CRM, SMB and Your Career

CRM, SMB and Your Career I saw this article on Inc.com that grabbed my attention: CRM Enters the SMB Mainstream.  The subtitle says even the smallest companies can afford todays easy-to-use solution. In fact, they cant afford not to. Of course, my brain took the idea straight to the job search world, and my translation became: Even the smallest job seeker (whatever that means) can afford todays easy-touse solution (JibberJobber). In fact, you cant afford not to! CRM means customer relationship management, which refers to the software that salespeople use to keep track of their prospects and customers. The concept of CRM became the foundation for JibberJobber.  But instead of designing a system for salespeople, we designed a system for job seekers.  For professionals who are in transition.  For people who dont want to have a long job search. For people who find that a spreadsheet is a below-average tool to organize and manage a job search. In my 2015 cross-country trip, I talked to hundreds of people who were fed up with their spreadsheet as a job search tool.  JibberJobber is the answer, just like CRM is for SMB (small/medium businesses).  JibberJobber helps you organize and track.  JibberJobber helps you feel organized, allowing you to spend more time talking to people who can help you in your job search. JibberJobber is a long-term career management tool.  Its not just for todays job search its for in-between job searches, when you are still networking. Job coaches talk until they are blue in the face, pleading with their job seekers to network after you land a job.  JibberJobber makes networking easier, whether you are in transition or happily employed. JibberJobber is also very affordable.  The free version is super powerful.  The premium version, which is only $5 a month (or, 9.95 a month, depending on how you buy it), adds some awesome convenience tools. You can get free access to the premium level by simply watching the Jason Alba courses on Pluralsight for free (those are courses I normally sell for $50 each you watch them for free and you get a JibberJobber upgrade?  Awesome!). Watch the video at the bottom of this post to see how to get Premium for free. Check is this short video to see what JibberJobber helps you with: CRM, SMB and Your Career I saw this article on Inc.com that grabbed my attention: CRM Enters the SMB Mainstream.  The subtitle says even the smallest companies can afford todays easy-to-use solution. In fact, they cant afford not to. Of course, my brain took the idea straight to the job search world, and my translation became: Even the smallest job seeker (whatever that means) can afford todays easy-touse solution (JibberJobber). In fact, you cant afford not to! CRM means customer relationship management, which refers to the software that salespeople use to keep track of their prospects and customers. The concept of CRM became the foundation for JibberJobber.  But instead of designing a system for salespeople, we designed a system for job seekers.  For professionals who are in transition.  For people who dont want to have a long job search. For people who find that a spreadsheet is a below-average tool to organize and manage a job search. In my 2015 cross-country trip, I talked to hundreds of people who were fed up with their spreadsheet as a job search tool.  JibberJobber is the answer, just like CRM is for SMB (small/medium businesses).  JibberJobber helps you organize and track.  JibberJobber helps you feel organized, allowing you to spend more time talking to people who can help you in your job search. JibberJobber is a long-term career management tool.  Its not just for todays job search its for in-between job searches, when you are still networking. Job coaches talk until they are blue in the face, pleading with their job seekers to network after you land a job.  JibberJobber makes networking easier, whether you are in transition or happily employed. JibberJobber is also very affordable.  The free version is super powerful.  The premium version, which is only $5 a month (or, 9.95 a month, depending on how you buy it), adds some awesome convenience tools. You can get free access to the premium level by simply watching the Jason Alba courses on Pluralsight for free (those are courses I normally sell for $50 each you watch them for free and you get a JibberJobber upgrade?  Awesome!). Watch the video at the bottom of this post to see how to get Premium for free. Check is this short video to see what JibberJobber helps you with: CRM, SMB and Your Career I saw this article on Inc.com that grabbed my attention: CRM Enters the SMB Mainstream.  The subtitle says even the smallest companies can afford todays easy-to-use solution. In fact, they cant afford not to. Of course, my brain took the idea straight to the job search world, and my translation became: Even the smallest job seeker (whatever that means) can afford todays easy-touse solution (JibberJobber). In fact, you cant afford not to! CRM means customer relationship management, which refers to the software that salespeople use to keep track of their prospects and customers. The concept of CRM became the foundation for JibberJobber.  But instead of designing a system for salespeople, we designed a system for job seekers.  For professionals who are in transition.  For people who dont want to have a long job search. For people who find that a spreadsheet is a below-average tool to organize and manage a job search. In my 2015 cross-country trip, I talked to hundreds of people who were fed up with their spreadsheet as a job search tool.  JibberJobber is the answer, just like CRM is for SMB (small/medium businesses).  JibberJobber helps you organize and track.  JibberJobber helps you feel organized, allowing you to spend more time talking to people who can help you in your job search. JibberJobber is a long-term career management tool.  Its not just for todays job search its for in-between job searches, when you are still networking. Job coaches talk until they are blue in the face, pleading with their job seekers to network after you land a job.  JibberJobber makes networking easier, whether you are in transition or happily employed. JibberJobber is also very affordable.  The free version is super powerful.  The premium version, which is only $5 a month (or, 9.95 a month, depending on how you buy it), adds some awesome convenience tools. You can get free access to the premium level by simply watching the Jason Alba courses on Pluralsight for free (those are courses I normally sell for $50 each you watch them for free and you get a JibberJobber upgrade?  Awesome!). Watch the video at the bottom of this post to see how to get Premium for free. Check is this short video to see what JibberJobber helps you with:

Know, Like Trust - Where Real Business Comes From

Know, Like Trust - Where Real Business Comes From In the recruitment marketplace, little is as valuable as the word of mouth referral. That wonderful moment when the phone rings and the person on the other end says something like “so and so mentioned I should call you”. There really isn’t anything nicer. And where does this come from? It is most certainly not just dumb luck. It comes from doing a lot of things right. From doing great work, from having a service that people want to talk about. It comes from being different, and it comes from looking after your clients, before, during and after service delivery. The power of word of mouth In the days of our grandparents, businesses lived or died by word of mouth. Today with the advent of the internet and fancy marketing systems and practices, it is very easy to get lost in the noise. The reality is that nothing has really changed. Sure we have Twitter and Facebook etc to pass on our message, but these just amplify the sound. As Gary Vaynerchuk so eloquently puts it “social media is word of mouth on steroids”. Regardless, people still listen to people that they trust, and their buying behaviour is altered accordingly. If someone you trust tells you that a restaurant is good, you might try it. If they tell you its bad, you definitely won’t. Recruitment is exactly the same. Its all about who you trust, and who they trust. Doing real business Real business is done between two people. Its happens when those two people move from know to like, and then onto trust. Its done at a point where each wants to do business with the other. This is human nature. If given a choice, we will choose to work with people we like. Just as we choose to socialise with people we like, we choose to do business the same way. The importance of small talk But how do we get there? How do we decide we like each other? The answer is simple: we talk. We chat, we communicate, we listen, we respond. We like people who are like us, or like or dislike the same things that we do. This is why people who join sports and social clubs often form such great friendships. They start with the thing that they have in common, whatever that might be, and then they move on. To get to like, small talk is vital. Small talk gets us to the things we have in common, it starts a conversation that can move towards like Learning to crawl before you can run We all know that before we can provide a solution, we need to understand the problem, but in a marketing/networking context this simple rule seems easily forgotten. If you are meeting people and just selling at them, invariably you will lose out. I see this so often at networking events. People standing around and telling everyone they meet what they do, and what they can do for you. If you are doing this, the chances are that people will walk away. The sad reality is that they will not work with you even if they have a need for your service. And, they will not tell people about you. They can’t do, because they probably didn’t listen to you in the first place. Start at like Next time you are faced with opportunity to meet a new business contact remember to connect with them. Get from know to like, and start build towards trust. If they like you, the chances are that at some future point, they will buy from you. About the author:  James Nathan runs the James Nathan experience; the Business Development, Sales and Service Excellence Expert for Professional Recruiters.

Assessment centres the key to success

Assessment centres the key to success I’ve recently been chatting to a number of Graduate recruiters, people whose job it is day in and day out to search for and select the graduates that will join their company and, hopefully, drive the future success of that organisation. I’m always asking what is it that separates the successful from the unsuccessful candidates at assessment centres. I get the same response time and time again, best summed up by this Head of Recruitment at an Investment Bank “At the end of the day â€" do I like the person?” Really? Is that all it’s about? Well, no, of course there’s more to the recruitment process than that. There are tests to perform, interviews to impress in and exercises to show what you can do, but … and it’s a big but … so much of it is simpler than all that … Assessors. Walk a mile in their shoes. They’re working hard for companies that are ambitious and demanding more and more of them, they’ve got pressing deadlines, clients and bosses to keep happy, and then they’ve been asked to take a whole day of their precious time to assess the next generation of graduates/interns. Many of them will enjoy this break from the norm and the buzz of meeting new people and seeing new talent, a few of them will be overstretched and frustrated. What they all have in common is that their day is about to get a whole lot better if they meet someone who greets them in a friendly and professional manner, is appreciative of their time and has bothered to do their homework so that they can clearly articulate what they’re going to offer to the company. Youll be assessed by many people The great thing about assessment centres is that it’s a collective decision-making process. The chances are you’ll be assessed by at least 3 or 4 people throughout the day. So, even if you didn’t click with one person there are a number of others who’ve seen you too. But here’s the real crux; you’re not being assessed by 3 or 4 people, you’re probably being assessed by 10+ people that day. In fact, anyone you come across in the company. I know Directors who make a point of always asking receptionists what they thought of each candidate as they came in. Are you friendly and professional with everyone you meet? If not, chances are it’s been noted. At a  recent conference an employer panel featured managers and recruiters from the public sector, banking and pharmaceutical industries. They were asked “What are the things that make a positive or negative candidate at an assessment centre?” Barely were the words out of the audience member’s mouth when the answer shot back … “Oh, it’s the little things, how they come into the room, how they greet you”. Another panellist agreed, “Absolutely, it’s so annoying that candidates turn up and they’re not smart, they don’t look you in the eye and they have a limp handshake”. In chimed another panel member, “There’s no bigger switch off than when they don’t know about your business”. So, what is it that they wanted to see then? Some commercial understanding, some work experience examples to draw on in interview and natural enthusiasm and interest. Body language counts! So, while there is lots to prepare for with an assessment centre don’t forget to prepare a few basics too â€" smart suit on, turn up on time, shoulders back, looking up, smiling, firm hand shake. Display your genuine enthusiasm to be given the opportunity of the assessment centre. In return you might just cheer up someone’s day … and find yourself with a job offer.

7 Habits to Nourish Your Energy - Classy Career Girl

7 Habits to Nourish Your Energy Time. We all have 24 hours of it in a day, yet we always seem to be strapped for it. We live in the fast lane following schedules that are filled with activities down to the last minute. When we free up one thing in our calendar, we replace it with something else. Heres the key to improving your energy and maximizing your time The next time you think about your day, make decisions based on how you want to use your energy rather than time. Shifting your thinking to managing your energy inherently forces you to consider the value of each task or commitment relative to the energy you put into and get out of it. Energy can come from physical, mental and emotional foods and experiences. Experiences can nourish us or experiences can drain us. Therefore, the decision becomes a mathematical question. Just like your bank account, you’ll want to keep your energy in the black. If you do so, by default you’ll be able to better manage your time and improve your health. 7 Habits to Nourish Your Energy 1. Begin with the end in mind What do you want people to remember you for? Start with this question to find out what’s really important to you in your life. When you make your values your priorities and align your energy with them, not only will you find greater satisfaction and happiness in life, but you will also be able to better prioritize your tasks and your commitments. When you make decisions about your time, think about your values and what you want to be remembered for. 2. Set a positive tone for your day Positive emotions and gratitude are natural energy boosters. Try this exercise when you wake up. -Keep your eyes closed. -Observe your breath and without changing it, recognize its depth, length, pace and location. -Think of something you’re thankful for or something you desire, and visualize the effects of it coming true. 3. Plan for sufficient downtime Take breaks and get plenty of restâ€"both physical and mental. Every day, carve out some time for yourself. Put a few minutes on your work calendar at regular intervals to get up, stretch, and step away from your desk. At night, get plenty of sleep! Turn off all electronics at least 1 hour before bedtime and aim to be in bed by 10PM to aid the digestion process. Getting enough sleep is critical to health and performance. 4. Watch what you put into your body We get energy from the foods we eat. What we eat is just as important as when and how we eat. A nutritious, cooked lunch boosts your nervous system, which you will need for your meetings and work in the afternoon. Otherwise, your energy will plummet and you will likely crave salty and sweet foods, or go for your second cup of coffee. Eat your healthy lunch mindfully without any distractions to give yourself an energy boost for the rest of the afternoon. 5. Watch what you put into your mind What you put into your mind has a huge impact on your energy. We perceive the world through our senses and our senses work with our brain to process information. This means that the kind of movies or news you watch, the way you talk to people and the way they talk to you will send messages to your brain. These messages will create a biochemical reaction in your body based on your past experiences, beliefs, and expectations. You already know that positive emotions are natural energy boosters so make sure that what you perceive through your senses and process through your brain is positive as often as possible.  Note: This might make you want to turn off the morning news. 6. Shake it off We are exposed to unpleasant, negative and unwholesome sensory stimuli, there’s just no way around that. When you’re unable to eliminate negative factors from your life, learn to accept them instead. As long as you’re exuding negative energy, such as fear, hatred, jealousy or envy towards these factors, you’re hurting  your own energy levels. 7. Pause before you act Every interaction takes energy. In our fast-paced world, we often just “roll with things.” But, there’s a lot of value in pausing before acting. Speak when your speech brings value, not when your ego wants to prove itself. Listen to hear first, not to respond first. Take a step back and ask questions before aimlessly moving too far ahead. Protect your energy when dealing with difficult people. Have compassion but draw your boundaries. Energy is a precious resource. Handle it with care so you can continue to share it for as long as possible. [RELATED: 6 Easy Habits of Really Happy People]

5 cheap European holiday destinations for students - Debut

5 cheap European holiday destinations for students - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Anca Coman lists the best holiday destinations for all the students out there.   The moment has finally arrived! After weeks of making tight deadlines it’s time for a well-deserved summer holiday. But choosing a location can be tricky, especially when youre trying to find somewhere fun whilst keeping money in your pocket. The good news is that there are quite a few destinations in Europe that are both fun and affordable! Take a look below to see some top recommendations for a short breakaway as a student. Rome, Italy Rome â€" famous for its delicious pizza and historical landmarks like Colosseum is one of the top destinations due to its cheap flight tickets and accommodation. September is a good time to travel to Rome as you can grab flights from as low as £32 one-way. Not to mention that the weather will be much more bearable then than in the height of summer! Accommodation-wise, Airbnb is always a good place to start. You can book a nice cheap room in the city centre with an Italian host where you’ll likely have the use of the communal areas to cook and hangout. However, it’s also worth checking out what deals are on in the hotels or hostels. If you   travel with a friend, you might find a room close to the city centre that won’t break the bank! Brussels, Belgium Brussels â€" famous for its delicious chocolate â€" has some amazing attractions to visit like the European Parliament and the exquisite Grand Place. Although this all sounds pretty fancy, the destination itself is actually quite cheap. I myself went to Brussels this summer and a flight ticket from Manchester cost me around £20 for an one-hour flight. Cheap hotels in the city centre are probably the best option for this location. You’ll be a stones-throw away from the popular cafés, shops and landmarks, which will make travelling around much more convenient! Brasov, Romania If you want something a bit more alternative, then Brasov is the answer. Despite not being Romania’s capital, this city is situated in the heart of the country, in a region called Transylvania (there are no vampires though, we promise!). Its beautiful architecture with medieval squares and streets are great to explore, and very affordable! To get there you’ll have to fly to Bucharest and then take the train or bus to Brasov. Although flight tickets could be around £200-250, you compensate with the really cheap accommodation and affordable food, nightlife and tour prices. Keep an eye on the last-minute deals on sites like WizzAir for flights to Romania. Warsaw, Poland With a combination of gothic churches and neoclassical palaces, Warsaw is becomimg an ever-popular holiday choice. The good climate and the low prices also certainly contribute to this! If you’re on the ball, you could even grab yourself flights for under £20 one-way (a certain relief if youve spent all of your student loan!). The hotel prices are also cheap, provided you stay just outside of the city centre. Plus, most of the hotels and hostels are newly refurbished and will be comfortable to stay in. No need to worry about run-down accommodation! Barcelona, Spain If you want beaches, culture and shopping all in one place, then Barcelona’s your answer! The best months to try the chic city of Spain are June and September, as the weather is still great, but the prices are lower than peak season. There are loads of hostels around the city centre, or you can opt again for an Airbnb. If you book in advance, you might get a great deal for a hotel. But if it’s on short-notice, stay away from them as you won’t have enough money left to pay your university tuition fees next year! Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Summary Sunday LinkedIn and Networking for Job Search

Summary Sunday LinkedIn and Networking for Job Search Learning how to use LinkedIn and to network the right way will help your job searchpromise! Most jobs are filled through referrals and the ONLY way you can be a referred candidate is to network.  Plus, having a good LinkedIn summary section will help you get found and leave the right impression.   This weeks articles will help you use LinkedIn and networking for job search! LINKEDIN How to Write a Dazzling LinkedIn Summary by Meg Guiseppi | Executive Resume Brand Struggling to write your summary on LinkedIn? Guiseppi  provides lots of ideas in her post! She  urges you to use your summary section to tell you career story. Here are just a couple of  the questions she provides to get your creative juices going. What makes me passionate about the work I do, and the work I will do for future employers? What combination of strengths and skills do I have that no one else does? You will also find tips to make your summary easy to read. These are just a few from her article: For visual appeal, include plenty of white space and short paragraphs. Add some pizzazz with special characters. Break down the information into sub-sections, with headers in all caps There are many other excellent tips and advice in this article. Dont ignore your summary. Implement some of her tips today! This Is What Recruiters Look For On Your LinkedIn Profile by Gwen Moran | Fast Company If you understood how  recruiters evaluate candidates based on what they find in a LinkedIn profile, Im pretty sure you would fix some of these issues immediately! Many thanks to Donna Svei, AvidCareerist for originally sharing this (and congrats on being quoted!) NETWORKING How to Build Your Network (When You Dont Know Anyone) by Sujan Patel |  Inc. Using the tips in this article, youll learn how to practice good networking- really building new relationships! Using Your Network in a Job Search by Jeff Shuey | Personal Branding Blog More help for what to say and who to tap for help with your job search. Shuey provides some questions you can ask, such as: What’s happening in the industry? Who is hiring? (you may want to ask WHY they are hiring) What shifts are you seeing? (What are the implications?) And dont forget my this post with 50+ website you need for your job search.

Writing an Engineering Resume - How to Get a Good One

Writing an Engineering Resume - How to Get a Good OneA major component of engineering resumes is a strong engineering resume outline. However, you don't have to go through the trouble of designing and writing your own resume. Instead, you can hire a professional to create an impressive resume for you that will land you an interview quickly.A professional resume writer has all the tools needed to help you create a resume that is strong and compelling. He or she has experience in developing resumes for many different types of engineers. The key to being successful is that you hire a professional who can understand your specific needs. You should find a resume writer who writes resumes for various industries, not just engineering.For example, you can hire a resume writer who specializes in a specific type of technical skills. Or, you can use resume writing software to tailor the information into a resume that speaks to your individual skills. If you are looking for some assistance on th e technical side of engineering, you should look into hiring a resume writer who can work closely with you to create a resume that will highlight your technical skills. A good professional resume writer will be able to do this because he or she has prior experience writing technical resumes. This experience will give them an insight into what you are looking for.Hiring a professional resume writer is also very beneficial if you want to hire a resume for someone who does not have a lot of technical knowledge. A non-technical resume is often easier to write and present. A resume writer can often get the job done with the less technical approach, since they will already know how to structure a resume. Technical resumes are a bit more difficult to write because they require more writing skill. A technical resume is much better suited for those who have more technical knowledge than they do technical skill.Having a resume writer review and edit your resume will make it far more appealing to the hiring manager. In addition, the resume writer will be able to provide you with a way to communicate your skills and the way you can describe them to the hiring manager. If you're able to do this effectively, you will be much more likely to get an interview than if you don't put as much effort into the engineering resume.A good resume should be constructed around skills, accomplishments, education, awards, certifications, and experience. These elements help a hiring manager know how to use you. This is very important if you want to get the engineering job you want.So, with this information, now you know how to come up with a good engineering resume. The next step is to follow the directions that the writer gives you. Always check to see that you are following the directions exactly.With these simple steps, you will have the job of a lifetime. Please consider all this and try to implement it yourself. Your success depends on it.