5 Deal Breaker Resume Mistakes Youre Probably Making

5 Deal Breaker Resume Mistakes Youre Probably Making 5 Deal Breaker Resume Mistakes Youre Probably Making While being able to effectively manage ones career is essential to maximizing your income, a surprising number of people continue to “wing it” when it comes to writing their own resume. And while you may know the basics of resume writing, its easy to make a mistake that can eliminate you from consideration for your dream job. To help you avoid such a resume faux pas , the  ResumeSpice  team put together a quick guide of the top five deal breaker resume mistakes you need to watch out for. #1: Including too much information its natural to be proud of everything youve accomplished throughout your career, but its important to remember that your resume is not an autobiography. Include too much information and you risk losing the interest of the hiring manager. A good rule of thumb is to emphasize â€" and provide more information for more recent roles and those that are most similar to the position to which you’re applying. And remember, white space is your friend, so avoid the temptation to clutter your resume with too much content. #2: Emphasizing the wrong information Most hiring managers have a hierarchy of information they want to see. First, they want to know where you work and where you worked previously. Theyll also want to know what your title is, your tenure, and what youve accomplished in that order. Make it easy for the hiring manager to find the information he or she is looking for. The more “hunting” they need to do, the more likely your resume is to land in the wrong pile. #3: Pushing your experience too far down the first page If your most recent job is listed further than a third of the way down the page, thats a problem. A hiring manager doesnt want to wade through information thats likely to be irrelevant to the role she or he is trying to fill. Make sure your most recent role is close to the top of the page so its easy to find and scan. #4: Using out of date resume relics Using outdated resume elements can date yourself as a candidate. Including page numbers, references (or even “references available upon request”), and objective statements instantly scream “out of date”. We speak specifically about each of these errors on our blog, but the short answer is leave them off. #5: Overformatting Save the cutesy, curly, and colorful fonts for when youre writing a personal email. A resume is a professional document so it’s important to treat it as such. Stick to fonts like Garamond, Times New Roman or Cambria and be sure that theyre black. Another tip regarding your font is keep it to a size 11 â€" or 10.5 at the absolute minimum. Doing so makes it easier for a hiring manager to read. Need resume help?  ResumeSpice  is dedicated to staying abreast of the current trends and resume methods that get results for our clients. Contact us today to learn more  at  832.930.7378.

The Value of a Sales Certificate

The Value of a Sales Certificate The Value of a Sales Certificate Those in the IT world are often known for having a string of letters following their names. So too are those employed in the project management, accounting, and healthcare fields. These strings of letters indicate a specific certification, earned by the individual. In sales, earning a sales-specific certification is becoming more popular among those who want to give themselves an edge during a job search, for those looking for a promotion and those simply seeking to improve their sales skills. But since there is no standardize certification, is spending the time, energy and capital to earn a certification worth it? As a Benefit During a Job Search When it comes to job hunting, every tool that you can employ that gives you an edge over other candidates needs to be considered. Having a professional sales certification can either give you an edge or can keep you in the running with other candidates that possess a sales certifications. Imagine that you and one other job candidate are finalists for a top-paying sales position. During the final interview, you learn that the other candidate is touting a professional sales certification and you are asked if you hold any certifications. Having to answer no may put you behind in the job race. Conversely, if the tables were turned and you held the certification, your competitor may be scrambling to recover from not earning a certification. As an Indication of Dedication For those already in a sales position and have no current interest in searching for a new job, earning a certification demonstrates a commitment to the sales industry and a dedication to excellence. For those interested in advancement, the certification serves as a strong indicator of an individuals long-term dedication to the continual improvement of sales skills and may impress senior leaders with the belief that the certification holder can also be skilled at teaching others how to improve their skills. Earning a sales certification also can impress customers. Most people would rather do business with a professional; someone who takes their job seriously and has proven themselves in their chosen field. As an Added Competitive Edge The true value of any certification is not the ability to add letters after your name on your business card or email signature, but it is the knowledge you learned while earning the certification. A sales certification is certainly no different. Those sales professionals who are not interested in changing jobs, advancing into a sales management position or even to impress their customers and prospects, may choose to invest their time, energy and capital into earning a sales certification to improve their skills, close more sales and earn more money. At the end of the day, doing better at what you do is the most important reason to improve your skills and to earn a sales certification. Where to Get Certified If you decide that adding a certification would serve you well, a quick Google search for sales certifications should be your first step. In no particular order and with no preference suggested, here are links to sites offering sales certifications. NASPThe Sales Management AssociationThe Sales AssociationThe NRF Foundation When choosing where to get your certification from, you must be selective. Choosing an industry-specific sales certification, like the certification offered by CompTIA for those in IT sales, may make more sense in you are in a specialized sales industry. Some professionals feel that a broader reaching certification is better than a targeted one because the skills learned and the overall improvement is not limited to a particular industry but to sales in general.

Developing Leaders Using the 9-Box Matrix

Developing Leaders Using the 9-Box Matrix Developing Leaders Using the 9-Box Matrix The nine-box performance matrix assesses employees based on a combination of current performance and potential performance. Each has three ratings- high, moderate, and limited- resulting in nine potential combinations. Knowing how to use the nine-box matrix can prove helpful with succession planning and assessing leadership potential. Discussing specific development strategies for each employee as a part of the assessment discussion is an emerging best practice. This way, information concerning strengths and weaknesses is fresh in everyone’s minds, and it’s a natural transition to move to strategies to move each employee to the next readiness level. While there may not be time to discuss every employee on the nine-box grid, high-potential employee development should be discussed. These are the employees who most likely will end up on succession planning lists, so it makes sense to involve the entire leadership team in brainstorming development strategies for these employees. Once you understand what each of the nine combinations typically represents, its possible to review ways to get the most out of each type of employee and discover where your next leaders are likely to be found. 1A: High-Performance, High-Potential These are your go-to employees. You already know who they are based on how well they do their jobs, and you want to keep them as building blocks for your organization moving forward. They are rare, but they are easy to recognize when you have them. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Assign tasks that take them beyond their current roles. These can include start-up assignments that involve new products, processes, or territories.Give them a fix-it assignment, a chance to step in and solve a problem or repair someone else’s mess.Give them access to other roles in your firm and help them build cross-functional relationships with other 1A performers.Find them a mentor at least one level up and access to exclusive training opportunities.Provide access to meetings, committees, etc. one level up, giving them exposure to senior managers and other company leaders. Make sure to provide them with a path for advancement they can see in order to encourage them to stay with the firm. 1B: High Performance, Moderate Potential These employees are similar to your 1As, but there might be something they are lacking that prevents them from advancing as quickly or as efficiently. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Identify the areas of weakness that might be holding them back and provide training and other opportunities to improve.Increase opportunities and roles in a fashion similar to 1As, but provide greater guidance and supervision. Take advancement more slowly or introduce assignments with lower stakes.Find a mentor at least one level up who also overcame obstacles or who can relate to the employees specific challenges. 1C: High Performance, Limited Potential Many of the most valuable employees at a lot of companies fall into this category. Theyre experienced and good at what they do, but they likely have reached their professional ceilings. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Provide opportunities to develop in current role and to grow deeper and broader capabilities and knowledge.Ask them to  mentor, teach, and coach others at comparable or lower levels.Encourage them to share what they know through presentations at company meetings or external conferences.Communicate to them their value both as performers and as models for how others should perform their jobs. 2A: Good/Average Performance, High Potential These are highly capable employees who might be underachieving or might be inexperienced enough to not yet understand how valuable and effective they can be to the company. They could be 1As, but they need more training or more external motivation. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Provide candid feedback about what they do well and how they need to improve.Focus on helping them close competency gaps and moving them from mid-level to high-level performance.Provide them with the same mentoring, coaching, and training opportunities as your 1A and 1B performers.Challenge them as necessary, but use increased access and higher-profile assignments as a carrot.Show them that there is a clear path to advancement and greater responsibility by addressing their weaknesses. 2B: Good/Average Performance, Moderate Potential These often are employees who have found a comfort zone. They do a good job and have the potential to grow in the roles they have, but they might lack either the skills or the desire to advance. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Don’t push them to advance. If theyre comfortable where they are, take advantage of their experience while still leaving a window open for advancement if they change their minds.Praise them for their accomplishments and trust them in their roles.Communicate regularly and address concerns as necessary. While these employees can be valuable if they dont pursue advancement, you dont want them to slide into poor performance out of boredom or dissatisfaction. 2C: Good/Average Performance, Limited Potential These are solid employees at the level where they are at, but its likely as far as they will advance either because of limited skills in the field, lack of education, or some other obstacle unlikely to be overcome. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Provide honest feedback about their opportunities for advancement if asked.Provide a combination of performance management, training, and coaching to help them move from mid-level to high-level performance.Offer opportunities for lateral movement to keep them engaged and possibly broaden their skills. 3A: Poor Performance, High Potential There are multiple reasons someone might fall into this category. Young employees might perform poorly because they lack sufficient experience or were trained poorly. Experienced employees might allow dissatisfaction with their work to impact their performance. Some employees might have skills that are being misused and likely belong in a different department. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Find out the root cause of poor performance. This includes assessing the employees willingness to be coached, to change, and to improve.Develop an action plan to improve, including moving the employee into a different role if that is deemed necessary.Provide access to high-performing employees so they can see what goes into reaching that level.After a reasonable period of time, if performance does not improve, re-examine your assessment of the employees potential. 3B: Poor Performance, Moderate Potential This rating often is used for new employees with leadership potential who are too new to assess in their current roles. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Focus on  onboarding, orientation, and relationship building.Provide a mentor from among your high-performing employees.Provide formal training. 3C: Poor Performance, Limited Potential These are employees who need to show significant improvement in the short-term, possibly in a different role. If improvement isnt shown within a given timeframe, they should be removed from the organization. Tips for developing and retaining these employees include: Use a performance management approach as opposed to a developmental approach.Clarify and outline expectations, and provide a reasonable but strict deadline for meeting those expectations.Provide remedial coaching and feedback.After trying all of the above, after a reasonable amount of time, move the person out of the role.

Best Practices for Employee Personnel Files

Best Practices for Employee Personnel Files Best Practices for Employee Personnel Files Its a good idea for an employer to maintain a personnel file for each employee. Documentation of employment history, records of contribution and achievement, disciplinary notices, promotions, performance development plans, and much more, belong in a personnel file. Smart employers keep more than one personnel file, too. The employer has good reasons to keep several personnel files- some legal and some for employment best practices purposes. Documentation is needed so the employer has an accurate view of an employees employment history. Documentation supports the employers decisions and may protect the employer in a lawsuit- preserved correctly. The contents of the personnel file provide a historical overview of the important happenings during an employees career. They support the decisions that are made about the employee and his or her career. They demonstrate the employers rationale behind hiring, promotions, transfer, rewards and recognition, and firing decisions. Different Guidelines Are Associated With Different Personnel File Types Because several types of personnel files are recommended, different rules and guidelines are associated with each type of personnel file. Each type of personnel file has a different reason for existing and different contents, based on that reason.Each type of personnel file is stored differently.Access to a personnel file is restricted to certain employees in most organizations. Many organizations restrict personnel file access to Human Resources staff only. Different personnel file types have different access guidelines.Employee access to his or her personnel file is allowed, but most employers set up guidelines for employee access with a personnel file access policy in the employee handbook. (Various states and jurisdictions have different rules, so stay up-to-date for your location.)Most organizations do not allow the employees manager to access the overall personnel file. They expect the managers to keep relevant documentation in their own management employee file which is not the official personnel file. The Human Resources department owns and is responsible for employee personnel files. Recommended Personnel Files Here are the types of personnel files recommended and what you need to know about working with them. Employee Personnel File This is the main personnel file an employer maintains for each employee. The personnel file stores the employment history of each employee. This is what you need to know about an employee personnel file. Medical File The employee medical file has serious legal restrictions that the employer must know and heed. Here is what you need to know about the confidentiality and contents of an employee medical file. Payroll File Employee access to the employee payroll file is less restrictive than access to either the medical or the personnel file. The payroll file holds information about salary, benefits selection, pay rate changes, garnishments, and other legal documentation that affects an employee’s paycheck. Various accounting and Human Resources staff access the information in the payroll file. I-9 Forms File for Employees Because of the access rights of various government agencies, you follow best practice by maintaining a separate file forall employee I-9 forms. Find out more about storing I-9 forms. Personnel File Access Policy for Employees You want to enable each employee to know what is in his or her personnel file, but you need to control the integrity, completeness, and thoroughness of the file. Maintaining employee and employer confidentiality and limited access are ensured with a personnel file access policy. What Not to Include in an Employee Personnel File Looking for guidelines about content that should never be included in an employee personnel file? Here are my best recommendations about the content that you want to maintain either in a separate, informal location or not retain at all. Retention of unneeded and purely opinionated documentation can hurt you. Documentation Do you know what documentation is? The word, documentation, crops up frequently in the world of employment and Human Resources. But, the meaning of documentation and why you might want to document particular employment events is thoroughly covered in this article, The Importance of Documentation in Human Resources. Take a look because proper documentation is essential for accurate employment files. Disclaimer:  Please note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and ?employment laws  and regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

How to give a presentation theyll never forget

How to give a presentation they'll never forget How to give a presentation they'll never forget Last year, I gave a presentation at Shoptalk about organizing for the future of retail. I’d love to say everything went perfectly, and I didn’t bat an eye at talking in front of 300 people.The truth is, I still get nervous speaking in front of people. And the Shoptalk presentation was no exception.On the stage, I could see row upon row of expectant faces. My stomach was turning, my hands were sweating, and I was just trying to take deep breaths. I told myself, “You got this. You know what you’re talking about.”Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Then I stood up, ran through my intro, and clicked to show my first slide.Nothing happened.I clicked again. Still nothing. As I stood there clicking away, I slowly realized it wasn’t going to work. I was going to have to speak without the slides.At a moment like that, things can go one of two ways: You can either spiral into a panic, or recenter yourself and continue.So, I paused for a minute to gather myself. Then I announced to the audience, “The slides aren’t working, so I’m just going to talk.” And that was that. I made it through my presentation just fine. The slides even started working halfway through.The reality is, every public speaker has a moment like that at some point- a moment when the slides don’t work or their brain freezes up.There are a few ways to make sure those little slip-ups don’t turn into a disaster.1. Understand your audience.People who go to panels and listen to speakers are doing so because they want to learn something. They want to walk away with new or unique information.It’s easy to forget that while you’re speaking. You’ve probably noticed that some speakers lose their focus on the audience and begin to talk more about themselves. While it’s fine to give people some details about yourself, your presentation is not about you. It’s about the audience. My topic at Shoptalk was about the future of retail. And it would have been really easy for me to go on and on about ThirdLove and our business. But that’s not what people came to hear. They wanted to learn about how we’ve organized our company, why that’s made us successful, and what they can apply to their own business.A lot of people miss an opportunity to connect with their audience because they never provide listeners with anything of value. So, figure out who your audience is, and create your presentation with them in mind.2. Practice until you’re (almost) perfect.I don’t use notes on stage. I just work from my memory. But before you toss your notes in the trash, let me tell you what goes into my preparation.I run through my presentation beforehand at least 20 times. The first 5-10 are about getting the story down. I use my notes, I get a good idea of the content, and then I start saying it out loud.At that point, things always change. Sometimes I’ll think of anoth er story that better illustrates my point. Other times I’ll realize a line that looked good written down doesn’t sound great when I say it.The next 10 practice runs are about the presentation of the content. I make sure everything is cohesive, and I build up my confidence in what I’m saying.As you practice, remember there’s a fine line between being prepared and being so well-rehearsed that you sound robotic. Be comfortable with your presentation, but try to avoid getting to the point where you sound fake.3. Be yourself on stage.Trust me, the audience will not connect with you if you’re imitating someone else or suppressing your natural personality.People often have an idea of what a public speaker should look like and how they should act. The truth is, it’s much more important to come off as authentic than it is to sound like a ‘perfect’ public speaker.When I’m speaking, I like to use my hands. Sometimes, I speak very quickly because I’m excited about a topic. T hat’s my personality showing through, and I think people connect with it.You want to seem authentic and excited about your presentation. People don’t come to an event to hear someone droning away in a monotone voice. If you bring your passion and energy to the topic- you’ll be surprised by the audience’s response.After my presentation at Shoptalk, no one really talked about the slide mishap. People were more focused on what I’d said. In fact, I’m pretty sure most of the audience had forgotten all about my slides by the end of the presentation.Will I always get nervous before a presentation? Probably. But I also know I’ve done everything I can to prepare. If you know that’s the case when you stand up to speak, you’ll have all the confidence you need.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

What a puppeteer can teach you about following your dreams

What a puppeteer can teach you about following your dreams What a puppeteer can teach you about following your dreams Julia Darden is a graduate of the University of Connecticut’s BFA program in Puppetry. She now does everything you can think of as a professional puppeteer in New York City.Ladders joined Julia at a marionette show to discuss the ins and outs of puppets as well as advice for people pursuing dream jobs such as hers.

Learn About Being a Sports Information Director

Learn About Being a Sports Information Director Learn About Being a Sports Information Director Sports information directors (SIDs) document and publicize the accomplishments of athletes and teams for the school or league they represent. SIDs typically work as a liaison between the school or league and the local or national media. Like many sports careers, there are few “typical days” for SIDs, who may spend a morning editing a future media guide, an afternoon welcoming media for a team day, and an evening tracking statistics in the press box during a game. If you’re a sports junkie who enjoys the idea of working closely with a team, coaches, and athletic department as well as the media that cover the teams, sports information positions could prove rewarding. Responsibilities There is no off-season for college SIDs. They compile statistics for each sport at a school, collect information on each athlete, put together media guides for each sport, and write press releases for the sports program. They also update information on school websites. SIDs typically track official statistics for each sport at a school. They then issue this information to various media outlets, the league or conference, and eventually compile the information in media guides. They can use these statistics to assist the media on stories or emerging trends. With many teams and athletes at colleges, SIDs collect information from each player to provide biographical information for media outlets, media guides, and rosters. By staying on top of trends, SIDs can issue press releases that may help sports reporters or editors with story ideas. When a team receives media coverage, it can help create more interest in the community and at the school. SIDs also accommodate media representatives who cover the various teams by issuing press credentials, supplying in-game statistics, and assisting in coordinating interviews and press conferences. Before a season, they organize media days to publicize their teams and allow media access to coaches and players. SIDs also can put together information on the school to provide to recruits. There also are sports information positions available with leagues, Olympic sports, auto racing, horse racing, pro sports teams, and other opportunities. Preparation Typically schools use students to assist in their sports information departments, an excellent way to get a foot in the door, gain experience, and gain contacts. SIDs or assistant SIDs typically attain at least a bachelor’s degree with majors in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations, or related fields. It is important to develop an understandingand preferably an appreciationof a variety of sports. While sports like football and basketball may receive the most media attention at a school, sports information departments track every sport at a school. Challenges, Rewards As seasons cross over, sports information directors can face long hours in their variety of responsibilities. On the other hand, the many different responsibilities appeal to some. Sports information professionals get an inside look at the teams they cover, access that many find enjoyable. The attraction of working in a sports career typically motivates SIDs. They enjoy their jobs, although they typically don’t get rich in their work.  And sports information director role can lead to other responsibilities in a college athletics department. A SID position can also open doors to transition into professional sports, where a similar role is in public relations. Oakland As PR Director Bob Rose is an example of a professional moving from college sports to Major League Baseball.