Creating Your First Resume

Creating Your First ResumeMy first resume may not have worked out as I had originally planned, but it got me out of bed the next day. The idea of getting up in the morning and writing a resume was far too daunting for me when I was still in school, so I decided to do it the old-fashioned way: writing my own resume.When I first started writing my own resume, I didn't know how many words to put on there. If you've never tried to write your own resume, I recommend that you either use the template found on the job boards or you create one of your own. Either way, you want to follow these guidelines to create your own first resume.Know what kind of experience you have and what you can offer. Whether you are planning to apply for a position as a general manager or you plan to apply for a position as a salesperson, you want to be clear on what you can offer. And if you are applying for a position in sales, it is probably good to put a little more information in than if you were applying for a position as a project manager. So if you intend to apply for a position as a salesperson, it would be great to include some personal information and business experience.For this one, you will need to determine how good you are at selling. Some people think that they should write their own resume because they know so much about sales and they know that they are good at it. But that's not necessarily the case. If you truly think that you are one of the best salespeople in the country, you will want to include this information in your resume.Your letter should go with your resume. Because there is no doubt that this will be used, you should not go ahead and submit your resume without including your letter. However, this is not the time to do so. You can do so after you have received your first interview.When you create your first resume, you should list your prior work history, and possibly give an outline of your current employment. In addition, you should list the roles you have h eld in your prior employment. Some companies, especially larger ones, may require that you also list any affiliations you may have.The final step is to include all of your education, awards, and accomplishments. You don't want to forget to include this information, so be sure to write it down. This will be used by your potential employer in determining whether or not you are a good match for the position.

Start A Side Gig Without Compromising Your Current Job

Start A Side Gig Without Compromising Your Current Job With lifetime employment a thing of the past, a side gig means you no longer have to rely on your job as the sole source of income. A side gig is also a great way to hone new skills, earn extra money, and have some fun. However, while you’re ramping up your new business, you don’t want to neglect and possibly jeopardize your current job. Here are five things to keep in mind as you start a side venture. 1. Read your HR manual (finally) Are there published restrictions on working for anyone else? Check your company intranet. Ask a friend in human resources. See if you can find examples of other employees who have side gigs of their own. (You want to learn the official policyâ€"just because the company hasn’t enforced the rules doesn’t mean they won’t start with you.) Check for conflicts of interest. If, for instance, you’re working for an advertising agency and start a marketing consulting side gig, your employer might argue that you’re competing with its business. If there are no restrictions and no conflicts, launch away. If there’s a possibility of objections, talk to your manager. It’s better that your bosses hear from you directly, and you might even get a verbal go-ahead. 2. Bring your own devices Even if you get your employer’s blessing, never use the company’s equipment for your side gig. Don’t use its email address or phone number, and bring your own laptop. Are you planning to print advertising flyers? Don’t use the company copierâ€"it could muddy the ownership rights. If you use company equipment to create something for your side gig, even if it’s the result of your creativity and effort, your employers may argue that the output belongs to them. 3. Set clear time and place boundaries Just as you shouldn’t use company hardware and services for personal projects, it’s not wise to engage in side gig activities on company time or at the company location. If you’re seeing clients, don’t meet in the office conference room, even if it’s your lunch break. If you have to take a 3pm call related to your side gig, take a shorter lunch. You want to have a clear delineation between your side project and your current job so you don’t even give the appearance that you’re slacking off at work and funneling your energy elsewhere. 4. Share your newfound energy You’ll likely have an abundance of energy for your side gigâ€"the newness, the potential, the creativity. Share some of that energy with your current employer by doing an even better job than usual. You definitely want to preserve the vast majority of your energy for the side gigâ€"you’ll need it. But think of your newfound on-the-job sparkle as a way to bank some good will for the future. If you’re doing an even better job, your boss won’t have anything to complain about, and may even encourage your side gig or offer more flexibility as you need it. 5. Be ready to explain yourself If your side gig and current job ever collide, know in advance how you’re going to deal with conflicts. For example, if you’re at the office holiday party and your senior management mentions that your boss told them about your side gig, how will you respond? You want to have something interesting to say about your outside work, but also balance it with something interesting you’re doing in your current job â€" otherwise they’ll think your head and heart belong elsewhere. Read next: How to Compete for Freelance and Permanent Jobs at the Same Time If your boss puts you on a project that requires late, volatile hours that cut into your side gig, how will you resolve this? You want to decide in advance how willing you are to give extra time to your current job now that you have another project. If your side gig starts to grow and you need flexibility, are you willing to ask your boss for that? Decide how far you want to take the side gig. You may change your mind down the road, but an initial plan will at least give you some structure. It’s absolutely feasible to juggle a side gig with a full-time job. It’s even preferable in that it removes the pressure on the side gig to make money right away. It also could give you a brighter attitude toward your day job, allowing you to perform better than before. Just make sure you take precautions so you succeed at both, rather than pit one against the other.

3 Career Development Tips That Will Get You Ahead Of The Competition - Work It Daily

3 Career Development Tips That Will Get You Ahead Of The Competition - Work It Daily Whether you are on the verge of graduating or you have other plans to join (or re-join) the workforce, you need to look for ways to efficiently and effectively develop as a professional. You have to continually improve your strengths and/or your weaknesses, build good rapport with your co-workers and bosses, and be able to prove your worth to be the best employee you can be. Related: 3 Steps To Create Your Own Career Development Plan New employees can sometimes be confused when trying to identify the right steps to take. Some end up in choosing the wrong job, and this creates obstructions in an otherwise bright career path. Here are three career development tips that can help you achieve success with absolute confidence. 1. Polish Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) A well-formatted CV is the ideal way to let your employers recognize your educational qualifications, work experiences and skills. You need to constantly revise it to keep potential employers up-to-date about your accomplishments. It’s very important to design a CV properly, since it also plays a key role in making the first impression on people you haven't met. Remember, in today’s job market, you need to represent yourself in such a manner that your future employers are convinced they should hire you without having a single doubt. A legible and reader-friendly CV can work wonders for your career, especially if it highlights what makes you an employee that does more than the minimum required. 2. Be Certain Of Your Career Goals Distraction is a word you must wipe out of your career dictionary to achieve success. There are people who initially aim to equip themselves for their dream jobs. However, because of outside circumstances, their dream doesn’t get fulfilled. You need to be the exception in this respect. If you have always dreamt of having a specific job, give your heart and soul to get it. Keep yourself updated on the news and developments within your industry. Never stop researching the employers who are hiring people for your position. Even if you have your own business, try finding out how others are performing in the same field. This would surely keep you informed of your competitors, which in turn would help you adopt strategies for staying ahead of them. 3. Look For Opportunities That Can Let You Lead The more you accumulate experience at work, the easier it becomes to master leadership qualities. However, if you are new at work, you can’t expect to become a leader within a couple of months. This is a reason why graduates opt for career development courses like MBA's to qualify for managerial positions later. Enroll in a course that can play a vital role in heightening your career prospects. If you are working and have no time to enroll in a full-time course, you can look for accredited online university courses. In fact, pursuing an online course will help you apply your course-based knowledge to your existing work, which will later help you lead in a top-notch organization. There are other strategies that you can adopt for career development. However, the ones mentioned above are no doubt crucial and effective. If you keep them in mind, no one can stop you from achieving a bright future. That’s a promise!! This post was originally published on an earlier date. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!