Understand Narcissists and other Personalities You Have to Work With (or, I am being bullied)

Understand Narcissists and other Personalities You Have to Work With (or, I am being bullied) I am being bullied. I have been for about a year. Im not in elementary school anymore, Im forty years old.  I own my own company.  But I have a bully. Having a bully sucks.  Ive been the minor victim of bad behavior over the years, but this is different.  This is constant, over time, in-your-face bullying. My bully is probably a narcissist.  Unfortunately, Ive got the opportunity to learn a lot more about narcissism (or, narcissistic personality disorder) than I ever wanted to know. What Ive learned is that narcissists are kind of complex, although they are apparently pretty easy to define.  They are the type of person who dont care about anyone else, would hurt others without knowing or caring about it, dont take any blame but are excellent at giving blame everywhere else and they just simply wouldnt believe that they are doing any of this. They definitely wouldnt agree that they are a narcissist that is too demented for them, and they are certainly not demented. Check out this article in my local paper: I AM A BULLY sign-holder calls sentence unfair.  This isnt my bully, but something in the article struck me.  This article is about a man (62 years old) in Ohio who has apparently/allegedly done some horrible things to his neighbors.  From the article, here are some things this man has done: after being annoyed at the smell coming from Prughs dryer vent when she did laundry [he] hooked up kerosene to a fan, which blew the smell onto Pughs property, called her an ethnic slur while she was holding her adopted black children, spit on her several times, regularly threw dog feces on her sons car windshield, and once smeared feces on a wheelchair ramp. What does this bully say?  He denied bullying his neighbors, and I understand my actions could have caused harm but at that time I was not really thinking about it. (that last gem was probably because the court ordered him to issue a written apology nothing as sincere as an apology you are forced to make, right?) Finally, he says:  The judge destroyed me This isnt fair at all. That, my friends, is what I would call a narcissist.  Destroy, hurt, harm, insult, and then oh, poor me, poor me. Why is this happening to me. Utterances of denial.  And more denial. Do you know anyone who is like this?  Go visit some battered womens shelters and youll meet women who are on the other end of this much too common personality disorder.  There are countless others (men and women) who are dealing with relationships with narcissists in their own, quiet, way. In my workplace I have been forced to work with people who have one disorder or another.  Working with someone who makes you confused just enough to make you think YOU are the problem.  People who are constantly surrounded by drama, misfortune or discipline, or people who leave the proverbial bodies in the wake behind them. We enjoy movies and TV series about personality disorders in a workplace.   Dwight is funny, in The Office, from the comfort of our own home.  Michael Scott is hilarious because he is an extreme that most of us dont have to face at work, but we can giggle when our boss pulls a Michael Scott.  Or the Dilbert boss, who is a complete incompetent.  George Clooney played a corporate hatchetman in Up in the Air.  Fun and exciting to watch, but do you wonder how someone who has to do that for a living can sleep well at night?  Does this person not have a soul, or a conscience? Heres what Ive learned about working with people who have harmful personality disorders: they are all over the place.  This is just life. We can be sympathetic, and we should be sympathetic. But, WE DONT HAVE TO BE AROUND IT, OR PUT UP WITH IT, OR CONTINUE AS A VICTIM. Many years ago I was involved in a business venture.  When things went south, and the person I was talking to showed his true colors, I had an awesome, empowering realization: I didnt have to be involved with this person anymore. As someone who was self-employed, I could CHOOSE whether he was in my world or not.  I know that is different if you are married to the person.  But working with someone?  You have more choice than you might think. (if you are married to this person, you have to decide how much is too much unfortunately this is impossibly hard to watch someone else do from the sidelines without wanting to scream LEAVE! LEAVE!  But the ones who do leave have a chance of having some peace in their life, and maybe even happiness.) I know, getting the narcissist out of your life might mean leaving a job.  Trust me, in some cases it might be totally worth it.  I remember a stressful work situation I was in that eventually led me to the urgent care, wondering if I was going to have a heart attack.  It turned out to be a pre-ulcer instead.  Previously, nothing had stressed me out enough to give me an ulcer not school, the MBA program, or a plethora of other things but a colleague at work?  That gave me a pre-ulcer?  I was mad that his problems caused my physical grief. That is not acceptable. If your colleagues have issues, and they arent going away, maybe you need to treat yourself to some basic humanity, be kind to yourself, and LEAVE. The peace you get in your life can easily outweigh the hardships that kind of relationship can bring into your brain and physical well-being. I know. This is much easier to say (or write) than to actually do. But I also know some of you have been, or are, bullied at work. Maybe its time to take care of yourself, and find a work environment where you can have peace, and thrive, and love to go to work everyday. The first thing I recommend is to try to understand the personality disorder that is affecting you.  Is it a pathological liar (compulsive lying disorder) you have to work with? Is it a narcissist (who will make you think that YOU are the problem, not them)?  Is it someone who simply lacks moral integrity? Whatever the situation is that causes you stress, figure out the root cause, and then determine whether you are going to live with it, and all of the consequences that go along with that (like, what that means for your relationships outside of work), or if you are going to do something about it. I invite you to indulge in YOURSELF.  Get out of the harmful, stressful situation, and take care of YOURSELF.  Being in a hostile work environment doesnt mean the HR department has to sign off on it. HR is there to protect the company, NOT you. I knew that going to HR to complain about a hostile work environment would have only caused a lot more problems. Trust your gut, take care of yourself, and if you have to, LEAVE. If nothing else, learn about the personality so that when you have to deal with it, you are not shocked and manipulated and destroyed.  Knowledge will give you strength and empowerment. As for my bullying situation, I wish it was as easy as leaving a job, but its not.  Bullies are here to stay, and they dont just exist in school.  I can only hope this situation ends well. Understand Narcissists and other Personalities You Have to Work With (or, I am being bullied) I am being bullied. I have been for about a year. Im not in elementary school anymore, Im forty years old.  I own my own company.  But I have a bully. Having a bully sucks.  Ive been the minor victim of bad behavior over the years, but this is different.  This is constant, over time, in-your-face bullying. My bully is probably a narcissist.  Unfortunately, Ive got the opportunity to learn a lot more about narcissism (or, narcissistic personality disorder) than I ever wanted to know. What Ive learned is that narcissists are kind of complex, although they are apparently pretty easy to define.  They are the type of person who dont care about anyone else, would hurt others without knowing or caring about it, dont take any blame but are excellent at giving blame everywhere else and they just simply wouldnt believe that they are doing any of this. They definitely wouldnt agree that they are a narcissist that is too demented for them, and they are certainly not demented. Check out this article in my local paper: I AM A BULLY sign-holder calls sentence unfair.  This isnt my bully, but something in the article struck me.  This article is about a man (62 years old) in Ohio who has apparently/allegedly done some horrible things to his neighbors.  From the article, here are some things this man has done: after being annoyed at the smell coming from Prughs dryer vent when she did laundry [he] hooked up kerosene to a fan, which blew the smell onto Pughs property, called her an ethnic slur while she was holding her adopted black children, spit on her several times, regularly threw dog feces on her sons car windshield, and once smeared feces on a wheelchair ramp. What does this bully say?  He denied bullying his neighbors, and I understand my actions could have caused harm but at that time I was not really thinking about it. (that last gem was probably because the court ordered him to issue a written apology nothing as sincere as an apology you are forced to make, right?) Finally, he says:  The judge destroyed me This isnt fair at all. That, my friends, is what I would call a narcissist.  Destroy, hurt, harm, insult, and then oh, poor me, poor me. Why is this happening to me. Utterances of denial.  And more denial. Do you know anyone who is like this?  Go visit some battered womens shelters and youll meet women who are on the other end of this much too common personality disorder.  There are countless others (men and women) who are dealing with relationships with narcissists in their own, quiet, way. In my workplace I have been forced to work with people who have one disorder or another.  Working with someone who makes you confused just enough to make you think YOU are the problem.  People who are constantly surrounded by drama, misfortune or discipline, or people who leave the proverbial bodies in the wake behind them. We enjoy movies and TV series about personality disorders in a workplace.   Dwight is funny, in The Office, from the comfort of our own home.  Michael Scott is hilarious because he is an extreme that most of us dont have to face at work, but we can giggle when our boss pulls a Michael Scott.  Or the Dilbert boss, who is a complete incompetent.  George Clooney played a corporate hatchetman in Up in the Air.  Fun and exciting to watch, but do you wonder how someone who has to do that for a living can sleep well at night?  Does this person not have a soul, or a conscience? Heres what Ive learned about working with people who have harmful personality disorders: they are all over the place.  This is just life. We can be sympathetic, and we should be sympathetic. But, WE DONT HAVE TO BE AROUND IT, OR PUT UP WITH IT, OR CONTINUE AS A VICTIM. Many years ago I was involved in a business venture.  When things went south, and the person I was talking to showed his true colors, I had an awesome, empowering realization: I didnt have to be involved with this person anymore. As someone who was self-employed, I could CHOOSE whether he was in my world or not.  I know that is different if you are married to the person.  But working with someone?  You have more choice than you might think. (if you are married to this person, you have to decide how much is too much unfortunately this is impossibly hard to watch someone else do from the sidelines without wanting to scream LEAVE! LEAVE!  But the ones who do leave have a chance of having some peace in their life, and maybe even happiness.) I know, getting the narcissist out of your life might mean leaving a job.  Trust me, in some cases it might be totally worth it.  I remember a stressful work situation I was in that eventually led me to the urgent care, wondering if I was going to have a heart attack.  It turned out to be a pre-ulcer instead.  Previously, nothing had stressed me out enough to give me an ulcer not school, the MBA program, or a plethora of other things but a colleague at work?  That gave me a pre-ulcer?  I was mad that his problems caused my physical grief. That is not acceptable. If your colleagues have issues, and they arent going away, maybe you need to treat yourself to some basic humanity, be kind to yourself, and LEAVE. The peace you get in your life can easily outweigh the hardships that kind of relationship can bring into your brain and physical well-being. I know. This is much easier to say (or write) than to actually do. But I also know some of you have been, or are, bullied at work. Maybe its time to take care of yourself, and find a work environment where you can have peace, and thrive, and love to go to work everyday. The first thing I recommend is to try to understand the personality disorder that is affecting you.  Is it a pathological liar (compulsive lying disorder) you have to work with? Is it a narcissist (who will make you think that YOU are the problem, not them)?  Is it someone who simply lacks moral integrity? Whatever the situation is that causes you stress, figure out the root cause, and then determine whether you are going to live with it, and all of the consequences that go along with that (like, what that means for your relationships outside of work), or if you are going to do something about it. I invite you to indulge in YOURSELF.  Get out of the harmful, stressful situation, and take care of YOURSELF.  Being in a hostile work environment doesnt mean the HR department has to sign off on it. HR is there to protect the company, NOT you. I knew that going to HR to complain about a hostile work environment would have only caused a lot more problems. Trust your gut, take care of yourself, and if you have to, LEAVE. If nothing else, learn about the personality so that when you have to deal with it, you are not shocked and manipulated and destroyed.  Knowledge will give you strength and empowerment. As for my bullying situation, I wish it was as easy as leaving a job, but its not.  Bullies are here to stay, and they dont just exist in school.  I can only hope this situation ends well. Understand Narcissists and other Personalities You Have to Work With (or, I am being bullied) I am being bullied. I have been for about a year. Im not in elementary school anymore, Im forty years old.  I own my own company.  But I have a bully. Having a bully sucks.  Ive been the minor victim of bad behavior over the years, but this is different.  This is constant, over time, in-your-face bullying. My bully is probably a narcissist.  Unfortunately, Ive got the opportunity to learn a lot more about narcissism (or, narcissistic personality disorder) than I ever wanted to know. What Ive learned is that narcissists are kind of complex, although they are apparently pretty easy to define.  They are the type of person who dont care about anyone else, would hurt others without knowing or caring about it, dont take any blame but are excellent at giving blame everywhere else and they just simply wouldnt believe that they are doing any of this. They definitely wouldnt agree that they are a narcissist that is too demented for them, and they are certainly not demented. Check out this article in my local paper: I AM A BULLY sign-holder calls sentence unfair.  This isnt my bully, but something in the article struck me.  This article is about a man (62 years old) in Ohio who has apparently/allegedly done some horrible things to his neighbors.  From the article, here are some things this man has done: after being annoyed at the smell coming from Prughs dryer vent when she did laundry [he] hooked up kerosene to a fan, which blew the smell onto Pughs property, called her an ethnic slur while she was holding her adopted black children, spit on her several times, regularly threw dog feces on her sons car windshield, and once smeared feces on a wheelchair ramp. What does this bully say?  He denied bullying his neighbors, and I understand my actions could have caused harm but at that time I was not really thinking about it. (that last gem was probably because the court ordered him to issue a written apology nothing as sincere as an apology you are forced to make, right?) Finally, he says:  The judge destroyed me This isnt fair at all. That, my friends, is what I would call a narcissist.  Destroy, hurt, harm, insult, and then oh, poor me, poor me. Why is this happening to me. Utterances of denial.  And more denial. Do you know anyone who is like this?  Go visit some battered womens shelters and youll meet women who are on the other end of this much too common personality disorder.  There are countless others (men and women) who are dealing with relationships with narcissists in their own, quiet, way. In my workplace I have been forced to work with people who have one disorder or another.  Working with someone who makes you confused just enough to make you think YOU are the problem.  People who are constantly surrounded by drama, misfortune or discipline, or people who leave the proverbial bodies in the wake behind them. We enjoy movies and TV series about personality disorders in a workplace.   Dwight is funny, in The Office, from the comfort of our own home.  Michael Scott is hilarious because he is an extreme that most of us dont have to face at work, but we can giggle when our boss pulls a Michael Scott.  Or the Dilbert boss, who is a complete incompetent.  George Clooney played a corporate hatchetman in Up in the Air.  Fun and exciting to watch, but do you wonder how someone who has to do that for a living can sleep well at night?  Does this person not have a soul, or a conscience? Heres what Ive learned about working with people who have harmful personality disorders: they are all over the place.  This is just life. We can be sympathetic, and we should be sympathetic. But, WE DONT HAVE TO BE AROUND IT, OR PUT UP WITH IT, OR CONTINUE AS A VICTIM. Many years ago I was involved in a business venture.  When things went south, and the person I was talking to showed his true colors, I had an awesome, empowering realization: I didnt have to be involved with this person anymore. As someone who was self-employed, I could CHOOSE whether he was in my world or not.  I know that is different if you are married to the person.  But working with someone?  You have more choice than you might think. (if you are married to this person, you have to decide how much is too much unfortunately this is impossibly hard to watch someone else do from the sidelines without wanting to scream LEAVE! LEAVE!  But the ones who do leave have a chance of having some peace in their life, and maybe even happiness.) I know, getting the narcissist out of your life might mean leaving a job.  Trust me, in some cases it might be totally worth it.  I remember a stressful work situation I was in that eventually led me to the urgent care, wondering if I was going to have a heart attack.  It turned out to be a pre-ulcer instead.  Previously, nothing had stressed me out enough to give me an ulcer not school, the MBA program, or a plethora of other things but a colleague at work?  That gave me a pre-ulcer?  I was mad that his problems caused my physical grief. That is not acceptable. If your colleagues have issues, and they arent going away, maybe you need to treat yourself to some basic humanity, be kind to yourself, and LEAVE. The peace you get in your life can easily outweigh the hardships that kind of relationship can bring into your brain and physical well-being. I know. This is much easier to say (or write) than to actually do. But I also know some of you have been, or are, bullied at work. Maybe its time to take care of yourself, and find a work environment where you can have peace, and thrive, and love to go to work everyday. The first thing I recommend is to try to understand the personality disorder that is affecting you.  Is it a pathological liar (compulsive lying disorder) you have to work with? Is it a narcissist (who will make you think that YOU are the problem, not them)?  Is it someone who simply lacks moral integrity? Whatever the situation is that causes you stress, figure out the root cause, and then determine whether you are going to live with it, and all of the consequences that go along with that (like, what that means for your relationships outside of work), or if you are going to do something about it. I invite you to indulge in YOURSELF.  Get out of the harmful, stressful situation, and take care of YOURSELF.  Being in a hostile work environment doesnt mean the HR department has to sign off on it. HR is there to protect the company, NOT you. I knew that going to HR to complain about a hostile work environment would have only caused a lot more problems. Trust your gut, take care of yourself, and if you have to, LEAVE. If nothing else, learn about the personality so that when you have to deal with it, you are not shocked and manipulated and destroyed.  Knowledge will give you strength and empowerment. As for my bullying situation, I wish it was as easy as leaving a job, but its not.  Bullies are here to stay, and they dont just exist in school.  I can only hope this situation ends well.

How to Write a Tech Writing Resume?

How to Write a Tech Writing Resume?As a new hire in the IT field, you need to write a tech writing resume. In the same way, if you are a highly experienced IT professional, it is necessary for you to provide the proper information about your technical skills. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to perform this kind of work regularly.Tech writing resumes will be a boon for your career prospects. Not only it will help you land the appropriate job, but also it will be beneficial for you to interact with many people. There are a lot of people who are looking for an IT professional. If you are one of them, then just take these few steps:o Write a resume. In fact, as much as possible, get your resume right. Once you get a copy of the resume that you are going to use, always study it thoroughly before going ahead and using it.o Always include relevant skills in your resume. With regards to your resume, ensure that it includes information related to your technical expertise as wel l as those skills that you have acquired along the way.o Consider the approach that suits you best. There are a lot of strategies that you can use. A good and interesting resume is the result of the combination of different technologies and techniques.o Learn how to negotiate. By learning this technique, you can easily position yourself as an expert in the field of your expertise.o Introduce yourself properly. It is the best way to project yourself as an expert in the given field. To make sure that your resume is properly presented, it is a must that you use the technology of your own choice.Today, the idea of tech writing resume is taking the wings. With a little effort, you can be assured of landing a great job.

A Checklist for the Perfect Resume

A Checklist for the Perfect Resume Your resume can make or break your job search, so its essential that you put the time into perfecting it and making sure it represents you and your professional abilities  in the best light. Although format and design may vary between industries and personal preference, there are a few standard requirements for your resume which shouldnt really be overlooked. This checklist, courtesy of EssayMama.com  lists all of the essentials that you must include in your resume. 1) Contact info Its important that you include contact details on your resume, or how will employers get hold of you if they wish to invite you for an interview?! A postal address is not always necessary, but its a good idea to include a contact phone number and email address (a professional one keep cool_dude1000@gmail.com for your pals!) 2) Headline To start your resume, write a short statement  that outlines who you are and what you can offer. This should highlight the skills and qualities you can bring to a job, as it may determine whether the recipient reads the rest of your resume. It should be similar to your 30 second elevator pitch, explaining who you are, what you do and why you make the perfect candidate. 3) Experience One of the main purposes of your resume is to share your past work experience. List your previous roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on the last 10-15 years if your career spans longer than that. For each role you must include the name of the company you worked at,  the dates you worked there, the position you held and any responsibilities/ achievements while in that job. 4) Education When it comes to education, it is not necessary to list your entire educational history and rather that at the highest level, for example if you attended college, it is not necessary to list your high school results. When listing education you should include the degree you completed and result, the college you attended and the year you graduated. 5) Skills List any skills that you have that you feel would be relevant to the role you are applying for. 6) Extras In this section you can list any licenses/certifications/awards that you have. You may also wish to include links to your social media accounts (if you use them professionally), blog or portfolio. 7) Formatting Your resume shouldnt be too long, so keep it to 1-2 pages. A good way to format your resume  is in bullet points, as this allows employers to skim through and focus on any relevant information. By including key words within the text ATS (applicant tracking systems) will pick them up. 8) Grammar Make sure that you have proofread your resume to check for any spelling and grammatical mistakes and ask for someone else to read it through in case youve missed anything. Try to avoid using slang on your resume and use plenty of action verbs.

Writing About Me in Resume - Tips for Writers

Writing About Me in Resume - Tips for WritersWriting about me in resume is a professional skill that is in high demand in the job market. However, it has to be done with precision and accuracy in order to effectively convince a reader of your capability and experience. Here are some tips for writers on how to do just that.The first thing that you need to do before writing about me in resume is to determine what they need. This means deciding what subject matter is relevant to them and which topics they will want to see covered in the resume. For example, an employer may want to know more about a person's previous and current job. Or a potential employee may want to see examples of work experience to help make a decision about whether or not that person would be suitable for the job. Knowing the sort of information that you are looking to present to a reader will help in making sure that you are presenting the right information.Know your subject. It is important that you know what the readers of your resume are trying to learn and how much they can learn from it. If the job vacancy is for a project manager, for example, then it is important that you know more about project management, project management plans, and project managers, as these will be presented in your resume. Write about someone who knows a lot about their job and can help out others.Use short paragraphs. The first paragraph is very important for the reader and should stand out above the rest. The whole purpose of your resume is to promote your skills and experience to potential employers. Writing an introduction for your resume will help you do this.Read over your resume carefully. Now that you know what they want, now is the time to give it to them. You can skim through it, but be careful not to skip any sections that are not relevant to them. In this way, you will be able to present yourself in the best light possible, which will help you get the attention of employers.The second paragraph will consist of a question or two that you may ask the reader and a summary of the information they gave you in the first paragraph. The second paragraph is a chance to teach the reader something about you and your skills and experience, which will help them decide if you are the right person for the job. You can also add in a few qualifications or skills that you have as well, since this will help to make you look more qualified for the job.Finally, the last paragraph of your resume will serve as a personal note. A personal note is usually a short paragraph thanking the reader for reading your resume and letting them know that you are currently seeking employment. However, don't forget to include a line that says 'I hope to hear from you soon,' since this will let them know that you are looking forward to working with them and that you might have a better chance of success if you keep in touch. Also, be sure to provide a phone number and e-mail address so that you can send them a follo w up e-mail once you have found a position.Writing about me in resume can be very time consuming and quite frustrating, but it is essential to make sure that you are offering all the relevant information to the reader. For this reason, it is essential that you take the time to read through your resume carefully and learn what the readers are looking for. Remember, the second paragraph is the most important, so make sure that you are giving the reader all the information they need to know in this section.

Finding an Example of Freelance Writing Resume

Finding an Example of Freelance Writing ResumeIf you're in the position to help your friends and family understand the best way to go about finding an example of freelance writing resume to use for their next job search, this article may be for you. In this piece, we'll cover a few things that might be helping your friends/family to find the resume example they need. By the time you've finished reading this article, you'll know how to get them what they want most - a quality resume example.The first thing you should know is that anyone can get started by looking for and using an online freelance work marketplace such as Elance or Guru. It doesn't matter what type of service or skill you are looking for, these websites offer dozens upon dozens of sites to help you out.The simple reason why so many people choose to do this is because it's fast and easy. It's also quite convenient since you don't have to leave your home or computer in order to find the right freelance work.The problem i s that not all the great online sites you find on Elance or Guru are always free. Sometimes you can find a paid service with a good set of guidelines, but you'll often get ads from places that just want you to pay to get a copy of their service. This means you end up paying for something you don't want!As a general example, if you're trying to find an example of freelance writing resume to use, you will have to be careful. There are many sites that use fake resumes and make people pay in order to get the information they're looking for.So when you find a site that does have what you're looking for, be sure to read the guidelines carefully and take caution if it asks you to pay money for a freelance writing resume. Because most of these sites also have high quality free services you can use as well, you're better off if you follow the guidelines and learn as much as you can about the freelance writing resume service before deciding which one to use.In most cases, these sites offer bo th examples of freelance writing resume examples and also step-by-step guidelines for how to write a resume for yourself. By taking the time to learn the basics of these services, you will save yourself a lot of headaches later on down the road.If you do decide to use a freelance writing resume for your own, you should try to make it as helpful as possible. By learning all about each of the information fields on your own resume, you will create a professional sounding resume that will be noticed when you apply for a job.

Are you CEO of your career - Hire Imaging

Are you CEO of your career - Hire Imaging Whether you are stepping into the job market for the first time or navigating it as a seasoned worker, today you need a new set of skills to stay at the top of your game and at the top of the talent pool. I’m not referring to particular skills sets in your industry or role; I am talking about an attitude of thinking like a CEO in your job search or career. Always thinking from the angle of starting up new, of reinvesting, of staying connected . Because nothing is certain in today’s workforce â€" not for anyone. Think start-up You may work for a small non-profit, a 35-person small business or a huge global organization. It doesn’t matter. You need to think like a startup entrepreneur. I talk to people every day in career transition. Many of them are stuck in what I call, the days of the golden watch. It is extremely rare (if it exists at all) where just doing your job working for The Company will get you promoted and keep you secure. I don’t care what your industry, role or level; today you need to develop your own abilities, your own plus points, your own prospects. You shape an identity that’s yours alone. And here’s the key. It’s completely separate from your current job or company. The million-dollar question here is, Why? Because businesses that don’t invest in themselves are in serious jeopardy. Ditto for individuals.  The key to self-investment The world abounds with self-help tools to work on your weaknesses. Here’s the deal. Work on your strengths. Develop your transferable skills. Are you an effective writer? Public speaker? Financial whiz?  A talented crafter?  IT savvy? Hone these skills in a way that will be useful beyond your current job. Start small. That’s the way successful entrepreneurs do it. Speak at a Chamber event. Start a blog on Cloud computing. Offer French tutoring at your local church or community center. You try something. Then you step back and say, “This really worked; I’ll do more of it.” Or, “That did not work well; maybe I’ll try a new approach.” When you have an idea you wish to pursue, set aside one day a week. Start it as an outside project. See where it goes. The opportunities connection I just read an article that pointed to an Intelligent Office survey of over a thousand workers. Not one participant said they wanted to be a corporate executive. Instead, nearly 65 percent of respondents wanted to become entrepreneurs. How does this tie in with opportunities? People are still looking for success. The attitudes of how to get that are shifting. Not all of these people will start their own businesses. But their mindsets are moving into how that success is defined individually. The tie-in? The best opportunities tend to be things where you have an outlook with a twist. There’s a reason you see opportunities where others don’t. You’ve been laid off and your long-time printing employer is not coming back â€" swimming upstream against the Internet. You think there’s potential providing personal home services in your town â€" organizational, errands and the like. You see it because you know that the bulk of your neighborhood consists of dual-income couples working 14-hour days and spending the rest of their time carting kids to various activities. Maybe you’re staying in employee mode. My client Jean went from project coordinator at a medical device company, to a six-figure VP role. She’d always been admired for her technical skills. Her leadership skills were there but invisible. She volunteered for two difficult, high-profile projects, which she executed successfully. Now she was on the radar as a star. The recipe â€" from a CEO’s point of view â€" is to play well on what’s happening in the now, Where’s the pain or need? And what do you do well that will make it better? And how will you lead to make that happen? Don’t forget the N word Networking is more critical than ever. Keep a strong set of alliances with people, both inside and outside your company. That’s how you get the information and intelligence you need to do your job better and find new opportunities. But those connections have to be give and take. Relationships are living things; they need to be cultivated, or they die. So be helpful. It can be as simple as sending one of your contacts an article you think might interest them. And if you or someone else leaves your company, keep those contacts. Regardless of your current situation, keep these allies. Let them know you will listen and share; you have their backs. Adaptability = stability Another common mindset is “I’m unemployed, so I will now transition.” Or, “I hate my job, so I will now transition.” Reactive mode is not your friend. This world, whether you like it or not, is an adapting, evolving place. The only constant is change. And the truth is, you need to adapt and evolve with it. The irony is, adaptability is required for stability. Learning to adapt to the new career landscape is what gives you stability. Most of us want a stable, enjoyable life Then we must be adaptable. The world is certainly not going to alter for us. Never has. Think about your work from the perspective of not clinging to your job as a child would to his blanket. There’s something no one can take away from you. And that is what you do best. What you do best and love to do. Your life chapters may include starting a small company, blazing a path through corporate channels, or making a living by blogging from your back deck. But you’re the product. You’re the CEO. Create your vision. Have a plan. Go get it! Photo: ilovemypit

How Facebook Can Help Your Job Search - Hire Imaging

How Facebook Can Help Your Job Search - Hire Imaging At this writing, Facebook has 845 million monthly active members. It is fast becoming a strategy many are using in their job searches; it is not just reporting what you had for lunch or socializing with friends. When you think about it, “socializing” is a cousin to networking. The rapid exchange of information that Facebook allows has wonderful ramifications for the job seeker. In fact, LinkedIn, Facebook and other sites have dramatically changed the job search landscape. It’s interesting too, that it’s coming from both sides of the fence. An increasing number of recruiters, human resource professionals and company hiring authorities are using Facebook to find talent. Here are five ways you might use Facebook to enhance your search. I’m assuming here that you have no reservations about letting your search be known. If you are covertly searching, be cautious. Manage your profile Upload a photo of you onto your profile that looks professional. Well groomed, tidy hair, a big, natural smile. Assume that potential employers or network contacts will see you. Remove anything that distracts from your professional image. Review your “about” and other sections. Edit so that you come across as that professional someone would want to hire. Books you’re reading, causes and volunteer work, schools and experiences. And don’t forget to insert your branding. What are you known for? What sets you apart? What’s your passion, as related to what aligns with your work?   Update your profile regularly  to reflect your job search status. A bit like customizing your resume. Connect strategically You can join groups in Facebook just as you can on LinkedIn. Look for those groups of folks in your field or industry. There are thousands of different groups; some career fields have multiple Facebook groups. My client Dan used this to land a position. He joined a project management group in manufacturing. Then he was able to identify a company recruiting project managers. He found out who the hiring manager was. He found a mutual Facebook friend. With a little inside messaging, he was able to connect with that manager via email and phone; and that led to the interview (and job). Share Share with your network. Be ready to “talk” about your expertise, knowledge and passion with your network. Modify your positioning statement  Facebook style. Let them know what you want and why you’re a great candidate. If you’re actively looking and not concerned about a current employer or colleagues seeing your posts, write about what you want on your profile page’s wall. And take sharing to a level beyond what you want. Go beyond being the “like” buddy. Engage with those in your Facebook network. Share things of interest to them; have real conversations. Post ads Facebook allows you to set up an ad campaign. You can put a short ad together and link it to your bio. Then you are able to pick the demographics you want to target and your maximum spend per day. The minimum is $1. Plan the ad carefully and strategically so that you are as specific as possible to having the right people clicking through as you pay per click. It’s another way to reach out and tell folks who you are and what you want. My client, Pam posted hers with success. She designed her ad using her LinkedIn “vanity” public profile link as the ad’s destination URL, which gives the option of advertising something on Facebook. In the “Title” field, she put “Widget Company’s New Talent Find?” Then in the text body, simply, “I would love to work for Widget Company. Can you help me?” The resulting ad showed the title in bold and below that, her photo (from LinkedIn), followed by the text. Then she was the first to like it of course! I am not guaranteeing an ad will get you hired or even noticed by your target audience. But it might! And it reinforces your goals and brand! Use job search apps Facebook has some wonderful capabilities for job search with its apps. Some that clients have used or have been mentioned by colleagues include BranchOut, BeKnown, Hire My Friend, IngBoo (Facebook app), CareerBuilder Facebook App, and Inside Job. I’ll share more about these and others in future posts. Have you used Facebook to enhance your job search? I’d love to hear from you! Photo: owenbrown