Simply Hired Blog

Simply Hired Celebrates Diwali

Last Wednesday was just Wednesday to most, but to Simply Hired employees, it was Diwali - the Indian Festival of lights.

Simply Hired, which holds a presence is 24 countries, was all a buzz with excitement over the festivities. As you walked down the hallways of our office, one could see traditional rangoli flowers adorning the floors as well as cubicle walls outlined with strings of light to capture the true spirit of the holiday. In the kitchen, beautiful saris and kurtas were seen billowing about making coffee and toasting bagels.

After an amazing Indian food lunch, employees took to the runway to get their bhangra on and strut their stuff at a Diwali fashion show. Many laughs (and of course beautiful attire) were had. The event ended with an in-office Bollywood dancing lesson. If you've ever had the opportunity to see a dozen of your coworkers learn to dance in the middle of the hallway, you know its quite a site to see!

After a full day of festivities and celebration, Simply Hired closed the lid on Diwali and is getting ready for our next event - the elusive Simply Hired Halloween party TODAY!

Check out some of the photos from the day:

 

Halloween is Coming… 3 Costumes Job Seekers Wear Everyday

By Tony Morrison

Halloween is just around the corner and we all know what that means--costumes! 

Halloween provides children and adults alike the opportunity to become someone entirely different for a day. From ghoulish ghosts to wicked witches, your Halloween costume can be just about anything you want to be.

What some people don't realize is that, for the other 364 days of the year, job seekers have to wear their own costumes, just on the inside. They might not be flashy, but when used correctly, these costumes help job seekers get noticed and into a new job.

Check out these three costumes job seekers wear everyday:

Ballerina
In your job search, sometimes you need just a little finesse and flexibility to land that interview. Just like a ballerina, job seekers oftentimes need to perform complex maneuvers quickly and effortlessly to attract the right employers.

As a job seeker, jump into a new opportunity like it’s a performance. Practice what you’re going to say, dress your best, and develop your overall technique.

Robot
A robot never stops going, and as a job seeker, you shouldn't either. Of course, you need time to relax, but when you're on the clock, you need to be 100% in your job search. 

Persistence and energy are two important "cogs" in the job search robot you want to be.

Superman
We all know Superman is the man of steel. He can fly and has heat vision. Keeping his Kryptonite allergy under wraps, Superman appears to be unbeatable. Just like Superman, job seekers need to become a super version of themselves. 

We all have weaknesses, but it's up to us to keep them close while showing off our strengths. Instead of focusing on what you can't do, focus on what you can accomplish.

What do you think? What other costumes do job seekers have to wear every day? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Tony Morrison is the Vice President at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. Tony is focused on helping job seekers find their ideal job and employers attract and engage rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

How To Customize Your Primary Professional Branding Tool: Your Resume

By Martin Yate CPC

Your resume is the primary branding tool to introduce and position yourself to the professional world. It is, quite simply, the most financially important document you will ever own: when your resume works you work, when it doesn't you don't. Properly executed, a carefully branded resume insures that prospective employers and colleagues see you, as you want to be seen. Short-change the effort you put into your resume and you cheat employment and future success.

No one likes writing a resume, but you'll find the process essential to defining a brand that your professional world is eager to embrace. This is critical because in today's harsh world, your resume all too often disappears into resume databases with millions of others, rarely to be pulled by a recruiter's search. When recruiters do find it, it will get a 5-45 second scan and if a clearly defined and relevant brand doesn't jump out, they'll move on to the next. You can control these issues.

Your Brand & Resume Needs Focus
Eighty percent of resumes lack a target job title at the top of the document, but when recruiters do resume database searches, they start with a job title and then add keywords, from the company Job Description. When you give your resume a target job title and focus on the skills you bring to that specific job you will get more interviews. 

Talk Like Your Customer
It is common sense to find out what your customers are buying and sell to their expressed needs, rather than selling what you think they want. Understanding your customers' needs and then satisfying them first in your resume and then on the job is the foundation of professional success. 

You research employer needs for your target job by collecting six job postings and deconstructing them into a single document that reflects:
1. How employers prioritize their common needs; which ones are common to all and which are common to some.
2. The words they use to describe these requirements

These are the skills that recruiters will look for and the words they will use to find your resume in database searches. These are also the skill priorities that recruiters use in resume evaluation and focused on in interviews throughout the hiring cycle. 

How To Write A Killer Resume
When you understand how employers quantify your target job, you have a template for the story your resume must tell and the foundation for positioning a brand with solid employer appeal; you'll improve database performance and quickly tell any reader that you "get" what is truly important in this job.

 

Martin Yate CPC, is the NY Times bestselling author of Knock em Dead The Ultimate Job Search Guide, and Secrets & Strategies For Success. As Dun & Bradstreet says, "He's really just about the best in the business." www.knockemdead.com

How To Dress Appropriately For An Interview

By Allie Gray Freeland

It's tough to know what to wear on a job interview, especially since each company may have a unique dress code. During the interview stage, consider the industry's standard expectations and dress well enough to make a good impression. After you're hired, meet your employer's specific code of attire.

Know The Industry
If you're applying for a more conservative job, dress accordingly. If you have a Business degree or Sales degree, chances are you'll fit right in with a suit. Generally, you should dress one or two levels higher than what your job requires. If you have a Professional Nursing degree, for example, you're not going to wear scrubs to an interview even though that's what you'll likely be wearing every day on the job. It's okay to ask your interviewer beforehand about the company's dress policy. They can give you an idea of what's appropriate.

Use Your Best Judgment
You want to be memorable during job interviews, but not for your bad taste. Don't let your clothes speak for themselves. It's okay to show some of your fashion sense in subtle ways like tasteful accessories, otherwise think twice about being too liberal with your attire. Wearing a brighter color - like blue or red - can make you stand out for the right reasons as long as you pair them with neutral colors. For instance, a red collared shirt underneath a black jacket is more interesting than a white shirt.

Keep It Neat
Even if you wear a professional outfit, the rest of your appearance could ruin your first impression. Keep your nails clean cut in case you have to present them for a handshake and make sure your hair looks neat. Women should avoid anything other than neutral makeup and nail polish. Don't use heavy amounts of perfume or cologne, as strong scents could bother your interviewer and distract them from what's really important - you!

 

Allie Gray Freeland is the editor of the Rasmussen College Blog. Are you ready to take the plunge to position yourself for a new, successful future? If so, learn more about our degree programs at Rasmussen College today.

Choosing Self-Employment: 5 Keys for Finding the Perfect Business

By Dee Adams

"What business do I start?" is a question asked by potential entrepreneurs who often have a hard time deciding on the right venture.

Map out a plan to search for suitable self-employment

This is a crucial step that beginners routinely overlook. Aspiring entrepreneurs typically fail to investigate how they fit into the marketplace. What industries, or subjects, make you come alive? What are your pet peeves in those areas? Your answers could point you toward a problem-solving startup.

The idea for a venture can come from numerous sources, but many ideas are inspired by previous employment, according to a study by Harvard Business School.

Enterprising workers, using job skills and industry knowledge, pursue commercial endeavors. Consider these examples:

• An ad executive surveyed women about their image issues and exercise habits. Then she analyzed the responses and produced a booklet on how to get in shape in record time. Thin Thighs in 30 Days eventually sold more than 2.5 million copies. She used the earnings to open an independent agency.
• A police station custodian converted the gritty experiences that he witnessed on the job into a series of "gangsta" genre novels.

Identify Aptitudes versus Overconfidence

Would-be entrepreneurs typically overestimate their business and marketing abilities.

Identify your strengths versus your soft skills, and develop solutions to overcome those limitations.

Examine Your Values and Attitudes

• Money should not be the primary reason for selecting a venture.
• Success as an entrepreneur is not achieved through hard work but from performing tasks that you can totally immerse yourself in and enjoy.

Business experts in the academic field and professionals like motivational guru Tony Robbins believe these concepts are key. However, the general public has a hard time accepting the principles. Case in point: Investor's Business Daily's profile of Alexander Calder: He loved art and came from a family of artists, but he believed it was impractical to follow his passion, so Calder pursued a degree in mechanical engineering and drifted from job to job. Several years later, Calder decided to pursue art and eventually became a pioneer in the field with his innovative wire sculptures.

Managing Time

How much do you have? How much will you need?

The amount of time necessary to run a startup, even part-time, is usually greatly underestimated.

Juggling a sideline venture along with a 9 to 5 employment requires skillful time management. The first step is to know where the time goes for your current responsibilities. A lot of people don't have a clue.

Keep a daily diary of your work and leisure activities for each hour of the day for seven days. Or if possible, run videotape and produce a chart that will record and document the information.

When choosing ventures, make a checklist of the tasks and activities that you'll perform on a regular basis, and the time involved in completing them.

Having an accurate idea of the actual commitment involved before startup will help you to focus on suitable possibilities and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Money Matters

Famous Amos Cookies, Kenneth Cole, Tory Burch, and the Khan Academy are some of the startups that launched on a tabletop, in a closet, or by using other bootstrap methods.

Author Dennis Kimbro notes that Wally Amos once traded $750 in chocolate chip cookies for radio advertising.

A lack of money often determines the startup selected, but most small businesses can be started for a fraction of the usual cost if the idea is scaled back. For example, the Carl's Jr., franchise has more than 3,000 locations, but the company began with a food cart, reports Food Network TVs Unwrapped. And one of the world's largest pet book publishers began by selling booklets, according to ParaPublishing.

Aspiring entrepreneurs with scant resources devise cost-cutting solutions that are innovative, and sometimes wacky, to achieve their goals. Others use changes in technology to lower expenses. For instance, some children's book authors are using PowerPoint multimedia to produce their books instead of relying on expensive 4-color printing, says self-publishing guru Dan Poynter.

Common and unconventional bootstrap methods include:

• Sharing
• Renting
• Raiding junkyards
• Dumpster diving
• Substituting
• Labor
• Bartering
• Adaption of items, processes, or strategies commonly used in other ways, in other industries

What ideas can you brainstorm?

 

Dee Adams is the author of Finding Your Niche: Discover a Profitable Idea for a Business at Home—or Elsewhere, and a new online class. For free excerpts, visit her blog at http://www.nichecreativity.com.