LinkedIn Open Networker A Bad Idea

LinkedIn Open Networker A Bad Idea One of the decisions I made early on in online networking was to become an “open networker” on LinkedIn. For those of you who don’t use LinkedIn, becoming an open networker is where you join a group and are added to a list of people who are open to connecting up with people. Other networkers can use this list to make contact with you. Three years on after becoming an open networker I have thousands of connections. Now I kind of regret it. I say “kind of” because there are advantages to being an open networker. One is that it expands your list of contacts by the bucket load. That means you are able to research thousands, if not millions of people in your broader network. This is great if you want to use LinkedIn to understand people, where they work and how they may help you. The down side of being an open networker is that I am fair game. Now I receive hundreds of emails from people I don’t know. Many of them have nothing to do with my business. People have assumed that since I am an open networker that I want to hear about their bridge building business in California or a great deal on grapes in Penang. I’m in Sydney and if you’re reading this, you know what I do. It sounds bizarre, because it is bizarre. I am simply being spammed. While I received a few interesting emails among all of these, I’m sure many more good contacts have been lost in the masses. For me, one of the few things to come out this deluge of emails, is a bit more insight on email impact and ethics. I try to understand how people communicate and how to improve my own communication. When I’ve read these emails I’ve realised how easy it is to all sound the same. If I open an email, it’s because it’s been a really clever or targeted email, and short and snappy, or the person sending it has “lucked on” a topic that has interested me. With thousands of connections in my in box, I also find it hard to manage the masses. It’s a challenge to find people that I really care about and want to form deeper relationships with. (If anyone reading this has that secret, please let me know. I’d really appreciate it.) Another thing that I didn’t think about when I opened myself up to contacts is how other people may view this when they look at my profile. Many headhunters I have spoken to say that they look at the richness of your connections and who’s in your network. With so many contacts I am sure I look either really impressive, or really indiscriminate. My main take out of doing all of this is that I had hesitation about becoming an open networker. But I ignored my gut instinct. At the time I didn’t have a good reason not to do it. I now know from working within online networking, Twitter and social media, that the community influences the way people use the forum. So with LinkedIn, many people have seen people hooking up and emailing each other, seeming indiscriminately and it becomes the “done thing.” It snowballs. What I do know is that I’m not generally a person that works a room and hands out my business card to 25 people, even at a professional networking event. I prefer to chat to two or three people and get to know them. Open networking seems to be a bit like that spray can kind of approach. I’m not saying that’s wrong. I just don’t think that’s my natural style. My main take out of all of this, is my networking style worked for me one way offline, so I should have approached it that way online. Perhaps that’s a good rule of thumb for anyone, really. RELATED: The Do’s and Don’ts of Professional Networking.

Writing a Resume When You Have Gaps in Employment

Writing a Resume When You Have Gaps in EmploymentWriting a resume when you have gaps in employment is a very difficult thing to do. As the resume is something that represents your future employer, it has to be written in such a way that it will be easily recognized. It can either be done by yourself or you can get help from a professional resume writer who knows how to write a resume that will be accepted by a future employer. This article will discuss the various things that you should know about when writing a resume.In order to be able to get the job that you want with ease, it is important that you know what your future employer expects from you. For instance, if you have gaps in employment and are looking for a job, it is best to talk to people who have applied for the same position. This way, you will be able to find out what you need to do to get the job that you really want. You will also be able to find out how you can turn around and make your gaps in employment into a long term career.Once you know what your future employer expects from you, the next thing that you should think about is the things that can show your skills. It would be best if you have at least a year or two of work experience. It is very important that you have some kind of evidence of your past achievements and skills so that your future employer will feel that you have earned his trust.Always use short paragraphs to write your resume. There is no need to write a whole page just to tell your employer about your gap in employment. It would be best if you could put all the details on one page. The main goal here is to be able to get a long term job without having to look for an employer later on.One of the best tips on writing a resume when you have gaps in employment is to always try to tell the employer what your qualities are. Your resume should be brief but powerful enough to convince the future employer that you are a good candidate for the job. If you can convey the message eff ectively, you can rest assured that you will be getting a call from your future employer soon.Do not be afraid to write about all the information that you have. You should not try to hide anything from your future employer. Remember that when you are applying for jobs, employers usually read resume after resume. When they see that you are not trying to hide anything, they will assume that you will be a very good candidate for the job that you are applying for.It is important that you include a cover letter to your resume. It is important that you emphasize the qualities that you possess to the future employer. Your cover letter is a way to make your gap in employment more noticeable. It will also be the first step that you take towards convincing your future employer that you are a good candidate for the job. All you have to do is write a short and to the point cover letter that tell your future employer about your gap in employment.When you are writing a resume when you have gaps i n employment, remember that you need to keep all the information short and simple. Keep your resume short and simple and in simple English. This will help you gain an edge over the competition. Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to writing a great resume that will impress your future employer.

8+ Best Product Analyst Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co

8+ Best Product Analyst Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co We've compiled the absolute best Product Analyst interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your future job interview sessions. Businesses can benefit hugely from having a product analyst in their staff. As various industries become more competitive, it’s becoming clear that product analysts need to become staple members of company staffs, rather than just non-vital options. However, not many CEOs' and hiring managers know about product analysts and what roles they play in various businesses. What is the role of a Product Analyst? Product analysts are essentially business professionals who aid in company decisions that relate to products. Product analysts help businesses decide which products are going to benefit the business the most, as well as what strategies would result in long-term financial success. Product analysts research the market, take customer polls, and manage product launches. Product analysts are sometimes seen as a luxury, but they are actually extremely beneficial to businesses of all sizes and product types. They can make the difference between a bad business decision and one that can result in massive financial growth. Now that the role of the product analyst has been established, let's look into some product analyst interview questions and possible answers that hiring managers should consider when employing product analysts for their respective company. Product Analyst Interview Questions & Answers 1. What would you change about any of our company’s past products? Answers will certainly vary between interviewees, but it’s important to look for company knowledge in the answers. A dedicated product analyst has already looked through their prospective company’s history of products and marketing. Also, look for answers that go beyond surface-level critiques of the products themselves and delve into product launches and marketing techniques that they would change. 2. Describe the process you would use to design an algorithm for testing user or customer interaction with our product. I would use the “top-down” approach. This allows certain interactions to be weighed and scored. I would then act on the outcomes generated by the test to drive changes in the product’s design. 3. Tell me about a project you’ve worked on to completion that you found particularly interesting. The goal behind this question is to learn if the interviewee was given full responsibility for product launches and projects in a previous job. 4. Do you have experience with both Access and Excel? Yes, I am proficient in both for the purpose of product data processing. 5. How would you handle an angry internal customer during a conference call or business meeting? I would keep things as calm and professional as possible while attempting to de-escalate the situation. Product analysts need to have ideal customer service and team-building skills, not just product, marketing, and analytical skills. 6. How would you evaluate the success of a new product feature without the necessary operational data or knowledge of the product? I would consult with my team members to get additional data. I would then run correlational analyses on all of the information I was able to gather to map trends in different user personas. 7. If you joined our company today, what would be the first area of business you would check first? I would check the company’s sales numbers and other high-level KPIs such as user growth, lead generation growth, etc. I would use these numbers to figure out what products are truly bringing in long-term success. 8. What skills or tools are you interested in learning here? Look for answers that show an ambition to learn something new in the company, as well as experience with tools and skills that are necessary for the prospective position.

Reach Out of Your Comfort Zone For Breakthroughs! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Reach Out of Your Comfort Zone For Breakthroughs! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career “It’s not our failures that determine our future success, but how we explain them to ourselves.” Dr Martin Seligman, the founder of Positive Psychology A great way to expedite your personal and professional growth process, is to adopt strategies to get out of your comfort zone. Marge Warrell ‘s recent Forbes article Why Getting Comfortable With Discomfort Is Crucial to Success sums it up well.   She says that playing it safe inhibits growth and that the common thread among leaders is that they all are willing to embrace change and risk the discomfort of failure. People who are more driven by what inspires them than what scares them challenge assumptions and push the boundaries of possibility.   They don’t allow the fear of failure to hold them back. Being willing to take a risk and try something new allows you to accomplish more in life.    As John F. Kennedy once said, “Nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished with a guarantee of success.” Nothing ever will be. In order to break out of your routine and reach a new plateau you need to step out of your comfort zone. Experts say that making a move from a position that has become routine is critical to furthering a career.   Even tackling a new project within the same company can help.   When trying to reinvent yourself, change can mean anything from taking on new responsibilities to switching departments. Stretching yourself at work (assuming new responsibilities or a new role) or in your personal life takes gumption but the pay off can lead to your becoming more competent, confident and add depth to your personality. Here are some ways to step out of your comfort zone that can help you reach a new plateau: Acknowledge that getting out of your comfort zone is good for you Pick an activity or role that is uncomfortable but has value e.g. Training for a marathon or traveling to a foreign country and volunteering there Identify new skills:   constantly look at how your helping the organization improve Get Involved: participate in the companies community activities Make time for career research:   Set aside time to explore new paths that will challenge you Un-plug a tech gadget Find a role model who overcame big hurdles to do what you want to do Get intentionally lost and try to find your way back using maps.   Do it when you’ve got some extra time, Roizen says Write a book, a blog or create a podcast on your area of expertise  Take an Improv class or ceramics class Whenever you assume a new role or challenge yourself to overcome a fear, may it be in sport, social or travel you may experience initially some discomfort.   Embrace the discomfort.   The struggle that ensues is where the growth process begins and eventually gives birth to new capacities and greater fulfillment. Here are more ways you can challenge yourself to break out of your comfort zone.   There isn’t one right choice but each one could afford a breakthrough in finding new talent and new abilities that you otherwise couldn’t access. Volunteer…Give!  Climb a mountain  Travel to a foreign country and try to exclusively get around in a foreign language  Become a mentor Focus on acknowledging the value of breaking out of your comfort zone, push through your fear and lean into the experience. Don’t over-think it. Jump in with both feet. Once you’ve taken the risk and tried the new experience, be sure to celebrate the victory and express appreciation to those who helped make it happen.   This will increase your joy and develop a new pattern for trying other new things that could lead to positive growth. Lastly, pause to reflect:   process your experience.   What did you do well?   What would you do differently next time?   What did you learn that could help you in your next challenge? Too often we let our mistakes and setbacks define us. Be sure to avoid focusing on the areas that didn’t go as well and concentrate on what you learned from becoming open to new experiences. The end result is that you will appreciate how capable you are of making a change in your life and becoming what you want to become. The only limits  there are, are the  ones we put on ourselves.*. *We  are always getting ready to live, but never living.* ~Ralph  Waldo Emerson~. Author: Beth  is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career.  Her coaching assists students and career changers to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  She is a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, Executive Recruiters, Outplacement Services, College Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com.  Beth’s Webinar was sponsored by George Washington University’s Career Services Dept. for their worldwide alumni association:  Leverage Your College Diploma.  You can follow Beth on twitter @BethKuhel

You Can Do a Resume Writing Course at the Local College!

You Can Do a Resume Writing Course at the Local College!If you are a student who has just graduated and is looking for a job, one of the things that you should be aware of is the resume writing course available at the local college. There are many benefits to this type of learning and some of the benefits include you getting the chance to get your resume done in the shortest amount of time possible.This is done by taking the online course. This course will help you with everything from the resume writing process to interviewing and other general course work. However, if you would like to have your resume written by a professional for the best results then you can also have it done at the college.It is usually much faster for students to go to the college and be prepared for the interview. Then they can prepare their resume at home. There are many advantages to doing it at the college, but the disadvantages would be the lack of assistance when it comes to understanding how to write a resume.The most important part of any resume is the application itself. This includes knowing the skills and talents that you have and what you are applying for. Students that are trying to find jobs should think about their resume and how it will apply to the job. When they put in all of the information about their educational background and previous experiences then they should also include their job skills and past employment.You will need to know all of the information that relates to your education background. Of course, there are going to be some qualifications that are non-transferable. These will be known as the country of origin requirements and the technology experience. The following are three basic steps to an effective resume that can get you noticed.Identify the job that you are applying for. Usually, you will be asked to give a resume for the particular position. However, this does not mean that you have to put down everything about the position that you are applying for. You should also provide your previous experience and skills.You also need to identify yourself as the best candidate for the job. You can do this by listing out all of the skills that you possess and the ones that you want to see when you are working for the company. Make sure that you include a good summary of your educational background as well.After you have completed this task, you should then create your personal statement and your resume. You should be able to tell them apart and have a good idea about what you are applying for. Once you have all of these items together, you should be able to go back to the school and get your resume done without a problem.