Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Effective Communication Skills Resume Writing
Effective Communication Skills Resume WritingA person's communications skills can make or break a job interview. A lot of prospective employers will use good written communication skills resume as a pre-screening questionnaire. If you meet the qualifications and do well on the interview, you are rewarded with an offer.The concept of communication skills is not new. We have been using this language since the Renaissance. This has been the most effective way of getting past a number of personality tests, on the grounds that employers can put their trust in your reputation when you prove yourself by your written communications skills.When you get into a team situation, particularly a job interview, having bad communication skills can create a perception that you are uncaring, unmotivated, not dependable, unfriendly, untrustworthy, hostile and unfeeling. This is a clear indication that you are a person who may not be willing to share information with those around you. On the other hand, having a really good communication skills could also open up opportunities in areas such as finance, law, accounting, and some careers such as teaching and coaching. Of course, all of these employments require a great deal of experience.Here are a few tips to help you in writing a great communication skills resume. Start with some basic info about yourself. Include a few important things such as your name, your telephone number, and the names of your parents and brothers and sisters. Describe in detail how you will relate to the interviewer. Tell them what you are looking for in a career, and mention any achievements, interest areas, or interests in past careers.As you continue to write, you might want to try to write some of your best paragraphs using your communications skills. You will find it much easier to convey yourself in writing as you are being proactive, rather than having to hide behind canned phrases such as, 'I am a great communicator.' Express yourself as you would na turally, and follow up with an interesting anecdote.If you like to paint, then you will be able to communicate your ideas through painting. You will also be able to express your feelings and emotions through painting. Just make sure that you go along with the format of the painting and do not pick a random subject or style. Also, keep the subject matter relatable to your field of expertise.In conclusion, a person with good communication skills will be seen as an expert in his or her particular field. People who are excellent communicators know how to craft persuasive messages and will also be able to put themselves in the shoes of the audience. They will also have the ability to empathize with the potential employer, and their ability to relate to the employer's needs and interests is just one of the very few reasons that they will have a positive rapport with the employer. If you have the ability to communicate well, the rest of your resume writing job interview skills will become so much easier.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
How To Separate Your Personal and Business Finances (And Why You Need To)
How To Separate Your Personal and Business Finances (And Why You Need To) How To Separate Your Personal and Business Finances (And Why You Need To) Itâs not always easy to keep your personal finances separate from your side hustle or small business. But separate you must, otherwise youâll have no way of knowing if your business is profitable. Thereâs also the potential to make mistakes. Fortunately, there are several ways to keep your personal finances separate from your business. Most are pretty simple, and you can set them up once and then go about your life. Apply for an employer ID number (EIN) This is probably the simplest way to keep your personal finances separate from your business expenses. You can set up an EIN on the IRS website in a matter of minutes. You can then use the EIN as your official identification number for business purposes. Your Social Security number can then be reserved for personal matters. This isnât just a matter of convenience either. An EIN is one of the best ways to protect your identity. Thatâs because you will be giving out your EIN number for business purposes, rather than exposing your Social Security number. Anytime someone has your Social Security number, the potential for identity theft opens up. (Sadly, most identity theft is an âinside jobâ. Its perpetrated by people with whom you willingly share your information.) Instead of providing your Social Security number to a client, customer, or vendor, you can give them the EIN instead. It canât be used for malicious purposes to anywhere near the level that your Social Security number can. Set up a Corporation or an LLC A Corporation or LLC effectively establishes your business as a separate legal entity. That will create a recognized separation between you and your business. In addition to creating an entirely unique corporate identity, incorporation also enables you to file your business income tax separate from your personal income tax. And naturally, either business form provides a strong measure of legal protection. In the event someone sues your business, your personal assets will be held separately. Thereâs also the convenience of identification. Since the business entity will have its own corporate name, you and anyone associated with your business will know immediately that a particular transaction is related specifically to the business. Set up a business bank account A business bank account is probably the most effective way to keep your personal finances separate from your side hustle or small business. You conduct all business transactions through the business bank account. Your personal account will then be strictly for personal financial activity. A business bank account will also help to prevent unintended transactions. It will make it less likely that you will use too much money to pay personal expenses, and leave your business short on cash. But the bigger advantage is developing the ability to clearly see the activity in your business. Since the business bank account will be the destination of incoming receipts, and the source of most of your business payments, it will represent an ongoing record of business activity. That will make it much easier to prepare financial statements or file a tax return, or even simply to monitor the profitability of your business. Set up a dedicated space for your business One of the best ways to keep your personal finances separate from your side hustle or small business is to literally create a separate physical space for your business. This can be an office or shop. If you canât afford to go that route, you might be able to sublet space for less money. The idea is to create a separate place where your business operates, that way you will avoid spillover from your personal life. It sounds simplistic, but sometimes the best way to create separation is the most obvious. Operating a dedicated business space will help you accomplish that. It literally prevents financial information from mixing with business, and vice versa. Itâs also good for concentration purposes, since it will be a space reserved specifically for business. Set up separate file storage for your business If you canât afford to cover the cost of a dedicated business space just yet, the next best solution is to create a distinct business filing system. Even in the cyber age, businesses accumulate a significant amount of paper documents. Co-mingling them with personal documents can be a certified nightmare. You should have a storage space specifically for business documentation. It should go without saying that all business documentation and media should be stored in a safe place, under lock and key. Business documents hold a higher security risk, since it often includes identifying information for customers and clients. Casual handling of it could result in costly legal situations. Get a business credit card Having a business, or even a side hustle, often comes with the need to engage in a large number of routine transactions. It will be beneficial to have a business credit card. This will be an invaluable tool for your business from a financial standpoint, but it will also be instrumental in keeping your business activity separate from your personal. The ideal situation would be to have a credit card thatâs in the name of your business. That would enable you to maintain complete separation. But if your business isnât sufficiently well-established to warrant a credit card from a bank, the next best step is to have a personal credit card thatâs dedicated solely to business purposes. The credit card will enable you to maintain an additional account for business spending. This will come in handy for tax purposes. Since the dedicated credit card will only have business activity on it, a year-end summary may be all you need to account for business transactions. A business credit card can also be a major advantage in protecting yourself from identity theft. If the card is in the name of the business, a thief will not be able to access your personal information through the card. Summary Keeping your personal finances separate from your side hustle or small business does require extra steps. But most of those steps are a one-time event â" you set them up, and then go about your business. Once you do, tracking business income and expenses will become much easier. And so will preparing your taxes. Itâs worth investing some extra time and effort into creating that separation. Read more Inc., LLC, or Sole Proprietorship? A Quick Guide to Business Structures for Young Entrepreneurs Side Income: Is It a Hobby or a Business?
Friday, April 10, 2020
7 Common Job Search Mistakes That Are Keeping You From Getting Hired - Work It Daily
7 Common Job Search Mistakes That Are Keeping You From Getting Hired - Work It Daily A job search consists of a lot of moving parts and pieces, with a lot of opportunities for mistakes. However, these seven mistakes will keep you from getting interviews and job offersâ"and they are commonly made by a lot of job seekers. Related: 4 Mistakes To Avoid A Derail In Your Job Search Mistake #1 â" Waiting Until? Job searching is toughâ"no question. Even in a âgoodâ job search, you feel uncertainty, pressure, and rejection. Itâs always going to be tempting to say, âI need to tweak my resume a little more,â or âIâll call them tomorrow/Monday/after the holidaysâ, but thereâs no benefit to waiting (unless you want to stay unemployed). The faster you get started, the faster youâll see resultsâ"and the more you reach out and make things happen, the more opportunities will come back to you. Mistake #2 â" Spending 8 Hours A Day On Your Job Search Weâve all heard some version of âA job search IS your jobâ"so spend a full work day on it.â Please donât do that. As noted above, a job search is tough, with a lot of built-in rejection. Purposefully schedule some fun and enjoyment into your day (not Netflix binges). Call a friend. Read a book. Go for a walk. Get in a workout. Volunteer. One gentleman I know spent part of his job search time at the gym and lost 50 pounds. Not only did he get healthier, he had more energy and felt better about himselfâ"which is a tremendous benefit in interviews. He ended up with a great job. Mistake #3 â" Relying On Your Network Yes, networks are importantâ"but no matter how big your network is, it wonât lead you to all the opportunities out there for you. The lead to your new job may be in your network, or it may not. Use your network, AND go outside of it to hiring managers in your space. Look for them on LinkedIn and Facebook and corporate websites. Hidden jobs cover more than 70% of all available jobs, and you owe it to yourself to find them. Mistake #4 â" Not Using Your Network Some job seekers donât want to tell their family, friends, and former co-workers that they are searching because they feel that thereâs a stigma attached to being unemployed. Donât feel that way. Most people change jobs many times in their career life, and almost everyone finds themselves between jobs at some point. You are at a temporary stage that will change with one phone call, or one interview. Let everyone know you are looking for a jobâ"tell them in person, give them a call, text them, message them on Facebook, and most importantly, tell all your LinkedIn contacts. These are the people who know who you are and what youâve done. Use them. One day, they will probably need help from you. Mistake #5 â" Applying For Jobs Online How many hours have you spent filling out online applications, only to hear nothing? You are not alone. A ridiculously small percentage of online applications make it to the actual hiring manager (your future boss). Your application has to run a gauntlet of computer databases and HR reps and most of them never make it. Save yourself the time and trouble and contact hiring managers directly. They may tell you to fill out the same application, but at least now they know your name. Thatâs what gets you interviews. Read more about how to contact hiring managers directly to get interviews. Mistake #6 â" Turning Down Interviews Why would you interview for a job you know you donât want? Because once they get to know you, they may also decide that this isnât the right job for youâ"but they have another position thatâs perfect for you, or they know someone else you need to speak with. It happens all the time. Besides, any interviewing is good practice. When you do get the interview you want, you will be more comfortable and confident. Mistake #7 â" Not Getting Help We live in a DIY worldâ"but just because you can, doesnât mean you should. If you canât get interviews, or if you get the interviews but not offers, donât assume thereâs something wrong with you. Get some help from a reputable expert. You donât have to pay thousands of dollars, or pay anyone to âplaceâ you. Read articles, get tools from reputable sources, or look into career coaching. Get recommendations from others, and evaluate everything based on results. Find out more about Career Confidentialâs comprehensive job search tools and Free Job Search Webinars today to stop making job search mistakes and get hired. Related Posts How To Manage Without Being Mean (Is It Possible To Not Be Pushy?) 5 Things To Consider Before You Take That Management Job #1 Key To Becoming An Effective Leader About the author Career Coach - Peggy McKee is an expert resource and a dedicated advocate for job seekers. Known as the Sales Recruiter from Career Confidential, her years of experience as a nationally-known recruiter for sales and marketing jobs give her a unique perspective and advantage in developing the tools and strategies that help job seekers stand head and shoulders above the competition. Peggy has been named #1 on the list of the Top 25 Most Influential Online Recruiters by HR Examiner, and has been quoted in articles from CNN, CAP TODAY, Yahoo! HotJobs, and the Denver Examiner. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!
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