcurry.com.

Build Your Brand Trust on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Build Your Brand Trust on Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Where does your business rate on the consumer trust meter for your brand on social media? According to a study by market researcher, Ipsos, 38% of people have recommended a brand they like or follow on a social network.   Word-of-mouth recommendations have become the norm for brand followers. Nielson reports that more than 90% of consumers make purchases based on this fact. Where do people look when they want to find out what others think about a product or service before making that purchase?   Social media has become a main resource for buyers to find out how other people feel about that product or service, and ultimately determine for yourself if a company or individual is trustworthy based on what you find. The value of building trust According to author and entrepreneur, Paul Rand, in his book, “Highly Recommended: Harnessing the Power of Word of Mouth and Social Media to Build Your Brand and Your Business,” the goal for every brand is to become highly recommended. He explains several ways to accomplish this through social media: • Stay active and regularly monitor your social media channels • Share content, visuals, and other information that is relevant to your product or service • Make the majority of posts and tweets about engagement with your audience, and only a small percentage on your brand’s message • Be quick to respond to any feedback, especially anything negative • Ask questions to encourage engagement, which helps your brand get to know its audience • Own up to any mistakes right away in order to build trust • Treat your employees well as reviews are often seen by potential clients When your brand becomes highly recommended it not only builds your audience, but also establishes you as a trusted expert in your field. Consistency of message and focusing on building meaningful relationships should be top of mind in order for your community to consider purchasing a product or service. With daily interaction and activity, your brand will grow over time as you tap into the power of recommendations through social media.

Is it finally the beginning of the end for unpaid internships

Is it finally the beginning of the end for unpaid internships Youre never going to believe it. We actually have some good news to report on the battle against unpaid internships. After countless voices have spoken out against the unfair practice it seems the government are finally taking some concrete action against them. This could be the first step in officially getting rid of them for good. After the Sutton Trust reported last week that 10,000 young people are in internships six months after graduating, and one fifth of these are unpaid, people finally started to grasp the scale of the problem. Add to this the fact that internships in London now cost upwards of £1,000 a month a fee many are unable to afford unpaid internships are finally being seen as something totally out of place in the 21st century. So whats happening? Unpaid internships have *apparently* been a difficult practice to police and challenge. But this week the government sent 550 warning letters to companies in a bid to crack down on then, while also creating enforcement teams to tackle repeat offenders. Its a relief to see the government taking some concrete action, as opposed to just simply voicing their disapproval. Theyre also going to work to provide more guidance to employers on exactly what is legal and not when it comes to paying interns. For a long time, the actual law around internships has proven very unclear, both to employers and candidates themselves education is a going to be a crucial way of resolving this problem. Are unpaid internships illegal? Yes. Anyone who is classified as a worker must be paid at least the national minimum wage, according to employment law. However, there are multiple factors at play when determining whether someone is or isnt a worker. For example, the line is often blurred with volunteers theyre not   paid as there is no expectation that they turn up to work every day, among other reasons. However, the government has reiterated: “An employer cannot avoid paying someone the minimum wage simply by calling them an ‘intern’ or saying that they are doing an internship.” While some were disappointed the government werent proposing any legislative changes, they want much more clarification on issues, so that people are able to identify how their role should be classed. Whos to blame? Both employers and the government bear responsibility for the huge amount of unpaid interns in the UK. While some employers may be simply unaware that they should be paying their interns, others deliberately exploit the ambiguity and loopholes of the system. Sir Peter Lampl, the founder and chair of the Sutton Trust, had this to say on the subject. “It’s clear that the current law is not working at the end of 2017 there were no prosecutions in relation to interns and pay, yet tens of thousands of young people continue to work for free. We want to see tighter legislation so that all internships are paid at least the national minimum wage, fairly advertised and awarded on merit.” Another key campaigner against unpaid internships, Tanya de Grunwald from Graduate Fog argues: It is time for HMRC to admit that the reporting system for unpaid internships is not fit for purpose,” she said. “For starters, it relies almost entirely on interns coming forward to complain about their former employers â€" something few are brave enough to do, for obvious reasons. While unpaid internships might not be about to vanish immediately, these steps on certainly promising. 2018 might be the death day of unpaid internships yet. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Finding happy companies What do you think - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Finding happy companies What do you think - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Josh Peck emailed me a great suggestion last week: Ive been keeping up with your blog for a few months now and first, thank you for bringing some sanity to the world of work. Secondly, as I read the blog, I keep seeing examples of great companies that are doing things right. How can I find companies near me that get it? Could it be time for a CHO job board, where only enlightened companies are allowed to post? Could it ever! And what if we add a Google map, where we can all plot in companies we know to be happy and what makes them happy? That way it would be easy to find happy companies to go work for in any country/city/town. What else would we need? What would make this idea really great? Does something like this already exist? Write a comment :o) 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

How To Write A Creative Resume For A Designer

How To Write A Creative Resume For A DesignerResume writing for designers is very different from resume writing for traditional employees. Designers generally have a more hands-on approach to design than the traditional employee does. Resume writing for designers can differ from traditional resume writing in many ways, including the employment angle.Traditional employments resumes are sent out in the hopes of luring potential employers to contact the applicant. An employment resume should be written with the intention of getting hired by a certain company or position. With resume writing for designers, however, the aim is to get an employer to contact the designer in some other way. A design resume may not specifically mention where the designer wants to work, but a creative design resume can bring in potential employers to contact the designer with their own design needs.Resume writing for designers often involves many of the same elements as traditional resume writing, such as outl ining a position the designer wants and explaining what the designer is looking for in an employer. This may include getting the interviewer to state how they can best help the designer and what design skills are needed for the position. Other resume writing techniques that may be applied in resume writing for designers include sending the resume via snail mail, fax, or email. It is also important to create a cover letter that can easily be attached to the resume as a prelude to the interviewer contacting the designer for further information.In terms of creativity, a creative resume should not be vague when describing what the designer is looking for. A good designer will be able to tell whether or not they were met with a mismatch of expectations by the interview and the resume.Since a designer is usually in charge of his or her own hiring process, it should be apparent to the interviewer that the applicant's resume is unique and different from any other resumes the company has rec eived in the past. A creative resume should detail exactly what the designer is looking for from an employer and how these experiences could be used to make a difference. By using words like 'unique'unheard of' when describing the designer's experiences can prove helpful.If the applicant can't remember a specific experience, this shouldn't stop them from creating a creative resume. As long as they can explain why the experience was unique and important, this can show that the applicant has good judgment is important to them. Finally, a creative resume will need to demonstrate that the applicant is focused on meeting the interview's needs, rather than those of the employer.Another way to show the designer is looking for a different way to communicate with the employer is to include an application for the job on the resume. While traditional resumes describe the applicant's education, work experience, and social standings, a designer should not have to describe these things. Instead, a designer can provide a short description of their background and goals for the position, which is sure to generate some interest.Resume writing for designers can involve a number of the same qualities as traditional resume writing. However, designers are likely to take some creativity into account when creating their resumes.