I Believe in Cover Letters

I Believe in Cover Letters Over the years Ive heard, and written, about cover letters. The big question is should you really spend time on them? YES, absolutely, is my answer. When Ive been a hiring manager Ive read every cover letter I got. First, I skimmed it. If the resume showed the person was competent and could do the job, then Id go back to the cover letter to see if I could pull out more information. Should you really take the time to write a cover letter? You have nothing to lose (its never bad to write one), and only good to gain (if you do it well). With that in mind, let me point you to my friend Barb Pooles LinkedIn article titled 7 Cover Letter Myths You Should Consider. Read each of them not just to get sold on cover letters, but to learn how to write better cover letters! I Believe in Cover Letters Over the years Ive heard, and written, about cover letters. The big question is should you really spend time on them? YES, absolutely, is my answer. When Ive been a hiring manager Ive read every cover letter I got. First, I skimmed it. If the resume showed the person was competent and could do the job, then Id go back to the cover letter to see if I could pull out more information. Should you really take the time to write a cover letter? You have nothing to lose (its never bad to write one), and only good to gain (if you do it well). With that in mind, let me point you to my friend Barb Pooles LinkedIn article titled 7 Cover Letter Myths You Should Consider. Read each of them not just to get sold on cover letters, but to learn how to write better cover letters!

LeBron James The Brand That Crossed The Line - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

LeBron James The Brand That Crossed The Line - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career LeBron Jamess choice to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat is a major personal branding catastrophe. Not just because hes leaving the place where he grew up, but because he did it on national TV to boost his own ego, at the expense of a team hes been on for years. ESPN took complete advantage of this situation to get more viewers, and make more advertising revenue, while disrespecting Cleveland and basketball fans everywhere. The aftermath, in Cleveland, was that LeBron shirts were burned, riots broke out, and there were a lot of unhappy fans. In fact, this single event will close the window of opportunity Cleveland had at ever winning a championship, and put Miami at an unfair advantage. Note that a lot of the information covered in this article came from a conversation that I just had with my best friend, who pushed me to publish this. This quote by Dan Gilbert, owner of The Cavs, sums up his feelings after the decision was made on ESPN: This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his decision unlike anything ever witnessed in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment. LeBron James 1.0 vs 2.0 LeBron James 1.0 LeBron grew up in Cleveland, and was recruited in high school to play for the NBA. He dreamed of becoming a global icon, inspiring everyone to reach for their dreams, and was a great team player. He was the hometown boy, who wanted to rise to the top of the sports business world. All of the commercials he was in for the Cavs and for State Farm projected his brand of friendship and teamwork. His smile was consistent in everything he did. LeBron James 2.0 His marketing company, LRMR, has completely taken over his brand and his brain. No longer is he a loyal teammate, hometown hero, and the friend we all wanted him to be. Now, hes King James, and hes going to do whatever he wants, regardless of the feelings of the people around him. A strategic business ploy You can bet that LeBron made his choice to leave Cleveland days before appearing on ESPN. Both him, and his management team, were very strategic and thoughtful on how the media would handle this story, and how they could prepare for the publicity. Here are four areas that they took advantage of: Winning team: With LeBron James, Chris Bosh and, Dwyane Wade, theres no doubt that Miami will be a top tier team for next season. Surely, if the Heat end up winning the championship, the franchise will be worth more, LeBron will make even more money, and his ego will grow at light speed. Sponsorships: Nike is creating a commemorative shoe to represent his move to Miami. When LeBron was on ESPN, he picked the sponsors for the show, including Microsoft, McDonalds, and Vitman Water. These were all calculated business decisions that led to him profiting from his appearance. Social media: Before James announced where he was going to go, he and his team created a Twitter account and started positioning his online media platform. They did this to take advantage of the amount of buzz, through traditional and new media, he was going to stir with the anticipation of his decision and the aftermath. In less than 12 hours, he amassed over 150,000 followers on Twitter (now over 400,000). He also has more than two million fans on Facebook. Traditional media: His team also launched LebronJames.com, and a newsletter so that fans can keep up-to-date with the latest information concerning LeBron. Both were launched at the beginning of July. Conclusion In my opinion, if LeBron had confronted The Cavs directly, without appearing on ESPN, then there wouldnt be as much of a backlash and his brand would have been saved. By creating a marketing engine around his choice to leave, he brand suffered. He no longer appears as the hometown boy turned superstar. Despite this selfishness, theres no doubt that the Miami Heat are setup for success, and that his career will be taken to new heights, being on a stronger team. Your turn How do you think LeBrons decision and the ESPN special impacted his personal brand? What would you have done differently?

Why Friends and Money Dont Mix

Why Friends and Money Dont Mix Think back to some of the most important times of your life youve most likely experienced them with friends. Most of us has a BFF whos been there for us through good and bad. Theres the BFF who helped you through more break-ups than youd like to remember she may have even helped you egg a few cars. Theres the BFF you go to coffee with, the one you party with and the one you go to the gym with. If you want to keep that friendship strong, heres one important piece of advice keep money out of it. Money and friendships dont mix! I used to laugh at this advice. I always thought my friendships were too strong to be affected by money not so. Here are three ways to ruin your friendships by throwing money in the mix. 1) Lending friends money A few years ago, one of my good friends asked me to lend him $800. He said hed pay me back in a few weeks.   Wed been friends for so long and I hated seeing him in that situation, so I gladly lent him the money. I never saw the money again. Despite the fact that I didnt harass him about the loan, he felt awful and couldnt face me because he couldnt pay me back and then he disappeared. I havent heard from him in years. I lost the money AND the friendship. Ive never lent friends money since. Its just not worth losing a friendship over a loan. These days when a friends asks to borrow money, I tell them how much I can give them not lend them. If I cant afford to give anything, I dont. This has kept many of my friendships in tact and some have even paid that money back even though I never expected them to. Give what you can afford and never expect to see it back. This is the only way to mix friends and money.  2) Going into business together Being best friends is one thing, but being able to work together is something completely different. You have to be like-minded to be successful as business partners, which is why finding a good business partner is such a hard thing to do. Think back to school projects youve had to work on with classmates. Didnt you want to strangle that one girl who never really pulled her weight? The same goes for business one may end up feeling like theyve put in more work than the other, so they expect to get more of the profit. Unfortunately, it rarely works that way unless youve discussed it in advance. Even then, it can be awkward. You can always sever relationships with business partners, you cant do that with friends without severing your friendship as well. 3)   Co-signing loans for friends Two years ago, a friend asked me to co-sign a loan for her. With a $34,000 debt, I wasnt in any position to co-sign a loan for anyone. Another friend co-signed her loan and their 12-year friendship ended 6 months later when she defaulted on the loan and the co-signer got stuck with it. Needless to say, its awkward being the friend in the middle. We love our friends, theyre our coffee buddies, wine buddies, crying buddies and party buddies but friends and money simply do not mix. It almost always ends up badly. Have you ever mixed money with friends? How did it turn out?

3 Answers To What Areas Need Improvement (Interview Question) - Algrim.co

3 Answers To What Areas Need Improvement (Interview Question) - Algrim.co

Are you Staying in a Job you Should Quit - Guest Post - Career Pivot

Are you Staying in a Job you Should Quit - Guest Post - Career Pivot Are you Staying in a Job you Should Quit? So, you’re fed up at work and dream of the day you explain to your boss, ever so eloquently, that you won’t be coming back. Yet day after day after day, you continue to do just that. Are you crazy?!? Even though it takes guts to leave something safe and secure, roughly 24 million people still voluntarily switched jobs in the middle of the 2013 recession. At a time when it might have been financially prudent to ride out the economic turmoil by staying in their present position, they faced risk head-on and made a career move. Was their situation really that different from yours? It’s possible. But it’s also possible they simply chose a little “risk” over “regret.” Think about that for a minute. These words are both short and start with the same letter of the alphabet, but the similarities end there! By staying in a job you hate, you’ve done the flip and chose “regret” over “risk.” And perhaps it’s the right choice for you. But it’s not a decision to take lightly. Author, Lewis Carroll, offers up the following advice: “In the end…we only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make.” If you’re pondering a career move, there are a lot of things to consider (Hello! That’s why you haven’t already left right?!?) Give this a read to make sure you’re choosing the right “R” in the alphabet! Cost of Staying Admittedly, changing jobs is scaryâ€"not to mention flat-out hard work. But staying in the wrong job comes at a considerable cost, too. In fact, it’s a choice you may “regret” for many reasons. Personal Fulfillment. Sure, it’s likely easier to go the job you hate every day than investing the time (and possible rejection!) that it takes to find a new job. But don’t kid yourself. There are no do-overs in life, and you literally never get the chance to live today again. Wouldn’t you rather be doing something you actually enjoy? Regret. A recent Forbes article, “The 25 Biggest Regrets In Life. What Are Yours?” skipped career opportunities were listed not once, but twice! Staying at the wrong job can impact both your bank account and your happiness. “Regret”… it’s a small word with big implications! Lost Income. Some people stay in a job they hate because they feel they can’t afford to leave. However, a new job often means greater earning potential. Waiting to make a switch literally costs you extra money that could be spent on vacations, retirement, or even the grandkids! Missed Opportunities. Never underestimate the power of time. Staying in the wrong job likely means you’ll miss other opportunities. This is especially crucial to consider if you’re in an industry that experiences rampant growth or change. Listen to the most recent episode So, Why Stay? During 2013, 99% of the employed workforce resisted the urge to make a voluntary career move. That’s a pretty big number! Sure the recession may have been a factor in their decisions or it could simply have been an avoidance of that little word “risk.” But why? Fear of Change. Realistically, change can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It can also result in phenomenal success or a tragic failure. Consequently, many find it easier to resist change altogether. Loyalty. While it’s not the craze it was in 1950, loyalty at work can still be an issue between employers and employees. And it’s the reason many cite for staying in an otherwise unfulfilling position. If this applies to you, be sure to read, “Does Your Employer Deserve Your Loyalty?” Less Money. While some job changes involve a pay increase, others may involve a pay cutâ€"especially when going from a highly skilled or stressful job to one with fewer responsibilities. While you may prioritize quality of life, others find it easier to be miserable and maintain their current lifestyle. Risk Averse. To some, status quo beats risk every time. If you are risk-averse, it can simply be easier to go through the motions than to face the unknown. As someone with a low-risk tolerance myself, I get it. But understand that taking a risk can be a fantastic career move. Perceived Stability. Perhaps you’re staying in your current job because you feel a certain amount of safety and stability. Whether the comfort stems from relationships with upper management or a perceived protection due to seniority, it can feel much safer to stay put than to throw caution to the wind and make a job change. Potential for Failure. For many, the reality of staying in a job with little engagement outweighs the thought of potential failure. The Reward! (The best “R” of all!) Admittedly, there are many reasons to stay put in your current job. I just discussed six of them, and anyone in the mood to rationalize their decision to stay can likely rattle off dozens more. But there are also many potential benefits for making a career move. And that’s where the “reward”…the best “R” of all comes into play! More Challenge. When you’re bored at work, the minutes feel like days. But finding a challenging new job engages your brain in a positive way and can actually make the morning commute more enjoyable. What a concept, right? More Happiness. Wouldn’t it be nice to not dread Monday…or Tuesday…or Wednesday? While you may not find a job that’s quite as enjoyable as your vacation, you have to admit that the concept of being genuinely happy with your life more than 1 or 2 weeks out of the year is alluring! More Money. There aren’t many of us who would turn down a hefty pay raise from our current bossâ€"myself included! The problem is that existing employers often can’t or won’t bump salaries outside of certain boundaries. You may be very surprised what your talents are worth at the bargaining table with a new company. More Flexibility. If your current boss isn’t interested in thinking out of the box with regard to work schedules, other companies may be! Whether you’re looking for work from home arrangements or some other arrangement, employers are often willing to go to extreme lengths to attract top talent. If you’re still torn between the urge to run screaming from the building (and your overly demanding boss!), or riding it out at your present job…take a deep breath. There are a lot of career coaches that can help you sort things out and decide which “R” is right for you! This post was written byKathi Miller-Miller. Kathi is a sought-after career specialist and author of“Your Journey from Fired to Hired.”Kathi draws on her 25+ years of success (and failures!) to offer readers advice on topics ranging from dealing with that crazy boss to interview and job search tips…all in a light-hearted and easy to read style. Feel free to visit her @www.kathimillermiller.comwhere you can engage in the conversation, check out past posts and subscribe to her monthly newsletter. For the socially engaged, you can also find her on LinkedIn; Google+; Twitter; Pinterest and Facebook. 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 ...