Saving Money on Your Federal Job Search

Saving Money on Your Federal Job SearchSaving Money on Your Federal Job SearchSaving Money on Your Federal Job SearchAt The Resume Place, we want you to succeed in your federal job search, whatever your budget may be. That is why our company offers so many money-saving tools for your search. For Presidents Day, here are my top ideas and recommendations for affordable education and information to help you land a stable, career-oriented lage in the federal government.Money Saving Idea 1 Consider Federal Job Search an InvestmentFirst, I want to set the stage by showing you that landing a federal job is an investment you can make in landing a job with a highly competitive salary, promotion potential, and great benefits. For example, this could be your future government job salary The average entry-level job in government (GS-9) in the Washington, DC area pays $51K to $67K. The average mid-career position in government (GS-12) in the Washington, DC area pays $62K to $82K. The average seni or-level position in government (GS-13) in Washington, DC area pays $89K to $115K.View the full OPM Salary Charts here.So, while you may need to spend some money to successfully get hired by the federal government, the money you spend may bring you great returns.Money Saving Idea 2 Take Advantage Of All The FREEBIES You CanWhen it comes to federal job search, you CAN get something for notlagehing. Look at all of these free sources of information and inspirationFree Federal Job Webinar with Kathryn TroutmanOur free webinar is an hour full of insights about federal resume writing, follow-up on federal applications, and USAJOBS searches. Submit your question for Kathryn to answer and watch on your computer as Kathryn demonstrates the federal job search and application techniques online.Free Important Federal job Search WebsitesFollow the White Houses budget activitiesIf you want to know whats happening with the budget for your favorite agency, read the Fact Sheets and follow the US B udget to your next job.Read the website of your favorite federal agency Read the agencys mission, find out how many jobs they have, how many cities they have offices in, and whats new at the agency. Get involved in your favorite agencies, so that you can write a compelling federal resume and KSAs that can demonstrate you will help the agency meet their mission.Study USAJOBS.gov Search for jobs in your geographic city, or search for jobs in your dream city. Look at the duties, qualifications, and skills. Marvel at the who to apply lessons, so you can get ready to apply for a federal job.Free RPs Federal Resume and KSA BuildersKathryn designed the popular KSA Builder in 1996, with the very successful KSA formula Context, Challenge, Action and Results. Try out the KSA Builder to write your best story to demonstrate your Knowledge, Skill, or Ability.The Resume Places Federal Resume Builder can be your first-stop before copying and pasting the resume into the USAJOBS Builder. Practice y our federal resume writing with our builder, which includes fields for all of the important compliance information for your federal resume.Free Performance Management KeywordsWant to see some of the important competency keywords in government? Check out our Performance Management Keyword Tree. These keywords and skills represent various career levels in government. See how many times the words overcome obstacles and change will appear in the Keyword Tree. Use these keywords in your resume and application where appropriate.Free Read Kathryns articles and blogs on federal resume and KSA WritingThese pages are full of free information Kathryn has written about federal resumes, KSAs, and keyword searches Kathryns Blog Articles by KathrynMoney Saving Idea 3 Do It YourselfWith a little help from our value-priced and value-added training and books, you can create an effective job application package. Our training and books do not just cover the resume, they cover the entire TEN STEPS it takes to land a federal government job.One Day Open Enrollment WorkshopConsider classes in federal job search, including The Resume places One Day Ten Steps to a Federal job Course in Gaithersburg, MD held twice each month. Fee $199 includes a copy of the book, Ten Steps to a Federal Job.Resume Place Award-Winning BooksPurchase and read books on federal resume writing to see samples of federal resumes, learn how to search for keywords and understand the application process for federal jobs.Recommended Resume Place publications Federal Resume Guidebook, 4th Edition, Kathryn Troutman Ten Steps to a Federal Job, 2nd Edition, Kathryn TroutmanRecommended books by other authors How to Land a High Paying Federal Job, Lily Whiteman Book of US Government Jobs, Dennis DampMoney Saving Idea 4 Save Time and Frustration Hire a Professional ConsultantAnyone who has tried all of the ideas above will still tell you that embarking on a federal job search takes months of time and energy. Many fede ral job searches take up to and over a year to be successful. By hiring a professional consultant, you may dramatically decrease the amount of time you will have to spend on your federal job search, and you will certainly decrease the amount of uncertainty about whether you are sending out the best possible application you can for each vacancy. If you land a federal job faster, you will in the end save money through your increase earnings.Our top three most popular writing and consulting services areFederal Career Consultation90 minutes of packed specific information for YOUR career and skillsIf youre not sure what position you are best qualified for, or how you can match your background into a federal job, it is a VERY wise investment to hire a Federal Human Resources consultant to ensure that you are applying correctly before you spend hundreds of hours applying for jobs on the USAJOBS website.Federal Resume Writing5 hours of time to improve your keywords, qualifications, duties, accomplishments, format and content of your first, best federal resumeGet it right the first time If you are not great writer, or do not have 100% confidence in your federal resume document, hire a consultant / professional federal resume writer to make sure that your Template Federal Resume is the best it can be. Make SURE the federal resume is right the first time, so that you can change it each time you find a new announcement, selecting new keywords for each announcement.KSA Writing and Editing4 hours of time to improve your best KSA Accomplishment StoriesThe KSAs and essays must demonstrate your past performance and expertise in certain important areas that will be critical to your performance in your federal jobs.Looking for a discount?Order a package combination of the services listed above and receive great discounts. Check our packages page regularly for periodic sales on these already great prices

Facebook, Jon Favreau and Your Career

Facebook, Jon Favreau and Your Career Facebook, Jon Favreau and Your Career Jon Favreau is 27 and he just landed a plum job as Barack Obamas speechwriter. Actually hes been writing for Obama for years now, but head speechwriter at the White House? Thats some gig for a 27 year-old.But Jon has also become the latest example of how social media is changing all our lives especially for those young enough to view the web just like we 40+ folks used to view our diaries.It all went wrong with this photo, presumably taken during the primaries, which Jon posted on his Facebook page. He took it down minutes after the news media discovered it, but too late As CNN saidThe picture was reportedly up for a scant two hours or so before Favreau removed it, along with every other picture of himself beyond his profile photo - but theres no getting the Facebook genie back in the bottle.Fortunately, Hillary Clinton seems to have taken the incident with good humor and Obama is not going to fire his new speechwriter over this, but will you be so lucky if you do the same thing? Remember, everything you do and everything you say online is visible to everyone quite possibly forever. Write that on a post-it and stick it on your monitor

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The Freelancer Resume Writing Guide

The Freelancer Resume Writing Guide The Freelancer Resume Writing Guide If youre a freelancer, like me, you know it has major benefits. Working from home, making your own hours and choosing your own clients, to name a few. You also know it has major stress points. One of the biggest stress points is constantly looking for new clients to keep your business growing. As freelancers, were essentially both employed and unemployed constantly. So, like any (semi)unemployed person, you need a killer resume. My gift to you, the brave souls who have quite literally made a career out of job searching, is The Freelancers Resume Writing Guide.What is different about a freelancer resume?The easiest way to answer this question is to think of the purpose of a full-time employment resume versus a freelance resume. The purpose of a full time-employment resume is to convince the employer that you possess the skills they are looking for, and that you also have the potential to grow with their company an d fit into the mold long term. Most hiring managers are happy to train someone who has enthusiasm and will fit well with the company culture, even if their experience is a little weak. A full time employee is a long term investment.The purpose of a freelance resume is to sell the potential client on what you already can do. In fruchtwein cases, they dont need you to grow with their company, they just need you to get the job done quickly and efficiently. And since youre being paid by the hour, training will be kept to the bare minimum.While one resume focuses on what you hope to do and how you want to improve on the experience you have, the other focuses on what you will do because youve already done the exact tasks before. What about a format?There are three types of resume formats. Chronological, functional and hybrid. While most job seekers will choose a chronological resume format, most freelancers will benefit from more of a functional format. A functional resume puts your quali fications and skills front and center rather than focusing on experience and education.How to setup a freelance resumeContact info and portfolio linkNo matter what kind of work you do, always include your full name, email address, phone number and mailing address (including zip code). Contact info is important for potential clients to get a hold of you, and for applicant tracking systems if applying through a form. Freelancers should also ALWAYS include a link to their portfolio. If you dont have one, you need one. A freelancers best assets are their samples, and a resume cant showcase those samples. QualificationsThis section is the main focus of the freelance resume. Its your chance to call out specific projects youve worked on. You can separate it into various sections if need be. For example, Content Marketing, SEO and Social Media Management. Each project mentioned should only use a single bullet point. Keep them shortSkillsList any skills that differ from your obvious skillset . For example, if you are a freelance graphic designer, but you have experience coding, thats an awesome skill to mention here. This is also the perfect section to list keywords for ATS. Professional ExperienceIf you have any relevant full time employment history or long term freelance/contract work, list those here as you would on a traditional resume. Include your job title, dates of employment, and a couple descriptive bullet points. EducationThis section should only be included if you have relevant higher education (college or above). If you dont, dont sweat it. In my experience, your skills and experience as a freelancer are much more valuable to clients than education.One last tip regardless of your craft, you should always customize your resume for every single job. Each freelance job you apply for will be asking for specific qualifications. You have the power to customize your qualifications to match exactly what the client is looking for. Customize and use this guide, and I guarantee youll start getting more, higher-quality freelance jobs

Getting the Best Pinterest Resume Template

Getting the Best Pinterest Resume Template The Advantages of Pinterest Resume Template If a person is searching for a specific topic board, they are generally drawn to an enticing photo. Most people that are using somebody elses photo arent likely to waste time seeking to clean up a good deal of text, they will just move on to the subsequent one which suits their demands. Build Your Audience If you would like to sell on Pinterest, the best method to do thats to construct your audience. Knowing how you wish to utilize Pinterest before you get started pinning will make it easy for you to find success and help you save time. Top Pinterest Resume Template Choices A small money invested in branding at the beginning will help save you a great deal of money cleaning this up later. Starting a craft company isnt as difficult as it appears. Start with figuring out what you mean to promote. Begin by figuring out what you need to reach and when you want to accomplish it. Where to Fi nd Pinterest Resume Template It is possible to control the things that they see on your own site. Utilizing Pinterest is perfect for both start-up-unternehmen businesses and established businesses who want a new method to market and promote their goods and content while at the same time saving money on traditional expenses of reaching new clients and appealing to entirely new audiences. You are able to tweet about an update for a solution or tweet about a few related news. Theres a social networking site available for you, no matter the characteristics you are looking for. Various research prove the good effects of Pinterest on the purchasing behavior of the clients. If you would like to keep your own personal and company boards together, be certain that the content is always appropriate and doesnt cloud the content for your company. What You Need to Know About Pinterest Resume Template If youre hosting any sort of event which has a golf theme, perhaps you will discover some i deas your can utilize Create a Theme Abedrngnisher means to develop inviting pinboards is to look at developing a theme for each and every promotion which you do. If youre planning to go into a quilt competition, be certain to read the rules carefully to be certain youre following the guidelines in order to dont devote lots of time working on a project only to have it not qualify for the competition. No matter your degree of job practical experience, your resume format is crucial to making your application stick out. Pinterest Resume Template Fundamentals Explained You are going to be asked which board you wish to save it to. If it dries on the paper, it is going to be nearly invisible. Make certain to keep a watch out for it so it doesnt burn the paper. Its important to use a selection of marketing methods. It is not always easy to begin a craft enterprise. You could argue that the very best craft business to begin is the one which lets you do what you enjoy doing fruchtwe in. On the flip side, there are a number of craft businesses you may start on a shoestring and which provide a fair demand. An amazing product needs to be priced correctly or people wont give it an opportunity. Continue until only two folks are left. There are quite a lot of ways of earning money from things its possible to see in the woods or even fields. In fact, individuals are stimulated to get as a result of visual appeal. Now you have a Pinterest Page with terrific content ready to go, you should find the word out. With scrolling you may have a lot of content but not in the 1 frame. You can receive free templates from HP and Microsoftyou can utilize to make your own. After selecting the tools options its possible to browse to the folder alternatives and view where youve got to choose the tick box to demonstrate the hidden files and folders. Things You Should Know About Pinterest Resume Template If you understand how to crochet an easy chain, you are able to also ca use various stunning necklaces. Group boards are most likely the ideal approach to receive your pins and your Pinterest profile out there. Pinterest marketing provides you with the chance to take your pin boards and pins across to all the people that you wish to. It is possible to establish a different account to the one which you currently have. Engaging content is not going to only make your Pinterest Page look fantastic, but nevertheless, it will allow you to gain followers. On the Hire Me page of your site, detail the forms of services that you offer. When you are constructing your own site, you may want to add in photos. Business Know-How may get a commission if you create a buy. Its about the identical price as Facebook Ads, which are also a rather excellent thing. Business pages may include a variety of data, topics and data such as prices of goods, ratings of movies or ingredients for recipes. Templates may be used for making CV, resume as a way to apply for jobs. Make it simple for individuals to get in contact or learn more about you. Among the strategies to do thats to do crafts with the kids. The websites featured here offer you the identical wonderful photo sharing experience in their very own fun and distinctive way. Also, think about the period of day youre pinning.

How to Leverage a Side Hustle to Support Your Dream Job

How to Leverage a Side Hustle to Support Your Dream Job People typically start a side hustle with one of two goals in mind to make extra money and/or to gain mora experiencein a field.Both of these are great reasons to take on a side hustle, but there is one more that people dont often talk about taking on a side hustle to support a dream job.Lets face it Dream jobs are not always the best-paying jobs, especially in the creative world. Sometimes it takes a long time to even get your dream job and you have bills to pay in the meantime. A side hustle is a great way to fund your dream job goals, whether that means supporting yourself while you pursue an artistic career or putting food on the table while you work your way up the corporate ladder.Follow these tips to leverage a side hustle to support your dream job1. Save as Much Money as PossibleAs mentioned above, theNo. 1 reason people start a side hustle is to make more money, and there is nothing wro ng with that. The problemarises when people make more money only to spend more money.This is fine if your side hustleonly exists tobring in extra cash, but when your side hustle isa means to support your dream job, you need to remember whats important saving money to make your dreams come true.Fortunately, the best way to save more money is to make more money. Use that extra moneyfrom your side hustle to create a nest egg for yourself. Once you have enough money saved up, invest it in yourself. Use the cash you earned to fund something that will help you get closer to your dream job. For example, if you really want to become a painter, utilize your side hustle to put food on the table, a roof over your head, and paint supplies in your workspace. Investing in yourself can provide a higher ROI than any stock ever could.When you are tempted to spend money frivolously, remind yourself of your long-term goals. A lot of young entrepreneurs get caught up in the lifestyle of successful busi nessmen without the actual success part. They think spending money frivolously will impress people or help them connect with successful people. Smart people can spot this playacting from a mile away.Be humble and live within your means. This is much more impressive than racking up credit card debt.2. Prioritize Your TimeWorking toward your dream jobwhile working a side hustle sucks up a lot of hours in a day. Add in time to spend with your family and friends and the whole thing can seem downright impossible.Do not let this stop you from achieving your dreams. Audit your schedule and figure out how much time you need to accomplish your goals. Be careful not to get caught up in pointless meetings or unproductive networking events. Say no to activities, events, or time-wasters thatdont help you reach your goals.In addition, be sure to allocate cooldown periods dedicated to doing absolutely nothing. Taking regularly time off will improve your mental fortitude, reduce stress, and possibl y unlock new ideas.3. Establish BoundariesGoing full throttle from the time you get up to the time you go to bed is not sustainable. If you go too hard in the beginning, you will burn out well before you reach the finish line.It is important to set boundaries and limit the number of hours you spend on your side hustle. That way, you will remember to make time for whats really important your dream job.Remind yourself why you are side-hustling and what you hope to accomplish. If you need a breather, that is okay. Step away and focus on something else for a bit.Likewise, establish boundaries with family and friends. Sometimes this means cutting out certain friends completely. This can be really hard, but itmay be necessary if your friends are not helping you reach your goals.4. Pick a Side Hustle that Teaches You New SkillsOne of the best reasons to take on a side hustle is to learn new skills. If there is a skill you are lacking that you will need for your dream job, use your side hus tle as a learning opportunity.One particular skill will help you shine anywhere networking. Its essential for almost every entrepreneur. If you hope to capture your dream job, you had better start networking right away.The best way to practice networking is to talk to as many people as possible, including strangers. Youll need to push yourself outside of your comfort zone to really master networking.Driving for a ridesharing serviceis a great side hustle forpolishing your networking skills. As a driver, you will interact with countless passengers. Some of them will want to talk, some of them wont. When someone does want to talk, use that as an opportunity to work on your active listening skills. Who knows you might have someone who can make your dreams come true in the back seat of your car.Another example of a side-hustle that can teach you valuable skills is running a drop-shipping website. In order to be successful at drop shipping, you will need to learn marketing, web developm ent, copywriting, and a slew of other important skills.5. Use Your Side Hustle as a Networking OpportunityAs mentioned above, side hustles are great ways to meet new people who may be able to help you with your dream job. The people you meet as clients, customers, and suppliers during your side hustle may be the key to getting your foot in the door with a dream company or industry.For example, as an Uber or Lyft driver, you can talk to dozens of people every day. Practice making good conversation. Listen to your passengers stories, ask open-ended questions, and learn to pick up on verbal queues. When you meet someonewho might be a good connection, casually hand them a business card. Dont be pushy.If rideshare driving is not for you, there are networking opportunities with basically any side hustle. Examples include being a babysitter, dog walker, orweb developer.All of these occupations will likely connect you with successful people who could be valuable members of your network.6. P ractice Your Leadership SkillsEven if your dream job does not involve management, leadership skills like charisma and high emotionalintelligence are some of the most important qualities a person can have. People with these qualities are the people you want to talk to, follow on social media, and buy things from.Becoming a leader in your industry is a viable way to get your dream job.Leadership is about confidence, and you can build your confidence by getting out of your comfort zone. Side hustles are great ways to push your own boundaries and build your confidence.7. Fill Resume GapsWhen you are applying fora position, hiring managers are going to ask about any gaps in your employment history. To avoid being judged for employment lapses and possibly being denied your dream job, fill that resume gap with a side hustle.Not sure if your side hustle is relevantto the position you are applying for? It probably is. Running a small side hustle involves skills that are transferable to almos t any career. Highlight your side hustle experience on your resume. Discuss how the skills you learned translate to your dream job.In summary, I want to stress that a side hustle doesnt have to be some sort passion project. It is perfectly acceptable to take on a side hustle just to make money, especially if that extra money will be invested in yourself.Sometimes your dream job simply doesnt make enough money to be sustainable on its own. Taking on a lucrative side hustle can help you supplement your income until the day your dream job becomes profitable enough to leave your side hustle behind entirely.Brett Helling is the head ofRidester.

How to List Skills on a Resume Skills Section [3 Easy Steps]

How to List Skills on a Resume Skills Section 3 Easy Steps How to List Skills on a Resume Skills Section 3 Easy Steps Resume Skills Section How to List Skills on Your ResumeNot sure what the skills section of a resume looks like, or how to put one together? Dont sweat it - our resume skills section guide plus professional examples will clear things up.Regardless of your preferred resume format, experience level, or even industry, you should include a skills section on your resume. However, if you put yours together carelessly, it will waste the hiring managers time (and hurt your chances of getting hired).The three keys to writing an effective resume skills section areknowing how to list skills that impress employerschoosing the fruchtwein suitable skills section format for you as a job seekerunderstanding exactly what to put in your skills sectionIf you cover behauptung three areas, your chances of landing mora interviews immediately increases.This page focuses specifically on the skills section of a resume. If youre looking for a list of resume skills, articles focused on hard skills or soft skills, or even a guide that discusses hard skills vs soft skills, youre on the wrong page. If you want to know everything there is to know about a resume skills section, however, read on for answers to your most pressing questions.1. How to List Skills on a Resume Skills Section (3 Steps)Getting abfluged is often the hardest part when it comes to writing a resume. Follow these three steps and the skills section of your resume will start to shape up quickly.Step 1 Write Down Your Most Marketable AbilitiesEvery job seeker is equipped with a distinct set of marketable skills. Making a physical list of your skills and then deciding which ones are relevant to the job you want will help you create the best resume skills section possible.Some of your top work-related abilities are learned in school, others are mastered on the job, and sometimes theyre even picked up through ex tracurricular activities or independent study. There are also skills more inherent to your own personality (known as soft skills) that you can list on your resume to help round out your skills section.Write down every skill you possess in a Google doc (dont worry if the list is small, we all have to start somewhere). Then, organize them into hard and soft skills. A combination of these skills should be put in the skills section of your resume.Step 2 Cut All Non-Relevant SkillsWhich skills you end up listing on your resume depends on where youre applying. If you want to work at a bank, your time management skills and ability to handle numbers should be on full display. However, if youre an aspiring yoga instructor, you have no reason to mention math anywhere on your application - and should instead focus on certifications and teaching-related soft skills.Once youve narrowed down your list to only skills related to your target job, youre much closer to creating a good skills section. Step 3 Pair With the Job DescriptionTo truly create a home-run resume skills section, you want to put in skills that areRelevant to the positionTouched upon in the job descriptionWhile job descriptions sometimes explicitly mention skills that are required and/or preferred, there is usually more to gather if you read between the lines. Take this 5th grade science teacher job listing, for instance (yellow highlights denote soft skills, and orange signals hard skills)While not all listings will be this detailed, you can always figure out what the hiring manager is truly seeking from job seekers if you look close enough - particularly when it comes to desirable soft skills.Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials? Adaptability.Resolve students behavioral and academic problems? Conflict Resolution.Enforce rules for behavior and Enforce administration policies? Classroom Management.Communicate objectives to students? Communication skills.Some of your skills will exactly match t he ones on the job description, and others will be loosely related (stretching the truth a little bit is fine, but dont lie). Its okay if you end up with more matching hard skills than soft skills or vice versa, since everyone has a different background and skill-set.If you have an abundance of both hard and soft skills, let your industry dictate the content of your resume skills section. For instance, jobs like engineering require a significant number of technical skills to perform, and technical skills tend to be hard skills.By contrast, if youre a bartender, youll need to have well-rounded interpersonal skills to deal with customers and colleagues. In this case, soft skills should be featured in your resume skills section (except for the variety of delicious cocktails you know how to make - definitely display those hard skills).2. How Many Skills You Should List on Your ResumeHow many skills you end up putting on your resume depends primarily on you. If youve built up an impress ive number of work-relevant skills throughout your career, its in your best interest to spread them across your resume in places like your work experience section and resume introduction.With that said, your resumes skills section has a limited amount of space. Each skill you list on it should pack a punch, or else your application will fall flat.There are three types of skills sections job seekers employ to highlight their key marketable abilities, and the type you choose will determine how many skills you list.Three Types of Resume Skills SectionsThe three primary types of resume skills sections are theAdditional Skills SectionTechnical Skills SectionRelevant Skills SectionAdditional Skills Section (Examples + Who Should Use)An Additional Skills section (or Skills section) is a standard component of a resume. Hiring managers expect it, and it can be found on most resume templates you see online.However, the additional skills section should never be placed at the front and center o f your document.In most cases, your work experience is more marketable than your skills. Since you can use your experience section to quantifiably show off your skills anyway, featuring it makes the most sense.Although this is the case, dont neglect your additional skills section. You still have room to put down anywhere from three to eight or nine relevant skills and abilities there, and each one can help make a stronger case as to why youre the perfect hire.If you work in a position listed below (or are aiming for such a job), youll likely want to use an additional skills section in your resume.You can examine some additional skills resume examples hereAdministrative AssistantService Industry Gigs (Bartender, Server, Retail Sales Associate, etc.)CashierDental AssistantSocial WorkerConstruction WorkerHuman Resources (HR)Technical Skills Section (Example + Who Should Use)If your skill-set is more important to the job than your work experience, then having a dedicated Technical Skill s section on your resume is an effective way to impress hiring managers.Check out the following example to get an idea of how this might look for youSince IT work demands a special set of abilities, this IT-industry applicant begins his resume by listing key technical skills at the top.He also breaks them down into core areas, which helps organize what would otherwise be an extensive list into easy-to-digest chunks of skills for the hiring manager to read.Industries where a technical resume skills section may work better than an additional skills section include the followingInformation TechnologyGraphic DesignManufacturingTechnical WritingEngineeringHuman Resources (HR)Executive Level Positions, like CEOabsatzwirtschaft (experienced or manager-level)Relevant Skills Section (Examples + Who Should Use)The brde type of resume skills section is most useful if youre using a functional resume, and would like to downplay your work experience for any reason.Known as the Relevant Skills sec tion, this format allows you to elaborate on how past achievements and work have helped you hone specific skills. Check out this substitute teacher resume sample to see this in actionAs you can see, a relevant skills section operates similarly to a work experience section, but simultaneously allows you to avoid mentioning specific dates and job titles (great if you have employment gaps). Plus, it gives you the chance to elaborate and prove your core work skills, whereas a standard skills section doesnt have the necessary space.3. What to Put in the Skills Section of a ResumeStill not entirely sure how to fill out the skills section of your resume? Try the following out for size1. Universally Useful SkillsWhile some skills are specific to certain industries, many are transferable. Such abilities can help you bolster your resume skills section in the event yours is looking thin.Hard Universal Skills (Microsoft, Languages, More)Youd be surprised by the number of people who want to kno w how to list Microsoft skills on their resume. Thats because many companies have made using Microsoft Office Suite a fundamental part of their employees daily routine.In addition to listing the various Microsoft skills youve mastered onto your resume, you should also consider employing some of these other key universal hard skillsLanguage fluency (Spanish is a great asset in the US, Mandarin Chinese is important for business, and many languages will be useful depending on your industry and where you are located)Computer skills (G Suite, Microsoft Office 365, HTML, cloud management)Writing (technical writing, copywriting, blogging)Spreadsheets (creating pivot tables on Excel, organizing and setting filters on Google Sheets)Marketing (Search Engine Optimization, Google AdWords, Google Analytics)Soft SkillsRegardless of your industry, most soft skills are transferable. This is why you should cultivate them during your time at every company.Time management, communication, interpersonal skills - all of these and more can be honed and developed in any job, and can be conveyed on a resume and in interviews.Some key universal soft skills includeLeadership Skills (conflict resolution, delegation, problem solving)Organizational Skills (goal setting, dependability, scheduling)Customer Service Skills (patience, empathy, adaptability)Management Skills (forecasting, public speaking, mentoring)2. Industry-Specific SkillsWeve taught you how to analyze a job description and locate skills you can include on your resume, but sometimes those skills may not be descriptive enough. Thats when a little research into your target company can go a long way.Find + Absorb a Companys Mission StatementTake a close look at the website of your target company to learn more about them. See what products theyre offering, explore their About Us page, and try to learn what makes them tick.Most companies also have career pages where they deutsche bundespost positions they need filled, and sometim es those pages have mission statements that highlight their core values, as well as what they look for in employees. Take Nike, for instance.If you found a job listing on Indeed.com for Nike, you would have missed the major insight provided by their careers page (which includes the word innovation three times, by the way). From this short note about what Nike does, you can see they are looking for someone who isDrivenPassionateCreativeCapable in design or codingInnovativeLook at Job Descriptions of Other CompaniesSome companies do a great job creating an online presence - having highly visible, aesthetically pleasing websites, blogs with useful content, and frequently updated career pages with vivid job listings. Others fall a bit short.Checking out job descriptions posted by other businesses in your industry is a good way to find additional hard and soft skills for your resume skills section, especially when your target companys listings are lacking.Two nurse auditor positions, tw o very different job descriptions.Pay Attention to Skills Listed by Employees on LinkedInSimilar to website research, look for people employed in your target industry (or even job) on LinkedIn, and read their LinkedIn summary.Lets say you were applying for an open Digital Marketing Director role.Heres an example of a digital marketing director I discovered on LinkedIn at random. Immediately, you can see some core industry-related skills youd put into your skills sectionContent creationLink buildingOutreachKeyword researchWordPressLeadershipCreativityConclusionPutting together the skills section of your resume will set the tone for the rest of your application. Whether youre building a robust technical skills section or simply peppering a few key abilities into your additional skills section, taking the time to do it right will ultimately aid you in your quest to find fulfilling work.Ready to build your resume? Theres no time like the present. Or do you have any hot tips for creating a resume skills section? Our readers would love to know - leave a comment below

Tips for Quality Monitoring in Call Centers

Tips for Quality Monitoring in Call CentersTips for Quality Monitoring in Call CentersCompanies invest large sums of money in call centers, so they want to make sure they are operating as effectively as possible and that customers are satisfied with the speed and quality of service they receive. They do this through quality monitoring of the call centers and their employees. The majority of behauptung facilities with dedicated equipment and staff respond to incoming calls, but some make outgoing sales calls. The incoming call centers also handle sales calls but are also used forcustomer serviceand customer support. If you purchase a product or service from a large company, or if you need help with that product, you will most likely deal with acustomer service representativeat a call center. These call center agents are often the face of the company to its customers. What Quality Call Center Monitoring Is Call center managers monitor call centers with respect to performance and to quality, settingKey Performance Indicator (KPI)metrics for them. Performance issues include metrics like how quickly the caller can reach a call center and how quickly they can reach an agent, how quickly their issue can be resolved and the call closed, and how long they wait on hold during a call. These metrics are typically measured by an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) phone ordnungsprinzip and are discussed elsewhere. Quality issues that call center managers set KPI metrics for include agent courtesy and ability to follow procedures. These are typically measured by call center quality monitoring programs, explained in detail below. The Importance of Call Center Quality Monitoring Most call center quality monitoring is done by people rather than software. Speech recognition software is improving but has not yet reached the point where it is preferred over human monitors. Some companies set up their call centers without including a quality monitoring program. This is short-s ighted. The information captured by the metrics of a call center monitoring program is essential to the cost-effective operation of the call center and the capturing of vitalcustomer feedbackon quality, performance, and service. Benefits of Hiring an Outside Firm for Call Center Quality Monitoring A company has to decide whether to monitor the quality performance of their call center representatives using their own staff or hiring an outside firm to do it. Even when a company has an internal Quality Department to supplement the team managers in the call center, it is preferable to hire a third-party firm to do quality monitoring. This outside monitoring provides additional data that the team managers just dont have the time to produce. An outside firm doing the quality monitoring of your call center is preferred because the outside firm is perceived as mora objective for the following three reasons 1. Objectivity When monitoring is done by an internal quality group or team leade r, call center representatives wonder whether the score they receive from that company member might be biased by other interactions within the company. They worry, for example, that the quality monitor might give them lower marks because of the disagreement they had in the lunch room last week, or that their supervisor has favorites to whom he or she gives higher marks. When the monitoring and grading are done by anonymous outsiders, none of those possible biases influence the scores. 2. Speed When supervisors are responsible for monitoring calls their employees take, they often monitor as few as two or three calls a month. An outside quality monitoring firm is able to meetservice level agreements(SLA) that monitor four to eight calls per employee each week. This produces more accurate metrics more quickly. 3. Perspective An outside firm can often provide insight into the underlying issues and problems the quality monitoring reveals that the internal quality team cant see because t hey are too close to the problems. How to Start the Call Center Quality Monitoring Process Develop a scorecard that will be used to measure the subjectivemetrics, such as customer courtesy. Make sure you get input from all stakeholders, including the employees who will be handling the calls.Listen to the calls. Typically they are recorded in case there is any difference of opinion on the scoring, or to reinforce training points. The quality monitor can listen to the calls live as they happen, or later.Score the call based on the scorecard developed at the beginning of the program. These scores are then made available to the company management to see if they are meeting their goals and to then take appropriate action. Data analysis of scores tells management how well they are doing, whats going well, and where further training is needed. It can also highlight where changes need to be made to the scripts sales teams follow or to the procedures the service team uses. Done right, it provides excellent information on the Voice of the Customer that is critical to the companyscustomer satisfaction program.Select a sample of calls to use to calibrate your scoring. Everyone involved in scoring needs to periodically evaluate the same call and compare scores to make sure scoring is standardized. Bottom Line Takeaway for Quality Monitoring in Call Centers By monitoring a statistically significant number of calls, scoring them against a calibrated scorecard, and providing those data to everyone involved, a company can maximize the value of its call center and call center employees.

Sexual Harassment Is Unacceptable, Regardless of Gender

Sexual Harassment Is Unacceptable, Regardless of GenderSexual Harassment Is Unacceptable, Regardless of Gender Can a female boss be found guilty of sexually harassing a young male employee? Can a gay man be successfully sued for sexually harassing his gay male subordinate? Can a woman sexually harass aelendher woman?The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. It may seem obvious to some that harassment is harassment is harassment, but just a few short years ago, many workplaces and even courts routinely disregarded or dismissed such complaints, considering them unlikely, impossible or not worthy of serious attention.Fortunately, cultural shifts are bringing the justice system into line with the fact that anyone can be a harasser or a victim. In 1993, attorney V. James DeSimone made a historic win when he successfully argued that his client, Wayne Mogilefsky, was being sexually harassed by his boss Michael Levy. Prior to that landmark case, the only pub lished decision in a male-on-male sexual harassment case dismissed it as horseplay. DeSimones case became a crucial step in paving the way for a 2013 California law recognizing that sexual harassment could in fact take place between persons of the same sex.Yet as recently as 2016, that idea hadnt fully gained traction, even in such bastions of gay rights as West Hollywood, Calif., where then-mayor John Duran faced a male-on-male sexual harassment lawsuit that the city paid $500,000 to settle. His re-election soon after the settlement prompted the Los Angeles Times to observe that West Hollywood, for many, seemed to be the town that MeToo forgot.But in 2019, as Duran faced new allegations of sexual harassment by members of the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles, fed-up residents began calling for his ouster proof that change can eventually make it everywhere.As an employment attorney for nearly 15 years, I used to represent larger firms where management didnt believe harassment could ex ist outside of the stereotypical male superior/female subordinate dynamic. Now, especially in light of the MeToo movements urgings that we view sexual harassment with the utmost seriousness, employers have begun to change their tune. Ive represented hundreds of employers, from small shops to Fortune 500 firms, and Ive seen first hand how views have shifted.No matter who the players in a sexual harassment matter may be, as an attorney, I give the same advice to all clients Write down what happened, what was said, where it was said, and who witnessed it. The typical cases come down to the proverbial he-said-she-said scenario no matter the genders involved so the better prepared you are, with more anecdotal evidence, recorded as soon as possible after an incident occurs, when memories are fresh the stronger your case.If you are in a public or shared area of your workspace, where there is not a reasonable expectation of privacy, you might consider recording a conversation. But this c an get tricky legally, and in many states, its not legal to record phone conversations without the consent of both parties. Thats why email is my preferred method of documentation, especially since it includes a date stamp.Once you do so, the company has a duty to investigate, and it cannot legally retaliate against the complainant.Sadly, despite the law, many employers do attempt to retaliate against a complaining employee through suspensions, demotions, and even termination. Its not uncommon for someone who makes a harassment complaint to suddenly find themselves hit with bogus write-ups and worse. If an employee has a clean past employment record of disciplinary history, with promotions or raises, that history can serve as evidence that an employer is trying to retaliate against a whistleblower.Even though headline-grabbing stories like the Harvey Weinstein case focus on female subordinates harassed by male superiors, in my courtroom experience, todays jurors, especially younge r ones, understand that anyone can be harassed. Everyone is much more aware than they were even five years ago that these issues arent limited by gender or sexual orientation, and that people should be treated the same and afforded the same rights.Raymond Babaian is the founding partner of Valiant Law . During his nearly 15 years in practice, he has gained expertise in litigation of employment, general liability, class action, construction, products, and general business litigation matters. He has written volumes of employment handbooks, construction and real estate disclosures and agreements, and general business contracts aimed to fully protect his clients.