What It Takes to Be a Likeable Leader

What It Takes to Be a Likeable Leader A recent issue of People Management magazine reported the story of an unnamed travel agency in Shandong province, China. Staff who failed to like or comment on social media posts from the company’s CEO had been  fined under a policy which is intended to improve morale and encourage ‘mentoring’ among younger staff. The CEO, who defends the policy, encourages workers to take turns reading out his motivational quotes and corporate updates via a loudspeaker each morning, to which they were expected to add emojis or comments. Frankly, if engagement in the ranks isn’t at a level where staff are happy to voluntarily follow and comment on corporate posts, there are probably staffing issues that warrant attention before the social media popularity of the boss. Employee engagement is a perennial HR topic but I think the more interesting question here is whether or not it matters if the boss is likeable. The engaging leader Gallup surveyed 7,200 adults and found that around 50 per cent of employees left a job at some point “to get away from their supervisor”. They suggest that clarity of expectations is the most basic employee need and workers whose managers hold regular meetings are three times more likely to be engaged. That is, to feel involved in and enthusiastic about their jobs. Zenger Folkman did research which shows that leaders who score high on a Likability Index are also rated as effective leaders by their direct reports, peers, manager, and others. The ratings correlate to higher employee satisfaction and engagement, sales, customer service, safety, productivity, quality, and profitability. The researchers point out that there’s a strong correlation between a leader’s likeability and the extent to which they ask for and respond to feedback from others. Feedback from others helps leaders to understand the impact (positive or negative) that they have on others. In Likeonomics, author Rohit Bhargava claims there is a big difference between being likeable and just being nice. A leader’s likeability factor rises when we feel they are genuinely empathetic and also honest. However ‘nice’ people tend to sometimes avoid telling the truth so as not to offend others and this makes them less trustworthy, and ultimately less likeable. WYSIWYG I was intrigued to find an online certificate course on offer: Be a More Likeable Boss. The modules include Is It Better to be Loved or Feared? and Leadership as Service and I wonder what really works? Effective leaders are confident in their own skills, they are authentic and consistent in their presentation of their values and that earns credibility for them. They are trusted because “what you see is what you get” and that leads to greater engagement. Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, the authors of The Leadership Challenge, say that when leaders are clear about their leadership philosophy, they report 25 per cent more engagement in the workplace. So what makes someone more likeable? The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders suggests that likeability is predicated on four key factors: Friendliness: ability to communicate liking and openness to others Relevance: capacity to connect with others’ interests, wants, and needs Empathy: ability to recognise, acknowledge, and experience other peoples feelings Realness: the integrity that stands behind likeability and guarantees its authenticity Dave Kerpen, author of Likeable Leadership, defines being likeable not as being a pushover, but rather embracing people and being honest, authentic, transparent, helpful and kind. I like that, kindness is something we’d like to see more of at work.

Writing Samples With Resume - How It Can Help

Writing Samples With Resume - How It Can HelpIf you want to improve your chances of getting a job, then it is recommended that you write samples with resume as the information contained in them are of paramount importance. Writing samples with resume will increase your overall employability at a particular organization.In this modern world, where technology has permeated every aspect of our lives, the internet plays an important function in enhancing one's career opportunities. This is the reason why individuals are now more inclined to apply for jobs over the internet rather than in person. Hence, the need to practice the usage of technology when writing resumes has become a reality.For this reason, companies are also beginning to use online application forms and job application forms. These sites provide us with the ideal platform for preparing a resume by using the help of samples with resume. Hence, it has become necessary to regularly update your resumes by including the latest information.It is advisable to apply for positions where you have been working previously and are well established in a specific field. It would not be advisable to take the position from scratch as it may affect your chances of success and advancement. Instead, you should always go through the samples with resume to see how these articles are presented.Take note that there are three things that the resume should contain. They are information relating to the post you have applied for, information about your experience, and details of the education you have acquired. The samples with resume can provide you with the ideas that will aid you in crafting the best resume possible.On the other hand, while preparing resumes for positions that require prior experience, you should always use the sample's information to supplement your knowledge of the job description. You should know how the resume should include all the elements mentioned above. Once you are aware of the requirements, you sh ould also be able to portray yourself in the best possible manner to avoid any problems with employers.The third thing that the sample resumes must include is a description of the objective and objectives for which the candidate has applied. This must be laid out clearly so that the prospective employer knows what he or she should be looking for. Since in most cases, this information is not available in written form, the sample resumes must contain this information as well.By using the samples with resume, you can improve your chances of getting hired at a particular company. Moreover, you can be sure that your resume will be well received by the potential employer since it comes from the comfort of your home.

Branding Yourself With Google Panda - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Branding Yourself With Google Panda - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The Google Panda updates has changed a lot of what companies are doing to ensure theyre being found on Google for their particular field and keywords. But how can you take advantage of this for personal branding? Take advantage of Google Panda 1. Define your keywords The first thing to do is to define what you want to be known for. Choose a couple short keywords and phrases. Just know that youre going to have a tough time ranking for most of these, but you want to get your name associated with them so when someone finds you, they see youre associated with this as well. It could be beer, writing, social media, or even marketing. Whether its your work or your passions, be sure your name is being associated with those keywords. Start a blog about it, tweet about it, join LinkedIn groups about it. You wont win any searches for this term, but if people find you, theyll see the keyword associated with your name on those social properties, and you may fit a category theyre looking for. 2. Find your long-tail keywords There are things youre more known for than a single keyword. Maybe its a three- or four-word phrase. Instead of beer, its home brewed wheat beer. Instead of writing, its young adult science fiction. These are the terms people are more likely to search for. You wont win thousands of searches, but you could win 20 searches in a single month. And those 20 people are looking for exactly what you have to offer. The thousands you missed out on werent looking for that, and so you just saved yourself a bunch of wasted effort. Pick the two or three long-tail keywords youre known for, and use them on your blog, in your Twitter bio, and on your LinkedIn profile. If you have any other social profiles, use them there too. This is the true essence of branding yourself: finding that specific niche that you want to be known for, instead of the vague, generic term everyone else is using. 3. Localize your profile Google is starting to pay a lot of attention to local search results. If you search for something that can be found locally, thats what Google will show you first. If someone searches for something you do, and your blog or website is localized properly, youll pop up before other people who arent doing this. Start mentioning your city and state in your blog posts. Make sure its on your Twitter profile. Make sure its even in your LinkedIn profile. Write blog posts about home brewed wheat beer in Ann Arbor, Michigan or the Portland, Oregon young adult science fiction conference. Even if someone does a search for the long-tail keyword and skips the city name, youll show up if theyre local. And if theyre from out of town, but theyre looking for something in your city, youll still show up. If youre really adventurous, start poking around in some of the Schema markup language. Learn how to mark up the city and state where you are, and drop that into your blog footer. Google, Bing, and Yahoo are all using schemas for indexing, so youll be helping yourself on all three search engines. And your blog and posts will start showing up during localized searches more frequently than those people who arent using it at all. 4. Connect with people on Google+ You may keep hearing that Google+ is failing, or not generating the attention that people thought it deserved. While that may be true, Google+ is still playing a very important role in search. And if you want to win search, you cant ignore it. Lets say were connected on Google+. I go searching for something, like home brewed wheat beer. One of the first things Google will show me is your blog post on that very subject. Similarly, if were not connected, but we have a mutual connection, and he shared your blog post on wheat beer, that post will still show up at the top of my search results page. Given all of that, it behooves you to connect with people on Google+ who share your interest, or are connected to the people you want to connect with, or both. The more people youre connected with, and the more you can get people to share your stuff (because youre writing high-quality sharable content), the more likely you are to show up in their search rankings. Also, make sure you put your rel=author tag in your blog bio, and link it to your Google+ profile. This will tell Google that you wrote that particular piece of content, and that youre the same you on Google+. These are just a few basic tips you can use for branding yourself by taking advantage of Googles latest algorithm updates. Focus on long-tail searches, being local, and being connected with people who are likely to search for you, and youll come out on top. Author: Erik Deckers is the owner of Professional Blog Service. He also just used the rel=author tag and linked to his Google+ profile. He is the co-author of Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself, and No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing.

Glassdoor.com Show em Your Hand, Theyll Show You Theirs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Glassdoor.com Show ‘em Your ‘Hand,’ They’ll Show You Theirs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Wouldn’t it be great if there was a website that featured all, or nearly all, the pertinent information you would like to know about a potential employer, i.e., salaries paid, benefits, overall level of employee satisfaction, CEO approval rating, etc.? And, wouldn’t it be even greater if this company information came primarily from input provided by current and/or former employees of the company, instead of just from the company’s own website? Well, you’re in luck because there is an up and coming website that meets both criteria: www.glassdoor.com. But, in order to access the wealth of company information featured on Glass Door, a job seeker must first show his or her “hand,” by stating current (or recent) salary, writing a review of a current (or recent) employer, reviewing a recent job interview experience, or simply by submitting a “workplace” photo. Sort of a play on the concept of “show us your hand and we’ll show you ours.” Once you have provided your required information to the site, you’ll have completeâ€"and FREEâ€" access to over three million (and growing) salaries and company reviews, as well as a wealth of other important information that can greatly assist you during your job search. Here is just a general overview of the types of information available to you, as well as the functions you can perform, on Glass Door: Company reviews. You can sort company reviews by relevance (to you), total number of reviews, overall company rating, CEO approval rating, industry and by job type and description. JobScope. You can use this site feature to quickly and easily browse job listings and then preview what it is really like to work at a particular company, at least from the viewpoint of current and/or former employees of the company. Simply click on the “Look Inside” tab if you want to see just a snapshot of the company information. Post a company review, current/recent salary, other information. If you provided, say, only a salary amount to satisfy the site’s registration requirement, and now you want to write your own review of an employer or provide other company information, the site makes it easy for you to do that. Interview questions. Want to get a taste of the types of interview questions that might be asked by certain companies? You can review some of those on the site and even add interview questions you have recently been asked by companies where you have applied. All Information Submitted Anonymously Any information you submit  to the site is done so anonymously, which at least has the potential for being a “two-edged” sword. On the one hand, anonymity can encourage a far greater degree of honesty and candidness on the part of the employee/former employee providing company information to the site. On the other hand, however, it can also increase the risk that the site could easily evolve into nothing more than a “gripe” site, a forum for disgruntled employees/former employees who will jump at the chance to “get even” with a particular company or persons within a company. Site management has taken steps to keep everyoneâ€"and every review, comment, etc.â€"“honest” by screening all submissions before posting them to the site. Is this a “perfect” system for avoiding all potential abuses? Of course not, but it seems to me that the site consistently takes “the high road” by posting only constructive criticism, thereby avoiding the posting of potentially libelous, strongly biased opinions/reviews. This approach, however, certainly doesn’t satisfy all would-be contributors to the site. One review that I read of the site was written by a woman who claimed that the site shies away from posting negative (or even borderline negative) reviews of companies which advertise on the site. (Not unexpectedly, the site did not post a company review she had written and submitted for posting, and she alleged the reason for the site’s refusal to run the review was because the company advertised on the site.) To be honest about it, I find that rather hard to believe. Why? Because, if you think about it, the site is “selling,” essentially, just one thing: Credibility. Anything that diminishes that credibility also diminishes the site’s ultimate growth potential! How You Can Capitalize On Information From Glass Door So, once you have gleaned valuable information about companies you would perhaps like to approach during your job search, or even about companies that you may already have interviewed with, how can you use the information to your advantage? One of the principal things you should be able to reasonably and quickly determine (or at least, be able to infer) is how much in (or out) of sync your unique professional brand appears to be with regard to the company’s culture, management style/approach, competitive market position and a number of other equally important considerations. Certainly, this could save you valuable time and energy pursuing companies that might ultimately prove to be a “bad fit” for you. Under the Glass Door site logo is this theme line: “An inside (emphasis mine) look at jobs companies” Based upon what I have thus far seen of the site, this is precisely what Glass Door seems to deliver, and the “glass door” metaphor indeed appears to be a goodâ€"and accurateâ€"one. Do yourself a favor and at least check out Glass Door (www.glassdoor.com). Navigating through the site is both quick and easy and very intuitive. Plus, the valuable information available to you on the site could end up saving you countless hours of research that would otherwise have to be conducted among numerous other sites and sources. And, armed with “the straight scoop” provided by current or former employees of a company, you can more quickly and easily find the company (or companies) that is/are best suited for your unique personality and professional brand. It could also prevent you from making a career decision that you could soon end up regretting! As always, I would welcome your feedback. I would love to learn about your experiences with and your comments about Glass Door. Email me at skip.freeman@hiretowin.com. Author: Skip Freeman  is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever!  and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of  The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

Reasons to Use a Professional Resume Writing Service

Reasons to Use a Professional Resume Writing ServiceIf you are looking for professional resume writing services to help you create a good job search for your future, then you need to know that Miami has one of the best. The services provided by this career center are able to offer you and your future employer something that is the best in the industry. And the reason why is because they provide you with unique, high quality products that are able to meet the needs of the different potential employers in the industry.In the modern world of business, it is important that you know what it takes to present yourself in the best possible way. This means that you need to know how to write a great resume and how to make it stand out from the rest. This is where you need the help of professional resume writing services. The only catch is that you will need to pay for the service.There are a number of ways that you can get this, but all of them are either expensive or time consuming, so if you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to look elsewhere. However, if you have the money, or can find a job that allows you to work for free, then Miami resume writing services is the place for you.Miami resume writing services may offer you with some samples of resumes that other candidates have used, which can give you an idea of what it takes to create a great resume. By looking at these samples, you will be able to get an idea of what is expected of you when applying for a position in the area. There is nothing better than knowing what it takes to be successful before you try to take the first step.These services are also able to give you references from certain companies that you can use to help you figure out which company is right for you. You will be able to see how well their employees have done in the past and what their goals are. This is important, because it will allow you to know who to approach, and who to avoid.Miami resume writing services are also able to give you the tools that you need to help you stand out when it comes to resume writing. This can include templates, grammar check software, and cover letters, which can be very helpful when you are trying to make your resume stand out among the others.In certain jobs, there are deadlines for submission of your resume. These deadlines are usually set by the employer, but if they do not have any, you should always be able to get them to add these to your application. This will allow you to make sure that your resume gets through the hiring process on time.For the best services and help you can get when looking for resume writing services, Miami resume writing services should be your first stop. They will help you know exactly what it takes to successfully create a great resume, and it will allow you to learn about new and innovative methods that you can use to help your future employer. Miami resume writing services are the way to go, and they are the people to hire if you are looking for the best way to write a great resume.

What its like to create your first LinkedIn page as a 23-year-old - Debut

What its like to create your first LinkedIn page as a 23-year-old - Debut This article is the first of our Confessions of a LinkedIn amateur series. Follow Debuts own Content Creator Alex Ekong as he navigates the minefield of employability and personal branding on his way creating his very first LinkedIn profile. Its time that I came clean about something, Debut Insight readers. I do not have a LinkedIn. Thats right. Ive been dispensing hot takes and advice on careers for almost 8 months now, all this time without the second most important careers tool ever conceived (wink wink, plug plug). Im a fraud. You cant handle the truth. I wish I could say that this was some kind of renegade decision, that Im worthy of all the adulation and respect that comes with being a punk contrarian badass. But, the truth is not so glamorous. It was probably half a coup against the establishment, half a glaring oversight. Why didnt you have LinkedIn before, Alex? Deep in thought about the inevitable. Ill tell you, guys. I had two main hang-ups, one conscious and one unconscious. My conscious reason for not having a LinkedIn account was this: the second you sign up to LinkedIn, so begins the death rattle of your carefree youth. Like Homebase or your mates wedding, its where your childhood goes to die. When I graduated, the thing I most wanted to do was stay young. And an astonishing 61% of LinkedIns users are aged between 30 and 64, which makes it the oldest social network since Facebook became exclusively for mums to share ancient memes with their cringing children. If Facebook is yer ma, LinkedIn is definitely yer da. My unconscious reason was, well, I just didnt think I needed it. My lifelong career goal has been to be a journalist, and yes, last time anyone checked 92% of journalists had a LinkedIn account. However, I was lucky enough to hear about this job through my real life networks. That being the case, I didnt feel the need to put myself through the harrowing experience of networking online. Yeah, yeah but why do you need LinkedIn now? Alas, Ive reached an impasse. To move forward with my career, I need to connect with like-minded go-getters with similar goals without mixing them up in the close-knit circle of cool kids I keep on my other social networks. I need a fresh space to share my writing. Facebook is a human zoo in a literal sense; animals prodding other animals they wouldnt naturally associate with for the amusement of (presumably) some alien race watching from on high. Twitter is the echo-chamber I come to when I need people to fast-bowl memes at me to help distract me from all the societal decay going on. And Im not photogenic enough for Snapchat or Instagram. The more I thought about it, LinkedIn seemed to be the place to go if you care about work and you care about other peoples work. So, LinkedIn it is. Time to put aside childish things and dive headlong into the abyss of adulthood. The plunge: doing the onboarding Before I committed to LinkedIn for all time, I wanted to ask all its previous lovers for advice. Was there anything I needed to know before I settled down with it for good? I decided to ask some of my most trusted careers confidantes, starting close to home. First, I asked Sonali Gidwani, who Ive been working closely with as part of Debuts Student Publisher Network. Still at the University of Warwick, I asked her why, as student and not a grandmother, she felt compelled to use it. *I’ve used it in the past to get speakers for events I’ve organised at my university. Its it’s a good way to network and find opportunities, she said.  I use my LinkedIn to put down all of my experiences in the workplace and in extracurriculars, so I can fit in everything that I may not be able to fit onto a one-page CV. Ive come to realise the power of LinkedIn as my business social network, Brenda Wong, Debuts own social media wizard told me. I feel its is a great place to show off the more clean, put-together version of myself. I wondered if I had this version of myself in me; the Alex that wears suits and makes good decisions. If I was to find him anywhere, it would likely be on LinkedIn. Feeling settled by their sage observations, the time had come to embark on the long journey to professionalism. Like the intrepid explorers of old, only much more sedentary, I navigated to the LinkedIn website. To boldly go where no man has gone before. If by man, of course, you mean literally just me. Our first stop, the sign-up page. One look at it, and I already feel like LinkedIn is expecting me to be more than I am. This page telling me to be great at what I do makes me feel like Im not already great at what I do. Ive never met you before, LinkedIn. You have no right. Bit rude tbh, LinkedIn I punch in my details and move on, already regretting my choice to go with Alexander over Alex. Too late to turn back now. My job title isnt in the drop-down menu, so I punch in CONTENT CREATOR with defiant strokes of the keyboard, before deleting the caps and deciding to dial back the intensity a bit. Im a professional, after all. Content creator, and dont you forget it. I offer up my work email address and LinkedIn comes back with a bunch of suggested connections, imploring me to add them. The friendly faces of the Debut team greet me,  along with some uni friends, even a few one time email contacts. I decide to skip this step for now. I dont want them to see my masterpiece before its finished. Not now. But soon. Soon. Lastly, LinkedIn offers me a choice of channels so I can get content that Im interested in. Interest is a strong word for some of these, but if Im going to go viral on this site, Ill need to have a feel for what else is out there. And just like that my LinkedIn was created. It was shapeless and formless, like a newborn, but it was all mine. But as the banner graphic kindly reminded me, there was a lot more work to be done. Check back here soon as I try to get a picture-perfect headshot and some LinkedIn veterans teach me how to sell myself. No, not like that. Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

Dress For Success Part 3-Tips for Men

Dress For Success Part 3-Tips for Men Recently I sat down with image consultant and career professional  Ilona Vanderwoude to hear her recommendations for dress for men during an interview.Clothing. Men should wear a suit in a neutral color (navy, gray, or black). For second and third interviews, you can wear the same suit (provided its not a pin-stripe) and just wear a different shirt and tie.Shoes.  Wear loafers or tie shoes. And always make sure your shoes are polished, well-kept, and with an intact sole-it should not be lopsided from extensive wear. Have it fixed in time!Hair. Unless you are interviewing in an industry where having a 5 oclock shadow is the latest thing that you absolutely must sport (please let me know if you identify such an industry!), make sure you are clean shaven. This comes down to respect. Even a full-grown beard can be seen as casual as it has this more laid-back outdoorsy image. Anyone serious about climbing the corporate ladder should be clean-shaven, or at the very least, have a short, nea tly trimmed beard. But preferably none at all.As for those weird-looking goatees, half-beards, and facial stripes you see sported by some-these will not fly for the vast majority of serious jobs. So, as I always advise: check the industry or company you are applying with. If its a very creative environment, you could get away with this. Otherwise you need to decide whats more important to you: expressing yourself in these ways or this job you are applying for.Accessories. When interviewing, men should remove any visible body piercings and cover any tatoos. Jewelry (other than a wedding band) is not recommended. A brief case is a recommended accessory and this simple touch can truly lift your entire look.Exceptions. Design firms, creative firms, PR, and advertising companies tend to allow a more trendy look-and often even encourage or expect it. However, unless you are very familiar with the company you are interviewing with, I recommend playing it safe with a classic suit, finished off with some trendier touches at most. Silicon Valley tech firms are another exception to the rule and tend to have very casual dress codes. To be safe, you could ask the company receptionist what the dress code is or check out who is in the employee parking lot to see how employees are dressed. As I suggested for women, dress up two levels during your interview. So even if the dress code is khakis and a sport shirt, wear a sport jacket with or without a tie. If everyone seems to wear jeans and a golf shirt or t-shirt, you can wear khakis and a long-sleeved sport shirt or dress shirt, or maybe a sweater.Ilona also recommends the book Dress Smart Men from the Chic Simple series by Kim Johnson Gross and Jeff Stone. The book includes many pictures to clarify these dress concepts and breaks down the differences between corporate, business appropriate, and business casual.

Temporary jobs are becoming the norm how to prepare for the new workplace -

Temporary jobs are becoming the norm how to prepare for the new workplace - You may have already noticed: the job market is changing. Forecasters have been predicting this for years, and research continues to come out showing that the contingent â€" otherwise known as temporary, or contract, workforce, is growing. The Harvard Business Review’s Tammy Erikson wrote, “Temporary placement service provider Adecco predicts the growth rate for contingent workers will be three to four times the growth rate among traditional workforces, and that they eventually will make up about 25% of the global workforce.” Workplace expert Alexandra Levit reported on technology firm Mavenlink’s 2012 infographic, The New Independent Workforce, which shows the number of self-employed, independent service firms, solopreneurs, and temporary workers grew by an estimated 4.3 million workers since 1995. They expect the contingent workforce to grow to 40 percent, or 64.9 million by 2020. By 2020, 40 percent of American workers, or nearly 65 million people, will not be working in what we know as “traditional” jobs, where they work consistently for one employer who provides benefits and insurance. What does this new world of work mean for you? Even if you have a traditional job now, you may find yourself in a position down the road where your livelihood depends on your ability to market yourself as a one-person company. The writing is on the wall: the job market and career opportunities are changing â€" you need to change, too. Follow these three tips to get yourself ready for the new job market: 1. Pay attention to trends in your industry. Try to predict hot topics and problems organizations will need to hire people to solve. Since no one has a crystal ball, this is a tough assignment. 2. Develop niche expertise. When you’re really good at something specific, it’s easy to make a case for why an organization should contract with you for short- or long-term contingent jobs. 3. Learn to market yourself. The concept of “personal branding,” which suggests individuals should think of themselves as a brand and market their skills accordingly, meets skepticism and criticism, but if 40 percent of American workers will effectively be working for themselves in the near future, there is no doubt the ones who land the best opportunities will be those who understand the value of broadcasting their expertise beyond the four walls of their current workplaces. Don’t be complacent; always think about the future and how to position yourself and your expertise if you want to maintain any control over your professional future. Do you need some help navigating the new workforce? I can help! As a career expert and social media consultant, I am perfectly positioned to teach you how to market your skills so youll be able to maintain. Read the entire post at U.S. News World Report photo by iansand