Google Profiles Whats the Buzz all About

Google Profiles What’s the Buzz all About UPDATE: Google Profiles are now part of  Google+. With the big announcement of Google Buzz, your Google profile has suddenly become very important. I know what you’re thinking: “What, another profile?” Yes my friends, another profile indeed. And a profile you cannot afford to ignore as it’s from Google itself. Having a properly filled out  Google Profile will SEO-boost your name and help you get found via organic searches. Personal branding is all about staking your claim online and this one is critical. Use Google Profiles as your portal The folks at Google are a pretty clever bunch. They know that we are on tonnes of different platforms already and they have kept it simple. You can fill in as little or as much as you like. You can add your other social networking profiles as clickable links on our Google profile. This means that instead of starting from scratch, you are able to send visitors to different corners of the web where you are mentioned. One could say that your Google profile serves as a personal website, only much simpler and actually much better optimized for search engines. For jobseekers Use your Google Profile to link to your online resume/CV, to your blog, to any relevant personal branding tools that will put you in good stead in the eyes of an employer. Make sure you put all your industry buzzwords in the description so that you will come up on recruiter searches. If you have an effective Linkedin profile, you can copy the summary and specialties section. For recruiters Link your profile to your company, any relevant sites that you recommend to candidates as well as your Linkedin page and blog if you have one. Again, fill up on buzzwords so potential clients and candidates can find you through searching. What’s this Google Buzz I’ve been hearing about Buzz is Google’s answer to Twitter and Facebook status updates. It’s easily switched on from your Gmail account, and it’s going to be huge as 175 million people use Gmail already. Compare that to Linkedin who “only” have 60 million users. Google profiles and Google Buzz are integrated nicely on your profile so that your visitors can see what you have been buzzing. Compare the Buzz page to your Facebook wall. Although Buzz is only in its cradle, its fair to say that it will become a serious contender to the big troika that consists of Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

Identifying Authentic Brands 10 Signs to Watch For - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Identifying Authentic Brands 10 Signs to Watch For - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is one sign or aspect you look for when determining if another brand is authentic? These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs.YECmembers represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more atyec.co. 1. Social Proof The number one thing I look for when analyzing whether or not a business is authentic is their social proof. I check their content to see if people are sharing their blog posts online. I dig in and check their social media mentions to see how customers are engaging with the brand. Ive been able to determine that some websites were total scams with this method. Blair Williams,MemberPress 2. Shared Struggles An authentic brand is not one that only talks about their accomplishments, but one that admits their mistakes and shares their hardships as well. A brand that shares their struggles with their audience is open and honest. Some brands tend to be wary about sharing their struggles, but sharing shows that there are real people behind the brand, which helps form a better connection with the audience. Stephanie Wells,Formidable Forms 3. Customer Reviews I love the fact that there are so many people online today. Everyone is more than willing to share their opinion on a product or service, regardless of whether they have 20 followers or 2 million followers. I always make sure to check reviews on the company from websites and social media personalities to see how their experience was with the brand. Syed Balkhi,WPBeginner 4. Team Photos When Im evaluating a company I always read their About Us page and look for a photo of their team. A photo is a great way to read the energy of the company and see if how they operate on the inside matches what theyre portraying on the outside. Laura Roeder,MeetEdgar.com 5. Value the Opinions of Their Customers An authentic brand truly values the opinion of their customers. Not only do they ask their customers for their thoughts and opinions and listen to them, but they also put those thoughts and opinions into action. A brand that asks for their customers opinions is not only benefiting by getting actionable insights, but making their customers feel important, as well as showing they want to continue to improve. John Turner,SeedProd LLC 6. Look at Terms, Conditions and Privacy Policies I always check the websites terms and conditions and privacy policy pages to ensure the language and policies are legitimate. If I see something thats suspicious or outright odd, then I will not do business with the company. Kristin Kimberly Marquet,Fem Founder 7. A Visible Founder Authenticity is a very strong core value when it comes to companies and that comes from the founder or the CEO. Do some research on them personally and see what theyre like. The best way would be to see an interview, an article about their story or a podcast theyre on. In most cases, youll get an idea of whether theyre authentic or not within a couple of minutes. Karl Kangur,MRR Media 8. Audience Engagement To see how authentic a brands following is, check out their audience engagement. While it may look like a brand has millions of followers, see how many people actually like, share and comment on their social media posts. What kinds of comments are they receiving? When theres a negative comment, how do they respond to it and address it? These are all important indicators of authenticity. Rachel Beider,PRESS Modern Massage 9. A Professional Image Proper grammar, clean layout, bug-free UX, clear CTAs and other attributes of a professional online presence build brand authenticity and trust. When I see a spelling mistake or pixelated image, credibility goes out the door. While moving fast is important, that doesnt mean theres no time for attention to detail. Increase authenticity and trust to see an increase in conversions and adoption. Colton Gardner,Neighbor 10. Transparency According to Brene Brown, authenticity is the ability to let ourselves be seen for who we are. Brand authenticity is no different. When a brand is transparent about what they are working on, the value they hope to provide and the areas they fall short, they are being authentic. If, on the other hand, their language is vague and confusing, or solely promotional, they are not to be trusted. Reuben Yonatan,GetVoIP

3 Tips for Getting Your Kids Excited About Learning

3 Tips for Getting Your Kids Excited About Learning Most parents want to see their children engage more and more deeply with the world around them the older they get. But helping them get excited about learning can be difficult, especially with all of the entertainments and distractions that are part and parcel with modern life. If you want your children to become more curious and inquisitive about the world, here are three things you can do to get them excited about learning. Encourage Them to Follow Their Passions Most children are interested in something, and the best thing you can do to help foster an interest in learning is meet them where they are and help them cultivate the passions they already have. For example, computer games and e-sports have taken over the entertainment industry to become one of the biggest businesses in the world, and while many parents might be sceptical about computer games, instead of trying to curb a child’s interest in these pastimes, it can be more helpful to work with the interest rather than against it. Finding ways to build off a passion for games to encourage your child to become interested in coding or design is a great way to make a link between concrete skills they are learning in school and the things they like to do for fun. Conquer Learning Anxiety In some cases, the biggest hurdle to overcome if you want to get your child excited about learning is fear. When children are confronted with challenging new material that they don’t understand, it can feel overwhelming, and it is not uncommon for children to sometimes respond by developing phobias or anxiety related to things like math or reading. If you want to know how to overcome math anxiety in your child, one thing you can do is look into hiring a math tutor who can help them wrestle with challenging concepts and material on their own time, in a safe and non-judgemental atmosphere. Not only will this help them become more proficient in math, it will also help them build the confidence that is essential for life-long learning. Broaden their Horizons If you spend a lot of time talking to other parents, you’ve probably heard someone complain at one point or another that their son or daughter simply isn’t interested in anything. Lack of curiosity can be one of the most difficult challenges to overcome when parenting, and defeating incuriosity is important if you want your child to develop a love of learning. One of the most effective ways to stimulate curiosity in your child is by exposing them to new experiences and ideas. There is no magic formula for finding what will spark the fire of interest in your child, but ensuring that your child is regularly encountering new hobbies, books, and kinds of play is a great place to start. Children who are excited to learn are children who will continue to learn throughout their lives. Children who are passionate about learning will grow into adults who have the curiosity, understanding, and practical abilities that are highly valued in the fluid, knowledge driven economy of the twenty-first century. For this reason, helping your child deepen and follow their passions, overcome learning anxiety, and broadening their learning horizons are an essential part of preparing your children for productive, rewarding, and successful lives.

Why Does the Tech Industry have a Gender Problem

Why Does the Tech Industry have a Gender Problem The UK’s tech industry currently employs over one million people and, in 2018, was worth £184 billion to the UK. However, even though the technology sector is growing substantially, it’s still dealing with an age-old problem: a lack of gender diversity. The UK ranks third in the world total for capital invested in tech companies, with it being predicted that investment will increase over the next decade. Additionally, the UK tech sector is growing 2.6 times faster than the overall UK economy. However, women currently account for only 19% of those working in the industry. Women are also underrepresented at all levels, more so in senior management, where they make up just 12.6% of board members. Along with this gender divide, the industry is faced with sector-specific skill gaps, with over 70% of tech employers having experienced skills shortages this year alone. Almost one-quarter of these expect the skills shortage to impact on their recruitment. Grant Dove, IT Recruitment Lead at Forward Role, said: With the digital skills shortage and strong industry growth, it’s now more important than ever to address the industry’s gender imbalance if we want to continue to grow, innovate and evolve. We all have to work hard to encourage more diversity and grow our industry into one that we can be really proud of as it changes and evolves. There will be many barriers to overcome in the next few years, but the future looks bright for women in tech. Forward Role has taken a deep dive to find out the true extent of the gender divide in the technology sector and has spoken to a variety of women about their experience of the tech industry and ask the question “why does the tech industry have a gender problem?” Education Level Disparity Employment isn’t where the tech gender divide begins it stems back to the education level which proves that there needs to be more done to encourage girls to take interest in tech subjects. Even though the split between girls and boys opting for apprenticeships is fairly even, girls typically lean more towards sectors like learning support, human resources and health and social care instead of more male-dominated industries such as computer science and technology. To help tackle this issue, UnionLearn has suggested that apprenticeships should be promoted as an option for all by schools, challenging gender stereotyping from an early stage: There should be more targeted support and careers guidance for young women from school age upwards There should be more taster courses and work experience for young people before they decide on their chosen apprenticeship There should be more visits for young women to male-dominated workplaces The issue doesn’t just lie with high school education: the odds are stacked against women in university as well, with computer science having 13,085 more male students than female. This education divide often happens at an earlier age than university or even apprenticeship level girls only make up 20% of those taking computer science at GCSE level. Talent and Skills Manager at Manchester Digital, Emma Grant, heads up an initiative set up to inspire women and girls to explore the careers available in the tech sector, known as DigitalHer. She said: “Diversity is good for business and good for the wider society. One of the ways we can help make a change in the tech industry is by inspiring and empowering more young women to consider careers in technology â€" which is the reason Manchester Digital created its Digital Her program. It’s essential we enable young women to make informed decisions about the subject choices and education pathways that could allow them to develop the skills and mindsets they need to succeed in our industry.” Current challenges The industry is currently taking steps to improve the representation of women. In fact, plans to increase women’s participation in the ICT sectors have been outlined by the European Commission to further increase representation. However, there are still huge barriers facing women once they break into the industry. Men outnumber women by a minimum of three to one in 53% of tech organisations, and the gender pay gap has stagnated in recent years. So why is this happening, and how can we take steps to improve? Business conception and funding AllBright recently conducted a survey that showed male investors overlook 22% of female tech founders. Co-Founder of hypnotherapy app Clementine, Annie Ridout, has experienced this first hand: Weve built a community of 60,000 women, we were voted one of the seven apps every woman should own by the Guardian, we have been App of the Day in the App Store twice and have been featured in Forbes, Stylist, the Sun, and The Telegraph. But an issue were facing is securing investment. Weve spoken to VC firms and angel investors. Weve tried to join accelerator programmes. And were finding that the inflexibility of these programmes excludes us. As mothers, we dont always work the conventional 9-5. We work the same hours, but in less conventional time slots (evenings, mornings, weekends, nap-times), and there doesnt seem to be space for this. We feel that were at a disadvantage as female founders. We know that women only receive 2% of all investment and this means were starting out with lower hopes.” This is an issue that many women in the tech industry face. This means fewer women in senior manager and ownership roles in digital and tech, which leads to less representation and leads to the industry becoming stuck in a vicious circle. Rosie Bennett, Centre Director at SETsquared, a tech business incubator based in the University of Bath’s Innovation Centre, is helping to devise a strategy to attract more female candidates. The incubator is working with organizations such as WISE and Girls Who Code, encouraging more gender-balanced management teams, and trying more targeted recruitment campaigns. And, with a 6% increase in the number of applications from women in the last 12 months, the strategy is proving successful. Representation Psychologist Business Coach, Katie Woodland, has extensive experience coaching women in tech and has noticed that there is a lack of representation: “Across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, business influencers are heavily weighted towards men. That is not to say there are no women, they’re just very underrepresented at the top.” Industry-wide and panel events also don’t offer a representation of women in expert and leadership roles but strides are being made to even this out. Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, is actively trying to raise awareness on gender balanced panels and public events. She only participates in panels that include at least one other woman and has initiated the No Women No Panel Campaign. Societal values During her time coaching, Katie has also noticed women dealing with particular societal values placed on them. “From my own personal experience as a business owner and through my experience working with others, one of the key reasons for the gender difference is the traditional societal gender model. The men I helped would be able to carve out 16-17 hours in a day and fully dedicate their time to building a business, learning what they needed to and not worrying about fulfilling any other role within the home. “The women, however, would try to carve time out in their days but still have to manage the kids to and from school, clean the house, make the dinner and spend time with their partners so that they didn’t feel neglected. This resulted in women having around 50% less time available to them [to develop their business] in the day.” 44% of Europeans believe women should focus on taking care of their homes and families, and this number jumps up to 70% in one-third of those countries. Many women have the difficult job of balancing family life with a career, a decision which men often don’t have to make. In many cases, this leads to women taking time out of work, less pressured roles, or part-time hours, leading to less representation. This doesnt mean that the world of work isnt changing though; areas of technology are now helping to close the gender divide faster than ever before. Offering greater flexibility to work from home, having more control over their working hours, and having the chance to become an entrepreneur are all ways to encourage more women to be digitally fluent. Doing this will have a huge impact on the workforce of the future. What does the future look like? Mariya Gabriel is actively encouraging more women to participate in the tech sector and has highlighted three areas that will increase the participation of women in the digital sector: Challenging stereotypes Promoting skills and education Advocating for more women entrepreneurs More women in tech is great for everyone, which is why steps are being made to make the industry more inclusive for everyone. A Women in Digital Age study conducted by the European Union highlights that more women in tech would mean: An annual €16 billion GDP boost in the EU Improvements in the start-up environment (research shows that female-owned start-ups are more likely to be successful) Benefits to businesses as it’s been proven that diversity at inception leads to better products and services Mariya Gabriel said: Europe’s future will be digital and it is in our hands to make it inclusive. Women and girls cannot be left out of the digital transformation of our economy and our society.” Jacqui Bland, a Software Engineering Manager from Broadstone Engage, also thinks that the future looks bright, thanks to the ongoing support of male members of the community. “Theres no doubt that we need more women in tech. Getting into any male-dominated industry can be daunting for a woman, but the tech community is becoming increasingly aware of the gender gap. In my experience, there are more men than ever before that are choosing to be advocates for more women in tech.” Undoubtedly, there are still a number of issues that need to be resolved within the tech industry. But, due to new initiatives and strong role models being put in place, progress has been made. Within the next few years, we should begin to see the gender divide reduce in the tech industries, leading to a better environment for all. About the author. Emma Melling is a CRM and Marketing Recruitment Consultant at Forward Role. She has worked in Marketing Recruitment for the last two years. After university, she worked in Retail Management but with lack of weekends and social life, she decided to move on and started her career in recruitment! Shes still stuck to her roots and now focus on B2C Marketing roles and work with brilliant candidates from Graduate to Senior Management level.

7 Key Characteristics to Job Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction - Career Pivot

7 Key Characteristics to Job Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction - Career Pivot Do you love or hate your job? Do you know why you feel the way you do? What about your current job, makes you happy or makes you want to pull your hair out? Let’s discuss 7 key characteristics of your current job. 1. Boss The number one reason people leave their jobs is the boss. Do you like your current boss? If so, what is it that makes them a good boss? If your current boss is a pain, what is it that they do that annoys you? Think back to when you had an ideal boss. What were their characteristics? 2. Rewards Do you feel valued at work? What do they do to make you feel valued? Most of us want some combination of the following: Fulfilling Mission Public Recognition Financial reward Pat on the back from the boss Pat on the back from your team Pat on the back from your client Most of us want a combination of two or three of these. What is it that you want? 3. Team Do you enjoy your current team? If so, what are the characteristics of the group? How would you describe a team that you have really enjoyed? 4. Variety Do you like to juggle? Do you enjoy a varied schedule? You may be like me who enjoys doing one thing at a time and does not like to be interrupted. Listen to the most recent episode How much variety do you need? 5. Structure and rules Do you like when there are clearly defined ways to do things? If so, who created the structure? On the other hand, do you enjoy ambiguity? Do you like to make things up as you go? What happens when your boss comes into your office with a detailed list of how to do things and expects you to execute it in exactly that manner? 6. Activity How much activity do you need in your day? If you are like me, I cannot sit behind a desk for more than 45 minutes at a time. When I made a mid-career pivot to teach high school math in an inner city school, I was fine being on my feet all day. On the contrary, I had members of my certification cohort who were dying from being on their feet all day! My activity level was different than theirs. 7. Emotions Do you need an emotionally supportive environment? I have had a couple of male clients respond with “huh?” Yes, many of us guys are pretty low empathy and do not want a very emotional environment. What about you? Do you like to be able to express your feelings at work? I have a client who is a former flight attendant. She talks about the high emotional component in the “back of the plane.” However, she preferred the low emotional component in the front of the plane with the pilots! Likely, there will be 3-4 of these characteristics that are more important than the others. Which ones are key for you? Here is a free career reflection worksheet to help you document these characteristics! No registration required. Whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied with your current job, take the time to understand why! This may take awhile, but when you are done, you will have a filter that will help you identify the work environment that is right for you! Does this sound interesting? Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Is Your Resume Meeting the Employers Need

Is Your Resume Meeting the Employers Need If you are going to take the time to send your resume to an employer, you have to take the time to adjust it to the specific requirements of the job posting.   Please! My Nightmare  Reviewing Bad Resumes I posted two jobs and have been so dismayed, confused, disappointed, even angry by what Ive received.   I skimmed through the resumes, sometimes 3 pages, searching for  a reason why this person would be a good match for the job.   In most cases, I couldnt  figure it out. Why would a physical fitness coach for a high school be a good admin?   Why would an electrical engineer make a good trainer?   I dont know, because they never told me. One job posting requested Excel skills.   I  seldom saw any concrete evidence in the bullets under their work history that these applicants had ever used it.   Sure,  some resumes listed  Excel under Computer Skills, but that was all.   Under the job, I didnt see the proof or specific examples of demonstrated skills. The other pet-peeve is that both postings asked for a cover letter.   I wanted to see one.   About 3/4 of the applicants followed that instruction.   And of those 3/4, only a couple resumes were memorable enough to put on the top of the stack.   None of them mentioned why they would be interested in working for the company or project stated in the posting.   So sad. Let me be clear: I am not looking for a perfect format. I am looking for the right demonstrated experience. I dont want to figure out why someone is interested in the job, I want them to tell me. (connect the dots for the reader) I dont have time to pick up the phone and ask them questions about their experience, there are too many resumes and not enough time. Everyone who reviews resumes  has a different set of preferences, but in the long run, they all want to know the same thing, why is this person interested and qualified for the job? I am not a resume writer. In fact, I despise resumes. However, you do need to know how to write a good one. There is lots of help out there. Go learn how to write a resume. Here are some posts that might help you. 3 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out How to Tweak Your Resume Resume Critique What About the Cover Letter? THE reason to use a Chronological Resume Format

Tips on How to Write Your Resume and Cover Letter

Tips on How to Write Your Resume and Cover LetterWhat follows is a few tips on how to write your resume and cover letter, which should be used in tandem with each other. Follow these tips carefully, and you will get the job of your dreams within no time at all.First off, let's start with the letter itself. If you have any relevant experience in a previous job or position, include it in your resume, or try to re-enact it by including it in your cover letter. It does not matter what position you are applying for - if you have relevant experience, it should be included.In your resume, make sure you mention at least three important achievements in the past that you think will be of help in the job you are applying for. For example, if you worked in a 'job that caters to people who like college sports', you should mention this in your resume.Next, give the reader some relevant work experience. When writing your cover letter, try to include as much information about your past job or positi on as possible. For example, if you worked for 'the best restaurants in town', include a short biography about yourself, including tips about the restaurant you worked for.Finally, make sure to mention any significant achievements that come from outside your current job. For example, if you won an award or medal from a job that is quite recent, mention it. Also, mention any awards that you may have received in your own career.These are some tips on how to write your resume and cover letter when writing your resume and cover letter. You have to make sure that the information you provide is relevant to the job you are applying for. The same goes for the information you choose to include in your resume.Make sure that your achievements are not self-serving, because if your cover letter states that you were the 'winner' of a job that was only six months old, the reader will assume that you got the job simply because you were the most qualified candidate. Again, it does not matter what th e position is - just make sure that the person reading your resume and cover letter will see that you have the necessary skills. That means taking some initiative and giving information that is useful to the job you are applying for.If you have written a resume and cover letter, follow these tips on how to write your resume and cover letter and ensure that your resume stands out from the rest. You should aim to get a job after you apply for it.