Innovating to Attract the Best Talent

Innovating to Attract the Best Talent Where do you get your news fix daily? Have you ever consider working for a news organization? In the world of fake news, the trusted brand of a news organization couldnt be more important than it is today. Also with the emergence of smartphones and social media, it seems that anyone and everyone can claim to be a citizen journalist as they can easily report from the scene of any incident and share with hundreds of people within seconds. Thankfully there are some news organizations, whether its a broadcaster or newspaper, which are still trusted by many as their first and often, the only source of news. This week weve been speaking with an American global leader in this space and will learn about their approach to Employer Brand and Talent Attraction. Austin Graff is the Marketing and Acquisition Manager at The Washington Post. Have a listen to the episode below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Stitcher  or  Soundcloud. In this episode you’ll learn: • Who they are when it comes to an employer what they value • What the tagline Democracy Dies in Darkness actually represents • How theyre transforming innovating their EVP with the #washpostlife hashtag • Why diversity and inclusion is high on The Washington Posts agenda • How they changed their way in creating original content, with no extra costs You can connect with Austin here.

Should You Follow Specific Formatting When Writing Your Resume?

Should You Follow Specific Formatting When Writing Your Resume?Yes, a professional resume should always follow specific formatting. This means that your resume should follow certain standards that are designed to be easy to read and easy to type, which will make it easier for employers to look at them. The first step in following a particular format is creating a list of words that you would like to see on your resume. In this case, you should consider keywords because they will help your resume stand out among the rest.You can also consider phrases that will be easier to remember and use. They will not only help with spelling but with the overall look of your resume. If you don't want to have too many words to remember, don't use too many words as well.There is a balance between using too many words and too few words. When you are using too many words, the reader will have difficulty in reading your resume. On the other hand, if you do not have enough words to adequately address the job opening, it may just come across as an impersonal resume with no value to your employer.You should know that keywords and phrases should be used sparingly. It is not uncommon for a resume to use too many keywords or too many phrases. Although these can add some additional value to your resume, there is usually a better alternative that is found in another type of document.The resume should not be read too quickly. It is important that you sit down and write your resume over a period of time so that you get all of the necessary information across without having to rush. If you were to make a quick decision about what you needed in your resume, you may have spent time that could have been spent studying for a test. You should take your time when writing your resume to ensure that you are going to impress your employer.Don't try to cram the right amount of information into the resume. You should write it in such a way that it does not read like a sales letter. Keep it light and co nversational and let your personality shine through.When you have everything in place and the resume is all done, it is time to put it in the right format. Use a format that is easy to read and that is made for the format you are using. The best way to ensure that your resume looks good is to keep it clean and free of any marks or rough edges.Once you have your resume formatted correctly, you should consider putting it up on your own website so that others can view it as well. This will give you more exposure than if you were to put your resume up on an employment website.

Manchester Made Me From Anatomy Student to NHS Manager University of Manchester Careers Blog

Manchester Made Me From Anatomy Student to NHS Manager University of Manchester Careers Blog From Anatomy Student to NHS Manager I started at the University of Manchester in 2009 studying my dream subject: Anatomical Sciences. Back then I had my future all planned out: do a placement year with a pharmaceutical company, graduate, get a PhD, make a major scientific discovery and win a Nobel Prize (or so I liked to think!) Four years later, I’ve done one of those things: graduate. I’ve also presented to Chief Executives, saved my employer tens of thousands of pounds, improved employee satisfaction and worked on a £6billion project impacting 3 million people (I’m still waiting on the Nobel Prize though). And that’s only in my first year with the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme (GMTS). The scheme is a fast-track development programme for ambitious graduates with the potential to become senior leaders in the NHS, combining full-time work placements with postgraduate and vocational study and training. It’s considered one of the best training schemes in the UK and highly competitive: last year the scheme received 12,500 applications for 100 places. So how did I get one of places? For starters I worked hard during my three years at Manchester, and not necessarily just on my degree. I’ve always been that person who puts their hand up for everything. When I started University I realised there’s a huge range of clubs, societies and activities to get involved in and something to suit everyone. I sat on the RAG Committee, wrote for The Mancunion, worked as a Student Ambassador and was a Community Representative. I also enrolled for the Manchester Leadership Programme which had the added bonus of contributing to my degree. Not only did I have a lot of fun, but I built up a wealth of skills that I talked about in my application and interview and helped me hold my own against others who had several years of NHS work experience. I also tried to be organised with thinking about my next steps after my degree, even if they did change dramatically. Most schemes take anywhere between six months and a year to recruit, and every year thousands  miss out because they find out about these opportunities too late (this year’s NHS GMTS closes for the September 2014 intake on 9th  December 2013). I found out about the scheme towards the end of second year and spent the summer preparing my application, before going to an interview in the middle of a tea-fuelled, sleepless January exam period and completing the final assessment centre whilst finishing my dissertation. Whilst it was arguably one of the most stressful years of my life, it paid off when I was sitting my final exams and enjoying the summer knowing I had a full-time graduate job to start in September and wasn’t in limbo like a lot of my friends. The Careers Service were integral to helping me balance my studies and job applications and there is no doubt in my mind that one of the main reasons I passed the rigorous application process first time was because I used them so much they came close to evicting me. They were hugely supportive throughout the process and are highly experienced in the ins and outs of graduate scheme applications. At every stage I used the services on offer to boost my confidence- from application checking, to mock interviews and practice psychometric tests and assessment centres. On a slightly more enjoyable note, applying for graduate schemes was a legitimate use to spend time on social networking sites.   I joined Twitter when I’d exhausted all interesting Facebook activity and was looking for a new distraction from my January exams (admittedly not great timing…). Back then I was using it to tweet photos of dogs in amusing costumes, but as I started thinking about my options post-University it became the easiest way to stay up to date with the NHS, find out who the key players are and engage with others in the industry. It breaks down the traditional barriers and opens up access to all sorts of interesting people- I regularly have discussions with Chief Executives, journalists and healthcare managers all over the world which continue to help me build networks and further my knowledge. Just remember to keep it clean- employers will Twitter-stalk you so leave the photos of your night in 5thAvenue for Facebook! (Although turns out NHS managers do enjoy the occasional hilarious animal photo). _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to write for the Careers Service Blog, get in touch. We would love to hear your story and share it with students at the University of Manchester. Have a read of our  blog post or send an email to careers.blog@manchester.ac.uk for more information. All Graduate Manchester Made Me Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted careers CV graduate placement manager manchester made me my story NHS

Networking Events 101

Networking Events 101 My Twitter friend Cd, aka  @thatwoman_soho, invited me to attend a really cool  networking event at The Aon Centers Mid-America Club last week.   I was mostly excited to go just for the opportunity to meet Cd in person as I really respect her work and had talked to her online and on the phone but had not met her in person.   Therefore, I didnt think much about how to prepare for the event.   Since it has been a while since I have attended such a formal networking event (and also because I was definitely the youngest person in the room!) I wanted to share a few things that I learned from the event.   Bring more than enough business cards.   Although I wasnt the only person who ran out of cards towards the end of the event, I really regret not bringing more.   By the end of the event I was finally getting into the groove and of course that is precisiely when I ran out of cards. Practice your pitch. The people around me at the event were networking event pros.   They had practiced, revised, and memorized their carefully crafted explanations about what they do.   As a newcomer and youngin I must admit that some of the people sounded a bit too rehearsed for my liking.   At the same time, they probably sounded a lot smoother than I did at the beginning of the event. You may want to bring more than one type of business card.   This may not apply to everyone.   I am a Commercial Banker by day, and obviously a blogger by night.   Therefore, I have a bank business  card and a Ms. Career Girl card (in which Im not sure exactly what purpose it serves other than being completely ADORABLE).   I initially went there thinking I would only use my blog biz cards, but thankfully I had some of my bank cards in my purse as a lot of people were interested in connecting with me for banking purposes.   To take this lesson a step further, I wish I wouldve created a different business card and brought that instead.   Handing out two different cards which are for completley different purposes may have confused some of the people I met.   I have since created  a  new  business card for future events using 123print.com. Get ready to be judged on your appearance.   Small details matter and people at networking events arent shy about paying attention to them.   Chipped nails, gross hair, ripped nylons, or not being able to walk in your  shoes are bad news for networking events ladies.   Id even go as far as recommending that you wear something that sets you apart such as  a bright shirt, scarf or a great piece of jewelery. LISTEN.   I found myself wanting to  interrupt (the Italian in me comes out sometimes) but it was obvious that listening  made people respect me even more than talking.   People love talking about themselves, so let them. When networking with women, the best ice breakers are compliments.   Towards the end of the event, we were doing an activity in which my group happened to be 4 women and 1 man.   After a few minutes, the group separated and the women were paired off, and poor Spencer was left in the middle feeling akward.   He interupted our chatty banter and asked what he did wrong in this situation to be singled out.   We explained that we all started talking because someone complimented our suit, shoes, or jewelry and that it was not at all his fault.   This leads us to to the next lesson Its ok not to be all business.   Obviously you need to keep it professional, but having a personality is what will make people remember you and want to contact you after the event.   People do business with PEOPLE, not with companies, brands or titles.   Talking about someones kids, where you both went to college, or your love for the Cubs might be what ends up giving you a better lead than spewing off your verbal resume.

Education and Skills Required For the Job: What Is Included in the Education Section?

Education and Skills Required For the Job: What Is Included in the Education Section?Many people get intimidated when writing a good resume because they don't know what to include in the education section. If you are one of those people, then read on for some tips to help you out. There is no reason to panic because there are simple things that you can do to make your resume stand out from the crowd.First of all, you should be able to write the introduction and personal information of yourself without using the word 'curriculum vitae' or any other academic term that is not your own. If you really feel that it is necessary, then you can include that in the curriculum vitae portion of your resume, but you want to first get it right on the first go.Also, you want to talk about the things that you have done at your school. That includes the teaching experiences that you have had. You want to show your ability to communicate with students. This is the only way to show that you are good at getting students to relate to you.Third, you want to mention your interests, hobbies, and jobs that you have held such as work at your university, teaching or working at a software company. It does not matter what type of employment you had because all of them are going to be relevant to the job that you are applying for. If you had a job in an accounting department, you can mention that now.You may also mention what clubs you were involved in when you were at school. Nowadays, students are so busy that they don't have time to be in a lot of clubs so it will show. You can also mention your volunteering experiences.There is one thing that you should never include in your resume as personal information, especially if you are applying for a position in the field of human resources or customer service. This is where your medical and/or mental health history comes into play. If you are a person with a medical or mental health condition, then you need to mention it on your resume.The edu cation section should also not be left out. It is one of the most important sections on a resume. Make sure that you have a good description of what school you graduated from and who your teachers were.When writing a good resume, you want to always take your time to put everything in the right order. It is okay to skip some sections but keep your resume to a minimum. Make sure that you are covering all the bases before moving on to the next section.

Employers Place Substantial Value on the Soft Skills of Young Professionals CareerMetis.com

Employers Place Substantial Value on the Soft Skills of Young Professionals â€" CareerMetis.com Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comA recent study by education charity Central YMCA which surveyed senior managers at over 200 businesses, revealed that UK employers value more than just work-related skills in young people coming out of the education system and into the workplace.According to the study, alongside valuing someone who is well-travelled and has experiences of other cultures, the top three non-work related qualities employers look for most when hiring young people are:Learning new skills Commenting on the study, Rosi Prescott, chief executive of Central YMCA, said:“It has become evident that there is a soft skills gap which needs plugging â€" most employers are reporting that young people lack basic soft skills such as punctuality and appropriate mobile phone usage.But, with employers recognising the enthusiastic can-do attitudes of the vast majority of the young people in the UK, we’re hopeful that this can be harnessed to bring their soft-skills up to scratch.”Prescott e xplained: “It could be argued that the findings of the survey have proven that it’s your CV that gets you the interview but it’s your personality, and life experience, that gets you the job.”A Millennial Branding reportrevealed that 92% of employers value strong teamwork skills. This can be displayed through communicating and helping fellow colleagues.It is not enough to simply show up to work and get your work done, and if you believe putting earphones in and getting on with it will make you look conscientious, it is simply not good for morale and will only serve to make you look like you are only concerned with number one.Bring something to your team, and get involved with coaching co-workers when they need help or come into a project mid-way through.The Millennial Branding survey also revealed that 43% of employers want to hire employees who are a good cultural fit within their business. This is often measured on how well a candidates values match up with their hiring man agers.If the employer enjoys a balance between work and fun, yet has strong opinions on over-usage of mobile phones in work, this kind of value set can be an important factor in the hiring process.evalOn top of these mentioned desirability’s, other soft skills that employers are seeking include:Being flexible and focusedBeing creative and innovativeDeveloping new work processesTaking initiativeSolving problemsBeing dependableVoicing opinions while being open to feedbackOnly one in ten respondents in the research believed that young people enter the workplace fully equipped with the necessary soft skills, and the YMCA charity now warns that the education system needs to put more focus on soft-skills and personal development, rather than prioritising technical skills.It has been highlighted in the news recently that students should take time to find a job after university, and might need down time after their finals and take time to consider their options.Graduates may have a better chance of learning valuable soft skills before pursuing their carer if they either travel, volunteer, or engage in temporary or non-graduate work before finding something permanent.

Executive Job Search Top Mistake #3 of 6 Crappy Preparation

Executive Job Search Top Mistake #3 of 6 â€" Crappy Preparation Executive Job Search Top Mistake #3 of 6 â€" Crappy Preparation Executives, you have so many skills and experiences, but your preparation for networking, applying and interviewing are, well, pathetic. And, even though the internet makes preparation so much easier than before, preparation skills have gotten worse! After 30+ years in Fortune 500s and, most recently, interviewing and coaching thousands of executives, you can stand out just by doing better homework than the next candidate. About this series of job tip mistakes: On the positive side, there are so many job search tips available to you, both on my site and others. However, sometimes, seeing yourself in the mirror of major barriers can help you more. So, in the spirit of helping you get a job you want even quicker, let’s hit the major mistakes head-on. Here are some real examples of “crappy preparation”: During an HR or recruiter screening: They ask you what you know about the company and you say “Not much” or “Well, there is so much on the internet but I didn’t know what to read in particular until we spoke.” The listener hears: “I didn’t do any research on your company.” During a networking event, the association president asks you “Why are you interested in the XYZ Company?” and you respond “because I think they can use my help, leveraging my skills in finance.” The president hears: “I think I’m just that good and any company should hire me and win.” During a phone interview: “Can you tell me why you are the best candidate for this job?” You reply with a litany of facts from your resume, hoping that the sheer volume of experiences will “wow” the interview to the point that they will say “HIRED” at the end of your monologue. The interviewer hears “I didn’t read your job description or compare my skills with what you need. This is all about me, the candidate.” You can imagine what a face-to-face interview sounds like. It gets worse. There are so many more, but more helpful might be to share the three main categories of preparation you must do during the job search process: How to do research: Take notes! Organize what you learn into categories and write short bullet-points that help you remember key concepts. When to do research: Prepare before every “event”, regardless of how small and event: phone screen, phone interview, informational networking meeting, through interview. What to research: (3 types of content, minimally) The company, the division, competitors, market, recent speeches, and recent news. People: Try to find out the names of the people you are about to meet with. Read their profile on LinkedIn or other social networking profiles, search for anything theyve written professionally. You vs. the Job. Prepare a brilliant answer to “Why are you the best candidate for this job?” OR, if the question is not asked, be prepared to leave the top 3 reasons why you are the best candidate in the closing section and any follow up e-mails. To do this, you need to study the job description, and be able to, concisely, state your value to THEM. They are the customer, you are the product. Executives, Cut the Crap, Get a Job! You can win the job you want if you are prepared and can show why you are the best fit for THEIR position. Good luck!

What to do if you lose your job -

What to do if you lose your job - Today, Im happy to share another guest post from my business partner, Hallie Crawford. Do you know you need a career change, but you arent sure what path to take? Hallie specializes in helping recent college grads and boomerangs identify their ideal career paths and make it happen. By Hallie Crawford If youre like me, you hate turning on the morning news these days because of all the doom and gloom with the economy. Theres no doubt about it. The world is a scary place right now. And for many of us, what is especially unnerving is the way the unemployment rate continues to rise. If you are one of those fearful of losing your job or if you have already joined the unemployment line I urge you to maintain a positive attitude. Worrying wont help and, in fact, may create even more problems. Having been through the experience of not having a job, Id like to offer some tips to help you through this unsettling time: Dont panic. Fear and anxiety are natural, but if you allow these emotions to control your thinking, you wont be able to make good decisions about what youre going to do next. Surround yourself with optimistic, supportive people. Misery may love company, but this is not the time to commiserate. You need to remain focused, positive, and inspired. Create a job-hunting schedule. This is an extremely important step because it will keep your mind focused so you dont get depressed. Immediately start looking into websites like CareerBuilder or Monster for an overview of whats out there. Next, do some targeted searches specific to your industry on sites that cater to your area of expertise. Start networking. Networking is still the best way to get a job. Spread the word that you are in job search mode among your friends, family, former co-workers anyone that you know who could help with your job search.   Dig up names from internships or summer jobs and reach out to those people. Join online networking groups (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.). Consider an interim job. It will get you out of the house, boost your morale, and offer some temporary financial assistance. Temporary agencies often have positions that can lead to permanent employment. Look at your situation as an opportunity. If you have ever felt unsatisfied or unfilled in your work, this could be the Universe nudging you to find the job you love! Id suggest the first thing you do when you lose your job is to get some great career search advice. Save time and money I can help you propel your search!    photo by rhys jones photography