Whats Your Unique Selling Point (USP) Building Your Future Now

Whats Your Unique Selling Point (USP) Building Your Future Now A Unique Selling Point is a selling/markerting term that denotes a product, company or brands uniqueness in the marketplace which sets it apart from the competition. The USP can also be applied to you as a personal brand. As a job seeker you need to find examples and ways that separate you from other candidates because there is a lot of competition vying for a limited amount of positions. Your Unique Selling Point This is a key item to think about before writing your resume and cover letter. Along with the job posting(s) and keywords you will be using the USP as the nucleus of writing a great resume/coverletter. Now think about your past experiences: what has separated you from your co-workers? Is there something special about what you do in the position youre in? If you are a web developer do you specialize in an in-demand coding language in a niche industry? Get very specific The more focused you are about describing your USP the better prepared you are when creating a unique, stand-out application. Try looking at other similar professionals on LinkedIn. Try to find the best profiles. How unique is your brand compared to them? Why would someone hire you especially in regards to your USP? Your USP and Potential Employers Along with thinking about your brand think about your potential employer. How are you going to help and benefit them? Incorporate this question when formulating your USP! Although companies and organizations like to hear about how good you are they ultimately want you to tell them how you will help them. One of the main areas is a financial benefit: saving them money perhaps or your exceptional closing ratio as a sales person. Building your Brand As you develop your brand reputation in an industry you will easily find your niche and ultimately your USP. Its all about doing your job correctly, consistently and constantly learning in order to get better. Your USP is one of the most important parts when you are laying down the foundation to a strong application. Image: Foto Grafie Link

How Not To Be a Really Rotten Co-Worker Marla Gottschalk

How Not To Be a Really Rotten Co-Worker Marla Gottschalk You know them â€" really rotten co-workers. Its unclear clear how they have developed into what they are, or progressed this far, but they are here. They could be the person who sits in the cubicle next to you. (Yes, that close.) They may serve on a team with you. Unfortunately, they just may be your boss. During the course of work and career, its likely youll meet more than one of these individuals â€" some of us sooner, rather than later. Im sorry. They are out there. They dont fully cross the line professionally (or legally). But, they are awfulrotten to the core. You know this. Somehow they have managed to miss every message concerning a healthy culture and camaraderie. The worst part? They couldnt care less. They are likely clueless to their egregious behavior. Getting ahead is all that matters. I know â€" you sometimes fantasize about getting even. You might replace their Power Point presentation with something ridiculously embarrassing, or offer the wrong start time for an important meeting. But you know that deep in our heart, your daydreaming is just thatdaydreaming.   Because, you are not that person. (Their comeuppance will arrive, rest assured.) The best thing you can do is to inoculate yourself against rotten â€" and never, ever fall into that category. Some ideas for that: Lend a helping hand.  Have you noticed that someone appears stressed or uncharacteristically frazzled? Step in and offer to help. We all have 5 minutes to help someone prepare for a presentation or sort through ideas. Step up. Rotten co-workers turn a blind eye to others in distress. Be the link.  We all want to be a success â€" but its not a zero sum game. Rotten co-workers wouldnt think to help anyone, but themselves, to move forward. Do you know someone that would be a great link for one of your colleagues? Make that introduction. Its fuel for the workplace soul. Be transparent. Weve all met that person who presents as one person â€" but is really another. Be upfront with your needs and motives. It just doesnt pay in the longer term to be deceitful. Dont be that jerk. Leaders remain our co-workers. However, sometimes that undeniable fact is ignored. If you hold a leadership position, dont lord position power or the hierarchy over others. If you land a great promotion, keep this in mind. Its gross. Really. Be someones champion. Changing attitudes and powering real change is difficult. If you see someone you really has something, join the crusade. Help them develop their idea and take it to the next level. Everyone wins. Above all â€" value the contribution of others.  You know that guy who changed your slide without telling you? He missed the orientation memo concerning respecting the work of others. That kind of behavior is a no no, if you want to stay out of rotten territory. Have a rotten co-worker? Share your story here. Photo Credit: Dailymobile.net Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and workplace strategist . She also writes at Linkedin.

Personal Brand Stereotypes #1 Tall People Are Basketball Players - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brand Stereotypes #1 Tall People Are Basketball Players - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This is the first post in a series of posts examining the many stereotypes our brands encounter due to our appearance. Today, I examine the since you are tall you must play basketball stereotype that some of us are a victim of. Dont even deny it for a second. I will even admit to asking people who are tall if they play basketball. Most of the time, the answer I receive consists of a laugh and a no. Furthermore, I do believe that people who are tall have a significant advantage over those who are short when it comes to the game of basketball. If you play center in basketball, it even becomes a requirement. Unless you are very fast, a three-point shooter and can dribble with haste, there is little room for in professional basketball (Think Allen Iverson). When Yao Ming was growing up, how many times do you think he was proclaimed a basketball player, even before he took interest in the sport. I think sometimes this stereotype is powerful enough to force this occupation on people, to a point where they either believe they are a basketball player or will now aspire to be one (thus possibly drifting away from their personal brand). Studies also show that men are more attractive to women when they are taller. No man wants to wear platform shoes for a date â€"a study reveals just how strong our preferences are for the taller-man-shorter-woman duo. Researchers mined Yahoo Personals (while at work!) and found that only 23 percent of men would consider dating a woman taller than they are. Women were even bigger size snobs: Only 4 percent were open to breaking romantic tradition. Psychology Today Do you think that being tall is an advantage and have you ever heard the song by Skee-Lo called I Wish? It seems like its bred in our culture, even from the 90s. Aside from listing this music video for your viewing pleasure and entertainment, think of a second about your height and how it has played a role in your personal and professional life. Does it even make a difference to you? What about the people all around you who judge your brand? [youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=icr0eW1fRSs] Coming up next The next part in this series will examine the eyeglasses stereotype. When you meet someone who wears glasses, you automatically consider them smart or geeky. Put on your glasses for the next post in this series.

Personal Branding Interview Mark Jeffries - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Mark Jeffries - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Mark Jeffries, who former Merrill Lynch Stockbroker, turned speaker and author of The Art of Business Seduction: A 30-Day Plan to Get Noticed, Get Promoted and Get Ahead. In this interview, Mark talks about how hes branded himself, the connection between business and dating, some job search secrets, and more. How is business seduction like relationship seduction? There is a remarkable similarity between business and dating. Whether it’s at a bar in front of someone we want or in a boardroom in front of a client we need We win people over, we spark their interest, we earn their trust and often, when it goes well, we end up getting exactly what we want! Great business and social relationships are built through trusted connections (friends of friends) Social proof (When other people talk about how great you) and the promise of something special followed (most importantly) by delivering more than was expected. Continuing to make your life-partner happy makes for a great relationship the same is true in business. Just because you have won the deal does not mean that you stop re-winning the business. How can you get an edge in the job market, stand out, and achieve success? The new ABC in the job market is no longer Always Be Closing, it is Always BE Connecting. Spend much less time writing and re-writing your resume and much more time getting out and about, putting yourself on the radar and allowing people to see the value and the benefit of what you do. Remember when you explain your potential to people, it should ALWAYS be in relation to THEM. How would they be better off by using you more, giving you the job or handing you the promotion. Be seen, be present, be involved. Whether its online or in-person, the more people see that you are part of what is happening, the more they want you around. It’s the safety that comes from familiarity. Don’t go quiet on your network. Instead grow and nurture your contacts, put yourself on their radar and become a ‘connected-communicator’. What tips do you have someone who has trouble getting attention from employers or bosses? Many people feel somewhat invisible at work. It’s important to create a bolder more memorable and positive presence, but not to show off or draw attention for the wrong reasons. The Art of Business Seduction often involves, a subtle tease before the bigger sell. So try this. Write an e-mail on a Sunday night direct to your boss or client, teasing up some cool information that you have discovered. (you are going to need to find something vaguely interesting and practical!!) Do not reveal what this is, but instead announce that you will share it with him ‘tomorrow’. Using this approach, he is now waiting for you to come over and spill it!! Here’s the win though, regardless of whether he likes or dislikes what you have found, you are showing yourself to be committed to the business and actively (on a Sunday) seem to be generating ideas. Another technique revolves around being close to the clients. If you are in a client-centric business, build good relationships with those clients and instantly elevate your position back at base. The more people can see that the clients find you ‘indispensable’ the more ‘indispensable’ you will be! Can you explain your four-step process L-WAR? Great business is all about giving people real confidence in your abilities and your potential. To have people want you rather than you constantly pushing yourself. Actively Listening and Watching (L W) before you do anything gives you a great chance to understand their needs before you say or do a thing. The simple act of taking your time before making your case is a key discipline that will instantly add value to what you are about to say. Anticipating and reacting are the two actions needed to close this “Square of influence” around your target. Anticipating is all about putting yourself in their shoes. If you were that boss right now, what would you be thinking, feeling, concerned or excited about? With the right information and some smart thinking, you will know exactly what they would want to discuss next and you simply react by saying it first. This fills your target with instant confidence about your abilities because you seem to be “on their page”! The common-sense skills of listening watching then anticipating and reacting (A R) immediately put you ahead of the competition. These skills are a basic start position not a replacement for what comes next great communication, smart soft skills and the new ABC, Always Be Connecting. How did you become The Business Seducer? Seduction is not confined to the bedroom it is the way that we should all approach business. The reason is that it puts other people first, makes them happy and in a positive, yet indirect way, gets you what you want as well. It is a far more thoughtful method for conducting business, to get your message across and to encourage people to want you in their world. I found that when I took the time to truly understand my clients, to go above and beyond their expectations, I earned their trust, respect and loyalty. I discovered that they started to check if I was available first before they even planned events. My involvement whether as a speaker of moderator or coach had added more value than my competitors had been able to deliver. This was business seduction I set out to make the client see that I was an excellent investment, that I had their best interests at heart and that they could trust me to deliver on all their objectives. I am proud of the connection I have with my clients and I know it works because they now ‘sell’ me to their contacts and colleagues. There is no greater affirmation that that!! Mark Jeffries, former Merrill Lynch Stockbroker, has become a trusted advisor and communications consultant to some of the worlds largest and most successful corporations, agencies, accounting and law firms. Hes the author of The Art of Business Seduction: A 30-Day Plan to Get Noticed, Get Promoted and Get Ahead (Wiley). As a keynote speaker and executive coach, Mark has built a business addressing professional conferences and coaching top business executives, lawyers and politicians. His top clients include Ernst Young, Microsoft, IBM, Boeing, Royal Bank of Canada and HSBC. As a leader in the field of Strategic Communication and Soft Skills, Marks advice is widely sought in the corporate world as well as on TV and radio. Mark is a regular contributor on NBCs Today Show, CNBC, BBC News, Sky News and Fox Business. He self-published a book in 2008 called Whats up with your handshake?: Using the Secrets of Strategic Communication and Soft Skills to Win.

9 Signs You are Burning Out At Work - CareerMetis.com

9 Signs You are Burning Out At Work Source â€" Pexels.comEven if you’re working the job of your dreams, you’re not immune to burnout. In fact, the harder you work and the more motivated you are to succeed, the easier it will all get overwhelming. And that way, you risk suffering from burnout.What is burnout?evalBurnout refers to an extended period when a person experiences exhaustion and lack of interest in their life. As a result, their job performance declines and they suffer from consequences of chronic stress.When left unchecked, burnout can seriously affect your health, happiness, relationships with other people and job performance. That’s why you need to catch the signs of burnout quickly and start dealing with the problem early on.evalHere are 9 signs to which you should be paying attention and 6 tips to help you avoid burnout.1. Negative emotionsIf you catch yourself feeling a lot of negative emotions or being much more pessimistic than you’re used to, you might be experiencing burnout. Does it feel tha t whatever you’re doing doesn’t matter? Or perhaps you are simply disillusioned with everything in your life?It’s normal to experience negative emotions from time to time, but pay attention to yourself to spot the moment when these emotions become unusual for you.2. ExhaustionFeeling exhausted when you wake up and go to sleep is a clear sign of burnout. Remember that exhaustion can be physical, but also emotional or mental. If you find yourself being completely spent more often than usual, consider it a serious sign of possible burnout.3. Lack of motivationAnother sign of burnout is when you stop feeling enthusiastic about anything in your life or no longer have the internal motivation to work. If it’s harder than ever to get going in the morning and drag yourself to work every single day, you might be experiencing symptoms of burnout.4. Cognitive problemsChronic stress that comes as part of burnout often interferes with our ability to focus. When you’re stressed, your att ention may narrow to concentrate on the negative element you perceive as a threat.That type of attention helps us to deal with the problem at hand, but our bodies are not designed to handle the stress that lasts longer than short bursts. When that happens, stress prevents people from solving problems or making decisions.5. Interpersonal troublesevalIf you notice that many of your relationships are becoming strained and unsatisfying, that might be a sign of burnout. Are you having more conflicts with people? Are you getting into arguments more frequently? Or perhaps you withdraw, spending less time talking to your coworkers and family members?If you’re physically among people but find yourself tuned out, that’s a serious sign of burnout.6. Unhealthy habitsIn some people, burnout surfaces as unhealthy coping strategies that range from drinking and smoking to eating junk food, not eating enough, or not getting enough sleep.Another serious issue is self-medication â€" especially if sleep troubles lead you to rely too much on sleeping pills. If unhealthy habits are occupying a lot of space in your life, you might be suffering from burnout.7. Constantly thinking about workevalPeople who suffer from burnout often find themselves preoccupied with their work even when they’re not working. They just can’t control it and continue to expand mental energy mulling over their job.If your work is interfering with your ability to recover from daily stresses and you keep on thinking about your tasks, it might be a sign of burnout.8. Health problemsBurnout is linked to chronic stress, and chronic stress brings out serious health problems over a long period. These problems range from heart diseases and digestive issues to depression and obesity.Look back over the years of your professional life to check whether the appearance of recent health problems has anything to do with your work.9. Decreased satisfaction from lifeFinally, those who suffer from burnout tend to feel l ess happy and satisfied with their careers and life in general. If you feel stuck and dissatisfied in your life, but you’re not able to pinpoint the reason for that feeling, you might be suffering from burnout.As you can see, burnout is a serious condition that professionals should avoid at all cost. But how to keep your mental state in check and make sure that you have a healthy relationship with your work?Here are 6 tips to help you deal with burnout effectively:Relax seriously â€" schedule relaxation. Take up a habit that helps you relax. It can be listening to music, reading a book, taking a walk, or meditation. Consider which activities bring you most relaxation and designate specific times for them. Don’t treat relaxation as a hole in your schedule, but as one of the important tasks to be done during the day.Have a rich life outside of work â€" find new hobbies or activities you are passionate about. It might be a new sport, volunteering in the community, or a hobby â€" th e point is that it needs to be engaging and get you going. Together with relaxation, engaging in your hobby will allow you to turn off from work and find meaning in life in many different places.Dare to unplug â€" that one might be hard in today’s profusion of communication technologies, but while they surely promote productivity, they also lead to higher work stress. Don’t allow work to enter into your family time, relaxation, and other social activities. Turn off your work cell phone at dinner and delegate specific times to check your email. You don’t need to be “on” all the time.Get plenty of sleep â€" recent research indicates that having fewer than six hours of sleep per night constitutes a major risk factor for burnout. Poor sleep has a negative effect on your job performance, leads to fatigue, decreases your motivation and in general makes you more sensitive to stressful events. So make sure to get plenty of sleep each night and cultivate your mental health.Organize â€" professionals who suffer from burnout often spend a lot of time worrying that they will forget to do something. Clear your head and get organized. Create a to-do list and prioritize your tasks. That way, you won’t have to keep thinking about things because you’ll have a sophisticated system in place to remind you about them.Be mindful â€" stay attuned to the state of your body and mind. Look for physical signs that indicate you might be under too much stress. Anything like more headaches, a stiff neck or tight shoulders can be a sign.Even if you’re passionate about your job, burnout can still get the better of you.Consider getting professional help if the issues you’re struggling with are becoming severe. Ask your family and friends for support, but also talk with a psychologist who will help you deal with burnout.

Summary Sunday A Feast of Career Posts

Summary Sunday A Feast of Career Posts This is a weekly round up of the best posts I have found and shared throughout the week. Do you know about the Career Development Carnival? Career Development Carnival: July 2013 Each month, Lynn Dessert and I ask career related bloggers to send us their best post and then we put them all together, either on Elephants at Work or my site. (This month it is on Lynns site.) What you get is a massive amount of great information all in one spot. These are the topics addressed: Career Management Job Search Resources Career Exploration Networking Tips Personal Branding Reputation Management I hope you go have a look and find information to help you where ever you are in your career progression. If you are looking for more helpful resources and sites, you can see some of my favorites by clicking on this. I write a lot, but I also share a lot too. I mostly share the information through Twitter so if you arent on Twitter, youll be missing out- wait no, you dont have to miss out. Here is a summary of all the posts I share on Twitter!  And, you can subscribe for free just fill in your email next to get alerts to get this emailed to you. You can click here or this gives you an idea of the content being shared.

Resume Writing Help

Resume Writing HelpDo you need some assistance when it comes to resume writing? Have you ever tried to do it yourself and found that you didn't quite get it right? Can you even begin to put your CV together without professional help? The truth is that there are certain aspects of resume writing that will be necessary if you want a good-looking document that will help you get the job.One of the most basic yet often overlooked details is the use of simple facts in the application. If you try to cram too many details into your CV, it may look like it needs another page to be able to display all of the details you include in it. If your cover letter contains too much technical jargon in general, your CV will be found lacking in this area.When it comes to resume writing help, you will find that in general, the first step that people use when they are looking for a CVs help service is the use of word processing software. Many professionals will suggest that this is the quickest way to get the job done, but if you have never used such a program before, you may find that this method is not quite as easy as you would have imagined.The most important task that you can perform in your CV writing assistance is to make sure that all of the information that you include on it is related to the role that you are applying for. Using too many technical terms, for example, can seem very artificial and you do not want to appear unprofessional if you do not have the technical background that you need to effectively communicate your information. In addition, avoid using too many charts and graphs as well because they can seem unnecessary and you will not be able to sell them very well.In order to ensure that your CV is as well-written as possible, you will need to turn to a writer for assistance. If you are not comfortable with writing or are not sure that you can write a CV in your own name, then this might be the perfect opportunity to try out a professional writing service. Becau se writing can be quite an intricate task, finding someone who knows what they are doing is a great option for those who are not sure how to get it done.There are many benefits to hiring a professional to do the writing for you, and the best part about it is that you do not have to pay the prices that many others charge to get the services that you need. In fact, the writing services that you hire can either be given at no cost or at a very small rate. Therefore, you can hire one and see if they are the ones who can get your CV written to your exact specifications, regardless of whether or not you have technical writing skills. This is one of the most popular ways that people use to ensure that their CV is well-written and meets their expectations.Because your CV is going to be used as a tool for communicating important details about you, it will be beneficial to find help when it comes to the necessary details. You should be able to look over the CV before it is sent out in order t o make sure that everything is correct. The document should also be thoroughly checked for grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, since these types of mistakes can indicate that you do not have the necessary experience to get the job.If you are not completely satisfied with the help that you get with your resume writing assistance, don't hesitate to request another one. While it is nice to feel like you have the option to have a piece of paper handed to you by a professional, there are times when you just need to get professional help in order to get your job done properly.