The New Year is Finally Here January 5

The New Year is Finally Here January 5 Jan 1 has come and gone. But today, the real New Year starts.  Pretty much every single out of office email I got in the last few weeks said Ill be back on January 5th.! So now what?  What are you doing TODAY? No more excuses.  No more holidays.  Its time to pick up the phone, send those emails, and get those lunch/coffee appointments. I hope youve spent the last couple of weeks wisely! Now, get to work! The New Year is Finally Here January 5 Jan 1 has come and gone. But today, the real New Year starts.  Pretty much every single out of office email I got in the last few weeks said Ill be back on January 5th.! So now what?  What are you doing TODAY? No more excuses.  No more holidays.  Its time to pick up the phone, send those emails, and get those lunch/coffee appointments. I hope youve spent the last couple of weeks wisely! Now, get to work!

8 Ways to Make a Great Impression at a Networking Event

8 Ways to Make a Great Impression at a Networking Event Whether youre looking for a new job, or seeking business opportunities, networking events are a great way to create contacts in the industry. Theres no use in attending an event if all you do is spend your time  checking out the array of refreshments on offer, without actually speaking to anyone. In order to make it worth your time, you have to focus on making a great first impression that people will remember you for. So how can you go about making a good impression that will stick in peoples minds? 1) Do your research Its always a good idea to do a bit of research ahead of an event, so that you can  build an idea of who you would like to hear speak and anyone in particular you would be interested in introducing yourself to. An itinerary will usually be issued ahead of time, so you can make a plan  before attending. You can often get a rough idea about who will also be attending by checking out the Facebook event page if there is one, or by conducting a search across social media to see who has been talking about it. Once you have made a list of a few individuals you would most like to meet, you will know who to keep an eye out for on the day. 2) Have business cards at the ready If you dont already have business cards, get some made up. It will come across as far more professional if you can offer people you meet a card with your details  listed, rather than scrabbling about trying to write them down on a piece of paper or tapping away at your phone in a frenzy. Make sure that you have enough with you to last the day and exchange cards with anyone that you would be interested in maintaining contact with.  A business card will also work as a little reminder that they have met you after the event. 3) Prepare  an elevator pitch When you meet people at a networking event, theyre going to want to hear who you are and what you do in a nutshell. To make sure that you introduce yourself properly, come up with  a short elevator pitch including all the most important information about yourself that you can tell people upon meeting them. 4) Present yourself smartly Though people say you shouldnt judge a book by its cover, in a professional setting the way that somebody chooses to present themselves can tell a lot about their attitude. This doesnt just refer to your outfit, but also your personal grooming and hygiene. If a dress code has been stated, its important that you  adhere to it. If not, think about what type of event it is,  the nature of your industry and what you think that your clients would expect you to wear. If  in doubt, its better to show up slightly over dressed than looking scruffy. 5) Be aware of your body language Networking events can be a daunting experience and its natural to feel a bit nervous, but try your best to conceal any discomfort. Crossed arms can come across as a bit back offish; whereas an open stance and good posture can automatically give you an air of confidence and make you more approachable. Smiling and making eye contact with people around the room will also work wonders! 6) Show interest in people Nobody wants to have a conversation with someone who is just going to go on and on about themselves for the entire time. Be a good listener and ask them thoughtful questions that will get them speaking. Once you get someone chatting about a topic they are really passionate about, they will light up! You dont need to keep conversation strictly about business, as connecting with somebody on a more personal level is often what will make them remember you. 7) Give them a reason to remember you People will meet dozens of others at networking events, so its your job to differentiate yourself from the others. Clearly define what it is that you do best and be enthusiastic when talking about your work, as people want to work with individuals who are passionate about what they do. Ask what you can do for them, as they are likely to remember you after the event if you can benefit them in some way. 8) Follow up Within a couple of days of meeting them, connect with everyone you met on LinkedIn and send them a quick note via email or LinkedIn to let them know what a pleasure it was to meet them. If you said youd do something for them make sure you stick to your word and act on it before you forget. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

5+ Best Concierge Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co

5+ Best Concierge Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co We’ve compiled the absolute best concierge interview questions to help you with upcoming job interviews as a concierge. The role of the concierge is to be insightful, helpful, provide guidance and generally represent the establishment they work for, in an efficient way. You may recognize concierges most when you walk into a hotel. They are the ones that will help you check into your hotel room as well as provide you recommendations on where to dine or have a cocktail. Generally speaking, this role is about interacting with people and helping them with their problems. Concierge Interview Questions & Answers 1. What would you do if a customer asks for a recommendation? It’s vital to ask the customer what type of experience they are looking for and then provide them with as much insight as we can. That means telling them locations, distances, food types, drink types, as much as we can give them to make a great decision for themselves. 2. What if you don’t have a recommendation for them? I should ask the other concierges if they have a recommendation. We don’t want to pull open our phones and go looking for something. We want to provide them a very tailored, white-glove type of experience. And communicating with other concierges will usually help when there’s a blind spot that I might have. 3. How would you greet a customer? Always with a friendly smile, a welcome to the establishment and even telling them that we’re happy they are here. 4. What are some ways you can go above and beyond? If I can, remembering everyone’s names. In a hotel setting or even a corporate establishment, this can be difficult. But if I see customers a few times, asking their name and remembering it will go a truly long way. 5. How would you help the elderly? If they are in need of assistance with stairs, elevators, sliding doors or other. I should be on the lookout for them and asking them if they need help with that. In addition, if they have any luggage, ensuring that someone helping to take their luggage for them so they don’t have to carry heavy objects. Related Hiring Resources Concierge Job Description Sample

Know What The Hiring Managers Thinking to Get Hired! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Know What The Hiring Manager’s Thinking to Get Hired! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Act and think like an insider to get hired! Beth Kuhel How can you possibly know what the hiring manager is thinking and how could this help you if you did?  The answer is, you can’t know exactly what he or she is thinking but you can get a glimpse into their mindset, values, needs and expectations by doing a little research. LinkedIn ambassador, Lindsey Pollack, offers fantastic advice on how to leverage LinkedIn.  In one of her recent webinars, LinkedIn Job Search Fundamentals, Lindsey shares tips on how to learn about people in a firm; Searching in the company for specific people or within certain areas of expertise you can find details about a persons employment background, (including previous employers, groups they belong to, their education, career path and the expertise and skills that are valued most by their firm). How to prepare for your interview when you have a “Warm Contact?” I recently coached a college graduate, well call Sue, who is seeking employment in a multinational food and beverage company.   A cousin of hers happened to work there and was willing to provide her with information about the managers personality, his strengths and challenges and the firms culture.   This made it easy for Sue to learn the answers to a few of her key questions e.g. what qualities does this person like in a new hire and what are his pet peeves?   Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time enabled Sue to avoid making foolish statements in her interview and helped her focus her answers in line with the attributes he was seeking in a new hire. Sue was able to make an authentic statement about specific strengths and experiences she had that hed view as desirable.  Needless to say, her interview went very well. What do you do if you don’t know anyone in the business? A common scenario that prospective new hires face is not knowing anyone personally who works in a company where theyre interviewing.  This requires you to be a bit more creative and engage in some research.   But the cool thing to know is that with the right effort you can learn a lot about a person’s professional life and about the firm that will be relevant and useful information in your interview. And its completely reasonable to do this homework prior to your interview. You can find the answers to many pertinent questions about most hiring managers through a strategic search on LinkedIn.   First, assuming you know the name of the person or his/her job title, you can search them on LinkedIn. You can make your settings anonymous if you prefer they cant see you’ve been looking at their profile.   But there is nothing wrong with checking a person’s profile to learn more about them and their job as long as you do so in a respectful and professional way. Ideally it’s your research that could help you become a more empathetic candidate!   Your goal should be entirely about becoming more knowledgeable about them so you can see where you fit in and how you can contribute there. Next you can look to see what skills and expertise they’ve posted and what they say about themselves in their summary.   Some will refer to their “core competencies or core strengths” and this also lets you know what skills are relevant to their job and possibly yours as well. Then check the groups they belong to and join those groups.   You can ask to connect with people in the group and search for others who are in the department youre interested in. See their profiles and select aspects of those you esteem to adapt and use in your profile.   Look for “keywords” they use and borrow them so you’ll have a better chance in being found in a hiring manager’s search. See the category interests and careers under the company section and learn more about current issues and the activity others are talking about in the firm:  When you can draw on this information in your interview youll sound more like an insider. Lindsey also suggests that you identify and borrow relevant key words from a model profile that are applicable to your experience. Craft your profile wisely including these words but make sure not to over do it by cutting and pasting their profile into yours.  In other words, use your common sense and design your profile so it sounds like you and reflects your best qualities tied to the job you want. The next step to take, now that you have identified employees in that department, is to ask to connect with a few of them.  Its likely that at least one person will accept your request assuming your education and interest aligns with theirs. You can personalize your request letting them know you’re interested in applying for a position in their firm and that you would greatly appreciate it if they could answer a few questions you have about the firm and their experience there.   Most people love talking about themselves and will appreciate your honesty in requesting their mentoring. Once they agree to connect with you,  send them a message via LinkedIn request a brief informational interview and ask when it would be convenient for them to speak with you prior to the date of your actual interview. Make sure to be respectful and appreciative for his or her time, as you dont want to offend or annoy anyone who could potentially bad mouth you prior to your big day. Heres a sampling of questions you could ask your contact person that could help you in getting a sense for the interviewers personality and his or her needs and expectations: How long has this person been with the company? Where did he work before? What affiliations to groups/associations does he have? What’s his personality like…does he enjoy sports, travel, reading, polo, scuba or chess? Where did this person spend his formative years? What type of person is he looking for? Describe what you think he would consider an ideal candidate. What specific problems are they trying to fix? What’s the gap they’re trying to fill? What are his work related skills, expertise and interests? The answers to these questions will give you a window into the hiring manager’s mind and help you steer the interview so you highlight your unique abilities, skills and interests that align with his or hers.  Your answers in every interview must be authentic, as you never want to misrepresent yourself!  The advantage of knowing more about the firm and people who work there is that you will have a better idea of which skills, interests and abilities to focus on that will match their interests: You can select your most relevant skills, expertise and personal interests so you make yourself memorable to them and tailor your pitch to their needs and their unique culture. Now you can go into your interview confident that you know something about the firm, something relevant about the people in the department and something about the hiring manager that you relate to.   All things being equal, the candidate who shows they took an interest in learning about the firm and the people who work there as well as their products/services and current issues, will get hired. The reality is this shows emotional maturity and that you have a sincere interest in that firm.   It also shows that you’re not just going on interviews wherever you can get them.   Companies invest in their employees and the best companies make it clear in the job description the precise skills, background and expectations for the prospective new hire. The savvy candidate will carefully review the position and everything else about the company (and its employees) so when its time for your interview, you have knowledge and confidence to answer questions like youre an insider so you get hired! 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

The Two Biggest Executive Job Search Mistakes - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

The Two Biggest Executive Job Search Mistakes I recently had a conversation with my friend and colleague, Martin Yate, job search expert and renowned writer of the Knock em Dead series of career and job search books. In his latest book, Knock ‘em Dead: Secrets Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World, to which I was thrilled to contribute, Martin reveals how to take control of your job search, career, and life. My post today looks at the top two biggest mistakes he’s seen executives make with their job search efforts, how they  can best  approach hiring managers, and what executive job search will look like in 10 years. Another post is coming, focusing on Martin’s take on the future of the executive resume â€" Is The Traditional Paper/Digital Resume Dead? Here’s what we discussed: What is the biggest mistake executive job seekers make? If you kept your job(s) and continued to climb the ladder of success while your contemporaries experienced the downside of globalization, it is all too easy to get lulled into a false sense of security. When the real world comes crashing in, it is magical thinking to believe that this will all soon be over, because I am special and I am different. Technology has changed the world you live and work in beyond all recognition, and nowhere has the change been greater than in the world of job search and career management. Face the facts: because you have been successful in your career to-date, your resume writing, job search and interviewing skills are probably the weakest professional skills you possess. The tactics of job search are all new, as is the strategic thinking you need to plan and navigate a successful career. It’s a smart executive who embraces a little humility about this lack of knowledge and who takes steps to master the navigation of this changed world of work. For as long as any of us can remember, the loyalty-to-employer mantra has always come first in professional life. We grew up imprinted with the idea that loyalty is rewarded with job security, and steady professional and financial growth, all of which ultimately culminate in a comfortable retirement. This is a myth, this is a crock. These are the facts: you are somewhere in the midst of a half-century work life, job security is a thing of the past, on average you will change jobs about every four years, and experience three or more distinct career changes over the span of your work life. It is a world in which economic recessions swing by every 7-10 years, and as if this weren’t enough to contend with, you can realistically expect age discrimination to kick in around age fifty. If you hope to survive and prosper in your professional life, you need to re-think and re-structure your entire career management game plan with strategies that work in today’s rapidly changing world. You need we all need  an approach that integrates the tactics of job search with sensible lifetime career management strategies; an approach that puts enlightened self-interest first. Loyalty to your survival and success must always be part of your consciousness, directing the actions that bring your plans for success to life. What is the second biggest mistake they make? Lack of social networking skills. Most executives simply haven’t spent enough time developing relevant professional networks. The biggest regret for an executive involved in a job search today, is invariably that, I was too busy doing my job to think about building networks. Yet, in a world where job security in return for loyalty and hard work is a thing of the past, professional connectivity is a key component to professional survival and success â€" you can no longer ignore the need to create your own job security. Networking is an activity you must make time for on an ongoing basis, in just the same way you make time for professional skill development. Social networking can deliver a tremendous boost to any job search or career management plan; yet it is so new that most of us have yet to fully appreciate and leverage its advantages. Executives, and professionals at every level, need to devote time to becoming connected to their profession, their peers, their superiors and the people coming up behind them. In the long view of navigating the twists and turns of the typical half-century work life, your professional connectivity can be leveraged successfully in all your job search and career management strategies. Networking technology, embodied by and other social networking sites, bring wide-ranging and relevant networks within the reach of everyone’s schedule. Only a fool would ignore the benefits they offer. Social networking is an important tool for helping land an executive job today. However, I think we have to be careful not to think of networking as just another approach to job search, an activity you do on, say, Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don’t see networking as a separate activity pursued once in a while, it needs to be an integral component of every job search strategy you use. In the Knock em Dead books, I talk about network integrated job search, because when you integrate focused networking tactics with the other high-reward job search approaches, the effect is to quadruple your chances of interview for any and every job you discover and wish to pursue. Now for networking to be effective, it has to involve much more than shooting the breeze over coffee, phone, email or the Internet. It needs to focus on getting into conversation with high-value job titles, as quickly and as often as you can. What are these high-value target job titles? The titles of the people who are most likely to have the authority to hire you; typically these are the people who hold job titles one, two and three levels above your own. Social networking offers you straightforward paths of introduction to many of the people holding these titles within your area of geographic focus. How do executives best approach potential hiring managers? Every job search tactic you use should focus on one simple goal: getting into conversation with the people most likely to have the authority to hire you (1-3 title levels above your own), and doing so as quickly and as often as you can. Nothing happens without that first conversation, and every time you get into conversation with someone who is in a position to hire you, the closer you are to the successful conclusion of your job search. You can approach hiring authorities by letter, by email, personal referral/introduction, directly by telephone or in person. That makes five possible options, and they all work. The more tactics you use to kick-start that first conversation, the greater your odds for one of those approaches resulting in an interview. Of course, the best way to connect with a decision maker is for an introduction/referral to be made by someone in that hiring authority’s network. Candidates who come with an introduction are taken more seriously, which brings us back to the thread of this conversation: that networking and integrated networking tactics deliver results. What will executive job search look like in ten years? With the speed at which our world of work is changing, I have no idea. But I can say that there will be another economic recession between now and then (historically they swing by every 7-10 years). I can say that you will be ten years older, probably hold a more senior rank and be earning more.  These will all contribute to your increasing professional volatility. Ten years from now the most important professional skills you possess will not be the latest manifestation of Six Sigma, a streamed-video resume, multi-tasking or anything remotely similar. When the only constant is change, the most important professional skills you will possess are the skills of self-determination: Your professional connectivity, your job search and your career management skills. Related posts: My Executive Branding and Job Search Ebook Executive Job Search: The Old Way (Networking) Still Works Best How To Tap Into Hidden C-level Executive Jobs Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search 00 0

How to Deal with 3 Types of Tough Interviewers - Hire Imaging

How to Deal with 3 Types of Tough Interviewers - Hire Imaging One variable from one job interview to the next is the interviewer â€" more specifically, the personality, skills, and interviewing style of the person (or persons) who conducts the interview. In a perfect world, interviewers should be able to accurately assess your qualifications and fit for the position. But they are not necessarily Mr. Sensitive or Ms. Congeniality. And the interviewers who are pleasant and comfortable to be with aren’t’ necessarily good at interviewing. It’s not a given they’ll ask the most probing or intelligent questions for relevant details. Consequently, they don’t always make it easy for you to differentiate yourself from the other candidates. Here’s a brief glance at three (there are other types) of the less-than-ideal interviewer types. The Fumbler. Fumblers have no clue on how to conduct an effective interview. They know they need to hire someone but haven’t gotten around to formulating specific criteria. Instead of asking probing questions and tying your answers to the requirements of the job, they tend to base their impressions on factors that have almost nothing to do with what it takes to do the job. Fumblers work to the advantage of candidates who look the part and know how to take control of the interview. They work to the disadvantage of candidates whose strengths lie beneath the surface and who are uncomfortable about taking initiative. Fumblers are often easy to impress, but you have to do the work; you can’t expect them to come to the conclusions you want on their own. When you’re dealing with a fumbler, stay in command of your own story and keep hammering away at your strengths. Fumblers need to be led, so don’t drop the leash. The Blabbermouth. Blabbermouths like to talk. And talk. And talk. They talk about themselves, the company, their family, their fitness regimen, their hobbies and if you’re lucky, the specifics of the job. They can talk so much that you never get a chance to present your case. It’s not necessarily a bad thing when an interviewer likes to talk. In general, the more you can get an interviewer to talk, the easier it becomes for you to get a clear handle on what he or she is looking for. Blabbermouths, however, take a good thing to a bad extreme. The worst approach you can take with a blabbermouth is to talk so much yourself that you prevent the blabbermouth from doing what he or she likes to do best; talk. The best thing to do is to pick your spot: to dart in and out of the interviewer’s conversation, making short (but self-serving) comments that play off whatever topic the blabbermouth is chattering about. Even more important, perhaps, is the worth of the questions you ask. If you ask the right questions of blabbermouth interviewers, you’ll get the chatterbox to talk about things that work in your favor. The Deadpan. Deadpan (or poker face) interviewers can make you soooo uncomfortable. They sit there, inscrutable, as you talk about yourself and your qualifications. They don’t nod. They don’t smile. Nothing seems to faze or impress them. You could tell them that you’re a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, and you might get a “Hmmm.” The main trap to avoid when you’re being interviewed by a deadpan is trying too hard to evoke a response. Turning up the heat on your own enthusiasm or energy isn’t likely to make a difference with truly stoic interviewers. You’re better off toning down your approach a bit (but not all the way). Most importantly, don’t read too much into the fact that you don’t seem to be making an impression on the interviewer. You’re probably making your case; it’s simply not registering on the interviewer’s face. Whatever type of interviewer you encounter, it’s important to bear in mind your major goal is to tie your qualifications and background to the requirements of the job and, at the same time, show interest, motivation, and poise. Still, you need to be prepared to adjust. I always love to hear from you! Please comment below.

Get yoself Shine Glue (aka design goodness) with this Great Giveaway!

Get yoself Shine Glue (aka design goodness) with this Great Giveaway! Right after Thanksgiving, I got an email from Jonathan at Shine Glue announcing that my site was given an award for, well, being awesome! Its all about the design, which I had nothing to do with (all props seriously, all of em go to Rebecca Pollock), but regardless, it was so nice! Whats even nicer was that Jonathan sent me yet another email this week to say that I was the first ever Shine Glue winner! The prize? A bit of SPARKLE (a custom header for a website or a front cover for a digital product) OR some GEL (up to 5 custom graphics for a website or digital product), worth $150! And whats even better? I get to pass it on to one of you! This has to be a quick contest because it must be used to 12/31 of this year. So leave a comment by noon Eastern on Friday, December 10th let me know what youd cash in on (the sparkle or the gel) why! Ill choose the winner randomly will announce em on Monday the 13th right on this here blog. Break a leg!