5 Tips for a Perfect Elevator Pitch

5 Tips for a Perfect Elevator Pitch You are going about your day and you happen to run into someone who works for your dream employer. You have about 30-60 seconds to convince them that you could be an asset to their company. That’s where your elevator pitch comes in.You never know when you could run into the person who could help open the door to your dream job. You should always be prepared, just in case. An elevator pitch should be brief, persuasive and it should highlight your skills.1. Write It DownYour elevator pitch should be about 30-60 seconds long. Yes, that means you need to find a way to explain who you are, what skills you have and what value you bring, all in under a minute. Make a list, write it down on paper and find a way to make it sound interesting and brief. Then take that piece of paper and use it to practice until you know it by heart, you are comfortable saying it and can say it in a way that sounds natural. Try recording your pitch to make sure it sounds good and is within the time limit.2. Ch oose Your SkillsKnowing which skills to highlight in your pitch is vital. You want to make sure that the skills you choose apply to your dream position at your dream company. Try doing some research on your dream role and finding common skills that are required for the role. Then compare those skills to ones that you already possess and write them down. These are the transferable skills and qualifications that you will want to highlight in your Elevator Pitch.3. Use Index CardsTake a few index cards and write down one of these questions on each one. You should answer each question with approximately a two-sentence answer for each one. Using the lists that you made above, take each item and see which question they fit best under. It will help you to organize your thoughts.Who am I? What do I do? How do I do it? What value do I bring? Who do I do it for? What is my greatest accomplishment?4. Organize Your ThoughtsOrganize your cards in order from the what you think is the most importa nt to the least. You may not have much time to sell yourself, a couple of minutes at most. You want to make sure you leave the person with something worth remembering. What do you want them to remember when the conversation is over and you go your separate ways?5. Offer a Business CardYou should always carry a couple of business cards with you, everywhere you go. You never know when they will come in handy. Your business card should have your name visible as well as your phone number, email address, and place of business. That way anyone you give it to, will know exactly who you are.At the end of your elevator pitch, you should offer the person your business card and ask about following up with them at a later date. They may even give you a business card in return and you can offer to follow-up with them instead, taking a bit of the weight off their shoulders. You will be sure to remember to follow-up, whereas they may forget in the bustle of their busy day.By following these tips w hen crafting and executing your elevator pitch, you are sure to leave a great impression on the person you are speaking to. Remember to be confident and don’t forget to practice. Good luck! You might have just turned right on the road to your dream job. Now it’s just a matter of getting the doors.

High Performing Professionals are Focused

High Performing Professionals are Focused High performing people have one thing in common: they are extremely focussed in what they do and how they do it.One of the biggest issues that prevents effective performance is busyness, flitting here and there trying to achieve too many things and accomplishing little.evalMany believe that by firing enough bullets toward the target, the likelihood of a direct hit is increased. The problem with this shotgun method is that it squanders precious limited resources and it assumes the shooter has the correct target in their sights. In most practical situations neither assumption is true.What IS true, however, is that levels of performance are directly related to first, being clear on what you are trying to achieve, and second, concentrating on the FEW critical tasks or objectives that will get you 80% there.Find three things that will deliver 80% of what is expected and the brass ring is yours!How can you achieve focus?1. Clearly understand what you are trying to achieve. Not in general t erms â€" “Increased market share” â€" but in granular detail â€" “increase the share of wallet from the following 25 4. Communicate your plan to your leadership and ask for feedback to ensure you are on the right track from their perspective. Fine tune (or completely rewrite) your action plan based on their review and input.5. Once you are executing your action plan, beware of over-the-transom yummy incoming requests of your time that take you off your plan. Stay focused on what YOU intend to achieve; avoid if at all possible what OTHERS want you to do. In some cases this proves very difficult to do, but stay in the awareness. While you are chasing stuff your plan is in the sleep mode; nothing happens.6. Question changes in priorities that impact your plan; this could be disguised yummy. If a new priority is declared, reassess your action plan quickly and make appropriate adjustments. Then get going!High performers stay focussed on what NEEDS to be done; chasing POSSIBILITIES achieves little.

MBA Job-Seekers Congratulations, But Leave the Entitlement at Home

MBA Job-Seekers Congratulations, But Leave the Entitlement at Home MBA Job-Seekers: Congratulations, But Leave the Entitlement at Home True story: Recently, at a job search workshop for over 100 MBA soon-to-be-graduates, John introduced himself and told me that “after I graduate, I’m going to walk into my boss’ office and demand a promotion or I’ll leave.” After I withheld the laughter and astonishment, I asked John how long he had been there and what kind of company it was. He disclosed that it was a fast-growth technology company (which he liked), had room for promotion, and he got along well with everybody. For all the “Johns” out there, at any professional level and within any generation, you need to leave your ego and entitlement at home. Don’t get me wrong. I was one of the most ambitious, career-minded MBAs…and that ambition helped me throughout my 30 year career. But I made mistakes, too. There are good ways to show your skills, pride, strengths, confidence and fit for a new position either within your current company or outside. And there are really bad ways. The best way to check yourself is to prepare a short term career plan, script the answer to “tell me about yourself” and write down your interview answers RIGHT NOW. Yes, before you even apply to a job. You will be able to hear how you sound when you see it in words. Plus, rehearse with supporters such as friends, parents, career counselors, etc. If John had written out his plan, he would see and hear how words such as “after I graduate” or “demand” sound. What is magical about the day after you receive your diploma on graduation day? Did you transform into this super-human brainiac? NO! You are the same John who has shown good work ethic, smarts, follow-through and more while you have been working for your company. Will you be able to go out with your freshly-minted MBA and get a better job that pays 10-20% more, gives you management responsibility and “leverages” your new education? Probably not. So here is your checklist for early preparation. Put the following in writing: 1. Your next step career goal. This is not a 5 year plan. In that goal statement include 1. Timing 2. Function 3. Company 4. Industry 5. City (if other than your own) 6. Major difference or change from what you have today 2. Write out your answer to “Tell me about yourself.” Hint: 3 points then stop. Dana’s Career “Law of Threes”: 1. First sentence is about your education 2. Second sentence is about your recent professional career 3. Third is what you are looking for, if a change. If no change, elaborate more on your recent year in your career. 3. Write out your discussion with your boss, if you are “John”. Circle the number of times you use the word “I” vs. “You”. Circle how many times you talk about all of the skills you think you have versus what your company needs for their future or what your boss may need extra help with. There’s never enough time in these blogs, but my goal is to help you wear the shoes of a hiring manager. In doing so, I will always provide specific best practices to use, not only in your job search as job seekers, but in your career growth long term. Best of luck!

How to Make a Resume For Free - Using Free Resume Writing Sites

How to Make a Resume For Free - Using Free Resume Writing SitesIf you want to write a resume that you can use to land your dream job, you should know that there are many resume writing sites available online. There are free sites that will provide you with an outline for your career or education goals. You should make sure that your resume is one of the best that the company has to offer.If you do not know how to make a resume, you may want to look into the services of a professional resume writer. While there are many free resume writing sites online, you may be wasting your time with the free sites if you don't have the experience or training to write a good resume. While you may be able to get the basics down in a day, you need a professional to take it up a notch. That way, you will be prepared to land the dream job that you always wanted.Making a resume means putting all of your skills and experience together in a way that will benefit the company. The company needs to know that you are able to put your experience and skills to use when they need you. The hiring manager should be able to see that you have a strong foundation and have a number of skills that could help the company grow. In order to make sure that you get the job that you want, you should be able to put together a strong resume.If you want to learn how to make a resume for free, you will need to get to the point where you have a basic outline. This will help you see what information you need to include on your resume and how you should start the writing process. There are many different types of resumes that you will need to make.The first thing that you will need to include on your resume is your name and contact information. You should also be able to write down your educational background and experience. You may want to put some recommendations orskills that you have that will make the hiring manager wants to interview you. You should also be able to put in your education level, skills, a nd experience.When you have all of this information in front of you, you will be able to take advantage of career and skill development articles that will help you develop skills and knowledge that you will need for future job openings. This is the most important part of making a resume. The important thing is that you have learned something valuable that can help you in your job search.After you have learned all of the information that you need to include on your resume, you will need to make sure that it is professional looking. It should be clean and sharp and easy to read. The most important part of making a resume is making sure that it will stand out from the rest of the other resumes that are being submitted.By using free resume writing sites, you will be able to get an outline of what you need to include in your resume. This is the best place to start because it will let you know exactly what you will need to get a job and where you should start in your career. Make sure tha t your resume is professional looking and that you know where to begin in your career. Once you know how to make a resume for free, you will be well on your way to landing the dream job that you always wanted.

Power Words For Resume Writing - Write Them So That You Get the Job

Power Words For Resume Writing - Write Them So That You Get the JobPower words for resume writing words that may sound good, but will not get you hired. You need to keep your keywords in mind and be sure of what they mean to the company you are applying for a job at. You do not want to waste your time by attempting to make them come out the right way.The first words to know are 'best'personalized.' These words will get you a jump on the other job seekers when you start writing your resume. They will ensure that you make the best impression possible, which will give you a better chance at landing that job. It is important to remember that these words can only work if you have taken the time to really figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life.The power words for resume writing our 'Must Haves'must haves.' This is a great idea for every job seeker. These words will allow you to see how your resume fits in the overall scheme of things and help make it more cohesive.Al ways keep a good list of your accomplishments. This can help you with interview skills when you are filling out job applications. A good list will help you see how you have done well and where you can do better.As you think about your career goals, remember to keep these words in mind. Use these words as your backbone when writing your resume. Never forget to write in a professional manner.Power words for resume writing can be used within the text. Words such as 'honorable mention,' 'paperwork'educational attainment' can be used to show how you have had some work experience. This shows that you have accomplished something and that you can handle more. It shows that you have the ability to handle the challenge that the company has thrown at you.You need to take the time to write strong words in your resume, for you and for the employer. These words should be carefully crafted and know exactly what the company is looking for. Be sure that you use these words because you want to get th e job, but also because the company wants to hire you.

The Most Ignored Solution for Resume Writing for Research Experience

The Most Ignored Solution for Resume Writing for Research Experience Resume Writing for Research Experience Help! It is possible to still land interviews. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. You are among the foremost professional resume writer skilled in addition to supply professional resume. Our writers do their very best to fulfill your every requirement and ensure you receive the high grade. Searching for a new job can be intimidating, but there are steps that you may take to get ready for the endeavor. Resumes are just a page in length (if you don't own a range of years of experience in a special field), and space is at a premium. It's possible that forfirst job resumes, it's not essential for the applicant to have a comprehensive cover letter. However, it cannot go amiss when it has to do with applying for work. Despite many of job opportunities out there, it can still be tough to secure the ideal job. In them, you'll locate a numb er of work in the chemistry industry which can help you tailor your own resume according to a certain position you're seeking. If you're attempting to acquire work in accounting or finance you require averystrong resume. When there are available work in the area, there could be plenty of competition for coveted positions in some specific facilities. Distinct kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with a lot of the exact skills. It's also important to think about the sort of work you genuinely are interested in being hired to do. Resume writing takes a little bit of practice as it's a much different direction of presenting yourself than you are likely utilized to. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Each resume format can be helpful, based on your own personal conditions. Entry-level employees, who don't have lots of on-the-job experience, should incorporate every job possible whilst emphasizing the skills that match the work listing. You do not need to incorporate every job which you have held, especially in case you have many years of expertise or have worked in unrelated fields. You should also speak about past experience. You don't have to have work experience to get skills.

Get Career SAVEY (No, Thats Not a Typo!) - Work It Daily

Get Career SAVEY (No, Thats Not a Typo!) - Work It Daily By J.T. O'Donnell I've always said there's a silver lining to every situation - a recession is no exception. When times get tough, smart companies get creative. They recognize an opportunity to create brand awareness and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. A great example is Hyundai. They just started a program that pays you to buy their car. Better still, if you lose your job, you get to give the car back without any hassles so you can save your credit rating. Now that is impressive! So here's OUR deal: We've decided to help all you career savvy people by offering a new service. Every Tuesday, we are going to send out the 'Career Savey' newsletter. In it will be 5 new deals we think you'd like to know about. Yes, our team will be scouring the internet weekly to find deals we feel are worthy of sharing with our readers. The goal? To let you in on the best money-saving tools and resources available during these tough economic times. We figure those of you who are either unemployed or worried about your finances will appreciate the inside scoop on these discounted products and services. Better Still - If you recommend a great deal (send the info to customer_service@workitdaily.com) and we choose to include it on our newsletter, you will get a free subscription to CAREEREALISM University - our career management course that is catapulting the professional success of participants via our innovative career strategy program. So, if you'd like to get our weekly newsletter with the top 5 career savey deals of the week, simply sign up below: Email Marketing by iContact Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!