Fear and Procrastination In Your Job Search

Fear and Procrastinationalstaat In Your Job SearchIn a study we recently released at Bellevue University, we found that 20 percent of the U.S. population is looking to make a job change to achieve their goals but feel they lack the education needed to do so. However, only 8 percent of U.S. adults are putting out resumes, meaning that many who desire change are elend taking steps toward finding a new job. And, though the benefits of more education make it the likely solution, many feel its much too late to departure now. A large number of adults feel a change in careers means starting back on the ground floor and competing with entry-level candidates and entry-level pay, even though a degree often puts you a step ahead in many fields. The study also found that 30 percent of working adults who want to change careers say education and experience are holding them back, yet only 15 percent are working toward a degree.Part of the problem is fear and procrastination. Our research has shown that fear holds as much as one-quarter of adults back from achieving their goals, and that one out of 10 people say they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone or fear they dont have what it takes to succeed at the next level. They hesitate to apply for jobs, or plan on beginning their career transition next year, instead of taking the initiative to start living up to their potential in the short-term. Intriguingly, we found that as a persons educational obtainment increased, fear of stepping out of their comfort zone decreased. The more preparedness you create for yourself, the more comfortable youll feel when searching for a new or better occupation.What those that fear change need to understand is that when armed with higher education, the possibility of finding happiness in your line of work increases dramatically. Earning a college degree has never been more important than it is right now as, over the next 10 years, nearly half of all new jobs will require at least a bach elors degree. For you, job satisfaction may be just a degree away. Your future begins with the decisions you make today, so take the small step of researching what education is needed to land the job youve been thinking about. Higher education equals more possibilities, and, therefore, a more exciting job search.About the author Dr. Mary B. Hawkins is the President of Bellevue University. One of the nations best-known authorities on adult education, Dr. Mary B. Hawkins has observed the American education scene for more than 30 years and is keenly aware that the future of American prosperity relies on a better-educated workforce. She is known for leading the charge to make higher education accessible to everyone. Her expertise has been featured in USA Today, Fox Business, New York Post, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, onlindegrees.com, national radio shows, pickthebrain.com, KUNS-TV Seattle, and dozens more.

4 Items To Remove From Your LinkedIn

4 Items To Remove From Your LinkedIn LinkedIn is often the first place wherbeie a potential employer or networking contact will learn about who you are and what value you can provide. Some argue that your LinkedIn profile is now more important than your resume.In fact, a client of mine was recently hired for a job after a referral to the companys CEO and a fantastic phone conversation. The CEO shared with me that she never saw her new employees resume, but did check out her LinkedIn profile.As an important parte of your online brand, your profile gives an instant impression, and you want it to be a fantastic one. If you havent paid as much attention to your profile as you should, or are looking to kick it up a notlagech, start by fixing these common LinkedIn faux pas.1. Unprofessional or Outdated Photos Your profile photo doesnt need to be an expensive headshot, but it is important to appear professional and approachable. Its a good idea to wear something that is a step or two more f ormal than what you wear to work every day.You should be the only person in this photo. If your favorite shot is from group photo, ensure that you cannot binnensee your companions shoulders, hair or hands in the picture. Also, if youre not in the food and beverage industry, put the drink down.Remember to update your picture every 3-5 years so you are easily recognized when you meet someone who has checked out your profile prior to meeting you in person. 2. Excessive Personal Information LinkedIn allows you to showcase your personality and goes beyond the black and white of most resumes, which can be a powerful tool in helping potential employers or networking contacts learn more about you. This platform, however, is not Facebook. Your marital status, place of birth, family details and political views should not be shared unless they relate directly to your industry. 3. Confusing Job Titles Review your job titles to ensure that they show career progression and are easy to understand. Streamline titles in a standardized format so that viewers dont seeCoordinator, Marketingin one place andMarketing Coordinatorin another.On LinkedIn, it isnt as important to use your exact titles as it is to make them easy to understand. Im not suggesting that you provide inaccurate information, but if your job title was Researcher II, more information would be of great service to your reader. Think about something likeBiomedical Statistician (Researcher II)to show the work you did rather than just your title.4. Generic Headline Your LinkedIn headline defaults tocurrent roleatcurrent company. Your current role is just a small part who you are as a professional. You have 120 characters in this line - put them to useYour headline can be a sentence or sentence fragment. For example, Helping small businesses recruit and retain top talent. You can also use this space to incorporate keywords into your profile and advertise unique and notable skills. Do you know a code language, have a ce rtification or a particular subject matter expertise? Put that information in your headline, and when recruiters search for those items, youll increase your chances of being one of the first profiles they see.Put yourself ahead of the pack by eliminating these four common mistakes to allow your talent and experience to shine through on your LinkedIn profile.--Alyson Garrido is passionate about helping people advance their careers and find jobs they will enjoy. As a career coach, she partners with her clients to identify their strengths and create a path toward a more fulfilling career. Learn more at www.alysongarrido.com.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer

Body Language Signs to Look For in Video Interviews - Spark Hire

Body Language Signs to Look For in Video Interviews - Spark HireYou are aware, or perhaps you arent, that much of our communication with each other is nonverbal. Dont believe it? Well according to Professor Albert Mehrabian in his 1967 study, 55 percent of our likeability is communicated through nonverbal cues. When your body language holds so much importance, then its wise to know what kind of signals you are putting out there. By the same token, its important to be able to understand and interpret the body language cues of others- especially as a hiring manager. Even if you are only participating in a video interview, there are tons of body language signs you can pick up on from your candidate that can prove this is notlage the candidate for you.Certain body language cues can hint this candidate is lying, is nervous, is overly confident or altogether apathetic. These are all traits you would like to know without having to overtly ask, right? Lets take a look at how their bodies con vey these particularly undesirable traits.Since this is a video interview, you cant give your candidate a handshake, but in an in-person interview you will want to pay attention to how they grip your hand and the eye contact- or lack thereof- they give you. A weak handshake can point to weak character or lack of confidence. A death grip handshake can mean this candidate is very aggressive, which can be good or bad depending on what you need. A dead fish handshake is simply unacceptable, if not completely undesirable.Lets not focus on that though. Lets focus on the cues you can pick up on in your video interview.Touching the FaceIf your candidate is constantly touching their face, particularly their nose or mouth, then its a strong indication that they are lying. It can also just mean that they are nervous, which is the better of the two, but excessive face touching is not a good sign. You want a candidate that is confident and sure of their capabilities. Of course, if the candidate is showing signs of nervousness but is still rocking the interview, then you may let this one slide. Just be mindful of the action and what it may signify.Crossed ArmsA candidate that signs onto your video interview and sits there in front of you with their arms crossed is clearly missing the mark. Crossed arms can mean a couple of things, but none of them are good. At the top of the list is hintermannschaftness. When you sit with your arms crossed, you are showing everyone that you are in a defensive stance. Why should a candidate in an interview feel as though they need to be defensive? At the other end the candidate may be bored- in which case, forget them This is an interview for an open fleck, they should be energetic, motivated and ready to bring their A game- not sitting there waiting for the time to pass.Messy, Cluttered SpaceIf you can see in the video interview window that the candidates space is a mess, you might want to think again about hiring this person. Not that mess y people dont make great employees, but this is an interview and they need to be mindful of the image they are presenting to you. If they didnt take the time to clean their space and make it seem as though they are organized and together, then do they really care about this position? On the other hand, they may be completely ignorant as to what kind of picture this paints and that isnt very acceptable either. A clean, tidy and organized space is what you want to see in your online video interview with this candidate.No Eye ContactYes, its a video interview and its through a webcam, but you should still be receiving eye contact. If the candidate is looking up, down, sideways or at their own hands then all signs point to bad candidate. They may be nervous or just disinterested, but either way they should know that eye contact is an important part of interviewing, even it its a video interview. If they cant give you the courtesy of looking you in the eye, or your visual eye in the came ra, then dont give them the courtesy of consideration for this position.These are all signs that your candidate is either disinterested or dishonest. Either way, if your video interview candidate is displaying any of these nonverbal communication cues, you might want to reconsider them. The choice is yours but at least you have the tools to adequately decide.