Resumark Blog

Resumark Blog http://www.resumark.com/blog Blog for Resumark.com job site that pays Job Seekers to post resumes online: Resume advice, job advice, career choice advice, latest in job networking, job news, interviewing tips, unemployment news, employee rights, green jobs, resume writing, job search, and more. Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:35:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Think Better on Your Feet – Part 2 http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-2/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-2/#comments Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:35:37 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4842
Once you master this skill set, you’ll find it far easier not only to come up with something worthwhile to say, but to [...]]]> When you’re put on the spot and under pressure to answer an unanticipated tough question or respond to a pointed remark, it’s useful and important to be able to “think on your feet.”

Once you master this skill set, you’ll find it far easier not only to come up with something worthwhile to say, but to say it quite effectively. As a result, others will feel more confidence in you, and respect you as smarter and more trustworthy than someone who seems to babble and bumble under pressure.

Last time we talked about speaking from a place of confidence, and mentally preparing in advance. Here are four other, equally valuable techniques to help you think better and faster on your feet:

Relax First, Speak Second

When you’re put on the spot, your first reaction might be to take action. Since you probably can’t run away, you’ll often feel the urge to start babbling. Resist it. Whenever a spotlight hits you, adrenalin immediately tenses your muscles, which in turn tends to impair your performance. The better response is to take a few slow breaths and consciously relax before you open your mouth.

It’s easy to develop a few facial expressions and hints of body language that convey: “Fascinating question. Give me a second to think about it before I answer.” Get in the habit of using them while you prepare to dazzle the crowd.

You can even use silence to improve how others perceive you. A brief pause before you speak, or between a few of your key sentences, can convey the idea that you are in control of the situation, and can also add impact and layers of meaning to relatively simple ideas.

Observe in Depth

It’s a big mistake to shoot from the hip in unanticipated situations. You might respond to a less important part of the whole situation, or overlook the largest opportunity. Instead, get in the habit of observing the people around you in depth: not just their words, but their tone of voice, the expression in their eyes, their behavior, body language, and the words they don’t say as well as those they do.

By processing all this information you’ll come to a deeper understanding of the unanticipated situation that confronts you, and you’ll automatically have a basis to formulate a smarter response.

Include Preliminaries

The best orators know that launching too quickly into the meat of their remarks usually undercuts their impact on the audience. In the same way, you’ll earn a better reputation for thinking on your feet if you don’t just snap out an answer, but instead take a few moments to set the stage for what you’re going to say.

Few who are listening to you will realize that while you are setting the stage, recapping the overall situation, listing a few basic facts or ideas that everybody knows, even repeating the question or statement to which you are now expected to respond, you are giving yourself extra time to think.

Hit One Nail on One Head

Perhaps the biggest error people make when put on the spot is to cover the waterfront, to lay out a whole plan or a whole opportunity in a long-winded oration. In most situations, particularly in unanticipated situations, it’s far more effective and impressive to make a single point, and make it well.

This approach also has the advantage of allowing you to use the most relevant of the solutions and opportunities you’ve previously prepared without trying to recast all of your thinking to precisely fit the actual situation in which you’re suddenly on the spot.

By driving home - hard! - a single idea that makes sense within the unanticipated situation, you can more easily appear knowledgeable and confident.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-2/feed/ 5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Office Space http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/5-tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-office-space/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/5-tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-office-space/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:00:21 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4836 Whether you have a cubicle or an office, sometimes your workspace just doesn’t seem big enough. Papers end up cluttered everywhere, you accumulate bits and pieces of old projects, and you can never find the document you need when you need it. But even if you have a small space, there are ways you can maximize it, making you a more efficient and effective employee.

Get rid of your CRT monitor. It’s taking up a ton of room on your desk, and LCDs are so inexpensive nowadays that there’s just no excuse. That extra space can be put to use with organizational systems that will help keep your paperwork in order. Put in a request to your IT department to find out if it’s possible.

Make use of your walls. They can be used for more than just hanging up artwork. You can also use them to organize documents with hanging wall files. You can create wall shelves for additional storage space. And if your desk is facing a wall, it may even be possible to mount a flat-screen monitor there to give you a little more desk space. Of course, one of the most common ways to use an office wall is the bulletin board. It can help keep papers off of your desk and in your line of sight.

Get rid of office supplies you don’t use regularly. Answer this honestly: how often do you really use that staple remover? Look at every item that’s cluttering up your work space and answer that question. If the answer is less than once a month, consider giving it away. You can always borrow that office supply from a co-worker if you need it or add it to a common area where everyone (including you) has access.

Add lights. Dark spaces can make you feel tired, and often the lighting provided by your office isn’t enough. Or it’s that awful fluorescent lighting that no one enjoys. So invest in a lamp or three. If you can, find ways to position yourself closer to any natural lighting in the room. You may find that it helps your productivity.

Organize your desk regularly. Set a regular appointment on your calendar to take an hour or so to clean up your workspace at least once a month. Get rid of stuff you don’t need, and create filing systems for the rest. This type of regular maintenance will help keep things from getting out of control.

What are some ways you make better use of your work space?

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/5-tips-for-making-the-most-of-your-office-space/feed/ Think Better on Your Feet – Part 1 http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-1/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-1/#comments Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:00:53 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4830
Some people are born with the ability to think on their feet and come up with a good answer [...]]]> We all report to someone, and eventually - perhaps often - that very same someone will put us on the spot by asking an unanticipated tough question or making a pointed remark that requires an immediate response.

Some people are born with the ability to think on their feet and come up with a good answer to such a challenge. The rest of us need help in developing this useful and important ability. Once we master it, we will not only be able to come up with something worthwhile to say, we will have the ability to say it effectively. Those are valuable personal attributes, because people involuntarily tend to feel confidence in these kinds of remarks, and respect as smart and trustworthy the person who makes them.

Here are some suggestions to help you improve your ability to think better and faster on your feet:

Speak From a Place of Confidence

If you have inner doubts in unanticipated situations, as soon as you open your mouth they will come pouring out for everyone to see. So the first rule of learning to think on your feet is to follow that old saw: “Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”

Of course, NOT speaking because you’re NOT thinking is NOT going to get you very far. So the second rule of learning to think on your feet is to steadily build your knowledge of the various situations in which are likely to you find yourself, and do some thinking about them before you ever get to that unanticipated situation.

It takes a while, but after you apply yourself for a while you’ll find:

You understand a good deal more about what’s going on around you,
You have at your fingertips a large array of knowledge about particular situations, and
You have a laundry list of worthwhile ideas to share with others.

All this will give you a ton of confidence, so when an unanticipated situation lands in your lap, you’ll feel more calm, collected, and ready to deal with it than ever before.

Prepare In Advance

It’s the very rare person who can formulate a solution to a problem or an effective plan of action right on the spot. Much more often, people are simply giving voice to a solution or a plan developed through long hours of study, analysis, brainstorming, and fine-tuning.

You’d be surprised at how much “thinking on your feet” is actually the result of “thinking in your seat” or “thinking while you eat” - well before you ever get to the unanticipated situation.

To do your preparation, mentally walk yourself in advance through a variety of high-pressure situations you might encounter. Consider what problems and opportunities might present themselves in these scenarios. Then prepare the best reactions to them that you can.

Armed with such detailed ideas and plans, you’ll find it much easier to look like you are thinking on your feet.

Next time, we’ll cover four more suggestions to help you improve your ability to think better and faster on your feet.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/think-better-on-your-feet-%e2%80%93-part-1/feed/ 10 Signs You’re Working Too Much http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/10-signs-youre-working-too-much/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/10-signs-youre-working-too-much/#comments Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:32:21 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4825 More than people in most other countries, as Americans, we identify ourselves by our jobs - “I’m a doctor,” “a plumber,” “a librarian,” “a cashier at Kroger.” What we do for a living defines us - both to others and internally - and sometimes our jobs can come to take over our lives in an unhealthy way.

So how do you know if you’re working too much? Read on.

Your friends stop inviting you to things. No one should make you feel bad for missing things once in a while - friends have to understand that life gets in the way sometimes. But when you’ve done it so much and for such a long time that your friends no longer call or email, you might need to rethink your work-life balance a bit.

You grab for your smartphone the second you wake up. Technically, this could also be an internet or technology addiction, but if you’re checking work emails in the shower, it’s a problem.

You can’t focus. Multitasking is often considered a good thing, but there comes a point when everyone reaches diminishing returns. If you have so much going on that you can’t seem to focus on anything, chances are that you are working too much and need to engage in that most important workplace skill: delegating.

You toss and turn at night. If your brain is so focused on work that you’re counting emails instead of sheep when you go to bed, something is going to give. Try keeping work and home life separate and getting into a relaxing routine before bed.

You put off work. Wait, huh? How does putting off work mean you’re working too much? Because often procrastination is our subconscious way of telling ourselves that we need a little rest and relaxation.

You hate everyone. If you are constantly working, you might start to wonder why people are becoming more and more annoying. Their jokes aren’t funny, they never shut up, and they just make everything harder. This might be a case of “it’s not them, it’s you.” Take a mental health day and come back refreshed.

You just can’t shake that cough. Generally speaking, our bodies do a great job of regulating our health and quickly getting us back into shape. This is not the case, however, if you overwork yourself to the point that your body’s immune system is doing all it can just to keep you upright.

You’ve lost count of how many cups of coffee you drink. Just like multitasking, coffee and other caffeinated beverages have diminishing returns. If you’ve gotten to the point that you’re drinking so much coffee that you can’t sleep and get headaches, you need to cut back - even if it means taking a bit longer to finish your work.

You answer your phone like you’re at work. “Blockbuster Video, this is Michael speaking. How can I help you?” If you suddenly find yourself picking up your personal cellphone and reciting your work spiel, it may be time to step away for a bit.

You just don’t know where to start. You need to answer your emails. But you really need to finish that report. But you have to complete the travel arrangements. When we overwork ourselves, mundane tasks can start to overwhelm us, with each one seeming more important than the last. Take a breath and ask for help.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/10-signs-youre-working-too-much/feed/ How to Help Others Improve http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/how-to-help-others-improve/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/how-to-help-others-improve/#comments Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:05:45 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4819
You don’t have to make a career of coaching to offer other people significant help in dealing with a crisis, making tough [...]]]> One of the best ways to make yourself more valuable on your job, and in your life, is to learn some of the basic skills involved with helping others to get what they want.

You don’t have to make a career of coaching to offer other people significant help in dealing with a crisis, making tough choices, or gearing up to improve themselves.

First Steps

The start of any helpful encounter with another person is to work together to establish both the problem to be addressed, and the details of what a solution would look like.

Is the person out of shape? What would being “in shape” look like? Does the person face a difficult decision? How can he or she know they’ve made a satisfactory choice? Is the person having difficulties at work? What’s the standard for knowing those “difficulties” are over?

In setting these criteria for monitoring improvement, remember to make them as specific as possible. That way, they’re more likely to stay fixed and achievable as the situation improves.

These standards should also be measurable in some way.

You also want to make sure, as a helpful person, that these performance standards are realistic, so there’s a fair chance of achieving - and recognizing - success.

Second Steps

With the problem defined and the goals or standards for success established, it’s important to take some time and clarify the problem situation. Try to identify the important actions the person is taking, as well as the people and the forces in play. Any or all of these may be contributing to the problem or become a pathway to a solution.

The more details that are explicitly itemized about what’s going on in the person’s life and work, the more likely you’ll find the best path to an acceptable solution.

Toward Improvements

Go over the information that’s now identified and on the table. You and the person you’re helping can explore this material in search of options for creating a viable way to improve things.

In this phase of the process, it’s usually more helpful to ask questions than to provide the other person with your answers.

One of the best ways to proceed is to generate a large number of possible action steps or strategies without regard to practicality. Then you can start to pare them down, combine them, or “flip” them to their opposites in an effort to identify the building blocks of a realistic method for getting to the goal.

Consider such questions as:

“What could you do differently from what you’re doing now?:
“How would things change if a specific person or factor stopped doing what they’re doing?”
“What’s the best way to determine which options are more or less likely to be helpful?”
“What are the positives and negatives of each strategy under consideration for improving the situation?”

By discussing the various options in light of the desired outcome, a preferred strategy usually emerges. If one doesn’t - in other words, if there is no “perfect” choice, or if two choices seem equally the “best” - it’s often helpful simply to choose any viable course of action.

However, when choosing from among seemingly equal opportunities, it’s helpful to try the one that - if it doesn’t work - will leave open the best possibilities for trying something else.

Final Steps

As a helpful person, you may need to provide incentives so the other person gets off the dime and takes some action - any action. In some situations, making the first change is actually the hardest step, because committing to action brings up fears of failure.

To help insure that the other person actually tries to create some improvements, encourage him or her to set up a plan to reach the establish goal by following a list of small, “bite size” action steps, spaced out along a realistic timeline.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/how-to-help-others-improve/feed/ Breastfeeding and the Workplace http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/breastfeeding-and-the-workplace/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/breastfeeding-and-the-workplace/#comments Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:46:45 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4814
Those who don’t intend to breastfeed should at least look into the research before making a final decision, because a vast number of studies show that [...]]]> If you’re a working woman who has a baby, is pregnant, or plans on getting pregnant, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with how breastfeeding can work in the workplace.

Those who don’t intend to breastfeed should at least look into the research before making a final decision, because a vast number of studies show that when compared to formula, breastfeeding provides you and your little one with a many benefits, including:

Better protection from sickness
Reduced SIDS risk
Less chance of obesity later in life
Few incidences of postpartum depression for mom
Protection for mothers against breast and ovarian cancers

By federal law, your workplace is required to provide break time and a private spot (other than a restroom) for you to express your milk as long as your employer has 50 or more employees. Even so, a number of experts - including the Surgeon General - have said that American women have far less support than working mothers in many other countries around the world, so be prepared for the possibility that you may face resistance from your employer.

By getting a little creative and planning ahead, you can find ways to continue to breastfeed. Here are some things to try:

Make your own private space.

Just because the company doesn’t designate an area for breastfeeding doesn’t mean you can’t make your own. If you don’t have an office yourself, try to find a coworker who is willing to let you use their office or a private bathroom - just make sure to clean up afterward! Those who can’t find a space in the office may want to consider getting their car windows tinted and pumping in their vehicle.

The right pump.

If you’re going to be pumping at work, you will almost definitely want an electric breast pump because of their speed and efficiency. Check reviews for reliability, because you definitely don’t want a pump that’s going to break on you in the middle of the day. You may even want to invest in a hands-free pump. Depending on your setup, this could allow you to keep working and not lose any pay for taking time off.

Leak protection.

It’s not fun to think about it, but the fact is that breastfeeding mothers leak milk, which can be pretty embarrassing if it happens in front of your boss or coworkers. Nipple pads for your bra are a must, but it’s also probably a good idea to bring an extra blouse just in case, as well as towels and other cleaning equipment.

Find cold storage.

Breast milk will stay good for 2-6 hours at room temperatures, which isn’t long enough for most working moms. You need to find a way to keep it cool. If your coworkers are fine with having breast milk in the kitchenette fridge, go for it! If not, you probably want to see if your employers are willing to provide you with a mini-fridge for your area or look for some kind of insulated cold-storage bag.

And while you’re working on your own plan, don’t forget to educate your employers on how breastfeeding at the office is good for the company. How so? Breastfeeding mothers come back to the job faster, have higher morale, and skip less work due to doctor’s visits and medical claims because breastfed babies tend to be healthier.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/breastfeeding-and-the-workplace/feed/ Identify and Work Toward Your Map Changers http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/identify-and-work-toward-your-map-changers/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/identify-and-work-toward-your-map-changers/#comments Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:38:35 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4804
That’s a perspective you can productively maintain when you’re thinking about your own future and how to build yourself a better life. Missing Advice There’s lots of advice given [...]]]> When Columbus discovered America, when President Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase, when the U.S. completed construction of the Panama Canal, these events changed the map of the world.

That’s a perspective you can productively maintain when you’re thinking about your own future and how to build yourself a better life.

Missing Advice

There’s lots of advice given about goals, including setting goals, honoring goals, achieving goals, breaking goals down into bite-size tasks, sequencing goals, and celebrating goals.

Those sentiments are all well and good. But we hear nowhere near enough advice about working toward really big goals that - if and when you achieve them - will change the map of your life.

Such large goals should probably not occupy all your time - after all, you have everyday responsibilities and priorities, like eating, maintaining relationships, taking care of mundane business, and so forth. But at least one “map changing” goal ought to be on your “to do” list all the time, because a “map changing” goal deserves to absorb at least some of your time and energy every day.

Map-Changers Defined

Basically, a “map changing” goal is one that will fundamentally change your life for a very long time, if not permanently. There are several important differences between a “map changing” goal and an ordinary goal. For example:

An ordinary goal fits into the regular flow of your life. A map-changing goal revises that flow
An ordinary goal should be set so you have a reasonable chance of achieving it. Map-changing goals are so large and significant that you need not expect to reach it - ever. It’s like trying to win the lottery: Great if you do; no downside if you don’t.
An ordinary goal is generally aimed at down-to-earth interests and objectives.
Map-changing goals are aimed at fulfilling your dreams and wishes.
An ordinary goal is all about ambition and hard work. Map-changing goals are all about overcoming fears and allowing wonderful things to happen.

The basic idea of adding map-changing goals to your life is to think big, and to take the steps necessary to allow that big thing to happen.

Opening the Door to Map-Changing Goals

Here are some ideas on how to add map-changing goals to your daily life:

Think big and dream for a while. Consider the kinds of changes you’d like in your life, changes that would make you a totally different, better person.
Focus first on one concrete change that would bring you the tools, or at least the opportunity, to be that different, better person. (Nearly everyone thinks first of “becoming wealthy.” Money’s OK, but you can probably do better. Be more specific and creative.)
Translate the concrete change you want into results of some specific actions you can take, and thus invite that change into your life. Maybe you could learn to play an instrument and express your creativity in music. Maybe you could work toward a specialized degree and begin a totally new career. Maybe you could move to a different region where opportunities are more in line with your interests and talents.
Create a plan to take those specific actions toward a map-changing goal, and work that plan at least a little every single day.

You need not scoff when people talk about and ask you about your regular goals. Those are still important. But now you can begin to maintain the larger, deeper perspective that includes map-changers, and can resist distractions from your plan by the hum-drum necessities of everyday life.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/identify-and-work-toward-your-map-changers/feed/ How Long Should Your Resume Be? http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/how-long-should-your-resume-be/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/how-long-should-your-resume-be/#comments Wed, 22 Aug 2012 17:00:41 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4797
But [...]]]> Generally, the answer is: as short as it can be. Some people belong to the school of thought that anything over a page is simply too long. It’s just one resume among a pile of dozens or hundreds more, so you need to make your case fast before they move on to the next one.

But here’s the thing: you also don’t want to leave off key experience because you’re trying to artificially cram everything onto one page. The key is to highlight the relevant experience, skills, education, and attributes, and for some, this may require two pages. In the case of senior executives with a lot of time in the workforce, your resume may even be longer. However, if you’re a recent college graduate or someone with just a few years of work experience, there’s no reason to have a resume over one page.

Some people incorrectly believe that having a longer resume will make them look more qualified or accomplished, but if you don’t actually have the experience, simply making it longer won’t fool anyone. In fact, it will just take them longer to get to the information that is relevant and may end up in you being passed over for the position.

What You Can Cut

So how do you know if your resume is as short as it can be? Look it over to see what’s extraneous. Each section and each item should be a selling point that gives the potential employer evidence that you are the right candidate. Here are a few common places where you may be able to cut down - or remove things altogether.

References

It’s no longer customary to include your references on your resume, so this is a great section to cut. If your employer is interested in contacting people for recommendations, you can provide them on a separate sheet. Similarly, you don’t need to include a line that says, “References available upon request.” The potential employer will assume this is the case.

Hobbies

Leave them off unless they directly relate to the job you are applying to. For example, if you’re applying to a marketing position at Harley Davidson, your participation in a local motorcycle club is certainly relevant. The same goes for volunteer work, unless you are including it to show what you did during gaps in your employment.

Objective

Your objective should be pretty clear from just looking at your resume. The exception to this is when you are changing careers or just entering the workforce. If you’re afraid it’s not clear what type of position you’re seeking, you can still work to keep it short and to the point.

Experience from More Than 10 Years Ago

Often, the positions you held when you were first starting out are no longer relevant to your current job search. If you want to make it clear just how long you’ve been working in this field, you can do so by including a bullet point at the top of your resume: “Experienced marketing professional with 20 years in the automotive industry.” And then you can just focus on describing your more recent positions where you held greater responsibilities and made better accomplishments.

Paragraphs

If you’re writing long-winded descriptions for each job you’ve held, it’s probably taking up too much space. Plus, it’s making it harder for your employer to get right to the information that’s important. Instead, try using bullet points and short phrases to get across what you accomplished in each job. Also, try not to be redundant. If you have a skills section where you list things like faxing, copying, email, computer skills, drafting memos, etc., then it’s fine to simply list “Performed clerical duties” under a specific job rather than listing those specific skills again.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/how-long-should-your-resume-be/feed/ Accountability http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/accountability/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/accountability/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 19:52:41 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4793
That’s a real problem, particularly in the practical worlds of jobs, business, and the professions, but also in [...]]]> It doesn’t take a genius to look around our world and see that it’s sorely lacking in accountability. People in both prominent and obscure situations say and do the strangest things, and rarely are they held fully accountable.

That’s a real problem, particularly in the practical worlds of jobs, business, and the professions, but also in human relations.

Whether you’re leading a team or simply managing your own life, you can kick up the levels of effectiveness, responsibility, and success by practicing (and where possible, encouraging in others) meaningful accountability.

Here are some guidelines to help you:

Stop Ducking Responsibility

We live in an intertwined world, so it’s rare that a simple, single cause (”I overslept”) can result in a problem, a missed deadline, or a lost opportunity. Sure, it can happen. But, it doesn’t have to happen to you.

Practice accountability by taking meaningful steps to honor your commitments and live up to your responsibilities. If you take these seriously enough, you can be pretty sure you’ll never have to say “it’s entirely my fault”.

Set Up Accountable Situations

Airplane maintenance is a wonderful example of how to set up an accountable situation. Every maintenance procedure is clearly spelled out, and every mechanic who performs a procedure must attest to what he or she did with a signed and dated form. Many procedures also require a supervisor to check the work and sign to affirm his or her approval.

If you’re not in a life-and-death situation, you may not need such a rigorous, formal system. But you increase accountability when you have a plan of action with clear steps to be followed, and when you are careful to follow that plan. It’s even more accountable to have multiple layers of inspection and supervision.

With such a plan in place, results can more easily be traced back to the plan, and to everyone who implemented it. Whether the results are positive or negative, there’s clear accountability.

Marshal Adequate Resources

A big part of achieving your goals is making sure you have the necessary resources - funding, tools, time, talent, information, and so forth - to get where you want to go. That’s why a significant aspect of accountability is proper provisioning at each stage of the plan.

Trying to dig a large hole, for example, is much more difficult without a shovel. It’s important that you think to bring one along, or that you be provided one by your manager. And whether or not you succeed in digging a satisfactory hole, the availability of the necessary resources should be part of your “after action accountability.”

Engage With Your Responsibilities

When you’re doing what you love, you’re giving your best effort. When you’re working on a task - or with a team or a manager - you don’t like, you’re probably giving somewhat less than your best.

But no matter what the situation, you’re accountable for the quality of your work.

Clearly, it’s impossible to do what you love every minute. But you can nevertheless find reasons to take pride in what you are doing, to find common ground with the other people working on the task, and to recognize your effort as an expression of your values and priorities.

All these are emotional triggers that tend to make a person feel more accountable for accomplishing the right thing in the right way. Cultivate these triggers, and you’ll be more likely to feel accountable for everything you do.

]]> http://www.resumark.com/blog/robert/accountability/feed/ Digital Resumes – What Are They, and Who Needs One? http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/digital-resumes-%e2%80%93-what-are-they-and-who-needs-one/ http://www.resumark.com/blog/juliana/digital-resumes-%e2%80%93-what-are-they-and-who-needs-one/#comments Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:59:47 +0000 http://www.resumark.com/blog/?p=4789
What exactly does that mean? Well, instead of sending them a PDF or Word doc attachment, [...]]]> The next time you update your resume, you may want to consider going online - and not just to look for sample resumes to emulate! Some companies, particularly those in the tech and finance industries, are now requesting digital resumes.

What exactly does that mean? Well, instead of sending them a PDF or Word doc attachment, they want candidates for their positions to send along a link (or links) to their web presence. Even if a position you are applying to doesn’t request a digital resume, sending one along with your traditional resume can help you stand out from the crowd. That’s never a bad idea, but in this crowded job market it’s practically a necessity. It also has the added advantage of showing that you are web savvy, an important skill in most workplaces today.

So what exactly is a digital resume, and what do employers expect you to include? This is a new format, so there are no set standards like there are for traditional resumes. What one company means by “digital resume” can be very different from another’s idea.

While this may seem overwhelming and confusing at first, it’s actually a wonderful opportunity for you to get creative and highlight your particular strengths. Here are two of the most popular formats for digital resumes.

The most basic digital resume is LinkedIn, which is a site that allows you to list your work history, skills, etc., just like you would on a traditional resume. It’s also a social network that allows you to easily connect with people in your field. Many people include the URL for their LinkedIn page on their business cards, providing people with an easy way to discover their work history.

The benefit of a digital resume on LinkedIn is that it doesn’t require any web design, graphic design, or other special skills to put together - but the downside is that it really is not that different from a traditional resume.

Your Own Website

That’s why many people opt to get their own domain name and create a website to host their digital resume. It allows you complete creative freedom over how you share the information you want to get across. This format is most commonly used by people who have a portfolio of work to showcase, but it can be useful to any professional, allowing you to include charts, graphs, links, audio, video and images.

The downside is that you do need some knowledge of web design in order to put one together - or you need to hire a web designer to do it for you. Either way, you want to ensure that the final result looks professional, or it could actually work against you.

Of course, those aren’t the only two options you have available. People have created digital resumes using infographics, Facebook timeline, Google Earth, and more. The idea is to find the best way to capture an employer’s attention and sell them your skills and talents utilizing all the internet has to offer.

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