What job adverts really mean

What job adverts really mean by Amber Rolfe Let’s face it, job adverts aren’t always the easiest things to understand…Sometimes, an overreliance on using the same stock phrases is to blame. But if you dig a little deeper, you might be surprised at just how much exploiting these clichés could add to your CV.To help you make sense of what employers really mean, we’ve decoded some of the most (over)used job advert buzzwords:Self-starterEmployers looking for ‘self-starters’ want someone who can take initiative and work under their own supervision. If you can see what needs doing on your own â€" and get on and do it with little guidance, then you probably tick the ‘self-starter’ box.This skill is particularly common for freelance or remote work, where direct supervision is limited. Busier workplaces and start-ups will also see this as a top skill.How can I demonstrate this skill? Reference any task or activity where you worked alone, or received little guidance, and achieved a good result. Wh ether it’s from using your own resourcefulness to complete a task to a high standard, or solving a problem without having to ask for help, you’ve probably been a ‘self-starter’ more than you realise.  DynamicEmployers use the term dynamic to describe confident individuals who are motivated by their work and capable of taking on new tasks.This means they’re looking for someone who can think intelligently, and use their enthusiasm to come up with inventive solutions to problems.If you’re innovative and creative with a knack for ideas, there’s a good chance you’re the kind of dynamic candidate the employer is looking for.How can I demonstrate I have this skill? Think about a time you’ve come up with new ideas or took on a new task with enthusiasm, and use them in your CV and/or cover letter. Backing up your problem solving skills with a relevant example will also impress the employer.  Forward-thinkingHere, the employer is looking for someone who has a positive, ambit ious approach to their work and can see the bigger picture in terms of how their contribution matters.Focussing on the results as well as the actions it takes to get there is also a big part of being ‘forward-thinking’ â€" and a candidate who can always look towards the future, regardless of any road blocks they face along the way, is exactly what the employer wants.How can I demonstrate I have this skill? To show you’re a good fit, reference a time where you faced a problem, but still pulled through and completed the project â€" all because you could see how your hard work would pay off in the long run.  Good track recordThis phrase is asking candidates to demonstrate their suitability for a role by giving examples of times they’ve exemplified each requirement.After all, anyone can say they’re good at something, but impressing the employer is all about showing your skills rather than simply stating you have them.And whether it’s through drawing the employer’s attentio n to a particular job, task, or academic achievement, tailoring your application to the role is the best way to make your application stand out.How can I demonstrate this skill? Read the job description thoroughly, and make sure your CV and/or cover letter shows genuine evidence of the skills and experience the employer is looking for. Once you’re clear on what they want, you’ll be able to tailor your application to fit within their requirements.  Detail/goal-orientedIn other words, the employer wants their applicants to be especially focused on one of two things â€" details or results. The best applications will then foreground these skills accordingly.For example, detail-oriented applicants will be able to show a meticulous work ethic, a strong attention to detail, and a good level of accuracy in everything they do.And, employers looking for goal/results-oriented candidates will want someone who’s driven, motivated, and focussed on working hard to achieve an end goal.How can I demonstrate this skill? Use your CV and cover letter to explain your focus on the little details and/or goals, and provide examples to back up the skills you’ve gained. For example, a ‘detail-oriented’ person could discuss a project, task, or activity where they needed to use an excellent level of precision and accuracy, and ‘goal-oriented’ people will focus more on reporting the numbers.Competitive salaryEmployers that state the salary for a job is ‘competitive’ could indicate a few things â€" one of which being that the salary may depend on your current skills and experience.A similar situation is to be expected if the salary is described as ‘negotiable’, also meaning leverage will make a difference when it comes to agreeing on pay.It may mean bringing the salary up as part the interview process yourself â€" so don’t be afraid to get down to the numbers as part of your questions.How to ask about salary: It’s generally always best to ask about salary as ear ly as you can.This might be possible during the application stage (if the employer asks you to provide your salary expectations), but if not â€" it’s perfectly acceptable to ask at interview stage. As long as you approach any money talk with caution, and you make sure your expectations are realistic, you should be able to get a clear idea of what the employer is willing to pay.  Still searching for your perfect role? View all available vacancies now.  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Getting Started How to start looking for work

5 Great Reasons to Start Your Own Business - Classy Career Girl

5 Great Reasons to Start Your Own Business Becoming an entrepreneur seems pretty cool these days, right? All of those Instagram photos of entrepreneurs living the work from wherever lifestyle at fancy dinners and nice hotels. But, becoming an entrepreneur so you can take pictures like these is probably not the best reason to start your own business. See this post if you need more examples of reasons not to start your own business. The truth is, becoming an entrepreneur is NOT for everyone. There are some things you want to be aware of  before you make the leap. Note: If you think you have some good reasons to start a business, check out our brand new course just launched today called, Side Hustle School. The best part is that it is only $25 through Thursday! 5 Great Reasons To Start Your Own Business 1. You have developed enough experience in an industry and you think you can go out on your own. You have tested and tried everything you can in your day job. You have put yourself out there, learned as much as you can and are now ready to do it yourself. Youve become one of the top people in your company and there really is nowhere else to go. Ive been there too and it was one of the most motivating factors for me to become my own boss. I didnt see myself growing in the company any longer and felt like I had done all that I could and gotten all the experience I could including my MBA. So, it was time to break free and use everything I have learned to do it myself. I am grateful for my eight years of experience and my MBA. It taught me a lot. 2. You have identified the problem your potential customers have and you think (or know) they will pay you for solving it. Dont just start a business because you think you have a good idea.  Starting your own business is really about helping people. If you want to help people, you need a problem that you can solve with your business! And you need to have done your market research so you know what your ideal customers are looking and how your business plan helps solve their problems. [RELATED: 5 Steps to Create a Business Plan] 3. You have leadership experience and you want to be in charge. This is something I really wanted. I wanted to be in charge and have people under me. I wanted to practice the leadership that I had learned so much in my MBA. I wanted to delegate and replace myself to grow a company. Today, I want to be a CEO and scale my business to be something even bigger than me. You have to have a vision as an entrepreneur so you can lead your company to your goal. 4. You want the challenge. Starting a business is such a great self-development tool. It is such a challenge. Its exciting. Its tough. You will never be the same person. You grow daily and learn daily. You have to become the CEO that needs to run your company 12 months from now. Which means you need to do personal growth work to become that CEO right this very second. 5. You are willing to put in the hours. Its a lot of work. You put in a lot of hours but hopefully you are really excited and passionate about it so it doesnt really feel like work. For me, my work doesnt really feel like work because I love what I do and I am definitely willing to put in the hours. Note: If you think you have some great reasons to start your own business, check out our brand new course just launched today called, Side Hustle School. The best part is that it is only $25 through Thursday!

Build Your Brand By Building Your Team - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Build Your Brand By Building Your Team - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career How to create your own personal brand dream team and accelerate your professional growth. Whether you’re a business professional or a business owner, having a solid team is imperative to building a strong brand. If there is one thing I would go back and tell my younger self, it is that constructing  a solid team accelerates professional growth. Rugged individualism is not efficient in business. If you are growing a business or want to move up the corporate ladder, consider the following types of team members: Unpaid mentors Mentors are those people who have typically already walked the path that you are now starting. They are able to provide insight and advice that can save time, money and frustration. The most important factor to consider when selecting a mentor is the person’s track record in your field. All business relationships should be mutually beneficial. Unpaid mentors are usually “compensated” through the positive experience of watching a mentee put their counsel to use to gain results, and then repeat the cycle with his/her own mentee. Mastermind group Mastermind groups have been around since the beginning of time. These are groups of individuals who meet on a regular basis to provide support and insight to fellow members. In an effective group, each member has an opportunity to seek and offer aid to fellow members. You may join or start a group in your industry, or made up of individuals from varying industries, allowing for the greatest variety of resources and information for the group. Trade members Trade members are those professionals or business owners who you have an agreement to trade goods/services for similarly priced goods/services. For instance, if you are an attorney opening a new practice, you may partner with a graphic designer for your marketing needs. In return for his/her services, you may offer your own legal services. If you own a popular blog, you may have writers as trade partners. Paid members Paid team members include your employees, contractors, coaches, and anyone else you pay to create/strengthen your professional brand. This could include a publicist, resume writer, or even stylist. Each type of team member has its own benefits and drawbacks. An unpaid mentor can shave years off of a professional’s learning curve, but may be difficult to schedule time with since meetings may not be a top priority for the mentor. Mastermind groups can provide excellent feedback, but the quality of one’s experience will rest squarely on the quality and commitment of each group member. Trade members are helpful when finances for services are limited, but can be stressful when each party does not fully commit to adding the same value. Lastly, paid members are typically the easiest to work with due to the nature of the agreement, however, this group is also typically the most expensive. Do you have a team in place to help you build your brand? If so, which of the above team members do you use?

A Corporate View of Personal Branding with Pros and Cons - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Corporate View of Personal Branding with Pros and Cons - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There are two perspectives on personal branding and today I want to highlight the corporate view. The non-bias way to do that is to let someone else introduce it and Rand Fishkin is the chosen one. Rand is the CEO Founder of SEOmoz.org and is a well-known SEO speaker and expert. He recently released a podcast with his 50-foot view of personal branding, relative to corporate branding and shares some interesting insights that many of you might not be aware of or overlook. Enjoy the below podcast! [vimeo 964386] Company vs individual differences in marketplace impact Company: The company influences an audience who speaks to the marketplace and in turn purchases from the company. Individual: The individual influences an audience, who speaks to the marketplace. The marketplace goes back to the individual and asks for a product or company endorsement. Personal branding pros vs cons Pros Easy to identify More trustworthy Able to transition Transitive branding Cons Might leave Not scalable Vulnerable to negative association Before you create a personal brand. Goals of building a personal brand: attention Investment costs and clear strategy Resources Analysis There are many more pros to personal branding, but from the organizational level, they want to build corporate spokespeople that understand the corporate messaging, so they can attract others to the company. As you develop your brand and become more visible, other companies will want to hire you, which is a threat for a company that doesnt have a strong employer brand. I think personal brands are scalable with evangelists, but not with person-to-person contact. I think companies can be just as trustworthy as people, depending on the reputation theyve built up over time in the publics eye. I disagree that a personal brand is easy to identify because it takes some people 20 years to discover it. After 16 jobs, they finally realize they want to be a Doctor, instead of a cubicle warrior, etc. A company brand is equal to the personal brands attached to it, therefore I believe they are both equally hard to identify. Personal brands are not shielded from bad publicity through a corporate entity, and any employee will take the heat of a company anyways. Attention is not the only goal of personal branding and of course you need resources to be able to generate enough awareness over a period of time. Rand doesnt take into account that everyone has a personal brand and that its not up to companies as much anymore, which ones are displayed to the public.   Social media has become an outlet that even a janitor in a company can use to express their opinions.   No disclaimer on a blog is going to stop the association you have with your company either.   Otherwise, I think Rands perspective is noteworthy and that you can learn a lot from that podcast if youre looking to represent your company in the media.

The Pros and Cons of Taking a Federal Job CareerMetis.com

The Pros and Cons of Taking a Federal Job â€" CareerMetis.com Do you want to work for the government?Not many people get the chance to answer that question, so you are lucky. Still, you should never accept the opportunity without weighing up the positives and negatives. That would be irresponsible, to say the least as you could end up in a job you hate.evalBefore you give them your answer, take a look at the pros and cons below. They should help you decide whether a federal job is a good idea or a bad idea.Pro: Good Work To Life BalanceBecause you would work for the government, they have to promote family-friendly work policies. After all, who would if they didn’t? The great thing about working for them is that you will have a lot of flexibility within your job. Most federal jobs use a flexi-time program that allows you to work outside of the set hours.For instance, you wouldn’t have to work nine to five as you could do ten to six. As long as you work your allotted hours, you are fine. For people with children, that is a massive bonus.Pictu re Credit Con: Pay is RelativeThe worst thing about working for the government is that the pay is a lot less than with a private company. Private companies pay their employees more as they have more scope with regard to wages. The government is different as it has bands that it pays for certain jobs.As studies show, you could theoretically earn three times as much in the private sector. Obviously, you have to weigh the money against the extra work and responsibility. You might be more suited to the private sector if it seems like a good deal.Pro: BenefitsThere is a host of benefits that you will gain if you take a federal job. The reason they are so extensive is two-fold. For starters, they have to look after their employees just in the same way as a work/life balance. And, they need to compete against the private sector and the inferior pay.Please note that the government has to compete against the private sector like any other business. To do that, they provide you with basic life insurance. They also have great retirement schemes and health care. Your entire benefits package will cover everything, and that is a big enticement.Picture CreditCon: Lack of OpportunityevalLots of people see government jobs as having a glass ceiling. That is to say that there is only so far you can go and no higher. The issue is that the tops jobs rarely come available because they are so cushy. The problem is that the chances of promotion are quite limited.If you want to rise through the ranks, you might not be able to in a federal capacity. In the private sector, you can rise as high as you want as long as you get the results. The lack of opportunity for promotion is worth considering beforehand.Now that you know the pros and cons, would you like to work in a federal capacity?