The 7 Habits of Highly Social CEOs

The 7 Habits of Highly Social CEOs One of the best ways to stoke up interest in social media amongst employees is to get the leadership team to lead by example. If you have a leader that embraces social and actively engages on say Twitter or LinkedIn, this sends a powerful message to the rest of the organisation. Not only is it ok to use social media professionally, but the boss is doing it and showing the way. Granted, not every CEO will have the inspirational powers of Richard Branson, let alone three million followers on LinkedIn, but every leader can learn lessons from the most social company executives out there. Our friends at  Weber Shandwick recently released the second  Socializing Your CEO  study, an audit of the online engagement activities of CEOs from the world’s largest companies.  In its report, “The Social CEO: Executives Tell All,” 76 percent of executives surveyed believe their CEO should be actively using social media. The study finds that the online sociability of these top CEOs increased dramatically over the past two years, with 66 percent of CEOs engaging online in 2012 versus 36 percent in 2010. This growth in online visibility comes from posts on the company website as well as corporate videos on the company website and YouTube. Despite the large gains in CEO sociability, the use of social networks has barely budged over the past two years.  When CEOs resist, it’s generally due to social media use being atypical for their region or industry. Also, CEOs often fail to see the return on investment of participating in social media, according to the study. Interesting takeaways: 73% of executives with social CEOs search to see what their CEO is posting 69% of executives with social CEOs would like to see even more activity from their leaders The not-so-social CEOs still do updates, either to the company website (62%) or to a company intranet (50%) The greatest benefits to a CEO being social include: sharing information, enhancing company reputation, demonstrating innovation 7 Habits of Highly Social CEOs: Use an expansive set of social tools Have their own blog Leverage the company website Self-author (DIY) Look forward Are spontaneous but not too informal Engage wide variety of stakeholders RELATED:  Social Media from the Top:  Influential  CEO Leadership The infographic below details more findings from “The Social CEO” study: Learn more about becoming a social CEO in our  interview with the Chief Reputation Strategist of Weber Shandwick, Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross (also available in iTunes).

Writing Federal Job Resume Tips

Writing Federal Job Resume TipsWriting a federal job resume is not that difficult. For starters, you have to use this as an opportunity to highlight the skills you possess and the abilities you have. This can also be a good opportunity to put your educational background and educational achievements on paper. Also, you should clearly outline the specific positions that you are applying for.However, it is important to remember that your own federal job resume should not be formatted and structured in such a way that it would impress the hiring officer. Do not make this a battle. Keep your resume simple. After all, the objective of the federal job resume is to convince the hiring officer that you are capable of handling the specific federal job position that you have applied for.If you are thinking that a federal job does not need a lot of emphasis, think again. A federal job also requires detailed research about the specific government agencies that you will be assigned to. So, you nee d to spend ample time learning about the job that you are applying for. Be sure to identify the job description of the job that you are applying for. The more you know about the job, the better it is for you.You can also look for information and qualifications on various websites and online communities about the particular job that you are applying for. This is especially helpful if you are trying to find a specialized job. In other words, if you are applying for a job in a particular area of science, you may want to spend some time researching the specific state government agencies and universities in your state to get a feel of what you will be dealing with. Once you get a feel of how the department works, it is much easier to begin to find out the best companies in your state that hire for specific positions. With the right research and knowledge, you can be sure that your resume will be able to impress the hiring officer.One thing that you should never forget when writing a fede ral job resume is the purpose behind it. It is all about getting the right job. So, do not forget to stress that the federal job resume is an important tool that should be used during the interview process. Once you go into the interview process and show that you are confident and are familiar with the job that you are applying for, your application will be more likely to be accepted.When writing a federal job resume, you have to realize that you are able to highlight your skills in the profile portion. You also have to be conscious of the importance of including skills and knowledge in the profile portion. If you are able to point out your specific skills and knowledge in the resume, it is likely that you will stand out among the others. Aside from this, you will also have a clear understanding of how you will fit into the hiring process and what the overall goal of the federal job resume is.You also have to keep in mind that it is a good idea to highlight your skills when writing a federal job resume. In fact, you should highlight each skill or facet of your profession, no matter what the nature of the job is. When writing the profile portion, you need to be conscious of how specific skills can be put in a logical order. After all, the profile portion is there to give a clear representation of your qualifications for the specific job that you are applying for. So, the first thing you should do is be clear on the different requirements that a job entails.Lastly, remember that the goal of writing a federal job resume is to make the best impression possible with the hiring officer. You can make a good impression by demonstrating that you are confident and able to handle the particular job that you are applying for. Keep in mind that the whole purpose of writing a federal job resume is to give an accurate representation of your qualifications for the specific job that you are applying for.

Cutting Through the Clutter ReadQuick with Clayton Morris - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Cutting Through the Clutter ReadQuick with Clayton Morris - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Recently, I had a chance to speak with Clayton Morris, a co-host of  Fox Friends Weekend  and a frequent contributor on all things technology-related to the Fox News Channel. Sometimes, he is able to toss some stories in there about another passion of his, the paranormal!  He also is the co-creator of the speed-reading app  Read Quick for the iOS, an app that allows users to quickly consume their daily reading list, getting all the information they need without wasting the entire day in the process. We discussed how he has built his brand and used it to influence the success of his app, what reading quickly means to those in news media, and how the technology works to allow any user to become a speed reader. When asked what he would define to be his personal brand, Clayton paused, and remembered what Fox had told him when he was hired. They told me to just be myself. I have a great job because I am able to play with technology on the air, or talk about the paranormal or a UFO sighting, which some people would think is crazy, but I love it. The idea of  being yourself I think is a key to having a happy and healthy career. It isnt so much that you are always loving what you are doing, or are super-passionate about it. Of course, in this case he seems to be, and that is a plus. But if you can be the same person you are at work as you are at home, it takes away a lot of stress and anxiety that comes with playing the part. Clayton is able to fill a void for Fox by not pretending to be someone else, and that will resonate with viewers. Aside from his on-air persona, Clayton is the co-creator of a very hot app for the iPhone and iPad called  Read Quick, which gives users the ability to, well read quickly.  Clayton has admittedly been obsessed with the idea of speed-reading since he was very young, and becoming a broadcast journalist certainly exacerbated that passion. In my experience interviewing other reporters like Brian Kilmeade (Fox News) and Ali Velshi (CNN, now Al Jazeera US), one of the most interesting issues is how they are able to stay up to date on everything that is going on in the world. Usually, the answer has to do with having a great research team supporting them, and specific alerts set up catering to the topics they primarily focus on. However, in todays world of hyper connectivity and innovation, especially in Claytons focus area of technology, it is literally impossible to keep up with everything that is going on. Which made the concept of  Read Quick  particularly appealing to him and his team. The app allows you to read the news, one word at a time, blazing-fast. So an article that would take you an hour to read, you can get through in under 10 minutes. It is extremely useful for my job. The way the app works is as follows: You can sign in with whatever news source you want, so you can go to Fox News for example (free plug for you there Clayton!) Thanks to Clayton for taking the time to share it with me, and to share his own experiences. I look forward to watching his continued success from afar. You can get the  Read Quick  app on the iPhone and iPad for $4.99, which as Clayton points out, goes to support a team of developers that have created it and continue to improve its performance.  and open a news story in Read Quick. The app will then present the article to you one word at a time at an extremely fast rate. It does this so that your brain can focus on the topic at hand, and not get sidetracked by all of the extra nonsense that comes when reading an article, such as banner ads, or images, or email, or other tabs you may have open. And there is a science to it. Research shows that  your comprehension rate goes up significantly when consuming information in this way, because your brain sees the words as photographs, and the app is able to get rid of the clutter so you can focus. If you are someone who has a need to consum e massive amounts of information quickly, which is pretty much all of us, this app is certainly worth checking out.

Trying to Fly with a Boss Determined to Clip Your Wings

Trying to Fly with a Boss Determined to Clip Your Wings We’ve all encountered people whose heads are so big they barely fit through the door. They misrepresent themselves to achieve their status, then contrive to make everyone else their underlings. Their grandiose visions for the company are unrealistic, if not absurd, but they demean anyone who offers an opposing idea. A narcissistic boss is every employee’s worst nightmare. Only the luckiest among us hasn’t experienced some form of the vanity, bloated confidence or self-centered behaviors that are their signature traits. While research shows that  1 percent of the population is afflicted with narcissistic personality disorder  (NPD), a larger percentage seem to find their way into C suites probably because the most common characteristic of someone with NPD is lying and slanting the facts to make themselves look more important. The office drama that narcissist bosses tend to stir up is brilliantly portrayed through villainous characters in some wildly popular movies. Everyone cheers on the Anne Hathaway character who gains the confidence to move on in “The Devil Wears Prada,” or the Melanie Griffith character who one-ups her glory-stealing boss in “Working Girl.” But in real life, capable subordinates who must continually endure insults and oppression can’t often orchestrate a well-deserved revenge. A narcissist can charm even the most discerning job seeker, initially seeming to care about nurturing the new hires’ development. But gradually, as their assistants take on more responsibility, their nasty natures show through. They no longer value their employees’ input, say “no” to each suggestion and manipulate any situation for the express purpose of holding them back. The narcissist boss is ultimately about control. If you’ve had the misfortune to end up with a narcissistic boss, take these measures to get out from under your boss’s proverbial wing. Tap into your inner warrior. Stand by your strong work ethic and always do your best work. Don’t let your egotistical boss beat you down. Rise above the dysfunction and stay focused on your personal goals. By remaining the consummate professional at all times, you exude competence. Others will notice. Find ways to relieve stress (that don’t involve shrinks or medications). Take care of yourself by finding healthy ways to release the work tension. Schedule regular massages, sign up for kick-boxing classes (and think of your boss’s face as your target) and meet up with friends for a night out on the town. Try to compartmentalize so that the stress of work doesn’t spill into your time away from the office. As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Consider filing a grievance. You definitely had reservations about the boss’s smarmy personality when you took the job. Still, you thought your thick skin could fend off any maliciousness. But having endured humiliation and ridicule as the boss’s most accessible victim, the brutality has finally gotten to you. In fact, you can no longer stand the sight of this bully! As much as you’d like your revenge, resist the temptation. Never retaliate. But do what it takes to preserve your sense of self-worth before you get to your breaking point. First, consult the office handbook. Does it specifically cite how to handle a grievance? If not, you may want to consider discussing it with someone in the HR Department. Bear in mind, though, that tattling may also have consequences. This is not a decision to undertake lightly. Start scoping out a new position. Once the narcissist detects that your allegiance is wavering, you’ll quickly fall out of favor. For your own sanity and self-preservation, you may want to find a way to take leave of your boss before you’re forced out. Is there a way to move up in the organization? Even a lateral move may give you the distance you need. Try to find a good fit with a more evolved boss before moving on. Take the high road. Rise above the fray. Never become shrill or argumentative, and refrain from playing the blame game. Keep in mind that most industries are a tight-knit network and word of any malice on your part will spread. If you have to walk away from an intolerable situation, make your employer sorry to lose you and your dedicated service. *          *          *        * This guest post was authored by Vicky Oliver Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including  Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers Other Office Idiots  (Sourcebooks, 2008. She is a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 700 appearances in broadcast, print, and online outlets. For more information, visit  vickyoliver.com. . Darth Vader image credit.

What You Need to Know About Expert Resume Writing Help

What You Need to Know About Expert Resume Writing HelpWhat should you look for in an expert resume writing help? Can a resume creator create a professional, well-written resume that is filled with the right skills and experience? Should you consider using the services of a freelance writer to provide the resume services? And, is it worth the time and money to hire someone who can write your resume?Resume writing help is available. If you do a search on the Internet, you will find dozens of companies offering this service, and in some cases, it may be the only option for you. If you are an experienced professional in your field, you may have dozens of resumes to choose from, all from different people.Resume writing help can be invaluable when you are having trouble choosing the one you like best. Instead of using one of the thousands of templates that are available, a professional can give you one that best suits your personality and goals. They can create a list of essential skills o r recommend certain skills you may not possess and tailor the resume to fit your needs.For example, if you are trying to decide which of the resume templates on the market best fits your skill list, a writer can review your resume and suggest relevant skills to include. Using resume writing help also allows you to get the most out of your skills. They will not only look at your qualifications, but also at the importance of your skills.Resume writing help can also help you create a resume that is not only professional, but also one that looks professional. The average resume is full of grammar and spelling errors, and does not reflect your personal style or level of expertise. Instead, they can create a professional looking resume that will stand out from the crowd, attracting the attention of the hiring manager.There are some advantages to hiring a freelancer to do the writing on your resume. A freelance writer can be extremely helpful, as many have experience in creating resumes th at reflect the goals of the person who is hiring. You can also expect that the person will get you a resume that is unique, as many freelancers are certified experts in their field.The freelancer will also offer a personalized service that ensures that you get a resume that reflects your experience and abilities. They will ask the questions you need answered and write the resume for you with your specific skills and abilities in mind. Most writers offer a free resume writing service as a courtesy, so that you know what you are getting before paying anything.So, the next time you need resume writing help, consider using an expert resume writer to ensure you get the resume you are looking for. This is the only way to ensure that your resume will appear professionally without wasting your time and money. Even if you have no idea what the job requirements are, the professional writers will use their experience to create a resume that fits the needs of the hiring manager.

Targeted Networking Through Your Circles of Power - Part 1 of 3 - Hire Imaging

Targeted Networking Through Your Circles of Power - Part 1 of 3 - Hire Imaging The way of the world is meeting people through other people. ~ Robert Kerrigan One of the most difficult challenges for job seekers is the idea of networking: personally meeting people who can help you with your job search. You may not have ever had to network or work hard at finding employment. You may have had to do exactly that, and cringe at the thought of a repeat. Whatever your situation, networking will be crucial to your job search success. While current statistics vary slightly, most experts agree that between 70% and 80% of jobs are found through networking. It can be helpful to approach networking from the concept of a visual target consisting of your circles of influence. Your hot circle is the bulls-eye in the center; your warm and cold circles are the outer circles. Hot Circle The hot circle contains people you speak to and interact with on a regular basis. This group consists of your family, close friends, neighbors, people you volunteer with or share hobbies with, fellow high school or college alums and other people you feel comfortable dealing with in person. These are people with whom you should have no trouble networking. Warm Circle As you move outward and away from the people you regularly interact with, you move toward and into a larger circle. Here you find people you may have worked with at one time, acquaintances, and friends of friends. You may not be completely at ease speaking to these people one-on-one, but at least youve seen them around. You can comfortably approach many of the people in your warm circle. A casual introduction from a friend or a phone call from a mutual friend to let them know who you are will make it easer. This circle of influence is unquestionably larger than your hot circle, and it is one you will need to access in your job search. Cold Circle Your cold circle is the largest circle accessible for your job search. In a nutshell, its all the people you do not know personally. These are often people you have heard of or admire, but would never consider speaking to because you think they would not have time for you; or you simply feel intimidated. Your cold circle can include anyone from an elected official to the president of a corporation you are interested in working for. Where Do I Begin? Your Hot Circle! Hot Circle True Story: My client had started networking in his hot circle. He was to have an informational networking meeting with a friend of a friend who cancelled at the last minute. The reason? Her top creative designer had just quit and needed to be replaced. Guess what my clients profession was? Bingo! He was hired! At the start of your job search, you must make a point to speak in person with everyone in your hot circle. Stay in close contact with these people as you continue in your search. In doing so, your network will expand! Dont be embarrassed about asking people for help. It is important to remember that as a general rule, people WANT to help others in any way they can. People in your Hot Circle may not have a job for you, but there are many other ways your reaching out to them can yield results! Here are some tips for starting to network with your hot circle: Tell them what type of work you are looking for. Send a quick email out to the people you know in this circle”those you feel close to. sk who they might know who could be of help to you in your search. Ask that they introduce you to their friends”their hot circle of influence. Talk to them when you feel low and need support. Ask for their feedback on your resumes, cover letters, online profiles (LinkedIn etc.) or other job search tools you have created. If someone has a possible lead for you, contact them on the phone or meet in person to discuss it. Dont forget to send a thank-you note or gift (i.e., golf balls for a golfer, treat to lunch etc.) if someone in your hot circle gets you a meeting or interview! Challenge: Sit down with pen and paper or at your computer screen. Make a list of 50-100 people who could fit into your hot circle. You will be surprised how quickly that list grows! In Part 2, well explore how to stretch from your hot circle into your warm circle. Happy Networking!

Use Facebook for Professional Networking, Protect Your Personal Life, and Be Awesome in just 5 Minutes - CareerEnlightenment.com

Branchout boasts of listing over 3 million jobs. Most of these are entry level, but I suspect that this will change in the next year or so.When you sign up for Branchout, you’ll take the usual steps of approving permission for the app to access your profile data. I would suggest holding off inviting your friends to join you until you’ve filled out the profile completely. If you have a LinkedIn profile, Branchout will actually import it for you.Remember that even though you are still on Facebook, you should behave just like you are on LinkedIn. In particular, follow LinkedIn etiquette while:asking for introductionsasking for endorsementsposting status updatesusing pictureswriting your headline and summaryNow, you can read all that juicy LinkedIn advice, and apply it to your Branchout network and get double your benefit.